Published: July 3, 2025
The only one who wasn't shaking, Priest Zeek, was talking with Priest Eto in Room 10.
“Eto-san, I’d like to ask you something.”
“Sure?”
Zeek glanced over at Ryo and continued speaking.
“It’s about Ryo-san…”
“That’s fine, but I don’t think I’ll have much to answer.”
Eto said this with a wry smile.
“What exactly is Ryo-san?”
“See, I told you it was a question I can’t really answer.”
In response to Zeek’s question, Eto gave an even more pained smile than before.
“No matter how you ask, I can only describe him as he is. He’s our roommate, a water attribute mage… oh, that’s right, he’s been completely absorbed in alchemy. Apparently, he hasn’t taken on many requests over the past three years, so he’s still a C rank adventurer.”
“His sword technique was unbelievable for a mage.”
“Oh? Zeek has seen Ryo’s sword skills?”
“Yes… I was thoroughly overwhelmed.”
As Zeek said this, he looked down.
“Oh, is that the one where Harold had his shoulder crushed? I’ve heard that Zeek’s staff technique is quite impressive too, but Ryo…”
“No, I can’t even compare to him.”
“Eto, I’m not impressed with you giving away information for free.”
Suddenly, Ryo interrupted their conversation.
“Haha…”
Eto, caught off guard, scratched his temple with his index finger while offering a wry smile.
“You should first charge for the information!”
“If you charge, is it okay?”
“Yes. Alternatively, you can exchange it for portable cakes, cream puffs, or something similar.”
Ryo turned to Zeek and said this firmly.
“Sorry, I don’t have any cream puffs…”
“Oh, that’s too bad.”
When Zeek informed him that he didn’t have any, Ryo responded with genuine disappointment from the bottom of his heart.
It seemed he just really wanted to eat them, not out of malice.
“See? This is who Ryo is.”
“Yeah… I think I understand a little bit.”
Eto said in a small voice, and Zeek replied similarly.
“Ah.”
Ryo let out a small shout.
Then, the reason was revealed.
“Abel’s cake privilege… once the delegation is in, it’ll be gone…”
Ryo realized this just now.
He finally remembered the ‘echo of the soul’ that had stuck to his left ear.
((Is Abel alive? Is Abel alive? Is Abel alive?))
((He’s alive! No, can I really say he’s alive… It’s such a strange sensation. My body is in the office, my sight is in the office, and my basic life is as it has been… but it feels like I’m switching my consciousness? When I do that, the scenery reflected in the magic stone floods into my eyes… And I can have a conversation with Ryo… Moreover, during that time, I can still move my body in the office and take in the sight from there. I finally feel like I’ve gotten used to it…))
Abel said this while suppressing his joy.
Originally, Abel was an adventurer.
He enjoyed seeing unknown streets and unfamiliar worlds.
((That’s amazing. Kenneth said that switching consciousness and sharing awareness like that might take weeks… As expected, Abel is exceptional.))
((N-no, it’s not that great…))
Abel blushed at Ryo’s honest praise.
((So, I can see the scenery reflected in this ‘echo of the soul,’ hear the sounds that come to me, and talk to the person wearing it, which is Ryo.))
((Yes. However, there’s definitely a feeling that magical power is always being used, so it seems not everyone can use it.))
((What if Ryo runs out of magical power…?))
((Oh, that should be fine. The amount of magical power used seems to be quite small.))
((Considering it’s small by Ryo’s standards, I wonder…))
Abel sighed softly.
He felt that if this ‘echo of the soul’ could be used by others, it would become quite convenient.
Abel was wearing a ring filled with the magic stone, and it apparently did not consume magical power.
Only Ryo’s side of the ear ornament consumed magical power…
However, the biggest issue was not the amount of magical power used but rather the fact that it interfered with one’s ‘soul.’