Chapter 14
Chapter 5. System Update
"Ughhh...."
Right after using Divine Descent, I was bedridden for a full two days, receiving nursing care from Dad and Prinz, and get-well visits from Bianca.
True to its name of Divine Fever, I had a raging fever and had to stay in bed the whole time. It was a relief that the Thousand-Day Prayer Quest allowed up to exactly two days of absence.
For the most part, I was either asleep or, even when I occasionally opened my eyes, in a groggy state, so I seem to have worried the people around me a lot.
Oh right, even the nearby god.
[The 'Word Spirit that Constructs the World' sighs, saying she didn't know there would be such aftereffects.]
'Ah, Word Spirit-nim. Since when have you been here?'
[The 'Word Spirit that Constructs the World' answers that she left work on time and just arrived.]
I was grateful to the god in many ways. Thanks to the decision that even prepared her to write a written apology, we were able to safely conquer the dungeon, weren't we?
I smiled broadly.
'It was only for a short time, but it was great getting incredibly strong. Seeing how I instantly took care of an A-rank boss, it seems like I could smash through an S-rank dungeon alone? Roughly on par with a 20th playthrough protagonist, right?'
[The 'Word Spirit that Constructs the World' says the power of the Descent could become even stronger in proportion to your potential.]
[The 'Word Spirit that Constructs the World' realizes her slip and sharply advises you not to abuse it just because of that.]
'Yes ma'am. I need to get strong on my own.'
[The 'Word Spirit that Constructs the World' says that's a good thought and encourages you to diligently engage in prayer, training, cash purchases, and proselytizing from now on.]
Prayer and training I could understand, but I cracked a little smile at cash purchases and proselytizing.
'That's right. The shortcuts to spec improvement are indeed cash purchases and proselytizing. The possessor-exclusive cash shop where you can buy both abilities and skills. The multi-level system that strengthens buff effects as you increase believers. Wow, that's the best.'
[The 'Word Spirit that Constructs the World' clears her throat and suggests it would be better to use the term pyramid scheme rather than multi-level.]
'Yes, yes. I'll do that.'
As we talked about the divine pyramid scheme, I suddenly realized something anew.
'The faith of the people here affects the gods.'
Actually, until now I had a somewhat shallow mindset, thinking I had just possessed a character in a frustrating novel.
But seeing an actual god building faith here, I came to think that the world I possessed is also a world with the same value as the Earth of my past life.
An undeniably real world.
One heading toward destruction.
The souls of the people living here are probably real too.
As it happens, the only god who had preempted the faith in this world had abandoned everything and left.
If the 'Word Spirit that Constructs the World' expands her religious influence, it might be a good thing for this world too.
✠
"Child! Is your body okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine now."
"I'm really relieved. I was so worried."
When the news spread that I had shaken off my condition and gotten up after two days, Bianca came running at once to welcome me.
I deliberately showed off my health even more, clenching both fists.
My physical condition was actually good. My body, having finished the aftereffect penalty, was vigorous unlike someone who had been suffering from a fever until recently.
It seemed Bianca hadn't breathed a word about what happened in the dungeon to anyone.
Divine Descent had a heavy price, and strictly speaking, it was borrowed power, so it was difficult to reveal to others.
So I was going to suggest keeping it a secret, but Bianca had good judgment as befitting a quick-witted and clever next family head.
Thus, the matter of the two of us entering the Communal Cemetery dungeon and subjugating the boss was quietly buried, and the cause of my illness was attributed to overwork, drastically reducing my workload.
Taking this opportunity, I decided to quietly reduce the time I spent on cooking and serving tea, which I had learned enough of.
Where Dad, Feisha, and Isella were gathered, I cautiously voiced my opinion that alchemy suited my aptitude better than cooking or the tea ceremony.
Dad's face turned red trying to keep a straight face so as not to show his pleasure, and Feisha and Isella indicated they wouldn't give up on me, saying it was still something to watch more.
Actually, before bringing it up, I was a bit worried that Feisha and Isella might be disappointed in me, but it was an unfounded fear.
They seemed to be the type who burned with passion the harder something was to obtain.
But my will was firm. Selling healing potions to adventurers was the most profitable.
To survive in this harsh world, ability alone wasn't enough. I needed financial power too.
Taking this opportunity, it seemed like a good idea to reread the World Construction Church materials and separately organize information about dungeons that many adventurers visit and the strategy information for each dungeon.
'Oh right, now that I think of it.'
Thinking of dungeons reminded me. I also had to make a decision about the disposal of the bound dungeon.
The fate of a dungeon whose boss had been subjugated was largely twofold.
First was keeping it open for adventurers. A boss-less dungeon's difficulty drops drastically, and inside the dungeon, you can obtain valuable new material resources such as byproducts from demonic beasts and monsters, special plants and minerals, so generally many dungeons take this route.
Second was closing, that is, shutting it down and causing it to disappear. Such a decision was made when a dungeon had no valuable resources or was too dangerous.
The dungeon I handled this time had to be considered to meet these conditions.
It was a communal cemetery that only produced common bone monsters, had no special plants or minerals, and even that had been swept away by divine power, so it had now become a barren wasteland with absolutely no value.
Furthermore, it was blatantly parasitizing inside someone else's house that should be a safe zone, so its location was also not good.
So if I thought about it simply, closing it would be the right thing to do. However....
It was my first piece of land, so it felt like a big waste.
I decided to put off the decision for a while and had a conversation with Bianca.
"Using your power takes a heavy toll on your body, right? You were fine and then collapsed."
"Yeah."
"It'd be better to hide your power and not use it as much as possible."
"I'll try. Come to think of it, when I suddenly collapsed in the dungeon back then, Via must have been in a tough spot. It must have been hard dragging me to the exit?"
When I thought about young Bianca groaning while carrying me and moving, I started to feel sorry.
"No. I got help so it was okay."
"Help?"
"Yeah. The skeleton monsters helped carry you."
"What?"
An amazing story. There were surviving skeletons? And they helped us?
"Really. When I told them to stop just watching and help a little, they helped."
I could easily imagine it was a dignified commanding tone befitting a count's daughter.
That actually made sense.
"Hmm, they must have survived by being deep underground, and since they were a slave legion commanded by Ardiment, they seem to have a habit of following orders... Ah, right! That's it!"
"Child?"
A thought suddenly came to mind.
I immediately took out the passive skill book I received as a dungeon subjugation reward.
[
Undead who see you fall into the abnormal status 'Fear'.
Note: The weaker the undead, the more effective it is.]
'Infamy! Fear! Nice!'
My eyes sparkled. Then I opened the possessor-exclusive cash shop and paid for a familiar product.
[
[
I needed a supply of medicinal herbs to sell healing potions anyway. I wore a smile of joy.
"Uhehe."
"Child...?"
I suddenly grabbed the hand of Bianca, who had a puzzled look.
"Via, let's go! There's somewhere we need to go!"
✠
Skeleton Soldier No. 1004. That was the name given to him.
Of course, it wasn't such a name from the beginning.
However, like his bone joints wearing away with time, the name in his memories also wore away and was forgotten, leaving only numbers.
It was from a time when the place name Gillette had not yet been inscribed on the continental map.
Skeleton Soldier No. 1004 had set out on a training journey following his family's long tradition.
The diligent him had traveled across the continent completing various missions, and now all that remained was to return to his castle and succeed the family.
Thus, while hurrying his return, he happened to pass near the current Gillette territory...
—Your Highness, dodge!
—Gasp!
Of all things, a dungeon sink occurred on the passing road, and he fell right into an A-rank dungeon.
—Kekeke, welcome!
Right after receiving the enthusiastic welcome of the necromancer Ardiment, he and his party became Skeleton Soldier No. 1004, 1005, 1006, and 1007.
That was when the hellish life as a slave of the demon race began.
Backbreaking digging labor to expand the communal cemetery was the basics, on days with guard duty he had to stand watch to see if adventurers were invading or not, and on days when subjugation squads attacked, he had to take the beating at the vanguard as Ardiment's skeleton shield.
He couldn't even count how many times the bones of his entire body had been broken into dozens, hundreds of pieces and reattached repeatedly.
'Aah, I've had enough! Someone please save me!'
Rattle rattle!
His inner screams only echoed as sad friction sounds.
One day, while desperately praying for the hellish slave life to end, Ardiment was finally subjugated.
Thinking that he could finally meet the rest of death, Skeleton Soldier No. 1004 was deeply moved.
'Though there's no grave to lay my body in nor a tombstone engraved with my name, still with this...'
However.
"From now on, I'll make this land into a herb garden. Therefore, I'll clear and cultivate everything from here to there. Execute!"
Special privilege for the Possessor