Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 64
Chapter Title: Codex Reinforcement
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Most gamers know this. The true highlight of a game isn't seeing the ending, fully mapping it out, or equipping top-tier gear.
Sure, you could argue it's limited to online games, but surprisingly, even Innocent Saga was the same—at least for the hardcore veterans who'd cleared the story multiple times.
When you already know exactly where and how to get epic weapons or unique items, your only bragging rights on the forums are clearing it with a gimmick party or succeeding at enhancements.
'The only weapon Adelian, who can't acquire any special traits, can properly wield is the codex.'
No point in getting a decent weapon if this body can't handle it right.
In that sense, the codex—known as the strongest low-level weapon—is something else. Its advantage is that it barely uses mana and lets you cast the enchanted spells directly.
But it has downsides too. It only has about 200 pages, and using too powerful a spell destroys the page afterward.
In other words, the stronger the spell you use to help the party, the fewer pages you'll have left out of those 200—whether it's a 1st-class spell or a 9th-class one, each takes up a single page.
'Enhancement is the only way.'
I slowly opened my mouth while staring at the expressionless Bahadi.
"Take care of this for me."
Crafting for dwarves, enhancements for elves.
I recited a line that had flashed by during the Innocent Saga loading screen, then pulled out the codex, floated it in the air, spun it on my fingertip, and shrugged.
"How many enhancements do you think it'll take?"
Bahadi reached out at my question, grabbed the hovering codex, pulled it toward her, and examined it closely.
"It's hard to understand."
"What is?"
I gulped down the cold tea like it was spring water, watching her narrow her eyes suspiciously.
"You're clearly not acting from knowledge, yet things keep turning out in your favor in this bizarre way."
Her pale hand gripped the codex tightly. She was expressionless as always, but now her eyes seemed to glint with coldness.
I met her gaze and flashed a wide, toothy grin.
"I don't read minds or anything. Spit it out properly."
"I'll reintroduce myself. I am a high elf and elder of the elves. And the owner of the Starlight Spring."
Bahadi took a deep breath before glaring at me intensely.
"And the Starlight Spring is a place that alters the rank of objects. Few know that."
You've been targeting me from the start?
I burst out laughing at her words, rested my chin on my hand, and let out a relaxed breath.
"Bahadi, that's what I call it. Overinflated sense of self-importance."
As if I'd know what the Starlight Spring even is. It probably got wiped out when the ruins here exploded anyway.
Since it doesn't appear in the game, Bahadi most likely died back then too, nine times out of ten.
"Plus, you're saying the raid was some self-staged drama of mine? How highly do I have to value you to even suggest that?"
What a shameless reversal. Who got us raided, had Kane killing people, and got blood on my own hands?
Sure, the floaty high kept my mental damage at zero, and Kane doesn't seem fazed either, but that's not the point.
"This is the first time I've killed anyone with my own hands. Is that really something to say to my face right now?"
Ruby's group briefly crossed my mind, but it's a bit different. Back then, I collapsed the labyrinth with magic—the debris took care of them. I didn't kill them directly.
This time, though, I actively backed Kane up, so yeah, first time.
I openly feigned distress, looked down at my hands, then swept my face. Bahadi's expressionless face twitched before she slowly bowed her head.
"...It's the truth. I'm sorry. My apologies for my rudeness this time, and for the responsibility of the information leak."
Is this that elf truth-seeing eye from subculture tropes?
As if confirming my words weren't lies, Bahadi looked at me and continued.
"I'll take responsibility. I'll alter this codex's rank for you. And separately, as a personal gesture of atonement, I'll offer compensation."
At her words, I slowly extended my thumb, index, and middle fingers, wiggling them in front of her eyes.
"Minimum three times."
Most enhancements add an option at 3, 5, or 7.
"You have to make at least three successful enhancements."
Bahadi's head nodded up and down, staring at me like she was wondering if I really knew what I was talking about.
* * *
"Three days from now."
I scooped a spoonful of Cobb salad into my mouth and glanced at Zero.
"How's the taste? I tweaked the dressing ratio a bit."
I just gave Zero a thumbs-up without a word in response to her question, her eyes tense. Only then did her face light up with a bright smile, and I spoke.
"So in three days, Zero heads to the elf grand elder?"
"Probably. We came here for three main goals to begin with."
At Luna's question, I decided to share part of my plan, figuring it worked out well.
"First off, according to my foresight."
Kane shot me a look like it was utter nonsense, but I stubbornly pushed the foresight angle with a grin.
"Zero will awaken at least one more trait here. Awakening Zero's abilities and gathering intel on doppelgangers is goal one."
I tore off a strip of the chewy flatbread—it looked appetizing—dipped it thoroughly in beef stew, and continued.
"Obtaining an artifact from the hidden ruins to protect my body is two."
The rich meat sauce flavor spread in my mouth. The bread was chewy enough on its own that even dunked in stew, it didn't dissolve into mush.
"And three is awakening the golem there and adding it to our party."
As I pressed the underside of my fork into the stew's tender beef, which yielded softly, and took a bite, Zero and Luna's eyes widened in surprise as they spoke.
"A golem, you say?"
"As a party member?"
While those two were shocked, Kane calmly sipped his wine and spoke.
"Well, considering standard party compositions, our setup is a bit off-kilter right now."
"Exactly. From what I know, unbalanced parties aren't ideal."
If you're settling in a city or village, maybe, but when delving into hidden ruins, dungeons, and facing monsters everywhere you go, a party is essential.
Of course, the truly powerful can roam the continent solo, but for average folk, you have to watch out for monster packs and human ones too.
So unless you're settling in one spot and operating locally, a minimum four-person party is recommended for traveling around.
And taking it further, you properly build based on weapons and roles.
Four people who only know swords is less stable than mixing in at least one support or magic user.
'Though honestly, with just Kane, our front line is basically covered.'
That's just for regular adventurer parties.
I'm planning to fill Kane's party with ruler-class members and balance it out.
Gadia alone—without me—would be the future Kruger family head, a rear-guard magical archer by trade, and a noble with all sorts of imperial perks from her bloodline.
What more to say about Rahel? Dragons are one-man armies—no, one-city forces—and I later learned she's a dragon lord too.
Even Zero, who seems so innocently sweet, is a doppelganger lord with untapped potential, and Luna fulfills her role as Luna.
'So at minimum, we need a tank and a mage-type. Moss golem is a must-pick.'
Truth be told, I'd love a strategist too, but that'd mean spilling most of my plans and explaining why I'm pushing Kane so hard.
Whether they believe in the apocalypse or not, it's a problem either way.
No guarantee they won't waver before that massive future. God's contract isn't foolproof, and relationships held only by contracts don't last forever.
'What can you do? Accept them as party members, suffer together, rage at the evil god cult together, and eventually we'll be on the same path.'
In short, surround Kane with people who'll bend to my tastes to a degree, while ensuring they bring their own strength and influence.
Back to square one. Instead of overly competent units, build the main party—that hopeless communication-disordered crew.
That was best.
"Zero and I clearly aren't front-liners by any stretch, and even Kane and Luna as front-liners are more DPS and sub-DPS."
Everyone nodded or looked at me in agreement.
"So we need a proper tank."
Truth is, aside from the communication issues, the main party's balance was pretty perfect. If pickable, pick it up.
"If the young master says so, I'm already curious."
"But Adelian, don't golems need someone to control them? Or were they limited to simple commands? That's what the books say."
At Zero's sudden question, I took a sip of wine to wet my throat and smiled.
"Ah, no worries there. It's a golem that can't be made with this era's magic tech."
That's what the unit description said, so it should be fine.
Same reason I pushed Bahadi hard.
I learned not to blindly trust game or source material, but blatant unit descriptions and in-text lore shouldn't flip.
'No one entered for a thousand years. The first condition was harsh for elves. Only the purest humans could enter. The nation with the spirit forest had not a single soul without fairy blood.'
Something like that in the source, I think.
No idea how the evil god cult figured out the secret, but the condition was simple once you knew.
Pure human blood, utterly untainted by aini race.
Sounds easy at first. Would be meaningless if the ruins were in the empire.
'But this is a nation flowing with fairy blood, and the ruins were their secret.'
Even if they'd shared with ruin-exploring scholars, it might've been easier, but elves kept it secret and researched among themselves for a millennium—no way it'd open.
Would they even consult humans midway? Absolutely not.
"Sometimes I wonder what the young master is thinking."
I was rocking in a chair by the campfire, organizing my thoughts, when Luna slipped over with cookies and tea.
"Curious?"
"Yes."
I had those thoughts too sometimes.
Kane's a genius. Couldn't he devise even grander plans than me, a mere immersion otaku?
So maybe I should spill everything. Lately I've even been chatting well with everyone, I think.
"Senior Kane... this is too much."
"You need to build stamina for this much."
Watching him train Zero, he really seems human now.
Still, I keep it to myself so they can enjoy a bit of peace.
And when I consider telling them, that subtle sense of wrongness hits.
That's my excuse. If Kane knowing everything would fix it all, Rahel wouldn't have brought me here.
Assumption.
"I'll tell you someday."
Luna beamed and replied with a firm "Yes!"
Showing Kane the future would've been way more profitable than dragging me from another world—my being here means something else.
'Right, Rahel?'
I gulped down the tea—sweet-bitter aroma but flavorless as water—and rocked the chair.
"Ugh, ack!"
You're dying, you're dying.
Watching Kane lap the courtyard again, prodding Zero along, I tossed out a line.
"Kane, don't work Zero too hard. Gotta impress the grand elder."
Dragging in a limp chick like that gonna fly?