Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 38 - Grow Up Big and Strong

Chapter 38 – Grow Up Big and Strong

 

“Pendrick, please carry the things I’ve pointed out.”

After carefully examining every item sold in the dungeon supply shop, I finally decided what to buy.

“First, nine bottles of Mental Barrier Potion.”

A premium potion that defended against mental attacks and mental corruption.

Total: 90 gold.

“And next, see those dark robes over there? Take three of them. Ah, and let’s also buy the version made for beasts and summoned creatures for Lady Astrimia.”

Clothing that allowed the wearer to blend into the darkness.

Total: 18 gold.

“And we also need that large iron ingot over there.”

A high-purity iron ingot for the Blacksmith class.

It happened to be on sale, making it cheaper than usual.

4 gold.

In addition, I bought forty bottles of Stamina Recovery Potions, which restored all stats related to Vitality, making sure we had plenty.

15 gold altogether.

Up to this point… It had merely been some cute little shopping.

“Next… Mysteries Manuals.”

Pendrick blinked after bringing me the manual I’d pointed at.

“This one’s a little expensive. And since it’s for the Warrior class…”

“That’s right. It’s a mystery you’ll be learning later.”

 

[3rd-Tier Mysteries Manual – Indomitable Will]

[The lower your vitality becomes, the higher your weapon’s attack power rises.]

 

A Warrior-exclusive Third-Tier Mystery that was exceptionally useful for its rank.

One copy costs a whopping 150 gold.

The price seemed rather burdensome, judging by the hesitation in Pendrick’s eyes.

Astrimia let out a quiet laugh.

“Lord Kar… You’re quite bold.”

“If I weren’t bold… I couldn’t survive as the weakest class, the Cultist.”

“I’m looking forward to what comes next.”

Apparently… Blowing through someone else’s money had somehow left Astrimia with a favorable impression.

“That’s everything.”

As we headed toward the register…

Rosalia silently approached and placed her own purchases onto the counter.

Extremely potent poison for coating weapons.

The venom sac of a certain monster. Poisonous plants. Poisonous mushrooms.

A total of 10 gold.

“Are you sure you’ve bought enough not to regret it?”

“…”

The poison-loving assassin pondered for a moment…

Then trotted over and returned with a relatively inexpensive Mysteries Manual.

 

[3rd-Tier Mysteries Manual – Toxic Follower]

[Extracts a small amount of poison accumulated inside your body and turns it into a tiny living creature. What a useless mystery you’ve chosen.]

 

Despite being the same tier as Indomitable Will…

It only costs 10 gold.

Certainly… It wasn’t a particularly useful mystery.

But… Who cared?

She liked it.

Sometimes… You had to indulge in a little harmless vice to maintain a healthy state of mind.

Back in the day… I had once protected my own sanity by printing Manager Choi’s face onto a series of adorable curse dolls.

“Well then. Since we’re done shopping… Shall we head back and engage in some productive studying?”

A C-rank dungeon.

Compared to everything we’d faced until now…

How much pain, hardship, and suffering would it bring me?

Simply preparing for the expedition made my heart race.

 

***

 

Guest Room – Bleating Sheep Inn

Rosalia lightly set down the mountain of shopping we’d accumulated.

Thanks to the level difference…

Her Strength was still far higher than Pendrick’s, despite him being a Warrior.

“Wow. You’re incredibly strong. Aren’t elves usually physically weak?”

Receiving such an innocent compliment from the gifted swordsman, one with absolutely no hidden meaning…

Rosalia simply waved her hand dismissively, as though it were nothing.

Wanting to spare the shy elf from an awkward conversation…

I immediately turned to Pendrick instead.

“So… Did things go well with the innkeeper?”

“Ah, yes. He asked me to keep working until he finds another employee. I guess because I’d always worked hard… He didn’t get angry even though I quit so suddenly.”

Considering the professionalism and kindness he’d shown while serving us…

It would’ve been stranger if he hadn’t left a good impression on his employer.

“I’ll probably have to keep working until they hire someone new.”

“That’s perfectly fine. We can’t enter the dungeon immediately anyway.”

The dungeon we’d be exploring next… City of Pleasure only opened once every ten days.

The next opening… Would be in three days.

Until then… We had things to do.

“Then… Shall we hold a reading club?”

It was time for concentrated study. To strengthen our fighting power.

“Come. Everyone, take out your Mysteries Manuals.”

I placed my yellow manual on the round table.

Avatar of the Earth.

I’d been reading it whenever I found spare time.

Now only half remained unread.

“So… I’m supposed to learn this one, right?”

Pendrick held up Resisting Body, the Mysteries obtained from Bloodbird’s Banquet Hall.

I’d already given it to him as a gift.

Needless to say… Astrimia’s affection toward me as a companion had increased a little more because of it.

“Hehe… Thank you very much, Lord Kar.”

“Now that we’re in the same expedition… There’s no need to address me so formally. Am I making you uncomfortable?”

“Not at all! Then… what should I call you?”

“I prefer something ordinary and unassuming.”

Fortunately…

There happened to be a title that suited me perfectly.

“Wise Captain Kar. In everyday situations, simply call me Captain.”

“What?”

Astrimia interrupted, her voice trembling slightly.

“How exactly is ‘that’ ordinary or unassuming!?”

Sadly…

Being an inanimate object, Astrimia seemed incapable of understanding human sensibilities.

Without batting an eye, I replied,

“What exactly is the problem… Beautiful Lady Astrimia?”

“Ah. Now that I think about it… I suppose there isn’t one after all!”

While the narcissistic Ego Sword happily swayed from side to side…

Rosalia carefully took out the Toxic Follower manual she’d purchased.

“…”

Judging by the look in her eyes… She genuinely loved it.

If that was the case… Shouldn’t a kind little brother teach her how to make proper use of it?

“Now then. Let’s observe proper study etiquette… And quietly focus on our reading.”

Thus began…

The Moon Expedition’s very first official reading session.

The guest room fell silent.

The faint chatter of the few patrons downstairs became pleasant white noise.

The atmosphere was perfect for studying.

Thanks to that… My progress with Avatar of the Earth advanced rapidly after having stagnated for so long.

‘I still have no idea what any of this actually means…’

Still… I could vaguely infer something.

This was… A history book.

A record explaining why the Earth Elf’s innate Mysteries… Avatar of the Earth had become a Mysteries Manual.

The contents were already difficult enough.

To make matters worse…

They were written in Elven rather than the Common Tongue.

‘But… I understand it, at least roughly.’

Back when this was merely a game…

“Learning takes longer.”

That alone was explanation enough.

Now… Things were different.

Cultist Kar.

How exactly was I able to read Elven?

The answer probably lay in the gloomy behavior Marlin had mentioned…

The strange way I’d acted immediately before entering the Ghoul Lukers ‘ Nest.

Since the truth remained beyond my grasp…

I simply continued reading.

Eventually… I reached the final sentence.

 

[Congratulations!: The Mysteries “Avatar of the Earth” has taken root within your body!]

 

Finally.

I’d learned it.

The Mysteries that would continuously raise my Vitality from now on.

 

[The effects of Avatar of the Earth increase your Strength by 3.]

[Because of Sue’je’s underlying Mysteries “Blah Blah Whatever,” your Vitality has increased by 1.5!]

 

I could immediately feel my stats rising.

The lingering fatigue from my life-and-death struggle against the Bloodbird gradually disappeared.

The throbbing pain in my chest faded away.

Opening and closing my fists… I quietly whispered,

“Status Window.”

 

[Twisted Truth Cultist Kar ??? (Level 2)]

| Stat      | Value |

| ——— | —-: |

| Strength  |     1 |

| Dexterity |     2 |

| Faith     |    16 |

| Vitality  |     6 |

| Senses    |     3 |

| Wisdom    |    19 |

| Agility   |     1 |

| Charm     |    21 |

| Knowledge |    ?? |

 

[Possessed Mysteriess]

‘ Eye That Sees Through Truth (2nd Tier) ‘Twisted Truth’

‘ Web That Binds All Things ‘Twisted Truth’

‘ Ghoul’s Mobility ‘Priest Class’

‘ Blooming Black Lightning Manifestation (2nd Tier) ‘Filthy Firmament’

‘ Rolling Thunderclouds ‘Filthy Firmament’

‘ Insight That Gazes into Chaos ‘Twisted Truth’

‘ Avatar of the Earth ‘Common’

 

Now… It was slightly easier to look at.

I stroked my right eye in praise while examining the status screen.

Truthfully… The only part worth paying attention to was Vitality.

‘Six now…’

Since an average adult human had 5…

I could at least say I was finally above average.

There was still a long road ahead before surpassing the extraordinary and reaching truly transcendent heights…

But perhaps… At the very least… I’d finally stepped beyond the starting line.

“Whew… This was difficult.”

While I was dismissing the status window…

Pendrick closed his Mysteries Manual.

“You finished reading?”

“Yes.”

“It’s my first time reading a Mysteries Manual. Are they always this difficult?”

“For the most part, yes.”

“I’ve never really been close with books. I almost fell asleep.”

Despite his grumbling… Pendrick wore a broad grin.

Naturally. Up until now…

The only Mysteries he’d ever learned had been ones obtained through brutal training.

Receiving another one would naturally make him happy.

Watching him smiling nonstop while hugging Astrimia…

I casually asked,

“Pendrick. Have you ever heard of an orc named Ymir?”

I’d wanted to ask this for a long time.

Ymir…

Who was no different from another version of myself… Or even my own child.

How had he lived?

Had he acted exactly as I once did in the game?

Or had he followed his own will?

I couldn’t suppress my curiosity.

“Ymir…”

Pendrick narrowed his eyes thoughtfully.

If he’d only recently begun serious exploration as I had…

It wouldn’t be strange if he’d never heard the name.

“I have.”

While her lover remained deep in thought…

Astrimia spoke.

“Three days ago, I think? There was quite a stir because an orc discovered a Hidden Piece in an E-rank dungeon.”

“So… He was the first person to discover it?”

“I’m not completely certain… But if everyone was talking about it… Wouldn’t that imply he was the first?”

He’d discovered an undocumented Hidden Piece.

That increased the likelihood that he’d truly been acting according to ‘my’ will.

At the same time…

A new question emerged.

‘But… He died.’

Ymir hadn’t known the mining area’s gimmick inside Bloodbird’s Banquet Hall.

He’d been reborn as the ugliest lump of silver in existence.

A mistake… I would’ve never made.

Though… There was one detail that bothered me.

‘…Back then… Did I even know that gimmick?’

When I’d raised Ymir… My total playtime had been around 700 hours.

Back then… I’d played whenever I could on the donated laptop I’d received while living in the orphanage.

Compared to true veterans…

I had still been a complete rookie.

Naturally… I hadn’t fully understood Bloodbird’s Banquet Hall’s mechanics at the time either.

“Captain? But why are you asking about that orc?”

Pendrick’s cheerful voice brought me back.

Closing my eyes… I slowly shook my head.

“I offered him as a sacrifice inside Bloodbird’s Banquet Hall. I simply became curious about what kind of life he’d lived.”

“Ah. So that’s why.”

“What’s with that ‘Ah’?! You don’t have to sympathize with everything he says, Pendrick!”

“I really did think that’s what he meant.”

“Don’t be ridiculous! He said he offered a living orc as a sacrifice!”

“Strictly speaking… He wasn’t exactly ‘living’…”

As I watched the two lovers bicker…

I slowly nodded. Then narrowed my eyes.

‘The others are probably here too…’

Besides the Cultist…

I’d only ever seriously raised five other characters.

Were the rest of them somewhere in Pletica as well?

If that were true…

Then the mage who appeared in Earth Elf’s Grave would also be one of my alternate characters.

Defeating the fully strengthened Corrupted Meterd Statue using the strategy that required surviving for thirty minutes rewarded equipment perfectly suited for my mage build.

‘Who else did I have besides Ymir…?’

As I recalled the others…

The corners of my mouth naturally rose.

With one exception… Every last one of them was an extremely dangerous individual who would never, ever ally if we met inside a dungeon.

In other words…

Just thinking about it filled my heart with warmth.

I’d gained three incredibly powerful explorer rivals.

‘Please… Grow up healthy and strong… and make my expeditions as difficult as possible.’

The more formidable explorer rivals there were… The better.