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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: FusionX
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The altar of Kimaris had appeared.
Not a demon summoning, but simply an altar materializing in a remote village. And strangely, this one had nothing to do with Lemegeton.
“What is it?”
Sephir, the Fifth District Manager, frowned upon hearing the news.
Initially, she suspected one of the other District Managers had secretly used Andromalius’s arm.
The reason for her suspicion was simple, only one use of the arm remained.
Andromalius’s arm had been decaying with each use, now on the verge of disintegration. Its dwindling power was obvious, hence the Assembly President’s order to suspend its use.
Such a limited resource demanded careful consideration.
“Which one of them… Could it be Livia again?”
“No, this time, it appeared naturally!”
“What…?”
Sephir was surprised, to say the least.
The Assembly President’s prophecy seemed to be coming true. But her surprise was fleeting.
Ever pragmatic, she quickly made a decision.
“This is an opportunity. We mobilize our forces immediately and seize the altar. One of the District Managers should go as well. Let’s see who’s available…”
“The Fourth District Manager has volunteered.”
Lemegeton began gathering its followers.
The goal was to secure the altar as quickly as possible.
And they weren’t the only ones. The openly manifested altar had attracted the attention of knights from other nations.
“Damn Lemegeton.”
The knights also saw this as an opportunity.
They’d been under pressure from their superiors due to the cult’s recent activities. This was a chance to redeem themselves.
Failure, however, meant facing the wrath of their superiors. A demon summoning would result in significant casualties and damage, and they would be scrambling to organize a subjugation force.
This was a situation they had to prevent at all costs.
“Gather all available forces! Request assistance from the Adventurer’s Guild! We must seize and destroy the altar before Lemegeton!”
A demon altar didn’t automatically guarantee a summoning. Destroying the altar before the ritual was complete would trap the demon in the demon realm.
The stakes were high.
The knights quickly mobilized their forces.
And that wasn’t all.
The news also reached the otherworlders – the players. Demons were getting old, but an altar was something new. And the atmosphere in the game world had shifted.
The mobilization of forces was palpable, even to the players.
Some high-level clans and guilds had even been directly recruited by both Lemegeton and the knights.
Observing these developments, the players began speculating.
+
[Isn’t this a war content update…?]
+
War content.
Specifically, a territory control event.
Hundreds of players clashing, a concentrated explosion of power. While a serious matter for the Gaians, it was exciting news for the players, always eager for new content.
High-level clans and popular streamers flocked to the altar, seeking both views and rewards.
But as always… it had nothing to do with me.
*
‘Is the world really ending?’
That was my first thought after hearing about the appearance of Kimaris’s altar. The demons were popping up way too frequently.
In just over a year since the arrival of the otherworlders, more than three demons had emerged. Including this altar, it was already four.
Even with Lemegeton’s involvement, it was too much.
I asked Ha-neul, who’d brought the news,
“So, everyone’s gathering there now?”
“Yeah, they’re already setting up tents and everything near the altar.”
It was unusual for Ha-neul to be the one delivering information. Usually, it was Chae-rin.
“Why are you the messenger today?”
“She’s recovering… Apparently, forcing her mana flow like that put a strain on her body.”
“Ah…”
It made sense.
Using someone else’s mana to exceed her physical limits would take a toll.
I nodded, surprised but not particularly interested in participating.
I’d been out and about too much lately. Between Amdusias and Seere, it was time to lie low.
Besides, the altar was swarming with knights and cultists. A Carrier like me showing up there…
‘Ugh…’
It would not end well. And there was no reason to go.
The restrictions on holy water had eased slightly! The demand was still high, but it had decreased somewhat.
This time, it was just an altar, not a demon summoning. No need to hoard holy water.
Thanks to that, I’d managed to acquire some.
“Here you go.”
…Just one bottle, though.
‘Still, better than nothing.’
At least the supply was increasing. If I kept an eye on the market, I could eventually stockpile enough to endure Berserk A.
I thanked Ha-neul.
“Thanks for letting me know. Must be tough for your sponsor to be out of commission.”
“Don’t mention it. But…”
She hesitated, blushing slightly. Her hesitation piqued my curiosity.
After a moment, she asked cautiously,
“I was wondering… could you teach me how to manipulate mana too…?”
“…”
Her intentions were clear, and I couldn’t help but smile.
Chae-rin’s moans during the training session had been rather… suggestive. And transferring mana required physical contact, which could appear quite intimate to an outsider.
Still, asking for this while her sponsor was recovering…
“Sorry, but it’s too dangerous. I decided not to do it anymore.”
“Oh… okay.”
I declined with a vague excuse.
Ha-neul nodded, looking dejected.
Moments like these made me aware of their feelings for me. At least I knew they were attracted to me.
If I were to make a move, I could probably… take things further.
Honestly, it was tempting.
Unlike the desolate forest, my libido was quite healthy. But… I hesitated.
They knew I was a Carrier, but they were still otherworlders. To them, this world was just a game.
I was afraid of how our relationship might change if we… spent a night together.
“…”
I knew I was being a coward.
A grown man unable to even… satisfy his basic urges. My Berserk B self would probably call me a loser. But I couldn’t help it.
After more than a decade of loneliness, I’d finally found some human connection. I wanted to preserve it.
Enough with the self-pity.
I shook off my thoughts and added, seeing her still dejected,
“Besides, I have something to do today. I’ll be busy.”
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to ask. What are you doing?”
She asked, looking at the various blades laid out before me.
“Weapon maintenance.”
I replied casually.
I needed to prepare.
What I was about to do was dangerous, even for me.
I was planning to explore the deep layer. Now that I had this useful enhanced hearing, it was time to test my limits again.
See how the ecosystem had changed, maybe find some rare medicinal herbs.
When I explained this to Ha-neul, she looked concerned.
“Isn’t that dangerous…?”
“It’s fine. I’m not going too deep.”
I valued my life. I would proceed with extreme caution.
The creatures in the outer areas of the deep layer were manageable.
So, I didn’t have time to chat with her today. I had to be out of the deep layer before nightfall.
After I explained, she gave me a thoughtful look.
Then, she asked,
“Could I… come with you?”
“…Hmm?”
I considered it.
It was dangerous, very dangerous, but she was an otherworlder.
Having company on the journey wouldn’t be so bad. And she was a mage who specialized in support magic.
“Alright.”
My decision was made.
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