"There's no way I would let you come with me," I asserted to Ellisa, my voice carrying a weighty intensity.
Ellisa's jaw clenched as she retorted, "Why can't I?!"
Drawing a deep breath, I exhaled audibly before explaining, "Because I'm not going somewhere to willy-nilly around, Ellisa! I'm going on a hunt! It's not a safe place for you to just come with me all you want!"
"I won't be a liability for you! I promise! So let me join, will you!" Ellisa persisted, her determination evident as she insisted on accompanying me to Halman's Plains.
"Your father would be furious if he discovered you'd sneaked out," I reminded her, attempting to dissuade her.
She acknowledged the validity of my concern, yet stubbornness clouded her expression. She was undoubtedly concocting reasons why she should join me. I can't let myself fall for her tricks.
"Now go back to your room before your dad found out you have this idea about following me," I commanded her,
Unexpectedly, she threatened, "If you're not letting me come with you, I'll tell Dad that you're actually a Sinner."
Caught off guard, I staggered backward, stunned by her revelation. "Wait- how did she know about that?"
Before I could respond, she continued, her voice cutting through the tension, "Apparently, someone has been hiding something from us ever since the beginning. I wonder why?"
Did she just blackmailed me? Feeling a surge of unease, I attempted to maintain composure as I responded,
"F-Fine... I'll let you come with one condition. You need to tell me everything you know about me, and I mean all of it from the beginning."
"Yay! I knew you'd agree if I said that!" Ellisa exclaimed with evident excitement.
Her unpredictable nature left me bewildered. Minutes later, I waited outside her window, a compromise she preferred to avoid encountering her father. Preferably, she wants him to believe that she is still in her room all this time.
Impatience gnawed at me as I waited for her to emerge. "Come on, Ellisa. What took you so long? I don't have all day to wait around for you." I urged in a hushed tone.
"Just a bit longer! Have some patience, Kiseki," she whispered back.
Though I knew it was wrong, curiosity got the better of me. I couldn't resist the urge to peek into her room, trying to discern the cause of the commotion. As I leaned in, she unexpectedly leaped out the window at full speed, narrowly avoiding collision with me. The close call left me shaken; she almost put a hole into my head with her knees. That was dangerous.
Confused by my reaction, she asked, "What are you doing?"
Of course, Unable to admit my attempt at look into her room, I muttered, "I slipped."
"Come on, then. Let's go. We're wasting time," she chirped, striding down the road with a cheerful demeanor.
As we ventured further from Ellisa's home, a sense of apprehension gnawed at me. If her father noticed her absence, he'd likely deduce she was with me. I needed to prepare plausible explanations for when that time inevitably arrived. But dwelling on that wasn't my immediate concern.
I kept a vigilant eye on Ellisa, pondering how she had uncovered my secret as a Sinner and for how long she'd been aware. Answers would be demanded as soon as we reached Halman's Plains. Despite the recent commotion with her father, Ellisa appeared surprisingly cheerful, unaffected by the events of the previous night.
"So, why do you decide to join me?" I asked her,
She remained silent, feigning ignorance of my question. It irked me, but I suppressed my frustration, unwilling to let anger cloud my judgment.
Throughout our journey, a tense silence enveloped us. Ellisa seemed preoccupied with admiring the scenery, while I observed her from a distance. My attempts at conversation were met with steadfast silence.
She was cunning, orchestrating her silence to prevent me from reconsidering and sending her back home. This was undoubtedly part of her calculated plan.
The next thing we did is headed southwest like I was told by Han. Now, all we have to do is keep walking until we see two jagged stones in the middle of the field.
The landscape unfolding before us was a sight to behold. Majestic mountains pierced the clouds in the distance, while the undulating path we traversed was flanked by swaying grasses. Each aspect of this realm was starkly different from the world I once knew. The wildlife appeared exotic, and the terrain boasted a complexity and beauty that left me awestruck.
After hours of walking, we finally reached our destination. Before me stood the stone formation Han had described, though instead of resembling two jagged stones leaning against each other, it formed an imposing arc.
"We finally here!" Ellisa shouted as she stretches her arm in the air,
Unbeknownst to her, I summoned my halberd and discreetly aimed it at her back, ready to demand answers, "No more games, Ellisa. So tell me, how did you know that I'm a Sinner?"
Turning towards me, Ellisa remained unfazed by the weapon pointed at her. "Lower your weapon, Kiseki. There's no need for that," she calmly instructed.
"Answer my question, Ellisa," I pressed, my grip tightening on the halberd.
"Fine! On the day I saw you in Delher Woods, I can already tell you're one of the Sinners. I was watching you fight against Trelmir when you were using an artifact that can only be wielded by your kind." she explained succinctly.
Curious, I asked, "So, are you okay with the Sinners? Last time I see, anyone who found out that I'm a Sinners got scared of me."
She chuckled, her laughter genuine. "Hahaha, why should I fear Sinners? You're the heroes of this world, Kiseki. Those people who were scared of you, probably because of the looks that you give to them." she reasoned, breaking character to share a laugh with me.
"Ah- She's right. The ones that found out about me being a Sinner were either bad guys or criminals." I said to myself,
Realizing she was right, I dispersed my weapon and offered a quick apology. "I didn't mean to threaten you."
"It's okay! I should not have scared you in the first place nor blackmail you like that, hehe!" she replied, her smile warm and forgiving.
Curious about her motives, I inquired, "Why did you decide to join me?"
"I overheard your conversation with dad. You were looking for a way to make some money, right? So the reason I came with you here is that I wanted to help you out with the hunt. But, of course, It came with certain conditions you have to agree." Ellisa explained, rummaging through her bag.
"But you don't even know how to fight," I interrupted.
Without missing a beat, Ellisa suddenly pulls out what looks to be a magical book out of her bag, and she said, "True, but I specialize in healing magic. Plus, I have something much more tempting than that. I can show you which monsters have a better selling price compared to others! So you don't have to waste your time and energy trying to kill what's worth nothing."
She then looked at the book she was holding and said to me,
"Ever since I knew my mom was a mage, I tried to teach myself how to use magic just like she did. Before I knew about her necklace, I spent most of my money buying books and incantations to learn about healing. That's the only way for me to feel close to her after she died."
Impressed by her resourcefulness, I mused. Does that mean mastering spells isn't as challenging? "I see, I guess having you to tell which monsters I should hunt is quite helpful too. So what are the conditions you were talking about?"
Her smirk hinted at her confidence as she replied, "Hehe! I want fifty percent of the amount that you get from selling those parts!"
Her request caught me off guard, but I conceded, marveling at her determination. "You never cease to surprise me."
I then inquired about her intentions for the money. "Are you gonna use that money to buy your mom's necklace?"
"Exactly! I can't let anyone stole it from me. It's my mom's possession, and I have the right to keep it." She replied eagerly.
"Very well. Last question, how are you gonna deal with your dad when we get home?" I asked her,
She looked away and said, "Uh- I haven't thought that far ahead yet."
I knew it; she's screwed when we went back.
"Anyways, we should get started. So what monster should I hunt?"
She looked over to the plains and said, "Halman's Plains are well known by the adventurers to hunt for Shadehounds. Their pelts sell for an excellent price among the traders. But, we're not here to get that" Ellisa explained, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
Perplexed, I inquired, "Then? What are we looking for?"
"There is one other monster around here that has something far more valuable than the pelt of Shadehounds." She suddenly pointed onto a creature far in the distance,
"Those crawlers over there, they're called Weblings. The silk webs that are contained within their body hold a very high value among the traders. This is because it's used to make a material called magical silk. Each Webling gives about thirty to fifty meters of silk web. For the price, it ranged around four to six hundred Prism Coins, depending on the quality that we get."
Observing the giant spiders concealed in the grass had me realized, so those are what she meant by Weblings.
"They don't seem too bad if you asked me. Why do the prices of their silk web cost that much, though?" I asked her.
Ellisa rummaged through her bag before responding, "They possess one of the deadliest venoms among arachnids. A bite can prove fatal to an average human within minutes."
"I- and you expect me to kill it?!" I shouted.
"Relax, Kiseki! The day I found you in the woods, I was actually gathering some herb. One of those herbs I gathered before happens to be the antidote for their venoms. So there's nothing to be worried about! Hahaha," Ellisa reassured me, taking out a bottle of antidote from her bag.
Her unwavering optimism reminded me of Han. Sometimes, it was both reassuring and exasperating.
"Are you sure that the antidote might work?" I asked her for confirmation.
With a nonchalant shrug, Ellisa replied, "Don't know~,"
I resigned myself to my fate. "I'm gonna die today, aren't I?" I said to myself.
"Let's get the thing started!" She shouted in excitement.
Deciding on a strategy, I opted for long-range combat, drawing my bow. Climbing onto a nearby boulder for a vantage point, I aimed carefully, charging the arrow for maximum impact.
Reflecting on it now, the situation didn't seem dire. The Weblings appeared oblivious to the impending threat. With my arrow fully charged, I released it towards my chosen target.
To my astonishment, the Webling evaded the arrow with remarkable agility, retaliating with a barrage of webbing aimed at me.
"Wait- what?!" I exclaimed, taken aback by their speed and accuracy despite the distance.
Just in time, I dodged the onslaught, realizing the immobilizing effect those webs would have had on me.
From her hiding spot, Ellisa cheered, "You can do it!"
Suddenly, those Webling screech for backups and charged towards me together,
"Shit!- They're working as a group now?!" I cursed under my breath as the Weblings closed in on me.
Their synchronized assault was relentless, coming at me from all directions. Despite their size, their combined force packed a punch, leaving me scrambling to evade or block their strikes with my bow. Finding an opening to counterattack proved futile; they moved too swiftly for me to keep up.
Realizing the futility of long-range combat, I switched to knuckles, opting for close-quarters engagement. My punches, however, barely made a dent in their hardened exoskeletons. Nature had bestowed these creatures with formidable defenses.
Ellisa's concerned expression didn't escape my notice. She fretted over my ability to fend off the Weblings alone, her worry seems palpable.
Ignoring her apprehension, I looked back towards those Webling and fended any incoming attack that they strike.
Then, without warning, a massive fireball hurtled towards the Weblings from behind, engulfing them in flames. Ellisa had cast the spell using her magical book, catching the monsters off guard.
"Nice work, Ellisa!" I shouted.
"See! I'm not that useless after all!" Ellisa retorted proudly.
But then, the Weblings shifted their focus to Ellisa, bombarding her with their webshots.
"Ellisa! Look out!" I shouted, summoning my shield to intercept the incoming webs, shielding her from harm.
I then thought to myself, "These creatures didn't seem to have any weaknesses. How can I even kill them off?!"
Suddenly, Ellisa pointed towards one of the Weblings she had struck earlier. It lay dead, surrounded by its still-living counterparts, who kept their distance from the burning corpse. "Kiseki, look!" whilst pointing her finger over one of the spiders she hit before.
It seems like the one Ellisa hit with fireball died, and the rest were staying away from the burning carcasses.
"They're not fond of fire, huh?" I said to Ellisa.
"But, Kiseki. We can't afford to just burn all of them! Their silk will get damaged too by the fire!" she replied.
I looked at Ellisa and said, "I know- But I think I have an idea!"
Unable to kill them with fire, I resolved to immobilize them instead. Summoning my staff, I cast a spell, commanding, "Release the Walls of Fire!"
Flames erupted from the ground, encircling the Weblings in a ring of fire. Trapped and fearful, they were unable to escape. It was my opportunity to strike.
Summoning my halberd, I leaped into the air. As I reached the apex of my jump, I brought the halberd down with all my strength. The shockwave upon impact obliterated the Weblings, ending their threat.
"You did it! You killed those Weblings!" Ellisa shouted at me while jumping around in excitement.
"I guess we found a way to efficiently kill them and make a lot of money now, huh?" I said to her,
"Hell yeah!" she replied happily.
Continuing our hunt, we gathered as much silk as we could, spending what felt like hours collecting our spoils.
By noon, we made our way to Fairdrift to sell our goods. Meeting with traders, we were astonished by the sizable sum of Prism Coins we earned.
When we arrived in the city and met with some traders, we were surprised by the amount of Prism Coin we made.
"Fifty-six thousand coins?! That's incredible, Kiseki! But... I still won't have enough for my mother's necklace at the jewelry store... Half of this belongs to you..." Ellisa trailed off, her disappointment evident.
"It's my treat this time. I'll add more to your share so you can buy that necklace." I offered, smiling warmly.
"Really?!" Ellisa exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with gratitude.
"Ye-" I was about to finish my sentences when she suddenly hugged me tightly and said, "Thank you so much!"
Before she gets too excited, I said to her, "There there, I didn't say I'll give it for free, though. It comes with one small requirement. You have to tell your father that you leave the house without informing him."
She looked at me all disappointed and said, "I- but- Agh! Fine..." she pouted,
After that, we went to the jewelry store and bought the necklace. Ellisa was pretty pissed off with the storekeeper for scamming her before. So, when we're about to leave the store, she sticks her tongue out at the storekeeper and kicks onto the bottom of the glass display.
She had a big smile on her face when she stared into the necklace. I can tell how she is feeling at the moment. After all her hard work on saving the money she needed, she finally gets back what's belong to her family.
After purchasing the necklace and witnessing Ellisa's joy, we strolled through the market district. However, my senses tingled with foreboding, sensing an unseen presence trailing us.
Suddenly, I was attacked from behind by a masked assailant, aiming to incapacitate me with the pommel of his sword. Reacting swiftly, I clashed swords with him, demanding an explanation for his assault.
"Why the hell did you attack me?!" I demanded, struggling to identify him beneath the mask.
"Release her at once," he ordered, his voice oddly familiar. But, who is he? Realization dawned upon me as I noticed the artefact he wielded—the mark of a Sinner. Confusion clouded my mind. Why would a fellow Sinner attack me?
Ellisa didn't seem to be surprised when the stranger attacked me. She just looked at him and shouted,
"Ichijou, stop! He's not a bad guy!"
I was shocked when Ellisa called out that name, "I- Ichijou?!"