Chapter 60
Just as Adolf was about to incinerate Aslan with flames…
“Aslan!”
Lirina screamed.
As she impulsively stretched her legs forward, ready to run towards him, something else moved first — the crow!
‘Cream?!’
Startled, Lirina watched as the crow took flight. She soon realized that the crow had transformed into Kraush, slicing through Adolf’s fireball.
Kraush was utilizing Crimson Garden’s magic to disguise himself.
In an instant, he snatched Aslan and raced back towards Lirina.
“Lirina, run!”
With an urgent tone unlike his usual self, Lirina reflexively turned and sprinted.
Meanwhile, Aslan flailed like a paper doll in Kraush’s grip.
“…I’m going to die at this rate.”
As Aslan gasped, Kraush loosened his grip on the collar that was choking him.
“Then run on your own.”
Finally catching his breath, Aslan began to stumble after Kraush and Lirina.
Seeing this, Lirina looked at Kraush in surprise.
“So Cream was actually you, Kraush?”
“Yeah, I had to blend in because being beside you as my real self would have drawn too much attention.”
Lirina pouted slightly upon hearing this.
“You could’ve at least told me.”
“I thought of it as a surprise event.”
“I’d rather decline such events. Please prepare a different one next time.”
“I’ll prepare something grand, so you have something to look forward to.”
As Lirina huffed in response, Aslan tilted his head at the two.
“It looks like you two are quite close.”
It was the first time Aslan heard Lirina and Kraush talking directly, so their exchange seemed surprisingly friendly to him. But as Lirina and Kraush exchanged glances without any words, it was just awkward silence.
Whaaaam!
As Aslan felt a bizarre sentiment, an explosion erupted from behind them.
That explosion wasn’t anything but the result of Adolf confronting Agatha.
Realizing it wasn’t the time for chit-chat, Aslan hurriedly asked Lirina.
“Lirina, where’s Dorothy’s essence?”
“Oh, it’s right here.”
Rummaging through her skirt pocket, Lirina produced the essence.
Aslan let out a sigh of relief upon seeing it.
It was definitely helpful that they staged a commotion over his fake suicide.
“I have the Spirit King’s egg. All that’s left is to head to the Spirit King’s Forest.”
To resurrect Dorothy, they needed the power that resided in the Spirit King’s Forest.
Therefore, the three of them dashed out of the Igrit family mansion toward the forest.
However, a problem soon arose.
Namely, Aslan’s lack of stamina.
While Lirina, being quite active, managed to keep up fairly well, Aslan hadn’t moved much for months to the point of refusing food.
“Huff, huff!”
Thus, by the time they left the mansion, his pace began to slow considerably.
“Ugh, just get on my back.”
Seeing this, Kraush scooped Aslan up and forced him onto his back.
He had no intention of lingering around for Adolf to catch up.
“Ugh, that’s unfair. I’m struggling to run too!”
“Well then, Lirina, you can just head back first. There’s no need for you to come along.”
“I have the duty to see this through to the end.”
Lirina showed no signs of backing down. She had already gotten this far. At the very least, she wanted to see how it all turned out with her own eyes.
“Sorry.”
“It’s fine! After all, you’re so light that I wouldn’t even notice if I carried you.”
While carrying a boy wasn’t the most pleasant thing, he couldn’t very well ask Lirina to carry him.
“That sounds like you’re saying I would be heavy to carry.”
Kraush didn’t respond to Lirina’s remark.
Though Lirina seemed a bit sulky, Aslan felt like he weighed less than her, so he said nothing more.
Boom!
Just then, another explosion echoed from the direction of the Igrit family mansion.
It was clear that the fight between Adolf and Agatha was still ongoing.
But the outcome would be revealed soon enough.
‘As if the Spirit King could be stopped by a mere gem.’
The higher they went, the more the difference in power was considerable.
Kraush had learned just how significant that slight gap was throughout his experiences.
Therefore, it was only a matter of time before the Flame King would crush the gem and come after them.
That man wouldn’t just calm down after merely breaking the gem.
Amidst this, the three of them slowly began to see the walls surrounding the Spirit King’s Forest.
Before the entrance to the walls, there were soldiers slumped over like they were asleep.
And standing before those walls was none other than Mirces, the attendant of Crimson Garden.
“You’re finally late.”
Flipping her red hair over her shoulder, Crimson Garden immediately tossed a breathing apparatus to them.
Catching it, Kraush turned to Lirina.
“This is it for you, Lirina.”
“Oh.”
Lirina understood. While Aslan had learned magic, she was just an ordinary person.
It would be total doom for someone who couldn’t handle mana or aura to enter the Spirit King’s Forest.
Feeling a bit regretful, she firmly grabbed the shoulders of both Kraush and Aslan.
“Make sure you both come back unharmed.”
Both Kraush and Aslan nodded simultaneously.
Neither of them intended to cause any more worry.
Meanwhile, Kraush stole a glance at Crimson Garden.
She was already fitted with her breathing mask as if she was ready.
“Kid, you know I can’t hold back the Flame King.”
Right, they both knew that.
While they might have considered facing the gem, taking on the Flame King was something neither of them planned.
Could they have imagined that the Flame King would return right at this moment?
Kraush had no choice but to move since Aslan seemed like he might die, but he had originally wished for things to pass smoothly.
“I’m sorry for causing you trouble.”
At that, Aslan apologized with a gloomy face.
He was well aware that the sudden escalation in front of the Flame King was his own doing.
However, Kraush could hardly blame him.
He knew very well how deep Aslan’s grudge against the Flame King ran.
How could anyone just endure when the man who ruined their entire life spouted nonsense?
Kraush himself wouldn’t be able to contain himself if Arthur spouted such nonsense.
“I can manage a teleportation spell.”
So, when Kraush asked Crimson Garden, she clicked her tongue.
“Honestly, I’m not used to using magic in this body. If it were like this, I would have brought another attendant.”
Despite her complaints, the fact that she didn’t refuse to help was in character for Crimson Garden.
“I’ll go in.”
The three of them stepped in through the gate as Lirina waved them off.
As they entered, swirling spirit dust welcomed them.
In the enchanting light dust, Kraush pulled out the essence and the Spirit King’s egg he had taken from Lirina.
He handed them to Aslan.
“If you run straight this way, you’ll find a lake that emits a soft glow. Place the essence inside the egg and immerse it there; that should do the trick.”
This method was none other than the one Kraush had discovered based on Aslan’s past findings.
After thorough research, he had found a way to resurrect Dorothy.
Though it had been far too long for that to be possible now.
However, it seemed that his research was not in vain, as it had now carried over through Kraush.
“…Got it.”
Aslan didn’t inquire how Kraush knew this method.
He was willing to do anything to resurrect Dorothy.
Kraush, Aslan, and Crimson Garden continued to run.
The Spirit King’s Forest was endlessly deep.
Furthermore, they had to constantly be mindful of the spirits that popped up now and then.
Disturbing them would certainly spark a fight.
After some time trying to pass through the Spirit King’s Forest, golden dust began to appear before Kraush and Aslan’s eyes.
The surroundings felt like night due to the thick trees.
The golden dust attached to the trees sparkled like the night sky.
And beneath those trees, a lake stretching to the horizon shimmered.
Numerous flecks of golden spirit dust floated slowly on the surface of the water.
It was beautiful.
The word fit perfectly, as the dreamy lake was known as the Spirit’s Sanctuary.
Aslan approached the clean sanctuary in front of him.
His heart began to pound.
The mere thought of seeing Dorothy again stirred feelings within him.
Knock knock.
Aslan recalled a girl’s voice, knocking on his window in his memories.
With ice-like blue hair and eye colors, she wore a lovely smile and had secretly visited Aslan through Lirina.
“Good morning, Aslan.”
Even though it was a night when the moon was up, she greeted him as if it were morning, which brought a smile to Aslan’s face.
He wanted to meet her again.
Just as Aslan stepped toward the lake…
Whoosh!
A wall of flames surged up, blocking his path.
As Aslan’s eyes widened, he heard a thud!
Someone landed behind Kraush and Aslan.
Aslan turned to look over his shoulder.
Red hair swayed quietly among the trees.
Within that hair, a pair of blazing red eyes glared down at Aslan, filled with rage.
The Flame King, Adolf Igrit.
He had indeed come after them after breaking the gem.
“This far is where I’ll tolerate your childish games. You dare run away to the Spirit King’s Forest?!”
Adolf raised his thick white eyebrows in displeasure.
His breath was laden with anger.
But he was holding back his rage.
This was the Spirit King’s Forest, and making too much noise might provoke the spirits, which would become a nuisance as well.
“Aslan, and the little one beside him. Come here.”
Hearing that commanded tone, Kraush glanced around discreetly.
Crimson Garden, perceptive as ever, had hidden herself the instant Adolf appeared.
Kraush’s grip on his sword tightened.
What was he to do?
Fleeing was one option, but it was an option nonetheless.
Despite Adolf being capable of soaring through the air using fire magic, he was, after all, not well-versed in all magic like Crimson Garden.
Kraush, knowing precisely what kind of magic she was capable of, understood that escape was possible with her help.
‘But…’
They still hadn’t resurrected Dorothy yet.
It was already a rare occurrence to enter the Spirit King’s Forest in such a manner.
Kraush was certain this chance was fleeting.
After all, no one could say how the Igrit family would treat Aslan once this incident was over.
‘Earlier, he was threatened to die, but…’
Now that he had directly clashed with his daughter, Adolf seemed somewhat calmed down.
He held his family in high regard.
He was well aware that if word spread about having killed his daughter and grandson, it would negatively impact the family.
Thus, he wouldn’t outright kill Aslan but would still make him pay for his actions.
In other words, Aslan might receive punishment that would mean he would never step foot out of Igrit’s family again.
So this was virtually the final chance to save Dorothy.
“Kraush Valheim.”
At that moment, Aslan called out Kraush’s full name, who was following behind him.
The sudden shout caught Kraush off guard, but he quickly grasped its meaning.
“Wha, Valheim?”
Adolf glared at Kraush with angry eyes.
The red mages of the Red Tower tended to ignore everything except for magic involving aura and curses. However, Adolf, being a grand master, had traveled through the world himself.
There were monsters far beyond magic.
Thus, he remained vigilant against those that wielded aura rather than readily agreeing to their superiority.
Especially those among the top users of aura, like Valheim, were marked in bold red on his radar.
‘Just when I thought this was merely a connection of acquaintances…’
To think a Valheim would be here.
This was utterly unexpected.
At the same time, Adolf’s mind raced.
He kept tabs on the global situation, especially the affairs of Valheim, which he always monitored closely.
Because of this, he recalled a recent rumor that had spread.
‘Surely…’
The rumor said that the youngest son of Valheim had defeated a World Erosion entity and succeeded in a comeback.
When he looked at Kraush, appearing in his mid-teens, he seemed to fit the age of the youngest son in that rumor.
Connecting the dots, he began questioning why Valheim’s direct line was here.
The fact that the sub-master, the gem’s steward, had handled the additional deployment reports of Valheim’s knights was something he was clueless about.
“I honestly don’t understand why you want the lunar relic.”
He had assumed that Aslan’s circumstances had led to this situation, but knowing that Kraush was behind it made him question everything.
Surely Kraush recognized the power of the lunar relic. But even so, he failed to understand why it mattered so much to him.
One of the greatest reasons Aslan’s life had wound up this way was that very relic.
“Nevertheless, if you truly need it, or if it’s required at this moment…”
Aslan’s resolve emerged in his eyes, filled with newfound will.
“Just take it.”
He had been waiting for those words.
The moment Kraush raised the glowing light in his hand, Aslan stepped toward the wall of flames.
“What?!”
Adolf was flabbergasted by Aslan’s seemingly suicidal act and tried to grab him hastily.
But blocking his path was none other than Kraush.
Adolf’s eyes widened.
Though he had let his guard down, Kraush’s movement was faster than he anticipated.
Simultaneously, the sight of Kraush’s figure became clearer in his eyes.
Smoke billowed from his mouth, his body burning like lava.
The energy that exuded from his body was hot enough that it seemed like he had flames igniting from within.
With vigor blazing from his very being, he appeared to be pushing past his limits.
‘Fast.’
This wasn’t a speed to be possessed by someone of his age.
Kraush’s speed was almost suspiciously quick, leading Adolf to think he might be entering the territory of a master.
At the same time, he could sense the powerful energy swirling within Kraush’s sheath.
Even Adolf, renowned as the Thirteen Great Masters, felt compelled to glance his way.
A surge of energy radiated from Kraush’s sword as it exploded into black flames.
Boom boom boom boom!
Kraush’s sword collided with Adolf’s protective magic, making a furious noise.
As the loud sound reverberated, Adolf’s expression contorted in surprise.
Naturally, the protective magic didn’t break.
However, it was enough to shake Adolf’s protective barrier.
He had to retract the hand he was reaching out toward Aslan.
“What?!”
Astonished, an exclamation slipped out of his mouth.
For a child who hadn’t even reached adulthood, that power seemed utterly absurd.
‘Valheim really has produced a monster.’
Though he knew a new star would emerge among swordsmen, he never imagined another would manifest so soon.
Was Valheim’s bloodline truly blessed by deities?
‘No, this feels different.’
Especially from those ominously dark, black flames.
It felt almost cursed.
‘What has this kid bottled up inside him? It feels as if he has condensed a curse.’
If Charlotte was a snowy-white star, radiant and noble, then the energy from Kraush felt like a dark star, dripping with shadows.
As Aslan charged through the fiery barrier, Adolf’s gaze hastily shifted back to him.
As soon as he was engulfed in flames, Aslan dove straight into the lake.
Bubbles rose to the surface of the water, indicating he was still alive, which was fortunate.
Upon diving in, he didn’t seem to have sustained severe injuries as he had managed to catch a glimpse of Aslan amidst the flames.
But he couldn’t let it go like this. He had to rescue Aslan and carry him back.
Boom!
But once again, his barrier vibrated violently.
Kraush swung his sword again, aiming at Adolf’s protective barrier.
“Would one of the Thirteen Great Masters really turn his back in front of a mere latecomer?”
Then he uttered a witty provocation that felt surprisingly fitting for Adolf’s age.
Adolf exhaled incredulously.
“It seems my grandson has made some bad friends.”
With one fist clenched, Adolf was determined to scold his grandson’s friend while also aiming to catch his grandson.
