Chapter 286
Chapter 286
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 286
Chapter Title: To Delphi #1
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After our tussle with those head-sized honeybees, Luna rubbed her belly and said,
“This should be enough to make a couple of moai!”
And so, late that evening, Luna presented me with two small totems she had crafted.
Ding-, ding-.
Without hesitation, I invested them into Strength along with my Karma Value. Luckily, after a very long time, a bonus stat popped, letting me raise my Strength by three whole points with just those two totems.
『Name: Hasan Lv. 26 → 29
Strength: 12 → 15
Agility: 6
Vitality: 8
Karma: 420 → 220
Blessings: Chaos's Blessing | Shining Hand | Night's Armor | Dark Eyes | Scorched Skin』
『Your Strength value has reached its limit.』
『You can no longer increase your Strength value.』
『Breakthrough requires the Nectar of Authority.』
But the text that followed was pretty bizarre and intriguing.
Actaeon's claim that 15 was the limit for Strength turned out to be true; there it was, saying I couldn't raise it any further. The problem was the next line.
Nectar of Authority to break the limit?
Nectar of Authority—.
I'd heard the word nectar quite a bit in this world. As an adventurer, it was impossible not to.
Right now, somewhere out there, adventurers were probably tackling Pluto's Labyrinth late into the night. And what they sought at the end of that underworld maze was nectar, or so it was said.
Some strange drink that could grant immortality to ordinary folk or let demigods like Hippolyte ascend to godhood.
But its very existence was treated as a mysterious legend or a tall tale. Seeing these words tell the story like this, though—didn't it mean the stuff actually existed somewhere in the world?
Of course something that amazing would break limits.
In a world full of bizarre superstitions like this, even dismissed as myth, I wondered who would be the best to ask about it.
So I decided to seek out the strangest person I'd ever met. The next day, once the crematorium work wrapped up after dawn, I headed straight for the north gate without a second thought.
My path didn't stop at the city north gate but continued half a day's journey beyond to the hidden rock entrance of a massive canyon, through various caves.
What I encountered was that grotesque being dwelling at the far end of the Valley of Life, reachable only by riding the usual eerie gondola downward.
You've come. It's been ages. Your gait's changed. I almost thought you were someone else.
He was the Skeleton Knight, a legendary hero once called a Weapon Master in life, now transformed into something beyond human, more myth than man.
Grrr...
And beside him was the Bone Wyvern Agumon I'd created.
“Things have been busy lately. I brought a bottle of wine. Have some.”
Oh, wine's great.
From my past encounters with this Skeleton Knight, I'd learned the guy enjoyed food despite being just bones and armor. No tongue, yet somehow he tasted things.
Smells like it was made with winter grapes.
“Not sure about that. Just grabbed some from a street vendor.”
Of course.
Anyway, he was one hell of a fascinating existence. That's why I figured he might know something about the nectar I was curious about.
So I asked.
“Do you happen to know about nectar?”
Nectar? Why the interest?
“They say it lets you get stronger.”
Ah, true enough. But it's something ordinary humans can barely even glimpse. Only those chosen by the gods can obtain it.
I see.
“Then how do you get chosen by the gods?”
That's what I'd like to know. If I had some, it might ease this immortal torment of mine. If you get any later, save a drop for me.
“I'll try.”
More importantly, you've gathered quite a few things since last time.
Sss...
I saw the Skeleton Knight's hollow blue eye sockets narrow into slits. In that instant, I felt like I was stripped bare and scanned by some radiation machine, everything measured.
The Skeleton Knight spoke.
You've stabilized a lot, inwardly and outwardly. Even that club you're carrying feels a good deal heavier now.
At his words, I vividly felt the weight of the club on my back.
It was a weapon that even required some effort to lift for me at Strength 15. Less like swinging it and more like being swung by it.
I asked,
“Can you tell that without touching it?”
At my level, I can taste without tasting, weigh without touching. A kind of curse, you might say—but.
I didn't quite get it, but it seemed he had reached some incredible realm.
Still, he didn't seem to know much more about the nectar than I did, so with time short from all the preparations, I decided to leave the abyss's midpoint.
Bring white wine from summer-harvested grapes next time. I'll give you some basic aura training in return.
“Thing is, it might be a month before I come back. Got to head to Delphi.”
Delphi? Ah, I see. Off to get an oracle, then. Safe travels.
Grrr—.
“Agumon, you take care too.”
And with that, my conversation with the bizarre skeleton ended. What a clean wrap-up. No more questions, no urging me to stay and chat.
Do you get this detached from everything when only bones remain?
Next time, I'll have to ask how he ended up like that, I thought as I headed back to the surface. As I mentioned, I had to leave for Delphi next week, so preparations were piling up.
*
*
*
“Hasan, this much dried rations and jerky should be enough, right?”
Luna hoisted a hefty bundle. The bag, as big as her torso, was stuffed full and looked heavy.
“How much did you pack?”
“Enough for about a week. If we run low, we can restock at villages or cities along the way! There's two villages and one city on the road to Delphi, right—.”
“Then that should do. Like you said, we can buy more if we need to on the road.”
This kind of everyday chatter kept flowing, full of real-life vibes.
It was a journey that would take a full month just to go and come back, after all. You could never prepare too much. Regretting forgetting something after the carriage left would be pointless.
“Hasan, how many passengers will the carriage seat? How much cargo?”
“Planning on a big cargo wagon for now.”
I figured it was better to rent a merchant's long-haul cargo wagon, roofed over—not some noble's city ride.
Ride might be bumpy, but we could load it up with everything.
“Then let's stuff it full!”
“But Luna, you okay with this? Leaving the workshop closed for a whole month.”
I was thrilled Luna was coming along, but part of me worried about shutting down the workshop just as it was getting on track.
Luna replied,
“When else would we go to Delphi if not now! I'm sure I'll learn some amazing stuff there!”
“I see.”
“So, who all did you decide to take?”
“Well, you and me, for starters—.”
My eyes drifted to Paranoy, busily moving luggage.
“Lady Luna, I've packed all my stuff too...!”
For some reason, Paranoy seemed convinced she was coming to Delphi as well.
“To think I might gaze upon those beautiful beaches and coastlines—it's a dream come true! We might even meet sea nymphs—!!”
“I, Doris, hate the sea with a passion! Ditch-water nymph Paranoy! The sea is dangerous! Think it over again! Stay here with me!”
“A trip to Delphi, something only the rich can do...! If not now, who knows when...!”
Was Delphi known as a glamorous tourist spot to the people of Gaia Continent?
Like how devout Muslims dream of a pilgrimage to Mecca in their lifetime.
To Gaia Continent folk, seeing the Sun Temple at Delphi once in life seemed like a grand aspiration.
Before coming to this weird world, I'd dreamed of overseas trips too. Grand Canyon, Egyptian pyramids at Giza.
Damn, looks like I'll never see them now. At least the Grand Canyon vibes from that canyon north of Sodomora kinda counts. But pyramids—where the hell do I find those here?
Shaking off thoughts of pyramid-like things in this world,
“It's my first trip with everyone...! This is gonna be so fun...!”
So, I guess I had to bring Paranoy? Telling her “You're taking up cargo space—nope, stay and guard the house” might crush her. But hey, every trip needs one chatty nymph, right—.
I said,
“Paranoy, this isn't just a pleasure trip. Stuff could happen on the road, it might get dangerous. You sure?”
“Leave it to carriage guard Paranoy...! I, I really want to go...! The Sun God's palace...! I want to see it...!”
She must've sensed I was thinking of leaving her behind; her face turned pitiful, tugging at my heartstrings. Damn, she looked so pathetic.
“Sigh, fine. Then you pull your weight.”
“What role shall I take?”
“Carry luggage. And you'll stand double watch shifts at night.”
“This Paranoy doubles as hearth goddess...! If it's tending the campfire at night, no one does it better...!”
“Good.”
That left about two spots in the cargo area.
More people meant better defense against bandits and more hands for tasks, so I pondered who to fill the remaining slots with.
Elfride had said she wanted to go to Delphi. One spot for her, then—who for the last?
Tough call.
*
*
*
“Daphne, I'll be out of the city for about a month.”
“Oh, off to Delphi? Jealous. I'd love to go if I could take extended leave. Summer's ending, but the sea should still be gorgeous.”
I headed to the Mars Guild to handle procedures for leaving the city on expedition. Silver Tier adventurers apparently got minor stipends for outside activities.
That let me rent a large wagon pulled by two horses. Without Silver benefits, driver and wagon would've cost 4 gold outright; instead, I got it on installments.
Position really matters.
“So, Hasan. When you come back from Delphi, could you pick up a luminous stone from the Sun Temple?”
“What's that?”
“A souvenir they sell there. Supposed to boost your fortune!”
Daphne's words brought to mind the temple's stones. Luminous stone—glowing rock, probably. Souvenir, got it.
“Sure.”
No big deal. Plus, I'd owed her big during the arson mess, knowingly or not.
As my sort-of manager, she'd even scheduled my East Gate Street compensation runs.
Damn, thinking back, that was some next-level nuisance. So souvenirs? Easy.
“Heading out tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
“Then before you go, how about updating your Karma Value? Curious how it changes after the trip.”
Daphne extended the fan toward me.
It was that epic relic called the Quill of Emotions or whatever. Smear blood on it, and it'd display your level and stats.
Scratch, scratch—.
Daphne wrote on a small scroll using the blood from my thumb.
But her hand stopped abruptly mid-stroke.
“Total is 29—. Matches your Silver Tier promotion, roughly. But Strength at 15?”
“Yeah, just hit that.”
“No, Strength at 15?!? And what's this 'Scorched Skin' in Blessings?”
Daphne shrieked, startling me into stepping back.
“Whoa, is there a problem?”
“Problem?! What's that supposed to mean—! How the hell did this happen!?”
I felt like a criminal on trial.
I'd done something wrong?