After a momentary silence, her vision turned crimson.

She already knew that was the God’s usual expression, but she could feel her heart rapidly burning with rising anger, to the point of wondering if this was why she was skilled with fire-based magic.

She wanted to beat the deity to a pulp. But doing so in this childlike form would be child abuse, which her mind, steeped in Confucian values from 18 years in South Korea, rejected.

With great difficulty, Rosha asked:

“Why didn’t you stop me then? You knew I would choose to ‘return home’.”

“I did try to stop you. But you still chose that path.”

…Then he should have tried harder!

She had spent nearly 18 years with the Guide God.

He was a perfectionist and understood her heart, desperately enduring to reunite with her family, better than anyone else.

‘If he truly intended to stop me, he would have mobilized messages and emissaries to halt me.’

However, she couldn’t entirely blame him either.

In the end, the final choice had been solely hers.

“…”

Glaring at the Guide God with tearful eyes, he averted his gaze before continuing as he gazed skyward.

“I know how you feel. But time is running short, and I have something to tell you before it does.”

“…What could you possibly know?”

The curmudgeonly deity didn’t respond this time. Instead, he quietly offered advice.

“Since you’re challenging the blue window, it will constantly try to kill you. The trials will only grow more dangerous. Moving according to its intentions would be foolish.”

“…”

“In that sense, there was something crucial I needed to convey in person. It’s of utmost importance, so listen carefully.”

The boy paused and closed his eyes for a moment.

A powerful dominating presence permeated the surroundings.

He was exerting force to prevent anyone from eavesdropping, even within the God’s domain.

What could he possibly want to say?

A hint of tension crossed the God’s face. Gulping, he murmured softly:

“There is an ancient rift. You must seal it.”

Immediately after those words, an immensely powerful repulsive force forcibly ejected her consciousness.

The last sight she saw was the distant desert before her vision went pitch black.

* * *

Returning from the God’s domain to reality didn’t take long.

It felt like rapidly ascending from deep underwater. Soon after opening her eyes, Rosha found herself back in her room.

“…Ah.”

“It seems the blue window intervened just now.”

Koko, who had flown in from somewhere, provided the explanation.

“As much of a curmudgeon as the Guide Bastard is, he doesn’t have the gall to abruptly kick us out like that.”

He then waddled over and spat out platinum strands, his tiny shoulders shrugging as if saying, ‘Didn’t I do well?’

“The situation isn’t great, but chin up. If you’re dejected, I’ll lose my strength too. I plucked the God’s hair thoroughly as encouragement, see?”

“…Was that the meaning behind it?”

“Well, it was also payback for carelessly dropping me into a world without mana. But I multitasked, you see? Ah, you’re smiling.”

Alternating between glancing at the clump of hair and the white parrot, Rosha gave a faint smile.

How could she not smile at the thought of this tiny creature plucking the God’s hair for her sake?

It lifted her spirits considerably.

With a cooler mind, she pondered the Guide God.

‘…Just what is he scheming?’

The God had let her undergo Hardmode but now supported her wholeheartedly.

If she cleared Hardmode according to his intentions, would the world he desired follow?

Her contemplation was lengthy, but no clear conclusion emerged.

Ultimately, all she had left was the brief clue the deity had parted with. Recalling something, Rosha murmured softly:

“The ‘ancient rift’… I might have an idea what that refers to.”

“You’re thinking of that too? Hmm, not certain, but it’s a possibility.”

The rift she had seen in Heres’ illusion, located beneath the Lycaon manor – that immense, seemingly endless crevice that appeared to predate even the first trial could potentially be the ‘ancient rift.’

“…I should probably visit Heres about this.”

Heres had mentioned being well-secured in Froy’s mansion after the trials ended. Considering how useful he had proven, Rosha felt she had made the right call in bringing him along.

With a new task in mind, her motivation surged as well.

Taking out her sacred relic, Rosha examined its information window:

Hildor (A-class)

An ancient relic that awoke from its slumber beneath the moonlight. Specific conditions must be met to unlock its hidden power.

Title: (Locked)

Restriction: (Unknown)

-Extremely Lightweight

-Extremely Durable

-Can charge bullets with mana (100%)

Unique Property: Prediction [More Info]

Unique Property: (Locked)

Since regaining her sight, the sacred relic was renamed and upgraded, and one of its unique characteristics had been unlocked.

Clicking the ‘More Info’ button next to the unique property ‘Prediction’ revealed the description: ‘A semicircular hologram appears before the barrel, visually displaying the locations of enemies.’

While not all locked functions had been unlocked, it was still plenty usable.

‘I like the upgraded relic much more than the reward from the second trial.’

The primary reward from this trial had been the golden decorative case that had appeared.

Shaped like a round capsule with a perfectly fitting top and bottom that wouldn’t open, it was currently stored in her cape pocket for the time being.

It was then.

Knock, knock-

As she assessed the situation, a sudden knocking came from the door.

With her perception range expanded after reaching the 5th stage, Rosha recognized the source of those footsteps.

Cedric.

‘Is today some kind of truth day?’

As she opened the door, Cedric, who had been about to turn away, looked at her.

“You weren’t asleep yet?”

“Umm, no.”

“But… why the expression? Did something happen?”

As the ever-caring eldest brother, he always noticed her troubles first.

She had tried to hide it, but perhaps the bond of blood ran deep.

“It’s nothing. Come in.”

After letting Cedric enter, Rosha first pushed the crystal shrine on the table into a corner.

Messages from the ‘Guide God’ have been muted.

She ignored the messages from the Guide God.

It seemed she had incurred a penalty for the events in the God’s domain, but this wasn’t the first time he had been muted, so she didn’t panic.

Swiftly cleaning up with mana, she took a seat. Seated on the sofa first, Cedric murmured with an unusually unfamiliar air:

“I’ve been feeling you’ve changed a lot lately.”

“Umm?”

“Not that you’re a different person. It’s just… I wonder when my little sister grew up so much.”

His words struck a chord, making her flinch, but Cedric himself had a somewhat bittersweet expression.

Moonlight filtering through the window softly illuminated his profile. Cedric’s emerald eyes seemed to sink deeply, reminiscing about the distant past.

“When our parents passed away, I was fifteen, but you and Cassis were merely nine and ten years old. Watching you two, oblivious to the meaning of death at the funeral, I vowed to protect you both no matter what happened.”

Though he recounted this solemn story without any prior context, his resolve to protect his family resonated with Rosha’s heart.

Ruffling his pale blond hair, he continued:

“The reason I kept so much hidden was for that very purpose. The more you know about this world, the more dangerous it becomes. I believed I alone was sufficient to bear that burden.”

“…”

“Until you and Cassis… started facing the trials.”

His profound anguish could be felt here.

However, the weight had already tipped the scales.

After gazing at Rosha’s face for a while, he eventually sighed and began revealing the truth.