Chapter 280 – Protection of White Wing Feather
「Whoa……isn’t this Coliseum much bigger than a real one」
Real one meant the Colesseum in the Rome of Earth, but this『Grand Coliseum』in front was also an architectural structure with tradition and the history of reality.
Although my words would incite anger in a proud genuine Spada person, but I am surprised enough to speak out words like that.
I haven’t been on abroad trip, naturally I haven’t seen the ‘real one’. But I sure have seen a big dome shape structure called as Tokyo dome.
This wasn’t inferior to that, rather its appearance was big enough to make me think that this is much bigger than the dome, it really is big.
Which remind me, the Academy also has an Coliseum, I see, so it was made imitating this, they both have boorish stone.
This『Grand Coliseum』seems to have been present since the time when Mia-chan was shouting and making everyone shout Victory Victory all over Pandora Continent, this surely is quite the historical structure.
In the first place, this Upper Class Area has many places left which can be called scenic and historic places.
The surroundings of the Academy in the Lower Class Area also seems to be filled with exotic atmosphere, however just by crossing by the Second Protective Wall, that atmosphere has increased incomparably.
This is the second time I have come here, but at the first time I was completely of unsound mind, it was right after the evacuation to Spada, so naturally I don’t remember any scene of here.
Again, seeing everything here, starting with『Grand Coliseum』I truly admired them.
I almost forget, I came here today not to sighsee but for a Work Quest.
I can’t be drowning in the wave of people seeming like the spectators of tournament.
「I’m ahead of Nell, I need to work hard」
I fired up myself and remembered about the amulet she gave me.
In the bosom of『Diabolos Embrace』was the amulet I got from her, this afternoon――
.
.
.
「Kurono-kun, umm, this……take it please!」
The thing I was handed was nothing like a chocolate wrapped in heart-shaped wrapping, but it was a white wing feather.
「You’re giving me so I will take it, but what is this?」
「This is an amulet」
Moreover it wasn’t something given in Shinto and Buddhist Shrines, rather it was similar to『Nanablast Amulet』, an amulet with magic effect hidden in it, I understood it the moment I sensed magical energy upon touching it.
This white wing feather lying on my hand gently, seeing closely was shining faintly just like the naked Lily.
「Can I really have this? This looks like a pricey thing――」
Due to the poor person’s mentality I can’t help but worry about the price of the thing at prompt. However Nell negates my words with a smile saying she knew it all.
「No, that is made by my divine protection, please don’t mind about it」
I see, so it is hand-made. This only increases the thankfulness.
「I see, thank you very much. By the way, what does this amulet do?」
「Yes, you see――」
Nell explained somewhat proudly.
The amulet is named as『Aria Guard Feather (White Wing Feather of Mind Protect)』
The name sounds like the『Athena Guard Ring』that died right after gifting it to Fiona, moreover this also is an item that stores『Divine Protection』inside of it.
The ring was for normal physical protection, but this feather, just as it name suggests, has an effect of protecting the mind.
「I understand Kurono-kun has got talent for using Cursed Weapons, but I’m still worried」
I simply cannot say, “it’s none of your business”.
Even I hold confidence in controlling the curse all thanks to blackening, however with the specialities of weapons, such as『Evil Eater』, the blackening might be nullified, and more so there might be some strong curse that I cannot control.
In truth, the weapon with the supreme grudge I have currently is『Absolute Grudge Hatchet「Kubidan」』, which I won’t be having confidence to control if, just if, it’s curse got stronger even a bit.
Well, though curses having levelled up two times from evolution are rare, but it wasn’t like they don’t exist. Henceforth, worst cases can happen anytime.
「If you have this, no matter how strong of a curse takes over you, you will be able to let go off the weapon easily」
Although this amulet doesn’t help even a bit in controlling the curse, but it becomes the last lifeline to oppose the domination of curse.
It isn’t an item for opposing curses, but it was blocking against Bad Status such as charm state and panic state.
The effects of Curse are various, starting with Berserk, but most of them are of the type to gnaw at the mind of the user. This is most ideal item to block against it.
「You made it, right? That means you have the divine protection of god named Aria, eh?」
「Yes, I have the divine protection of the goddess of healing and love, 『Heaven Calming Imperial Princess: Aria』」
As expected of being a Rank 5 Adventurer, even Nell has a proper divine protection.
Judging by the title, the power has to do something with healing, but as expected, being a foreigner I can’t get familiar with Gods of another world.
In the class sometime before, I had learned about various divine protections held by Adventurers and their effects, even the reason they came to be, but among all them there was no name of『Aria』.
In that case, this might be a rare divine protection.
I got curious, asked about it, and she explained to me proudly.
「You’re right, 『Heaven Calming Imperial Princess: Aria』is a truly rare divine protection. Even in Avalon, there are only 5 possessing it, including me」
Let alone rare, this is super rare.
Even I’m the first person in history to get the divine protection of Mia Elrod, the Demon King, so in terms of rarity I’m the supreme, however, I just don’t see worth and blessing in it……no, I won’t be complaining, god forbid if she took back the divine protection.
「So how is that God? If the ability of divine protection is a secret, I won’t ask」
「No, it’s not like it is a secret, the divine protection of『Heaven Calming Imperial Princess Aria』is quite famous」
「Is that so?」
「That is so, after all, Aria was the elder sister of the Demon King, Mia Elrod」
「No way!?」
Seeing my shock, Nell was also shocked.
No, sorry, I never thought that Mia-chan had a elder sister.
But, thinking on it, Mia-chan also was a human at first. It’s nothing unnatural having one or two brother and sisters.
「You seem to know Demon King, but nothing about the elder sister Aria」
「Yeah, I’ve not been in Spada for long, so I’m quite estranged to the legends and such」
I have heard stories from Wil, and took classes, letting me learn fragmentary episodes, but still I can’t sense any signs of being familiar to them all.
Well, let’s compensate for the lacking knowledge by asking other people, just like now.
「Aria Elrod was a great user of healing magic. But, she just wasn’t able to cure the incurable disease she was suffering with. There is an episode of Mia Elrod, her younger brother, trying each and every method to cure her disease, left in the legends」
How heartbreaking. If my sister suffered from an incurable disease, I will also search for a cure with the resolve like that of death will.
The affinity, respect and piety increased on its own, but let’s ignore it for now.
The legend of Mia-chan starts its main part from the time Mia-chan started out as the emperor trying to unify Pandora, but still the legend has some instances of the time before being an emperor, meaning, the childhood of shepherd and student days.
Apparently the elder sister Aria kicked the bucket before Mia-chan became the emperor, and she is talked a lot scarcely in the legends.
However, as a proof of her existence was that now people having her divine protection started to appear.
At the same time, in the short time she lived, she had accomplished exploits to become a God.
「That famous legend was the only one that accomplished in resurrecting the dead in the whole history」
It is impossible to completely revive a dead person, looks like that is the same common sense even in this world of magic.
But, bending about that absolute truth, Aria was made into an Healing Goddess.
「It is completely unknown of the method, however she still revived Mia Elrod, no doubt about that」
And the person reviving miraculously ended up becoming the future Demon King, this story is too good to be true.
Maybe it is called a legend all because of this.
「Why did Mia die?」
「It is said that Mia got engulfed in the conspiracy of those inside the Elrod Empire, trying to steal the throne, or so is recorded in legends. However, Aria seemed to have lost her life due to the usage of this dead revival magic」
「It’s just like as if she distributed her life」
「Yes, the theory of a magic capable of distributing one’s life force to other is the most probable. But among the various Ancient Magics with incomprehensible magic equation, the dead revival magic is special, hence nothing is known about it」
Although the Ancient Era had much more advanced magic technique, it was still impossible to revive a dead.
A modern magician obviously inferior to the magic of that time, of course cannot reach that height in a single bound.
Dead revival would still be told as legend for some more time.
「Ah, but, in truth Aria wasn’t dead, but rather became the close aide of Demon King, the『Black Witch: Endymion』, or so says another theory」
Many characters had appeared in the legend of Mia Elrod, but among them all, the one with most mystery was this witch called Endymion.
She plotted conspiracies and strategies against Mia at important points. She was vicious and cruel, but still she showed definite results helping in the unification of Pandora Continent. I remember that she was infamous. She was truly fitting the word『witch』as a baddie. (Yes against Mia and not enemies of Mia. Maybe typo by author, or maybe foreshadowing, who knows……the story has yet to reach that part even in raws. And there is another foreshadowing, you guess can guess it in couple of sentences later)
「But, I truly think it’s not like that」
“Oho”, why is that, I asked her, to which she replied happily.
「The time I was given the divine protection, I heard her words, although just for some time. That was kind and warm……I understood the moment I heard it, that she is the Goddess of healing and love」
Looks like that was truly an miraculous experience of hearing the voice of a God. My meeting with Mia-chan was quite different, oh wait, isn’t Aria’s way the true method to grant divine protection.
「That’s why, the well-known atrocious inhuman『Black Witch: Endymion』is someone different. Moreover, the people who have earned the divine protection of this Devil God, all have become great sinners enough to leave their name in history」
The newest person who awakened with the divine protection of Endymion had sacrificed many small children by burning them into ashes, and was executed for that crime. Surely, it is a bad story.
On the other hand, this『Heaven Calming Imperial Princess: Aria』is a exceptionally rare divine protection, so it is guessed there are none currently, hence no chance to meet them.
「By the way, I’ve got a question for you」
「Yes, what is it?」
「Mia was younger brother, that means, he is a man right?」
Here, right now, the mystery of Mia-chan’s gender will be revealed.
Wil also said, the Avalon Royal Family might know about that truth, for being the true descendants.
So, who are you, a male? A female? Which one!?
「Err, you’re right, being a famous demon king, naturally, we have been told he is a man, but――」
Is a man but? What is this ending of line? Shouldn’t it be just a male now?
「He was a female, such a theory is also deep-rooted in many. Ufufu, legends sure are interesting」
Damn it, so no answer in the end! I can’t be going on clashing my unreasonable vexation, so I said「you’re right」with a cool poker face to dodge this talk already.
I got away from the talk about Mia-chan as to forget my chagrin, and returned to the topic from before.
「So, Nell used the divine protection of a healing magic master goddess to create this amulet, is that right? Seems like a divine favour to me!」
「Yes, being endowed with this divine protection of『Heaven Calming Imperial Princess: Aria』is my only pride. That’s why this amulet will surely protect you」
Nell spoke with a smile equalling to that of a true Goddess.
「Moreover, I will be there as a healer, so no matter how much you are injured, I will always save you Kurono-kun」
Those words seemed to me as if they were filled with solid determination, just like the resolve of a person challenging a fight.
I understood the reason why that Goddess of healing and love had given Nell her divine protection. Rather, who else would get it if not her?
At that time, I surely was charmed by her.
「Thank you Nell, help me if something happens」
After some seconds, I somehow was able to speak out a flawless line.