Chapter 6
Chapter 6
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 6
Chapter Title: A Single Surviving Route
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Crackle, crackle.
Kallias's shadow danced along with the flickering flames.
To Kallias, camping in the forest that lit up the dark night, the fire was a comforting source of warmth.
Staring blankly into the flames brought a flood of thoughts bubbling up to the surface, sinking back down, and repeating the cycle, gradually calming his mind.
The newly acquired famed sword.
Kallias gazed at Arsando with his ash-gray eyes.
[Arsando]
Grade - Famed Sword.
Indwelling Spirit - Arsando Mirinae.
-Arsando Mirinae's corpse sword.
"......"
Thud.
With the sword plunged between tree roots, Kallias tilted his head back against the tree trunk and closed his eyes.
* * *
I was the one in charge of the overall storyline for [Pilgrim's Path].
But overwhelmed by the workload, I was growing exhausted, unable to properly flesh out each character's traits.
Whenever that happened, I would sit on the rooftop bench at the company and call for her.
"Author-nim. You need my help again, don't you?"
The woman, who smiled like fresh sunlight, was Yu Yeon-hwa from the design department. She handed me a coffee with a beaming smile and plopped down beside me.
"What's it this time? Oh, the wastrel of wastrels, Kallias von Jervan! I know him. My colleague at work did his character design. He's ridiculously handsome, right?"
She spoke of the character I'd created as if he were a living person.
"Kallias has to be a wastrel. But he needs to have a noble's dignity too. It'd be good if he's different as a pilgrim versus when he returns to his family."
I nodded along as I jotted down the Kallias that Yu Yeon-hwa described.
She closed her eyes, tapping her lips with her index finger, her eyelids fluttering slightly.
It was her usual peculiar habit.
But I knew.
Every time she did that, even the roughest characters gained solid, defining traits.
Kallias von Jervan.
The eldest son of a swordsmanship noble house, yet utterly devoid of talent in the blade.
But his inherited Jervan bloodline gave him looks unmatched even in the Kingdom of Carpe. Yet, as if by the gods' prank, his fate was one misfortune after another.
"A mediocrity who secretly trains endlessly, but twists inward when results don't come! He carries a noble's inherent arrogance and poise, yet in the very end, he sacrifices himself and dies as the noblest of nobles!"
I scribbled down her advice along with my own thoughts in my notebook.
"Hmm~ Something still feels missing...... Does Kallias not have anyone he loves?"
"Well, I haven't thought that far."
"It'd be nice if he did. But someone he can never have, making it all the more heartbreaking. Ah! My heart aches."
A love that can never be.
It felt a bit too feminine an approach, but it couldn't hurt to have it.
I kept nodding vigorously.
"But it's too sad."
"Why?"
"Kallias dies, you know. And he's so frail, always throwing himself into danger."
That was true.
Kallias always died, no matter what.
No matter the route, he was locked into a compulsory death path.
Because of his trait.
[Noble's Duty]
Noblesse oblige.
This trait ensured that whenever matters of the nation's rise or fall came up, Kallias absurdly sacrificed himself.
"If it's this story, there's no route where he survives."
Handsome beau.
Eldest son of a count's family, but discarded for his lack of sword talent—a tragic character. Topped off with a seamless wastrel concept for Kallias.
Players encountered him in every route, usually forming hostile relations with most.
Even if friendly, this guy was only useful once.
When trapped in an unavoidable bad end, Kallias invokes his noble duty and sacrifices himself.
Only on the brink of death does he repent his wrongs, finally helping the player for the first and last time before perishing as a warrior.
「Kallias von Jervan」
「Occupation」 – Pilgrim.
「Divine Power」 – Grade 6
「Holy Power」 – 1351/1351.
「Talent」 – [Blessing of the Bard - Supreme]
「Traits」 - [Corpse Grace] [Noble's Duty] [Count Family Wastrel] [Death-Time Insight] [Church's Prodigal] [Big Eater]
[Stats]
Strength – 2
Agility – 1
Technique – 1
Vitality – 2
Faith – 3
What a messy set of traits.
Not a single proper one among them.
But that's how the character was meant to be.
No major role in any route, ineffective as a villain or ally.
That was Kallias.
"It'd be nice if there was just one. A route where Kallias lives and makes his mark."
She smiled bitterly.
To grieve so for a game character that didn't even exist.
"Oh, and having zero talents is too much. Give him at least one."
"Hmm...... What would be good?"
"Well......"
After a moment's thought, she let out an "Ah!" of realization.
"What if he's unexpectedly talented in music?"
I let out a hollow chuckle at her giggling face.
Like a violet swaying in the breeze, chirping like a sparrow—she was a comfort to me, one of my few treasures.
But the longer our time together, the more it hurt.
A gloomy sky.
Clouds blanketing it, turning broad daylight as dark as early evening.
All I could do was watch her funeral from afar.
"Suicide, they say?"
"Yeah, she was always smiling, so I had no idea."
"Why'd she do it?"
"No one knows. No note, nothing."
My comfort was gone.
[Kallias von Jervan]
Tap, tap.
The day after her funeral, I went to work, sat at my desk, and opened Kallias's character sheet.
‘Just one...... It'd be nice if there was a route where Kallias lives and shines.’
Her voice still echoed vividly in my ears. As if possessed, I began editing Kallias's sheet.
"A single route where Kallias survives."
And.
‘Unexpectedly talented in music?’
One talent.
* * *
Click.
Awakening from sleep, Kallias grasped Arsando, which had been planted nearby.
Bushes rustled, but soon a deer peeked out and vanished.
"Was I asleep?"
Kallias tossed more firewood onto the dying campfire.
Crackle.
The fading flames devoured the wood he threw and grew brighter.
Staring into the fire, Kallias eyed his status window with somber eyes.
‘Who'd have thought that moment would lead to this.’
「Kallias von Jervan」
「Occupation」 – Pilgrim.
「Divine Power」 – Grade 4
「Holy Power」 – 2971/3251.
「Talent」 – [Blessing of the Bard - Supreme]
「Traits」 - [Corpse Grace] [Noble's Duty] [Count Family Wastrel] [Death-Time Insight] [Church's Prodigal] [Big Eater]
[Stats]
Strength – 19+(10)
Agility – 15+(10)
Technique – 7
Vitality – 15+(10)
Faith – 20
Three years had passed, and my stats had changed significantly.
[Big Eater]
-Eats a lot and digests a lot.
Digestion Rate – High
Absorption – High
If I'd known, I should've made his talent something genius-level. Then I wouldn't have suffered these three years.
"I could've gotten a spirit sword early, reached the phantom sword route, forged a divine sword, and crushed everything."
Past life or now, why was nothing ever easy?
[Corpse Grace]
-Resolves the grudge of a corpse sword's subject and receives their grace.
The first trait gained this way was Big Eater.
‘Kallias was always a frail character, so Big Eater wasn't bad.’
It absorbed and digested nutrients from anything at peak efficiency.
On the surface, just good for digesting meals, but depending on use, Big Eater varied wildly.
Plus, the era here was medieval.
‘Plenty die from bad food.’
Big Eater minimized that, digesting and absorbing food nutrients optimally—an essential trait.
‘It even breaks down mediocre poisons on its own.’
Kallias looked at the talent section.
"Only one talent, and it's this......"
He plucked a blade of grass and brought it to his lips.
Opening his mouth, he blew.
~♪
An enchanting melody, unbelievable from mere grass, echoed through the forest.
Listening cleansed the ears, cleared stray thoughts, and filled the heart with utter fulfillment.
Even at dawn, beasts lifted their heads and gathered to hear Kallias's grass flute.
"Absurd."
Rustle.
When he stopped, the beasts scattered as if nothing had happened.
『Unexpectedly talented in music?』
If I'd known it'd turn out like this, I would've picked a different talent.
"......No, this might be good too."
Step, step.
Walking the path, Kallias played his grass flute.
The fantastical tone vibrated the forest.
* * *
"We found traces."
He shouted joyfully upon discovering campfire remnants.
"I see. And the direction?"
"But......"
"What is it?"
Inquisitor Deluin wore a face like even he couldn't comprehend it.
"Speak quickly."
Urged on, Deluin reluctantly explained.
"There are unusually many beast tracks in this forest. So......"
"Hard to identify the direction. Is that what you're saying?"
"Regrettably...... yes."
Infuriating.
Too many beast tracks to pinpoint the target's path.
How many beasts wandered to make tracking impossible? Like a herd stampeding through?
‘Not like a buffalo herd......’
Deluin struggled to grasp the situation even as he reported.
Did Kallias use magic? Bewitched beasts to erase his tracks? Or shamanism?
"It's hard to believe, I know......"
Heavy sighs escaped.
Anyone hearing this report would reprimand him. It had to make sense to be believed.
But Heretic Inquisitor Raibun's expression was utterly different from expected.
"Could be the power of a sacred relic."
"Ah......!"
Sacred relic!
If it was a miracle infused with divine power, it explained everything.
Why hadn't he thought of that?
Deluin was deeply impressed by Heretic Inquisitor Raibun's insight.
"This will take longer than expected."
"Yes. Too many...... variables."
Pilgrim Kallias.
No, chasing the apostate thief Kallias who stole a relic—it seemed it would drag on longer than thought.
* * *
Volibian Viscountcy.
In the study there, a woman elegantly wielded an ink-dipped pen.
Red hair, forest-green eyes, but with a slightly fierce gaze.
Volibian family's second daughter.
Helena de Volibian.
"Young Lady."
"What is it?"
She was in the middle of happily reviewing documents—interrupting her flow.
Helena thought of docking butler Alfredo's pay.
"A letter for you, Young Lady. From the Jervan Count family, as expected......"
"What?"
Snap!
She snatched the letter from the butler, her brow furrowing instantly.
"This bastard, what gall!"
The sender was that scum she'd gladly chew up. The swindler who'd conned a merchant's daughter out of gold!
"Kallias, you bastard... Who do you take me for, a mark? After fleecing my gold last time, hide like a rat! What right does he have to write me again?"
Crunch!
Snapping the pen, Helena tore open the envelope.
"If it's asking for more money again, I'll march north! To House Jervan, and get every coin back!!"
"The hardship, time, and cost of going north make it unwise, Young Lady."
"Shut it, Alfredo! I know!"
Her green eyes quickly scanned the letter.
But her furrowed brow relaxed, leaving only puzzlement.
"Torett? Copper mine?"
Out of nowhere, asking to distribute Torett's copper mine.
Mine development and distribution were no big deal. Torett was barely a village near the border.
No proper workforce there, so sending manpower from here was fine.
Profits would all flow back as Volibian gold.
Details needed on-site coordination in Torett, but Helena found no downside.
"But something feels off...... Beyond money, there's another scent."
Narrowing her eyes suspiciously, Alfredo lifted his arm and sniffed.
"I bathed thoroughly today. Or perhaps the Young Lady......"
"What nonsense! Alfredo! I bathed today too!"
"Of course. My apologies."
Glaring irritably at Alfredo, Helena suddenly widened her eyes as realization struck.
"Wait, Torett?"
Torett, Torett.
Tap, tap. Toching her lips with the broken pen, she rummaged through the piled documents and pulled out a report.
"Yes, Torett. Alfredo. Didn't you say recently that the Heretic Inquisitor headed to a village near the western border?"
"Yes, that's what I heard."
To a merchant, information was money.
Especially on Heretic Inquisitors—highly sensitive.
Where they went decided rises and falls.
"Few villages near the border. Rumors said Arsando who went to Torett died—if true......"
Puzzle pieces clicked.
Her furrowed brow smoothed, a faint smile curving her red lips.
"Why would the Iron Heretic Inquisitor go to Torett? Because of you?"
Kallias von Jervan.
Setting aside how he killed Arsando, why draw even a Heretic Inquisitor?
"Kallias could pull something like that."
Not long ago, Luteon—close to him during ascetic days—turned apostate.
"That might be it."
Not certain, but Kallias was surely being hunted.
Torett to Volibian house: about ten days.
Timing the letter's arrival painted the picture.
"He's probably caught by now."
Or already captured, under interrogation? Or torture?
Kyahaha! Leaning back in her chair, Helena cackled.
"Gods do exist? Seeing a scum who scammed me, Helena de Volibian, get his due."
Truly, Lord Valterus.
Thoroughly pleased, Helena stretched her back with a grin.
"But he won't die, right? I need those five hundred gold coins back from Kallias."
"He's House Jervan's heir. Even disowned, that bloodline endures. They won't kill him."
"Right? He can't die. I need to repay my humiliation and that gold tenfold from him!"
Thud. Stamping the documents, Helena hummed a tune.