It's time. Today, we'll finally know if our efforts have paid off. We may soon know our current limits without having to come close to death. At least, I hope so. We have to make it work. That's our only opportunity. Of course, there's always a way to break in, but last time was enough of a lesson for us. We needed to be more robust to face up to all the dangers we might encounter on our excursion.

 

My sister swallowed, her limbs trembling slightly. I couldn't blame her. After all, today was undoubtedly the most important day for our ascent in this World so far. Besides, I was in the same state as her, torn between apprehension and hope. I really hated feeling my etheric belly contract in pain, even if it was just an illusion created by my mind.

 

Besides, I'd thought my mind was constantly numb ever since viewing my memories. Of course, it wasn't glaringly obvious or even troublesome for everyday tasks. However, it was something to be noticed when fighting opponents. What's more, I'm obviously not the only one to feel such discomfort in my mind; my apostle was suffering from it, too.

 

Moreover, she could see the difference much more clearly than I could, just as she could feel her cognitive abilities diminishing over time. Although the process was prolonged, it was still perceptible. At first, I had the impression that she was, in fact, undergoing a more rapid collapse of her statistics than I was. But soon enough, I realized that my reasoning made no sense.

 

Intensely recalling my memories of our many past conversations, especially the seemingly innocuous ones, I assumed that my ability to detect differences between statistics was inferior to hers. For the time being, my hypothesis that non-physical statistics were dropping less hastily was borne out. However, I needed to determine whether to be pleased or saddened by this confirmation. Only time will tell.

 

Another worrying point was that Systalia's words suggested that statistics were continually deteriorating, even if the pace was infinitely slower than when using Void's energy. Since our physical statistics seemed to have been simply set at zero, the degradation of statistics on other planes must have massively accelerated. At least enough for my sister to detect it on the spiritual plane.

 

In any case, we faced new difficulties on our journey. Worst of all, our most significant obstacles to our progress in this World, at least in the short term, were not the Void's harmful effects. No, it was pretty simple... our experience as fighters and explorers.

 

Indeed, during our humiliating excursion into the Academy, the most significant dangers we faced were not the Academicians as we thought, but the Academy itself. In all her horrifying beauty, nature had outdone us in its omnipotence and ruthlessness. We had yet to live up to the Academy's challenges.

 

I sighed, disappointed by our poor performance, as my fist automatically clenched. However... However, we had already returned to the Refuge to rest and accumulate as much knowledge about the Academy as possible. Indeed, until then, I'd only looked for books that would teach me runic magic. This was a severe mistake.

 

Although most of the books certainly dealt in some way with the intricacies of runic magic, I still found a few that dealt with life at the Academy. In fact, the knowledge these books provided about my future training and observation ground was superficial at best. Nevertheless, I was grateful to have learned how to apply to become an Academician and the general layout of the Academy.

 

Fortunately, I could now access the pages of the books in the Refuge via The Book. My sister couldn't possibly carry the other books, either because we didn't want them stolen or simply because of the extra weight, which we preferred to avoid. Moreover, the magic bag couldn't store the books in a runic script. In any case, the Refuge wouldn't let us take the books with us.

 

In fact, we'd noticed a few rules about borrowing books. Firstly, we could only teleport into certain rooms with a book. The rooms weren't chosen randomly since all the books in one room could only be moved to another. Thus, a first room receiving books from a second room could also send books to the second.

 

However, a third room, which had nothing to do with the other two, could neither send nor receive books. Despite their vast distances, it was as if certain rooms had a link. A link created from scratch by the mysterious Refuge System seemed to have almost omnipotent control over everything that happened in the Refuge.

 

I could no longer ignore the obvious link the Refuge must have had with the World System, even if I was still curious about the reason for such a connection and what it meant for my journey through the Kingdoms. I lowered my eyes as my etheric body trembled with excitement. In any case, the day of my discovery would have to wait, much to my chagrin.

 

I lifted my head into the air, watching the distant starry sky. One day, I would discover all the secrets this World had to offer. Nevertheless, after such a humiliating tirade, it was hardly surprising that my excitement subsided almost immediately, and embarrassment surreptitiously crossed my mind. Even just watching that moment embarrassed me; the situation was so uncomfortable.

 

I strongly advise you to forget this moment, My Successor... and you too, my dear System. I strongly advise you to do so. Since you've obviously decided of your own free will to forget this awkward moment, let's get back to the rules for moving books. Thanks to these, we could categorize rooms according to whether or not books from another room could be brought into them.

 

Of course, in practice, such a maneuver proved unfeasible. There were far too many rooms to test, after all. Especially since the number of rooms had increased considerably since my excursion into the Academy. This was only expected since my Authorization level had risen even further. Another curious fact was that the books in the last rooms I'd unlocked appeared slightly advanced.

 

Even more promising algorithms were now within our grasp, even if the learning curve would be even longer. This reminded me that I urgently needed to find a way of implanting the knowledge of the runes in myself more effectively. Otherwise, I'd soon be overwhelmed by the mass of information. I sighed wearily at the ever-increasing workload and the ever-decreasing time.

 

Once again, the dread of not knowing my maximum lifespan twisted my stomach while cold sweats ran through my body, exhausted by all the sudden emotional changes. My only certainty was that time was running out. What was my old self thinking? Did she know all the trouble she was going to put me through? My eyebrows furrowed while a frail smile graced my face, testifying to my anger... and, oddly enough, my grief.

 

Since recovering one of my memories, I'd been meditating relentlessly on the meaning of the two speakers' words and the unsettling sensations I'd experienced. In fact, I had the impression that I had actually experienced such sensations in my flesh. Nevertheless, I rejected this impression, arguing that it must have been a figment of my imagination, as I hadn't gone anywhere to recover this memory.

 

I'd simply received it instantly. I thought these last words uncertainly. The vibrations coming from the Void only reinforced my unease. What crucial information was the Void trying to convey to me? I was too far from it to even think of deciphering its thoughts beyond a vague feeling. But I consoled myself. I'd already managed to get closer to it, which was already a step in the right direction.

 

A smile of contentment appeared fleetingly on my face while warmth ran through my cheeks. Of course, part of me wanted to scream at the disadvantages of being near the Void. However, another part of me sincerely believed that the Truth of all things was attainable only through the Void and only the Void. I shook my head, realizing I'd strayed from my reflections.

 

In any case, access to books dealing with runic magic in greater depth via the rise in Authorization severely hindered my rise to power. After all, I was no fool. I knew full well that each additional level of Authorization was a challenge to attain. I doubted whether I could keep up the pace or give up in the meantime.

 

To my relief, this fear was only superficial, and my motivation was intact. I just had to be careful not to get caught up in the accumulation of adverse events. After all, this World had turned out to be far more perilous than I had anticipated. This is why, unlike when I first woke up, I was no longer so innocent and desperate to discover new places.

 

When every place could be your grave simply by the landscape's desire to shorten your life, the charm of each place lost its luster. My thoughts came to a sudden halt as my etheric eyes widened in amazement, a gentle smile crossed my face, and my cheeks relaxed their tension. In fact, I had to rectify my earlier thoughts.

 

I had indeed crossed a landscape that posed no danger: the last area I had traversed just before entering the first town. Indeed, the ruins there had undoubtedly left an indelible mark on my mind. How could I forget for a moment the feelings the ruins had once evoked in me? One day, I would be like the ruins. To my surprise, such a promise came involuntarily from my mouth.

 

The unshakeable, inalienable conviction contained in those words had also thrilled me beyond belief, to the point where I could no longer hide my excitement at the end of those ruins. I still didn't know what my Desire was, but I thought these ruins were bringing me a little closer to it. I made a mental note to myself to come back and contemplate these ruins sometimes, confident I could learn more about my Desire.

 

However, I wouldn't deny that my primary motivation was to let myself be carried away again by the atmosphere of this place until I became one with the ruins. At least, that was my wish when I remembered the ruins in the twilight of their lives. Nevertheless, after a few minutes of concentrating on the sensations I had once experienced in front of the ruins, I was suddenly interrupted by the sight of the stairs leading to the exit of the Refuge.

 

The Refuge, eh... I hoped that the links to the pages of certain books, particularly those on the Academy, that I had added to The Book would persist even outside The Refuge. After all, the last rule was that I couldn't carry books outside the Trees of Heaven. In any case, I can't thank The Book's designer enough for adding a function to display the book's information.

 

The only drawback was that the sum of information accessed via the links could not exceed 1 mebibyte, which meant I had to choose carefully the pages I felt I would need most during my entry into the Academy. However, I still wondered about the nature of the process. Was it a simple display or an outright copy of the pages?

 

In any case, I couldn't wait for my Authorization to increase so that The Book could display over 1 mebibyte of other works. However, these musings would have to wait, as the three of us were already out and about in the city while the newcomer was already frolicking around. Fortunately, she didn't seem to have forgotten that we were in hostile territory.

 

Her eyes, constantly on the lookout for the slightest suspicious movement, contrasted with the innocent expression on her face. Although she was fidgeting all over the place, her hands always stayed close to the scrolls. I wondered why I'd come across someone with such a bizarre personality. Especially as she'd been much more severe when we first met.

 

Just goes to show that the first times are deceiving. This lesson also applied to my encounter with Systalia, who had been so cold at the time that I frankly doubted I was dealing with the same person as today. In her case, I could always argue that her personality had changed when I "resurrected" her using the Void.

 

Of course, since I'd somehow manipulated our new traveling companion's Soul to reverse her death, I deduced that she'd also suffered some unexpected side effects. Only, I wouldn't have expected such a radical change. Of course, this was just an unsubstantiated conjecture. Personality changes could very well also be due to overcoming death.

 

My etheric body twitched with both fear and excitement, while my mind was torn between curiosity and disgust at death. Ultimately, the fear of Nothingness prevailed, and my curiosity had to give up this time. And so I immediately gave up on the idea, despite the perceived need to experience death for myself to arrive at an unmistakable answer. As I thought this, a disappointed voice spoke up.

 

"The landscape is not what I expected.", she sighed.

 

A puzzled expression appeared for a brief moment on my sister's face before she, too, finally sighed:

 

"We did warn you, though, that this Kingdom was only a little better than the Twelfth Kingdom. At least for this town, since the Academy was much cleaner last time than any place we'd visited before. So all you have to do is wait until we return to the Academy once and for all."

 

Unfortunately for our new comrade, my apostle seemed to be in a bad mood today. Although that was often the case those days. Don't tell me their personalities aren't compatible!? My mind screamed in pain at the very thought. After all, resolving quarrels and easing tension was not a job I wanted to do or even one in which I was competent.

 

Of course, our new companion wasted no time in retorting, a satisfied smile on her face:

 

"Admittedly, seen from this angle, I wouldn't have much to complain about. But your remark will only be valid once we've managed to locate the exit from the Refuge you used last time. So, for now..."

 

She immediately turned around to observe the charming surroundings nonchalantly. Of course, the repulsion on her face showed how much she understood the beauty of the surroundings. What's more, the pinch of her nose revealed her contemplation of the scent of the city's sublime architecture. Why do I write sentences in such a way? It's just that, at the time, her actions made me laugh a little.

 

You should also enjoy this scene, My Successor. Indeed, as we move ever closer to the present, moments of levity will become increasingly rare. Although... Come to think of it, the last few decades before my encounter with the System were undoubtedly exceptions. After all, those were my last moments of complicity with...

 

I'll refrain from going further in the sentence, as you understand what I meant. Anyway, I don't say the last words. I know System. I'm a coward. I always have been. It's strange. The sigh is the gesture I've reproduced the most times in my life. Should I be proud of that, do you think, My Successor? Let's forget my moods and get on with it... as always.

 

As soon as the smirk disappeared, Systalia nodded at the exaggerated gestures of our companion... or child. I wasn't sure which it really was, so relaxed was she about our first meeting... and, above all, about our interrogation. Had we gone too far when we ordered her to remain faithful to us, whatever the situation? Had we inadvertently broken her spirit?

 

I hoped not... certainly... perhaps... probably...? I didn't really know what to think. Besides, I disdained to recall the moment of her interrogation. Even though we'd have gone too far... At least we'd been able to better understand her convictions and gauge the degree of threat she represented. Therefore, I was in a better position to trust her, although I still trusted my sister more than her.

 

Not to mention that her interrogation had provided me with valuable knowledge about the World, especially about the workings of the gangs in the Twelfth Kingdom. Even if that Kingdom was no longer the one I belonged to, there was nothing to suggest that I would never return. I thought this place hid a terrible secret that would be enormously useful for my purpose.

 

To my great disappointment, the only information I obtained from my intuition was this strange conviction and apprehension that made both my etheric body and mind convulse briefly. In any case, I knew that I had to return to the first city, even if the mere thought of the sanitation of this place made me retch. After all, I had a mystery to solve.

 

Suddenly, a nagging feeling of being watched took over my attention. I swallowed involuntarily as my arms instinctively wrapped around my stomach. Of course, the other two had also noticed the unbearable feeling of oppression coming from all around us. They had both stopped walking. As my sister broke into a cold sweat, our new comrade's face turned livid.

 

In addition, reminders of our first encounter in this city with two dubious humans were playing in my mind, making my body tingle. I didn't want to be on the verge of suffering the same fate as then. After all, it was unlikely that we'd have the same chance twice. During those few seconds when we felt horribly spied upon, only the steady beat of Systalia's heart comforted me.

 

In a way, I was glad to have given up "it" in exchange for temporary mobility, even if it's true that our battles will only get harder. Indeed, thanks to this exchange, I could feel my apostle's heart fully manifesting its life. But it wouldn't last forever. I fully understood that the price would become too high for any of us to bear one day.

 

Yes, one day, which I vainly hoped would be as far into the future as possible, my sister would no longer be able to move, no matter how much she sacrificed to get there. One day, when the Void has consumed her Body, the physical plane will become forever out of reach for both of us. Even if I were to rely on our new companion, I'd only be delaying the inevitable.

 

However, the time would come when we would have to dispense with the physical plane and interact with the World directly on the spiritual plane. So, I had to be ready to solve this thorny problem, even if I was at a loss. For the moment, such a feat was outside my field of competence, outside my knowledge, outside my understanding, and above all... outside my sanity.

 

To our great relief, the omnipresent feeling of being spied on from every angle ceased as abruptly as it had appeared. Hands-on their chests, they both tried to catch their breath vehemently. Deep in thought, I had ignored the cessation of their breathing. Once again, my shortcomings were out in the open. However, from now on, I will change my bad habits.

 

Yes, from now on, I would gain combat experience and toughen up... or mitigate my many deficiencies. I scanned the Academy in the distance with an air of determination mixed with a bit of apprehension. My fist clenched as the footsteps of my sister and our new comrade echoed through the empty corridors filled with lawless mercenaries, vile crooks, and shady characters.

 

From the corner of my eye, I took one last look at our new companion, whom I had resurrected earlier than expected. My eyes crinkled, and my mouth parted in a mischievous smile. It's true; she was the main reason we'd stayed in the Refuge for twenty years. She was the new centerpiece of our plan.

 

And so it was that Systalia, Nalys, and I headed for the Academy, unaware of the new dangers we were now encountering but conscious of the many obstacles in our path.

 

However, the story of our arrival at the Academy must wait. After all, are some puzzle pieces missing? If so, allow me to tell you another story first.

 

The story of what was undoubtedly my most outstanding achievement at the time: the resurrection of Nalys.

 

The story's beginning of one of my most loyal and devoted servants.

 

But that's a story for another day.