Chapter 176: Rubia (1)

Magic-born flames blazed from my hands, arms, and legs.

Rumble!

Even as the torrential rain beat down like it would shatter my joints, the fire clinging to me refused to go out. There was no time to dwell on it.

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

[Succession Complete...]

[74.3%...]

[Assimilation Rate below 75%.]

[First seal unlocked.]

[Class change unlocked.]

[Automatically selecting perk.]

[Perk: Necromancer's Lover

A Hero-grade perk. This perk was forcibly activated until another Hero-grade perk became available...

— Gain a base Affection of 20 with all necromancers.

— Affection increases by an additional 10 points when entering a servitude relationship with a necromancer.

— Your presence inspires necromancers, accelerating their necromancy proficiency by 5%.

— This is a heroic-grade perk. It will remain active until another heroic-grade perk is chosen.]

I dismissed the wall of translucent status windows. The details could wait. What mattered now was those soft brown eyes staring blankly at me. She trembled in the cold, drenched from head to toe. Perhaps because of the heat I was radiating, she no longer coughed. She didn't scream, nor did she back away.

"

Ah...

"

Only a faint gasp escaped her lips.

A woman in a dark gray robe fell on her butt. Her clear and pure gaze, unlike anything associated with necromancers or people like me, locked onto mine. Rain-soaked lashes fluttered.

Rubia...

I could never get used to those eyes.

With her eyes still fixed on mine, Rubia slightly parted her lips, as if trying to say something. "

Um...

"

Has the starting point changed?

It wasn't the cave where Rena had slept. Was this a result of completing the scenario?

Rumble! Crash!

I rose in the middle of a muddy graveyard, torn apart by a maddened downpour. I had returned to the moment where everything had begun. I thought I'd never see her again, buried cold and alone in the ground after a tragic death caused by me.

Those moist eyes that seemed to radiate warmth. That delicate, helplessly fragile white wrist and nape.

Ssshhhh...

She looked like a white flower resting atop a sticky, pitch-black swamp.

"

Ah...

"

She let out a soft sigh and slowly reached a hand toward me.

Her voice drifted out slowly. "I... truly..."

Time seemed to slow around us. The death I had accepted was now reversed. She was alive, moving before me, pointing at me with her hand. As I looked at Rubia, countless memories and words we once shared flooded my mind.

"..."

Part of me wanted to confess everything. Another part simply wanted to remain a quiet supporter by her side.

Rumble! Boom!

Even without the occasional lightning, the fire blooming from me lit her face clearly. It was smeared with mud and rain.

"You... you really..."

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

She kept staring at me, unable to blink. I nodded.

"Yes."

"You really rose from your grave... because I called for you?"

I nodded again. I also wanted to ask, had the starting point truly changed? Could this undo my past mistakes and give me a new beginning? I subdued my flames so they wouldn't spread to her. The heat remained, gently warming the air. That warmth seemed to bring a bit of color back to her pale face.

Rubia. She didn't flinch at the sight of me, a burning skeleton. Instead, with a cautious yet deeply relieved smile, she greeted me.

"Thank... you! Thank you so much for rising when I called...! My name is Rubia, and..."

Ding!

[S-rank Scenario, Rubia Ray, has opened.]

[— Assimilation Rate is below 75%.

— Subquest: Lord Ray

— Crown Rubia as the Lord of Erast!

— Raise her governance level to 10!

— Reward: ???]

What?

I focused on Rubia's name floating in midair. A status window scrolled down beneath it.

[Name: Rubia Ray

Necromancer Lv.1

Health: 9

Strength: 7

Agility: 8

Wisdom: 14]

[Affection: 30

— Rubia trusted me and felt a strong bond and closeness.]

[Servant System

— Bond between master and servant recognized.

— Additional effects would be unlocked as the relationship developed.]

Servant... system...

That system hadn't appeared when I was with Rena. It seemed to recognize Rubia summoning me as something special. Below, her basic skill window opened up.

[Basic Skills:

— Book Finding Lv. 10

— Book Reading Lv. 10

— Ancient Language Lv. 3

— Rune Language Lv. 3

— Navigation Lv. 3

— Etiquette Lv. 2

— ??? (Affection too low.)

— ??? (Affection too low.)]

[Perks:

— Increase Affection to unlock.]

[Titles:

— Increase Affection to unlock.]

[Timeline shift has been applied.]

Her stats changed...

It was a slight but definite change, seemingly reflecting the relationship I had built with Rubia. This went beyond mere repetition of time. With each of my actions, the world began to change from the very beginning.

Clack.

My fists clenched tightly. I had met Rubia again, someone I thought I'd never see again. If my actions could truly alter this worldline from the start...

Then where is Rena...?

There was a chance I wouldn't get to meet Lady Succubus I once lived with.

There's too much to think about...

Clack!

I shook my head. For now, I needed to focus on Rubia. I looked at her as she stood before me, lips slightly parted.

"Do you want revenge?"

"Y-Yes! How did you...!"

"First, let's get out of this rain."

"Yes! But you speak so well!"

"Close your eyes for a moment."

It wouldn't be good for her to keep standing in the rain. What if she got struck by lightning?

"Okay!"

Was it because of the Affection I'd unintentionally earned? Rubia shut her eyes tightly without even a hint of suspicion. Raindrops clung to her lashes, dripping down. I chose not to think for a while and...

Sprint.

I picked Rubia up and dashed toward the cave. A safe labyrinth where not even a single bat could enter.

It's been a while since I've been there...

I had lived there for three years during my first life. Nevertheless, given all that had happened in the last one, it now felt strangely distant.

Whoosh!

It used to take thirty exhausting minutes to reach. Now, thanks to my boosted stats and skills, it didn't even take two minutes. We arrived at a narrow cave entrance hidden in the thicket.

"We're here."

"..."

Rubia didn't respond. I glanced down. She clenched her fists, eyes shut as she leaned against me.

Did she catch a cold already?

Her pale face had turned red. After a long moment, she blinked her eyes open and stepped away from my arms.

"

Ah...

I'm sorry!"

"Stay here for a bit. Don't wander too far."

The cave's interior was fairly spacious and devoid of insects or spiders. Even if she wandered a little, it wouldn't be hard to find her. Things were different now.

[Tracking Lv. 15]

[Mind's Eye (C+)]

[Detection Lv. 7]

Even if Rubia got lost deep inside, I had the skills to locate her easily. Still, she nodded a few times in a row.

"Okay! I'll stay right here. But... where are you going?"

She sounded curious, but there was a hint of unease in her voice.

"..."

"Is it because I'm too weak? Did I disappoint you? I'm sorry!"

"No, that's a complete misunderstanding."

"Really...? You're okay with me?"

I wasn't sure what exactly she meant by that, but I nodded to reassure her.

"Of course I am."

"

Heh...

"

Her shoulders, once tense, relaxed. Her tiny fingers wiggled as she loosened her clenched fists.

"I'll be back soon, so don't worry. I just have something to take care of."

"Okay!"

After seeing her answer energetically, I left her inside the cave and stepped outside.

Whrrr...!

Even here, the wind blew like mad. It tore through the ground and ripped branches from trees.

Crack! Snap!

I stretched my limbs lightly and returned to the grave. Many thoughts ran through my head, but I knew the most immediate problem was right nearby.

Let's try this again... Ignite.

Fwoosh!

From my fingertips, magical flames ignited once more, undeterred by the pouring rain. The circuit was still inherited. I could feel the silver liquid flowing between my bones.

I had neither money nor weapons. Rena's shattered pendant, along with everything else, had not returned. Yet, the Lurium circuit remained intact. It felt strange.

Isaac's words came to mind.

"Blood, you say?"

"Yeah. The blood of the Apostles. Blood from the ones Seiron hunted down."

Either way, that meant Malphas' mark remained intact in this life as well.

So I can still use magic...?

It'd be best not to leave traces all over the dungeon. I couldn't be sure which altars belonged to which Demon Kings. This time, I wasn't clashing with followers of Purson.

Still, I should hold back on magic for now.

Unlike Botis or Purson, I bore the mark of a factionless Demon King. It wouldn't bring me any benefits.

Isaac is probably still around.

Then, I recalled his secret cult, whose members had been sacrificed

en masse

to Purson after the barrier collapsed. Magic would be off-limit for a while.

Whoosh!

I launched myself forward. With Sprint active, even a light jog was faster than a normal sprint. I vaulted over massive boulders and surged ahead. Two horses tied to trees came into view. Two men were searching the mountain. They were the ones who’d killed me and Rubia over and over again.

At the time, I remembered lying flat on the ground, waiting anxiously for them. Now, I was way stronger.

Neigh!

A horse cried out in the distance. One held a crossbow, the other a hammer, both scouring the mountainside cautiously.

Stealth.

I concealed my presence and crept up beside them.

Rustle.

Rustle.

The two men tried to move quietly, brushing through the undergrowth. They'd followed Rubia's trail to the grave, but that was as far as it went. They hadn't noticed where I had run. If I simply turned back, they probably would give up pursuit.

Maybe I'll just watch.

I trailed right behind them, observing their tracking methods. Even from a distance, they couldn't detect me. They didn’t have any instincts or intuition. Their senses were so dull, it was embarrassing. Perhaps the thrill of chasing what they thought was helpless prey had blinded them.

"What the hell? Where'd she go...?"

"Shut up. Giving up already? Don't start whining now."

"But she's gone.

Ugh...

how did we lose her? This is ridiculous."

"..."

"I've been holding back from buying a whore because of her, y'know? It’s been three days...”

"You moron... I'm done here. Should we say she fell off a cliff? That noble bastard's a complete pushover anyway."

"Who gives a damn about the money! It's the thrill of doing it in the woods... in the woods!"

The world was full of malice, with barely a star of light left in its sky. For a moment of perverted gratification, they spoke casually about ravaging and breaking another person. Remembering how they murdered Rubia, I couldn’t bear to listen any longer.

[Skill: Acid Lv. 5 activated.]

Sssssssss!

[Health decreased by 0.017%.]

[Health...]

Because I had used it through my fingers, it consumed a bit of my health, but I could endure it easily.

"H-huh?!"

The sudden presence startled the two men and they whipped around in unison.