Slaves in the Border!
Enjoy! This one is very large!
No cuts, just the original chapter edited and with a LOT more information.
Probably over 45% of its original text has been rewritten and 5K more words have been added so... Yeah.
Since its large, likely many small errors, I'll fix them over time.
Thank you for reading.
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/Later…/
In the secluded Chamber of Silence, Dae finally finished cleaning the mess he made in the previous weeks.
All of the magical circles made from his blood had been cleaned, and the ground was now impeccable. Although… His inventory was now filled with trash… Looking utterly disgusting.
But that was a low price to pay for hiding whatever happened here… Unless someone investigated the room deeply, to which they may find a clue as to what he did. But the possibility of that wasn't high.
Until then, he had a little of time to prepare.
"Urg…"
That said, couldn't help but grimace at the state of his inventory…
'It's necessary… Necessary…'
"Come on… They'll be here at any minute…"
/COOOUNG!/
As he cleaned the ground with a simple mop, heavy metallic sounds suddenly began echoed in the room.
His confinement was about to end.
'About time… I was getting bored of this place already... And the food... They forced me here with a bucket of rations… If I hadn't smuggled some food though the inventory things would've been bad.'
'And I, for once, would like to shit in a proper toilet.'
For the past two weeks he remained inside the metal box. His only source of food were the tasteless rations given to him before he got inside. And he had to shit and piss inside a special magic circle else this place would be…
Complete and utter isolation.
Thankfully, he brought with him extra hygiene tools, else this would've been utterly unbearable.
Maybe the he of the future would've disagreed, but he was finally getting used to living in a luxurious Palace again… And he wouldn't exchange that for such a life again.
/Katchiiiiin…/
The metallic ceiling of the cuve slowly opened, shining a strong white light inside, blinding Dae as he cowered to the corner.
'MY EYES!!'
""...""
The Blue knights looked at the skinny boy as he trembled on the side, the same boy who did not see the sun for two weeks… Almost feeling pity.
After two weeks eating just rations while bleeding constantly, it was obvious his body would be in a bad state. Dae is far from being strong enough to endure such bad treatment without side effects.
Nevertheless, they continued with their jobs as they activated the hidden mechanisms of facility, manifesting a stair of pure blue light for Dae to climb.
Seeing this, Dae cleared his throat, acting a little skittish as he reached out for the chairs.
"Is… Is it over?"
The blue knights did not reply. They merely stood there, motionless, waiting…
"..."
'These guys are like statues… They take their work way too seriously.'
'My body… I lost my breath from only climbing a few steps… I'm in a worse state then I thought I was.'
Still… Even with all of that, Dae was still much stronger than what most would expect, hence, he had to act weak to not attract unnecessary attention.
/Katchiiiiin…/
/COOOUNG!/
As her reached the top of the cube, the ceiling closed down, sealing whatever had happened with it for who knew how long…
"Wha… What now?"
'It's over now… Who knows how long it'll take for them to open this again? I don't even think they clean it… Either way, this matterf has now been forever buried.'
'Even if not, I'll come back and clean it up when the time comes.'
/Step step…/
The blue knights wasted no time, marching out of the room without even looking at Dae.
"W-Wait!"
'Everything went as planned, time to resume from where I stopped at.'
'I wonder how much has changed outside…'
…
/Meanwhile…/
/Poof/
"Yawn… Man… How many did I even read?" Philip asked out loud as he stretched his arms
[Scholar Vision Lv6 -> Lv7]
'Oh? Right on time.'
Philip closed the book in his hands as he looked at the clock hanging on the ceiling of the library.
/17:56/
"Almost six… It should've been around now…"
'Today's the day Dae is released, but I hoped he'd be out earlier then this since our time… Is coming to an end.'
'The last day of training was today. Just a round-up of everything we learned in the past 30 days or so. It was a little monotonous but it showed me just how much I improved recently.'
'Every day might've been hell, with my body suffering to go through everything… But the training yielded results…'
Philip looked at the callusses on his hand, smiling as he clenched his fist.
'My shortcomings and habits were mostly fixed although I'm aware I still have much to learn… Mastery over the techniques I had and learned, and the proper fusion between them into something I can actively use… Is still underway.'
'I learned proper routines from Berinou and the other instructors, so at the very least, I have something to follow and show to the world. I may have to one day discard the techniques I learned, but the foundation they built will remain. Above all, I never properly learned how to train one's muscles and even energy, so that has been settled as well.'
'I began dabbling in magic as well… I'm by no means a Mage, but the instructor said I could pass as an apprentice… Although what matters most is how fast I progressed.'
'I'm not arrogant, but I understand what I can and cannot do… And I was getting worried that my speedy progress was eclipsing everyone else's… I'm thankful to have overthought that.'
'All Heroes are ridiculously talented in their own rights. Either due to their own personalities… Or the Classes they received. Either way, Eriny praised me for my ability to learn, but I still lack a lot in other aspects compared to some of the Heroes specialized in the field.'
'And finally, I absorbed thousands of books worth of knowledge into the Phantom Library, the more I do, the greater Scholar Vision's power becomes… Albeit I haven't used it much.'
'I took the approach of learning things myself then relying on it which seems to be the most healthy of the bunch.'
'At the same time, I also gained the final Title Old man Vista said I needed:'
[Soldier
Description: You passed through all sorts of hardships and learned the minimum necessary to operate in the massive machine that is an army.
Effects: Slight Physical and Mental Boost when fighting in a formation, the boost depends on how big and organized the army is. Up to a certain level.
Only counts if the other members of the formation have the same Title.
]
'This was the fourth Title that I had to gain. At least according to Vista, but the order is irrelevant now.'
'So, from the five Talents I was supposed to get… I now have them all.'
'Scholar, Martial and Magical Enthusiast, Blessed, and Soldier… I'm done on this part.'
'Of the five, only Scholar seemed straightforward to get, albeit an ordinary person would've had difficulty reading all of the books on time, especially if they took extra time to find the place.'
'It might've been possible for an ordinary person to get the Enthusiast series of Titles together with Soldier, but that would depend on their talents and efforts during daily training.'
'Blessed on the other hand… If even Roy struggled to find the fountain, I can only wonder how the others would've fared… The fact I got all of them is the best outcome of them all.'
'But now I'm struggling with my Titles, especially since I got even more then those original few… I guess I am a special case since I have a lot to choose from.'
/Open…/
Philip picked another book from a small pile on the table and opened it with a light sigh.
He had spent a lot of time in the library in these last two months, and as his relationship with Eriny increased and she began considering him as a Wizard in training, she also gave him permission to access the unique library within her tower.
Albeit everything was open to all Heroes, some aspects of the Garden were closed for certain individuals deemed unfit to access them, such as the deeper portions of the forest leading to the Northern mountains.
The tower was full of strange, complex, and expensive machinery, mostly magical in origin. It would be too much to let it open for all. Only those permitted by Eriny or with a special pass from a relevant authority could get inside.
Philip consumed as much information as he could. Unfortunately, he felt he betrayed her expectations since despite the many hours he stood sitting down reading… He mostly skimmed through those texts…
Thanks to his Mental library, he didn't need to memorize and comprehend the books to improve Scholar Vision. Some may consider it as bending the rules, but if the System allowed it, then it had a purpose. Or in other words…
Everything was working as intended.
'I feel sorry for her since she seems to have high expectations of me. Even if I'm not the next Archmage that will shake this world like some of the other Heroes, she sees me positively since that, out of all her students right now… I seem like the most ordinary of them all.'
'I spend my time reading without asking complex questions, but recently, I haven't spoken with her at all. And for good reason, I have only so much time and I have to prioritize something…'
'Scanning the books and Scholar Vision come first, then there's my training with Berinou, then there's my personal meditation, experimentation, and training…'
'Finally, there's my "hobbies"... I don't have the time for all of them… Even if my Mind can handle it, my body can only do so much. And even if I wanted to do multiple things at once… "I" can't handle it… My consciousness can't take it.'
'I'm improving, but it'll take a while for me to actually multitask like a machine.'
To maximize his already strained and short time, he focused on the more important subjects such as Magic and Combat Knowledge, followed by things such as the geography and topography of this world, together with some studies on Zoology and Biology.
He did try to familiarize himself with the convoluted politics and history of this land, but of these subjects, what he ended up studying more was learning about the many other species of this land. Such as the creatures with sharp ears that resembled Elves, short and burly Humans that resembled Dwarves, certain humanoids that had animals ears and tails…
'Then, of everything that changed… My Stats would be the next, and to be expected, they didn't change much.'
'It'd be hard to say they grew at all…'
'To begin with, raising stats is a matter of strengthening the body, and after a certain point, once you reach your limit, that's that.'
'There are many ways to go beyond that, the 'easiest' of which is through a Level up, but we already know how hard it is for a normal person to achieve that…'
'My current stats are already high for a Level 0, and I've gone through multiple System corrections to balance them; they won't rise any further if I stick to normal training.'
'My Stats have become more harmozied as I trained and grew used to my body's state without my Class, but that only takes me so far.'
'From here on, for me to improve… It's pure training and effort. Like everyone else, I must strive… And with whatever talent I have, I'll have to push it to its limits if I want to make it equal to any of the other Heroes.'
'That is… Until Gamerverse activates once more…'
/Flip…/
Philip read through a few chapters of the book, eventually stopping once he finished the book.
'The difference of Class… Is much higher then I originally believed.'
'In short… Let's make a comparison between a person with the 'Soldier' Class and one with the 'Mage' Class… Both are Level 1 and both are equal in potential, so no specialties or uniqueness…'
'Meaning, they are your everyday average Mob… If a Mage can be considered a Mob… Maybe this wasn't the most accurate comparison… Not that it matter in a hypothetical scenario…'
Philip's thoughts began drifting away, but he eventually reached for his head, frowning…
'Despite everything I did, I still can't control my Mental power properly… I've once fallen into a series of deep thoughts that lasted several hours, but once I realized what was going on, only a few minutes had passed in reality.'
'I'm not losing control of myself as this happens far less often, but this balance could easily shatter if my Mental power increases any further.'
'Anyhow… Where was I?... Right.'
'There are many shapes and forms for each Class, some have more forms than others while some are Unique by themselves.'
'Some Classes are highly sought after, appearing either in specific bloodlines, places, times, with conditions none can accurately define.'
'Even two Classes with equal descriptions may grow differently depending on the user, as the System adapts to fit their host, even if said individual is unaware of its existence.'
'Others may be common, but could contain a variant so strong it could shatter the balance between fiefs if not entire nations…'
'The Wizard is a good example of such variety, as you could be an Apprentice Wizard, Fire Wizard, Water, Blood, Advanced, and so on…'
"The Soldier Class, as written in this book, gives you 0.2 of Mind, 1.3 of Physical and 0.6 of Energy every Level Up… These values being from the Imperial average."
'For me to compare my Stats with the Imperial average, I'd have to go to a Church or use the proper aparatus. And as one may expect, I could easily do so anytime… Alas, while I have little to hide for the most part, my unique Status and Skill… Is far too much for me to leave records of anywhere.'
'But it doesn't matter for a hypothetical scenario.'
'Like this, a normal Mage Class gives you 2.8 of Mind, 0.15 of Physical, 3.3 of Energy, and 0.25 of Spiritual with every Level up."
'This would mean that at Level 10, their stats would be like this:'
"For the Soldier: 2 of Mind, 13 of Physical, and 6 of energy."
"For the Mage: 28 of Mind, 1.5 of Physical, 33 of Energy, and 2.5 of Spiritual."
'So it's clear, that stat-wise, the Mage Class is better than the Soldier Class. However, strength is not purely based on Stats…'
'On this hypothetical scenario, if we take a look at my Stats and asume everything is one to one… I'd be around a Level 35 Soldier in physical and a Level 40 Mage in Mind.'
'This is not assuming everything they could do to grow stronger too… Because everything I did… Maybe not everything, can also be done by them.'
'It's obvious how strange this situation actually is… But this doesn't mean I am strong yet. Comparing my Stats to what is essentially the bottom of this world's barrel, is not, in any shape or form, something to be proud of.'
"Let's try comparing it to something more… Substantial.'
'This book affirms that the Royal Captain Class gives you 2 Mind, 7.5 Physical, and 12.5 Energy every Level up.'
'And this is all without counting things like Skills, Abilities, and any other unique affinities and mechanics intrinsic to each Class.'
'It's clear that I am not that strong yet when you look at the bigger picture… What good is there in being able to defeat a Level 50-60 Soldier? It's just a mob compared to something like Royal Captain…'
'Stat-Wise, I might lose if I try to fight even a mere Level 10 Royal Captain…'
"However… The world isn't so simple either; There is one thing most people seem to forget…"
'And that that almost no one is born with such a Highly valuable and exclusive Class. You'd usually only find someone like that born in prestigious families, ancient bloodlines, or secluded/hidden powers.'
'So unless you're unluck to meet a unique Class born in the middle of nowhere like an Orc Overlord or the fated Hero born in the village… You're at most going to find someone with an Elite Class… If any really.'
'Most don't even grow to realize their innate Class' potential, you'd have to go to the metropolitan center to find people actively talking about their Classes and Skills. Places where the Royal authority is strong, where the Church has a powerfull influence, or where the study of the Arcane and Mystic is open and respected.'
'For everyone else aside from those fated and chosen ones, they need to work slowly from the bottom, and this means something like this:'
'From birth, starting as a Level 1 to 3 Villager, then during maturity, being conscripted as a Level 3 to 24 Soldier. Finally, as you accumulate experience, so you join a stronger squad… From Level 24 to 41 as an Elite Soldier.'
'Then, at the hight of your career, at an old age, you are finally given the green light to pursue your ultimate dream… Going from 41 to 69 as the General of a Corps.'
'And to those of incredible talent, from Level 69 to 100 as a Commander… This is what one would usually see out there… The issue is…'
"That its not realistic. This is a world of merit and class, not a "Class", but social merit."
'As if a commoner would be given such opportunities, it is a ridiculous motion for most. At least in this Empire and land… That said, it could be because I wasn't given enough time to learn more about the land and its culture, so its unfair to base them all as egocentric.'
'Anyhow, each Class gives this person their own Stats and abilities. They would have to grow slowly in the profession to keep moving forward in the ladder.'
'What I meant to say is that not everyone would always be… Maximized like I and many of the other Heroes are.'
'In the same way as twins may grow differently, some may start better than others even if they're given equal conditions, talents, and opportunities. But its true that if you give someone guidance, then they'll dive a little further then most.'
'And that's why things like nobility are so stable in this world… You have to live with the fact that some people are simply way better than you and that some, despite being way worse, have everything you were deprived of and thus succeeded..'
'If Classess are hard to tolerate, wait until you realize how some races are physically better then others… I mean, I was given the chance to become a High Human once, others definitely can as well.'
'That's why this system of Nobility has been maintained for so long... Although, that's mostly a conjecture of mine.'
'But in essence… I doubt even the strongest knight I saw so far, the King's left hand, would have started his career with his current Class… Or maybe I'm seeing this wrong…'
'He is the King's left hand because he is the pinnacle of all right possibilities happening one after the other to create the most extreme and successful individual possible, the one in tens of millions to billions, the Knight of Knights…'
"Aaaaand… After all that, you reach the exceptions that cannot be confined within reason…"
'Like me with my Skill… Heck even Petter can be taken as an irregular, albeit on the lower end compared to someone like Dae who is an actual Regressor who defied the laws of time or whatever he did.'
'They may be weak now, but if Dae is given the time and resources to enforce all that he knows… Neither I or anyone will be able to catch up to him.'
'Especially me… Since unless I get a Class with a lot of potential, I'll likely be left behind as both of them develop theirs… Although I'm not too worried about Petter since he's in an even worse state then I am… Ahem…'
'And at the end of the day, it's the irregular ones who worry me…'
'I can train and prepare as much as I can, but what can I do if I'm to face a Hero that has a conditional Skill where I will die if I do not fullfill whatever hidden mechanism it has?'
'The System is fair in many places but not in many others as well. Until then, let's hope I prepare enough for when the time comes.'
/Tap tap…/
With that in his mind, Philip opened another book and began reading it…
"One thing at a time."
Alas, he found it hard to focus, his thoughts soon splitting once again, half of it on the book, the other half entertaining his own imaginary scenarios…
…
/Three or so hours later…/
/Poof/
Philip closed yet another book. But he didn't pick another despite there being several on the table.
"..."
'Alright, this is getting ridiculous. Where is that guy? Did he die from starvation or something?'
'It's not like I'm anywhere special. That's the exact reason I'm here even though there isn't that many books left for me to read…'
'I swear…'
{How cute! To think you'd miss me so much… I'm gonna cry}
"!!!"
/Inhale... Exhale.../
{{... How come, despite everything I did, you can still shove your thoughts inside my mind? Actually, just leave mine alone!}}
Philip couldn't believe it, he had grown strong enough to crush who he was before and yet, it seemed as if there was no progress.
{Come on Philip, despite you having quantity and quality, you have no substance}
{I can easily breach such novice defenses even if you grew many times more than what you did these last few weeks}
'Although with some difficulty… But he doesn't need to know that.'
'I am allowed to flex from time to time, right?'
{{The issue isn't just that! I can't sleep soundly knowing you…}}
[The Connection has been forcefully terminated]
/BAM!/
/CRACK!/
Philip slammed his fist on the table.
[Castle Town ***** soothes your emotions…]
"..."
/Inhale... Exhale.../
"Phew… I guess not seeing him for two weeks has made me soft to his provocations."
/Step step…/
As Philip calmed down, someone approached him from the side
"..."
"Guess who it is?" Dae asked as he opened his arms wide
"What the... You look like a twig… Did they feed you air over the last few weeks or something?"
"Urg… That s what happens when you spend so much time in that shithole. Anyhow, how are you doing?"
Dae pulled one of chairs before Philip, taking a seat.
Meanwhile, Philip opened his inventory and picked a bag of cookies, handing it to Dae who happily started to munch on them.
"From the looks of it, you've just been released."
"Not quite… Its been an hour…"
"And you haven't eaten anything yet?"
"I had to finish and confirm a few things first. It would've been strange for me to come here right of the bat, right?"
"Also…"
/Slap!/
Dae slapped the strange triangular artifact on the table, creating a small barrier around them.
"Much better."
"... Answering your question, I'm alright, I finished the entire course of training and got the Title as expected, but my stats didn't rise much at all."
"But on a side note, I got the materials you asked for. What do you plan to do with this crap?"
"And tell me the truth… What took you so long?"
"...Urg… Hooo… Was I that obvious?." Dae asked as he looked at the ceiling, tired
"I had to go through a lengthy and boring lecture from the head instructor… You know who,the military guy… Followed by a beating from the Adventurer girl, and then I spent the rest of my time reading some books they forced into me."
"And in between those, I ate just a tiny bit and took a shower. I barely managed to escape the monitoring of the agents as I ran around, so I suppose we don't have that long to talk."
"When did we ever?"
"Yeah… I sincerely apologize for that. I was meant to help you train a little, grow closer to you and the others in real time so we could train together, but… Something came that required my immediate attention."
"... That strange artifact? Petter told me a bit about it."
"So you know… Yes, it's related to that. But we can talk about it later."
As he finished speaking, he threw everything Philip gathered into his inventory.
"These materials... Will do. Tomorrow… You'll know the answer tomorrow."
He ate another cookie, saying:
"The time has come, right? Tell me, after reading so many books and living in here for a month, what do you think of this world?"
Philip stopped for a few moments, thinking about everything he had experienced so far.
The strange creatures, the air, the plants, the food, the people, magic, the dangers, politics… Everything.
With a light expression, he said spoke with his heart:
"... It seems to be a fun yet cruel world. The people of today seem to be controlled by the matters that happened in the far past, without any choice if they wish to partake in its consequences or not."
Philip looked at the moons high in the sky through the window.
Such a bizarre yet all found it common, this was perfect way to describe much of everything he learned in this world.
"And at the same time… I feel as if something is about to happen but I can't quite say what…"
"... Is that so?"
Dae smiled as he closed his eyes, remembering something.
"So tell me, do you wish to return home?"
"Hm… Yeah… But only if I can return after... I think I would suffer more back home if I were just to return like that…"
"This unordinary life… I'm afraid I've grown used to it."
"HA!"
Dae laughed heartedly as he held his stomach.
"What's funny about this?"
"Nothing… There is really… Nothing funny about this…" Dae said with a light smile as he gazed deeply at the glass ceiling of the library
His eyes fell on the stars and constellations deep in the night sky, but not for long…
"Hey, you think I will ignore the shit you just said and brush it off like an NPC?"
"It's really nothing important, man!"
"... So be it, you creep."
"..."
…
After a momentary silence, Dae broke it by saying:
"In any case, tomorrow, that's the day when you bail out."
"Hm… Why tomorrow? Wouldn't there be many more opportunities later?"
"Things would get easier if the instructors left, right?"
'I knew this was going to happen eventually and that it would likely be after the training, but currently, there are four super-strong guys in here… Maybe even more.'
'Wouldn't it be better to wait?'
"Yes, you're right. However, we don't have the time to wait."
"Thing is, even if those four leave, it would still be impossible to escape this place."
"That's not comforting."
"Well, that's only in an ideal world. You see, ironically, thanks to corruption, you can escape this place through cracks in their defenses."
(Image?)
"You likely know most of this already, but we're currently in the Never-Ending mountain range. Right about… Here."
Dae pointed toward a certain place on the right side of the map, just underneath a massive mountain range that slashed straight through the middle of the oval continent.
It wasn't a straight line but its not like the map was accurate either…
"Below us, almost directly to the South, is the capital of the Draly-Apyer Kingdom… Derivia."
"However, the place where I want you to go is right about here…" He said as he pointed towards the middle section of the map, just above the mountain range
"This is the "Divine Abode" for all talented youths in the Continent… Parad Academy."
"Academy? Oh no… Do you want me to become a student of some sort?"
'I read about this place... It's a very, very famous Academy. At the level of what someone like Oxford is in our world… But for every subject, and at least one or two levels of magnitude higher in terms of political influence.'
'It's a School/ University/ Self-governing city where the most talented people from the continent gather. Usually Nobles and other affluent individuals.'
'From a vast array of equally talented and wealthy professors to top class laboratories and facilities, their principal also holds nothing back, being a supposedly 9Th Rank, Grand Archmage.'
"Nothing like that, it's something else…"
"As you can see by the map, the Continent is divided in half by the Mountain range, and the South is divided in two by this immense river. The Descending Sea River."
"Normally, it's impossible to travel to the North from the South due to the many regulations and laws of immigration… That is, if you stick to conventional roads and paths…"
"But if you don't, you're more likely to perish in the wilderness… To solve that, we can take a special route in the mountains somewhere around this place."
Philip wasn't convinced, shrugging at his secret path…
"... This map isn't exactly precise, a millimeter off-course may as well mean a kilometer…"
"But you got the idea. Tomorrow, I'll inform you of what you lack."
"And in two days, there will be the perfect opportunity to travel, the chance to breach through the Crown's defenses… Because you see, this valley is surrounded by an immense wall of steep mountains and security towers."
"I expected no less... We're basically at… No, this is the Imperial Family's garden!... So? How do I pass this wall?"
"We'll strike when they're least expecting, using an 'event' as a smokescreen… If we can even call it that…"
"Thing is… Your goal is not only to use it to flee, but also to stop it."
"I suppose there's a reason for that."
"Of course, later down the line, this event… Will trigger a Continental War between the races."
"... That's above my paygrade… And I'm not being paid…"
'Well… Can't say I'm not. Dae's assistance and guidance, even if short, helped me more then I likely would've been able to achieve in months, if not years.'
'I'll take this all as repayment… Community service… For a better world so I can laze around in the future.'
"Not really, it's not as bad as you think. This event will used as an excuse more than anything else, so you'll find no issue solving it."
"... Because both sides are in the wrong."
"Rarely in history is any side truly in the moral high ground over the other, that's what happens when governments clash, because it is not an individual but multiple, and you only need one idiot to own another country an apology…"
Dae rolled his eyes as he saw Philip try to act smart.
"It's like this… Currently, the Elven Empire is in incredible political instability. Their Emperor isn't fulfilling his role, which has led to all those with a rightful claim to the throne fighting each other for its position, and amidst them, some wouldn't hesitate to send another country ablaze if it means strengthening their position and securing a brighter future for their people."
"Doesn't seem that far from what I expected…"
"Is that so? Are you aware why the Emperor isn't fulfilling his duties?"
"Old age?..."
"If only… You see… He's about to ascend to Godhood."
"... Shocking…"
"You don't seem surprised."
"How else am I supposed to react?... This is simply far beyond common sense for me to even quantify."
"Then… Do you mean to say this guy is a so-called Demi-God? The way you introduced him makes me feel he'll be a future target…"
"You're well informed to know that… But uh… No, I wouldn't put you against him or anyone like him."
"The Elven Emperor might be a Demi-god, but he is super old… His strength isn't anywhere near others his level as he more of someone who achieved enlightenment rather than embodying a power of any kind."
"Even to an Elf, he is so old that he was already considered Old over 1000 years ago."
Philip found it hard to conceptualize such a lengthy period… That far back in time, the Holy Roman Empire was still around…
"Normally, Elves lives for about 250 years, and High Elves lives for around 300."
"But this guy was already very old at that time, like… Ancient old."
"... Damn…"
'In comparison, it seems a well cared for Human in this land tends to live till their 80s while High-Humans tend to live double that, somewhere around their 150s.'
'Dwarves Live around two centuries, but their age has a much wider gap since some can seemingly live twice that while others live just as long as Humans... It's really strange.'
"As I said before, due to his age, currently, all of the qualified descendants are fighting to see who will inherit his position… Not solely because of the Crown's prestige, power, and wealth, but because many believe that just like the current Emperor, they'll be given the chance to become a God as well."
"Did the winner become a God?"
"No. As if becoming Emperor was enough… He did get much stronger though, for obvious reasons."
"Alright… I got the gist of it… Now tell me how any of that links back to us."
"I'm getting there... I was about to explain their reasons for starting the war…"
"My bad, go on. I was just saying what was on my mind."
"Ahem… Elves always had this sort of collective anger towards Humans, but this anger has mostly disappeared in the recent generations, being transformed more into some sort of… Superiority."
"Racist Elves, I'm not surprised…"
"I hate to admit it… But yes, Elves are very racist… To essentially everything honestly aside from some species. However, this is a sentiment that's slowly dying with the current generations."
"You could say… It's a matter of the older generation holding onto their ancient grudges while the younger generation… Just wants to do whatever."
"A young Elf would much rather romance a dwarf then be forced into a relationship with another of his kind because of their elders' recommendations, and that has mostly to do with the Emperor's old age. This is really, for the lack of a better word, the end of an Era."
"And now, the younger generations are vying for the throne, sending ripples down across all layers of the civilization and culture… Does it make more sense now?"
"I suppose so. Some of the things I read before make a little more sense now but I can connect the dots."
"Good enough. Now that we understand all of this shit... I'll answer your question."
"Currently, if you go to the North, deep in the forest and close to the mountains you will see many Orcs settlements… Normally, this wouldn't be seen as out of the norm since these very Orcs will be soon used as training dummies and XP bags for us."
"That's… Morbid. Are you saying the Crown is preparing meat bags for us to slaughter?"
"It's a little worse than that… But at the crux of the issue… Yes, they're just there to be killed by us so we may grow, not only physically but mentally as well."
"Hum…"
"Now, the Guards responsible for reporting and taking care of the Orcs and other creatures of the forest have long since been replaced and corrupted by the traitors of the Kingdom."
"They're now breeding and strengthening these Orcs to create the perfect warriors… Assembling an army within the most protected land of the Human Empire."
"That seems like something that would take some time…"
'This is quite entertaining to hear, too… If only this was a movie…'
"Elves live for a long time, their plans can last a human lifetime. And even if the previous overseers were once loyal… Their replacements may not be as strong-minded as their predecessors… Even if not enough, they'll grow old, and once they do, this time…"
"The ones they control may finally pass by their net. Once they do, like a leech, they'll let it grow large and thick."
"One by one… The cogs have been tainted, the healthy ones drained and given less important roles, the bad ones strengthened and given higher roles."
"But we're far from done."
"An army can't be raised just like that, not by the traitors' own efforts. Those guys move for profit, and making such an army would do them no good."
"What reason would there be to raise an army to clash against your own land? It's not like they'd be able to take over it, not with those guys lurking in the shadows…"
"And this is where the Elves enter."
"They made a deal with those traitors, and together, they raised this army over decades. But… All of this… Is just a distraction."
Dae's finger fell on the map atop a small mountain right towards the Northwest.
"There is a secret path right here. One that connects the North to the South, this is how their supplies and personnel have been moving around in secret."
"An ancient Dwarf mining tunnel passes through the mountains, one of the many scattered through them. Repurposed to fit their needs."
Dae's expression grew serious.
"And through this path, they've been smuggling extremely high profile contraband towards the Human territory… And those include… Their own kind."
"... Now, this is getting interesting." Philip said with a snicker as he clicked his tongue
"Are you telling me Elves are selling themselves?"
"Slavery is a very profitable endeavor in the short term, especially if the slaves are criminals and those considered to be unfit to live with the others… The exiled and abandoned…"
"Since they have no place amidst themselves, why not use them one last time?... Some may consider it a better fate than death or whatever horrors one without rights may endure… Not like it's any different from being a slave in another land."
"Elves have always been described as graceful in the books… I'm starting to have second thoughts."
"Haha… Scholars love romanticizing whatever they're talking about to make themselves and their readers feel better. Still, the same can be said for us."
"Don't let a few bad Souls twist your opinion of an entire Species. It's easy to let your anger rise, especially if it happens multiple times…"
"You aren't helping your case.."
"Well, what can I say? It's up to you to form your own opinions, but if you do find yourself deep in hate… I'd be willing to hear you out."
"Back to the slaves… While they're seen as Slaves, Exiles… That's only on paper."
"The truth is that most of those Elves are actually civilians and nobles… Those who oppose the First Prince, the strongest candidate, to sit on the throne. The one behind this entire ploy."
"..."
Philip listened quietly, waiting for him to continue.
"The First Prince of the main bloodline… The oldest and most capable of the dozens of candidates... And also, the fiance to one of the Elves' strongest summoned Heroes."
"What matters is that among these slaves is… A young, talented Elven girl… As you may have predicted by now… A princess… Who just happened to be, one of the most likely candidates for the throne."
"..."
Philip grimaced. He wasn't interested in shoving his nose in such a troublesome matter, but at the same time, he had already understood where this conversation was going.
"... It seems you are starting to realize what is happening."
Dae clenched his fist, lightly hitting it against the table.
"In two days, the Orcs will be mobilized right as the Human Heroes are distracted by their training, and just after the four instructors leave."
"This faint window of time will also be marked by the Emperor and his trustees' departure, together with a portion of the Purple Knights."
"The Garden will thus be left mostly with Blue Knights and the 'ordinary' workers you've grown used to all around."
"This would make this place extremely weakened."
"Seems like they know a little too much…"
"... The situation is that dire… If we don't act, this Empire will fall."
"As long as we cut that which is rotten, everything will be fine. But if we do not, they'll all burst at once and drag us to the ditch."
"Stop for a moment, why not just send one strong dude and wipe all of us out? That seems far simpler than such a convoluted ploy."
"Oh? Simple! For once, this isn't the work of the "Elves", but something orchestrated by the First Prince and a few other's parties."
"Second, they can't just send anyone. It would have to be someone reasonably capable… But given our identity and importance, if the Elves did commit to a mass genocide and destruction of this sacred land, then they would likely be wiped out by the Human Demi-God in retaliation."
"If not by him, then by the other Demi-Gods scattered around.."
"...? Can you explain this better?"
Dae sighed as he expected such a question.
"There is a pact that once you reach a certain amount of power, you can't interfere with events to a certain degree, and you have to sign it."
"And unless in some very specific circumstances, you're bound by the decree and must follow its every move."
"Thus, slaying all of the summoned Heroes of a nation would be considered going overboard. Those guys make the rules, after all, it doesn't matter how many agreements there are in place, if you piss one of them off, expect to vanish from the map."
'Like when the daughter of a Demi-God was captured by a Prince who lusted after her... The father became so enraged he invaded the Kingdom and erased it from history…'
"What if you grow strong without knowing that this existed?"
"Very hard, but not impossible. In that case, you would either receive a warning or be wiped out. No in-between really, it's either do or don't."
'To some degree, that is exactly what I have in mind for us in the future…'
"I'd say it would depend on how and who found out about you, some are more patient and kind than others… They aren't that different from us. "
"..."
"But let's forget about this for now and go back to business."
"Once the Orcs attacked, it's obvious that chaos would rage…"
"Wait a minute, I know they're just a smokescreen, but what's their objective? I don't think soldiers would march into war knowing they're nothing but sacrifices."
"The Orcs? To buy time and divert attention… And their secondary objective is to kill as many of us as possible."
"The Orcs aren't that strong individually, in fact, you could, most likely, kill their strongest at this very moment."
"Most likely, huh..."
"The problem is their numbers. Over ten thousand Orcs are waiting for us out there."
"In this place, we have barely a hundred capable warriors, those being the purple knights… The maids and other workers are passable at most, and the secret agents wouldn't appear just for this… Not without being given the orders to move by the King."
"Unless things really go to shit, the agents will likely focus their efforts investigating the origin of these unruly Orcs or be protecting the high-value targets such as the King... That is, if he is even here when that day comes. He is a busy guy, after all."
"He's a whimsical guy, and with everything that's changed, I wouldn't be surprised if he remained around for a day extra."
'The King was meant to accompany the General as he leaves, only to come back later when it's time for us to leave this place...'
'In the previous timeline, he came back in a hurry when he learned of the attack and was utterly enraged when he learned of its origin as his agents uncovered the truth and traced it back to traitors.'
"Their real plan would occur as the Orcs attack us. They would've used this opportunity to smuggle the slaves into the territory."
"But why all of this? Didn't they smuggle the elves already?"
"You already know the answer, don't you?"
Dae rolled his eyes, his tone growing soft and mocking:
"If they already smuggled the elves, why do all of this just to smuggle a few more?..."
"Do you really think the King doesn't know of something as simple as this? He allows it because it's profitable. It's much better to have the crime be right below his eyes than in the shadows. If he removed them, others would rise to take their place, and it would be hard to keep track of them."
"The issue is that he isn't aware that Elves are being smuggled… Right at his darned doorstep!"
"The King knows where to draw the line, and the moment he realizes there is a princess and nobles in this batch, including a few other things… He would send his army to intercept…"
"But if the Orcs are attacking… This means they will enter the territory and then…"
Philip sighed out loud…
"... The Elves will use this chaos as an excuse to blame us... Not only them but also several other races."
"Because there aren't only Elves this time, but also Dwarfs, Demi-Humans and Beast Humans…"
"A terrific hive nest would've been poked…" Philip added as he massaged his nose
"Right… In war, many things can happen. The first prince can use this opportunity to further his power and eliminate more of his competition since not all can evade being drafted into it."
'And in War, who can guarantee to be safe? The perfect place to clear out some competition.'
"Even if the Humans take the blame and compensate all for the damages, just how big of a price would the King be forced to pay? Would the Nobles even willingly hand over their wealth to make up for it?"
"No… It would lead to… Rebellion. And between that and War… The King chose War, believing he could end it at a ceasefire soon after if he had enough time to investigate and create a reason for the Elves to stop."
"As the War dragged on, the Humans would have to retreat completely into the South, abandoning their few territories in the North."
"In the meantime, the traitors will get what they want and bail out to who knows where while the Elves would have placed themselves in the moral high ground, backed by other species to pressure the hated Humans…"
"And as the flames of War began to Consume the Continent. The First Prince who envisioned it all would slowly set off everything he planned, one piece at a time, one conflict at a time… Until everyone gnawed at each other."
"In this sea of achievements, he would arise undefeated."
…
"..."
It took a while for him to process what he had heard. There were many gaps in the plan, but as he continued to ask questions and Dae answered them, Philip slowly reached a final conclusion…
'If the wheel is set in motion unless you take hold of one of its crucial gears, there's no way to stop it from moving… And once it rolls enough, even if you try dismantling it, the wheel would crash somewhere with gargantuan force.'
'This is a ridiculous plan built upon a series of cracks in morality… But that's what makes it scary.'
'The Prince has used the weaknesses of dozens of countries, employing them most effectively to make it all fall down, one after the other, like dominoes.'
'This takes way more than otherworldly information gathering abilities… It takes an inhuman level of insight, prediction, and creativity.'
'Some may say the Prince was destined to rule. He was fated to conquer and elevate his species… At the cost of all others.'
"Impressive, isn't it? The First Prince is a mighty foe... He has long since planned for this. His victory is but assured in his eyes. And if we don't act…"
"He'll win."
"... Many died, and the Elves entered into a new prosperous era under his rule." Dae narrated as he fidgeted with his fingers
"The first prince was a perfect ruler. Despite his brutality and coldness, he saw potential in all races, viewing them as equal to theirs… The potential inherent to all life."
"... And that was why he feared the most… He could not let others rise beyond his people, so he always aimed precisely at their worth… Their exclusive abilities."
"If he gathered all those that excelled or were neglected in other species and made them revere him, then he could slowly imprint his image onto their culture… Conquer and make them submit to his rule."
"However, no matter how he portrays himself. He only ever cared about the Elves. He didn't bat an eye if he had to sacrifice the entirety of Humanity to boost his prestige, he'd do it ten times over if that was what it took."
"And so he did, time and time again, with so many races… The Elves lived happily for many years until… Everything went up in smoke as he realized that his Empire wasn't all he believed it was."
'When everything went to shit, it was already too late to change anything…'
"Time passed as he saw everyone he cared for die, and his land burn. He realized right there, amidst the flames, that there was nothing more he could do since all those that could've made a difference… Fought for their future… Had been slain in their cradle."
"Only dogs willing to lick his feet were left… He then understood that what he built was not an Empire… But a Zoo."
"He was not the Emperor of Continent. He was the King of Ants, and their nest had been built on sand."
"Endless praises and happiness did not build a stable nation… They were consequences of a good ruler."
"... His Gods had abandoned him, his people could not cope with the pressure, the Heroes were gone, the races were split… The continent was asunder."
"All hope was lost."
"... He eventually grew mad, and from that on… Is just a shit show." Dae said with a light smile as he opened his palms as if to say…
That's it.
"Pathetic in my opinion, but at the same time, he is worthy of some pity. Because ever since the start, he was nothing but an over-glorified Pawn."
"A Pawn to his own machinations and Fate."
"So, let me see if I understood what you said…"
"You want me to go to this Parad Academy."
Dae nodded.
"... And the only way to get there is through the passageway in the North. That is, within a reasonable time."
Dae nodded once more.
"And in the meantime, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to disrupt everything you just spoke about, right?"
"To have me act as the Hero and save the princess from a fate quite dire… Is that it?"
Dae nodded enthusiastically. Giving Philip a thumbs up.
"Alright, let's say I can do all of that. What about my identity? How am I supposed to move through the North and, above all, enter the Academy?"
"You haven't even told me what I'm supposed to do once I get there."
"Everything has its time and place… And for that, I have a solution."
"Till this point, I only told you the context, from now on, it's the true plan."
Dae lifted his hand, and his five fingers opened.
"Five months. You have five months to finish everything I will tell you right now and to come back."
"Why? Just looking at how big this continent is, it would take quite some time to arrive at the Academy… Even an airplane would take around a third of a day to get there in a straight line. Probably even longer…"
"There are many ways to get there fast, I will tell you those later."
"For now, hear me out."
With a simple pen, he wrote "Day One" on a piece of white paper on the side.
"Tomorrow is day one; on that day, we will get you the last achievement and some other things. Might as well, catch up with your training and offer some assistance of my own."
"The last one? What is it about?"
"Not now… It would take quite a bit of saliva to go through it. And I'm sure you've noticed it… I'm quite tired. Let's end this soon and move on,"
"Alright, continue."
"After you get the final achievement… I will send you on your way."
"From then on, you will have… I speculate around 24 hours to kill as many Orcs as you can."
"As many as I can? Why? Wouldn't it be enough to kill their leader or something?"
"There are many benefits… It's not hard for you to figure the main one out… The rest… I suppose its already time to change that Class, right?"
"!!"
'He is right. I didn't use this Class for long, but I used it long enough.'
'I've done many experiments as I tried to explore its limits, and right now, I'm afraid there isn't much left for me to try aside from maxing those stats.'
'I wouldn't be surprised if Dae knew something about this.'
"I may have said that, but you're free to act as you wish. Kill the Orcs or not, the main point is to make them disorganized so we can deal with them on our own. Or at the very least flee… All the while gathering enough energy so you can break through that barrier limiting your potential."
"Once you cross into the North, you will have to save the slaves in there. How? Once again, I leave that to your discretion, but expect resistance from the people there."
"The slavers aren't like the Orcs; they are bound to be stronger and far more coordinated then the rabble you'll face."
Philip snickered as he tapped on the table…
"Heh, the guy with the future knowledge can't tell me about that?"
"Very funny… Such minor events fade out as the years pass, I already told you a lot, so shut it for now…"
'Bitch…'
Dae knew Philip was just joking to lighten the mood; however… He isn't someone to be made fun of!
"There is also something I would like you to do when you save them."
"What is it?"
"Try to… Make a GOOD impression on the princess, please."
"... What?"
"Man, look… The other Nobles aside, she is someone in extreme circumstances, betrayed by her family, cast aside for her weakness… She needs some help."
"Although the chance of her winning the war for the throne is low, she is still very talented and relatively loved by the current Emperor."
'Even though she is his Grand grand grand grand... Grandaughter… She's still favored by him over the others.'
"I don't think being on good terms with this current Emperor is good, isn't it best if I don't exist in his eyes at all?"
"Being in neutral terms would be a better word for it… But while I do understand your worries, you're overreacting."
"However, he isn't our target… It's her Grandmother."
"Now you've lost me."
"Remember what I said before? She is the reason why this princess is considered to be a big candidate."
"Compared to us, her Grandmother could be seen as a Hero… Maybe someone even higher than that… She is a living legend, someone who can leave a mark in the System."
"And the princess inherited her grandma's Class and Abilities… Technically being the first of her line, and thus, a Hero herself like us as well."
"And thus, they both hold much meaning to the Elves."
"Sigh… Saving her and saying some good words should be enough, right? I'm not good at acting…"
"And also, what guarantees she will be able to return home alive? Even if I save them, I can't just have them turn around and be on their way, but neither can I make the way back with them. It would take far too long, and it would expose me far too easily."
"Another question I can answer right away… Her personal knight will solve that issue. For all that has happened to him, he's not to be underestimated, for he... Is someone as strong as the Red Knight… At least worthy enough to be mentioned in the same line."
"And in the whole Elven Empire, there are less than a dozen such knights."
'Most remain in seclusion, which means that his influence is even greater.'
'Now that I think about it, many powerhouses tend to choose seclusion instead of fame and wealth…'
"Hum… If he is so strong, how did she get captured?"
"How else? The oldest trick in the book… He was poisoned, heavily."
"I have a cure for it, but I'm not 100% sure it will work, much less, if he will trust you afterward… That's why I implore you to make sure not to leave a bad impression on them, as long as you save them and be respectful, the knight should be able to recover overtime on his own and take care of the princess as they return home."
"Alright, that's a given, what next?"
"After that, you should take on the passageways as planned. There should be a map in their camp somewhere, perhaps, one of the slaves might even know the way…"
"As long as you can arrive at the other side within a week, you can consider yourself ahead of schedule, but anything over two weeks would be far too long."
"Hm… So… Title, Orcs, Slaves, Passageway, City, Academy… Got it."
Dae nodded, proceeding with his explanation as he got up from his seat:
"Once you arrive at the other side, you'll have to get a new identity and find a way to enter the Academy within another week."
"Your goal is to reach Parad Academy within two or three weeks at most. I'll tell you how tomorrow, as I said before."
"From there on, you will work in the Academy as a… Warden."
"..."
"..."
he two looked at each other with blank eyes.
"Don't look at me like that; there are many perks to being one, and it's much easier to become one than a student."
"You're far too old to be a student and far too incompetent to enter as an undergrad or professor, so we have to improvise…"
"Tche."
"I will go into details tomorrow anyway, so let's go over this quickly."
"For someone in such a hurry you sure talk a lot."
"... Fine then. See you tomorrow…"
"Just sit your ass back down and finish your narration…"
"... I was about to…"
"Once you're inside the Academy, use that opportunity to get the three Origin Orbs I told you about a month before."
"Hopefully, you can finish this task within two or so months since you left this place because another big event will happen… Over here." Dae added as he pointed towards a ravine South of the Academy
"This is the only entrance that connects the North to the South apart from these caves and dangerous mountain paths… Not considering Sea routes and Sky paths."
"It is also the only true Neutral zone in the entire Continent… The Path of Liberation, as some call it..."
"The name is due to something that happened a long time ago… When the Dwarves were still expanding their underground empire..."
"The path is actually, an immense ravine that cuts the mountain range in half. And within, an incredible city was built."
"... Someone… Cut a mountain range in half? One that goes for hundreds of kilometers?"
"Yes. Perfectly so, in fact. Quite the show of power."
Dae spoke with some nostalgia, as if he was there…
"If it weren't for all of the houses and other buildings, you would see that the ravine's walls are perfectly smooth… Side for all the caves and passageways the Dwarves built on it in ancient times when they found it."
"..."
'Great… Someone cut down… Multiple mountains.'
'Perhaps I should just go home and forget this ever happened…'
"In any case, there will be yet another huge and important event in there."
'The fall of the Free city…'
"And let me guess, I will have to fix it?"
"No."
"??"
"You only need to postpone it as much as you can, the more you do, the more you prolong these peaceful times. Meaning, the War will be pushed. As for how... Tomorrow…"
Dae tapped Philip's shoulder as he walked past him, stepping into the corridor as he reached the range of the barrier.
"War is inevitable, but the more time we have to grow, the better."
"... I see. Good enough for an explanation. I suppose that's all for today, then?"
"No, there's one more person I need you to save once you're there… But this time, you aren't meant just to help them."
"I want you to recruit them."
"Who?"
"The one who reverse-engineered the long lost Magmatic Forges of the Dwarves."
"We have to prevent him from exterminating the Dwarven race."
.
.
.
Notes
We shall continue this...
Tomorrow!
Peace! Until... Most likely not tomorrow... Getting really tired...