The pearlescent walls were father than they appeared. They were like white foam of a tidal wave, reaching higher than even the walls of the Nex Megalopolis. No matter how fast or how close Frost approached, the walls never seemed to get any closer.

She dashed through the golden forest at a breakneck pace, stripping the sacred leaves from golden trees in her wake. Her feet rarely ever touched the soil. Unlike normal forests that had wildlife and vibrant shrubbery filling the forest floor, there was nothing here. Only giant roots tangled along the forest floor like walls of mangrove roots.

Frost took a moment to further investigate the trees out of curiosity.

 

Oak Evergold

< A tree said to resemble utter beginnings >

 

She lowered herself to pick one of the golden apples. It was a firm fruit easily half the size of her head and could be mistaken for a golden melon.

 

Golden Apple

< A regretter’s favorite fruit >

 

< Appraise Object III has gained a Level >

 

< Appraise Object III is now Appraise Object IV >

 

< (E) Appraise Object IV [0/10] >

< EFFECT: Reveal major insight and information of targeted materials >

< COST: X MP for first reveal. MP cost is dependent on material and its characteristics. Nil cost unless additional information is revealed thereafter >

 

“About time. These have weird descriptions.” Frost noted, sinking her thumbs into the skin of the apple.

White, decadent puss hissed out before it cracked into two halves. The split core resembled a winged entity. Or a love heart depending on how one saw it. She munched on its sweet flesh, pondering on its taste before frowning slightly.

“Way too sweet, and that’s coming from someone with a sweet tooth. The ones in Brander are much tastier. But I think Jury will like these. Hmmm… Jury~”

Frost hauled a few into her Dimensional Storage. At the same time, she stuck her hand further in to touch Jury’s still severed tail.

 

< Appraisal level is too low >

 

< Was that Jury’s tail? >

 

“Yeah. I wanted to see if I could find anything else about it. You know how the Aberrations of Elysia have special powers associated with their tails? Like what we saw with the White Rabbit? I wanted to see if there was something we could find with Jury’s.”

“It would be weird if she didn’t know you were still holding onto it.”

“Really weird. But I’m honestly shocked that it’s still preserved in the same condition we found it in. More so that Appraise Object still can’t get to it. Jury’s tail is still evolving, right?”

“Precisely. The more it develops, the stronger her Beholder powers becomes. By the way. Are you close now?”

Frost peered through the fractured canopy of the forest.

“Still a long way. It’s only been a day so far. Give me another day or two.” Frost estimated, holding a thumb precisely at arm’s length as she compared it to the size of the great, white wall. “It still hasn’t moved. Man… And I was moving as fast as I can too.”

She pouted slightly, sighing as she leaned against a nearby tree. Her mind went to Jury again. Being separated stirred unpleasant emotions in her chest. It hadn’t been that long, but she already wanted to see her again.

“Everything reminds me of her.” Frost blurted out, staring at the distant, pale walls as she brushed her hair away from her face. “I wish she was here as well. The longer I’m out here the more time passes for her too. She’s not… feeling lonely, is she Nav?”

“You know well how she feels about a big bed being occupied by only herself.”

“Please don’t say that. Don’t spin in so vividly.”

“Otherwise, Jury’s faring well.”

A sigh of relief fled through Frost’s lips.

“Frost. Shouldn’t you continue?”

“Give me a second to eat something. My hunger’s been coming back at full force, so I have to constantly eat.” Frost took another apple and munched on it. “You reckon this is what it’s like to be Jury?”

“I think it’s more of a you think, considering you’ve taken a liking to taboo meals.”

Frost suddenly choked on her meal.

“A-Ahem. Hey, sins and human flesh are two different things. Besides… eating something that isn’t living doesn’t sate me as easily. I think so at least. I never really made a proper comparison. I didn’t have much issue in Brandar since food was available at every corner. I also ate my fair share in the City of Spades.”

“Do you get hungry when you’re emotionally imbalanced?”

A loud hum came from Frost as she slammed a fist into the flat of her palm.

“You know what, you might be right! Grandis has me on constant edge. Never mind all the atrocities that happen here. Good thinking Nav!”

“Praise me more. Also, are you going to get moving? Or do you want to come back for your dose of Vitamin J and abort the main storyline?”

“Hey. Jury’s my main storyline. This is just the side quest.” Frost kissed her engagement ring. A sweet taste lingered on her lips.

“As the System itself I’m the one who dictates what.”

 

< Main Quest >

< To Paradise >

 

< Main Side Quest >

< Rendezvous with Cara’s Recovery Team in 9 Days >

< Location: Infernis >

 

< Side Quests >

< Officially Marry Jury >

< Hug Nav :) >

< Praise Ignis >

< Wire brush Cer >

< Shop with Ber >

< Pamper Res >

< Location: Nexus >

< Time Limit: Infinitas >

 

Nav’s sense of humor brought Frost to chuckle to herself.

“Nav, I gotta ask again, but when did you become so sassy?”

 

* * *

 

The estimated total of three days was woefully inaccurate. Four days was not even close to enough to reach Paradise. It was so large that even Frost’s long-distance vision was misled. Pair this with the morning and evening fogs of Grandis and it was a recipe for disaster.

It took four days alone to fully traverse through the golden forest. She followed a highway so wide that it escaped her peripherals. It was easily a hundred meters in width. Such a size would allow for the mass mobilization of army formations, as well as incredible traffic to and from the city of Paradise.

An additional two days were required to traverse the outer suburbs and minor walls. The landscape grew incredibly cracked the further she approached those walls, which still had barely moved an inch when she stopped to compare it to her thumb.

Even at full speed she was still far away. Not a single semblance of life was detected either. Every home was ruined in one way or another. They were either burned, collapsed, or broken into. It was the work of humans no doubt rather than a natural disaster.

The same sight prevailed over the seventh day. However, at some point she noticed a few pale objects protruding from the earth. They were like upside down swords, and they impaled homes as though they had been driven down from the heavens.

Five meters tall. This was how high they stood. They were by no means colossal, but no human would have been able to weild something of that size.

So, she had to ask Nav:

“Do Giant’s exist in this world?”

“Giants are more towards the Northeast where it is hot as they don’t tend to do well in this environment. But some do exist in other continents and Regions. Grandis is not one of them. Neither do they use weaponry as you describe. They are intelligent, but resort to more sinister, brutal methods of killing.”

She had only found a few, roughly fifty so far. They shone with a brilliant, white light. It was a crystal of some kind. Frost was convinced that it was as she approached the base of one to study it.

The object itself sat in a wide clearing. Everything, from the rocks to the soil were coated in a white film similar to that of webbing. But upon disturbing it, they cracked like crystals, leaving behind tiny, microscopic shards similar to that of asbestos.

“[Appraise Object].”

 

Marker of a Price of Paradise

< The price that was paid on that fateful day >

 

“… Price of Paradise…” Frost whispered, removing a glove as she placed her palm across its cool surface.

No… Rather than cool, it was oddly warm to touch. Like she was touching the flesh of a living being. Curiosity pushed her to investigate further, and with a small press, she broke its crystal exterior.

But in truth, the consistence was closer to that of bone.

Red liquid gushed out from the hole, carrying the stench of bitter iron.

“W… what the fuck…? Blood?”

 

One Sin

< The sin we collectively share proven by the color of our blood >

 

Nothing could have prepared her to be faced with such a thing. It was like an Anid, except it took the form of a giant cross. The name of the blood took Frost aback as she wore a perplexed expression.

“[Cleanse].” Frost uttered to remove the stains from her apparel, but to further twist the blade of her confusion –

 

< One Sin cannot be cleansed >

 

– It was not something even Healing magic could remove.

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