As I opened my eyes, Nameless was in front of me.
"Huh?"
I quickly sat up to find myself still in Zone 1 dungeon [The Dried Sewer]. The party members around me looked relieved.
"Did I black out? What happened?"
Confused, I looked around and asked. Nameless offered a faint smile.
"You pushed yourself too hard, Ash. How are you feeling?"
"Huh? Oh…"
Only then did I remember.
[Imperial Edict] was a much more powerful skill than I had anticipated, and I had fainted from the backlash as soon as the skill deactivated.
"But why do I feel so fine?"
It wasn't just fine; I felt even more energetic than before I lost consciousness. It was as if I had consumed some high-grade elixir.
As I looked down at myself and pondered, the party members all turned their eyes toward Nameless. I too looked at her apprehensively.
"Nameless, did you heal me?"
"Healing… let's just say that's close enough. You were drained of your magic power, so I had you consume a few items I had. You should feel better now."
"Hey, thanks a lot. That was really close; I could've been in real danger. I owe you one."
"Don't mention it. I should be the one thanking you, Ash."
Nameless looked around carefully.
"For a long time, every inch of my kingdom was covered in the darkness of nightmares."
Her dirt-streaked fingers slowly swept across the surrounding drainpipes.
"Because I couldn't rival the Demon King, I was unable to dispel that darkness. All I could do was tear a piece from my own soul, light it on fire, and bring some light to this place."
"..."
"I've been waiting for someone with the qualifications to confront the Demon King and drive out the darkness. All the while, I've been keeping the fire alive and cleaning up the monsters."
Nameless, who had calmly narrated her story, looked at me slowly.
"...And today, you completely drove out the darkness from this place. Though it's a small part, my kingdom is now free from the Demon King's rule."
And then, Nameless performed a slow, respectful bow.
Her right arm crossed her chest while her left hand gripped the hem of her robe, which she slightly pushed aside. Simultaneously, she bent her waist and knees.
It was a form of greeting completely different from what I'd seen from Everblack. Was this the traditional salutation of the Lake Kingdom?
"Thank you, Ash. My 500-year wait was not in vain."
Wrapped in tattered cloth and covered in dirt and ash, Nameless exuded a strange aura of dignity.
Slowly straightening her back, Nameless looked up.
"From now on, this place will cease to function as a dungeon."
As she spoke, the lights in the safe zone slowly dimmed.
Sssss...
At the same time, the sticky darkness unique to the dungeon began to dissipate into the distance.
"The forces of the nightmare can no longer invade this place. Therefore, there's no more need for battles here."
Ah, I see.
Once I had taken the territory from the monsters, the area naturally ceased to function as a 'dungeon.'
As the sticky darkness disappeared and the artificial lighting vanished, all that was left was the peaceful hue of the night.
And within that peaceful night... Nameless stood holding a small fragment of light. A tiny, but brilliant shard that seemed to encapsulate light.
I smiled.
"Is that a piece of your soul?"
"Yes."
"To prevent your kingdom from being completely consumed by darkness, you shattered your soul, ignited it, and scattered it across the entire kingdom?"
"Yes."
"So…"
I felt like I was beginning to understand.
"You even forgot your own name?"
"..."
"You tore apart your own being, losing even your name and memories, all to hold back the darkness here."
A bitter smile crept across the corners of Nameless's mouth.
"What's the point of a name for a princess of a doomed kingdom?"
She looked down at the fragment of light in her hand with distant eyes.
"What's the point of clinging to faded memories that are centuries old? If these 'pieces of me' can extend the fate of my kingdom even a little, then that's all I'll do."
"Is it because you were the princess of this kingdom? So you feel responsible?"
When I asked directly, Nameless seemed a bit uncomfortable.
"...You could say that. The transformation of my kingdom is largely the fault of the Imperial Family. As a member of the royal lineage, I too must bear responsibility."
Why go to such lengths?
I wanted to ask more, but Nameless cut me off and slowly extended her hand.
"And it's also a royal's duty to reward adventurers who have served the kingdom."
In the hand she extended toward me, there was that fragment of light.
"I give this fragment to you."
"What? But this is your soul..."
"Ash."
Nameless nodded gravely.
"You need this."
"...?"
"I sensed it while healing you earlier. Your soul is incredibly unstable right now. It wouldn't be strange for it to tear apart at any moment. Trust me; I speak as one who has already been torn and scattered."
"Hey, don't joke about stuff like that..."
Honestly, I couldn't make heads or tails of this talk about souls...
"Your soul is so worn out that it's hard to believe it's that of a mortal. And it's poorly patched up. It's like a broken vase that's been wrapped in the thinnest gauze. It barely maintains its shape, but who knows when it'll shatter."
Although I couldn't understand everything that the princess of an ancient magical kingdom was saying, one thing was clear to me.
My possession of this body and her words were connected.
"Depletion of magic power can be remedied with elixirs or potions, but the wounds to your soul are permanent. They're not the type of things that can be healed."
Once again, Nameless extended the fragment of light toward me.
"So, borrow my fragment. It will help maintain your soul... No, the gauze that wraps your soul."
Then a smile flitted across her lips.
"Don't worry. There's no interest, and no time limit."
Not in the darkness of a nightmare but in the peaceful light of night. That smile.
"I'm just a merchant, not a loan shark."
It looked surprisingly peaceful.
Perhaps that was her smile's true nature.
As I accepted the fragment of light from Nameless, it quickly burrowed into my chest and disappeared.
I couldn't tell for sure, but.
My chest warmed up, and breathing became a little easier.
"Today I administered various items to you, and I've also put in a piece of my soul. So, the next time you use that power, you should be in better condition."
By 'that power,' she probably meant 'Imperial Edict.'
So I won't faint like I did this time?
"Still, don't overdo it. That power is the prerogative of a Great Player. If you use it too often, your unstable soul might not be able to handle it."
"Even so, as long as my body can handle it, I'll keep using it. That's the only way to drive out all this darkness from your kingdom, right?"
As I shrugged and spoke carefree, Nameless faintly smiled.
"...I regret that I have no way to repay your goodwill."
"No, I think you've more than repaid me already..."
Without a word, Nameless approached and quietly took my hand, and then subtly lowered her head.
Her cold, dry lips briefly touched the back of my hand and then lifted away.
Stunned, I blinked my eyes, and Nameless, seemingly amused, turned away.
"Until next time, then."
Nameless's robe billowed as she moved further away.
I stared blankly in her direction for a moment before turning to my party members. They were all blinking, looking dumbfounded.
"So,"
I pointed to my stomach.
"Did she feed me some item to restore my depleted magic power?"
I had to find out what I received in order to properly repay the favor later. Just as I was trying to grasp the situation, Junior, who had looked pale since earlier, hesitantly answered.
"Dr..."
"Dr?"
"Dragon Heart!"
"...?"
What the...?!
In the dungeons of Lake Kingdom, there are several dragon-type monsters.
Among them, the Dragon Heart is an exceedingly rare magical core that only drops from a few top-tier named monsters. Even possessing just one would allow you to operate a flying ship; it's practically the king of magical cores in this world.
In the game, due to its performance being on a completely different level from other SSR-grade magical cores, it was jokingly called Triple-SR.
"She fed that to me?!"
Everyone nodded their heads vigorously. I looked down at myself, incredulous.
"Wait, it's called a heart, but it's not an actual heart, right? It's more like a gem... how did she even feed it to me?"
"I, I don't know. It was absorbed into your body through some ancient magic that I've never seen before..."
"..."
Ah, I get it.
Is this like those martial arts novels where they brew some sort of ginseng soup for Qi alignment or something?
"Wooohoo! No wonder I feel like power is surging through my entire body! Am I joining the ranks of the world's strongest now?!"
"According to her, she restricted the function of the Dragon Heart to only react when you use that particular skill. The risk of the skill is too great; it's most efficient for the Dragon Heart to support only at that time."
"..."
I awkwardly lowered my raised arms.
Well, fine... at least I won't collapse right after using my skill like before. It's disappointing to not join the strongest ranks, but a good thing is a good thing.
"By the way, guys. This is a secret from Dusk Bringar, okay?"
Dusk Bringar, our glutton, is half-dragon, half-human.
I can't tell her I consumed one of her kin's hearts for vitality! Who knows what she would say if she found out!
"Anyway, you all did well. We've been through a lot..."
I looked at my worn-out party members and chuckled.
"Let's go back and rest!"
***
[Free Exploration Completed!]
[Leveled Up Characters]
>Main Party
- Ash(EX) Lv.51 (↑1)
- Lucas(SSR) Lv.53 (↑1)
- Evangeline(SSR) Lv.53 (↑1)
- Damien(EX) Lv.53 (↑1)
- Jupiter Junior(SSR) Lv.59 (↑1)
[Dead or Injured Characters]
- None
[Captured Monsters]
- Lv.45 Hawkbear Assassin(SR)
[Acquired Items]
- Harpy Legion Magic Stones: 52
- Hawkbeary Legion Magic Stones: 27
- Succubi Legion Essence: 12
- Harpy Koloratura Magical Core(SSR): 1
[Areas Liberated]
- Zone 1: The Dried Sewer
> New resources can now be produced in this area.
***
After returning to Crossroad, we had dinner with the party members.
It seemed like I had really had a close brush with death; everyone was fussing over me, which was a bit embarrassing.
Evangeline cut up the food on my behalf, Damien spooned soup into my mouth, and Junior, even while eating, laid her hands on my back to check the status of my magical power.
Take it easy! The Emperor is completely solid now! He even consumed a Dragon Heart, so he's a magic king, right? I don't really feel it, though!
"..."
Having removed his tinpot helmet to eat, Lucas sat at a distance, simply watching us.
'I appreciate that he's not fussing over me, but that actually makes it more awkward considering his personality...'
After the meal was over, I sent Damien and Junior back to their respective temples and inns.
I considered having some tea time with Lucas and Evangeline before bedtime, but Lucas declined.
"I apologize, my Lord. I have somewhere to be today."
"Huh? Where are you going?"
"It's nothing significant. I'll report back later."
"I see..."
Just when I was about to engage in a casual conversation, Lucas announced he had someplace to go.
Bowing slightly to me, Lucas stepped outside the mansion and spoke in a subdued voice.
"My Lord."
"Yes?"
"...Please, don't go too far away."
Then, bowing his head again, he walked away briskly.
"...Isn't the one going too far away you?"
Even now, he just goes off on his own.
It's kind of like when a younger cousin who used to follow you around grows distant as they get older.
I feel this subtle distance growing between Lucas and me.
'How do you reconnect with a cousin who's grown distant? Should I give him an allowance or something?'
Just then, Evangeline stood next to me, watching Lucas as he moved further away. With a serious face, she hummed and spoke.
"Senior, I've been thinking."
"Yeah?"
"It's about Mr. Lucas, what if..."
Feeling Evangeline's serious face, I involuntarily tensed up. What if Lucas, what?
And then, Evangeline suddenly blurted out.
"What if he's going through puberty?!"
"..."
"Seriously, his recent behavior screams puberty! I've been through it, so I know. That's totally a puberty behavior pattern!"
Stunned, I opened my mouth wide, looking down at Evangeline.
No.
You're not supposed to say that, are you...?