"?"
As soon as Phantasia entered the cave, he had spotted an weird looking moss growing everywhere.
(What is that?)
(Is it some sort of moss?)
(But… Why is it blue???? Is there something like blue moss in the first place?)
(Well, this is an different world and stuff, so blue-)
(?)
(What the?)
While inspecting the moss, Phantasia suddenly noticed something on the wall nearby, before then approaching it and inspecting it.
(There is a switch right next to the entrance?)
Phantasia pressed the switch and moments later, the door closed, returning to its previous form.
(Oh…. So, you can close it from…. Wait a second. Why is it bright? I didn't seen any torches or anything inside in this tunnel.)
Phantasia looked behind him and saw the blue most emitting some light.
"…"
"Huh. That explain the weird moss."
"Its some sort of light source?"
[Dark Cave Moss]
[Rarity: Common]
[A special moss that can be found in very deep and dark caves with their own ecosystems. Emits faint light when exposed to the total darkness. Contains bit of mana and is edible.]
(Huh. Its edible? No wait, it contains mana?)
(Some of the ingredients I used did contained mana, so by any chance this thing can be used both for cooking and alchemy?)
(I may collect some of it later on.)
(Well, at least there is some light source inside this place and I don't have to worry about leaving the exit opened.)
(Still… Is anybody living in here?)
(There is dust on the ground….)
(There would be some spots then on the ground…. But nothing… Is there nobody alive?)
(But the markings and that ink bottle were definitely manmade doing.)
(There is a chance that this is some sort of dungeon from games where you can encounter monsters and bosses. I should be ready for something randomly popping out and attacking me.)
"Lets go. Take up the front."
The Phantasia and his monsters began moving traveling through the hidden passage while keeping his guard up.
He walked and walked until he reached the end of the path.
After reaching the end of the path, he found himself in the large underground space with some sort of old house in the middle and some sort of farm near.
"?"
(Home?)
(Is that somebody home?)
(It looks old and ruined, as if it wasn't attended for years. The same goes to the field. I can see it all the way from here its shitty state.)
(Still, no enemies?)
(I thought I would run into something like monster by now… But nothing?)
(Was the puzzle the only thing? Well, I did ended up somehow encountering a lot of monsters, even monsters I didn't fought with before and some high level monsters…. So, it wasn't exactly only puzzle and I almost died few times or I had to hide like a coward or would have literally died on the spot, so yea… I almost even shitted myself when that group of giant bunnies appeared and almost found me, that would have been literally instant death.)
(So yea…. Beside the puzzle it wasn't exactly "EASY" path to walk through and I got fucked many times over.)
(Honestly, I think literally making a boss battle at the end would be kind of overkill in more than one way, since considering that the difficulty of the path wasn't exactly easy.)
(Anyway, this house is the thing that stand out the most. Is the "Tresure" located in there?)
Phantasia approached the house carefully and quickly opens its door while pointing with his crossbow.
"…"
(Huh… Still nothing?)
(I thought I would get "Surprise motherfucker! Boos fight!" jump scare… But nothing?)
(Anyway…. This doesn't seem to be normal house….!)
(Wait a second. Those are alchemy tools I saw in the public workshop!)
(?)
In the middle of the room, an old skeleton wearing old clothes was laying on the floor.
(Is he house owner?)
"…"
'POKE' 'POKE'
"…"
(I guess he isn't coming back to live and attack me…. For now?)
(…)
(I'm watching you!) – though Phantasia while observing the skeleton, being extremely wary of the possibility of it suddenly standing up and attacking.
"…"
(Anyway… By the look of things this place seem like an old house that seemed to be wrecked inside? Did somebody broke in?)
(…But it doesn't kind of look like that?)
(…)
(Lets take a look around.)
"…"
"Alchemy tools…. Plates, broken plates, oh a wine bottle… And still intact."
"Some old and torn clothes… Correction. Completely destroyed."
"…Is there anything worth noting here?" – said Phantasia while looking through the ruined house.
"?"
(What is it?)
Phantasia spotted an book with damaged cover on the table nearby before then approaching it and picking it up.
(A book?)
(…Did it belonged to this guy?)
(….) – Phantasia picked up the book and opened it.
(…)
(…)
(Huh… This seems to be a diary? Did it belonged to this guy?) – though Phantasia while opening the diary and starting to read it.
Year 1283 July 23
My name is August Davone Von Darum.
I'm a half dark elf and I'm the noble of the Emberion kingdom.
Well, I was noble.
My nobility was revoked and I was deemed as criminal by that incompetent king.
It all started few months ago.
I was a researcher and the part of the Rose tower.
Rose tower is an organization of mages and alchemist that focuses on researching things and improving our kingdom.
I was one of the high ranking researchers that was in charge of developing a special magical equipment for the alchemists.
Few months ago, an election of the new Rose tower leader has come.
Honestly, I was one of the most favorable candidates to become the new head.
I may not be the strongest when it comes to the magic, but I was the one who made the biggest contribution to the tower in recent years.
Honestly, my position as the next head was secured.
However, … This guy appeared?
His name is Darrius Deliony.
This guy was a research at the tower like me, but… He wasn't anything like big shot or anything. If anything, he was just random nobody. Not only that, he joined the tower only recently as well when I looked.
But…. I don't know why but the talks about him becoming the new head became rumors through the entire tower.
I didn't understand what was going on.
How did that nobody was suddenly center of attention? He didn't made any huge contributions or anything. I even looked and all other stuff, but nothing. He literally did nothing.
Something was off about the situation, is that guy doing?
But… That wasn't the only problem… My mind… I started forgetting things?
Honestly people do forget stuff and all, but me? I can recall the things that even happened in my childhood perfectly! My memories are perfect!
True I maybe not the youngest person, but there is no way that my perfect memories would suddenly start having troubles.
Not only that, but there was some sort of accident in the tower recently.
One of my colleges had an accidently with his invention and ended up getting killed by explosion.
But… He was in charge of magical circles! He wasn't in charge of alchemy tools or even spells that are anything about being weapons! Literally, he wasn't dealing with anything remotely dangerous that can kill anything, even a rat.
He did sometimes experimented with some more dangerous magical circles in the past, but not dangerous enough to be lethal to him in case of accident. Not only, this time he was experimenting with something not related to combat or anything that can be used as a weapon.
Even if his magic circle malfunctioned, there is no way it could have enough force or anything to kill him. Literally, 0%.
Something was off.
It wasn't the only thing that catched my attention.
He was also the candidate for the head of the tower.
But that wasn't the end.
The second worker and my rival was female human. I didn't liked her… But she was talented, I got to give it to her. She was extremely talented and I thought she would be my rival when it comes to the tower head position… But she also had unknown accident suddenly out of nowhere. She just died like that! And the explanation for her death was also shitty! Just like the last guy who died! Is somebody covering up the accident?
Something was wrong.
The people of the tower were dying, but there wasn't much talk about it? Instead, there were only praises for the new guy who literally barely did anything in recent times?! He only made some basic things that even newbie alchemist can make!
There is no mistaking it, he was doing something…. And I was also targeted.
I realized that my weird missing memories was his doing… Honestly, I didn't even knew who to trust in the tower as well.
The previous generation of the tower leaders were greedy fools, so it would make sense if they were supporting that guy behind the scenes.
Something was going on inside the tower, something weird and malicious.
I tried talking with the guards and the higher ups of the tower that I knew were not corrupted and were also a well know people, meaning that they may be able to do something…. But instead, they beat me up and then I was captured and imprisoned for apparently committing murder.
I don't know what was going on!
They beat me up, even tortured me. Tried to make me confess to the murder of tower head candidates, but it wasn't me.
They said that they found the evidence in my room, but I didn't do it!
Not only that, the tower itself stated that the accidents were because of the faulty equipment.
And now they are saying it was my doing?!
I denied everything, but they kept me locked up illegal underground without any REAL evidence or anything. They didn't even told me what evidence they found.
It was clear to me.
They wanted to kill me. They wanted to make me appear like the real culprit and then get rid of me since I maybe be on something.
I've made the preparation and escaped from the tower.
However, the moment I barely managed to escaped, there were already wanted posters after me, as if they were waiting for me to escape… They let me escape so they could put the blame on me!
Not only that, but that nobody was also declared the new head few days later after I escaped!
It was all planned!
But why?!
Why me?!
Why they killed…... They didn't killed me because they needed a sacrifice to take all the blame. I got played.
But still, WHO was that guy?!
When I looked into him before, I didn't found anything…. But what if there wasn't anything to begin with?
I know he only became the member of the tower recently and all, but there was no contribution or anything like achievement or anything! He was straight up nobody!
Or was he?! Is he hiding his real identity? But the tower wouldn't trust somebody like him! But the entire tower was acting weird…. Were they somehow control?! They were acting bit crazy, all of them.
Should I report to the royal family? No. The Rose tower and the royalties have strong connection, they wouldn't listen to me and they may instead lay ambush on me.
My nobility status was already revoke and that would mean that tower had already made something behind the back.
But… It wasn't the worst part.
My memories… They were falling apart.
Something was wrong! I was forgetting things!
…
It was their doing….
I knew that was their doing for 100%! But what they did to me in the first place and when?!
No.
It's not important now.
What I know is that their aim with that weird memory loss is to make sure of one thing:
They want to make sure I don't run my mouth. They want me to forget everything so no witnesses would be left.
This is bad.
It wasn't as bad as I was in the tower, but now my memories became much worse after being away from the tower for more than mouth.
I cannot stay in this kingdom any longer. I can't trust nobody.
Year 1283 July 26
I managed to escape my kingdom and had entered the neighboring kingdom, but it was still dangerous.
Year 1283 July 30
I managed to travel good distance from my home country, but my condition isn't good.
I need to start researching the way to fix myself, but the tower maybe still looking for me.
I need to hide!
Year 1283 August 4
I managed to get to the city located in the far end of this kingdom called Mim.
But it wasn't enough! I cannot trust! Anybody could be working for the tower!
Year 1283 August 12
It took me a while, but I managed to create my new home.
I cannot wait any longer. My condition isn't good. I need to start researching the way to find out what was going on with me.
Year 1283 August 13
Year 1283 August 14
Year 1283 August 15
I… I did it… I found what was wrong with me.
It seems I was poisoned with something.
I don't know when or how they poisoned me, but I managed to find it! The reason why my memories are disappearing!
I don't know what kind of poison this is…. But…I think I can get rid of that poison…. But I don't have materials.
With me being wanted criminal, it will be impossible to get necessary materials to create antidote and the moment I reveal myself and act as the criminal in order to steal those materials, they will find me and kill me!
How far did they though this through?!
I can get easily rid of that poison, but I cannot get my hands on those materials without getting find out and killed! Be it either by fair trade or by pretending to be bandit…. No. They may have realized about the antidote and maybe be observing markets.
I'm screwed!
Year 1283 August 16
Year 1283 August 17
Year 1283 August 18
Year 1283 August 19
Year 1283 August 20
…
There may be a way.
I tried researching, trying to find a different means of maybe curing myself.
Gathering materials that may be used to create the cure for myself may end up alerting and giving away my position to the Rose tower.
So then… I have to use different means.
Since I cannot create a cure with alchemy, I will make one using class.
I will create a new class.
However, creating just a class that will deal with the poison will be not enough. The poison nature is unknown to me, but I do know that it acts like some sort of parasite and it was already too long inside my body.
Simple poison or drug magic won't work.
I need something more.
Something with an unstable nature that hasn't taken a shape.
Something that will react to the specific classes and create something new.
Something that can create its own path.
If its success, I maybe be able to create a class that may cure me, without letting the tower find out about me.
After I create it, I will have finally chance to extract my revenge on those traitors!
Year 1283 August 30
The research… It stopped in tracks.
The mutation is taking forms too soon as well as reaction are occurring too soon…. I need a living subjected in order to use them as test subject if I want to progress with my research.
But… Can I, do it?
They will definitely die!
…
No!
I need to do it!
If I don't do it, I will die and those bastards will still be alive!
I'm sorry… But I will have to do it.
Year 1283 September 15
The research has been going way better after kidnapping an orc.
I can see it! The thing I'm looking for!
But… My memories… They are getting even worse.
I'm forgetting too many things to the point I need to record my every action I took during the experiment and other things.
I now even need to carry around the code for the entrance and even had to mark my path in the forest with a special ink that I invented in the past when I was working for the tower.
But the city! Am I over thinking it, or are they looking for me?!
Do they know that I was kidnapping people?!
No wait! What if the tower had started looking for me in here!
NO!
I cannot let them capture me! Not now when I'm finally on the path I wanted!
But I cannot stop kidnapping people! I need more materials! I need more subjects!
Year 1283 September 19
I-I think that the lady at the store looked at me funny? D-does the realized I was the one who kidnapped her son?!
No! I made sure that nobody saw me! She doesn't know!
Wait! What if she now works for the tower?!
Shit! I cannot use that store any longer.
Year 1283 September 22
Em… I think I kidnapped 3 people? Maybe 2? No wait, 3. I accidently killed 1 of them today.
Shit… My memories… I'm forgetting too much!
Not only that, I need to slow down with kidnappings. People of the city are aware that people are going missing.
I'm also running out of the drugs I'm using for kidnaping and the seller got recently catched by the guards and throwed to prison.
I can probably kidnap few more times…. But should I? The tower is probably still looking for me and I think people are getting suspicious of me? I even saw a weird looking mage walking through the streets… I though he was from the tower, so I slit his throat… But he wasn't.
I killed just random mage for no good reason.
Fuck… I'm scared!
Both my mentality and memories are falling apart.
I'm not in good state… I don't know how much time I have any longer.
I need to finish my research before I break.
Year 1283 September 30
The last…. The last prisoner just died… And I cannot go back to the city and kidnap more people, since people are now wary of the disappearance.
Without the city folk, I cannot continue my research…. I need to use my own body.
It may kill me, but I'm too close to reaching my goal.
And, it's not like I can't do it, since if I don't do it, I will break.
Year 1283 October 2
Today…. I think my research almost killed me?
Em… What was it again?... Shit I forgotten to write it down…. I think I lost consciousness for entire day.
My arm is cut up and has some markings…. Shit… What was the thing I was doing? By the look of things, I forgotten to write it down.
Shit. I need to restart yesterday experiment.
Year 1283 October 5
I'm running out of time. I don't know how many mouths, weeks or maybe days I have left.
Year 1283 October 7
Its working!
The mutations! The reaction! They are happening at the time I want to!
The finally pieces! I'm finished making them!
I can do it!
All I need to do now is to assemble to data in correct order as well as form in order to complete it!
Year 1283 October 11
…
I think I, did it?
The thing that I was researching… I think I, did it? But… How do I use it?
Shit….
I can't remember… Even after looking through the books, notes and the diary I can't remember how to use it…. There is not a single mention how to use this class!
But… Why I made this class? Why not a potion? Wouldn't potion be better? I was a blacksmith…. Wait, an alchemist… Right… According to the diary I was alchemist.
But… What do I do now?
Year 1283 October […]
The research about the class…. I think there was research? What did I do that?
[….]
I think I ate something weird…. My thing inside me hurts... And it tasted funny…. Why.… Why I was hiding?
[…]
[…]
[…]
"…"
"The rest of the pages are gibberish to the point that even system cannot tell what is written here."
"I guess he ended up "Breaking" just as he feared."
"He must have spend all of his last moments, with that memory eating poison until he forgotten how to even live and ended up dying here, alone."
"Years must have passed considering the state of things."
(It seems this place is some sort of connected to the important plot of one of the stories in this world.)
"Still, the "Thing" he was researching was a class? He seemed to have completed it… But because of his state he wasn't able to use it, making all of his efforts in vain and just dying."
(His memories missing, his fears taking over, paranoia and despair and at the end, confusion that led to him finally breaking and being unable to think straight. He probably ended up going on rampage, not knowing what to do when everything got him at the same time)
"…"
(But… According to the book, he finished making!)
(Where is it?!)
(The thing he made?)
(It must be here somewhere!)
(Tables?)
(Shelfs?)
(?)
"…"
Phantasia got on his knees, near the skeleton and tired putting his hands on it, but before he could, he quickly retracted them and took out his crossbow.
(I just fuking dare you to get up and turn out to be a boss monster.)
Phantasia inspected the skeleton before lifting it up and rolling it on the to the side, revealing a greenish book.
"!"
"Is that it?" – said Phantasia while picking up the book off the ground quickly from the ground and backing away from the skeleton.
"…"
(Huh… Is he really not coming back to life?)
(Anyway, what is this book?)
[The Class Book Of The Forgetful Researcher]
[Rarity: Common]
[A book that was written by the desperate August Davone Von Darum who was well know researcher of the Rose tower before being branded as the traitor and the terrorist.]
[The book was a mean of creating a new class that would help out the researcher in restoring himself, however before he could use the power of the class, he forgotten everything, leaving this as his last creation and masterpiece.]
[Upon use: Acquire special class: [Chaos Researcher – Rarity: Common (Grow)].]
(…)
(Oh… I think that was his treasure!)
(…)
(Wait… Common rarity?!)