“Please excuse myself.” The boy accepts Chloe’s hands and stands in front of us. Afterward, he elegantly bowed his head, mimicking what Chloe had done earlier, and continued. “My name is Prince Faelar Tragwyn, the third child and the second prince of the Tragwyn family, who are rulers of the Eastern Republic. I’ve noticed that you’re somewhat of a noble… or even higher than one, given your subtle hesitations and hints at doing this introductory bow. So it’s best for me to not hide my identity and reveal myself to you.”Just when Faelar announces himself as the prince, a window shows up in front of me, particularly the one with the quests taken from the adventurer’s list. The third quest, which involves escorting our client to find a mysterious item and leading them back to the castle, blinks bright red and hints something is changing. After a while, the changing of colours has stopped. And my special quest is finally revealed.[Special Quest 3 # - Escort your client, Prince Faelar Tra
{I know this kid has some loose screw in his head - maybe the fame and power have gotten inside - but… we need to be gentle about this. We’re talking about the prince of the Eastern Republic, the place where we need to form an alliance, remember?} I remind Chloe through [Bavardage].The princess replies, {I know. But, I don’t know why, but Prince Faeler is getting on my nerves! Maybe because of the way he speaks… Not the tone, but the meaning behind his every word… Plus, Prince Faelar’s entitled demeanour.}{Yes, I know. But just remember, any unnecessary acts can lead to a disaster.}{I will… Keep that in mind, Kuro.}Chloe and I stare at the spoiled prince, who is now looking at the cavern up ahead. Based on the environment alone, through that cave will be the heart of the Sanctum of Ugmjir. Not everyone has the chance to see it open. But since the temple has appeared before us, it will be better if we can explore and take what we can inside.Prince Faelar also sees this chance and
“You’re not that strong! You’re just C-Rank adventurers! But as long as you buy me some time and protect me, I’ll even pay you handsomely after! I have a lot of money in my name, and putting me in ransom will just lead to an unbearable consequence for you and the adventurer’s guild!” Prince Faelar utters, as he looks at me with menacing eyes - I’m the gun, so Prince Faelar is staring at me, while Chloe’s holding me. {Chloe, aim me at the nearby tree over there and pull the trigger. Make sure to destroy the tree. I know you’ll hit it, anyway.} I command the princess through the use of my [Bavardage]. {Oh, right. Make it quick, as if you’re really mad and you’re showing it to this kid. I want to see him scared. I want it to be flashy.} {Flashy? What does flashy mean, Kuro?} Chloe replies, {Why would I do that? Is it really necessary?} {Flashy is… something that will make the forest go “Kaboom!” Do you get me?} I answer. {And, Chloe, you always tell me that you trust me and yet you ask
We are in front of the Sanctum of Ugmjir, which is right here… at the mouth of the cave. It’s not… something we’ve seen before. But as we glance inside, there are torches already placed on each side, as if inviting us over. “Are you sure this is safe?” Prince Faelar asks, as he steps his foot against the soggy soil. The creak from the cave’s wall leaks water from above, despite there being no bodies of water nearby. Then again, the soil has been wet for quite some time. But as luck would have it, our feet have yet to sink our bodies from the floor. “It is… Because Kuro says so?” Chloe answers, as we continue trodding down the road. “Just keep following our lead, Prince Faelar. This is what you want, after all.” Chloe has been gripping me for quite a while. She is prepared for anything that can appear, including any ambush from above or below. And she is now using her butterfly knife. Although this is branded by military soldiers and the like as impractical during a war, I can’t den
As we get deeper inside the cavern, the only sound our ears can hear is the voice echoing inside our heads. Although playful noises fill the silence, the only living beings roaming inside the cave are just the three of us. I can confirm it. When I view my map, the only thing that becomes available is the three markings, which indicate our position.Speaking of maps, I have one in my system. But when I check the landscape of the cave, it shows me nothing but a dark place filled with fog of war. Fog of war is referred to as enemy units, and often terrain, being hidden from the player. For now, Chloe and we are the players. Thankfully, the more land we cover, the brighter the map becomes, letting me view the landscapes of the temple.For now, we have yet to encounter anything out of the blue… not until the torches begin to lessen and the light at the farther side of the hole becomes dimmer. Chloe has to emit light out of the tip of me… the gun, just to create the perfect luminance to see
Soon after, a brilliant line envelops the place, revealing… everything in our surroundings. As soon as the tube appears, we’ve discovered our enemy.The first thing our eyes have registered are long but slender limbs belonging to an insect. There are eight of them. These limbs and the creature’s body are elevated from the ground and rest on the ceiling. A white substance carries these beasts. And when I glance above my head, silk crowns the roof. Some dances, despite the absence of wind. While the other threads gently fall against the ground, kissing our faces.And what do we know… These creatures are known as “Arachnid” or commonly called “Spiders”. These creatures are a menace back in my world. Right now, they are a force to be reckoned with, not only because of their number but also… their heights.These spiders are akin to a combination of the hairy tarantula and a black widow. Why do I think these are black widows and tarantulas? It’s because of the excessive hair covering their
“Are you familiar with hand signs, movements, or whatever they call it?” I ask, voicing my concern.Chloe and Prince Faelar look at each other at first before shrugging their shoulders. Prince Faelar afterward raises his hand, hoping he can somehow guess his way from my question.“Is that the part where mages use hand signs to cast a spell?”If only I had a head, I would’ve already shaken it. “No. That’s possible, but it’s from a different franchise. We don’t do that here.”“Now, hand signs are like these….” I say, and begin my lengthy speech, hoping this can save us later.And then… we finally move forward.There is a cliff in front of us. So Chloe and Prince Faelar have to be careful before reaching the bottom. Thankfully, Prince Faelar and Chloe manoeuvre their way and descend to the ledge, where we meet face-to-face in front of the den of freaking spiders.Looking them up close is different. These arachnids have multiple eyes, which are eight of them, if I am not mistaken. Each ey
Prince Faelar walks backward for two minutes straight and avoids stepping his feet on the critters’ limbs. Chloe is also right beside the prince. However, not everything goes as planned.Eventually, Prince Faelar knocks over a sleeping spider, which ultimately wakes the arachnid up and startles the rest of the herd. Prince Faelar afterward falls over the spider he has tripped over, and stares face to face with the insect.It isn’t just that. When Chloe turns to the side, the mother spider widens all her eight eyes and glares in Prince Faelar’s direction. For a few seconds, it becomes quiet. It’s not because the spider chooses to neglect Chloe and Prince Faelar, but… they study their prey before devouring them for their next meal.The name of the mother arachnid is “Brood Mother”. It’s an iconic name, but this is not the right time for me to paint a beam on my face just because we’re facing a legendary enemy. If Chloe dies, it will be the end of our journey. And if this prince bites th