Ch.2323. The Hidden Realm (2)

●

As soon as I approached the portal, the light cluster began to move threateningly.

It’s as if it’s eloquently saying, “Don’t come any closer or something terrible will happen!” And in reality, if you hit it directly, you’ll just bounce off.

So I take out the black card the chancellor prepared for me.

When I get close enough to the portal and throw it, the light cluster writhes and tears open the space.

At the same time, I set my watch. Exactly 2 minutes.

‘…This is the limit with Atalante’s access card.’

Originally, the Otherworld was an end-game content only given to players who obtained the authority of “Permanence.”

This black card I’m holding is essentially an ID given to such Permanent beings. Only with this can you avoid being “quarantined” when crossing to another world.

The beings managing it are quite strict, you see.

“…”

And, to put it another way.

It means the Otherworld is such a crazy place that even a Permanent being like Atalante is only permitted entry for 2 minutes.

Sometimes, depending on the route you take, you might need to come back here during the main scenario rather than just as DLC.

‘…I absolutely hate that.’

Really.

Absolutely.

I hope that never happens.

I plan to make efforts to ensure it doesn’t.

“Wow.”

As soon as we entered the portal, that exclamation escaped from Elia’s mouth.

“I thought the Otherworld would be like hell as soon as we entered, but it’s like this…”

“I know, right? I understand.”

Actually, while the inside is truly hellish, it looks quite pretty on the surface.

Above the terrain of the real world, colorful objects are scattered everywhere, as if various filters have been applied over a photograph.

Spirit bodies. Forgotten ancient objects. Thought forms.

Each one powerful but dangerous.

“Don’t touch anything carelessly. There are many dangerous things.”

At my words, Elia, who was about to touch a white haze floating nearby, flinched and pulled her hand back.

I suppose in a crisis, the angels’ protection would somehow help, but it’s still best to avoid contact with objects from the Otherworld as much as possible.

“…But how high are we going? How high did you shoot us?”

“We need to go higher.”

In truth, if we just needed to enter the portal, I would have brought a suitable flying item from the arcane storage instead of this “catapult.”

The reason I used such a brute force method was to obtain an object that exists at the “highest point of the Gregorian building.”

“…Coming to such a high place reminds me of the old days.”

Elia, who was free-flying with me, muttered.

“Does it feel familiar?”

“My brother was as crazy as you, sir. He used to throw me off mountain peaks without any equipment when I was little. In that way, maybe he’s a bit like you?”

“…”

“He always saved me, though. Said he was building my courage by doing such things often.”

“…”

No wonder the kid is so unusually calm in this situation.

“That idiot also particularly liked high places.”

Elia continued with a slight smile.

“…I wonder where he is now and what he’s doing.”

It was undoubtedly a tone tinged with longing.

“…”

Of course.

Twelve years ago, the Red Night Incident.

A terrorist attack carried out by the “Heirs of Apocalypse,” a faction of Cultists of the Demon who followed the “Red Demon.”

Elia’s family was massacred then.

“…”

If left alone, she would have grown up as the daughter of a peaceful farming family. The fact that she was nominated as a candidate for the next hero, something she has zero interest in, likely has a lot to do with the existence of that “missing brother.”

Elia’s brother was the only one who survived the Red Night Incident, but he completely disappeared, and she couldn’t even get information about him.

She probably thought that if she became famous enough, he would recognize her and come find her. With such thoughts, she must have constantly pushed herself.

I can’t even begin to imagine how much she must have driven herself to reach this position—a farmer’s daughter who had never held a sword before.

“Oh, there’s something.”

As I was thinking about this, Elia pointed at something in front of us.

Among the surroundings filled with colorful glowing objects, the most eye-catching was a “smoke” glowing pure white.

It would be the image that most closely matches what is generally called a “ghost.”

The appearance of the faintly rising smoke is clearly extraordinary.

‘The Ghost of the Gregorian Building.’

Originally, this is something that appears much later in the main story as an Easter egg.

It pops out into the material world once through the “Otherworld access route” I mentioned earlier.

“…”

And one thing that only those who have met it know:

This is an item that becomes more overpowered the earlier you acquire it.

Users were so desperate to get it as early as possible that they even data-mined to find its original location.

“Here we go.”

I unfold a sack I had prepared from my pocket.

Of course, it’s not just an ordinary sack.

[Magic Sack!] x3

[Price: 500pt] x3

[Item: Miscellaneous]

[A sack that can hold any object inside. Duration is one day!]

[Remaining Points: 1,000pt]

A sack that can hold any item-classified object inside for a day.

This ghost is also classified as an item. Even if it can’t be captured by conventional methods, it’s possible with this.

It costs 500 points, but it’s worth it.

I drape the sack over the top of the ghost as it flickers around.

I hand one of the remaining two sacks to Elia.

“Hold this.”

“What am I supposed to do with this?”

“When we’re escaping, grab anything nearby. Anything will do.”

“…What? Escaping?”

I silently point upward in response to Elia’s question.

She frowns and looks in that direction.

“What is it? It’s just the sky.”

I then silently point to a large moving dot in the center of that sky.

“Can you see that?”

“Yes.”

“That’s an eyeball.”

“…What?”

While Elia questions in confusion, I check my watch.

One minute remaining.

‘I should make it in time.’

I may not be a scientist, but in this world built on the game system, my actions have proven correct multiple times.

This should be safe.

“What do you mean? How can that be an eyeball—”

Elia was about to ask but then closed her mouth.

She must have seen the sky’s color change momentarily before returning to normal.

It was probably caused by some creature blinking.

In other words.

What looks like the sky now is the “white” part of some creature’s eye.

And the “eyeball” that looks like a huge dot.

Is staring right at us.

“Oh, you’ve got to be—!”

With an ear-splitting roar, the “sky” was pushed away.

[A crisis situation is detected.]

[It is judged to be a direct threat to life.]

[Skill: Desperate Situation is applied at EX rank.]

More precisely, the “beast of the Otherworld” that detected us is pulling its head back and then approaching us with its mouth wide open.

‘…This is why the Otherworld is hell.’

That’s a “mob” in this world.

A creature at the bottom of the food chain.

“T-Teacher, th-this is f-fucking—!”

Elia drew her sword while saying that.

Her whole body is trembling. Tears are welling up in her eyes.

“G-Get behind me!”

“…Is it safer over there?”

“You saved me last time! This time, I’ll… um…!”

“…”

Yes. I understand your feelings. Thank you.

That courage and mental strength to think of fighting first, regardless of who the opponent is, is admirable. I applaud it.

But with our current specs, fighting that thing would be suicide.

“Calm down. We didn’t come here to fight that thing.”

I say that while reminding her of the sack I gave her earlier.

Our bodies, which had been soaring upward endlessly, were just starting to lose momentum.

All that’s left is to free-fall downward.

“From now on, catch anything that falls.”

“F-Falls?! What do you mean?”

“That.”

I point to the white lumps pouring out from inside the mouth of the Otherworld beast.

“Grab as many as you can. They’re extremely useful.”

“I-Is this really the time to worry about such things?!”

Despite my instructions, she screamed like that.

She seems to be saying how can I focus on such things when our lives are in danger. She’s not wrong.

‘…But I really need them.’

That’s why I spent 1,000 points to buy two more sacks.

They’re incredibly useful.

Besides, if my calculations are correct, we’re not in a deadly situation right now.

‘Ah, right.’

Maybe I should use this now.

[Using Skill: Dominion of Evil.]

[Exercising command authority on target ‘Elia’.]

“Calm down. It’s okay.”

As soon as I said that, her trembling stopped completely.

“…Huh?”

It’s an appearance that’s impossible to imagine from someone who was crying and terrified just a moment ago.

She seems confused by her own sudden change.

‘The effect is better than I thought?’

I was hesitant because the word “command” was a bit ambiguous, but just my saying “calm down” was enough to erase even her fear for her life.

I’m not sure how far specific action instructions would go, but the compulsion is clearly extraordinary.

“Are you calm now?”

“…Um, yes, yes. Somehow. Wait, what?”

“Then catch those falling things.”

I hand her the sack again.

“We really need them. Understand? We’re actually quite safe right now.”

“…”

Elia looked at me as if to say “what kind of person are you,” but instead of answering, I keep checking my watch.

10 seconds remaining.

The beast’s mouth is getting closer and closer. Its speed is terrifyingly fast, faster than our falling speed, but because of that, the white lumps falling from it seem to be falling quickly as well.

“…I don’t get it, really. Who is this person to be so calm in this situation?”

With a half-enlightened expression, she follows my lead and opens her sack to catch the falling white lumps.

And so, for a brief moment, the bizarre scene continued: while a creature larger than a mountain was coming to devour us, we were catching objects falling from it with our sacks.

About 9 seconds or so.

“So, what’s the plan?! It’s right in front of us now!”

That would have a dual meaning.

Above us is the beast’s wide-open mouth, and below us is the ground.

Death by physical energy below. Death by being eaten above.

Still, there’s no need for a plan or anything.

“Just. Watch your ankles.”

Don’t sprain them.

You’re the protagonist, aren’t you? You’re precious.

“What?!”

The final second.

As the watch sounds its alarm, the world that was full of colors as if covered with filters returns to normal.

We’re being forcibly expelled because the “entry permit” that allowed us into the Otherworld has expired.

“Here… we go.”

At the same time, I “gently” land on the ground that had approached right in front of us.

When you’re expelled from another world after using up your time like this, you’re treated as “newly created” at that coordinate.

In other words, in the current situation, only the physical energy equivalent to jumping from a two-story building applies to me and Elia.

Thud, thud. The sounds echoed in succession.

“…”

“…”

Leaving Elia, who was looking around with a dumbfounded expression, I check the contents of my sack.

[Ghost of the Gregorian Building]

[Item: Epic]

[A thought form with the soul of a legendary figure. When applied to equipment, you can contact that person.]

[Ectoplasm Lump] x3

[Material: Special]

[An unidentified substance secreted only by creatures of the Otherworld. Certain properties can be maximized depending on the catalyst.]

That’s right.

The Ghost of the Gregorian Building will be used as material for my exclusive equipment, and the Ectoplasm Lumps can be used as material for the “cannon” I commissioned from Percy.

‘…Not bad.’

Although it was dangerous, this is quite a good harvest.

“Teacher.”

As I was thinking that, Elia, who had been trembling beside me, spoke up.

“…Don’t tell me, you planned all this from the beginning?”

“Huh? What?”

“I mean, going up to the Otherworld, obtaining that unidentified something, being chased by something, and safely like this, I don’t understand the principle, but anyway, did you know all this would happen from the beginning?”

“…Of course?”

Why wouldn’t I do it if I knew?

Among Serath veterans, this is quite a famous technique known as the “Gregorian Ghost Early Farming Method.” It’s relatively easy to do if the conditions are met.

It’s widely used because you can also obtain the high-grade material, ectoplasm, as an additional bonus.

“Then why didn’t you tell me from the beginning?”

“…Maybe because you wouldn’t have come with me if I had told you?”

Yeah.

I’m sorry, but that’s really the case.

I was confident it would be safe, but who would come if they knew they’d have such a spectacular experience?

“…Then why did you need me in the first place?”

“I was short-handed.”

“What?”

“I needed to fill at least 3 sacks of this white stuff, and I didn’t have enough hands by mys—”

[Target ‘Elia’ is influenced by you to feel intense anger toward target ‘Darwood’!]

[A negative influence is imprinted!]

[A receivable reward is given!]

[Skill: Dominion of Evil is activated. You gain 1 command authority that can be used on the target!]

“…”

Hmm.

The command authority is refilled as soon as it’s used.

Is this a bug?

“Just for, merely, for such a thing, to go through this hell-like experience, hah, hahaha…”

Trembling, Elia glares at me.

The focus in her eyes had disappeared.

…Scary.

“I’m sorry. I’ll apologize.”

“If everything could be resolved with verbal apologies, why would the world need laws—!”

“I’ll do one thing you ask, whatever it is.”

It’s the promise I made when this person apologized to me before.

I should return the favor at least once.

Indeed, as soon as she heard this, Elia, who was about to burst into anger, momentarily hesitated.

“…Anything?”

“Anything.”

She awkwardly scratched her cheek.

Then she pouted and held out her pinky finger to me.

“Then promise me.”

“Huh?”

“Pinky promise with thumb press. Promise.”

“…”

What are you, a child?

But since she asked, I silently comply.

After hooking my pinky finger with hers and pressing our thumbs together, she smiled brightly.

‘…She lets me off just for this.’

Should I call her simple?

“…Heh. You really are similar.”

“Hm?”

“I used to do this often with my brother back then.”

After saying that, Elia quickly moved away from me.

Her face was still smiling brightly.

“…Whenever I see you, sir, I just want to do things like this.”

But.

That last sentence, undoubtedly.

Was mixed with all sorts of complex emotions.

●

‘…He really is a strange person.’

Watching Darwood disappear with his sacks bundled up, saying he had somewhere to go, Elia turned her gaze to her own hand.

It was the pinky finger she had just hooked with Darwood. His warmth still lingered.

She fiddles with that part for no reason.

“…”

She silently recalled the situation from earlier.

When an unidentified giant monster was approaching her with its mouth wide open.

‘I calmed down instantly.’

Even though I was so scared.

Even though I felt like I was going to die.

When that man told me to calm down, that it would be okay.

It really felt that way.

Like a sentence digging deep into my heart.

‘It’s strange. Strange strange strange.’

On the surface, he seems like an insensitive person. He seems to just blurt out words carelessly.

But if you stay by his side for a while, you’d realize he always sees what others can’t.

And above all.

At crucial moments, he often does things that stick firmly in people’s hearts.

‘Is he a bit similar?’

The brother who remained in her heart was always a damn blood relative.

Mischievous, insensitive, usually only capable of playing silly pranks, and sometimes making her wonder if there could be anyone as dumb as him.

But, at the same time.

No matter what adversity came, he would always stand up and overcome it.

No matter how strong the opponent, he would never compromise.

And above all.

Whenever she was in danger, he would always rush to save her.

He was her only hero in the world.

Didn’t he always say something like that?

‘Calm down. It’s okay.’

Like that.

“…”

And, strangely enough.

After experiencing the situation earlier, from that man Darwood, she vaguely recalled that person—

“Aaaaaaah!”

Elia let out a scream and slapped both her cheeks with her hands.

‘I’m crazy, I’m crazy!’

How dare she compare her brother with that man!

He’s someone else’s man to begin with! He said he likes the Tristan Duchess! It’s disrespectful to her brother to make such an inappropriate comparison with someone involved with such a damn family!

“So annoying! Teacher, you’re so damn annoying!”

Yes. That person is annoying!

-Calm down. It’s okay.

“…”

When she recalled that voice that had pierced her ears earlier, her voice momentarily subsided. Still, Elia shook her head vigorously and shouted again with a loud voice.

“I really hate you, Teacher!”

Elia’s shout, with her face completely flushed, echoed around the area.

It was as if she was trying to forcibly push away the voice coming from within herself.

●

“Aaaaaaah!”

“So annoying! Teacher, you’re so damn annoying!”

“I really hate you, Teacher!”

“…”

As I’m dragging the sack, such echoes resound from far away.

‘How angry is she…?’

Next time, yes. I should properly apologize.

Otherwise, I might really die…?

[Target ‘Elia’s’ affection has greatly increased!]

[Affection level has been elevated to ‘Interest Level 4’!]

[Additional receivable rewards are added!]

[Rewards are reduced due to the target being a Good-aligned character!]

“…”

I don’t understand why this is appearing in the meantime.

No.

Why are you really appearing?

●