Gemuruh, dinding pertahanan itu mengerang. Semuanya dimulai persis seperti sebelumnya. Restorasi menyebar dari tanganku, meluas cakupannya. Batu-batu menyatukan diri kembali, potongan-potongan raksasa terangkat ke tempat semula dalam apa yang hanya bisa disebut 'gerakan terbalik'. Meskipun akulah yang melakukannya, aku tak bisa menahan diri terdiam terpana oleh pemandangan itu. Seseorang berkata. Di sebelah kananku, tempat dinding pertahanan tadi begitu gagah menahan gempuran binatang buas beberapa saat sebelumnya. Logam melebur kembali dengan mulus. Retakan-retakan menutup sendiri. Parapet yang runtuh bergoyang lalu berdiri tegak kembali. '......Mana-ku terkuras lebih banyak dari yang kukira.' Aku memeriksa dasi yang diikat dengan Fabric of Penelope. Ukurannya menyusut dengan cepat. Dan itu setelah mengonsumsi Nadi Dragon. Meski begitu, aku tak bisa menyalahkan pemandangan ini. Cara dinding pertahanan itu merebut kembali kejayaannya, seolah waktu itu sendiri sedang dibalik, sungguh memikat. ──Akhirnya, ketika restorasi selesai, dasi itu lebih kecil dari telapak tanganku. Begitu besarnya dinding pertahanan itu, dan begitu luas kerusakan yang dideritanya. Aku lega berhasil menyelesaikannya sebelum manaku habis. "Fiuh, cukup sekian. Mungkin masih ada retakan halus dan titik-titik lemah, tapi itu tak bisa dihindari." Aku berbalik saat mengucapkannya, ......Dan mendapati setiap ksatria memberi hormat kepadaku. Bahkan Sanders, komandan para ksatria, dan Lord Ludwig. Seolah itu belum cukup, para prajurit dan tahanan di bawah berlutut dengan satu kaki. Setiap jiwa yang berkumpul di sini menundukkan kepala ke arahku, khusyuk dan hening. Aku kehilangan kata-kata saat menyaksikan pemandangan itu. Dari posisiku di atas dinding pertahanan, aku bisa melihat setiap inci postur mereka, setiap nuansanya. Ketika aku menatap Aten di sampingku, ia tersenyum tipis dan menundukkan kepala dengan anggun. "Aten Terst, atas nama Putri Ketiga Kekaisaran Terst, dan mewakili seluruh warga Tyburn, aku menyampaikan rasa terima kasih kami yang terdalam." Aku tak bisa berkata apa-apa. Aku tahu seharusnya aku membalas dengan kalimat muluk, seperti 'itu hal terkecil yang bisa kulakukan', tapi aku tak bisa. Seharusnya aku berlutut, tapi aku tak bisa. Aku hanya terpana. Seolah memahami isi hatiku, Aten berbicara lagi. "Terima kasih. Kau telah melindungi Tyburn." Setelahnya, Aten kembali ke Kekaisaran sebelum aku, tentu saja dengan ordo ksatria mengikutinya. Barrier telah dipulihkan, dan masalah-masalah mendesak seperti serbuan monster yang sering telah teratasi, jadi tak ada alasan bagi Aten untuk tinggal. Ia bilang akan datang dan menyeretku dengan rambutku jika aku terlambat sehari saja, meski aku tak yakin seberapa besar pengaruhnya. Sybil juga kembali. Cassian, yang mengantar Sybil, melirikku sekilas, tapi hanya itu. Kurasa itulah batas rasa hormat yang bisa Cassian tunjukkan. Dan aku terus tinggal di Tyburn selama sisa masa liburan. Barrier telah diperbaiki, dan monster nyaris tak datang lagi, jadi sebenarnya tak perlu tinggal, tapi ini untuk memenuhi tanggung jawabku. "Mau ke mana? Taruhannya belum selesai." Saat aku memeriksa barrier, seorang ksatria rekan, Hector Dutoit, menghampiriku dan berkata. Aku tersenyum sebagai balasan. "Kau gila? Belum ada yang mati; kenapa kau harus kalah, bung." Serbuan total monster saat aku tak ada. Bahkan di tengah serangan ganas monster, tak ada korban di antara para ksatria. Tentu saja, beruntung aku kembali sebelum kerusakan parah, tapi melegakan tak ada yang tewas selama itu. "Saat kau pertama datang, kupikir kau hanya gila, tapi sekarang aku tahu, tak ada yang segila kau." "Orang ini pikir aku sedang memuji dia?" Ironisnya, julukanku menjadi 'Si Gila' untuk selamanya. Hector, juga ksatria lain, tertawa dan melewatiku, memanggilku orang gila. Awalnya, maknanya merendahkan, tapi kini, menggelengkan kepala sambil bergumam memberi perasaan aneh. Aku menatap ke balik barrier. Barrier itu, setelah merebut kembali kejayaan dan keagungan masa lalunya, sangat dapat diandalkan. Bahkan jika aku pergi, itu tak akan ditembus oleh apa pun untuk sementara waktu. Ancaman monster yang terus-menerus ada, tapi itu selalu terjadi di Tyburn. Namun, barrier hanya bisa melindungi wilayah, tak bisa membantu kemajuan umat manusia. Mengingat betapa sulitnya pertarungan hanya di dekat perbatasan ini, bisa dibayangkan monster jenis apa yang mengintai lebih dalam. "Barrier ini membutuhkanmu." "Hah? Tentu. Bukankah sudah kubilang namaku akan dikenang di seluruh benua? Bahkan jika kau pergi, tempat ini akan aman." "Jika ada yang belum selesai, lebih baik selesaikan sekarang." Hector adalah putra Ludwig. Namun, ia memakai nama Dutoit bukan Urfa, karena perselisihan ayah-anak yang tampaknya sepele. Setidaknya, bukan tempatku untuk ikut campur. Namun, pertengkaran bodoh itu tak bisa berlanjut, terutama di saat-saat genting. Suatu hari, ketika umat manusia berusaha merebut kembali tanah, "White Lion Hector" akan menjadi kekuatan yang tangguh. "Hmm. Oke. Aku tak tahu apa yang kau bicarakan." Hector menggaruk kepalanya. Tidak, ia pasti tahu apa masalahnya. Dan sebagai White Lion Hector, hanya menyebutkannya seharusnya cukup baginya untuk mengakhiri pertengkaran kekanak-kanakan dengan ayahnya.
Chapter Bonus berkat @Boring98 dan @kuro di Ko-fi!
Rumble, the ramparts groaned. It began just as it had before. The restoration spread outwards from my hand, growing in scope. Rocks pulled themselves together, colossal pieces heaving back into place in what could only be described as ‘reverse motion’. Even though I was the one doing it, I couldn’t help but be stunned into silence by the spectacle. Someone said. To my right, where the ramparts had so valiantly endured the onslaught of beasts just moments prior. Metal seamlessly melded itself back together. Cracks knitted themselves up. Collapsed parapets shook and righted themselves. ‘……I’m burning through more mana than I thought.’ I checked the necktie tied with Fabric of Penelope. It was rapidly shrinking in size. And that was after consuming a Dragon Heart, no less. Still, I couldn’t begrudge this sight. The way the ramparts reclaimed their former glory, as though time itself was being reversed, it was captivating. ──Eventually, when the restoration was complete, the tie was smaller than the palm of my hand. Such were the size of the ramparts, and the extent of the damage they had suffered. I was relieved that I managed to finish before I ran out of mana. “Phew, that should do it. There’s probably still some hairline fractures and weakened spots, but that can’t be helped,” I turned around as I said that, ……And found every knight saluting me. Even Sanders, the commander of the knights, and Lord Ludwig. As if that weren’t enough, the soldiers and prisoners below fell to one knee. Every single soul gathered here lowered their heads towards me, solemn and silent. I was at a loss for words as I beheld the sight. From my position atop the ramparts, I could see every inch of their postures, every nuance. When I looked at Aten beside me, she gave a small smile and bowed her head gracefully. “Aten Terst, in the name of the Third Princess of the Terst Empire, and on behalf of all the citizens of Tyburn, I offer you our deepest gratitude.” I was speechless. I knew I should have responded with some grandiose line, like ‘it was the least I could do’, but I just couldn’t. I should have gotten down on my knees, but I couldn’t. I was simply in a daze. As if understanding my heart, Aten spoke again. "Thank you. You protected Tyburn." Afterwards, Aten returned to the Empire before I did, naturally with the knight order in tow. The barrier was restored, and the immediate problems like frequent monster incursions were solved, so there was no reason for Aten to stay. She said she'd come and drag me by my hair if I was even a day late, though I'm not sure how much of an influence that had. Sybil returned as well. Cassian, who drove Sybil, gave me a brief glance, but that was all. I suppose that was the extent of respect Cassian could show. And I continued to stay in Tyburn for the remaining vacation period. The barrier was repaired, and monsters hardly came anymore, so there wasn't really a need to stay, but it was to fulfill my responsibility. "Where would you go? The bet isn't over yet." While I was inspecting the barrier, a fellow knight, Hector Dutoit, sidled up to me and said. I smiled in response. "Are you crazy? No one's dead yet; why would you lose, man." The total onslaught of the monsters in my absence. Even amidst the ferocious attacks of the monsters, there were no casualties among the knights. Of course, it was fortunate that I returned before the damage got severe, but it was a relief that no one had died in the meantime. "When you first came here, I thought you were just crazy, but now I see, there's no one as perfectly mad as you." "This guy thinks I'm complimenting him?" Ironically, my nickname became 'Madman' for good. Hector, as well as other knights, laughed and passed by me, calling me a madman. Initially, the meaning was derisive, but now, shaking their heads and muttering brings a strange feeling. I looked beyond the barrier. The barrier, having regained its past glory and grandeur, is very reliable. Even if I leave, it won't be breached by anything for a while. The constant threat of monsters exists, but that's always been the case in Tyburn. However, the barrier can only protect the territory, it cannot help humanity progress. Considering how hard the fight is just near this boundary, one can only imagine what kinds of monsters lurk deeper in. "This barrier needs you." "Huh? Of course. Didn't I tell you my name will be remembered across the continent? Even if you leave, this place will be secure." "If there's anything unfinished, better finish it now." Hector is the son of Ludwig. Yet, he claims the name of Dutoit instead of Urfa, over what seems to be a petty father-son dispute. At least, it's not my place to interfere. However, that foolish quarrel can't continue, especially not at crucial times. Someday, when humanity ventures to reclaim the land, "White Lion Hector" will be a formidable force. "Hmm. Okay. I don't know what you're talking about." Hector scratched his head. No, he must know what his problem is. And as the White Lion Hector, just mentioning it should be enough for him to put an end to the childish fight with his father.
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