It seems the residents would have put together a normal-sized campfire if there weren’t enough outsiders. Having outsiders alone work on it made it more likely that they could get a bigger campfire.
I continue to craft, watching as a giant and their party of magic users help stack the last wood. There’s activity in the church behind me too. It should all kick off any moment now. Did we finish the campfire in time?
“Hm? Ah!”
“What?” Mr. Skelly and Mr. Alf ask in unison.
I was distracted. My revival medicine came out at a quality of A.
“It seems that the border has started to weaken.”
“Oh yeah?”
“It functions the same way as subspace, from what I can tell.”
The grid I see with Space-time Recognition Expansion is wavering. The spots and the amount it wavers aren’t constant, so it must be randomized. I could predict where they’d arise if I knew the laws behind this sort of thing, but I don’t think I could research something like that on my own. Or more accurately, it sounds like a headache.
The bishop and archbishop emerge from the church. Other clergy members with embroidered uniforms follow them. They’re probably bringing the holy water I heard they’d be using.
“Look at that! What an impressive campfire.”
“I’ve been told that the outsiders built this.”
“I see. So it’s their work? We better make sure to meet the standard they’ve set.”
The clergy members bow to me before heading to the campfire.
“I should tell the twins to come back now,” I realize.
“Are they gonna join the other flying players?” Mr. Alf asks me.
“Ah, I’m not sure yet.”
Many residents carrying torches have started to emerge. Their role is to transfer the flames to the bonfires.
They gather in the town square while the union members retreat from it. Players move quickly when their goal is an S-rank clear.
“Mr. Ame, Ms. Trine, please head back to town now.”
“Okay!”
“If you like, you can join Ms. Fairellen’s group if you happen to run into them.”
“Got it!”
That should do the trick.
The ceremony should begin soon. This is where the event really kicks off.
“I’m sure you’ve forgotten, but sleep is required for this event.”
“…”
“What do we do?”
“I’m not sure. Ms. Primura, the twins, and I will definitely need to sleep.”
“Primura does carpentry, so we can get her help once she’s awake.”
“It just hurts to lose players with night vision.”
Going to bed at night is probably another aspect of the horror event. I don’t know what to expect. I feel like we’ll either wake up to nothing having happened, or we’ll die in our sleep.
I believe this event will be the “nothing happened” kind, but that doesn’t necessarily guarantee a happy ending either. If nothing happens, it just means we haven’t been able to find the problem. It will probably come back to bite us when we least expect it. At that point, it’s too late. I’m certain that will be the outcome. The very premise of an event is “something happening.” It’s a city event, so I doubt anything will attack us while we’re asleep—at least, I certainly hope. Well, I suppose it’d be an interesting development.
Of course, I’ll be asleep after my bedtime!
“It’s only dusk right now. I hope something happens before I go to bed.”
“But horror stuff always happens in the middle of the night, right?”
“Yeah, that’s true.”
“Well, whatever happens happens.”
“Que será, será!”
The ceremony is well under way now.
Jugs of holy water are placed around the firewood. The clergy then form a circle around the campfire and offer prayers while the archbishop chants a spell.
Archbishop Edvard’s spell and movements cause the holy water to emerge from the jugs and land on the wood. I can’t see any magical energy with Magia Trace, so this must be powered by the ritual itself.
The jugs are emptied of holy water, and the clergy finish their prayers. Suddenly, a light green glow appears. The campfire was lit without any form of coal or spark. It must have been the power of the holy water.
It’s a scene that screams “fantasy.” The green flames are absolutely lovely.
I believe green fire exists in real life too but only when heating up metal. In other words, this green fire is no ordinary sight. I guess you can also catch a glimpse of it in fireworks.
The residents begin to light their torches with the green fire and transport the flames to the bonfires.
“I see. The flames don’t waver at all. I’m sure the residents are worried about the border too, and this ritual may be wisdom passed down from their predecessors. Well, I can’t deny the possibility that the gods directly granted them this method of self-defense.”
“Either their predecessors made this ritual for them, or it was channeled by a medium,” Mr. Alf speculates.
“Couldn’t we light torches from it and carry them around with us?” asks Mr. Skelly.
“It’s a good plan to stay safe, but won’t we miss the entire event that way?”
“I didn’t think of that.”
I could see us being given a quest like tracking down a child who ran away from home. The torch method might be good for something like that, but otherwise it would be counterproductive.
“We found Ms. Fairellen!” the twins inform me.
“Then please join up with her group.”
“Okay!”
The twins have joined the rest of the flying players. I know I can count on them.
“It’s getting darker,” Mr. Alf remarks.
“Night is falling! It’s our time!” Mr. Skelly cheers.
The clergy members also leave the town square after the fire is lit. They’re carrying the flames with their torches too, of course. They must use it for stoves and the like to keep the flames alive inside the church.
“Oh, Princess Nemeseia. We’ve prepared a room for you should you need one. Someone in the church will be awake at all hours, so they’ll gladly show you where to find it.”
“Thank you, Archbishop Edvard.”
Now that I think of it, I never reserved a room at any inn. While there aren’t that many first-wavers, there are probably too many of us to all stay in the inns. I’d be more than happy to use the room in the church.
The veil of night has descended. I listen to the crackle of the firewood and gaze at the fire’s green glow.
“It certainly is peaceful,” I remark.
“A skeleton illuminated by flames in the darkness isn’t exactly peaceful. It’s right out of a horror game,” says Mr. Alf.
“Hee hee!” Mr. Skelly giggles with a grin.
“But he’s not so scary when he opens his mouth,” Mr. Alf retorts.
“Why won’t you love me back?!”
“Shut your mouth.”
Yes, most peaceful indeed—even when I’m accompanied by a headless man and a skeleton.
“Nothing is going to happen if we stay by the fire. What say we go for a walk?” I suggest.
“Let’s do it,” they answer in unison.
We set off on a stroll, using our maps as references.
Most buildings in this world are made of stone. I assume it’s meant to be a countermeasure against monster attacks, though they’ll survive fires this way too. While stone is usually hard to acquire, space storage exists in this world. There aren’t cars or heavy machinery here, but people can use magic, summon servants, and even conjure familiars, so they’re capable of many things to make up for it.
To describe it simply, this game world is based off Europe in the Middle Ages, but a much more idealized version with royalty and nobility, castles and mansions, rows of buildings in the town outside of a castle surrounded by forests, and an economy where everyone travels by carriage. In so many words, this world is much more developed compared to its real-life counterpart.