The Great One Zaraya. Among all the Great Ones, he was said to be the leader and the strongest of them all, according to their history at least. He led the other two Great Ones to travel the unknown space to locate a higher world and managed to come back 100 years later with possible knowledge from it. And he's possibly the reason why the Dark World converted from being a Transcendent Created World to an Invasive World.
His current influence at the present Dark World was the highest among the six Great Ones. Having seven tribes under him, any Dimensional Space that appeared in his territory was all dealt with easily. Thus, it led them to grow prosperous throughout the years that passed.
According to Alwyn, most of the Mortal Ranks and Rank 1 and 2 Transcendents that were being sent to the Mortal Worlds opened by Zaraya and company 3 years ago came from the three Great One's tribes and subordinate tribes which consisted of those previous Mortal World denizens who passed the trial they set by conquering another Mortal World years ago.
This time, Remilia, someone undercover that was answering to Worldy and Illiana, was sent here by Zaraya himself to assist the Dafirae Tribe.
That possibly means, although it was known that Remilia captured a Transcendent from a Mortal World which is me, it's not a big enough of an issue for Zaraya. Or he has just other designs. Either way, my attempt to guess about her current circumstances at this point is useless. I don't even know the politics of this world apart from what has been told me by Alwyn. And that's because I am still too weak to understand the hidden machinations going on here or even take part in it.
I would just be dipping myself in an ocean called Dark World without knowing how to properly swim and dive to discover what's hidden beneath the surface.
"Ember, you're back!" Udann's elated voice pulled me out of my overthinking habit. He's coming from the interior of this fortress that I am not allowed to set foot into, being one of the freed Rank 1 Transcendents.
Well, I guess they already noticed that he broke through to Rank 2 Transcendent. Instead of lumping him with us again, they probably offered him another task.
If that's the case, using him to hunt for more statues will not be viable anymore unless he rejected them.
"Yes. I just came back. What's happening?"
"Ah. The tribe noticed that I'm already a Rank 2 Transcendent and asked me if I wanted to take up the same task they gave to the other freed Rank 2 Transcendents."
"I see. Did you take it?"
"You're my benefactor. I can't just abandon you after making use of you, right? I might be like this but I'm not a selfish person. We still have our agreement."
No. I'm the one who's making use of you. Moreover, our agreement was just about me supporting him for us to benefit together and to let him reach Rank 2. At this point, he could already scrap that agreement and go on his own but he surprisingly had this side.
Well then, let me use you to my heart's content. This place will not close until two months later anyway. And I will only stay here for six days.
Besides, Remilia will not approach me if she finds me with someone else. It's not that I'm running away from her, in fact, I want to know her real stance in all of this but something tells me that it would be good to avoid her for now. At least that's what my intuition told me.
"Thank you. Let's go then. I found an untouched castle ruin not far from here. Before the tribe think of cleaning them up, let's do it ourselves."
It's the place where Alwyn brought me earlier. Although it seemed like she teleported me, that place was not that far from where I was earlier.
There were a lot of ruins in here but some were just too small that they don't contain any statues and given how wide this Dimensional Space is, it will be hard to find a lot of them. Moreover, there's the possible competition from the Dafirae Tribe and the other freed Transcendents.
"Alright. Lead the way."
Before leaving the fortress, I tried to look back in the direction where Remilia disappeared to see if she's about to leave.
And as if destiny was really playing with me, it was in that exact moment that she stepped out. With our gazes meeting, her lips curved up into a playful smile. The same one she showed me before capturing me.
"I told you we're going to talk. Are you running away from me? Don't you know that's futile?" Without opening her mouth, her sweet-sounding voice filled my ears.
Being a Monarch, her mental transmission didn't have any fluctuation that could be detected or everyone here was just too weak to detect it.
Illiana's Decree was worldwide. Since Remilia was the one who put me in that Irreverent Dungeon, she knew I got released. Just that, she didn't expect to also meet me here.
"What's wrong? Why did you stop?" Udann asked.
"I forgot I have something to take care of. Let's meet an hour later."
After saying that, I dashed towards the door and out of the fortress. Even without looking back, I believe that woman will easily catch up to me.
Rather than let Udann see my connection to this seemingly unattainable Monarch, it's better to clear the air between us. It's for the sake of my peaceful farming of stones and energy from the statues.
Around 10 minutes of nonstop running, I found a small decrepit brick house and entered inside.
Not even a minute later, Remilia nonchalantly strolled inside it before waving her hand to create Energy Screens covering the whole house from the outside.
"I told you. It's futile running from me."
As her gaze landed on me, the cold and unfeeling voice resurfaced along with her blank expression.
"I know. Besides, I'm not running from you. I looked for a private place for us to be alone." I answered with the normal tone of my voice.
My words could also mean something if taken out of context but I'm just considering her current position as someone sent by the Great One Zaraya. Not that she needed consideration.
Alwyn told me not to stand out after all. If Remilia approached me right there and then, there's no doubt that everyone would wonder who the lucky Rank 1 Transcendent that the Blade Monarch personally called over was.
She's not just an ordinary Monarch after all. Her beauty can topple a nation and is also in a league of her own, just like my other Companions.
"Excuses… Now, tell me. Why are you here?"
"Isn't that the wrong question? You should ask 'how am I still alive?'."
Upon hearing my answer, Remilia stepped forward. Given that my back was already against the wall, I couldn't retreat anymore.
"Interesting… Daisuke, you fascinate me. Tell me what and who are you?"
"I'm just an ordinary Mortal World Transcendent. Nothing more, nothing less."
"So you're going that way?" With a smirk, Remilia's Transcendent Aura dropped on my shoulder. Just from the pressure from it, if I'm not against this wall, I would've already knelt in front of her.
"You asked. I answered!" I shouted in response.
Without letting up her Transcendent Aura, Remilia raised her eyebrows as she further approached me. From the distance of around five steps, she's now a step away from me.
Although her beautiful face and figure were this close to me, I couldn't really enjoy it since I am giving it my all to strengthen my knees.
I know I can just answer her inquiry to have me be released but… I want to know where she's standing at this moment. Is she an ally or not? Is Zaraya her true liege or she's still working for Worldy and Illiana?
"Why are you this stubborn? I know you are freed the day after I captured you. Tell me, how important are you to the Great One Illiana? That Decree can't just be a coincidence." Remilia grabbed my collar and pulled me closer. "That irregular command from the World's Will who hasn't surfaced for so long, the unusual Decree from the ever silent Great One Illiana since that War… and it's all for a Mortal World Transcendent. Tell me. Who the hell are you?"
With her grip tightening on my collar, a little more and I would choke from it but even then, my expression never broke. I still felt the helplessness, yes. However, that's all there was to it. Comparing my strength to this woman, even if I wanted to get away from her, there's almost zero hope to do that.
That's why… I can be this stubborn. In the end, there are only two possible outcomes. If she's an enemy, I will die and if she's not, she will soon give up and tell me her connection to them to let me be relaxed enough to spill what I'm hiding.
"Why don't you ask them? Even I am confused. How can I be this lucky? Getting caught and freed the next moment…"
"Don't skirt to the topic… My patience is limited, Daisuke."
"Then kill me. That's how it should've been, right?"
Upon hearing my words, Remilia sucked in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Her hand that was grabbing my collar also started to tremble.
She's trying to hold herself back, huh?
Then let's confuse her further but with a little bit of truth.
"As much as you are interested in me, so am I in you… Say, are you already taken?"
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freewe(b)nov𝒆l