So I found another locked door, and then I stepped out onto a balcony overlooking a vast hall. How to descend into it wasn't entirely clear. Honestly, besides the architecture, there wasn't much of interest to see. Eventually, I made my way to the right wing of the fortress. The clang of a blacksmith's hammer drew me in that direction. Sure enough, I soon arrived at a small workshop, where a peculiar old man was working.
This was definitely not a human.
A tall, hunched figure, covered in scales, dressed in tattered brown rags. His legs bent unnaturally, more like a lizard's than a man's, and his toes ended in formidable claws. As he hammered a glowing sword, a long tail coiled behind him, and bony protrusions jutted from his back. His body was also marred with patches of white sores.
Yet, despite this grotesque appearance, his eyes were fully absorbed in his work.
From just his gaze alone, I could tell… well, that he was a thinking being, as opposed to the mad, corrupted victims I'd encountered before.
Oh, and his feet were chained to the wall.
"Ho… a new face…" the blacksmith muttered, pausing to look at me. "Though really, what difference does it make? If you need a weapon sharpened, or something else, speak. If not, I have work to do."
"Hmm… sorry to disturb you. No, I don't need anything right now."
"Hmph…" the old man snorted, returning to his task.
I discovered yet another locked door and a stairway leading downward. Interestingly, the passage was shrouded in a misty veil—the same I had seen in that crypt where Melina had sent me from the chapel. And there, I spotted a familiar gargoyle statue. Indeed, it was identical to the one in the crypt.
Actually, there were two gargoyles, one sitting atop the other. A stone dagger was embedded in the head of the lower creature, while the upper one had a hollow where another dagger presumably once fit. Likely vandalized. Such a shame.
Sighing, I was about to return to the Round Table, but then I noticed a small side corridor with a door slightly ajar.
"Uh… excuse me…" I knocked and peeked inside.
The room was lavishly furnished, with a burning fireplace. Its size matched Gideon's study, complete with cabinets filled with books and assorted items. On the edge of a large double bed sat a young woman in a dark robe, hood pulled over her shoulders. Yet I could still see her beautiful youthful face, golden curls, and faintly blue eyes.
Yes… she was undoubtedly a beauty.
"It's alright…" she said softly. "Please, come closer, valiant soul, graced by fortune."
"Uh… alright…"
Her words were slightly disarming, and she clearly wanted to talk.
"I'm Fia. Circumstances have kept me here in the Round Table Fortress," she sighed with a hint of regret.
"Uh… nice to meet you, my name's Chrono."
"Chrono… may I ask a favor?"
"Of course," I nodded.
"Allow me to embrace you," she surprised me with her request. "Perhaps your will to live, your courage, can lend me some confidence. Your body radiates greatness. I wish to feel it, and in return, I'll grant you my blessing."
"Uh…"
"You probably think such behavior is vulgar?" she asked, a trace of regret in her voice. "Where I come from, this is a sacred act."
"Ah? No, it's fine, I'm just surprised. I don't mind the embrace."
Since she offered, who was I to refuse?
I set aside my primer on the bed and sat down beside Fia. She stretched out her arms, and I leaned in, surrendering to the gentle hug. Naturally, my more primal instincts stirred as Fia pressed my head to her soft chest. Still, I didn't want to ruin the moment with anything crude. The embrace soothed me, giving a light, almost euphoric sense of peace, and I wished I could stay in her arms forever.
I certainly hadn't expected this when I peeked into the room, but I had to admit, I liked her customs.
"Thank you, valiant soul…" Fia sighed contentedly. "Your greatness… it radiates warmth…"
I felt something touch me, something more than flesh—our souls seemed to brush together. I felt the golden light within me, born from the sands of time, touch her silvery mist.
"Ah…" she breathed.
I could feel her silver essence trying to penetrate me, but the gold resisted, pushing the mist away.
"Uh…"
"Sorry, your body… it rejects the canopy's blessing. Your light is too bright, your will to live too strong to allow peace."
Her voice held a spark of admiration. I would even say awe, mingled with how my light filled her, like my own blessing reflecting off her.
"Well… I'm not really concerned, I just wanted a hug…" I commented.
"Oh, just a hug? Very well, I don't mind either," Fia smiled gently.
Yes, she was definitely an amazing girl.
And after all the thrilling and somewhat grim adventures, this simple affection was deeply soothing. Saving the world, battling demigods, magic, the sands of time—what did any of that matter? What mattered was that someone could hug you.
Even without the sands, I lost track of time.
Only when Fia pulled away did I realize we'd lingered a long while. But ending it then wasn't an option. I took her hands, returned them to their place, and wrapped her in an embrace at her waist.
"Oh, you don't want to stop?" Fia stretched out, pleased. "Of course, we can continue as long as you wish. I won't hold back."
"Uh… this is quite nice."
"I understand."
"By the way…"
A thought struck me.
"Yes, Chrono?"
"Fia, could you teach me to read?"
"You wish to learn literacy?"
"Yes… there are so many books, but I don't know the local script. Gideon recommended this primer, but I still need someone who can read to guide me."
"Very well. I'm literate and can help you, brave soul."
And so, I gained a tutor in the language of the Interlands. Unlike Melina, who I had initially counted on, Fia could teach me while remaining intimately close. I could rest in her embrace while learning the script. Though, admittedly, there was a risk that her gentle attention might distract me, but I was willing to take that risk—I was a brave soul, after all.
"Let's see…" she purred, picking up the primer.
Thus began my first lesson.
After about an hour, I had to pull away from Fia to focus on the explanations. Learning became easier, though I remained somewhat distracted, even in the presence of such a beautiful companion.
"You can't concentrate," she sighed.
"Sorry…"
"No, don't apologize," she raised her hands. "It's no burden. I just notice you're tense. Is something bothering you?"
At first, I considered deflecting, but I realized I could rewind time if things went awry. So I chose honesty.
"I… I keep thinking about… having sex with you, rather than reading."
"Umm…" she mewed awkwardly.
"Yes, yes, that's probably unpleasant… we've just met… although, our time together has been quite enjoyable."
"No, it's… fine…" Fia said, embarrassed. "But yes, it sounded rude…"
"Sorry… I'll go. You've helped enough. I can manage."
"Alright. But if I'm needed, I'm always at your service."
"Thanks…"
It felt awkward, so I rewound time.
"Is something bothering you?" Fia asked again.
"Umm… I think I've had enough for today. I just need a change of activity. But I'll come back if you don't mind."
"Of course, I'm always at your service," she smiled. "Do you need my help, or… perhaps my affection?"
"Oh, I'll return for both," I said with a grin.
For now, I decided to change my focus and continue lessons later.
Back at the Round Table, I touched the light of grace, tracing the branches of its tree to the places I had visited. Each flame of grace was unique, and I quickly found the one I used last. Now I transported directly to the ruins of the ancient fort guarded by Godric's soldiers.
These walking zombies felt less like humans than game mobs. Perhaps I simply didn't want to think of them as once-human beings.
"Well… time to grind…" I whispered, approaching the fort.
I let go of my spear, letting it vanish into the desert world, and instead wielded a sandy dagger.
Yes, now I truly felt like the Prince of Persia.
The dagger was far easier to handle than a spear. Its light weight suited the stopping of time, allowing me to strike vulnerable points. Yet, my hand shook slightly when plunging the dagger into a soldier's throat from a distance.
I cut a direct path through the fort, striking every opponent, then released time and watched nearly a dozen soldiers fall, choked in blood. Even a knight in full armor, dropping his weapon and shield, clutched his helmet but couldn't remove it before collapsing. Meanwhile, streams of light flowed toward me, merging into my body through tiny runes.
"Hmm… even if you rise again…"
I scavenged weapons from the ostensibly dead and sent them into my sand world—they might come in handy later.
In the center of the fort, I found a guiding stone that Kale had mentioned. It displayed a local map, but I had nowhere to copy it. I had to memorize it and return with paper—and likely a pen. Perhaps a quill. But that could wait.
"So… she said east, right?" I murmured, summoning the Stream. "Alright, girl, ready for a ride?"
"Pffrr…" snorted the horse.
It turned sideways, letting me easily mount.
"Let's go!"
The Stream surged forward along the paved road.
Soon, the horse slowed, giving me a chance to charge my dagger with a bit more sand of time. As with the spear, repeated use wore down the weapon.
We crossed a wide field to a new place of grace, which I activated. Sensing Melina, I decided to speak with her briefly.
"Listen, I've started learning the local script. If you can read, could you help me?" I asked, summoning my primer from the desert.
"Of course…" she agreed immediately.
Thus, we rested for a while. Learning the script wasn't too difficult. I already understood the language, which made reading much easier. Though full grammar comprehension was still far off.
Our break stretched to nearly an hour, then I focused on another task. Using grace, I transported to Marika's temple. Kale, the merchant, was still there—no surprise.
Earlier, I considered robbing him, but the runes he demanded were trivial compared to what I needed for my next enhancement. He had already helped me somewhat, so I paid honestly for the master kit and crafting recipes I sought, and a couple of pots for homemade grenades.
"Uh, I'm just learning to read… and you don't seem busy. Can you show me how this works?"
"Uh… alright, here… take this mortar, crush these mushrooms, squeeze out the slime… pour it into the pot, clean the bowl. Now crush the wings of a fire butterfly, grind them, and wrap the powder in cloth."
Within minutes, Kale crafted a combustible bomb before my eyes—a crude fire grenade. The mushroom juice mixed with butterfly secretions created a highly flammable mix, and the powdered wings served as a fuse. One strong shake produced sparks enough to ignite the mixture.
It was a dangerous little thing. Not in attack, but simply holding it was risky.
Still, I was curious to test it, and the crafting process gave me some new ideas.
Night approached, so I returned to the desert. My previously built home and weapons awaited me. Before sleeping, I set about experimenting.
First, I made a small golden glass vial, filling it with sand of time.
It worked perfectly. I could use the sand directly from the vial, far better than embedded in weapons. I encased the vial in protective sand, attached a chain, and wore it around my neck.
Next, I crafted a new dagger using the same concept—hollow handle, glass casing, filled with sand. I even styled it to resemble the dagger from the game, as I remembered it. True or not, it looked beautiful.
I made a few more ordinary sand knives.
"Oh yes… now I can cosplay the Prince of Heroes too."
Summoning my weapons, I tested throwing them right out of the portal, spinning them for more force. I made a few spiral spears, like giant drills, which amplified the effect.
Although I still couldn't distort time and summon items simultaneously, scattering these sand drills before battle allowed me to extract sand for longer time manipulation. I even made reservoirs for pure sand inside the drills.
Only then did I finally relax. I slept less than usual, and the morning of Elden came before I awoke, full of energy. I didn't sit idle—I resumed my journey, first checking on the Round Table Fortress.
To my surprise, Fia was already awake, reading.
"Oh… valiant soul," she noticed me.
"Sorry, didn't mean to disturb you."
"It's fine. I wasn't doing anything important," she shook her head, closing the book.
"Then… another lesson?"
"Of course."
"And an embrace."
"Oh, please, let me feel your warmth again…"
This time, I allowed myself to be bolder.
Before reading, I focused on the embrace. I gently caressed her smooth leg under her thin robe. The fabric allowed me to feel her tender skin, and I carefully lifted the hem just enough to slide my hand beneath, feeling her purity.
"It's alright," she smiled.
Her hug tightened as my fingers encountered the tiny beads woven into her undergarments, covering her. I paused, sensing her tension. Yet, she welcomed the gentle touch, far more than any sexual talk. Perhaps this was the way to proceed—gradually, slowly, through affectionate embraces. One day, she might allow more… though her attire was more like a silk hip wrap than underwear. Hmm, something to consider.
"By the way, what about kissing?" I asked.
"Kisses… it's… sorry, better not," she whispered, slightly guilty.
"Alright, I won't insist," I said softly. Time stayed as it was—no need to rewind, nothing critical here.
"Oh… very nice, but… let's continue lessons. I've practiced a bit on my own, so I'm a bit ahead."
"Where did you leave off?"
This session, I progressed further with Fia, reading simple sentences from the primer. Other books were much harder. Still, I felt progress.
"Thanks, Fia. Let's stop for now."
"Alright… I'll wait for your return."
"I will come back."
Refreshed by new affection, I returned to the road, still craving deeper pleasures. Perhaps next time, I'd indulge with Fia—or maybe Melina. Even if it didn't fully ease the tension, I would.
For now…
"Let's go, girl," I said, patting the Stream's mane.
Our journey continued.
"Oh…"
Across the grassy plains, new enemies appeared: mounted riders with enormous swords, clearly unwilling to let me pass. Here, I first tested slowing time while mounted. Amazingly, the power affected both me and the horse, letting us plunge together into a sand whirl.
The Stream reared in surprise.
"Whoa… calm down, girl," I held her neck.
She quickly calmed. I approached the riders close enough to strike with the spear I summoned just before stopping time, gaining a few extra runes.
Later…
"Woah… you saw that too, right?" I asked the horse.
"Pffrr…" she snorted.
After some time, we passed a cliff, overlooking a swamp, when far north in the sky, a dragon flew by. A real dragon—an enormous winged beast!
"Hah… definitely a fantasy world," I shook my head.
The Stream stopped, letting me watch the dragon, though it soon vanished in the swamp mist.
"Alright… let's continue."
By day's end, we reached the bridge Rani had mentioned. Another fight awaited, but time manipulation made it trivial. I even tried fighting Godric's soldiers without cheating, only to be brutally killed. Using a rewind, I slaughtered them all in the frozen world.
During that failed attempt, I noticed something interesting.
I used a sword taken from a defeated soldier and… I felt something strange. For a moment, I became another person, an experienced warrior, deftly intercepting and striking. I pierced one enemy, then exposed myself to a second, who slew me.
I wanted to understand this better. Even far from places of grace, my companion's presence was palpable.
"Melina… a question… I used an army sword, and… something odd happened."
"That was the Ash of War," she explained. "The memory of battles, the essence of past owners, infusing the weapon. This only happens with weapons long used in combat."
"I see…"
"With enough skill, you can even extract the ash to empower another weapon. It can be stored separately."
The Ash of War might help me master weapons more effectively.
I discovered yet another fascinating aspect of this world. Tomorrow, I would likely meet a sorceress who could mentor me in magic. Honestly, I was already captivated by this world and its possibilities. I wasn't even sure I wanted to return to Earth.
I was beginning to love this world, despite its darkness.