Three gifts received from Goddess Liphyue.
The Catalog of Endurance.
Authority—???.
And the final one, a magic book called the Ancient Grimoire: Book of Dragon Summoning.
The Book of Dragon Summoning was a text created so long ago that it was considered ancient even during Furnel’s era.
This was evident just by the language written within it; it contained words that had vanished from common use even among ancient languages, and the notation style was from the distant past.
Since magic itself was born from ancient languages and their symbols, most magic books are written in ancient tongues.
It was only natural for such an old magic book to be reborn through updated notation and modified ancient languages over time.
Nevertheless, Goddess Liphyue had handed over this original version exactly as it was.
‘What could that mean?’
‘She said it wasn’t even in Tetradia… so this might be the only copy in existence.’
If a modern translation existed, she would have given him that.
The fact that she gave him the unfamiliar original meant this was the only Book of Dragon Summoning.
“That’s why it took so long.”
The words and symbols were so old and strange that they might have been the very first ancient language.
Because of that, the research and interpretation took much longer.
“It’s already packed with complex symbols and formulas.”
— Still, isn’t the important thing that you finally did it?
“Yeah… I did it. And it only took four days.”
It was the fourth day since he had arrived in Arilleia.
He had succeeded, but the problem was that he had only managed to interpret it.
The actual research and practice hadn’t even begun yet.
— Interpretation usually takes the longest and is the most important part of magic research.
Magic is so sensitive that even a slight misinterpretation can throw everything completely off.
In any case, he had finally taken the first real step.
It had been nearly half a year since he met Goddess Liphyue, and only now was the Book of Dragon Summoning fully interpreted.
According to the translated contents…
“Is this… is this really okay?”
— ‘How should I know?’
It was a contract spell that bound the soul of a Dragon to the soul of the caster.
No, looking closer, it was an unfair contract spell filled with only advantages for the caster.
By inscribing a Magic Circle into the Dragon’s body and soul, the moment the contract was signed, the Dragon would have to obey the caster’s words absolutely and use its massive power for the caster whenever desired.
— Still, since Goddess Liphyue gave it to you herself, wouldn’t there be some meaning to it?
“I guess so?”
Everything he received from Goddess Liphyue had a purpose.
First, the Catalog of Endurance had been absorbed into his body, and its effects were being applied permanently.
Hio felt the excellence of those effects more than anyone.
Second, Authority—???.
He didn’t know what it was yet, so he moved past it.
The third was the Book of Dragon Summoning.
A bizarre magic book that allowed one to treat a Dragon almost like a slave.
Looking at them one by one, it felt strange.
After all, the only thing he actually needed was the Catalog of Endurance.
‘……Is there really a point to this?’
— Who knows……
‘Did Goddess Liphyue really give him what he needed?’
A sudden doubt about Liphyue surfaced.
It was strange, but it was a reasonable suspicion.
“……Maybe the Goddess gave me the wrong thing while she was sleepy?”
— She did look very tired.
“Right? She probably meant to give me something else but grabbed the wrong one.”
— She did keep her eyes closed the whole time.
No matter how tired she was, she didn’t even open her eyes while a person was talking.
Hio and Furnel casually exchanged blasphemous remarks that would have made the faithful priests of the Cathedral foam at the mouth.
If Goddess Liphyue had intended to give him this, it meant she wanted him to treat a Dragon like a slave……
‘Did she really want that?’
He thought that might actually be the case.
She was a goddess, after all.
Just because she had a pure, beautiful appearance and a noble, gentle voice didn’t mean she was infinitely kind.
One shouldn’t think of her from a human perspective.
— Anyway, it’s quite complex, but it doesn’t look impossible.
The formula is relatively easy compared to the effect.
“True. If I move fast, I could probably pull it off in a few days.”
Interpretation took a long time, but learning the spell itself didn’t seem like it would be a problem.
Since several 5th Circle symbols were already inscribed, learning this would mean he couldn’t learn other elemental magic of the 5th Circle, but the remaining ones weren’t that important anyway, so it was fine.
As he sat in a corner of the clearing continuing his conversation with Furnel…
[Magician!]
Freya came running from the center of the clearing with a bright smile.
She was in her human form rather than her true body.
Just like before, her light green hair fluttered as she used an artifact to float text above her head instead of speaking.
“Oh? You’re done already?”
[No! Sir Regarda said I could take a short break!]
“Is that so?”
Hio turned his gaze toward Regarda in the back, only to find him looking off into the distance, pretending to be occupied.
There was no way a Dragon needed a break.
It was simply Regarda’s consideration, letting Freya play for a bit since Hio had come to visit for the first time in a while.
Until yesterday, he had told her to remain in her true form, but from today……
Even though Freya’s soul had entered Aerial’s body to become a complete Dragon, she still used an artifact instead of her voice when in human form.
It must have been quite frustrating, but Freya maintained a bright expression, holding back her words and conveying her thoughts and feelings through the artifact.
[……And then Sir Regarda praised me! Hehehe. He said my speed in learning the Dragon Tongue is incredibly fast!]
“Really? Regarda gave a compliment?”
When Hio turned his head toward Regarda again, he saw Regarda turn away with incredible reflexes, pretending to be distracted.
He definitely felt like Regarda had been watching them just a moment ago.
[Yes! And now there are so many things I can do! Fire and water and……]
Freya floated an endless stream of words, as if she had been holding them in this whole time.
‘Why was it that Freya had been unable to speak since birth?’
At first, he thought it was because she was a tiny fragment of a massive soul, leaving her lacking in some way.
‘Hadn’t Freya herself felt that way and shrunk back?’
However, Regarda thought differently.
They had discussed this while staying in Hibernia, and Regarda had said this:
There could be no deficiency in the soul of a demigod Dragon.
Even if it were a small fragment, it was born with everything intact, just like all the previous pieces.
‘Then why was Freya the only one who couldn’t speak?’
[Ah! Magician! Should I show you what I’ve been practicing today?]
“What you learned today?”
[Yes! It’s so much fun and so amazing!]
Freya clasped her hands together and squeezed her eyes shut.
Simultaneously, a massive amount of Magic Power surged around her.
Then, when those green eyes snapped open…
“Blow.”
What he heard was a voice.
What blew was a cool breeze.
“High.”
It was a voice spoken as human Freya, not in her Dragon form.
It was incredibly clear and bright.
A pure voice that couldn’t be heard anywhere else in the world.
“Higher.”
Freya’s small body floated up along with the blowing wind.
‘Why was Freya born unable to speak?’
Regarda had explained the reason like this:
The virtue of deficiency.
“Stronger!”
Ariel, the wise Dragon, had known.
She knew that Freya, having lost her voice, would realize her own shortcomings.
She would blame herself and lament, but eventually, she would acknowledge those deficiencies and strive to move forward.
She knew that even if she died, there would be someone by Freya’s side to help her—a dependable knight who would remain.
“Faster!”
She had imagined the effort Freya would put in, dreaming of the day she would overcome those shortcomings.
She knew how beautiful the process of enduring and moving forward would be.
She knew how great the sense of fulfillment would be when Freya finally reached that goal, and how powerful the steps she took afterward would be, fueled by that achievement.
“Blow!”
Riding the wind, Freya drifted through the sky.
Her expression was bright.
Beyond bright, it was radiant.
Radiant and free.
The happiness of a girl who dreamed of being a Dragon.
“Hehehe! This is so fun—! Oops! I’m not supposed to say other things—!”
Of course, she started falling from the sky as she lost her strength while being her usual scatterbrained self.
Hio hurriedly reached out toward the falling Freya, but…
“……I told you to always be calm and composed. Do not lose your focus and be careful.”
Freya was already held in the arms of the Dragon Knight, who had rushed over at a speed invisible to the eye.
Despite being quite far away, Regarda had responded and reached her faster than Hio, as if he hadn’t taken his eyes off her for a single second.
Freya smiled sheepishly, appearing accustomed to the situation.
[Hehe…… I’m sorry!]
“Since you do not yet know how to control the power of language, you need more practice in this form.”
[Yes! I’ll take it to my grave—er, my cave!]
“It is ‘grave.’ And that expression does not fit the situation.”
[Hehehe.]
Seeing the two of them like that, Hio couldn’t help but make a decision.
With a faint smile on his lips, he spoke to Furnel.
“Let’s change it.”
— Change what?
“You know what. The Book of Dragon Summoning. Let’s change the magic effect.”
How could he cast such a spell after seeing her so happy?
A contract that stole freedom and allowed one to wield that massive power at will.
He couldn’t cast such magic on Freya, who had just begun to overcome her deficiencies and move forward.
Even if it was magic that Goddess Liphyue had given him for a reason, this was something he couldn’t do.
That was what he thought, and that was what he decided.
— You do realize how difficult that will be, don’t you?
Of course it was difficult.
It might not be as hard as creating a new spell from scratch, but as mentioned before, magic was so sensitive that the effect would shift wildly if the order of symbols or the distribution of Magic Power was even slightly off.
There was no telling how long it would take to change it to the desired effect.
“Even so, let’s try.”
‘When had anything ever been easy?’
Completing the ultimate magic.
Blocking the Abyssal Depths and protecting the world.
Well, compared to those things, not interfering with the happiness and freedom of those two was easy.
It would take a bit longer, but it didn’t matter.
— Fine. How could I ever break your stubbornness? Let’s do it together.
This was Hio Pavlenko’s way.
Just one day after fully interpreting the Book of Dragon Summoning, he began the work of deconstructing it.
He delved into and analyzed the formula—the types and distribution of symbols, the input of Magic Power, and so on—and began his research to produce the desired effect.
In the meantime, Regarda visited him occasionally.
Or rather, since they were together at Freya’s training ground, it was more accurate to say he approached him.
“A Concept is a thought with a purpose.”
Regarda, approaching in such a way, would level his spear and often show his bright yellow Sword Aura and the Concept contained within it.
“If you consider it a flower, it approaches as a flower. If you call it a storm, it becomes a storm.”
Most of it was incomprehensible, of course.
Then one day, with his usual blunt expression, he asked:
“Magician. What is your conviction?”
Conviction.
It was something Hio had never thought about.
“Well. Stopping the end of the world? Everyone becoming happy?”
He had often felt the noble convictions of other heroes with his whole body, but his own conviction?
Since he hadn’t thought about it, his answer came out as a question.
As expected, Regarda shook his head.
Simultaneously, he made the bright yellow Sword Aura flare even higher through the tip of his spear.
“Look at my Concept. Do you feel nothing?”
The Sword Aura bloomed like a dragon, appearing almost beautiful.
The Concept was contained within it.
“I will ask you once, Magician.”
The Sword Aura that resembled a dragon.
The firm heart and will contained within it.
Hio turned his head to look at the staff in his hand.
He looked further down at his body.
The vast amount of Magic Power flowing through his body.
The five rings swimming quietly within.
When he looked at what was contained inside them…
“What is your conviction?”
‘Well.’
He didn’t know.
“Find your conviction. That is the beginning.”
Conviction.
There were many times he had felt it.
He had seen the conviction of a pathetic king who did not fear ugliness or cowardice.
He had seen the conviction of an old magician who raised his voice even while knowing he would die.
He knew the conviction of a knight who endured 1,000 years for a dragon, and the conviction of a knight who stood alone against an army to protect an Imperial Princess.
He had witnessed many such clear and intense convictions from the side.
But if asked what his own conviction was… well.
“It will not be easy.”
He still wasn’t sure.