Chapter 91: Opener of the World's Darkness

"Mmm... Thanks to the nap, I feel refreshed! I feel like I was having a nightmare, but it's probably just my imagination, just my imagination! Anyway, turn off the mobile terminal."

"Now then... I can listen to their stories tomorrow."

I want Bilac to get the Ancient Craftsman job by today. It's not an emergency or an obligation, but living life (play) in a hurry is a gamer's privilege.

Honestly speaking, I have a strong feeling that if I get involved, it'll take up a considerable amount of time, so I want to put it off.

"Sunraku-san! Good morning, desu wa!"

"It's night though... Now then, was it Ruins of Past Glory? Let's conquer it quickly."

"Ah, regarding that, I have something to tell you, Sunraku-san, desu wa."

Something to tell? What is it?

Emul skillfully looks away with a distant gaze while pointing at a spot.

"Ahhh! Maiden's! Feet trampling me! Not bad...! Or rather, it hurts hurts hurts itatata!?"

"I knew yer head was screw loose, but didn't know ya had a twisted masochism streak... At this point, stompin' ya flat might be for the good of the world."

"Ohhh my spiiiiine!!"

Ah, yeah. No wonder she wanted to look away with distant eyes.

By the way, time in the game passes even if I'm not logged in, so apparently they've been doing that for about an hour.

"Or rather, didn't Aramis just go home normally?"

"He deposited the gems and came back, desu wa. Something about... cough cough, ah, ah. 'I see! An adventure for the Maiden to reach a new frontier! Then I cannot refuse to lend my strength! Rest assured, since this "Wild Wind" is lending a hand, I shall show you I can cut down any enemy!!' he said."

Using a carrot as a rapier and striking a pose with an exaggerated tone, it seems she's imitating Aramis.

In short, Aramis is joining the party too... that's what it means.

"Well, I don't mind that, but... hmm, should I do the conquest separately? No, but..."

With two level 90-class NPCs in tow, conquering the Ruins of Past Glory, where my current level is probably appropriate, would become... well, normally a Nuru-ge (Easy Mode).

Since the objective is strictly obtaining the "Magic Power Operation Unit," returning once I get it might also be a valid move.

"Hmm, alright. You there, Manzai Duo (Comedy Couple)."

"Who's a couple, ya fool!"

"Ooh! Sunraku-dono's gaze is truly a discerning eye that sees the truth... Ngyaaaa my ribssss!?"

If the cat hadn't cried out, it wouldn't have been trampled...

I speak to Aramis, who looks somewhat happy despite being stomped gesshi-gesshi on the back.

"I heard from Emul, you're going to help?"

"Yes, yes. Please consider this not just my decision, but the will of Catzeria. Our King is painfully grateful for the 'Gift' from Sunraku-dono."

"Gift? No, I didn't give all of them..."

"Warya, lend me yer ear a sec."

Bilac, having delivered the finishing stomp causing Aramis to writhe in agony, beckons me choi-choi, so I lean down, and Bilac brings her mouth to my ear.

(Cait Siths love gems on a racial level, see. Especially the Jewelers of Catzeria are skilled but famous for pilfering materials...)

(Eh, seriously?)

(That's why I forced all the gems ya collected onto 'em. By my estimate, with that much, they can make at least eight accessories. I don't think that Bakamis over there would overlook Dulnyata monopolizing such a quantity of gems.)

According to Bilac, Aramis probably first told the Cait Sith King that I issued a request to the Jeweler Dulnyata using ultra-rare gems.

And that I am Vash's underling. That I faced the Seven Colossi (Unique Monsters) without flinching, and even defeated one.

(The title of Dad's Bro has a huge meaning for races allied with Rabituza. Probably, right about now, all of Catzeria is workin' together to make accessories for ya.)

(Seems like it turned into a huge deal.)

At my words, Bilac looks exasperated for some reason.

"...Warya, do ya understand how much influence the fact of knockin' down a corner of the Seven Colossi holds?"

"By the way, what kind of influence, for example?"

"If things go poorly, war breaks out."

"Ehh..."

I am harmless to humans and animals... Ah well, maybe harmful in appearance, but I'm a pure and correct Pioneer, aren't I?

"Especially in yer case, since ya got the proof of recognition from the Emperor of the Night pasted on ya... Ya might get a Werewolf or Lizardman wife, kukaka."

"Ehh..."

Races with that level of furry progression are a bit... Perhaps seeing through that I was worrying about something irrelevant, Bilac sighed and shook her head. My head is a hopeless case, huh? Hahaha, I'm gonna smack this guy.

"Well, I'm used to becoming a hero or an enemy of the world, so whatever... Anyway, let's go."

"Aye... Get up already!"

"The skull! Please spare the skull, Maiden!"

Then why are you smiling, Aramis?

"Eighthold," the eighth town as the name suggests. Perhaps because it is night, the sight of crystal lamps illuminating the night road lined up orderly along the path is quite fantastical.

Maybe because the Trauma Spot Crystal Nest Cliff is nearby, Eighthold's buildings use a lot of crystal overall. Statues carved from crystal are placed at store fronts, and building roofs are covered with what could be called crystal tiles.

In the end, crystal instead of cobblestones, crystal instead of pillars, crystal armor in the armor shop, crystal swords in the weapon shop... Crystal everywhere, covered in crystal; just how much does this town love crystal?

"If left alone, Crystal Scorpions continue to create crystals endlessly, desu wa. So the people of this town thin out the crystals that look like they'll overflow from the cliff and utilize them... is what Fa... the Boss said, desu wa!"

"Heh, it's nice to have a basis grounded in the worldview."

I proceed while walking through the crystal town illuminated by dim light from a slightly narrowed field of vision. Players I see here and there are looking at me from a distance, but I don't care anymore... or rather, I recently realized caring is pointless.

"Sunraku-san, are you not sneaking around anymore, desu wa?"

"How do I put it... I recently realized I should just play dumb even if found. Or rather, plunging myself into a situation where I can't use the town facilities when I want to is putting the cart before the horse, isn't it?"

"Though I think ya shouldn't stand out in the current situation..."

"Fuhaha, right now I am truly a borrowed cat! The Wild Wind is but a night breeze stroking your cheek for a moment...!"

"Stop thrashing around."

I never thought I'd use this trick again. Inside the Festival Garb: Vanquisher's Long Hood, Emul is on the back of my head, Bilac is on my back, and I'm holding Aramis with both hands. When the three of them thrash around, the white hood moves like a monster with something rampaging inside.

This might be the reason players don't talk to me, but anyway, I'm grateful.

No one would think Vorpal Bunnies and a Cait Sith are hiding inside this. Occasionally I'm asked if they can take a screenshot, but refusing poorly might lead to unauthorized screenshots again, and being followed is trouble too, so I answer those players vaguely.

"Um, how did you get that item?"

"I bought it from a suspicious street vendor in a back alley of Thirdrema. Maybe a random encounter, he wasn't there every time though."

"Is that so? Thank you very much!"

Confirming that the player asking for a screenshot and the source of the white hood left, I check with Emul in a low voice.

"Peets is doing business as a street vendor in Thirdrema in human form, right?"

"Yes sir, he said before that since Thirdrema has lots of people and lots of gullible pioneers, he can overcharge them extra."

"Strong merchant spirit."

Now then, it's about time we pass through Eighthold and reach the Ruins of Past Glory... but here I finally draw the worst-case scenario I had anticipated.

"Ah—, Sunraku... is that you?"

"...Yes?"

Stopped by a strangely deep, silver voice, I turn around. At that time, I gesture to the three on my head, back, and hands not to speak.

Looking back, there's no one there... or so I thought, but I spot a pink top of a head slightly below my line of sight.

"I am a person called 'Professor' leading the lore clan 'Library'. I stopped you because I definitely want to hear the story from you, who defeated the Unique Monster 'Tombguard Wethermon,' and the other two as well."

Pink twin-tails, blue eyes, and porcelain-white skin. An outfit using lots of frills that should be called Magical Girl rather than Magician.

And emitted from that mouth is the voice of an aged man, radiating an Intelligence aura from the voice alone.

"Pufushu!"

"Hm?"

"Excuse me, that was a sneeze."

You idiot Emul, hold it in! Even though I'm desperately holding back!

"Sneezing in-game, huh... well, fine. So, are you free right now?"

"...Right now is a bit."

"Hoh!"

The moment the eyes of the player named Professor, a lovely girl in appearance only, sparkled, I realized my words were a slip of the tongue and that this Professor is the same type of player as Pencilgon.

Refusing with "Right now is a bit" was a mistake; this means the rejection of the Professor's invitation only applies to "Right now." Therefore, the words that follow are...

"Hmm, then if you don't mind, could you tell me when you are free?"

figured it would come to this. Since I said impossible now, connecting it to a promise to meet another day is a natural flow... to think I, of all people, would mess up the dialogue option.

Thinking for a moment, I decided to push it onto someone else as a conclusion.

"Ah—... regarding 'Tombguard Wethermon,' a person named Arthur Pencilgon knows more than me."

"I see, her... Black Wolf said they would contact her, maybe I'll piggyback on that..."

Sorry Pencilgon, become a sacrifice for my comfortable gaming life.

"I see. However, there are stories I want to hear from you too. I won't say right here and now, but if you have free time, I definitely want you to tell me... Including about what you're hiding inside that hood?, okay?"

"Hahaha..."

Busted.

I exercise the Japanese special skill "Let it slide with a vague smile," but the effect is probably thin. The Professor operates a window with a crafty smile completely disproportionate to that appearance.

[Friend Request received from Professor.]
["To unravel the unknown of this world, I definitely want to hear your story."]

"Well then, see you."

Watching the back of the bright pink girl leaving with light steps, I sigh.

"Is the magical girl look with a gentlemanly silver voice inside intentional?"

However, a Lore Clan... Honestly speaking, I do have a desire to keep connections with those who focus on lore speculation.

Playing this game reasonably, I understood that Shangri-La Frontier is, how should I put it, fundamentally different from previous games.

Basically, games have a set Start and Goal regardless of the process. This applies even to MMORPGs, games where the goal practically doesn't exist until the moment service ends.

For example, let's say a new area and new boss are implemented. Normally, there are flags to go to the new area, events, and players are guided to the new boss—all of that aggregated is the Story (Scenario).

But Shangri-La Frontier is different; this game is all groping in the dark.

In this game, all flags are cleverly hidden from the start. Whether it's hidden areas or special conditions, in any case, the players themselves must find the flags.

It's like treasure hunting in pitch darkness with a single lantern. And to reveal the Pitch Darkness (Worldview), one must approach with the light of the lantern called Lore Speculation.

Back then, the words left by the fading Setsuna of Distant Days: "Bahamut," "Second Plan"... Just defeating enemies and leveling up will only lead to the dead end of being merely at the forefront of story conquest.

To raise the scenario flags for Unique Monsters deeply rooted in the worldview... that Lycaon the Night Raider, information is needed.

"Besides, I'm getting tired of hermit play."

Muttering to no one in particular, I accepted the friend request from the fake magical girl.

Author's Afterword

"The Magical Girl with a Damn Deep Voice"
The player known by this description. By the way, it's not his own hobby; the Professor's real-life wife is the culprit.
Incidentally, the Professor's wife is making waves in the clan "Black Wolf" with a super-macho avatar with a very intense face.

Eighthold
A town famous as "A town where Crystal-based weapons and armor can be purchased at surprisingly low prices," but simultaneously harboring the contradiction of "The difficulty of transportation is so high that weapons and armor are already sufficient by the time you arrive."
I intend to describe it later, but when moving "Horizontally" between towns instead of "Vertically," only Eighthold has an abnormal difficulty.

Crystal Scorpion: "Good morning! Die!"
Humming Lich: "Normies die."
???: "ELIMINATE."