Chapter 69

EP.69 The Underground Giant (3)

"Why did I do that, really…."

In the vast expanse of vegetation in the Duchy of Astraeang, a scene that seems painted with watercolors captivates the eye, thanks to the gentle flow of the mana from the fairy Sylphia of the Firewood Green. A wide, well-paved road stretches unobstructed, allowing one to admire the scenery while moving forward. This is also why the Duchy of Astraeang is known as a key point for trade.

It was summer vacation. Kaya Astraeang had returned to the Astraeang mansion.

Unlike her confident departure to Merchen Academy, Kaya returned in a haggard state, shocking the servants. She had been ruminating over her mistakes in the carriage.

For a while, Kaya lost her appetite and skipped most meals.

She walked with a limp.

Every night, she would bury her face in her pillow and let out deep sighs.

It was inevitable. She felt like she was going to lose her mind.

During the closing ceremony, she couldn't control her emotions and impulsively kissed Isaac on the cheek.

She wondered if she had burdened him. She must have. She was sure of it.

Since then, she had repeated the question "Why did I do that?" countless times.

For days, she wallowed in regret, unable to even voice her concerns.

If word got out in the mansion that Kaya had a crush on someone,

Her father, Gerald Astraeang, would surely be furious.

He was a man of strict and conservative thinking.

He had already warned Kaya that she was forbidden from falling in love or even harboring affection until she graduated from the academy and met someone suitable for her duchess status.

The only person she could confide in, the fairy Sylphia of the Firewood Green, had not appeared in the forest for some reason, leaving Kaya in a state of despair.

Night. Bedtime.

In the dark room, Kaya tossed and turned in bed.

"Why did I do that…, why. Sob."

Kaya clutched the wand of Armana, the magical weapon Isaac had given her at the end-of-term evaluation, and sobbed.

This had become a nightly routine for her.

"……"

Of course, the regretful memories from the closing ceremony were not the only things lingering in her mind.

Moonlight streamed through the window. Kaya turned her head to look outside.

A bright, crescent moon.

The same crescent moon hung in the sky the day she and Isaac went to the Tantak underground cave on the Merchen Academy grounds. That day was particularly memorable for Kaya, to the point where she could even recall the shape of the moon.

It was during their camping trip. The tension in her heart was so intense that she could still vividly remember it.

He had covered her with his blanket and told her she was beautiful.

The smooth texture of the wand she held brought back memories of the end-of-term evaluation.

He had firmly told her, "You are someone I recognize." Each time she recalled those words, she felt an overwhelming joy that he would never know.

"…I miss you, Lord Isaac."

Reflecting on it, she realized that Isaac had subtly seeped into her life like the moonlight.

* * *

[Master, that child…? Isn't that Kaya? The one you've been talking about.]

"Don't look."

When the Ice Dragon Hild asked, she casually threw off the obstructive veil and replied.

No matter how convoluted the scenario became, the only way to save Kaya was to bring her down.

The parasite Elphert, now in the form of an earring, shares blood with Kaya.

In its parasitic state, Elphert has the highest elemental resistance. Like the giant's skin that twists external magic, Elphert has the power to nullify a single spell.

So, if I inflict a fatal wound on both Kaya and Elphert simultaneously,

Elphert will definitely withstand my attack and then use all his strength to heal his host.

He lacks the capacity to do otherwise, and sharing blood and flesh with a corpse would lead to his own death.

After that, he would run around for about ten minutes with a weakened body.

Of course, I have no intention of giving him time to escape.

The Ice Dragon flew in circles within the excessively wide body of the giant, using a large red elephant as the focal point.

At the center, Kaya Astraeang, enveloped in a red and green wind, extended her arm toward me.

Kaya, with an excited expression, licked her lips. She seemed to find me appetizing. Though she had built up quite a bit of muscle, I had no desire to be eaten.

Then, a series of magic circles began to form in the air, blending green and blood-red. There were at least eight of them.

Behind her, grotesque masses of flesh rose like tentacles, entangling and forming the shape of blood-red tree branches.

Leaves made of human organs sprouted densely.

A luminous, blood-red, grotesque tree was born.

「Tree of Radiance (Plant Attribute, ★7)」 + 「Flower of Evil (Blood Attribute, ★6)」 =

───────── 「Tree of Crimson Blood (Plant + Blood Attribute)」

I recalled seeing an interesting combination of plant and blood attributes in the spellbook. Since it didn't appear in the game, I thought it might be released as DLC later.

This tree provides blood and flesh to allies, enabling rapid and dramatic recovery. It is an upgraded version of the 「Tree of Radiance」 and is described as a balance-breaking skill.

If Kaya had summoned this tree in the 「Act 4, Chapter 3, The Underground Giant」 section, there would be no way to defeat her.

The only strategy is to disable the tree's function with a single attack.

[Roarrrrrrr─────!!]

[Bubble, bubble, bubble────!]

[Crackkkkkkkkk──────!!!]

[Screechhhhhhhhh──────!!!]

[Crackkkkkkkkk──────!!]

The walls of the giant's body began to manufacture winged red elephant demons on the spot. Each one was essentially an organ of Elphert's body.

Their numbers were like an army of ants, each holding a spear made of bone.

They flew toward me, emitting eerie, waterlogged voices.

The Ice Dragon stopped slicing through the air and flapped its wings, staring at Kaya. Each time the giant white dragon's wings swept through the air, a cold, white mana sparkled and scattered.

'Frost Scythe.'

I extended my right arm to the side and instinctively summoned the Frost Scythe.

A pale blue mana gathered in the air, forming a frosty, navy-blue scythe. It was the Frost Scythe.

Holding the Frost Scythe, a surge of ice mana flowed into me, as if an energy tank had been opened.

[Status]

Name: Isaac

Level: (169)

Gender: Male

Grade: 1

Title: First-year Adapted to College Life

Mana: (155000) / (119000) + (250000)

- Mana Recovery Speed (S)

The mana used to maintain the summoning of the Ice Dragon Hild will be significantly depleted each time she casts a spell.

However, the large amount of bonus mana provided by the Frost Scythe will be consumed first, so I won't suffer much.

"Destroy them all."

I pointed the head of the Frost Scythe at Kaya and issued the command.

A grand pale blue magic circle formed above my head, cast by the Ice Dragon Hild.

A brilliant light shone, and the heavy mana of the Ice Dragon spread, as if to crush everything.

Immediately, the magic circles Kaya had set up began to unleash spells at me and the Ice Dragon.

「Song of the Goat (Wind Attribute, ★7)」 + 「Blood Tide (Blood Attribute, ★5)」 =

────────────── 「Song of Baphomet (Wind + Blood Attribute)」

A red and green hurricane, sharp as thousands of blades, rushed toward us.

The indiscriminate wind blades sliced through the elephant demon army, tearing them apart without mercy.

One of Kaya's standard patterns, the 「Song of Baphomet.」

This wind spell gradually increased in power by draining the blood of the mutilated creatures.

───────── [Kaaaaaaa────!!!]

In response, the Ice Dragon Hild roared fiercely.

She unleashed an ice spell from the magic circle.

──────────────── 「Mahabalticma (Ice Attribute, ★8)」

Instantly, a silver line appeared in the air.

Kwaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh