Chapter 51: Chapter 51 – Ruins Arc

"Erase ritual, erase cursed sword," the mana density around her calmed down and she jumped inside the mirror with the eyes closed then Iris's senses returned.

I open my eyes quickly and see myself entering the mirror.

After going through the mirror I find my sister on her knees crying on the ground filled with snow.

'This place is so beautiful and white everywhere.'

"What's wrong Aurora?"

She looked up at me with a face full of sadness and despair and spoke, "Iris? Is that really you?"

"Of course silly, who else would I be," I drop on my knees and hug her while patting her hair softly, "don't cry my beautiful sister, everything is okay... or rather where are we?"

"There's something inside of you Iris, I don't know what it is but it felt creepy."

"I know Aurora, I've been trying to fight it, however, I can only hope my brainwash resistance gets maxed fast."

"I saw the things it did, the way it used your skills, it was like a full-fledged witch, someone who knew your class truly well!"

I pass my fingers on her cheeks cleaning her tears, and say softly, "don't worry dear sister I also saw what it did, and I've learned with it."

I turn around at the mirror and lightly touch it.

The black color of the wood around the glass changes color to brown, 'this made me feel that I can go through it again, meaning this place is just somewhere else. Our names are signed even in this side too.'

"It seems we can go back any time, so don't fret," Aurora upon hearing my words feels relieved nodding at my words.

"Now the question is where are we?"

I look around me finding everything white, filled with snow and I start realizing something.

"Take a good look around Aurora, don't you notice something strange?"

She gets up from the ground and after checking everything words come out," this area is rather small, isn't it?"

"Come, let's walk, mirror retrieve," it disappears and then I grab her hand and we walk for a few minutes in a straight line, eventually reaching the end of the snow.

"That looks like blackness, a void perhaps? What do you think Iris?"

Without fear, I try to pass my hand above and beyond the line where the snow ends. My hand stops at an invisible wall.

"Well, this is a good place for us to store things or hide if something happens."

"True Iris, you can even practice your witchcraft without anyone bothering you since the mana density in this place feels a lot better."

"I think I read about that somewhere, what was it again?"

"The higher density the faster your mana recovers, it is a good place to practice skills or in your case swordsmanship and witchcraft."

"True, I won't have to hide my class and skills anymore! I'm already loving this place just on that alone, a small world with no one to bother us."

"We should get back though, I'm making Mark wait, mother might come in and make a ruckus that we're not in the room."

"Yes, you're right let's go, mirror," the big old mirror appears, I grab her hand and we go through together.

Shortly after we return to the exact same spot inside the room.

"Seems like we return to the spot from where we enter."

"Indeed that's good to know, alright we'll talk later," she hugs me tight one last time for a long time whilst calming her breathing, and then leaves through the door, using her element to remove the ice in the handle.

Once she does I look at the mirror, at the reflection in front of me.

'So who are you?' I wait a bit and nothing happens.

'Well, was worth a try, retrieve mirror,' the mirror vanished and I left home towards the trees behind the house, grabbing an ax on the way.

I spent the morning watering fields, cutting trees, and turning them into logs while mother teaches the kids.

'The guards that stay at my door are very kind and are always smiling when they see me, so are the boys. I wonder why everyone always stares at me, why they bother themselves at all, I'm just a random kid.'

I head home to take a shower from all the sweat, then get myself into a light blue dress. I take the bag that contains the rabbit horns, the two cards, and head to the guild.

Some time passes and I shout from the entrance making everyone aware of me, while heading towards the usual balcony," Leonoooooor!"

"Irisssssss!" She shouts equally loud feeling very happy and excited to see me, making some of the adventures around do a cringe expression.

"Haven't seen you in a while, how have you been?" I place the bag with the horns and the quest together with our cards.

"I've been good handling all these adventurers, as usual, how about you and your sister, been having a good questing?"

"Yes! We've been slowly progressing."

"That's the way! Despite being slow it'll end up always part of the progress."

After a while of checking everything on the table, she shouts happily at me.

"Speaking of which miss Iris, congrats to you and Aurora on the rank D! Here's your card with the 408 points and the 120 copper for the horns."

"Thank you, Leonor, even though... we actually reached the D rank by doing F quests."

"That's a safe way to go at it, nothing to be ashamed of. Plus people usually party with a lot of others to do higher-ranked quests."

"True thank you, what quests do you have?"

"I have a rank F with slimes, a rank E with goblins..."

As she was going to say other things, I quickly interrupt her," I'll take the slimes one, since sister busy, so I'll go at it safely."

"Here you go," I read the paper wondering where it would take me this time around.

Quest
Rank: F
An unknown group of slimes have been sighted on the east woods beyond the farm of the Astia village.
They have killed a few adventurers who passed through.
You'll be rewarded 2 points and 5 copper per slime killed.

"Be careful Iris as there've been some victims already, and if you'd like... there's a newcomer who could use a hand as he never killed a monster before."

Leonor points to the right, "that bald guy Edgar, with the octagram shield, can introduce you to him if you'd like company."

"Sure, I'll take the person along."

I walk towards a really tall man, "mister Edgar?"

He turns around as I interrupt some conversation he's having, and looks at his front not seeing anyone then looks lower seeing me, a little girl.

"The blonde rookie, Iris right?"

"Yes, hello!" I reply with a smile then add a quick explanation," Leonor told me a newcomer had joined so she told me to ask you about it."

He takes a few steps to the side, "hey Kaito, Goro, this little lady wants to talk with you guys."

I look at the two boys in front of me they have brown hair and brown dark eyes, one is really fat and they're both taller and look older than me.

They approach me and say," Hello I'm Kaito a spearman," he says with a charming smile, and the other one says in a friendly tone, "hi I'm Goro... a master chef."

'Spearman and is holding a spear, easy to understand but what's a master chef? One who cooks or something? What's up with the big bag he's carrying?'

"Hello I'm Iris and the receptionist told me you two were looking for some help. I'm currently heading to do a slime quest in case you two would like to join me."

'This young kid is adorable even in our old world I didn't see many blondes with green eyes... I hope she won't bully me like the other girls at the church.'

"Nice to meet you, Iris," Goro replies happily while bowing lightly in my way, even though I'm not a noble making me feel awkward.

"Are you strong?" Kaito asks curiously, so he doesn't intend to party with weak people.

"I guess I'm a little bit strong?"

Kaito looks at Edgar who nods at him remembering their talk by the fountain.

"Actually it doesn't matter, we'd be happy to be part of your party Iris."

'Worst case maybe I can befriend her and get some free potions and other goods from the parents.'

"Sure," I reply with a smile," let's head to the east woods then near the farm fields."

We walk our way there while chatting.

"I haven't seen you two around the village before, are you new?" I ask them filled with curiosity.

"You wouldn't believe us if we told you we came from a different world," Kaito said with a joking face.

"Why not? It's pretty normal for the goddess Aria to bring heroes to this world."

'Oh right, they did say the goddess does it every 100 years or something,' Kaito thought finding it less amusing, and totally unlike the way, he imagined the conversation scenario to be.

"We're 2 of the 30 summoned people from this time around, we used to live in a world much more civilized, and with greater science than this one with barely any wars in it."

"That sounds like a really nice world Goro, even though I don't know some terms," I smile kindly at him, imagining what kind of world that could be.

'Iris seems pretty friendly so let's surprise her,' he stops moving and takes out a small box from the big bag and from it a fish,' he uses divine cooking while imagining a food called takoyaki.

After a few minutes, a plate with takoyaki on top appeared in his hands, "here Iris, feel free to try this, it's a meal from our homeland."

"You can cook things from your past world? That's amazing!" I stretch my hand and grab one of the balls eating it.

Notice: A +5 agility buff was added from the food.

 

"Your food gives statuses? That's pretty incredible, the food I always cook is just food," I laugh at that as nothing I made gave me anything, other than filling my belly along with cooking titles.

"How do you know that?" Kaito asks confused as to when he tried some food, had to check personal data to find out.

"I checked it with a skill," I nom another, "this is so good, you're truly talented Goro," upon hearing my compliment he became red like a tomato and spoke.

"Please eat more, if you're still hungry after this I'll make some more food."

I finished the plate then said, "I appreciate it but I'm good for now, thank you very much it was delicious." 

We resume our walk along with our conversation.

"Now that I think about it, what level are the two of you?"

"We're both level 1, we haven't really fought anything so far... since we just came from the capital," Kaito replied with a relaxed tone while looking at me.

"I suppose you don't know how to use that spear then?"

Kaito taking it personally replies a little colder, "what has that to do with you?"

"My mother teaches young kids, one of them is an adventurer, maybe you could become a student and learn more about your weapon." 

I smiled innocently while trying to be helpful to the newcomers.

Goro proceeds to hit Kaito with his elbow discreetly, making him understand that I didn't mention anything bad with it.

"Sorry about my tone, I thought you were making fun of me."

"Really? I didn't notice," we keep walking as I'm used to a lot worse from my sister, and then I continue the conversation.

"Is it okay if I ask more about your world? I'm a very curious girl."

"It's fine by me, what would you like to know Iris?" Goro quickly replies in a friendly tone.

"What did you guys liked most about your world?"

"Food!"

"Games!"

"Games like hide and seek?" I ask confused at Kaito's words.

They look at each other laughing.

"We had some very advanced games where we could have adventures in unrealistic worlds created by smart humans. It's a little hard to explain but it's like we could use magic and skills without actually being able to."

"That does sound confusing," they chuckle without being able to avoid it, as I make a funny expression not understanding it.

"It's kind of like a made-up world where you get to do the things you can do in this world," Goro simplified since he realized he's talking to a little kid.

"Oh, now I understand a bit better, thank you both," I smile joyfully at them wondering what kind of beings would live in such worlds.

'This girl sure is always happy, compared to the girls from our class she's a lot nicer excluding perhaps Honoka who is shy and kind.' Kaito looked at Goro who seemed to be thinking on something as well.

'I hope Iris grows into a good woman unlike Yuno and Aiko, those two are the worst,' Goro sighed not noticing Kaito staring as he faced forward while walking.

"Hello, long time no see!" I shout happily seeing a familiar face from the first quest I did with Elise and Aurora.

The old man turns around," oh if it isn't Iris the one who helped me last time along with the other two girls. How have you three been child?"

"Everything's fine, we have been doing a lot of quests and we're now both rank D adventurers!"

'She's two ranks above us!?' Kaito thought surprised while looking at Goro who didn't pay much attention to it.

"Congrats young lady! I hope you can become like the lady who used to be a peasant and then became a hero, showing the world that it is possible for lowborns to surpass nobles! If you were to become this kingdom hero... ah what delight that would bring to my heart."

He coughed twice possibly from talking too much, age, or even sickness. 

"I wouldn't dare dream that high," I smile, and then I say," I just want to become stronger and help others through questing."

The old man laughed lightly, "I'm sure you'll grow stronger with such a good goal." 

He pointed a little southeast," you should find the forest there since I believe you've come for another slime hunt." A kind smile then appeared on his expression while extending a hand to the top of my head, giving me a light pat.

"Yes, leave it to us!"

He looked at both of them, then he stared at Kaito for a bit, "make sure you treat this girl properly, she's the farmer's pride," the old man laughed loudly for a bit then resumes coughing rather aggressively.

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"Ah? Yes? Of course," Kaito replied confused feeling targeted making Goro chuckle.

'I didn't know about being their pride, did no one care about a slime quest or something? Perhaps it's due to me being a peasant and so young? Well, it doesn't really matter, I'm glad I can be of help.' 

I start walking while waving the old man goodbye, and then a few minutes later we arrive at the forest.

"Goro make me a meat dish for strength."

"Coming right out," he took out a rabbit and started making something with it.

"I'm assuming you'll do all the fighting for Goro?"

"Ah, yeah, I'm the offensive class after all."

"I believe you both could fight together, before I became a wizard I would just farm fields."

"You think I can fight?" Goro asked surprised while preparing the ingredient.

"No way you can, look at yourself you're way too heavy and have a support class," upon hearing Kaito's words he made a sad expression.

"I believe you both can fight equally well," I look seriously at Goro who looks back at me with sad eyes.

"I could give it a try," Goro said trying to reach my expectations.

"Do you have anything you can use as a weapon?"

"Sadly not, I only brought raw food."

"What weapon would you like to have?"

"I'm pretty big so maybe a hammer? Did hammers exist in medieval times?" 

He looks at his friend who was a little upset with the whole conversation. Since the games he played, every class had their own specific role, "I guess they did, small ones for crafting."

"Ice Hammer," I create a beautiful big hammer made of my element around 60 centimeters long, with a big icy rectangle on top.

Notice: The Skill Ice Hammer has been acquired.

Notice: 400 mana has been deducted.

 

"Here you go Goro," I extend it to him while feeling the weight of it.

He puts the bag on the floor and grabs it with one hand, and then realizing it is pretty heavy ending up using both hands.

"Woah, this is pretty heavy but so cool at the same time!" He said happily loving it.

"Alright, I'll stay behind both of you and support you whenever necessary."

"Thank you, Iris!" Goro shouted happily and ran making noise with each step towards the forest.

Kaito looked coldly at me, and then followed through.

"Look Kaito a clear slime here," he lifts the hammer really high and lets it fall on the slime smashing it.

Notice: 10 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

 

'The poor slime,' I chuckled, oddly finding it funny how a living being just got smashed rather violently.

He then lifted the hammer and noticed a shiny stone on the ground.

"What's that thing, Iris?"

"It's a soul stone it contains a portion of the monster inside, we use it as currency in the guild. A way for them to know how many we've defeated."

"Oh! The hammer is a bit heavy so if you could, you can grab those for us," he said happily thinking of a way to not make me do anything dangerous.

"Sure! Leave it to me Goro!" I look at Kaito who's struggling against a slime.

'Even with the strength buff and all my points on strength, I'm not dealing much damage to this thing. What's wrong with these monsters they're supposed to be extremely weak! Yet Goro one-shotted one! What the hell is this!? Goro even has less strength than me so how is he able to do that? Is this slime simply stronger than the one he defeated? Let me...'

"Yo Goro can you handle this slime too?"

"Yeah bro, leave it to me," he runs closer and then smashes the slime in one go.

Notice: 10 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

 

"These things are so weak," Goro laughed making the classmate become full of rage, which led to shouting," what the fuck!? Why are your attacks working when I'm the one with higher strength!?"

"That's because they're practically immune to physical attacks since they're made of mana, while Goro has a weapon made of ice which these in specific are weak to."

"Ice spear," I then close my eyes imagining a long stick with a very shaped edge at the tip.

Notice: 400 mana has been deducted.

Notice: The Skill Ice Spear has been acquired.

 

"Try this one," I extend it to him who takes it with brute force.

'This guy isn't very nice,' Goro notices my displeased face. Kaito then places his other spear near a tree and aims at a nearby slime killing it in 2 hits.

Notice: 10 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

 

'This weapon really does make a difference, these freaking monsters made me show a bad side of me.' 

He then runs at another one and starts piercing it relentlessly, to relieve the anger dwelling inside.

Notice: 10 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

 

Goro approaches me and speaks," sorry about Kaito's behavior he is a prideful person but means no harm."

I look at the one who approached me and reply," in the future, I'm willing to party with you, but not with him in case you end up alone, ask Leonor to tell me that you need help."

"I'm honored and who's Leonor?"

"The most beautiful and kindest guild receptionist."

"Oh alright, I'll ask in the guild for her if necessary, thank you, Iris."

"Well go smash more things, I'll pick the stones meanwhile, the weapons won't last forever."

"Ah, right sorry," he runs at slimes while having fun smashing them.

Notice: 10 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

Notice: 10 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

Notice: Iris has leveled up to 13.

 

'Seems like he's having fun, I could try to make more weapons in the future, just to get a lot of skills to rank up the skill mastery further.'

'I want to learn mana shield now that I have a skill point.'

Notice: Skill successfully learned; Status updated.

 

"Mana shield," I start feeling a thin barrier being formed around me.

'Didn't cost any mana to activate it, meaning that the skill will probably consume mana whenever used, I think it was when someone attacked me or something.'

"Ah!" A loud shout surprised me and Goro too, who isn't too far ahead from me.

I run as fast as I can to the scream direction, finding a red slime-burning Kaito's legs who's on the floor screaming, "icicle," I shoot 4 small icicles at it.

Notice: 200 mana has been deducted.

Notice: 50 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

 

I run closer to him and lightly freeze the burnt areas while he makes a pained expression.

"How did this happen?" I ask confused not expecting this to occur.

"My legs hurt, ugh that stupid slime was hiding behind a bush and I just ran on it without realizing it."

'I guess that's what happens when you're too angry to notice your surroundings, something my mother would surely teach you.'

"Kaito, check your health," Goro says worriedly as he approaches.

"Ugh, personal data," he checks the information in front of him, in an invisible screen to me.

"I have around 60 health left, and got a burning resistance skill from that, so just need to recover. Apparently also leveled up, let me put the points on stamina just in case."

'Seems like he's using his head now, perhaps the pain sorted the priorities up,' 

I collect the soul stone and then coat my hands with ice, freezing and blocking an incoming fireball from further ahead.

Notice: 200 mana has been deducted.

 

Noticing this, Goro runs around flanking the fire slime, while I keep holding my position protecting Kaito behind me.

'To think I'd be protected by a little girl, just how low have I gone in this world, just how hard is this shitty place. If it wasn't for this girl I'd most likely be dead by now, not only did I ignore the rest of my statuses, but I also thought I had become op just for receiving a temporary stronger weapon than mine, I'm so retarded... Before we came into this world the goddess told us we're part of one of the weakest races. I just assume that I'd instantly be able to beat slimes easily which in games are usually super weak, very often the weakest. In fact, why are slimes this tough? Was the red slime an advanced type? I guess it has a skill and since it can be used in close and long-range, it gives him a lot of advantages over me.'

Notice: 50 experience has been rewarded from a slime.

 

'At least Goro is being more successful than me, seems like I'm the one falling into supporting, if I don't step my game up I'll...'

"Can you walk?" I ask him while extending my hand in his direction.

"Yeah, don't worry." 

He grabs her slim hand which gets him to be pulled out of the ground easily. 

'Hum? This girl is pretty strong! How is the girl like this? She's so much younger than me, how's this possible? The goddess gave us a blessing skill and told us these skills would allow us to grow faster than most humans...' 

He looks at me startled making me do a confused look back at him.

'I guess that since she's been living here, probably had a lot of time to develop her abilities. Meaning that in a few years I should pass her as I have a blessed skill and she won't get any easily. Speaking of which I haven't tried my skill yet, since I needed a spear to use it, the reason why I went to get one at the blacksmith.'

I follow Kaito who seems like he's looking for something along with Goro, who brings me the soul stone from the fire slime he smashed storing it in the bag along with the rest of them.

"Found one!" He gets closer to the slime and shouts, "dragon thrust!"

From the ice spear, a fire dragon came out melting the weapon and burning the slime on the ground into dust.

'I've never seen that skill, was it the skill the goddess gave him? It was pretty cool, even though I prefer the good food from Goro's one.'

"That was amazing Kaito!"

"Yeah! Even though it consumed all my mana, personal data." Upon checking the changes he makes a shocked expression.

"My max health decreased and my mana got a lot higher!? Mana exhaust, health, and slime slayer titles!?" 

He shouted confused at the information in front of him.

'That was my reaction a while ago,' I smile happily reminiscing my starting line with the system library.

"That happened to me too Kaito when I used skills for the first time."

"Oh, so it's a normal thing from these titles."

"Didn't the church tell you guys about them?" I ask with a calm tone while making an innocent expression.

"No they only told us to spread the statuses points evenly as we'd need a bit of everything, and then they'd get us some good equipment to make it easier for us to level up."

'Are they scared they get disgrace titles or something? If they don't get many titles like I did they'll be extra weak... Should I tell them?'

"Since titles give good things we can try to collect some more of them as we go," Goro voiced his opinion on the matter keeping me silent.

"Yeah, let's share this information with the girls at the church, and send a message to the rest of our summoned friends about it."

"Let's take a rest here before adventuring deeper," I suggest cautiously so we can recover before attempting to go further.

"Sure, I'll go grab the food bag and make us something."

"Yes please, your food is the best!"

'Doing this quest with these two is actually more enjoyable than I thought it would be,' Kaito let out a smile while thinking about it.

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