Chapter 58
Chapter 58
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 58
Chapter Title: Desert Night
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I was glad I'd come. With that thought, I moved forward naturally. My unhesitating steps were matched by the white salt path beneath, which crumbled with a rustling crunch.
"What a peculiar place... It almost looks like a cold winter has swept in."
"Yeah. With salt covering everything around us, it does give off that vibe."
As Durel said, it truly resembled a winter landscape. Memories from my past life naturally surfaced. Earth had a similar spot. Salar de Uyuni, I think it was called.
Though it's a bit different.
It felt like salt blanketed everything in sight. Unlike Earth, however, trees and grass grew atop this white expanse. Of course, those trees and grasses were also coated in salt, appearing stark white.
The whiteness wasn't limited to plants. Insects occasionally spotted here and there shared the same pale hue overall. Whether their coloration had evolved for camouflage or they actually carried salt on their bodies was unclear.
Swoosh—
I lightly tugged at a long, extended branch of white salt tree. It resisted tautly at first, then snapped with a crack. The cross-section of the broken white wood revealed moist innards brimming with moisture.
The white powder tasted salty, confirming it was salt, yet the tree's core inside held onto its damp moisture. How exactly did this tree avoid having its water siphoned away by the salt?
"Master! Let's head to the center!"
At Durel's call, I turned and followed. He seemed utterly fascinated by this new region, darting around the white salt tree forest with wide eyes. Moments like this made him look every bit the child.
Were those rumors of colossi just hot air after all...?
I'd overheard travelers chattering at the public campsite and secretly hoped. Maybe I'd witness that immense size again, that overwhelming presence.
Colossi. From the primordial age, when gods and stars whispered. Beings that had manifested in this world since time immemorial. These lifeforms, commonly called colossi, were said to possess bodies so vast they defied imagination. And they weren't just big. Some, deeply tied to mana, wielded potent primordial magic.
Most were seen as extensions of nature itself, appearing in ancient legends and taboos. Yet their reasons for moving, their desires—they remained enigmas.
Colossi did not speak. In some regions, people prayed to them as gods, but there was no assurance those faiths reached them. They simply existed, stirring human imagination and fear, birthing countless tales as unknown entities.
Emerging from the endless forest of pristine white salt trees, a lake stretched out before us. The vast open view felt refreshing, and the shimmering reflection of the sky below drew an involuntary gasp.
"Whoa..."
The lake's surface was utterly still, without even a ripple—a perfect mirror. The phrase "shards of the sky" fit flawlessly. Staring blankly made it feel like soaring through the heavens; the blue expanse was mesmerizing.
"Travelers?"
As Durel and I admired the view, letting out endless exclamations, a voice called from the side. Turning, I saw a man hammering at a large salt chunk waving at us.
"Who are you?"
"Ah, no need to be so wary. If this is your first time here, I just wanted to offer a bit of advice."
"Advice?"
"This lake is beautiful, no doubt—but only during the day. Come evening, powerful monsters emerge. If you were thinking of camping here, best scrap that idea now."
With that, he turned back to mining salt as if done speaking. Clang clang! The clear hammer strikes carried softly on the wind.
"So as long as we're not near the lake, it's fine?"
My belated question halted his hammering. Wiping sweat from his brow, he nodded.
"Can't guarantee total safety... but away from the lake, it's manageable. I sometimes stay overnight in that white forest if I'm running late."
"You're very kind."
"Haha, kind? Hardly."
I'd harbored faint hopes that the scary monsters he mentioned might be colossi, but they vanished in an instant. If they were, he wouldn't camp in the salt tree woods.
Either way, it meant daytime was safe. Exchanging glances with Durel, I approached the vast lake.
Through Arcana, nothing monstrous harboring mana lurked below.
Durel, now at the water's edge, peered down vacantly and asked me.
"The water's so clear... Think it's safe to drink?"
"Salty?"
Tilting his head at my reply, Durel scooped up a handful and sipped. Moments later, tasting it, his face twisted.
"It's not water... it's salt."
"Told you."
"Those fish down there must be super salty too, right?"
"Who knows? Let's eat. Lunchtime already."
"Yes...!"
As if he'd been waiting for me to say it, Durel rushed over, eyes sparkling. We sat in a suitable spot and unpacked the salt-roasted meat and dried fruits bought the day before.
As the sun began to set, the salt miners packed up one by one. Looked like the man's warning held true.
"Time to move."
"Yeah."
Nodding, I gathered our gear with Durel. The sunset rays from the horizon bathed the white salt flats in gold. A different flavor from daytime.
Admiring the sunset-tinted lake lasted only a moment. We entered the salt tree forest.
Setting up camp was no issue. Using magic to fell nearby trees, then summoning a golem with construction orders, and a makeshift base was done. The tent, staked with thick logs, was sturdy.
After dinner, we did our own things. Durel swung his sword in a corner, while I stared blankly at the crackling campfire, calmly sorting my thoughts.
Fragments...
Small ripples had swelled into waves. The concept sparked by "fragments" was no small matter. A way to bypass the insurmountable wall.
If the world I held was too vast to release fully, I just needed to draw out only what I could handle.
The issue was dividing it.
I'll need a librarian...
And that librarian would be me. Closing my eyes and steadying my breath, my mind sank swiftly inward. Sounds faded first, then sensation dulled across my body.
The next instant, I stood in the heart of a vast library lined entirely with bookshelves.
What a mess...
The shelves were unsorted, even at the smallest levels. Chaotic piles, unorganized. Exactly as I'd first envisioned when creating this world.
This one to the right... that to the left...
The endless library—now my infinite repository—stirred at my gesture. Books brimming with memories soared through the air; massive shelves rumbled like turning cubes, shifting positions.
Usable ones separated from unusable; flames from lightning, water from ice—books began subdividing. They flew to shelves by floor and section, slotting into place.
Sorting my own memories. Amid the racing books, various recollections unfolded. A rough organization was underway.
Suddenly, the entire library shook violently, like an earthquake.
Boom—!
What...?
I realized instantly. This tremor wasn't from the library. It came from outside.
My submerged mind rapidly resurfaced. Simultaneously, Durel's scream-like cry rang out.
"Aaaagh...! Master! Open your eyes...!"
"Du..."
The moment bodily senses returned, Durel and I were airborne, borne by fierce winds. Before I could grasp the situation, my heart's mana circle spat forth Gentle Wind.
Whoooosh—!