Chapter 77

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Episode 16 - Fragment from Gate of Memory [4]

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When I came back to my senses, I turned my head and examined my surroundings with my senses.

I was back in the Alchemist’s cave.

’What was all of that?’

The thought crossed my mind, filled with confusion, unable to understand what I had just seen.

But there was one thing I was certain about.

’I accepted that message, but...’

The fragment in my hand reacted when I thought "yes" at the moment I selected the answer.

And suddenly, I was seeing things from the Lady of the Beasts’s perspective, in third person.

But I still did not understand anything that had happened.

’An ambush, impostors... I don’t understand anything they were talking about.’

The world I saw seemed to be in some kind of war between that figure in the sky and, judging by the words of the Lady of the Beasts and the Sword Lord, whose name I had just discovered was Evan...

There were more entities like that, and they seemed to be fighting against them.

They also spoke about how the Progenitors would be sealed within the Abyss, according to the words of the Sword Lord, Evan.

’There’s so much to think about.’

Slowly, I began organizing everything I had heard and finally understood, more or less, what was happening in what I saw.

In summary, it was something like this.

The Lady of the Beasts suffered an ambush. At that moment, most of her powers had been sealed by someone.

The Sword Lord, Evan, must have guessed something and happened to be nearby. When he attacked, the figure of light appeared.

It seemed like they were about to fight, but the guy in the sky simply left, saying that the time had not yet come.

And the other Progenitors were probably being ambushed as well.

But now another question arose.

’Who are those people?’

Until now, all I know is that the Progenitors all disappeared at the same time, out of nowhere.

But if they were supposed to be the only ones that existed at that time...

So then, why did they seem to be fighting against entities that, according to Evan’s words and the Lady of the Beastss, were invaders and the cause of some kind of destruction in the world?

’Ugh, even after organizing my thoughts, I still don’t understand what exactly I was supposed to see.’

I mean, why did that message suddenly appear in the system out of nowhere?

And why did the fragment resonate with me because of that message?

Something like this had never happened before, not even in the game.

’But what does what I saw have to do with me?’

Overall, that was the biggest question.

Anyway, I rubbed my forehead for a moment before sighing and storing the Fragment inside my Inventory.

’Well, I’ll figure it out sooner or later. First, I need to gather all the fragments and then enter the Lady of the Beastss’ Memory Gate.’

Since she seems to know something about me, even though I am from the future and she is from the past.

Even so, Evan’s words came to my mind once again.

’What do you mean a 10-Star is insignificant?’

Honestly, that was the funniest part of everything that had just happened to me.

Shortly afterward, I stored everything that seemed valuable inside my Inventory.

I couldn’t see, so I had no idea what the liquids inside some of the flasks were.

’I should go talk to Rinna or Veronica.’

Honestly, I should just force Veronica to read all the books for me, and if she refuses, I’ll simply threaten her.

Since Rinna is always busy.

’Alright, it’ll be her.’

Finally, I called Liora, who was carrying a few crystals in her small hands.

"Liora, we’re leaving."

She walked over to my head, got comfortable, stretched a little, and eventually fell asleep.

’What a lazy fairy.’

Suddenly, I felt a small hit on my head. At that moment, I realized that Liora could actually read my thoughts.

***

"Phew... fuck, that really gets on my nerves."

Behind me was the edge of the island.

Literally, a small push would make me fall into the void.

Anyway, judging by the time I wasted searching for the cave and the time I spent inside it...

Almost three hours should have already passed, and Professor Lunia had given us exactly three hours.

’I need to hurry. I forgot to tell Rinna to gather some ingredients for me.’

More specifically, the materials that had no mana, since it was impossible for me to recognize them.

But just as I was walking, my senses detected someone fairly close to me.

’Mhm, let me guess.’

Using the Twenty-Four Steps of Space, I moved and appeared behind the person spying on me.

I lowered my head slightly and formed a faint smile as I said:

"You were following me, Miss Charlotte."

Charlotte flinched and abruptly stood up, taking several steps back.

"What... how... no, wait, I think there’s been a misunderstanding. It’s not what you think."

I tilted my head slightly in confusion.

"Is that so? Then why were you hiding behind a tree? Isn’t that... far too suspicious? Perhaps you have a hobby of stalking people like those perverts..."

"No, I said that’s not it, damn it."

I closed my mouth while observing Charlotte’s emotions: irritation, annoyance, anger, and so on.

’Heh, she gets irritated pretty easily, huh.’

It’s not like I want to annoy her. I knew this would happen when I decided to be harsh with her that day.

And when I chose not to tell her that I’m a transmigrator and that we come from the same place.

I’m only doing this for Charlotte’s future. Players are always the reason for her death.

So I want to avoid that at all costs, even if she ends up hating me.

"Then what is it?"

Charlotte fell silent. Her doubt and suspicion were obvious.

"Why do you care? I was just passing by and saw you. What is there to explain? You should tell me why you seemed to be coming from down there instead. What were you doing?"

’Her thoughts are as clear as day.’

I smiled faintly while shaking my head.

"I fell. I’m blind, you know?"

"..."

"What kind of nonsense is that? You’re literally a Swordsman. Even if you’re blind, you use your Traits to move around as if you could see."

Well, she really was something else.

If there were an intelligence stat, hers would definitely be high.

’I have no excuses.’

Honestly, anyone would find it strange to see a blind person like me climb the island’s cliff and then say he fell because he was blind.

But no one would believe it, because that blind person is a Swordsman and the Rank 1 first-year student of an Academy that’s notoriously difficult to enter.

Shortly afterward, I let out a sigh.

"Well, fine. I went down there because I sensed a cave using my senses."

That part was true.

I used my senses this entire time to search for that damned cave.

Charlotte looked at me silently without saying anything.

After a moment, Charlotte said:

"Even so, it’s still suspicious."

"..."

"Why would you go down there even if you sensed a cave? In the first place, you should report an unknown location on the island to Professor Lunia."

I lightly shook my hands and said:

"Well, why would I do that? What if I find something extremely valuable? Then they would take it away from me if I reported it, wouldn’t they?"

Charlotte shook her head.

"So what? Yes, it’s true they would take it away, but only temporarily..."

I raised my hand and stopped Charlotte.

"Temporarily? What if I discover something of immeasurable value?"

I was talking about the different blood samples and the Soul Essence I found.

And the truth was that if I reported those things, they would never return to my hands.

Of that, I was certain.

Before Charlotte could say anything else, I spoke again.

"By the way, I have a gift for you."

I took out the test tube and held it out to Charlotte. Charlotte looked at it and frowned.

"What is that? A suspicious-looking golden liquid."

I shook my head and changed my tone to a more serious one.

"It’s nothing suspicious, and trust me, what I have in my hands for you would be the most valuable thing in your entire life."

I approached her and placed it in her hands. Then I walked past her and said,

"When you drink it, I expect a thank you. I’m leaving now."

The hidden piece was meant for Charlotte.

It was useless to me and to everyone else, nor did it have any truly practical use.

But for Charlotte, it was as valuable as anything else.

Anyway, I just hope she doesn’t throw it away. Otherwise, she would be losing a great deal.

’But if she drinks it, then the results will become clear in the future.’

The only person with a Divine Bloodline.

***

Charlotte looked at the test tube in her hands, then gazed at Adel’s back in the distance.

’What is this...?’

She frowned, but the moment she saw the golden liquid, she felt a strange attraction toward it.

Her mind grew hazy for a second before she shook her head.

She tightened her grip on the test tube slightly, and soon fell into conflict.

’I should throw it away. That would be for the best, but...’

Adel’s words echoed through her mind again and again.

That liquid would become the most valuable thing she could ever possess in her life.

But how valuable could something truly be to people?

Normally, we talk about family, friends, or things like that.

But a strange golden liquid...

That made no sense, unless the other person knew something she did not.

’Maybe... no, it’s better to keep it.’

She would think about it over the weekend. She did not know what that golden liquid was.

But somehow, she felt a strange attraction toward it, as if she wanted to drink it.

And that left her deeply conflicted about whether or not to throw the test tube away.

’But if this harms me, then...’

She let out an irritated sigh and soon started moving.

So, for now, she would keep it.