[The Lie]
“I thought you’d first ask about how to save Honey’s world.”
She spoke as if it was unexpected. Upon hearing that, I also felt my order was wrong, but I didn’t correct my question. I could ask both anyway. Just because the master of the Venom and Curse Dragon King died doesn’t mean this skill will be immediately released. It will disappear when I choose to leave. So there was still plenty of time.
“The Future-Seeing Species, the Silent White Bird. She belongs to neither side, she’s neutral. I don’t know how much you heard from Diarma, but the only being she loves and follows is the Origin whose name cannot be spoken.”
A white tree and a white bird in the white snow. The image from Diarma’s memory fragment floated up.
“I learned about the tree and bird from Diarma. The tree’s name is-.”
“Shh.”
The Mermaid Queen placed her fingertip to her lips.
“It’s better not to speak names, even unconsciously. The more they’re called and known, the greater their influence becomes. So please, Honey, try not to tell others about this if possible.”
She continued in a sing-song voice.
“The tree where the white bird folds its wings is the Fifth Origin. She circles around its branches, singing songs and telling stories that we cannot hear. Though we don’t know if she’s really having a conversation with the Origin.”
“How do I meet her? How do I get to where the tree is?”
“The Fifth Origin is none other than the, hmm, shall we call it universe? The universe that Honey’s world belongs to. It’s the center and starting point of the universe. Numerous worlds are scattered around the Origin. Similar to planets orbiting the sun.”
Do I need to go on some space travel?
“The closer a world is to the Origin, the more it’s affected by the power leaking from it. Like the sun’s heat and light. The closer they are, the stronger their magical abilities become, and the further away, the weaker they get, so science develops to compensate. There are exceptions, but that’s generally how it works.”
“Then from my world, the distance to the Origin was originally far… but it’s gotten closer? Now?”
In a world that debated whether bending spoons was supernatural or not, skills suddenly appeared. Was that the reason for such an abrupt change? The Mermaid Queen nodded at my question.
“Previous worlds were either swallowed by the Origin or fled, and now it’s Honey’s world’s turn.”
“Well, if we’ve gotten closer, it should be easier to find, right?”
“Regardless of distance, it’s impossible with Honey’s current body. Though I explained it in terms of near and far, it’s a bit different from the usual meaning. More importantly, why are you looking for the Bird that Counts the Stars?”
“She has my younger brother.”
The Mermaid Queen fell silent. The volleyball that had been rolling around stopped moving.
“The White Bird has your brother, Honey?”
“Yes. She was able to interfere because he was contracted with Diarma.”
“…She wouldn’t have done such a thing without reason. But I can’t even begin to guess why.”
The Mermaid Queen spoke as if bewildered.
“I’ll try to contact the White Bird, but she’s currently away. For some time now, we haven’t been able to find her around the Origin.”
“You don’t know where she went?”
“One who knows the future is harder to find than anyone else. I’ll try my best. However, Honey.”
Her eyes, like blue pearls, drooped slightly at the corners.
“I can’t bring back your brother. Because he’s no longer a being of that world, he would be rejected. That’s one of the reasons why the Filial Duty Addicts, who are free unlike us, can’t directly step into Honey’s world. If they force their way in, they’ll be worn down by the repulsion, becoming endlessly weaker.”
Her soothing voice continued.
“Your brother is weaker than them, so he wouldn’t be able to withstand the repulsive force and would simply vanish.”
The rain that had soaked my entire body finally felt cold.
This is too much, really. I wasn’t asking for anything that big. It’s just something normal and natural. I just want to retrieve my dead brother, is that one small thing impossible?
I looked down at the cracked magic stone in my hand.
All the memories that the master of the Venom and Curse Dragon King had deemed useless remained in my head. Not that there was any pointed solution within them. But they could serve as stepping stones to find a method.
“Please help me find the Bird that Counts the Stars.”
“Don’t worry. We want to find out why she moved as well.”
I let out a faint sigh. I wiped my face streaked with rainwater with my sleeve, but it didn’t make much difference. Still getting soaked, looking completely like a drowned rat.
“Then let me ask the question I should have asked first. How can my world stay safe? Diarma said I was the key. And what about the Origin?”
“We don’t know exactly what the Origin is either. If I had to explain, should I call it a god? It’s certain that it created these current worlds, but at the same time, it’s devouring its own children. Though we can’t communicate with it, it’s not entirely without will. We who tried to stop the Origin were chased away and imprisoned.”
The imprisoned unfilial children. On the opposite side are the Filial Duty Addicts who try to help the Origin devour worlds. Come to think of it, they’re truly crazy filial children, helping a parent trying to eat their siblings.
“For being imprisoned, your influence seems quite large.”
“In Honey’s world, isn’t it not unusual to influence the outside while trapped in a room? Though setting up a system for that wasn’t easy.”
Is it like the internet? With delivery services too? Well, if there are several beings like the Mermaid Queen gathered together, I suppose it’s not impossible.
“Even when it devours, the Origin doesn’t directly open its mouth and eat. When beings possessing magic stones, crystallizations of the Origin’s power, conquer that world, it gets absorbed along with the magic stones.”
“…Is it okay to use magic stones for various purposes like we are now?”
“Of course it’s fine. Also, monsters that become part of that world’s skills are safe. Things like taming. And-.”
The Mermaid Queen’s fingertip pointed to the center of her chest. A faint blue light rose from there.
“Even for non-monsters, life forms that have accumulated a certain level of power develop magic stones. These are also safe.”
So that’s why Diarma had a magic stone too. I haven’t heard of magic stones coming from high-ranked Hunters, maybe it only happens at SSS-rank or above.
“We call it fleeing until the Origin tires and falls asleep while blocking monsters. It’s not completely safe. Still, we can buy quite a long time, around a hundred years. If the awakened Origin targets other worlds first, it could be even longer.”
“Is there a way to be completely safe?”
“Not currently. Even if by some chance we found a way to destroy the Origin, there’s no guarantee the world afterward would be intact. If you were to destroy the sun itself because a planet was in danger of burning up from its approach, the planet would lose its light.”
Put that way, it seemed there was no choice but to flee. Just then, the volleyball that had been rolling around bounced up high.
-There is a way to attack the Origin without destroying it! If you deal enough damage, it even spits back up some of the worlds it swallowed and stays quiet longer!
“Newbie!”
The Mermaid Queen, who called out to the volleyball in reproach, slightly furrowed her brows and said to me.
“Don’t worry about it, Honey. It’s a method that’s only possible with the extremely rare appearance of a transcendent, so it’s better not to expect it.”
“Like you all?”
The Mermaid Queen responded with just a smile. Come to think of it, they wouldn’t have been imprisoned and labeled as unfilial children just for interfering. You’d have to beat up your parent pretty badly to get kicked out of home and thrown in jail, right?
‘I think it would take at least L-rank, and since Yuhyun is close to SS-rank and it took about 10 years… 10 years per rank for 30 years, that can’t be right. That would be too easy.’
Since it takes about 5 years for an A-rank to become S-rank, S-rank would take twice that, and SSS-rank would take at least twice that again. No, I need to consider that Yuhyun was born as S-rank. The growth rate would be different, so if someone born at A-rank level had been born with S-rank potential, wouldn’t they have reached S-rank instantly? Then the multiplier for time per rank could be much longer…
Well, let’s just consider it impossible. Besides, just looking at the master of the Venom and Curse Dragon King, they weren’t just L-rank. Considering how the fear resistance skill was slightly pushed back by the main body’s pressure, they must have been upper L-rank.
“Is 50 S-ranks enough just to block monsters like you asked me to gather? But even before the regression, there were already more than 50…”
“The difference between 50 scattered people and 50 gathered together is enormous. And you’re not going to avoid using your skills, right? We’ll also continue to help you from now on. That’s probably why Diarma called you the key.”
I fiddled with the magic stone in my hand again as I listened to the gentle voice.
It’s certain that the unfilial children are willing to help save our world. There’s no need to refuse when they’re offering help.
But the 50 S-ranks was undoubtedly a lie.
I had seen worlds being devoured several times in Diarma’s memories. If it could have been solved with just 50 S-ranks, all those worlds would have been safe.
Why are they lying? Should I ask? Or would it be better to wait and see? If they happen to turn away and stop helping, I’m the one who loses out.
“That’s reassuring. I’ll be counting on your help going forward.”
I smiled back at the Mermaid Queen.
“By the way, does this mean Venom and Curse Dragonkin won’t appear in dungeons anymore?”
“No. The Venom and Curse Dragonkin Diarma created are actually the minority. However, one thing — since he died, another addict will come. Since they won’t be Venom and Curse Dragonkin, you can’t expect the same kind of luck as this time.”
Indeed, luck was on our side in many ways this time. No, perhaps I should say it was the groundwork Diarma laid. If that bastard hadn’t sent the Lautitars, I wouldn’t have gotten the Dragon Slayer title either.
Serves him right.
“So please pay attention to those born as S-rank if possible. It would be even better to register them as keywords.”
Yuhyun is already registered, and Seonghan and Liette don’t seem likely to deal with the addicts even without registration.
“Who are the other two I haven’t met?”
“We don’t know exactly. Since the Filial Duty Addicts made contact first, that information is hidden. We only know there are five people and who you’ve met.”
Given how Seonghan bolted and they pestered Yuhyun, it seems the remaining two either didn’t contract or refused. That dragon bastard really was incompetent. I should hope his successor will be similar, though could they possibly be more incompetent than him?
After a few more questions were exchanged, and after asking them to put the broken magic stone in my inventory, I left the space within my consciousness.
When I opened my eyes, I saw a dim ceiling. Doesn’t seem to be outside the dungeon, and the first floor castle was torn apart. Second floor maybe?
“Han Yujin!”
Noah called out to me, almost sobbing. Somehow his eyes are wet every time I see him. When I raised my head, I saw Liette sitting on the frame of a huge window that only had its frame left. When our eyes met, she smiled slightly while raising her hand. Slightly to her side, I could see Seonghan as well.
“Was everything alright? I didn’t sleep too long, did I?”
“No, it hasn’t been a day yet. The second floor boss only appears when the moon is in the center, so we’re waiting.”
Seems they’ve already dealt with all the regular monsters. That’s fast.
I sat up. When I checked my inventory, [Cracked Magic Stone] was in the list. The master of the Venom and Curse Dragon King.
‘…I wonder if Yuhyun’s contract was automatically broken.’
Since some high-level contracts maintain even after the caster dies, I’ll have to check when I get out. Check.
…My brother’s face is vague in my mind. Not the current Yuhyun, but the face from that lizard bastard’s memories keeps floating up. Though they’re the same person. …Not completely the same, but still.
“Yujin, are you hurting somewhere?”
I shook my head at Noah’s question. If I were in pain, that would be better. It’s actually annoying how perfectly fine I am. I didn’t even use any potions, but there wasn’t even a trace of injury anywhere on my body. Of course there wouldn’t be since I wasn’t really there, but still.
“Want something to drink?”
Seonghan, who had approached at some point, held out a tumbler. I took it and had a sip, and a rich orange taste lingered in my mouth.
“You know better than anyone that I’m sick of orange-flavored potions, yet you’re giving me orange juice?”
“So, does it taste bad?”
“No, it’s delicious.”
Must be some ridiculously expensive juice. As I continued to sip, Seonghan’s gaze fixed on me intently. This person’s observing gaze was always irritating no matter when I received it. Should I say it feels like being stripped naked? He actually did dig deep into everything too.
“What are you staring at?”
“I’m checking to make sure there aren’t any problems.”
“I already said I’m not hurt anywhere.”
“Sometimes you don’t realize it yourself. I don’t want anything happening to you. It’s better to be healthy, both inside and out.”
“I’m truly at a loss for words with how much you care. Anyone watching would think you were my guardian, Seonghan. Or is it that I need to be healthy to repay my debt? A debtor with lots to squeeze out?”
“Rather than that, I think of you as a custom-made item heaven sent me for living a good life.”
…This crazy bastard just said with his own mouth that he lived a good life. Ugh.
“Yujin is not an item.”
Noah protested, but was completely ignored. It’s okay, Noah. We’re both as bad as each other anyway.
“Your murderously good performance item is feeling tired. Let’s finish the raid and get out quickly. Isn’t it about time for the boss monster to appear?”
“As you wish.”
Seonghan bowed exaggeratedly and turned around. He’s really an irritating person, but maybe because of that, I feel a bit better.
Instead of digging uselessly, I should do what I can to the best of my ability. After looking at my inventory list one more time, I got up.
–TL Notes–
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