"Assistant? Working for you..?"
An'as looked at the rchant, stunned, his expression a mix of confusion and bafflent. And then, as he properly registered the situation, his face changed, and his voice raised.
"How ridiculous!? What sort of nonsense are you spouting?"
The disdain in An'as's face beca all too clear.
How could he not be baffled? So random "rchant" he knew nothing about had appeared out of nowhere and declared him an assistant. As if that made any sense.
This guy...
He was a total lunatic!
"I can't gauge your strength, but I don't think you're anywhere near as strong as the seven lords. It's also nothing compared to the Temple. Why would I work for soone like you? What can you even provide ? I can eas—"
"At the rate that you're progressing, you'll be stuck in your rank for a very long ti."
Lazarus suddenly cut An'as off, his calm voice echoing quietly as he pulled his hand away from An'as's shoulder and sat back down on the wooden box by the pier.
The rchant casually glanced at the sea.
"Like I said before, I know quite a bit about you. I've been closely watching you for so ti, and found enough information to know your current position."
"What sort of—!"
"You've only recently been promoted to the team leader rank. The average ti that soone remains stuck in such a rank is about five years. If you do exceptionally well, you'll be promoted in two years."
"....Ah."
An'as was speechless. He couldn't find any words to argue back. No, but most importantly, how did he know so much?
This information wasn't sothing that just anyone could know.
"What happens once you get promoted? You'll beco a collector. How long do you think it will take for you to rank up to beco a Luminarch?"
An'as felt his lips beco dry.
The ranks for the temple were as such: Acolyte, Emissary, Team Leader, Collector, Clergy, High-Clergy, Luminarch, Solarch, and Radiant Hierophant, or best known as the living Saint.
"To rank up from Collector to Clergy doesn't just take rit. You need to display abilities befitting such a rank."
With a casual glance in An'as's direction, the rchant shook his head.
"At your current Tier 4 rank, there's simply no way for you to rank up to beco a Clergy. You'll need to develop a domain at the very least."
"Wait, how do you..."
An'as's eyes widened when he saw the rchant see through his strength with just a glance. However, before he could say anything more, Lazarus raised his hand and stopped him.
"It doesn't matter how I know. The only thing you need to know is that I can help you."
"....What?"
Help...? An'as's lips opened and closed as he struggled to find the right words. How could soone like him...
Seeing his struggle, the rchant from afar smiled.
"Did I not say it before? I'm a rchant who cos from very far. I do have quite a few things that might co in handy for you. Who knows..."
He shrugged, closely looking at An'as.
"...I might even be able to help you develop a domain."
"Hiss."
An'as drew a cold breath upon hearing the rchant's words. Develop a domain? As if such a thing were easy! Especially in this treacherous place where everyone thought about their own benefit.
For years, An'as had been stuck in the sa rank, unable to develop a domain.
This was sothing that nearly everyone struggled to develop. In fact, almost ninety percent of people remained stuck in the fourth tier, never capable of developing a domain. To most people, the fifth tier was the wall that separated the normal people from the talented.
If there really was an item that could help him develop a domain, then there wouldn't be so many people stuck at such a level.
An'as didn't buy his words.
But...
What if?
There was always that 'what if' that lingered at the back of his mind.
"Hoo."
An'as took a deep breath, calming his thoughts down.
Though he was tempted to accept the offer, he still wanted to figure out what the motives behind the rchant were. There was no such thing as a free lunch.
"What exactly do you need from ?"
The rchant smiled at the question.
"Seems like I've managed to tempt you a little."
"...Speak. Don't waste my ti."
"Well, it's nothing much."
The rchant crossed his legs while staring at the crimson sea before pointing towards the distance.
An'as cocked his head in confusion.
"Ah?"
He wanted the sea?
"Remnant Sou—"
"That's impossible!"
An'as imdiately cut Lazarus off before he could finish his words. He didn't need to listen to his voice to understand what his goal was.
He wanted to go to the Remnant South.
The land where the Eclipsed Maw was!
"If your goal is to go to the Remnant South, I suggest you give up on the idea. Like I said before, the Crimson Sea is closely monitored by the Seven Lords. Getting past them needs special boats, and such boats only co once every several months. The most recent boat just left. And even if it was here, getting a place on the boat is impossible!"
The remnant south was an extrely dangerous place. It was where the Eclipsed Maw was located, and it was filled with all sorts of monsters. However, just as dangerous as the place was, it was also filled with opportunities.
It was filled with all sorts of resources, and it was for this reason that the Seven Lords prevented passage.
They wanted to monopolize the resources for themselves.
"Each one of the Lords is a monster of the eight tier, with hundreds, if not thousands, of crew mbers by their side. Trying to get to the Remnant South without their approval is like asking to get yourself killed!"
But that wasn't the scariest part.
"Even if you're strong. Let's say Tier 9, you'd still most likely lose! Not only do you need to take into account the number of crew mbers helping the Lords, but you also need to take into account the environnt! You're not fighting on land. You'll imdiately be put at a disadvantage."
There was a reason why nobody had been able to overthrow the Seven Lords. Not only were they strong, but even if soone stronger showed up, in the water, they were nearly invincible.
There had been several instances in the past where a Tier 9 had tried taking on one of the Seven Lords, only for them to lose miserably.
It was such events that made everyone give up on the notion of fighting them.
"If your plan is to—"
"Don't worry about that."
In spite of An'as's warnings, the rchant remained calm, the sa warm smile tugging at his lips as he stared at the distant Crimson Sea.
"I was aware of the circumstances from the start."
"Then!"
"...Then, nothing."
He slowly turned his attention towards An'as.
"I'll still stick to my plan, and you're coming with ."
"? What—"
"Like I said before, the mont you took money from was the mont you beca my assistant. I'll make sure you work your worth."
"You're crazy!"
An'as's voice rose, but the rchant ignored him and stood up, gently patting his clothes clean before turning around and moving towards the bazaar.
"Wait, where are you going...? I told you, I'm not—"
"You said the sa thing the last ti. Don't worry about that, I'll co find you when the ti cos, my assistant."
"Huh?"
Last ti? When did he...
"...Oh, and don't even think about reporting to the temple. This conversation we're having... It's not exactly the first."
"What...? Wait, what do you an?!"
The rchant's finger pressed casually against his temple, his back to An'as as he began walking away, his figure slowly lting into the crowd.
Even as he disappeared, his voice lingered in An'as's ears, sharp and unsettling.
"I'm capable of so much more than you think. I also know a lot. Things that you personally aren't even aware of, haha. It'd be best if you kept your mouth sealed unless you want all your hard work to go in vain."
These were the last words An'as heard before he disappeared completely.
An'as could only remain standing on the spot, his face frozen as his mouth opened and closed.
"What did...?"
***
"Huerk!"
I stopped inside a deserted alley within the city, pressing my hand against the side of the wall as my stomach lurched. A silver string flowed down from my mouth as my entire body shook.
"A-ah, shit."
I stared at my trembling arm, my mouth pressing tightly.
'This is taking a bigger toll on than I originally expected.'
Rustle~
A sudden rustling echoed in the midst of my situation. Looking up, a black owl appeared not far from .
"Are you okay, human?"
"...I...I can manage."
I replied while forcing myself to stand upright and forcing myself back into my facade. But the mont I did, my stomach twisted again.
This couldn't be helped...
...It was a reaction that ca from my mind directly.
It was rejecting what I was trying to do.
But I had to do it regardless of whether I wanted to or not.
This was the only way for to reach the fifth level of emotive magic.
'Yes, this is all for that...'
I was not the sa person as before.
I no longer had the ability to spam the first leaf or the second leaf in order to improve my emotive magic. And even if I was capable, I knew that it wasn't enough for to reach the fifth level.
The fifth level was fundantally different.
...The slow growth beca painfully apparent to .
And that was when I realized...
To reach the fifth level, I needed to do sothing different.
I needed to be different.
I couldn't stay as Julien or Emt anymore. I had already experienced all there was to experience as them.
To reach the fifth level.. I needed to beco soone else.
To experience things from a different perspective.
And as such, I beca Lazarus.
An elegant rchant from afar.
But...
"Kh... who would've thought things would be this problematic?"
In order to experience things as soone else, I had to beco them. I had to fully imrse myself in the persona. Making myself forget all about what I once was.
It was hard, and my body was rejecting it.
But even so...
'I have to do it.'
In order to improve my emotive magic, this was a must, and as such, closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I brushed my hair back and cald down.
This wasn't the first ti I had done sothing like this.
Perhaps, all that acting in the past had been a foreshadowing of what was to co.
Opening my eyes again, my lips slowly curled.
I imrsed myself once more.
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