Ch.104 Forgetting the Reason Why I Went into the City

I attacked her by mistake. I let my emotions get the better of me and brandish my cutlass at her. I said terrible things to her over and over again.

For NPCs, they only get one life. just like people in the real world, death means the end of their life. Yet, I threatened her life through my rash judgments and actions.

Since Cern-san is already dead and is a ghost, it's impossible to damage her without using holy magic or something. I haven't learned any of those, nor do I possess any items that seem to fit that description, so I didn't really threaten her life. But so what?

Because she was a ghost, I couldn't inflict physical damage, but even without any physical harm, I could have hurt her heart or mind. No, she's definitely hurt.

It's not a matter of saying, "It's okay because you won't die."

I flap my wings and descend to the ground. i leaned my body forward and offered a deep, heartfelt apology.

"Cern-san! I have no excuse for pointing a weapon at you and for attacking you! I am deeply sorry."

"It's okay, don't worry about it. Lift your head."

However, that apology was stopped by her.

"...Hea?"

Her pardon was so light that I involuntarily looked up and let out a strange sound.

Looking up, I could see her face, now that I'm much closer to the ground. I don't know when she was crouching down, but Cern-san's gentle eyes were looking at me.

"There's no need for an apology. I didn't die, and I'm not injured."

"Well... yes, but... even if you're not hurt physically."

"You mean emotionally? No, no, not at all. I wouldn't be hurt by something like that."

"Something like that...?"

I couldn't believe the girl in front of me was used to being attacked to the point of saying "something like that", so I had my doubts, but then I remembered something and those doubts vanished in an instant.

Immediately after being told "something like that" I imagined the real world. It was hard to believe that a girl would be used to being attacked, coming from a world that wasn't particularly dangerous.

But I soon remembered that this wasn't the real world, but a game world. A place overflowing with monstera, a place far more dangerous than the modern world.

The reason I thought it was impossible, even if only for a moment, might be because the cityscape of Canadil was almost identical to that of the real world.

She is one of the NPCs living in this world. Moreover, since childhood, she and her friends have entered the fairy mountain and explored in an attempt to find a fairy town.

It's possible that running away from wild animals or being attacked and sustaining minor injuries was an everyday occurrence.

"Yeah, something like that. So, that's the end of this story. Okay? It's over."

"I-if Cern-san is okay with it."

"...I don't want anything that's a hassle."

If that's what she wants, then apologizing any further or bringing up the topic again will only make her more uncomfortable.

Let me reflect deeply on my action and make a firm resolution to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

"Oh, that's right."

While I was making a vow to myself, she seemed to remember something, stood up, and began to speak.

"Everyone gathered here! This is just a casual fight between friends! Please don't report us to the soldiers! There's no problem!"

Upon hearing that statement, I glanced around and saw a few people, looking in my direction from a distance. Although there weren't that many, I was still exposed to a crowd, and the fact that I was slow to notice was a testament to how deeply I was thinking and how focused I was on Cern-san.

"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for causing such a fuss!"

I couldn't believe that I'd have to leave the matter to someone like Cern-san, who had done nothing wrong, so I hastily jumped into the air and bowed my head in all directions.

"Please don't report us! We fight like this all the time! It's just a fight!"

As the suspicions continued to drop, people began to lose interest and leave, and within three minutes, all the suspicious and curious looks had disappeared.

"So, what do you want to do? Are you going to eat here? Or stay the night?"

Once the situation calmed down and things returned to normal, she turned around and asked a question in a natural tone, as if she were talking to a friend, as if nothing had happened.

Now that I think about it, when I explained it to people around us, I said it was some kind of fight between friends. It seems that somehow, we went from acquaintances to friends.

"Let's see..."

The content of the conversation was the same as the questions I was asked by Cern-san when she found me hiding and observing <Kumahachi inn>.

When I first met her here, she used polite language, but she started calling me "customer" even though we were acquaintances because she was in the middle of serving a customer...Yeah, I thought it was cool how she handled things professionally because she was working. Now she's back to being more casual, though.

Looking back, I was quite surprised when she suddenly appeared without a sound. Perhaps I was so shocked by that illusion that I thought she was a different person.

I know that there's no way that could have happened for no reason, but I can't find any other explanation for that situation, so I have no choice but to think that way.

It's possible that an external factor, such as some kind of magic from an NPC or another player, could have caused the character to become disoriented, but since there's no way to prove it, it doesn't explain the confusion.

The reason I came here in the first place was to check the progress of the event quest.

Her presence at that investigation site was completely unexpected. After all, when I left for Canadil, Cern-san had seen me off in the Fairy Forest.

To arrive here before me, she needed to do one of this to things: either leave at the same time as me, or leave immediately after seeing me depart.

After arriving in town, I took a little time to buy a map and look for <Kumahachi inn>, but thanks to the information I had gathered beforehand the day before, I didn't take even an hour, and the travel itself was only about 30 minutes at most. I managed to find my target in such a short amount of time.

In such a short time—30 minutes—she managed to reach the inn first, reunite with her family, and help with the family business—a truly extraordinary feat.

To be more precise, this includes explaining the background and current situation, and persuading them to help with the family business.

It's strange that all of this is happening in such a short time, but since it's happening right before my eyes, there's no doubt that it's actually happening.

So, even if I rule out the possibility of her moving at the same time, it's plausible that Cern-san departed immediately after I did. This is possible, and if she didn't, it would be difficult and illogical, both chronologically and in terms of timing, to meet.

"...But before that, there's one more thing I need to apologize for."

Her initial question and willingness to engage in conversation were intended to prevent me from realizing she was investigating. However, if she manages to return home on her own, that plan becomes meaningless. This is because there's a high probability that she's already told their parents about what happened while she was missing.

Therefore, it remains unclear why she made such an evasive statement, and there's some contradictions as well.

And what's most shocking is that the investigation into the progress of the event quest, which was intended to find out whether there is a search party to Fairy Forest and, if possible, to stop them, is now highly likely to end in failure.

If she had brought her bones back, even if a hunting party came to the fairy forest, Nabla-kun wouldn't be attacked. ...I wonder if she brought them back?

"As you may have noticed, I lied. As you can see, I said I wasn't going to Canadil, but I intended to come here from the beginning."

Before I can verify that, I must apologize for lying.

I had lied to Cern-san, who was longing to return to her family immediately, telling her that I wasn't going to Canadil.

"Of course, it was a conclusion I reached after much thought, but it has nothing to do with Cern-san. I apologize for lying."

"It's okay, it's okay. Don't worry about it. By the way, is there anything else you need to apologize for? Even if there is, don't apologize anymore, okay? I'll forgive you for everything."

"Uh, yes... I understand. Thank you."

Here we go again, the wording of forgiveness is far too lenient in response to the apology.

This is the second time today. It seems she'll forgive me, so I thank ther and quietly close my mouth.

"Do you want to know why I lied...?"

"No, it's okay. I kind of understand, so you don't need to say anything. ...I keep telling you I don't need that kind of thing. It's not getting the conversation going."

I ask if she wants to know why I lied, but she doesn't need an answer. He seems to know somehow.

Wow, Cern-san. Can you read minds?

"I see. Oh, by the way, what happened to the bones?"

"Bones...? What kind of bones...?"

When I said "bones," I'm obviously referring to her remains...or rather, there might also be the bones from the Grilled Pacific Saury that we had as a meal yesterday, so she might have wondered which kind of bones you were referring to (I didn't eat the Grilled Poison Lizard, so I don't know if there were any bones in it, so I'll exclude those).

Given the context of the conversation, what I said shouldn't mean, "What did you do with the fish bones you ate yesterday?", so the only option her remains. However, everyone has their own way of thinking, and it's different for each individual. She probably doesn't know which bones I'm talking about.

To be honest, it's also my fault for omitting too much.

"What do I mean? I'm talking about Cern-san's remains. I'm not talking about the bones from the Pacific Saury we ate yesterday."

"Cern-san's bones... wait, my bones?!"

"Yes, that's right. Why are you so surprised?"

"N-no, I mean... Eh...?"

She looked flustered and surprised.

It's unclear what exactly is surprising her, but the way she's moving her body is somewhat amusing to watch. Perhaps it's because I'm not the one doing it.

"I don't know what's so surprising, but let's continue the story."

"No way, we can't continue like this! How on earth would we end up talking about remains?!"

So, after me, she's in a state of delirium? What on earth is going on?

I just want to know if she found a way to retrieve her remains from beneath Nabla-kun, if she was able to retrieve them, if she brought them, or if she was able to bring them.

"...Wait, what's wrong?"

For some reason, Cern-sann is looking down. I can't help but feel that her face is a little pale.

"Does that mean Cern-chan is already dead...?"

Hmm...? Well, since you've become a ghost, you must be dead, right?

I witnessed the process of her body rotting away after being attacked by that sparrow lookalike, and I also remember the black, rotten liquid that I was forced to absorb afterward.

If she could survive in that state, she would be a monster. At the very least, she wouldn't be human.

"...Yes, unfortunately."

Could it be that Cern-san has started to escape reality at this point?

I thought that after crying so much yesterday, she had finally accepted the reality of the situation, but even without thinking too hard, she's still just a 13-year-old child.

Oh, I see. That makes sense. It's not like it's going to be that easy to accept.

"..."

Wait, are you going to change your first-person pronoun to your own name with "-chan" attached? That's cute.

I agree. It's a matter of personal freedom, and I won't try to stop her.

"...Look me in the eyes."

"Yes?"

She would look down and fall silent, then suddenly lift her head and ask me to look her in the eyes.

The degree of paleness in her face has decreased.

"Just look! I'm not good with ghosts!"

"What does being afraid of ghosts have to do with looking someone in the eye...?"

Oh, Cern-san's eyes are red again... Could this be some kind of magic...?

"Oh, you saw it. Listen, this is the first time I've met you. We just met now. We didn't meet yesterday, and not before that either. This is our first time meeting."

"Hmm, yes. Is that, right?"

"Nice to meet you!"

"Nice to meet you..."

Huh? Why am I here...?

I'm pretty sure I was peeking out from a low vantage point around the inn called <Kumahachi inn> and checking and observing what was going on inside through the large glass windows...

"I wonder why did I come here..."

Before I knew it, I was in a spot a little distance away from a hedge lined up with the trees.

The strangeness of being in a different place without any memory of moving, and the inexplicable appearance of a girl I've never met before—so many questions are swirling in my head.

Whether she noticed my confusion or not, she smiled innocently and silently looked at me.

She has a cheerful, tanned face and a delicate body with supple muscles, suggesting she exercises.

Her outfit—white top and denim shorts, with visible leggings and athletic shoes—gives the impression of a sporty girl who loves playing outdoors. The word "energetic" suits her perfectly.

She's really enjoying her youth. I managee to escape from reality for a bit.

"Are you okay?"

"Oh, yes. I'm okay."

Unable to process the situation, I said I was okay even though I wasn't at all. It's my problem, not hers, so I don't want to cause her unnecessary worry.

"I'm the daughter of the owner of that inn over there, <Kumahachi inn>. Would you like to come in and rest? Just having a meal is fine too. ...Oh, my name is Cern."

"Hello. I'm Vester."

The mysterious movement is intriguing, but right now I need to focus on checking the progress of the event quest.

I'll go along with what she says and try to cover up the fact that I'm investigating... Huh? What event quest am I investigating again...?

Hmm? Uhh, if there is an extermination squad assembled, and some idiot in the squad might start a fire in the fairy forest, and if Nabla-kun is attacked, someone might lie to someone and leave the fairy forest to investigate... But who is lying to who...?

In the first place, what exactly is this extermination squad going to the Fairy Forest for? And why are they even formed in the first place?

I'm confused because I don't know why I'm here. It's all a mystery.

"You seem a bit tired. Just go inside and have a meal break without thinking about anything. It's okay, I'm sure you were just wondering what to have for lunch."

The girl in front of me, whose eyes were dark just moments ago, has now turned red, and she recommended me to have lunch here.

It's certainly a good time for lunch.

"Yes, that might be the case... No, I'm sure it is."

"Yes, please come in. ...(It's not a good idea to pretend to be a dead person, so I guess I should start looking for someone else..."

I stopped thinking for a moment and went into the inn as instructed.

The shop has a relaxed, tropical atmosphere, and the air conditioning is just right to cool you down. It's a comfortable place with lots of plants decorating the interior.

The event quest was probably something related to food. Since I was going to an inn for the investigation, it must be something related to food.

Among them, I'm most interested in food-related things, so I figured it would probably be an event quest related to meals.

I don't know what the conditions are for a quest to start. Or rather, I've completely forgotten, but since I've entered the shop, the first thing to do is eat.

Following the directions, I go to a table for one, and asked Cern-san, who is apparently the innkeeper's daughter, to flip through the menu for me to order. I look around the restaurant, searching for the conditions that would trigger the event quest, and while thinking about it, I eagerly wait for my meal.

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〘The Difference between Physical Attacks and Magical Attacks〙

A physical attack is an attack that does not use MP.

A magic attack is an attack that uses MP

For example, suppose you create fire using magic or sorcery, swinging a wooden staff, and attack your opponent. In this case, if the fire hits, it's considered a magical attack, and if the wooden staff hits, it's considered a physical attack.

The reverse is also true. If you create fire without using MP and then use MP to create a wooden staff, the fire will be treated as a physical attack, while the blow from the wooden staff will be treated as a magical attack.

In other words, if even a small amount of magic power is involved, it becomes a magical attack, and if there is no magic power, it is treated as a physical attack.

〘Occupation: Intermediate Mentalist〙

A tertiary job, starting from a beginner-level mentalist in the secondary job category. The so-called superior version of a superior version.

Beginner and intermediate mentalists will be able to learn spells and skills that they wouldn't be able to before, as well as perform enhanced versions of those they already know.

A profession that uses magic and skills with effects similar to psychology, suggestion, illusion, behavioral observation, and memory techniques to read or manipulate the minds of people, monsters, and other beings.

When set as the main job, it gives a decent boost to DEX and LUK.

Job requirements:

① You must have the "Beginner Mentalist" profession set.

② You must possess five or more spells or skills specific to the Mentalist profession.

③ talk to the NPC Mentalist instructor, take their exam, and pass it.

〘Skill: Guide to Anger〙

A mentalist-exclusive job skill that becomes available to beginner mentalists.

By selecting a target to inflict, keeping them in your line of sight, and speaking the words, you can inflict a slight decrease in intelligence and a provocation effect that causes them to attack for 5 minutes.

Even a single word can suffice, but using words with meaning such as insults will increase the provocative effect of inviting aggression.

Cooldown: 30 minutes.

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