Cecia sat at the entrance of the Black Iron and Forging Association, drenched in sweat and lost in thought, as the sun dipped completely below the horizon.
More loiterers wandered the streets; Asgard's nightlife was about to begin.
A cool evening breeze brushed past Cecia, gently stirring her hair and lifting her skirt.
She stared at the Nepalese curved blade emitting a faint cyan-green glow, deep in thought.
Why was she so torn?
Because she had never used the skill 【Burnt Offering】 on her status panel.
This was likely a skill exclusive to the Sun class.
Rather than granting a direct effect, the skill had ingrained a ritual into Cecia's memory.
It was a complete ritual that required offerings and a magic circle.
A ritual with mana alone and no sacrifices could never attract a deity's attention.
To explore the skill's effects, Cecia would need to hunt spiritual creatures to offer as sacrifices.
This was, after all, a dangerous endeavor.
Which was better—a weapon, or a skill?
She made up her mind: she would pick a skill first.
Besides, was she going to be unable to forge good gear herself in the future? What a joke—once Cecia became a master blacksmith, crafting a single blade would be child's play.
So, Cecia sold the Nepalese blade.
She didn't rush to buy a Skill Crystal, intending to head to school the next day to see which skill would be best.
Her brainstorming soon came to a halt.
Because Hilna had wrapped an arm around Cecia's neck.
“My, my, Miss Cecia is amazing! Finishing such a big order all by yourself. Looks like we need to head to the Adventurers Guild for a feast to celebrate!” Hilna declared.
Finding it hard to resist, Cecia let the boisterous Hilna drag her toward the Adventurers Guild.
The Adventurers Guild was exceptionally cool today, as an ice mage continuously cast cold air inside the tavern.
It was practically an alternate-world air conditioner, and nothing felt better than sitting in AC on a sweltering summer day.
The moment they reached the counter at the Adventurers Guild, Hilna made herself right at home, flopping onto a chair. “Catherine, one steak and two mugs of ale!”
The older woman named Catherine straightened her back and chuckled. “Yo, lush! Haven't seen you in a while—still kickin'? Who's this? Pretty cute~”
Cecia smiled at Catherine and was about to introduce herself when Hilna beat her to it.
“She's my new coworker. She finished a huge order today, so I'm treating her to dinner. And hey, who are you calling dead? Your tongue is as sharp as ever...”
After their bickering, Hilna slid the menu over. “Go on, little one. What do you want? Big Sister's buying~”
Cecia didn't stand on ceremony, ordering two steaks and a cup of sweet honey water.
Catherine went off to inform the kitchen.
Meanwhile, Hilna and Cecia struck up a conversation.
“Big Sister Hilna, where is Mr. Raven? I didn't see him at all today.”
“The old man was tasked by the Lord's Manor today to investigate the Abyss in the Lower District.”
“Whoa, is there an Abyss Rift in the city? The teachers at school told us to stay safe and watch out for stuff like that.”
Cecia knew Abyss Rifts were extremely dangerous. The abyss aura radiating from them could mutate ordinary beasts into terrifying monsters.
“Things like that happen every few years. Don't worry. Though, that's not what you really need to be careful of.”
“What is it, then?”
“Word is that traces of the Abyss Cult have appeared in the Lower District. They specialize in snatching homeless young girls for sacrifices,” Hilna said vividly, clearly trying to scare Cecia.
“Eek! How scary.”
Cecia played along.
Catherine brought out the prepared food, frowning slightly at the comment. “Tch. How credible can words coming from a dummy warrior who got tricked by a goblin be?”
“Hey! Catherine, I'm serious! The source is reliable, so you'd better watch out too!”
Hilna took the food Catherine handed over, grumbling in dissatisfaction.
“Besides, my junior is sitting right here! If you talk like that, what happens to my glorious image as a senior?”
Cecia thought quietly to herself that dummy Big Sister Hilna was actually pretty cute.
“Anyone who spends three days with you will see their great first impression shatter into pieces,” Catherine retorted mercilessly.
After bantering for a bit, the two steered the conversation back to the Abyss Cult.
“What does the Abyss Cult actually do? I'm not really sure.”
“Didn't they teach you that in school?” Catherine asked.
“Not yet.”
Hilna chimed in eagerly, “Hehe, I know this one! The Abyss Cult is a group that worships and serves the Overlord of the Abyss.”
“Their history goes back over two millennia. They're an extremely ancient cult that thrived up until the establishment of the Old Empire.”
“When the Old Empire was founded, the new emperor launched continuous crackdowns against them. In a famous campaign called 'The Great Purge', both their Pope and Holy Maiden were slain. The remaining cultists scattered, fell into decline, and fled every which way.”
“However, with the disappearance of the emperor and the overthrow of the Old Empire, no nation could ever thoroughly eradicate the wandering Abyss Cult again.”
“Now, the Abyss Cult has rallied and grown stronger than ever. Even though nations formed a coalition force to launch crusades against them, it yielded little success.”
“Because the Abyss cultists migrated toward the border of the Abyss. The closer they are to the Abyss, the stronger they become, making them harder and harder to deal with.” Hilna finished her explanation and looked proudly at those around her, as if waiting for praise.
“I didn't expect Big Sister Hilna to be a scholar,” Cecia said with a deadpan tone.
“Indeed,” Hilna lifted her head proudly.
“Indeed, Hilna sure is cute,” Catherine burst out laughing.
“I heard that people outside the city went missing recently, and passing merchants vanished too. It's very likely their doing,” Hilna added, not quite done talking.
“Raven went to investigate that exact matter. What a headache. The necromancy and calamity magic of the Abyss Cult always end up causing widespread panic.”
“The nearby residents are all feeling quite uneasy.”
Hilna gulped down a mug of ale, practically chugging straight from the bottle, gulp after gulp.
“But—but don't worry! With me around, I guarantee both of you will be safe and sound!”
“Big Sister Hilna is amazing!” Cecia cheered her on.
“Hahaha! Miss Cecia, how about a sip to join in the fun?”
“A proper mage shouldn't drink alcohol. It would short-circuit my mind when casting spells.”
“Eh, what a shame.”
Hearing this, Hilna chugged another entire bottle of ale, demonstrating her bold and boisterous spirit.
“Waitress! Bring me three more bottles of ale!” she hollered at Catherine.
“Drunkard,” Catherine muttered, heading to the back kitchen to grab the drinks.
Cecia watched helplessly as Hilna drank to her heart's content, even inviting a striking red-haired bard over to drink with her.
They seemed to be old friends—two lushes coming together, noisy and having a blast.
Fueled by alcohol, the bard began recounting stories.
Cecia leaned in to listen, discovering it was a mythical epic compiled by the Abyss Cult.
...
Cecia didn't stick around to keep fooling around with them; after all, she had classes the next day.
So after saying goodbye to Catherine, Hilna, and the bard, she walked back home alone.
Rate on N.U.
