WIEDERGEBURT Act III: Chapter 58

We did not emerge from the bedroom for another hour, though when we finally did leave, the first thing we did was take a bath in our private bathing room on the first floor before heading back upstairs to get changed.

My clothes from before had been more or less ruined. A pity since they were my favorite. I donned a white shirt with a collar, a sleeveless leather jerkin, and brown pants and boots. They were made from Acromantula silk and the hide of a Bear-Scorpian—a B-rank Demon Beast—and were both soft and durable. Still, I would have preferred my normal outfit.

The girls had changed into new clothing as well; Kari wore a pale yellow dress that complimented her creamy skin and golden hair; Fay had put on tight shorts, a cleavage-revealing shirt, and knee-high boots; Lin, who wore the least amount of fabric out of everyone, simply had a purple wraparound skirt and a shirt that was more like two strips of fabric covering her chest, attached together through a choker around her neck.

“Do you like what you see?” Kari asked with a grin.

“You girls do look lovely,” I admitted with a nod.

“Of course.” Lin puffed out her chest. “This princess always looks lovely.”

“Yes,” I smiled, “You really do.”

Fay, being the kind of girl who didn’t always take compliments well, changed the subject. “We should head downstairs now.”

“Right.”

Agreeing with her, the four of us left our bedroom. At the same time, the door to the room that Siv had been sleeping in—our second bedroom—also opened. The girl in question was wearing a pale green gown that complimented her lovely hair and green scales. Because of her dragon tail, there was a slight bulge near the back as the tail descended past it and wagged along behind her. Also, the gown was backless to allow her wings to stick out.

Siv froze upon seeing us.

“Oh, Siv. How are… you?”

I blinked when, upon trying to greet the girl, Siv rushed back inside of the bedroom and slammed the door shut. It took me a second to recover. When I did, I glanced at the three ladies by my side. They all looked as equally confused as me.

“Any of you know what’s wrong with Siv?” I asked.

“I don’t,” Fay admitted softly.

“Hmph. This princess thinks she is just a timid little thing…” Lin paused, her brow furrowing. “Though she did prove herself during the battle.”

“Hmmm…”

“Kari?” I asked when Kari released a thoughtful hum.

“It’s nothing.” Kari shook her head and smiled. “I am not sure what is wrong with Siv either, but it might be for the best if we give herself space. I’m sure she will tell us if there’s a problem on her own time. And in any event, we have work to do, right?”

“Yeah…” I grimaced. I was not looking forward to doing this particular job.

We made our way downstairs, where a lot of people had already gathered. The main lobby was filled to near bursting with Spiritualists. Many of them were standing around or sitting at tables, though a few were also near the receptionist desk. Everyone had been talking until the four of us entered. They stopped the moment we appeared, however, and turned to look at us.

There were a lot less people than last time everyone gathered, I noticed.

As I made my way toward the receptionist desk, I looked around and spotted Geirolf standing beside Marko and Catalyna, Bjark and Ingrid were stationed together, and Earland and Mykkel were sitting at a table in the far corner. I was pleased to see they had survived. Among the many Spiritualists who had joined the Nevarian Braves, they were my heavy hitters. Three of them were also Kari’s half-siblings.

The scents from numerous different people washed over me. Many of them smelled unclean. The stench of sweat and blood hung heavily in the air, making me wish we weren’t in public and among comrades so I could wrinkle my nose. I suppose it was only natural this scent would permeate the place. We had all just fought in a vicious battle the day before.

“Everyone,” I called out to them. “The battle against the invading Sekbeist army is over. Therefore, you can all get your pay.” A loud cheer went up. Many Spiritualists thrust their fists in the air. I waited for them to settle down before speaking again. “Line up in front of the reception desk and give either Dagny or Eira your name and rank. They will give you your pay. Also, since this particular quest was made by Empress Hilda and was a matter of Nevaria’s safety, all of you will receive a bonus pay of thirty thousand valis.”

A shocked silence fell over the room for all of ten seconds before, like a surging tide during a thunderstorm, another loud cheer shook the very foundations of the sect building.

It was not long after I made my announcement that everyone began lining up in front of the reception desk. They spoke with Dagny and Eira, my two receptionists, who logged their names and rank into the quest book, then offered them a large bag. Those bags were filled with thirty platinum coins. Platinum coins were worth one thousand valis. A normal person would normally never touch a platinum coin, but since they were easier to use in a large payment like this, I had asked Empress Hilda to use them as our payment.

As everyone received their payment, I hailed down Felman, my secretary. He’d been standing behind Dagny and Eira, silently watching everything take place. When I called him over, he obediently came to my side.

“Did you need something, Lord Eryk?”

“I’d like you to create a list of all the Spiritualists who died during the battle,” I began. “Also, note down which of those Spiritualists had family, where their family lives, and any other relevant information you can think of.”

“I shall do that at once.”

Felman bowed to me, then left to begin performing the task I had set for him. As he left, Lin huffed and crossed her arms.

“This princess could have done that for you.”

“No.” I shook my head. “I want you to stay by my side right now.”

Lin’s cheeks suddenly turned pink at my utterance. She uncrossed her arms, looked away, and then crossed them again. This self-conscious gesture made her look almost sinfully cute.

“W-well… this princess guesses she could stay by your side. Y-you are her darling, after all.”

I smiled at Lin as Kari and Fay held a hand to their mouths and softly giggled.

After making the announcement and letting everyone know they could now get their pay, I left the sect headquarters with Kari, Lin, and Fay in tow. We hopped onto a specially made carriage for Lin. The driver, a young man who had been hired to ferry us around, cracked the reigns and took off toward the Imperial Royal Palace.

The ride was a little bumpy, but the four of us didn’t mind as we talked about the recent battle.

“I’m surprised you reached the Third State of Spiritualism,” I said to Kari. “The method you took to reach it is probably one of the hardest and most dangerous of all. It can only be achieved during a life-threatening battle. You must have broken through your limitations by pushing yourself harder than you ever have before. Do you remember how it felt?”

“Yes.” Kari nodded as she rubbed Lin’s tail. The Lamia had, as always, thrown her tail onto our laps. None of us minded the extra weight. “I remember what it felt like very acutely. I’m sure I can enter that state again with a bit of practice.”

Like Kari, I was rubbing Lin’s tail. The soft scales of her tail were impeccable as always. Despite being durable enough to withstand an A-rank Spiritual Technique, it felt as though they were made of silk.

“I still plan on making an Elemental Enlightenment Pill for you,” I said at last. “It will help you reach the core of your Spiritual Power and become more intimate with your element. However, it should be much easier for you to enter that state on your own. The pill will just help stabilize your power.”

There were other ways of entering the subconscious, where a Spiritualist’s power laid, but it involved being in a place that was heavy with that particular Spiritualist’s elemental affinity—like how I had meditated at the bottom of a lake in my previous life. I wasn’t sure where Kari would be able to meditate. Her element was light, which was literally everywhere. However, I didn’t think that meant she could just meditate anywhere and reach her Spiritual Core.

“I’m also going to make an Elemental Enlightenment Pill for you as well, Lin,” I added. “I still don’t know if it will have any effect on a Lamia, but we could always try.”

“This princess is willing to try anything to get stronger.” Lin clenched her hands against her tail. They were shaking. “This princess… has realized that she isn’t as strong as she thought she was.”

It seemed Lin was bothered by something, but I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what. I only assumed it had something to do with their fight against that man before I arrived.

While Kari and Lin were talking, Fay remained silent, not deigning to speak as she furrowed her brow like she was deep in thought. Her eyes looked slightly glassy.

“Are you thinking about the battle, Fay?” I asked.

“Mmm? Oh, yes. Kind of,” Fay said, blinking as she came out of her daze.

I tilted my head. “Kind of?”

Fay gave me a complicated smile. “I’m just… a little disappointed in myself, I guess.” She looked down at her hands, a self-deprecating smile on her face. “During the battle against that man, I wasn’t really able to do much. Kari ended up taking most of the burden onto herself.”

“That isn’t true at all,” Kari adamantly stated, her eyes narrowed. “You were indispensable in our fight. Without your help, I would have died several times… and my mother, she also wouldn’t be here anymore.”

“Y-yes, you are right, of course.” Fay smiled at Kari. “I’m sorry. I guess… I was feeling a little disheartened by how much stronger our enemy was this time. I wish I was stronger.”

“If you wish to be stronger, then you just need to train harder,” Lin said. “This princess cannot get stronger through training, but you humans are very unique in that you grow in power the more you work. She’s actually quite jealous.”

“It’s as you say,” Fay agreed.

The carriage eventually began traveling up an incline, which told me we had reached the mountain in the very center of Nevaria. This carriage had wooden walls on all sides except the back and was extravagantly designed. However, it didn’t have any windows, so none of us could see where it was going.

It eventually stopped. The four of us climbed out of the back and were greeted by Garrett, Empress Hilda’s head butler and a man who’d been working at the Imperial Royal Palace since Kari was little. He led us inside. After bypassing the foyer, we were taken to a private room that served as both dining space and meeting room. After knocking on the door, he opened it and announced our presence.

“Ladies Kari, Fay, and Lin have arrived alongside Lord Eryk, Your Majesty.”

“Excellent. Please send them in,” Empress Hilda’s voice came from the other side.

Garrett stepped out of the way and allowed us to walk inside. We ignored the guards dressed in golden armor and bowed to Empress Hilda, who was seated at a round table that could sit about eight or nine people.

Decked to the nines in a white gown with long sleeves but nothing covering her shoulders, Empress Hilda truly held the proud and noble bearing of a ruler. Her blonde hair was undone. It descended like a wave from the crown of her head. The white gown, which revealed the supper swells of her breasts, was adorned with gold embroidery.

Sitting beside her were Dante and Rainer. Their clothing was nice, but nowhere near as extravagant. Rainer had a blue tunic with silver embroider and long sleeves. On the other hand, Dante had donned a black and white tunic that went down to his knees. Standing behind Empress Hilda, Valence wore the golden armor of an Imperial Royal Guard commander.

“It’s good that you’ve come,” Empress Hilda said with a smile as she gestured for them. “I have been expecting you. I was hoping we could talk.”

“Thank you for seeing us on such short notice,” I said as the four of us sat down. I sat between Kari and Lin, while Fay sat on Kari’s other side between her and Rainer.

“Not at all,” Empress Hilda responded.

“How are you, Mother?” asked Kari.

“I wish I could say I was well, but the invasion has left me rather busy,” Empress Hilda admitted. “While we had no civilian casualties, many lives were still lost. I have been planning a memorial service to honor those who fell in battle. Of course, I have also been working on honoring those who performed great deeds in the line of duty. The memorial service will be held a few days from now. I hope you four will attend.”

“We will,” I said. “The Nevarian Braves also lost many people.”

“Yes.” Empress Hilda’s expression remained placid, but her eyes held a great pain. “Your sect performed the greatest deed of all, holding off an army several hundred times larger for more than an entire day. I truly cannot thank you enough.”

I shook my head as a maidservant came into the room, pushing along a cart filled with an expensive tea set. The woman set a small cup in front of each person present, then placed a beautiful teacup on the plates, before finally filling each cup with steaming hot tea. A gentle fragrance like fresh spring flowers filled the air. The floral scent of the tea told me that it was probably a Lavender Earl Grey, or something similar.

“There’s no need for thanks.” I shook my head. “Nevaria is also our home. It’s only natural that we would defend it.”

“Heh. Spoken like a true hero,” Dante said with a chuckle.

Rainer rolled his eyes. “You mean spoken like a true patriot.”

“No, no. I definitely mean hero. That sort of heroic line is something I’d expect to hear from the main protagonist in an ancient fairy tale.”

Empress Hilda’s soft smile as she listened to the pair bicker was something to behold. Thanks to her bearing, she never reminded me of Kari despite looking so similar. Everything from her smiles to the gestures she made were different, but at the same time, it made me wonder if the Kari in my previous life would have become like this had life not taken such an unexpectedly dark turn.

Well, it was no use dwelling on what ifs.

We exchanged pleasantries for awhile. Kari spoke the most, talking to her mother about anything and everything. A big part of their conversation was about how proud Empress Hilda was of Kari for reaching the Third State of Spiritualism at such a young age. Dante and Rainer also added their two valis. Of course, Dante cracked a joke about how he and Rainer would no longer be able to keep up with Kari. I had the distinct feeling that he might have been feeling a little jealous or maybe sad was a better term to use here.

Valence was silent as always, but I could see him staring at Kari with an expression that, while carefully masked to appear blank, seemed to hold many emotions. Perhaps he wanted to say something. I didn’t know for sure. This man was, as always, a complete mystery to me.

Lin and Fay didn’t talk as much, but Rainer, being the polite person that he was, did ask them many questions regarding their life and adventures. Lin was more than happy to brag about her many accomplishments as my aid. On the other hand, Fay acted a lot more humble, talking about her training and how she wasn’t anywhere close to where she wanted to be as a Spiritualist.

As the pleasantries wound to a close, Empress Hilda placed her clasped hands on the table and looked at me.

“I assume you have something important you wish to ask of me?” she said in invitation.

“I do.” Sighing as I finished off the tea, I turned my full attention to the empress. “This invasion of Nevaria was not something that had been done on a whim. The destruction of the Alchemist Association over a hundred years ago, the weakening of our Spiritualists, and the treachery of the Leucht Family… I believe all of these acts were brought about by the man we fought during this invasion.”

“I concur,” Empress Hilda said.

“However, why would this man go to all this trouble?” I asked the question mostly to myself, but I kept my attention on the empress. Everyone else was focused on me as well, waiting on bated breath for what I would say next. “I believe Nevaria has something this man wanted, something that he would have done anything to get his hands on. I was wondering if you knew what that something might? Is there anything you can think of?”

Kari, Fay, and Lin turned from me to Empress Hilda, who looked pensive about something. The empress glanced at the two husbands sitting at the table. They met her gaze with even expressions—well, Rainer’s expression was even and composed. Dante wore a smirk.

“I think it’s safe to show him,” Dante said with a shrug. “After all, he’s going to be family soon.”

“Yes, I suppose you are right.” Empress Hilda suddenly stood up and glanced at us. “I would like you four to follow me please. There’s something I feel you should see.”

Everyone else stood up and followed Empress Hilda out of the room. I glanced at Kari, Lin, and Fay as we walked. The three girls looked very confused, about as befuddled as I myself felt. It was clear they knew nothing. Even Kari didn’t seem to have a clue as to what her mother wanted to show us. On the other hand, Dante, Rainer, and Valence seemed to know exactly what this was about.

Empress Hilda led our group to a massive double door, which was not made from standard materials. The gleaming door was made of a silvery substance that perfectly showed our reflections. Covering it were Runes—hundreds of Runes that created an array more complex than anything I’d seen since traveling back to the past. There were so many Runes that it was actually difficult for me to figure out what they meant, but more than that, I was shocked because of what this door was made of.

“This is… this is mythril!” I exclaimed.

“So you know what this substance is.” Empress Hilda did not seem surprised by my knowledge. “You are correct, this door is made of mythril. The Imperial Royal Palace has been here since the founding of Nevaria before the Catastrophe. There is a story passed down among the Astralia Royal Family. Long ago, this palace was built during a time of great upheaval. A war between the races and an invasion of powerful creatures from another world had embroiled the land, and so the Guddomelig created this palace as their entry point into our realm.”

I sucked in a deep breath.

I knew about the Guddomelig, a group of beings with powers so far beyond the comprehension of man that they were at one point worshiped as gods. No one spoke of them anymore. Their presence in Miðgarðr—our realm—had been all but forgotten. It shocked me to know that someone other than myself knew of them. Even I had only learned about the Guddomelig thanks to a Dweorg named Immig back in my previous life.

Empress Hilda studied me with an odd expression. “It seems you know of the Guddomelig as well.”

“I’ve heard of them,” I said. “Though I don’t know much. All I really know is that they hail from the last of the nine realms of our world known as Gudeverdenen.”

“That is more than what most people know,” Empress Hilda said.

She didn’t say anything more and instead turned around, reached for something around her neck, and pulled a small disc from her between bosom. Walking forward, she placed the disc into a small slot in the very center of the double doors. Then she stepped back as the disc began spinning. The clicking of locks being undone echoed throughout the hall as the spinning disc moved inward like someone was pushing it down.

The doors suddenly opened, or rather, the door moved down into the floor, revealing a staircase lit by several monster core lamps situated on the walls.

“Dante? Rainer? Valence?” Empress Hilda looked at her husbands.

“Don’t worry,” Dante said. “We’ll guard the entrance.”

“Please leave this to us,” Rainer added.

“Hilda,” Valence said.

“You needn’t worry.” Empress Hilda smiled at her first husband. “There is nothing dangerous down there.”

Valence didn’t look convinced, but he nodded and stepped back.

Empress Hilda walked through the entrance and began traveling down the stairs. I followed her alongside Kari, Fay, and Lin. The staircase was wide and well-lit. Our footsteps echoed back to us as we walked.

It didn’t look like this staircase saw much use, so I was surprised by how well-maintained it seemed. The floor was clear of dust, the walls looked brand new, and the air didn’t contain the staleness such an unused space usually had. Despite that, I could tell from the mosaics on the wall that depicted a great battle with many different races—including Dwoergs, Drakvar, Ljósálfar, and Guddeomelig—as they fought against what were clearly Sekbeists that this stairway had been built by the Dweorg.

“This place looks just like the ruins we visited!” Kari exclaimed with a brilliant light shining in her eyes.

Empress Hilda gave her daughter an indulgent smile. “This place inside of the mountain was built by a race known as the Dweorg. We don’t know much about them, but we suspect they are also responsible for the ruins you are so interested in exploring.”

“I wonder what kind of race they are,” Fay murmured. Unlike Kari, she was not really interested in exploring ruins, but even she could not keep the curiosity out of her voice.

“They’re very short,” I said. “Most of them are only about the height of a child, but they have rugged beards and big hands. That said, their fingers are surprisingly nimble. They are known as the best craftsmen among the nine races.”

“You certainly know a lot, Darling,” Lin said.

I smiled at her, but I didn’t respond as we finally reached the end of the stairs, which led to another door. This one was just as large as the previous one. It was also made from mythril. However, there didn’t seem to be an unlocking mechanism.

As Empress Hilda stepped forward, a soft glow began emitting from the Runes carved into the door. The glow eventually faded. Then the door slowly opened of its own volition.

“What I want you all to see is in here,” Empress Hilda said.

We walked into the door and found a massive room that I could only assume was a vault. Shaped like a cylinder, the room was large enough to house the Colosseum. However, it was also filled with all kinds of treasures. There were mannequins with an assortment of different armor, all of which were made from mythril and covered in protective Runes. Weapons were also situated on racks. Like the armor, these were made from mythil and had Runes on their surfaces. There was everything from broadswords and spears to more esoteric weapons like sickles and chakram.

Empress Hilda walked passed all of this, stopped, turned to us, and then gestured at something behind her.

“What I wanted to show you, and what I believe that man was after, is this.”

I found it hard to breathe as I stared at the object she was pointing to. It was not exceedingly massive, but it wasn’t what I would have called small either. About two or three times the size of a regular person, the object, which stood on an elevated platform, looked a lot like a three-fourths crescent archway. The archway had Runes etched into the surface: Raidho, Kenaz, Laguz, Dagaz, Othala, Eihwaz, and Perthro. They were carved in a large array alongside several other Runes that I didn’t recognize.

Next to the warp gate was a pedestal, which jutted from the ground and had a very small slot that looked like a key could fit into it.

The others studied this object with curiosity. Kari seemed to vaguely recognize it because her brow was furrowed, but Fay and Lin didn’t seem to have any recognition in their eyes. However, I knew what this thing was. Yes, even though I had never seen one so intricately designed before, I knew exactly what this was.

It was a Warp Gate.