Facing the great adventure ahead, I decided to train in Esze with Almira. No matter what lies ahead, I cannot expect a smooth path without obstacles. Such a thing will never happen in real life.
Perhaps I will lose my way while searching for clues, or fail to obtain the Crystal of Souls even though it's right before me. Or maybe I'll have to compete with others who want it as well. The likelihood of the latter is small because the information is limited, but who knows—perhaps there are others out there who have the same ambition as mine. After all, the Crystal of Souls, especially the Hope Crystal, can grant any wish, even the impossible.
I still can't bring myself to think of the worst possible outcomes. I don't even dare to imagine them. Let time prepare my mind to accept whatever comes.
Earlier, I spoke of the Crystal of Souls to my friends who still reside in the city—Shella, Vian, and Vani. They seemed a little surprised to hear it. The light in their eyes slowly reignited when it had nearly gone out, yet the three of them weren't as enthusiastic as I had imagined.
Of course, I knew why they reacted like that. Shella, Vian, and Vani were all tied to this city. Each of them had someone they loved in this world. Returning to my original world meant leaving all of that behind.
Such a choice would be difficult to make—return or stay.
I, too, found myself in a similar dilemma. All my comrades in Kelam Malam were the closest people I had here. Parting from them would be heartbreaking. Even though there may have been unfortunate events, the time I spent with them was always enjoyable. Perhaps I would even miss the insults from Igresti's mouth or the relentless punches from Grussel after we parted ways. It didn't make sense, but the feeling was true.
But... my desire to return is still slightly greater. I miss my parents dearly. They are the ones who always encouraged me. For example, when I was bullied at school, they would come to the school and take the issue to the principal. The love and care they showed me helped me get through my darkest times.
There was even a time when I came home drenched, not from swimming in a river or playing in the rain, but because my classmates poured a bucket of mop water on me. My father was the angriest, immediately calling my homeroom teacher.
He even openly scolded the teacher and the classmates who bullied me, threatening to report the school to the Department of Education. I have to admit, his actions were quite harsh, but I felt calm. Yet, that didn't change the behavior of my classmates and seniors. They still bullied me—not physically, but mentally. They would call me harsh names, boss me around, or embarrass me in front of others.
Honestly... if it weren't for Dimas always by my side, I might have considered ending my life.
In my previous world, I also had a younger brother who was 7 years old. There was quite an age gap between us. That gap made me strive to be a role model. Even though in the end, neither of us turned out to be admirable, he still respected and looked up to me as his older sibling. Our relationship was close, and he would often call me funny names that made me smile.
If I could, I'd love to be with him again, along with my mother and father. I still long to see them and spend time together.
I miss my family so much.
That's why I must begin my journey to search for the Crystal of Souls, no matter the risks. When I succeed in gathering the eleven pieces and make them whole again, I will surely ask for a way to return to my original world.
To prepare for all the dangers that lie ahead, I began training in Esze with Almira in the forest near the city.
"Wow! This is truly a high-quality viglet!" she exclaimed, stunned by the viglet given to me by Prince Keylan. "Even when I was the captain of the scout forces, I never received one this good."
Her eyes sparkled with admiration for a long time. It might have continued longer if I hadn't snapped her out of it.
"Is it really that good?" I asked, curious. I didn't know much about the quality of viglets, so I thought maybe she could tell me more.
"This can be considered a top-tier item. This viglet is made from genuine Black Dragon Fangs, then coated with alchemical liquid that enhances the manifestation of Esze. Such a thing is not available on the market. If I were to estimate it in Lurivia's currency, it could be worth more than three hundred gold coins."
"What!? That much!?"
My voice echoed through the air. Fortunately, we were surrounded by silent trees. If we had been in a crowd, my outburst would have certainly attracted attention.
A cold sweat suddenly ran down my back. I couldn't believe what I had just heard. This object in my hand was worth hundreds of gold coins?! With just one gold coin, I could live comfortably for an entire year. If I had that much money, I could live a life of luxury. Unbelievable!
"Ah, but never think of selling it! Viglets won't sell in human territory. And if you try to sell it in Elvian lands, you might be accused of theft," Almira warned as if reading my thoughts. "Yesterday's event was a miracle, but don't think you can go back there again. They surely won't let you through."
"But... Prince Keylan said he would welcome me if I visited again."
"That Third Prince has his own ideas, but they are often opposed by others. It's possible that when you visit, someone who hates him will target you. You could be kidnapped and tortured just to see how the prince reacts. It's better for you to avoid him!"
For a moment, I was stunned. I had kept the story of my kidnapping a secret from everyone. But I didn't expect Almira's words to match exactly what had happened to me.
"Are you okay? You look a little pale," Almira asked, her face filled with concern as she looked at me.
"I-I'm fine," I answered, forcing a smile. "You seem to know Prince Keylan well. Can you tell me more about him?"
"Why? Are you interested in him? It's better to forget about him. You're like a dirty slime longing for an Angel."
"That's not it, idiot! I'm just curious!" I replied, brushing off her remark with a wave of my hand.
"As I said earlier, Prince Keylan has his own thoughts that often clash with others. Take your experience there as an example. While nobles and other members of the royal family look down on races other than their own, Prince Keylan welcomed you, a Haier-Elvian, with open arms, even giving you such an extraordinary gift."
"I used to be in the Royal Guard. When I was in the palace, Prince Keylan was the smartest of the four brothers. He finished his basic education in the palace quickly. Many say his knowledge surpassed the palace teachers. That was evident in the strange items he created."
"Strange items? What were they like?" I asked, intrigued.
"I don't know the details. But his inventions were often ridiculed by his brothers and other nobles. In addition to his sharp mind, he was also skilled in combat, both in Esze and martial arts. That's all I know about him."
"Hmm... that explains why he was so kind to me. Maybe because he's often ostracized by those around him, he doesn't want to discriminate against others," I said, chewing on my thoughts.
"Stop talking about your precious Prince! Let's start training right now!" Almira snapped.
"S-Since when is he 'my precious prince'?" I stammered.
That morning, I trained in Esze with Almira in the middle of the forest. Since I had decided to begin my journey to gather the Crystal of Souls, I requested more intense Esze training, increasing it from twice a week to five times a week.
The more powerful I became, the less likely I would face the worst-case scenario. Dimas also began training in swordsmanship with Grussel. That stubborn man insisted on joining me on this journey. I couldn't stop him. After everything he said about not leaving me in danger again, how could I?
Apart from us, no one else was joining. All the male members, including Kak Indra and Kak Erik, had become royal soldiers or had found other work in the capital. They were the two I most wanted to have along on this journey. Due to distance and communication limitations, I hadn't been able to relay the information I gathered from Glafelden to my other friends in the capital. If only there were cell phones in this world, I could contact them anytime. So, it was just me and Dimas.
Of course, I couldn't bring Vani, Vian, or Shella along, could I?
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For the next few days, training in Esze became my daily routine. It started early in the morning before the sun rose, and in the late afternoon when night approached, with each session lasting two hours. I didn't just practice casting Esze; I also trained my physical strength and archery skills. In combat, I couldn't rely on just one style.
Focusing on one style could indeed improve my skills, but it could also become a double-edged sword that would wound me. If there were enemies who could overcome my Esze attacks, I would be finished.
On some occasions, Dimas also joined in my training with Almira. Training with the former captain of the scout forces was something I couldn't pass up.
One day, after returning to the headquarters from training in the forest near the city, I found Grussel sitting on the building's porch, sipping his coffee.
"You two have a visitor," Grussel called, pointing into the headquarters with his big thumb.
Curious, I walked into the living room and found Shella sitting on the sofa, trembling. Her hands shook, causing the letter she held to sway. Sweat appeared on her neck and forehead, and she seemed to have rushed here in a hurry. She was still wearing the plain white clinic outfit. When I sat next to her, she finally noticed my presence.
"Anggi!" she cried. Her pale face was filled with fear. "This is really bad!"
"What happened? Calm down!" I tried to reassure her, but it was in vain. She handed me the letter she had in her hands. She seemed so terrified that she accidentally dropped it. I picked it up and glanced at Shella. "What is this?"
"You have to read it," she said, her voice trembling.
I was very curious about the letter that had made Shella act this way. Was it about the destruction of the world that accidentally fell into Shella's hands? Or was it about the closure of trade routes that would leave Glafelden in a logistics crisis like a few months ago?
Oh no! I was more afraid of the second possibility. Because during that incident, I could only eat wheat bread as the market ran out of milk and meat.
But when I read the letter, my entire body shuddered. Fear and dread coursed through me, making my body tense and my pores expand, releasing beads of sweat. I slumped back against the sofa and stared ahead, blankly.
"What's wrong?" Dimas asked, standing next to me.
"The Lurivia Kingdom knows about my existence... and now they've sent an elite force to target me."