Chapter 77

77

As I continued to bow my head, Dantalian knelt on one knee and looked up at me.

"So, give me your blessing, Sherina."

"Blessing...?"

"Yes."

A blessing was a ritual usually performed by a higher-ranking mage for a lower-ranking one. It was given when accepting a disciple, a comrade who would share life and death, or when undertaking important tasks. When I was Hella, I had never given a blessing, not even to Melaine, who was my official disciple.

Giving a blessing meant engraving one's name on the other. It signified a commitment to protect the other no matter what and to truly accept them. It was a connection of invisible threads of magic.

One could faintly sense the other's life and death, no matter how far apart they were.

"I am Hera, Anya!"

"Yes, that's why I called you Sherina."

What did it mean for him to want a blessing from me, even while being so angry?

Was he asking me to take responsibility? Even if I was just a puppet, I was a king, so was he asking me to take responsibility?

"Hurry up. Someone will come soon."

He knelt on one knee and bowed his head even lower.

'Who are you asking to bless with this terrible pronunciation of ancient language?'

It was questionable whether it would even work properly.

I wanted to argue, but seeing Dantalian's serious expression, I lost the urge.

I'll just do it half-heartedly.

'Anyway, the blessing I'm giving now will be broken soon.'

A blessing not bound by the power of words would naturally unravel and disappear over time.

So, it wasn't a bad move to use it to get out of the current situation.

"Manro is the origin. Serve as if it were this way."

"Showing it will be enough for now."

I couldn't say it out loud.

With such poor pronunciation, it wouldn't be a proper blessing.

Of course, before that, my magic power was insufficient, so it was just a show.

I had to gather my magic and bless him in my mind. Borrowing the power of words with such a messy pronunciation was impossible.

'In the isolated time, in the crossed worlds, grasp the red thread amidst the overflowing connections. Hold the beating heart for the flame that is about to go out on the darkness that has fallen over the veil.'

I recited the ancient language incantation in my mind before giving the blessing.

Though called a blessing, the ancient language was more like a binding.

That's why I never gave a blessing to anyone.

In a world where I was busy just surviving, I didn't have the energy to care for anyone else.

"Sherina..."

I slowly closed and then opened my eyes.

I never thought I would utter this name.

"I bless you in the name of Sherina Crow."

(Translation: I bless you in the name of Sherina Crow.)

"Break through the false nest and rise into the sky from the embrace of despair."

(Translation: Break through the false nest and rise into the sky from the embrace of despair.)

Damn, is this even human language? It became gibberish as the words got longer.

It was a language that no one could understand without a translation.

I wasn't sure if he had understood it properly.

I extended my small hand and placed it on his black hair.

"Dantalian."

As the final part of the blessing, I called Dantalian's name.

"Yes, Sherina."

At the same time as his answer, a strange, mixed color of white and black magic flowed from my fingertips into Dantalian.

The incomplete color of magic was ambiguous.

The language of blessings varied.

Usually, the one giving the blessing would say what they wanted to the one receiving it.

"As you wish, Sherina."

Dantalian answered calmly.

'Did you understand what I just said?'

As I stared at him, he stroked the hair I had touched a few times and then looked at me.

"It's not very dirty."

I don't know why, but his voice sounded disappointed.

The magic power from my fingertips glowed like a firefly and then disappeared instantly.

'What can I do if I can't gather it right now?'

"Would you like a little share?"

"Huh?"

"My magic power."

Black magic swirled from Dantalian's hand.

It was pure black magic. But if I accepted it, I would have to be prepared to risk my life.

"I don't want it. I'll give it."

Being forcibly injected with someone else's black magic was more severe than gathering magic from the outside.

It wouldn't be easy for a three-year-old body to endure it.

"I'm disappointed."

Dantalian really looked disappointed.

But he didn't try to force it on me.

"I'll be going now, Sherina."

"..."

"Next time, give a blessing to the others too."

"What?"

Who else is there? I know there are others, but do I have to give them blessings too? I only did this to get out of the current situation.

I thought I would have to stick close to Sharant Crow or Deshar Crow for a while.

"Then I'll be going, Sherina."

Like last time, a magic circle appeared on Dantalian's shoulder.

He disappeared right in front of me without touching the protective magic barrier of the mansion.

He probably came in through the window. The external magic barrier would definitely block him.

'...The magic circle is the reason he isn't affected by the protective magic.'

Usually, a magic circle or ancient language is needed for magic to work.

A magic circle must be drawn somewhere.

This means that magic power moves in the space where the magic is cast.

The protective magic detects this subtle movement of magic power and destroys it.

For spatial movement, the magic circle must be drawn in the space to be moved to, using the magic power of that place.

While external magic is usually blocked in noble mansions or royal palaces, internal magic is rarely blocked.

Blocking only external magic means that internal magic is not filtered.

However, even if internal magic were blocked, the probability of stopping Dantalian would be low.

He has a magic circle engraved on his body and doesn't use external magic power.

There's no need for the magic circle to be drawn anywhere. This is why his magic bypasses the protective magic.

In the first place, high-ranking nobles who can handle magic power rarely limit internal magic.

'...This is another unexpected weakness.'

I really didn't expect it.

There are many things in the world that I don't know.

Protective magic still needs to develop. It needs to be improved and modified to become nearly perfect.

'Even while treating us as witches, they used magical tools and protective magic in wars.'

I don't understand what it meant for them to oppress us.

The perception of mages began to change gradually, starting with the nobles who started employing them.

'I should improve the protective magic of the mansion since I'm bored.'

Protective magic is usually made with a combination of runes and circles.

Runes are a language created around the same time as ancient language and are mainly used for permanent magic.

For protective magic or creating guardians with special abilities.

Runes are also used to create magical tools. They are necessary to maintain the magic power infused into them.

While a magic circle is for one-time magic, runes are for permanent magic.

Now, runes are used, but in ancient times, ancient language was used directly.

The magic using ancient language was powerful but had a high cost, so it was refined and improved into runes.

It's speculated that ancient language was used to create and hide ruins.

Magic circles were very powerful but didn't last long.

Runes last for a very long time but are not as powerful.

At best, they continuously use the same magic.

Like a magical lamp that never goes out, or continuously emitting warm air, or creating a weak protective barrier that can block a few attacks.

How did they manage to maintain it invisibly for a long time?

'The more I learn about ancient magic, the more I realize how much I don't know.'

I shook my head to clear my thoughts.