Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Episode 56
‘Outer Being’
I should have recognized it. I did recognize it.
I knew its characteristics, its nature, its purpose.
But I was too careless.
I lacked the proper mindset.
Knowing something through a game screen and seeing it in person were vastly different.
“Tell me. What do you see?”
“…”
A person.
A woman, screaming in agony.
But I couldn't say it.
There were two types of “Outer Beings.”
A small number of powerful ones, and the rest.
The powerful ones hadn't crossed the rift yet, so they weren’t a concern. The problem was the rest.
They were incomplete beings, instinctively seeking to fill their void.
So, how would these beings, lacking even basic rationality, complete themselves?
Simple.
By killing a complete being and wearing its shell.
The monster before me was…
…one of the innocent citizens of the Chrysos Kingdom.
It might be in this form now, but it would have originally taken the form of the person it killed.
The shell had simply rotted away over time.
What if this became known?
What would happen if people learned that this monster could devour others and mimic their appearance?
The way other nations treated Chrysos might change.
They might invade Chrysos, burn it to the ground, and erase everything that remained.
Then what about Eleanor?
What would happen to her, the girl who came to Scientia hoping to rebuild her kingdom?
Assuming she would overcome it just because she was the protagonist was naive.
“…”
I saw a woman screaming in agony.
And a dog, clinging to her, desperately trying to fill its void.
No one could hear or see the woman’s cries and struggles.
There was no one to help her, now that she was dead.
I knew this wasn't the time, but I couldn't look away.
Even though I shouldn't forget who I was standing before.
Even though this was Tia's test, to gauge my reaction.
“I…see a dog.”
Damn it, my hesitation created a gap in my response.
I had anticipated this question and had prepared an answer since it had ultimately taken the form of a “dog” in the game, but now, there was no way to avoid suspicion.
“Really?”
But Tia’s reaction was a little different. She seemed to have noticed my lie, but she didn't seem intent on pressing me.
“…Are you just going to let it go?”
This wasn’t like her.
The Tia I knew hated being lied to.
Moreover, the current situation was disastrous, no matter how you looked at it.
It wouldn’t be strange if she tried to pry open my mind and see the truth for herself.
“Well, still…” Tia said, scratching her cheek as if troubled.
“I can’t bring myself to torment a kid who’s so terrified he’s gone pale.”
“Excuse me?”
Surprised by Tia’s words, I touched my face.
I didn’t know what kind of expression I was making.
“I don’t know what you saw, but I won’t force you to talk about it if it’s uncomfortable.”
“Even though that could lead to a fatal misjudgment?”
The Tia I knew was a perfectionist who wanted to resolve things cleanly and without any lingering doubts.
“Yes, that would be unpleasant. And infuriating.”
“Then why…?”
“Because the situation is different.”
Tia tossed the “Outer Being” back into the coffin, spread her wings, and floated towards me.
Then, she patted my head as if I were a child.
It was unsettling, but I couldn't bring myself to brush her hand away.
“The appearance of this monster isn't your fault.”
“…”
“This is different from the Gerard incident. I’m not a bad dragon who persecutes even witnesses, let alone suspects.”
“…You shouldn't persecute suspects either.”
“That’s because you always piss me off.”
Tia, who had been patting my head, balled her hand into a fist and lightly punched my head.
It felt like I was back in school. Despite her appearance, she was still an adult.
“More importantly, why a ‘dog’? Of all things, why a dog?”
“…Because that’s the closest form to the monster’s true nature.”
As far as I knew, “Outer Beings” weren’t inherently monsters.
They were beings who, for some reason, had lost their origin.
That's why they devoured other beings, to fill that void.
But even that was a temporary measure.
Even if they stitched the rotting corpses onto themselves, it would eventually fade away.
They would lose their form, constantly changing, until they eventually reverted to their original, incomplete state.
Pitiful creatures, unable to change even if they wanted to.
“So, you weren’t completely lying. That’s good enough.”
Tia nodded and called the researchers waiting outside back into the lab.
“Now then…”
Tia, having gathered the researchers, extended her hand towards the coffin once more.
And before opening it again, she turned to me and asked,
“What do you want to do?”
Tia was asking if I wanted to continue.
Considering what she’d just said, my complexion must still be pale.
She was being considerate.
“I’m feeling a bit tired, so I’ll excuse myself.”
“Alright, you can go.”
I bowed to Tia and Professor Aira and headed out of the lab.
I’d accomplished my goal of confirming the “Outer Being.”
Just as I was about to leave,
“You look like you’ve seen a ghost, Oz. No, since you’re here as a fellow researcher, I should call you ‘Heir.’”
Someone spoke to me.
A typical mage, with a long white beard and a large wooden staff.
“Do you have something to say to me, Professor Prudence?”
Prudence Loa, the elder mage who taught advanced magic.
I’d encountered him a few times, during the entrance exam and practical training.
He hadn't played a significant role in the game, but his passionate eyes left a lasting impression.
“Well, I just wanted to express my support for you, Heir.”
Openly declaring his support for me, even within Scientia, wasn't normal.
He knew I was on bad terms with the Magic Kingdom of Spellerge, so there was only one reason for him to say such a thing.
“You seem dissatisfied with the current state of Spellerge.”
Instead of answering, Prudence Loa gave me an unpleasant smile.
His intentions were clear.
He was a madman. Behind the benevolent smile of an old professor, he harbored a dangerous passion.
Dealing with people like him was only detrimental, so it was best to ignore him.
“I believe life is a constant struggle,” he said as I passed by him, leaving the lab.
“You’ll understand what I mean soon enough, Heir.”
After leaving the lab, I headed towards the training grounds near my dorm, which was essentially a desolate field.
Confirming the enemy’s presence was enough for now.
There was nothing I could do inside anyway.
But…
“This is unsettling.”
I touched my face, but I still couldn’t tell what my expression or complexion was like.
Only irritation and unease remained, weighing me down.
Prudence Loa’s strange words were also bothering me.
“Let’s leave that aside for now…”
The important thing was how to alter the course of Chapter 3.
As far as I knew, Eleanor was the only one who could perceive the true nature of the “Outer Being.”
But I knew that wasn’t true anymore.
Hadn't my [Contemplation] clearly seen through it?
That meant at least one other person could also perceive it.
Lucia Domine.
“This is confusing.”
The story of Broken Sky mostly unfolded from Eleanor’s perspective. So, it made sense that there would be gaps in perception.
But actually discovering those gaps gave me a headache.
“But…”
A thought suddenly occurred to me.
Main story Chapter 3.
The main point was the first encounter with the “Outer Beings,” but there was one more thing I needed to be concerned about.
Eleanor, perhaps due to the power of her Key, or perhaps because she was from the Chrysos Kingdom,
…could see the Outer Being's true nature.
That it was a person.
Having realized this, Eleanor couldn't bring herself to kill the monster.
Then who was the one who took care of that pitiful monster in her stead?
“What were you thinking?”
The person who eradicated the “Outer Being” with overwhelming power in Eleanor’s place.
[SSR Successor of the Mage King]
Oz Quabadis
What was going through his mind in Chapter 3, when he first appeared?
As the [Erosion Rate] increased, I began to understand.
Like most game characters, Oz wasn't a cruel person, despite his cold and aloof exterior.
“Just what were you thinking…?”
What was going through his mind when he ended that monster's life?
He must have also seen a person screaming in agony.
And yet, he acted decisively, without hesitation.
He was an enigma.
“Sigh…”
I still didn't know for sure.
Oz was Oz, and I was me.
I couldn't follow Oz’s methods, and he couldn't follow mine.
Then the course of action was clear.
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]
[1/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
Slowly, steadily, step by step, little by little, surely, I would do what I could, in my own way.
I would refine the crude plans I could come up with.
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]
[8/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
Lacking power?
I just had to fill this damned stack.
Then I could at least unleash a decent amount of power.
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]
[23/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
Lacking a plan?
Then I just had to consider more possibilities.
I just had to prepare for every worst-case scenario I could imagine.
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]
[46/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
Lacking the right mindset?
I just had to witness it with my own eyes and steel my resolve.
I just had to keep visiting the lab, facing that monster, that horrifying truth, and endure.
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]
[87/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
My greatest weapon.
Time to prepare.
“Damn it…”
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]
[1/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
“Sigh…”
[Mana Dominator Lv. 2]
[2/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
And the tenacity to try again and again.
As long as it wasn't a complete game over, I could always try again.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
Time passed, and the night sky filled with twinkling stars.
The area around my dorm had long been devastated by my magic.
And today’s important achievement:
[3/100 until guaranteed SSR-rank magic]
Three stacks.
The result was pathetic compared to my efforts.
I felt like crying.
“I’m seriously out of mana…”
Yes, I was out of mana.
I had to stop practicing because I’d depleted my reserves.
I’d pushed myself out of stubbornness, but the exhaustion was so severe that I couldn’t even train my combat skills.
If I didn’t pace myself, it would affect not only the results but also the efficiency of my training.
More than anything, I desperately hoped the developers of this game would die a painful death.
“Excuse me…”
As I looked up at the sky, exhausted, someone spoke to me.
I turned my head towards the voice and met a pair of dark gray eyes.
The one who had obtained a portion of [Death King]’s power along with half of the Key.
[KP Death King]
Marie Sistus
She was looking down at me with a gloomy expression.
“Are you okay?”
“Uh…yeah.”
Judging by your expression, you’re not exactly in a position to worry about others.
And where did she even come from?
I was genuinely surprised.
There were very few times I hadn’t sensed someone approaching with [Contemplation] activated.
I wouldn't miss someone unless they were as skilled as Discreet or Alexios.
“Well, in a way, you’re similar.”
“Huh?”
“That’s a compliment.”
Her power could also be considered SSR-rank.
She was the daughter of the [Death King], after all.
“Well, thanks?”
“So, what are you doing here?”
“I saw you earlier… You looked pale, and you ignored me when I called out to you, so I followed you because I was worried…”
“…R-Really? Sorry.”
Maybe I just didn't notice her.
“No, it’s okay. Watching you practice magic was fun.”
“You were watching me the whole time?”
“Uh…yeah.”
If I ignored her after she called out to me, I would have been in the wrong.
But wasn’t it a bit creepy to just silently stare at someone?
It was difficult to describe, so I didn't know how to react.
“How have you been?”
Come to think of it, the last time I talked to Marie was when she visited me at the infirmary.
Now that she was free from [Death King], she must have been busy enjoying her freedom.
“Ugh.”
“Are you…crying?”
Seeing Marie’s tearful face, I understood.
She wasn’t doing well.
“Did you have a fight with a friend?”
“No…it’s not that.”
“Then?”
Marie clutched her twintails and mumbled,
“Oz…am I…useless?”
“You have some nerve saying that after someone risked their life to save you.”
“S-Sorry…”
“I’m kidding. Tell me what’s wrong.”
She was proof that fate could be twisted.
I’d saved her, so I might as well provide some aftercare.
“During class, the professor told us to form groups with our close friends…”
I felt a lump forming in my throat.
I could already guess what she was about to say, and it pained me.
It was a common, yet painful, story of youth: being left alone because you had no friends.
“Groups of four. But when my friends and I get together, there are five of us…”
“…This story is going to hurt more than I thought.”
Being left out because you had no friends to begin with was one thing.
But being the one left out of a group of five when they had to choose four…that was far more painful.
“That’s when I realized…I’m just…extra…”
…I shouldn't have asked.