Chapter 168
Chapter 168
Simulacrum (2)
I sent Winter to the chapel first and headed to the cathedral’s public chapel. Aside from the gift for the High Priest, I had also brought liquor to offer Anaye.
I spent a moment in contemplation before the silver plaque that now felt familiar. After wiping the silver plaque a few times with my sleeve, I offered the liquor as it was.
A soft light spread, and the beautifully wrapped liquor disappeared.
“I worked hard on making it. Especially Senior Aro. Turns out she had more talent for that sort of thing than I expected.”
I spoke to the Holy Scripture, which had appeared at some point and was fluttering as though flapping its wings. Surprisingly, the Holy Scripture showed different reactions to what I said.
One page bent as though stroking its chin, while others struck together as though clapping.
“Huh. Looks like you liked it.”
Then it pulled a wooden cup out of the book, and liquor filled it on its own. There was no detail of it going down a throat, but the Holy Scripture became thoroughly soaked in liquor.
The Holy Scripture formed a hand out of its pages and gave me a thumbs-up. I let out a hollow laugh at the sight.
▶[Religious Quest: Anaye’s Memories] completed.
I caught the scrap of paper that fell from the air. It was the ‘Random Skill Enhancement Ticket’, the reward for the Religious Quest.
I calmed my pounding heart and took a deep breath. I couldn’t just get excited. This was literally a moment when I needed luck on my side.
[Davide Duhein]
Gender: Male
Year: 2nd Year
Titles: Apostle of Anaye, Anash
Trait: Crack Head
Skills
[Trace of Anaye] [Lv. 10] [Religion] [Apostle]
A trace of the ancient god, Anaye, the Thunder Deer.
Born in a lake and raised drinking lightning, Anaye controls water and breathes lightning. She took special care with this for her first child.
―Blessing of the Deepest Chill: Increases Water(水) attribute resistance. Increases Ice(氷) attribute resistance. Increases recovery by 60%. ‘Chill of Paillet’ can be used.
―Thunder Horn: Increases Lightning(雷) attribute resistance. Consumes 30% of current stamina to leave a ‘Thunder Horn Mark’. The ‘Thunder Horn Mark’ deals additional damage equal to 10% of maximum stamina.
―Lightning Spike of Anaye: Summons a spike that deals damage equal to lost stamina x60.
―Circle of Reincarnation: Summons the Circle of Reincarnation. The Circle of Reincarnation copies and stores recovered stamina.
[Covenant of the Golden Rule]
A contract with the Goddess of Justice. As the contractor did not state the compensation they desired, they arbitrarily receive compensation equivalent to what was offered.
Offering: Everything related to magic
Desired: Undecided → Adaptive Body (Anaye)
▶Adaptive Body (Anaye)
―Iron Body: Solid muscles, tough skin, robust stamina.
―True Vessel: Trace of Anaye is permanently engraved.
[Blood Magic]
Consumes stamina to create forms.
“Hmm.”
I opened my status window for the first time in a while. Trace of Anaye had stopped at Level 10. Apparently, it needed something additional.
I currently had only three skills. ‘Trace of Anaye’, which consolidated my lightning-related skills, ‘Covenant of the Golden Rule’, which gave me an Adaptive Body, and ‘Blood Magic’.
What I needed right now was ‘Trace of Anaye’. Strengthening this one skill alone would make me tremendously stronger.
‘And it’s cost-effective.’
Since it practically accounted for most of my combat power, this was the only thing I was aiming for. At the very least, I just had to avoid Blood Magic. I squeezed my eyes shut and prayed.
“The Goddess. Please! Please!”
Since the Random Skill Enhancement Ticket was incredibly difficult to obtain, I gave it everything I had. Calling Anaye’s name endlessly, I tore the scrap of paper.
▶[Covenant of the Golden Rule] has been enhanced.
“…….”
A brilliant cluster of light blossomed and was sucked into my body. Then I breathed a sigh of relief.
It was unfortunate that it wasn’t ‘Trace of Anaye’, but since it wasn’t Blood Magic, I had at least gotten my money’s worth. I checked the skill.
[Covenant of the Golden Rule (Enhanced)]
A contract with the Goddess of Justice. As the contractor did not state the compensation they desired, they arbitrarily receive compensation equivalent to what was offered.
Offering: Everything related to magic
Desired: Undecided → Adaptive Body (Anaye)
▶Adaptive Body (Anaye)
―Iron Body: Solid muscles, tough skin, robust stamina.
―True Vessel: Trace of Anaye is permanently engraved.
―Lin: The blessing of Lin is engraved upon the skin.
“What’s this now?”
I looked myself over to see if anything had changed, but there was nothing in particular. I wondered if maybe my strength had increased or something.
The character Lin was something I had never seen before in my life. And what was this blessing of Lin? Was it related to Anaye?
“Huh?”
While I was lost in doubt, a tingling sensation began filling my entire body. This tingling was what I felt instead of pain.
It began spreading across all my skin. Starting from the crown of my head, it moved across my entire skin like a wave. Something damp began to flow.
“…….”
Blood came out of my body as though someone were squeezing a piece of fruit with both hands. I quietly closed my eyes. I waited until the tingling sensation disappeared.
Only after roughly five minutes did the tingling sensation vanish. I was completely covered in blood.
‘Do I have to clean this up?’
The public chapel was thick with the smell of blood. Naturally, there was a pool of blood where I had been sitting.
I got to my feet. I wondered if I should call Winter.
“Hmm?”
As I tried to wipe the blood off my face, I felt something strange. I hurriedly felt around my face.
Not the center of my face, but the outer parts, and even my palms and arms. I could feel scales across all my skin.
Before long, they shrank until they covered an area barely the size of two hands. The scales settled on the skin of the left side of my chest, where my heart was, and on my neck.
‘First.’
The Dream Bird. Since I was covered in blood, it was difficult to check with my naked eyes. I sat back down and closed my eyes.
In my mind, I called for the Dream Bird that should have been recuperating.
―Mwi~ Mwi!? Mwi! Mwi!
The moment I called, the Dream Bird popped out of my mind. The Dream Bird, which had been about to happily leap into my arms, screamed when it saw me covered in blood.
“Calm down.”
―Mwi! Mwiiiiii!
“It was making a fuss, but there was nothing the Dream Bird could do.
“Winter, you know. Winter.”
―Mwi?
“You know that pure-white one. The little one.
―Mwi-mwi.
“Go get her. She can open a portal, so she’ll be here in no time.”
―Mwi!
The Dream Bird put on a determined expression and left the public chapel. I stared blankly at the Dream Bird. It could’ve just gone to her through a dream, the same way it had come out of my head.
I let out a small sigh and closed my eyes. I checked whether there were any parts of my skin still tingling.
“…….”
Then I felt the back of my head prickle sharply. I hurriedly turned my head. An empty shadow.
Something was protruding from it. Was it a staff with an eye? The thing, possessing a blue iris, was staring at me.
▶[Main Quest: Simulacrum(simulacre)]
Save the suffering simulacrum.
Reward: Cradle of Fortune.
The system alert appeared when I saw the black staff. My expression hardened. Episode 5, which I had originally intended to do, wasn’t this.
No, to begin with, even I had never seen a quest like this before. The reward was the same, but the word simulacrum wasn’t supposed to appear here.
‘It’s on Canis’s side.’
I frowned. Given the circumstances, I had to assume something had gone wrong on Canis’s side.
I sighed and headed toward the staff. The large eye attached to the staff stared steadily at me.
“But what is this?”
It seemed Canis’s quest and the Main Quest had become linked for some reason. Main Quests generally didn’t give much leeway with time. Even less so in unexpected situations like this.
Anyway, I quietly observed the staff. The eye merely stared at me without showing any other reaction. I abruptly grabbed it.
The shadow beneath the staff swallowed me whole.
***
“Hmm~ The nostalgic~ scent of home~”
After getting off the train, Canis spread her chest wide and inhaled. Once she finished taking a deep breath, some of her tension disappeared.
“Hmm-hmm~”
She hummed as she walked. The dream she had seen through the dreams collected by the Dream Bird had been bizarre.
Seeing Anger in the place where she herself should have been created an enormous sense of incongruity. Then there was what Davide had told her.
Canis organized everything in her head once more. A question she had carried for a long time. Now it was time to unravel it.
“Milady.”
“Yeah~ It’s been a while~”
The Ulbushis residence was close to the station district. When she headed to its main gate, a guard who recognized Canis greeted her.
“Isn’t the semester still in session?”
“I have~ urgent business~ Keep up the good work~”
Canis entered through the main gate without any particular inspection. It was thanks to her showing the crystal magic that only an Ulbushis could use.
Canis was able to make her way smoothly toward the mansion. When she reached the mansion’s entrance, she heard bustling sounds from inside.
“Why, Milady!”
“Oh~ Butler. It’s been a while~”
The head attendant, whom she had known since childhood and who now oversaw the grand mansion, appeared. With a delighted expression, he guided Canis inside.
“Father?”
“He is in the study.”
“Okay~ Bring me something to drink. I’ll tell you what you’re curious about later~”
“Understood.”
After asking about the whereabouts of the head of the Ulbushis Family, Canis headed straight for the study. The most important space for a family of magicians.
―Knock knock.
―Come in.
Canis knocked before the luxuriously decorated study. At the deep voice coming from within, Canis straightened her clothes.
“The semester should still be in session.”
There was a handsome middle-aged man with long, brightly colored hair of the same shade as Canis’s. He shifted his gaze away from the book and looked at Canis.
He appeared indifferent, but there was abundant warmth within his gaze. Even though she had arrived without warning, he showed no sign of surprise.
“There’s something~ important.”
“Something important? Hmm. Sit down first. I’m sure you have your reasons.”
The head of the Ulbushis Family offered Canis a seat. Canis carefully sat down.
“What brings you here?”
“There’s something I was~ curious about. The smartest person around me~ is you, Father.”
“Ask me anything you wish.”
The head of the Ulbushis Family smiled gently and waited for his daughter to speak.
“I met the Dream Bird~ on the Floating Island. I’ve gone into the Dream Bird’s dream~ before.”
“Oh, that’s a rare experience.”
“Yes. And there~ was a dream of mine there too?”
“……A dream?”
After a brief pause, the head of the Ulbushis Family’s expression turned grave. Canis noticed that small change.
“In that dream, Anger was living~ in my place? Something about it bothered me, so I came here~”
Canis finished speaking, but no answer came from the head of the Ulbushis Family.
“Father~ You’re hiding something from me~”
The head of the Ulbushis Family stared at his daughter with a face that had turned cold and rigid.
“Since when did you know?”
“About~ twelve? I thought I was pretty smart in my own way~ but for some reason, my memories from before I was six were strange.”
“Ordinary humans cannot fully retain their memories from that age.”
The head of the Ulbushis Family responded to Canis’s words. But Canis shook her head.
“No~ We aren’t ordinary humans.”
“…….”
“If there were nothing at all, that’d be one thing, but it was strange. I can’t see anything, but I remember voices. The butler’s voice~ Father’s voice~ even Mother’s voice~ Until now, it was only a suspicion, but I only became certain recently~”
The head of the Ulbushis Family pressed firmly against the space between his brows.
“Father. I remember all of my past. But~ for some reason, I can’t remember when I first met Anger?”
Canis gradually became more talkative, but conversely, words disappeared from the mouth of the head of the Ulbushis Family.
“You know Davide Duhein, right?”
“I do. That troublemaker.”
“He told me~ that Anger was a ‘disease’? And that it could be cured.”
At that moment, the eyes of the head of the Ulbushis Family sharpened. The head of the Ulbushis Family gritted his teeth.
That damned Duhein had gone and broken his promise after all. The head of the Ulbushis Family quietly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
He knew his daughter’s stubbornness better than anyone.
“It can’t be helped.”
The head of the Ulbushis Family sighed and declared his surrender.