“Get anything, Onee-chan?”
“A lot of rubbish.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t ‘yeah’.”
“It’s going to be a bit too poor by the next time we come.”
“Right… I hope it happens somewhere else.”
“It might not be implemented yet.”
“I’m sure there’s more than one, but… I wonder.”
We return to town while talking, and move towards Ertz-san’s place as a group.
“Iron weapons, right?”
“『Yes!』”
“Yeah, yeah.”
It is finished quickly with the list function. I sell off mine too, then off to the Adventurers’ Union to get rid of goblin materials. Well, they’re cheap because everyone is doing the same. Even if it is cheaper than usual, I would rather get rid of them than have them clogging up the inventory.
Last, the Merchant Union. Check the consignment and deposit the money. Most of the players are doing this, so the population density…
Time to evacuate, along with my sister.
“Whew. The number of people really increased.”
“Sure did. It’s a good thing. Now I’m going to my house to check out skills.”
“I’m coming too.”
And so we both teleport over to my palace.
We take seats in the garden, and stare at the UI, while ignoring the flowers. Data over flowers. A true gamer.
«Holy Magic»
[Relaxation]
Rapidly recovers the target’s stamina.
«Shadow Magic»
[Shadow Fake]
Creates an insubstantial shadow in your previous state. Cannot attack. Vanishes when attacked.
[Shadow Pocket]
Shadows can be used as shortcuts to your inventory.
«Necromantic Secrets»
[Night Sky Array]
Creates a formation that strengthens a summoned body.
«Great Art».
Number of skills granted to servant: 3
Capacity cost for summoning: Evolution level x 9.
Capacity loss on servant death: 30%.
Capacity loss on servant purification: 60%.
«Sphere of Shaking Flesh»
Create 5 spheres.
«Mad and Merciless»
Call 3 tentacles.
[Relaxation] is a skill for other people. I don’t have the concept of stamina.
[Shadow Pocket] is… yeah. There’s nothing much to say about it. If anything, it’s not needed because I have the belt pouch.
«Great Art» has started to feel better with the level rising. It’s still worse than «Necromantic Secrets» alone, but it is nice that the capacity used has also started to decrease.
The spheres and tentacles are still the same. I have one more tentacle, so I can play about with macros a bit.
And it is [Shadow Fake] and [Night Sky Array] that need to be tested.
Let’s try them immediately. Starting with [Shadow Fake].
“I see? It is indeed as described.”
“I don’t know how you would use that magic?”
The state just before. In other words, a spell that creates a shadow alter ego on the spot, in the same stance as when the spell is cast.
I doubt it would work as a feint…
“It could be used for luring enemies….maybe?”
“Switching with it after being deliberately discovered? It might work on corners in a dungeon…”
Next is [Night Sky Array]. Night sky… is it a faint light that can be seen even without a celestial body such as the moon? Well, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is in-game performance.
I’ll use it now. Oh, it’s a coordinate type. And…. what is this. Specify a spherical range around the coordinates. In addition, there are four lines from the specified coordinates.
“Hmmm….? Hm….”
“Did you learn something mysterious?”
“Mm, kind of….?”
I install one for the time being, and a magic circle effect appears and disappears. ….Is it gone?
“It disappeared?”
“Hm….. I can see it with magic vision.”
The magic circle and area of effect of [Night Sky Array] can be seen faintly. The area of effect is a sphere around the magic circle. This is probably what was shown when placing it.
Then, following the extending line, place another one a short distance from the initial [Night Sky Array]. The same magic circle-like effect appears and disappears. However, when viewed with magic vision, it is connected to the first one by a line. Since two of them have been placed, two spherical effect ranges are also visible.
Installing another one, three of them are connected to form a triangle. The spherical area of effect is now limited to the inside of the triangle.
I’ll continue setting up the formations according to the lines.
“I see, the maximum number is seven”.
“Does the effect increase as you place them?”
“The range fluctuates, but the effect should go up. If you look only at the range, one is wide enough, so if you were to go to the trouble of placing them all and the effect didn’t increase, one would be sufficient.”
The test shows that one or two give a spherical effect range. Three is a triangle. Four for a square. Six for a hexagram. Seven is Crowley’s hexagram. It is placed in the centre of the hexagram.
I should go check the strengthening with Lana, later.
That’s about it for the skills.
“I’ve reached tertiary skills!
“Oh, it’s 60?”
“Yeah. SP cost is 10. I have to put some thought into which ones should become tertiary…”
“«High-Class Magic Ability» is almost there…”
“This is where it really starts!”
“Most of my mains are racial skills, so I guess it’s a little easier?”
“Enviable.”
Well, there are a lot of skills that can go up to level 100 in the first place.
“Speaking of which, Onee-chan, have you seen «Super-Class Magic Ability»?”
“Nothing in particular?”
“Apparently «Super-Class Magic Ability» is also a trigger. It unlocks all kinds of useful spells, depending on what magic you have.”
That makes me curious. Let’s see…
[Fall Control]
Reduces fall speed and fall damage.
This is the one Sophie-san was talking about. Unlocked with «Wind Magic» at 30 and «Super-Class Magic Ability»…? I can’t remember. Well…unnecessary in my case.
[Walking on Ice]
Allows you to walk normally on ice.
«Ice Magic» and «Super-Class Magic Ability», probably. Seems unnecessary if you attach spikes, but it might be advantageous to just use magic. Well, it’s good to have many options.
Ice Sneak… Sneak? Sneaking, is it.
That’s right…
“I can’t learn the four basic attributes, so I can’t learn most of these?”
“Onee-chan, can’t you do most of that racially anyway?”
“Hm….I don’t really need them…”
“Right.”
“Though, I’d like to have [Silence] or [Deodorising]. I’d also like [Stain-Proof].
“Isn’t it fine if someone in the party can use them?”
“Alf-san can’t use magic, and Ske-san is dark too! I wonder if the twins have anything other than dark?”
“The races…..”
The disadvantage of inhumans… It’s a very simple disadvantage. Matching types lead to a bias in magic. Well, as an inhuman, when you’re stuck, you’re stuck.
Information on spatial unlocks have not been released yet…..Let’s hope for warding.
“By the way, Onee-chan can make po-yons, right?”
“Mm? Well, if they can be made with alchemy.”
“Can I buy them from Onee-chan?”
“Hmm…Basically, I only make them for myself.”
“I don’t mind paying more if the quality is good! Salute-san is very popular. They’re often sold out. If I can buy from Onee-chan then I can save myself the trouble of searching around!”
“I see. I’m a magician, so I have MP ones for recovery in the field, but I don’t really bother with HP. I have auto-healing, magic, and I don’t get hit much in the first place.”
“I don’t use HP much either, so that’s fine. I use a lot of MP Po-yon to keep my damage up.”
“That makes sense.”
Generally, MP potions cost more than HP potions. If you use magic to heal and then drink MP potions, it may be cheaper to just drink HP potions.
Of course, the best thing is to avoid taking extra damage. Even though HP potions are cheaper, they still cost money.
The better the party, the less damage they will take, so they will need to use fewer HP potions. You can also gain experience by reducing how often you use potions.
Unless you are in a hunting ground where you can take a lot of hits, you’ll probably use them often. In my case, automatic recovery is enough, if it’s just a few hits. Because I’m a race that has plenty of HP and defence I’m very resilient.
“If it’s MP potions, I often find the materials in the field, so I should have some in stock.”
“Ex? Mega?”
“Mega pots.”
[Recovery] Mega MP Potion Rarity: No Quality: B+
A potion that restores MP, commonly used in the level 40-50 range.
The recovery amount is higher than in general products, due to being made carefully.
Cannot be used by Immortals.
“I’ll buy them, Onee-chan!”
“Oh, by the way, there’s lemonade for MP.”
“Lemonade?”
“Juice that gives you MP regen. It’s slower than potions, but the regeneration isn’t bad. It also cures dehydration.”
“Oh! It sounds good to drink before hunting. It’s valuable when you consider potion addiction.”
Lemonade gives a buff similar to [Meditation].
That seems to be enough potions, so I’ll sell my lemonade too.
By the way, apparently potion addiction causes your status to decrease if you drink too many potions. It seems to be difficult to get it when you are a low level player, because the effect of the potion is not so strong, but easier when you are a high level player and the effect of the potion increases.
“Speaking of which, it seems that there are types of liquor other than the concentrated ones.”
“Liquor?”
“Yeah. Liquor potions. They heal more than normal ones, but if you drink too much, you get drunk.”
“So it heals more with a disadvantage. Considering potion addiction, is liquor better?”
“Since the rare skill «Drunken Fist» was confirmed, it seems better to use liquor if you have that, at least.”
«Drunken Fist» is said to increase its power when you’re intoxicated, and also alleviate intoxication. It leaves you dizzy, but it seems to be enough to fight.
It’s a rare skill, so I can’t see the conditions, but it’s said to be unlocked if you fight while drinking.
I’m relaxing while talking with my sister.
“What’s this month’s event?”
“October is Halloween, right?”
“I wonder what they’re doing? I wonder if we can go to the Nether.”
“There’s nothing to do if you come. There are no shops or anything….”
“That’s sad.”
The Nether, to be honest, would probably bore you after you take a walk around.
“I mean, in this world, isn’t the fairy land more likely than the Nether?”
“Ah….Sweets and mischief.”
“This world also considers witches as pharmacists? I heard it was originally a harvest festival.”
“But don’t they ignore the world setting when it comes to official events?”
“Well…yeah.”
You can never be too careful with the management here. It’s October, so we’ll probably get an announcement soon.
Oh, Lana and Liselotte have arrived. I wonder if they have finished their investigation.
“Did you finish the investigation?”
“Yes. It seems that one of them is missing.”
“Is there any possibility that the process was complete?”
“Considering the amount of time, not when the sin was meddling with the soul.”
“So they are on the run.”
I’m sure they will enter the Abyss on their own, when their life span expires, but I should bear it in mind.
“Have you told the Chancellor?”
“I’ve told him.”
“Mm, okay. I’ll keep it in mind when I go to the surface. I usually check the souls.”
“If you find them and it gets out of hand, just call us with the key.”
“Got it.”
“Then, goodbye.”
She took Liselotte to the training ground. Looks like she will be seeing what she can do. Good luck.
Of course, I’ve written down the characteristics of the criminal.
“What were you talking about?”
“Lizzy…. let’s call the soul Lisa. I wanted to make sure that all the people who put the curse on Lisa were in the Abyss.”
“And one of them isn’t.”
“Looks that way. I didn’t receive a quest to find them. If he does it again, is it the backbone of a questline….or maybe a criminal record?”
The curse was placed on Lisa before the players arrived. Otherwise, it would have definitely been a world quest. A whole village was destroyed, so it is world quest scale.
Since it doesn’t lead to a quest to find him, is it a character setting? Or it could be that the moment I see him, I have to capture him. Maybe it’s related to one of the Empire’s world quests.
“Oh, I messed up. I haven’t heard what kind of ritual they were trying to perform.”
“Isn’t that the most important thing?”
“No, really. And I’d like to test my skills…so I think I’ll go ask them.”
A ritual so great it requires sacrificing a soul. Well, I can’t imagine it’s anything nice. ….Nothing with the cost being a sacrifice could be any good.
“Mu, hunting!”
“Have a good trip.”
I see off Rina at the mini-statue and head to the training ground.
Lana and Lisa are being quite flashy….
Well, it’s no surprise that Lana is no easy opponent. It is the difference created by the amount of time, and she is also ahead in level.
On the surface, Lisa was also a great veteran, almost a hero, but the Nether is full of people with their level maxed.
Let’s do the testing first.
Summon #1 in a level 40 skeleton body…..A Full Armour Skeleton. The progression was ‘Skeleton’, ‘Red Skeleton’, ‘Metal Skeleton’ and now ‘Full Armour Skeleton’. The skeletons wear their own armour. It’s a bit ragged, but it looks fairly strong. Ske-san says that they have a somewhat high defence.
Now, monitor the HP gauge of the training target while he attacks. It’s like Primula-san’s firing range. I’ll compare the normal damage with having the array set up.
There is no mistake that more formations means more strengthening. One is barely more than an error, but it has a wide range, so it might be fine as it is. With all seven deployed, the effect is quite good. Perhaps around 1.5 times.
Now…..
“Lana. Have you heard about the ritual?”
“She said it was a summoning ritual.”
“….Is it an evil spirit or something? Is there such a thing?”
“I think it’s an otherworldly summoning ritual. The Nether we live in, and also the Medium of the Outer Ones, are considered different worlds to the surface.
“….Can something be summoned?”
“It’s possible.”
“I thought there were no summons. For violations, we can transfer over… But I’ve never heard of summoning on the surface.”
“It’s usually the court wizards who do the summoning. I’m a swordsman, so I don’t know all the details, but….it should generally be royalty and nobility behind it.”
Hmmm. But they….I mean, I don’t think there’s any particular point in summoning us? Unlike the original, they are not the types who would go on a rampage even if they were summoned.
“Depending on the contents of the summoning, they could still go wild?”
“Eh.”
“More accurately, it depends on what is summoned…. Once you summon them and tell them what you want, if you can provide a suitable reward or price, it becomes a contract.”
Ah, like summoning a devil and making a contract with it in real life. In this game, devils are the counterpart of angels, so it’s not called a devil summoning.
In other words, after being summoned from the other world….. If the character of the summoned party matches what is being requested, they may agree to the contract even if the reward itself is not so great.
Oh? Isn’t this actually pretty bad?
“When it comes to Outer Ones, summoning should be impossible without the best of intentions. The goddess Stellura keeps them in isolation.”
“Then what were they trying to summon….”
“When it comes to things other than us or Outer Ones….Ah, don’t tell me, demons….?”
“Demons? What kind of beings are they?”
“They are evil beings with a very bad character. It’s a story from around the time of the Chancellor… All I know is that before my time there was a large-scale invasion and the gods had to intervene. At that time, there must have been a big war with the demons who went to the surface….”
It seems like something that would come up in a history book, right?
For the time being, I’ll note that demons seem to be the main focus of the story. The demons here are equivalent to reality’s devils…. Since the gods were out in force, the top was probably a demon god, rather than a demon king.
“Sire.”
“What is it?”
“They wore matching symbols like this.”
Lisa shows me a symbol that looks like three twisted lines around central dots, like a shuriken….? That looks familiar. Eh…..The Yellow Sign? That’s Hastur!
I’ve not met Hastur yet. Well, what kind of character is he…. That is the question. In the case of this cult…. shouldn’t it be crushed? Won’t you go…to the Abyss?
For now, the demons don’t seem to be involved.
Even so… Hastur is a Great Old One, in the Cthulhu mythos. In other words, he should be a follower of Stellura-sama, so I don’t think there is any way he could ask for a soul? The soul is the province of the goddess Stellura. It shouldn’t be possible to demand it.
Fumuu….?
“Basically, those who are not famous won’t be summoned, but Nemeseia is famous. Other than that, arbiters may also be called. The Outer Ones maybe for strange things. I haven’t heard of many summons lately? I can’t tell if it’s peace or forgetfulness.”
“Were there many before?”
“Quite a lot? In some countries they would summon an arbiter for important trials and so on…. I’m sure the Prime Minister has been told. He’s supposed to receive reports.”
“Then I’ll go talk to the Chancellor and then ask about Hastur in the Medium….”
I leave the training grounds and go to meet the Chancellor in the castle.
“So, first.”
“What is it?”
“Have any arbiters been summoned recently?”
“Mu? There should have been. Er….Creakstone, 47 years ago.”
“Has there been any change in the frequency of summons?”
“Speaking of which, does Dinite still exist?”
“Yes, it does.”
“I’m worried about the lack of summons from the Empire, which is the most frequent summoner.”
Creakstone is….the western kingdom of the northern continent.
And the Chancellor is concerned about the lack of summons from the Dinite Empire.
“How often were the summons?”
“Once every few years. The larger the territory, the more fools there are. To silence the idiots and ensure smooth and certain punishment, they would summon an arbiter to attend.”
“So neither side will do anything wrong, but will proceed quietly and according to the law?”
“That’s right. If progress is held up with pointless things, the arbiter will wield the Sword of Judgement. If they lie in front of the arbiter, the sin will be heavier.”
The arbiter is not on either side, but has the role of seeing that the law of the country is followed correctly. It is not enough to be a good person, so there are not many arbiters among the Immortals. A rare profession!
Well, that aside…I’ll have him teach me how to perform a summon and make a note of it. It can be passed on to the Residents.
“Chancellor, do you know how to summon an Outer One?”
“Haha, you will have to ask them.”
“Yes. Then I will go to the Medium.”
So, now to the public area of the Medium.
The map is as beautiful as ever. Just the map. It’s just the people living there that look the way they do.
Well, it’s good to come here….but now what? The main purpose is to find out what kind of character Hastur is. Also, how to summon Outer Ones.
In the worst case, even if summoned, I feel like with my Book of Eibon, or Ske-san’s Necronomicon, we could just leave…
“Why are you standing in such a place?”
Oh, it’s King Woofwoof.
Good timing, so I’ll ask.
“I heard that Outer Ones can be summoned, do you know how?”
“Mu? Well, I know, but you have the key.”
Ah, so I can call Outer Ones with this key. I can’t use it to go to the past or future, but it will open a gate so I can call them or send them home. But I don’t particularly want to call them.
“It’s good information that I can call with the key, but not that, do you need a soul sacrifice to summon an Outer One?”
“Soul sacrifice? I don’t want such a thing. Or rather, we would be offended if that was done.”
“Yeah, that’s right…so maybe the wrong method has been passed on.”
“Explain in detail for the time being.”
I will share the information on Lisa’s situation.
“…..I see. Yes…got it. Possibly, they thought of summoning by harnessing the vast energy of the soul. Not as a sacrifice to Hastur, but as energy for the ritual.”
“Oh, I see. It was like that.”
“It would take hundreds of humans to summon us. But if they were to use a soul, it would take a lot less. It’s forbidden, though.”
“Stellura-sama wouldn’t allow it, would she?”
“Certainly not. If they’re still doing it, «Erasing Burning Chain» might be needed. It would be deserved, so there is no need for sympathy.”
At any rate, the soul was not requested by Hastur. Still, I now know there is a cult, so I want to know his character to some extent…
“By the way, how often are you summoned to caused trouble on the surface?”
“Rest assured. They’ll only take one country at most and stop. The gods would be angry.”
“From the point of view of humanity, even a single country would be extremely damaging…”
“Fumu? It’s a small thing. If you want to stop it, you have to become strong enough to suppress them. If you do, you might be given such a position, you know? Once you have the position, they will basically obey. That’s the rule.”
That’s max level, right? How many years will it take. ….Is it just the blink of an eye from the perspective of an Outer One?
If your country is important, take proper measures before summoning…is basically what he said.
To the Outer Ones, they live in the Medium, so it doesn’t matter if a country on the surface disappears. We would be having a bad time in the Nether, though!
“I mean, isn’t that a terrible position to be in?”
“You’re free to go to the surface, so isn’t it an appropriate role for you? It would be an easy position, if you become strong enough to make it unquestionable. Do your best to become a dominant race.”
Well, I’ll level up without being told….. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of position I get.
It seems I don’t need to bother meeting Hastur any longer. If an Outer One is summoned, it seems best to be prepared for them to take out a country.
“By the way, you have a good appetite for knowledge, don’t you?”
“Mm? I think it’s on par with anyone else.”
“Have you been to the library?”
“Is there one in the Medium? I’m curious.”
“You can get there from the castle. You should go.”
“There is still a bit of time before dinner… so I’ll go now.”
It is marked on the mini-map after he showed me the way, so let’s go.
First, to the castle.
Turn here….. and straight here. Then turn here…
Mmm, there is a beautiful garden. Is there a gardener in the Medium? I’m sure there would be a huge gap between appearance and personality…but isn’t that nothing new?
Oh, what’s that?
“….Kitty?”
Oh, the kitty turned around….and it has three eyes. Of course there wouldn’t be a mere cat in this place.
Distinctive fiery red eyes and black fur. Hmm……? Three flaming eyes?
“Nyar…..”
“Tch…..”
He’s messing with me. I was almost fooled. On to the library.
He isn’t stopping me, so it really was the case.
There it is. That door. Inside is….hm? Transferred!
Oh….I can see bookshelves, so it must be a library. It isn’t a library according to the map…Mm? The area name displayed below the mini-map is ‘Celaeno Library’. The Cthulhu library would be the Great Library of Celaeno. Or the Miskatonic University Library?
Anyway, the moment I touched the door, I was transported to Celaeno. It’s probably one of the biggest libraries in the world, so I’ll have to count on «Intuition»… That’s what I’ve been doing in libraries so far. It’s not easy to find the book you want.
There is something conical at the reception. Celaeno Library Management Organism. What’s with that name…. seems like an NPC.
“Welcome to the Celaeno Library. Books may not be taken from the premises. Notes are allowed. Keep it clean.”
“Understood.”
I have obtained permission, so let’s search.
No, is «Intuition» already reacting? ….It’s doing its job. I pick up and open a nearby book, but there is nothing written inside. I don’t need the invisible type! Easy is better.
This is the shelf that «Intuition» is reacting to. What kind of book is shining?
Eh…I’ll leave these two books for later and move on.
<You have begun deciphering the Celaeno Fragments with «Ancient Divine Linguistics»>
<The special recipe 『Elder Sign』 has been learned>
<The special recipe 『Interstellar Whistle』 has been learned>
<The special recipe 『Golden Mead』 has been learned>
<The special spell [Summon Byakhee] has been learned>
Mm… If this is from the Fragments, I wonder what the other two books will be like.
See? Hyperborea’s version of the Book of Eibon. 『Kitab Al-Azif』 written by Abd Alhazred. The dangerous grimoires. In TRPGs, they never appear because of scenario and character breaks.
The Hyperborean version is said not to exist in the TRPG in the first place. The complete book of Eibon, before it was made into a book. Kitab Al-Azif, the original Necronomicon, should already be gone.
Well, that’s the story in the TRPG, but in this game they’re right in front of me like it’s normal. There is no SAN value in this game. In other words, I’m happy to read them!
First, take the Book of Eibon from the shelf….Eh? Control of my body was taken away….an event here?
The Book of Eibon hanging from my waist and the Hyperborean version face each other in the air.
Then, in a flurry of flashy magical effects, the pages flutter as lines of text flow from the Hyperborean version into my copy of the Book of Eibon.
I wonder if it is copying. The Hyperborean version won’t become blank, will it? The librarian will certainly be angry if so…
The magic effects are very flashy, so the creature managing the Celaeno Library has come to see what’s going on…. I still can’t move.
“Fumu…. as the Goddess wills…..”
Oh, it went back.
By the way, my Book of Eibon is ‘Go’, and the Hyperborean version is ‘Ex’. Since it’s a phenomenon caused by a sacred artifact, the organism in charge of the Celaeno Library is letting it pass.
I have regained control as soon as it finished, but it put on weight….did it gain more pages?
[Equipment / Weapon] Book of Eibon Rarity: Go Quality: S+ Durability: —
A very ancient grimoire containing forbidden knowledge.
A perfect copy of the Hyperborean edition.
Grants the owner access to the depths of knowledge.
[Synchronised Behaviour]: When conscious of using magic, the book will follow while floating around the owner.
[Auto Spell]: Acts as a magic catalyst without needing to be held.
[Anti-Spell II]: Automatically resists hostile magic directed at the owner.
Applicable Skills: «Book» «High-Class Magic Ability»
The description has changed a little and [Anti-Spell] has been strengthened. Everything else is unchanged.
Checking the Hyperborean version, it seems to be a copy, which is a relief. There is nothing to learn. It is just an equipment enhancement.
Next, Kitab Al-Azif.
When I touch the book, I lose control again, and my Book of Eibon and Kitab Al-Azif float up. You’re going to inhale this one too? It’s no longer the Book of Eibon, is it?
Ahh…. the book is getting more and more chunky….
These two books alone exceed 1300 pages. 500 for Eibon and more than 800 for Necro. So it’s quite thick. A level that makes it inconvenient to read, honestly. Fortunately, it’s a game, so I don’t have to strain my arm to hold the book. Before that, though, I can’t read it because it’s treated as equipment, not a book.
I mean, I don’t want to hang it on my waist if it’s going to get that thick?
The copy seems to be finished, but the book is fluttering along in the air. I automatically walk after it. Control has not been returned yet. It is a plain and long event.
Or rather, where are you going.
I don’t even need to touch a book anymore. It’s moving by itself, sucking from other books without permission.
Down the stairs that likely lead underground, past the bookshelves and deeper and deeper.
In front of a strong door, the book spins and the door opens. As I pass through the door, the environment changes to resemble a cave. As I go further, I can see something intangible, with a large number of swelling tentacles.
Something like an amoeba is separating from it and moving away, but it is captured by the tentacles and pulled back, then separating and being captured again repeatedly.
The tentacles are also reaching out to catch me, but I’m avoiding them. The game is still in control, so it is a performance.
Appearance-wise…. It looks close to Shoggoth?
My equipment is still floating overhead… or perhaps I shouldn’t say that, as it moves from above me to head deeper into the cave.
I try to follow my equipment, but the tentacles resist too much and it’s impossible to get past. It seems I have to stay back and wait for the equipment.
Hm……? In a damp cave, amorphous, with lots of tentacles. And repeatedly taking in something that separates from its body…
Ah….it must be Ubbo-Sathla and its spawn. Oh, I think there was also a dangerous tablet or something at Ubbo-Sathla’s place? I don’t remember the name.
It’s at a distance I can’t grasp, so I don’t know what’s going on….
Oh, it came back……. A bookmark? The appearance of the book was very grimoire-like, so I liked it a lot.
The bookmark passed by me and I followed it back to the library. When I pass through the door, the bookmark shines and a very thick book comes out. After the book spins around and the door closes, it turns back into a bookmark and returns to my waist.
<『Title: Complete Decipherer of the Book of Eibon』 has been enhanced to 『Title: Adrift in the Sea of Knowledge』>
Oho?
I have finally regained control of my body. I didn’t want to hang a thick book, and have seen that the bookmark is its stowed state, so let’s say that it’s fine.
I’ll check things over while making my way back.
[Equipment / Weapon] Book of Elder Records Rarity: ExGo Quality: S+ Durability:—
A grimoire containing the wisdom of the world. Grants the knowledge sought by the owner.
[Synchronised Behaviour]: When conscious of using magic, the book will follow while floating around the owner.
[Auto Spell]: Acts as a magic catalyst without needing to be held.
[Anti-Spell III]: Automatically resists hostile magic directed at the owner.
[Mirror Spell]: The magic cast is fired twice.
Applicable Skills: «Book» «High-Class Magic Ability»
Oh, I see. The tablets in Ubbo-Sathla’s place are the Elder Records.
Without being used, [Anti-Spell] has changed from II to III.
And the new [Mirror Spell]. Needless to say, it is strong. It’s very strong, but the ability is locked because I haven’t cleared the condition of use yet. Sad.
The requirements are a base level of 50 or higher and possession of «Super-Class Magic Ability».
I have not cleared either condition.
And the title.
Adrift in the Sea of Knowledge
The amount of knowledge is too vast.
It is the Elder Records, so I’m sure that’s true….
The rest is what I learned from the Celaeno Fragments.
…..Where is it? Eh….. «Ancient Divine Linguistics»!
[Summon Byakhee]
Summon the Byakhee to carry you.
With magic, worship Hastur. If you make a mistake, start over!
Ia! Ia! Hastur!
Hastur Kufayak Bulgtom
Fugtragurn Bulgtom
Ai! Ai! Hastur!
Waa….chanting a spell. I’d like to try it once.
And the recipes….. Fumu…
[Tool] Elder Sign
A mark of escape from demons.
If written on a door or passage, demons will be unable to pass.
While not ineffective when written on armour, only the armour will remain undamaged.
A pendant with the old mark will provide almost no effect.
If you feel concerned about not wearing it, a shield is best.
[Tool] Interstellar Whistle
The whistle required to summon the Byakhee.
Made from stone using «Craftsmanship». Low durability. Cannot be repaired.
Forged from an alloy with «Blacksmith». Very high durability, but difficult to make.
Summoning Procedure
Create the whistle, fill the whistle with magic power, blow the whistle, chant the spell.
A large amount of magic power is required, but it is not necessary to fill it all at once.
The spell is only required the first time. However, you will be carried more carefully if you chant it every time.
[Drink] Golden Mead
Temporarily gain resistance to vacuum and changes in the environment.
Very good, but quite difficult to make.
The spell is also written on the whistle, so it seems you can summon it by learning the magic [Summon Byakhee] or by getting the whistle?
And the Elder Sign. The mythical creature countermeasure has changed to demon countermeasure. It seems that demons are the villains of this game after all.
Now, let’s say goodbye to the creature who manages the Celaeno Library and go home.
When I touch the door, I safely return to the castle in the Medium.
I don’t have the materials to make any of these right away.
To begin with, the whistle is made with «Craftsmanship» or «Blacksmith». The «Blacksmith» recipe seems to use an alloy of silver and meteorite. Meteorite has not been found yet.
The Elder Sign has a wide range of use, because it is enough to just make the shape, but it won’t get a turn even if it’s made. I haven’t heard of anyone encountering demons yet.
Golden Mead….. It doesnt make sense to make it for my own race…. Like zombies, I don’t need to breathe, and changes in the environment are damage at high and low temperatures. This is also invalidated by my race.
In other words, the harvest was just strengthening the equipment….the Book of Elder Records. Well, there are days like that. It’s a good thing that I was able to strengthen my equipment.
Now, it’s about time for dinner.
After dinner, it’s time to check the behaviour…and performance, of the Book of Elder Records .
Let’s get acquainted with the rabbits around the Starting Town.
When I become conscious of fighting, the bookmark floats up from my waist and becomes a very thick book.
When I walk, it floats behind me, and when I stop, it circles like a satellite, just like before.
Now the magic….Oh, it changed!
It used to be that in a standby state….. The state just before saying the activation keyword and consuming MP. In that standby state, the book would open towards the enemy, circling around me while the pages fluttered.
Now, in addition to the previous movement, the pages also take flight. Pages are flying around the book.
Incidentally, if I hold my arm out, with my palm facing upwards, the book will float above my palm. The style is rather flexible.
Then, next.
….The first part should be fine. The problem is…. Bulgtom Fugtragurn Bulgtom. Bulgtom Fugtragurn Bulgtom…..Okay.
Let’s try it.
Select [Summon Byakhee].
The Book of Elder Records stays in front of me and opens its pages to the sky. After flipping through the pages, it stops, and the magic circle is…different. A yellow sign appears.
Now the spell.
“Ia! Ia! Hastur! Hastur Kufayak Bulgtom Fugtragurn Bulgtom Ai! Ai! Hastur!”
MP was consumed during the spell, and as soon as I finish saying it, the yellow sign shines and disappears as if melting.
It seems that you can say it quite late.
The Byakhee comes from the sky, wings flapping.
To put it simply, Byakhee is…. well, an ant with human-like skin and eyes, and bat-like wings….? It also has a tail and a lizard-like mouth. It is 2 to 3 metres tall.
It flies at a speed of about 70 km/h on the surface, and the flight speed increases as the air pressure decreases. In other words, if a normal creature wants to be carried by it, it is essential to prepare for the cold. You won’t be transported into space in this game, though.
“Mu…? Oh, the newcomer. I’ve heard about you.”
“I just learned how to perform the summon, so I wanted to try it. After this, the Outsiders might start making requests of you, so I look forward to working with you.”
“I don’t mind as long as you follow the procedure. So, are we going somewhere? Or just a greeting?”
“Just to say hello.”
“Umu, well then. Spread the word about Hastur-sama!”
So he said, then flew away. So Byakhee can talk.
Hastur….I’m not sure if I want to preach. If you use a Byakhee as transport, instead of a horse, perhaps you’ll have to….
I’ll go preach on the BBS, then head to bed.
From today you can join the Hastur cult too! Have fun with it.
“Get anything, Onee-chan?”
“A lot of rubbish.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t ‘yeah’.”
“It’s going to be a bit too poor by the next time we come.”
“Right… I hope it happens somewhere else.”
“It might not be implemented yet.”
“I’m sure there’s more than one, but… I wonder.”
We return to town while talking, and move towards Ertz-san’s place as a group.
“Iron weapons, right?”
“『Yes!』”
“Yeah, yeah.”
It is finished quickly with the list function. I sell off mine too, then off to the Adventurers’ Union to get rid of goblin materials. Well, they’re cheap because everyone is doing the same. Even if it is cheaper than usual, I would rather get rid of them than have them clogging up the inventory.
Last, the Merchant Union. Check the consignment and deposit the money. Most of the players are doing this, so the population density…
Time to evacuate, along with my sister.
“Whew. The number of people really increased.”
“Sure did. It’s a good thing. Now I’m going to my house to check out skills.”
“I’m coming too.”
And so we both teleport over to my palace.
We take seats in the garden, and stare at the UI, while ignoring the flowers. Data over flowers. A true gamer.
«Holy Magic»
[Relaxation]
Rapidly recovers the target’s stamina.
«Shadow Magic»
[Shadow Fake]
Creates an insubstantial shadow in your previous state. Cannot attack. Vanishes when attacked.
[Shadow Pocket]
Shadows can be used as shortcuts to your inventory.
«Necromantic Secrets»
[Night Sky Array]
Creates a formation that strengthens a summoned body.
«Great Art».
Number of skills granted to servant: 3
Capacity cost for summoning: Evolution level x 9.
Capacity loss on servant death: 30%.
Capacity loss on servant purification: 60%.
«Sphere of Shaking Flesh»
Create 5 spheres.
«Mad and Merciless»
Call 3 tentacles.
[Relaxation] is a skill for other people. I don’t have the concept of stamina.
[Shadow Pocket] is… yeah. There’s nothing much to say about it. If anything, it’s not needed because I have the belt pouch.
«Great Art» has started to feel better with the level rising. It’s still worse than «Necromantic Secrets» alone, but it is nice that the capacity used has also started to decrease.
The spheres and tentacles are still the same. I have one more tentacle, so I can play about with macros a bit.
And it is [Shadow Fake] and [Night Sky Array] that need to be tested.
Let’s try them immediately. Starting with [Shadow Fake].
“I see? It is indeed as described.”
“I don’t know how you would use that magic?”
The state just before. In other words, a spell that creates a shadow alter ego on the spot, in the same stance as when the spell is cast.
I doubt it would work as a feint…
“It could be used for luring enemies….maybe?”
“Switching with it after being deliberately discovered? It might work on corners in a dungeon…”
Next is [Night Sky Array]. Night sky… is it a faint light that can be seen even without a celestial body such as the moon? Well, it doesn’t matter. The important thing is in-game performance.
I’ll use it now. Oh, it’s a coordinate type. And…. what is this. Specify a spherical range around the coordinates. In addition, there are four lines from the specified coordinates.
“Hmmm….? Hm….”
“Did you learn something mysterious?”
“Mm, kind of….?”
I install one for the time being, and a magic circle effect appears and disappears. ….Is it gone?
“It disappeared?”
“Hm….. I can see it with magic vision.”
The magic circle and area of effect of [Night Sky Array] can be seen faintly. The area of effect is a sphere around the magic circle. This is probably what was shown when placing it.
Then, following the extending line, place another one a short distance from the initial [Night Sky Array]. The same magic circle-like effect appears and disappears. However, when viewed with magic vision, it is connected to the first one by a line. Since two of them have been placed, two spherical effect ranges are also visible.
Installing another one, three of them are connected to form a triangle. The spherical area of effect is now limited to the inside of the triangle.
I’ll continue setting up the formations according to the lines.
“I see, the maximum number is seven”.
“Does the effect increase as you place them?”
“The range fluctuates, but the effect should go up. If you look only at the range, one is wide enough, so if you were to go to the trouble of placing them all and the effect didn’t increase, one would be sufficient.”
The test shows that one or two give a spherical effect range. Three is a triangle. Four for a square. Six for a hexagram. Seven is Crowley’s hexagram. It is placed in the centre of the hexagram.
I should go check the strengthening with Lana, later.
That’s about it for the skills.
“I’ve reached tertiary skills!
“Oh, it’s 60?”
“Yeah. SP cost is 10. I have to put some thought into which ones should become tertiary…”
“«High-Class Magic Ability» is almost there…”
“This is where it really starts!”
“Most of my mains are racial skills, so I guess it’s a little easier?”
“Enviable.”
Well, there are a lot of skills that can go up to level 100 in the first place.
“Speaking of which, Onee-chan, have you seen «Super-Class Magic Ability»?”
“Nothing in particular?”
“Apparently «Super-Class Magic Ability» is also a trigger. It unlocks all kinds of useful spells, depending on what magic you have.”
That makes me curious. Let’s see…
[Fall Control]
Reduces fall speed and fall damage.
This is the one Sophie-san was talking about. Unlocked with «Wind Magic» at 30 and «Super-Class Magic Ability»…? I can’t remember. Well…unnecessary in my case.
[Walking on Ice]
Allows you to walk normally on ice.
«Ice Magic» and «Super-Class Magic Ability», probably. Seems unnecessary if you attach spikes, but it might be advantageous to just use magic. Well, it’s good to have many options.
Ice Sneak… Sneak? Sneaking, is it.
That’s right…
“I can’t learn the four basic attributes, so I can’t learn most of these?”
“Onee-chan, can’t you do most of that racially anyway?”
“Hm….I don’t really need them…”
“Right.”
“Though, I’d like to have [Silence] or [Deodorising]. I’d also like [Stain-Proof].
“Isn’t it fine if someone in the party can use them?”
“Alf-san can’t use magic, and Ske-san is dark too! I wonder if the twins have anything other than dark?”
“The races…..”
The disadvantage of inhumans… It’s a very simple disadvantage. Matching types lead to a bias in magic. Well, as an inhuman, when you’re stuck, you’re stuck.
Information on spatial unlocks have not been released yet…..Let’s hope for warding.
“By the way, Onee-chan can make po-yons, right?”
“Mm? Well, if they can be made with alchemy.”
“Can I buy them from Onee-chan?”
“Hmm…Basically, I only make them for myself.”
“I don’t mind paying more if the quality is good! Salute-san is very popular. They’re often sold out. If I can buy from Onee-chan then I can save myself the trouble of searching around!”
“I see. I’m a magician, so I have MP ones for recovery in the field, but I don’t really bother with HP. I have auto-healing, magic, and I don’t get hit much in the first place.”
“I don’t use HP much either, so that’s fine. I use a lot of MP Po-yon to keep my damage up.”
“That makes sense.”
Generally, MP potions cost more than HP potions. If you use magic to heal and then drink MP potions, it may be cheaper to just drink HP potions.
Of course, the best thing is to avoid taking extra damage. Even though HP potions are cheaper, they still cost money.
The better the party, the less damage they will take, so they will need to use fewer HP potions. You can also gain experience by reducing how often you use potions.
Unless you are in a hunting ground where you can take a lot of hits, you’ll probably use them often. In my case, automatic recovery is enough, if it’s just a few hits. Because I’m a race that has plenty of HP and defence I’m very resilient.
“If it’s MP potions, I often find the materials in the field, so I should have some in stock.”
“Ex? Mega?”
“Mega pots.”
[Recovery] Mega MP Potion Rarity: No Quality: B+
A potion that restores MP, commonly used in the level 40-50 range.
The recovery amount is higher than in general products, due to being made carefully.
Cannot be used by Immortals.
“I’ll buy them, Onee-chan!”
“Oh, by the way, there’s lemonade for MP.”
“Lemonade?”
“Juice that gives you MP regen. It’s slower than potions, but the regeneration isn’t bad. It also cures dehydration.”
“Oh! It sounds good to drink before hunting. It’s valuable when you consider potion addiction.”
Lemonade gives a buff similar to [Meditation].
That seems to be enough potions, so I’ll sell my lemonade too.
By the way, apparently potion addiction causes your status to decrease if you drink too many potions. It seems to be difficult to get it when you are a low level player, because the effect of the potion is not so strong, but easier when you are a high level player and the effect of the potion increases.
“Speaking of which, it seems that there are types of liquor other than the concentrated ones.”
“Liquor?”
“Yeah. Liquor potions. They heal more than normal ones, but if you drink too much, you get drunk.”
“So it heals more with a disadvantage. Considering potion addiction, is liquor better?”
“Since the rare skill «Drunken Fist» was confirmed, it seems better to use liquor if you have that, at least.”
«Drunken Fist» is said to increase its power when you’re intoxicated, and also alleviate intoxication. It leaves you dizzy, but it seems to be enough to fight.
It’s a rare skill, so I can’t see the conditions, but it’s said to be unlocked if you fight while drinking.
I’m relaxing while talking with my sister.
“What’s this month’s event?”
“October is Halloween, right?”
“I wonder what they’re doing? I wonder if we can go to the Nether.”
“There’s nothing to do if you come. There are no shops or anything….”
“That’s sad.”
The Nether, to be honest, would probably bore you after you take a walk around.
“I mean, in this world, isn’t the fairy land more likely than the Nether?”
“Ah….Sweets and mischief.”
“This world also considers witches as pharmacists? I heard it was originally a harvest festival.”
“But don’t they ignore the world setting when it comes to official events?”
“Well…yeah.”
You can never be too careful with the management here. It’s October, so we’ll probably get an announcement soon.
Oh, Lana and Liselotte have arrived. I wonder if they have finished their investigation.
“Did you finish the investigation?”
“Yes. It seems that one of them is missing.”
“Is there any possibility that the process was complete?”
“Considering the amount of time, not when the sin was meddling with the soul.”
“So they are on the run.”
I’m sure they will enter the Abyss on their own, when their life span expires, but I should bear it in mind.
“Have you told the Chancellor?”
“I’ve told him.”
“Mm, okay. I’ll keep it in mind when I go to the surface. I usually check the souls.”
“If you find them and it gets out of hand, just call us with the key.”
“Got it.”
“Then, goodbye.”
She took Liselotte to the training ground. Looks like she will be seeing what she can do. Good luck.
Of course, I’ve written down the characteristics of the criminal.
“What were you talking about?”
“Lizzy…. let’s call the soul Lisa. I wanted to make sure that all the people who put the curse on Lisa were in the Abyss.”
“And one of them isn’t.”
“Looks that way. I didn’t receive a quest to find them. If he does it again, is it the backbone of a questline….or maybe a criminal record?”
The curse was placed on Lisa before the players arrived. Otherwise, it would have definitely been a world quest. A whole village was destroyed, so it is world quest scale.
Since it doesn’t lead to a quest to find him, is it a character setting? Or it could be that the moment I see him, I have to capture him. Maybe it’s related to one of the Empire’s world quests.
“Oh, I messed up. I haven’t heard what kind of ritual they were trying to perform.”
“Isn’t that the most important thing?”
“No, really. And I’d like to test my skills…so I think I’ll go ask them.”
A ritual so great it requires sacrificing a soul. Well, I can’t imagine it’s anything nice. ….Nothing with the cost being a sacrifice could be any good.
“Mu, hunting!”
“Have a good trip.”
I see off Rina at the mini-statue and head to the training ground.
Lana and Lisa are being quite flashy….
Well, it’s no surprise that Lana is no easy opponent. It is the difference created by the amount of time, and she is also ahead in level.
On the surface, Lisa was also a great veteran, almost a hero, but the Nether is full of people with their level maxed.
Let’s do the testing first.
Summon #1 in a level 40 skeleton body…..A Full Armour Skeleton. The progression was ‘Skeleton’, ‘Red Skeleton’, ‘Metal Skeleton’ and now ‘Full Armour Skeleton’. The skeletons wear their own armour. It’s a bit ragged, but it looks fairly strong. Ske-san says that they have a somewhat high defence.
Now, monitor the HP gauge of the training target while he attacks. It’s like Primula-san’s firing range. I’ll compare the normal damage with having the array set up.
There is no mistake that more formations means more strengthening. One is barely more than an error, but it has a wide range, so it might be fine as it is. With all seven deployed, the effect is quite good. Perhaps around 1.5 times.
Now…..
“Lana. Have you heard about the ritual?”
“She said it was a summoning ritual.”
“….Is it an evil spirit or something? Is there such a thing?”
“I think it’s an otherworldly summoning ritual. The Nether we live in, and also the Medium of the Outer Ones, are considered different worlds to the surface.
“….Can something be summoned?”
“It’s possible.”
“I thought there were no summons. For violations, we can transfer over… But I’ve never heard of summoning on the surface.”
“It’s usually the court wizards who do the summoning. I’m a swordsman, so I don’t know all the details, but….it should generally be royalty and nobility behind it.”
Hmmm. But they….I mean, I don’t think there’s any particular point in summoning us? Unlike the original, they are not the types who would go on a rampage even if they were summoned.
“Depending on the contents of the summoning, they could still go wild?”
“Eh.”
“More accurately, it depends on what is summoned…. Once you summon them and tell them what you want, if you can provide a suitable reward or price, it becomes a contract.”
Ah, like summoning a devil and making a contract with it in real life. In this game, devils are the counterpart of angels, so it’s not called a devil summoning.
In other words, after being summoned from the other world….. If the character of the summoned party matches what is being requested, they may agree to the contract even if the reward itself is not so great.
Oh? Isn’t this actually pretty bad?
“When it comes to Outer Ones, summoning should be impossible without the best of intentions. The goddess Stellura keeps them in isolation.”
“Then what were they trying to summon….”
“When it comes to things other than us or Outer Ones….Ah, don’t tell me, demons….?”
“Demons? What kind of beings are they?”
“They are evil beings with a very bad character. It’s a story from around the time of the Chancellor… All I know is that before my time there was a large-scale invasion and the gods had to intervene. At that time, there must have been a big war with the demons who went to the surface….”
It seems like something that would come up in a history book, right?
For the time being, I’ll note that demons seem to be the main focus of the story. The demons here are equivalent to reality’s devils…. Since the gods were out in force, the top was probably a demon god, rather than a demon king.
“Sire.”
“What is it?”
“They wore matching symbols like this.”
Lisa shows me a symbol that looks like three twisted lines around central dots, like a shuriken….? That looks familiar. Eh…..The Yellow Sign? That’s Hastur!
I’ve not met Hastur yet. Well, what kind of character is he…. That is the question. In the case of this cult…. shouldn’t it be crushed? Won’t you go…to the Abyss?
For now, the demons don’t seem to be involved.
Even so… Hastur is a Great Old One, in the Cthulhu mythos. In other words, he should be a follower of Stellura-sama, so I don’t think there is any way he could ask for a soul? The soul is the province of the goddess Stellura. It shouldn’t be possible to demand it.
Fumuu….?
“Basically, those who are not famous won’t be summoned, but Nemeseia is famous. Other than that, arbiters may also be called. The Outer Ones maybe for strange things. I haven’t heard of many summons lately? I can’t tell if it’s peace or forgetfulness.”
“Were there many before?”
“Quite a lot? In some countries they would summon an arbiter for important trials and so on…. I’m sure the Prime Minister has been told. He’s supposed to receive reports.”
“Then I’ll go talk to the Chancellor and then ask about Hastur in the Medium….”
I leave the training grounds and go to meet the Chancellor in the castle.
“So, first.”
“What is it?”
“Have any arbiters been summoned recently?”
“Mu? There should have been. Er….Creakstone, 47 years ago.”
“Has there been any change in the frequency of summons?”
“Speaking of which, does Dinite still exist?”
“Yes, it does.”
“I’m worried about the lack of summons from the Empire, which is the most frequent summoner.”
Creakstone is….the western kingdom of the northern continent.
And the Chancellor is concerned about the lack of summons from the Dinite Empire.
“How often were the summons?”
“Once every few years. The larger the territory, the more fools there are. To silence the idiots and ensure smooth and certain punishment, they would summon an arbiter to attend.”
“So neither side will do anything wrong, but will proceed quietly and according to the law?”
“That’s right. If progress is held up with pointless things, the arbiter will wield the Sword of Judgement. If they lie in front of the arbiter, the sin will be heavier.”
The arbiter is not on either side, but has the role of seeing that the law of the country is followed correctly. It is not enough to be a good person, so there are not many arbiters among the Immortals. A rare profession!
Well, that aside…I’ll have him teach me how to perform a summon and make a note of it. It can be passed on to the Residents.
“Chancellor, do you know how to summon an Outer One?”
“Haha, you will have to ask them.”
“Yes. Then I will go to the Medium.”
So, now to the public area of the Medium.
The map is as beautiful as ever. Just the map. It’s just the people living there that look the way they do.
Well, it’s good to come here….but now what? The main purpose is to find out what kind of character Hastur is. Also, how to summon Outer Ones.
In the worst case, even if summoned, I feel like with my Book of Eibon, or Ske-san’s Necronomicon, we could just leave…
“Why are you standing in such a place?”
Oh, it’s King Woofwoof.
Good timing, so I’ll ask.
“I heard that Outer Ones can be summoned, do you know how?”
“Mu? Well, I know, but you have the key.”
Ah, so I can call Outer Ones with this key. I can’t use it to go to the past or future, but it will open a gate so I can call them or send them home. But I don’t particularly want to call them.
“It’s good information that I can call with the key, but not that, do you need a soul sacrifice to summon an Outer One?”
“Soul sacrifice? I don’t want such a thing. Or rather, we would be offended if that was done.”
“Yeah, that’s right…so maybe the wrong method has been passed on.”
“Explain in detail for the time being.”
I will share the information on Lisa’s situation.
“…..I see. Yes…got it. Possibly, they thought of summoning by harnessing the vast energy of the soul. Not as a sacrifice to Hastur, but as energy for the ritual.”
“Oh, I see. It was like that.”
“It would take hundreds of humans to summon us. But if they were to use a soul, it would take a lot less. It’s forbidden, though.”
“Stellura-sama wouldn’t allow it, would she?”
“Certainly not. If they’re still doing it, «Erasing Burning Chain» might be needed. It would be deserved, so there is no need for sympathy.”
At any rate, the soul was not requested by Hastur. Still, I now know there is a cult, so I want to know his character to some extent…
“By the way, how often are you summoned to caused trouble on the surface?”
“Rest assured. They’ll only take one country at most and stop. The gods would be angry.”
“From the point of view of humanity, even a single country would be extremely damaging…”
“Fumu? It’s a small thing. If you want to stop it, you have to become strong enough to suppress them. If you do, you might be given such a position, you know? Once you have the position, they will basically obey. That’s the rule.”
That’s max level, right? How many years will it take. ….Is it just the blink of an eye from the perspective of an Outer One?
If your country is important, take proper measures before summoning…is basically what he said.
To the Outer Ones, they live in the Medium, so it doesn’t matter if a country on the surface disappears. We would be having a bad time in the Nether, though!
“I mean, isn’t that a terrible position to be in?”
“You’re free to go to the surface, so isn’t it an appropriate role for you? It would be an easy position, if you become strong enough to make it unquestionable. Do your best to become a dominant race.”
Well, I’ll level up without being told….. I’m looking forward to seeing what kind of position I get.
It seems I don’t need to bother meeting Hastur any longer. If an Outer One is summoned, it seems best to be prepared for them to take out a country.
“By the way, you have a good appetite for knowledge, don’t you?”
“Mm? I think it’s on par with anyone else.”
“Have you been to the library?”
“Is there one in the Medium? I’m curious.”
“You can get there from the castle. You should go.”
“There is still a bit of time before dinner… so I’ll go now.”
It is marked on the mini-map after he showed me the way, so let’s go.
First, to the castle.
Turn here….. and straight here. Then turn here…
Mmm, there is a beautiful garden. Is there a gardener in the Medium? I’m sure there would be a huge gap between appearance and personality…but isn’t that nothing new?
Oh, what’s that?
“….Kitty?”
Oh, the kitty turned around….and it has three eyes. Of course there wouldn’t be a mere cat in this place.
Distinctive fiery red eyes and black fur. Hmm……? Three flaming eyes?
“Nyar…..”
“Tch…..”
He’s messing with me. I was almost fooled. On to the library.
He isn’t stopping me, so it really was the case.
There it is. That door. Inside is….hm? Transferred!
Oh….I can see bookshelves, so it must be a library. It isn’t a library according to the map…Mm? The area name displayed below the mini-map is ‘Celaeno Library’. The Cthulhu library would be the Great Library of Celaeno. Or the Miskatonic University Library?
Anyway, the moment I touched the door, I was transported to Celaeno. It’s probably one of the biggest libraries in the world, so I’ll have to count on «Intuition»… That’s what I’ve been doing in libraries so far. It’s not easy to find the book you want.
There is something conical at the reception. Celaeno Library Management Organism. What’s with that name…. seems like an NPC.
“Welcome to the Celaeno Library. Books may not be taken from the premises. Notes are allowed. Keep it clean.”
“Understood.”
I have obtained permission, so let’s search.
No, is «Intuition» already reacting? ….It’s doing its job. I pick up and open a nearby book, but there is nothing written inside. I don’t need the invisible type! Easy is better.
This is the shelf that «Intuition» is reacting to. What kind of book is shining?
Eh…I’ll leave these two books for later and move on.
<You have begun deciphering the Celaeno Fragments with «Ancient Divine Linguistics»>
<The special recipe 『Elder Sign』 has been learned>
<The special recipe 『Interstellar Whistle』 has been learned>
<The special recipe 『Golden Mead』 has been learned>
<The special spell [Summon Byakhee] has been learned>
Mm… If this is from the Fragments, I wonder what the other two books will be like.
See? Hyperborea’s version of the Book of Eibon. 『Kitab Al-Azif』 written by Abd Alhazred. The dangerous grimoires. In TRPGs, they never appear because of scenario and character breaks.
The Hyperborean version is said not to exist in the TRPG in the first place. The complete book of Eibon, before it was made into a book. Kitab Al-Azif, the original Necronomicon, should already be gone.
Well, that’s the story in the TRPG, but in this game they’re right in front of me like it’s normal. There is no SAN value in this game. In other words, I’m happy to read them!
First, take the Book of Eibon from the shelf….Eh? Control of my body was taken away….an event here?
The Book of Eibon hanging from my waist and the Hyperborean version face each other in the air.
Then, in a flurry of flashy magical effects, the pages flutter as lines of text flow from the Hyperborean version into my copy of the Book of Eibon.
I wonder if it is copying. The Hyperborean version won’t become blank, will it? The librarian will certainly be angry if so…
The magic effects are very flashy, so the creature managing the Celaeno Library has come to see what’s going on…. I still can’t move.
“Fumu…. as the Goddess wills…..”
Oh, it went back.
By the way, my Book of Eibon is ‘Go’, and the Hyperborean version is ‘Ex’. Since it’s a phenomenon caused by a sacred artifact, the organism in charge of the Celaeno Library is letting it pass.
I have regained control as soon as it finished, but it put on weight….did it gain more pages?
[Equipment / Weapon] Book of Eibon Rarity: Go Quality: S+ Durability: —
A very ancient grimoire containing forbidden knowledge.
A perfect copy of the Hyperborean edition.
Grants the owner access to the depths of knowledge.
[Synchronised Behaviour]: When conscious of using magic, the book will follow while floating around the owner.
[Auto Spell]: Acts as a magic catalyst without needing to be held.
[Anti-Spell II]: Automatically resists hostile magic directed at the owner.
Applicable Skills: «Book» «High-Class Magic Ability»
The description has changed a little and [Anti-Spell] has been strengthened. Everything else is unchanged.
Checking the Hyperborean version, it seems to be a copy, which is a relief. There is nothing to learn. It is just an equipment enhancement.
Next, Kitab Al-Azif.
When I touch the book, I lose control again, and my Book of Eibon and Kitab Al-Azif float up. You’re going to inhale this one too? It’s no longer the Book of Eibon, is it?
Ahh…. the book is getting more and more chunky….
These two books alone exceed 1300 pages. 500 for Eibon and more than 800 for Necro. So it’s quite thick. A level that makes it inconvenient to read, honestly. Fortunately, it’s a game, so I don’t have to strain my arm to hold the book. Before that, though, I can’t read it because it’s treated as equipment, not a book.
I mean, I don’t want to hang it on my waist if it’s going to get that thick?
The copy seems to be finished, but the book is fluttering along in the air. I automatically walk after it. Control has not been returned yet. It is a plain and long event.
Or rather, where are you going.
I don’t even need to touch a book anymore. It’s moving by itself, sucking from other books without permission.
Down the stairs that likely lead underground, past the bookshelves and deeper and deeper.
In front of a strong door, the book spins and the door opens. As I pass through the door, the environment changes to resemble a cave. As I go further, I can see something intangible, with a large number of swelling tentacles.
Something like an amoeba is separating from it and moving away, but it is captured by the tentacles and pulled back, then separating and being captured again repeatedly.
The tentacles are also reaching out to catch me, but I’m avoiding them. The game is still in control, so it is a performance.
Appearance-wise…. It looks close to Shoggoth?
My equipment is still floating overhead… or perhaps I shouldn’t say that, as it moves from above me to head deeper into the cave.
I try to follow my equipment, but the tentacles resist too much and it’s impossible to get past. It seems I have to stay back and wait for the equipment.
Hm……? In a damp cave, amorphous, with lots of tentacles. And repeatedly taking in something that separates from its body…
Ah….it must be Ubbo-Sathla and its spawn. Oh, I think there was also a dangerous tablet or something at Ubbo-Sathla’s place? I don’t remember the name.
It’s at a distance I can’t grasp, so I don’t know what’s going on….
Oh, it came back……. A bookmark? The appearance of the book was very grimoire-like, so I liked it a lot.
The bookmark passed by me and I followed it back to the library. When I pass through the door, the bookmark shines and a very thick book comes out. After the book spins around and the door closes, it turns back into a bookmark and returns to my waist.
<『Title: Complete Decipherer of the Book of Eibon』 has been enhanced to 『Title: Adrift in the Sea of Knowledge』>
Oho?
I have finally regained control of my body. I didn’t want to hang a thick book, and have seen that the bookmark is its stowed state, so let’s say that it’s fine.
I’ll check things over while making my way back.
[Equipment / Weapon] Book of Elder Records Rarity: ExGo Quality: S+ Durability:—
A grimoire containing the wisdom of the world. Grants the knowledge sought by the owner.
[Synchronised Behaviour]: When conscious of using magic, the book will follow while floating around the owner.
[Auto Spell]: Acts as a magic catalyst without needing to be held.
[Anti-Spell III]: Automatically resists hostile magic directed at the owner.
[Mirror Spell]: The magic cast is fired twice.
Applicable Skills: «Book» «High-Class Magic Ability»
Oh, I see. The tablets in Ubbo-Sathla’s place are the Elder Records.
Without being used, [Anti-Spell] has changed from II to III.
And the new [Mirror Spell]. Needless to say, it is strong. It’s very strong, but the ability is locked because I haven’t cleared the condition of use yet. Sad.
The requirements are a base level of 50 or higher and possession of «Super-Class Magic Ability».
I have not cleared either condition.
And the title.
Adrift in the Sea of Knowledge
The amount of knowledge is too vast.
It is the Elder Records, so I’m sure that’s true….
The rest is what I learned from the Celaeno Fragments.
…..Where is it? Eh….. «Ancient Divine Linguistics»!
[Summon Byakhee]
Summon the Byakhee to carry you.
With magic, worship Hastur. If you make a mistake, start over!
Ia! Ia! Hastur!
Hastur Kufayak Bulgtom
Fugtragurn Bulgtom
Ai! Ai! Hastur!
Waa….chanting a spell. I’d like to try it once.
And the recipes….. Fumu…
[Tool] Elder Sign
A mark of escape from demons.
If written on a door or passage, demons will be unable to pass.
While not ineffective when written on armour, only the armour will remain undamaged.
A pendant with the old mark will provide almost no effect.
If you feel concerned about not wearing it, a shield is best.
[Tool] Interstellar Whistle
The whistle required to summon the Byakhee.
Made from stone using «Craftsmanship». Low durability. Cannot be repaired.
Forged from an alloy with «Blacksmith». Very high durability, but difficult to make.
Summoning Procedure
Create the whistle, fill the whistle with magic power, blow the whistle, chant the spell.
A large amount of magic power is required, but it is not necessary to fill it all at once.
The spell is only required the first time. However, you will be carried more carefully if you chant it every time.
[Drink] Golden Mead
Temporarily gain resistance to vacuum and changes in the environment.
Very good, but quite difficult to make.
The spell is also written on the whistle, so it seems you can summon it by learning the magic [Summon Byakhee] or by getting the whistle?
And the Elder Sign. The mythical creature countermeasure has changed to demon countermeasure. It seems that demons are the villains of this game after all.
Now, let’s say goodbye to the creature who manages the Celaeno Library and go home.
When I touch the door, I safely return to the castle in the Medium.
I don’t have the materials to make any of these right away.
To begin with, the whistle is made with «Craftsmanship» or «Blacksmith». The «Blacksmith» recipe seems to use an alloy of silver and meteorite. Meteorite has not been found yet.
The Elder Sign has a wide range of use, because it is enough to just make the shape, but it won’t get a turn even if it’s made. I haven’t heard of anyone encountering demons yet.
Golden Mead….. It doesnt make sense to make it for my own race…. Like zombies, I don’t need to breathe, and changes in the environment are damage at high and low temperatures. This is also invalidated by my race.
In other words, the harvest was just strengthening the equipment….the Book of Elder Records. Well, there are days like that. It’s a good thing that I was able to strengthen my equipment.
Now, it’s about time for dinner.
After dinner, it’s time to check the behaviour…and performance, of the Book of Elder Records .
Let’s get acquainted with the rabbits around the Starting Town.
When I become conscious of fighting, the bookmark floats up from my waist and becomes a very thick book.
When I walk, it floats behind me, and when I stop, it circles like a satellite, just like before.
Now the magic….Oh, it changed!
It used to be that in a standby state….. The state just before saying the activation keyword and consuming MP. In that standby state, the book would open towards the enemy, circling around me while the pages fluttered.
Now, in addition to the previous movement, the pages also take flight. Pages are flying around the book.
Incidentally, if I hold my arm out, with my palm facing upwards, the book will float above my palm. The style is rather flexible.
Then, next.
….The first part should be fine. The problem is…. Bulgtom Fugtragurn Bulgtom. Bulgtom Fugtragurn Bulgtom…..Okay.
Let’s try it.
Select [Summon Byakhee].
The Book of Elder Records stays in front of me and opens its pages to the sky. After flipping through the pages, it stops, and the magic circle is…different. A yellow sign appears.
Now the spell.
“Ia! Ia! Hastur! Hastur Kufayak Bulgtom Fugtragurn Bulgtom Ai! Ai! Hastur!”
MP was consumed during the spell, and as soon as I finish saying it, the yellow sign shines and disappears as if melting.
It seems that you can say it quite late.
The Byakhee comes from the sky, wings flapping.
To put it simply, Byakhee is…. well, an ant with human-like skin and eyes, and bat-like wings….? It also has a tail and a lizard-like mouth. It is 2 to 3 metres tall.
It flies at a speed of about 70 km/h on the surface, and the flight speed increases as the air pressure decreases. In other words, if a normal creature wants to be carried by it, it is essential to prepare for the cold. You won’t be transported into space in this game, though.
“Mu…? Oh, the newcomer. I’ve heard about you.”
“I just learned how to perform the summon, so I wanted to try it. After this, the Outsiders might start making requests of you, so I look forward to working with you.”
“I don’t mind as long as you follow the procedure. So, are we going somewhere? Or just a greeting?”
“Just to say hello.”
“Umu, well then. Spread the word about Hastur-sama!”
So he said, then flew away. So Byakhee can talk.
Hastur….I’m not sure if I want to preach. If you use a Byakhee as transport, instead of a horse, perhaps you’ll have to….
I’ll go preach on the BBS, then head to bed.
From today you can join the Hastur cult too! Have fun with it.
