Chapter 11 : Aqualida !
I raced towards the guild, using Quick Step over and over, Elvaria cradled in my arms like a precious, sleeping child. Her soft breathing was the only calm in the storm of adrenaline rushing through me. I knew full well that when we arrived, we’d make quite the scene. After all, I held the divine treasure from an A-rank dungeon—the sleek, black shoulder guards I’d retrieved from within the dragon’s corpse. My clothes were still in tatters, but I couldn’t care less. They were nothing but rags now, easily replaceable. What mattered was the victory.
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“I... I-I don't even know what to say! Congratulations on your promotion to A-rank...!!” The guild receptionist’s voice wavered in disbelief, her wide eyes fixed on me and Elvaria, still slumbering peacefully in my arms. Her astonishment was contagious, as the entire room of adventurers suddenly grew quiet, their attention turning toward us.
Before I knew it, one of them—a burly, towering figure I recognized from my first visit here, it's the same guy I punched in the face—rose from his chair and strode over to me.
“Kid…” His deep voice carried a weight of respect, and he studied me with knowing eyes, his gaze lingering on the countless scratches and wounds across my body. “You’ve taken a beating, I can see that. Let me guess—you fought tooth and nail to protect her, huh? That’s noble, real noble. Takes guts, kid. I respect that.”
I hadn’t expected his praise, especially from someone so formidable. His words felt like a powerful recognition of our struggle.
“I’m fine, thank you,” I managed to reply, my voice quieter than I intended, still somewhat overwhelmed by the situation.
Suddenly, as if ignited by his words, the entire guild burst into a cacophony of cheers. Every adventurer in the hall stood up, roaring with excitement.
“They did it! By the gods, they actually did it! They’re legends, true legends! They conquered an A-RANK dungeon! AN A-RANK DUNGEON!”
The atmosphere shifted from surprise to pure jubilation. The hall came alive like never before, with adventurers banging their tankards, some leaping onto tables, others hugging and clapping each other on the back. The celebrations surged as shouts and laughter filled the room, the sheer magnitude of the moment sinking in.
"Legends! Legends! LEGENDS!" they chanted rhythmically, their voices growing louder with each repetition.
It felt like the entire guild had been swept up in a fevered frenzy. The excitement was so contagious, even the walls seemed to vibrate with the weight of it all. Elvaria began to stir in my arms, the noise pulling her from sleep.
“Mhm… What’s going on…?” she murmured, her eyelids fluttering open as she tried to make sense of the commotion. Then, realizing she was still in my arms, her face flushed a deep shade of red.
“P-put me down, please...” she said, her voice filled with embarrassment. Ever the noble, even in her flustered state, she maintained her dignity. I carefully set her down, ensuring she stood steady on her feet before I explained the events that had transpired.
That night, news of our victory spread far beyond the walls of the guild, rippling across the continent. Everywhere, people spoke of us—this tiny guild of two adventurers who had achieved the impossible: conquering an A-rank dungeon.
The celebrations continued late into the night, and with it, our story traveled like wildfire. The entire world knew our names now. And as the crowning glory of our achievement, the guild itself was promoted to A-rank, joining the ranks of the elite clans.
It was a night forever etched into memory—the birth of two legends.
A few days later, at the port of the seaside city of Shulaz, on the continent of Iveralmn, I stand beside Elvaria with a heavily loaded backpack. Today, we are leaving this familiar place for a new journey to Aqualida. Officially, it is a continent, but in reality, it is a collection of islands stretching across the ocean, each forming its own kingdom. Despite their geographical proximity, these islands are large enough and independent enough to be considered separate countries.
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As we wait for the ship’s arrival, a question burns on my lips. I can no longer hold it back.
"Elvaria, Iveralmn is both the name of the continent and the capital. How does that work?" I ask, gazing at the horizon with curiosity.
She suddenly stops, thinking for a moment, her green eyes slightly squinting under the sun. Then, a childlike smile lights up her face, signaling that she has just remembered something.
"Iveralmn wasn't originally the name of the continent," she says, her tone mixing pride and enthusiasm. "But centuries ago, a visionary king united all the lands under one banner, thus creating the kingdom of Iveralmn. The name gradually took hold, even though some nobles were fiercely opposed to this unification. There are still families who contest this story, but today, that’s how things are."
Her gaze darkens momentarily, as if weighing the significance of what that means. The unification, the nobles' resistance, past conflicts... so many elements that seem to touch her more than I would have guessed.
I smile, fascinated. "And Aqualida? Are there any stories about these islands?"
"Aqualida, and why not show some interest in me?" she said, blushing slightly, thinking I couldn't hear her, before continuing:
"Anyway, Aqualida is called the Holy Sea by the Western Church. During the Holy War, the humans of ancient times supposedly sealed a massive god beneath the water. When we get there, we'll probably witness one of the festivals they hold to prevent the god from awakening, or at least that's what the legend says."
"You sure know a lot." I'm sincere—she really does know so much about this world. Despite her cute and defenseless appearance, Elvaria is strong and knowledgeable. She's a very important ally to me.
The ship arrived, a massive vessel casting a shadow over the entire port, bound for Aqualida, formerly known as the Continent of All Oceans. I paused for a moment to admire the ship, vaguely reminded of a film series I loved in my original world, a pirate story with a certain Jack.
Elvaria suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me, forcing me to follow her.
"Heading to the Aqualida dungeon, Aley!" Her smile enchanted me once again, her hair fluttered in the wind, like a sign of a new adventure, and her green eyes reflected the sea that stretched endlessly in front of us.
"Indeed, Elvie, to Aqualida!" With my words, we started walking toward the ship. The guys from the guild had paid for our journey as a farewell gift. Our goal? The dungeon was located on the island of Caribea, a heavily populated tropical island, quite large in size.
We boarded the ship, and the sea breeze suddenly hit my face. Elvaria was gazing out at the horizon, and I did the same.
Somewhere in this world:
"The Verdesable dungeon is far too complicated..." sighed Macrinis, slouched on his throne.
"Do you want to try the Aqualida dungeon, Master Macrinis?" suggested his servant. Macrinis thought about it for a moment before responding.
"But... Novus Obris is heading there too, right? Th-Those monsters will tear me to shreds if they see me! Even Valentin described them as beings beyond reason." Indeed, Macrinis had fallen for Valentin's bluff, who was, in reality, on Aley and Elvaria’s side.
"Do you think you'll lose if you cross paths with them, Master...?" his servant asked, completely shocked by what he had just heard.
"Me? N-No, no, ah... To prove it to you, I’ll go right now and conquer Aqualida!" He then got up from his chair, heading toward his armory...
.....
Five days have passed since we set sail, and on the horizon…
"That’s Orthosomo Island!" Elvie exclaims. We had finally arrived at the Orthosomo kingdom, on the continent of Aqualida.
"Finally, I was starting to feel sick," I say, relieved.
The island itself was immense. At first, there was a beach with a few palm trees, then the settlements. From where we stood, I could see a kingdom shaped in a circle. I had heard that this island had tried to declare its independence, and given its size, I could understand why it wanted to be considered a country of its own.
The circular capital was composed of various types of buildings. On the outskirts stood several wooden structures resembling the houses you’d find on pirate islands. Then, as you moved further into the city, you reached a wall that encircled the central part. This wall was made of white stone. Behind it, I could see numerous beautiful buildings. Due to the ambient heat, all the buildings were white, with blue roofs here and there.
The inner city looked like a Roman city at its peak. However, there was a fundamental difference: water was everywhere. It flowed out of nearly every building in small cascades. From what I learned while talking with the captain of the ship that brought us here, this was because the city aimed to remain extremely clean. A sorceress used her magic daily to circulate water everywhere, sweeping away the dirt from every house and every street, before evacuating it through a designated trapdoor.
At the center of the city, even further than the Roman-like houses, stood a massive tower: the Aqualida dungeon, rising towards the sky. Its size was colossal.
"I can't wait to be there..."
Suddenly, everything goes dark. I lose consciousness.