Chapter 495

"I am afraid of the final battle. I am also afraid of the possibility of fighting Ellen someday. In my current state, I don't think I can face Ellen or the dragon. If things continue like this, I will have to sacrifice my life using Alsvinr, so I came to Rizay to take the next step. I will participate in the final battle no matter what achievement I make here. So what I have is not courage, but recklessness or madness. Because I have Alsvinr, all my actions can only be reckless. I am determined to use Alsvinr when the situation gets worse, so I cannot have true courage. Luna said, "It's not about getting rid of fear and terror, but embracing them and still facing them. That's courage." I nodded slowly at Luna's words. It's not about getting rid of fear and terror, but embracing them and still facing them. That's courage. If I understand true courage and show it in front of the dragon of this world, will Alrikcion appear in front of me according to my wish? But then what will change? "What is the true power of Alrikcion?" "Alrikcion, the artifact that seeks those who feel true fear against an unbeatable enemy and still face it. Then what should you give to such a person? What do you need?" It is a gift from God that comes to those who show true courage. The condition is already met in itself. True courage drawn out through true fear. That's what can be given and must be given. "The power to oppose anything the opponent may have." Luna's words were plain. "That's all." What the person who fights recklessly and faces fear and terror needs is only power. Alrikcion lends the power to oppose anything the opponent may have. Even if the dragon of this world is strong, if he receives the choice of Alrikcion, he can obtain the power to oppose it. In a way, isn't Alrikcion the strongest artifact? * * * If I am given Alrikcion, this suffering may be meaningless. But it's ridiculous. Because I learned about Alrikcion, the possibility of obtaining it has become even more unlikely. My heart relying on Alsvinr in the final battle is closer to recklessness and madness than courage. Even standing in front of the enemy, hoping that Alrikcion will come to me in the final battle, may be far from true courage. Rather, because I learned that Alrikcion is a artifact that reacts and chooses true courage, even if I show true courage, it cannot be pure. Knowing is a disease. It was a perfect match." I wish I didn't know. Luna and Roran didn't tell me what I didn't want to know, I asked them myself. I shouldn't expect Alrikcion to be mine. It's foolish to intentionally fear the enemy and feel terror while contemplating what true courage is. Alrikcion is a powerful artifact that hasn't appeared much because it's so powerful. It's a luxury to expect it. There's no way Alrikcion will appear in a favorable situation just because a powerful inevitability is working on me. Therefore, I will do what I have to do. The snow didn't stop. Before going into the forest, I helped the villagers clear the snow from the roofs all night long. I even helped people in Rizay who needed a young person's help. I went to the forest with a shovel and pickaxe after finishing the snow removal work. It was difficult to walk because of the snow, but it was actually better because I needed more concentration when the task was difficult. So there was no reason why a harsh situation would be bad for me. Of course, it was frustrating to see the road covered with snow and the path to the outskirts of Rizay, where the road disappeared and the ground was soft, but I could have melted the snow with the flame of the fire if I wanted to. However, I respected the lifestyle of Rizay and Luna, who didn't use mysterious powers in their daily lives. I didn't want to use my power here. "If I had used the flame of Hwayo, many things would have been easier. I could have melted the frozen ground and cleared it, so the land would have already been cleared. But I didn't do that. Because of that, I was able to create a mental state where I could maintain enhanced magic efficiency not only all day but also during sleep. Now, it's not like I can use the flame of Hwayo just because it's convenient. Inconvenience has its own value. However, it was true that it was uncomfortable... The snow that fell and piled up would turn into ice if left alone. Linehart cleared the snow and broke the frozen ground with a pickaxe. Snow in the mountains in winter does not melt easily. Usually, such snow slowly melts after the next season arrives and suddenly disappears on a warm day. Therefore, even after the villagers cleared the snow from the village and even after the children stopped playing in the snow, Linehart continued to work along the mountain path and returned when the sun went down. Thus, another day, two days, a week, and a month passed. The work speed was still slow. Even if the body was strong, there was a limit to the strength of the equipment, so he had to adjust his strength, and even if he did, the shovel blade could bend or the axe blade could break. One day, he mechanically performed such tasks for several days, as if he had forgotten what he was doing. Thus, beyond the winter and the snow piled up in the forest and mountains, there was a certain spring that was now blooming, waiting for the snow to melt. Luna was watching Linehart's figure. She was watching him from just one step behind, but Linehart didn't even know that Luna was there. Suddenly, he turned around at the sound of a voice from behind. "Congratulations, Linehart." "....?" At the sudden voice from behind, Linehart turned around blankly. "Congratulations?" "Yes." Luna pointed to the shovel Linehart was holding. "Didn't you enter the next level?" The blue light of mana was shining on the shovel Linehart was holding. "What is this?" "...." Linehart didn't even know that he had crossed a certain threshold at some point, so focused he was. Luna smiled as she watched Linehart staring blankly at the shovel in his hand. "Stop digging the ground. It's meaningless to you now." At Luna's words, Linehart looked around absentmindedly. The vast forest was almost completely cleared. Linehart, who had been looking around at his great but simple achievement for a while, turned his gaze absentmindedly to Luna. "There's not much left, can't we just finish it?" Rather than being pleased with becoming a Master Class, Linehart seemed to be disappointed that he couldn't complete the task he had been given. "If you really want to do it..." Perhaps because of the strange things he had been doing for a long time, Linehart had a strange obsession. "Then hurry up because you're getting in the way." Linehart said that and started digging the ground. "I couldn't just think that they fed and sheltered me while I pursued my personal training. Luna, eating bread, suggests that we gather the village people. '...Leave tonight.' Even though it was already night, I couldn't stay here for just one more day. I had to acknowledge my fear of facing the things that had changed while I was gone. I couldn't stay here for even one more day, even if it meant returning home a day early. So Luna, before I could succumb to weakness, wanted to send me off quickly. It was probably for her own sake, not mine. That thought was definitely there. But her calm words were... very hurtful. Quite a lot."