Chapter 63: Anomaly (5)
Chapter 63: Anomaly (5)
H&A is an RPG.
I’ve played H&A for a long time, but I’ve been playing the RPG genre itself for much longer.
And there are a few chronic habits—obsessions, really—that every core RPG player possesses.
For instance, the compulsion to always turn around at the starting point to see if there’s anything hidden behind you.
The compulsion to talk to every single NPC you can interact with.
And the compulsion to complete every sub-quest before entering the final battle.
…Listing them out like this makes RPG players sound like they have actual clinical OCD.
Anyway, one of the most deep-seated obsessions for an RPG player is hoarding potions.
This is linked to a bizarre compulsion where the better the potion’s performance, the more you save it—until you end up not using it even in the final boss fight because you were "saving it for later."
As you reach the late game, your gold increases exponentially. However, you’ve long since graduated from shop-bought items.
Ultimately, to get better gear, you have to grind or complete high-difficulty quests.
By that point, whether it’s grinding or a high-difficulty quest, you’re going to be in combat, so potions are essential.
But since you have to save the good potions, you reach the conclusion that you should just buy a massive amount of the potions available in shops.
After all, you have gold to burn.
So, every time you stop by a shop, you buy potions in bulk, and then you buy every other variety just in case a specific problem arises…
Before you know it, even if you aren't preparing for a high-difficulty quest, you find yourself hoarding every kind of consumable to the limit.
In H&A, the inventory allows you to stack up to 100 items of the same type, making it very convenient for bulk hoarding.
Well… I suppose people who have never played an RPG might not relate to this.
“H-How many potions did you even buy?! And they’re all Advanced-grade or higher!”
“I’m the type of person who takes first-aid supplies very seriously.”
“This isn't ‘first-aid supplies’! This is a military stockpile!”
Elisha shrieked, completely forgetting her usual formal honorifics as she stared at the pile of potions at my feet.
Seeing a side of her I’d never seen before, I suppressed the urge to laugh and dropped the rest of the potions.
“Those were Healing Potions.”
Clatter.
“These are Vitality Potions.”
Clatter.
“I have Mana Potions, too.”
Clatter.
“Oh, and these are Antidote Potions and Paralysis Recovery Potions I prepared just in case. Some of those things use poison.”
Like that snake I first encountered, or that creature I met at the end with the traits of a duck or a raccoon or whatever.
I briefly recalled the grotesque appearance of the clones.
Elisha, watching the colorful potion bottles roll around, began to stammer and started pummeling my shoulder.
“W-Where did you get all these…? No, more importantly, if you put this much into a Subspace Pocket, there shouldn't be room for anything else!”
“Well… it’s actually a secret, but…”
I leaned toward Elisha’s long ear and whispered that this wasn't actually a Subspace Pocket, but an Authority of the gods I had obtained while clearing a dungeon.
It was the same lie I had told Carla before.
Elisha nodded at this.
“If it’s a God’s Grace, that makes sense. There are still many things about them that remain undiscovered.”
“Exactly. Since I happened to get a spacious subspace, I felt it would be a waste to leave it empty, so I tend to carry a lot of things like potions.”
“…Calling this ‘a lot’ feels like an understatement, but regardless, you saved us.”
Elisha seemed genuinely worried about the wounded, as she glanced at the people she had brought and let out a sigh of relief.
Then, she continued in a serious tone.
“Yandel, I already suspected you weren't a commoner from the moment I saw you owned the fallen Carla as a slave.”
“I do happen to have quite a bit of money.”
When I shrugged and acted nonchalant, Elisha waved her hand as if telling me to cut the crap.
“Are you changing the subject even though you know I’m not talking about the amount of potions? Well, fine. I only have one question to ask.”
“What is it that requires such a buildup?”
“Yandel. You said this attack was orchestrated by an Archbishop of the Confused Unity, right?”
“Yes.”
“What do you plan to do now?”
“I’m going to kill him.”
“You said he’s an Archbishop.”
“Which is exactly why he needs to die even more, don't you think?”
“…You have a plan, right?”
Elisha seemed taken aback by my firm answer. I gave her a smirk.
“Of course I do.”
“Fine. I’ll listen to what you have to say, including that plan. If it’s reasonable, I will also help you with everything I have.”
“I’d appreciate the help, Lady Glenziel. Oh, but wait a second. I still have more to take out.”
“What? There are more potions?”
Thud.
“Ah.”
Elisha stared blankly at the bundle of scrolls that fell onto the pile of potions.
“Don't tell me… you have these by type, too…”
Thud. Thud.
“…….”
*
While treating Elisha’s group, we shared what we had learned so far.
As we spoke, Elisha’s eyes, which had been looking at me like I was some kind of Treasure Goblin, gradually calmed down.
“I see why you thought about fighting instead of running, Yandel. I thought it was because you were a follower of the Light… but it turns out this path simply has a higher chance of survival.”
“…Is this about what you said before, about me wanting to get sponsorship from the Righteous Light?”
“Is there any other reason? Hmph! Well, it’s for the best. If we wrap this up successfully, any Church will be more than willing to sponsor you.”
Elisha’s tone was a bit sharp, as if she was still bothered by me rejecting her previous sponsorship offer.
However, whenever I thought of the battle scenes I’d seen from Helena, I couldn't help but shake my head.
“It’s true that I believe the only good cultist is a dead cultist, but I’m not on the level of the priests of the Light.”
Those people are completely insane. Their level is different from my performative madness.
Wait, is it just Helena who reacts so intensely to cultists and monsters?
I briefly shuddered at the memory of Helena tearing enemies apart with her bare hands.
Elisha blinked her blue eyes and countered my denial.
“I don't know. You’ve been living your Academy life without showing your true abilities, yet you’ve stepped up to the front lines like this to catch a man named Edmerec. Isn't that enough to cause a misunderstanding?”
“Hey now. I wasn't really trying to hide anything. I just didn't have a reason to show it.”
“If you say so, I’ll take your word for it. Though I’m not sure what others might think.”
At Elisha’s meaningful words, I reflexively looked toward where Helena was.
When our eyes met, Helena gave me a bright smile despite the situation.
In her golden eyes, I could see a deep sense of affection and respect for a comrade.
No… don't look at me with eyes that see a righteous man who spent his entire fortune to subjugate a cult…!
Seeing me tremble silently, Elisha finally seemed satisfied. She covered her mouth with a fan she had pulled out from somewhere and giggled.
She really carries that fan everywhere.
As I let out a heavy sigh, Elisha spoke.
“Anyway, back to the main point. If what you say is true, Yandel, then striking back at the attacker is indeed safer.”
“Whew… Right. It’s a stroke of luck in our misfortune that our opponent is Edmerec and no one else.”
“I know of Edmerec as well. He’s a very famous cultist.”
“He’s the type who never misses out on any major incident.”
Due to the nature of his abilities, Edmerec is better at guerrilla warfare and terrorism than frontal combat.
And before the Apostles were born… in the early stages of the game, the cults were essentially terrorist organizations.
Naturally, Edmerec had to be famous.
“An immortal who reappears in a different form no matter how many times he’s killed. An unstoppable attacker. A monster that swallows people whole. It is certainly surprising that Edmerec, who carries such terrifying titles, has an easy-to-understand weakness.”
“What’s with those grandiose nicknames? ‘Vomiting Edmerec’ is enough for him. You can just call him the Puker.”
Despite my blunt reply, Elisha didn't react. She simply continued with an incredibly serious face.
“One can find out what kind of abilities he uses through investigation, but a weakness is a different matter. I don't think you lied to me, Yandel, but…”
“But there’s a chance I might be wrong?”
“Exactly. What I’m saying is, I haven't decided yet if I can entrust my life to you.”
Fair enough. Some guy suddenly pops up and says, “Actually, we weren't attacked by ordinary cultists, but by an Archbishop! He’s a legendary terrorist, but I know his secret weakness that no one else knows! So let’s charge!”
If I were in Elisha’s shoes, I’d find it hard to believe too. I might even suspect this guy is a spy trying to lead us all into a trap.
I pondered for a moment on how to gain Elisha’s trust, then pulled a dagger out of my inventory.
Shing.
“This is the Shining Lion Dagger.”
“That’s a grand name. It doesn't look like an ordinary item, either.”
“Of course not. This dagger was made from a fang that the Righteous Light pulled out herself. It’s considered a divine object in the Church of the Righteous Light.”
“What?”
Elisha’s eyes widened at the sudden appearance of a divine object. It was too early to be surprised, though.
“I received it after clearing a dungeon, just like my subspace. And I killed a Bishop of the Confused Unity with this dagger before I even enrolled.”
“…But you couldn't even use magic back then?”
“I couldn't, but Carla could. And this isn't a divine object for nothing. Once a cultist is stabbed, they can't move a muscle.”
“So it was Carla after all…”
Elisha nodded as if she had expected as much. Since she’d already half-guessed it, there was no harm in confirming it myself.
“The Gepp City Guard can testify to the dungeon clear. And Priestess Helena over there will confirm that the Shining Lion Dagger is a divine object.”
“Why are you bringing this up now? Are you telling me to believe you because you have a divine object?”
“No. This is to prove my purity.”
Before Elisha could say anything else, I plunged the Shining Lion Dagger into my other palm.
Stab.
“Urgh…”
“Ya-Yandel?!”
Damn, that hurts like hell. But it’s bearable.
Startled by my sudden self-harm, Elisha quickly grabbed one of the potions on the ground and poured it over the wound.
My palm rapidly regenerated as it pushed the dagger out.
Watching the process, I pulled the dagger out completely and added:
“This dagger has the power to emit light and burn the flesh if it is soaked in the blood of a cultist or a traitor colluding with them.”
“Did you just stab your own hand to show you’re not a traitor?! Are you insane?!”
“I mean… we have plenty of potions here. Stabbing my hand once isn't a big deal.”
“It hurts! People usually don't stab themselves just because it hurts!”
Elisha’s voice naturally rose, as she was genuinely shocked. But it was the easiest and fastest way…
I suppressed my slightly dejected feelings and continued.
“Anyway, I’m not a spy. In fact, I was designated as a public enemy for killing a Bishop. The clones even told me they had found their target.”
“Wait. A public enemy?”
Killing a Bishop is certainly a feat, but it’s not enough to be designated as a public enemy.
The Confused Unity was furious because I had reset all their preparations and killed Pietro, who wasn't destined to die…
But I had to spice things up a bit here.
“Yes, a public enemy. No matter how much an Evil God acts on a whim, they don't designate someone as a public enemy just for killing a Bishop.”
“…Unless they found out something they weren't supposed to know.”
“Like the weakness of a core executive of the Church, for example.”
When I replied with a shrug, Elisha pondered for a moment before letting out a long sigh and nodding.
“Fine. I will trust your words completely, Yandel. But please, don't do something as ignorant as stabbing your hand just because you think I won't believe you.”
“I’ll keep that in mind, Lady Glenziel.”
Elisha, who kept fidgeting with my now-perfectly-healed palm, spoke in a low voice.
“Assuming everything you said is true… I have an idea of where Edmerec might be.”
Elisha looked up and slowly turned her gaze.
Toward the place where the boss of this dungeon, the Giant Evil Rabbit, resided.