Ryuu Kusari no Ori -Kokoro no Uchi no “Kokoro”-

Chapter 8.33

Perhaps they were hidden by spirit magic.

Triforium appeared before Shina's eyes and sighed in front of his surprised great-granddaughter.

"Of course, we were waiting for you. The spirits told me that you were coming out of the academy that the humans had built."

"Hi Shina, haven't seen you since the opening party."

Standing next to Triforium was Shina's prospective fiancée, Rauls.

Rauls put a gorgeous smile on his handsome face, which everyone admired, and raised his hand in a casual manner.

His smile, which perfectly fit the description of a friendly nobleman, would be an enchanting smile similar to a narcotic for women.

Shina, on the other hand, simply bowed her head in response to Rauls' greeting with a blank expression.

As always, Shina's lack of interest in Rauls' greeting was not unusual, and Rauls, perhaps accustomed to it, only smiled wryly.

"I've already told you what I want to talk to you about. We are going back to the village."

"I refuse. To me..."

The matter that Triforium talked about was the same as during the opening festival. Shina also tried to respond with the same answer.

However, unlike at the opening festival, Triforium began to continue his words before Shina could finish hers.

"I have friends, I have companions, I have colleagues I believe in. I'm not going to listen to those lies."

"Wait a minute, what do you mean by lies!"

Mimuru raised her voice at Triforium, who dismissed Shina's words with a single sentence.

"Our friends, the spirits, have told me everything. If it is not a lie, let us call it empty words. You have performed the blood-covenant ritual without telling the person who is the most important to you what it means, and you can't even talk about the curse you received as a result. So what makes one a companion, what makes one a friend, what makes one a colleague?"

Triforium has lived a long time as an elf. It took no effort at all for him to talk to the spirits around him and have them eavesdrop on Shina's condition.

And with the help of the spirits, Triforium has discovered that Shina can no longer even sense the spirits.

"That's…"

And Triforium's words accurately hit the gap in Shina's heart.

Shina stammered as she was struck by the gap in her heart.

"Shina. I wouldn't blame you. Since you have lost the ability to sense even the presence of spirits, it is not surprising that you have become like a foolish human being. It is all that man's fault that you have become like this, isn't it?"

In front of his silent great-granddaughter, Triforium somewhat softened the tone of his voice.

But his words put the blame for the whole thing on Nozomu Bountis alone.

Shina couldn't help but open her mouth at the words and actions of the elf, which exude feelings of disdain for human beings and, above all, seek to humiliate the person she held in her heart.

"You're wrong! That was what I wanted to do! I want to repay him, I want to help him! I don't want him to go through that again!"

He was angry with himself for hurting his friends. That was why she wanted to do something about it.

The pent-up, depressed feelings that had been building up. As if reversed, they overflowed at once, exposing her bare heart.

(Even so, I don't want to regret it this time, my dreams, my love ... Well, if you can't stand to watch it happen, then feel free to take the initiative, okay?)

Lisa Hounds' harsh but gentle provocation pushed her forward.

"I did that because I want to be by his side forever!"

Shina's confession resembled a scream.

Both Triforium and Rauls' eyes were wide open in front of it.

Did they not expect Shina to show such rejection, or did they think she was brokenhearted because she could no longer even cast magic?

Triforium's eyes widened for a moment, but he quickly squinted his eyes and continued to persuade Shina in a serious tone of voice.

"I'll say it once again. Go back to the village. No matter how hard you try, no matter how much you put your heart into it, humans will not understand."

"That is not ... true."

"You are an elf, and that boy is a human. It's true that he has some strange abilities, but that doesn't change anything. He cannot communicate with spirits like we can, nor can he live in the same span of time as we do. In fact, isn't that actually the case?"

Triforium was also aware of the fact that Nozomu could not master spirit magic.

The atmosphere between them was so heavy that even the sheer force of their physical weight could be felt.

"He is special. Even more than the Triforium-sama can imagine..."

"I know. There seems to be a king of spirits in this land..."

The king of spirits. These words made Shina's eyes widen.

These words were undoubtedly referring to the old white dragon who trained and monitored Nozomu.

It was only natural, if one thought about it. Zonne, who was monitoring Nozomu, would not have missed something such as a spirit that was observing him as well.

"Why, such a thing..."

As he looked up at his great-granddaughter, who was stunned, Triforium remembered the time when he had made contact with Zonne, and his expression distorted bitterly.

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It was not long ago that Triforium came into contact with Zonne. It was when Nozomu was on his way to Ecross to help with a lecture at Anri's request.

At that time, Triforium had made a contract with a spirit drifting in the sky and was watching Nozomu.

At that time, Rauls, who was usually by his side, was also absent. The young elf was acting as a mediator with the other races, and his job was not only to stand beside Triforium.

Taking advantage of the absence of his personal attendant, Triforium glared at Nozomu through the spirit and pondered what he should do to get rid of him from Shina's life.

He could not let a man mislead his granddaughter.

But it is also difficult to eliminate him by force. Even Triforium, who was in a state of rage, could tell that this individual was in a rather important position in the academy.

"It's unavoidable. I have no choice but to talk to the boy directly and order him to leave, after slapping him with Shina's current situation."

If Nozomu would not back down, however, he was willing to take more forceful measures.

Elven spirit magic is one of the most powerful techniques on the Arkmill continent.

Using it, Triforium was proud of the fact that he could do anything he wanted to a single human being.

With the help of the spirits, he could isolate the individual in a different space and leave him there until he was unable to move due to thirst and hunger.

He could draw out traumas and nightmares, keep hitting them and break their hearts.

(Shina. Now, I will release you from your shackles.)

For Triforium, Shina is the only remaining family member. All of his relatives died in the great invasion. Therefore, his love for her is extraordinary.

Combined with the disdain the elves have long harbored for other races, he feels the need to get rid of Nozomu at all costs.

And, driven by a seething rage, Triforium attempted to give orders to the spirits in his control, but he was unable to do so...

"~!"

The spirits in his control fizzled out in the blink of an eye due to the fear that suddenly attacked them.

The path that should have connected them has forcibly torn apart, and immediately afterward the surrounding scenery changed to gray.

"W-, w-, wha..."

Leaving the dismayed Triforium behind, he was thrown into a completely different space.

Immediately after, an intense sense of intimidation crushed him.

"A-, guh~...!"

The air was forced out of his lungs, and the old elf involuntarily collapsed to his knees.

And then, as he crouched down, a presence appeared in front of him.

"A-, you are..."

An old man appeared before him.

But Triforium's eyes could clearly see this person's true identity.

It was Zonne, the Great White Dragon, who appeared in front of the old elf.

(Leave. I will not allow you to touch him.)

A dragon that stands at the pinnacle of spirits.

The old elf was simply speechless at the appearance of the one who could be considered the pinnacle for Triforium as well.

Immediately afterward, an image was sent to his mind.

It was the image of Nozomu, blasting out the five-colored elements as he faced the king of spirits before him. It is the scene of his previous rampage.

Triforium shuddered at the sight of Nozomu, who was able to drive Zonne into a corner, even though he was weakened because he was in human form.

No, it is not just Nozomu's strength. What frightened him the most was the five-colored elements erupting from the boy's body. It was impossible not to see what kind of being Nozomu Bountis was by looking at these clearly foreign elements.

(I repeat, I will not allow you to touch him.)

In the face of these words, which were uttered with such gravity and absolute force, all Triforium could do was to fall prostrate.

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Thinking back to his previous encounter with Zonne, Triforium exhaled heavily to release the tension on his face.

"Well, he seems to have been quite attentive to me. He contacted me through the spirit who made a contract with me. I understand that that human being is so special. I was shown it personally by the king himself."

"... What are you saying?"

"He told me to back off... I was given strict orders not to make contact. If it is a direct order from the king of spirits, then there is nothing we can do about it."

"Is that so…"

Triforium, which knew of Nozomu's existence, was put on the precautionary list by Zonne.

There was no way he could come into contact with the source of his great-granddaughter's confusion if Zonne, the white dragon, stopped him. And it would be impossible to eliminate him by force. In other words, even though he was burning with rage against Nozomu, he was unable to do anything about it.

"That's exactly why. Shina, you shouldn't be here right now."

Because of these circumstances, he was even more determined to get Shina away from Nozomu.

With uncontrollable emotion and frustration, he quickly emphasized to Shina how dangerous the situation is for her.

"The feud between the Dragon Race and Tiamat is well known among the chiefs of the Elves. Tiamat wanted to destroy everything, and the dragon race tried to stop her. As a result of this horrific battle, the power of the spirits on this continent was greatly weakened."

The battle between Tiamat and the dragon race is only a legend among humans, but the elves, a long-lived species, have their own record of the battle.

However, those records have only been revealed to the elders.

There are some truths that are never allowed to be spoken.

Triforium recalled the time when Zonne made a contact with him.

The moment he was about to give an order to the spirit to punish the filthy human who had bewitched his great-granddaughter, his whole body went rigid and he was unable to move.

It was as if his arms and legs had been ripped off and his entire body had been pierced by icicles.

The spirit that had been in his control instantly fizzled out, completely cutting off any connection with him. That was exactly the same situation that Shina is in now.

(Leave. I will not allow you to touch him.)

A royal decree echoed in Triforium's ears as he felt as if he were all alone in the world. Triforium, which had worshipped the spirit of the great tree in its long-lost homeland, could not possibly defy such a royal decree.

"The shape of the present continent is also due to the battle between Tiamat and the dragons. Shina. This is no longer a matter within the control of elves and humans."

"But I will not abandon him."

So, while maintaining his dignity, Triforium desperately tried to persuade Shina.

But Shina, too, showed no signs of backing down, and the old elf's impatience with his unheeding great-granddaughter slowly began to grow.

"You are not abandoning him. You are just backing down."

"It's the same thing!"

"There is nothing left you can do! You have lost your connection with the spirits, and you can no longer cast your magic, so what can you do now in the face of a disaster of such magnitude as the Dragon Slayer!? Furthermore, that monster from the Empire is coming to this town! And on top of that, that monster seems to be taking a keen interest in that Dragon Slayer!"

A monster of the empire.

Vitora's existence was another headache for Triforium.

Her attitude toward Nozomu Bountis, the Dragon Slayer, contained obvious intent, and those who were involved with spirits could feel that their intuition rang alarm bells that things were not going to be just as they seemed.

"Stop calling him a symbol of misfortune! He is my benefactor! He is the person ...... whom I sincerely wish to have as my companion!"

"You just assume that unilaterally!"

In response to Shina's lack of understanding, Triforium finally raised his voice.

Triforium, who has lived a particularly long time among the elves, knew the tremendous power of personal military might possessed by the key figures of the Dizzard Empire.

And the outcome is easy to imagine.

If those two were to clash, this city would undoubtedly be brought to an end by the Dragon Slayer and the Death Demon Princess.

And not to mention Shina, even the resident of this town, would not be able to escape that calamity if they continued to live in the town.

"If you continue to be involved with that boy, you will definitely be in misfortune! We were trampled by demon beasts, deceived by humans, and lost everything! I will not allow my last great-granddaughter to sacrifice herself!"

"I absolutely will never be going back!"

"~!, Sheena!"

While Triforium was running out of patience due to his unheeding great-granddaughter, Shina was also unable to accept her great-grandfather's one-sided demand.

Mimuru hurriedly chased after Shina, who turned on her heel and ran away.

Triforium, who was left behind, was ashamed of himself for being driven by rage, but he was troubled by the stubbornness of his great-granddaughter and put his hand on his forehead and groaned as if wiping away the root of his sorrow.

"Triforium-sama, about that story you just talking about..."

At that moment, Rauls, who was standing next to him, asked him in surprise.

He, too, had just learned for the first time that Nozomu was actually a Dragon Slayer and that Zonne had contacted him.

"It's the truth. This town is too dangerous. We don't have much time. We must get Shina out of this city at any cost..."

Triforium gritted his back teeth due to the frustration that welled up in him.

Next to him, Rauls put his hand over his mouth and stared thoughtfully at the alleyway where Shina had run off to.