The continent of Rachronia was originally just nothing more than a game.
Earth was the original real world.
The phenomenon of possession, where I became my current body and a character in the game, was the beginning of everything. It was the biggest question I currently have in my mind.
And, of course, I had never talked to anyone about it before. Because there was no point in doing that.
But what if I asked that question to the great sage?
I asked her about it with a bit of expectation.
- Another dimension?
“Yes, I’m talking about a world where laws and civilizations differ completely from this world. Do you know of the existence of such a world?”
The great sage looked bewildered at my question.
- Well... I don’t know. I don’t have any knowledge about a world from another dimension. At least, to the extent of having meaningful evidence to back it up.
“Are you saying you don’t believe it?”
- Yes. I remember hearing similar hypotheses put forward by some idiots a few times, but they were all unfounded. It’s just the realm of wild fantasy.
“...”
As expected, even the greatest sage could not give the answer I needed.
I changed the question a bit.
“Then do you feel any sense of alienation about my existence?”
Since I was from a completely different world, I wonder if she could see anything different about him.
I asked this without expecting much, but the great sage looked at me blankly and answered immediately.
- Now that you say that...
“...?”
- Well, I thought it was just my mood, but after hearing that, I understand. There’s a subtle sense of disparity in your soul. It’s the subject I delved deeply into the most in my life, so I’m quite confident about that.
“A sense of disparity?”
- Yes, it’s like the soul didn’t fuse with your body properly.
I opened my eyes wide at the words that pierced my heart.
The soul and the body did not fuse.
Wasn’t she talking about the phenomenon of me possessing this body?
“And?”
- And what? It’s just the feeling that I got. If you’re going to ask me the cause, I also have no way of giving you an answer.
I was a little excited for a moment, but then I calmed down again.
Yes, she didn’t know about the existence of other worlds, so could I even dig up more information related to this?
Still, if there was some harvest from this situation, it’s the hope that the phenomenon of possession that happened to me would not be a completely unknown territory where there was no answer.
A sense of disparity between the body and the soul...
The great sage, who was looking at me with strange eyes, tried to say something.
- I wish I could, but you...
Waaa!
But at that moment, the magic circle on the floor shone brightly and the great sage’s shape distorted and slowly faded.
She let out a small sigh.
- Looks like the time is up already. Unfortunately, the conversation ends here, adventurers.
I asked her.
“Is your existence completely gone now?”
- Yes. In the first place, my spirit was barely holding on to this dead body with magic.
If there was more time, I could have asked more questions.
Feeling regretful, I stared at her as she slowly disappeared.
- You can take any items left in the ruins, including this staff. Then...
Soon, her soul completely disappeared.
I stared into the space where she was for a moment, then reached for the staff.
Even if she didn’t tell me, of course I was thinking of taking it.
I pulled out the end stuck on the floor and examined it.
The staff of the great sage.
She didn’t explain in detail, but having played the game, I was well aware of the abilities in this magic item.
Of course, it was useless to me, who didn’t have a drop of magic.
Anyway, it was a very good item, as the great sage used it during her lifetime, so I could give it to anyone later.
Since Rigon was also talented in magic, I could let him use it when he grew up much more than he was now.
“...”
I grabbed the staff and looked back at Asher.
She seemed to be a little stunned from earlier.
The news about her being the only White Moon tribe out there must be a big shock even if she said that she was fine. Or was it because of what the sage said about how she could continue her bloodline? I couldn’t really tell.
Well... it must be embarrassing.
What the great sage said earlier about the latter was quite absurd, but it was realistic advice.
Now there was only one White Moon tribe left in this world, the fate of her tribe rested on her shoulders.
Even if I were in her position, I would have felt so absurd and burdened in my heart.
She would make the choice, but given her personality, there was no way that she would cut off the bloodline of her tribe forever.
In the end, all she had to do was to find a human she love and leave a descendant of the White Moon tribe as advised by the great sage.
“Asher.”
When I called her name, it startled Asher, then she turned to me.
“Yes, Sir Ron.”
I asked her calmly.
“What are you going to do from now on?”
There was little reason for her to remain with me now.
Because she finally found out that there was no surviving member of her tribe.
The choice from now on was solely up to her, and even if she said she would leave me like this, I had no intention of stopping her.
“The reason you became my escort in the first place was because I told you that being with me would make it easier for you to spread your fame on the continent.”
I continued talking to her who looked at me with a slightly stiff face.
“But there is no need to do that anymore. You have confirmed that there are no survivors of your tribe. And you also achieved tremendous growth in just a year.”
“...”
“Your choice was not wrong, no matter what. You may leave my side as it is. Either for revenge or, as the great sage said, to continue the bloodline of your clan...”
Asher was silent for a long time without opening her mouth.
I waited patiently for an answer.
I say this, but of course in my heart I didn’t want Asher to leave.
Where else would I find a person with a level 90 strength and who I could also trust at the same time?
Having played the game, I knew very well that she had even more potential for further growth.
I just wanted to leave the choice completely to her own will, because that’s how much I respected her.
After a long silence, Asher opened her mouth.
“If by any chance you don’t want to keep me by your side, please tell me honestly. In that case, I’ll gladly leave.”
“...”
“If it’s not like that, if you’re really just being considerate of me... I’m sorry, but I’ll continue to stay by your side even with my lack of ability.”
The end of her voice trembled slightly.
It was me who should be nervous, but she looked much more nervous than me.
Without knowing why, she was taken to an unknown ruin and challenged an ordeal, and also learned the truth about her tribe.
She must have had a lot of questions about my strange behavior, but she didn’t ask me anything.
...She had been really patient.
I thought while feeling joy and relief inside.
Perhaps the reason she would continue to stay was because of the grace or the sense of debt she felt towards me.
There were quite a few situations where I saved her life, after all.
This was my last remaining small selfishness, so I did not bother to ask her why.
“There’s no reason I wouldn’t want to have you around.”
“...”
“So you can do whatever you want.”
Relief passed over Asher’s face at my answer.
I chuckled.
I was concerned, but she would not leave my side after all.
This solved all the problems that bothered me at once.
“Can I ask just one question?”
Then Asher asked me.
I nodded.
“I wonder what purpose Sir Ron is acting for.”
It was something she had never asked me before.
It’s not something unanswerable, but it’s a really vague question.
I thought for a moment and then answered.
“It’s for the peace of the continent.”
“...”
“Why, is it something unbelievable? Or is it too simple?”
Of course I knew it myself.
I was not a hero, and that’s not a word that was suitable for a Lord of Calderic.
But it wasn’t a lie.
In order to preserve my life, I had to make sure that this world was safe first.
Asher blinked, but soon smiled and shook her head.
“No. If that’s what you choose to do, I’d be happy to join you.”
There was also one thing I was curious about, so I asked.
“What are you going to do with the continuation of the bloodline of your tribe?”
“...Yes?”
“Fortunately, the sage said you can leave offspring with a human. So, I’m asking what you’re planning to do in the future.”
Asher was now the only White Moon left in the world, so if something happened to her, the White Moon tribe would be forever gone.
I was glad that she had stayed by my side, but there’s still that matter regarding her tribe. So, I couldn’t help but worry.
“Ah, uhm...”
Asher’s face turned a little red.
She rolled her eyes here, and there, then lowered her eyes to the ground before answering.
“...The bloodline of the White Moon tribe, of course, will not be cut off no matter what, but I still need to consider what to do more carefully.”
Even though the sage suggested a way for her, it must have disturbed her, as it was hard to find a worthy human partner out there.
“If you find someone you like, tell me immediately. I will help you wholeheartedly.”
“...Yes.”
“Then let’s go out.”
The business of visiting these ruins was now over.
I stopped walking as I was about to exit through the entrance we had entered.
I wondered if there might be another item besides the staff I had packed, so I took a closer look at the ruins.
'...There are no more useful items.'
After looking around the ruins for about 30 minutes, there was nothing useful I could find.
Well, even if it wasn’t an item, if there was a magic book, I would have taken it with me, but there wasn’t even such a thing.
She said in a patronizing tone that we could take any remaining items from the ruins, but she didn’t even have anything she left behind aside from the staff.
Anyway, after such a simple search, we went outside.
The sun had risen in the middle of the sky when we came in, but the sun had already set, and it was dawning again.
I looked at the sky dyed with sunset for a moment, then looked away.
I saw Ti-Yong, who had been sleeping curled up on one side, woke up when he found me.
“Let’s go.”
I jumped on the back of the guy who waddled up and flew straight away.
By the time we return to Calderic, the meeting of the Lords would be right around the corner.
