章節 616: CHAPTER 773
[T.L: punisher87]
[My ko-fi link:- https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 ]
Teben and Zen were smiling from ear to ear, looking at the two with a rather nervous gaze.
Their faces were filled with such anticipation that even though they looked like ghosts, Jin and Valeria could feel their heartbeat.
"...We did it, but..."
[Woohoo! See, I told you! If we didn't do that, we really couldn't have entered?]
[Ha, the golem and that darn monster didn't lie. Take it!]
It seemed that the two had made a bet on whether the descendants who came to the succession temple would fulfill the entry conditions.
Zen was the loser. Zen took out a bundle of paper-like objects from his pocket and handed it to Teben, causing the golem to sigh when he saw it.
[I said thousands of times, those are not your belongings, they belong to me... Why did you bet with someone else's belongings?]
Regardless of whether he said it or not, Teben snatched the paper from Zen and expressed his victory of 350 years.
[Hehehe!]
Zen and Teben, the two geniuses who presumably created a long-distance communication device, were in an unstable state of mind.
This was likely due to the fact that they had "recorded themselves on the succession temple" and the long period of 350 years.
Moreover, during that long period, Zen and Teben only had each other and golem.
Thinking that the style of the letter was very calm, the sight of the two people giggling and laughing made Jin feel a sense of sadness.
"It seems Teben Hister has won. Congratulations."
Rather than showing any signs of disappointment, Jin said so, trying to match the atmosphere.
It seemed better to go along with the flow.
[Haha, thank you! Your name is Jin Runcandel, right? For a Runcandel, you're quite flexible!]
"Thank you. By the way, what is that paper used for? It doesn't seem like money."
[Oh, this is a magic spell storage paper. The golem keeps insisting it's his belongings, but I wonder where he got that idea that it belongs to him or me. Anyway! I want to receive congratulations from not only an outsider but also my descendant.]
"Congratulations, Ancestor Teben."
[Yeah, yeah. We've been waiting for you for a very long time."
[Hmph, even though until recently, we forgot that we were waiting for our descendants.]
[Well, considering the history manipulation regarding the Hister clan, it's an inevitable issue, Zen. Besides, we're ghosts, so our memories are naturally weak.]
[Oh, right! Hey, what happened to my clan? Lutberh! It didn't go extinct, did it?]
"It's safe."
Valeria explained to them for a while about how they met Sael and came to the succession temple.
[...I remember more vividly now. It's really fortunate! Zen, as we expected, those guys couldn't find your clan. And my clan didn't meet its end either. Hahaha!]
[But why do you look so fine when you've come all the way here? We were wandering for days and looked like beggars.]
[That's because this time, the successor took a shortcut. They had the power to disregard the set difficulty. They had formidable abilities.]
The traps installed in Maliet's succession temple were originally set based on Honka as a benchmark. They were designed so that if one barely defeated Honka, they could reach the final point of the succession temple after enduring various hardships.
[Moreover, since they're not enemies, I also didn't apply 1st class Hostility. I only used 50% of my original combat power. It wouldn't have mattered even if I used all my abilities.]
[Hmm, it feels unfair. If it was that easy, it feels like we're giving our creation too easily, doesn't it, Teben?]
[That's right! We really worked hard for it!]
"Is that creation by any chance a communication device?"
[Yes, exactly! It's a long-distance communication device!]
[Don't you have anything like that outside now?]
"No, we don't. We can only send signals with items like Zipfel Magic Tower Master's Staff."
[Well, I can't just give it to you like that. Let's have one more test.]
[Oh, great. What kind of test?]
[Let's decide while they explore the succession temple. Get ready! If you fail to pass the test, we won't really give you the communication device.]
Zen and Teben rushed off somewhere and disappeared.
[Now, even though they're like that, they were once great mages and engineers. Don't worry too much about the test. It won't be too difficult. Even if they became fools, they haven't forgotten, duty and mission.]
The duty and mission as a record mage and a pioneering engineer.
That was to hand over their inventions to those who were qualified for them.
As Maliet's record windows floated in the air, Golem reached out his hand, causing a pleasant vibration to spread throughout the succession temple.
[Master, has foreseen a moment like this for a long time.]
"Foreseen? What does that mean?"
[But luckily, Valeria Hister, you don't seem too tired or lonely.]
Did Maliet already know about Valeria's future?
Jin watched Golem with such questions in mind.
Golem's touch activated the record windows.
[Please lie down and watch the master's records.]
As the two of them lay down, the surroundings gradually darkened.
Soon, as it became completely dark, the record windows flowing like a blue galaxy on the ceiling beautifully lit up.
[You may feel a bit hazy. Please don't resist.]
Following those words, after a while, the two of them were able to immerse themselves in the stories of the past, just like when they consumed the Drink of regal hymn in the Wantaramo Forest.
***
Jin and Valeria became translucent observers within the video.
April 1, 1391, Honka Island.
'It seems to be a record of the day when Ancestor Maliet and Honka met.'
'It looks like the fight has just ended.'
Jin and Valeria watched Honka, gasping for breath and half-frozen, in front of them.
It was before Honka even had a name.
Maliet was a woman of extraordinary beauty.
She had a massive physique, not much smaller than Honka's, with fiery red hair that covered more than half of her body and mischievously twinkling eyes.
Jin and Valeria were momentarily overwhelmed by her appearance, their mouths agape. It was the first time either of them had seen someone so large.
Even Hedo would not appear as big standing next to Maliet.
"Why are you tormenting people who come near this island and making their lives miserable? I've already lost count of how many times I've scolded you."
[Hmph, there's no reason. If you want to kill me, go ahead!]
"If you had killed even one person, I would have done so. But you only pretended to be a current in the sea and chased people away. I find it endearing, so I'm being lenient with you. If you keep doing this, soon enough the Empire or Zipfel will come and subjugate you. So, confess your sins through me and regain enlightenment."
[And if I refuse?]
"Then there's nothing I can do. There are some issues of privacy invasion, so I try to refrain from doing it as much as possible, but I can only examine your records one by one. I need to understand why you're doing this. If I wait too long for you to listen directly, you might end up dead."
[What is this... Huh? What's happening? Suddenly, why are my memories being projected into the air?]
"Well, yeah. As I expected, when you sought enlightenment to overcome the torment inflicted upon you by humans and other creatures, that was the moment you gained your inner core."
[Ugh, stop it!]
"But usually, when someone gains power, they become filled with hatred and seek to slaughter weaker beings. But instead, you chose perfect seclusion. What does that mean? It means you deserve a reward, that's what it means. Come here, let me give you a hug. Oh, are you frozen and can't move? Then I'll hold you. How about that?"
Honka screamed in protest, but once Maliet's massive body enveloped him, he couldn't resist the comforting sensation.
That's how Maliet and the inner core toad monster became friends. Maliet named him Honka, derived from the island's name.
For a moment, memories of Maliet and Honka's heartwarming tale played out.
The two of them sat by the bonfire, sharing a meal together, or Maliet would tell Honka stories of the outside world.
Honka never opened his heart to anyone except Maliet, but there were no more threats to anyone passing near the island.
"Right now, many Histers are coming to this place I'm creating, but eventually, my clan will decline and be defeated by Zipfel. The number of Histers coming to this island will gradually decrease."
[Even though you're so strong, can't you defeat Zipfel? You said Hister's magic is the best.]
"They have far greater power than us and are despicable to boot. There's nothing I can do. In any case, within a few hundred years... No, even shorter, within a hundred years, my clan will be on the brink of extinction. I wonder how many people will survive, ten? Five? Maybe just one."
[Why are you talking about it as if it's already happening, like someone who's about to leave?]
"I don't have much time left. By that time, I need to complete a succession temple that will provide strength to the Histers who will come when my clan weakens."
[What are you talking about? Are you seriously ill or something?]
"It's not an illness, it's a curse. I was hit by it during the battle with the Spectres of Zipfel. It's a curse called Kian's blood, and if you're cursed, you gradually suffer and die in agony. My progress is currently at about 50%. If I manage to endure, I have about three years left."
Honka couldn't know how to react to the sudden impending separation.
Maliet smiled as she looked at Honka.
"When I die, you should leave this place and make friends with new people. I can entrust the protection of the succession to the golem I'm currently creating."
[I don't want to.]
"Someday, when it's your time to go, you'll regret it. It's too lonely to live a life where you only miss me. Do I have to keep worrying about you even after I die?"
[Stop talking about dying all the time and find a way to lift the curse. If you do that, I'll leave the island with you and help you.]
"Finding a curse-breaking method that may not even exist or completing a work for the future. Naturally, the remaining time should be devoted to the latter. For the sake of the clan, for my sake, and for the world's sake."
[Even without you, many Histers are already creating the succession temples. Isn't that enough?]
"Most of those fellows are too naive, leaving only a sense of duty for exhausted future generations. My succession temple will be a more special sanctuary than that."
Having said that, Maliet suddenly turned her head toward Jin and Valeria.
It was an action to give the feeling of speaking directly to the future generations who would peek into this record as observers.
"So, enjoy the remaining time I have. I hope it brings you some comfort in your lonely and difficult lives."
[T/L: You can read more chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 & https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]
[T/L: Join $29 membership on my "buymeacoffee" page and read 55 chapters ahead and daily 1 new chapter update. I have introduced new memberships, and you can read upto 75 or 85 chapters ahead.]
章節 617: CHAPTER 774
[T.L: punisher87]
[My ko-fi link:- https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 ]
When Maliet said that, the scenery suddenly changed.
September 7, 1391.
Five months after Maliet cursed Honka, Jin and Valeria looked around again.
Buildings were ablaze and collapsing, and screams filled the air. The smell of blood and ashes permeated the surroundings.
'...It's a battlefield. The Spectres, right?'
'It seems to be the moment when my ancestor and Zipfel are engaged in combat.'
Kwaaang-!
An explosion suddenly occurred in front of the two, revealing Maliet's figure.
She was in a state of blocking the Spectres' magic with a shield.
"I never expected you to show up here, Maliet Hister. How did you get in?"
Despite being surrounded by the Spectres, Maliet remained unfazed. Instead, she smirked and replied, "How did I get in? I simply came."
The Spectres didn't show any reaction, but they were clearly puzzled.
The current location of their battle was Drakka. Although it is on the outskirts, one of Zipfel's most wanted criminals had appeared in the capital of Lutero Magic Federation.
"Do you think I don't know that your patriarch and captain are absent? The answer is yes. So, here in Drakka, there's no force that can stop me. That's what I'm saying. So let's not waste our strength and quietly pass by. I only need to find one person."
Furthermore, there was a secret underground prison in the outskirts of Drakka.
Maliet had come to rescue Rock Hister, who was imprisoned there.
"Don't you also want to avoid unnecessary casualties? Let's consider today as a loss and just leave. After all, almost every time you fight against my clan, you guys end up losing."
"Yeah, if we think about your original battle prowess, it might be better for us. Rock Hister isn't that important. But you know, we also understand your circumstances. The blood of Kian. I don't know how you're enduring that pain, but our captain's curse on you is definitely effective."
When affected by Kian's blood, most people could endure it for a maximum of one month. It had already been two years for Maliet.
Maliet didn't respond and shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, if you're so eager to die, I can't help it."
"You're still bluffing, huh? If it were the old you, the five of us would have been dead already. Attack!"
As the leader's words fell, the Spectres resumed their attack.
The scattered bodies of Zipfel's mages were torn apart by their mana.
Maliet was engulfed in a painful sensation as if her blood was boiling due to the curse.
However, even in the midst of that, she swung her staff and deflected the enemies' magic.
Although there was no captain or patriarch, it would be impossible to survive and retreat if the battle dragged on a little longer.
This place was Zipfel's stronghold, and endless reinforcements were pouring in.
Therefore, Maliet decided to take a gamble.
Even if the curse amplified further, she judged that she would gather her mana and quickly end the situation.
Hister Secret Magic Spell: Second Succession Temple
Golden Spear
As Maliet completed her incantation, a massive cloud of golden mana formed in the sky.
Within it, thousands of small golden spears and one gigantic golden spear rained down.
Both Jin and Valeria were momentarily speechless at the power of this magic.
The golden spears, pouring down like rain, instantly tore through the Spectres' shields.
The largest spear remained impaled in the center of the battlefield, continuously radiating waves of magic power.
The Spectres, who were attempting to reinforce their shields, had no choice but to scatter and evade the shockwaves. At the same time, Maliet unleashed other elemental magics, taking them down one by one.
"Kahak...!"
Maliet spat out a mouthful of blood. She felt the curse's energy rapidly intensifying.
Among the Spectres, two people survived but both sustained injuries that rendered them unable to continue fighting.
Instead of finishing them off, Maliet moved forward and unfolded a record window.
The location of the underground prison where Hister was imprisoned was described on the record window.
The entrance to the underground prison was revealed when she broke the floor of a collapsed building.
"Who, who is it? Save us!"
"Please save us!"
The prisoners had been hearing the vibrations and noises of the ongoing battle from their cells. A few guards aimed their swords and staffs at Maliet, but she ignored them. Without daring to oppose Maliet, they quickly fled out of the prison.
"Rock! Where are you?"
Maliet shouted as she broke down each prison door.
The freed prisoners briefly expressed their gratitude to Maliet and hastily escaped.
Not hearing a response from Rock, she unfolded the record magic once again. There were numerous scattered records nearby, so it took some time for the results to appear.
After about five minutes, the record that appeared indicated that Rock Hister was already deceased. Maliet bit her lower lip and lowered her head.
Rock was her lover.
However, there was no time to mourn his remains.
Once again, she heard the noise from above.
"The underground prison! Pour your magic into the prison!"
Under the barrage of Zipfel's reinforcements' magic, the ceiling of the prison collapsed entirely. Maliet extended her shield and desperately searched for Rock's body, but most of the prison was already engulfed in flames.
In the moment when she felt her stomach churn with a sense of desperation to escape, Maliet heard a voice. It was the voice of a child, crying out to be saved.
When she opened the prison door where the sound came from, she found a child of about eight years old. She hesitated for a moment when she saw the color of the child's hair, but Maliet reached out her hand to the child.
"Let's get out of here together."
Maliet took the child and swept through Zipfel's reinforcements as they made their way out of the prison.
It took two days to successfully escape and reach her hideout. As soon as she arrived at the hideout, Maliet's body felt as heavy as a thousand pounds and collapsed to the ground.
When she regained consciousness, the first thing Maliet saw was the image of a child looking down at her with a trembling hand holding a dagger. It was the dagger that was in the hideout.
"...Are you going to stab me with that knife?"
The child did not respond and clenched their teeth.
"I knew you were Zipfel's child from the moment I found you. You were probably kept there as a punishment, either as an illegitimate child of Zipfel's patriarch or as someone who witnessed something you shouldn't have."
Maliet recognized that the child was holding a knife, possibly intending to kill her so they could return to their family.
"Put down the knife, you have not done anything wrong yet. I offer you a chance to live. Live as a human, not as a tool or a puppet of Zipfel."
The child hesitated but eventually lunged at Maliet with the dagger.
Maliet easily deflected the child's dagger with a simple motion of her hand, without resorting to magic.
The child fell down and burst into tears.
"You couldn't stab me, so you are still innocent. Let's leave it at that. As my body recovers, I will provide you with a foundation to live your life. Forget all the memories so far and make a fresh start."
Maliet harbored a deep hatred for Zipfel more than anyone else.
However, she didn't want to hold onto that hatred and extend it to innocent children who had never participated in the fierce wars between clans.
A week later, when Maliet was able to move properly, she took the child to the land of the Beastmen and disguised them.
She gave the child a new identity and forged identification documents.
Now the child would live their life like a commoner named Iello, not Iello Zipfel.
"Iello, I have lost many family members and loved ones to Zipfel in my life. Yet, the reason I saved you is because, if you look closely, you and I are in the same position. You were born as Zipfel, but abandoned by Zipfel and lost your family."
Iello burst into tears and embraced Maliet.
"Free yourself from the cycle of hatred and live your own life. Since you have no other siblings, there is no need for you to seek revenge. Both my clan and your clan need more children like you who choose to live their lives instead of fighting."
"Maliet... How can I repay this kindness?"
"The only way to repay me is by living well. And someday, when you have the opportunity, extend a helping hand to someone else, just as I did. Grow up to be bright and courageous, Iello."
After that, Maliet did not know what kind of life Iello lived.
But until the day Maliet met her scheduled death, Zipfel never found their hiding place where she stayed with Iello.
And that was how Jin and Valeria witnessed Maliet's life—all of it.
She protected numerous Histers from Zipfel and saved many people. Yet, she didn't appear burdened.
She didn't seem lonely, engulfed in sadness, or consumed by hatred, turning into a monster.
She simply looked like someone who enjoyed life. She considered every action of hers valuable, not out of duty or obligation but as a person following her own beliefs.
Even the curse of Kain's blood couldn't darken her.
December 20, 1393, winter.
Maliet finally completed the golem for her successor on the Honka Island's succession temple.
"Fortunately, I managed to finish it in time. Golem, I had planned to give you a name when you were complete, but on second thought, it's better for my successor to do it."
[Understood, master.]
"Your homeland, my succession temple, is dangerous, but if you have the skills, you will never die. Moreover, if you pass through all the trials, it will help you grow. If someone ignores the traps and takes a shortcut, check their hair and mana. If it's red and a complete mana body, then they are the successor, and you can proceed with the additional tests."
[I will remember. The shortcut user, is Zipfel. All secret traps, self-destruct devices, activate. 1st class hostility, engage.]
"Exactly. Well, I guess I have to go now... It's a pity I couldn't create more memories with you."
[It's also... a pity, master. But, you must go. To the designated place, the final destination of life.]
Maliet's curse had reached its peak, and she no longer possessed the imposing presence she once had. Her skeletal structure remained formidable, but her appearance had become grotesque. However, her eyes still sparkled mischievously.
Maliet turned her head towards the empty space where Jin and Valeria stood.
"Descendant, this will be the last thing I, Maliet Hister, will tell you."
Those burdened with a predetermined fate cannot change the world.
Even if they do, they end up deviating from their path. Do not become a monster like many of my clan members and comrades.
After speaking these words, Maliet took a labored breath.
"You don't have to become a monster to fight against the monsters known as Zipfels. Fight when you must, and show love when it is necessary. Sometimes, you must forgive the bloodline of your enemies. Don't let duty and obligation push you into a bleak and desolate existence. Live with brightness and courage."
Maliet smiled for a moment, gazing at the empty space where Jin and Valeria observed her.
Then she went outside and bid farewell to Honka.
[...Are you leaving?]
"Yes, I feel like I'll die in about five hours. I did consider spending my last moments by your side, but... I think I have to go. To Rock."
[It's a parting then.]
"Yes, it's a parting. Apart from feeling uncomfortable because you won't leave this place even if I die, I feel relieved."
Honka hugged Maliet without saying a word, just like when she first embraced him. Tears streamed down his face as her frail body touched him.
[Someday, let's meet again.]
"Yes, Honka. Oh, until you feel like leaving this island, keep an eye on the successors who come here. It's my way of saying to make sure they fulfill the conditions I left behind. It will be a small but enjoyable challenge."
Thus, Maliet headed towards the outskirts of Drakka, where she had failed to retrieve Rock's remains.
That was how Maliet's record came to an end.
[T/L: You can read more chapters and support me here: https://ko-fi.com/punisher87 & https://bmc.link/punisher87 ]
[T/L: Join $29 membership on my "buymeacoffee" page and read 55 chapters ahead and daily 1 new chapter update. I have introduced new memberships, and you can read upto 75 or 85 chapters ahead.]
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