Lexi is quiet all the way back to the capital, and no one presses her to talk.
She’s silent as she completes the dungeon clear forms at the Guild and as she’s congratulated by the smarmy guild master for setting three new records, since the system notifies the Guild of such things in real-time.
She stays mute even as Jordan and Elise rush to greet her, the duo having gone to the Tridentia manor as soon as they’d received word she’d passed through the capital gates.
She refuses to speak even as Eric grimly explains what they’ve gone through, who she’s lost once again.
Even when Eric and Ray bow to her and apologize, she doesn’t say a word, though she pats them on muscular triceps, pats Vena’s thin shoulder, before turning and walking off.
It takes a gift from Shade Raphael to get her to talk once more.
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> ”Congratulations on your achievements, Lady Alexandra Hargreaves.”
Seven words - four if she removes her name and honorific. Simple and to the point, written clearly in strong strokes on a thick white card with gold borders.
The gift has clearly been rewrapped as carefully as possible, since Eric would never allow Lexi to accept anything from the shade without him checking it a hundred times, but the reminder of how dangerous the older player is grounds Lexi.
That’s right. He held the record for decades until I came along.
It’s a beautiful hair pin, Sight telling her its called ‘Lakisha’ and is a level 60 healing magic item.
What is he up to?
When Elise tells her that it has the power to completely heal her injuries and fatigue - fully replenishing HP and MP once before breaking - she stares at the ruby and sapphire encrusted gold piece once more.
Is he telling me to watch my back?
The blend of jewels - reminiscent of the shade’s and her eyes - makes something twinge in her chest, and she resolutely pushes it away.
“Eric.” He almost seems to snap to attention. “Is it really alright for me to wear this?”
“Not in training.” That brings a smile to her face, despite the cloud over her head and the storm in her heart.
“Alright.” Then, because she’s been a selfish, self-absorbed twat these few days: “Thank you.”
Brown eyes blink in bewilderment, before a light flush appears on high cheekbones.
“Get off your ass and to the practice grounds, brat.”
Thank you.
----------------------------------------
Later, after Eric’s made her run an unholy number of laps at the end of a grueling training session “just because”, the Dawn Duke himself says something that causes everyone in the dining room to tense.
“His majesty is very keen to meet Lady Lexi soon, given her recent accomplishments.”
Oh no.
Setting three new records on her first raid has put her squarely in the emperor’s crosshairs.
What do I do now?
There’s nothing any of them can do, though, not when the emperor has made it very clear he wants her to go to the palace for an audience.
I have enough on my plate already, with this stupid system and all the people out to get me. Even though I know the emperor wants to extract my powers, every time that asshole drags me to the palace or Parliament I get thrown into an imperial dumpster fire and have to deal with politics.
Though many other players would kill for the honor of such an invitation from the emperor, Lexi hates it.
I have no intention of being nice to that power-hungry killer who can’t even treat his only child right.
Duke Tridentia says he’ll buy her some time by claiming she still needs to recover from the dungeon raid, then after dinner the five of them - Lexi, Jordan, Eric, Elise, and Ray - are in a drawing room with copious amounts of alcohol, sound barriers activated.
I don’t wanna talk about it, but I guess we have to.
“Lexi.” Elise looks worried, and that brings her a perverse comfort. “I’m sorry, but this information...”
“It’s okay, Elise.” She forces a smile. “It’s confusing, I know.”
That’s putting it mildly.
According to Jordan, while there have been many ‘Chris’es in history, no fourteen year old with blond hair, green eyes, and a scar on the forehead by that name or any variation of it has ever been recorded as a player.
But since all players spawn at level 1, Chris must have spent a good few years in Terra to reach level 72.
Which means I’m right about the game versions.
When she shares her thoughts, there’s silence in the room, before Eric empties half his bottle of wine, Ray following suit.
“Lexi...” This time Elise looks terrified. “If that’s the case, then...”
I know. You and I already linger after death, so if we somehow still stick around in different versions of the game, then...
Elise doesn’t quite recall, but the older sage thinks she’d seen the same numbers as Lexi when she’d completed her own welcome stage 381 years ago.
What I need to know is how often the version updates. And, more importantly: WHY no one else ever encountered former players - even people from their old lives - until I met Chris again.
It’s too much of a coincidence - the very first dungeon I go to, and I meet my first and only friend from back home?
“We might need to consult an oracle.” Jordan doesn’t say this easily, especially if that grim look on his face is any indication, but that class of players are the only ones with the ability to gain insight into the world.
“We’re not friendly with any of them, Jord.” Eric is on his second bottle of wine already, while Ray’s quietly reaching for his third.
“Sita and Lian are...alright.” If Elise hesitates like that, it means the kind sage doubts them a little but has determined they’re the safest to approach out of the five oracles.
“In that case,” golden eyes are pensive, before the prince continues. “I think Oracle Sita might be our best bet.”
Though not as old as Oracle Kass, Oracle Sita Ahearn had attained legendary rank much faster - entering Terra as a 25 year old unique ranked priest 53 years ago, before becoming an oracle in 572L.
She’d also, according to Elise, been on good terms with Sage Icarian.
Since Elise is the most senior player, they decide to have her meet with Oracle Sita the next day, especially given that Lexi needs to pretend to be resting post-raid.
Would she know, though? Would the system really reveal so much to a player?
And if she knows but hasn’t made a move on the corrupt tower till now, then the question is: why?
----------------------------------------
Eric doesn’t ask, and Lexi is grateful because she knows he’s realized it’d been more than the pain of losing a childhood friend again that had caused her to howl like a snot-filled banshee.
We’re all a little insane and damaged in our own way, thanks to the worlds we live in.
The redhead pushes her hard in training, and it helps distract her from nerves as they wait for Elise to come over later in the afternoon once her meeting with Oracle Sita is over.
By the time the older sage arrives, Lexi is aching and trembling all over, despite the warm bath and soothing massage she’d received earlier.
“Elise?”
Those amethyst eyes are troubled, more so than before, but the dark haired beauty still tries to reassure Lexi.
The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.
Though, the information she shares isn’t comforting in the least.
“...I see.” She doesn’t like seeing that look on Jordan’s handsome face, doesn’t like the grave tone of his voice. “So the system provides different insights to different oracles, that much should be expected. But Oracle Sita only knows of some of the after-death conditions, and nothing about the versions.”
Lexi had told Eric, Ray, and Jordan before - that she’s one of the unlucky players who’ll linger after death - and that probably factors into their dark expressions when they look at her now.
> ”Those who come into this world without first dying, but with deep regrets or things they greatly wanted to do back home, will remain as a disembodied consciousness when they perish here. Meanwhile, those who came into this world alive and well, content and at peace, will find eternal rest upon their death in Terra.”
So Elise and I both came here with regrets or things we still really wanted to do.
It makes sense, given the purple-eyed sage had often spoken wistfully of her dreams back home, of all the things she’d planned for her life.
As for Lexi...
I’m filled with regrets. For so many things.
Pushing the memories and what-if’s aside, she remembers what she’d considered previously.
Now I know it wasn’t a trade-off in exchange for penalty-free use of the ultimate skills. Which means that for some reason the system decided to waive my penalties for that week, almost as though it wanted me to get through the welcome stage.
While that thought bothers her, the way the system allocates post-death effects seems almost...
“So we get either eternal peace or eternal damnation, depending on our state of mind when we came here?” Everyone looks startled when she speaks her mind all of a sudden, though Jordan collects himself quickly.
“It would seem so, Lexi.” Now his golden eyes look pained and sorrowful. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you apologizing, Jordan?” He’s always too kind to her. “You’re not the one who brought us to Terra.”
“Lexi’s right, Jord.” Eric speaks at last, having been focused on drinking as much as possible before dinner. “And anyway, now it’s clearer than ever what we have to do.”
Change it.
He’d said those words to her months ago, as they’d been on their way to kill the griffins for Lexi’s first quest.
It’s not like I have a choice. If I’m right, Chris had lingering regrets, which could have resulted in him becoming a dungeon boss when the game updated.
So not only do I have to remain as a consciousness when I die in my own version of the game, I get to respawn in updates as a monster. I hope that by turning into ash, Chris is finally at peace and free of this fate - but if he isn’t, then I need to save his soul.
Which is all the more reason I need to get to the tower.
It’s easier said than done, of course, especially when she’s still only level 15 and the corrupt tower is far beyond the wall, protected by an army of powerful demons.
And no matter how much she wants to head out on another raid now to level up, Lexi can’t leave the capital until after her audience with the emperor and Eric’s birthday party.
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Lexi Level 15 Full Bio [https://i.imgur.com/b27waZD.png]
Foresight Grants user ability to see the future. Length and duration at current level: up to 40 minutes in the future for 40 seconds. MP required: 61 [https://i.imgur.com/EMOBEXj.png]
Hindsight Grants user ability to see the past. Length and duration at current level: up to 35 minutes in the past for 40 seconds, can only be activated upon touching the specific object or person whose past the user wishes to see. MP required: 58 [https://i.imgur.com/2BSAJcF.png]
Flow Allows user to see effect of flow of time on object, person, or surroundings with different variables by level. Current level allows user to see up to 6 variables’ impact on seven items or persons, up to 1.5 days in future MP required: 40 Note: types of variables that may be used differ according to Intelligence points [https://i.imgur.com/VAaNBTU.png]
Bend Allows user to force FLOW on an object or objects depending on level. Current level allows force FLOW on three objects. MP required: 70 Note: probability of success is dependent on combination of Intelligence, Charisma, Luck, and M-ATK points [https://i.imgur.com/gtTbY9J.png]
Guide Indicates items and people of important to player’s journey. Level 15 unlock: Guide leads user towards items and people of importance from up to 300 feet away. Level up to unlock additional abilities. [https://i.imgur.com/Kqqm8ny.png]
Sight Allows user to see information about others. User can view levels, attributes, and classes of people and items - both those that have been shared and those that have not been shared. Level up to unlock additional abilities. [https://i.imgur.com/QVS7gge.png]
Clarity Allows user to see past illusions in accordance with user’s level. Current level: 15 Illusions that are level 15 and below do not work on user. [https://i.imgur.com/uJFfEii.png]
Intuition Allows user to see warning signs over people, objects, monsters, and locations. Synchronizes with Guide. Current level: user can see simple warning sign in color starting from yellow (some danger) up to red (danger imminent). No warning sign will be displayed if no threat is detected. User can see three targets of threat. Note: danger may not be directed at user [https://i.imgur.com/tMSkNcH.png]
The bonuses from the system for her dungeon clear records had been a huge boon, since it’d bumped her up to Level 15 with the additional EXP, and the boosts to stats had improved her HP and parameters as well.
When Lexi had finally read Akara’s message that day on the training grounds after receiving Shade Raphael’s gift, she’d smiled.
AKARA LIKES LEXI AFFINITY: 3 + 1 = 4 System: Akara will always return to you even without a command after piercing at least one enemy. Your affinity with Akara has grown. Make Akara happier to unlock more abilities. [https://i.imgur.com/044CC63.png]
Such a sweetheart.
Today, Eric is making her focus on close combat - with and without Akara - since Lexi’s preferred non-skill offense until now had been throwing then calling for the blade. Now that Akara will always return to her without a command, however, the commander is warning her to be careful since carelessly flinging the dagger could cause Akara to harm allies on her return trip.
Even with enhanced stats, the redhead’s regimen is brutal, though Lexi grits her teeth and forces herself to bear it.
I need to get stronger, so I can go to the tower as soon as possible.
When she’s narrowly dodged a punch to the face for the umpteenth time, then swept so she lands on her back once again, Lexi curses the system once more.
Why did you bring me here?
Though...I’m glad, in a way. If I hadn’t come here, I’d never have known what happened to Chris.
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A long-haired Eric?
The information hovering over that signature red hair tell her it’s the Hawk Commander’s older brother - Alaric Tridentia, a level 81 magus - but despite that Lexi can’t get over how alike the siblings look.
It’d be hard to tell them apart if not for their hair - Eric’s is short and messy, while this guy’s is long and manageable, if a little wavy.
“Good afternoon, Lady Lexi.” Even his voice sounds just like Eric’s. “It’s good to meet you in person at last.”
Ah, right.
Marquess Alaric prefers to remain in the east with his wife and children, guarding the duchy’s territory and the empire from attacks by sea with his formidable wind and water magic. Ray had told her that Eric often chatted with his only sibling over communications devices when in the manor, and the duke himself would have no doubt told his firstborn about their new ward.
“Good afternoon, marquess.” She bows and greets him gracefully once the shock has worn off. “It’s an honor to meet you.”
His assessing brown gaze is identical to Eric’s, and Lexi wonders what to say next when a beautiful brunette steps in.
“Lady Alexandra Hargreaves, Monique Tridentia greets you.”
Turning, Lexi bows to the gorgeous marchioness, before Eric catches up with an armful of giggling red haired children.
Oh no.
The only reason she gets along with Vena is because the half-elf is 51 years old.
I’m terrible with kids.
“Hello, Lady Lexi!” The first to greet her is the girl - Natasha - and Lexi tries not to ruin things by being as friendly as possible.
Marcus - Eric’s oldest nephew - and Dylan, the youngest, are reserved and shy respectively.
Four year old Dylan seems especially bashful whenever he peeks at her crystal eyes.
I guess he likes them?
Natasha is bubbly and full of curiosity, sitting next to Lexi on the sofa and pestering her with questions about her world and the quests she’s been on, asking the oddest things about the recent dungeon raid, and not for the first time Lexi is glad she’s not a mother.
This is so tiring, and it hasn’t even been an hour.
The children’s energy is draining, even if Lexi is only dealing with one kid while Eric plays with his nephews.
How do parents do this willingly and actually pay for it? I’m exhausted just from answering a five year old’s questions.
Oh God, maybe we shouldn’t be giving them sugary snacks. They’ll just get worse, won’t they?
As Natasha - already bouncing in her seat and kicking short legs - starts to rise to stand on the couch, the door opens and Lexi’s tanned savior walks in.
“Ray! Good to see you again!” The giant knight is a familiar face around the Tridentias it seems, even if the marquess rarely makes an appearance in the capital due to his distaste for politics.
“Marquess Alaric, welcome back to the capital.” Ray is as polite as always, especially towards his commanding officer’s older brother. “Marchioness Monique, Lord Marcus, Lady Natasha, and Lord Dylan, it’s a great honor to see you all again.”
“Ray!” The children gleefully launch themselves at the burly warrior - Lexi almost getting a heart attack when Natasha leaps off the sofa and darts on little legs - who beams and bends low, happily letting them clamber all over him.
Him being good with kids isn’t a surprise. I’m more shocked at Eric being all doting uncle - didn’t think he had a single fatherly bone in his body.
The noise coming from the playful children is enough to make Lexi glad she’s meeting the emperor tomorrow.
I really can’t handle kids.
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They take two carriages to the palace the next day, since Duke Tridentia is shrewdly bringing his first son and daughter-in-law along as a guise (to prevent others from getting more jealous and wary of Lexi) and a means of making a quick escape (by claiming Alaric and Monique are exhausted from their journey to the capital).
While the duke’s carriages are each incredibly large, Lexi had deliberately insisted on riding separately, not wanting to intrude on family time. Which means Ray - as perceptive and thoughtful as always - had foregone his horse and asked to accompany her instead.
I know you’re all worried. Thank you for that.
She’s heard the whispers among the servants and Dawn Knights, ever since that day when they’d returned from the raid and she’d shut herself up in her room, drinking heavily and completely refusing to speak to anyone.
Though Lexi tries to act like she’s fine now, the employees don’t seem fooled. Deidre and Mia watch her carefully, bringing her flowers from the garden, fresh snacks from the kitchen, and the latest gossip all the time.
Even head butler Vincent and head maid Helen seem to be trying to cheer her up, if the way they’re constantly ‘coincidentally’ crossing paths with her and bearing good news is any indication.
Her sole objective at Parliament had been to simply come out of it unscathed, while protecting the Tridentias’, Jordan’s, Ray’s, and Elise’s reputations. It turns out, however, that all those years spent recycling slides and working on high profile projects had built quite a proficiency for advising on government initiatives.
Didn’t think those things I said to wiggle out of verbal traps would have such an effect.
Duke Tridentia had gently told her it’s not necessarily a bad thing - being known for her counsel - since it means commoners who benefit from Lexi’s suggestions would be partial to her, and nobles who favor rationality and duty to empire would want to keep her around as a sounding board and source of ideas.
Oh that’s right. We have an invitation to Marquess Huxleigh’s informal meeting tonight.
She’ll take dealing with the emperor and nobles over entertaining energetic children any day.
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CHAPTER 28 END