Chapter 552: 475 ’The Pilgrimage Bell’_2
In light of this, Reiger still said the same thing.
"No matter what you plan to do in the future, or which path you choose to take, you will need strength."
Reiger’s smile faded as he looked straight into Altoria’s face.
"Only with strength can you voice your opinions in the future, make the choices you desire, and not simply follow some mission or destiny."
These words caused Altoria to gaze intently at Reiger, meeting his direct look.
Their eyes intertwined, one candid and one scrutinizing, silent for a long time.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly, Reiger noticed some faint movements outside the entrance leading to this place.
"Have you noticed something amiss?"
As Reiger marveled at the effectiveness of the Wind Clan’s ears, he prepared to give Altoria one final confirmation.
If Altoria decided to ring the Pilgrimage Bell, he would help her.
If Altoria had not yet made up her mind, he would take her away from here.
He would not make the choice for Altoria.
Whether or not to ring the Pilgrimage Bell was a decision only Altoria could make; others simply had no say in it.
As Reiger was thinking this, Altoria finally broke the silence.
"I want to ring the bell."
The Paradise Fairy, in the end, had made her decision.
"Are you sure?"
Reiger was slightly taken aback and confirmed once again.
"Yes!" Altoria took a deep breath, nodded firmly, and said, "Although I still don’t know what to do in the future, I trust you!"
Altoria, who could see the truth in Reiger’s heart, thus expressed her stance.
This was also the most honest and direct thought in Altoria’s mind.
Indeed, she had not yet figured out what to do in the future.
But without a doubt, Altoria bestowed her utmost trust on Reiger, who had never lied to her and always presented his true self.
And then—
"..."
In a trance, Altoria seemed to see the storm again.
The terrible storm formed by malice, which even now had not dissipated.
However, at the end of the storm, there was a new entity.
Gazing at the glowing sun that seemed to illuminate the path ahead, untouched by any malice, Altoria smiled.
She showed that sunny smile to the person at the center of the sun—Reiger.
"That’s right, I trust you."
Altoria, echoing those words, gripped the Magic Wand in her hand and walked toward the Pilgrimage Bell.
During this process, the Illusion Technique on her body was stripped away, and both the pointed ears and the butterfly-like translucent wings vanished.
The Illusion Technique on Reiger also seemed to respond to this phenomenon, peeling away bit by bit, revealing his true appearance to the air.
Then, Altoria arrived in front of the Pilgrimage Bell.
She closed her eyes.
She raised the Magic Wand.
"Clang!"
Starlight began to converge upon the body of the Paradise Fairy.
"[Paradise’s Chant, Inner Sea’s Song]."
A sacred chant emerged from Altoria’s mouth, gathering the starlight to the raised Magic Wand.
"[For beings born to call, judge, and rectify]."
"[The inaugural bone bell, to guide the wayward children home]."
"[——Forgive their sins]."
As the last character of the chant fell from Altoria’s lips, the Pilgrimage Bell in front of the fairy maiden stirred.
"Dong——Dong——Dong——Dong——Dong——"
A clear bell sound, ringing spontaneously without wind, echoed forth, creating a resonance that spread outward.
The bell’s resonance was prolonged and far-reaching, carrying on the wind, appearing not only in Salisbury but also radiating in all directions, resounding over the entire sky of Fairy Country Britain.
"What bell sound is this?"
"Is it the noon chime?"
"But it’s not yet noon."
"And the noon chime doesn’t quite sound like this, does it?"
"That’s right, this bell has an indescribable feeling."
"How do I put it? It inexplicably brings both joy and sorrow?"
"Yes, it’s very poignant, and also very nostalgic."
"What’s going on exactly?"
The fairies within the borders of Fairy Country Britain were all surprised, curious, confounded, and felt an inexplicable emotion creeping in, and some, without knowing why, started to shed tears, baffling many other fairies.
But while some were bewildered, others recognized the true nature of the bell sound and their expressions changed significantly.
"Could this be...?"
Above the eastern frontier on the southern plains, a young Knight holding a sacred lance stood atop a ruined city wall, looking toward Salisbury with an exhilarated expression.
"The Pilgrimage Bell... has been rung...?"
The chieftains of the major clans also began to recognize the true nature of the bell sound, some astonished, some enraged, and some likewise filled with joy.
"How is that possible?"
In one of the topmost rooms of the Great Ashen Cathedral, the leader of the Wind Clan, who had just been sipping afternoon tea, looked up in surprise toward the ceiling, completely oblivious to the figure vanishing before her eyes.
"The Pilgrimage Bell? Impossible! Aurora!"
Woodworth, who had just entered Salisbury, turned pale and dashed toward the Great Cathedral.
"It’s been rung?"
Even Gawain’s expression hardened as he rushed toward the Great Cathedral.