Chapter 20: Grave Mistake.

….

Seeing the three dots that each of them sent out I couldn't help but chuckle before typing.

[Jin(A): I'm gonna take that as no. I'll go and sleep now, so goodnight to you all. And Kazuma, Good luck!]

After sending that, I closed the system and looked at the white ceiling. 'Should I just hope for the better and wait for Roswaal to become a better guy?'

'No…If I remember correctly, his goal in doing all that shit is to meet Echidna again. So maybe, if I just revive echidna then he will stop scheming. Although, I have no means for reviving a person right now, but I'm sure in the future I can get access to lots of ways to revive a dead person, much less the witches who clearly still has a part or their soul in this world.'

'The hard part is saying this to Roswaal itself while avoiding a fallout with him. At the very least, I need the power to restrain him…

Meh, I'll think about it when we cross that bridge'

My eyelids started to go heavy, so I did not fight it and slept after taking out the Eternal Phoenix WonderRide Book.

….

I woke up while the world was still dark. A quick glance at my phone reveals that it's almost time for the sun to rise, so I entered my sanctuary to take a nice hot shower and changed into a track suit before I left the sanctuary and exited my room and subsequently the manor.

Once out in the garden, I stretched before starting to do my morning routine consisting of jogging around the garden, push ups, sit ups, meditation and finally sword swinging.

By now, the sun had already risen. So I entered the manor once more and took a shower again before I changed into more comfortable clothing and later got out of the manor once again.

I sat in the gazebo, and reached out inside my inventory for the small propane gas powered stove, and a water pot and started to boil some water.

And as the water boiled, I took out crushed coffee beans,sugar cubes and a mug, putting it down on the seat. and afterwards I took my carving tools and some wooden planks before I sat down on the gazebo's steps and started carving anything that came to mind.

….

*Fwoooo~*

"Ah?" I awoke to the sound of boiling water and looked at the wooden carving in my hand.

It was a carving of Rem and Ram, sleeping together side by side whilst leaning upon one another.

A quick glance around me showed that it wasn't the only carving that I had made as 6 other wooden statues littered around me, each depicting different people and animals.

Puck, Phi, Jinwoo holding a dagger, Kazuma with a lecherous face, rimuru in his human form carrying his slime form, and lastly, Archer wearing an apron and holding a pan in one hand while the other hand was resting in his waist.

"Looks like I was in the zone again" I muttered before I stood up from my seat, putting down the Rem and Ram statue and

turned the stove off.

I hummed as I made coffee, and sat back down on the gazebo's steps while carrying a blue mug in hand.

*Sip* "haa~. Now, who might you be, miss elf?" I asked the silver haired elf who had been sitting not far away, examining the wooden statues I made. More specifically, the statue of Puck.

"...." It seemed like she didn't hear my words as she didn't respond.

I sighed and sipped my coffee once, again, not bothering to ask again because I already knew who she was. Emilia, the one Puck calls and considers as his daughter.

*Yaawn~* "Good morning, Lia." Speak of the devil.

I gazed at Puck who got out from Emilia's silver hair before stretching like a cat.

"Yo, Good morning Puck" I greeted, making him pause as he turned his head on my way.

"Oh! Jin! Good morning! It seems that you've met my daughter already!" He greeted me, waving.

"Well, I have certainly met her now, but we haven't introduced each other as she's more interested in the wooden statue I carved of you." I sighed.

"Hohooh? I didn't think you could make these? It's really well done." Puck nodded in approval, especially after seeing his statue.

"It's nothing, I didn't have anything to do but carve for 3 years before I got here"

"Well that's an interesting story that I would like to hear later, but for now, let me wake Lia up so I can introduce the two of you."

Puck then flew down on Emilia's shoulder and tapped her face with his paws, surprising her as she looked around with confusion, and upon seeing Puck, and later, Me she yelped in surprise.

"Who-? Puck?" She asked in confusion.

Puck sighed and asked why she was not responding just now.

"Well, it's just that, I was reminded of when we first met after gazing at the wooden statue."

"I see." Puck smiled gently before fake coughing and pointing towards me.

"Lia, Let me introduce you to Jin, a guest of Roswaal who is planning on courting Rem, so you better watch out, or this big bad wolf might decide to eat you too." Puck "menacingly" said.

"Oi! Don't just casually give me a bad rep!" I called him out and "angrily" reached my hand towards him, but he flew out of my reach.

"You! Come back!" I ran after him but he also ran away from me, in the end it turned into an impromptu tag with me trying to catch him.

I panted and glared at his smirking face.

"Haih! You know what, I'll just cuddle with Phi." I dismissively waved him off before I took out the Phoenix WonderRide Book and opened it.

A burst of fire came from the small book and not long after, Phi appeared in all his glory.

"Big brother Jin! You called?" Phi asked innocently.

I smiled gently at his innocent question.

"Yes, you see, that kitty over there won't let me cuddle him, so I want to cuddle with you instead" I told him while pointing at Puck.

"Ah?! Yes! Phi would like to cuddle with Jin nii-chan!" Phi proceeded to fly in front of my face and hugged me and I responded in kind

"Yoshi Yoshi… Phi is the best" I coo'ed as I nuzzled my head with his feathers before looking back at the Cat/ half-elf dou and smugly smiled.

"See, I don't need to beg to cuddle you, I have my very own fluffy spirit." I remarked childishly, making Emilia giggle.

"You reaaally like cuddling things, huh?" She asked.

"Well of course!! My life will be complete with fluffy animals and gorgeous women by my side!" I huffed proudly.

"Hooh~? "Women" You say?" Puck "menacingly" asked but I ignored it.

"Oh right! I actually have another fluffy friend!" I called out as I remembered my Tiger friend.

"Oi-"Puck attempted to get my attention but I ignored it… again.

"Wait here Phi, play with this beautiful big sister for a bit, I'll get your friend." I told the cute chick and he cutely nodded before flying towards Emilia, much to her happiness.

But it didn't last long as it most definitely turned into baffle and surprise as I disappeared in front of them since I entered the little-Sanctuary.

I came out not long after, carrying the Desert Tiger Staff in my hand.

"Tadaa~! I'm back with my Staff!" I announced to the still surprised half-elf and spirit.

"Huhu~ The two of you must be surprised?" I asked them smugly.

"You have a subspace like Betty?" Puck asked with curiosity after he woke up from his stupor.

"Betty? Well, I do have a Subspace, but something tells me it's quite different from the one you mention." I responded calmly before showing my staff.

"Other than that, this here is another one of my prized possessions! It's called "The Desert Tiger Staff" "

"Desert Tiger Staff, you say?" Puck asked, intrigued by the staff I'm holding.

"Yeap! Aside from acting as a conduit and amplifier of mana, it can also do one thing, which I will show a bit later."

Afterwards, I looked back at Emilia who's having fun scratching Phi's chin while listening and looking at me and Puck.

Our eyes met and I smiled at her which seemed to Embarrass her as she looked down with red ears.

I looked back towards Puck who was closely examining the Staff, seemingly finding something.

"Hm? Have you noticed something?" I asked the pondering kitty curiously.

"Yes, aside from this smell that's Similar but different from mine, I can feel something "more" than magic power here."

He responded with perplexion.

"Oh that? It's related to the ability I mentioned earlier, hmmm… I guess I can show you three what I'm talking about, it's just that I'm not sure if Roswaal will be mad about what I'm about to do."

'Bah! I'm sure nothing bad will happen.' I thought.

"Let's do it!" I announced and Puck looked at me curiously as I walked far away from everyone, because for some reason I just felt like it.

"Fwoo… let's do it! I'm sure she already asked her mother." I muttered before I channeled mana, making the gemstones glow.

"What the!" My eyes widened because my Mana was rapidly decreasing uncontrollably unlike the last time I used it.

Another thing is that instead of the tiny crack in space before when I summoned the cub. What appeared was a gate similar to that of the ones in Jinwoo's world.

"Shit! Puck! Prepare for battle!" I urgently called out making Puck hurriedly fly towards Emilia to protect her.

"What did you do?!" Roswaal's panicked voice sounded as he flew out from inside the manor, followed by the twins.

"I don't know! It wasn't like this the last time I had used it before!" I exclaimed in response before I took out Kyomu and the Seiken Sword Driver and hoisted it in my waist.

Kyomu Shranked down as I inserted her in the Sword Driver before taking a hold of Eternal Phoenix WonderRide Book.

"Shit…if I had known I wouldn't have done it… I'm so stupid, I shouldn't have messed with items related to that place." I muttered in regret and anger pointed at myself.

Suddenly, The staff stopped sucking my Mana and the portal stabilized. I hurriedly put the staff inside my inventory and held Kyomu by the handle to prepare for whatever comes out of the portal.

"Your vigilance, while appreciated, will be unnecessary…" Suddenly a voice sounded from within the portal, making me gulp, but I didn't falter in fear after all the twins were here.

"Who's there?" I asked cautiously at the voice.

"Hm?…You're brave despite being weak, or perhaps, you're merely a fearless fool?…Let's test that Shall we?" The metallic but mature(?) ,voice said.

Suddenly, a crushing Aura gushed out from the portal, making everyone unable to stand easily.

Everyone groaned, as they struggled to keep standing just as I bit my lip and kept my gaze at the portal, my hand still holding Kyomu firmly.

A fierce pair of eyes was suddenly seen on the other side of the portal, observing all of us, more specifically, me.

"Hoh? This world is strange, I smell the scent of "his" kin here, alongside a horrid stench. What's even more surprising is that one of that "woman's" kin is here playing with a kin of mine.

Hm? This is surprising, there are also Individuals here that's compatible with the authority of Gemini?

And lastly… you who wishes to contract with this great one's daughter even though you already have a contract with that bird's kin.

Furthermore, you are not one of the Terrarians, yet you have the staff..

What do you wish to achieve with this?" "They" asked with an intense and condescending voice.

"I… I wish for beings to accompany me as I explore the myriad worlds…I *gr* wish to explore with others *guh*to not experience the loneliness and loss I had experienced in the past." I answered abruptly amidst the grunts and pain coming from my creaking body, even though I have no memory of loneliness and loss other than the one in the sanctuary.

"....hmmm…" "They" pondered for a while and suddenly, the heavy aura enveloping the entire manor disappeared.

"You pass…for now…" The metallic voice turned into a soft and mature voice of a woman, said."

Everyone flopped down on the ground, including me as we sighed in relief, I hurriedly turned my head towards where the twins are and saw that Ram seemed to have passed out.

"Shi-" I cursed as I ran towards the two, ignoring the being on the other side of the portal.

"Ram!" I kneeled in front of her with worry and attempted to check her breathing, but my hand was slapped by none other than Rem.

"Don't touch her!" She shouted while glaring at me.

Seeing her looking at me with hostility. Something broke inside me, but I bit my lips even further ignoring this feeling I have right now as I focused on Ram's current status.

Thankfully, she seemed to be alive, making me sigh in relief, but then I remembered Rem's face as she shouted.

I clenched my hand, before relaxing and sighing.

"Sorry about the mess, and what happened to Ram… I… I will go now, and never show myself again…" I voiced with a listless but calm tone as I stood up and went back towards the front of the portal.

"Um… I'm sorry for requesting this to you but… Can we leave this discussion later Ma'am?" I asked the one behind the portal, which I'm sure is the Mother of that cub before, meaning she's a white tiger.

Was I mad at her? No… afterall, it was my fault… Due to my stupidity, I hurt Ram, and made Rem hate me.

So it would be stupid to get mad at her, especially since she's right, I'm a weakling.

Even if I was mad, what can I do? Fight her?

So…there's no one else to blame here, it's my fault.

"Hmm? You've got some balls, making me wait, and why should I do that?" The White Tiger asked.

"...*sigh* nevermind then…" I responded weakly.

"Hm? What do you mean?Hum-wait..

*sniff* Wait, You are..?" She muttered but stopped.

"Hm?" I looked at the eyes curiously

"*Ahem* It seems that you are upset because of what happened to those two." The White Tiger, now with a somewhat different tone of voice said.

I looked back at the twins, where Ram lay on Rem's lap as she looked at me with hate, crushing.

I sighed once again, and looked back and nodded and said "Yes…You see I- nevermind, it's impossible now." I stopped myself from continuing.

"I see…"