As expected, Regis gave me a stern lecture when she discovered that I had escaped from the Stark palace to explore the city on my own. Of course, it would be much worse if I told her about the children's slave kidnapping mess. Fortunately, that unknown boy solved the whole problem and not even Arya would find out that I was there even if she learned of the situation later on.

Other than that, all my remaining night was spent preparing for leaving this country tomorrow. I did get to enjoy dinner with everyone, Arya, Caige Maya and of course, Regis and Hana were there.

The next morning Arya got us a much more comfortable carriage compared to the transport cart we were traveling in until now. From there we would head straight to the Hart Kingdom where I was to look for other clues for finding Athena and also meet the princess of Hart Kingdom to get her help.

It was going to be a four days journey as the carriage would take us South where the Hart Kingdom was situated.

“I am sure with this letter of recommendation from the Stark Kingdom the princess might be ready to help you, otherwise I have heard she is a very kind soul.” Arya said handing me a letter stamped with the Stark family crest.

I didn’t know what the contents of the letter were exactly, but I knew Arya went to great lengths to get it. So, I did not refuse it and only decided to use it as my last resort.

“Thank you. I will put good use of it.”

I then looked towards Caige and Maya who also came to see us off.

“I would have wanted to stay and discuss further the development of my new guild and the merchant guild to expand what we started.” I knew in a way I was letting down Caige by putting on hold what I started after the Guild Master made me into an adventurer clan leader.

“I know this is more important to you. I can handle this all on my own. You have already told me everything I need to know and I will make sure to get a good deal from the guild master.” Caige looked confided as she spoke.

I could only imagine what kind of pressure the guild master would have to go through because of Caige’s persistence. I have already given a big new stock of healing potions to Caige for further sales and emergency use as well.

“And I too will look for new members for the guild and to help us with the shop once we find a good place to establish our center.” Maia too was excited to visit this new place other than the small town she lived in. It was her first time leaving her home and being this far, but she looked optimistic.

“Caige and Maia too will have my support. Because now I am a part of this as well.” Arya too wanted to help us expand our product influence. Of course, it was to our great benefit to start from one of the biggest commercial kingdoms and have its support at the same time.

“Also, once I have reached Hart Kingdom and done with my search, I can come back here anytime.” Arya, Caige and Maia already knew of my teleportation magic so they were relieved as well.

“I am glad I could become good friends with an elf princess.” Arya said looking at Regis standing beside me.

“Yes, me too. And I plan to spend more time on the human continent visiting new places.” Regis expressed her heart’s desires.

Arya’s eyes could only twinkle with admiration for Regis. To her, Regis appeared as a strong princess who could do anything and get to travel the world all on her own.

“Maia I will come to play again.” Hana too was seeing off Maia. It was useless to ask Hana to stay if she wanted because she had already expressed her desire to stay with me.

“Yes, I will be waiting.” Maia quickly shakes both hands with Hana because it was time to leave now.

“Thank you, Alicia, Regis, and Hana for saving my family once again. And I am sure we will meet again soon and that you succeed in your search.” Arya bowed gracefully. She was the perfect picture of a real princess one could aim to be.

The three of us took a seat in the carriage as we wished everyone off.

***

JADE PROVINCE

On the outskirts of Jade province, on the rocky plains where bare minimum grass grew.

The prince of Nova Empire Kevin Nova and his personal appointed guard, Elsie watched the poor state of the place they had just saved. Of course, the wrecked lord’s mansion was still there with a missing roof and no one wanted to go near it.

“That stupid lord Gobbo had completely sucked all good things from this place.” Elsie spoke cursing the man’s name. She still held a grudge against him for using an ancient war weapon on the prince and herself.

“Since I have taken up this lordship job, I might as well see it through.” Kevin said sighing as if he did not account for the hard work he had to put in after getting here.

“I am sure the prince will become a good lord to the people.” Elsie said smiling at the prince but was surprised when she noticed the prince’s expression.

“…I will try my best.” There was a certain shake in the prince’s voice and Elsie was quick to notice.

“By any chance prince, are you feeling embarrassed to meet the people of this place?” Elsie tried looking up at the prince’s face. If only the townsfolks knew that the prince was the real savior, Elsie thought.

Kevin could only quickly step back to hide his flustered face.

“Of course not. I am a prince. I perfectly know how to lead people.” Kevin said in an uptight manner trying to straighten his back completely and look forward.

“Guess that’s right.” Elsie let out a chuckle.

“But I don’t know whether they are going to accept me as their lord. And I don’t like people making fun of me?” Kevin said looking at Elsie laughing.

“I wouldn’t dare.” Seeing this childish side of her prince, Elsie was pleased. “I am sure you will become a wonderful lord, prince. And I will do my best to help you with it.”

“⸺Elsie.” Suddenly the prince looked back seriously and it caught Elsie off guard. “I wanted to tell you that from this moment on I release you from yo…”

Before Kevin could speak further a forceful hand closed his mouth shut.

“Please don’t say it. I don’t want to leave, at least not right now.” Elsie shouted looking downward. It had come much sooner than she expected after all.

“I am sorry.” Elsie quickly backs off removing her palm from the surprised prince’s face.

“But staying with me will not help you to get to your goal of becoming a general. I will make sure to help you to get up in rank maybe to a squad leader when you return to the camp.”

“No, I don’t want that.” Elsie shouted.

“Working for a lord of a ruined place would never get you fame or money. Nothing is sure or guaranteed here.”

“I know working on this mission was risky and if we had failed I would have been doomed. And I might not get good recognition easily here or my efforts might not be appreciated by everyone.”

“Then what is stopping you? You should know that your abilities will be more highly regarded somewhere else. And you also got hurt because I brought you into my plan.” Kevin said as if he regretted dragging Elsie into his own mess.

Elsie looked up; her face appeared as if she was about to tear up. But instead of letting her feelings overpower her, she was good at holding them back. Putting on a strong face she directly looked at Kevin.

“I was not hurt; I am a knight. And you protected me. And now I know how strong I need to grow. I want to be strong enough to be your guard. At the camp it was always doing the same drills again and again and my life felt stuck there. But in just a few hours of my time spent with you, I defeated an evil lord, saved the town, and met a hero and the king as well.”

Kevin seeing Elsie, felt like he had straightaway plucked a rose from a garden, that only showed its kindness to the one who admired its value and bare fangs to those who tried to ruin it.

“Then you should know that trying to uncover the crime and saving the people was never my true intention but just a small part of my plan for my own benefit.” It was as if Kevin too had decided to come clean in order to shake off Elsie’s will.

“I think somewhere I have already realized that. And it really doesn’t matter to me, because if this small intervention of yours ends up improving the life of these people even by a bit. It's more than enough for me. Having no regret is all that I want. And that’s why I ask you to please allow me to stay.” Elsie did not waver while saying.

“Fine then. You can do as you wish. But I will let you know that what lies ahead will be more grueling than any military camp.”

“Does the prince would have me raid a bandit’s den or knock on another evil lord’s doors.” Elsie said in a sarcastic voice as if she was already back to normal.

“No, it's time I try becoming an adventurer and it would be better to have a party member to count on.” Kevin offered.

“I am up for it. I am sure there is some big money in becoming an adventurer as well so it can’t be that bad.”

“We do need money to build this place into something it deserves.” Kevin had already made all the calculations and the sum he would need to bring life back to his new territory and it was astronomical.

“Yeah, I am sure that miser lord would not have left a single penny for his people so we will have to do it ourselves. And the mines might not produce the required amount in a short time. But I would like to know your real reason for becoming an adventurer because I am sure you can find other ways to get the money as well.” By now Elsie had learned to read the thoughts of Kevin somehow and was interested in knowing his plans further.

“It’s because of a promise I made a long time ago.”

“⸺To whom.” This was the first time the prince was willing to share something personal from his life so she was looking forward to the prince’s reply.

“I don’t remember.”

***

Afterword

Hello there, this is NOEL ELITIA.

It still surprises me how I am able to pen this down as our novel has already completed its one year. And somehow we have managed to reach so far as its eighth volume.

Not too fast, nor too slow. But I am really loving how I am moving forward with this story and hope you are all getting the same kind of enjoyment as I am.

I won’t say now that I still consider myself new at this nor claim that I have found the secret to writing the best novel you are reading. But with each chapter I write I am trying to improve myself and I am sure you are able to feel that in my writing as well.

What motivates me the most is to bring each of my characters to you in the best form possible. And while this time our main character Alicia had a dungeon exploration with her friends, she has finally slain a god as well.

And now another two new characters have entered the story as well. I am sure you are wondering where I am going with this. What do I plan to do by throwing them into the story? But that’s what I am always trying to tell this is not just some fiction I want to base it on a template that everyone follows nor make the entire novel revolve just around one.

I believe for my story to truly blossom this is a step that is necessary.

And you will have your answer by the next volume’s prologue itself. When I will pull the carpet from right under your feet.

So, the contents of the next volume's first arc: remembrance will be a secret for now.

This volume was mainly to point Alicia in the right direction to her Goddess. And at the same time, her side plans with the healing potions and now she has also started her own adventurer clan.

Then there’s our new highly energetic character Elsie. Writing her part in the novel was one of the most joyous moments for me.

But why the main evil of the novel here has been shown in a different light? Maybe you just didn’t know him until now that well to completely decide.

Well, this wasn’t how it was supposed to go until I had reached volume 4 and I knew I wanted to do something new. Something which you will witness in the next volume itself so hold tight until we come back with the next installment.

I’m not sure if this volume betrayed your expectations or fulfilled them, but I’ll be glad so long as you derived some amount of enjoyment from it. In my mind, this work of mine is meant to be a simple, fun read with a slant toward comedy and a romantic approach toward magical fights.

I know I have ended the volume at an unexpected point and you still might be making guesses to whom this promise could have been made. Maybe you have your answer and guesses. But you still cannot be sure whether you are right.

And that’s why I have been saying what the next volume brings to your plate is going to be very different and might break all the notions you had until now and what you have thought or known of this world.

While I am still not sure that this story path is the right choice, I will be moving forward with it because I too want to know what happens next. And so I will be writing it….

VOLUME 9 : SYNOPSIS

As Alicia makes her way to the Hart Kingdom, one of the night stops for her turns out to be a marquess's palace.

But in the dead of that night, the palace is attacked by a group of highly skilled assassins.

Unraveling the dark secrets behind this secret organization, Alicia is faced with a momentous decision: to confront the assassins or continue her search for Athena, oblivious to the demon lord’s war closing in around her.

As I’m sure those of you can already tell that I am a huge fan of isekai genre. Crazy enough that after writing the eighth volume I am aiming for the ninth now. Feels almost unbelievable thinking back to when we started on this journey!

Once again, I’d like to thank my readers for letting me enjoy myself all the way through.

May we meet again in the next volume of When I Got Reincarnated As A Spider With My Goddess.

~ NOEL ELITIA

You may drop a fan appreciation mail to me at : - [email protected]

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Everyone who is reading my novel and loves Alicia on her exciting adventures in this new fantasy world.

Thanks a lot for all your support! It really means a lot to me.

Till now I have published from volume one to volume seven for free. And I hope to continue to do so even now. It has really been an exciting work for me to narrate you the story of our main character who fights her way to the bottom of abyss with her magic and skills and then eventually storms in the outside world.

Keeping the text error free takes a lot of revisions and consumes time, but no work is ever perfect. With your support and reviews I know that I have improved a lot in my writing.

You can support my writing by reviewing my book on the platform you are reading.

And even now I am asking for a bit more that if you voluntarily support my writing.

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I hope that you keep enjoying my work and in knowing the interesting characters which will be constantly introduced to you in the story.