Chapter 125

Their meeting was adjourned, and some time later, Cayna was provided a room in the cathedral. Cayna felt bad about getting something for nothing, so needless to say, she allowed the church to continue using it for various purposes. The room, a former storage space, was small and could hardly fit six people. Since the entire situation was merely pretext, Cayna loaned out a magical item in lieu of rent. It was a metallic vessel in the shape of a water lily that required an abundance of magic rhymestones. Since the item was safe to use out in the modern world, Mai-Mai granted her permission. It basically just produced one cup of holy water a day. Holy water wasn’t terribly rare back in the game, but these days it was the envy of every clergy member. Even people like Skargo struggled to craft it. Cayna, on the other hand, could make a gallon at once. His struggles were rooted in a difference of gender beyond his control. Since the Holy Water skill was designed for female players, it would take several times his MP to fill even a small dish. Cayna had no clue why, but Opus said this, too, was a result of a Dictionary Meeting. “Anyway, please take us out of here.” “You seem”—ka-thunk—“a little tired,”—ka-thunk—“Master.”—ka-thunk—“Are you”—ka-thunk—“all right?” “Right as rain,” she replied briefly. Their surroundings instantly transformed, and they found themselves in a plain, cramped room. “Is this the place?” Opus asked. “Skargo wanted to offer me a palace, but fortunately I was able to stop him,” Cayna replied, looking immensely relieved. She put a hand to her chest and let out a heavy sigh. This didn’t escape Opus’s notice. “You seem concerned.” “I mean, as soon as I open this door, it’ll alert a certain someone.” “Hmph. Kuu will get him good!” Kuu started swinging her arm as if winding up for a punch. “No one’s ‘getting’ anybody,” Cayna chided her. Opus had already learned his lesson; despite her size, even two Skill Masters were no match against Kuu. He was the one who had paired her with Cayna, but he never could have imagined she’d end up being such a powerhouse. Granted, Cayna is just as full of surprises, Opus thought. Then Cayna steeled herself and opened the door to the hallway. “Mother Dear!” A sonorous voice rang out from the corridor, and Opus watched as a figure in priestly robes collapsed to the carpeted floor on his knees. “…What?” “S-Skargo…” Cayna winced. Behind her, even Siren was left speechless. However, the strangest thing of all was how the clergy paid him no mind. At most, they would step to the side for the High Priest and bow their heads. It was impossible to tell in this bizarre situation whether they’d been corrupted or were simply numb to Skargo’s antics. The handsome elf stopped as a dust cloud effect kicked up behind him. Then he elegantly took Cayna’s hand and kissed it. She knew all along that Skargo would somehow realize when she left the room, but she’d hardly stepped outside. By his sudden appearance, Cayna could only assume he’d been lying in wait for her. The odd scene made even a long-lived demon like Opus feel that there were still some things in this world he couldn’t comprehend. “Ahhh. Any day in your presence is a blessed one, Mother Dear.” A dazzling spotlight shone from the ceiling to illuminate Skargo and Cayna as countless sparkles swirled around them. An unseen angelic choir burst into song. Yes, it was indeed as if they were being blessed. “Yeah. Wonderful.” As her enraptured son turned to the heavens, Cayna emanated utter indifference. Part of her had jumped straight from exasperation to resignation. Kuu took one look at Skargo and then collapsed on Cayna’s head in frustration. “No, wait, this can’t be. To think someone would master Oscar—Roses Scatter with Beauty…,” Opus mused as yet another shock rattled him. Skargo freely brandished Oscar—Roses Scatter with Beauty no matter how many times Cayna yelled at him, so she decided to just consider it part of his identity. If she made a comment every time he used it, it’d never end. It was then that Skargo realized he had other company. He canceled the effect, rose to his feet gracefully, and put a hand to his chest with a bow. “I see we have guests. My name is Skargo. I am the High Priest of this church.” “No use trying to backtrack now. Unfortunately, that ship has long sailed.” “My greeting just now was especially for you, Mother Dear. There is no issue,” Skargo replied, now acting like a respectable young man. “Oh, there’s plenty of issues. My nerves are shot,” Cayna quipped. However, her inherently affable son didn’t catch on at all. “So who’s this guy?” Opus asked. “He’s my Foster Child and son, the High Priest Skargo. He’s turned into a weirdo in the two hundred years I’ve been gone,” Cayna whispered back. “How terrifying.” He heaved another deep sigh. After that, the group switched gears and headed farther into the cathedral. Not that they’d suddenly become religious; this was the only exit from the church grounds. “I have some excellent tea brewing, Mother Dear. Would you care for a short respite?” “Thanks, but we’re just passing through on business.” “I see. That is unfortunate. Perhaps next time, then.” “?” She expected him to insist on treating her to some famous sweets from such-and-such a place and double down on his invitation, so such a response was quite decent of him. It wasn’t like they were in any rush. Skargo’s attitude had her a bit concerned. “You’re not too busy with the church right now?” she asked him. “M-Mother Dear!” The moment Cayna said this, Skargo welled with emotion. Fighting back tears, the High Priest gripped his mother’s hands tightly and drew close. Shoot, now I’ve done it, she thought. If she had been an average (female) citizen who was weak to such charms, such proximity would leave her smitten in a heartbeat. Seeing as this was Cayna’s suggestion, she couldn’t backtrack without digging for new info. Skargo’s eccentricity aside, she’d proceed with the visit. “I don’t just mean the church. Are you busy, too?” “Oh, um, you’re curious about my schedule? I suppose not, as long as there are no injuries. We’ll be dispatching medics to an event in short order.” “An event that causes a lot of injuries, huh? Sounds pretty dangerous.” “Of course, there is no reason for you to involve yourself, Mother Dear. In your eyes, such an event is mere child’s play.” “What?” “Child’s play indeed,” Opus—the only one in the loop besides Skargo—said with a nod. “Opus, do you have any idea what he’s talking about?” “They’re going to host a tourney,” he replied, repeating what he’d heard from Exis back in Helshper. There were no tourneys in the Game Era, so Cayna agreed with Opus: If she entered one in this world, she’d have the competition all sewn up. Of course, that was assuming no other players took part. “A tourney, huh?” Cayna mused. “That said, the tourney has played out in a similar manner for the past several years, and it seems many are hopeful that an impressive new challenger will emerge.” “A similar manner, you say?” Her curiosity piqued, Cayna looked over at Skargo as he started making small talk. “Come to think of it,” he said, “I suppose you wouldn’t be familiar with this event. Isn’t that right, Mother Dear?” Skargo noticed Cayna had stopped in her tracks. He clapped his hands in realization. Cayna’s children believed she’d holed herself up in a forest to avoid people, when she’d actually been sound asleep inside a dungeon the entire time—not that she could just come out and say that, though. “So what kind of tourney is this thing?’ she asked Skargo. “Simply put, it is a knockout competition. Its purpose is to determine the strongest fighter, but for those of us who know you and your acquaintances, it is nothing more than a game of pretend.” After all, Foster Children like Skargo personally knew several players. “You know,” said Cayna, “I bet you, Mai-Mai, and Kartatz would make an invincible team.” Considering that average modern-day adventurers hardly broke level 50, level-300 Skargo could sweep the competition entirely on his own. “I sorely lack adequate battle skills, Mother Dear.” “At your level, punching and kicking would easily get the job done. Besides, I gave you the Wand skill, right? Plus you’ve got the bare minimum of Holy Magic, and then there’s race-specific Spirit Magic. That’s more than enough to take out a few hoodlums, right?” When creating a character, each race had certain skills. For instance, dragoids had the Robust skill, while werecats had the Lithe skill. Skills also varied depending on whether characters had wings or a tail. Both elves and high elves possessed Spirit Magic. “Nothing escapes you, Mother Dear,” Skargo said uncomfortably with a strained smile. As their mother, Cayna was well aware of her children’s capabilities. However, she had no idea if they’d learned anything new in these past two centuries. “We’re getting offtrack here. Weren’t you asking about the tournament’s system?” Opus normally would have feigned ignorance and continued to quietly observe, but instead he interrupted, in the hopes of moving the conversation forward. Warning bells went off in Cayna’s head. “I’m surprised you even care, Opus.” “Well, events like this are usually a chance to gather local news. Shouldn’t we at least hear the basic details?” “…Is that really all?” Opus ignored Cayna’s contemptuous glare and left it up to Skargo to continue explaining. “Yes, the tourney. I must have been overcome by Mother Dear’s presence.” “Fine, just turn off that dappled sunlight effect and get on with it already.” Cayna couldn’t stop herself from commenting on Skargo’s eccentricities and completely missed Opus’s point. Kuu nonetheless noticed his quiet chuckling. “Ah, yes, where were we…? That’s right, the tournament format. I believe it is a group competition this year.” “So you have individual tournaments, too?” Opus asked. “Yes, but since one was held last year, this year will only be a team battle.” “Uh, what? Do you only have either an individual or team battle once a year or something?” Cayna chimed in. “Precisely.” “But why? It makes no sense.” “Well, there are various reasons. A prime example is the loss of public order. Such issues also occur during our River Festival, but during the tourney, eager challengers from every nation gather here to demonstrate their abilities. This leads to excessive rowdiness and an endless stream of trivial quarrels throughout the capital.” “And that’s why you don’t hold each one in the same year?” “In the worst of times, I personally had to rush about treating the injured. Ruffians invaded the church during my absence, took parishioners hostage, and barricaded themselves inside. It was quite the mess.” Skargo sounded like a tired old man recalling the past, and Cayna couldn’t help but feel sorry for him. If only she’d woken up sooner, she could’ve helped. “So what did you do with the scoundrels?” Opus asked. “Mmm, you see, our spirited princess at the time offered herself in exchange for the hostages and stormed the church. She was always the very picture of heroism, so she beat the delinquents senseless and saved everyone.” ““What?”” “The people welcomed her coronation with open arms. It was truly incredible.” “Um, are you talking about one of Mye’s ancestors?” “Yes. She was Princess Myleene’s great-grandmother.” “Sheesh, the monarchy here is absolutely wild.” Cayna was already familiar with two members of the royal family: a certain runaway princess who had once requested that Cayna be her bodyguard and a prince who was constantly sneaking out of the castle. Skargo’s anecdote proved that some things ran in families. “I take it large, unruly crowds are no longer an issue?” Opus inquired. “Yes, thanks to our preliminary round. To register for the tourney, you must first take on a quest from the Adventurers Guild. Failure to complete this will disqualify you from the final roster.” “I see. So the preliminary is meant to filter people out.” “I hear the mission is arduous, and only five or six teams pass each time.” “Why’s it so strict? I wonder what the competition is like.” “Forgive me, Mother Dear. That is the extent of my knowledge.” Skargo must have heard everything from Shining Saber. Any info from someone charged with defending the capital couldn’t be an exaggeration. “Actually, the knights are regular participants,” Skargo added. “They can join a team tournament?!” Specialists who excelled in both offense and defense wouldn’t pull their punches. Add in Shining Saber, and the tournament was as good as rigged. Either way, it was completely unacceptable. “Hmm. You wouldn’t be asking me to stop those knights, right, Skargo?” “Perish the thought. Besides, at least three people are required to join a team battle. Mother Dear, you’re not going to participate with two other Skill Masters, are you?” “Of course not!” If she wanted to do that, she’d have no choice but to contact Hidden Ogre, aka Gramps. She had absolutely no plans to participate, though, so any such dream team was mere fantasy. Kuu patted the top of Cayna’s head from her perch, and she looked up. The fairy produced an arrow too small for anyone else to notice and pointed it at Opus. Cayna slowly glanced over and saw him grinning darkly. The alarms going off in her head convinced her to approach him; she had to be certain about something. “Hey, Opus, got a second?” “What is it?” “I’ve just got this really bad feeling.” “And how does that relate to me?” “I’m probably way off base here, but you’re not actually thinking about entering the tourney, right?!” Cayna hoped Opus was the type of Japanese person who could give an emphatic no (although he was no longer Japanese). She wanted him to deny it, just like he did so many other times back in the game. “Yes, I’m considering it.” “Are you kidding me?!” Despite her wishes to the contrary, Cayna’s ominous foreboding was right on the mark. She pictured a horrific scene of untold tourney contestants collapsed in pools of blood. Cayna was convinced that Opus would show no mercy, just as he had during wars in the Game Era. Determined to save players and citizens alike before they could fall into his clutches, Cayna whipped out her magic staff. It was her target, Opus, who stopped her. “Wait! Wait, wait, wait, wait! Just hold on!” he shouted. “What’s with the random, insane hostility? What were you about to do?!” When Cayna looked around, she saw a wide-eyed Skargo clinging to the wall; even Kuu was keeping her distance. Opus was covering Siren so Cayna couldn’t see her face. Perhaps struck by guilt for terrifying them, Cayna’s heart twinged. The priests and nuns passing down the hallway had been knocked out by her murderous aura. “Huh? What?” It finally dawned on Cayna that this disastrous scene was her own doing. She’d just wanted to stop Opus but had clearly gone overboard. “‘I messed up’ won’t cut it here. One minute you’re standing there frozen, the next you’re ready to kill. What the hell were you thinking?” Opus grabbed her shoulders to prevent any sudden movements. “Don’t I have to stop you?” she retorted with blunt sincerity. “Me?!” Anyone would be confused to find out they were the target all along. Shocked and exasperated in equal measure, Opus let go once he was certain Cayna’s rampage was under control. “Oh, I’m sorry, Skargo. I guess I got a little heated. Is anyone else hur—?” “No, you have nothing to apologize for, Mother Dear. Everyone makes mistakes. As long as it doesn’t happen again, there is no issue.” The flustered Skargo rushed to comfort Cayna as her shoulders sank in dejection. The unconscious clergy were gradually transported away by those who had peeked in from the hallways to see what was going on. “Please excuse me, Mother Dear. There is no need to worry. I will take responsibility for everyone and see to their well-being,” Skargo said, before leaving the sour-faced Opus and guilt-ridden Cayna behind. “Still letting your overactive imagination run wild, I see.” “Sniff. I’m sorry.” “You assumed I’d join the tournament and go on a killing spree, didn’t you? I know you can’t treat players and nonplayers the same. There won’t be any bloodbaths, so just relax.” As he pinpointed her fears, Cayna shrank into herself even further. “When you came at me back in the game, the damage was minimal. However, if you mess up for even one second here, that mistake could hurt someone or worse. Be more aware of your surroundings and don’t jump the gun.” “Right. I’m sorry…” “You should keep a better eye on her, too, Kee. You’re the only one who can stop her if I’m not around.” “I strengthened the barrier around her and weakened Intimidate.” “Ngh. Sorry, Kee. Thanks.” Cayna had never felt worse and wanted nothing more than to just crawl into a hole. This sort of thing kept happening, yet it was her prime target, Opus, who dispelled her rage every time. Cayna had a feeling this recent string of revelations had left her emotionally shaken. She tried to control her temper, but Opus was constantly testing her limits. As she left the church, Cayna gave an elderly nun all-purpose medicine. If anyone who fainted either drank it or had it poured on them, they’d make a full recovery. Unfortunately, even Opus couldn’t have predicted that everyone would go pale and black out after Skargo carelessly revealed its value. “If you have nothing better to do, then work on controlling your emotions.” Opus said no more and left. Siren accompanied him as a party member, but since all parties required at least three participants, he’d either have to summon something else or use another method. “He was always logged in, so I’m sure Opus has the bells for a DLC servant or two…” When she said this aloud, it made perfect sense. If Opus only ever summoned Siren, did that mean his other creations were cringeworthy in looks and personality? Cayna tried and failed to imagine what kind of obnoxious juvenile servant Opus might’ve come up with. She swore deep down that she’d do a bit of tinkering if she ever met one. “How am I supposed to control my emotions anyway?” “It is common practice to meditate or sit under a waterfall.” “I’m pretty sure the Ejidd River’s waterfalls would crush me like a pancake.” “My defense barrier will protect you from any immense pressure. Now that you are over level 1,100, you cannot be harmed so easily.” “So I can outmatch nature now…?” Cayna also had resistance against the heat and cold, so the elements were no issue. One look at her resistance stats made it clear outer space was practically the only place she couldn’t survive. The same was true of all Skill Masters. “Let’s say I do sit under a waterfall—isn’t the Ejidd River pretty calm?” “I believe there are rougher areas near the remote village.” Perhaps it was a result of the game’s impact on the natural world, but there were rarely reports of flood damage along the Ejidd River due to heavy rains. The fish were plentiful, and the market had a wide variety of game and non-game species. There were several ferocious types that were known to attack humans, but none stood a chance against Cayna or any other player. Even the average citizen could handle them. That is, as long as chimeras like the alligator-shark from the other day didn’t show up. “That alligator-shark wasn’t Opus’s handiwork, right?” “We won’t know unless we ask.” Apparently, even Kee didn’t know Opus well enough to answer. “Can we deck him? Can we?” “Kuu, let’s fix that short fuse of yours, too. Okay?” “Okey doke,” the fairy replied innocently. It was unclear how well she’d actually listen. Kuu, easily the biggest mystery of all, was duty-bound to support Cayna, yet she did so entirely of her own free will. A main-sub relationship like theirs would typically be rooted in subservience to one’s superior, but from what anyone could tell, Kuu didn’t feel the least bit of tragic heroism. Perhaps it was because Cayna herself didn’t have a good sense of the system, but she hesitated to treat the fairy like an assistant. Opus, on the other hand, would no doubt boss her around. “Kuu, do you have any special talents?” “Oh? Hmmm.” The fairy crossed her arms and fell into thought. Cayna was about to tell her not to overthink it when Kuu’s hand shot up. “Eating! Playing! Sleeping!” she chirped. “Y-yeah. You’ve always got a big, happy smile, Kuu.” Cayna felt constantly pinned under the fairy’s boundless enthusiasm. She hadn’t been comfortable around the hyperactive children back in the hospital, either, so it was a familiar sensation. Kuu’s cheer somehow multiplied further as she clung to Cayna’s cheek. “You’re the bestest,” she said, rubbing their cheeks together. Warmth filled the elf’s heart. Cayna’s careless mistake had sent her into a spiral of depression, but the fairy’s sincere affection finally managed to lift her spirits. “Sigh. Thanks, Kuu.” “Yep!” Kuu and Cayna looked at each other and smiled. It was then that Cayna realized they were right in the middle of a busy street, and she glanced around to see if they’d become a spectacle. However, no one seemed to care. “…They definitely should’ve noticed our embarrassing conversation.” “Opus recently concealed you. Is there an issue?” To be more accurate, Opus used his unique ability to isolate the group from its surroundings for only a short period of time. When Cayna took a closer look, the passersby were unknowingly skirting around them, and she couldn’t hear any outside noise. If she had to guess, this was the advanced Illusion Magic spell known as Detection Blocker. However, Opus was constantly doing this sort of thing to her, and Cayna felt a wave of anger, embarrassment, and indignation. Her jumbled feelings threatened to take over, yet she also couldn’t help but feel a sense of gratitude. In any case, just as Cayna was desperate for a way to vent her lingering frustrations, Kuu glowed blue. Moments later, Cayna felt completely refreshed. “What the?!” “Heh-heh!” Kuu sniffed triumphantly. “Kuu, you can mimic the Tranquility spell?!” “I thought I could, and I did!” The effects Cayna felt appeared to be a product of Kuu’s intuition. Cayna was shocked by its resemblance to magic. The subsystem apparently had the freedom to act upon Kuu’s intentions and motivations. “You’re amazing, Kuu.” “Amazing? I’m amazing! Hooray!” Once she realized she was being praised, Kuu started hopping around excitedly—an impressive feat in midair. Soon afterward, they heard noises from outside, and Kuu retreated into Cayna’s hair. The middle-aged man who approached them with a load of luggage had been startled and wobbled dangerously. Cayna reached out to steady him, but his excessive thanks made her feel a little awkward. It wasn’t like she felt no guilt at all. A sense of culpability still lingered over Cayna as the man bowed repeatedly before disappearing into the crowd. Something odd occurred to her, so she spoke to Kee. “Kee.” “Yes?” “What’s this connection ability Opus has? Is it magic? A skill?” “…” Kee seemed to be debating whether to answer. It was hard to tell, since he lacked a physical body, but based on his aura, Cayna imagined him standing there with his arms crossed and swaying from side to side. “Strictly speaking, it is neither magic nor a skill.” “…Really?” “Really.” An ability like that was downright inexplicable to someone like Cayna, who was basically living on a game board and boasted the best skills and magic. “If anything, you should consider it a power similar to the game system within you.” “What?!” The game system could manipulate the players to a certain extent—in the hands of a competent master, that is. If Opus possessed that same power, he’d rule with an iron fist. “So he’s, like, all-powerful?” “Do you believe Opus acts in such a manner?” “…I guess not?” That’s how Cayna felt, but she could still imagine Opus looking down on duped players with an arrogant laugh as he vanished into the darkness. After all, his actions were an infinite source of terror among players. In the end, however, she came to the conclusion that even if Opus did use his “connection” ability for a bit of trickery, he’d never use it to ensnare players. “Besides, he insists on using it only for you.” “Wow, really? How about that.” Kee sounded confident enough, so it had to be true. At any rate, she decided to trust him and stop wondering about Opus. Her theory was Have faith in the X that believes in X! Setting aside these complicated thoughts, Cayna returned to her next plan of action. There weren’t many quiet places to meditate and calm her heart in the bustling capital, so she decided to do some adventuring. “Might as well take on a request or two while I’m here.” It was the only idea that came to mind, but killing time and making money were more than enough incentive. “Kuu will help, too!” “Sure thing. Thanks, Kuu.” Kuu, who had been hiding in Cayna’s hair to avoid attention, strongly approved. Cayna felt an extra spark of enthusiasm. “But y’know…things feel a little unsettled, don’t you think?” Cayna and Kuu passed a number of armed people on their leisurely jaunt through town, some of whom radiated the air of a deranged horned bear. The regular citizens seemed to have caught on as well and openly avoided them. Although the prerequisite Adventurers Guild request weeded people out of the main tournament, everyone still had to come to the capital to apply. There was no stopping Felskeilo’s influx of ruffians. The area around the guild was especially populated, since it was the only place in town to register for the tourney preliminary. Most of the unruly fighters weren’t exactly lookers, and each one wore the same grim expression. There was one slender man with softer features, but since he was just another face in the crowd of tough guys, it was safe to say he was no different. Cayna figured it was best to lie low, since it felt like everyone had an ax or two to grind with her. Even the kid adventurers who hogged all the local missions were nowhere to be seen, likely scared away by this horde of scary men. Cayna weaved her way through the crowd, and all attention fell on her the moment she entered the guild. Half stared at her, baffled and wondering what was going on with her; the other half were ogling her nastily. She couldn’t change her appearance, so her only option was to ignore the lousy lot. Curious if there was anything interesting, Cayna approached the request board, when someone called out to her from the reception desk. “Oh! Caynaaa! What perfect timing!” The voice was extremely familiar. Cayna got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, but she couldn’t pretend not to hear. She reluctantly turned around and saw the guild employee Almana waving to her. Since they met each time Cayna visited the guild, it was no exaggeration to say that Almana was her go-to contact for all requests.