NOVEL NEXT [51] Questions, Answers, and a Solution
The soft wind blew as black hair fluttered, matching the direction of drifting grass.
". . .this is a bit troublesome," Claire muttered.
What was she going to say when she returned to the dungeon? A super villain hopped over from nothing, took Vander, and disappeared just like that?
She stood upon that grassland, gazing absentmindedly at the spot they disappeared from. The girl named Bam Veronica came from nowhere and left to god knows where.
"Actually, yes, I'll say just that."
Then she remembered the words of the girl. Play her role in the game, she was told. What game? She could only surmise through conjecture that it had to do with the heroes and demon lord. However, if there was something Claire hated above all, it was being told what she ought to do with little to no information.
'All this hero and demon lord business. And now, a Seed Wielder and Gods? I need answers.' She mused, then grumbled, "Honestly, an isekai like this should be much simpler. Just give me a villain, let me punch them, and put me on my way."
There was only once person she thought to ask, even as she was unsure of whether or not he would know a thing.
A tower of crystal-ice floated above her palm. Then, she disappeared.
"Igris," Her cold voice called out as soon as she appeared within the walls of the ancient place.
[Hmm. . .? Wow—that expression—are you angry? Hahahahahaha. With that frost on your face, you really are an Ice Queen! Hahahahahaha!]
Claire narrowed her eyes, arms folded at her chest, feet tapping, as she waited for her ghost-mentor to slow his laughter. When he didn't stop, she spoke instead.
"Do you know anything about this game of Heroes and Demon Lords and what it has to do with Gods and Seed wielders?"
The laugher ceased.
[Hmm.]
"Well?" Claire asked as her mana floated behind her. A chair of ice appeared in the world and she sat, crossing her leg as the Crystal Orb floated in front of her.
Her mentor didn't have a face but, for some reason or another, she watched the thing as her thoughts wandered.
As far as she was aware, there were a set number of Gods currently playing a game with the world she currently resided in. The terms of that game? She was unaware. All the individuals involved? She was unaware. Was Alicia in any danger soon? That, she was also unaware of, and it peeved her even more than the realization that she was a part of the game without her knowledge.
[I suppose I'll start. . .] The voice began, cutting through her mind.
[Even between the Seeds, we all had different roles we played in the world. Aside from the 3 universal seeds, I controlled the water element so I was the intermediary between the others. I could quench flames. I could freeze air. And I could drown the land.]
"So, what does that have to do with the game of gods?"
[What? You don't want to hear my awesome life story??]
Claire rolled her eyes.
[Fine fine *sigh* Do you think we gave up our Seeds willingly? No, we were immortal beings, merged with them. The goddess of this world, Ishtar, called us together and proposed something simple. A Game.]
For some reason, she felt as if a faint smile shined upon her.
[Two Gods drew the contract. The Goddess of this World, controller of life and creation, the lesser-known God of this world, controller of the dead and destruction. In want to settle themselves, and see who devours the other to become the sole God, they called the God of your world—one who had already ate his partner's divinity—as the intermediary.]
Claire raised a brow, 'So if Ishtar is the first goddess. . .and the god of earth was the one who met my parents. . .then that angel-pretender should be the other?'
The voice continued.
[Both Gods chose their sides. Ishtar betters on the Heroes. And Micheal placed his fate with a Demon Lord. If a True Hero wins, she wins. If the True Demon Lord wins, he wins. If a Guardian wins, which we pass our Seeds to, choosing death, then the mentor of that Guardian devours both God's divinity. However, even with this settled, your world's God added a new element.]
"Which is me?" Claire raised a brow.
[Precisely. At the cost of part of his divinity, and taking a stake in the game, he called you the 'fairy' and added you as a spice to the already tantalizing soup. Simply put, he wanted a better show, and chose someone he saw fit to make it more. . .interesting. Color me surprised when I found that you made your way to my tower. I practically did everything to get you to inherit my power.]
Claire allowed that idea to settle in for a moment.
"So, basically, it's a race to see the True Hero and True Demon Lord fight each other, while the current Guardians plot outside their arena to uproot them both?" She asked.
[Yup.]
"But we don't have to wait for that, right?"
[Huh?]
Claire stood up, her expression having softened, smiling, "Thank you for your help, mentor-of-mine."
[Huh!?]
She disappeared.
The next instance, she was within a forest of gigantic trees. Not much time had actually passed, so the sun still shined brightly. Claire waited a few minutes before the flapping of a bat caught her ears and a person landed from the air as golden hair fluttered.
"You're back!"
"Wow. . .you really did pick up my scent. . ." She muttered, amazed.
The vampire grinned, "Of course. I'll lead you back to the others."
Claire nodded and took the offered hand. For a moment, she eyed the necklace of blood and ice still gleaming upon the girl's dainty neck, smiled, then spoke.
"Alice."
The girl tilted her head, "Hmm?"
"How about we reach the endgame of this novel before it comes knocking at our doorsteps? After this dungeon mess, let's go beyond broken. I'll climb the entirety of the Glacial Tower, obtain the Water Seed, while we evolve you to a True Demon Lord. . .whatever that takes."
The vampire blinked, puzzled as the Ice Queen smiled.
"Let me fill you in on a game we'll beat in our own way."