Volume 1: The Fourth Holy Grail War
Chapter 17: The Road of Salvation
The morning sun rose over Fairy Britain.
A gentle breeze swept across the rolling plains as Ren and Morgan continued their journey.
Several days had passed since they left the village.
Behind them…
The rebuilt settlement slowly returned to normal.
Ahead of them…
An unknown future awaited.
Neither of them noticed…
The story of two young travelers had already begun spreading.
A human merchant spoke of a silver-haired mage and a young spearman who had saved an entire village.
A wandering fairy claimed to have witnessed humans defeating powerful fairies using ancient runes.
A caravan carried those stories from one settlement to another.
Each retelling became slightly different.
Yet one detail never changed.
Two siblings.
One spear.
One silver-haired mage.
“…They’re exaggerating.”
Morgan sighed after overhearing another merchant describing Ren as a “hero chosen by heaven.”
Ren laughed awkwardly.
“I only helped.”
“You defeated six fairies by yourself.”
“It wasn’t by myself.”
“You always say that.”
Ren scratched his cheek.
“…Because it’s true.”
Without Morgan’s support…
That battle would have been far more difficult.
The siblings continued traveling.
Over the following months…
Their journey took them across countless regions of Fairy Britain.
In one village…
A mysterious disease spread among both humans and fairies.
Morgan spent three days studying the illness while Ren searched nearby mountains for medicinal herbs mentioned in Odin’s books.
Together…
They created a cure.
In another region…
A river overflowing with mana flooded several villages each spring.
Instead of simply rebuilding homes every year…
Ren combined Primordial Runes with engineering principles Odin had taught him.
Massive stone channels redirected the water.
For the first time in generations…
The villages remained untouched by flooding.
Another time…
A group of young fairies accidentally awakened an ancient magical beast beneath an old ruin.
Rather than killing the creature…
Ren realized it was merely protecting its territory.
After calming it using rune magic…
He guided the frightened fairies safely home.
Slowly…
The number of people recognizing them increased.
“Look!”
“It’s them!”
“The siblings!”
“They’re here!”
Children often greeted them before adults even noticed.
Morgan found herself smiling more often than before.
Although she rarely admitted it…
She enjoyed seeing the hopeful expressions on people’s faces.
One evening…
The siblings camped beneath an enormous tree overlooking a valley.
Morgan stirred the stew hanging above the fire.
Ren quietly polished Gungnir.
Although wrapped in plain cloth during their travels…
He carefully maintained the divine spear every evening.
Not because it required cleaning.
But because Odin had once said— This chapter is updated first at novelping.com.
> “A warrior who neglects his weapon will eventually neglect his heart.”
Ren had never forgotten those words.
Morgan looked toward him.
“…Do you ever regret it?”
Ren blinked.
“Regret what?”
“This journey.”
“You could have ignored everything.”
“The villages.”
“The strangers.”
“The dangers.”
She gently poked the fire.
“You don’t have to save everyone.”
Silence lingered between them.
Finally…
Ren answered.
“I know.”
Morgan waited.
“But…”
He stared into the flames.
“When I see someone asking for help…”
“…I can’t pretend I didn’t.”
“I’ve tried.”
“It never works.”
Morgan smiled faintly.
“…You’re hopeless.”
“I’ve been told.”
She laughed softly.
“I wasn’t complaining.”
Several weeks later…
The siblings entered a bustling human town.
Unlike the previous villages…
This settlement was large enough to possess stone walls and a thriving marketplace.
As they walked through the streets…
They noticed people gathering around the central square.
A young knight struggled against a massive magical beast that had broken free from its cage.
The creature roared.
Its claws easily tore through stone.
Several guards had already fallen.
Citizens fled in panic.
The young knight refused to retreat.
Even as blood ran down his arm…
He continued standing between the monster and the civilians.
Ren quietly observed him.
“…He’s brave.”
Morgan nodded.
“…But inexperienced.”
The beast suddenly broke through the knight’s guard.
Its enormous claw descended.
Without thinking—
Ren moved.
A blur crossed the square.
Clang!
Gungnir intercepted the monster’s claw.
The impact generated a powerful shockwave.
The knight stared in disbelief.
“…Who…”
Ren calmly pushed the beast backward.
“You’ve done enough.”
“Take care of the civilians.”
The young knight hesitated.
“…But—”
“Please.”
Something in Ren’s voice erased all doubt.
The knight nodded.
“…Understood!”
The magical beast roared again.
Unlike the fairies…
This creature possessed no malice.
Only pain.
Its body was covered in strange black crystals.
“…Ren.”
“Corruption.”
He nodded.
“I see it.”
Rather than attacking immediately…
Ren carefully approached.
The beast lashed out repeatedly.
Each strike missed by mere centimeters.
Not because Ren was faster…
But because he understood its movements.
Years of training beneath Odin allowed him to read every shift in its posture.
Finally…
He reached the creature’s side.
Instead of thrusting Gungnir…
He gently placed his hand upon its neck.
Several Primordial Runes appeared.
Laguz.
Berkano.
Ansuz.
Blue light spread across the beast’s body.
The black crystals gradually cracked.
Then…
They dissolved completely.
The beast slowly calmed.
Its breathing steadied.
Moments later…
It lowered its head before quietly walking back toward the nearby forest.
Silence filled the square.
Nobody spoke.
The citizens simply watched.
Not with fear.
But with amazement.
The young knight approached.
“…Why?”
Ren looked at him.
“You could’ve killed it.”
“It would’ve been easier.”
Ren smiled.
“It wasn’t evil.”
“It was suffering.”
The knight lowered his head thoughtfully.
“…I understand.”
That evening…
As the siblings left the town…
Morgan glanced sideways at Ren.
“…Do you know what you’re becoming?”
Ren looked confused.
“A traveler?”
Morgan chuckled.
“No.”
She looked toward the horizon.
“People have started calling you something.”
“…?”
“The Wandering Savior.”
Ren nearly stumbled.
“W-What?”
“I heard it twice today.”
Morgan couldn’t suppress her laughter.
“I think it suits you.”
Ren covered his face with one hand.
“…Please don’t call me that.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“You won’t.”
“No.”
“…I won’t.”
The two siblings laughed as they continued walking beneath the evening sky.
Neither of them noticed…
Far beyond the distant mountains…
A lonely consciousness, buried beneath ancient mud and the remains of a colossal dragon, stirred ever so slightly.
As though…
It had sensed someone drawing closer.
Someone…
Who would one day give it a name.
End of Chapter 17