Chapter 11: Summoning Scrolls
Nith opened a single eye and glanced sideways at his teammate. "What's your problem? Just take off those drenched clothes and jump into your sleeping bag. I won't peek, even though I know you want me to."
"Yes, I wouldn't mind… hold on! That's not what I meant! There's so much to do! You really want to sleep now?!" Kyouka asked, her bewilderment written on her face.
"It's not like anyone will steal our loot," Nith yawned.
Staring down at Nith with half-closed eyes, Kyouka gave up. She approached him and kicked him in the butt. Not even caring whether he'd peek at her or not, she took off her wet cloak and base clothes, then bundled up in a warm sweater and pants.
The tent housing them was so huge that Kyouka could stand up and jump, and even that wouldn't be enough to reach the ceiling.
So much space meant that she could sneak over to her backpack and take out a single item she had been hiding from Nith.
After checking one last time to confirm that he was asleep, Kyouka took out another wooden, jewelry-like box and opened it. A black mantle, similar to hers, appeared beside it. The size and frame weren't suited for a woman but rather for a man.
She smiled while hugging the cloak against her chest before throwing it at Nith.
"Happy Birthday!" she shouted.
Nith's eyes sprang open. "You—"
He narrowed his eyes at the foreign equipment, then grabbed it, forcing the status to reveal its information.
[The Black Enchanted Cloak (Epic)—It enhances the user's defenses against physical and magical attacks, significantly lowers stamina consumption, and is so lightweight that it doesn't hinder any movement.]
"And you said something about my habits?" Nith deadpanned.
Kyouka blushed. "You were so confident coming here without any equipment that I kept it until this moment! This is your birthday present, the real one. Don't ask how much I spent on it."
"I once asked someone else that and received a slap," Nith said while holding the black cloak.
After a moment of consideration, he sighed and parted ways with his comfortable cocoon. He bundled himself up and put on the black cloak. He didn't care much about his appearance, or rather, he never did, so he stood still, waiting for Kyouka's reaction. He could tell she was looking forward to seeing him in her gift.
"I didn't think black would look good on you… and now you look more sinister than before… sorry, hehe," Kyouka genuinely expressed her feelings.
Nith's eye twitched under her smile. "I couldn't have asked for a better present. Thanks."
"You're very welcome!" Kyouka grinned.
The duo sat down before a heater, cross-legged across from each other. It was one of the magical items stored within the tent, a steel box with glassy walls. Inside was something similar to burning coal, fixed in the middle, producing tongues of flame that licked against the glass walls.
"Let's check the scrolls," Nith said.
Upon hearing this, Kyouka jumped and crawled to her backpack. Meanwhile, Nith opened his inventory with a thought and stretched his hand toward it, not taking his eyes off Kyouka, who was on all fours, showcasing a part of herself that stirred him.
A moment later, the duo looked at their scrolls.
[The Summoning Scroll (???)—Upon igniting the scroll with your mana, you're able to make a call to the existences living between worlds. It's up to them to answer one's call and make a contract. Chances of not receiving anything back are high.]
"You also have a summoning scroll?" Nith asked.
Kyouka nodded. "Yes."
"What will you do with it?" Nith looked into her red eyes.
He'd try his luck and summon something or someone to make a contract with. It'd broaden his horizons and allow him to become stronger. This was mainly because of the looming threat of Serqet's zealots.
He didn't know what else might threaten him in the future.
Furthermore, he had never heard of these existences living between worlds. Perhaps, if the game hadn't ended with Serqet's demise, the players would have explored this particular side of the world or universe.
What about Kyouka? Would it be fair to involve her in all of this? How far could she support or stay with him? These thoughts pinched Nith from within.
After thinking about her choices and life so far, Kyouka made a decision.
She stared deeply into Nith's black eyes. "I'll summon someone!"
"If you sell it, you could pay off your debt and have more than enough to buy resources for your potion store. You'd be able to help many more people and even open stores in other cities. Think about it again," Nith said.
"Why does it sound like you have another reason to stop me from using the scroll?" Kyouka asked, receiving no response from him.
Kyouka put her hands behind her and leaned back, looking up. She stared at the small source of light, thinking about her past.
"You see, someone might come in the future to raze my store," she confessed.
Nith narrowed his eyes. "Who?"
"My family," Kyouka replied. "You're always telling me not to sell my potions for cheap, but I saw how my noble family treated commoners and what they thought of them. I didn't like it. I'd often get scolded by my parents solely for putting on clothes myself instead of having maids do it for me, for making food myself, or for bathing alone. It was tiring. Everything.
"So, I wanted to escape that place and help others instead. Not to use them, but to provide them with the means to lessen their burden. But I was scared. That my parents would find me. That I wouldn't be accepted. That I would get more enemies. You pushed me to open the store… you see, I lied when I said I didn't have funds and was adventuring around to earn that money."
"I could tell as much," Nith smirked. "I didn't mind you lying to me, as I knew you had your circumstances. You selling those potions for cheap concerned me more, anyway. You think the summon will help you stand your ground against your house?"
"Not really," Kyouka hid half of her face with her scroll, "It's to keep up with you. I can also tell there's much more to you."
And that he revealed his past to her on purpose. Otherwise, he wouldn't have talked about exposing Medusa's toxins to others.
Nith sighed. "You don't even know who Nightshade was. It'd take me too much time to explain, but you must be familiar with Serqet. You must know that tough asshole."
"Who doesn't? He's a demon lord slain by legendary players," Kyouka replied, clearly aware of the reason her world was immune to poisons.
"And you still don't know Nightshade?" Nith asked, feeling a terrible foreboding.
Kyouka shook her head. "I do know about legendary players such as Mythril Warden, Calm Berserker, or Rainbow Enchantress. Those were players who stood at the helm of the war against Serqet and his demons."
It couldn't be just her.
Nith, to hide his real name, used his nickname. He regretted that some time later as he realized it'd attract his enemies to him, but the milk had already been spilled. He kept using that nickname even while associating with Kyouka and her store.
But no one reacted to it.
If he had used Rainbow Enchantress's nickname or her real name, people would have smacked or even killed him for this felony. And it wouldn't have been because it was a female name!
'I thought it was because two thousand years had passed, but if Kyouka knows them, so does the rest of the world. I don't want to admit it… but someone must have erased me from history! Who the fuck would bother and why? Serqet's zealots? Because I'm better than their daddy?'
Nith looked up, only to see Kyouka reeling away from him, holding her arms in a cross.
Yeah, he must have looked like a real demon, for Nith was now beyond furious.
"I'm one of the legendary players, the poison master," Nith calmly said. "You may not believe—"
"I do," Kyouka said, though she didn't look convincing as she huddled in the corner, away from the demon.
Nith pursed his lips. "…someone is trying to erase me from history. Nah, they did it. As much as I hate to admit it, they fucking succeeded at their job. I don't know why or what for, but I must confirm a few things."
As Nith sank into deep contemplation, Kyouka peeked at him from her spot. She sneaked up beside him and brought her face so close that her sparkling eyes brought him back to his senses.
"How was it two thousand years ago? I want to know!" Kyouka demanded as she put her hands on Nith's shoulders and shook him.
"Knock it off," Nith slapped away her hands. "It's my birthday, so we do as I say. First, we use those summons and get more allies."
Nith didn't have any mana, so he decided to dip the scroll in his poison.
However, the status suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[You're unable to make a call.]
[You need a summoning platform to connect with the existences living between worlds.]
Holding the scroll neatly tied by a mythical knot, from which poison dripped, Nith shivered until his emotions overwhelmed him. He threw the scroll onto the ground.
"So much for a summoning scroll! A piece of shit!"
"Why are you so mad?!"
"I don't know, and I don't give a fuck!"
A/N: Hello, Homie here! At last, I'm back! I'd like to ask you for a review, comments, and even powerstones to help with the book's progress! It's coming along nicely, but we need more! I also like to talk with readers, even if it's a simple tftc, so all comments are greatly appreciated! That said, I'd like to know if you like the story's direction so far and how its written so far! What more you want to see, etc! I could use every help!