Chapter 584: What Was Causing the Strange Occurrences in the Lake?

The next day.

Fran, who was in a good mood after she had my special pancake, was on her way to Weena Rhyn’s tent.

She called us because she had something to say.

「Morning」

「Morning, Fran. I need a little advice from you」

Weena Rhyn cut straight to the point without much greetings. There seemed to be a subtle hint of impatience on her face.

「What is it?」

「You must have noticed that there’s something wrong with the lake, right?」

「Nn. The Modoki are coming out」

「Yes, about them. To be honest… I didn’t even know why this was happening. It wasn’t like this until last year…」

The strange occurrence must have really happened very recently then.

「I need you to find out what’s going on」

「Me?」

「Yes. You’re the strongest person I could ask. And I’ll also relieve you of your guard duty temporarily」

「Master?」

『Fran, you must also curious about what’s going on with the lake, right? After all, we have encountered the Modoki many times already』

「Nn」

『Then, I guess you should take it』

「Okay」

Besides, Fran was now employed by Weena Rhyn, and if she was given a new job, she should do it.

This was not what an Instructor would do though.

But we were not going to complain because we would be able to go out there and investigate what was going on in the lake that we’ve been wondering about.

But I did have one question.

『Wouldn’t it be faster if you do this on your own?』

She was an ocean magic-user who controlled water, and a spirit user who might be useful for reconnaissance. In addition, she had local connections, power, and money. If you wanted to investigate the lake, Weena Rhyn was definitely the right person for the job.

But apparently, that’s not possible as Weena Rhyn shook her head at my words.

「For various reasons, I want to stay as far away from the lake as possible」

「? We’re close now though」

「This is the very edge. I shouldn’t get close to the lake」

「Why?」

「That is… Don’t tell anyone, okay? If it ever leaks to the other countries, it’ll be a disaster」

「Understood, I’ll never tell anyone」

「That said, I don’t have time to tell you the whole story. But let me give you a short explanation」

「Nn」

「First, there is a certain magic beast sealed at the bottom of Vivian Lake」

「Magic beast?」

「Yes. A huge magic beast that I’m sure must have a threat level of A or higher」

We’ve heard about it in Kiarazen before, Lake Vivian used to be a much smaller lake in ancient times. However, due to a natural disaster, it was connected to the sea and then separated from the sea again, becoming the large lake it was today.

And she said that that natural disaster was actually caused by that magic beast.

Even though it was at the sea, it sensed the presence of the Great Spirit that lived in Lake Vivian and tried to devour its power.

And it seemed that in order to reach the spirit in this lake, it connected the sea and the lake.

「In the end, the spirit of the lake was devoured by the magic beast, and that magic beast gained tremendous power. The entire continent was on the verge of a great disaster that time」

The magic beast was so large that it could sink part of the continent into the sea and had absorbed the Great Spirit. That’s why she said that it could have been classified as a threat level S.

If it ever got out of control, the continent of Zilberd would surely be destroyed.

However, an acquaintance of Weena Rhyn succeeded in sealing the magic beast. He separated its source of power, the sea, and sealed it in the bottom of the newly formed lake.

Since the magic beast was a sea-dwelling being, staying in freshwater for a long time would surely weaken it.

And after that acquaintance died, Weena Rhyn took over the seal and had been protecting it ever since.

She didn’t go into detail about her acquaintance, but they might be a High Elf. I could sense the affection in her tone, and she even took the trouble to take over the seal after their death.

「As soon as I took over the seal, I entered into a contract with the magic beast. Or to be more precise, by making a contract with the guardian spirit of the lake that was absorbed by the magic beast, I also made a contract with the magic beast」

「The guardian spirit, is still alive?」

「It’s a spirit, so I’m not quite sure if you could even call it alive, but it hasn’t disappeared yet. It was now a part of that magic beast and continues to exist」

By using her contract with the spirit, Weena Rhyn seemed to have been able to keep the huge magic beast under the seal quiet.

「A part of the power of the magic beast and the spirit has been contained within me. Therefore, if I ever get closer to the lake, that power will be attracted to the magic beast and it will be revitalized」

That was why Weena Rhyn couldn’t go near the lake. Even so, she had tried to find out the cause of the anomaly and talked to the spirits living in the lake, but she was unable to find any clues.

『In the first place, what is the Vivian Guardian, which is the origin of the Modoki? I heard it’s not just a magic beast. What does it have to do with that sealed magic beast?』

「The Vivian Guardian is the guardian of the seal. Well, it actually wasn’t me, but the spirit inside that magic beast that created the seal」

So that was why, huh? She said that the Vivian Guardians don’t attack people, but tried to prevent anyone from entering a certain place.

「What if they attack us and then go out of control?」

「I don’t know much about it either, but I think it must be a warning. It tried to warn anyone who ever got close to the seal」

「I see」

Then I asked her about something that had been bothering me.

『Is the name of that spirit is, Rhyn?』

「Ara? How did you know?」

『That’s what she called herself』

「We met her yesterday」

Fran took over my words. And it was right after that. Weena Rhyn’s expression changed dramatically.

「What… did you say…!?」