Morning came after a long rest from a long travel, Clodwal was still asleep with his body fully covered by his bedsheets he wrapped around his body. And as he was too mentally tired from days of travel for the first time, he kept reversing time every five minutes and resume his sleep.
Filana: "Wakey wakey, Cloddy!~"
Clodwal: "H-Hnn... Filana... What are you doing..?"
In response to Clodwal's question, Filana who was currently watching him so closely beside him in his sleep replied with a grin.
Filana: "I'm here to inform you about the quest's reward as well as the money from the serpent wolves. Good morning by the way.~"
Clodwal: "I see... Morning..."
Filana: "Orcan and the others are waiting downstairs, they're currently eating breakfast. I'd like to eat now too so let's go!"
Filana abruptly held Clodwal's left hand and dragged him down the stairs in which the latter did not mind and just continued to sleep while being dragged as he was immune to it's damage anyway while the pain was being nullified.
Clodwal: "Are we there yet..?"
Filana: "Geez, just wake up already. You need to eat lunch."
Clodwal: "Okay..."
Clodwal after Filana's scolding stood up independently and walked along side her while fixing his hair slowly. They then met up with Orcan and the others who were currently eating a kind of potato soup with a boiled egg cut in half in it's soup.
Orcan: "Good mornin', sleepyhead."
Asta: "Good morning, Clodwal-san."
Arsol: "Yeah, have some coffee to wake you up, Cloddy."
Clodwal: "Hnn..."
During their short yet not long travel, Arsol felt very embarrassed whenever I talk to him. It's likely because of the incident where he randomly picked a fight with me due to mistaking me as a noble. He selflessly apologized to me after that and offered me a cup of coffee which I then gulped down in one go.
Arsol: "Careful it's hot--"
Clodwal: "Thanks..."
Asta: "You sure are tough Clodwal-san."
Orcan: "Ya I'm curious about that too, but let's not pry into other people's business. Anyways Cloddy, we decided to give ya all the money we got from the serpent wolves, in total it's 5 gold coins and 46 silver coins."
Clodwal: "Why give them all to me..? I refuse..."
Filana: "Geez, just accept it. If it wasn't for you we would have been monster feces by now."
Clodwal: "..."
He let out a small sigh. He thought based on their statements, if he refuses now, they'll feel a sense of guilt and debt.
Clodwal: "fine if you're that insistent..."
After he agreed, Orcan gladly gave him a pouch of money containing 5 gold coins and 46 silver coins that he promptly stored in his [๐๐ฐ๐ฅ'๐ด ๐๐ช๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ด๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ]. Clodwal sat down next to Orcan who was currently drinking his soup through the bowl in exquisite pleasure. He as well took his spoon and began eating his share of soup in it's freshest state, the potato was delicious and it was certainly high class, the contents were so delicate and soft they melted in Clodwal's mouth the moment it came in contact with his tongue. The tiny bits of potato and the boiled egg had a synchronizing effect that matched perfectly with each other in the soup's hotness, thus making Clodwal feel revitalized and awake as the soup went down his stomach giving him a warm sensation he will have trouble to forget.
Arsol: "And if you haven't noticed yet Cloddy, your clothes seem weak and fragile. We should get you some new equipment when we get back to the capital. As for your sword, or skill, whatever that is, what is that anyway?"
Clodwal: "Deus Ferrum?"
Arsol: "Yeah that's right, you said that word and it appeared didn't you?"
Clodwal: "Yeah..."
Arsol: "So what was that?
Clodwal: "A God Artifact... Something that is a part of it's owner... As for mine it's in an unknown dimension unless I call it's name..."
Arsol: "That's interesting... You sure have alot of surprises hidden in your sleeves."
Clodwal: "It's not like I'm hiding it... And..."
Clodwal: "This is... Delicious..."
Arsol: "Haha! I can't disagree with that."
Orcan: "I know right!? Tiffa-chan! Give us more of your Potato Soups here!"
Tiffa: "R-Right away!"
Tiffa who was currently mopping the floor next to the counter was surprised and quickly went to the kitchen after putting the mop aside. As she did so. She unexpectedly began to lose balance which Clodwal noticed immediately, she seems to have slipped for lack of friction, she cleaned the floor so much it became slippery to the point it could kill someone, she was likely going to fall and hit her head if this continues.
By the time they noticed it, Clodwal's image has disappeared from his chair and the falling Tiffa was caught by Clodwal who just appeared from her behind with one arm extended to support her back.
It seems converting to air with [๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฑ๐ถ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ] and releasing some of his limiters with [๐๐ฆ๐ด๐ด๐ฆ๐ญ ๐๐ข๐ด๐ต๐ฆ๐ณ๐บ] to move faster than light, Clodwal found a way to move quickly from one place to another without destroying things in his way, he could also use this to become intangible and immune to most attacks.
Clodwal: "Are you alright..?"
Tiffa: "C-C-Clod-Cloddy-wal..."
Clodwal: "..?"
At that moment Tiffa's face began to turn redder than a tomato and her consciousness began to fade. Clodwal fully supported her with both his arms as she was about to fall down again.
Clodwal: "What's with this girl... Does she have a disease or something..."
Filana: "E-Eh? What happened? Is she alright?
Orcan: "I think so. Good job catching her, Cloddy."
Clodwal: "What should I do with her..?"
Asta: "Hold on, let's hand her over to her parents. Follow me Clodwal-san, bring her along. By the way she's the owner's daughter."
Clodwal: "I see..."
Asta walked in to the kitchen Tiffa was to go to, with Clodwal in toe bridal carrying Tiffa. The kitchen had a rather clean and spacious interior, and inside was two people, one woman currently chopping potatoes in extremely tiny pieces with great precision wearing a chef's uniform and a man wearing the same outfit currently stirring a hotpot with a wooden spatula that in Clodwal's eyes seemed to have been enchanted with fire resistance to absorb the heat and convert it into mana used to power the enchantment.
"Oh? Dear, there are people."
"Hah? What did I say about waiting? What do you wan--"
As the man was about to ask he saw Clodwal carrying Tiffa who was comfortably snoozing off.
"What did you do to my daughter!?"
"D-Dear!"
The man suddenly pulled out a butchering knife and charged at Clodwal who in the other hand looked annoyed while sweat ran by his cheeks.
Clodwal: "It is understandable that you would think that way after seeing your daughter in such a state being held by a stranger you know not of, and I cannot blame you for such... In any case I humbly suggest you to listen to my explanation before resorting to rude violence...-"
However, the man in chef's clothing did not seem to understand what he said, he might have lost all reason out of fear of losing her child. As the man came closer to Clodwal with his butcher knife, Clodwal sighed and muttered in a low voice, "[๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฑ๐ถ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ]". At that instant, the man suddenly stopped and hit something which seemed to be an invisible barrier, Clodwal manipulated air and condensed it by forcefully pulling their molecules together with the [๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฑ๐ถ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ] skill making it a solid and as an addition, held it in one place thus not allowing air to be pushed through like absolute air friction which does not allow anything solid, liquid, or even gas to pass through. This effect was caused by the unlimited amount of force created by Clodwal's [๐๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฎ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ต ๐๐ข๐ฏ๐ช๐ฑ๐ถ๐ญ๐ข๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ] skill that allows him to perfectly and precisely manipulate the elements that comprises the world excluding magic and non-existent things in this world.
"Let go of my daughter at once!"
Clodwal: "And let her fall down the floor..?"
Asta: "S-Sir, we can explain!"
"Young uns' these days only think of that stuff!"
Clodwal who never thought of such things looked at the man with disappointed blank eyes as if looking at a disgusting creature.
Clodwal: "I don't see value in how people don't get what they deserve in every world..."
Clodwal returned the air into gas making it passable.
"Calm down, Sterlin. There must be a reason he's carrying Tiffany while she's unconscious."
"So why are you holding our daughter? And why is she in that state."
"S-She suddenly passed out at work, Sterlin-san.
"See dear, don't go to the wrong conclusions every time. Not all people are bad."
Clodwal: (Seriously, what's wrong with this world and it's people's misunderstandings.)
Sterlin: "I-I see, I'm sorry for my rudeness, thank you for bringing our child to us. Miranda, can you take her to bed? I'll do your work for you while you're gone."
Clodwal then handed over the sound asleep Tiffa to her mother who went to a stairs in the kitchen which in Clodwal's thinking must be where they reside in and not a different place or one of the inn's rooms. Asta then explained what happened to make it clear that they did not do anything bad to Tiffa.
Sterlin: "Thank you, for helping my daughter, Clodwal-san. But you can not have her."
Clodwal: "I had no such intention in the first place, were you thinking I would accept a 13 year old as my lover..?"
Sterlin: "Oh! As expected of Clodwal-san. I don't know you well as of yet but I can tell we can get along, Kuhahaha!"
He guffawed merrily as he put his arm on Clodwal's shoulders who didn't mind it that much as he didn't feel any ill intent from Sterlin.
Sterlin: "As compensation for accusing you of something you aren't and I reckon you're a rather fascinating lad, I'll let you stay here for the next five nights without payment, that also includes food."
Clodwal: "I see... That's rather helpful..."
Orcan: "Hey, Sterlin-san! we want more potato soup!"
Sterlin: "It will be there in a bit! Clodwal and Asta-san, yes? Will you be so kind as to help me carry some potato soup servings to your friends?"
Clodwal: "Certainly..."
Asta: "Sure thing."
Sterlin then picked up an iron ladle and used it to scoop 4 servings for each bowl and gave them to Clodwal and Asta who were tasked to deliver them to Orcan and the others who wanted seconds or even thirds. They were too indulged in consuming the soup that they didn't even notice Clodwal's disappearance afterwards.
In the center of a thicket of trees, lies Clodwal who felt a mysterious eery presence calling out to him and came right away after feeling it's existence nearby.
"Come to me, I beg you save my child... Come to me quickly..."
The words was being directly transmitted to Clodwal's thoughts which doesn't seem to be telepathy but connection as there was no voice. Clodwal who understood those words rushed to it's location blindly with only his intuition which seems to have been vastly increased at the current moment.
Clodwal: "[๐๐ณ๐ฆ๐ข๐ฅ๐ง๐ถ๐ญ ๐๐ช๐ฏ๐จ๐ด]..."
He gritted his teeth out of distress and grew four pairs of jet-black wings from his back, the wings unfolded and was used to fly upwards in the sky where he suddenly appeared to. He did so to find the source more quickly.
Clodwal: "[๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐๐ฐ๐ฅ'๐ด ๐๐บ๐ฆ๐ด]..."
Clodwal uttered as he was hovering in the air and activated his skill with it's omnisight limits being adjusted to less than 10km as to not give him another head ache. His golden eyes gleamed as he was looking for something somewhere in the vast groups of trees and his image had once again disappeared from sight after he seem to have found what he was looking for.
Clodwal found himself in a small abandoned ruins, the place had a large magnificent statue seven times the size of an elephant which seemed to be of a dragon with a long blade-like horn on it's forehead and large wings bigger than it's body. It seems to be protecting something, like a mother wolf protecting it's child. And from it Clodwal felt the exact same sensation as earlier, fear and sorrow was clearly being discharged from the statue.
"Save my child... Son of God..."
Clodwal: "Who are you..?"
"My name... If of no importance to you, your highness..."
Clodwal: "Is that so... So what do you want me to do when you told me to save your child..?"
"Take her in, make her grow into a fine adult until she can fight by herself..."
With a dying breath, the statue suddenly had a large crack on it's head. Splitting the whole thing apart unannounced, then breaking apart completely into stones scattered on the ground. With no signs of life in them.
Clodwal: "It seems that I was given responsibility to be a sort of guardian for this thing..."
Clodwal sent his gaze at a specific target. A round object that looked like obsidian was revealed after the dragon-shaped statue disappeared which seems to have been it's offspring. It was giving off an ominous feeling and inciting fear enough to kill thousands in it's presence, Clodwal however was unaffected due to his [๐๐ฐ๐ฎ๐ฑ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ต๐ฆ ๐๐ฎ๐ฎ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ช๐ต๐บ], a passive skill that negates debuffs or almost any kind of force used on him.
He approached it slowly and cautiously. He even poked it with a stick to see what would happen as he was thinking that maybe Azathoth has also limited his immunities, making him mortal and that touching this edgy thing might suck his life force away.
The egg suddenly started absorbing divine energy from Clodwal who touched it, the sensation felt strange but he was unafraid knowing his amount of energy is boundless and it could take as much as it wants and Clodwal won't die from energy overuse like the others.
Clodwal: "It's taking away my energy... I see now... It's feeding itself to have it's strength..."
He silently watched the egg as it's dark ominous aura grew larger the more energy it took in, eventually covering the whole area reaching more than five miles like a forest fog. Quietly, he watched it predicting what would happen next.
A minute later, there was a large push of force sucking Clodwal's body closer to the egg but in truth the dark aura it produced and spread all over the place began coming back to the egg rapidly as it absorbed them back.
After the egg finished sucking up the mysterious energy it produced, the obsidian-like eggshell began to form cracks.