The Great Sword is not the Main Body!-Chapter 76: Rest (5)

"As expected, you couldn’t hear it this time either."

"...No."

Yuria had spoken several times after that.

She tried different ways—speaking in circles, using only words here and there, even trying to speak in reverse.

She tried countless methods, but it still didn’t come through.

"This is strange. Charlotte, even though you're not a challenger, you could hear it without issue..."

The anger that had just settled began to flare up again.

"Well... I guess it can’t be helped. Ha... everything seems strange today."

In the end, with both hands and feet up in surrender, I slumped into the sofa.

I could hear and understand everything about the "challenger," but...

Why was it that I couldn’t hear anything about the secrets of the world? I didn’t understand.

The only being capable of such things... must be Lilith.

Is it because I’m a priestess? Would an ordinary person be able to hear it? Could Noah hear it...?

So many questions swirled in my mind, but I shook my head to clear them away.

I didn’t want to think any more.

I already had a lot of information in my head, and I didn’t want to think about anything new before I could even organize what was already there.

However... there was still something left to hear, so I reluctantly straightened up.

This wasn’t for me, but for Noah, so I had to listen to it.

"Charlotte. Earlier, Sirin... stopped the conversation, but could you tell me about the trials?"

Charlotte, who had been scribbling something on a piece of paper with her chin resting on her hand, suddenly looked up.

"Hmm? Oh, the trials... Right. Where did we leave off?"

"Well... you must have talked about the trials in Erden."

"Ah... yeah, that’s right. Good memory. So, the trials in Erden are about facing and overcoming trauma... basically some shitty trials."

"Yeah..."

"It’s about facing your trauma and overcoming it, that kind of feeling."

Facing trauma... Overcoming it?

The difference between overcoming and resolving...

As I tilted my head thinking about the difference between those two words, a smug smile appeared on Charlotte's lips.

I got annoyed for no reason and quickly turned my thoughts back to the matter at hand.

"Unlike overcoming, it’s about guiding it in a good direction... right?"

"Exactly. That’s the feeling. But, the difference is, unlike the trials in Erden, if you mess up here... you die."

"Why...? Aren’t all the trials conducted in the dream world?"

"Erden’s trials are like that, but not these. This one’s real... Umm, it’s really hard to explain, but when you enter a certain space, the scenery changes dramatically, and everything feels vivid, like reality... No, not like reality—becomes reality."

Charlotte, frowning and using hand gestures as she explained, suddenly sighed with frustration.

"Ugh, this is so hard. Yuria, you explain it."

Slumping her shoulders, Charlotte passed the explanation off to Yuria.

"Yeah, um... the trial..."

Yuria, taking over the explanation, also frowned, tilting her head as she slowly chose her words.

"Charlotte’s explanation is... not exactly right. It’s true the scenery changes, but it’s not just a change—it’s more like... the space itself is created... or wait, am I getting sucked in? Uh, um..."

If you are reading this translation anywhere other than Novelight.net or SilkRoadTL, it has been stolen.

"Yeah, Yuria’s explanation is hard too. Anyway, Rubia, this trial doesn’t take place in the dream world, it happens in reality. Plus, your own appearance changes according to the time frame... If you mess up, you could die."

Though their explanations were vague and hard to understand, one thing was clear...

"So, it’s a trial that takes place in reality, and if you mess up, you could die."

"Yeah. That’s definitely certain."

"Of course, others can’t enter, right?"

"Of course not."

"Right, I see..."

Charlotte, seemingly out of magic cigarettes, rummaged through the drawers and sighed irritably.

"By the way, Yuria, did you also undergo the trials in the same place as Charlotte?"

"Yes. I also took the trial at the 'Temple of Memories' near Cartia."

"...The Temple of Memories?"

"Yes. Do you know of it?"

Of course, I knew of it.

It was the very place I was planning to go.

But, the fact that such trials took place there...

Does that mean I will have to undergo a trial as well? Even as a priestess, will I be able to awaken my unique abilities?

"Yes... The Temple of Memories is my destination."

Yuria’s face showed confusion.

"You know its location?"

"...Yes."

"Eh...? How does Rubia know about it?"

Charlotte, who had been flipping through a book beside us, also voiced her confusion.

"Um... I heard about it."

It was hard to say.

"From who?"

"...Do I really have to say?"

Charlotte came closer, her expression serious, then looked at Yuria, seemingly seeking her approval, before speaking.

"Well... I’m not suspicious of Rubia, but... could it be that Lilith heard about this through Rubia, or something like that?"

"That... I can’t be sure of. But, didn’t I already say everything about the challengers?"

"That’s not the point. Lilith already knows about the challengers. Ugh... Lilith, that bastard!"

"...Huh?"

Charlotte suddenly started cursing Lilith.

"That fucking bitch. That slimy, pathetic bitch. She’s all talk, commanding only her apostles. What a pretentious bastard. A perverted, voyeuristic freak."

After cursing for quite some time, Charlotte raised her magical energy and nodded.

"Yeah. With that much... it should be fine. Honestly, if she doesn’t respond after all this, she’s not listening."

"Charlotte. The gods... are not idiots."

"I know, but... Ugh, anyway, if Rubia knows, Lilith might know too, so I’ll just say it."

Charlotte, having ruffled her hair, ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) seemed to give up and opened her mouth.

"That place is known only by the challengers and a very few individuals who support them."

In a much quieter voice, Charlotte sat down next to me, cleared her throat, and continued.

"And... it’s one of the few places in this world where you can avoid the gaze of the goddess, Lilith. So, who I heard this from is a very critical matter. If it wasn’t someone related to this, we might be in tremendous danger."

"...Then, we’ll have to deal with it."

Honestly, it was embarrassing to say.

"Um... a ghost..."

"Eh? I didn’t catch that."

"A ghost... a ghost suddenly appeared from under the blanket and told me. But... I was so startled that I didn’t catch some parts... Anyway, it told me to go to the Temple of Memories located in the northern part of Cartia."

Yeah. The ghost told me.

But I was so scared, I was startled and cried a little. Just a little. And I couldn’t hear everything properly.

It happened when I was young.

Well, I wasn’t a little kid, but...

When I had just become a priestess, around 21 years old...

Yeah. I was younger than I am now.

I was afraid of ghosts back then.

You might say, "How could a priestess be afraid of ghosts?" but I think it’s understandable. I had only just become a priestess.

Actually, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. Everyone’s afraid of ghosts when they’re young.

I’m not the only one, right?

So it’s not embarrassing.

I steadied my breathing, adjusted my expression, and spoke again.

"Ahem... I don’t know what the entity was, but five years ago, while I was sleeping, I heard a voice. It told me to go to the Temple of Memories, which is located in the northern part of Cartia. It said if I go out the north gate and spread my divine power, I’ll naturally find the way."

Charlotte and Yuria tilted their heads.

I ignored them and continued.

"When I get there, I was told that the way to enter is... to spill my blood where I feel it near the entrance."

"Rubia’s blood?"

"Yes."

Charlotte and Yuria’s gazes met in midair.

After exchanging some unspoken communication through their eyes, they nodded.

"That makes sense... since you’re a priestess. But, can you also tell us why you were told to go there? No, wait. This... hmm. I think it might be better to tell someone else about this."

"Someone else?"

"Yeah. You’ll learn who in time. I can’t just say it... huh... huh... What am I doing, talking like Sirin that little brat? Hmm... is this what it feels like?"

Charlotte, talking to herself, laughing and understanding it on her own, really annoyed me.

I don’t know why, but today, it seems like everyone’s talking in a way that I can’t understand.

"Anyway, both you, me, and Yuria... we all have complicated heads. Should we stop for today and rest?"

"Yeah. I think that’s a good idea."

I nodded readily.

I needed time to organize my thoughts.

It was time to buy the jelly and other supplies... well, not the rope... but some other things.

"Yeah. Rubia, Yuria, it’s better if you stay here, right?"

"I... think it’s fine."

"I like it here too. It’s free and convenient."

"Alright, alright. Then, everyone take the empty rooms and get some rest."

Updat𝓮d fr𝙤m ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com.

Charlotte waved her hand as she pulled the paper she had been scribbling on.

Two days later, the materials for Karpen arrived at the Central Guild.

Hephaestus began crafting the equipment, and Yuria started making various potions and supplements.

Charlotte, buried in a pile of documents, didn’t leave her office.

A fortnight passed.

The weather became slightly cooler.

The equipment made from Karpen’s materials was finally completed by Hephaestus.

Yuria’s potion making was also finished.

Charlotte’s pile of documents was now nearing its end.

Noah...

Hadn’t woken up.