Kays Translations

Chapter 15: Among the magic that the Master uses,

The floating Sky Continent.

Ren gazed at the distant sky.

“The second most powerful nation in the world, ruled by Shelgad. It’s a continent where long-lived Shelgadian people like me live, the closest to the heavens.”

“Really, it’s floating in the sky?”

“Did you doubt the existence of the Sky Continent?”

“It’s not that I doubted it, but, you know, there are things you can’t believe until you see them with your own eyes.”

Ragna touched upon the item found in the old town last year and the ancient stories passed down about the Sky Continent.

“But for you, Ren, the Sky Continent is not without significance, right?”

“Is that about Cecil Ashton?”

“Exactly. That gentleman undoubtedly defeated the Phoenix that attacked Shelgad. If that becomes public, Ren might also be called the descendant of a hero.”

“It’s not really my thing.”

Without hesitation, Ren voiced his true feelings.

Nonetheless, Ragna, who was immediately denied, waited for the continuation.

“Besides, there’s no proof that I’m the descendant of that Cecil Ashton. We just share the same family name, that’s all.”

Not wanting to say anything unsophisticated, but perhaps because Ren was like that, Ragna’s voice was more spirited than usual.

“Hey Ren, my dear friend.”

“What’s the matter? Why so formal all of a sudden?”

“I just felt like it. ――― I hope we find that sacred relic.”

“… Yeah.”

Maybe camping like this once in a while wasn’t so bad.

The color of the sky was getting closer to night.

The light from the campfire illuminated the surroundings much more vividly than a few minutes ago.

“Um.”

While sitting around the campfire, Ren casually mentioned something that had crossed his mind.

“Regarding Windea, it’s treated as if only the Water Goddess is there, but why is that? Despite the name suggesting it’s a place where water and wind sleep, it feels unbalanced, doesn’t it?”

“Is it strange that the Goddess of Wind isn’t involved? There’s be a reason.”

“Not really. It’s just that I heard the Wind Goddess had a greater presence in another place similar to Windea on the Martel Continent, and it was linked to the flow of wind from here. Over there, the power of the Wind Goddess was stronger.”

“I see… there’s such a place.”

“That’s right. It’s a mountain similar to Windea, but slightly different. It’s not a bad place.”

“In that tone, it sounds like you’ve been there.”

“I explored the Martell Continent in the past. I climbed it on the way. Well, I only went partway because the wind was too strong. It’s windy all year round… it’s like a constant storm. It was impossible to climb because of the intense storms surrounding the terrain.”

Ren, who felt like he had gained more knowledge about Windea, said “Is that so.”aloud. 

Large creatures like giant birds flew through the sky, crying out.

A few days after departing from Elendil, they would finish their exploration in the morning and return to Elendil by deep into the night.

On that day as well, they began their activities early in the morning.

“It’s like a city of plants.”

What Ragna found as he advanced was a natural fortress created by various types of plants.

Covering the rocks and intertwining more robustly, the plants were tough and difficult to cut even with a sword.

Ren could easily cut through them… In the first place, these traps were set up by powerful plant-type monsters that live around here, and if you make a mistake, all the creatures that come near will become prey. The thick vines that blocked the way were all traps set by a certain monster.

Ren carefully passed through that space to avoid it, and then, weaving through gaps that could hardly be called paths anymore, they advanced for about two hours.

A nearly pearl-shaped cavity hidden in the rocks and plants.

In the cavity, green winds overlapped irregularly and blew like they were protecting something.

Ren and Ragna stood on branches as their foothold.

“Ragna-san, look at that.”

Ren pointed at something that seemed to overlap irregularly with green winds.

It was floating in the center of this cavity and could be approached with difficulty only through the path of thick branches.

“Is someone using wind magic?”

“No. Probably because there is a Wind Jewel.”

Ragna was momentarily surprised by the unhesitating words, but he immediately understood.

“The Wind Jewel… There is indeed such a thing, but I can’t believe it was hidden here.”

A very valuable gem that has accumulated a dense magic power over many years.

It’s another important item needed to obtain the Water Goddess’s Ring.

“I also want to have it as research material. However, the surrounding winds are troublesome.”

The easiest way is to remove the winds around the Wind Jewel.

Fortunately, those winds are also a magic created by the Wind Jewel, so Ren can do as he pleases here.

“I’ll go get it.”

With the mithril magic sword at the ready, Ren advanced toward the center of the strong wind.

The winds around the Wind Jewel were so sharp that they could easily cut through a person’s body, and it wasn’t something to be taken lightly.

However, Ren wasn’t daunted and approached until the wind touched his skin.

Then, he lightly applied force to the hand holding the mithril magic sword.

There was no hesitation. Just a calm swing.

“――――Hah!”

With a calm horizontal slash, he nullified the magic wind with the pressure from the sword.

True to its name as the “Star Slayer” technique, the wind magic turned into sparkling green light particles when extinguished.

The wind blowing in the cavity was no longer harmful to people.

What remained was a floating aquamarine, the Wind Jewel.

For a moment, Ren thought that he might obtain a new magic sword with this, but perhaps because this was not a magic stone, there was no such sign. Ren picked up the Wind Jewel without hesitation and returned to Ragna’s side.

“The hard sword technique is called the natural enemy of magicians, and that was splendid.”

“Thank you. So, shall we go back to where we were earlier?”

“It took us two hours.”

“… The journey ahead is long, huh.”

Neither Ren nor Ragna felt their steps had become heavier.

The traps of natural magic set by a certain monster.

It was still easy to walk compared to just a while ago, once they returned to a space that could be called a path.

“I could have had you cut through it, Ren, but let’s not.”

The surroundings were filled with numerous plants, like a spider’s web. It was a gimmick to reach the location of the Water Goddess’s Ring, and there was something they needed to do to proceed.

The two looked around.

A mountain-like formation with sharp swords stacked in layers, the whole of Windea.

Where they were now was an open space. Unlike the pearl-like cavity where the Wind Jewel was found, it had more vertical height.

If you looked up, thick branches extended like roads from much higher places.

These paths were connected in three dimensions and led somewhere.

The vines covered in new greenery stretched far down from much higher places, swaying slightly in the breeze.

A natural path created to weave through the gaps between Windea’s characteristic sharp rocks.

The two chose a path that seemed passable and continued forward.

Eventually, they stood on a sort of suspension bridge over a huge gorge.

Looking up, it was already high, and looking left and right, there was a vast expanse of miles.

I could even look down through a small gap in this road, but all I could see were low clouds like a sea of clouds and monsters flying nearby.

“Beyond here is a space where the magic powers of wind and water are drawn in more than anywhere else,” 

Ragna said as he looked at a magic device resembling a wristwatch.

This was the place where Ren knew the Water Goddess’s Ring was located.

There, Ren showed signs of thinking before speaking.

“Let’s use the Wind Crystal.”

“That? It’s a reasonably precious item, but what are you planning to do with it?”

“Well, most of the plants in Windea seem to thrive on the magic powers of water and wind.”

“… I see. So you want to create a situation similar to where the Wind Crystal was.”

Like throwing food to fish kept in a pond, Ren casually tossed the Wind Crystal somewhere that seemed just right. The consciousness of the creatures that created the natural paths around here, as well as the plants living in this area, instinctively turned toward that place, and a path should open.

The Wind Crystal had been gathered for that purpose.

It was a valuable item, and if converted into money, it would be quite something, but this was the right place to use it.

Even if they were to burn the plants with magic or some other tool, they would immediately regenerate, and the path forward would not open.

On the contrary, it would become difficult to advance to the location of the Water Goddess’s Ring.

Additionally, it wasn’t desirable to have a negative impact on the nature of this place.

“The Wind Crystal will burst if subjected to a strong impact. It doesn’t have any killing power, but when it releases a powerful wind, it also releases the stored natural magic. We’ll take advantage of that opening to proceed. Is that right?”

“Yes, that’s correct. Let’s hurry once the path is open.”

“What about the return trip?”

“I’ll make sure to leave enough Wind Crystals for the return.”

“And if you can’t leave any?”

It wasn’t a malicious question but rather an essential discussion. Ren smiled at Ragna’s question and replied, 

“Then, we’ll have no choice but to appease the ruler of this area.”

The ruler, a powerful creature that controlled the surrounding nature. The reason it didn’t come after them while they were here was that it wasn’t usually a hostile creature. However, once an intruder appeared to disrupt its territory, it would immediately unleash its fury.

This was Windea’s sole formidable enemy—one they didn’t need to fight unless they forced the issue. Many of the plants in the area where Ren and Ragna were walking had been created by the creature using natural magic.

“I don’t mind. Let’s go with that plan.”

“I know I’m the one that brought up the idea, bur are you sure it’s okay?”

“A journey without danger is boring. Though, I don’t have a death wish.”

“Indeed, it’s very much like you, Ragna-san.”

Ragna looked up at Ren and smiled confidently, saying, 

“Will the sun go down if I just stay in one place?”

He snapped his fingers, and the massive bag he carried on his back released a Wind Crystal. Ragna received it in his right hand, and with a flirtatious glance toward Ren, he said. 

“Go!”

With a swift and powerful throw, the Wind Crystal left his hand, falling downward into the empty space.

It was buffeted by strong winds from the heights, and the creature took flight into the sky, away from the rocky surface.

It didn’t disappear entirely. Ragna snapped his fingers again, and near the Wind Crystal, a small radiance appeared. From there, a silvery chain materialized, piercing through the Wind Crystal.

A sound like breaking glass, like stepping on ice on a winter’s day, reached Ren’s ears.

And then, it continued.

A sound as if something was moving echoed around Ren.

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