Chapter 11
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Apostle, Yutenia Hi-Lost (1)
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- You have reached Level 5.
- Observer's Eye (Lv. 4) is growing.
- You have acquired Observer's Eye (Lv. 5). You can now observe the continent with a clearer view.
A few days had passed since I hunted the elite monster.
In game time, it had been about ten days.
Having hunted steadily during that time, I was finally able to reach Level 5.
Level 5.
Despite it being a low number for a game level, it took longer than I expected to achieve.
It seemed the Karma requirement increased with each level, and the fact that residents didn't respawn in towns converted to Karma was also a problem.
Unlike other games, there were no clearly defined areas that could be called hunting grounds.
In order to hunt, it was necessary to explore new regions.
At this point, I was starting to wonder which part of this was supposed to be an idle game.
- "Thank you."
However, Level 5 brought about even more dramatic changes than before.
First, Observer's Eye evolved, allowing it to display the general content of conversations.
I could now understand most of what Yutenia was saying.
To think her full words could be displayed so clearly.
Considering the crude two-character speech bubbles I was getting before, this was nothing short of a massive improvement.
"Now that I can see it, she's more polite than I thought."
Considering she used to just go around saying things like 'Bread. Thanks,' Yutenia's current personality was the complete opposite.
It seemed Yutenia was a well-mannered character after all.
To think it made me misunderstand such a polite character as being rude.
It was a clear sign of just how lacking the low-level Observer's Eye had been.
Not that the cost of bread for Yutenia was small, though.
I left Yutenia to her bread and thank yous, and scrolled down the message tab to check the next notification.
- Warning: Karma that is excessively skewed in one direction has a high probability of causing a Causality Correction.
- The Scales of Karma have tipped.
- Scales of Karma: Offering has been activated.
- From now on, you can acquire Karma or items through offerings directed to you.
Next, there was a change to the Scales of Karma skill.
It still warned about the Causality Correction like before, but this time, something new was added.
A skill called Scales of Karma: Offering had appeared.
An 'offering' is usually a ritual of presenting tributes to a transcendent being, like a god.
It seemed that from the moment this skill activated, I could receive offerings from other characters.
Of course, the only being who might make an offering to me right now was Yutenia.
"An offering, huh. The only thing she has worth taking is that one magic book."
The only thing that came to mind was the Magic Book: Barrier I had given her.
And even then, I would need at least minimal communication with Yutenia to get it back.
For now, I decided to set aside the matter of offerings.
I scrolled down, looking for the next message.
As I scrolled, a skill with a name I'd never seen before greeted me.
- You have acquired Apostle Selection (Lv. 1).
- You can select an Apostle by consuming 200 Karma.
- Each time you select an Apostle, the Karma requirement for Apostle Selection will double.
The name of the new skill was Apostle Selection.
From the name alone, it seemed like a skill for interacting with characters.
Checking the description of the Apostle Selection skill, it seemed I could designate a character to become my apostle.
Apostle.
The word usually refers to those who act on behalf of a god.
If I made Yutenia an apostle, would I be able to convey my intentions to her perfectly?
I felt an immediate urge to test the skill on Yutenia.
"The 200 Karma cost is a little concerning, though."
While Karma is needed to raise the player's level, the accumulated Karma itself remains without being consumed.
It didn't seem like using the accumulated Karma would cause my level to drop.
Besides, there was no other use for it, so saving it was pointless.
After a moment's hesitation, I decided to try using the Apostle Selection skill.
I tapped it.
When I clicked the Apostle Selection skill icon, a targeting reticle appeared.
I placed the reticle over Yutenia's head and used the skill.
- Do you want to select Yutenia Hi-Lost as your Apostle?
- Selecting an Apostle requires 200 Karma.
- Yes No
Upon using the skill, a message popped up asking if I wanted to register Yutenia as an apostle.
My answer, of course, was 'Yes'.
As I clicked 'Yes' on the new pop-up, the screen flickered for a moment, and Yutenia looked up at the sky.
A large question mark was floating above her head as she gazed upward.
- Selecting Yutenia Hi-Lost as an Apostle.
- 200 Karma has been consumed to create a new Divine Artifact for the Apostle.
- Divine Artifact: Grimoire has been bound to Yutenia Hi-Lost.
- First Apostle: Yutenia Hi-Lost has become your Apostle.
- Through the effect of Apostle Selection, you will share your mana with the selected Apostles.
- Through the effect of Apostle Selection, you can send separate messages to the selected Apostles.
Once the skill was used, several messages appeared in succession.
The content of the messages was all unfamiliar.
Karma was used. A new Divine Artifact was created.
Most of the messages were along those lines.
After the barrage of new messages, a description of the additional effects of the Apostle Selection skill appeared at the end.
It seemed I would share mana with the character who became an apostle, and I could also send messages to them.
As if to prove it, a small chat icon floated above Yutenia's head.
"Does pressing this let me talk to her?"
It was an icon that only appeared above the head of Yutenia, who had become an apostle.
It wasn't hard to guess that I had to use this button to communicate with my apostle.
To think I could now have a conversation with an AI character I could only observe before.
The more I thought about it, the more amazing it felt.
I clicked the chat icon above Yutenia's head to start a conversation with her.
Beep.
And then, a warning message popped up on my screen.
- A Divine Artifact is required to be used as a medium.
It said a Divine Artifact was needed as a medium.
But if I scrolled up, there was a message saying a new Divine Artifact had been created.
There was even a message below that saying the Divine Artifact had been bound to her.
Seeing the message that a Divine Artifact was required, I couldn't help but rest my chin on my hand and ponder.
"Could it be in the inventory?"
It wasn't like I had no idea where it could be.
If I had acquired a new item by using a skill, it would probably be in the inventory.
Just in case, I opened my inventory to check.
And just as I thought, the acquired item was there in the inventory.
The name of the item in the inventory was Divine Artifact: Grimoire.
It seemed to be an item that granted the wearer a trait called Shadow Touch.
"This is just ridiculous, really."
No matter how I looked at it, this game was incredibly user-unfriendly.
The kind of unfriendly that would probably rank in the top 10 if you were to make a list.
With a hollow laugh, I dragged the Divine Artifact: Grimoire in front of Yutenia.
Thud.
The newly created item fell at Yutenia's feet.
A dark cave, still holding the warmth of human presence.
There, Yutenia was sighing as she tore off a piece of a baguette to eat.
Her worried gaze fell upon the magic book lying at the cave's entrance.
After the investigator from Cloud had fallen, a new worry had taken root in Yutenia's mind.
Until now, she had managed to survive thanks to the favor of the great being who cherished her.
But she couldn't live forever relying on the help of a transcendent being.
"Haa... this magic won't be of any help to them, will it."
Sighing, Yutenia looked at the magic book in her hand.
A magic book containing the Barrier spell.
It was an item given to her by the great being who watched over her.
She didn't know their name. She had never even seen their face.
Nevertheless, it wasn't hard to guess that they wanted her to learn this magic.
And that act had truly helped her.
The day the investigator from Cloud came for her.
When he had pointed his sword at her for no reason, it was the Barrier spell that had protected her.
If she hadn't learned the Barrier spell, she would have surely lost her life to the investigator's attack.
"How can I be of help to you?"
Yutenia's contemplative gaze drifted to the sky outside the cave.
She had lost her family, lost her neighbors.
Now, she had only one thing left.
If that last remaining thing were to disappear, she no longer had the confidence to go on living.
To Yutenia, who had lost everything, the existence of the great being watching over her was special.
Even if their true identity was a demon, she no longer had any means of escaping their shadow.
Although, she didn't think the being who had cared for her until now could be a demon.
- "Yutenia Hi-Lost."
- "Accept your destiny."
Was this an answer to her wish?
As Yutenia looked up at the sky, a voice reached her ears.
At the sound of the voice that had come to her, Yutenia's heart began to pound wildly.
I want to see your face. I want to hear your voice.
She had harbored such arrogant thoughts hundreds of times.
To think she could finally hear the voice she had never been able to hear before.
This moment was incredibly moving for Yutenia.
"Ah... so you were watching, after all."
Overcome with emotion, Yutenia's body was enveloped in light.
A pure white radiance that warmly wrapped around her entire body.
Enveloped in the radiance, Yutenia felt as if she were being held in someone's embrace.
From within the brilliant light, the voice spoke once more.
- "Become my Apostle."
- "Revere me. Worship me. Make offerings to me."
- "Sing the hymn of life."
Apostle.
The moment she heard that glorious title, Yutenia could feel mana overflowing throughout her entire body.
A new link had formed with the great being.
And through that connection, limitless mana was flowing into Yutenia's body.
First Apostle, Yutenia Hi-Lost.
That was the new name she had been given.