“This is awesome!” Shuutarou exclaimed happily.
He was in a workshop, trying on some new gear—a set of armor that was lightweight but very strong, a hooded cape, and a beautiful sword.
“It’s good to upgrade your equipment whenever you can,” said Theodore. “You should find this sword useful, I imagine. It enhances magic attacks, too.”
The blade was engraved with complex symbols that boosted magic stats. It was Shuutarou’s very first magic sword.
Since Shuutarou’s level shot up past 90, he was able to equip a wide range of new items. With the armor that Theodore had diligently crafted for him, Shuutarou’s stats were so high, even the top-level players wouldn’t be able to land a scratch on him. But as impressed as Shuutarou was with the new armor, he seemed sad.
“I guess…we’ll have to go the rest of the way alone,” he said.
He had no reason to reclass and reset his level, and he wouldn’t be able to hide it from his friends. He was too high-level to continue his friendly rivalry with Shoukichi, too.
“Master,” Theodore began softly, “you have never drawn attention to your power, and that is not about to change, is it? You have grown yet more powerful, but if it has not changed your manner, then I see no reason why your friends should approach you any differently, either.”
Shuutarou looked at Theodore, avidly listening.
“I’m afraid I cannot suggest an excuse to explain your level increase to your friends, but I’m sure they will understand that you have your reasons and will not ask you probing questions. We Overlords know that socializing with other players fulfills a need for you that we cannot satisfy. You shouldn’t give it up if the circumstances don’t force you to.”
Theodore had mingled with Shoukichi and other friends of Shuutarou for only a short period of time, but he was a good reader of character, and he was certain that Shuutarou wouldn’t be rejected by the group when he turned up with an inexplicably high level.
Tears were rolling down Shuutarou’s cheeks.
“So it’s okay for me to…be with them a bit longer?”
“If anyone should challenge you, no matter who they are, I will defeat them. Do as you please, Master, and don’t worry about anything.”
Theodore grinned. Heartened, Shuutarou smiled back at him.
✦ ✦ ✦
In one of the cells of the castle’s prison, Holivay shuddered when he heard approaching footsteps.
“I have questions for you.”
It was the eerie, handsome young man with blue hair, dressed like a butler. He eyed Holivay with chilling hostility.
“I—I will answer what I can,” Holivay stammered.
“Tell me everything about your town and the area where it is located. And tell me about the Prayer.”
Holivay reacted to the word Prayer, but he himself wasn’t sure what he would be able to tell the blue-haired man about it.
“What do you wish to know about the Prayer, sir?”
“Anything. No matter how trivial it might seem.”
Holivay knew that south from the Rehn Kingdom, which was at the farthest reaches of inhabited land, and somewhere between the Rindoh Woodlands and the Ru B Desert, there was an area protected by a green magical barrier. According to legend, the barrier was conjured by the spirit’s Prayer. The barrier was an invisible wall that had appeared when the world had changed. Monsters were reacting strangely to it…
“The Prayer has created a prison.”
Holivay was surprised by how smoothly the words were rolling off his tongue.
“A prison, you say…”
“Monsters are attracted to it, trying to get to the other side, but the Prayer cannot be broken. The Rehn Kingdom has given up on fighting off the monsters passing through on their way toward the Prayer’s barrier.”
When Holivay finished talking, the butler was already walking away.