Capítulo 20: Chapter 20: Diligent Sloth and Vivian Velocan
Just as there were named characters, there were also various "named items" in this world where different species, legendary figures, and gods existed.
Especially in a world where different species, legendary figures, and gods existed, there were various types of items and abilities.
[Codex Apocalypse: Chapter 7 - Diligent Sloth]
[Mana regeneration rate +321%]
[Black magic proficiency increase +123%]
[Mana array speed +213%]
[Spell composition speed +213%]
[Mana storage function]
[Energy absorption from the skill "Dance of Sloth"]
[When in possession of the item, cursed. (List of curses...)]
[Embedded skills...]
Indeed, it was a named item, and the information appeared as if it were on a game screen.
Looking at the stats of the item, I couldn't help but think that if the opponent had been a slightly more competent dark magician, I wouldn't have been able to use my hands and would have been killed.
And when I looked at the Sloth's Page in my hand, I became worried.
Of course, if I could use it without hesitation, there would be no item better than this. But I couldn't use such a thing without hesitation.
Especially considering that someone like Bahat Alben might notice it if I brought it back just like this.
Named items didn't display their presence until recognized by their owner. In the game, the moment you acquired it, you were recognized as the owner. However, if you weren't recognized as the owner like just now, it would constantly emit a presence and cause mana fluctuations.
"My head hurts."
And I felt the same way.
Even though I held the Sloth's Page in my hand, I could feel the fluctuations, indicating that I wasn't recognized as the owner either.
Perhaps if I had been exceptionally talented, I would have naturally been recognized and the fluctuations would have stopped.
That seemed to be the case.
Nonetheless, Nickel confidently approached me and extended his hand.
Seeing that he could handle the Skeleton despite not being able to manipulate mana, it was clear that Ora Master was different.
"What?"
Nickel gestured toward the sword I was holding.
Well, he's an aristocrat who knows what he wants.
I handed Nickel the sword and took the opportunity to hand him the Sloth's Page as well. Then, I released the summon.
There's no need for it to attract attention. It's better to hide the Sloth's Page as well.
Looking around, there were no ruins left.
Even the few surviving villagers were swept away by the dark magician's magic and the white hands he summoned, leaving no trace.
"Christopher is gone too. I'm sorry."
And another peculiar thing caught my eye.
"Why is this still not disappearing?"
Was it the curse of the Sloth?
The barrier activated by the skill embedded in the Sloth's Page had not disappeared yet.
It seemed to be an issue with the item rather than the caster, considering that it was still active even though the caster had died.
I cautiously reached out my hand and touched the spherical barrier.
Thud.
I felt a slight resistance, and my hand sank in.
Looking at the wobbly barrier, I withdrew my hand.
"Should I just leave it like this?"
Honestly, if it were Ivy, it might be fine, but it would be better to rescue Vivian.
Since it was so obvious in the middle of the street, if I were to rescue Ivy, what would she say?
Naturally, she would ask to be rescued.
If I had to rescue her anyway, it would be better to do it as soon as possible.
"Should I just take it out?"
Reaching a conclusion, I threw myself at the barrier without hesitation.
Thwack!
Clap!
As soon as I arrived, I stood dumbfounded at the sight before me.
A woman was slapping a girl who couldn't have been more than 10 years old.
The girl, with green hair and withered green eyes, resembled someone I knew.
Could it be Vivian?
"You unlucky girl. What will happen if you open your eyes like that? Should I kill you?"
"...No, ma'am. I'm sorry."
"What kind of insolence is that?"
Snap!
Was that supposed to be a retort?
It seemed like she was just hitting her because she wanted to hit her, but I didn't know what was happening, so I just watched.
In the first place, I wasn't visible to them.
I had confirmed that I wasn't visible to them during that time, and despite being invisible, I could exert physical force.
That meant that if I spoke, they could hear me.
I hadn't tried it yet.
A while later, when the girl who seemed to have painful bruises all over her body came out of the room of the woman called "ma'am" and headed somewhere, I followed her silently.
It was pitiful to see her moving with aching steps, but for now, I just watched.
Click.
"Who's there?"
"It's me, Mother."
It seemed that this place was the residence of a noble family.
As far as I knew, Vivian Velocan was a noblewoman, so could this be the Velocan family's residence, the Viscountess Velocan?
"...Come in."
"Yes."
Following Vivian into the room, I found a frail woman lying on the bed.
"What's the matter this time?"
"I'm sorry, Mother. I thought you were coming to see Madam because of my mistake..."
"...."
I couldn't quite figure out what was going on.
Vivian, who had been silent for a while, opened her mouth.
"You..."
For a moment, Vivian's mother, who had been silent, spoke.
"It wasn't you who bore you."
"I'm sorry, Mother."
From what I could gather, it seemed that Vivian had a vague understanding of why this situation had come about.
How could she not go crazy when even her biological mother treated her like this?
As I followed Vivian around all day like a ghost, I learned that her mother, who gave birth to her as a legitimate child of the Velocan family, had become ill after giving birth and couldn't give birth to a successor, which led to the Velocan Viscount bringing in a second wife to bear a child.
And unfortunately, due to the arrival of this second wife, this situation occurred.
The Viscount seemed to be aware of this situation but turned a blind eye.
Finally, after a long day, Vivian returned to her room and sat on the bed, suppressing her sobs.
Thud!
"Who-who's there?"
When I made a sound, she looked toward the door, trying to hide her trembling.
Ah, I never thought I'd have pity for the world's most beautiful lady.
But I couldn't just stand by and watch a child being abused.
And she hadn't yet acted like a noble lady, so I guess she wasn't one.
"Who-who's there?"
Once again, she mustered up the courage to shout, and I, trying not to startle her, pulled out a chair from the nearby table and sat down.
"Hee hee!"
She must have thought the chair moved by itself.
I did my best to indicate that I was sitting there.
"Ghost"
Heh, no. I'm not a ghost, I'm a fairy," I replied.
"Fairy!"
"Yes, that's right. Can you hear me?"
Overwhelmed by the sudden appearance of a talking fairy, Vivian's eyes filled with tears once again.
"Sorry. Suddenly... the tears. I'm sorry, Fairy. No one has ever..."
Ah, I dislike this kind of atmosphere.
But I had to endure it.
And yet, even though I saw her being abused, I couldn't just ignore it.
Moreover, she hadn't shown any behavior fitting for a lady yet, so she couldn't be called a lady.
"Vivian Velocan, is that your name?"
"Yes, yes! That's me."
"Vivian... Hmm. The reason I appeared here is none other than to help you, Vivian Velocan. I am a fairy who has come to assist you."
"Wow."
Vivian shouted with joy and then immediately burst into tears.
Witnessing her sobbing while trying to keep her voice down, I felt even more uncomfortable.
"Vivian..."
"I'm sorry. Suddenly... the tears. I'm sorry, Fairy. Until now, no one has..."
Ah, I dislike this kind of atmosphere.
But I had to endure it.
Since I have already entered this space, I don't know how to escape.
The only option I have is to help her as much as possible and break this bond.
"But how did you know about me and come here, Fairy?"
"Vivian, you are special. You may not realize it, but you are someone who shines with uniqueness."
First, I decided to boost her self-esteem, which had been shattered due to abuse.
"Me, special?"
"Yes, you possess an exceptional talent for swordsmanship."
"Me, a swordsman?"
From what I gathered from today's events, she hadn't learned swordsmanship yet.
However, I confidently replied, "Yes, a very exceptional talent. It's a sparkling uniqueness."
I could say this without hesitation because I knew the future version of her.
Two years later, she would single-handedly defeat all the fifth-year knights in the Knight Academy.
She would even kill the professors and assistants who were with her.
"I can't believe it. I always make mistakes and only receive scolding and punishment."
"Vivian, I am a fairy. Do fairies know better or do humans know better?"
"Well, I'm not sure."
"Vivian, you are special. The Countess who torments you is just jealous of your uniqueness. You have done nothing wrong."
As I spoke, it felt like a whisper of darkness.
As if I had become a villain.
But is it true? From what I saw, Vivian was simply being abused without any fault of her own.
Even if she had made a mistake, the abuse was still unjustified.
"From now on, I will accompany Vivian and give her advice. But Vivian, you mustn't reveal my existence to others. Do you understand?"
"Yes! I understand."
Since then, I followed Vivian's side every day and gave her advice.
Although I was inexperienced in human relationships, I had plenty of advice to offer to a ten-year-old girl.
First, I advised her to express her desire to learn swordsmanship, even if it seemed difficult, to the Viscount.
Even when she was caught by the Viscountess, I advised her on the appropriate actions to take.
Thanks to that, she gradually freed herself from the abuse. When her contact with the Viscountess disappeared under the pretense of swordsmanship training, her condition improved even more.
"Fairy! Did you hear? The swordsmanship instructor praised me!"
A month had passed since she entered the bond.
Vivian, who had transformed into a brighter personality, approached me from the opposite direction.
"There you are, Vivian."
"Oh! There you are!"
As I spent time with Vivian and grew fond of her, I couldn't help but feel what it would be like if she were my own daughter.
So, time didn't feel so long, even though a month had passed.
"Indeed, Vivian is special. I have watched you closely, and your growth is truly remarkable."
"Really? Hehe."
Suddenly, she reached out her hand towards me.
I subtly stepped back, keeping a distance so that her hand wouldn't touch mine.
"Why can't I see you, Fairy? I want to see you too."
"Well, I am a fairy, that's why. It's not just Vivian who can't see me, but other people as well."
"I am special, remember?"
"Haha, I hope that someday Vivian will be able to see me too."
It couldn't continue like this.
I tried to suppress my emotions, but seeing Vivian, who had nowhere else to turn, my determination crumbled without me realizing it.
Yes, there's not much time left. Just a little more.
...I desperately tried to redirect my thoughts.
Then, one day, by chance, the Viscount witnessed Vivian's training.
"Ah, greetings, Father."
"Vivian, try it again."
"What?"
"Try the sword technique you just showed me again."
"Yes! I understand."
She gracefully demonstrated the basic and advanced moves she had practiced for a month.
Vivian, who indeed had talent, displayed a noticeable skill in just a month.
As she showcased everything she had learned, the cold and composed Viscount nodded.
"You're good. Truly a descendant of the Bellocan lineage."
"Th-Thank you."
With those words, the Viscount left the scene.
But Vivian, with an expression still filled with lingering emotions, looked down at the ground, tears welling up in her eyes.
Since there was no one else around, I quietly praised her.
"I told you, Vivian. You're amazing. If you continue to work hard like this, you will achieve even greater things."
"Fairy, thank you. This is the first time I've heard something good from Father. He has never spoken kindly of me before."
Sigh, this is a delicate situation.
As I let out a sigh of sympathy, I suddenly felt something in the air.
What is it? Could it be?
"Fairy, thank you. I will really, really work hard. So that I can find my own path. I will no longer be the useless daughter of Bellocan but the proud Vivian Bellocan."
As Vivian spoke those words, the world began to shatter.
"Huh?"
Vivian, too, was taken aback by what she saw, with a bewildered expression, witnessing the world crumbling around her.
It seems she didn't realize it wasn't real.
Is it time to part ways?
"F-Fairy? What is this?"
"Vivian, well done. Can you make one promise to me?"
Unintentionally, I showed affection due to my fondness for her.
Despite the unnecessary words and Vivian's puzzled expression, she called out to me in surprise.
"Fairy?"
"I want you to promise that you will continue to live like this, wholeheartedly. Promise that you will never forget your commitment to finding Vivian Bellocan's own path. Can you do that?"
I held her hand.
Vivian, slightly surprised by our first touch, soon gave me a firm grip as if she wouldn't let go.
"It's a promise, Vivian?"
"Yes! It's a promise."
Status de energia semanal
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