NoveLight ™
Although Misha Karlstein was from a pure-blood family, she was a five-year-old researcher who was treated as an outsider by the family because she had failed to make a contract with the Spirit Beast.
Her father wants to see me, doesn't he?
To some extent, I expected this. Thanks to Misha, I could now understand how the Red Cat Tribe worked.
"Why don't you say anything?" What time do we need to go?
"Uh... I... I don't think tomorrow will do. I also need to prepare... And I have to tell my father in advance.
"What do you mean?" It was you who asked me to go tomorrow.
When I asked incredulously, Misha averted her eyes and spread her hands.
"Well... To be honest, I didn't think you'd agree so easily...
"And that's why you asked me to go tomorrow?"
"Yes, you said that's how you negotiate, right?"
I didn't know if I had said this, but Misha's plan was plausible in its own way. If I had said that I did not have time, she would naturally have pretended to postpone the meeting to another time.
"Ugh, you always say you're busy, every time I invite you to hang out. What kind of whim do you have this time?
"Your father asks." Of course, I have to meet him.
"Huh?" Is this true? Mike looked away from my made-up excuse. "Y-you're so... How can you say something so shameful?
Didn't you say that barbarians and beastmen are almost one family?
***
"If you make an appointment, let me know." Now go away. I need some more sleep. And don't come tomorrow. I have to leave early.
"What?" Have you slept all day and are going to sleep again?
"Keep up the good work, and I won't go..."
"No!" I won't disturb you, rest!
After Misha hurriedly left the door, I continued my interrupted sleep. It wasn't until I slept for 36 hours that I finally felt a little rested.
Now I feel much better.
In the future, I should refrain from using the killing energy. In any case, after quickly washing my face, I headed to the Holy Land, where I was greeted by an elder.
"It's been a long time, Bjorn, son of Yandel.
"Where has the chief gone?"
Curious, I asked the elder, and the answer I received was unexpected.
"The chief went to the city on business. Perhaps he will return tomorrow.
"Did the chieftain leave the Holy Land?" How unexpected!
— This, of course, is not a common thing. If you have business with him, why don't you meet the young warriors while you wait? You will have a good influence on them.
I graciously declined the elder's expected offer. It's not bad to be recognized as one of the most promising barbarians, but today I had other things to do.
"Could you call the shaman?"
After a short wait, the shaman's apprentice came to escort me to the tent. A bald-headed and wrinkled shaman blew smoke from a large pipe in his mouth.
"Keke, warrior, you have returned. What a talent!
His voice sounded more pompous than usual today, and his speech was a little slurred, making him look like some kind of drug addict.
"Can I get the Spirit Imprint today?"
"If you have money, keke.
I mean, can you do it while high...
I was worried, but silently opened my wallet.
*Blade, Blade*
Every time I inserted a million-dollar coin, my heart clenched.
Now I'm broke again.
The value of a 5th stage Spirit Imprint was 8 million stones. After paying this amount, there are only about 700,000 stones left in my hand. There were still 2 million stones left on the joint account with Misha, but this fund was not intended for personal use.
"Warrior, one thing is missing.
— ... I'll put it down now.
Soon the counting ended: another coin cost 500,000 stones.
Hell, I was hoping he wouldn't notice when he's high.
I guess I don't have to worry about any bugs anymore while applying the Fingerprint.
I lay down on the bed, concentrating as much as possible on the positives.
"Ughhhh...
"Keke, warrior!" Shout louder!
"Ahh!"
Soon a familiar pain overtook me.
***
[You have activated Imprint of Immortality: Stage 5]
[Your Energy increases significantly].
[Constitution +30].
[Spirit +30].
***
In Dungeon & Stone, Energy was an important metric. It didn't have much of an impact on combat power, but when you ran out of stamina, you became incapacitated. The Energy Regeneration Auxiliary Scroll was considered a necessary consumable during hours-long raids.
I didn't expect it to be a useful indicator in real life.
In the past, I've felt the limits of fatigue in the Witchwood.
Only yesterday my mental strength was running out, and I fell into a state of semi-slumber. Therefore, I felt the changes in my body and mind more clearly.
"Keke, you look better than usual today.
Normally I should have been half-dead by now, but today the accumulated fatigue of mind and body was less felt. I'll need to check the details later, but I figured I could stay up for two nights with this effect. Of course, if you were to ask me if this effect is worth 8 million stones, I would answer that it is definitely not.
... As expected, the cost-effectiveness of Imprint is low.
In the middle and late stages of the game, indicators were more valuable than money. But in the first half of the game, buying equipment or essences for money was more effective. In order to shorten the growth time, it was necessary to improve as quickly as possible and earn money to further develop the Imprint, so I originally planned to engrave only the 1st stage and leave it as it was for a while. I didn't know I'd get [Gigantization] so quickly.
Ugh, but after I reached this stage, there was only one step left.
The despondency I felt from the diminishment of my wealth was short-lived. A sense of pride blossomed again. Once I win the 6th stage, I'll be rewarded with compensation for all the costs I've invested so far, several times more.
"Warrior, why did you get up?!" I'm tired, so get out of here.
After I had sat in thought for a while, the shaman ordered me to leave, and I left the tent.
It's getting dark.
As I walked, I looked between the bushes just in case, suddenly Ainar was waiting for me, like last time.
It is not here.
Although I reached the outskirts of the city, Einar was nowhere to be seen. Well, since the training was nearing its end, it must have been busy.
Just think, there is only 1 month left.
As I walked past the street, which was more deserted than usual, I smiled.
Time passed so fast and at the same time so slow. It seemed as if I had stepped on a trap yesterday, because I had no leather boots.
***
Björn Yandel
Level: 4
Constitution: 330 (new +30)
Spirit: 154 (нов. +30)
Special Abilities: 128
Item Level: 868
Total Combat Strength: 941 (New+60)
Acquired essences:
***
3 days later, Misha and I got into a large wagon heading to the 13th sector. That was because the Beastman Tribe Holy Land didn't touch the 7th sector where we lived.
"Are you thirsty?" Do you want water?
"I'm fine.
"Hungry?" Are you hungry yet? I've brought a bunch of things just in case, do you want to?
I laughed incredulously at Misha's horrible attitude.
"Stop it. I won't change my mind halfway through.
"I'm just worried. It will be an uncomfortable place for you. You're going there because of me, so I should at least-...
"Don't think about it. Wake me up when we arrive.
"Okay... It will take about 3 hours, so rest for a while.
Before she could bother me a little more, I closed my eyes.
How much time has passed?
As Mike said, it was not until noon that the carriage reached its destination.
There and back it will be 6 hours... No wonder she spends the night there every time.
It wasn't that far in terms of a direct path, but it took longer than expected because we had to go around the 14th sector, where passage is prohibited.
Perhaps that's why she settled here. She wants to be as far away from home as possible.
"Bjorn, why are you standing still?" Are you tired? Do you want me to ride you on me?
"Shut up, just lead."
"Good!"
I followed Misha, who, one might say, was a native of this place, and looked around the streets. This was not much different from the 7th sector. It was just that the roads were a little more difficult, and there were many more beastmen and dwarves.
"So, we've arrived.
The Beastman Holy Land was very different from the land of the barbarians.
I've heard of her, but I didn't expect her to be so different...
The Holy Land was outside the city, but that was all they had in common. Instead of shacks or tents in the bushes, there were mostly stone buildings and even roads between them.
"Dad, look, there's a barbarian there. Barbarian!
In addition, there were open shops and a few families walking the streets here and there, as if they lived here and not in the city.
And we were all kicked out when we became adults...
The Beastman Holy Land was literally like a village outside the city. I must have looked strange, given the way I was staring into the void.
"What's wrong...?" Something's wrong? Even if so, you can't go back!
— ... It's just charming.
"Huh?" Charmingly?
Mike tilted her head as if she couldn't understand.
I wanted to say a lot of things, but I didn't say anything.
Speaking out about the poor living conditions of the barbarians would be like spitting in one's face. So I just asked:
"Are all the Holy Lands like this?"
"I don't know what you mean...
"Aren't beastmen supposed to raise cattle in the forest or something?"
In fact, this is what their Holy Land looked like in the game, so maybe 150 years ago?
"Ah, uh, I think I've heard that people lived this way in the past to preserve traditions..." But that was so long ago that I don't know much.
"I see...
Hmph, why were only barbarians the same?
As I walked down the street, suppressing my discontent, a huge mansion appeared in front of us.
"This is my home.
Hell. And our chief still sleeps in the tent.
As soon as I let out a heavy sigh, Mike began to watch me again.
"You don't need to be nervous. Nothing will happen. You're the Little Balkan, Bjorn, son of Yandel, aren't you?" My father loves famous explorers. Hmm?
Misha spoke as if to calm me down, but it was clear that she was nervous.
"You should calm down. We're at your house, why are you nervous?
"Huh?" I'm perfectly fine!
"Then open the door." How long are we going to stand here?
At my words, Misha calmed her breathing and rang the bell to call a servant.
"Uh, I want to go inside." Could you please open the door?
The servant did not respond to Misha's request. He looked at her, then opened the door and left.
What the hell is this?
It was a very strange sight. Misha was no longer a half-wit.
I heard her father knows that she signed a contract with a spirit creature.
I involuntarily glanced at Misha, and our eyes met, as she was also watching me. The emotion in her eyes was familiar to me. My ex-girlfriend often looked at me like that when I found out something she wanted to keep private.
"Uh... you know, Bjorn. There's something I haven't told you yet.
"Speak quickly.
Mike swallowed my words and continued cautiously.
"Only my father knows that I've signed a contract with a Spirit Creature. Therefore, whatever happens inside, do not be angry. Ok?
— It depends on what happens inside.
"Nothing. It's just that the man was a little rude.
— In more detail. Shouldn't I know more to react appropriately?
Mike hesitated for a moment, but with a submissive face she told about the verbal abuse of her brothers, the mockery under the guise of jokes, and how the servants whispered behind her back, and she heard. There were no serious episodes. I guessed it was because she had chosen only the lightest ones to tell me. In reality, everything should have been much worse.
"Oh, of course, no one will do that to you. So don't worry too much...
For some reason, my lips curled up by themselves.
"B-Bjorn?" Why are you smiling? Don't smile. You look so scary... It will all be over when my father reveals it later. I just need to be patient a little longer.
Misha imagined her father with a straight face, but I felt that he was the biggest problem. The man who was supposed to be her father had neglected her, even though he knew everything. Whether or not there was a reason to understand this silence, he allowed his child to suffer at will. And yet he dared to call me to his house?
He must really take me for shit.
Suddenly, I felt a shadow of anger from this huge mansion, as if I had peered into a dungeon full of monsters.
So here's why...
'Behellaaa
A scream came out of nowhere.
At the same time, the servant who had disappeared without even looking at her reappeared.
"What are you doing, barbarian?!" Watch your manners!
— Манеры, да?
I approached him, pondering his words.
"You probably have problems with your head.
Where in the world was there a barbarian who was polite to his enemies?