Chapter 11

Chapter 11

✠

It’s another pleasant spring day. Three weeks have passed since I transmigrated into Infinite Returns to Save the World, a fantasy land free of micro dust.

Each day spent in the tutorial has been fruitful, to say the least. I’ve been trying to increase my skills in preparation for the insane survival difficulty that is to come when the original story commences. I’ve reached the twenty-second day in the 1000 Days of Morning Prayer quest.

It’s a daunting task, but I’ve been diligently chipping away at it. I was able to obtain the [Recipe Insight] and [Major Flavor Amplification Lv.1 (Passive)] skills by reaching level 4 in my cooking skill set.

As a matter of fact, I felt like I was at the end of the line with cooking. Aside from the fact that I noticed my experience gain rates had begun to plateau after reaching level 4, I was already able to recreate any dish that I tasted with the [Recipe Insight] skill. I suspected that any further progress in levels would raise only my passive skills.

My alchemy skill set followed close behind at level 3. I’m now able to create not only simple ointments, medicine, and tonics, but practical healing potions for adventurers on dungeon expeditions.

My self-development was not limited to raising skill levels. I also read many, many books during my playdates with Bianca. I gained a sufficient amount of background information on the continent of Serentra thanks to the wide array of subjects I was able to study. With this knowledge, no one could suspect me of being a bumbling, dimension-hopping alien.

Like clockwork, I dropped by Bianca’s room to fulfill my duties as her loyal friend. I knocked on the door to let her know I’d arrived.

“Bia, it’s me.”

“Come on in, Allie. I’ve been waiting for you.”

We planned out the day’s schedule while eating the chocolate madeleines I had baked earlier.

“Allie, some new books came in today,” she said. “I waited for you so that we could go look through them together.”

“Aww, thanks! Let’s go check it out!” I sprung to my feet, somewhat touched by her kind gesture. I scurried to the door and jokingly held it open for her. “After you, milady.”

Instead of her usual disapproving look, Bianca held her chin up high. “Just follow after me, my loyal servant.”

We giggled and quickened our pace.

The count’s vast library had an antique charm that never got old no matter how many times you visited it.

“I don’t see the librarian,” Bianca said with a note of concern. “Maybe he stepped out for a second.”

“Do you want me to go look for him?” I offered.

“No, it’s okay Allie. I know my way around well enough.” Despite confidently taking the lead, Bianca gave a disapproving frown.

“What’s wrong, Bia?”

“The library’s layout...” her words trailed off with uncertainty.

“Huh?”

“I-it’s nothing. Let’s go pick out your books first. You said you wanted to read about dungeons last time, right? I’ll recommend some for you.”

I assumed whatever Bia had been about to mention was just some minor inconvenience and followed after her without much thought, but for some reason, the deeper we ventured into the library, the light seemed to gradually dissipate. It was almost as if we had wandered into a tunnel. Eventually, we came to a stop.

“Let me see... Ah, here it is.” Bianca pulled out a book titled, Dungeons: Rifts that Lead to the Demon Realm’s Dominion.

At that very moment, with a shuddering crack, a dark, gaping chasm opened up where the book had been. The void stretched open, its maw like that of an enormous beast.

It’s swallowing us! As we both instinctively recognized the threat, we held on tight to each other’s hands instead of screaming. The darkness enveloping us instantly vanished and revealed a distorted space that appeared warped and mangled. The space flattened out just in the nick of time, right as I was about to hurl.

“This is...”

Countless gravestones lined the ground under a blood-red full moon. A bleak, dreary cemetery had emerged before our eyes.

“W-what happened...”

I could feel Bianca’s hand quivering in my own. An obscure cemetery known to no one in the Gilette Castle, a dimming night sky that distorts time, and an eerie crimson moon. A message that would clear up this incomprehensible situation appeared before me.

⟬«System» You have entered [Gilette Castle’s Underground Cemetery], an A-class Dungeon.⟭

Ah...yes, of course. I suddenly remembered Ailette’s fate as Prinz had described in the original story.

“Those things are my late sister’s belongings.” The little girl had lost her way inside a dungeon sealed deep underneath the castle.

It seemed that today was the day my hapless transmigration host met her untimely death. And alongside Lady Bianca to boot. Much to my displeasure, the mystery of how the delinquent fool of a son could run amuck suddenly became clear.

“Hoo boy, this isn’t looking good.”

Both of my hands unconsciously went to my head. Of course, I wasn’t about to lose my nerves here and start yanking my hair out. I tugged on each of my pigtails as I became lost in thought.

There were only two ways to escape a dungeon: You could either explore every nook and cranny of the dungeon to find the hidden exit or defeat the dungeon master that you will certainly come across sooner or later. Of course, neither were viable options for normal ten-year-old girls.

“Hmph. I guess we’re supposed to just drop dead.”

Just then, several messages popped up.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World halts all of their overtime projects and scrambles over to see what is going on.⟭

It seems like stumbling into the original storyline was totally unavoidable. I mean, why’d the gods have to go and give me a host that was due to die soon anyway? Ah, I guess now’s not the time for this. I urgently reached out with my mind. The system was created with great consideration for the user’s convenience and it was possible to send messages just by mentally willing thoughts to a recipient.

O, Lord Voice! You said the survival difficulty would be adjusted to be F-class during the tutorial. We’ve been sent to an A-class dungeon. Isn’t this a bug?

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World vigorously shakes their head in denial, saying that such an error is impossible in a world that they created.⟭

Well, I’m sorry to have to say this as your follower, but isn’t it commonsensical for players not to die during the tutorial? I find it hard to believe that this isn’t a bug…

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World is in firm denial, declining to take responsibility.⟭

What! Then you mean to say this was all a part of your plan? Ahh, how cruel. You broke my heart when you forcefully took me away and transmigrated me against my will, and now you’re making me go through death again...

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World is at a loss at their most beloved and favored Prime Follower’s lamentations.⟭

I doubled down on the act. Maybe you could either weaken the dungeon or make me stronger! You gotta do something! Gimme a compensation package for the system defects! That’s what I was after all along. A few seconds later, a message popped up.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World declares that after long deliberation, they’ll temporarily allow the use of divine power.⟭

Temporarily? They’re gonna grant it only to take it back later? That’s not how this works.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World is flustered as they try to switch up the deal and offer a powerful item that will help with clearing the dungeon.⟭

And this surely isn’t one of those single-use items, right? I know you wouldn’t do that to me. I smiled innocently to display my trust.

⟬The Critic for Balance whispers to The Voice that Shapes the World that it doesn’t look like they’ll be able to play the ol’ switcheroo this time.⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World lets out an inaudible groan.⟭

I think that’s enough needling for now. All that’s left to do is to wait.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World racks his brains.⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World racks his brains.⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World racks his brains.⟭

Meanwhile, the cemetery subtly prepared to meet its invaders. Skeletons clacked their jaws as they rose out of their graves, while ghastly white ghosts weaved in and out of the night sky. It looked like a scene taken straight out of a horror movie.

Bianca, deathly pale, looked at me desperately. “A-Allie.”

“It’s going to be okay, Bia. God will give us protection.”

“I’m an atheist.”

I just realized that atheists existed even in this world where divine powers are a thing. “Well... Hush now, let’s just believe in god.”

I was especially conscious of god’s gaze at the moment and found myself unintentionally evangelizing.

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World has made up their mind.⟭

⟬«System» The Voice that Shapes the World has gifted you the skill [Divine Descent].⟭

Divine Descent?

⟬The Critic for Balance soberly chastises The Voice that Shapes the World, remarking that even as the head of the department, an extensive incident report seems to be inevitable.⟭

⟬The Voice that Shapes the World is begrudgingly dragged out to write up their report.⟭

The system put up a description of the new skill on behalf of Lord Voice. After taking a long look at the description, I found a deep sense of euphoria welling up.

This is amazing! Whatever concern or fear I had instantly evaporated. On the contrary, I found my heart racing in excitement.