Looking at Lucas, whose eyes sparkled with happiness and amazement, Cecil broke into a smile.
[My creator is the Goddess of Life, Lysia. The skills she gave to you aren't ones that could be possessed by some random wimp. She truly values you as an agent of change, so I'm here to shape you up so you can live up to her expectations!]
[I've basically explained everything you need for now.. I don't think you should be using the skills before you can sustain yourself. Remember, law of equivalent exchange. Even though the skills seem overpowered because they are max leveled, they are by no means things that you can utilize at all times. They will cost you as much as you gain from them.] Cecil warned with a stern tone.
[With your current body, those skills are pretty meaningless. They are meant to aid you in the long term, and not an instant boost like you might expect. Boohoo.] Cecil shrugged.
Lucas had mixed feelings about the entire situation.
It was just like what Cecil said. The energy stirring him from the inside.. was far too great. Using them would have a disastrous effect on himself.
[..Whatever you're worrying about, don't overthink them. You have me as your guide, remember? Child, you just need to go forward, I am here to stop you from doing stupid things. I rambled a lot, but just heed my warnings, listen to me, and you won't be doomed.] Sensing his swaying conviction, Cecil comforted.
Lucas pursed his lips. "You're right. I can just ignore them for now, right? I won't mess with them just yet. What am I supposed to do now, Cecil?"
[Wait until the Player transfer gate shows up. This is, just like your body, a fabricated realm made to fool the system. An 'invitation' to enter Eredith will be sent to you shortly. You just need to wait. Until that time comes, you are free to ask me anything you like.]
Lucas furiously nodded. He had a lot of questions, and would kill for them to be answered one by one.
"Please do!"
Seeing Lucas's enthusiasm, even Cecil was taken aback for a brief moment.
After he launched all of his primary questions to the faerie, he was finally able to rest assured about his upcoming journey.
First, he understood that he was not going to be forced to fight to death right away. Regina gave him warnings that were pretty scary, but it was still just a mere precaution for the future him.
Ultimately, he was an asset that the Goddess did not want to lose because of his special identity. He wasn't an easily disposable agent, and he was also granted with his own free will to fulfill his own wishes on top of the Goddess'.
The reason Cecil came here was also to speed up his progress and allow him to move through the floors easier with the data she already possesses. The general itinerary Cecil provided was enough to make his will stronger.
He didn't have to wait for long. In less than five minutes after their discussion ended, fate came to say hello to them. Lucas's fate as a Player.
He was welcomed with an 'invitation'. To tell the truth, rather than an invitation, it was more like a forced kidnapping.
It came in the form of an eerie purplish warp that was slowly getting bigger and bigger, wanting to devour Lucas.
[This is it! It's coming, Lucas. Brace yourself and jump into the warp. Mind you, dimensional travel is not going to turn out pretty for a first timer!]
Lucas nodded.
The more he looked at it, the more hesitation began to form, so he decided to throw away all of his thoughts and just jumped straight in.
_____
The travel duration only lasted for a few seconds.
Within that time, he was brought back to Eredith.
"It's really..!" Lucas whispered lowly, looking at their current location.
There is no way he could be mistaken. This was a place he had seen countless times in the past through the window of his small shop. The spawning point in front of Ulya's gates.
The idea hadn't settled in him just yet, but he really was a Player now.
He casually gazed at the other summoned Players. They had various appearances and features. One person had elven ears, the other had beastkin features, and so on.
The number of people were much lesser than what he had expected.
[That's because Players won't all drop at the exact same time. They do come from different worlds, so some distances might be much larger than the others. Just wait for some time and everyone should eventually be collected here.]
Lucas hummed. Contrary to his expectations, the jump wasn't that bad. He did feel some adverse effects, but it wasn't enough to bother him.
It wasn't the same for the others.
"Kyaaa!!" A shriek rang, followed by another scream or two.
"Oi oi oi, what kind of sick joke is this?! If this is some acting set, quit playing around!! I'll kill you!" A robust man was sprawled on the ground. He shouted loudly, attracting the attention of everybody in the area.
The man's condition was not great. He was nauseous, and had a pale complexion. Not only him, but every single person who got dumped here didn't look great either.
The warp travel's effects caught up to them, and sounds of vomiting started to appear left and right.
The only ones who weren't affected was Lucas, and three other people out of the total number of seventeen.
[Those three, they must have an excellent aptitude for magic if they were able to act nonchalantly after the travel. You might want to look out for them. They are bound to surpass all these other chickens who in their sorry states. ] Cecil laughed at their suffering.
'Such bad taste..' Lucas raised his brows at her actions.
"Calm down, everyone! Let's not panic and think this through!" A young man's voice rang out.
It was one of the three who managed to stay impervious. He was taller than most, with neatly trimmed black hair and eyes.
[That's someone from a modern plane. You must've seen ones like him before, right? There, technology is quite advanced.. They have built a civilization without any possession of magic. Worlds like Eredith are only considered fantasy.]
'Who is that?'
[Well.. to tell the truth, he's just a random dude you won't have to pay attention to. He'll probably die in the long run.]
'How bleak.' Lucas kept his eye on the man.