Re: I must complete all my Missions-Chapter 30: Departure

Dimm continued gazing at the system to assimilate all the information he’d read, as well as understand it when Loriel’s voice distracted him.

"The bath is ready," her voice rang out from inside the washroom.

"Bath first," Dimm murmured and rose from the bed.

He collected his robe from where it had fallen to the floor before the moment he had with Loriel, and loosely wrapped it around himself before heading into the adjoining washroom.

The space of the room was humble and elegant. On the ground, was carved a wide rectangular hole which fitted in a stone basin, now filled with water and infused with elf herbs prepared by Loriel to help give Dimm a pleasant bath.

Dimm reached over the basin and smiled at Loriel who stood by the side with a bucket kettle. As soon as Dimm began to loosen the ropes of his robe, Loriel made her way to the door.

"I will let you be," she said and left.

Dimm, however, immersed himself in the warm water, exhaling soft air as he let it soothe his muscles. The herbs that had been prepared by Loriel were meant to act as a wash-away ingredient, so, it tingled on Dimm’s skin, and for a moment, the only sound that was heard was the trickling of the water.

"Hmmph. Who will think there’s also a natural way of cleansing the body without involving a chemical soap, just like on earth," he muttered and rested his back on the outer layer of the stone basin.

When he seemed like he was getting too bored sitting in the bath basin for long, he thought of calling up his system.

’System,’ he called on it mentally.

The translucent screen once again appeared before him, this time around, brighter than it used to be.

He took his time to study the notifications that had earlier being showed to him intently, starting with the new feature he unlocked. His Qi.

The system had described the Qi as a spiritual energy store.

’A Spiritual Energy Store?’ he suddenly emphasizes this phrase, ’It can also grant quick evolution of abilities earned through cultivation.’

He tapped his forehead three times, making a tongue-clicking sound at each interval.

’If I’m not getting it wrong, does it mean the Qi concept is also similar to the game loopholes that I acquired?’

Dimm came to understand that the spiritual energy store was going to serve as a tool of self-transcendence, just like the loopholes that don’t allow him to be controlled by the official policies of the game. Rather, figures things out, and levels up on his own with the help it grants.

This transcendence context of Qi’s concept lets Dimm understand that every being has an actual form and a potential form. For a system like Ellipse, they are probably trapping their players because of what they could become, and not because of what they are.

Only now is he coming to realize what the system actually meant by the phrase breaking loopholes. This meant that he was lucky to have acquired privileges that granted him fill, in this later form of a being, which virtually all players in Ellipse do not have.

"This is what makes me different yet again. An exception, always," he murmured, splattering water to form ripples across to the other end of the bath basin. "Simply put, other Players can be controlled because they don’t possess ’who they are’. Instead, they possess the ’who are you’ syndrome, which makes people want to gain a second or more selves, and names for themselves."

That was what the prophecy really talked about. It had mentioned being imbued on someone who can feel what it meant to be powerless amongst others, but it actually meant someone who regarded his purpose of existence as not a brute accumulation, but a synthesis of effort, understanding, and internal growth.

It needed someone who can be able to conquer the self first, before thinking selfishly about conquering the world.

"A bug, a mistake, and an unusual."

Minxx had clearly stated that Korr’Tai’s fall came not from the death, but from a trigger in the system. Does it mean it had something to do with the three words aforementioned?

Come to think of it, the only contrasting word in the sentence is unusual, denoting what a trigger could mean.

"So, if the system was looking for someone to take over based on the analysis so far, does it mean Korr’Tai had made a mistake that went contrary to it? Does it mean Korr’Tai’s fall is the system’s ability to find someone with this unusual—the trigger?"

To avoid confusing himself, Dimm decided to go against this sudden analysis. He didn’t know why trying to understand what his Qi could do would lead him to make these assumptions. But is it not clear now what he is tasked to do?

He was not meant to trail in the footsteps of Korr’Tai, he was going to use his own method to achieve that great assignment for which he was chosen.

"Okei," he said and looked up at the screen before him. "And there’s the Copper, Silver, and Gold cores."

He was sure classifications were formed based on the ability something has acquired and possessed, but he was not certain what it was about these three classifications of cores.

He looked at the number of cores he had from the highest classified to the lowest and made a simple assumption that they were arranged like that, in sequential and serial order, based on their potential use for cultivation upgrades.

This means that if he had used one silver core to evolve the Energy Manipulation ability he devoured by cultivating with Loriel, therefore, two Copper Cores would likely do the same, and half gold core would as well do better than Copper Cores.

"There’s no need then to bother Minxx about this. I think that’s my correct answer for it," he said before he heard Loriel’s voice.

"Are you still in there?" Loriel asked with a blink of concern in her tone. "You have to leave before everyone sees you."

***

Dimm reached his private chamber in the palace and formally dressed in his all-black uniform attire. After doing this, he went to the mirror and scrutinized his looks to be sure they were still dear. Satisfied, he went back to his bed, resting on it, waiting for the sun to be brighter enough to light the day.

By the time the sun peeked high above the trees, Dimm made his way to the large dining hall.

Minxx and Khobba were already seated. Loriel joined moments later. Soon, one of the palace maids came carrying a tray of herbal tea and soft morning cakes.

"Good morning," Dimm greeted, taking his seat at the head.

"Morning," Khobba responded, putting up a non-surprise but unusual stern frown. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Dimm ignored the look on her face and pulled out the seat before him for a seat.

"Did you sleep well, Leader?" Minxx leaned forward, pouring herself tea.

Dimm smiled faintly. "Well enough."

They began to eat the dish served to them as breakfast—a spread of wildfruit slices, honeyed bread, roasted pine meats, and bitterleaf stew. They were in silence for a while until Loriel broke it.

"The Southern edge of Gabty Forest is said to be crawling with scorch beasts again," Loriel said between bites.

"We should avoid the ridge route then," Minxx added. "There’s no business Dimm needs to have with the Gabty Forest until he’s back. For now, other cultivators will take care of these beasts, while we follow the path by the stream."

"Khobba," Dimm called.

"Yes, Dimm," Khobba answered. She was still the only person among others who had never addressed him with the title, of Leader.

"You still have the route, right?" Dimm asked.

"Yes," she replied, rushing hands to her backpack to get it but Dimm prevented her from doing so.

"Good. That will serve as our path," he said and packed one pile of food chunks into his mouth. "We will make use of it after we have gone a mile into the forest."

Khobba looked at him and nodded. "I understand."

When the meal was done and the last of the plans reviewed, Dimm stood, and Khobba and Minxx followed. They walked together to the village’s central field where a cluster of cultivators had already begun their morning training and rehearsal.

Upon seeing Dimm cross their path, the cultivators all stopped whatever they were doing and bowed to the trio, Loriel inclusive, as they made their way further. The bow especially made Dimm feel uncomfortable, but he let it slip.

Loriel followed behind them until they reached the entrance to the forest. Dimm turned to face her and spoke with authority.

"I will be on my way now. During this time, you will oversee the village’s operations. Treat them with the respect of my voice. If anything arises... If anything happens to arise, show competency once again."

"I’ll make sure everything remains stable," Loriel assured, bowing before Dimm.

Dimm tapped her on the shoulders. "Raise your head. I trust you will. Good fortune to us all."

With that, he turned toward the path leading into the thickets beyond the village. Khobba followed, already adjusting the straps on her pack. Minxx took one last sip from her flask before pocketing it and falling into step.

Behind them, Loriel stood tall, watching as her Leader, the queen and the girl always on purple, disappeared into the light of morning, beneath the swaying boughs of the ancient trees.

And as the last glint of their sight could no longer be seen, she whispered to herself, "Come back safely."