WeTried Translations

Translator: Hydrogen B

Editor: Hydrogen B

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Chapter 117: The Rift of Time (7)

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Alfred stared directly at Kyle with unwavering eyes. Unlike before, the old mage wore an endlessly serious expression.

Hunt a Dragon? Did he eat something strange?

Kyle swallowed the words that nearly slipped out.

Dragons existed on an entirely different level from ordinary monsters.

Even Wyverns, which had inherited the strongest traces of dragon blood, were nothing more than tiny creatures before a Dragon. Unlike Dragons, Wyverns could not speak, could not use magic, and above all, possessed no Authority. No matter if Alfred had been the greatest archmage of the Empire in his age, hunting a Dragon was too much. Dragons had long been objects of worship, considered the beings closest to gods.

Could his injuries be worse than they looked?

While Kyle seriously worried about Alfred's state of mind, Elysia supported the old mage and seated him at the table in the center of the house. Alfred let out a groan, then waved his hand as if to say he was fine.

"You just thought I was mad, didn't you? You thought this old man was spouting nonsense because his time was almost up."

Kyle's hand twitched.

Elysia accepted the cloth, lifted the hem of Alfred's red robe and his clothing, then drew in a sharp breath. The injuries that had looked minor were much larger than expected. Frostbite and abrasions covered the same areas. They were not severe wounds, but neither were they injuries that could be treated with simple bleeding control.

"...Not quite that far."

"So you did think I was mad."

Alfred laughed heartily, then coughed softly.

Elysia hurried over to the water barrel in the corner and brought back a bowl of water. After briefly exchanging glances with Kyle, she cleaned Alfred's forearm and injured shoulder.

He did treat them properly. Fortunately, none of the wounds seem infected.

Kyle examined the injuries and shook the potion in his hand. The glass bottle filled with red liquid was a recovery potion for external injuries, which he always kept on hand.

It was suited for treating wounds that were neither severe nor minor scratches. Top-grade holy potions, said to bring even the dead back to life, could not be bought even with money, but this was different. Any sizable merchant company could acquire it easily. Kyle had used one of his two top-grade holy potions in the battle against the Wyvern Knight, and Elysia carried the remaining one. This was the best option available.

In this past era, where potions like this were difficult to obtain, people could only rely on natural recovery or seek out a priest with holy power to treat injuries.

"This will sting. Please bear with it."

"You must be quite wealthy. You're using something expensive. It is not something one can obtain in this era."

Kyle ignored Alfred's remark, uncorked the potion, and slowly poured it over the wounds Elysia had cleaned. Alfred, who had appeared relaxed until then, grimaced in pain.

"...It works well."

The pain lasted only a moment. As new flesh slowly filled the blackened skin ruined by frostbite and the areas covered in dried blood, Alfred gave a faint exclamation of admiration.

"I always carry it as a spare."

"Is it really all right to use something this precious on me?"

"Money can always be earned. It is not a holy potion that is difficult to obtain even through connections. There is no reason not to use it just to save a few Gold Coins. I only need to replace it whenever I run out."

"You are quite capable. Then again, if you inherited the blood of House Lucent, you should at least find a man of this caliber."

Kyle and Elysia stared at Alfred with equally chilly expressions after he made another joke. Alfred casually ignored their piercing glares and lowered the clothing and robe he had rolled up for treatment.

"Then what happened? Why did you return injured, a whole day later than planned?"

Kyle moved the bloodstained bowl and cloth aside, then sat down. Elysia watched their mood before placing a cup of water on the table and sitting across from Alfred, beside Kyle.

"It was nothing much."

Alfred took a sip of the water Elysia had brought.

Kyle narrowed his eyes. As far as he knew, only one being in this era could injure Alfred, the greatest archmage of the Empire. A Dragon, not a human. Nothing else could have done it. The difference in their levels was simply too vast.

"The first place I went was the cave where you two first woke up."

Alfred began speaking after a moment of thought.

"When I heard your circumstances, the first thing that came to mind was using the Dragon Heart."

Alfred spoke in a low voice, unlike before. Kyle and Elysia had fallen into the past because the rift had resonated with Prisia's Dragon Heart. In the same way, three hundred years ago, Prisia's Dragon Heart had run wild and sent Alfred more than three thousand years into the past. Logically, the best way to return to the future was to use the same method that had sent them to the past.

"But you know that the mana of the Dragon Heart cannot be used intentionally, unless it runs wild on its own."

Kyle sharply objected to Alfred's idea. The Dragon Heart, especially Prisia's Dragon Heart, was powerful enough to turn back time itself, but it was equally impossible for a human to control. If it were possible, Kyle would have already lifted Izra's Thorn himself.

"That is true. It would be even harder to open a dimension that allows one to travel through time in empty space."

Alfred did not dispute that point.

"Then..."

"But what if we expand an existing rift?"

Kyle fell silent at Alfred's unexpected words. Beside him, Elysia touched her lips and murmured.

"That would greatly reduce the power required..."

"Exactly! Creating something new is extremely difficult, but repairing and using something that already exists is much easier and simpler, is it not?"

Alfred raised his voice and slapped his knee, wearing a triumphant expression as though he had found a brilliant solution.

"So I searched every corner of that cave. I was looking for traces of the spatial rift you said you were caught in. And..."

After deliberately pausing, Alfred raised the corners of his mouth.

"I found it."

"..."

"A rift where space and time are tangled together. It was a tiny dot, and its mana waves were so faint that I nearly passed it by."

"That was still there?"

Kyle asked in a disbelieving tone. He did not know what had happened to the rift on the island, but he had never imagined there would be one in this world as well. Perhaps he had been too distracted, or not fully in his right mind, because he had not sensed any traces of mana when he first woke in the cave.

"It was certainly still there."

Alfred nodded.

"The rift grew and shrank slightly as if it were alive, but it was not magic that would disappear overnight. Then only one thing remains, does it not?"

Alfred had already emptied his cup. His gaze fell on Kyle's chest.

Elysia looked at Kyle as well.

Kyle pulled the pendant containing the white gem from inside his clothes. Prisia's Dragon Heart shone its usual pure white.

"Controlling the Dragon Heart."

With everyone's eyes fixed on Kyle's hand, Alfred continued.

"A fragment of the Dragon Heart containing Prisia's mana is nearly impossible to control, but it may be different if it absorbs another Dragon Heart. Or we could neutralize the mana of a hunted Dragon with Prisia's mana and use it."

"Is that why you fought a Dragon?"

Elysia asked in alarm.

Alfred shook his head.

"Fought? Choose your words carefully. It was reconnaissance, reconnaissance."

"But your injuries..."

"I was looking around and got spotted for a moment. There was a brief clash. That damned Dragon has such a rotten temperament that it fired magic at me nonstop. It took some effort to get away safely. I was injured, but I avoided anything serious and made it back."

Alfred gave a hearty laugh, wearing the expression of the kindest grandfather in the world.

Kyle turned to Elysia in disbelief. She wore the same stunned expression.

It was bad enough that he had fought a Dragon, but he spoke of it as casually as deciding what to eat for dinner. No matter how he looked at it, the man was not right in the head.

"So I only have one thing to say."

Whether he understood their feelings or not, Alfred smiled brightly.

"We leave tomorrow."

Kyle reflexively asked, "Where?"

"Where else? The Dragon's nest."

A wicked gleam appeared in Alfred's eyes.

"We already have our answer, so there is no need to delay. We do not know when the traces of the rift will disappear. Should we not move as quickly as possible?"

* * *

It was late evening by the time their discussion ended. The three ate a simple dinner, promising to continue tomorrow, then went to sleep.

When Kyle, lying in bed, opened his eyes again...

"Good morning."

"..."

"The morning sunlight truly is nice. It feels as though simply basking in it clears the mind. Do you not think so?"

Alfred was already awake.

Having given Kyle and Elysia the bed, he had once again slept soundly in the rocking chair meant for resting. Since he was injured, they had told him to use the bed for at least one night, but he had refused to listen. Whether it was a family trait or simply his personality, his stubbornness surpassed even Kyle's.

I was worried I would have to clear away a corpse this morning.

Kyle rubbed his still sleepy eyes and stared at Alfred. The old mage looked so energetic that it was hard to believe he had returned covered in blood yesterday. If anything, he had too much energy, enough to make Kyle wonder if this was a final burst before death.

Is he just tough, or does his body respond especially well to potions?

"Hehe, you really do sleep a lot."

"Mmm..."

"Wake up. You cannot be spoiled today of all days. What will you do if the rift truly closes?"

Alfred forcibly woke the still drowsy Elysia and fed her breakfast. He looked exactly like a grandfather taking care of his grandchildren.

"Have you packed everything?"

Alfred asked after carefully making his own preparations for the Dragon hunt.

"Yes. We are mostly done."

"Me too."

"Is that so? You were quick."

"Everything is already in the Inventory Pouch, so other than the sword, there is not much to pack."

"That is good. If your body feels heavy on the road, you will tire before you do anything. Let us go."

The three left the house as soon as they finished preparing. The moment they crossed the threshold, cold air swept over their entire bodies.

"That wakes you up, does it not?"

Alfred snickered.

Kyle could not answer, though it was true that he felt fully awake. After staying in the warm house, stepping outside into the cold made it feel as though they had fallen into an entirely different world.

"This way. It is quite far, so we must move quickly."

Alfred took the lead.

Kyle and Elysia exchanged a glance, then followed behind him. Once they left the coniferous forest surrounding the large wooden house, a snowfield much like the one they had seen before spread out before them. The world, dyed completely white, had the same dreamlike atmosphere as before.

"May I ask something?"

As they walked in silence, Kyle, following several steps behind Alfred, addressed the old man's red robe.

"Anything, if it is something I can answer."

"You spoke confidently about hunting a Dragon, but can we really win?"

Kyle stared at Alfred's back, unable to let go of his doubts. Elysia seemed curious about the same thing, and she perked up her ears beneath her hood as she watched Alfred.

"Certainly, Dragons are far stronger than Wyverns."

"Then how..."

"But not every Dragon is equally strong. Of course, even the weakest Dragon would be absurdly powerful compared to a human. Like a newborn baby easily crushing small insects."

There was a difference in rank that could never be overcome from birth. It was not something effort alone could bridge. It was like the inherent limit of a species. Dragons possessed powerful bodies, and they were skilled at controlling mana to the point of being called the creatures closest to gods.

"But what if the human side is exceptional enough to overcome the difference between species?"

Alfred continued without hesitation.

"I may look like this, but I was called the greatest archmage of the Empire in my age. Elysia is my descendant, and you are the final Commander of the Knights of Ash. If the three of us work together, what could possibly stop us?"

There was unmistakable confidence in the old mage's voice. To that extent, Alfred's words were somewhat persuasive.

"More importantly, what kind of Dragon is it? You said not every Dragon is equally strong. You would not have said that without reason."

Elysia, who had been listening, pointed out another question.

"I knew you were clever."

Alfred suddenly stopped, turned around, and smiled with satisfaction. The moment passed quickly. He turned back to the front and began walking again.

"The Dragon we are going to hunt is an Ice Dragon that mainly uses ice magic. Compared to Progenitor Dragon Prisia, the difference in their strength is like that between a fully grown adult and a newborn baby. There are very few Dragons that could stand against Prisia in the first place."

"An Ice Dragon?"

Kyle tilted his head.

"That is right. You said that after first arriving in this world and leaving the cave, you saw a vermilion Dragon, correct?"

"Yes. Does that have something to do with it?"

"The Ice Dragon we are going after took the territory where that vermilion Dragon once lived. Just as there are vast differences in strength between people, the same is true of Dragons. Their power, temperament, and size all differ from one individual to another. That Ice Dragon may be small, but its temperament is vicious beyond measure."

"Did they fight each other?"

Alfred nodded without turning around.

"That is right. The vermilion Dragon was not weak either, but it was timid by nature. In the end, it gave up first. It abandoned the lake where it had lived and went south."

"Then the one we saw flying..."

"It was probably fleeing. They had been fighting fiercely for a month. It gave us quite a headache as well. The vermilion Dragon that lived there before was gentle, but the Ice Dragon that took its territory is foul-tempered beyond belief. Naturally, that could not help affecting the surrounding environment."

Only then did Kyle feel as though he understood what had happened. He glanced at Elysia and spoke softly.

"So this will take care of two problems at once."

"That is right. It affects me, and it affects the city below where I occasionally go to obtain necessities. I was wondering how to deal with it when you two appeared. The timing is quite strange. No matter how it came about, we kill the Dragon and restore peace, while you return to your original world with the Dragon Heart we acquire. Would that not benefit everyone? The Ice Dragon was also badly injured in its battle against the vermilion Dragon."

After that, the endless snowfield continued without end. The three conserved their strength by speaking as little as possible.

A pack of Frost Wolves appeared as before, but Alfred wiped them out with a few casual gestures, as though they were a nuisance. Waves of flame covered the snowfield, and the sight was overwhelming against the white landscape.

"Not even Shortened Incantation, but no incantation at all, and with that much power..."

"It is nothing special. Once you reach my age, you naturally pick up one or two small tricks."

Alfred answered Elysia's admiration as if it were nothing.

A day passed, and the next morning arrived. Kyle and Elysia continued heading north under Alfred's guidance. Around then, Elysia, who had barely been keeping up one step behind Kyle, stopped walking.

"Kyle..."

"Are you cold?"

"...I'm sorry. My hands and feet are not moving well."

Kyle took out the brown fur he had given Elysia before from her Inventory Pouch. He wrapped it tightly around her body, then turned his back to her. Elysia climbed onto his back with practiced ease.

"Huh..."

Alfred stared with his mouth hanging open.

"Do not say anything unnecessary."

"I did not say anything. I was only thinking that youth is nice. It reminds me of the old days."

He nodded to himself several times.

Kyle frowned, dismissed the meddlesome old man's words, and changed the subject.

"More importantly, it is very cold. Even if we have been heading north, I do not think the weather would change so dramatically in less than two days."

"It is the Ice Dragon's influence. We are almost there, so keep going."

Alfred looked over the two of them from the corner of his eye and quickened his pace. At some point, they were no longer stepping on soft snow, but frost. Dry crunching sounds echoed in their ears. The wind that blew against them was no different from a blade.

Then...

"That is the one."

The air changed sharply.

The wind no longer blew. The sky and their surroundings were both clear. Yet a suffocating pressure bore down on them from ahead.

"It is nice to see you again after only a few days."

Something was curled up on a small island at the center of a vast frozen lake. The Dragon, covered in clear sky-blue scales, was incomparably larger than a Wyvern even from a distance. That overwhelming being had its eyes closed and was deeply asleep, as though it had not noticed the three of them at all.

Footnotes:

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