Whew—.
A little over ten minutes had passed after I used the Authority Skill.
I finally managed to regain my composure.
The nausea in my stomach and the pain that had surged through me when I bit my tongue both disappeared soon after the skill’s effect ended.
As expected, time was the best medicine.
......The problem was that when I used Ritardando, that ‘time’ barely passed at all.
‘This is driving me crazy.’
Who would have thought the output of the True Form would be this powerful?
Until I used the skill, I had never imagined that the time ratio would be this extreme.
If it hadn’t been for the passive effect of 【Soul of the Swordmaster】, wouldn’t my mind have collapsed?
Only then did I understand the intention behind the Trial arranged by the Master of the Second Hand and the Moment.
They must have decided that anyone unable to endure the pain in the Mental World would not be able to use the Authority either.
‘Well, even so......’
Rustle—.
I examined the notification window floating at the edge of my vision.
〔Reward: Passive Skill 【Low-Grade Pain Resistance】 Acquired.〕
By enduring the pain of biting my tongue for a long time, I had obtained a new skill.
Of course, Low-Grade Pain Resistance was not an especially good skill......
But what I needed to focus on was the fact that I could obtain skills through certain actions.
‘The growth mechanism I knew is functioning properly.’
Have I not said this before?
If I made good use of Loel’s system, I would be able to achieve limitless growth through this Authority.
The mechanism I had believed was possible in theory was functioning exactly as it should.
Now it was time to make full use of that growth mechanism.
‘The only regrettable thing is that I don’t know the exact ratio between real time and slowed time......’
I had been too flustered to grasp the time ratio correctly.
‘......Next time, should I use the skill and at least count numbers in my head?’
I was still lost in thought.
“Swordmaster.”
Jolt—.
At that very moment, Adelia quietly whispered into my ear from beside me.
Hearing the title Swordmaster made me flinch. After all, there was plenty of room for misunderstanding if someone else heard her.
‘What is she going to do if someone else hears......?’
I quickly looked around.
Fortunately, nobody had heard Adelia’s words.
Her voice had been so quiet, and the rattling noise of the carriage was loud as well.
“This may be an impertinent question, but may I ask why you are heading to Free City Vertas?”
Whether she knew how I felt or not, Adelia continued to question me.
Why was I heading to Free City Vertas?
‘Because it is the region where I can do the most at this point.’
Free City Vertas.
One of the 「Four Great Cities」 remaining on the continent, and the main setting of the game’s early to middle stages.
As such, Vertas had an abundance of currency and items a player could obtain.
I could also encounter a number of NPCs who would be of great help to the game’s progress later on.
In other words, even if it hadn’t been for ‘that’ ability to oppose the Undead, it was a destination I’d have headed for anyway.
‘And although I am not certain yet......’
......if my intuition was right, I would gain a great deal from this journey as well.
‘Of course, I can’t tell Adelia all of this exactly as it is.’
So I played the one trump card I could use on Adelia.
By implying that all of this was a Revelation from the Ancient God Elders.
“Even if you are a member of the sacred Goldheart Family, you cannot freely reveal the will of the Elders.”
“......Ah.”
Nod, nod—.
Fortunately, Adelia seemed to accept my words.
With her mouth slightly open and a blank expression on her face, she nodded as though she were a child looking at a hero she admired.
I chuckled to myself and continued.
“Do not worry too much. There will be ample time to instruct you even as I follow the Elders’ will.”
“Yes. I understand.”
Nod, nod—.
Adelia nodded again. A new light was already shining in her deep blue eyes.
The reason she followed me in the first place was to gain insight.
As long as I properly satisfied that desire, Adelia would no longer question my every action.
‘In truth, I don’t have the ability to teach Adelia anything......’
She was the genius with the greatest potential in the world of Loel.
If she stayed beside me, she would somehow gain insight on her own, I suppose.
“And......”
I let my voice trail off for a moment.
Since I had started this conversation anyway, I should address what needed to be addressed.
First, I should settle how she addressed me.
Being called Swordmaster at every opportunity was quite burdensome.
“......From now on, call me ‘Gaon.’”
Gaon.
It was a name taken from the nickname ‘Middle Finger,’ which I had used during my days in Loel.
Come to think of it, we had never properly introduced ourselves. I had wondered what name I should give, then simply blurted out the first name that came to mind.
Upon hearing me, Adelia’s expression brightened considerably as she began nodding her head energetically.
“Understood, Sir Gaon.”
Adelia seemed quite pleased despite having learned nothing more than my name.
Had she begun to feel, inwardly, that the distance between us had narrowed?
***
Half a day had already passed since we left Dark City Dawnguard.
Wherever the eye fell, parched weeds and cracked earth stretched out before us.
The city lights had vanished long ago. Beyond the horizon, only a desolate landscape continued without end.
【Uncharted Lands】
That was the name of this place.
No, in truth, it was a little ambiguous to call it a place name.
The Uncharted Lands referred collectively to all territory outside the great cities.
‘In any case.’
Unlike the great cities protected by barriers, the Uncharted Lands were dangerous spaces that could always be exposed to monster attacks.
That was why merchant companies and adventurers passing through them were always on high alert.
It was late at night, when one could not see even an inch ahead.
That was why everyone wore tense expressions as they watched their surroundings.
“It is quiet.”
Adelia’s voice rang out softly.
They said the calm before the storm was the most frightening, did they not? Adelia seemed uneasy about how excessively quiet it was now.
The bald merchant company master replied with a faint smile.
“That is because we are traveling along the Silk-road. It is only natural that it is quiet.”
Adelia furrowed her brow slightly.
“Is it not true that even the Silk-road is not always safe? I heard that, especially recently, the barriers along the Silk-road sometimes fail because the supply of Magic Stones is unstable......”
“Our merchant company has identified every danger zone. We took a detour to avoid them, which is why our arrival has been delayed.”
“......”
“So rest easy. At least on this journey, nothing dangerous will happen.”
That was right.
As the merchant company master said, not every part of the Uncharted Lands was dangerous.
Even in this perilous place, there were Safe Zones scattered throughout.
【Silk-road】
The name of the trade network that connected each great city.
It had been named because the barriers stretched along the route like a road of silk.
‘But at this point, even the Silk-road cannot be trusted one hundred percent.’
Sure enough, only a few years ago, the Silk-road had been a sacrosanct Safe Zone.
But now, as the world’s destruction accelerated exponentially, the Silk-road was becoming increasingly unstable.
Especially on days when the supply of Magic Stones needed to maintain the barriers was insufficient......
***THUUUUD—!***
“Huh?”
“Th-the barrier has gone down!”
......a catastrophe could unfold in which the Silk-road’s barrier temporarily failed, just like now.
“An attack! We are under attack!”
AWOOOOOO—!
BARK! BARK, BARK—!
The sound of wolves came from every direction.
The beasts, moving in packs, encircled the group and slowly tightened their ring of encirclement.
It seemed they had rushed here to hunt prey through the gap created when the barrier faded. The wolves glared with blood-red eyes and dripped thick saliva.
【Lv. 24】
【Lv. 27】
【Lv. 26】
Scavenger Wolf.
One of the most common wolf-type monsters found in the Uncharted Lands.
I had felt nothing seeing them only beyond a monitor......
Damn it.
Facing them in person, they looked frightening enough to send chills down my spine.
“A-ahem!”
At that moment, the bald merchant company master’s expression became awkward.
He kept glancing sideways at Adelia, gauging her reaction.
“Th-this is strange. It was certainly a safe road where no accident had ever occurred......”
He did not seem frightened by the situation so much as slightly embarrassed that he had boasted nothing would happen.
It was at the very next moment that the mercenaries’ urgent shouts erupted from all around us.
“Everyone, prepare for battle!”
“Damn it, protect the merchants first! The defensive line must never be breached!”
AWOOOO—!
The wolves began charging toward us with howls.
The mercenaries’ levels ranged from 20 to 30.
The defensive line did not seem likely to break, but it was not a situation in which I could guarantee there would be no casualties.
After thinking that far, I glanced at Adelia and opened my mouth.
“Adelia.”
“Yes.”
“Go and help them. I will remain here to guard the merchant company master.”
“......Understood.”
SHING—!
Adelia drew her sword without the slightest hesitation.
She leapt into the heart of the fierce battle, where the wolves and mercenaries were fighting desperately.
“Uh, uh......?”
Before long, the mercenaries’ puzzled voices arose from all around.
Only one person had been added to the battlefield.
Yet, astonishingly, the evenly matched tide of battle immediately tilted to one side.
SLASH—!
The Scavenger Wolves were swept away before Adelia’s sword like autumn leaves in a gale.
Her dazzling sword dance was as spectacular as acrobatics.
Having seen movements that had once unfolded only beyond a monitor now playing out in reality, I could not help but marvel.
‘Hah......’
Until now, I had only seen Adelia fight alone, so I had had nothing against which to compare her.
But seeing her dart through the battlefield among dozens of mercenaries, I was once again made keenly aware of how powerful she was.
She was a crane among chickens.
The influence of a level 77 was immense enough to overturn the battlefield’s balance in an instant.
WHOOOOSH—.
Soon, the chaotic battlefield subsided into a lull.
A clear boundary formed between the humans and wolves that had been tangled together.
And Adelia did not miss the opening.
“Everyone, fall back.”
After issuing that short warning, she immediately lowered her stance.
RUMBLE—!
Her center of gravity shifted into both legs. As strength gathered in her lower body, the ground around her sank deeply.
Shortly afterward, turquoise Aura enveloped her entire body. Adelia swung her sword with all her strength.
“Wh-what......!”
KRAAAAAASH—!
All the nearby mercenaries’ eyes widened.
It was a single strike.
Yet that ‘single strike’ swept away the wolf pack the mercenaries had struggled to face in an instant.
A turquoise arc of sword energy cut through everything in its path.
The Scavenger Wolf pack, which had numbered in the dozens, met death without even letting out a final cry.
“Whew.”
Adelia exhaled briefly and turned around.
“As ordered, I have dealt with the entire wolf pack.”
“......You have done well.”
Halt—.
At my reply, Adelia stood still and cocked her head to one side.
She wore an expression as though there were something she desperately wanted.
‘Ah.’
Only then did I understand what she meant.
She was pestering me for instruction again.
“Get into the carriage for now. I will explain the details as we travel.”
“Yes.”
Only then did Adelia brighten as she walked toward the carriage.
Was it just my imagination that her quick, light steps looked cheerful somehow?
‘Haa......’
Feeling stifled, I let out a sigh for no reason.
This was giving me a headache.
What nonsense would I have to use to smooth things over this time?
“......”
“......”
“......”
The mercenaries and the bald merchant company master could only watch the two of us with dumbfounded expressions.