In the Land of Leadale Vol. 6 Read online

  Cayna had actually used several Demerit Skills back when she stayed in Felskeilo. However, those effects only lasted between one to three hours and didn’t even come close to Mega Stat Boost’s potency.

  Although Cayna had used the spell in the previous battle, she didn’t once expect to deal with flu-like symptoms, muscle aches, and lethargy. Just talking wore her out, and she had difficulty moving around. She couldn’t do much more than sleep, and that frustrated her. It was like she was stuck in a hospital bed again, which felt worse than anything else.

  Even after Cayna stopped yelling at him, Opus still stared at her in confusion. She clenched her fists and began plotting her revenge.

  “…You should accept the blame here, Master.”

  “Huh?”

  Siren helped Cayna get dressed, then turned her heartbroken gaze to Opus. This was all his fault—at least, that’s what anyone would assume based on her and Cayna’s expressions. Cayna’s glare was rightfully furious, while the maid’s eyes swam with sorrow.

  Once the somewhat clueless Kuu joined in with her sleepy yet piercing stare, Opus was forced to reluctantly concede.

  “Okay, okay. I was wrong for messing with you when you first showed up. I’m sorry,” he obliged. “Satisfied?”

  “Goodness, Master. You remembered to apologize. How splendid.”

  It was hard to tell whether Opus’s long-awaited apology was a result of Siren’s pleas or mere obligation, so the point was a bit moot. His distant gaze left even Cayna dumbfounded.

  They all sat in hellish silence for a while, but things at last picked up again when Siren had Opus get to his feet and prepare for the day ahead.

  “Come, Lady Cayna. Let’s leave this nasty establishment behind. I seem to recall you mentioned that you are in possession of a wagon.”

  “Huh? Yeah, I have one. Wait… Did I tell you about that, Siren?”

  In her muddled consciousness, Cayna had evidently forgotten their conversation, so Siren pleasantly recounted the previous day.

  “That’s right. You said you had a wagon, so there’s no need to travel by foot.”

  “Oh, right. Did we really talk about that…?”

  Cayna looked dubious, then stared at Siren when she saw her grinning.

  “You’re enjoying yourself, aren’t you, Siren?”

  “Oh yes! I possess the Driver skill but have never used it before. Master Opus can travel to and fro with ease, so I’ve been positively itching to give this a try!”

  The maid’s sincere answer put a smile on Cayna’s face but made her twitch at the same time. After all, her wagon required no driver. It seemed that Siren’s elation would be short-lived, and Cayna wasn’t sure how to reply.

  “Fine by me, but we can’t use a wagon in this area either way. We’ll need to reach a trade route first,” Opus replied.

  “Indeed. The sun is setting as we dally here. Let us be off while it is still daylight.”

  The dungeon village was a considerable distance from the outer trade routes. Unlike merchant roads, the paths were narrow and made wagons a nuisance for other travelers. The group would therefore have to walk about an hour outside of town before they could reach an outer route and use the wagon. And though she did have a wagon, Cayna felt guilty that she was about to rain on Siren’s parade.

  There was a minor incident by the village gate as they went to leave since the guard didn’t recognize Opus and had to verify his identity. Nevertheless, the four were soon on their way. None of the locals would ever believe the master of the nearby dungeon was among their ranks.

  “How the heck do you usually get in and out?”

  “Hrm. I usually teleport under the cover of darkness.”

  “Don’t ‘hrm’ me. At least get to know the gatekeepers. It’s no wonder they think you’re shady,” said Cayna.

  “Babble all you want, but wouldn’t it be even more suspect if I wandered around town without ever using the dungeon entrance?”

  “Your very existence is suspect, Master.”

  Siren was facing forward, but her blunt quip struck Opus like an arrow to the chest. It was no Oscar—Roses Scatter with Beauty, but the shock was enough to sway his footsteps.

  “………Hey, Opus. What did you do to Siren?” Cayna asked quietly.

  “……Hell if I know! She’s been like that since I came to this world,” Opus replied, bewildered.

  Something felt off to Cayna, but unfortunately, Opus didn’t seem to know any more than she did. Back in the Game Era, Siren had been a meek woman who revered her master and always followed a half step behind him, so seeing her pelt Opus with a barrage of insults came as a huge shock to Cayna. She trembled in fear of a potential Roxine 2.0.

  “Goodness, what do we have here?”

  Once they reached the main road, Cayna took out the covered wagon from her Item Box. Siren’s eyes opened wide in shock.

  The horse head jutting out from the middle of the driver’s seat gave it an eccentric flair. Kuu, meanwhile, was thrilled. She beamed as she situated herself on the horse’s neck. No one else had been able to see her the last time she rode in the wagon.

  But unlike the previous trip, the conversations would be a bit more involved.

  “Haaaaaaaaah.”

  With the biggest sigh yet, Opus abruptly took out a paper fan and struck Cayna over the head.

  “Owwww?!”

  A smack! echoed in the blue sky, and Cayna held her head as she angrily whipped around to face her attacker.

  “What was that for?!”

  “I’m simply blown away by your idiocy. You still haven’t figured out the problem even after that stupid noble finally gave up.”

  “Huuuh? I don’t know what you’re talking about. I just wanted to make our trip comfier…”

  “Which is precisely why you were singled out! I thought you’d be smart enough to know what’s dangerous to use in this world once you saw it with your own eyes. Was I too optimistic?”

  Not quite sure what Opus was so upset about, Cayna looked back at the horse-head wagon. Turning the wagon into a golem appeared to be the least of his concerns.

  “Well, I’ll at least still be able to sit up front.”

  Obsessed with her Driver skill, Siren looked to the right and left of the horse’s head. It was set in the very center, and there was enough space for one person to sit on either side.

  “I suppose you leave me no choice.”

  Opus raised his hand and cast Create Rock Golem. The ground in front of the wagon undulated as two horses came flying out. These were, of course, horse-shaped golems. Both came fully harnessed with a yoke that could attach to the wagon. Once the wagon and yoke fused, the structure would look entirely average. If they put a cloth over the horse head sticking out from the driver’s seat, no one would suspect a thing.

  “Nobles target you because you don’t even bother adding a horse. Deviating from the norm makes you stand out and invites unnecessary problems. Remember that.”

  “Yeah, yeah, I got it. ‘Use your head,’ right? Forgive me for being such a dunce.”

  Clearly missing the point, Cayna started sulking and fuming.

  It wasn’t the first time Opus had criticized her over something like this. For Cayna, it was the same old story. She argued with him every time, but the idea that someone with so little life experience could ever win over Opus with a sound argument was laughable. Well aware she didn’t stand a chance in a debate, Cayna retaliated by pouting and giving him the silent treatment.

  It usually didn’t take long for her to reflect on her actions and feel a wave of regret. Opus would anticipate as much and say Well? You should have listened to me, right? the following day. This would send Cayna into another sulking fit—and thus their little dance would continue.

  “Well, then. I shall take care of the wagon, so please chat to your hearts’ content.”

  The golem wagon and golem horses were pretty much autonomous, but Siren seemed plenty content to hop in the driver’s seat. Since her maid outfit was extremely conspicuous, she switched to a full-length brown robe that Opus gave her—a strictly defensive measure since female drivers were often the targets of unsavory types.

  Incidentally, Cayna did offer other outfits but threw in the towel when a very serious-looking Siren replied, “Why would a maid wear anything besides her uniform?”

  “Fancy.”

  “I left the interior design up to Cie. Those are probably Lu’s practice cushions.”

  The inside of the wagon had been updated since Cayna’s trip with Luka and the others. The cushions and plush toys Lytt made during sewing practice were strewn all over the place, and a pastel cloth over the table disguised its crude build. The floor was accented with a checkered white and pale blue carpet, and several bins fitted with drawers were placed along the wall.

  Roxine had obviously redecorated while Cayna was out running errands for her once they got back from Felskeilo. Everything was a shade of blue—Luka’s favorite color.

  Opus casually plopped down on a large cushion and sat cross-legged. Cayna gathered several more cushions and made herself comfortable.

  “Well, then. Ready to get started?” Opus asked.

  “Right.”

  Even though he was the one to broach the subject, Opus crossed his arms pensively as if he wasn’t sure where to start.

  “I suppose I’ll start by answering any questions you have. Fire away.”

  “Questions…”

  Cayna had assumed he would do all the talking, so she wasn’t sure how to react to Opus’s receptiveness. She didn’t even know where to start.

  “Um… Ermm.”

  “…Go on, ask me anything.”

  “So I was thinking, Opus—condescending much??”

 
“What’re you talking about? I’m no different than usual. It’s only bothering you now?”

  “It’s been ages since we last saw each other. Anyone would feel the same.”

  “Really?”

  “For me at least, yeah.”

  “I wouldn’t expect to hear that from someone who tried to kill me out of nowhere. Your body language suggested otherwise.”

  “H-hey! Th-that was your fault! Y-your attitude sucks! You have no idea how to treat a guest!”

  “I don’t understand why you’re so upset. Ebelope was far worse.”

  “Tr-true, but…these are two completely separate issues!”

  “…Hmph.” Failing to see her point, Opus frowned.

  Ebelope, aka Sin City, had been a member of the Cream Cheese guild. Something of a big-sister figure to Cayna, she taught the naive girl various facts about health and biology, although at times, her vivid tales of her real-world exploits were more than Cayna could handle.

  Cayna bristled angrily for a moment but took a deep breath before asking her first question.

  “Hey, listen. I remember logging out in the remote village, but the next thing I knew, I woke up at the inn. So why don’t I remember spending the night there?”

  “The answer is simple,” Opus replied. His answer came faster than she expected. “I transformed into you, booked a room, and left you there while you were unconscious.”

  “Huh? …Whaaaat?!”

  This swift reveal caused Cayna’s brain to short-circuit.

  If Opus’s claim was true, then she had a lot more questions—ones that involved Kee’s urgent items on day one and what her body was doing in this world before she even woke up.

  Speaking of which, Kee hadn’t uttered a word since her battle with Drekdovai. Cayna’s mind felt so quiet that she couldn’t help but wonder if Opus had been the one behind Kee’s existence. Now that they had reunited, she called out to Kee in a panic, fearing he was gone forever.

  A feeble voice echoed in her mind.

  “Forgive me, Cayna.”

  “…Oh, Kee. Thank goodness!”

  In a typical situation, the two would embrace and rejoice over his return. Unfortunately, one side of the equation was a disembodied being incapable of hugs, so Cayna had to settle for greeting empty space with a cry of relief.

  “I reported false information…”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m just happy you’re still here, Kee.”

  “I do not deserve such compassion.”

  “Look, Opus was the one who tricked you. I bet his silver tongue forced you to comply.”

  “Hey, you’re making me sound like some kind of master con artist. Don’t drag my name through the mud.”

  “That is correct. As you have surmised, Cayna, he kidnapped you. Sob, sob.”

  “Oh, now you’re acting like the victim here?! You consented to it! It’s too late to backtrack!”

  “I do not have the slightest clue what you mean.”

  “How dare you play dumb with me!”

  Kee and Opus entered a war of words, and Cayna finally noticed something odd.

  How could Opus hear Kee when Cayna was usually the only one? Furthermore, they spoke to each other like old friends. It was like listening to a conversation between a faithful old butler and his capricious, free-spirited master. In her mind, this mental picture fit them to a T.

  “Do you guys know each other?”

  “……”

  “……”

  As soon as the words left Cayna’s mouth, the duo’s boisterous blame game ceased.

  Kee lacked any facial expressions to read, but he seemed equally as uncomfortable as Opus. Cayna sensed she just witnessed something she really wasn’t supposed to.

  “Ah, well, you know. The two of us had a lot of disagreements while I took care of you…”

  “Indeed. I sternly advised him to be more gentle with you…”

  Even their methods of deflection felt similar. However, something even more unsettling in their conversation made Cayna tilt her head dubiously.

  “Opus took care of me…?”

  “Pretty much. Your body first came to this world two hundred years ago, so I watched over you. Remember that bed you split clean in half? That’s where you slept.”

  “Huh? WHAAAAAT?!”

  Cayna had no success mentally reconstructing the dungeon rubble she’d created. She could only remember where Opus had been lazily munching snacks; nothing about that qualified as a “bed” in her eyes. More shocking was the revelation that, instead of waking up two hundred years in the future, she’d spent two hundred years sleeping in this world.

  “I don’t remember a thing… Wait. You didn’t seal my memories away, did you?”

  “Relax. You were just passed out for two centuries, like Rip Van Winkle. No one remembers anything that happens while they’re asleep; that would be terrifying.”

  Cayna didn’t feel like much time had passed between dozing off midgame session in her hospital room and waking up in the inn.

  “Why is this happening?!”

  Meanwhile, Siren hummed at the reins and looked at the cloudless sky.

  “Ahhh, what a peaceful day,” she murmured to herself.

  There was a wham! inside the wagon behind her. However, this, too, was “peace.” Siren feigned ignorance as if it were nothing more than a gentle breeze across the meadow. Her master had made his bed and now had to lie in it, thus Siren had no intention of lifting a single finger to help. One might ask what kind of maid would do that, but this was precisely the amount of emotional distance Opus requested from Siren.

  Cayna whipped out a wooden hammer marked FOR DISCIPLINARY USE and swung it at Opus. Fortunately, he dodged quickly enough to avoid becoming part of the wallpaper.

  “Sheesh, have you no restraint? I’ve told you to quit wielding dangerous objects as a retort!”

  A high elf didn’t stand a chance against a demon physically. Opus snatched away the giant mallet and put it in his own Item Box.

  “Ah, Bam-Bam…!”

  “How many times have I told you not to run your mouth and your weapons at the same time? Are you setting poor examples like this in front of your kids?”

  “You mean Lu? I doubt it… Besides, you’re the only one I treat this way, Opus.”

  Cayna grinned from ear to ear; Opus could only swallow his words in exasperation. She was going to save all her complaints for a rainy day.

  “Great. Glad to know it’s more distinction than discrimination.”

  Considering Cayna’s powers of retention, she’d likely forget what she’d been grumbling about in the first place.

  “I don’t even know how you wound up watching over me. Why’d you do that?”

  “You want to know, huh? We may be here a while…”

  “Shouldn’t you have mentioned that in the first place?”

  “He gets easily sidetracked.”

  “And whose fault was that, exactly?”

  Opus almost started things up again with Kee, but the words died in his throat when he remembered Cayna was there. He steadied himself with a deep sigh, then spoke slowly.

  “Incidentally, Cayna—say you wanted something so badly but had no hope of acquiring it in your present situation. Who would you turn to?”

  “Now you’re the one asking questions? I was waiting for an answer.”

  “Please, don’t rush me. There are a few things you should know first.”

  “Hmm, turn to… Turn to… Who would I turn to…?”

  Cayna placed a hand to her mouth. Then, after a moment of thought…

  “God?” she replied hesitantly.

  “You don’t sound very confident.”

  “Yeah, I guess. Are you surprised, though?”

  She would either wish for her body or her parents. After all, Cayna had endlessly pleaded for both right after the accident:

  “Please give my father back.”

  “Please give my mother back.”

  In the end, she had concluded there was no God. Of course those wishes would never come true; she had no choice but to live on in despair.

  “Well, unlike you, a certain someone tried to sell his soul to a demon.”

  “…Who?”

  Cayna appeared puzzled as Opus alluded to this person in a profoundly familiar manner.

  “He seemed very worried about you. If I’d been a second too late, your fine uncle would have been corrupted by the likes of some shady, vengeful spirit.”

  “My uncle?!”