Chapter 201

After Fertisha’s scream stopped, the hall fell silent for a moment.

“…What?”

“Ulan fell into the pond?”

“Yes! I tried to catch him, but he disappeared below the surface faster than I could!”

After hearing the whole story, Ivella immediately looked over at the pond. But then she tilted her head in confusion.

The surface was too calm for anyone to have fallen in. At that moment, Delia, who was also examining the pond, suddenly stiffened her expression.

“Wait a minute.”

She had sensed a force emanating from the center of the pond. It didn’t take long for her to realize what it was.

A massive amount of magic power, pure and flowing like clean water.

“…!”

In that moment, a thought struck her.

The story of a place where a similar phenomenon occurs. When Delia finally recalled where it was, her expression turned to one of realization.

“This can’t be…!”

“The Source of Magic, Arsen.”

Noa quickly interjected, seemingly having had a similar thought process.

However, unlike the flustered Delia, Noa showed no sign of being alarmed.

‘Well, she must have seen it plenty of times already.’

This place was a route leading to the Abyss.

And it was where the Gate of the Abyss would later be created. It would be familiar territory for anyone who played the original game.

“Alright, just wait a moment.”

Meanwhile, Ivella, who had been listening to their conversation, tried to piece together the situation with a confused expression.

Not long after, having understood the rough situation through Fertisha’s and Delia’s explanations, she finally arrived at the only conclusion.

“So, you mean Ulan went into the Abyss through this pond?!”

“Yeah, that’s plausible.”

Noa nodded silently.

When they first grasped the situation, it was hard to understand why he had entered the Abyss, but upon calm reflection, the answer quickly surfaced.

‘Phantom Knights.’

It was likely that Ulan had followed the Phantom Knights, who were retreating amidst his aggressive attack, right into the Abyss.

Given Ulan’s recent behavior, it was a reasonable assumption.

On the other hand, Ivella, clueless to all this, glared at Fertisha with a stony face.

“What in the world happened?”

“W-Well…”

“Why did Ulan go back into the Abyss?!”

Ivella shouted, pressing for an explanation.

It was a perfectly natural reaction.

Not knowing the context, she couldn’t wrap her head around why Ulan would venture into the Abyss again.

However, unlike Ivella, Delia replied calmly, her voice steady.

“That can wait until later.”

“What? But…”

“Right now, what’s important is to get Ulan out, just like last time.”

The Abyss was an extremely dangerous place.

Delia had realized this when the Abyssal Rift opened in Zone 3 in the past. She couldn’t just leave Ulan there.

‘And one more thing.’

She had come to another realization.

It was simply impossible to escape the Abyss without outside help. She immediately turned to Noa.

“Noa.”

During the last incident, she had opened the Abyssal Rift and rescued Ulan and Laurea in just ten minutes.

“Can you do it again?”

“Yeah, it’ll take some time though.”

“Then let’s hurry.”

Her golden eyes were fixed on the pond.

Suddenly, Delia clutched her chest. An unshakable feeling of foreboding washed over her. Meanwhile, White Wolf was also staring intently at the pond.

[Grrrrrrr!]

Just like last time, as soon as the gate opened, it seemed ready to head straight into the Abyss.

With the common goal of rescuing Ulan, Noa focused his mind, recalling the original game to open the Abyssal Rift.

After being engulfed in the Abyss’s darkness,

as the boundary between being awake and asleep began to blur, Ulan recalled the whispered words he had heard.

「―The Regressor.」

That term had been whispered to him.

Moreover, it seemed he had fragments of memories from his past life. The mentions of giant slayers and clan leaders were evidence of that.

‘How does it know?’

Ulan tilted his head in confusion.

It was a natural question.

Even someone like Noa, who had repeatedly lived countless lives from a unique position as a player, hadn’t known his secret until Ulan mentioned it.

“Ugh!”

Suddenly, a headache struck.

As pain forced a grimace on his face, the scenery before him suddenly shifted.

Like reflections in shattered glass, countless scenes unfolded. Eventually, Ulan grasped what they were.

‘Memories from a past life.’

Memories from wandering the battlefield after leaving the prairie, meeting comrades, and awakening to his duty as a hero played back in vivid imagery.

And finally—

he saw the moment of his demise.

The memory of being left behind so that his injured comrades could escape. As he silently watched this, his brows furrowed slightly.

‘This is…’

A nagging feeling of unease crept in.

Ulan’s eyes darkened.

‘This isn’t my memory.’

If it were his own, the footage would have ended when he collapsed after the fight.

Yet even after Ulan drew his last breath, the scenes continued as if they were far from over.

After fighting endlessly against the Abyssal Monsters, the heroes fell one by one, and soon the world was filled with monsters.

A world where all of humanity was annihilated.

In a world where the boundaries between the Abyss and the outside grew indistinct, a voice emerged.

「―It is over.」

A darkening, gloomy voice.

The same voice that had whispered to him, calling him the Regressor. It spoke in jubilant tones, uttering words to rejoice.

「With this, all the arrangements of the stars have vanished, and the day has come to put an end to the cycle of time that has been repeated ad nauseam!」

As the shout ceased, darkness began to ripple.

Not long after, the Abyssal Monsters transformed into a handful of darkness and started to merge into the world. Ultimately, the scenery morphed into complete darkness.

【This is your future.】

【Regressor, Ulan Bator.】

The whispers returned.

The voice, now eerily close, murmured again in that dark tone.

【Your end is already predetermined.】

【No matter where you run.】

【Whatever plans you devise.】

【Destiny cannot be altered.】

Perhaps the being wished for Ulan’s despair, but his reaction was akin to stone.

After a moment of silence, Ulan turned his gaze toward the direction of the voice.

“Is that why you trapped me?”

But there was no response.

The voice merely repeated its lines as before.

【But there’s no need to feel lonely.】

【After facing your end as fate decrees,】

【the world will be engulfed in the Abyss, and everything you cherish will meet the same end as you.】

Just like the ‘memories of what came after’ he had witnessed earlier.

As the being’s words ended, Ulan gritted his teeth. He recalled the sight of heroes collapsing without hope.

“……”

His face swelled with rage.

His crimson eyes ignited like flames.

Shortly after, he turned where the voice came from, shaking off the bindings that held him and quickly striding forward.

He didn’t care what it was.

All he felt was a surging desire to swing his axe at the loudmouth spouting nonsense.

But at that moment, something blocked his path.

[Grrrrrrr!]

It was none other than White Wolf.

It perfectly obstructed Ulan’s path as if to say he couldn’t go any further. Ulan soon realized the reason.

“…!”

Currently, Ulan was standing at the edge of a cliff.

What awaited him was nothing but an endless abyss and the depths of darkness. If he took one more step, he would have plummeted.

【It was just one step.】

【How ridiculous to have such an annoyance.】

【Rudrik’s dog.】

At the same time, a voice echoed from beyond.

It seemed to swallow its disappointment.

With that, Ulan faced the being with the mysterious voice.

“A palm?”

It was countless hands.

From the abyss below, innumerable hands reached out toward Ulan, gesturing for him. It was these ‘hands’ that had bound and restrained him.

【But there’s no need to rush.】

【Once the Gate of the Abyss opens, the age of humanity will come to an end.】

【Then you too will meet your end.】

With a farewell, the voice drifted into the background, and the countless hands that held Ulan one by one fell away.

Then, at that moment, Ulan parted his lips.

“I don’t care about my fate.”

It was true.

From his past life to this one, Ulan had never believed in destiny.

So, no matter what the voice said, he remained unshaken. Ulan glared at the hands descending into the Abyss with fury.

“I’m just going to do what I must.”

To eliminate the monster before him.

With that short mutter as a signal, Ulan quickly reached for the palm. Then he pulled with all his might.

His objective was singular.

To drag the owner of the hand upwards.

【───!】

Was it because of immense strength?

He felt something being pulled upwards. The entity, panicking, twisted its hands in resistance, but it was futile against Ulan’s strength.

Soon it became clear what the hand belonged to. A massive, fruit-like globe. Ulan swung his axe without hesitation.

Crack!

The globe split open like a watermelon.

Magic power from the Abyss scattered into the air. Did I take it down? Just as he thought this, the voice resurfaced.

【That’s a futile endeavor.】

Countless hands surged forth from the Abyss.

Indeed, there were an unfathomable number of them; too many to count.

【I am infinite and eternal.】

【You are finite and mortal.】

【No matter how much you swing your axe,】

【the fight will never end.】

Faced with the vanishing being sinking into the Abyss, Ulan swung his axe again and again to sever the remaining hands.

“If so, I’ll fight until the end!”

In the moment he faced this entity, he realized. That even if he wiped out all the Lords of the Abyss, unless this being vanished, the battle would never cease.

“I will chase you and fight until the day it finally ends, repeating until I do!”

After tearing apart all the surrounding hands, Ulan roared toward the Abyss.

“Forever!”

His fierce shout echoed throughout the chamber, resonating loudly. But now, the voice was gone, as if it had sunk completely into the Abyss.

Then suddenly.

Fwhoosh!

A light burst forth from behind him. At the same time, he heard the playful voices of children.

『Once we’re done, let’s go back!』

『Everyone is waiting for you.』

As soon as the whispers of the spirits ended, White Wolf, having shrunk back to size, jumped onto Ulan’s shoulder, soon enveloped in pure white light. Moments later, the darkness lifted, and the world transformed.

‘The pond.’

As drops of dew fell and created gentle ripples on the surface, the once still pond began to shimmer. Blinking, he instantly recognized the familiar scenery.

The Source of Magic, Zone 5.

The battlefield where he had fought against the Phantom Knights. As he realized this, a familiar voice rang out.

“Ulan!”

A silver-haired girl suddenly hugged him tightly.

It was none other than Delia Arpen.

And it wasn’t just her who welcomed Ulan. Fertisha, Ivella, and Noa were there as well.

“What are you all doing here…?”

“Well, that’s what we have to talk about.”

Delia replied grumpily.

There were so many questions piling up, like why they had missed lunch and why he went back into the Abyss.

But he couldn’t ask anything right away.

“……!?”

Her golden eyes widened in shock.

It was a delayed realization. She finally noticed all the wounds and scars covering Ulan’s body.

“U-Ulan! Your body is…!”

“Ah, must have gotten these while fighting.”

In contrast, Ulan responded blandly.

Since the wounds could be healed with Hero’s Enchantment, it wasn’t a big deal to him.

Just as their conversation wrapped up, Ivella suddenly nudged Delia.

“But aren’t you getting a bit too close now?”

She looked peeved. Clearly unhappy about Delia being so clingy to Ulan.

“How long are you going to stay attached?”

“……Not just yet.”

“Not just yet? What do you mean?”

“I still need Ulan’s warmth.”

“W-Well, I need it too, you know?!”

Ivella shouted back, her face flushed slightly.

From here, two girls launched into an argument, just like usual. Taking advantage of this moment, Fertisha stepped closer to Ulan.

“Hah, I’m so relieved you’re safe.”

Her eyes glistened with tears as she smiled.

Moments later, she muttered softly.

“Master.”

And in that moment, all the noise in the hall faded away.

Noa’s eyes went wide, and the previously bickering Ivella and Delia turned their gazes towards Fertisha.

In the midst of a strange silence, it was Delia who spoke first.

“What did you just say…?”

“I called him Master.”

“Why is Ulan your Master?”

“Hmm, that’s a secret between us.”

Fertisha turned her head coyly.

Then she looked back at Ulan.

“Right, Master?”

A smile blossomed on her face, her cheeks slightly flushed, almost shy.

The atmosphere, however, grew colder than the northern tundra.

Just as Ivella and Delia were about to demand an explanation with frostbitten looks.

“How about we talk outside?”

Noa cautiously suggested.

He looked somewhat pale.

“Being so close to the Source of Magic, I think my head’s going to keep spinning…”

That was a reasonable reaction.

Having consumed a significant amount of mental power while opening the Abyssal Rift to rescue Ulan, Noa needed to recover.

“Yeah, that sounds good.”

“I’ll ask in detail once we get outside.”

His glowing eyes shone with a determination to learn exactly what had happened. The group turned back towards their original destination.

Toward Arsen Academy.

Interlude. The Flower of Romerna

1.

After stepping away from the Source of Magic, the group gathered once again to explain what had happened in Zone 5.

As everyone’s attention was focused on them, Fertisha was the first to speak up.

“First, let me introduce myself again.”

She began unexpectedly, gripping the ends of her skirt.

With a courteous greeting, she revealed her real name, which she had hidden until now.

“I’m Fertisha.”

She explained that “Tisha” was a nickname from her childhood, and for some unknown reason, she had kept her true name a secret until now.

In contrast, the two girls seemed disinterested.

It was clear they were much more curious about something else.

Realizing this, Fertisha quickly moved on to the main topic.

“Before I talk about what happened at the Source of Magic, let me tell you about the special ability I possess.”

Because if she kept the existence of the spirit hidden, she wouldn’t be able to explain what had happened at the Source of Magic.

After she finished explaining, Ivella and Delia exchanged bewildered glances.

“Half-human, half-spirit…”

“That’s hard to believe…”

It was shocking to hear about the existence of a spirit and managing it, but what bothered them even more was something else entirely.

Half-Human Half-Spirit.

It was about Fertisha’s identity.

“How on earth did she have a baby?”

“How did she give birth?”

Ivella and Delia blurted out the same questions simultaneously.

It was, of course, a valid question.

Spirits were intangible, more like light or dust, with no physical form whatsoever. They couldn’t even begin to imagine the process of having a baby.

But their questions remained unanswered.

“Ahaha, I don’t know either.”

Fertisha didn’t have an answer, either.

Once the discussion ended, unlike the skeptical Ivella, Delia silently nodded her head.

Through her heart’s eye, she confirmed there was no lie in Fertisha’s story. So, it sparked her curiosity even more.

“So, are there spirits around here too?”

“Yes! A lot!”

Perhaps it was the first time seeing someone interested in spirits, Fertisha’s excitement bubbled up as she spread her arms wide and continued to explain.

Ulan nodded along, staring in silence at the dazzling lights that filled the area around them.

‘Spirits.’

Countless lights floating in the air.

Ever since he signed a contract with Fertisha and gained the ability to see spirits, Ulan could even hear their conversations.

Just like now.

‘Hey, muscle pig.’

‘By the way.’

‘Don’t say stuff like earlier.’

‘Absolutely! Got that?’

The spirits floating around Ulan repeated the same words as if warning him. Ulan tilted his head in confusion.

‘What are they talking about?’

Yet he didn’t express his questions out loud.

He realized this in the Abyss.

Without speaking, simply thinking allowed him to converse with the spirits.

‘Hmph! Don’t play dumb.’

‘About how babies are made!’

‘It’s about whether you can get pregnant or not.’

‘Don’t say it so openly!’

The spirits shouted in a huffy manner.

Ulan shook his head in continuous confusion.

When he inwardly questioned why this was a problem, an immediate answer came back.

‘Because she’s still young!’

‘Fertisha is a baby.’

‘We have to protect her.’

Their voices revealed a heavy determination.

He couldn’t fully understand, but he nodded. They seemed like they would keep chattering until he confirmed he understood.

As Ulan and the spirits wrapped up their conversation, Fertisha also finished her lengthy explanation and with a relaxed breath, she asked with a bright smile.

“Is there anything else you’re curious about?”

“No, there’s still one thing left.”

“Huh? What is it?”

……Master.

Delia’s eyes narrowed.

Ivella’s gaze also turned toward Fertisha. The two girls’ eyes focused on her, and Delia finally brought up the real issue.

“Earlier, you called Ulan ‘Master,’ but you haven’t explained why.”

“That’s because of the contract.”

“Huh? Contract?”

Ivella asked back, looking puzzled.

Fertisha kindly explained.

“It’s a contract with the spirits.”

“…What does that mean?”

“It means you make a contract with a spirit to borrow their power, just like a ‘Spirit Master’ from old tales.”

She added that because the spirits were invisible, she had no choice but to make a contract with herself as a Half-Human Half-Spirit.

However, despite hearing the details, Ivella wasn’t impressed.

“But why would you even need a contract like that…?”

“It was unavoidable.”

That was when Ulan interrupted the conversation.

He then continued Fertisha’s earlier explanation about the Lord of the Abyss and the Phantom Knights they encountered in Zone 5.

It was a strong opponent that was hard to hit unless one relied on Divine Power or Spirit Art. Only after detailing the situation did the two girls finally nod.

“So, that’s what happened.”

“Well, if that was the only way to win, then there’s no choice.”

Finally, as if they understood completely.

But they still didn’t fully accept it. Ivella shot a discontented glare at Fertisha.

“But then, can’t you just call him something else instead of ‘Master’? Like ‘Contractor’ or just his name?”

“Ah, well, the thing is…”

For a moment, she was left speechless.

She had hit the nail on the head.

The contract with the spirits wasn’t a master-servant relationship, and just as Fertisha’s relationship with the spirits was equal, so was her relationship with Ulan.

But still, she had her reasons for insisting on calling Ulan ‘Master.’

When Ulan came out of the pond in Zone 5, seeing Delia hugging him sparked a strange feeling.

‘It’s hard to describe in words…’

It felt as if something was bubbling in her chest. Simultaneously, an odd emotion surged, and only one thought dominated her mind.

‘I want her to get away from Ulan quickly.’

So while pondering how to separate Delia from him, the word ‘Master’ slipped out before she realized it.

‘I guess that’s all there is to it.’

Caught up in the emotion for the first time, she had called him that impulsively. However, she had no intention of changing the title.

‘Because calling him ‘Master’ doesn’t feel strange at all.’

In old tales with Spirit Masters, spirits often referred to their contractors as ‘Master.’

Plus, she just wanted to call him that.

It felt like it would bring her closer to Ulan. While considering how to explain this to the two girls,

“Ivella is right.”

Suddenly, Ulan jumped in.

He shook his head as if to say calling Fertisha ‘Master’ irked him.

“Just call her normally.”

“Huh? B-but…”

“Even if we’re contractually bound, you and I are comrades after all.”

In both past and present.

To Ulan, Fertisha was a precious comrade.

So it was only natural that calling her ‘Master’ made him uncomfortable.

In contrast, Fertisha looked sulky.

“…I don’t want to just be a comrade.”

Of course. The reason she insisted on the title ‘Master’ was because she wanted to appear to have a special connection to Ulan.

But since she couldn’t change Ulan’s mind, Fertisha had no choice but to follow his wishes.

“Sigh, okay. If that’s what Ulan wants, then I’ll just call you like usual.”

“Good thinking.”

Ulan smiled.

Finally satisfied. Ivella and Delia sighed in relief as well.

But the three of them didn’t know.

Fertisha hadn’t given up.

‘For now, I’ll retreat, but…’

Eventually, she would take her time and change the title again. Her crimson eyes sparkled with determination.

2.

Meanwhile, at that time.

Noa had remained silent.

Perhaps due to staying in Zone 5 for too long, her head was spinning and her stomach churned.

How long had it been?

“Hoo…”

Finally recovering, she let out the sigh she had been holding back. It wasn’t a complete recovery, but it was bearable now.

Afterward, Noa turned her gaze towards where the rest of the group was located. More specifically, towards Ulan.

‘I have so many questions I want to ask right now but…’

Now wasn’t the right time.

She figured it was best to save those conversations for when they were alone later. Just as she decided this and took a breath, someone approached her.

“Noa.”

The girl with white hair as pure as snow.

It was Fertisha. With a bright smile, she came forward, grabbed both of Noa’s hands, and gently bowed her head.

“Thank you so much.”

“…Huh?”

“I heard that if it weren’t for you, Ulan might not have been saved.”

Huh? Who said that?

While looking around, she suddenly made eye contact with Delia. Seeing her gentle smile, it seemed she was the culprit.

“I’ll definitely repay this kindness one day.”

“No, there’s no need to…”

“So please take care of me from now on!”

Having concluded her impromptu gratitude,

Fertisha smiled brightly again.

As Noa awkwardly smiled back, something suddenly appeared in her vision.

It was a system notification.

[Notification]

*Friendliness has increased.

*Target: [Fertisha Eve Al Rubens]

*You can now view ‘Traits.’

It seemed that their friendliness had drastically increased due to the recent event. Noa looked back at Fertisha walking away towards Ulan.

Then, she blinked.

To view her status window.

[Name]: Fertisha Eve Al Rubens

[Age]: 16

[Rank]: SS

[Traits]: Blessing of the Spirit

[Characteristics]: Purity, Innocence, Learning Ability, Understanding, Singing Ability, Bard, Dancer, Spirit Affinity, Spirit of the Abyss, Affection Deficiency, Possessiveness, One-Sided Love

The traits that had previously been hidden were now revealed.

While skimming through them, a particular trait caught Noa’s attention: ‘Spirit of the Abyss,’ which could only be obtained by fulfilling specific conditions.

‘The existence of that means…’

She must have passed the Trial of the Hero.

Noa squinted her eyes.

‘Things have definitely been mixed up.’

By the original story’s progression, Fertisha should have faced the Trial of the Hero last.

Noa didn’t know why this was happening, but there must be a valid reason behind it.

‘I’ll have to find out later.’

Her blue eyes gleamed.

After this, Noa’s gaze shifted to the traits listed afterwards, specifically Fertisha’s penalties. As she observed, memories of the original story came flooding back.

‘Affection Deficiency.’

Having grown up alone, Fertisha had a notably severe affection deficiency compared to others.

So if she was left alone after spending time with the group, she would likely suffer from feelings of loneliness and distress several times more than others.

‘As long as this is all there is, it’s manageable…’

The problem was that the longer she was left alone, the more her stats would decrease.

And if special circumstances arose where even the spirit abandoned her, Fertisha would eventually close her heart and become a shell of a person.

Thus, ever since joining the Hero Party, they shouldn’t leave Fertisha alone. Otherwise, it could lead to adverse consequences in some form.

‘Next is Possessiveness.’

This was exactly as it sounded.

Whenever something she wanted came up, her methods to obtain it would be devoid of any means or scruples.

Though it wasn’t as severe as Affection Deficiency, it could become a problem if she wanted to possess living beings instead of just items.

‘In the original story, it was mainly birds.’

So if her possessiveness flared up, she’d kill or stuff a bird to keep it.

While it was a pretty creepy penalty, Noa could somewhat understand it, given the circumstances. However, the real worst penalty was something else.

‘…One-Sided Love.’

Noa swallowed dryly.

Strictly speaking, this was a double-edged sword. If used well, it could be beneficial, but a careless application could lead to disastrous circumstances.

‘In the original story, it rarely activated.’

Because the conditions for activation were stringent.

Whether it was of the same or opposite sex, it needed to be someone she could genuinely trust and rely on to love, to finally activate this trait.

‘But there was once before…’

It activated by accident.

The one involved happened to be Laurea.

In the excitement of uncovering a Hidden Piece, she couldn’t recall the precise trigger, but once activated, the hidden traits were revealed.

Just like now.

‘Of course, it’s only good if used wisely.’

Staying near the target activated by the One-Sided Love would greatly increase all her stats.

But if they were even slightly apart, her stats would dramatically drop instead.

‘And…’

If the target were to die?

She would come to realize why One-Sided Love was considered the worst penalty.

‘Fertisha would see no reason to continue living and could end up taking her own life.’

No penalty would directly drive the bearer to death, except for One-Sided Love.

That was why it was deemed the worst penalty.

Once Noa finished her recollections and sighed again, she could hear Ulan and Fertisha’s conversation nearby.

“What are you staring at?”

“Hehe, just because.”

After a bashful smile, Fertisha reached out, gently cradling her flushed cheeks with her hands.

“I feel like I’ve become the Flower of Romerna.”

“Romerna? What’s that?”

“It’s a flower that blooms in the world of spirits.”

As she answered with a giggle, a more detailed explanation came from the spirits hovering all around.

“To be exact, it’s a flower from legend.”

“It stays in bud form until—”

“It meets its destined partner and then blossoms.”

Ah, I see. Ulan nodded.

It seemed like he understood the gist of it.

“So, speaking of which…”

Just then, Fertisha fidgeted with her fingers, seeming to have something important to say. After a brief moment, she mustered her courage to speak.

“Would it be okay if I remained by your side so that the Flower of Romerna can bloom?”

“Sure.”

Ulan replied without hesitation.

After all, until they blocked the Abyss, they were bound to be together whether they liked it or not. Fertisha’s bright smile blossomed at his quick response.

“Yes!”

A genuinely joyful smile.

Meanwhile, eavesdropping on their conversation, Ivella and Delia finally became certain. Fertisha was their romantic rival.

And in that instant, Noa realized the same thing.

‘Ah, I see.’

Fertisha’s worst penalty of One-Sided Love was aimed at Ulan.

But for some reason, she didn’t feel particularly worried.

‘If it’s Ulan, I don’t think he will die.’

Even if there was a predetermined fate, she believed that Ulan would find a way to navigate through it.

Noa held on to that belief.

Chapter 47. School Trip

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