66

Selena suddenly asked Tristan a question.

“After learning the method of manna circulation from Id, I modified it to suit the elven body structure. I’ve already trained manna for months, but there is no sign of manna hall yet in my body. As an Aura Beam Owner, you must have created a manna hall, right? Can you teach me how to do that?”

Tristan answered Selena’s question.

“If the manna hall you’re talking about means something like a dragon heart, there’s no manna hall in my body. I’ve just achieved Aura Beam after training my Aura Blade for almost three hundred years. A lot more manna indeed circulates in elves’ bodies than any other species except for dragons, and even more manna in my body than any other elves. Still, no manna has condensed in any part of my body.”

Id, who was listening to the conversation between the two elves, expressed his opinion on Tristan’s mention. He first explained to Tristan the trinity of the three manna halls formed in the dragon and human bodies and then continued.

“During our swordfight with Aura Beams, I thought you’d long been in the State of Harmony. In the case of dragons, manna condenses only in their middle manna hall, the Dragon Heart, whereas manna concentrates only in the lower manna hall in my lower abdomen. In either case, the other two manna halls exist only as virtual spaces, but when needed, a large amount of manna gathers there momentarily. My guess is, in your case, all three manna halls exist as virtual spaces.”

Having glanced at Callisto for a while as if asking for consent, Id explained Vega’s knowledge and his opinion of the State of Harmony to Tristan in detail. Callisto cast Magic Examination to check Tristan during Id’s explanation.

“I’ve never thought about the possibility of a race other than dragons entering the State of Harmony before, so I haven’t noticed it till now, but I think it’s true that Tristan has already reached it. Amazingly, you guys could enter the State of Harmony without a Dragon Heart. Come to think of it, it’s not that surprising that an elf born with an exceptional affinity to manna entered the state. However, you, who have reached the State of Harmony with a human body, are a subject of research.”

Smiling at Callisto’s comment, Id asked Tristan.

“Could you tell me about William Cronos’ Aura Beam?”

“His Aura Beam was fast and powerful, but there was something unnatural in it. After competing with you today, I could realize the difference between his Aura Beam and ours. Aura Beam, which I understand, is an extension of Aura Blade. The abundant manna from nature circulating in my body manifested as an aura on my blade, and after training swordsmanship with my Aura Blade for a long time, I naturally achieved Aura Beam, the extended Aura Blade. Though there must be a great difference in the period of training Aura Blade, I think you went through a similar process to me.”

Id nodded wordlessly.

“It seems that something artificial was involved in William Cronos’ process of obtaining Aura Beam. Probably, he skipped the stage of Aura Blade and went straight to the stage of Aura Beam though I can’t imagine how that’s possible. Anyway, when fighting him, I thought he could concentrate manna on the muscles of his right arm and legs faster than me. If I compare him with you, I think he’s a little faster, but you’re much better at swordsmanship itself. The power of Aura Beam is almost the same. On the whole, it seems you are more potent than he was ten years ago. However, nobody knows how much he’s improved over the past decade.”

“Your information helped me a lot. I appreciate you.”

Listening to the conversation among Callisto, Tristan and Id, Selena decided to study how to condense manna in her upper manna hall. Most of the elves, like humans, had obstacles in their heads that blocked the flow of manna, but some elven Spirituals like Selena were born with obstacles that were not solid by nature. Id removed the barrier in his head through a rough process, but Selena’s obstacle was easily broken during the manna circulation. Recently, Selena had been trying to build a manna hall to summon an Undine. For that, it was necessary to focus on the upper manna hall.

Selena and Spica talked to Tristan and Callisto ramblingly about what they had been through. Tristan, who had been absorbed in listening to their stories, suggested.

“From what you’ve told me, it seems like you’ve had a hard time coming all the way here. I recommend you to stay here tonight to have some good rest. If you go up a little bit over there, you’ll find several hot springs on the road. Why don’t you get into a hot spring to relax your burdened muscles? I’ll prepare your dinner in the meantime.”

Tristan pointed to a narrow path into the rocky mountain. Id’s party willingly followed Tristan’s recommendation. The weather, which entered autumn, was chilly, and Tristan’s suggestion to take a bath in a hot spring was fascinating.

*********************

Late in the evening, James Cronos’ tracking squad arrived at the ridge where Id and Tristan had a swordfight. Despite the difficulties caused by the fast movement of Id’s party, Count Perkins’ Rangers followed the traces left by them so well that they were only half a day apart from Id’s party. The ridge was dotted with traces of Id’s party. The mages, Antares and Fomalhaut, cast spells to analyze the traces left on the ridge and in the rock groove. Fomalhaut reported to James Cronos.

“There was a swordfight between two swordsmen using Aura Beams here. The party we were chasing seemed to have stayed in the rock groove over there. Two people climbed up here on the path to the southeast over there. It seems that the young man, who took the Dragon Heart, had a swordfight with Aura Beams against one of the two newcomers.”

“What was the result of the swordfight?”

“Considering that the newcomers and the group we were tracking went down southeast together, the swordfight seems to have been close to a practice match. If the new Aura Beam Owner has joined their party, it’s not a desirable situation for us.”

Antares, who had cast the spell Levitation to descend to the bottom of the rock groove where Id’s party had stayed, told James.

“I’m not sure, but I’m afraid they have disbanded the Dragon Heart down there. There are traces of a manna storm in the rock groove.”

James Cronos’ face turned gray when he heard Antares’ report.

“Why would they dismantle that precious Dragon Heart?”

“I can’t guess why they did it, and as I said, I’m not sure if they really disbanded the Dragon Heart. Anyway, I’ll have to report to the Duke in a hurry.”

Through his communication crystal, Antares sent Duke Cronos and mage Aldebaran magic images that Fomalhaut and he collected on the ridge and in the rock groove. After reviewing the magic images reported by Antares, Duke Cronos linked the magic communication with Aldebaran.

“Aldebaran, did you get Antares’ report? What do you think of it?”

Aldebaran replied to the Duke’s question with a deep frown.

“I can’t say for sure until I check with the person who took the Dragon Heart, but judging by the Antares’ magic images alone, it seems that a manna storm has occurred there, as he reported. I’ll be able to encounter the party of the man who took the Dragon Heart in a few days. However, it might be dangerous to fight them when they are with the new Aura Beam Owner with our current members. As we have to wait until they break up with the new Aura Beam Owner, it can take longer for us to meet the young man who took the Dragon Heart.”

Duke Cronos groaned.

“Given that there’s a probability that they’ve already dismantled the Dragon Heart, I think we should move on with the second plan, too.”

“Are you going to attack the Kingdom of Sakha? Although Sakha is a small country, its magical power is formidable. King Gregorius IV’s maternal uncle, the Court Wizard Arcturus, is a seven-circle master, and both his sons, Kochab and Pherkad, are also seven-circle Wizards. I’ve heard that many of Arcturus’ disciples are six-circle masters, and the Knight Commanders of the Royal Guard and three Royal Orders are also peak swordsmen. Besides, the Countess of the Henderson County, bordering the Sakha Kingdom, is Gregorius IV’s sister. Count Henderson won’t stand still if we attack Sakha.”

“I know all of them well. A Prince and a Princess, siblings of the Emperor, also married Sakha King’s daughter and son. I won’t attack the Sakha Kingdom publicly. I’m going to send several elite members to bring the Dragon Heart secretly. If we get support from Wizard Betelgeuse, the owner of the Mudria Wizard Tower, we will find a way to bring the Dragon Heart from Sakha’s Royal Storage without causing a noisy scandal. The future of the Duke Cronos family hangs on the Dragon Heart, so I’ll do anything to get it.”

“Then I’ll ask the Mudria Wizard Tower for support.”

“No, you don’t have to. As we need seven-circle Wizards, not mages, I think I need to talk to Wizard Betelgeuse myself. Please make sure to check whether the gold dragon’s Dragon Heart was dismantled or not.”