### Chapter: 400
After Sigrid left, Kraush finally put down his pen and started getting ready to head out.
Just then, he heard that Karandis was coming to visit from the Maritime Kingdom of Poseus.
Kraush was planning to meet with the Sea King, Dino Bardon, alongside her.
‘Is this the first time since sealing off the ocean?’
Back then, Kraush had visited Icarus and Poseus to close off the Golden Sea.
Dino had been instrumental in allowing Kraush to leave the ocean safely back then.
Among the Ten Great Lords, Dino had sacrificed his future to obtain divine powers from the Water God, wielding strength close to that of a demigod.
When it came to the ocean, he really had shown powers close to being the strongest.
Since then, Kraush hadn’t had a chance to meet Dino again.
Knowing his character, the thought of facing him again made Kraush’s head spin a little.
Anyway, just like before, Karandis was set to guide Kraush this time as well.
Only recently had she become a disciple of Dino.
With her around, the folks in Poseus probably wouldn’t fuss too much over Kraush’s visit.
‘Her name has gained quite the reputation. It makes everyone on that side tense just by showing up.’
Sitting in a position like the Celestial Knight used to feel all high and mighty, but now that he was actually there, it was terribly inconvenient.
Knock, knock—
“Kraush-nim, a guest has arrived.”
At that moment, Kraush, dressed to go out, turned his head at the voice of his maid, Alicia.
Could it be Karandis?
She seemed to have arrived sooner than expected.
“Let them in.”
He often saw her face, but this time he wanted to give her a warm welcome, so he opened his mouth.
Creak—
As the door opened, a bright blonde appeared in Kraush’s view.
In the wind-swayed blonde hair, golden eyes peeked out, making Kraush’s eyes gradually widen.
“Aria?”
As he called her name, the corners of her mouth slowly raised.
“Long time no see.”
There stood Aria Balheim, a figure with a long history intertwined with Kraush since their time of reincarnation.
Five years ago, after Kraush defeated Abella and resurrected Aria through the Transcendent Stone, she had safely sent an exhausted Kraush back and then vanished without a trace.
Since there had been no news since then, Kraush had not sought her out, but recently he had received a letter from her.
It mentioned that she would write to him on behalf of her sister.
As those words flashed through Kraush’s mind, he slowly relaxed his surprised expression.
“Suddenly disappearing, and now you suddenly show up.”
Once having harbored hatred and disdain for Aria before his reincarnation, Kraush had now resolved all feelings related to her, able to greet her as a long-lost friend.
“Heh, were you missing me?”
Is that why?
After so long, Aria’s face looked remarkably relaxed compared to before.
The once stern look she often wore seemed incredibly bright at first glance.
Aria had undergone countless reincarnations to prevent the world’s destruction.
Though worn down during those times, she had finally freed herself from the cycle.
Just as Kraush felt relief after stopping the world’s demise, Aria felt the same way.
“I was worried in various ways.”
“That’s quite heartwarming.”
Aria flashed a brief smile, her relaxed expression making Kraush feel a strange sensation.
He hadn’t expected to see such a warm smile from her.
“So, what have you been up to?”
Kraush took off his jacket and sat on the sofa in his office.
As he invited Aria to sit as well, she walked over and settled down.
“I was curious about what a world that doesn’t end looks like.”
It seemed Aria had traveled around the world during that time.
After seeing the world torn apart day after day, it was only natural for her to feel nostalgic when encountering this one.
“I’m a bit curious about that too.”
Kraush also expressed interest since he hadn’t been able to explore at all because of his duties in Icarus.
While others were heralding the Age of Great Exploration, Kraush felt like he was moving less than before.
“Then how about you come with me?”
Aria suggested with a smile as she gently twisted a strand of her golden hair around her finger.
“I know some pretty amazing places. You’ll like them.”
She looked as if she knew Kraush’s tastes well.
“Sure, that might be nice when I have some free time.”
Kraush had a long history with Aria.
Since there was so much he wanted to talk about with her, going on a trip together seemed appealing.
“…I’m happy you’re so easily agreeable, but it’s a bit disappointing that you answered like that.”
For some reason, Aria reacted to Kraush’s response with a somewhat displeased expression.
In the past, Kraush might not have noticed this, but over the last five years, he had matured.
Especially gaining insight about women made him realize what Aria was hinting at.
“I’m not your lover anymore.”
During her past reincarnation, Kraush had been her lover.
He knew this fact because Aria had told him.
However, in this current cycle, Kraush and Aria had no such relationship.
To Kraush, Aria was now a friend.
Realizing this, Aria wore a slightly bittersweet smile.
But this was an underestimation of Aria, the reincarnator.
“Still, I love you, Kraush.”
With no hesitation at all, Aria’s confession made Kraush pause.
Aria then chuckled.
“What do you think the duration of our relationship was for me to not be able to say something like that now?”
Certainly, that was true.
Kraush felt regret for undervaluing her.
“Of course, this will be the last time I mention it.”
“Don’t go raising flags like that.”
“Don’t worry. I’m just sorting out my feelings.”
Aria pressed her hand lightly against her chest.
Kraush and Aria had a relationship tangled with deep ties.
And they both knew well that it couldn’t be untangled now.
Kraush and Aria could not be lovers.
They had both experienced far too much and come too far.
Aria was acutely aware of that.
“So I’ve spent the last five years tuning myself. If I hadn’t, I might not have been able to restrain my intense feelings and would have done something reckless to a weakened Kraush.”
Wow, that was a chilling way to say it without a fuss.
Still, it indicated that Aria had truly sorted out her feelings.
“Thank you for saving me, Kraush. Long ago, during that time, and even now. You are all my savior.”
Finally, Aria expressed her gratitude she had kept inside.
Listening quietly, Kraush nodded.
“It was no big deal.”
That was a classic Kraush response.
Hearing that, Aria flashed a short smile and rummaged through her pocket to pull something out.
“So, let’s get to the point.”
What Aria pulled out was a small glowing blue sphere.
The moment Kraush saw it, confusion crossed his face.
Pointing at the sphere, Aria said, “It’s what Charlotte used to find for you based on your choices in the previous cycle.”
[ What nonsense have you brought? ]
In that moment, Kraush heard the voice of the Crimson Garden after a long time.
Flap—
Hearing the fluttering of wings from outside, Kraush got up to open the window.
There, a familiar crow landed.
The crow used by Crimson Garden deftly flew inside and landed on the table where Aria was sitting.
“Hey there, Crimson Garden.”
“Hmph, I don’t greet reincarnators.”
When Aria greeted it, the Crimson Garden snorted in disdain.
In the past, it had witnessed her loyal friend choosing to reincarnate to save his world, only to end up a lifeless corpse.
Since then, Crimson Garden had not exactly warmed up to reincarnators.
“Yet you’re not even a reincarnator now.”
Reincarnation was a skill.
In this cycle, since Aria had no contract with a god, reincarnation didn’t apply to her.
So, when she showed her empty hand, the Crimson Garden merely scoffed.
“Anyway, what’s this sphere about?”
After shutting the window, Kraush returned and asked.
At that moment, Crimson Garden approached the blue sphere and tapped it with her beak.
“It’s a dragon’s pearl.”
“A dragon’s pearl?”
“Essentially, it’s a core released from the Dragon King’s lineage.”
Kraush revealed a baffled expression.
What in the world do the Dragon King’s kin even do?
Though he had become a descendant of the Dragon King by absorbing the White Dragon King, all that remained was a remnant, and he had lost all powers.
So it was absurd to hear the name of the Dragon King’s lineage again.
“Weren’t you absorbing something similar before?”
“Are you referring to the White Dragon King’s egg?”
“Correct. Even if the principles differ, owning power makes it a similar form.”
To think the White Dragon King’s egg would also be called a dragon’s pearl—now that was news to him.
Meanwhile, Aria handed Kraush the dragon’s pearl that Crimson Garden had pointed at.
“Where did you find something like this?”
As Kraush took the pearl and asked, Aria replied nonchalantly.
“Five years ago, you remember the Sarion?”
The Sarion that had appeared along with Abella.
The terrifying monster, Baraka.
If not for Crimson Garden and Ebelasque, the outcome would have been too chilling to contemplate.
Even now, Baraka had become a key technique of Ebelasque.
Once alive, the monster alone had toppled several nations.
“Really?”
“Yep, it’s the dragon’s pearl of that monster. It was created right before its death and has been passed around various black markets since.”
Did she spend five years retrieving it?
“Charlotte once sought such dragon’s pearls in another cycle to give them to you.”
“Your sister?”
“Yeah, the pearl condenses the power of the Dragon King. It contains the power that can transform the essence itself. It’s the ability to change one’s inherent talent.”
Recalling how Kraush absorbed the White Dragon King, it made sense now.
“Of course, for most, even if they possess a gem, it’s just jewelry. There’s no way to draw out the power contained within. But—”
Kraush holds the Black Hood that can steal anything.
So, he could easily extract whatever powers laid in that pearl.
“Kraush, five years ago, when you awakened the Holy Sword, your vessel melted completely.”
Kraush’s shoulders flinched.
Just as Aria said, he had burned all his powers and, as a price, his very soul’s vessel melted away.
Though due to the immortality granted to him, he managed to keep his form somehow.
But once a vessel has melted down, it cannot regain its strength anymore.
Kraush had thus chosen to leave it and not attempt to regain his powers.
He realized that no matter how much power he poured into a melted vessel, it would only leak out.
“If it’s the power contained within the dragon’s pearl, it could well restore your vessel.”
Kraush lowered his gaze to the dragon’s pearl.
He would definitely not regain the ridiculous strength he once had.
However, at the very least, he could gain the strength of a complete form similar to others.
“Though, since it’s from a dragon, the contained power is likely to be close to a curse. I think it won’t be easy to handle.”
Kraush gripped the pearl tightly.
This world was still under constant threat of collapsing at any given moment.
Just looking at the recent talks related to the Divine Realm showed that there were mountains of problems yet to solve.
“Who do you think I am?”
So, Kraush made up his mind to seize that power again.
“Curses are my specialty.”
As Kraush grinned, Aria followed up with her own smile.
“That’s quite fortuitous.”
Just then, the Crimson Garden hopped onto Kraush’s shoulder.
“As I mentioned before, the results of the Spirit Magic have emerged. I was planning to use Spirit Magic to restore your vessel, but combining the two would make things much easier.”
“You were preparing for something like that?”
Since this came as a surprise to Kraush, he showed a shocked expression, and the Crimson Garden flapped her wings as if unbothered.
“Hasn’t the Magic King been researching the creation of magic races as a new species? Well, he finished it just in time for Spirit Magic’s completion.”
“So you’re saying I’m going to be the experimental subject?”
“Take it as an honor.”
Whether or not it’s an honor would be determined by the outcome.
However, Kraush smiled knowing that the Crimson Garden was acting with concern for him.
“Seems like no one’s letting me take a break.”
There was a subtle joy hidden behind his complaints.
Kraush was much better suited to action than just sitting at a desk.
“Thanks to both of you.”
So, Kraush expressed gratitude to them.
“Before heading to Poseus, drop by Jeblam. If we use the pearl together, it won’t take long.”
“Sure. I need to let Karandis know.”
Suddenly, his workload increased.
But his motivation surged.
“I’ll be on my way.”
As she said that, Aria stood up to leave.
“You could stick around a bit longer.”
“No, if I stay, I might get too comfortable.”
As she mentioned leaving when it was time, Aria added, “You won’t come back in five years again, right?”
“Heh, I won’t. I want to see your face too, Kraush. I’m also curious about the pearl’s results.”
Aria said she would visit soon.
“Kraush, I’m investigating the Divine Realm.”
“Oh, I saw the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse appearing over there.”
“The Four Horsemen, huh? I don’t really know much about them myself, so I can’t offer any advice.”
Aria had repeatedly reincarnated and battled the Four Horsemen.
But she didn’t know why they existed beyond the Divine Realm.
Not to mention, it still remained unclear why worlds were seeping into Kraush’s and causing erosion.
Only Kraush felt a vague idea that the world erosion had to do with the Divine Realm due to the recent sighting of the Four Horsemen.
‘All the answers lead back to the Divine Realm.’
Perhaps he might even learn why the god who gave him the Black Hood had stolen the powers of the gods.
“Be cautious. Their mindset is completely different from humans.”
“I will.”
“Then I will take my leave. It seems I’ve overstayed my welcome.”
Just then, at the mention of ‘overstaying’, Kraush felt puzzled.
Aria suddenly opened the door to his office with a creak.
“Eek!”
“Ah!”
In an instant, those present were pushed into the room, almost tumbling inside.
Astria, who had been leaning against the door, fell over.
Behind her, Haring and Bianca stepped forward.
Kraush, who had become powerless, hadn’t sensed their presence, but Aria had felt the three of them lingering nearby.
Upon noticing the three, Kraush watched as Astria dusted off her skirt and stood.
“W-What, you brought another woman here and expected no one to look? I just wanted to keep watch, so why?!”
Astria had exploded with an unreasonable outburst, clearly hiding her embarrassment.
Aria was deeply connected to Kraush.
After everything had settled, the two of them had shared countless conversations, and Aria was definitely one of the topics discussed.
So, the three had come out of concern when they saw Aria appear.
“Wow, love looks good on you.”
Aria smiled at the three of them as they reacted.
Just seeing Kraush loved by someone filled her with satisfaction.
Since she could no longer love him now.
“Lady Aria.”
Bianca addressed Aria.
With her hair trimmed shorter than it was during their school days, Bianca exuded a mature charm different from her past self.
Having matured so much that it reminded one of her time as the White Ghost (백귀), she bowed her head to Aria.
“Please visit again next time. I’ll make sure to receive you properly.”
Bianca, as Kraush’s wife, behaved politely towards her guest.
Seeing that, Aria smiled brightly and reciprocated the bow.
“I hope you take good care of Kraush.”
Aria gave her a final goodbye as if giving a farewell to an old flame.
And just like that, she embarked on yet another fresh journey.
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