Chương 69: Chapter 67: To Find a 'Self'

Show the analysis of [Crown of Accumulation] At her command, a blue screen flickered into existence between them. Vionette shifted, crossing her legs in her familiar way, and Noa pulled her closer as they both looked at the system interface. [Unlike common methods, Crown of Accumulation is a Unique skill awakened when three conditions are met:] [1. A sufficient number of individuals must have loyalty toward the user.] [2. The user must possess an Essence Fragment.] [3. The user must possess a soul co*$! &—Locked by #001!] Vionette's eyes narrowed as the system glitched for a moment before hiding the last condition.

"System, what the fuck is this?" [It is detected that a higher Fragment has forcefully locked the data.] Noa sneered, pointing a finger toward the screen.

"Heh? So you're useless then?"

"Stop it, Blackie." Vionette pulled his hand down and placed it back on her waist.

"Anyways, so it's from when the war happened… System, how does this thing work?" [Primary function: The skill allows the user to harvest traces of growth from subordinates and convert them into Accumulation Points. The user can also sacrifice skills to obtain Accumulation Points.] [Secondary function: Allows the user to forge a shallow soul connection with subordinates, enabling the harvest of growth traces and telepathic communication.] [Noa and Vionette Illustration]"What are these Accumulation Points even used for?" Vionette asked, her eyes fixed on the screen, while Noa was busy watching the way her lips moved.

"And what are the conditions?" [Accumulation Points can be used to evolve the user's skills.] [Conditions:] [1. User must possess an Essence Fragment to utilize Accumulation Points.] [2. Conversion and evolution are restricted to skills owned by the user.] [However, through the deep soul connection established between user Noa Ravel and the host by A Match Made in Hell, it is possible for the Essence Fragment to evolve and sacrifice the skills of user Noa Ravel as well.]"Mmm…

pretty useful, especially if we use it the right way," Noa said, looking at Vionette.

"You can do that, right?"

"Of course," Vionette replied, letting out a quiet, amused breath that Noa could feel against his arm. Setting Vionette back on the mattress, Noa stood, walked around the bed to the opposite side, and climbed in. Vionette followed his lead, crawling across the sheets toward the pillow beside his.

"What are you going to do about Jain?" he asked, his arm wrapping around her back.

"I know for a fact that she won't join us if she finds out how we actually are. She's way too 'holy' for our shit."

"Well… we'll have to see if her personality has any loopholes we can use to drag her to our side." She smirked, the amber light of the room dancing in her eyes.

"You said she's stronger than you, though? You actually wanna fight her?"

"You bet I do. Fighting someone stronger than me is always more enjoyable," Noa admitted, his eyes darkening with a flicker of excitement.

"You evil thing…" Vionette reached out and tapped his forehead with a finger.

"Well, that makes two of us."

"Let's talk about the other stuff tomorrow," Noa said, his eyelids drooping.

"I'm sleepy."

"You don't even have to sleep, though… you're just doing it for the fun of it," she teased, though she gently placed her hands over his chest and closed her eyes.

"Well, yeah." He opened one eye, flashing a lazy smile at her.

"because I want to sleep with you."

"Oh yeah?" She slowly wrapped her arms around his neck with a playful smile, and Noa looked back with momentary confusion. Then she suddenly pulled his face down while shifting her body upward, burying his face against her breasts. She curled into him, locking her arms around his head as her legs entangled with his. Noa blinked twice, muffled against her, but then he closed his eyes and smiled. Holy… boobs, so soft. I'm in heaven right now!

"Good night… darling." At Vionette's words, Noa let his eyes drift shut once more. A faint, soft blush crept onto her cheeks, and a satisfied smile remained on her lips as the room fell into a comfortable silence.

The morning air of Cirelith arrived unannounced, the early sunlight gracing the city-state of secrets. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. Noa adjusted his jacket slightly, one hand buried in his pocket while the other rested near the hilt of Acheron. Beside him, Vionette walked with a certain bounce in her step, her arms swinging naturally at her side as they moved toward the exit of the inn.

"We're going to find out about that today, right?" Noa asked, looking over at her.

"That Fable Mark thingy."

"Yeah, we are. But first," she paused, looking at Jain waiting near the door and flashing a bright smile, "let's plant some flowers so they'll bloom when we come back." As they walked toward the door, passing the polished wooden counter, the clerk from the day before bowed to them with a professional smile. Then, Vionette suddenly paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked at the woman with an expression caught between uncertainty and a flicker of recognition.

"Have I met you before?" she asked, her voice dropping into a more serious tone. The employee looked up, her expression a mix of restrained confusion and a polite smile.

"I don't believe so, madam. Perhaps you're thinking of someone else?"

"…Maybe I am?" Vionette started walking again, waving her hand smoothly.

"Well, good day to you." Does she have amnesia or something? the clerk wondered, staring at Vionette. A wicked smile formed on her lips as she placed her hands behind her head. Man, what a lucky way to start the day. Did spending time with Lucien affect my luck too? Speaking of which, I really should've brought him if I knew this kind of event was going to happen.

"What are you smiling like that for, Lady Vionette?" Jain asked, folding her arms as they approached, her golden eyes searching their faces.

"Did you two really… you know… have—""No, it's not for that!" Noa gritted his teeth.

"Dude, how are you asking that with such a casual face? You're supposed to be a Saint!"

"Did you guys do what I told you to?" Vionette cut in, shifting the focus.

"Yes, Lady Vionette. We've spread rumors in disguise that we're searching for a criminal organization," Jain reported, gesturing toward the knights standing nearby.

"Each group was assigned a different version of the story. Along with that, we adjusted our patrol routes to match those rumors—three locations, one for each version." Vionette looked at the knights behind her, and as her gaze swept over them, the men instinctively stiffened their posture, standing taller under her scrutiny.

"You guys better not take those helmets off in public now that you've become rumor spreaders," she said, pointing a finger at them, her voice carrying an edge of command.

"And don't even think about going anywhere alone." The knights exchanged glances—some confused, others simply accepting the order without knowing the reason.

"My lady, my lord, we've prepared everything and are ready to go," Rose joined the group from the side along with Kaelen.

"No, sudden change of plans." Vionette shook her head before looking at Jain.

"We're going to join you in your 'gathering clues' expedition first. We'll only go to the library if we have time today." <Huh? Why the sudden change in plans? > Noa's voice echoed in her mind. <Well, I was lucky today and found something… very, very interesting, > she replied, her voice dripping with amusement.

"You're going to join us? Well, we're okay with th—""Lady Jain, is that really okay?" the man standing beside Jain interrupted. He had long green hair swaying like forest vines and cyan eyes. He held a sword that shone brightly in the morning sunlight, its radiance matching his handsome face. He wore shining armor under dark clothes, the chestplate marked clearly with the Sigil of the Church of Liara. It was the same man who had placed his blade near Noa's throat.

"And… who are you?" Kaelen's eyes narrowed. He wasn't about to let anyone show disrespect to his rulers.

"A servant like you has no right to ask who I—" [Aura Blade] [Aura Blade] The man's words were swallowed by the sudden shriek of steel hitting steel, the sound echoing through the lobby. One side glowed with a dark purple aura, while the other flared in a pure, blinding gold.

"Calm down, Lord Noa," Jain said evenly, holding back the incoming thrust with the shaft of her spear. The tip of Acheron was pressed against her spear's blade, the gold and purple energies grinding against each other in a static hum. Even so, the golden light of the Saint seemed to hold the upper hand. Around them, the knights, Rose, and Kaelen all reached for their weapons the moment the impact rang out.

"Listen here, dipshit," Noa's eyes turned intense as he stared the man down.

"I know my subordinates as friends—the only friends I've had. So quit it with your tone." He pulled Acheron back, sheathing it with a sharp click.

"Or your superior won't be able to save you next time." Like you could ever surpass Lady Jain, the man, Nill, mocked internally, though he wisely kept his mouth shut.

"I apologize for Nill," Jain said, immediately bowing as Noa retreated.

"I know we are the ones asking for help, and even after that, something like this happened. I'm so sorry!"

"Don't sweat it," Vionette tapped Jain's shoulder with a warm, sisterly smile.

"We all make mistakes, right?" Goddamn, Noa, you did something really rewarding there. Vionette had been furious when Nill spoke to Kaelen, but seeing the 'outcome' reminded her of her goals. She smiled instead of lashing out; if she could get this Saint on her side, it would be a far greater reward than simply venting her anger.

"Ah! Please forgive me again," Jain bowed once more, her face etched with worry.

"I pray this doesn't sever our cooperation. We still need your strength."

"Of course not," Noa added from behind, also smiling sweetly.

"We can set our personal business aside when innocent people are involved, right?" Jain smiled and nodded. But then, as her eyes locked onto Kaelen, her expression shifted. That knight—there's something off about him as well. He somehow feels… denser.

"Let's go to the library, then. We can investigate and also get the information Your Majesties want."

In this world, when people died—truly died, beyond the reach of reincarnation—only faint remnants of what once was remained. They were fragments of will, regret, and identity, known to some as 'egos.' But before long, they also drifted into the Void, the beginning and the end of everything and anything. They were scattered and formless, fading with time until even the memory of their existence was erased. That was how it had always been. Until a fracture formed in the Void.

No one knew when it happened, nor why, nor how the primordial Void could fracture at all. Yet it did—and because of that crack, the egos did not fade; instead, they gathered, as if drawn together by a force that had never existed before. And from that gathering, something emerged. It was not born, not created, not given shape or purpose; it was something that simply happened: a 'will.' That will did not understand itself, nor did it understand anything else. So it began to learn.

It observed, it listened, it watched the world beyond the Void—the living, the moving, the ones who 'were.' And in time, it turned its awareness inward and saw itself for what it was: formless, undefined… and fading. The egos that formed it were dispersing, returning to nothing, as they were always meant to do. But it did not want to fade. So it searched for a reason. Why was it fading? And in its search, it found an answer: it had no self, no boundary, no identity—nothing to define 'who' it was. So it decided.

After observing the ones who lived, the ones who remained, and the ones who did not fade, it chose to become like them—to take form, to define itself, to become something that could exist. To become one of them, and in doing so, forge a 'self' that would allow it to exist without fading.