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Translator: Vine
Chapter Title: Daphne's Test (2)
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Just a moment ago, I was merely a spectator, admiring the lake from atop a towering cliff.
I never expected to suddenly be bungee jumping without a safety rope.
There was at least one silver lining.
Just before hitting the water, I realized something was wrong and managed to react accordingly.
"Hmph!"
-Splash!
I took a deep breath and held it.
That way, even if I fell into the water, I wouldn't suddenly swallow it and drown.
When I opened my eyes again, I saw the constantly changing blue scenery beneath the lake.
'Shit.'
The problem was, I had no idea how deep this body, falling at such speed, would sink.
'My body won't move.'
And that wasn't all. I needed to move my body to even struggle, but my limbs simply refused to budge.
Moving in the water was already difficult due to the water pressure.
But on my arms were cursed bracelets, incredibly heavy and designed to scatter mana.
'Is this psychopath really trying to kill me?'
It was a perfectly reasonable thought.
No sane person would ever drop a ten-year-old child into such a deadly situation.
'At this rate, I'm really going to die...'
It was getting harder and harder to hold my breath. I was starting to feel my limits.
This was serious. If I couldn't hold my breath in water this deep and swallowed water, I would definitely drown.
Meanwhile, my limbs wouldn't move because of the bracelets, and I couldn't even use mana.
Damn it. If only I could infuse mana into my body, I could move.
'Wait.'
-"But there *is* a way to manifest magic."
-"You just need to trick the Scales. Then you can cast magic with far less mana than normally required."
Suddenly, I remembered Daphne's words just before she dropped me.
[Please select a reward.]
[1. All Stats +10]
[2. Trickster of the Scales (Lv.1)]
[3. Starlight (Lv.1)]
The list of quest completion rewards I hadn't been able to choose from earlier.
'Trickster of the Scales...'
It was a trait that could only be obtained by casting a specific spell over ten thousand times within a certain period.
'It was hard to get, but the effects were good.'
It just took a long time to acquire.
Once obtained, mana consumption would be reduced to almost nothing, making it a golden goose for mages.
'The other rewards are a shame to pass up, but...'
'All Stats +10', a growth rate that usually required at least a year of investment to even hope of getting in the game.
'Starlight', a Tier 0 trait that only a very lucky few characters could obtain.
I had originally planned to choose one of those two and grind for 'Trickster of the Scales' later, but...
['Trickster of the Scales (Lv.1)' has been added to your traits.]
Since it was clear I would die otherwise, I chose without hesitation.
'Got it!'
The effect was incredible.
As soon as I selected the trait, mana began to circulate through my body.
With just my will, mana enveloped my entire body, and my previously unmoving limbs moved as lightly as feathers.
'Oh, right.'
But after flailing my limbs for a moment, I soon realized a very important fact.
'I can't swim...'
Come to think of it, I hadn't known how to swim even in my previous life.
"Glug glug."
I'm screwed.
****
The lake still rippled where something had fallen.
Sitting on a nearby rock, Daphne gazed at it and quietly murmured,
"Was I too harsh?"
In truth, she hadn't intended to push Carmel this far, not even this morning.
Today, she had only planned a light assessment.
To see how Carmel would react when faced with a difficult situation.
That's why she had deliberately chosen a very arduous path and forced Carmel to follow.
Frankly, she'd expected Carmel to collapse in place within an hour.
Because the forest path she had taken was so challenging that even a robust adult man would be exhausted within two hours.
"Hmm..."
Since she had created such a situation, it was only natural for Carmel to give up halfway while trying to follow her.
In fact, what Daphne wanted to confirm from Carmel wasn't a child's stamina or perseverance.
What she wanted to see was whether an aura of evil would manifest within Carmel when his mind weakened.
So that if even a hint of it appeared, she would not hesitate to sever Carmel's neck.
Because if an aura of evil manifested when one's mind weakened, it meant they had already been completed as a vessel of sin.
The soul of a completed vessel could never regain its original pure essence, no matter what, and would inevitably become a monster that caused disaster according to its instincts.
Therefore, it was something Daphne absolutely had to confirm.
"How strange..."
Yet, Carmel not only didn't emit an aura of evil, but he also successfully followed her for five hours, as if to show off.
Daphne simply couldn't understand.
How could a child of only ten years old follow that arduous path without complaint?
Was it the will to live?
Or was he just inherently foolish?
Daphne wondered about it, but no matter the answer, it was fine.
Because if it was the former, it meant he possessed excellent mental fortitude, which was good, and if it was the latter, it reminded her of cherished old times, which didn't displease her.
"His talent isn't bad either."
To say "not bad" was an understatement. Even for Daphne, who had lived for ages, this was a first.
He was clearly a child who couldn't even sense mana.
Yet, Carmel not only sensed mana just by listening to an explanation, but he even managed to infuse it into his body.
Honestly, it was beyond surprising; it was absurd.
To accomplish in just one hour what even those called geniuses needed over a year to achieve.
That was why Daphne had implicitly decided to accept Carmel and started to harbor an unknown expectation.
"Perhaps I expected too much."
Daphne fiddled with a blue magic bracelet, identical in appearance to the one she had given Carmel, and murmured.
Although the color was gradually fading, the bracelet was still blue, indicating Carmel was not yet dead.
Furthermore, since it hadn't turned black yet, there seemed to be no sign of an evil aura manifesting.
"Well, it's a bit disappointing, but..."
Daphne, who had been staring at the bracelet, stood up.
Because the blue bracelet was gradually turning pink, she could infer that Carmel had started to swallow water.
Due to an unexpected surge of hope, she had dropped him into the lake, contrary to her plan.
It seemed Carmel wasn't the 'Opener of Destinies' after all.
If he had been, Carmel would have succeeded in tricking the Scales immediately.
By now, he would have easily gotten out of the lake and then some.
And the bracelet wouldn't be turning pink like this.
"Still, this isn't bad."
Although it was a little disappointing that Carmel wasn't the 'Opener of Destinies' she had been searching for, Daphne was still quite fond of him.
Mental fortitude and stamina beyond comprehension.
An intelligence not expected from a ten-year-old.
Talent that couldn't help but inspire admiration.
And even an appearance reminiscent of someone from her past.
Even if he wasn't a special child, he was certainly worth keeping around.
"He's also untainted."
Moreover, she had confirmed through her Eyes of Truth yesterday that Carmel had completely lost all memories prior to yesterday.
And this was a fact that stimulated something hidden deep within Daphne.
"What was it? Something about raising... Ah!"
Daphne, unable to recall the appropriate word, hastily jumped into the lake.
Because the bracelet she had been fiddling with had turned red.
For the record.
The word she couldn't remember was 'raise-and-claim'.
****
'Am I alive...?'
It seemed so.
Given that notification windows were popping up in my mind even as I lay with my eyes closed.
[Hidden Quest 'Daphne's Test (2)' completed.]
[As a reward, the linked quest 'Gain Daphne's Favor!' will proceed. (Affection 20/100)]
[Rewards can be chosen upon success.]
This wasn't welcome news like before. No, it was infuriating news.
Someone almost died because of someone else to complete a quest.
And the reward was a quest to gain the favor of the very person who almost killed me.
Even a saint would surely rage and spew obscenities if they experienced the same situation as me.
'This bitch.'
Sure enough. As the moment I swallowed water in the deep lake came back to me, curses welled up inside.
'I can't take this anymore.'
I don't care about possession or anything else now. How dare she try to kill me?
Just you wait. I'll hit her with some refreshing K-game-forged insults.
I was just making that vow when...
'Huh...?'
Suddenly, a soft sensation on my lips, accompanied by a warm breath filling my mouth.
My eyes opened reflexively.
"Mmph..."
What I saw was elegant platinum-blonde hair tickling my face, and...
"..."
The woman's closed eyes, whose eyelashes I found remarkably pretty.
And.
'Oh, wow.'
The faint glimpse of white skin showing through the woman's wet clothes.