Objectively, her specs were slightly better than mine.
And her equipment…
'Overwhelmingly superior.'
Moreover, she had participated in the war for over a year and had killed countless Noark bastards, so her combat experience would also be greater than mine now.
But there was no need to be intimidated.
Erwen had made one mistake.
Swoosh.
Distance.
Spirit King contractor or not, distance control was an archer's lifeline. At this distance, I had the advantage.
The fact that we were in a closed room was also a plus.
And besides, she wasn't even mentally stable.
"At, attack you? How… how can I do that… to you…"
Geez, she was the one who called me an evil spirit earlier.
I wasn't going to give her time to think.
Things could get messy if we both went all out.
Clench.
I made a fist, my hand the size of a watermelon, and dashed forward.
But…
Whoosh!
…my fist, which I thought was a surprise attack, cut through the air.
She's fast.
"…Don't… don't do this…"
Well, I had expected this.
Thud.
The moment I stopped, my foot slamming into the ground…
「Character has cast [Eye of the Storm].」
…a whirlpool appeared around me, pulling everything towards its center.
It wasn't combined with [Transcendence], so the radius was only 5 meters.
But it was enough to cover the entire room.
Whiiiiiish!
The bed, blanket, pillow, bookshelf, desk, carpet, and so on.
Everything that weighed less than 500 kilograms was caught in the wind and flew around the room.
Including Erwen.
"…This is!"
Erwen, who had fought Stormgush on Parune Island, looked confused.
She probably didn't expect this skill.
I hadn't shown it to her when I was proving my identity since it wasn't one of my original essences.
Whoosh!
But Erwen, who had also been through a lot, immediately improvised. She summoned the wind spirit and tried to resist the pull.
"St, stop it…!"
Stop what?
"I told you, there's something wrong with your head."
I walked towards her, maintaining [Eye of the Storm].
And…
Whoosh!
…I punched.
Of course, I didn't expect it to hit her.
I thought she would dodge back, and then I would use [Gigantification] to extend my reach.
Well, that was the plan…
Thud, thud, thud.
…but the furniture and other items that had been flying around the room suddenly fell to the ground as [Eye of the Storm] ended.
And…
"...."
…Erwen was standing there.
Her eyes closed, right in front of my fist.
"Why…"
I had no choice but to ask.
If she hadn't stopped at the last moment, my fist would have definitely hit her.
But why?
"Why didn't you dodge?"
Erwen slowly opened her eyes and spoke, her expression on the verge of tears.
"Because… you would have been hurt…"
Huh?
My mind went blank at the sudden turn of events.
"You're right… I, I know… there's something wrong with me… but… even so…"
Erwen continued, her voice trembling.
"How… how could I hurt you?"
Uh…
Right… I see.
Drop.
I was speechless, watching a teardrop fall from her cheek and hit the ground.
"...."
This makes me look like the bad guy.
____________________
I had a sincere conversation with Erwen after that.
It was a long and rambling conversation, often going off on tangents, but to summarize:
She hadn't been in her right mind since I died.
She had endured a long period of pain and obtained the Pureblood of her tribe, driven by the desire for revenge.
The war broke out as soon as she gained power, and she sought out dangerous battlefields, thinking it was her chance to take revenge.
That's when she contracted the Spirit King.
And…
"I admit it was excessive, but I never intended to imprison you."
…she had boarded up the windows and only allowed me to go out at night because she was worried about me.
The rumor that I was an evil spirit had spread throughout the city.
It was a kind of obsessive-compulsive disorder.
She couldn't control herself, thinking that she might lose me again.
"Then what about Amelia?"
"…Her too. I can't trust her. I'm confident that I would never betray you, but… I don't know about her. I'm so anxious…"
"...."
"But I, I won't do it again. I won't stop you even if you want to make her your companion. Honestly, I'm still uneasy, but…"
"Uneasy, but…?"
"…Because you don't want me to."
Hmm, is she being sincere?
It didn't seem like she was lying…
I was worried that she might suddenly snap again, but she seemed genuinely sincere.
She even said this:
"My essences. I'll remove them all tomorrow if you tell me to. Even if it means… I won't be able to protect you anymore…"
Most of Erwen's essences were obtained through her achievements in the war.
But she's saying she'll remove them all?
"…Why would you do that?"
It was a reason I couldn't understand.
Were we that close?
I didn't say it out loud since it would be rude in this situation.
"…It's better not to remove your essences."
"…I'll do as you say."
"But if this happens again, I'll remove a few of them."
"Yes, if that's what you want—"
"I'm not saying this for me, I'm saying it for you."
I was being 100% sincere.
Erwen wasn't in her right mind.
If I kept telling her sweet words and took advantage of her fear of being hated, it wouldn't be difficult to control her.
But that wasn't right.
That wasn't what companions were for.
I had learned that from a mage in Lalkas's Maze.
Therefore…
"For… me?"
…I said firmly,
"Yes, for you… no, to be precise, for our relationship."
"Ou, our relationship…"
"…Do you understand?"
I asked again, grabbing her shoulder, and Erwen answered,
"Ye, yes…"
…You really understand, right?
____________________
My life didn't change much after that conversation.
I continued to live a reclusive life, going out to the garden at night and leaving the windows boarded up.
The only thing that changed was Erwen's attitude.
"Mister, here's your equipment."
Erwen, who had been acting like it was fine for me to just hide in this house, started actively helping me.
First, it was equipment.
"This is…"
No. 2988 Mark of the Guardian Corps.
It didn't have any stats or active effects, but it gave a 50% shock absorption bonus to shields, making it one of the core items for shield barbarians.
"…You had this?"
"Yes, there's no way I could sell it."
It seemed like Raven had taken charge of the inheritance distribution, and she had been keeping this earring after receiving it by mail.
"But why are you giving it to me now? You asked about my equipment before."
"Sorry… I hid it because I didn't want you to go back to the labyrinth."
Right, it wasn't my imagination.
'If I hadn't resolved the situation back then, I would have really been raised in this house…'
I shuddered, but she wouldn't have actually done that.
I dismissed my unease and focused on something else.
I had assumed that all my old equipment had been sold and was circulating in the market, but now I had a different thought.
The others might have kept some of it.
"…I'll have to ask them. But one thing's for sure, Avman Urikfrit sold everything."
"Avman did?"
"Yes. I heard he took the less meaningful items, like your subspace ring."
Hmm, I see.
He took the things that were difficult to sell, so he could sell them without feeling guilty?
I was a bit disappointed, but it wasn't important.
'As long as I have this earring and that, I can just get the rest again.'
I could just have my armor and shield remade.
And the other Numbered Items weren't that expensive.
"Do you know who took my necklace?"
"Ah, the one that transformed magic stones into weird things?"
"Yes."
Its official name was No. 7777 Garpas's Necklace.
It was a necklace that transformed magic stones into random materials. It was like a gacha version of alchemy.
So it wasn't a very valuable item.
At least not until you had enough money to trigger the hidden event.
"Actually… I wanted that necklace, so I sent a letter to that mage… no, Arrua Raven, a while ago."
"So? Who took it?"
"Misha Kaltstein."
"Ah…"
I sighed.
She was the only one among my companions whose whereabouts were unknown. Well, I did hear that she was with Lee Baekho at the Round Table…
But that just made me more confused.
It was all a mystery.
"...."
But I decided to think positively.
Misha and I were close.
She would probably be keeping it safe.
'Hmm… maybe not?'
I wasn't sure anymore, since two years and six months had passed.
I decided to think about it later.
'Anyway, I think Ainar probably took my armor and weapon… Then did Raven get the rest?'
I was contemplating the whereabouts of my scattered equipment when I suddenly thought of an item.
'Ah, the Orb of Fire… I wonder what happened to that?'
It was the only Bound item I had.
If I was considered dead in this time period, it would have been sold, and if not, it would probably still be in someone's possession.
'If it's the latter, then Raven probably has it…'
"Phew…"
The more I thought about it, the more I sighed.
Although I had gained a lot from the past, there were also many things I had to take care of.
"Mister, aren't you going to eat?"
"Ah… I was just lost in thought."
I dismissed my thoughts and ate the food Erwen had brought. And after our meal, we had a brief discussion.
"What are you going to do?"
"…I have to clear my name first."
"Should I… use my influence to create an opportunity…?"
Erwen suggested proving myself in front of the royal family, but I refused.
It was too early.
I would have to do it eventually, but I couldn't shake the feeling that there was something political going on with my case.
"I think we have to be more careful with this. If something goes wrong, it could affect you and the entire fairy tribe."
"…You're… so kind."
"Ahem. Anyway, that's why… Can you focus on gathering information about Raven and Avman? We don't have to worry about Erwen anymore."
"Okay! I will."
Erwen then left for the sanctuary, and I lay down on the sofa in the living room to take a nap.
That's when…
Knock, knock.
…someone knocked on the door.
Erwen wouldn't knock.
-x-X-x-
The Magitechnician, Yurven Habelión.
The head of a school and a mage respected by countless crafting mages.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead.
It was that difficult of a task.
Interfering with the laws of the spiritual world.
"Damn it."
The man in a robe muttered as he looked at the jewel on his workbench.
The jewel placed on the workbench was given to him by an old man he met shortly after arriving in this world.
It was essentially the server and system of the spiritual world, now named Ghostbusters.
"What's wrong with it?"
Countless magical circuits, large and small, were intricately intertwined within this small jewel.
The man had honed his skills by analyzing and studying this, and by modifying the circuits one by one, he created the current Ghostbusters.
But…
"…Is this method impossible after all?"
After spending a long time pouring mana into the jewel and modifying the circuits, the man sighed as if giving up.
Honestly, it was ridiculous to even be disappointed.
There's no way something he couldn't achieve for decades would suddenly be possible in a few days.
His biggest achievement lately was updating the anonymous chat rooms so that he could secretly view the nicknames of the players entering with administrator privileges. řΆℕốβÈṡ
Buzz.
His personal pager vibrated.
He didn't even need to look to know who it was.
"Yes, SoulQueens. No issues about me, right?"
[No… I haven't heard anything about you yet.]
"…I see."
The man felt a mix of annoyance and relief.
His identity, which he had been hiding for nearly 20 years, had been revealed in the most unexpected place.
"Please keep an eye on it. It's important to nip these rumors in the bud. I'll continue looking for a way to identify the other members."
[Okay. And… I'm sorry.]
"...."
The man was speechless at the woman's apology.
He couldn't bring himself to say it was fine.
"Then… please contact me again if anything comes up."
[Okay, rest well.]
The man ended the call and returned to the workbench.
And…
'Even if I just change the circuit so that the server saves the location data when you log in, it would be possible to track them…'
He continued to analyze the jewel's intricate internal circuits.
As always, the answer would be within this jewel.
_____________________
Knock, knock.
I jumped up from the sofa as soon as I heard the knock.
'…Who is it?'
I didn't know.
Erwen wouldn't knock, so it had to be someone from the outside…
But who would knock on the front door instead of the gate?
'Damn it.'
I held my breath, crouched down, and quietly approached the door.
And at that moment…
Click, click.
I heard the doorknob rattling, and then the lock clicked open.
Creak.
The door slowly opened.
I clenched my fists, ready to subdue whoever it was, but then I froze as I saw the visitor.
"…You're here."
"Amelia…!"
"Ugh…! I, I told you not to do that…"
I'm just happy to see you.
How embarrassing.
"…Come in."
"Excuse me…"
I quickly let Amelia in, skipping the reunion hug since she seemed to hate it.
I had a million questions.
But to ask them in order…
"How did you know I was here?"
"…I waited in front of the bank and followed the fairy."
"Huh? But why now…?"
"I couldn't get close."
Huh?
But she was always out during the day, going to the sanctuary.
Amelia shook her head as I pointed that out.
"That's impossible. She was always near the house."
I felt a chill run down my spine.
"…You're saying she never went to the sanctuary?"
"Don't tell me… you didn't know?"
"...."
"Well, she started leaving the house recently, as if something had changed. I waited for a few days, thinking it might be a trap."
I was a bit relieved.
If something had changed, then it was probably because of our conversation.
"So… what happened with the Blood Spirit Marquis? She wouldn't have been happy to see you alive, especially considering the evil spirit issue."
"Ah, that's been taken care of."
I briefly summarized my encounter with Erwen, focusing on the important parts.
Amelia seemed surprised.
"It doesn't matter if you're an evil spirit or not… That's an unusual mindset for a surface explorer."
"She's changed. I don't think she would have thought that way before."
"Well, I don't think so."
"Huh?"
"She didn't stop trying to avenge you even after it was announced that you were an evil spirit. She had already made up her mind. It doesn't matter to her what you are."
Hmm, that's possible.
"Anyway, I made sure to emphasize that I'm not an evil spirit. Just in case."
Amelia chuckled.
"So I'm the only one who knows your true identity?"
"No, there's one more."
"…Didn't you say Misha Kaltstein doesn't know?"
"It's someone else. He's not even from this world. He's from my world."
I told her about Lee Baekho since there was no reason to hide it, and he could become a variable in the future.
But her reaction was strange.
"Lee Baekho…? He's from your world?"
It sounded like she knew him.
Come to think of it, there were quite a few people who knew about Lee Baekho at the Round Table.
I was originally planning to subtly ask Erwen about him, but it seemed like it would be better to get the information from Amelia.
"Do you know him?"
"…Of course."
"Well, you came here much earlier than me, so I guess you could have met him. Ah, but how long has it been since you returned?"
"Two years."
"Oh, so time flows at a 1:1 ratio for you—"
"But it doesn't matter when I returned. I met him much earlier."
Huh?
She met him before that?
I stared at her, wanting a more detailed explanation, and Amelia opened her mouth.
"You remember I said I was on a team with an evil spirit for over a year?"
Uh…
"That evil spirit was Lee Baekho."
That bastard is everywhere.
______________________
Amelia met Lee Baekho about five years ago.
She had intentionally approached him under the Lord's orders.
There were suspicions that he might be an evil spirit, and she was sent to confirm it.
After all, they could try to recruit him if he was an evil spirit.
"Explorers who could use Aura were rare, so it wasn't difficult to join his team. And I spent about a year with them."
Amelia said that she obtained [Self-Replication] in the Doppelganger Forest and cleared the Hundred Colors Temple during that time…
Wow, no wonder she knew all about the hidden pieces.
It made sense if she had been with Lee Baekho.
"So? What happened?"
"Nothing special. The Lord lost interest after a year when I couldn't find any concrete evidence, and I left the team with an excuse. And then… I heard the news later."
"What news?"
"I don't know the details. The royal family covered it up thoroughly. All I could find out was that his identity was revealed because of a companion's betrayal, and many people died in the labyrinth that day."
Amelia then said that the royal family had erased all records of Lee Baekho and controlled information about him for years, making him disappear from the city.
But I was curious about one thing.
"Then how do you know his name is Lee Baekho?"
"It's a relatively recent development. It seems like he's really turned against the royal family now. He's appearing everywhere and introducing himself as Lee Baekho. Ah, he used to use an alias, or people just called him 'that guy'."
I see…
I didn't know someone who knew about Lee Baekho's past was right next to me.
"What was he like back then?"
"Well, we weren't close. I didn't like his casual attitude. But he was very close to the others."
"Close?"
"Yeah, like the teams you create."
I heard several stories about Lee Baekho out of curiosity, and the more I heard, the stranger I felt.
"What? Everyone on the team was a woman? And he dated all of them? Wow, did he build a harem in the labyrinth…?"
"Harem? I don't know what that means, but all your team members are women too, aren't they?"
What is she talking about?
Avman is still holding strong.
And when we were Team Misfits, everyone except for Misha was a man.
"Well, that's true. But it just happened that way because I chose them based on their abilities and aptitude, not because I was interested in them romantically—"
"You don't have to make excuses. I don't mind."
"…?"
"We're from different countries. I don't know what it's like in Korea, but it was probably similar to the noble culture here."
No, Korea is a monogamous society…
What does she think Korea is?
I felt like Lee Baekho and I had completely ruined Korea's image, but I decided not to say anything more.
It wasn't important.
It was time to move on.
"Amelia, what was in that note you left at the bank?"
"…What do you mean? It's just like I wrote."
"Ah, the letter Erwen gave me was torn at the end. I only read up to 'Kraul's Demon Crusher is…'."
"…I, I see."
Amelia seemed noticeably flustered when the topic shifted to my precious hammer.
"No wonder you didn't say anything… so you didn't read it…"
"No, that makes me uneasy. Tell me. What happened to my hammer? Is it still there—"
"Your hammer is safe."
Amelia cut me off firmly.
And…
Swoosh.
…she said quietly, avoiding my gaze,
"At the Alminus Exchange, in the collateral loan department's vault…"
Sigh…
_____________________
A heavy silence fell between Amelia and me.
Even Amelia, who was always confident, seemed to know she had done something wrong and was avoiding my gaze. It was me who spoke first.
"…Why did you sell it?"
There must have been a good reason.
This was Amelia—
"I'll correct you."
"…Huh?"
"I didn't sell it, I used it as collateral for a loan."
Ugh, are you serious?
Amelia coughed awkwardly as I glared at her.
"We should at least get the facts straight to avoid future problems—"
"Just answer the question. Why did you use my hammer as… no, collateral? For what?"
"…To protect you when you returned."
Phew, as expected.
She must have had a good reason—
"…I bought an essence at the auction."
"...What?"
I finally regained my senses after a long silence.
Well, I guess that's possible if she needed money urgently.
She probably used it to buy Twin Hydra's [Dual Control]. It was a good enough essence to justify buying it if you could.
But I had to confirm.
"…When's the repayment date?"
"Two months."
"…How much?"
"I don't have it right now."
"Then do you have a plan to get the money?"
"…I had one."
Right, past tense.
Another quest had been added to my already busy schedule.
-x-X-x-
Everyone has a plan.
It's not guaranteed to work, but…
Amelia was no exception.
"…There was an organization I had my eye on. They were smuggling opium disguised as a relief effort and selling it for a high price on the black market… My original plan was to rob them."
"And?"
"…The Security Bureau raided them while I was tracking them."
I was speechless.
It was typical of her…
But at least it was better than robbing a bank, right?
I chuckled, and Amelia apologized sheepishly.
"…This was my mistake, so I'll figure something out."
What is she talking about?
I said firmly,
"It's fine. Why would you solve it alone?"
In the first place, it would have been lost if she hadn't extended the vault's time limit, and Amelia had a 50% stake in it.
After all, we were on a party hunt when it dropped.
And besides, it was ridiculous to hold her accountable for this when she had already gotten the money for the Vol-Herchan essence.
"We'll solve the money problem together. Got it?"
"…Because we're companions?"
Wow, she's actually saying that.
"Yes, because we're companions. When there's a problem, we don't blame each other, we find a solution together."
"…Okay."
And so, we discussed a plan.
It was a difficult amount to raise in two months through normal means, but it wasn't impossible.
The stocks she had bought two years and six months ago had skyrocketed.
"Borrowing money from that fairy… It's possible, considering her wealth. But is it okay?"
"Huh? Is it okay?"
"That fairy is also your companion."
"Ahem…"
Damn it, she's hitting me where it hurts.
"Amelia, you've been alone for so long that you don't understand. Companions help each other when they're in need. Got it?"
"Is that… how you treat your companions?"
No, who said it was a one-sided deal?
We could just pay her back with interest.
"Anyway, that's enough about that. Let's talk about something else."
"You've judged the situation to be unfavorable."
"…Huh?"
"Isn't that right? You usually change the subject when things are uncomfortable."
Uh…
She was right.
"...."
But was she always this playful?
Why do I feel like she's teasing me?
"Just tell me what you wanted to say, Yandel."
She didn't even give me a chance to protest, so it seemed like she was intentionally teasing me…
But I just let it slide since I only had circumstantial evidence.
There was a more pressing matter.
"Ah, it's nothing special. I was just thinking about how to introduce you to Erwen."
I didn't want to witness a team kill.
____________________
Tap, tap, tap.
Amelia clicked her tongue as I nervously tapped my fingers on the table.
"That's annoying, so calm down."
"...."
"Are you that scared of her?"
"Wh, who's scared? Erwen listens to me very well."
I was just a bit nervous.
I had told Erwen that Amelia would be joining us, but human impulses aren't always controllable.
I didn't want to see Amelia explode again.
Especially not her real body.
Tick, tock.
That's when, as time passed and I started to feel hungry…
Click.
…I heard the gate closing.
Erwen was back.
She was probably carrying bags of food for me.
Thud, thud.
Her light footsteps, characteristic of fairies, were approaching.
And…
Thud.
…they stopped in front of the door.
That was strange.
I clearly heard the doorknob turning, but why wasn't she opening the door? And why did her humming stop?
"The door is open."
Erwen muttered.
"…I smell a woman."
I immediately jumped up and ran towards the door.
I had a bad feeling that things would go wrong if I just went ahead with the surprise event I had prepared.
"…Er, Erwen! You're back!"
Erwen ignored my greeting and scanned the house as soon as I opened the door.
And then she fixed her gaze on Amelia.
"Amelia Rainwales."
"It's been a while, Blood Spirit Marquis. Is this your first time seeing me in the city?"
"…What are you doing here?"
"I followed you after you left the bank. Your stealth magic has improved, but it seems like you don't use it much in real life. You should be more careful. You're not the only one who lives here."
Erwen muttered at Amelia's answer,
"…Should I kill her?"
"Erwen…?"
"Ah, sorry. I was just thinking out loud."
"Uh… that, that's okay. It happens. Let's… sit down. We can't be awkward with each other, right? We're going to be working together."
"Okay."
Erwen calmed down surprisingly quickly and sat down at the table. And she spoke in a casual tone,
"So I just have to get along with this woman?"
"It's not 'this woman', call her by her name."
"Then I'll call her by her last name. Rainwales, right?"
"That's right. You can call me Tersia."
"Okay."
The conversation ended there after Erwen's curt response.
It was my turn to step in.
"Erwen, like I said before, Amelia will be working with us from now on."
"What about her identity?"
"Don't worry about that. Yandel prepared something while waiting for you to return."
"…Why didn't you tell me he was alive?"
"That's a stupid question. How could I possibly tell you that?"
"We only spent six months together."
"Hmm, I believe you spent even less time exploring the labyrinth with Yandel."
Hey, why are they talking without me again?
"Alright, alright, calm down."
I quickly intervened.
"I don't know what happened between you two, but it was all just a misunderstanding, so why don't we clear things up?"
I glanced at Amelia, signaling her to back down.
But…
"Well, I don't have any grudges. I almost died on the 6th floor after losing both my legs and having to cling to a plank for three days because of her, but I survived."
Right, so she had a reason to be prickly.
"…To think you were able to escape on a boat in that state."
"Erwen."
"…Don't worry, I don't have a huge grudge against her either. I just had the corpse of a Noark explorer I worked hard to kill stolen from me. Ah, and I also got my arm cut, but I guess that's nothing."
"But I didn't kill you."
"Are you saying you could have? You ran away as soon as our backup arrived."
"Well… I achieved my goal. Thanks to selling his equipment, I was able to buy this dagger."
Okay, let's give up on trying to make them friends.
Companions don't have to be friendly with each other.
I tried to smile and end the conversation.
"Haha, you're fighting over such a trivial matter! Come on, shake hands and make up."
A leader should always be smiling.
______________________
I moved on to the next topic after Erwen and Amelia awkwardly shook hands.
Straightforwardly, like a true barbarian warrior.
"Erwen, can you lend me some money?"
"Money? Why…?"
I told her about the Demon Crusher, and Erwen's face hardened.
"So you want me to use my money to cover the cost of the essence this woman bought?"
"You could say that…?"
"…I'm sorry, but that's a bit difficult."
"…Huh?"
"Don't misunderstand. It's not because I don't want to."
Then why not?
Erwen muttered sheepishly, as if she was guilty.
"I don't… have much money anymore… Really."
Ah, right…
Come to think of it, she said she barely managed to buy this house after blackmailing the chieftain.
But I still had to ask.
"Then what about taking out a loan using this house as collateral?"
I felt like a scumbag, but I had to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
"…Th, this house? It's filled with memories…"
"You can just pay it back."
"Yandel, you really—"
"Don't scold mister. This is all because of you. How shameless."
"What…?"
"So, okay? Don't feel bad, mister. We can… just buy a new house… later…"
Her hands were trembling…
"…I'm sorry."
"Don't say that! I'm doing this for you, mister."
Anyway, it was decided that we would retrieve the Demon Crusher by using the house as collateral.
So it was time to make our next plan.
"We need to secure funds first, no matter what we do."
"Yes. You'll need new equipment and everything if you want to go back to the labyrinth. And we can… keep this house if we have money…"
"Wait, the labyrinth? We should be focusing on clearing your name first."
Ah, right…
"I'm planning to postpone it because there are some suspicious aspects."
Amelia nodded as I shared my concerns.
It seemed like she was also uneasy about it.
"Anyway, Amelia, I need you to find a new identity."
"It's not difficult to find one, but it will be impossible to completely hide your identity. There are still many people who remember you, even though it's been over two years."
In other words, it meant that a helmet wouldn't be enough.
This wasn't the past where I had no connections.
If I used [Gigantification], people would immediately think of Bjorn Yandel.
"Hmm, I think it'll be fine if I'm just careful in the labyrinth…"
"It might work for a month or two, but someone will eventually recognize you—"
"What about absorbing an essence?"
Erwen interrupted.
"Essence?"
"Like what Ainar did. There are essences that shrink your height, right? If you shrink your height and introduce yourself as a human, no one would notice."
Erwen looked at Amelia, as if wary of her reaction.
But…
"It's definitely much safer than a helmet if you're planning to hide your identity for a long time."
…Amelia surprisingly agreed with Erwen's idea and even praised her.
But could it be that she found it strange?
"That's a good idea."
"…It's because it's about mister."
Erwen turned her head away coldly.
It was a heartwarming sight, but I had to intervene.
"Um…"
I'm sorry to say this, but…
"I don't have any slots left for essences."
I was still far from level 7.
And I didn't have any essences I could remove.
Amelia chuckled after I explained my situation.
"Manticore."
"…?"
"You said it was an essence you would have to remove eventually."
…She's taking away my jump key?
-x-X-x-
Manticore.
It was indeed an essence I had planned to eventually remove.
That's why I had debated between removing Corpse Golem and Manticore when I bought the new essence.
But…
"Um, Amelia… if I remove this, my Magic Resistance will decrease, and I'll be vulnerable to magic…"
At first, I was hesitant about losing [Leap], my only movement skill, but the real problem wasn't that.
It was the lack of Magic Resistance.
The balance of my tanking abilities would be severely disrupted until I could obtain Bellarios's essence.
'And I can't remove Stormgush either.'
Stormgush was a 3rd-grade essence.
Well, I would have to remove it eventually…
But at least I had to clear the Submerged Island event first. That essence practically guaranteed an easy win.
Ah, for reference, I could obtain my second core essence after [Gigantification] from that event.
'…Damn it, what should I do?'
I was lost in thought.
It seemed like giving up on disguising my identity was an option, even if it meant giving up on an essence.
There were some suspicious aspects to the royal family's actions, but it might not be that difficult to clear my name.
They wouldn't execute me just because I'm an ev—
"Ah, and I didn't tell you this because I thought you knew, but even if you're proven to not be an evil spirit, the royal family won't be happy about it."
"…Huh?"
"Why are you looking at me like that? It would mean that the royal family's announcement was flawed."
Ugh… this is making it harder.
I couldn't make a decision, so I asked Erwen and Amelia for their opinions.
"What do you guys think?"
"I… think it's better to hide as much as possible."
Erwen was in favor of absorbing the essence.
"Why?"
"…Intuition."
Right, she was talking about her sixth sense.
And then Amelia also gave me her opinion as I looked at her.
"I agree with Tersia."
"Why?"
"There's no real benefit to clearing your name anyway."
What do you mean no benefit?
I wouldn't have to remove an essence.
I was about to say that when Amelia continued,
"You're not expecting your former companions to come back to you after two years, are you?"
Erwen also agreed.
"You're right, maybe Ainar, but it would be difficult for Arrua Raven to return, even if she heard that you're alive. She's in the royal army."
Presumably, it would be similar for Avman.
He joined a clan, so it would be difficult for him to leave.
And I didn't have much information about Misha, except for the fact that she had become Lee Baekho's companion.
'So they're not wrong.'
I paused the conversation and weighed the pros and cons of both options.
It didn't take that long.
'Based on the information I got from the Round Table, the royal family is going to issue a conscription order to all nobles soon.'
Most of them would just send their private armies, but I, as an explorer, wouldn't have that option.
I would have to participate in the war myself and follow the orders of my superiors.
I made a decision.
"I'll… remove the essence."
My jump key…
_____________________
Now that the plan was set, it was time to move on to the next agenda item.
Which essence should I absorb?
As we discussed it, I realized that these two had something in common.
"I think Imp essence would be good. It gives a bit of Magic Resistance."
"But it's a 7th-grade essence, so it's hard to find on the exchange. Dwarf Fighter essence would be better. It increases Bone Density like Ainar, so it suits you well." ℟аNÖᛒËs̈
"Do you have enough money to buy a 4th-grade essence? Altsmolar would be better. It's 5th-grade."
"Ah, Altsmolar? We can't use that. It has a fatal side effect…"
"Side effect?"
Erwen glanced at me and then whispered to Amelia.
I couldn't hear them, but Amelia glanced at me and said, "That's possible," and didn't say anything more.
'Why are they both so interested in my essences?'
I chuckled and cut them off.
"Enough. I've already made up my mind."
I had chosen the essence with the best stats and skills among those that could shrink my body size, and I had two backups.
"Erwen, you go to the bank tomorrow and check how much we can borrow using the house as collateral. Amelia, you check the exchange for the essence I told you about."
"Okay."
"Then let's eat. I'm starving."
We ended the conversation and ate the food Erwen brought.
And…
"…You're staying here from tonight?"
"There are plenty of empty rooms, is there a problem?"
"I prefer to separate work and personal life."
"Sigh, both of you, stop it. I'm tired, so let's just go to sleep. Amelia, you can use any of the empty rooms."
There was a bit of a commotion when Amelia showed up in the middle of the night with her luggage, but it didn't escalate into a big problem.
And so, another difficult day came to an end.
"Mister! I'll be back later!"
Erwen and Amelia left for their respective tasks the next morning, and I spent my days in seclusion in the dark house.
In other words, I slept.
Fortunately, we were able to secure a loan after three days, and we used it to retrieve Kraul's Demon Crusher from the bank.
"…Heh, you like it that much?"
Of course I do.
This is my number one treasure from now on.
「Character has equipped No. 87 Kraul's Demon Crusher.」
「Total item level increased by +4,800.」
Anyway, that wasn't the only good news.
The essence I was looking for appeared on the exchange.
Well, it wasn't my first choice, but my second…
But it wasn't a significant difference, and I wasn't planning to keep it for long anyway.
'And the price is reasonable.'
I bought the essence with most of the money I had left after retrieving the Demon Crusher.
I had already placed an order for a shield through Erwen, and I was planning to get the rest of my equipment cheaply with 1st-tier materials, so I didn't think I would need much money in the future.
…Well, there was one more thing.
'Please, don't let anyone recognize me.'
I went to the church the next day, now that I had bought the essence.
It was the Tovera Church, one of the Three Gods Church.
I was a bit uneasy about going to the Leathlas Church since I had been there so many times.
"It would be even more conspicuous if we went together."
"Have a safe trip…"
"Don't attract attention by making a mistake."
It wasn't a large church that was easily accessible, but a small one on the outskirts of the city, frequented by ordinary people.
But I still had to remove my helmet to remove the essence, so I was a bit worried…
"Haha, you have a good build for a human. You would have been a great knight."
…but fortunately, the old priest in charge of essence removal didn't recognize me.
「[Manticore Essence] removed from character's soul.」
「Some of the stats gained from [Inheritance] have been permanently acquired.」
The essence removal went smoothly.
I paid double the usual fee and hurriedly left the church and returned home.
And then I opened the test tube I had bought.
「[Gachabon Essence] absorbed into character's soul.」
It was the 6th-grade undead Gachabon's essence.
The base stats were simple.
「Sixth Sense +40.」
「Physical Resistance +15.」
「Darkness Resistance +30.」
「Accuracy +45.」
Stats that were a bit ambiguous for certain classes.
And…
「Bone Density +110.」
…the Bone Density stat that would turn me into a human.
And lastly, the penalties.
「Luck -50.」
「Control -30.」
Luck was a stat that increased the probability of random events, like critical hits. And Control gave you resistance to mental magic and status effects like 'Fear'.
Well, it would have the opposite effect now that it was decreased.
"Oh."
"Wow…"
Erwen and Amelia exclaimed as I finished absorbing the essence.
Honestly, I was the most surprised.
Our heights were almost the same now.
Amelia was about 170 centimeters tall, so my height must have decreased to about 185 centimeters.
Erwen looked away as I was lost in thought.
"…Is it that weird?"
"Ah, no, it's not that…"
"Then what?"
"It, it's better if you… just see for yourself…"
Erwen pointed at the mirror, and I walked towards it, holding my loose pants.
But the sturdy barbarian warrior was no longer there.
Only a handsome human man remained.
"…This is me?"
Now I understood why Ainar was so depressed.
I looked so weak.
Like I would break a bone if I got hit.
_____________________
'Should I… remove this essence?'
My reflection in the mirror was pitiful. Well, that's probably why Erwen was avoiding eye contact and stuttering.
"Um… mister, what's wrong? You look so sad…"
Erwen asked why I was depressed, and I answered honestly.
How can I go outside looking like this?
Even Erwen couldn't look at me properly—
"Wha, what? It, it's a misunderstanding! I wasn't avoiding eye contact because of that!"
"Huh? You're saying it wasn't because you were trying to hold back your laughter at my pitiful appearance?"
"No way!!"
"Then why?"
Erwen answered in a small, embarrassed voice,
"Be, because you're handsome…"
"What?"
She also has a very common taste.
Was she obsessed with me back then because she saw me as a guardian, not because she was romantically interested?
I asked Amelia to get a sample.
"Do you think so too?"
"Well…"
Amelia stared at me and then chuckled, turning her head away.
"At least I don't have to crane my neck to look at you."
Surprisingly, none of them seemed to have a negative opinion about my current appearance.
Had I become too accustomed to being a barbarian?
'…Come to think of it, I do look handsome by modern standards.'
But I still didn't want to stay like this.
[Gigantification] was based on my base physique.
This small body wasn't efficient.
"Anyway, I'm going to test my abilities, can you help me?"
I couldn't just stay depressed about my appearance, so I decided to focus on what I could do.
First, practice my skills.
'It's a bit awkward to go out to the garden in broad daylight, so I guess I'll just do it in the living room.'
"Okay, I'll help. What should I do?"
"Just hit me. With your spirits or abilities."
"…What?"
Uh… doesn't she know about this essence's passive?
It seemed like she didn't, so I briefly explained it to her.
(P) Retaliation — When receiving damage that consumes resources, there's a chance to ignore and reflect the damage.
It was a passive skill that activated whenever the enemy used a skill that consumed resources, whether it was magic, divine power, or spirit power.
This skill was the biggest reason why I chose this essence.
Although it wouldn't be enough to make up for my decreased Magic Resistance, it was the only essence that offered this kind of performance at this price.
My first choice was also another color of this essence.
'Anyway, the probability was about 10%…'
For reference, this number included the Luck penalty.
Well, there might be a slight difference depending on my base Luck stat, but it wouldn't be significant.
"Um… then I'll go ahead?"
Erwen started attacking me with her spirits after I finished explaining.
And…
「Character received frost damage.」
「Character received frost damage.」
「Character received frost da… 」
「… 」
Huh?
"Erwen, try a different element."
"Okay!"
「Character received fire damage.」
「Character received fire damage.」
「Character received fire da… 」
「… 」
What the…
"Wa, wait! Amelia, you try."
"If you want. You're the perfect height for this."
「Character has been hit by [Asura's Fury].」
「Character has been hit by [Asura's Fury].」
「Character has been hit by [Asura's Fur… 」
No, what the… What is going on?
"Aak!! St, stop!!"
Why isn't it activating?
-x-X-x-
The probability of [Probabilistic Retaliation] activating was around 10%.
And it wouldn't increase even with [Transcendence]. The 1.5x multiplier only applied to the reflected damage…
But even so…
「Character has been hit by [Asura's Fury].」
…the passive only activated when I was seriously starting to wonder if I had been scammed and absorbed a fake essence.
After being hit about a hundred times.
「The Luck dwelling in the character blocks the damage.」
[Probabilistic Retaliation] activated, and a transparent barrier appeared, protecting me.
And…
「Powerful Luck.」
「Reflects 150% of the received damage to the enemy.」
…a skeleton, summoned right next to me, copied Amelia's kick and used [Asura's Fury] on her.
The skeleton even let out a hearty shout, even though it didn't have vocal cords.
[Gachaat—!!]
Uh, isn't that the sound that plays when it's a critical hit?
Wait a minute, isn't this dangerous?
That thought flashed through my mind, but it was too late.
Thwack!
Amelia was caught off guard and took the hit with her shoulder, unable to dodge in time.
Swaaaaaaaaaa.
The skeleton disappeared into particles of light after a single hit.
"Ugh…"
"Are you okay?!"
I rushed over to Amelia, and she pushed me away as she took her hand off her shoulder.
"…Don't fuss over me. I'm just a bit surprised."
Surprised, my ass.
Her shoulder was practically crushed.
"Erwen, bring me a splint and bandages."
"Ye, yes…!"
Potions wouldn't work on Amelia because of [Fountain of Immortality], so I set her bones, splinted her arm, and wrapped it with bandages.
"Didn't I tell you to dodge if you can use your abilities?"
"...."
"If you can't dodge, at least hit me lightly."
"…I did hit you lightly."
Lightly, my ass.
Even a 'critical hit' is only 100% of the original damage.
'Ah… 150% because of Transcendence.'
For reference, the base reflection damage was only 10%.
Even with [Transcendence], it was only 15%.
And since the skeleton copied the attacker's movements, it was possible to dodge, so the skill wasn't that valuable.
"Anyway, Amelia, you rest for now."
"Okay! Then I can help you! I can dodge well! And block!"
"…Alright."
Amelia sat down on the sofa, looking a bit dejected, as Erwen summoned another spirit.
And…
「Character received fire damage.」
「Character received fire damage.」
「Character received fire da… 」
「… 」
…the skill activated after ten tries this time.
「The Luck dwelling in the character blocks the damage.」
「Normal Luck.」
「Reflects 15% of the received damage to the enemy.」
A small and cute skeleton appeared next to me and shot a fireball.
There was no special sound effect since it wasn't a critical hit.
But…
Boom!
…Erwen dodged the fireball, and it hit the wall, scattering flames everywhere.
And…
"Oh, fire."
"Er, Erwen! Water spirit!!"
"Ah, okay!!"
…we almost lost the house.
_______________________
After almost setting the house on fire, we went out to the garden at night to test the skill.
And we obtained some meaningful data.
'The probability seems to be accurate…'
Unlike the first case, where it took 100 hits to activate, the skill activated after an average of 15 hits.
But the problem was that statistics were just statistics.
It would work normally, and then suddenly stop activating. And when that happened, it took forever to activate again.
I think the highest record was 198 hits.
'Is this even possible…?'
It was an unbelievable number, even with a 1% probability.
And it wasn't like it always resulted in a critical hit even after all those stacks.
'Well, it does seem to activate more often…'
Anyway, we finished testing the passive and active skills, and then we spent our days planning our exploration route.
Our primary goal was money.
We had taken out a six-month short-term loan to cover the cost of the Vol-Herchan essence. The interest rate was high, and the house would be seized by the bank if we couldn't repay it in time. ⱤÀ𐌽ÒʙĘⱾ
And that's probably why…
"Mister, it's okay… you don't have to push yourself…"
…Erwen seemed to have given up on getting the house back ever since we took out the loan.
She probably thought it was impossible to raise that much money in six months.
But…
"I told you, didn't I? I'll do what I can."
I was a man of my word.
I had to try and keep the house since Erwen liked it.
"But if you want to get that much money in a short period of time… there's no other option but the war."
"Rainwales is right. No one here has a boat. So we can't even go to the 6th floor, and we'll have to stay on the 5th floor at most…"
"There's no need to think that way. I think it's better for me to join the war too. I might stand out, but no one will recognize me in my current form if I don't use [Gigantification]."
We decided to join the war without much discussion.
After all, if we joined the royal army, we could take a large ship and go straight to the 7th floor.
'And 7th-floor monsters aren't a big deal for the three of us.'
And we were all strong in PvP, so we could earn a lot of bounty money by participating in the war.
Wait, was bounty money even the problem?
The enemies would all be mid-level or higher explorers, so if we stripped them of their equipment and sold it, we would make a fortune.
And not only that…
'I might even reach level 7 by hunting 7th-floor monsters.'
I could obtain the experience points that I would have had to get from clearing 60% of the 6th floor much more easily.
And…
'I can absorb the Submerged Island essence once I reach level 7.'
And then I could decide whether to remove Gachabon's essence and move on to Bellarios, depending on the situation.
'I'll remove Stormgush once I reach level 8 and absorb another essence. It's easier to farm Floor Masters once I'm level 9.'
I felt a strange sensation as I organized my future plans.
It felt like we had already cleared the mid-game.
'Time flies…'
That's when, as I was lost in thought, Amelia asked Erwen,
"By the way, Tersia, are you okay? I thought you were working with the fairy tribe's executive branch."
"Ah, right. Are you okay?"
"It's fine. I took a vacation."
"Vacation?"
"Yes. I won't be entering the labyrinth for a while, and even if I do, I'll be moving separately. So you don't have to worry about it."
"…If you say so."
I continued listening to Erwen and Amelia as they talked about the war and made plans.
And time passed…
「Entered the 1st-floor Crystal Cave.」
…and the day of the labyrinth expedition arrived.
______________________
A crystal cave bathed in a faint purple light.
Amelia took the lead and navigated as soon as I opened my eyes.
"This way."
"Wait a minute, I'm better at—"
"Amelia is a Guide."
"…She is?"
Erwen, who had received high-level training from her sister, didn't argue any further after hearing that Amelia was a Guide.
She seemed a bit offended.
Honestly, I couldn't understand her feelings.
I also had the navigation function, but I didn't feel disappointed when I couldn't use it.
'It's much more convenient to just follow her, why bother?'
Well, it was a bit fascinating.
We were a three-person team, and all three of us could navigate.
Is this what they call an elite squad?
Tadat, tadat.
Anyway, I just had to follow her, so I looked around as we ran. The atmosphere in the labyrinth was different from what I expected.
I thought I would see knights and clan explorers everywhere…
"There are a lot more low-level explorers than I expected."
…but there were also many rookie explorers.
And they all seemed cheerful.
They were nervous, as expected of people in a labyrinth, but no one was trembling in fear.
"That's because the royal family has implemented many policies to support low-level explorers. After all… many high-level explorers died that day…"
I heard more details, and there was a reason why there were so many people on the 1st floor compared to when I was a newbie.
The royal family's policies were one thing, but the biggest factor was that most of the large clans had disbanded.
It was a land of opportunity, like planting a flag on unclaimed territory.
The 5th floor was a prime example.
"You're saying no one is controlling the 5th floor…?"
"There are probably still some, but it's not as bad as before."
It used to be commonplace for clans to occupy and monopolize the monster spawn areas in the Great Magical Forest, but it was rare now.
They would rather participate in the war.
After all, the participation fee was generous, and the royal family even offered essences as rewards for achievements, so the trend was accelerating.
"I'm a step too late."
Unfortunately, the 1st-floor portal was already open, even though we arrived early.
So the speedrun failed again?
「Entered the 2nd-floor Beast's Lair.」
There was no way we could speedrun the 2nd floor when we failed on the 1st floor, so we took our time after entering the 2nd floor.
Our schedule was flexible anyway.
'The deadline is Day 25, right?'
The way the royal family recruited soldiers was simple.
Arrive at Starting Island Laimia by Day 25.
It was a tight schedule for a team that had just reached the beginning of the 6th floor, but it was different for us, who could easily clear up to the 6th floor with just three people.
'The pace is faster without a mage.'
We would have rested by now if we had our previous team… but no one suggested stopping.
And as a result…
'We're already on the 3rd floor?'
…we arrived on the 3rd floor by the end of Day 1.
Even though we hadn't run as much as we did on the 1st floor.
"Mister, are you tired? Here, have a drink."
Surprisingly, these two still seemed to have energy left, so it seemed like they could move even faster if they wanted to.
Well, they were agility characters.
"Erwen, didn't I tell you not to call me 'mister' in the labyrinth?"
"Ah, right. I'll be careful…"
Erwen nodded shyly, and we started preparing for camp.
We didn't need a watch.
We were at the beginning of the 3rd floor, and besides…
"I'll have my clone keep watch, so you can sleep peacefully."
There was no need to waste a person thanks to Amelia's [Self-Replication].
"Wow, Amelia. You're really useful."
"Don't make a fuss. It's nothing."
Damn it, she's prickly.
I was just thanking her because she was the one working hard, even if it was just a clone.
"You're right, it's nothing."
"Huh?"
"I, I can do that too…?"
Erwen immediately summoned a spirit.
It wasn't that difficult to summon spirits while sleeping, unlike before. And she said it didn't consume that much spirit power.
"And we can use the darkness spirit to hide from monsters and other people. See? I'm much better, right? Huh?"
"Ye, yeah… you're better."
I nodded reluctantly, pressured by her strange gaze.
But was that the answer she wanted?
"Then… say it to me too."
"…Huh? Say what?"
"That thing you said to her earlier…"
Erwen fidgeted.
"Th, that it's convenient to have me… Th, that I'm the best… That, that you can't live without me…"
Hey, I never said that.
-x-X-x-
The scorching sun and heated sand.
A cool but somewhat humid wind carried the salty scent of the sea.
Starting Island Laimia.
However, the vast ocean stretching along the horizon was nowhere to be seen.
「Entered the Great Ocean of the 6th floor.」
The first thing we saw as we crossed the portal was a line of over a hundred massive galleons along the coastline.
The ships were so large and numerous that the vast ocean felt cramped.
"Hey, hey! Move aside once you're through! The next group is coming!"
We were ushered away from the portal before we could even look around, following the directions of an explorer with the Explorer's Guild emblem.
His casual tone suggested he wasn't a regular guild employee.
I asked Erwen, and she confirmed he wasn't.
He was an explorer hired by the guild.
The royal family had requested assistance with managing explorers, but they lacked the manpower to send their own people, so they outsourced it.
'Well, a regular employee wouldn't be able to make it to the 6th floor.'
Anyway, the war had been going on for over a year, so the procedures were streamlined and flowed smoothly.
"Come this way! Register for the war effort, and we'll help you with your unit assignment!"
We waited in line along the eastern coastline and finally reached the registration desk. We handed over our ID cards and finished our registration, but there was a bit of a commotion.
Erwen was too famous.
"Erwen Fornachi di Tersia... Uh... uh, Bl, Blood Spirit Marquis...?"
"Is there a problem?"
"Oh, no... Nothing! I apologize for the commotion!"
The registrar seemed uncomfortable even talking to her, quickly finishing the process. It was understandable for him to be curious about Erwen registering alone.
"5th-grade explorer, Emily Raines. You've participated before. You're registered."
Next was Amelia's turn, and it took less than a second.
She had created the identity 'Emily Raines' two years ago, starting at 9th-grade and gradually leveling up while paying taxes. Her identity was perfectly clean.
As long as she didn't run into anyone who recognized her face, her ID would pass without a problem.
Unlike me, who received a few suspicious glances.
"5th-grade explorer, Lihen Schuitz. First time participating. Can you remove your helmet, please?"
Amelia had found me an ID card belonging to an explorer who had been active five years ago, 'Lihen Schuitz'. Of course, the broker had paid all the taxes diligently, so there was no problem with the paperwork.
"Hmm."
The registrar gave me a strange look. Maybe my face looked younger than my stated age of 29?
It felt like I was a minor trying to buy cigarettes.
But he let me through after I showed him my light brown hair, dyed according to the information on my ID card. I had chosen an ID with the same eye color as mine.
"Is there a problem?"
"No, I wish you good luck on your return."
"Thank you."
I had briefly lifted my helmet, but thankfully, there were no issues.
Just as Amelia predicted, many explorers had retired and returned after the war, so my registration passed without much suspicion.
Besides, two of the Seven Strengths were supposedly in the same situation.
"Then all that's left is the unit assignment."
We moved to a bulletin board after finishing registration.
The board listed the available ships and the number of explorers already on board. Choosing the right ship was crucial for the war.
Explorers who boarded the same ship would be assigned to the same unit upon arrival at the 7th floor.
"There's no need to think about it. You're a newbie, so you won't be able to board anything other than a 3rd-class ship."
"3rd-class ship?"
"Explorers who haven't achieved any significant feats or those without a large backing usually board those ships. Their combat power tends to be lower, so they're mainly assigned to support roles in the rear."
So newbies start at the bottom, huh?
Well, it made sense. Having newbies around would only hinder the main force on the battlefield.
"Let's board that one."
We chose a 3rd-class ship with the fewest explorers and boarded.
Having fewer passengers would give us more options for choosing a cabin.
"We managed to get a triple cabin."
"Why are triple cabins so hard to find?"
"They're not that rare, but they're the most popular."
I didn't even have to ask why.
'Ah, the Bonding spell was updated while I was gone.'
Six-person teams were now the standard.
Triple cabins were naturally the most popular since they could accommodate two teams perfectly.
"We set sail tomorrow, so everyone relax until then."
"Okay! Then what should we talk about now?"
"...Relax, she said."
"..."
I looked at Amelia for help, but she was already lying in bed, pretending to be asleep after finishing organizing her luggage.
'Seriously...'
"Then... should we talk about the war?"
"Okay! Do you have any questions?"
"I heard that 3rd-class ships are mainly assigned to support roles in the rear. What kind of tasks are there?"
"Uh... I'm always at the front lines, so I don't know much... I think they handle things like securing escape routes and escorting important personnel."
I wasn't tired yet, so I chatted with Erwen and learned more about the war.
And after some time...
Knock, knock.
We had a visitor.
It was someone we all knew.
"...I came to say hello since we're on the same ship. It's been a while, Tersia."
I couldn't believe we were meeting again so soon.
_____________________
"...Phew..."
The blonde woman adjusted her collar and sighed, standing in front of the closed cabin door.
'Why did she suddenly do this...?'
Blood Spirit Marquis, Erwen Fornachi di Tersia.
She was the reason Raven was standing here.
The 7th Strength had inexplicably boarded a 3rd-class ship instead of a 1st-class one.
'...Seriously, all the annoying tasks are mine.'
Her unit, the 3rd Magic Corps, was also scheduled to board a 3rd-class ship. Mages needed escorts, so it was inevitable.
But it wasn't supposed to be this ship.
She had been reassigned due to orders from her superiors.
'We're not even close anymore. We weren't that close before either.'
They had been in the same clan, but that was all.
Her superiors must have assigned her to this ship for that reason...
'But I don't know how to handle that crazy woman.'
Raven lacked confidence.
She had no idea what Erwen was planning or what kind of trouble she might cause.
'I guess I should at least try to talk to her... Find out what she's thinking...'
Raven sighed and knocked on the door.
Knock, knock.
About 10 seconds passed before the door opened.
Creak.
The rusty hinges groaned as the door swung open, revealing the interior of the cabin.
There were three people inside, just as she had heard.
'5th-grade explorer, Lihen Schuitz. And Emily Raines.'
One of them was wearing a helmet even inside the cabin, and the other had their eyes and ears covered with a black cloth mask.
Raven's curiosity intensified.
Who were these two, and what were they doing with Erwen?
"Stop staring and tell us why you're here."
Erwen's voice, laced with hostility, snapped Raven out of her thoughts. She forced a professional smile.
"...I came to say hello since we're on the same ship. It's been a while, Tersia."
"Yeah. Then you're done saying hello, so why don't you leave?"
Tsk, would she ever learn some manners?
Raven suppressed her frustration and spoke.
There were too many things she wanted to ask.
For example...
"By the way, you said 'mister', right?"
Why did Erwen call that man 'mister'?
Wasn't that a nickname she only used for him?
"..."
Erwen remained silent.
She just glared at Raven, as if asking what it had to do with her. But there was a hint of anxiety in her eyes.
It felt like she had accidentally revealed something she didn't want to show.
"Hmm."
Raven shifted her gaze to the man.
He was a complete stranger, his face hidden by a helmet...
But there was something strangely familiar about him.
It wasn't his physique or anything specific...
Still, he reminded her of someone.
"Could it be...!"
Raven's jaw dropped.
And she looked back and forth between Erwen and the man.
_____________________
"..."
The silence grew heavier. Raven's gaze lingered on me, making my heart race.
'Did she recognize me?'
What do I do now?
Can I convince her that I'm not an evil spirit?
If she doesn't believe me, the news will reach the royal family, and...
"..."
I glanced at Erwen. She was looking at me, her eyes pleading.
'Mister, what should we do?'
That's what her gaze was saying.
It was a bit ridiculous.
She made the mistake, now she's looking at me for help?
"Could it be..."
Raven finally broke the silence, her voice filled with sadness.
"You've been reduced to this."
"...Huh?"
Erwen and I exchanged confused glances.
What was she talking about?
Raven continued in a sorrowful tone.
"Tersia, or rather, Erwen. You can't find a replacement. You have to overcome this, it's hard, but..."
"...Ah...?"
It finally dawned on me.
Raven had misunderstood.
She thought Erwen was so heartbroken over my death that she was clinging to a similar man, pretending he was me.
"And you."
Petite Raven turned sharply and glared at me.
"I know what you're thinking."
"...?"
"So don't try to take advantage of Erwen. I won't let that happen. I'll be watching. And if you cross the line..."
Raven trailed off, her voice threatening.
I wanted to defend myself.
"Wait! I'm not trying to take advantage—!"
"Your voice..."
"Voice?"
I was confused, but Raven flinched and averted her gaze.
"Your voice... is similar..."
She seemed to have realized why Erwen had called me 'mister'.
"So that's why..."
Raven mumbled sadly, then turned to Erwen.
"You can't do this. He wouldn't want it. Right?"
She was practically begging Erwen.
But it wouldn't work.
Erwen was simply misundersood.
"What are you doing! Get out! Don't you dare come back!"
Erwen snapped out of her daze and yelled at Raven. And before Raven could even react, she slammed the door shut.
Bang!
_____________________
Time flew by after Raven's visit.
The day of departure arrived, and the warships anchored along the coastline set sail.
And...
"Escorting the Magic Corps, huh..."
The explorers on board were assigned to escort the 3rd Magic Corps upon arrival at the 7th floor.
Oh, by the way, we received training on formations and tactics during the voyage. They gathered everyone on the deck and gave us instructions.
'So that's why they group explorers by ship. They can train us during the journey.'
The voyage to the 7th floor was expected to take about 15 days.
Excluding training time, most of it was free time, which I mostly spent on the deck.
There was a simple reason.
Barbarians are weak to the sea.
"Ugh, bleeegh—!"
The ship was massive, but I couldn't stay in the cabin. My stomach churned with seasickness.
Well, at least I could throw up anywhere on the deck.
Anyway, I spent most of my time on the deck, which led to several encounters with Raven.
It was strangely frequent.
And it always happened when Erwen wasn't around.
"...Even your seasickness is the same. It's disgusting."
"...Bleeegh..."
"Why are you hiding your face? Did Erwen make you?"
"...Ugh..."
"His face isn't that similar anyway."
"..."
"Why are you doing this when you have a perfectly normal face? Don't you have any self-respect?"
"..."
"Just try something. You won't like what happens."
Ugh, this is killing me.
Why does she keep bothering me when I feel like I'm about to die?
-x-X-x-
Raven's torment(?) finally ended when we reached our destination after two weeks of sailing.
A vast plain stretched out before us.
A dark purple barrier, as if forbidding any intruders, stretched along the border of the land.
And the portal floating above the sea in front of it.
"Woooo!"
"We're here!"
The explorers gathered on deck cheered as the long-awaited sight appeared beyond the horizon.
Well, the voyage was indeed tedious.
I didn't have time to feel bored, what with exploring the islands when I was well and suffering from seasickness the rest of the time.
"It's Lihen Schuitz."
As soon as we disembarked, I reminded Erwen of my alias, and she quickly lowered her head, acknowledging her mistake.
Would this finally stop her from making those slip-ups?
"So why are you here? It'll be a while before we can enter the portal."
"Just... I wanted to be with you..."
I used to feel incredibly burdened by such direct expressions of affection, but I had gotten used to it now.
No, had I become accustomed to it?
"...What's that ship? I don't think I saw it when we departed."
I pointed towards a specific ship.
Many ships had already arrived at the portal, and among them were quite a few that were different from the galleon we had boarded.
"Oh, that? It's a fast ship. They usually send those ahead with the explorers who arrive at the 6th floor first."
"To prevent Noark from entering?"
"Yes, there have been more attempts recently. The ship doesn't have any battle scars, so it seems like there weren't any attempts this time... But I heard that over half of the fast ships were destroyed a few weeks ago. It was a fierce battle."
I see.
So they had taken care of the gatekeeper monster.
The essence probably didn't drop, though.
As I was lost in thought, I felt the gazes of the surrounding explorers.
It was a change that had occurred during the long voyage.
"That's the Blood Spirit Marquis..."
"But who's the man next to her?"
"No idea. I asked a friend in the Magic Corps, and they said he's a newbie on his first expedition. Apparently, he retired a few years ago and returned."
"Hmm, a companion of one of the Seven Strengths... He must be more skilled than he looks."
Thanks to Erwen's fame, Amelia and I were attracting attention wherever we went.
Most of the gazes were filled with curiosity.
New faces were common in the war, but it was unusual to see someone with the Blood Spirit Marquis from the start. They were curious about our identities and skills.
Of course, there was also a hint of hostility.
"Schuitz."
"Ah, Raven?"
"She's staring at us again."
Even though she was busy talking with the other members of the Magic Corps, Raven's gaze was fixed on us.
"Should I... take care of her later...?"
What is she talking about?
I flicked her forehead, and Erwen looked up at me with a wronged expression.
"But what if she recognizes you? I'm worried."
I had been thinking about that too.
Of course, not about whether to 'take care' of her.
Whether to reveal my identity and ask for her cooperation.
But...
'It seems like it would only complicate things.'
First, I would have to convince her that I wasn't an evil spirit. And even if she believed me, there was no guarantee that she would cooperate and keep it a secret.
Raven was loyal, but she wasn't the type to prioritize personal feelings over her duty.
'And if she keeps it a secret, she might get in trouble later on because she's with the royal family.'
It would be better to reveal it myself after everything was settled.
"Well... I'll have to tell her if she finds out."
"...But what if she finds out before then?"
That was what I was worried about.
______________________
Boooooo!
The foghorn blared from the lead ship, and the ship we were on became bustling.
"Everyone to their positions!"
It was finally time to enter the battlefield after a short wait.
Following the instructions of the royal official, the explorers on the deck moved to their assigned positions.
But we didn't have to move.
Our designated waiting area was the deck itself.
"I'll tie you down! ...Ah, I mean, Lihen!"
"Huh?"
"I'm good at this!"
We then secured ourselves to the ship with the provided ropes.
It was a safety measure to prevent us from falling overboard.
The foghorn blared again from the lead ship, and our ship started moving.
"This is a bit nerve-wracking..."
"Don't worry. I'll protect Lihen... no matter what."
Uh, isn't that my line as the tank?
I didn't say anything.
"Lead ship entering!"
As the lead ships entered the portal one by one, I felt my heart pounding.
We were approaching the battlefield.
Even the other explorers, who had been relaxed earlier, were now tense and solemn.
This reminded me of the 1st floor incident.
I almost got PTSD.
"Main force, entering!"
It was time to get serious.
This was my first time entering the 7th floor in this body.
And it was a place teeming with explorers, even more dangerous than monsters.
Even if our goal was to obtain something, there was always a chance of returning empty-handed.
"Erwen, and Emily."
"Yes."
"Listen."
I gripped the railing with one hand and my newly purchased shield with the other.
"Stay close. Don't stray from my side."
Flash!
Our ship entered the portal.
______________________
Crash!
The massive galleon, momentarily suspended in the air, slammed into the water, sending a spray of seawater into the air.
It was a thrilling experience, but we didn't have time to admire it.
We weren't in the calm waters under a blue sky anymore.
「Entered the Dark Continent of the 7th floor.」
The sea was black, as if covered in oil.
A thick fog had already settled in, obscuring our vision, even though we were only at the edge of the continent.
And...
Boom! Boom! Crash!
Loud explosions bombarded our eardrums.
It was a barrage of magic cannons fired from the Noark forces stationed on the cliffs.
"That's a warm welcome."
"Where did they even get magic cannons?"
"Probably stole them from one of our ships."
Even as we talked, magic cannons, dark magic, and various abilities rained down on our fleet.
The sheer firepower was overwhelming, but the royal fleet remained unscathed.
Money can buy anything.
Swaaaaaaaaaa!
A defensive magic barrier, activated the moment we entered the 7th floor, blocked all incoming attacks.
The ship occasionally shook from the impact, but it never sustained any significant damage.
It was a measure taken by the royal family after suffering heavy losses during the initial landing. A massive investment.
It supposedly cost tens of millions of stones per minute to maintain the barrier.
'How much would it cost to reach the continent with this barrier active... Ah, well, it's probably a bargain compared to the cost of a ship.'
I dismissed the thought of worrying about national spending and focused on the present.
The fleet bravely advanced through the barrage, finally breaking through the enemy's defenses and entering a narrow canyon.
The ships rearranged their formation into a single file line.
「Entered a special area.」
「Field Effect - Ghostly Canyon activated.」
「All healing and regeneration effects are deactivated.」
「Divine power is sealed.」
Ghostly Canyon.
A mandatory route to enter the Dark Continent, where all the coastlines were cliffs.
As our warship entered the canyon, following the ship ahead, the ominous and gloomy fog intensified.
And...
"Prepare for battle!"
Undead monsters started crawling up the ship's hull.
They were diverse in both type and rank.
「Deadburn defeated. EXP +3」
「Redeye defeated. EXP +4」
「Banshee Queen defeated. EXP +6」
「Teeth Skeleton defeated. EXP +4」
「Cliff Ghost defeated...」
Over half of the monsters were ones you could hunt on the 6th floor, but we gained experience points much faster since we had skipped the 6th floor.
Erwen's long-range attacks were a huge help.
Almost 70% of the monsters were taken down before they could even board the ship.
The sea monsters couldn't even reach us.
「Chaos Seaman defeated. EXP +6」
「Mud Elephant defeated. EXP +5」
「Skeleton Mermaid Queen defeated...」
The experience points flowed in effortlessly with just one hit from Erwen, who was Bound to me.
Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing.
Wham!
Ghost-type monsters, immune to physical attacks, swarmed the deck, forcing us to constantly swing our weapons.
「Ghosties defeated. EXP +4」
「Souldrinker defeated. EXP +6」
「Canyon Wraith defeated. EXP +3」
The sheer number of respawning monsters was overwhelming.
And to make matters worse, the Noark bastards continued their bombardment from the cliffs, even as we fought on the deck.
Well, the defensive barrier nullified the attacks, but...
"Aaaaargh!"
Explorers occasionally lost their footing on the swaying deck and fell into the sea.
And...
"Why isn't the ship moving forward?"
"The ship ahead has sunk!"
"What?! Why?!"
"It seems like a Deadlect appeared and damaged the ship's magic barrier!"
Based on the real-time updates, some ships had their barriers destroyed by monsters, leading to their sinking.
'No wonder they're so persistent with their bombardment.'
Destroying even one ship would be a significant victory for them. And their constant attacks prevented the fleet from deactivating the barrier.
They had to keep the barrier active throughout the canyon, consuming a massive amount of mana.
"Amelia, behind you!"
I shouted, and Amelia swiftly smashed the skeleton that was trying to ambush her from behind with a roundhouse kick.
And...
"You don't have to thank me. We're companions—"
"It's Emily."
"Huh?"
"Just in case anyone heard, be careful."
"Ah, I'll be careful..."
Even though it was the same alias I had used in the past, it felt strange coming out of my mouth.
Was I in no position to criticize Erwen's slip-ups?
"Mister...! Look over there!"
"It's Lihen."
"Oh... okay... Anyway, look! We're almost there!"
Erwen pointed, but I couldn't see anything through the fog.
But...
「Field Effect - Ghostly Canyon deactivated.」
We soon exited the narrow canyon, and a vast lake came into view.
Waterfalls cascaded down the cliffs, the water stained red, like blood.
And...
"Phew, it's finally over!"
"Now I can finally breathe."
The relentless onslaught of monsters ceased, and the bombardment from the Noark forces also stopped.
We had successfully passed the first hurdle.
'Then it starts now...'
I gulped, staring at the faintly visible shoreline shrouded in fog.
"..."
"..."
I don't know if it was just my imagination...
But the air already smelled of blood.