NOVEL ONLINE FREE Ch. 4
Eliya von Deina Mercullurt.
An Acolyte Priest of the Guardian Cross Order, and my first companion after I ascended to the Upper-Dimensional Plane.
[…Pardon? What do you mean by that?]
The Order's image materialization magic, formed from mana polygons, perfectly conveyed Eliya's flustered emotions.
[‘It’s been a while’… Have we met before?]
It was understandable that she was flustered.
The idea of a being from the Upper-Dimensional Plane and a being from the Lower-Dimensional Plane being acquainted was a statement that simply couldn't be true.
Indeed, as she asked, Eliya frowned deeply, as if she knew her own words made no sense.
“Who knows.”
But what could I do? I was just happy to see her.
Even if it meant my first impression would be that of a Plane Transcendent who spouted nonsense, I wanted to savor this current feeling of joy and longing.
Even if it was her first time meeting me.
The memories from before my Regression were still in my head.
「A pleasure to meet you, Plane Transcendent Seo U-jin. I am ‘Eliya von Deina Mercullurt,’ the Acolyte Priest from the Guardian Cross Order assigned to your training…」
「No, what do you mean, ‘I’ll just die’?! Sir Hero, please say something that makes sense!」
「…Hey, you crazy bastard!!! Who walks into hell on their own two feet!!!」
「Just one… please promise me just one thing. Just one…」
From the moment we first met and she introduced herself… to her last request, which I had already written down in my notebook.
My memories with her were still vivid and clear.
“……”
…Anyway, to be asking a newly arrived Plane Transcendent questions, no matter how flustered she was.
A smile automatically formed on my face at the sight of her, still too naive to be a Hero's Acolyte Priest.
Heh-
“Let’s just move past the trivial stuff.”
Waving my right hand, I said as much, and Eliya nodded with a frown.
[…We don't have much time, so I will let it go for now. I will ask about this again later.]
[First, to briefly introduce myself, I am ‘Eliya von Deina Mercullurt,’ an Acolyte Priest of the Guardian Cross Order.]
“I’m Seo U-jin. 28 years old. Unemployed.”
[I was under the impression you had the profession of… a Hunter in the Lower-Dimensional Plane…]
“I retired as of today. So I’m unemployed. Irelia.”
[It’s Eliya, not Irelia… And if you’re going to shorten it on our first meeting, it is proper etiquette to use my surname, Merculurt…]
“Okay. Mercul it is.”
[…….]
Eliya wiped her face with her right hand.
She had an expression that seemed to say, ‘I got a bad one.’
It was true that my current reaction and composure were not typical of a Plane Transcendent.
Most Hunters chosen as Plane Transcendents would probably be extremely nervous, or at least show a submissive attitude, obediently listening to the explanation in this unfamiliar situation.
Of course, I could have done that too.
Since I had no intention of shouting about my Regression from the rooftops, I certainly had enough motivation to act that way.
But.
[Just what is…]
Heh-
When she reacts so animatedly, how could I not tease her?
[This is just too strange… A person from the Lower-Dimensional Plane should be reacting with panic…]
“Guess I’m just not normal.”
[Haaa…]
Letting out a small sigh, Eliya shook her head in resignation and began her explanation.
[As you may have guessed, I am not actually here in person. I am merely a projection brought here to guide you, Seo U-jin. My actual body is in another space.]
Nod-
That was obvious.
She was in the Upper-Dimensional Plane, and this place wasn’t the Upper-Dimensional Plane yet, but rather somewhere between the Upper and Lower-Dimensional Planes—like the 1.5th floor, if I had to put it that way.
Until I passed through the Gateway Zone, it couldn’t be called the ‘Upper-Dimensional Plane.’
[It’s a type of… magic, but for now, you can think of it as something similar to a ‘hologram’ from the Lower-Dimensional Plane.]
“Right.”
[…As you are well aware, the appearance of monsters and the emergence of the Awakened over the past ten-odd years are events that defy the common sense of the Lower-Dimensional Plane. According to the ‘laws of physics’ that originally apply to the Lower-Dimensional Plane, such things are impossible.]
“True.”
[But in the end, it did happen. The reason these ‘impossible things’ occurred is simple. It's because something equally impossible happened: a rift formed in the boundary between the Upper and Lower-Dimensional Planes.]
“I see.”
[Originally, the Upper and Lower-Dimensional Planes are thoroughly separated by a dimensional wall. But recently, as the ‘War against Demons’ in the Upper-Dimensional Plane has intensified, a rift has formed in that wall. The effect this had on the Lower-Dimensional Plane is the full story behind the recent changes.]
“Amazing.”
[That is why our Guardian Cross Order, which is leading the War against Demons in the Upper-Dimensional Plane, has been selecting those who quickly adapt to the changes in the Lower-Dimensional Plane and show great promise, to become Heroes who will lead the War against Demons…]
Eliya, who had been speaking with a somewhat uneasy expression, suddenly stopped.
Groan-
It seemed she once again sensed that something was amiss due to my consistently nonchalant reactions.
Eliya’s brow furrowed a little more as she asked.
[Am I, by any chance, giving this explanation for the second time?]
“Hmm… no?”
[…It’s just that I can’t comprehend your reaction, Seo U-jin. Normally, anyone would ask a few questions back or express denial…]
It was only natural for her to be flustered.
For a normal person, each and every one of the previous statements would be shocking enough to be hard to accept.
Even I, before my Regression.
「Who the hell do you think you are, calling me a Hero and whatnot and dragging me up here? A War against Demons? You mean a war, right? It’s bad enough I had to go through two years of military service and then reserve duty, and now you want me to jump into a warzone in the upper neighborhood? For whose benefit? Cut the crap and send me back. Let me finish my pig’s trotters.」
…is probably what I said.
That would have been the normal reaction for most people.
This briefing session, complete with image materialization magic and an Acolyte Priest, existed to appease people like that.
“Just think of me as the type who’s stingy with his surprise.”
[…….]
“Well, it sounds like you guys are short-staffed up there and need an extra hand… Okay, I get it up to that point. So, is the explanation over?”
[No. How can you summarize it so simply like that…]
Of course, my current way of thinking was 180 degrees different from before my Regression.
Although there was a somewhat somber aspect to it, I didn't feel wronged or bothered about participating in the War against Demons.
After all, I knew better than anyone that if we couldn't stop the War against Demons in the Upper-Dimensional Plane, the dimensional wall, the Lower-Dimensional Plane, and everything else would be doomed.
With a dubious expression, Eliya’s mouth opened and closed before she spoke again.
[No. The explanation isn’t over. I still need to give a brief explanation about the
To make things easier for the dazed-looking girl, I feigned ignorance and muttered.
“The Gateway Zone… It sounds like some kind of tutorial needed to ascend. Probably has monsters that are a bit stronger than the ones I faced below.”
[Uh…]
“Since it’s called a ‘Zone,’ it seems like there’s more than one… And if they’re ‘Gates,’ is it a stage-based system where you get a break and some rewards after clearing one?”
[…….]
“Oh! And you said Guardian Cross Order earlier, right?”
[Ah, yes…]
“If it’s an Order, it was probably formed by combining several religions… And since it’s the Upper-Dimensional Plane, are there gods or something too?”
[Uh… well, I mean, yes. That’s right. I suppose…]
“Then they could be involved in these Gates. Kind of like in those Constellation stories? Picking favorites beforehand, watching them.”
[…….]
By that point.
I could see Eliya’s mind going completely blank.
[…Where am I… Who is this…?]
Her mind seemed to have gone beyond complex and reached a state of dizziness.
She wasn't the type to be comfortable with situations her mind couldn't comprehend.
Despite her sharp mind, she had a surprisingly dazed side to her. Even before my Regression, she would often make a face like her frontal lobe had short-circuited.
Whenever that happened, she would display this uniquely foolish habit of muttering to herself, as if brainstorming whatever came to mind.
[Huh… Is this… a background prop?]
[I am… I am Irelia von Mercul… the Hero’s training clown…?]
Back then, it was quite a rare sight… but it seemed I’d be seeing it a bit more often in this life.
I barely suppressed the laugh that threatened to burst out, wanting to watch her foolish mode, which I hadn't seen in a long time, for a little longer, but.
‘…The time is up.’
Unfortunately, time did not permit it.
Noticing that the allotted interview time before entering the Gate was almost over, I gave her a cue.
“…Looks like it’s about time, doesn’t it?”
As if snapping back to reality, the life returned to Eliya’s eyes as she asked back.
[…Huh? Yes? Time for what…?]
“Time to enter the
[…….]
A brief silence followed my simple and clear answer.
And Eliya's head turned to the right.
It seemed she was looking in the direction of a clock from where the image materialization magic was being projected.
…It was clear.
Because soon after, Eliya’s face contorted into a grimace with a strange shriek, “Hing-yak?!”
[What do I do, what do I do…!! The time has already… I haven’t been able to explain anything about the First Gate yet…]
A look of ‘disaster’ was written all over Eliya’s face.
It was understandable.
The Plane Transcendents chosen by the Order were individuals with limitless potential, even if they were humans from the Lower-Dimensional Plane.
In fact, most of the Plane Transcendents who passed through the Gateway Zone were playing significant roles in the ‘War against Demons.’
The reason the Order bestowed the title of ‘Hero’ and provided support by assigning an Acolyte Priest was, in the end, to help the Plane Transcendent's talent blossom to its fullest potential.
In the Upper-Dimensional Plane, where the War against Demons was in full swing, each and every Plane Transcendent was a precious resource.
To think she was about to throw such a precious resource into the ‘Gateway Zone’ without any proper preparation.
From the perspective of the Order, which had to lead the War against Demons to victory, there could be no greater disaster.
…Well, of course.
“If I pass the First Gate, will I see you again?”
[Pardon? Ah, yes… For now, since I have been assigned as your Acolyte Priest, Seo U-jin, that is the case if you pass, but I haven't been able to properly explain…]
From the fact that this wasn't my first time in the Gateway Zone—it was a problem that didn’t apply to me.
“Okay then, see you after.”
[But…]
“Yakult.”
.
.
.
“It’s Merculurt, not Yakult…”
By the time Eliya corrected U-jin's mispronunciation, he was no longer there.
The Order's magic, which had held U-jin in the space to increase the success rate of passing through the Gateway Zone, had lost its effect.
Stepping down from the image projection magic circle, Eliya tapped her head.
“You idiot… what on earth did you do…”
It was only natural for Eliya to blame herself.
Assisting the Hero who would be active in the Upper-Dimensional Plane was the entirety of an Acolyte Priest's duty, and in the Gateway Zone especially, the Acolyte Priest's strategies could be said to be more important than the Hero's own abilities.
That was why Eliya had even prepared eleven different strategies to clear the First Gate.
But she had set all of them aside and wasted all the time by muttering to herself in a fluster, so it was only natural that the word ‘idiot’ was all that came out.
‘It’s shameless of me, but for now, I must pray that he passes the First Gate safely…’
And so, as she sighed deeply and blamed herself, Eliya suddenly noticed something strange.
“…Wait a minute.”
It was what U-jin had said just before entering the Gateway Zone.
He had clearly told Eliya that ‘the mana concentration is thinning out exponentially.’
“…A human from the Lower-Dimensional Plane, who hasn't even passed through the Gateway Zone yet, gauged the ‘mana concentration’?”
Of course.
No matter how minuscule the amount of mana that had flowed down to the Lower-Dimensional Plane, mana still existed there, so it wasn't too strange for someone with talent to notice its presence.
But.
There was an incomparable gap between sensing the ‘presence of mana’ and sensing a ‘change in mana concentration.’
Sensing a change in concentration required talent, of course, but it also required a certain level of experience with ‘mana concentration.’
It was something only possible when a clear ‘standard’ and ‘feel’ had been established through extensive experience.
Furthermore, while one might get a feeling that ‘something is off’ if the mana concentration were to grow denser, gauging a thinning concentration was several times more difficult.
“No way-.”
On top of that.
U-jin had even accurately deduced the magic's remaining duration as ‘15 seconds’ through the residual mana.
As far as Eliya was concerned, that was—
“What in the world is this person…?”
—not something a beginner who had just ascended from the Lower-Dimensional Plane could possibly do.