Fate is cruel. As if it enjoys toying with someone, it brings down trials the moment one lets their guard down. Some say that fate only gives trials one can endure.
Osian thinks that statement is wrong. The trials fate brings down differ in the degree of their maliciousness. Sometimes they're so light you wonder if it's even a trial, but usually they contain unbearable horror.
Those who can endure are simply lucky people who received bearable trials. Those who couldn't were simply crushed miserably under fate's playful gestures. Like an ant stamped under a child's palm.
'And now, a new crisis is approaching.'
The drizzle that had been falling the previous day gradually grew stronger. The clouds turned even blacker, and even flow could be felt along with the wind. Countless herds of oxen race across the sky. As if fleeing from the destruction soon to come.
Osian walked the streets holding a large umbrella. He was currently moving toward a clear destination.
With each step, the pouring rain beat fiercely against the umbrella. Even a subtle wind blew, to the point where he wondered if a hole might be punched through it.
People on the streets headed indoors, irritated by the suddenly arriving rain and wind. They probably don't know that this is something caused by some artificial element.
And that unless the cause is removed, it will never stop and might even put the city in danger.
Osian headed for the tightly closed door of the government office. The guards stationed at the entrance momentarily tried to stop Osian. However, upon seeing Osian's appearance revealed under the umbrella, they opened the door without a word.
They had been warned in advance about a few people who must be let through unconditionally, regardless of reason. The guards recognized Osian and let him through.
Osian headed inside the government office. The meeting place was a large conference room.
When he entered inside, there were guests who had arrived first.
The majority were civil servants from the Tirna city government, and he also saw council members. But they weren't all. The people who caught the eye most were those with extraordinary auras.
'Superhuman-level experts residing in Tirna.'
As expected, what stood out was a skeleton in white dress-like attire. She waved her hand at Osian, and next to her was her partner.
As expected, it was a duo whose absence would have been disappointing. Muerte was such an eye-catching existence that the moment she greeted Osian, everyone's gaze turned toward him.
'That man? Don't tell me the rumored one...'
'I heard he's a knight from the stories, but indeed his aura is extraordinary, so the rumors weren't wrong.'
'Was that person also specially invited? How interesting.'
The gazes toward Osian were half interest, half suspicion and wariness. Regardless, Osian went and sat in an appropriately empty seat. His appearance of not caring about such gazes was almost cheerful.
"It's been a while."
Muerte flew over and greeted him. Osian nodded his head slightly. Then suddenly, he stared intently at Muerte. Perhaps because his power had grown stronger recently, something he hadn't known before. The moment he looked at her, he could see the invisible.
'A strange power. Is this divine power?'
If it were before, he wouldn't have sensed it. But perhaps because his senses had become sharper day by day, now it touched his skin. Muerte herself had said she was just a curse or something, but her actual identity didn't seem to be that.
'Indigenous faiths of this world that I thought had disappeared. Traces of a god remaining like embers within them.'
That was Osian's judgment of Muerte's identity. And naturally, Desperado, whom she believes in and follows, would be close to the most faithful servant serving a god.
'No. Looking at the attitude shown, it's not serving. Rather the opposite? She's in a position of receiving grace because of her too-excellent power. Though she herself is completely unaware of it.'
Perhaps because that gaze was intense. Muerte spoke in a troubled voice.
"Um. Is there something on my face?"
While saying that, she touched her skull here and there with her skeletal hands, which looked quite bizarre. Osian shook his head saying that wasn't it. Then an intense gaze was felt from somewhere. It was such a hot gaze that even Osian wondered what this was and turned around.
And there he could see.
'Elise Denarova.'
The genius dark mage girl. No, actually calling her a girl was ridiculous. She was already a full-fledged dark mage and the head of her family.
'I didn't expect even she would come here.'
The hot gaze Elise was casting was naturally toward Muerte. It had to be. From her position of mainly using necromancy, Muerte's existence would be something she desperately wanted to research.
What dwelt within her seemingly expressionless eyes was the flame of an intellectual who discovered a mysterious skeleton. Moreover, as that gaze moved to nearby Osian, that heat grew even stronger.
Osian suddenly recalled the contract Elise had given him before. Was it a waiver saying she would donate his corpse after death? Time had passed so he thought she wouldn't be like that anymore, but seeing those eyes, it seemed she still hadn't given up.
Elise stood up abruptly from her seat. Then with bold steps, she sat in the empty seat next to Osian.
She openly stared at Osian from the side. Osian tried to deliberately ignore her, but it wasn't easy. Muerte, who was with him, also read the situation and spoke up.
"Um. She keeps watching from the side."
I was deliberately pretending not to know. Tsk. Osian had no choice but to turn to Elise.
"It's been a while. Elise Denarova. Have you been well?"
"Yeah."
"Use honorifics."
"...Yes."
"I didn't expect you'd come here either. Do you know why you were called?"
Elise nodded.
"I heard a dangerous monster is approaching Tirna...Yes."
"I see. So the city government was aware of it too."
Tirna isn't that incompetent. Just as there are many incompetent people, there are also many people with excellent abilities. The Tirna city government has been quite sensitive lately because of recent incidents. In such a situation, reacting sensitively to external threats was naturally understandable.
"So I joined the subjugation force because I need rare monster bones."
While using honorifics cautiously, her speech becomes short like a ghost when given the chance. The moment Osian tried to point this out, Muerte interjected.
"I heard too. They say the rain falling now is also caused by that monster?"
It's not a monster but a dragon species, but from their perspective, dragon species would also be monsters. Considering the threat it will bring, calling it a monster is being nice. It should be called a natural disaster.
Elise seemed quite fascinated by Muerte speaking, more than by such talk.
"A talking skeleton..."
"I'm Muerte though?"
Muerte introduced her name. She wanted to be called that.
"Muerte Skeleton..."
"No. It's not a species name but just a name. And look. Where is there a skeleton that flies in the sky like this?"
"A skeleton that flies in the sky..."
"...Sigh."
Muerte eventually let out a sigh. She realized that Elise was by no means an easy opponent. Elise was already thinking of Muerte as a skeleton. Once branded like that, whatever rebuttal she made wouldn't get through.
'To make that noisy Muerte give up like this. In some sense, it's really respectable.'
Anyway, knowing that the person she'd fight alongside had ability wasn't bad.
Then another gaze was felt from somewhere. It was so familiar that it wasn't even surprising anymore. Osian turned his head.
Terence was there. Full name, Terence Progenen. Like his younger sister Talia Progenen, he was a mage of Grand Cloister and had become famous as a genius in society.
Though Terence originally possessed great talent, perhaps his skills had improved even more rapidly in the meantime, as his aura was extraordinary at a glance.
'His magical achievements have definitely increased compared to when I saw him before. He's already crossed the wall.'
Though there might still be some immature parts, objectively speaking, Terence would already be eyeing the realm of archmage. It's remarkable to show that possibility at such a young age. That's why he must have been invited to such a gathering.
"It's been a while, so instead of glaring, why don't you greet me."
When Osian conveyed this, Terence's face became complicated in a way hard to describe. He soon let out a deep sigh and approached Osian.
"It's been a while. You've managed to stay alive without dying."
"You've become stronger too since I last saw you."
"Ha. Of course. I worked so hard. It was truly bone-scraping and flesh-tearing pain."
"...Is that so? By the way, the last time I saw you that day was in front of Saint Tree headquarters. Have you been okay since then?"
Because Osian poked a sore spot, Terence's confident expression was miserably distorted. For him, it was truly a nightmarish memory he wanted to forget.
A promising mage, someone who would be called Magister as an archmage in the future, caught in stocks and shouting among citizens!
But it couldn't be helped. At that time, there was really a danger of all his money becoming worthless paper. If he had lost all his money then, Terence might have had to live sponging off his younger sister for a while.
"You don't need to worry. Do you know who I am? I'm Terence. Such money, I could cover it just by doing external activities a few times."
For saying that, he remembers looking quite desperate at the time.
Actually, Terence suffered massive losses. To make up for it, he had to focus even more on magic. Only when magical achievement rises can research funding be received more, and he can maintain an expensive price in city requests.
Fortunately, that effort paid off and Terence's skills grew rapidly.
If other people's motivation was based on some belief, Terence's growth motivation was to save face. Osian, who heard the story, was dumbfounded.
'You might wonder how such a thing could be.'
Even if the motivation is improper, one cannot disparage even the effort itself. Though others might find it funny that he learns magic to save face, Osian acknowledged Terence. The reason doesn't matter. In the end, he made the effort and gained achievement. That's enough.
"I see. You seem to have worked hard. Your realm has risen a lot too."
"..."
"What's with that expression? You look dissatisfied."
"Ha. You ask when you don't know? When you say that. It can only sound like deception. I've heard a lot of stories. The hero of District 17. And the savior of District 44. You established a knight order and are leading it."
Osian looked at Terence with a surprised gaze.
"I'm not deaf enough to not know the surrounding situation just because I research magic in my room. Rather, I'm several times more alert than others. It's not something else, and since there's a connection, I paid more attention."
Terence averted his gaze slightly, perhaps embarrassed. He couldn't bring himself to say he looked into it more diligently because Osian was a love rival.
Terence's gaze flickered toward Elise. She was still beautiful. Even that seemingly indifferent face was so lovely.
"You'll bore a hole in her face."
At Osian's point, Terence coughed.
"Ahem! It, it's not like that!"
"Anyway, if you're here, sit down."
Osian glanced sideways at the entrance. There, a large man appeared with secretaries in tow.
He was someone in memory.
'Albert Lorenzo. Was he the district governor of District 33?'
That wasn't all. He was also accompanied by district governors from other districts. Why would someone at the level of district governor come? He didn't ask such a meaningless question. It meant the matter was serious enough that the district governor had to step forward to give a briefing.
"Nice to meet you all. I'm Albert Lorenzo, the district governor of District 33."
With a build and impression reminiscent of a warrior from somewhere rather than a district governor, he spoke in a voice clearly showing fatigue.
"You must be curious why I called such important people. So I'll cut to the chase and speak only to the point. Currently, a huge natural disaster is approaching Tirna."
Albert gave instructions to his secretary. The secretary immediately activated the prepared artifact.
Light made of mana spread in the center of the conference room, projecting some form in the air.
It was a giant mass of clouds rising so high it seemed to reach the end of the sky. The clouds moved and writhed endlessly. As if countless vengeful spirits were mixing together and swirling.
That thing, where all kinds of weather phenomena were mixed, was called a supercell.
And at the center of that giant cloud. The moment thunder struck, the form of some existence was reflected.
"What leads this giant storm is a dragon species that dominates the sea, the Sea Dragons. That Sea Dragon is coming to Tirna leading rain clouds."