Chapter 65 - All That is Left [1] - The Cardinal Sky

If there was one thing that kept me sane throughout this journey, it was the farewell gifts that Eshana and the others gave me.

I wanted to keep them clean, especially the gift from Momo, so I stored them inside the ring until now.

I thought her gift was just a scarf, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be something much grander.

"Oh, it has cat ears," I said as I fiddled with the gift.

It was a golden scarf, or perhaps more accurately, a cloak adorned with a hoodie and cat ears.

The fluffy and firm fabric was perfect for keeping sand out of my eyes.

I was wearing the same clothes Camellia had given me when we went out, so when I paired my outfit with this cat-eared cloak... it looked kind of cute.

Since I really am a short midget, exactly 151 centimetres tall—or 4 feet and 11 inches—I found my appearance teetering between cute and pretty.

"Humu humu..." I nodded, gradually appreciating my appearance of mine.

It's not like I'm starting to like it or anything.

"I'll have to thank Momo for this, hehe," I giggled, enjoying the fluffiness of the fabric.

I didn't check myself out in the mirror in fear that someone might see me making silly poses, but that's alright.

With no one around to bother me, I decided to wear the hood and stopped procrastinating, returning to my original task.

—Voom...!

I created a shell on the palm of my hand, beginning the process of creating an <Overcharged Bullet> for the future.

To begin, I established a robust foundation with <Ichor>, the main material.

The first Magic Art I invoked was <Earth>.

Once it travels beyond my ability range, it takes on as its mantle, expanding little further before it becomes unstable.

Next, I summoned the frigid essence of <Ice> to form a sharper, more resilient edge.

This layer was crucial, contributing to the bullet's design, ensuring integrity under extreme conditions.

To heighten the range and area of effect, I infused <Wind> into the core of the bullet.

This element created a high-pressure rocket, setting the stage for a cataclysmic release of energy once it is discharged from Libera.

Finally, I incorporated <Explosion> as a highly effective substitute for gunpowder.

This endowed the bullet with absolutely devastating force, transforming it into a projectile capable of obliterating its target, leaving nothing in its wake.

All four Magic Arts coalesced within the Ichor, which not only amplified their destructive tendencies but also worked in synergy to forge a devastating railcannon.

The result was a meticulously crafted weapon, created to kill true monsters.

Creating a bullet took me five minutes, which made the process delicate.

Thus, I planned to spend my whole morning here, making as much as I can and dumping it all in the Spatial Ring.

"... It's too peaceful," I remarked as I tossed a finished magazine into the ring.

Completely defenceless in this deserted city, I sat down under the shade of a rundown restaurant.

We're almost in Trestkania, so it won't hurt to relax for a while—

—Rustle…!

"What was that?" I quickly turned around at the sound of something strange.

It was daytime, and the only things present were the sun's rays and mild weather.

If anyone else were here besides Scarlett and me, that would be bad news.

"It can't be a rodent in a place this deserted..." I thought, wondering if there was any food left.

I closed my mouth, shut my eyes, and focused on my hearing, trying to identify the source of the noise.

...

—Rustle Rustle!

"?!?" I spun my head in the direction of the sound, a situation so familiar that it felt like it happened yesterday back in Demiurge.

Someone was watching me.

"Found you!" I jumped up from the chair and dashed toward the sound without a moment's hesitation.

—Dash!

With great finesse, I skillfully navigated the terrain, quickly closing the distance without losing any momentum.

Even if my strength was lacking, my speed was exceptional.

At this point, I'm confident in saying that I'm much more agile than I was when I was a guy.

'There you are...!' I spotted a brown-hooded silhouette.

Unlike my cat-eared cloak, theirs appeared tattered and worn, hiding their facial features, so I couldn't tell if this figure was human.

"Stop right there!" I called out as I ran without slowing down.

When they made a sharp turn, I braked suddenly, trying to figure out where they had gone.

—Rustle Rustle...!

Without wasting any time, they immediately began climbing the walls, using bricks and other objects as handholds.

I found myself at a stalemate.

Can I do that myself?

Kind of.

Should I?

No.

It was a smart move on their part as it definitely widened the gap between us.

But against someone who can create things out of thin air... it was bound to be a bad matchup.

—Vooom!

Unfazed by their attempt to lose me, I took a step forward and spread my arms, forming Ichor at an accelerated pace to help me follow them.

—Tap, Tap, Tap!

Ichor began to stabilize as I took another step.

Golden stairs rapidly formed, sturdy enough for me to walk on, allowing me to ascend to the next floor of the building faster than they could.

In a single moment, I caught up to them without breaking a sweat.

"???" The hooded figure, who had just reached the top, was startled by my sudden advancement.

"Kgh...!" they grunted, almost tripping as they continued to run away.

But it was already too late; they were within my range.

—Vooom...!

I continued to manipulate my Ichor, spreading it out around me.

Though my range was still limited, I kept sprinting, appearing faster than they were.

"Wah!" They abruptly encountered a wall in front of them, halting their escape.

Even when they attempted to turn and flee in another direction, the wall twisted and bent until both sides were completely blocked.

"A-Argh!!!" They tried to jump over the wall, only to find their legs ensnared by a golden chain.

The chase was over.

"Got you," I smirked, successfully capturing them, unlike the time I lost Camellia during a brutal defeat.

Though I admit this was much easier than that chase.

Curious to discover their identity, I stepped closer to remove their hood.

"■■■■■■■!" the hooded figure screamed defiantly.

"…What?" I tilted my head, trying to understand what they had said.

“■■■■■■■■■■!” More gibberish erupted from their mouth, still indecipherable to me.

...

'Ah… right, the language is different here.' I shook my head, recalling that we were in another country now.

Usually, this would pose a problem since I couldn't communicate with them.

However, given that this world is years in the future, technology had me covered.

—Fwip…!

"Where is it… Ah, here we go." I grabbed the device that could translate the language for me from inside the Spatial Ring.

From the ring, I took out an earring designed for a specific purpose.

It was a universal live translator, made in Trestkania, and given to me by Orion.

—Ving…!

I placed the earrings in both of my ears, and a faint blue glow began to shine.

I hadn't intended to choose earrings; I could have selected earphones or headphones, but I wanted a translation device I could wear without blocking my hearing.

Besides, they looked good on me, so...

—Voom…!

"Ah, it's finally working." I sensed something happening with my ears.

「...Product: Universal Translator, Activated. Welcome back, Aria Cyth.」

「Scanning for Language Modules... 9 Databases Found.」

「Which nation's language would you like to translate, User: Aria Cyth?」

Without paying attention to the flailing hooded figure, I placed my hand under my chin and took my time to decide.

"Trestkania."

「Confirmed... Language Module Found.」

—Shine...!

For the second time, the earrings illuminated, and I felt my hearing change slightly, as if they had been adjusted for future use.

「Converting—Murgia to Ersta.」

「Adjusting Sound to Normal Levels.」

「Calibrating… 30%… 75%… 100%.」

—Ding!

「Voice module successfully implemented.」

The voice that echoed along my neck shifted back and forth between Murgia, the language of the Demiurge, and Ersta, Trestkania's language, becoming a blur.

It didn't take long before the screams became audible.

“Y■… m■■ste■!”

…

"You monster! Stupid bitch!"

"...Hm?"

Getting to use this handy translator, only to hear a slur, I understood what he said after all that.

I noticed a long time ago that the voice belonged to a young boy, so I quickened my pace to remove his hood.

"S-Stop! Don't come closer!!!" He continued to resist.

But I didn't stop; I pushed forward and removed it anyway.

—Fwip...!

"...Hmm." I nodded, realizing my guess was correct.

They were a young boy with maroon hair, probably no older than twelve.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to hurt you." I tried to calm him down by gently approaching him.

The boy's response?

"I said, get away! You monster!" His eyes widened in fear when he realized that I understood him.

I wanted to smack the boy's head, but I held back, deciding to defuse the situation calmly—only for things to escalate even further.

—Shing…!

"...!" In shock, I took a step back as he unveiled a weapon that could endanger both our lives.

"G-Get away from me!! If not... if not...! I'll…!" He tightly gripped a knife, his hands shaking with fear.

To put an end to everything, the boy didn't direct the knife toward me... but instead toward his own neck.

—Shk...!

He was planning to take his own life.

"H-Hey!!! What do you think you are doing?!" I shouted, confused about why he would do this in the first place.

My appearance was by no means intimidating; was there some context I was missing?

In a hurry, I tried to stop him from harming himself by seizing the knife with my Ichor.

But before anything could happen, another pair of footsteps approached, shouting for us to stop.

"BIG BROTHER, STOOOP!!!" they screamed, running toward their sibling as fast as they could.

—Slap!

Another cloaked individual rushed in, threw away the knife in his hand, and positioned their body to prevent me from getting closer.

As they ran clumsily, the hood fell off, revealing her identity as a young girl with purple hair.

Now, instead of cornering one brat, I was faced with two.

"S-Stop following us... You monster!" she shouted, standing up and spreading her arms wide, trying her best to protect her brother with her frail figure.

"...Me?" I tilted my head, pointing at my face in confusion.

"Yeah, you!" she insisted, trying to muster confidence.

...

Wondering if there was a serious misunderstanding, I removed my hood to reveal my harmless appearance.

—Fwip.

There's no way they could be that terrified of a cute girl like me—

"...Huh? You're not a monster...?" The girl's face reflected a mix of disbelief and confusion.

"What...?" Her brother was also speechless, looking more flabbergasted than scared.

...

...As a test, I put the hood back on and—

—Fwup.

"U-Uwaaaah!!!" Both of them screamed at the same time.