Chapter 109: In the Na of the Blood Pact (4)
A second bombshell rocked Beneta.
[Two days from now, I, Dorneth Gader, will hold a public Blood Pact ceremony.]
Blood Pact!
The already fiery interest was further ignited as though oil had been poured on it.
When what had been rely a rumor was announced under the lord’s na, it beca a tangible reality, and the na “Alex” began to burn even brighter.
Moreover, the fact that the Blood Pact ceremony would be held publicly in the city’s grand plaza added to the frenzy.
“The grand plaza?! That ans we’ll finally see his face! Do you think he’s handso?”
“What’s the big deal if he is? He doesn’t even have a beard.”
“I heard the elves from the Blue Rose are going wild over Alex. If even elves are swooning, he must be sothing special.”
“Don’t you know elves? It’s all about the money for them. That’s all it is.”
“I heard he’s from a noble family too.”
“Pfft, a fallen noble. That’s nothing impressive.”
“…You don’t have a girlfriend, do you?”
“……”
Opinions varied, from gendered perspectives to differences in views based on race. Yet the na “Alex” remained a hot topic that showed no signs of cooling down.
Never before had a human’s na been discussed so fervently in the city of a mixed race like Beneta.
Even visitors who were only briefly passing through Beneta rembered the na Alex, and through their mouths, the news began spreading beyond the city’s borders.
***
At the source of the rumors—Dorneth’s Castle.
While the outside was abuzz with excitent, the villa where Arthur resided remained eerily calm, like the eye of a storm.
The area had beco an off-limits zone, inaccessible without Dorneth’s explicit permission.
With no concern for the uproar outside, I focused all my ti on training during these remaining days.
Bang!
“……!”
One of the arrows I had enchanted exploded and vanished from the bowstring.
A failure.
Furrowing my brows, I focused my energy on the remaining four arrows.
Monts later, the four arrows glowed with a golden hue.
Success.
I wanted to test their power, but this wasn’t the kind of place where I could just start shooting arrows as powerful as magic bullets.
I dispelled the Bow of Blood, and the arrows dissipated into the air.
Resetting my arrows, I summoned the bow again, gripping the riser firmly as I prepared myself.
Monts later—
Boom!
The air split violently, and a streak of crimson shot into the clear blue sky.
Five minutes to maximum output.
This was part of my training to develop a sense of timing during battle for reaching maximum power.
Once I refocused on the Bow of Blood, five arrows were already nocked on the string. This ti, I began running.
Since completing the first phase of physical training, I had devoted most of my ti to mastering enchantnt control.
Moving erratically, I tried imbuing the arrows with enchantnts.
One by one, the arrows disappeared as they failed.
There was a stark difference in concentration between standing still and moving.
This ti, only two arrows remained intact.
I reset the bow again and repeated the process of reaching maximum output.
Each ti, the Ring of Resolve glowed brightly, replenishing my blood.
It was the driving force behind my infinite arrow generation.
“Phew—”
[When stationary, four arrows are stable. While moving, two arrows are within the safe range.]
Reto, ever the sharp instructor, pinpointed the limits of the Bow of Blood’s effectiveness in combat.
“I’m not improving as much as I’d like.”
[You’re undertrained.]
“You’re saying that to soone who trains 20 hours a day?”
[Even 24 hours wouldn’t be enough.]
Sigh. It felt like arguing with a brick wall.
Wiping the sweat off my face with a towel, I plopped down onto the dirt floor.
Even with a body built for endurance, the intense focus required for enchantnt training was ntally exhausting.
After long hours, my vision would start to spin.
Lying flat on the ground, I gazed up at the fluffy clouds drifting lazily across the sky.
Their slow, unhurried movent exuded a sense of peace.
It had been a long ti since I’d felt this calm.
But this tranquility would end tomorrow.
The Blood Pact ceremony.
The ti to step into the storm was fast approaching. Perhaps that’s why I found myself sighing so often today.
[Why the sighing?]
“I haven’t co up with a suitable na yet.”
[You an for the guild?]
“Yes.”
[I’ve already suggested so excellent nas. What’s the problem?]
“Haha…”
Reto, sensing my dilemma, had indeed suggested a few nas as candidates.
[Camireto. It’s the na of an ancient worm with 132 legs. Its resilience was remarkable, perfect for soone focused on survival like you.]
“……”
[Tamara. A turtle species—specifically a Turtle Dragon. Its lifespan is second only to dragons and is associated with baldness.]
“…I’d rather avoid anything linked to baldness.”
He had also suggested nas inspired by dragons, gods, and demons, but I rejected all of them outright.
Dragons were revered by wizards as sacred beings. Using a dragon’s na would have spellcasters foaming at the mouth as they ca after .
Gods and demons were no better.
Religion in this world made cults back ho seem cute in comparison. And on top of that, religious figures here were terrifyingly powerful.
ntioning the na of a god or demon in front of them?
I already had enough trouble surviving in this world; I didn’t want to make it any harder.
Retonicals was the perfect choice.
The na of an Undying.
It was also the most fitting term to describe .
But—
[Do you know why I changed my na to “Reto”? You probably understand it better than anyone.]
The desire to reject one’s existence.
Using that na would feel like mocking him.
Sighing deeply, I continued wracking my brain for a na when I heard a presence at the entrance.
Had ti already flown by so quickly?
As afternoon approached, a slender figure erged from the villa’s entrance, carefully carrying two large plates in both hands.
Setting the food neatly on the lush green grass, the figure’s movents wafted an appetizing aroma through the air, making my stomach growl.
I couldn’t resist food.
Getting up, I walked over to the spread.
Long, flowing blonde hair and a slender silhouette. Once she finished arranging the dishes and stood up, she turned to and said,
“Co and eat.”
It was Nella, the elven priestess.
“I told you, you don’t need to prepare my als. Let the wolfman butler handle it.”
“I get bored. I feel at ease when I’m doing sothing.”
“Think of this as your vacation.”
“Then don’t say that unless you’re going to keep entertained.”
Scratching my head, I sat down in front of the food.
Managing the Blue Rose and collecting intel, Nella had always lived a busy life. This quiet villa must have felt dull to her.
For the past two days, she had been staying with at the villa.
At my request, of course.
I needed soone capable of detecting and alerting to the awakening of a Divine Na.
And only Nella could fulfill that role.
However, as a key mber of the Black Rose and the sole priestess of the elves, leaving her by my side indefinitely, without a guard, wasn’t a simple decision.
Naturally, Fenry didn’t take the news well.
When I first broached the subject, I closed my eyes and braced myself, only for her fist to fly at imdiately.
[Listen to my reasoning first!]
[Shut up!]
Fenry had a way of turning every conversation into a brawl.
But my insistence paid off. After prolonged negotiations—and by leveraging the life debt she owed —Fenry grudgingly agreed to let Nella stay.
And now, here we were, sharing a peaceful al on the grass.
“Where did you learn to make this?”
“Oh, the sandwich? It’s a trendy recipe right now. It’s really popular with nobles, so we added it to our main nu. You like it?”
“It’s delicious.”
I wasn’t just being polite—it truly was fantastic.
As skilled as Sharbadin was, her sandwiches were just ordinary compared to Nella’s, which were on a whole other level.
I didn’t know Nella was this good at cooking.
Oh, right—she was a pancake master.
“Isn’t it? Our master wanted to kidnap the recipe’s creator, but Sharbadin wouldn’t let .”
“Haha…”
Fenry, that money-obsessed elf, never missed an opportunity to squeeze .
Sharbadin protecting —it was nice to have soone in my corner.
We ate and chatted, naturally steering the conversation toward Divine Nas.
I used these monts to learn everything I could about this world’s Divine Na system from Nella.
It was the second reason I kept her by my side.
As soone whose unique ability was Divine Hunter, understanding the rules and nuances of Divine Nas was crucial for .
“How is it now?”
“Hmm… I don’t see anything.”
“Even now?”
She focused on for a mont, frowning before shaking her head.
In her hand was a withered branch—a tool priestesses used to summon Divine Nas.
The faded branch of the World Tree.
Seeing and touching sothing straight out of mythology was fascinating, but the sorrow in Nella’s eyes as she gazed at it made avoid ntioning it.
“Didn’t you say you could see a Divine Na if the owner permitted it?”
“Yes, but I can’t see anything from you—not even a trace of energy. Are you sure you’re a Divine Na Holder?”
“…I am.”
“Really?”
A few days ago, after much internal debate, I had revealed my Divine Na to her.
Since Fenry already knew, it was only a matter of ti before Nella found out. I also had sothing I needed to confirm.
Could a Divine Na Holder be identified on sight by others like her?
The answer: “Conditionally, no.”
If a Divine Na Holder consciously closed themselves off, even a priestess wouldn’t be able to recognize them.
On the flip side, if a Divine Na Holder opened themselves up, even hidden Divine Nas could be revealed.
This was why a priestess asked for the Holder’s permission before attempting to see their Divine Na.
So we experinted. I opened myself up completely, yet Nella still couldn’t see my Na.
Not even a faint energy.
She called special.
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