Chapter Two: Dinner and Intentions

Outside Old Reve Orchard — Ray Starling

After I defeated the Demi-Dragon Worm, I picked up its drop item, a Demi-Dragon Worm Treasure Coffer, and escaped from Old Reve Orchard while carrying Milianne.

I didn’t think about going to aid Liliana.

On the window screen displaying our party members’ status, I could see that she was doing fine. Moreover, there was no way that a miracle like what had just happened would occur a second or third time. I had the feeling that if I were to get full of myself now, then it would definitely ruin things.

“Withdrawing is the right choice.” Nemesis, who was apparently my Embryo, explained the battle situation like so. “That tian girl won’t die. She’s the stronger of the two, so even if it takes some time, she’ll win for sure against that damn centipede.”

“Even though you were just born, you seem to be more informed about this world than I am,” I said.

It appears she even knows about Liliana, so maybe she has memories from before she hatched.

“That’s because even if I take the form of a human, I’m not one,” she said. “Mysterious things like that exist. More importantly, Master, if you possess a thing called curiosity, then isn’t it about time you had something to ask me?”

Nothing sprang to mind. I didn’t respond.

I’m starting to get a handle on it, but Nemesis seems to be the type that likes to speak in a roundabout way, I thought. Well, I guess I’m not one to talk, since I’m able to understand her.

In other words, she was saying, “Hurry up and check out my abilities on the status screen.”

I looked at the status screen and saw that a category for Embryo had been added. I clicked on it right away and a window appeared displaying Nemesis and her parameters. Displayed on the window was the name “Maiden of Vengeance Nemesis,” and “Type Maiden with Arms.”

Additionally, there were ATK and DEF stats listed, as well as modifiers for each stat. The ATK and DEF stats applied when equipping Nemesis as a weapon.

So this is the same as normal weapons and armor.

The stat modifiers, however, appeared to always be in effect just by having Nemesis around, and they apparently weren’t just a set value boost to my stats. When leveling up, increases in my stats would also take these modifiers into account.

As an overall evaluation, her stats weren’t that strong. The modifier for HP was a bit high, but the rest were low. The ATK stat for equipping Nemesis was only about 50.

It’s strange to compare this with Bro Bear’s costume, but even after taking that into account, my stats themselves don’t seem like they’ve gone up that much, I thought. Well, I guess that goes without saying since Nemesis was only just born as an Embryo. But in that case, how was I able to defeat the Demi-Dragon Worm?

As I pondered this, I found the section for skills. Listed there were the two skills “Counter Absorption” and “Vengeance is Mine.”

The Counter Absorption skill was the wall of light that Nemesis had used. It had a max stock of two uses, and with each use, a wall of light could be created to nullify attacks. It replenished one of its stock every 24 hours.

And then there was the skill that had defeated the Demi-Dragon Worm, Vengeance is Mine.

This skill took the total damage received from an enemy within 24 hours, doubled it, and then unleashed that damage as an attack that ignored all defense. Even damage that had been reduced by other skills and items, or nullified by Counter Absorption, was added to the total.

But once the skill is used, it looks like the damage counter is reset for that enemy, I noticed.

“Okay, I get it now,” I said. “So that’s how I was able to defeat that Demi-Dragon Worm.”

Although the damage was reduced by the Dragonscale Wards, I did take three of its hits, I thought. On top of that, Nemesis nullified one attack with her other skill, Counter Absorption. So that’s four in total, and the damage would come out to roughly 3,600. Plus, the ability for Vengeance is Mine then doubled this to around 7,200.

I don’t know how much life that Demi-Dragon Worm had, but this must mean that it wasn’t more than 7,200 HP. Or maybe its head was a weak spot, and landing a direct hit on it had some effect.

“...Even if I know how the trick worked, it’s still a miracle,” I thought aloud.

The one-hit killer move had only worked because I had been weak, and my opponent had been strong. What had also played a big role was that I had overcome several near deaths thanks to the items my brother had given me. But more than anything, Nemesis’s skills had been a perfect match for the situation.

“The end result sure seems convenient,” I said to myself.

Embryos are supposed to be unique and based on things like one’s personality, biorhythm, and attributes, right? I thought. Looking at the results this time, it almost seems like it was set up. Also, a skill that gets stronger the more damage I take... I feel as if I’m getting treated like a huge masochist.

“A masochist, huh... I’ll have you know, this is the result of my having observed you, Master. There were no mistakes,” said Nemesis, seemingly offended.

Wait, can she hear my thoughts?

“But anyway, you said ‘observed’?” I asked.

“The zeroth form is a time period for Embryos to observe their Masters,” she said. “After observing their psychology and behavior, an Embryo’s first form is then born based on this.”

I see, I thought. So in other words, my experiences since starting have more or less been factored in.

...Now that I think about it, I collided with Liliana right after I started, and then I also fought a Demi-Dragon Worm. I feel like I’ve been taking a lot of near-fatal damage. So I guess these skills are the end result of all of that, huh?

“Well,” continued Nemesis, “even if the experiences and behaviors are the same, there will be differences in an Embryo’s form and skills based on each Master. Also... I think Counter Absorption was derived from your personality.”

“Hm?” I asked. I wonder what she means by that.

“Oh, and another thing,” she went on. “I’ll go ahead and say this myself, but a Type Maiden Embryo is quite rare, you know? You should be grateful to me and reflect upon how blessed you are.”

Oh yeah, that’s right, I realized. Maiden wasn’t one of the normal categories Cheshire mentioned. She seems to be a rare type, and it’s a big help that she’s explaining various things to me, but it’s still somewhat of an iffy feeling having a girl come out of an Embryo that’s based on me.

“Iffy? Did you say ‘iffy?’” she asked huffily.

Ah, that’s right. She can hear my thoughts.

“I can hear them!” she shouted. “Iffy? What do you mean by ‘iffy?’ You hit the jackpot with me! This beauty! This rarity! What could there be to complain about?”

“No I didn’t mean that you were iffy, Nemesis, but the fact that you emerged from me, you see...”

As we went back and forth, Liliana appeared from the exit of Old Reve Orchard. The armor she was clad in was dirty with mud and dust, but Liliana herself seemed to be unharmed.

“Milia!” Finding us, Liliana quickly ran to our side, and after looking at her sister’s sleeping face, she let out a sigh of relief.

“Thank you very much... for protecting my sister... Truly, thank you!” Liliana burst out as tears fell from her eyes.

“Um, yeah...” I said. This is troubling. I don’t know how to respond.

“That’s right,” said Nemesis. “You should be grateful to my Master, and even more so to me.”

And that’s Nemesis for you...

“Is she your...?” asked Liliana.

“Yeah, umm... my Embryo.”

Liliana looked at Nemesis, slightly surprised. “I see. So, after all, as his brother, you’re also a Master chosen by an Embryo. But a Maiden, it’s almost like that...”

Just as she was about to say something...

“All right! I’ve escaped from the bearied underground world!” Bro Bear jumped out from the ground together with a loud sound effect.

“...Ummm,” I said. You were still alive, Bro? Well, his stats were displayed the whole time, just blackened out so I couldn’t tell, but still...

For some reason, Bro Bear wasn’t carrying his Gatling gun, but instead had a shovel in his right hand.

That can’t be how he moved through the ground, can it? I wondered.

“The underground tunnel is now open!” he proclaimed.

Right after he said this, the ground shook slightly, and the sound of something caving in could be heard. The hole Bro Bear had come out of then closed.

“And it caved in right away!”

Oh, shut up.

“You were all right, Bro?” I asked.

“Oh yeah! Me and Baldr’s fourth form tore them to shreds!”

“Fourth? Not the Gatling gun from earlier?” I asked.

“That’s the second form.”

I guess that means there are various forms.

“For some Embryos, you can use their previous forms at will,” Nemesis chimed in. “Brother Bear’s Embryo must’ve been one of those types.”

...Is “Brother Bear” referring to my brother? I wondered.

“Ray, is that blali your Embryo?” he asked me.

He meant “black loli,” shortened to “blali”... Neither of those terms are all that great.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she said. “I’m Nemesis, Ray Starling’s Maiden with Arms Embryo. I hope we get along, Brother Bear.”

It appears Nemesis is determined to push through with calling him “Brother Bear.”

“Setting that aside... Bro, if you were alive, I wish you’d come out sooner,” I said. “I was this close to dying.”

A total of about four times, actually.

“That would’ve been difficult,” he said. “Because the whole time, I was locked in battle underground with all the Demi-Drags.”

All the Demi-Drags?

“There were swarms of Demi-Drags bearied in an underground cave,” he continued. “I don’t hate bugs, but that really sent shivers down my spine.”

I stayed silent.

That thing?! Swarms of them...

Good thing I didn’t stick around for long.

“An outbreak of those centipedes... the ‘newbie killer’ is way too scary,” I said. I guess that’s just what you’d expect from a trauma-generating machine.

“Normally there shouldn’t have been even one Demi-Drag living there...” said my brother.

“Huh?” I asked.

“Oh, well. I took care of every one that I found, so they shouldn’t multiply anymore,” he said. “More importantly, let’s head home.”

“You’re right,” I agreed. “Let’s head back.”

And so like that, Nemesis, Bro Bear, Liliana, Milianne, and I all started on our way back.

Due to our close proximity to the royal capital, we arrived in no time. After we passed through the gate, we then parted ways with Liliana and Milianne.

Before leaving, Liliana said, “I’ll be sure to repay this debt of gratitude.”

Milianne, who had woken up, gave each of us a remberry from the basket she had held onto so dearly, and said, “Thank you.”

As I watched the two sisters walk home hand-in-hand...

The message, “Quest ‘Search for Milianne Grandria’ has been completed,” was displayed, and I finally felt like the quest had ended.

“It’s over...” I said, exhausted. I feel like I’ve gone through some crazy danger and chaos right off the bat.