### Chapter: 282
“What?”
“I think it’s possible with my skill.”
Bioloren looked at Kraush for a moment before nodding, seemingly having made up her mind.
She, too, wanted to know the truth behind this memory.
“What do I need to do?”
“All you need to do is firmly grant permission in your heart to pass the barrier to me.”
“I’ll allow it.”
With Bioloren’s answer, a burst of light flickered from Kraush’s hand.
‘Black Hood.’
The target was the barrier placed on Bioloren‘s memory.
The moment Kraush activated the Black Hood, the barrier within Bioloren was forcibly snatched away by him.
Kraush immediately used Ignis to burn the captured barrier to ashes.
After all, being created from the power of world erosion, Ignis gobbled it up like a snack.
“Ugh!”
At that moment, memories flooded in, forcing Bioloren to stifle a scream.
Clenching her teeth, she barely managed to endure the onslaught of memories before slowly blinking her eyes open.
“……”
She sat in silence, staring blankly ahead, her face a canvas of confusion as chaotic memories played around in her mind.
Kraush gazed at Bioloren.
Did she know that before the regression, her own memories were sealed away?
And how did she handle that knowledge when she found out?
Perhaps the reason Bioloren looked so tearfully at the corpse of the barrier mage had something to do with those sealed memories.
Her hands wrapped around herself, she wore a bittersweet smile that seemed on the verge of shattering.
“That’s what you said……”
She spoke while contemplating the fragments of memory that drifted in front of her eyes.
“There’s a place I went with my mother. No matter who comes, I must never tell anyone. It was there that she definitely used her barrier technique on me twice.”
One was a memory.
And the other was when she extracted something from Bioloren with her barrier magic prior to that memory.
“Bioloren, you must never tell anyone about this place, no matter who comes. Got it?”
Bioloren recalled the sorrowful voice of the barrier mage from her regained memories.
Underneath a massive willow tree.
Under a twilight sky.
In the breeze, the barrier mage looked at Bioloren with affectionate eyes, stroking her hair gently.
“And let’s forget today’s events forever.”
The feelings of regret in her eyes pierced Bioloren’s heart.
With those emotions bubbling within her, she turned to Kraush.
As she met Kraush’s blue eyes, the memories of the past began to scatter like leaves, pulling her back to the present.
Kraush was the perfect reminder of reality for her.
Her current life had changed in numerous ways because of him.
“Where is it?”
“It’s not far from Jeblam.”
Despite having previously declared that she should never reveal it, Bioloren complied without hesitation.
Kraush slightly grimaced after realizing what he had asked.
“Are you sure it’s okay to just spill it like that?”
“…If I can’t trust someone wielding a sword against the Heaven’s Sword, then who can I trust?”
It felt as if a once wild stray animal was now compliant.
Bioloren playfully poked Kraush in the chest with her knuckles.
“Could you not give me that look? It’s making me uncomfortable.”
A hint of shyness flickered in her eyes.
When Kraush fell silent, Bioloren, feeling a bit mischievous, almost went to hit him again, but stopped herself knowing he wasn’t fully recovered.
“Bioloren, do you remember when the Demon King lost interest in you?”
Just then, as Kraush opened his mouth, Bioloren blinked.
“…I think it was around the time my mom left.”
As she recalled, Bioloren stiffened.
“No way.”
“Sometimes, no way ends up being a very real possibility.”
The Demon King and Ixion were after something through Bioloren.
However, when the barrier mage left Bioloren, she sealed her potential with a barrier and vanished.
Thanks to her actions, neither the Demon King nor Ixion could achieve what they wanted through Bioloren.
The fact that Bioloren remained safe until the skies generation was likely due to her mother’s prior arrangements.
Kraush soon realized why the barrier mage made such a decision.
‘…To protect Bioloren.’
Originally, Bioloren had been born to fulfill Ixion‘s goals, but a mother’s heart sometimes leads to different choices.
Throughout the nurturing process, the barrier mage’s heart must have changed.
‘The reason the barrier mage was dead long before the regression.’
It was clear she had confronted Ixion to protect Bioloren.
The barrier mage met her tragic end while opposing Ixion, but as a result, Bioloren was kept safe.
‘Originally, the barrier mage could have singlehandedly handled Ixion not touching Bioloren.’
Considering she had placed a barrier on her own memories, Ixion would have eventually given up on Bioloren.
Yet too many external factors began to intervene, speeding up Ixion’s movements.
At last, the barrier mage determined that protecting Bioloren alone became too difficult.
Ultimately, she sought help from Kraush, who was an enemy of Ixion.
Surely, Kraush would protect Bioloren, even if it meant standing against Ixion.
Kraush looked at Bioloren, who was gazing steadily at him.
Until now, Bioloren had thought her mother hated her and fled because of the Demon King.
But what if?
What if all of that was a protective measure for her?
“Hah…”
Bioloren let out a short laugh.
With a mix of self-deprecation, she turned slowly to face Kraush.
Seeing the faint worry in his eyes, she shrugged her shoulders.
“What’s with that look? I kinda figured it out when my mom decided to make a deal with you to protect me. I knew there had to be a reason.”
She was more mature than one would expect.
“I won’t break down mentally over this now. You think I’m a fool or something?”
“Don’t push yourself.”
“Pfft, push myself? Please.”
Bioloren snorted, puffing out her chest confidently.
However, despite her bravado, her hands trembled slightly, but Kraush decided to overlook it.
‘The truth lies with the barrier mage.’
If he could meet her and hear her story, they would uncover everything.
But she was with Ixion at present.
If that’s the case, he needed to find the Demon King, who could at least provide fragmented information.
He would likely know the objectives behind the deal with the barrier mage.
Understanding the purpose of that deal might also clarify Ixion’s reasons for targeting Bioloren.
Moreover, if he went to Jeblam, he could learn what the barrier mage had taken from and sealed away from Bioloren.
The eyes of Bioloren and Kraush met.
They both arrived at the same conclusion.
“We’re going to Jeblam.”
They would uncover Bioloren’s secrets and Kraush’s strengthening in one go.
Just then.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
A chilling presence slipped through the now-open door.
A woman with white hair stood there.
Upon meeting her gaze, Kraush instinctively flinched.
He looked like a husband caught while making plans for a night out with a friend.
Bianca Hardenhartz.
Kraush’s fiancé.
“You went out and came back injured like this.”
With cold eyes, Bianca glared at Kraush.
He was supposed to be on his first mission, but here he was, brandishing a sword against the Heaven’s Sword.
Any fiancé would feel her heart drop in that situation.
“And you’re going again?”
This time, he’s off to face the same Heaven’s Sword that he had just fought.
As Bianca looked at him with her icy eyes, Kraush could only silence himself.
In front of Bianca, he felt utterly weak.
“It’s my fault.”
At that moment, Bioloren hurriedly positioned herself between Bianca and Kraush.
Bianca‘s cold stare shifted to Bioloren.
“It’s because I’m being targeted by Ixion, and he’s helping me. Don’t be too harsh on him.”
Bianca studied Bioloren before turning back to Kraush.
“I know. Kraush, you always do this.”
With a short exhale, Bianca moved closer to Kraush.
Then she slowly sat beside him and wrapped her arms around his waist.
“Please, just don’t let me worry any more.”
“Sorry, I’ll try not to.”
“You’ll still worry, even if that’s the case.”
Kraush swallowed a bitter smile, gently stroking Bianca’s hair.
Watching them, Bioloren felt a flicker of envy.
She had never built that kind of bond with anyone.
“Are you two going together?”
“I’m thinking of bringing Aslan along.”
For Aslan, going to Jeblam would be a great opportunity.
It was also a chance to showcase Aslan’s magic.
“Then I’ll allow it. Have a safe trip.”
Bianca was well aware she needed to train, so she didn’t cling to them.
“I’ll come back stronger too.”
As she straightened her back, a determined expression crossed her face.
However, to Kraush‘s eyes, she resembled a proud little chick puffing itself up.
Her confidence appeared cute enough that he chuckled before nodding.
“I’ll be looking forward to it.”
“You two are stuck again in a world of your own.”
Just then, Ariya poked her head through the door, looking mildly displeased as she regarded Kraush.
“I healed you! Shouldn’t I get a thank you?”
“Thanks as always.”
“Well, while we’re at it, how about a reward?”
If Ariya had healed him, it was hard to imagine what kind of reward she would seek.
“…How about a kiss?”
Unexpected words slipped from the lips of the Holy Maiden.
Embarrassed by her own words, Ariya’s ears turned bright red as she whistled and turned away.
“Absolutely not.”
The one who blocked it was none other than Bianca.
She wrapped her arms around Kraush, claiming him as hers.
Bianca and Ariya’s eyes clashed in mid-air.
“The one who can do that with Kraush is only me.”
Bianca puffed her chest out, fluffing her feathers to look intimidating.
Ariya, on the other hand, couldn’t let that go either, expanding her upper body in defiance.
“…Hmph, I’ve done it before, you know?”
Bianca turned to Kraush with a bewildered expression.
“Ariya, you…”
“Did you really?”
Being the one who got the upper hand last time didn’t mean it wasn’t a form of discomfort.
Kraush looked utterly flabbergasted, his arms tightening around Bianca a bit more.
For the first time, he saw a pouty expression fill Bianca‘s face.
To anyone else, it may not look different, but there was undeniable pouting going on here.
“Today, I’m not leaving Kraush’s side. I’m staying,” Bianca declared with boldness.
And with that, she stirred controversy among the ladies.
Was that what she really meant?”
Ariya’s eyes widened, quivering with disbelief.
What kind of interpretation was that?
And with a determined glint in her eye, she clutched at her skirt.
“I’m going too!”
“Stop!”
Kraush intervened between the two.
He had warned them once before, but this time, the situation seemed to be escalating beyond a simple warning.
As Kraush shot a stern look at both of them, Ariya and Bianca averted their gazes, both realizing they’d ignited something.
“This is a complete mess.”
Only Bioloren, the bystander in this situation, watched with a look of disbelief on her face.
Was it just her imagination, or did she feel like she was seeing trash?
“Huh? Did something happen?”
At that moment, Haring, who had arrived late, blinked in confusion at the current situation.
Seeing Haring approach with warm milk for Kraush, he felt a bit calmer and quietly said,
“Haring, please don’t become part of this mess.”
“Uh, uh, if Kraush doesn’t want it, I won’t let it happen.”
Haring showed a firm resolve, even if she didn’t know exactly what it involved.
You may also like Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy
