After seeing the system screen display a notification about a new quest, I decided to contact Bambi. It had been a while since we last spoke directly, and it seemed like a good idea to check on how she was coping after the events in Esverita.
I opened the communication menu and selected her name. The video call icon appeared, and I tapped it. After a few seconds, her surprised face appeared on the screen.
"Navigator? It's rare for you to call me first!" she said with a faint smile, though I could see a hint of exhaustion in her eyes.
I nodded slightly. "Yeah, I think we need to talk."
Bambi chuckled softly. "I checked your profile, and your flying castle just got a unique trait. That's amazing!"
"Thank you," I replied briefly. "How about Jeanne and Pharnaces? Are they still upset with you?"
Her expression turned a little awkward. "Ah, they did scold me quite a bit. But I immediately apologized to them. Jeanne said I need to be more responsible, and I know she's right. I really regret leaving them behind back then."
I nodded again. At least she realized her mistake and was trying to fix it. "Are they okay now?" I asked.
"Yes, they're resting at the moment," she replied. "What about your combat units?"
"They're resting too," I said. "Our quest in Esverita is done, so I'm currently deciding our next steps."
"Oh?" Bambi looked more enthusiastic. "So, where are you headed next?"
I glanced at the system screen that still displayed the new destination. "I'm heading to Arcadia City. The new quest leads there."
Bambi nodded. "Hmm, so Esverita is the starting point of your main quest, right?"
"Yes," I replied, exhaling. "So all of this is just the beginning."
She fell silent for a moment, then gave a faint smile. "You know? My starting point was different. I began my main quest in a small town called Tsupine. But now... that town is completely gone."
I looked at her, surprised. "Gone? You mean...?"
"Destroyed," she said flatly. "I was too late. There was nothing I could do to save the town. It was the starting point of my main quest, and now it's just a bitter memory."
I took a deep breath. "I'm sorry to hear that, Bambi. That must have been hard."
She nodded slightly, her eyes distant. "Yeah, but I try not to dwell on it too much. At least I can move forward now."
I admired her resilience but couldn't help feeling concerned. "We never know what lies ahead. But I'm glad you're hanging in there."
Bambi smiled again, this time more genuinely. "I'm glad you're still here too, Navigator. If we can merge our parties again in the future, that would be great."
"Definitely," I said. "I'll be looking forward to it."
"By the way, what's your next main quest objective?" I asked Bambi, who still seemed cheerful.
She rested her chin on her hand, thinking for a moment before answering. "My main quest leads to the Clementine Mountains. Judging by the map, it's not too far from Arcadia City. Maybe just a day's journey with a flying castle."
I nodded slowly. That was interesting, considering our main quest routes were relatively close. "In that case, I'll depart for Arcadia tomorrow. How about you?"
"I'm leaving now," she said with a small laugh. "Clementine Mountains are farther, so I need to make the most of my time."
I gave a faint smile. "Alright then. Safe travels, Bambi. If you run into trouble, don't hesitate to call me."
Hearing that, she blushed a little, scratching the back of her head awkwardly. "Thanks, Navigator. I'll contact you if anything happens. See you later."
"See you," I replied before she ended the call. Her smiling face disappeared from the system screen, leaving the room quiet once more.
I stared at the now-empty screen and decided to head to the tavern.
The fresh air of the flying castle greeted me. Below, I could see the vast expanse of the Kingdom of Esverita. If I could descend into that world, perhaps I could try the local cuisine, interact with the residents, or simply enjoy a change of scenery. But I was confined to this castle. As the Navigator, I couldn't leave this place, and that was the price I had to pay to guide the course of this world.
I let out a deep sigh, pushing the thought aside, and walked toward the flying castle's tavern. At least there, I could find some entertainment and momentarily forget my constraints.
As I entered, the aroma of food and drink greeted my senses. The tavern was, as usual, quiet. Sasha, one of the castle's inhabitants, waved at me from behind the counter.
"Navigator!" she greeted with a wide smile. "Long time no see. Where have you been?"
I sat down at the bar, resting my elbows on the counter, and gave a faint smile. "Just finished dealing with a major issue in the Kingdom of Esverita. So, I've been a little busy."
She nodded while pouring a drink into a glass. "I heard the kingdom was nearly destroyed before you came to help. Great work, as always."
I chuckled softly. "Thanks. But it wasn't just me—my team worked hard too."
Sasha slid the cold drink toward me. "You're always so humble. So, what's your plan next?"
I stared at the glass for a moment before answering. "Tomorrow, I'll head to Arcadia City. There's a new quest waiting for me there."
She smiled again. "Alright then, good luck. But for now, take a break. You've earned it."
I sipped the cold drink she had offered, observing her calm yet curious expression. Amid the relaxed atmosphere of the flying castle's tavern, I decided to engage her in a deeper conversation.
"Sasha, have you ever been to the Kingdom of Esverita?" I asked, trying to start with a light topic.
She shook her head gently while drying a freshly washed glass. "Never. Esverita is too far from Lilac Town. Traveling there would cost a fortune, and I never had a strong reason to go."
I nodded, understanding her answer. However, she seemed to pause in thought, as if something had just come to mind. I waited without pressing her to speak.
"There's one thing I remember about Esverita," she said finally. "A few months ago, before the incident in Lilac Town, someone came from there. They claimed to be a seer. For some reason, Lilac's mayor was very intrigued by them. That person became a hot topic among the locals."
I focused on her story. "A seer?" I repeated.
Sasha nodded. "Yes. They caught everyone's attention because they traveled from afar and brought mysterious tales. The residents of Lilac were usually fascinated by visitors, especially from places like Esverita. This person often spoke of prophecies about disasters and our town's future."
"And what happened next?" I prompted her to continue.
"Strangely, a few months after their arrival, the horrific incident occurred. You know what I'm talking about—the lich appearing in town and turning all of Lilac's residents into undead. But when the chaos broke out, the seer had already disappeared. No one knew where they went."
Her words sent my mind racing. I already knew the tragic story of Lilac Town, but the fact that someone from Esverita was involved added a new layer to the mystery. If I connected this to the recent events in Esverita, one clear conclusion emerged.
"That seer," I murmured, more to myself. "They must be connected to the Archlich of Esverita."
Sasha raised an eyebrow at me. "Archlich? You think they're related?"
I nodded slowly, piecing the details together. "The Archlich was one of the main sources of chaos in Esverita. If someone from there went to Lilac Town with ill intent, it makes sense that they were acting under the Archlich's orders. But what was their purpose? Was it to start something, or just to test their capabilities?"
The thought of this connection unsettled me. If the Archlich had truly sent someone to Lilac Town, did that mean similar events could happen elsewhere? I looked at Sasha, who was still waiting for my response.
"Sasha, do you remember anything else about that seer? Any distinguishing features? Or maybe something they said?"
She pondered for a moment, then shook her head. "I don't recall much. Just that they were very charismatic. People loved listening to them. But after they vanished, no one talked about them again."
I sighed deeply. Every little piece of information was valuable, but there wasn't enough detail to track this person down. Still, I couldn't ignore the possibility that this was part of the Archlich's larger plan.
"Thank you, Sasha," I said finally. "This information is very important. It might be connected to what we're dealing with."
She gave a faint smile, then returned to wiping down the counter. "I just hope you can find the answer, Navigator."
I left the tavern a while later, my mind filled with questions. Why did the Archlich involve Lilac Town? Was there a larger plan I hadn't yet realized? And most importantly, what would happen if their plan succeeded?
I gazed at the sky from the balcony of the flying castle, trying to piece together all the clues I had. Lilac Town, Esverita, the Archlich, and possibly Arcadia City—they were all connected in ways I didn't yet fully understand. One thing was certain—I needed to stay vigilant because this was far from over.
***