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- Herausgeber: J-Novel Club
- Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
- Sprache: Englisch
The purification of Marin’s Lament might be imminent, but Krai’s curse troubles are far from over. Not if a certain vulpine phantom has anything to say about it. From the vault of Peregrine Lodge, a small box makes its way into the hands of Hugh Regland, and from there, into the clan house of First Steps. And so the storm is unleashed, and the Divinarium’s prophecy is fulfilled at last.
Krai’s battle with the lingering fury of a long-dead queen results in a petrifying curse laid upon Luke. Learning they have only one hope for healing the Protean Sword, a small fellowship consisting of Starlight and Grieving Souls, plus Tino, sets out for Yggdra, a legendary city never before visited by any human.
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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2026
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Part Nine, Noble Spirits
Prologue: Unending Calamity
In the early hours of the morning, several carriages had gathered outside the gates to the imperial capital. Their wheels and bodies, even their canopies, were constructed entirely from flora. The occasional bloom was placed as ornamentation, carefully avoiding ostentation. Every carriage was connected to a platinum mustang, a powerful monster with the might of a couple dozen normal horses.
Platinum mustangs were rare creatures; even large trading companies struggled to get their hands on more than a few. Such valuable creatures pulling frivolous-looking carriages was an odd sight to behold, but anyone passing by had their attention focused on the people standing nearby.
Noble Spirits were a higher race known for high magical prowess, strong bodies, and otherworldly beauty. With their tendency to view humans as lesser beings, they rarely visited manmade settlements. Even the immense imperial capital of Zebrudia hosted only a limited number of Noble Spirits. Those who lived in this city were known by many.
Being a treasure hunting party consisting solely of Noble Spirits made Starlight a unique group. They all possessed the special beauty and arcane talents characteristic of their kind as well as a reputation for giving their clients the cold shoulder. Now, they were standing around with their arms crossed as they chatted among each other, unperturbed by the many gazes cast their way.
“Lapis, I’d say that man’s not half bad if he can get his hands on the proper carriages in such a short time frame.”
“Hmph. A Noble Shaman is lending their aid. We’d be in a fix if that man prepared anything less. Still, he did get the bare minimum of what we requested. Pulling out now would be a stain on our name.”
The leader of Starlight, Lapis Fulgor, looked up and let out a small sigh. With her slender frame and straight hair, she had the good looks of a mythological figure.
“H-Hey, you there. What do you think you’re looking at?! Sir?!” Kris yelled at a bewitched rubbernecker. They came to their senses and hurried off. “Ah, this is why I dislike humans,” she said with a soft snort. “Lapis, let me remind you that Franz is used to putting up with the human weakling’s crap. He’s always being pushed around, so don’t you push him as well. Madam.”
“You don’t need to tell me. It might not have been what we were looking for, but it’s still a curse we’re dealing with. We can’t let this go.”
The cursed stone of the former queen of the Noble Spirits, Shero, was the most famous, powerful, and wretched of all malign gems. Packed with pure malice, the stone had brought entire nations to ruin. It was proof of the power of Noble Spirits, and it was also an item they had to regain no matter the cost. The Noble Spirits’ departure from their forests to live among humans and their subsequent employment as treasure hunters both began with the search for the stone.
Noble Spirits were experts in curses. When humans encountered a curse too much for their kind to handle, they would ask for the help of these arcane specialists. And the misanthropic Nobles would accept these requests.
Though they used every means they could, discarded their pride when necessary, and sometimes took residency among humans as part of their search, the Noble Spirits didn’t appear to be any closer to finding the stone their queen left behind.
“We haven’t been back to the forest in some time, but the elders are going to give me an earful, telling me I’m wasting time.”
“Frankly, madam, we can’t see such a high-level curse and just look the other way. Besides, the elders were the ones who made these rules in the first place.”
Among Noble Spirits, there were very few willing to leave their forest of their own will. Kris wrinkled her brow when she recalled the looks she got when she departed her home forest.
“Hmph. You’re late,” she said.
“I’m right on time. You’re not the only ones with things to take care of.”
Standing before them in shining silver armor was Franz Argman, captain of Zebrudia’s Zero Order. There was weariness in his scrunched face. Behind him were more knights, all in matching armor.
The Zero Order answered directly to the emperor. Serving as His Imperial Majesty’s arms and legs, bearing authority that the other orders didn’t possess, these knights didn’t take part in ordinary operations. If they were on the move, that meant the imperial family considered this to be of great importance.
Still, they showed no uncertainty despite the number of curious looks they were attracting. The manner in which Franz boldly strode forward while being stared at by so many certainly suggested he was worthy of his status as captain of his order.
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