From the stuff the two lovebirds left behind, and from Schwarz’s own information, Dia knew that the Status would change the moment she stepped into Celestia. She hadn’t quite expected to see such…changes, though.

[Name: Dia Lyceria de Lustre (NPC)

Class: Salvation Star (Tier-8, Innate),

Class Mastery: 0%

Energy Rank: D

EXP to next rank:

EXP stored:

Physical Modifier: 8750 ( * )

Energy Modifier: 3200 ( *)

HP: ?/? (??? * * )

Energy: ?/? (??? * * )

Active Skills: Sword Dance (8), Sword Sense (8), Sword Roar (6), Fated Sword (3), Sword Fall (3), Perfect Domain of Swords (2)

Passive Skills: Heightened Senses, Fighter’s Intuition, Foreseer’s Eye, Introspection, Projectile Evasion, Lifeforce Manipulation

Tat????: ???

Comments: ]

Dia stared at her Status once again, her eyes scanning through the whole thing as she tried to figure out what Celestia’s specialty was like. A few things had been made known to her, thanks to Schwarz, so her work wasn’t all that hard. For instance, the two modifiers — Physical Modifier and Energy Modifier — represented her physical ability and her mana if she pushed herself to the absolute limits.

It was a bit startling to find out that she was approximately ten thousand times stronger than the usual average person on the street, if this thing was to be believed. However, there was one major problem.

The two modifiers weren’t supposed to have a number. In fact, the Class bit should have been filled up with the same error that seemed to be everywhere in her Status. In other words, for some reason, the Salvation Star passive skill had turned into her class.

Did that mean that she was actually stronger here? Dia rubbed her head, and then flexed her arms. Indeed, her mana was very, very active, and she had the feeling that if she really pushed it, houses were probably going to break in front of her…

“How’s the progress?” Schwarz asked, a bunch of notes in his hand.

“I’ve managed to draw a connection between the lovebirds’ map and our own,” Farah replied. “It seems that there’s a common district. We’re currently in the Civilian Teleportation District, and there’s a nice pavement from this district to the ISV Carpark 1A cemetery that Claud mentioned in his notes. Lily notes that they only explored in one direction, though, and that’s from the cemetery to the central administrative building or something.”

“The Misul Secretary-General Building,” Schwarz corrected. “That’s the full name of the place. Anyway, they’ve already mapped out a route from the cemetery to the secretary-general building, so we’ll use that route instead.”

“Ok. The connecting pavement between the Civilian Transportation District to the cemetery is around three kilometres. We’ll get that quickly enough,” Farah added. “Is there anything else?”

“Check for other mercenary teams in the vicinity,” Schwarz added. “And see if there are any of them headed in our direction…you know what? Dia, when we move you, you’re to carry Farah. Farah will give us updates on the situation as needed.”

“Me?” Dia blinked. “Uh, okay.”

“Nero and I will handle the issue of security and everything,” Schwarz added. “Any questions, anyone?”

“I’m fine here,” Nero replied, a touch of excitement in his words.

“I’m the only one who’s being carried, though…” Farah rubbed her cheeks. “It’s a bit embarrassing for some reason.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Schwarz chuckled. “And you two are women anyway. It’s better than getting us men to carry you, right? Besides, I want to save on our mana usage. While it’s safer if Dia carried you with mana or something, I prefer if we do things physically for now.”

“You’re friends. I don’t think I’ll make that much of a distinction,” Farah replied. “Besides, if something happens to you two, I’m more than happy to carry you guys too, really.”

“Nice to know, but you’re a noble.” Schwarz paused. “I mean, even if you barely behave like a stereotypical one. I wouldn’t want an incident where you get a fiancé, and said fiancé says something about dirty peasants—”

“I’ll kill such a person first, so no worries.” Farah cackled. “Anyway, should we check in on Count Lostfon afterwards? Nightfall and Caroline don’t want a matrimony ceremony, so we can’t really give them stuff, but news about her parents should be good, right?”

“You mean, after we return?” Schwarz asked. “It’s not that far, so I think it’s fine, really. Still, Lostfon is in Dark territory. We’re contracted partners of the Moons. There’s a rather huge element of danger, considering that the Lesser Half is apparently residing in the Lostfon Palace.”

Farah clicked her teeth. “That sucks.”

“I know, but safety first, right?” Schwarz shook his head. “Anyway, we’ve rested enough, I think. Drink up one last time, and let’s hit the road.”

After dismantling the barriers and taking a glug from her water canteen, Dia and the others headed out of the huge facility. Glancing once at the black sky above, Dia passed through the huge gate that had the words ‘Civilian Teleportation District’ shining on it.

“This sky…it’s quite different from our night sky.” Nero let out a sigh.

“So it is. Lily mentioned that when they were travelling here, they saw a…world below this place. This place was apparently a floating city before the ruination that struck Celestia occurred,” Schwarz replied.

“The way you phrased that last sentence is odd.” Nero made a noise in his throat. “What’s with that?”

“…It’s better if you see it yourself, apparently. I am just parroting what Lily wrote in the notes,” Schwarz replied. “Come on, let’s go.”

Dia, who was carrying Farah on her back, shifted slightly. “If you’re not comfortable, do let me know.”

“I’m fine,” Farah replied. “There are eight mercenary teams around us, but they’re too far away that we shouldn’t be in visual range.”

“Okay. Keep us updated if you spot any changes,” Schwarz replied. “Our first goal is the cemetery that the two lovebirds mentioned.”

Their quiet steps echoed out as Dia carried Farah down the pavement. Nero and Schwarz had aligned themselves to her northeast and southwest respectively, taking up two vectors of defence. Half-transparent metal coffins, which reminded Dia of the Mana Wagon for some reason, rumbled down the road next to the pavement at extreme speeds.

If the notes and rumours were true, getting smacked by one of these things would be fatal, no matter what happened.

“We need to follow the lights. Green is for us to proceed, and anything else is danger,” Schwarz instructed.

“Other than that, it seems quite peaceful around those parts,” Dia muttered.

“Not really. There are…ghostly things all around us,” Schwarz replied. “According to my contacts, these are beings that perished in the calamity that struck this place. They…seem to be in an odd state. If you pay attention to them, they become more real; if you ignore them, they are completely harmless.”

“How does that work?” Dia asked.

“The principle of observation,” Nero replied. “It’s one of the lesser-known doctrines of my Lord. Things exist because we acknowledge their existence. I think, therefore I am…it is but an extension of this to phenomenon elsewhere. One’s thoughts can affect reality, even without the power of mana.”

Farah shifted on Dia’s back. “Go on.”

“Even you’re interested?” Nero asked. “Hmm. Well, there was a weird case. A man was convinced by a conman that he was dying. Even though he was around twenty years of age and in the pink of health, within a year of that ploy — a very successful one at that — the young man’s body weakened and wasted away.”

A chilly tone permeated his words. “The autopsy showed that he was perfectly fine, and he had died for no apparent reason.”

“…Just like that?” Schwarz asked.

“Just like that.” Nero shook his head. “Words and thoughts, while seemingly transient, really can…result in the affirmation or denial of phenomena. And it applies to these shades too. Please do remember that, going forward. The will to live can ignore death, even if for transient moments.”

“And these moments are enough to turn a spark into a blazing flame, I suppose.”

Nero glanced at Dia. “As expected of a seasoned fighter and bodyguard. Desperation, desire and obsession are the strongest parts of a human’s mind. They drive people do great things, terrible things…”

Dia turned her eyes away from a little transparent child that was tottering along the road. “Yes. Indeed. Right, can we manawalk our way to the secretary-general building? I don’t want to…stay here too long.”

“It’s going to use up some mana, but I suppose it’s going to be more helpful in the long run…the only issue is Farah, really. But again, I do think it’s better if we get to the secretary-general building first. The plaza in front of it is quite a defensible place, and if Claud’s words are to be believed…it’s also a place one can live in.”

The details of a certain mission danced around Dia’s mind, and she chuckled awkwardly. “Yeah…that’s probably not the best idea. Just saying.”

“Why?”

“No reason in particular, really…”

“How suspicious.”