SHC38_CHAPTER 38 That Day Will Come

Chapter 38: That Day Will Come

 

“Spirit Detachment Syndrome,” or rikonshou, is a rare spiritual condition that occasionally affects people who have survived a serious illness or injury and come close to death. After their physical recovery, the bond between their body and soul can become weakened, making it easier for their soul to drift from their body.

“There is no known cure. Worse, if the disconnection between body and soul becomes severe, the life force diminishes and death becomes more likely. That’s the bad news.”

“I… see…”

“But,” Her Highness added, “there is a way to manage it. The good news is that it’s surprisingly simple.”

“Simple…?”

Her Highness puffed up her chest proudly. Was that my cue to react dramatically?

While I was trying to figure out what expression to make, Regulus-kun let go of my shirt hem and toddled over to Her Highness, gripping the flowing hem of her elegant dress tightly.

“Gyah?! Regulus-kun?!”

A very bad word—blasphemy—flashed through my mind. I scrambled to stop him, only for Her Highness to glance at me, thoroughly unimpressed.

“What is this ruckus? Chick, what’s the matter?”

“Will Nii-ni’s sickness get better?”

“Hmm… Chick, that might’ve been a bit much for you to grasp. Your brother’s illness cannot be cured. But there is a way to stop it from getting worse. I shall teach it to you now. Listen closely.”

“Okay!”

Regulus-kun stood at attention with a far more serious expression than mine. I pressed my lips into a determined line and prepared to hear Her Highness’s guidance.

“Strengthen your mana nerves.”

“…Mana nerves?”

“The soul and the mana nerves are like the heart and blood vessels of the body. If the connection between body and soul is weak, then strengthen the link between soul and mana nerves instead—bind the soul to the body through the mana nerves.”

“…You say that like it’s simple.”

“She explained it with all kinds of complicated terms, but I forgot most of it. Point is: training your mana nerves is the only known treatment for rikonshou.”

She puffed her chest again with a hmph. Regulus tilted his head curiously, then raised his hand like a student in class.

“Question! How do you train mana nerves?”

“Excellent question, Chick. The more you use your mana nerves, the stronger and thicker they grow.”

The capacity and development of one’s mana nerves are apparently determined at birth. Some people have mana nerves running throughout their entire body—from head to toe—while others may only have it in their upper body, one hand, or even just a single pinky toe.

It’s entirely up to luck. It doesn’t change no matter what you do. That’s why noble families seek to marry into bloodlines with strong magical talent—to increase their descendants’ total mana capacity.

But even if you can’t increase the total amount, you can thicken the nerves you do have through training.

What changes when they get thicker? The amount of mana they can store. The denser the mana, the stronger the magic.

For example, someone with mana nerves all over their body, but as thin as hairs, may not be any more powerful than someone with only one pinky’s worth of nerve—but very thick.

Mana nerves connect both to the soul and the body. By strengthening them, the bond to the soul is reinforced, and the connection to the body becomes stronger too—thus making the soul-body bond more stable overall.

“Fortunately,” Her Highness said, “you have mana nerves running from the top of your head to the tips of your toes. All you need to do is use magic to strengthen them. That’s simple enough—just keep singing while focusing on your mana nerves like you’ve been doing.”

“Wait, focusing on mana nerves while singing is… using magic?”

“The essence of magic lies in visualizing the result you desire. Attack magic, for instance, starts with the image of burning the enemy with fire. Now think—why did I have you focus on your mana nerves when you were singing?”

“Because I was off-pitch and you wanted to correct it—ah… so that was a magic spell to strengthen my vocal cords?”

“More or less.”

…What.

So I’ve been using magic this whole time without even knowing it?

Then maybe—back when Regulus-kun nearly fell down the stairs and I somehow managed to reach him in time—my body felt lighter because I subconsciously used body-strengthening magic?

Thank you, Her Highness. Good job, me.

While I was still stunned by this revelation, Regulus-kun tugged on Her Highness’s robe again.

“If I practice magic… will Nii-ni not get sicker?”

“Indeed. It should stop the progression. Therefore, take this and eat it. Chick, you may share as well.”

With a graceful motion, Her Highness pulled from her sleeve a familiar, delicious-looking peach—the same kind she’d given us once before.

Regulus’s eyes lit up with pure delight as she handed it to him, making Her Highness smile fondly.

The sweet, juicy scent of peach drifted across the entire garden.

“These peaches are used in the heavens to make divine nectar. They’re excellent for health and vitality. Hyorin said that training the mana nerves is just symptomatic treatment—the most important thing is to live healthily and avoid danger whenever possible.”

“Hyorin… as in Princess Hyorin?”

“Yes. She governs death and rebirth. When it comes to matters of the soul, she far surpasses us in both knowledge and intuition.”

“I see,” I murmured. Regulus, toddling back to us with the peach in his arms, repeated after me: “I see~!”

Then, with a flick, Her Highness pointed her silk fan and sleeve at me.

“And so… you must slim down a little.”

Oof. A snake just slithered out of a bush I hadn’t even touched.

Well… she’s not wrong. I nodded solemnly, and Her Highness lowered her fan.

She cleared her throat and took on a more formal, dignified air.

“I heard from Igor that you’ve begun preparations for this ‘musical’ you spoke of. But he also said… it will be extremely difficult.”

“Yes… that’s true. It’s not just about raising literacy rates—we have to raise the standard of living too. That means changing a lot of things, creating new systems, improving what already exists. And above all, we need peace… There are so many challenges.”

“Which is why your body must last long and stay strong.”

“Ah…”

So she’s worried about me—just in a very roundabout way.

From the very beginning, Her Highness has always been so kind. I really am being spoiled.

Feeling a little shy, I scratched my head. She looked away slightly, as if embarrassed too.

Still, no matter how long I live…

“Forgive me, Your Highness… but even if I live a long life, I don’t think I’ll see it come to pass in my time.”

Musicals, Violet’s Garden, all the things she and I dream about—they take years to take root and bloom.

“For the arts to be recognized, loved, and to flourish, you need a foundation of economic stability and peace. And a single person can only do so much. What I can do in my lifetime is limited—but I can at least make the Kikunoi household a prosperous one. I can train the next generation and find allies who share my vision.”

“…Continue.”

“Geniuses may leap a hundred years ahead. But I, sadly, am no genius. I must build slowly, step by step. Most people in the world are like me, not geniuses. It will take time. But if I can reach others through conversation, if we can join hands and walk forward together… then we can make things better, little by little, just like the world I once lived in did. If they could do it there, we can do it here. We’re all human—cut us and we bleed the same. It may take time, but I truly believe we’ll reach that same horizon. And when we do… that’s when we’ll see what we’ve both been dreaming of.”

A quiet hush fell over the garden.

Her Highness’s face grew solemn.

Regulus glanced back and forth between us, uncertain.

I stroked his head.

Would this child inherit my dream?

It’ll take over a decade just for him to grow up—and even longer to pass that dream on.

The strength and time of a single person is so small compared to the weight of the world.

But—just like threads spun together become strong—if enough people share a dream and work together, that dream can be passed down to the next generation.

Her Highness’s lips curled into a crescent smile.

“When humanity was born, their lives were not as they are now. But I turned my gaze away just a little, and suddenly they were making music, singing, dancing… If all it takes is patience to see the world become something I enjoy, then I am not opposed to watching over it a little longer.”

“Your Highness…!”

“Even if you fall before your dream is realized, I shall gather your soul myself. And if our wish ever comes true—no matter how long it takes—I’ll make sure you get to see it. So strive on.”

“Yes!”

She gave me the most precious promise I’ve ever received.

I’ll do everything I can.

As I bowed deeply, Regulus tugged on my shirt again.

“What is it?” I looked down to see his eyes wavering.

“Nii-ni, are you going somewhere? Will you take Ray with you?”

“I’m not going anywhere. Not right now.”

“Really?”

“It’s true,” Her Highness interjected. “And if the Chick continues to help his brother diligently, he will be brought along to the same place. Work hard.”

“Okay!”

Regulus’s hand shot up, eyes shining with joy.

I wonder how long he’ll keep looking up to me like this.

Thinking about the future made my heart ache a little.

But neither Her Highness nor Regulus showed any sadness—they were smiling warmly.

“Now then—let us sing.”

“Oooh, singing!”

“Yes! Let’s sing!”

Bathed in gentle sunlight, I sang—holding my little brother’s hand.

 EUN: 11th extra chapter. How's the font size is it too big for mobile users? I'm using my laptop and this one seemed better for desktop/tablet users

PREVIOUS

INDEX

NEXT