NoveLight ™
Silence fell.
Briefly collecting my thoughts, I let out a small sigh out of habit.
Seeing this, Ragna slowly closed her eyes and opened them.
"You're calmer than I expected. I knew you wouldn't believe me even if I told you.
In fact, I sighed because it was plausible.
"Well, maybe it's better just to ignore it. The collapse of the Dimensions is a catastrophe that can neither be foreseen nor prevented.
It was definitely true. Even in the game, the collapse of the Dimensions always happened suddenly. There were more cases when it did not explode than when it exploded.
This happened about once every 100 rounds.
Of course, once it exploded, there wasn't a disaster like this. I didn't know about the second half of the maze, where it could be dealt with to some extent, but in the first half, pressing the "Escape" key and restarting the game saved more time.
"So where does the information come from?"
I calmly checked what I needed. Intuitively, I thought that was the cause of my anxiety, but I still couldn't be sure.
"A mage named Shernal Fergang of the Tarutein School. Apparently, they have been studying the Dimensional Collapse for quite some time.
Telling me the name of the magician, she said that she knew nothing else.
- I see. I'll see the rest. In any case, thanks for the warning.
As soon as I turned to the door, I heard a voice from behind.
"You... Just leaving today?
Well, since there is a new quest, should I start with it?
***
As always, the pub was noisy. A silver-haired elf sitting in the corner tapped her index finger on the table. It was her habit that manifested itself when she was worried.
"Phew...
Over the past 3 months, her kind and sweet little sister Ervena has changed. Not only did she ask for help with the workouts she hated so much, but she pushed herself to the limit as if sleep was a waste of time. It also became sharper. Not so much with Daria, who shared her blood, but the way she spoke, her gaze and her actions when communicating with other people were completely different than before.
Still, it's not a bad change, so I'm glad...
Excessive desire and wariness of others? For an explorer whose destiny it was to enter the labyrinth, these were desirable character traits. In fact, thanks to this, she was able to achieve considerable growth. Ervena, who managed to make a contract with the four Great Spirits, was also able to make three of them blossom by giving them will.
That was not all. Her skills in archery, hand-to-hand combat, and close-quarters combat with daggers were improving every day. To be honest, Daria was surprised that this talent had not blossomed until now. However, what made her sigh was the reason for the change.
How long can I hide it?
It was the death of a barbarian whom she called "Uncle" and on whom she emotionally relied. In fact, it was ridiculous to call it death, because he was alive and well, and had a reputation as the "Little Balkan".
Should I tell her about it before it was too late?
When Daria first heard the news about him, she was amazed. Then there was anxiety. She thought it was only a matter of time before she was caught. But Ervena, who sat in her room every day and devoted herself to training, still hadn't heard the news.
"Guys, have you heard?" It is said that the Black Sword can become a disciple of the Sword Master!
"Ha, where does this strange news come from?" The 'Sword Master', this worthy man, would not accept a mere explorer as a disciple.
Sitting alone in the corner of the tavern, Daria was relieved to overhear the conversations of the researchers around her.
Of course, the rumors are gradually subsiding.
Stories that once resounded throughout the city were replaced by new ones. She felt a little dizzy when news of the barbarian and how he had beaten the evil spirit and killed the priestess of Karui reappeared in the taverns, but even that was almost in the past now.
Soon Daria made a decision.
Yes, it is better to leave everything as it is.
In fact, it wasn't something to worry about. As a person who has chosen the life of a researcher, when will there be such a moment of growth as now?
"Hey, Elf Lady. Are you alone here-...
"Go out if you don't want to get a hole in the middle of your forehead."
Pushing away the approaching drunkard, Daria left the tavern. She visited the place, wondering if the barbarian had done something else and become a hot topic again, but decided not to come back.
*Tuk-tuk*
When she returned home, she knocked on her sister's door. There was no answer. She inserted the key, wondering if Ervena had fallen asleep on the floor.
*Click*
The door unlocked and creaked open. Soon she saw her younger sister. Her eyes were closed as if she was meditating, summoning all the Four Great Spirits.
"I must...
Judging by the faint movement of her lips, she was muttering something. Daria approached silently and heard her more clearly.
"I have to get stronger. It must become stronger. It must become stronger. Then I won't lose anything. I can get everything...
She repeated the same words over and over again, as if brainwashing herself.
"Ervena?" Daria hurried to wake up her sister.
Surprisingly, Ervena's expression was calm.
"Oh, are you here?"
"You... Are you okay?
"What are you talking about?"
"You... muttered something to her...
"Huh?" I was just talking to the spirits. I'm training now, can you come back later?
It was clear that this was not something worth talking about with the spirits, but Daria pursed her lips when she was asked to leave.
"Of course...
And helplessly left the room. She went back to her bedroom and thought about what had just happened. It was something that could not be called zeal or loyalty. It was almost like an obsession. After that incident 10 years ago, everything was not so bad.
What's the problem? That barbarian couldn't be that important.
Daria tensed, remembering the biggest change in recent times.
Or maybe it was because she had absorbed that essence?
Daria took a book from the shelf. In the past, she had bought it at a rather high price from the Guild. The [Low Rank Essence Collection] contained information about all the essences between the 7th and 9th ranks. First, she read about the essence that Ervena had absorbed this time.
Which page is Carnivaro?
It was a monster that only appeared in the Witchwood, but fortunately, she obtained the essence in the process of rescuing an explorer who was running away from the forest while chasing him.
Oh, I found it.
Turning the pages of the book, she read the text while summoning a fire spirit to illuminate it.
___
Carnivaro: Rank 7
Agility (medium),
Dark Resistance (Low)
Stamina (low),
Accuracy (average),
Sixth Sense (low),
Hearing (intermediate),
Possession (High)
___
When she carefully checked the contents, she froze in one place.
"Obsession... High?
She suddenly felt déjà vu and checked the essence that Ervena had absorbed 3 months ago.
___
Ironstone Hill Pursuer: Rank 8
Strength (low),
Physical Resistance (Low),
Leg Strength (low),
Jump Power (Medium),
Earth Resistance (Low)
Cognitive interference (low),
Agility (medium),
Possession (Medium)
___
A what... This is?
Again Obsession, and of an average level.
Could it be...?
She had even read about the very first essence that her younger sister had absorbed. Everything was as she expected.
___
Goblin Archer: Rank 9
Flexibility (low),
Sense of smell (low),
Poison Resistance (Low)
Cognition (low),
Cognitive Interference (Low)
Accuracy (low),
Vision (low),
Agility (low),
Possession (Low)
___
Even here there was Obsession. Now Daria could imagine the situation in her imagination. Ervena's obsession with the thirst for power was caused by this indicator.
Then what should I do?
She couldn't just erase the essences that were absorbed, they cost money, but her heart was too heavy to leave it as it was.
If she absorbs the essence to replace... then I will make her erase them.
After much deliberation, she came to a conclusion. However, when she quickly washed herself and went to bed, a new question arose in front of her.
If Ervena found out that the barbarian was alive sooner, where would she direct her Obsession?
***
It's been 10 days since I heard the news of the Dimensional Collapse.
However, was this a baseless rumor, or a fact, or an illusion of someone who believed it to be true? Although I was very busy looking for answers, I didn't accomplish much.
— Shernal Fergang?
Raven, who always helped me when I came to visit with a question, had nothing this time.
"Even if you ask me to introduce him, I've never heard that name before." Tarutein's school doesn't interact with mine at all.
— ... Got it.
"In any case, when you come next week, don't plan anything for the day. The winner will be determined by a draw.
"A winner?"
"Have you forgotten?" In exchange for studying paper, you agreed to help my senior colleagues with their research, right?
"No, I remember that. I just didn't know you were going to draw lots.
Damn, now I'm starting to worry...
I have never been lucky in my life at the draw. In general, after that, I tried in various ways to meet with a magician named Shernal Fergang, but all to no avail.
Meanwhile, rumors began to spread.
"Bjorn!" Have you heard?! They say the Dimensional Collapse is about to happen!
After meeting with old colleagues, Misha returned and made a fuss. If she knew, then the news had already spread. In fact, when I walked into the tavern in the evening, everyone was talking about the Dimensional Collapse.
But the problem is that no one knows its source.
From whose lips did it come? And on what grounds? Without any conversation, everyone raised the alarm and fanned rumors.
This is... strangely.
I felt a strange sense of disharmony. For a news story to become widely known, must there not be a plausible basis for it? Now gossips have added many myths as evidence, but at first there was nothing like this.
Is someone deliberately spreading rumors?
Carefully observing the situation from the very beginning, I came to this conclusion. Of course, this was only speculation, but no matter how I thought about it, the current situation was strange.
It seems that there is really something behind this.
It was suffocating. I wanted to find out the information by going back and forth from a more secretive place than the bar, but the wall of reality was too high. How could a barbarian who had built a reputation for himself by fighting alone get such information?
If it were not for Ragna, I would not have known the name of Shernal Ferganga.
Soon I made a decision. In my hand was a letter from the Ghostbusters and an accompanying pill. For the sake of complete anonymity, I originally intended to take her in at least 3 months, but... I can postpone it for a month or so.
Soon I put the pill in my mouth and swallowed it.
[You have consumed GB-027].
There was no instantaneous involvement in the spiritual world. According to information I learned from Raven and found in the secret library opened by Ragna, the meeting was held at midnight on the 15th of each month.
I only had to wait 3 days.
Time passed quickly, and now the moment I have been waiting for has come. It felt like my mind was moving away from my body.
[Your soul has resonated and is attracted to a certain world].
***
When I woke up, there was a computer in front of me in a clear white space that resembled space. Probably, if it were not for this car, it would be difficult even to understand where the top and where the bottom is.
What is this?
It was a completely different start than I expected, but I slowly took a step forward to where the computer was. It was a sensation I had never experienced before: as if I was riding a robot and controlling it to go forward. Approaching the computer, I looked at the monitor turned on.
[Please enter password.]
A short sentence appeared on the DOS black screen. Without hesitation, I entered the password.
[King Gondon of Raphdonia].
P.S. in the letter meant not only a postscript.