Chapter 160 : Altar of the Sea (2)

Did I know Soler well? Not really.

The first time I met her was when I was wandering a rocky mountain in the 9th Autonomous Region in search of the [Intangible Armor] while escorting the Coming-of-Age Ceremony candidates.

Then we had a match in the 3rd Autonomous Region and went through the Coming-of-Age Ceremony together.

After that, I only had a brief conversation with her when I visited the 3rd Autonomous Region, but we hadn't spoken face-to-face in the past few years.

It wasn't like I could talk to her via radio message on a regular basis like Kiyot, Siriel, or Blaze.

Even though we were peers from the same Coming-of-Age Ceremony, it might be difficult to say that Soler and I were that close.

The Soler I was seeing now had changed a lot.

The 18-year-old Soler had a distinct air of placing her identity in being a 'noble'.

It might have been half by choice and half by force, but at least in front of people, she tried to act that way.

She tried to control her emotions to some extent and maintain a composed appearance.

‘She may have screamed her head off a few times, but I had never seen her laugh to the point of seeming out of breath like this.’

But the current Soler was different.

A side of her that I had never seen before had emerged. Something you might call wildness.

Soler acted cold, then laughed, then lowered her voice coldly again, dominating the atmosphere.

She was hard to predict, and I felt she was somewhat dangerous.

Soler fidgeted, tossing a walnut up and down on the table.

“I'm asking if you think you have the right to be a hero.”

Soler asked once more.

I looked her straight in the eye and said.

“Of course. I believe I am more than qualified to be the hero who succeeds Lord Adjak.”

In any atmosphere, in any situation.

No, even if asked hundreds of times, I would have given the same answer. I will succeed Adjak and end the tragedy of this world.

After hearing my answer, Soler looked at me without a word.

I felt needlessly tense and this was me, who had been composed even in front of Bitelleanus.

Soler had a staring contest with me for a long time before finally letting out a deep sigh.

“……Looking at you, I get it. You have conviction. It wasn't just something you said carelessly.”

I simply nodded.

“That's enough. I give up. Looking at you, I get it. I'm not hero material.”

“Suddenly?”

“Yeah, to be honest, I wasn't sure. Totally different from you, right? And my dad also told me to get along with you if possible and not to fight.”

“Didn't you used to not listen to your father very well?”

Crack.

Soler crushed the walnut she was holding with sheer force. She didn't even use mana…….

Of all things, Soler's mention of her father, Milias, reminded me of our fight over [Severance].

At that time, it was Soler who had ignored her father's dissuasion and stubbornly insisted on having a duel.

‘Come to think of it, maybe this was who Soler was all along. It's just that she's become strong enough now that she doesn't need to hide herself anymore.’

Soler was Soler.

No matter how much I felt she had changed, it was like how her hair color was still a purplish silver.

“Haha…… It was a joke.”

Hmph. Soler snorted.

“So, are you using the sword I fed Severance too well?”

“Of course. Would you like to take a look?”

I drew Maron and showed it to Soler. Her eyes sharpened.

“Oh? Its shape has changed again since then?”

“Yes, it changed one more time.”

“That’s strange. Does it keep changing? But this sword… why does it keep trembling?”

“Who knows. It does that sometimes.”

I answered with a smirk.

She seemed to have no idea that only I could hear Maron shouting.

– Do not hand me over to that woman. She's a strange woman.

‘It’s okay. You got to eat Severance thanks to Lady Soler, didn't you?’

After returning from the North, there had been many changes.

The Remnant's power had grown after Bitelleanus joined, and the Archduke was also showing me favor.

But the most tangible change of all was Maron.

On the way to the North, I had helped numerous villages and gained the support of many people.

And in the North, I had been acknowledged by Bitelleanus and Archduke Evernite, and the forces under them.

The trust and faith they sent were transferred to Maron, who had made me his Apostle.

In the end, Maron had begun to gradually regain his power.

– You would hand me over for just a crumb from the God of Scissors?

‘Severance was the God of Scissors? There really were all sorts of gods.’

– You rascal!

But it was still not enough.

He was no longer just sleeping like before, but Maron still couldn't wield his past divinity.

In other words, Maron was still of no help to me at all and that's why I could mess with him like this.

– If I just regain my power, I will no longer have to rely on that scissor-fellow's crumbs. So hurry up and take me back!

‘Yes, so please hurry up and regain your power first.’

Of course, my role was important for Maron to regain his power.

I had to draw out the acknowledgment and faith of more people.

To do that, I absolutely needed to become the King of the Inoe.

Soler examined Maron as if it were a mysterious object.

She even rubbed the purple gem in the center of Maron with her index finger.

She fiddled with Maron for a long time before returning it.

“As I said, I have no intention of becoming a hero anymore. Although I know it's not a position I can get just by saying I want it.”

Soler spoke candidly.

“But that doesn't mean I'm going to give up right away.”

“Why is that?”

“Gallajio, that old man is aiming for the hero position, isn't he?”

Gallajio Adjak.

A being called the First Seat of the Twelve Swords of Adjak, and one who competes with us for the position of hero.

Soler's guts to call him 'old man' were truly something.

Having grown up as the cherished daughter of the 3rd Autonomous Region, she must have met Gallajio before.

“Well, he's more than qualified, isn't he? In fact, doesn't he have the support of far more people than I do?”

No matter how much I had recently raised my fame and struggled, I was not in a better position in the competition than Gallajio, who had reigned as one of the 12 Swords for a long time.

That was also why I needed to achieve a great feat that could completely overturn the history Gallajio had built up so far.

“There are many who are qualified. The number of hero candidates who have earned their qualification at the Coming-of-Age Ceremony so far is over several hundred.”

“That's true. I'll have to compete with all of them. There are also many of the other 12 Swords who haven't revealed their intentions yet. They might be aiming for the family's hero position too.”

“I'll be on your side. But I need a justification to stand by you publicly. You know? My dad isn't one to say anything about me siding with you, but there are not a few others who support me.”

“What should I do to satisfy that justification?”

Soler continued to ponder.

She, too, had originally intended to challenge for the hero title, but had changed her mind after meeting me.

It wasn't something that had been planned from the beginning, so it was understandable that her deliberation would be long.

“First, let's hear your plan. To be honest, I still don't quite know why you came here. Did you really come just to persuade me?”

“I will become the King of the Inoe.”

At my declaration, Soler's mouth fell slightly open.

“To do that, I'll need to bring the Lizardfolk to my side. That's why I was trying to persuade you too, Lady Soler.”

“What, it was an even bolder plan than I imagined.”

King of the Inoe, King of the Inoe…….

Soler muttered as if she were dumbfounded. But soon, her eyes flashed.

“Perfect. I was just working on something for the Lizardfolk anyway.”

“What is it?”

“By any chance, do you know about the Altar of the Sea?”

If it's that, I know it well.

I held back a smile.

***

– Once this is done, both I and the Lizardfolk will be on your side.

I had also received Soler's confirmation.

Keldric, Everchen, and I stood before a cliff.

Below it, the open sea stretched out wide.

“So you're saying… there's an altar under the sea?”

“Yes, do you see that green light over there?”

The deep blue sea where the waves churned.

In the middle of it, a faint green light was shining.

It was a light that seemed to be coming up from the depths.

“That must be the location of the altar. The moment the Lizardfolk have long wished for might finally be coming true.”

The Altar of the Sea event, the long-cherished wish of the Lizardfolk. It was an event that occurred randomly in the world of Tune World.

It seemed it hadn't happened during Adjak's time, but had occurred now.

I was lucky.

After clearing the Altar of the Sea, a special blessing is granted.

While it was true that the blessing worked most specially on the Lizardfolk, it was possible for non-Lizardfolk to receive the blessing as well.

Being able to bring the Lizardfolk and Soler to my side, and even receive a reward.

This was the best-case scenario.

“But how do we… get to that light?”

“Well, it seems Lady Soler has a plan.”

Of course, I knew how to clear the Altar of the Sea.

But for now, I intended to hear Soler's plan first.

For that purpose, my companions and I were waiting on the cliff.

But Soler did not appear. Instead, a few Lizards were observing us with gleaming eyes.

“Human. Never seen a human before.”

“Strong? Want to fight?”

“Cannot fight. Ally.”

Since the Black Veil had been staying here for quite some time, the Lizards themselves probably wouldn't find humans interesting.

But they didn't hide their desire to fight us once.

They seemed to be barely holding it in, but the sticky gazes pouring down on us were disconcerting.

While feeling troubled by those gazes, Soler appeared on the cliff with a pitch-black Lizard.

He was a head taller than the other Lizards and appeared to be the Lizard King she had mentioned.

Uooo! Uo! Uoooo——!

When the Lizard King raised his shield and sword, the other Lizards roared in response.

“Sea Altar. Ready. We. Also ready.”

“Uo!”

It seemed the briefing would be done by the Lizard King, not Soler.

The Lizard's speech was easy to miss if you weren't paying close attention, so I focused.

In the meantime, I observed the King as well as the other Lizards.

This was because the conditions to clear the Altar of the Sea were simple, as long as you got the timing right.

It would be finished by simply offering one Lizard with green eyes during the period when the Altar of the Sea glows green.

The Lizardfolk were also numerous beastkin, but if he used the king's authority to gather them and check their eyes, he would be able to quickly find the Lizard to be the sacrifice.

“Human. Lizard. Why look.”

The Lizard King showed hostility towards me as I was looking around.

“Lizard. Altar. Does not sacrifice Lizard.”

“……”

“Lizard. Altar. Destroys.”

It seemed this wouldn't be easy.