469

 [Chapter 131]

[Summer Vacation Under the Lamp (6)]

Mana is dissolved throughout the world.

Mana changes the principles of the world.

Therefore, the totality that changes the principles of the world is called the myriad things of nature.

'—It is not possible.'

'No, why!'

Meanwhile, mana circulates.

Mana that breathes life into beings is expelled from within beings to the outside through life activities such as breathing or thought changes like magic, and dissolves into the world.

At this time, the mana flowing out from beings contains their thoughts, emotions, ways of thinking, etc.

'Turning back the time of the world is not impossible. But we know that what you desire is not simply to turn back time to repeat the same result.'

'...'

'What you truly want is to turn back the time of the world to change the fate of this world, isn't it? That is not possible.'

'Then there's no point in turning back time!'

The will of a single being cannot greatly influence the principles of the world.

But the totality of will accumulated over a long time becomes the myriad things of nature itself.

Therefore, mana studies proposed that the totality of will that has become the myriad things of nature itself be called the world will.

'Therefore, we propose. In exchange for allowing that person to maintain their memories in the world they regress to, we will take the price we couldn't receive from you who exist in that world.'

However, no one has yet perceived the existence of the world will.

Because no one could clearly confirm it.

The world will was merely a theoretically existing being, like the 1st rank which is assumed to have the power to destroy the world.

'—Okay, fine. Take it.'

'Do you think that person who went back in time will change fate?'

'I've never thought that?'

'What do you desire?'

'What I want is just one thing. I just hope that child lives happily. You don't have to think about changing fate or the future.'

'Then your fate too—'

'—That's okay.'

'...'

'Eunha doesn't have to change the future. I just hope my brother can live happily this time.'

'Why—'

'—Because I'm his noona!'

'I do not understand. But we will turn back time as you wish. Nevertheless, changing fate will never be easy.'

☆

Eun-a was concentrating while observing the technique on the handkerchief.

Eunha was quietly watching her so as not to disturb her.

...Noona is acting strange.

But at some point, it felt like Eun-a's eyes were looking somewhere else, not here.

Then as if her soul had left her body.

Eunha soon realized that her consciousness was no longer here.

"...What's going on?"

"Why? Did something happen?"

"Noona's condition is strange."

Eunha frowned.

He couldn't understand the situation, but he could tell that her consciousness had been captured by a technique he couldn't grasp even with his experience.

Eunha stepped forward, leaving behind Byeok Haesu who belatedly noticed this situation.

What should I do about this?

If I intervene wrongly, there could be problems with noona's consciousness.

Eunha bit his lip hard.

He wanted to break the artifact to make Eun-a come to her senses. But he couldn't guarantee that breaking the artifact would bring back her consciousness.

In the end, watching was the best option.

Fortunately, the artifact didn't seem like it would negatively affect her consciousness, and she seemed fine except for her consciousness flying away.

"—Ah."

"...Huh?"

And fortunately, she came to her senses not long after.

Her wandering eyes returned to normal.

A tear fell from her eyes that had regained consciousness.

"Ah... Why are tears coming out?"

"Noona!?"

Starting with one drop falling to the floor, tears flowed continuously.

Eunha was startled seeing her cry and rushed to her.

He grabbed her shoulders and examined Eun-a's face as she wiped away tears.

Her eyes were red.

She snuggled into Eunha's arms, sniffling without realizing what had happened.

"Why are you crying? Did something happen?"

"Well... I'm not sure either. Tears are just strangely coming out."

"Are you okay? Does anything hurt?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. And this... I don't remember well, but I think these are tears of relief, not sadness."

"What do you mean?"

"I'm not sure either. Just... Somehow I feel that way."

Eunha couldn't hide his worry.

It must have shown on his face.

Eun-a smiled with reddened eyes and caressed Eunha's face.

What on earth happened?

Eunha fell into thought as he checked Eun-a's physical condition in various ways as she looked up at him.

He couldn't understand what had just happened.

Thinking about it, her appearance looked like someone who had gained some enlightenment and was processing it.

"Are you really not hurt anywhere?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. But what should we do? I think this handkerchief won't function as an artifact anymore since I unraveled its technique."

"Who cares about that. What's important is that you're not hurt."

"...Are you trying to make my heart flutter again? I'm sorry. And thank you for worrying about me."

Then Eun-a took out the handkerchief from her chest and showed it to Eunha.

The technique imbued in the handkerchief had disappeared.

Nevertheless, Eunha didn't pay any attention to the handkerchief and focused on checking Eun-a's physical condition.

Eun-a burst out laughing at Eunha's restless appearance.

"Noona! Are you really okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

By the time Eun-a was released from Eunha's arms.

Only then did Byeok Haesu approach.

When Byeok Haesu looked at her with worried eyes, she waved her hands expressing that she was fine.

Then she continued speaking.

"So, Haesu. I want to imbue this magic into the stone spear."

"Hmm... Noona, as I said before, this isn't simple. Without someone who can use the magic..."

"I can do it."

"What?"

"I think I can do it."

I already remember the technique.

Eun-a said that as she manifested her internal mana.

The mana she manifested became incomprehensible sentences and circled around her.

"What is this..."

"It's magic that activates automatically whenever it detects danger. Once implemented, it seems I can activate it several times until all the symbols circling around me are consumed. Using one symbol at a time."

"...It seems to be conditional protective magic."

"What's amazing about this... is that it constructs magic that can respond maximally to the detected danger. Each symbol individually..."

""..."" 

Eun-a muttering in a serious tone.

Eunha and Byeok Haesu were momentarily at a loss for words hearing that.

Protective magic that quickly derives protective magic suitable for the situation...

Eunha stuck out his tongue.

If Eun-a's words were correct, it meant she could now use protective magic suitable for the situation up to 5 times just by activating the magic once.

Of course, it seemed the power and types of magic deployed varied depending on the number of symbols.

He couldn't help but think that was quite something.

"But noona, are you really okay? You don't lose consciousness like earlier when using this magic, right?"

Nevertheless, there was one thing he had to check.

The worry that the protective magic might affect her mind, setting aside its effects.

"That's fine. Look, nothing happened even though I used the magic like this."

"But you never know."

"And I have a feeling that I probably won't experience that again."

"How do you know that, noona?"

"I just strangely feel that way."

Eventually, Eun-a who had deactivated the protective magic said as if telling him not to worry.

Eunha could only sigh and give up since she said it like that.

"But what's really amazing is... It feels like something is popping into my head. Suddenly inspiration keeps coming... How should I put this? Even magic I couldn't do until now..."

"Looks like you gained enlightenment."

"Yeah, somehow it feels that way."

Meanwhile, Eun-a voiced her thoughts as she opened and closed her hands.

Eunha could conclude what had happened earlier as he listened to her story.

At that time, she had gained enlightenment as he had expected.

Probably while grasping the technique that was beyond her understanding, she gained some enlightenment.

Just as people see and feel things differently, of course the way of gaining enlightenment is different too.

While Eunha had gotten the impression that the technique engraved on the handkerchief was abstruse, she must have discovered parts in the technique that he couldn't see.

Even so—

—Who on earth is the person who made that handkerchief?

No Eun-a, who is also known as of Park Hyerim.

For her to gain enlightenment, the level of the person who made the handkerchief must be quite outstanding.

So Eunha couldn't help but be inwardly surprised.

According to the information he knew, 'she' was said to be the same age as him.

☆

The rough draft for making Eun-a's stone spear was completed.

Afterwards, Byeok Haesu said he would flesh out the design and select materials to make the stone spear.

"Then shall we look at your swords now?"

Byeok Haesu who had stored the design in a drawer asked in a hearty voice.

He brought two wooden boxes.

Eunha and Eun-a approached the table where he put down the boxes.

"Eunha, do you want to open it?"

"...Okay."

It was the moment he had been looking forward to all this time.

These are swords he will share life and death with from now on.

How could he not be excited?

Eunha who had been staring intently at the wooden boxes nodded repeatedly like a child receiving a Christmas present.

He reaches out and opens the lid.

"..."

"I was thinking of a sword like the black thorn tree, but it's not?"

"It's a one-handed straight sword. How is it?"

A hilt shaped to protect the hand.

The hilt was made of gold.

And unlike the black thorn tree, the pure white blade was shining its sharp edge in the light.

He carefully examined the sword that was in the wooden box up close after looking at it for a long time.

"...It's good."

It pursued simplicity befitting Byeok Haesu.

However, after checking the sword this way and that, he could tell that its performance was by no means simple.

It was then.

"That's not all. Try infusing mana into the blade once."

"Mana?"

Byeok Haesu smiled and urged.

Eunha infused mana into the blade as if entranced.

Soon red patterns began to appear on the sword covered in blue-green mana.

"Wow, it's really pretty!"

"...It's cool."

Red patterns appearing on the pure white blade.

They looked just like scattered flower petals.

Eun-a let out exclamations seeing the blade containing scattered flower petals.

Though Eunha didn't express it in words, he felt the same.

There is a painting within the blade.

The maestro once called created not just a simple weapon, but a work of art.

"It's a one-handed straight sword made by putting in the black thorn tree, Seokgayeoraejwasang, and Cheoksa Danyo Jomun Mirror. When you use the magic of the Cheoksa Danyo Jomun Mirror, the visual effect will probably be more amazing than this."

"What happens?"

"Mana flowing out from the blade will scatter like red flower petals and fill the surroundings. It'll probably be a sight to see. I want to see it once too, you know."

Byeok Haesu chuckled as he explained the sword's functions.

Eunha listened to his explanation without taking his eyes off the sword.

He wanted to try it out right away.

"At first I agonized for a long time over the name after making it. But seeing the red flower petals blooming on the pure white blade, there was one name that came to mind."

"What is it?"

"—Winter Blooming Coldly. To my eyes, it looks just like a flower blooming unyieldingly even in the cold winter. Do you like it?"

"Your naming sense is really..."

"Why, is it strange?"

"No, it's not bad. I like it."

Winter Blooming Coldly.

Eunha raised the corners of his mouth as he recited the name of the one-handed straight sword.

It was an extremely likable sword.

He took out the scabbard that was in the wooden box and sheathed the sword.

Now it was time to check the remaining wooden box.

"..."

"The design is the same? They look just like siblings."

"They're not siblings, but swords made with brother and sister as the motif. If Winter Blooming Coldly is the older sister, this mango is the younger brother."

The mango in the wooden box had the same design as Winter Blooming Coldly.

Instead, the shape of the hilt was different.

While Winter Blooming Coldly had a shape that protected the hand, this mango had a shape conducive to blocking blades.

The hilt was curved roundly towards the blade.

It wasn't strange since the purpose of a mango itself was to be a defensive sword to block the opponent's attacks.

"...I like it, very much."

Eunha let out exclamations of admiration.

It was a sword that was light yet not easily broken.

The sword made for the left hand felt like it fit perfectly in his hand.

Soon he infused mana into the mango just like he did earlier.

"Wow, it looks just like it's alive. Oh? Isn't this moving?"

"...It's the best."

The form that appeared on the pure white blade was a being that couldn't be identified as a snake or dragon.

Eunha decided to call it a black snake with horns.

The snake showed minute movements as if wriggling while trapped in the blade.

"That was a bit fascinating to me too. It's probably the influence of Totsuka no Tsurugi. Doesn't it look like a snake is trapped in the blade?"

"It's cool."

"To use Totsuka no Tsurugi's magic, you'll have to bring the blade to the opponent's magic. The snake that appears on the blade will probably devour that magic, and swell its body to dye the entire blade. You can use Totsuka no Tsurugi's magic right at that moment."

Eunha nodded as he looked at the snake opening its mouth as if roaring.

When Eunha withdrew mana from the sword, the snake that had appeared on the blade faded and disappeared.

"What's this sword's name?"

"Since it's siblings with Winter Blooming Coldly, I gave it a similar name. Doesn't it look like a snake crawling on snow-covered ground? So I decided to call it Winter Crawling Through Snowflakes."

"Winter Crawling Through Snowflakes..."

Winter Crawling Through Snowflakes.

Not a bad name.

Eunha sheathed the mango with a satisfied expression.

Then he wore Winter Blooming Coldly on his left waist and Winter Crawling Through Snowflakes on his right waist.

It was to easily draw Winter Blooming Coldly with his right hand and Winter Crawling Through Snowflakes with his left hand.

My body feels heavier now that I'm wearing a mango too after only carrying the black thorn tree until now.

Eunha felt the change in weight after wearing the two swords at his waist.

It seemed he would need to take time to adjust to the swords' weight for a few days.

"Thank you, hyung. I'll use them well."

"Buy me a drink later."

"Of course I should."

Eunha expressed his gratitude to Byeok Haesu.

Byuk Hae-soo responded as if it was nothing.

There's only a week and a half left until summer vacation ends.

Until then, I must perfectly remember how to handle this sword.

This was the first time I used a dual-wield sword in my life.

I needed to get used to the feeling.

Eunha decided to devote the rest of her vacation to learning Idoryu.

And so summer vacation passes by quickly.