Ch.2222. The Hidden Realm

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Being friends with someone for 10 years means, in other words, that you’ve seen all there is to see of them.

This meant that Beatrix had developed a certain immunity to Elnore’s bizarre behaviors that would erupt whenever she least expected them.

“Hey.”

Of course, even someone like her had moments when she simply couldn’t tolerate it anymore.

She had no idea what was causing it, but Elnore had been acting like someone suffering from emotional instability.

Sighing to herself for no reason, suddenly getting bloodshot eyes, constantly thinking about something while her tension would spike up and down.

“What’s wrong with you now?”

“…”

The pen in Elnore’s hand snapped with a crack.

Beatrix sighed as she watched the solid mineral pen break like rotten wood.

Elnore gripping things that tightly was a habit she often displayed when she was “holding something back.”

No wonder her voice was more curt than usual.

“Don’t make me remember it. I had finally forgotten. It’s interfering with my work.”

“…Explain yourself, you wench.”

When Beatrix ground her teeth and spoke, Elnore shook her head instead of answering.

“Never mind. Talking about it won’t solve anything, so don’t worry about it. You’re working hard, aren’t you?”

True. She had to admit that.

While Elnore wasn’t the type to be lazy with her duties, the ferocity with which she was currently processing her work was truly terrifying.

“…Well, at least it’s better that you’re working like that. Things have been tough lately.”

“There is an unusually large amount of administrative work. Is there some important project going on?”

“We’re getting a transfer student from the Tribal Union. You’ve heard the name, right?”

At those words, Elnore frowned and checked one of the documents nearby.

“The faction that lost in the coup? The chief’s daughter?”

“Yes. It’s essentially an asylum request. The Empire has accepted it.”

The chief’s daughter was essentially a celebrity on par with the Empire’s royal family.

And for such a distinguished guest, even the Academy, which advocates for equality among students, would have to reluctantly recognize her “attendants” and such.

It could be considered as an entire family that had lost a power struggle seeking refuge.

“Plus, next semester, there’s a regular delegation coming from the Holy Empire. They say the Holy Maiden herself is coming.”

“…”

Elnore silently nodded and put the document away.

Her expression seemed more distorted than before.

“…Isn’t a regular delegation just a formality? Is there a need for such a prominent figure to move personally?”

“I don’t know. There are rumors that the Academy requested something. They say the Chancellor had a strong influence in this.”

Elnore’s expression distorted even more.

“Why do you look so displeased?”

“Even with just these fragments of information, I can see something. The Academy is plotting something.”

“I suppose so. When has this place ever not been plotting something?”

“They’re already proceeding with something involving Darwood. And now they’re scheming something with the chief’s daughter and the Holy Maiden.”

“…That’s true, isn’t it? But surely those people wouldn’t be involved together? The status of those two is far too high to be involved with just a human from a barony.”

As Beatrix narrowed her eyes and responded, Elnore replied in a clear voice.

Her voice remained solemn and composed.

“Logically speaking, that would be the case.”

“Then why are you acting like this?”

“I’m in a bad mood.”

“…”

“Why make me think of that man and other women at the same time?”

“…”

Beatrix pressed her forehead.

“What nonsense are you talking about?”

“When I think of Darwood, I want to think of him alone. Having to think about other women in the same context is—”

“Just do your work. Before I crack your skull open so you can’t think at all.”

When she growled like that, Elnore sighed and picked up her pen again.

“I suppose I should. I need to make sure things run smoothly even if I’m absent for a day.”

Suddenly, why a day?

Somehow she was working so diligently—did she need to clear her schedule for an entire day?

Beatrix tilted her head and asked.

“Why? Do you have some important appointment?”

Another pen snapped loudly throughout the office.

It was because Elnore had clenched her hand tightly as soon as she heard the question.

“Are you going to bill me for that?”

“So, stop making me remember.”

“…At least explain what it is before saying such things. Just tell me. If I leave you alone, you’ll destroy all the office furniture.”

Elnore thought for a moment.

Then she carefully placed her hand on the armrest of the chair.

Soon, a creaking, cracking sound came from that direction.

“…”

What on earth was she holding back so much to do this?

As Beatrix was thinking this, Elnore finally opened her mouth with difficulty.

Her voice was truly solemn, painful, and melancholic.

“Beatrix.”

“What?”

“I miss Darwood Campbell.”

“…”

Beatrix covered her face.

The headache she had barely managed to suppress earlier was returning.

“Doesn’t that mean you need to finish all your work before meeting him in three days?”

“…”

“How can I not see him for three whole days? That’s too—”

“…Final warning. Get to work.”

When Beatrix snapped coldly, Elnore finally pouted and picked up another document.

Fortunately, the contents written there were quite interesting even to her.

“Is the Full Moon Festival in three days?”

“Oh, has it already come to that time?”

The Full Moon Festival.

It’s the most grandly celebrated holiday among the Empire’s festivals.

It’s so significant that even the Academy staff working right next to the Void Zone take a break from all duties to rest during this time.

‘That also makes it the time when defenses are most vulnerable.’

From the perspective of a trained warrior, that’s the only way to see it.

Coincidentally, such a holiday happens to overlap with the day she’s meeting Darwood.

She chuckled and put away the Full Moon Festival-related documents.

In any case, she just needed to remember that three days later would be an important day.

In many ways.

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< System Message>

[ Updating additional information for the Main Quest! ]

[ Main Quest ]〖 Chapter 1 – The Purifier 〗

[ Successfully resolve the incident that will occur at ‘Twilight’s Eye’! ] [ D-3 ]

[ Reward: You will receive benefits in the main scenario branch! ]

I scan the window that appears before my eyes.

This is a window that was created after I received the invitation from Marquis Riverback.

‘Branch benefits, huh.’

I scratch my cheek as I look at the phrase written in the reward window.

It’s a reward I’m familiar with. It appeared randomly a few times in the game too.

Normally, if I were to reject Marquis Riverback’s “proposal” at Twilight’s Eye, what would follow would be the chapter highlight: a binary choice between escape or combat. The chapter 1 content progresses quickly.

Branch benefits means that instead of those two choices, I’ll be given a much easier option to clear.

‘That’s good.’

The Purifier, as befitting a Chapter 1 boss, won’t be much trouble afterward if handled properly once. At least it’s much better than the subsequent chapter bosses who require several repeated boss battles.

It’s just that the one-time handling is a bit difficult.

‘That’s why I called this guy too.’

Thinking that, I look at Elia who’s rubbing his hands together saying he’s cold. The altitude where we are is quite high.

“…”

He’s someone who will be of great help in my current task.

I thought it would be difficult to persuade him, but I was actually more surprised when he immediately agreed without even hearing what I was asking.

“We’re friends, aren’t we? What is there to think about?”

-Such a bold comment was a bonus.

I smile and call out to Elia.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Take this.”

Elia tilted his head at the object I handed him.

“…What is this?”

“Something necessary.”

That’s all I can explain for now.

It’s natural for him to ask such a question given the appearance of the object.

What I gave him was a long metal rod several meters in length. Its purpose is not even imaginable.

What I’m holding is a large circular plate, big enough for at least two humans to fit in.

While Elia tilts his head and takes the rod I handed him, I look up at the sky. Checking the time occasionally.

The place where he and I are is the rooftop of Gregory Hall. Originally a building that served as a spire, it’s now used as an observation deck.

It’s one of the tallest buildings in Elphante Academy. Not as tall as the clock tower in the center of the Academy, but still.

“…I came out because you said you needed help with something. But what exactly are you trying to do in a place like this?”

“Collection.”

“…Pardon?”

“Just wait a bit.”

As I say that and stare at the nearby area.

Finally, what I’ve been waiting for begins to unfold.

“…Huh?”

Simultaneously with Elia’s voice, light began to gather at a dizzying height, even from the perspective of the observation deck.

This is a phenomenon that occurs only once every few months, and even then only for a very brief moment, among the various anomalies at Elphante Academy. Probably most students, let alone staff, don’t know about it. It’s natural for him to be surprised.

“Alright. Get ready.”

“Y-yes? How should I prepare?”

I instruct the flustered guy to set the rod diagonally on the ground. Then I roll the circular plate I was holding onto the end of it.

It probably looks like a spoon lying on the ground.

“Good. Now lie down on this.”

“…Pardon?”

“Quickly.”

Saying that, I flop down onto the plate. I pat the space beside me, urging him to lie down as well.

“What are you trying to do?”

He grumbles as he flops down beside me.

“So, are we just going to lie here and look at the night sky up there together?”

“For now.”

Hearing that, Elia hesitated for a moment before answering.

“…Heh. It does look romantic with all that sparkling. What is this, are you hitting on me while leaving the Tristan Duchess behind—”

“You think that’s romantic? You’ve got some nerve.”

“Huh? Why?”

For ordinary people, the only notable feature of Gregory Hall might be its height, but for those who have cleared Serath’s DLC, it holds a special value.

This is the place where a portal to the “Otherworld” opens—a place where all sorts of bizarre effect-having materials drop that never appear in the main story.

I’m talking about that space where those angel guys were swarming before.

“That’s the entrance to the Otherworld.”

“…”

Elia looked back and forth between me and the gathering light in the sky, showing signs of not understanding well.

Then, as he pondered the meaning of that sentence, his face gradually began to turn pale.

“…What did you say?”

“I said it’s the entrance to the Otherworld.”

“Why would such a thing appear in a place like this?!”

This is actually a normal reaction.

It’s called the Otherworld, but to put it more simply, it could be described as the “hell” of the Savior Rising world—a demonic realm.

It’s an area that only opens after purchasing DLC following complete clearance of the main story. The survival difficulty goes without saying.

‘…Actually, I didn’t want to go this far either.’

This is a choice I wouldn’t have even considered if the damn main scenario hadn’t kept twisting. It’s because there’s something I absolutely need in there.

I touch the black card in my pocket and smirk.

The portal that opens at Gregory Hall isn’t the only one; there are several others like elemental realms and beast realms.

The Chancellor who transferred this “Key to the Other World” to me probably thought I would use it to target such places.

He would have expected that even if I were to collect materials, I would just go in briefly and quickly grab materials scattered nearby. These other worlds are extremely dangerous places.

So he couldn’t have imagined that I would know about the “Otherworld,” which is considered the worst in terms of survival difficulty among all other worlds.

“…”

Therefore, he certainly couldn’t have anticipated what I’m about to do.

“…Still, it’s fortunate that we’re far away from it. Since it’s floating so high in the sky, it probably won’t affect us much.”

“That would be the case. Normally, it’s difficult to even access that place. At the very least, you need to have the ability to survive in there to enter.”

That’s why the portal is generated at such an intimidating height.

It’s a location where entry is barely possible only if various survival strategies and skills are equipped for each profession.

Priests need to be skilled enough in handling divine power to create an “air bridge” to get there, knights need to be strong enough to reach there in a single jump, and mages or shamans need to have some magic or shamanic arts that allow them to fly up there…

Anyway, it’s a place with all sorts of complex and powerful restrictions.

“That would be the case normally. Normally.”

That is, if one doesn’t use a very crude and primitive method.

“…Why do you add such words?”

Elia’s expression changed as he spoke.

He probably noticed that his body had been “fixed” to the plate.

This happened because I pressed a button under the plate to activate it.

“…”

“…”

While Elia remained silent, wondering what this was all about.

The metal rod that had been laid down earlier made a thudding sound as it was driven into the ground.

“…Teacher.”

“Yes.”

“Surely not, I mean, I can’t believe you would really…”

“Yes.”

Then the rod bent into an arch shape.

The plate also tilted diagonally.

Yes.

Like a “catapult” just before launching a stone.

These two items are originally a set. Their use is so specific that they can’t be repurposed for multiple uses. But being stored in Elphante’s vision warehouse, their performance for that limited application is certain.

Shooting a “stone” placed on the catapult high into the sky, at a very fast speed, with a terrifying momentum.

In other words.

It has enough power to “launch” me and Elia to that portal.

“Are we going in there now?”

“Yeah.”

“…Into the Otherworld, without any equipment?”

“It’s okay. It’ll be over soon.”

Yeah. It’ll work out somehow.

I’m confident enough that it will.

Though it’s going to be fucking dangerous.

“…”

Elia smiled broadly.

“You’re really a crazy bastard, fuck.”

“…”

Before I could answer.

My body and Elia’s were launched into the air at a terrifying speed.

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