Chapter 110. < 42. You're Not Human (3) >
"I've come to deliver news about Lumian Calad."
"L-Lumian?"
Tania's eyes went round.
From the mouth of someone she hadn't expected at all, content she hadn't anticipated flowed out. She couldn't help but be surprised.
"You seem surprised. Well, that's understandable. It's not just anyone, and I doubt you expected words about Lumian... to come from my lips."
"...Yes."
Tania nodded.
Her answering voice trembled slightly. Anxiety could be felt on her face as well.
It couldn't be helped. A high-ranking knight of Jenas, with whom she had no prior acquaintance, had come to deliver news about Lumian. She couldn't help but think something bad had happened.
She asked, her voice filled with worry.
"By any chance, did something happen to Lumian? Surely he didn't make some mistake with the Jenas delegation..."
"Ah, my apologies. If I had started with the main point, I wouldn't have caused you worry."
"Ah..."
Thank goodness. Tania wore a relieved expression.
At least it didn't seem like there was any problem. She swept her hand across her chest and looked at Bukal. He continued the conversation.
"Swordmaster John McCart, who highly values Lumian's talent, has decided to personally instruct him in swordsmanship."
"J-John McCart personally?"
"That's right. So I've come to convey that he won't be able to come watch the tournament for a few days."
It was a lie.
Currently, Lumian was in a plain far from the city, attaining enlightenment. Before the eyes of the Knight King and Cynthier.
However, he couldn't say this outright. There was no need to, either.
His purpose was, after all, to put this female student at ease.
'This should be enough.'
Bukal smiled inwardly.
He was merely following the Knight King's command, but thinking that he was helping the legendary Ryan Promhart's romance felt strange.
At the same time, feelings of respect for his lord arose.
'To think of reassuring Lumian's lover in the midst of such a chaotic situation.'
Strictly speaking, she wasn't his lover, but that didn't matter.
What was important was that Philip III cherished and cared for Lumian that much.
"Do you understand now that it's not something to worry about?"
"Ah! Yes! I'm sorry for misinterpreting Sir Bukal Garcia's words with premature assumptions..."
"It's fine. No need to blame yourself so much. Anyway, I've delivered the message, so I'll be on my way."
With those final words, Bukal left his seat.
He appeared to have something urgent, moving quickly by utilizing aura.
Tania, watching his retreating figure, let out a sigh of relief.
"Haah, thank goodness..."
It really was a blessing.
Nothing bad had happened to Lumian, nor was he trying to distance himself from her. Her tangled mood improved as if it had never been troubled.
'As expected, he's amazing, Lumian! For a Swordmaster to recognize his talent and personally give him instruction!'
Even though it wasn't her own affair, a smile wouldn't leave her lips.
She almost found herself humming without realizing it.
Seeing his younger sister like this, Raymond Eloys wore an even more dumbfounded expression than before.
'No, what on earth?'
He was confused.
From the fact that a high-ranking knight of Jenas had come simply to deliver a message, nothing made sense. It was something that couldn't happen by common standards.
But there was something else that bothered him even more.
It was that his younger sister, whom he loved and cherished more than anyone, was reddening her cheeks at another man's name.
'Lumian? By any chance, is that the person said to have talent even greater than Kal Krone?'
It seemed likely. He had heard rumors about a month ago.
'Surely, he and Tania aren't... dating or something?'
He didn't know for certain.
But he thought it could well be possible. He looked at his younger sister with suspicious eyes.
"What's wrong, big brother?"
"No, nothing. I was just startled because a high-ranking knight of Jenas suddenly approached. But, that Lumian... Kalad?"
"Lumian Calad. Not Kalad."
"Ah, right. Lumian Calad."
Raymond took a step back.
Something about his sister's expression was scary.
She was making such a stern face just from getting one letter of the name wrong.
It was extremely strange.
It was just as he was about to say something.
"Ah, never mind about him. Let's go eat, big brother. Maybe because I used a lot of nerves during the match, I'm hungry."
"Huh, oh? Alright..."
Raymond nodded obediently.
To keep digging into what he was curious about, the energy emanating from Tania's body was too intense.
As a civil official, he couldn't withstand her aura, a knight cadet who had even broken through the lower gate.
'Well, it's probably nothing.'
Raymond Eloys thought.
The younger sister he knew had no particular interest in romance, love, or such things. At least until last semester, that was the case.
'She's the type who would rather swing her sword one more time than concern herself with such things.'
That's why she had defied their father's opposition and insisted on entering the Knight Department, wasn't it?
He recalled Tania from that time and let out a chuckle.
"Why are you laughing?"
"Just, reminded of old times. What should we eat, my amazing little sister? Big brother will buy everything!"
"Really? Hmm, then..."
The siblings were soon chatting harmoniously.
It was a pleasant sight. The two, meeting for the first time in a while, continued to burst into laughter as they made their way to the dining hall.
***
Around the time Tania was having her meal with her older brother, Lumian was wholly absorbed in attaining enlightenment.
Purifying the demon stones was no problem at all. The mountain that now towered inside him was large enough to compare with the boulder he had created in his previous life.
Naturally, the purification ability had also improved incomparably compared to before. Moreover, with the help of the dragon Semu, there was nothing to be concerned about.
'What's important is making the purified power my own.'
Lumian's expression grew even more grave.
Until he had obtained thirty-four demon stones from the Crimson Mountain, he hadn't had that confidence.
If he didn't realize his limits and forcibly stuffed aura in, he wouldn't see a good outcome. His dantian and internal pathways would all burst, leading to death or becoming a cripple.
But now it was different.
He had confidence.
Because the advice the Knight King had given him had shattered his fixed notions to pieces.
'Why did I keep clinging to the old method?'
In his previous life, he had pondered his whole life to contain an even larger boulder.
Because he thought that was the royal road, the best method. In fact, since he had obtained the renown of being one of the continent's three great knights through that method, it couldn't be called a completely wrong way of thinking.
But that was, after all, the story of his previous life when he contained the boulder's aura. The Lumian of this current life contained a completely different aura of the mountain.
Then naturally, he should seek to raise his realm through a different method.
'Nevertheless, I kept adhering to the same method. Like when growing the boulder, I only thought about creating one large mountain.'
Wrong.
No, rather than saying it was wrong, it would be more accurate to say it was a method that didn't suit him.
Just as the Knight King had discarded his attachment to the past and found a method more suitable for himself, Lumian also had to find a method that better suited him.
And fortunately, the contemplation about that had already ended the moment he heard his former lord's advice.
He had found his own method, different from his former self's way.
'Not one mountain, but multiple mountains.'
In truth, this was a thought he had tried once even in his previous life.
If making one giant boulder was difficult, how about making multiple boulders?
In his youth, Ryan Promhart had asked this of a senior knight. And he had to endure mockery all day long.
'A guy who can't even handle one properly is saying he'll handle multiple? Go ahead and try, let's see if that works.'
The senior knight's words weren't wrong.
Creating multiple boulders was useless.
They were like stones rolling here and there at their own whim. There was nothing as useless as aura that didn't gather as one but played separately, and he buried thoughts about it for decades thereafter.
However.
Now the situation was different.
His skill, the flexibility of his thinking, the breadth of his experience—all were incomparable to that time.
Moreover, most importantly, the nature of his aura was different. The current him was not a boulder but a mountain.
Lumian began the work with conviction.
Wuuuuuung...
A mass of mana flowed in from the purified demon stones.
Lumian didn't add this to the existing mountain. Instead, he sent it to the side one by one to create new mountains.
One, two, three, four...
The number of mountains continued to increase. Yet unlike in his previous life, no particular problem arose.
Unlike stones that roll around here and there, mountains stand firmly in one place and don't move.
'Moreover.'
It wasn't simply that they didn't move.
Though the mountains appeared to exist individually and separately, when looking down from above, that wasn't the case.
They were all connected.
From below to above. From right to left. A cross-shaped mountain range formed with the largest mountain in the center as its axis.
It was an extremely stable form.
It was much easier than precariously stacking up one giant mountain. Nevertheless, it felt as comfortable as handling a single force.
If he could adapt to it, it seemed possible to draw and use several times the power while achieving much smoother and more precise operation.
'It will take time, but...'
That wasn't a particular problem.
Between standing still in place unable to cross the wall, and continuing to move forward even if it's arduous and tedious.
Which side was better didn't even need to be said.
'Besides, luck follows me in this life.'
He would probably be able to achieve results much faster.
Such vague confidence welled up.
It wasn't a bad feeling.
"Hoo!"
Lumian, having thought this far, opened his eyes with a flash.
The first thing that entered his eyes was the dark sky, just as it had been before he entered cultivation.
'No, is it a bit darker? Anyway, there's not much difference.'
Of course, just because of that, he didn't think little time had passed.
Lumian concentrated his mind.
Then he felt the aura filling his dantian.
That wasn't all. His skin, bones, and muscles themselves felt completely changed.
A feeling as if his body had transformed into a physique more suited for using his body and swinging his sword.
It was an experience he hadn't even had when he became a Swordmaster from Sword Expert.
'With such dramatic changes, it can't have been only a few hours.'
Lumian nodded and rose from his seat.
Then he paid his respects to the Knight King, Cynthier Ainsworth, and Bukal Garcia.
Turning his gaze back to Philip III, he asked respectfully.
"Your Majesty, may I ask how much time has passed?"
"A week has passed!"
Flap flap!
Semu, who had been perched on Lumian's head, flew toward the Knight King as he spoke.
Despite being strangers, there was no wariness. Lumian wore a surprised expression.
"A whole week has passed?"
*Grrr*
Right after finishing his words, a large sound rang from his stomach.
Lumian, his face slightly reddened, nodded.
It seemed to be true. His stomach was terribly hungry.
"You must be very hungry."
"Ah, no, Your Majesty."
"Hahaha. Don't be embarrassed. Having fasted for a week with a young body, you'd probably want to chew on tree roots. Sir Bukal has prepared some food, so don't worry."
"Thank you, Sir Bukal."
Bukal bowed his head and took out food from his backpack.
Lumian, wearing an awkward expression, tried to approach him.
But he couldn't do so because of the Knight King's words.
"Sir Lumian."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
"I'm truly sorry, but I can't help it due to my unbearable curiosity."
"What kind... ah!"
Lumian nodded.
It was a foolish question. In this situation, there was only one thing he could be curious about.
'He's curious about how much my realm has risen.'
It wasn't only the Knight King.
Cynthier Ainsworth and Bukal Garcia also looked at him with glistening eyes.
Swept up in the atmosphere, Semu also had question marks in his eyes.
Lumian made a sound, "Hm."
'I'm curious too.'
He knew he had become incomparably stronger than before. He felt distinct growth even though he hadn't finished adapting yet.
But to figure out exactly how much stronger he had become, he had to swing his sword, move his body, and use his aura.
He bowed his head to Philip III and said.
"Then, with your permission, I will swing my sword in this place."
"Heh, don't beat around the bush. I want to see it quickly."
The remaining two people and one creature also urged Lumian with their eyes.
He nodded, drew his sword, and slowly exhaled.
Then he raised his aura with all his might.
Ziiiiiiiiing-!
The Aura Sword pierced the night sky and soared.
It was on a different level from before. It exceeded 13 meters, exceeded 15 meters. It far exceeded 20 meters as well.
A full 28 meters!
Seeing the Light Sword soaring so high that their necks went stiff, the three wore blank expressions.
"The sound might be loud, so please be careful."
Lumian murmured.
At this, the people hastily raised their aura to protect their ears. Philip III covered Semu's ears.
Immediately after, the super-large Aura Sword fell toward the ground.
Kwagwagwagwagwagwagwang!
A roar as if the world was collapsing resounded.
The birds flying in the night sky, the wild beasts running through the plains all startled and fled. Some even fainted on the spot and wet themselves.
"......!"
The reactions of the Knight King and the others were also a sight to behold.
The three people with their jaws dropped as if they would fall off, and one legendary creature.
Lumian, having withdrawn his aura, quietly murmured.
"...It seems I've become much stronger than I thought."