Volume 3 Chapter 113 Dark Clouds
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
”So far we’ve talked, but-nya, what if the teleportation gate Barghest used doesn’t work-nya?”
”Yes. It’s very possible it won’t work or can’t be found. If that happens, let’s look for a skilled magician among nearby Adventurers. At minimum, if we find someone who can activate Mr. Rean’s tachyonian cells, Kian and I can infiltrate the ancient temple where Ms. Vestacia might be. In that case, Ms. Ninini can stay behind with Ms. Serena. Since hired Adventurers can’t always be trusted, we should keep at least 2 people here to handle emergencies.”
”No choice-nya. Got it. In that case, Serena and I will handle things here-nya.”
”Then I’ll focus on securing Elixir and food. Kian, please search for the teleportation gate. Can I ask Ms. Serena to find suitable Adventurers? We need to cross the swamp and reach the farmland, and we’ll have to avoid patrols like Storm Herd, so can you call out to people while doing that?”
”Yeah, I can. Out of everyone, I’m the only one not involved in Storm Herd’s patrols, so I have to do it.”
”Your safety comes first. If 3 days pass without Mr. Rean recovering and the teleportation gate isn’t found, we’ll all need to help find allies.”
”What will I do-nya?”
”Keep an eye on Mr. Rean. He’s definitely planning to escape.”
”────”
Rean turn his face away on the bed, pouting.
There’s no clearer sign of his attitude.
”Understood-nya.”
”Alright then, as the day is drawing to a close, let’s all have dinner and rest. We’ll resume activities tomorrow, so please bear with me. Kian, I’d like you to report to Ms. Priscilla and Her Excellency Maribel.”
”Ah.”
Kian nodded, and Sarah clapped her hands.
”Alright, dismissed. Ms. Ninini, let me know if you’re tired from the healings. I’ll take over for you.”
”Yeah. But no worries-nya. I’m mostly just sitting still anyway-nya.”
”──Um, excuse me. Would it be okay to ask something?”
Rean hesitantly spoke up amidst the dispersing crowd.
Was he going to ask about going monster hunting again? But Rean, looking uneasy, inquired about something else.
”Is Lyr alright?”
”Oh, I almost forgot. Ms. Lyritisse is safe. She’s currently at an ancient temple under the protection of the Guild, thanks to Ramsey. She’s being treated because of the monster cells that got into her system.”
”I think she’ll be able to return to Izerland once it’s over,” Sarah replied.
Hearing this, Rean made a complicated, puzzled face.
It wasn’t the expression of relief that Lyritisse was okay.
”Mr. Rean?”
”Ah, no, sorry. ──Kian, Ninini, and the rest of you, I deeply appreciate your help with Lyr. Thank you.”
”No need. We’re just here for the job. Save your thanks for Ms. Ninini and the Guild Master who issued the request.”
”Causing trouble for the Guild with the search request… I apologize.”
”Considering your past achievements, it’s only natural-nya. Just be confident about it-nya.”
”……”
Rean gave a slight nod and collapsed onto the bed as if exhausted.
Even Sarah’s Elixir might not yield satisfying results in this state.
Kian thought he had to find the Barghest’s teleportation magic circle at all costs.
(Or maybe they’ll call Rufna and Natra from the other side)
But, can they even use that unstable teleportation gate?
The ancient temple of Erynys is still a dangerous zone, so is it safe to just call those 2 over here?
’They’ll do their own thing on the other side anyway. Maybe calling them here is fine?’
(If they took our 2 out of Ms. Priscilla’s guards, and she got badly hurt, I’d be outright enemies with Reynaud)
’I see, that Witch was there.’
’Glasses’ mumbles with a tired face.
Kian agreed the same.
But Kian’s mistake was not cutting Priscilla loose, since she’s a wealthy supporter. Complaining was his own fault.
(If I had known the future, I’d have refused her to join… Oh well. Maybe we can bring Priscilla and the others here with the teleportation gate.)
* * *
”Sorry, it’s impossible.”
”Huh…”
After dinner, in the world of dreams.
Kian entered his usual house and sat face-to-face with Priscilla, who just arrived in the dream world. He reported the situation in detail, shared the plan, and asked if she could teleport with Natra and Rufna here, but she immediately refused.
”Why not?”
When Kian asked, the white-haired Witch, dressed in an ornate black lace robe, grimaced with frustration.
”It’s about the teleportation array. The flow of the Spiritual Vein has suddenly become incredibly unstable──more than ever before. Using it now is extremely dangerous.”
”Does that mean the wedges have been removed?”
”Perhaps. They might have remotely triggered a self-destruct spell inscribed on the wedges to isolate you at Nordende. Or the Spiritual Vein in Erynys is raging due to some other reason… Either way, we need to rebuild the wedges and reconstruct the teleportation array from scratch.”
”────”
Well, after causing such a commotion, it’s only natural that Barghest would get serious.
Because of Kian’s mysterious ability, the herd was almost broken, so they aren’t attacking again, but probably they don’t forgive Kian.
If they figure out how to break the sleep curse, they’ll come crashing in to stop him and attack immediately.
”And besides, Lyritisse’s condition is strange.”
”Is something wrong with her?”
”She was normal until evening, but after dinner she suddenly fainted and couldn’t move. I can’t say for sure yet, but I think her soul might have left her body.”
”What…?!”
”I don’t know yet. I’ll investigate more. But probably, if we leave her be, her body will stop functioning and she’ll really die.”
”────”
Why…?
Was it because she was treated like a test subject by Barghest?
Or maybe some monster cells from the tentacle monster left inside her caused trouble?
It was all so sudden, Kian could only be confused.
”Don’t tell Rean and Ninini. It’s okay to tell Sarah and Serena, but make sure to keep it a secret.”
”Of course.”
”To keep Lyritisse alive, I can’t move from here. I wanted to collect samples directly, but it’s frustrating.”
”Is there a chance you’re being attacked by something?”
”Yes. Natra and Rufna are checking the area now. If it’s an enemy that’s nearby, not detected by us or Natra, and it pierced through the barrier to attack Lyritisse──that would be incredible. Honestly, I feel fear I’ve never experienced before. Being holed up in the Restricted Archive, I’d never know this thrill.”
”If it’s dangerous, take Natra and Rufna and escape.”
”Lord Kian, don’t underestimate me. If I’m scared and run away tail between my legs, it will ruin the reputation of the Witch Head of Châtillon. And if we retreat, what happens to the remaining guild members? They might all get killed.”
”Sorry, I never thought I’d hear such words from Ms. Priscilla.”
”That’s really rude.”
Priscilla said with a strained smirk, her lips twitching.
Usually she’d keep quiet, but today she got up from her chair without wasting words.
”Sorry, but handle things on your end. Natra and the others should be back soon, so I’m heading back to the real world.”
”Please, take care of Ms. Lyritisse. Also, if things get really dangerous, retreat. If you die, Lord Renaud will kill me.”
”I’ll be fine until I marry Lord Kian. So let’s marry if we both survive.”
”Sorry, that’s…”
”It’s a joke! See you!”
Priscilla flicked her middle finger and faded out.
Kian left a note for Maribel and quickly returned to the real world.
* * *
He reports the worsening of the Spiritual Vein flow and Lyritisse’s fall to Sarah and Serena.
Calling them near the spring at the back of the camp so Ninini and Rean wouldn’t overhear. Serena nodded with a determined look, saying, “I see. But we were already planning to do something about it anyway.” Meanwhile, Sarah shot Rean a sharp glance towards his bed, then quickly shook her head and said, “It’s nothing.”
”Our plan remains the same. We’ll search for the Barghest’s teleportation circle and find allies. But if Barghest carved a self-destruct rune into the wedge meant for the Spiritual Vein, reusing the teleportation circle might be impossible.”
”If they’d carved a self-destruct rune, it’d shorten the wedge’s lifespan, so normally they wouldn’t do that…”
”Anyway, we’ll look for it. If it seems impossible, we’ll just give up and find allies with Serena.”
”Hopefully, we’ll find a skilled magician. Good ones are rare among stray magicians. It’d be great if someone like Ms. Aliona was around.”
”Aliona, that’s a name I’ve heard somewhere. Is she famous?”
”She’s the Head Magician of the high elves at the East End monastery. She’s known locally for being kind and selling remedies and insect repellents.”
”Hm. Aliona, Aliona… Where did I hear that name? Textbooks…? No, couldn’t be.”
Beside the contemplative Sarah, Kian had an ingenious plan floating in his mind, but seeing Serena’s face, he held back.
The reason was that his brilliant idea involved killing a random ‘Storm Herd’ magician or magic soldier and fusing them with a Wraith to create a puppet.
The level of a wandering adventurer is easily known.
On the other hand, a regular magician of ‘Storm Herd’ would have a certain level of skill.
Frankly, the more allies the better, and after experiencing the Wolfmen’s strength, he definitely wanted them on his side.
But if he turned them into minions now, it would end his relationship with Serena.
It would further trample on her dignity, and Kian felt like he would be crossing a line he shouldn’t.
If Kian with ‘glasses’ were in charge, he would unhesitatingly kill the opposing magician and turn them into a minion, but Kian without ‘glasses’ couldn’t be so ruthless.
Even with Vestacia’s life on the line, he wanted to maintain that final line.
In the back of his mind, he felt a flicker of ‘glasses’ someone muttering, ‘foolish…’
”Kian, can you stay a little longer after this?”
Lost in thought, Sarah suddenly spoke up, her cheeks slightly flushed and her words hesitant.
Kian sensed what she was trying to imply, but then he remembered a bug flying out of her mouth along with her drool, and he froze.
”Well then, I’m going to sleep. Goodnight.”
”Goodnight, Ms. Serena.”
”…Goodnight.”
The silver-haired girl stifled a yawn and quickly returned to her bed.
When Serena’s silhouette disappears beyond the bushes, Sarah’s feverish hands touch Kian’s right hand.
”Um, Kian? You’ve used a lot of magic power, right? So…”
(This is bad… what do I do?)
Kian feels Sarah’s restless presence behind him, shifting nervously, and considers a calm way to leave this place.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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