172. Artemis
172. Artemis
- 1 -
"Maria Olas reports her return from the expedition, Master."
Maria had departed on the 1st of this month, saying she would prepare a sacrifice for Mire. Now it was the 20th, meaning nearly three weeks had passed.
But the gaze of the woman who had returned from her hunting trip to northern Hysen had grown even more resolute than before.
It was evidence that her abilities had grown considerably.
"You've returned sooner than expected. Hunting a drake couldn't have been easy."
I placed a hand on the shoulder of the kneeling Maria.
From learning the know-how to hunt powerful monsters, to honing her skills in actual combat, to successfully hunting one and returning—
She had accomplished in three weeks what should have taken a full month at least.
She deserved praise.
"I pushed myself with the desire to see you again, Master."
"Not for the sake of your younger sister?"
"No! My feelings for you, Master, are also quite..."
"You do not deny it, though. That's good to see."
I smiled briefly, then looked beyond her.
"...Indeed. So this is the fruit of your and the mercenary company's labor."
Behind her, the corpse of a gigantic beast came into view.
A drake.
A terrestrial, quadrupedal lesser dragon lay there peacefully. Were it not for the single fatal wound driven into its head, it looked as though it were merely asleep.
"You bound its body and dealt with it, I see. I can see the mercenary company's skill at work."
In the center of its head, there was a single groove, deeply caved in as if struck by a siege ram. There was only one hole, but the traces of having been struck multiple times were unmistakable.
Considering that a drake's brain was quite small, it must have taken a great many attempts to kill the creature using this method.
Furthermore, considering that drakes were originally extremely violent and sensitive creatures, I could fully gauge the competence of the mercenary company.
"It is a result achieved thanks to your grace, Master. Daniel's help was substantial."
Listening to her words, a sudden curiosity arose.
"How are things between you and him lately?"
It was about whether he still liked her. Or, how she had answered those feelings.
As I recalled, Daniel had originally liked Maria romantically.
Because of those feelings, Daniel had sacrificed himself for her, and she had not hesitated to devote her own hard work for him in return.
"Ah..."
Her eyes widened for a moment as if startled, but the next instant, a somewhat bitter expression crossed her face.
It was enough to guess what had transpired between them.
"I asked a pointless question."
"No. We decided to remain as good colleagues."
"I see. If it was settled well, then that is that."
It seemed that while mutual loyalty remained, much of the romantic affection between man and woman had faded.
Relationships that last a lifetime inherently required sincerity and sufficient time. Since their bodies had been apart, it was not strange for feelings to have cooled as a matter of course.
In truth, they were feelings that had never even properly begun in the first place.
That was simply how human relationships were.
"A romantic relationship that can be concluded without hurting each other is rare. I hope these words offer you some comfort."
"Thank you. I..."
She bowed politely to me, and at the same time, perhaps wanting to escape this uncomfortable topic, she turned her eyes toward my back.
Whom she was searching for was obvious.
"Mire will be here soon."
"Ah, yes."
On this day Maria had returned, I intended to raise Mire to the Elite grade.
Although the conditions I had set internally to become an Elite-grade Dungeon Lord were still somewhat lacking, it was because I had confirmed through the dungeon status window, in the process of strengthening myself to face Arpina, that several more 'Higher Entity Limits' had been unlocked.
'The system really is convenient.'
It was a fact an ordinary Dungeon Lord could only learn by cautiously performing summons repeatedly. Being able to see it directly with my own eyes and know it right away was certainly reassuring.
Even so, I still didn't feel any gratitude toward those who had given this to me.
- Mire has arrived, having been summoned. Master.
The conversation through the 'Veilkeeper' trait didn't sound as clear as when I communicated via magic.
It felt as if voices were coming from all directions at once. Yet, at the same time, there was a sense of directionality to it—a mysterious sensation, one might say.
"Come in. Greet Maria."
- Ah.
The light in Mire's eyes shook violently as she spotted Maria, who had appeared among the skeletons.
Her gaze alternated between Maria and then me.
Her complex emotions were not easy to read, but what she was thinking right now was obvious.
"You may speak freely."
- Thank you, Master.
"Good. You lot. Place what you brought from the warehouse over this way."
- Yes!!
I turned around, calling the skeletons, and walked forward.
It was to give the sisters time to talk comfortably.
- 2 -
- Thank you.
"Thank you, Master."
Almost simultaneously, the sisters bowed toward their departing master. Libertas gave a silent command with a gesture, as if having witnessed their courtesy, telling them to raise their heads.
The two moved their steps to a more secluded corner. The surrounding skeletons averted their gazes and made room for them.
- I'm not sure if I'm... allowed to call you unni.
As Maria activated the artifact for communication, Mire spoke first.
A voice thick with deep hesitation.
It was an extremely unfamiliar sight for Maria, who remembered the cold, composed demeanor Lemia had shown in life.
"You can call me that as much as you want. Though I'd prefer it over Maria-nim or Maria-ssi, wouldn't I?"
She tried to continue the conversation in her usual cheerful tone, but a subtle tremor was mixed into Maria's voice.
That tremor undermined the ease she intended to convey.
- Thanks.
Mire wiped her sister's face and smiled bitterly inside.
She knew well.
That Maria identified her with Lemia as she had been in life.
As proof, the number of times Maria had properly called her by the name 'Mire' could be counted on one hand.
'I'm no longer the Lemia you knew.'
The feelings the living Lemia had harbored toward Maria had been simple.
Pure affection and respect for her sister. That was all.
But the current Mire was different.
'This feeling isn't normal.'
It was true that her heart grew warm whenever she looked at Maria.
But it was far from pure sisterly love.
Instead of warm affection, a burning obsession and an intense possessive desire had taken its place.
A desire to possess everything of Maria.
Just as Master possessed them, she wanted to make Maria her own.
That desire only grew stronger with each passing day.
- Thank you for going this far for me. Unni.
That was why Mire used that term of address without hesitation.
To make Maria emotionally dependent on her. And to make her her own, while simultaneously making a part of herself belong to Maria as well.
It was a sinister yet simultaneously burning love.
A feeling that had not cooled even beyond death, but rather had grown even more intense.
'I know too. That this child is not Lemia.'
Meanwhile, Maria also understood Mire's situation to some extent. Yet even so, she could not let Mire go.
Originally, the pain of the living who remember the dead is supposed to be healed through forgetting and idealization.
But such solace was not permitted to Maria. Because Mire, who bore the traces of Lemia, was right before her eyes.
Even knowing it was an illusion, she could not let go.
If anything, she was falling deeper into that illusion.
"Le-mi... No, Mire. Is it okay if I hug you...?"
- Of course. Unni.
And so, they embraced each other.
One, to hold onto the phantoms of the past.
The other, to possess the present.
Though their embrace held different meanings, the warmth of it was, at least, genuine.
- 3 -
The sacrifices the skeletons had brought from the warehouse were piled up neatly on the floor.
Skeletal mages and their attending acolytes meticulously arranged the sacrifices with practiced hands.
Their movements were nothing short of reverent, like those of priests.
The quantity of the sacrifices was substantial.
To elevate a monster to the Elite grade, having as many auxiliary sacrifices as possible in addition to the main sacrifice was ideal. Just as a flame needs kindling to become a larger fire.
- Shall we bring more, Master?
I shook my head as I gauged the amount of materials.
Even good things become poison if taken in excess. There was a limit to how much Mire could absorb.
"No, this should be enough. You have all worked hard."
- What hard work! It was nothing.
At that moment, what caught my eye was the skeletons' gazes toward Mire.
The emotion lingering in their blue eye-lights was unmistakably sympathy and envy. It looked as if young knights were observing the investiture ceremony of a senior knight.
A smile touched my lips as I spoke.
"Don't stare so much. Your turns will come soon, too."
- Ah, ah! S-sorry!
"What is there to be sorry for?"
Seeking to establish one's own existence was the instinct of all living beings.
Whether human or undead, envying strength was natural. I too was the same.
"Seek talent. Be diligent. I am watching all of you, and I shall bestow rewards worthy of your efforts."
- Yes!!
The resounding answers of the self-aware skeletons echoed through the cavern.
I saw Mire, who had been approaching from over there, look around, wondering what was happening.
"Come here. Mire."
- Yes. Master.
When I extended my hand, Mire hesitated for a moment as if flustered, then soon began escorting me with restrained movements.
The sight reminded me so much of a young, novice knight invited to a court ball for the first time that a smile came unbidden.
"Engrave in your mind the image of what you wish to become. My magic will answer that."
- Yes. I shall bear it in mind.
"Good. Then, enter."
Leaving my hand at the edge of the small magic circle, Mire walked to the center of the circle.
She looked alternately at me and Maria, then soon knelt and assumed a praying posture.
Her appearance focused on the ritual projected a rather impressive aura, even considering that she was a skeleton.
I too closed my eyes and chanted the spell.
"「Spirit Ascension」."
The sight of the massive drake's body melting was slower than when Ibna Shue had been elevated.
It was natural.
The speed at which a sacrifice melted was proportional to the mana quantity of the sacrifice, but also proportional to the capacity of the one receiving that power.
But setting aside such theoretical appreciation, the spectacle unfolding now was simply majestic beyond measure.
The sight of the drake's silver scales turning blue and seeping into Mire.
It was as beautiful as moonlight sinking into a lake.
'What will you choose, I wonder.'
Affection and loyalty.
In truth, choosing both was also possible. What choice she would make—the answer would soon be revealed.
『Grade/Class - Elite Archer』
『Title/Entity Name - Combative Flesh Ranger』
'Flesh' roughly meant meat.
It was a higher entity of Skeleton, one that had achieved both a human-like appearance and enhanced performance.
Compared to other elite entities with their own specialized fields, it had slightly lower stats, but in exchange, its 'Traits' were further strengthened.
"Now I can no longer simply let you be called just Mire."
"Ah..."
Under her black hood, dark blue hair flowed down softly.
Her black pupils, blending with her blue eye-light, sparkled like stars floating in the deep night sky.
Bones and muscles were still visible in places on her body, but it was to a degree that could be sufficiently covered with clothing.
Since blood did not seep out of her like a fresh corpse, it was at a manageable level.
『Traits - Moonlight Tracker, Wyvern's Claw, Storm Wings, Advanced Specialization: One-handed Sword, Skilled Commander, Member of Necropolis』
『Moonlight Tracker
- When she shot down and swallowed the fallen moon. She received new garments.
■ Moonlight Capture
■ Special-grade Specialization: Fighter
■ Tracker's Mark
A composite trait combining the above three traits.』
And finally, a 「Legend」-grade trait shining with dazzling orange light in her trait window.
The ascension was a success.
"Henceforth, let us call you Artemis."
Goddess of the moon. Goddess of the bow. Guardian of the forests.
It was a name befitting her, who possessed the Moonlight Tracker trait.
"I shall strive to be worthy of this beautiful name and do my utmost not to bring shame upon you, Master."
"I look forward to your efforts."
Having received the name of a goddess who did not exist in this world, she smiled with Lemia's face, draped in colors even more vivid than in life.
"Artemis...?"
"How about calling me Lemi, like before?"
Listening to the conversation passing between her and Maria, I wore a gentle smile as always.
While quietly concealing my curiosity about the new relationship that would blossom between the two of them.
- 4 -
I turned my head to look at the one who would receive the reward next.
"Now it is your turn. Talhan."
Talhan, who had arrived midway, had been waiting on that side all along for the work to finish.
His eye-light, which had been enviously watching Mire, now become Artemis, was now filled with anticipation.
He lowered his posture even more respectfully and prostrated himself on the floor.
"I thank you for your grace, Master."
Power always required the backing of force.
Talhan knew that better than anyone, and he also knew that his shortcomings would now be filled.
A new turning point had arrived in his 'life'.