Chapter 121

* * * As soon as Cayna chanted the passcode, she, Opus, Siren, and Kuu were transported to the other side of the continent. This was so simple to do that some players back in the Game Era were skeptical about opening up long-distance teleportation magic to non-Skill Masters. Such criticisms mostly came from villages and town peddlers who feared their sales would plummet. The majority were disgruntled parties who failed to snag prime real estate in the capitals and caused trouble as a way to wear out their competitors. The four landed in a watery area scattered with large leaves. Enormous lotus flowers in peach and white varieties floated around them, while many others appeared beneath the water’s surface as well. This would have been a tranquil sight if only the blooms had been small and delicate; however, most were massive enough to comfortably fit around an adult. Furthermore, the stalks seemed to wriggle and dance on occasion. The word “creepy” was apropos and certainly explained a lot. After all, the tower’s former owner, Liothek, had a habit of collecting all things creepily cute. These ranged from items and summons to equipment. Cayna could still see her garish purple sea slug onesie and the ten-meter-long centipede she used as a steed. Liothek and Cayna had shared infamy for entirely different reasons. “…Hey, it’s not like Liothek was a bad person or anything,” Cayna offered in the Skill Master’s defense. “Come to think of it, she would sometimes send out an Ugly-Cute Advisory,” Opus added. The two of them recalled Liothek sporting a smug grin in her onesie; the hilarious mental image sent them into hysterics. “Greeeetings and welllllcome.” As they shook with laughter, the Guardian enshrined on a particularly enormous leaf languidly called out to them. Cayna turned around to find a cow-sized tree frog, its bulging eyes silently staring at them. There was no question it looked like a tree frog, but its bright pink skin was definitely not something found in nature. The amphibian’s throat swelled as it croaked, and the creature narrowed its eyes as if awaiting a command. “Sorry for barging in like this.” “Apologies.” Cayna’s merry wave was offset by Opus’s usual arrogance. He gave the Guardian a single sidelong glance, then furrowed his brow. “What’s with the bubble-eyed amphibian…?” he asked. “Well, this is Liothek we’re talking about,” Cayna replied. “No comment.” “Fighting means bubbles!” squealed Kuu. “Uh, okay?” Cayna replied with a strained smile. Siren stood to the diagonal right of Opus and reasserted her position as a neutral party. Kuu’s energetic chant had even Cayna baffled. The pink frog Guardian, not perturbed in the least, merely tilted its head. “Bubbles! Bubbles! ” “Umm, so…” Kuu started gleefully twirling through the air, but Cayna quickly got down to brass tacks and spoke to the Guardian. “This is the Item Box, right?” Opus, who had come along as an observer, focused on an inner part of the tower to avoid eye contact with the Guardian. Siren only stood there in silence. She would act upon her or Opus’s request, but for the time being, Cayna had to take matters into her own hands. The object she pointed out to the frog was an especially small yellow bud in the center of a blossoming lotus. “Yessss. Indeeeeed.” The pink frog Guardian blinked its inner eyelids in agreement. Cayna moved between leaves toward the flower, and the petals opened upon her arrival. Then she peeked inside and found a ring-sized cavity. “Yup, this is the ticket. Thanks.” “You’re welllllcoooome.” Cayna reached out and inserted the Guardian Ring. A loud gooong immediately rang out as a flower began rising from the water. Cayna frantically jumped aside and pulled her hand back. “Whoa, whoa, whoa?!” This happened to be the second time she’d made a fool of herself in this tower. “Hmph.” A dresser-shaped Item Box arose alongside the flower and stalk. Its sudden appearance dazzled one individual in particular. “It came splish-splashing out!” Kuu clamored at this new surprise that had just emerged like a secret hideout. Opus looked at her and let out an exasperated sigh. Cayna approached and opened her storeroom. She then linked the two and accessed the tower’s Item Box. “Hmph. I suppose there’s truly nothing to be done without a Guardian Ring.” Opus, who had also approached while checking his own inventory display, nodded repeatedly. “What’s up?” “I was merely testing whether I could insert myself into the same connection.” He’d apparently been curious to see if a Skill Master could freely access other towers. However, Opus had concluded that each tower’s specific ring was required to access its functions. As soon as Cayna heard this, she agreed to the approval screen that appeared in her mind. Even so, this was never intentional; it just suddenly popped up. Though it lacked any rhyme or reason, she determined it was for the best, without any real proof. “Hmm?” Meanwhile, another window opened beside Opus. His jaw dropped, and Cayna glanced over at him with curiosity and surprise. Her double screen soon displayed the same information. “Oh hey, it looks like you can check the storeroom now, too,” she announced with an air of admiration. Opus cast her a dark look. “What’s wrong?” “What did you do just now to suddenly grant me access?” “Huh? Even if you ask me… Umm, well…” Cayna struggled to explain and finally decided to just share the bottom line. “I said ‘Yes’ to an approval screen. What about it…?” “Geez. You’re subconsciously learning to control the system. Well, no matter.” “Wait. What?” Opus ignored her question as he moved a finger across his own screen. His eyes darted back and forth and processed the information at a breathtaking pace. Siren still stood at attention. Kuu, on the other hand, finally had had enough flying around and perched on Cayna’s shoulder. “Jewels!” the fairy cried with sparkling eyes as she stared at the screen. Cayna had expected Kuu to get riled up again, but her concern was needless. Kuu quietly settled on Cayna’s shoulder, but a flurry of question marks flew around her head every whichway. “They’re jewels, all right. Too bad there’s nothing else here, though…” The Palace of the Dragon King’s storeroom was packed with gems. “Catalysts for Simple Summons, I take it. Several appear to have already been sealed.” “Makes sense. Liothek was always shouting, ‘I choose you, so-and-so!’” Simple Summons was a cheaper version of Summoning Magic. Neither one was much different from the other, but a Simple Summons required users to seal a target in a jewel beforehand. Whatever was inside would appear as soon as it was thrown at one’s feet. The merit to this was the fact that it didn’t require an incantation or consume MP when made in advance. However, the level of a sealed summons could drop, depending on jewel rank. For example, although Cayna was able to summon a level 480 Cerberus, its level might be nearly halved in a Simple Summons. In addition, jewels could hold both summonses and spells and were considered a valuable item back in the Game Era. There was an unspoken agreement that everyone should have a chance to cast powerful magic, regardless of level. Cayna had also created several jewels back in the day and used them to earn money. The collection in Liothek’s storeroom was packed with unused jewels, a fair amount of prepared ones already sealed with Simple Summons, and a few left unpolished. She had apparently taken advantage of her location and struck a rich underwater vein. “We didn’t interact much. I couldn’t understand her behavior.” “Her behavior…” There were only thirteen Skill Masters, but it wasn’t like everyone was one big happy family. As Opus had just mentioned, there were a few people even he avoided. Some Skill Masters only met at scheduled meetings or to exchange vital information. Cayna couldn’t say much, since she also had a few names in mind. “Darn. Guess this place is a dud, huh?” “I always knew it’d be an uphill battle.” Cayna pouted at Opus’s snarky comment. “I’m still in charge of other towers, so just quit it, you naysayer.” “I am no such thing. It’s merely fact.” “You seriously need to change your tune! Anyway, we’ll drop by again!” “Untillll next tiiiiiime.” Cayna puffed out her cheeks and bid farewell to the pink frog before raising the next Guardian Ring high overhead. As she uttered the incantation, Kuu, Siren, and Opus (who looked like he had something to say) vanished from the Palace of the Dragon King. Moments later, the quartet appeared in a semi-dome fifty meters in diameter. Green lines beneath them created a grid on the utilitarian floor. A blue sky and clouds were projected on the ceiling above them. At the very center, a floating, plush-like sun added a gentleness to the atmosphere. In the middle of the room, a small maple tree sat in a pillar-shaped marble flowerpot. A human-shaped cloud of white smoke suddenly seeped out of it. This hazy figure was the Guardian of the Battle Arena, one of the towers in the Felskeilo capital. It placed a hand to its chest and bowed reverently. “Warmest greetings, Lady Cayna. How might I assist you today?” “Hi there. It’s been a while. How’s your magic level? You got enough?” “At present, I believe the amount you offered the other day shall safely sustain me for several years.” “Really? That’s good to hear.” Cayna regularly went around checking each tower and restoring MP whenever she had time, so it was looking as if even the towers outside her own would continue to operate without issue. Just in case they weren’t already acquainted, she introduced her companions. “Right, right. This is the Thirteenth Skill Master Opus, and the maid over here is Siren. Kuu is a family member.” “Welcome all. There is little here, but do make yourselves at home.” “Right. We’ll get going soon.” Opus nodded pompously, and Siren silently bowed her head. Kuu, on the other hand, shouted “Hello!” and cut straight through the smoky Guardian’s body with a cackle. As if eager for more, she circled around at top speed and pierced it again like it was some sort of game. It was a bizarre sight, objectively speaking. Cayna questioned the Guardian about the Item Box. Replying “If that is what you seek,” it instructed her to face the plush sun and throw the Guardian Ring toward it. “Throw it?! This thing?” “Yes, as hard as you can.” Cayna looked between the vaporous Guardian (which Kuu was still darting through), the ring, and the sun floating in front of the video projection. Despite her outright confusion, she gave a firm nod, cast Throw, Absolute Bullseye, and Macho Strength, then chucked the ring straight into the plush sun. It was sucked into the very center, and after a beat, a high-pitched whistle echoed inside the dome. It sounded as if something had fallen a ways off. Not only that, several other noises followed in unison. “I have a bad feeling about this…,” remarked Opus. “Think maybe I overdid it a little?” asked Cayna. A single bead of sweat dripped down Opus’s forehead. As Cayna tried to pinpoint the source of the noise, she turned around and realized what had fallen. Several grid panels swiftly opened up to release thick, heavy-looking pillars made of stone. They incessantly dropped from the latticework every whichway as three pale figures stared up in bewilderment. Oddly enough, however, one person in particular was gazing with keen interest. “Kyaaaaaa?!” “Ngh!” “?!” “Ooh?” The trio immediately rushed to escape the stone deluge. Cayna cast Accelerate in the blink of an eye to glide across the floor out of harm’s way. Opus nimbly stepped aside to avoid anything that came too close. Siren approached the flowerpot that was the Guardian’s main body. The area around it was a safe zone, so this was the wisest course of action. Kuu, on the other hand, purposefully left this behind and danced around the crashing pillars like it was all a game. Unfortunately, her timing couldn’t have been worse. The rain of monoliths only lasted for a few seconds, but to Cayna, it felt like a full minute of terror. As soon as everything quieted and Cayna let out a sigh of relief, Sense Danger told her to bend backward. One pillar blasted from the wall and missed her chin by the narrowest of margins. This seemed like the sort of nasty trick Opus would use to target her dropped guard. Fearing a follow-up, Cayna anxiously stared at the jutting obelisk as it sank into the ground in front of her. Nevertheless, the sight next to the Guardian flowerpot was one she knew all too well. Cayna looked at the single Item Box and fell to the ground with a deep, deep sigh. “Geez! What was that about?!” Cayna grumbled irritably. Kee, however, offered no sympathy. “You have my wall, so there was no need to dodge…” “…Oh.” Cayna was as strong as an elephant (even more so, really) yet she’d completely forgotten about Kee’s protection. She would have been perfectly fine without dodging even once. Still, she felt like scrambling out of harm’s way was a pretty natural reaction. As Cayna continued to grouse, Opus clarified the situation with the smoky Guardian. “So what was that?” “A training attraction devised by Master Kyotaro.” “An attraction?” “Yes. He said the level of difficulty changes according to the speed and force of the ring’s trajectory.” “I see.” Opus’s steady gaze fell on Cayna. “Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha…” Having caught this tidbit of news, Cayna soon realized what had happened with the pillars. Her face twitched, and she gave a dry laugh. As the one who used her skills to hurl the ring, she knew that the flurry of columns was obviously her fault. Regardless, Kyotaro was definitely the type of oddball Skill Master who would require people to pass a training drill if they wanted to access his storeroom. But more importantly, Cayna shot the hazy Guardian a look that said, If you knew that, you should’ve said so earlier. The Guardian, whose concept of human emotion was negligible at best, only tilted its head. Still sweating bullets under Opus’s criticism, Cayna checked the Item Box and found, well, another dud. “Gak. It’s all swords…” “Hmph. There are both double- and single-handed blades.” “I guess Kyotaro was a sword collector.” Opus took a peek as well, and some types had even him visibly shocked. There was also defensive equipment to a certain extent, but the majority were swords. These included a Holy Warrior Soul Valhalla like the one she’d given Cohral and blades only dropped by specific monsters. Kyotaro had clearly been an avid collector. “So what next?” “Hmm. We could try Marvelia’s place, but…” The First Skill Master, the werecat Marvelia. Also known as the Demonic Inspector and Stalker’s Notebook, her white whale tower was presently anchored alongside the sandbar of Felskeilo’s Ejidd River. The citizens had begun to revere it as a protective river deity, thanks to the ruse Cayna had pulled off with the help of the princess and knights. A mountain of flower offerings could still be seen on the altar by the sandbar. Furthermore, Cayna had previously checked Marvelia’s Item Box and confirmed it was mostly stuffed with documents and detailed notes on the game. The werecat had similarly interviewed Cayna and Opus to learn more about high elves and demons. However, even Cayna didn’t know everything and soon tired of Marvelia’s constant questions. If even she was gone… “Yeah, I wouldn’t be too torn up.” “Marvelia was a lot to handle, even for me. Question marks flew over her head during half of any given conversation.” ““Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha… Siiigh…”” Cayna and Opus burst into hollow laughter, and their shoulders simultaneously slumped. The very thought of those days gave both a headache. Marvelia wasn’t a bad person, just an annoying one. “No point in thinking about people who aren’t around! On to our next stop!” “Yes, that’s true. This will be the final one, right?” As Cayna attempted to boost morale, Opus sighed and reminded her that this remaining tower was their last hope. Actually, he wasn’t too concerned. After all, it was supposed to be their final destination from the very start. “The tortoise is the end of the line, right?” “Yes. I gave you the ring, did I not?” “Well, yeah. I have it, but…” Cayna muttered, “The tortoise, huh?” as she switched out the rings. “Is there a problem?” “No, no, it’s nothing. That’s Kujo’s place, right?” “Correct.” The Second Skill Master, Kujo. This short man in his distinct blue uniform and monocle was one of the more rational Skill Masters, yet there was an unearthly quality to him. He worked in manufacturing and didn’t excel in combat, but Cayna had often been made to join in his hobbies and various expeditions throughout the game. He’d give her things like fishing gear and said, “This can give you peace in a dog-eat-dog world.” Collecting items was Kujo’s pastime, and these ranged from the things any other player would consider junk to the rarest and most valuable auction finds. He had it all. Since the single Item Box that came with his tower wasn’t nearly enough, Kujo had paid microtransactions for the extra storage. Even so, Cayna remembered how he’d always complain about needing more. In that case, there was a good chance he had the projector she wanted. If Opus was right, Cayna figured it had to be buried in there. Still, she also had a feeling that sifting through Leadale’s largest item hoard to find what she needed would be a backbreaking endeavor. “At any rate, let’s go check it out.” She’d refrain from commenting until she saw things for herself. Cayna put on the ring, held it high overhead, and loudly repeated the chant for the umpteenth time that day. The scenery went from a meshed blue sky to a portable backdrop of skyscrapers and a statue of a goddess. The group was instantly on its guard when a string of backstage cameras swiveled and zoomed in upon their arrival. At the center of the studio, a golden Buddha sat in the lotus position on a lotus flower pedestal that hovered slightly above the floor. It moved silently through the air before stopping in front of Cayna and Opus. The Buddha’s hands remained clasped together as it bowed deeply. “Salutations, Master Opus. How may we be of service today?” “We’re looking for something and came by to see if you have it. Also, Cayna holds the ring to this tower now. She’s the Third Skill Master. Sorry for the short notice.” “Why is your politeness so fake…? Ah, I’m sorry about this.” Cayna, already sick of watching Opus gloat like a corrupt magistrate, lightly bowed to the Buddha. “We are pleased to make your acquaintance as well,” it replied in a mutual gesture. Sensing an endless cycle of pleasantries on the horizon, Opus stepped in. “Come on. Let’s get to work.” “Hey, don’t pull me!” “Please peruse at your leisure.” Opus pulled Cayna over to a corner of the stage where a door was clearly marked PERSONNEL ONLY. As soon as the ring unlocked the door, the demon waltzed in like he both knew and owned the place. Cayna followed him, peering around the room and ogling the scene before her. “Wow, what is all this…?” Enough spare Item Boxes to fill the floor of Cayna’s own tower were piled up against the floor, ceiling, and walls here. There were around one hundred and fifty in total, and it was obvious Kujo had shelled out a significant amount of money. Such was the dedication of a collector. “…Do we hafta check all of these?” “Well, this will go faster if we divide and conquer. Besides, Kujo wasn’t the type to just put things anywhere. Whether it be tools or magic items, I have no doubt each will be properly organized.” “Wait, you’re saying you minded your own business?” “I gave him the items, but Kujo put them away.” “That’s not what I meeeeant!” Cayna protested, but Opus completely ignored her. Although visibly dejected at first, she nodded and set out on her search mission upon receiving his clear instructions. Since neither Siren nor Kuu could use the rings, they stayed out of the storeroom and waited patiently in the studio instead. As Cayna took the back of the room and Opus handled the front, the pair used their Wall Walker and Float skills to reach the Item Boxes near the ceiling. Kee could decipher the contents without reading over every little detail, so Cayna finished much sooner. “…Mmm, this must be it.” Opus had been slowly checking each individual box when he pulled out a rectangular stereo from the middle of the room. It had three round cavities in the center. There was no mistake; this was Cayna’s long-awaited projector. “Yep, you nailed it. Thanks, Opus.” “…You’d be much cuter if you were this honest more often…” “Hmm? You say somethin’?” “Not at all.” Opus casually brushed her question aside. After all, he felt their complex relationship suited him well. The Guardian and Siren, who had watched Cayna and Opus leave the storeroom victorious, bowed and offered their congratulations. Kuu was still flying around the set and didn’t even notice until Cayna called her name. For the time being, the group headed outside. After all, the main rooms of most towers were impervious to magic. A Guardian would normally have to send them back outside if they wished to avoid any bizarre labyrinths, but since this tower’s facility was on the back on a giant tortoise, they simply had to leave the room. “Wait a sec…” When they finally left, Cayna noticed something strange. The tortoise, a mobile tower, was stationary. This was to be expected. Soon after the giant terrapin nearly crashed into the Otaloquess capital, it remained frozen at the quiz winners’ behest. A cluster of tree houses remained right in front of the tower’s nose, and if it had taken even one more step, the results would have been disastrous. The initial plan was to set the tortoise back on its original course, but Exis and Gramps were so preoccupied by their battle of wits that this never came to fruition. “Hey! Why are you parked here?!” Cayna charged back into the studio and lashed out at the lotus-seated Guardian. It avoided her threatening gaze for a moment but then suddenly seemed to remember something. It struck a fist against its palm. “Come to think of it, we believe the victors’ sole command was ‘Stopppp!’” “Ugh, what was Exis even thinking?!” “Theeeerefore! As we were issued no further instruction, we have been rendered immobile!” The Guardian’s rather nonchalant attitude reminded Cayna of something. She turned to Opus. “You gave me the ring, right?” “Yes, I did.” “And you’re the one who ordered the tortoise to run wild, right? “Yes, I was.” “…” “…” Opus watched Cayna swiftly and silently whip out her magic staff. He wasted no time prostrating himself right then and there. “I apologize.” “Instead of saying ‘sorry,’ don’t do that stuff to begin withhhh!” When pressed for a motive, Opus readily confessed. “I wanted to draw out more players.” “Hmm. I agree it’d be ridiculously hard for anyone other than a player to pass the quiz. But even if you managed to track them down, then what?” Thankfully, Opus’s plan had just barely panned out. Without Exis, the Otaloquess capital would have likely been trampled like a set in a monster movie and reduced to a ruin of rubble and bodies. For Cayna, it was all too clear she couldn’t ignore Opus’s blunder. “No, I meant for it to stop at the last second,” Opus explained while sweating bullets. “Is that true?” Cayna asked the Guardian. The delinquent Buddha nodded repeatedly. Opus appeared to be telling the truth. The gigantic, ancient tortoise tower was like an absurd magical machine that, with sufficient power, could run for eternity. The Skill Master controlled the tower, and the Guardian merely followed their commands. In other words, when all was said and done, the former ring bearer before Cayna was the real mastermind. “At any rate, we’ve gotta move the tower somewhere else.” “Hmph. Is that so?” “It’ll cause trouble for the townspeople if we just leave it in front of the capital. People will get stressed out, wondering if it’ll ever move.” “…Is that the main issue here?” “Yes! It! Is!” Cayna frowned in irritation. She yanked Opus’s shirt and gave him a good shake until he reluctantly said, “Okay, okay, I get it. Just let me go.” The problem was moving this miniature mountain. If she used a spell that was too powerful, the Otaloquess queen was almost guaranteed to take notice of Cayna. And even that was likely part of Opus’s grand plan. “Still, I doubt straight-up magic will lay a scratch on a tower…” “True.” Guardian Towers were built to challenge players and reward them with additional skills. This made them incredibly robust. In a meta sort of way, they were like background scenery no amount of skill could destroy. Cayna could probably manage it with the system inside of her, but she had little desire to test out a power far beyond her control. “Hrm.” After a moment of serious deliberation, she chose Allocate from her list of Magic Skills and set the tortoise beneath her feet under her domain. This was yet another skill that was basically useless after its debut quest, which involved saving an overly curious baby dragon from a dungeon. (Back in the game, this particular dragon was unattainable outside of Summoning Magic but sometimes appeared in quests, et cetera as an NPC.) A note of caution: This hopelessly haphazard spell sent the user and any object 25 square meters or larger flying off in any random direction. After that, this notoriously annoying quest only ended once the baby was returned to its parents. Incidentally, Cayna had been whisked from the Blue Kingdom to the neighboring Red Kingdom, so getting back had been no trouble. Opus, meanwhile, had been sent to the farthest corners of the Black Kingdom. The degree of nuisance depended on the individual, and this became a popular topic of conversation among players who completed the quest. Her greatest concern here wasn’t the distance but rather whether or not they’d wind up in a town or village. Back in the game, Cayna had peace of mind knowing such a thing would never happen, but the real world wasn’t so forgiving. She had pondered all this at length, but just as she cast Allocate over the tortoise, the spell anticlimactically dissolved. “Darn, I knew it.” Sparkly particles floated in the air like marine snow as curious townspeople began pointing at the tortoise and asking each other what was going on. Just as Cayna noticed the crowd and wondered if they should hide, a window of the castle suddenly creaked open slightly. “Huh?” A beautiful black-haired woman in a dress stood there, and for whatever reason, her eyes widened at the sight of Cayna. “My dearest Aunt!” she cried. Cayna tilted her head at this somehow familiar form of address. As she and the woman locked eyes, the newcomer threw open the window, jumped out, and rode the breeze down to Canya’s side. “That’s not Flight Magic, it’s—Spirit Magic?!” Cayna cried. The elegant young woman wore a flowy dress dyed in gradient purples. She had long hair, and one tuft of her bangs was blue. Moreover, Cayna could tell she was a high elf. She couldn’t explain why—maybe it was just another benefit of the system. Only Kuu remained vigilant. She didn’t bother hiding in Cayna’s hair but instead flew over to Opus and disappeared behind him. Cayna thought her reaction was odd but decided to let it go. After all, Kuu’s sour moods always spelled trouble. The woman landed delicately in front of Cayna and placed a graceful hand to her chest in greeting. Cayna winced at the pure reverence glittering within those golden eyes. “It’s been quite some time, dearest Aunt. About two centuries, I daresay.” She looked just like Cayna’s adoring little sister figure in the high elf community who always used to shout, “Big Sister, Big Sister!” Cayna met this woman once before. She was a sub-character that accompanied the main player in order to level up; eventually, she was submitted to the Foster System. All she did was stand blankly behind Cayna’s little sister, and people wondered if she was going to join her on quests dressed in such a billowy dress. Yes, the name was… “Um, Sahala…shade, was it?” “Indeed, I am Sahalashade. ’Tis a pleasure to finally see you.” She smiled brightly, and Cayna was momentarily captivated. Her little sister had evidently put a great deal of time and effort into creating her daughter. Opus cut in from behind Cayna. “An acquaintance?” he asked. When she quietly answered that the woman was a Foster Child of Sahana from the high elf community, he grimaced. Cayna suddenly remembered how her little sister Sahana and Opus constantly bickered whenever they were in the same room. He obviously still wasn’t a fan. “Is this an acquaintance of yours?” Sahalashade asked Cayna. “Uh, yeah. He’s an awful friend I just can’t seem to shake off.” “I see.” Cayna soon felt someone watching them and noticed a group of armed guards peeking out from the window Sahalashade had jumped from. “Hey, Sahalashade.” “Yes? Whatever is the matter?” “Are those guys okay?” “Who? …Oh my.” Cayna pointed at the window behind the queen, and Sahalashade grew a bit frazzled when she turned around. Hearing Cayna mumble “Oh shoot” finally made her reflect on her actions. After all, it wasn’t normal for a queen to jump out the window at the sight of a relative. Sahalashade turned back to Cayna with a look of discomfort. “This encounter is surely some sort of fate. Now that we are finally together, shall we enjoy a spot of tea?” ““…”” Cayna was eager to avoid the trouble waiting for her on the other side of that window. The guards, meanwhile, were probably eager to use Cayna and her companions as an excuse to scold the queen. She sighed. This situation reminded her of someone. “Sure, I’ll join you.” “Oh, are you certain?” “Why are you so surprised? You’re the one who invited me. What about you, Opus?” “I’ll figure out a way to send that tortoise flying. Don’t worry about me.” Opus shooed Cayna away, and she offered a strained smile in apology. They’d already found what they came for, so he was insisting she go enjoy a cup of tea. Cayna also felt obligated to atone after purposefully turning down an invitation delivered by the queen’s personal emissary. “…By the way, can I ask why a queen is jumping from windows?” Cayna said. “Please forgive my disgraceful behavior. The very sight of you robbed me of my senses, dear Aunt. I feared that if I failed to invite you this time, there would never be another opportunity…” From the window Sahalashade leaped from, the guards were giving Cayna the evil eye. She feared she’d be imposing on them for entirely different reasons. If Sahalashade kept them in line, all would be well. If not, Cayna decided she’d have no choice but to leave. “Well then, let us be off,” her niece said, facing the window. It was unclear whether she was aware of her aunt’s feelings. Sahalashade chided her protectors and forced them to stand down. Still, it was the first time Cayna had ever heard Unless you wish for you and your entire family to be wiped out, I suggest none of you challenge her. She wondered if she’d really been so notorious back in the Game Era but soon answered her own question. Based on the reaction of Sahana’s daughter, she likely wasn’t too terrible. Probably. Perhaps. The window Sahalashade had leaped from apparently belonged to an office. A sizable stack of documents sat on a sturdy desk, and there was a sofa and table as well. The tortoise’s giant profile was visible from the window, which Cayna didn’t think made for the best view. She resolved to move it ASAP. She could sense hostility from the other side of the wide double doors. As she contemplated how to clear up this misunderstanding, a commotion broke out in the hallway. Based on the intermittent bursts of anger, one of their superiors had evidently come by and commanded the soldiers to stand down. Once all was quiet, a maid waiting patiently in a corner of the room bowed politely. She treated their new intruder with respect and prepared tea as the queen instructed. “Do have a seat, Aunt Cayna.” “Oh, sure.” Cayna took Sahalashade up on her offer and sat on the sofa. The maid placed a fragrant cup of tea before her and looked incredulous when thanked. When Cayna casually picked up her teacup, Sahalashade sat across from her. “I imagine the flavor must surely be inferior compared to ancient times,” the queen said. “No, no, it’s delicious.” Cayna sipped the steamy orange beverage and found the notes were identical to real-life black tea. She wasn’t exactly sure what “ancient tea” was supposed to taste like but gave her honest opinion. Sahalashade smiled lightly, drank from her own cup, and relaxed her tense shoulders with a sigh. All of a sudden, Cayna remembered that tea could slightly improve one’s Mind stats (MND) back in the game. She used Search to check the contents of her cup but found nothing. Cayna smiled awkwardly, aware of this bad habit of hers. “Is the tea not to your liking, Aunt Cayna?” Sahalashade asked with mild confusion. “No worries, I was just curious about something. Was that rude of me?” “As long as you are enjoying the flavor, please act as you wish.” Only one cup of tea later, Sahalashade got to her feet. She smiled uncomfortably and started doing paperwork, with Cayna eyeing her. “Um, am I interrupting?” Cayna asked. “Not at all. I’m delighted to enjoy a short reprieve with company for once.” In other words, Sahalashade was bored of working alone in a silent room. As Cayna watched the queen quietly gather documents, she recalled a distant memory. “Sahana avoided desk work, too.” “Oh my! Mother did? I never knew.” “I don’t have all the details, but she apparently had no problem walking long distances.” Sahana used to visit Cayna’s tower frequently. Even two centuries later, she could still vividly remember when Sahana learned the skill to summon a Polychromatic Dragon. Time continued to pass with only the sound of shuffling papers and the occasional exchange between niece and aunt. Cayna summarized her journey from the remote village to Felskeilo and the events that happened since while also answering Sahalashade’s questions. Then, just as Cayna thought she shouldn’t overstay her welcome, a visitor arrived. “Pardon me, Your Majesty. If I might discuss our recent reorganization efforts…” The knight captain entered with a knock. He had the deep skin tone and long ears characteristic of a demon and only one distinct horn shooting up from the right side of his head. His hair was tightly slicked back, and a single glance made it obvious he was diligent and worked in an administrative capacity. Instead of armor, he wore a relaxed, long-sleeved soldier’s uniform. He looked at Cayna and offered a slight bow before turning to Sahalashade. Cayna assumed the furious voice outside the door earlier had been his. Then, after several businesslike responses, he dropped a bomb on his way out the door. “Hello, little lady. Are you a friend of Her Majesty?” “Little…?!” “Pfft! Hee-hee-hee-hee.” Cayna stiffened at being treated like a child by a total stranger, and Sahalashade giggled at her subordinate’s harsh comment. It was true that, compared to the queen’s mature air, Cayna appeared exceedingly young. Looking at the two, it was obvious who ought to be treated with seniority. Cayna was used to being called “miss” or “lady” but never once expected “little lady.” The information failed to compute; she sat there pale with shock. The knight captain hadn’t the slightest clue about the reason for their meeting or why his mistress was clutching her stomach in laughter. Cayna desperately wanted her tickled niece to clear up this misunderstanding, but her only hope fell into another fit of giggles. “Your Majesty?” “Sahalashade?” “Ah-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha… Haaaah. Phew. Forgive me, Guan Koh. This little l… Pfft! Hee-hee.” “Uh, it’s whatever, I guess.” If Cayna was going to be forever called “miss” and whatnot in this world, she might as well get used to it. Cayna decided to wait in silence for Sahalashade to calm down. By the time her niece finally managed to catch her breath, she was thoroughly sulking. Guan Koh had also come to realize his own comment was the reason for one side’s amusement and the other’s foul mood. The awkwardness in the room was palpable; he looked visibly concerned. Cayna felt bad for him, so she cast Intimidate to smother Sahalashade’s chortles.