Time Healer Ceres - Chapter 135

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————

“Phew.”
The Drou Marquis House came into view. Ersi steadied his breathing and unwound the bandage that had been wrapped around his neck. Already, there wasn’t a trace of any wound left on his body.
“You’re all right, aren’t you?”
It wasn’t that he doubted his master’s skill. It was the Black Forest that had surfaced this time — the fact that it was S-Rank. That kept gnawing at him.
What if she’d used That Ability? If so, she would have collapsed again.
‘Maybe that’s why she hasn’t come to check on me.’
He’d heard that while he lay unconscious, his master hadn’t returned even once.
Knock, knock.
Standing before a building that was somewhat—no, decidedly—weathered, Ersi rapped sharply on the door. After waiting for some time, he heard movement, and the door creaked slowly open.
“How may I help you?”
An elderly man who appeared to be a butler stepped into view.
“I’ve come to see my master—I mean, to see Seres. Is she in?”
“She’s away at the moment. Whom shall I say is calling?”
“Ah…”
Hearing that Seres wasn’t home, Ersi exhaled a long breath of relief. At least she hadn’t been badly injured in that battle.
“When do you expect her back?”
“I wasn’t given an exact time. If it’s urgent, would you like to come in and wait?”
“No, thank you.”
Now that he knew Seres was safe, he was thinking of heading back to the Temple. Many were waiting for him to wake.
Starting with the Pope and the high priests. Those who’d questioned his Swordsmanship prowess were waiting to understand what had happened.
“I’ll visit another time—”
Creak.
Just as Ersi was turning to leave, the door swung open with sudden speed, and someone emerged. The moment Ersi’s gaze fell upon the newcomer’s face, his mouth slowly dropped open.
“Eee—uuh—aaaack!”
A cry almost like a scream tore from his throat. Standing behind the butler Colin was none other than Kainel.
Shing.
“Erk! Wait, wait just a moment!”
What was this? Why did everyone he hadn’t seen in ages draw their swords the moment they laid eyes on him?
Seeing Kainel unsheath his blade in an instant, Ersi stumbled backward in panic and cried out desperately.
“Kainel! It’s me, it’s me! Your master’s disciple!”
“Then you should die.”
“Yes—what?!”
“You should have been dead already.”
The Black Forest had vanished, so why was a demon still walking around? Kainel was certain—the figure before him was a demon creating an illusion.
“I’m not a demon, I’m not, I swear!”
“Or are you saying you’re really Enoch?”
“Yes!”
“…Did Grace use That Ability on you too?”
“No, it’s not that—aaaah! I really am Enoch, I am, I tell you! The sword, the sword! Please stop swinging that thing!”
Ersi dodged left and right from Kainel’s casual cuts while shrieking continuously.
“Artia’s Key! I had that key too!”
“…A key?”
Only then did Kainel’s blade falter.
“Hah.”
Gasping for breath, Ersi wiped the sweat streaming down his face and put as much distance between himself and Kainel as possible.
Recalling how his master had found Artia’s Key, Ersi thought perhaps mentioning it to Kainel might work.
As expected, the moment he spoke of Artia’s Key, Kainel lowered his sword.
“Was it you?”
“I’m sorry?”
“What I was supposed to find.”
“What do you…?”
‘I gave the key I have to someone else.’
‘What?’
‘To someone Grace will definitely want to meet later.’
‘What nonsense has she been spouting all this time.’
‘Go find it.’
‘Find what?’
‘The key. Make sure all three come together. I don’t know who you’ll meet first, but…’
Recalling what Artia had said when she came to find him long ago, Kainel clicked his tongue with a soft tsk.
Regardless of how it had happened, the fact remained: Artia had already known that Ersi—this wretch—was alive.
“What about Seres? Do you know who you really are?”
“No, I didn’t know—ah, wait! Ease up on the grip! Take some pressure off the blade, please!”
“So you deceived Seres too.”
“I know now! I really do! I’m telling the truth!”
Ersi’s voice cracked as he realized he’d wandered into this place for nothing. Master! Where in the world did you go? Your disciple is going to die here!
“What are you two doing over there?”
……!
In that moment, the voice he’d been longing for like a lifeline finally arrived. Ersi spun around and caught sight of Seres approaching steadily, her footsteps deliberate and measured.
“Master!”
Ersi scrambled toward her and crouched behind her frame, his voice wavering.
“…You’re all right?”
“Kainel is trying to kill me!”
Seres exhaled softly and turned to Kainel, whose eyes still gleamed with displeasure as he watched Ersi.
“He’s a monster.”
“No, he isn’t.”
Clearly, the moment Kainel had laid eyes on him, he’d drawn his blade without hesitation.
“He deceived me.”
“Yes, so I gave him a proper beating for it.”
Only then did Kainel’s expression, laden with resentment, clear entirely, and he turned his gaze away from Ersi.
“Where have you been?”
“The Academy. What about you? Just woke up?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you eaten? Aren’t you hungry?”
“Not particularly.”
“You’re not hungry, but you will be. Come on inside. Let’s eat.”
The two of them headed indoors as though nothing had transpired.
“…Excuse me.”
Left standing alone, Ersi could only tremble with a sense of inexplicable injustice.
Chapter 38. Rumor
Bang!
“Sister!”
The door burst open and her younger brother Antonien rushed inside, breathless. Sweat beaded on his brow—he must have run here despite the bitter cold.
“Is it true?”
“Is what true?”
What nonsense had this boy picked up now to come barging in like this? Seres closed the book she’d been reading, having been idly seated by the window.
“You…”
“Me? What about me?”
“They say you’ve become the owner of a Tamer Artifact.”
“Ah.”
…Now that he mentioned it, she realized she hadn’t properly explained the Tamer Artifact to anyone yet.
After seeing her supposedly dead disciple at the Temple, her mind had been in complete disarray. Of course, she hadn’t properly explained the sudden appearance of the small rabbit that had taken to following her around.
‘Sister, what’s this rabbit?’
‘A creature we’ll be living with from now on.’
‘Really? Wonderful!’
‘I have some things to think about right now—would you go play outside?’
‘Sure, sure! Can I play with the rabbit too?’
‘Of course.’
[Squeak!]
…She’d simply glossed over it like that. Seres scratched her cheek as the realization sank in. Well, she’d been busy, hadn’t she? An S-Rank Black Forest had even manifested.
“What’s with that expression? Is it really true?”
“How did you find out?”
“How did I find out?!”
Seres had collapsed, and Antonien had been unable to attend the Academy properly either. Nothing he heard in class could penetrate his mind.
He’d chosen to skip classes, thinking it better to simply remain at his sister’s side.
Three days ago, when Antonien finally returned to the Academy, he’d noticed an odd quality to the gazes directed at him by several students.
They seemed to want to speak with him but couldn’t quite bring themselves to approach—he’d noticed quite a few like that.
He’d wondered what it was about, but since they weren’t particularly close to him anyway, he’d let it pass. After all, there were always a few stirring up needless trouble.
But then.
‘Antonien, your sister’s name is Seres, right?’
“Your family name is Drou, right?”
Today, questions had come pouring down out of nowhere. Why the sudden interest? Antonien felt his guard rise immediately at the abrupt friendliness from people who’d rarely spoken to him before.
“Your older sister is the one who became the owner of the Tamer Artifact this time, isn’t she?”
“Yes, she is! My father told me so! The last time at the Temple, an owner of a Tamer Artifact appeared, and it turned out to be the eldest daughter of the Drou Marquis House.”
“Antonien! Doesn’t your sister attend the Academy here too?”
With those words as the opening, the hesitant children came swarming over and began pelting him with questions.
Naturally, Antonien—who had received no advance warning whatsoever—couldn’t manage a single coherent answer.
“A Tamer Artifact? No, that can’t be right? The kids must’ve gotten it wrong?”
“No, they got it right.”
“…Right?”
“Yeah. That’s her.”
Seres pointed to the young rabbit child, Airien, who sat at her feet eating snacks alongside Kkamangi.
Squeak?
Airien, who had been stealing the fruit from atop the cake Kkamangi was eating, looked up at Antonien as if sensing his gaze.
“…That rabbit is a Tamer Artifact?”
“Yeah.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
“Rea—”
“Ask one more time and I’ll hit you.”
……
Antonien swallowed the words he’d been about to speak and stared at his sister with an expression of disbelief.
“Why are you telling me this now!”
“I forgot.”
“You for—”
How could you forget something like this!

—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————