Free Web NovelChapter 159: Escape [3]
Chapter 158
───────────
Episode 36 - Escape [3]
─────────────────────────────────
While running with all my strength, I suddenly came to a halt, just like Astella.
Then a voice reached my ears.
"Johan von Falkenhayn..."
It was Astella’s voice, and I immediately knew who the person standing in front of me was.
The owner of the Dome, the organizer of the auction, and the one who would take responsibility for the theft of the rings.
Without wasting any time, I pulled the hidden item and a scroll I had prepared from my Inventory.
Since the owner of the Dome, Johan, might appear.
So, without hesitation, I brought the Titan Core close to the scroll, and it reacted.
Because my Traits were sealed, I had no way of knowing whether the scroll had absorbed the Titan Core’s Mana.
But shortly afterward, I felt the small sphere in my hand shrink, and then I tore the scroll apart.
However, a moment later, I heard the sound of chains and knew the magic had worked.
Without wasting any time, I said:
"Let’s go."
Astella must have reacted a little late, and soon afterward she followed me.
Both of us ran with all our strength. Astella helped keep me from falling because of my complete blindness.
Before long, we reached the cave and entered it. We ran several more meters, and finally Astella said:
"It’s here. There’s a magic circle on the ground."
"Yes, then hurry before the others arrive."
"B-but what happens if the others use the circle?"
I shook my head. Naturally, I wasn’t stupid enough not to have considered that.
"This Teleportation Array can only be used three times. It has already been used twice, and only a single use remains."
Understanding my words, Astella quickly placed her hand on the ground.
I could tell from the faint rustling of her clothes as she crouched down, but at the same time...
Tap! Tap! Tap! Tap!
Footsteps echoed. Not one set, but several, and then...
"There they are."
"Hurry, they’re about to escape through a Teleportation Array..."
"Attack now!"
A chill ran through my body, a sign that they were attacking.
"Hurry, hurry, now." freewёbnoνel.com
I shouted at Astella urgently, and fortunately, her voice reached my ears.
"Done..."
I felt a change in my body, but just as I was being teleported...
Boom!
"Ugh...!!!"
A burning pain exploded across my back, and I knew one of their attacks had managed to graze me.
Shortly afterward, I fell to the ground, feeling the soft grass of the forest beneath me.
However, an intense burning sensation spread through my entire body from my back.
"A-ah... damn it, damn it..."
The burning pain in my back was so intense that I clenched my teeth and pulled several potions from my Inventory.
I uncorked them and drank them in a single gulp, tasting their bland, medicinal flavor.
Fortunately, they were potions from the elixir shop I had visited earlier, and their quality was quite high.
Their effect was swift. The pain throughout my body, as well as the intense burning sensation, disappeared soon afterward.
I breathed heavily while lying on the grass-covered ground, feeling its softness.
I rested calmly for several minutes before getting to my feet and brushing the dust off my clothes.
Then I took a deep breath and finally let it out.
It had been fucking difficult, and that final moment had been extremely dangerous.
However, somehow my preparations had produced the results I expected.
Not completely, of course, since there had been some changes at the end, but everything had still ended in success.
So I...
"I succeeded."
Without a doubt, I had managed to overcome the most difficult Main Mission so far.
And perhaps because my Traits were sealed, my emotions were as clear as crystal water.
A smile spread across my face as the feeling of a great victory slightly clouded my mind.
"Hey, so I can leave now, right?"
"...."
Ah, right, there’s a certain annoying person here at the moment.
I turned toward Astella, following the sound of her voice, and said:
"First, help me get somewhere."
I don’t think I can casually walk back to the Academy.
Of course, I wouldn’t be returning to the Academy immediately. I would be going to Mia’s potion shop first.
"All right, then where do we need to go?"
Without wasting any time, I explained it to Astella.
***
After some time, I finally arrived at Mia’s shop. Once inside, I sat down in the living room and let out a sigh.
"Mhm, Master, what are you doing here?"
Mia’s voice reached my ears.
"I’m just passing by, and I also wanted to check on the potion and talk about an elixir."
Well, I was also going to check on the Rings.
"Mhm, I understand, but I still can’t figure out the potion’s effects. It’s a bit complicated..."
"You mean the test subjects?"
"Yes."
I had ordered Mia not to use people, such as vagrants, for any potential potion experiments.
Although something unexpected was that Mia said she would never do something like that, which is quite strange to hear from a villain.
She said that she normally used animals, although it was more difficult to verify the effects of her potions that way.
"How long will it take you to determine the effects?"
"I think a week."
I nodded and then said:
"Good, keep doing your thing. Later, we’ll talk about an elixir I plan to create."
"An elixir...? Understood."
Shortly afterward, Mia left. Meanwhile, Astella, who was sitting not far away, said:
"Ehm, so, how should I address you?"
It seems this Shitty Witch had heard the way Mia spoke to me, although I was a little surprised that it felt as if Astella and I had known each other for a long time.
I turned toward Astella and said:
"You can leave if you want. Just make sure to come here at the end of every month and submit your espionage report regarding the Abraham Clan’s activities. As for how you should address me..."
I shrugged and tilted my head.
"It doesn’t matter at all."
"I understand. Then I’ll be leaving now."
Clank!
The shop door closed a few seconds later.
Finally, in the silence of the living room, I leaned back on the sofa.
’Now that I think about it, where is that kid named Rowan?’
I had told Rowan to come here, to Mia’s shop, but Rowan didn’t seem to be here at the moment.
I frowned and thought that maybe Rowan had run away.
’Well, I’ll ask Mia.’
Shortly afterward, I focused, and then the Quest Window appeared in my mind.
It had already appeared a few hours ago, probably when Clana escaped and returned to the outside world.
I focused my thoughts on the Quest Window.
——————————
■| Chapter No. 2, Part One: Auction.
Category: Main Story.
Difficulty: ★★★★★
Description: After a decade, the Black City has opened its gates once again. This time, it will hold an Auction where the final item attracted the attention of the entire world, including Princess Clana Ordeal of the Ordeal Empire.
∆ Time Limit: 1 day.
∆ Reward: Compass of Destiny.
∆ Failure: Death of Clana Ordeal.
∆ Status: Completed.
—————————
〖Reward claimed: Compass of Destiny.〗
〖The first part of Chapter Two has been completed; the second part will be revealed in three weeks.〗
〖An increase in the Main Quest’s difficulty has been detected; as compensation, an extra reward will be granted.〗
〖Extra Reward: Final Requirement.〗
Shortly afterward, new notifications appeared.
〖All requirements for Adel’s Second Fable have been fulfilled.〗
〖You have obtained Adel’s Second Fable.〗
"As expected, there was an extra reward."
A smile appeared on my face. I knew the difficulty had been increased.
It would have been impossible for there not to be an extra reward, although I never imagined it would be a "Requirement" for unlocking my Second Fable.
In any case, this was something quite good. Shortly afterward, I thought about it, and a new screen replaced the notifications.
—————————
Name: Adel’s Second Fable.
Category: Existence.
Description: A fable that represents the existence of the person known as Adel.
Active Effects
[Active]-[Causality: By slightly altering your Dark Destiny, you can obtain Causality.]
[Active]-[Alteration: You can use Causality to slightly change a destined death and survive.]
Note: Certain conditions are required to obtain Adel’s Third Fable.
Extra Note: Upon obtaining all of Adel’s Fables, you will be able to escape the threads of destiny and avoid being forgotten as long as you are written about.
—————————
’This is...’
I knew my Fable possessed a certain level of resistance against my Dark Destiny.
But to think it had the ability to let me survive a possible death. Even if the chances were low, the odds of surviving because of my destiny had increased.
Let’s remember that my Destiny in this world is to die no matter what I do, or at least unless I reach 11 Stars before the day of my death.
’Although I still don’t know exactly how I might die.’
I only know that I will die in a few years because of Lumina and the other main characters.
However, my relationship with them means that ending no longer exists.
So my potential death should be different from the death I was originally destined to suffer.
’But what exactly is Causality?’
Apparently, I needed Causality, and the way to obtain it was by slightly altering my own Destiny.
However, how do I alter my own Destiny, and how will I know when I’ve obtained Causality?
Furthermore, how do I know how much Causality I need to use, and how much I currently have or will have?
Those were the questions running through my mind. However, I didn’t need to think about them for long when...
〖The Causality Stat has been unlocked in the Status Window.〗
〖2/3 of the requirements for unlocking the Statistics Window have been fulfilled.〗
"...?"
"Ha, this is incredible."
The Statistics Window.
It was a locked function that every player had to find a way to unlock if they wanted to know their characters’ hidden statistics.
The Statistics Window was always locked, although it only allowed players to view statistics rather than increase them.
It was a way to discover your weaknesses and strengths. Besides...
’There’s the Life Stat.’
By unlocking this statistic, you can tell when you’re close to dying and save yourself at the last moment.
That means that if someone uses a curse on you and you don’t notice it...
The Life Stat will gradually decrease, and you’ll be able to tell that something is wrong with you.
’Especially for me, since I don’t feel pain because of a Trait and won’t know how badly injured I am.’
Especially because I was blind and couldn’t see whether there were any signs of a Curse on my body.
