Chapter 122: Ring

Reading Settings

Translator: Soafp

---

“I told Commander Miroku about the recent incident and my analysis.”

“…So, the goblins were ‘cleared out’ by El with the Condense Ray.”

I spoke as if all the credit belonged to El, and Commander Miroku looked at El with a dangerous glint in his eyes. Forgive me, El. I can’t stand those eyes.

“However, there’s still a massive goblin horde and likely multiple ‘Kings’ and maybe even entities above ‘Emperors’ on the other side of the road.”

Upon hearing my words, Commander Miroku’s eyes widened, and he slumped into his chair with no strength left…

After a moment of silence, Commander Miroku began to speak with effort.

“S-so… what are our chances…?”

In my mind, I screamed, “Don’t ask me!!” but I was defeated by Commander Miroku’s pleading eyes…

“I don’t know… If we can hit them with the Condense Ray, or… but realistically, considering it takes 30 seconds to charge and depletes all mana with one shot, it’s not feasible.”

“I-I see…”

At that moment, I considered the worst-case scenario: “I’ll become a decoy and have El shoot the Condense Ray…” It was an unbecoming thought.

In the midst of this tense atmosphere, the ‘Ice Witch’ intervened.

“Alright, alright. That’s enough. Commander Miroku, we need to rest. We’ll be in the mansion, so if anything happens, please call us.”

While everyone was dumbfounded, the ‘Ice Witch’ continued.

“Al… Please, stay for a bit…”

With a face on the verge of tears, the ‘Ice Witch’—no, my mother—spoke.

“Alright, Mom…”

We excused ourselves from the dejected Commander Miroku.

Halva, sensing the solemn atmosphere and the almost tearful eyes of ‘Mother,’ declined to accompany us.

However, El and Ashera insisted on coming. Despite Mom’s understanding that El and Ashera wouldn’t be dissuaded, she spoke as if to threaten them.

“El… Ashera… If you insist on coming, I won’t go easy on you…”

Mom issued her final warning to El and Ashera, her words tinged with genuine menace.

Mom’s words were most reassuring to me… In truth, I had wondered if there was some ancient weapon or something similar that could sweep away the goblins by extracting my heart with black magic or something like that.

Of course, if that were really the case, no matter how much Mother asked, I would have fled.

Mom, El, Ashera, and I arrived in front of the door to the basement.

“Mom, is this the entrance to the underground passage where the ring was?”

“Yes…”

With a muttered word from Mom, she unleashed a Wind Bullet (for magical creatures) at the door.

The door, which was more resilient than expected, was quite deformed, but it still functioned as a door.

“Ashera, break it.”

At Mom’s command, Ashera imbued her right hand with wind magic and struck the door with all her might.

While Wind Bullet merely deformed the door, Ashera’s magical punch shattered it into pieces, blowing it away.

Ashera turned to us with a proud expression… Those bre*sts have grown quite a bit, haven’t they?

(Don’t look, El! I’ll look at Marl’s!)

I sent a telepathic message, and El deliberately looked in the opposite direction, making sure not to include Ashera in his field of vision.

Then, the four of us descended slowly into the basement.

It must have been about five years since I last saw the ring when I was eight…

I’ve been told since I was young that I should see the ring when I turn fifteen.

There are two patterns for this, right…?

Two patterns: simply power up, or get taken over by something and power up.

I don’t like the latter pattern… but is there no other choice?

With a melancholic mood, I followed Mom into the basement, thinking about trivial things.

We soon arrived at the door to the room where the ring was kept.

“There’s no key, huh?”

“Are we going to break this one too?”

“Well, yes. But making too much noise might be a liiittle problematic.”

“Is that so?”

“So, Al, do something about it.”

I froze for about three seconds.

“Just a moment, please. We don’t know what’s inside.”

“What’s inside is the ring. Al, you’ve seen it before, right?”

“I know that, but… what exactly is that ring? Please tell me properly.”

Mom must have sensed that I was a little angry. She promised to tell me everything she knew.

“I don’t know much about it either. Is that alright?”

“Yes, that’s fine. Please tell me what you know.”

Mom began to speak sporadically about the creation myth.

Creation Myth:

About 100,000 years ago, light appeared in the void.

That light condensed over 50,000 years to become a single god. The god’s name is unknown, but it’s simply known as the Creator God.

The Creator God first created the earth.

But lamenting the desolate wasteland, the Creator God created water next.

Still unsatisfied, the Creator God then created plants.

Satisfied with the beautiful earth, the Creator God created beings resembling itself.

However, without souls, the beings couldn’t move.

To give them souls, the Creator God created wind.

Now able to move freely, the beings still lacked food and perished.

Taking pity on them, the Creator God created fire and animals next.

Finally, the beings could live happily.

Satisfied with the world, the Creator God created spirits to protect it.

After entrusting the management of the world to the spirits, the Creator God left to create the next world.

This happened roughly 10,000 years ago.

From then on, beings divided into races with distinct characteristics: elves, dwarves, beastfolk, and demons.

Although the Creator God desired a beautiful world where beings lived prosperously, beings of different races—even of the same race—often fought.

Soon, the world overflowed with monsters.

The contamination of mana from the conflict between beings tainted the world.

The spirits entrusted with the management of the world released their messengers into the world to purify the polluted mana produced by beings.

The messengers of the spirits purified mana while maintaining the stability of the world.

“That’s the creation myth. You know this, right?”

“Yes, I memorized it for school exams.”

“Yeah. About those messengers of the spirits…”

“Yes?”

“It’s probably you, Al.”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“…Eh?”

“It’s probably you, Al.”

“Uhh, um, yeah… Mom, how many fingers do you see on this hand?”

“I’m not senile! You’re the ‘Messenger of the Spirits’ and the ‘Apostle’!!”

“…”

The ‘Ice Witch’ claimed that I was the ‘Apostle.’

She doesn’t seem to be senile, but ‘Ice Witch’ has always been a bit… odd…

“So, ‘Ice Witch’ wants to say that I’m the ‘Apostle’?”

“Are you planning to keep calling me ‘Ice Witch’ behind my back?!”

I turned my face away and continued the conversation.

“What evidence does ‘Ice Witch’ have to think that?”

“Are you… planning to keep using that nickname?”

Without saying a word, ‘Ice Witch’ surrounded herself with ten Wind Bullets (non-lethal)…

Oh… Even one of those spells would easily break bones, right? With ten… Would I die?

As I pondered this, ‘Ice Witch’ activated the Wind Bullets without a word.

I activated two mana shields in preparation for the impact of the Wind Bullets.

Mana shields consume mana voraciously when broken. I took five hits on each shield and managed to endure the onslaught of ten Wind Bullets.

After the barrage ended, I deactivated the mana shields and prepared to scold ‘Ice Witch’ when… I found fifteen more Wind Bullets (non-lethal) floating in front of me.

I grimaced and immediately prostrated myself in apology.

After getting up from the bow, I asked for the continuation of our earlier conversation.

“Mom, please stop joking around. Is there any evidence that I’m the ‘Apostle’?”

Mom glanced at me before starting to speak.

“There’s a ‘legacy’ passed down through generations in the Blue Ring family.”

“A legacy…”

“It’s been passed down for who knows how long, and its true meaning has been lost over time.”

“…”

“It says, ‘In the future, when the chosen one appears, they shall support the ‘Messenger of the Spirits’ with all their might.'”

“And that’s me?”

“Yes.”

Mom turned to Ashera and El.

“Ashera, El, what did you think when you saw the ring?”

“I was scared… I felt a very powerful presence…”

“I was scared too… I thought it might be something like a god or a spirit…”

“I felt the same way as Ashera and El did when I saw it.”

Mom looked at me with a sad expression.

“Every Blue Ring family head felt the same… Some adults even trembled and kneeled before it. You’re the only one in the long history of the Blue Rings who said it felt ‘warm and nostalgic’ as a child.”

I remembered the past. When I saw the ring, I did feel a warmth and nostalgia.

But that alone doesn’t prove I’m the ‘Apostle,’ does it?

“But is that enough?”

“It’s not sufficient on its own. Plus, you’ve always been mature for your age. Using air conditioning magic… that’s something only an Apostle could do.”

Ah, so it’s a misunderstanding caused by the addition of knowledge from my past life…

I finally understood everything and spoke to Mom.

“Mom, I’m sorry, but I’m not the ‘Apostle.'”

I have no intention of telling anyone about my past life. Because telling them wouldn’t make anyone happy.

In that case, I’ll just take it to my grave.

Feeling apologetic for giving Mom false hope, I swung my magic weapon (a large sword) down on the hinges of the door.

The door fell inward immediately, revealing the ring.

It’s been a while since I felt this sensation… I glanced sideways and saw El, Ashera, and Mom desperately trying to endure, their faces turning blue.

Feeling the pleasant mana washing over me, I slowly walked towards the ring.

It must be a phenomenon unique to reincarnated individuals. But as I casually approached the ring, something blue flew out from it.

“Hey there. You’re the Apostle of this era, huh? First, give me a name.”

A blue-colored raccoon? Fox? The closest thing would be the last fantasy summon creature, Carbuncle…

Huh? Huh?! Am I the Apostle?? …Eeeeehhhhhh?! Was Mother right?! Eeeehhhhhh?!

I’d act all cool, saying ‘I’m not the Apostle (smirk)’ and then it turns out I am… That would be so embarrassing! I screamed internally.