abcnovels
Chapter 23: The Slums (2)
Chapter 23: The Slums (2)
Chapter 23: The Slums (2)
Dale had a brief conversation with Kayla before heading up to his room.
Throughout the deepening night, Dale practiced writing letters on the paper given to him by Leon.
By now, Dale became quite proficient at reading.
Though there were still awkward aspects, he knew that reading a few books and practicing would soon improve his skills.
But where do I get books?
As far as Dale remembered, the library was in the upper district 3.
He still didnt have the privilege to enter the upper districts.
I have to hurry up and get the bronze badge first.
After finishing his studies, Dale lay down on his worn bed.
As always, he was unable to sleep so he forcibly closed his eyes.
His mind was flooded with thoughts.
Baltons question from yesterday came to his mind.
Do you really help them because you want to? Or is there another intention?
Dale had simply answered Just because at the time.
He had excused himself by quoting his grandfathers words that a good deed is done without any underlying intention.
It wasnt true.
Reflecting on it now, that wasnt the case.
Dale was just afraid of losing himself.
The Dale who had first arrived in this world and the Dale now were different.
Within Dales heart, the emotions of a human coexisted with the instincts of the undead.
Sometimes these two aspects were in agreement, but often they clashed with each other.
The good wolf and the bad wolf.
Up until now, the human side has often prevailed. However, Dale could feel it.
Bit by bit, very slowly, his human heart was being eroded away.
He didnt know why.
Was it the inevitable fate of being a dark knight? Or was it because he had witnessed so much cruelty and disappointment in humans in this world? Or perhaps it was a combination of both.
One thing was certain.
Someday, though he didnt know when, Dale would completely lose himself.
Lose the self that was once human.
Dale was afraid.
Afraid of what would happen at the end of this journey when he returned to Earth.
Afraid that he might have lost himself so completely that he would be unable to adapt back to his old life.
Therefore, whether consciously or subconsciously, Dale clung to the lifestyle and habits from his time as a human on Earth.
Earth.
His thoughts drifted to the life he had spent back there.
As always, memories of his grandfather surfaced in Dales mind, seamlessly transitioning into a dream.
His smiling grandfather appeared in his dream.
The gentle wrinkles around his smiling lips were a constant presence. A man whose concern for others knew no bounds.
A person who visited the orphanage supported by the temple every day and looked after the children.
Guided by his grandfathers hand, Dale too found himself lending a hand.
He helped distribute food, played with the children, taught them, and wiped their runny noses with a handkerchief.
Even then, Dale didnt seem to help the children with a particularly noble intent.
He simply did it because his grandfather told him to.
However, years of volunteering became a big part of his life without him realizing it.
So much so that it remained ingrained in his subconscious, even after becoming what he was now.
Helping the children in the slums was surely for that reason.
The Dale who had followed his grandfather on Earth now mimicked his former human self.
To avoid losing himself.
In the dream, his grandfather called out to Dale.
.
His grandfather called Dale by a name of the past and repeated a familiar phrase.
Our world is filled with evil, but you must always follow the path of human decency.
Dale murmured in response.
Ill try, Grandpa.
Hoping not to be further disappointed in humanity, he wished only to encounter fewer such despicable people.
Dale passed another night like that.
***
The next day, Dale left the inn at the crack of dawn.
He walked swiftly among the startled pedestrians who were shocked to see him and headed towards the temple of night.
The temple was the same as usual.
Pitch darkness. And a skeleton wielding its sword.
But Erielle was nowhere to be found.
Did something happen?
If the High Priestess had to leave the temple, it must be a matter of great importance.
However, it was none of Dales concern.
He was just glad that he didnt run into the elf.
Dale entered a moderately vacant prayer room and removed his helmet. He knelt on one knee and lowered his gaze.
I have arrived.
Normally, the Goddess of Night would have immediately appeared to greet him joyfully.
But today, there was no response.
Dale asked curiously.
Goddess?
[Leave that unholy cursed sword outside the prayer room.]
Dale remembered the blasphemer and realized his oversight. It was not an item meant to be brought into the prayer room.
It was a lapse in his judgment.
He hastily placed the blasphemer sword outside the room.
Only then did the Goddess of Night reveal herself.
Dale bowed his head.
He could see her long black hair reaching the floor and her beautiful white feet.
[Thats much better.]
I apologize for my oversight.
[Its okay. But how about discarding that cursed sword? Its not a fitting item for a son of a goddess to use.]
Dale understood the goddesss sentiment fully but he couldnt comply with it.
He finally acquired a sword that wouldnt easily break, so how could he just give it up?
I will use it for a while until I find a better weapon.
[Hmm. I suppose this goddess must hurry and bestow a holy sword upon you soon.]
Dale bowed his head deeply. This gesture meant that he wouldnt refuse such a gift.
The goddess who was initially displeased scrutinized Dale.
She then said in a surprised tone.
[The powerful and ominous soul flowing within you! You have slain the followers of the filthy demons!]
Yes. I killed a mage who followed the demon Arghul.
[Well done! Very well done! Indeed, my son is the joy of this goddess!]
The goddess was so happy that she seemed to jump up and down. It seemed she was quite pleased with the defeat of the demons servant.
Dale asked cautiously.
Does this qualify me for an upgrade in grade?
[Of course! I will upgrade your grade right away!]
All the souls that Dale had collected vanished. At the same time, an indescribable power surged within his body.
It was a feeling that couldnt be easily expressed in words. but Dale felt that he had evolved into a superior being.
The goddess lightly tapped Dale on the head.
[You have reached grade 3. As your grade increases, so does your unholy senses. Now, you will be able to see further, hear more clearly, and be more sensitive to hostility.]
Dale nodded in agreement.
The dark knight was a class that began to show its full potential starting from grade 3.
The enhancement of the unholy senses.
And the additional skills he would acquire were going to significantly boost his combat abilities.
If I gather more souls here, I might be able to learn area-of-effect attack skills. The enhancement of my unholy senses alone makes a big difference.
The goddess spoke cheerfully.
[You are doing very well. Keep it up.]
The Goddess of Night looked at Dale with eyes full of pride.
Though Dale had his head lowered and couldnt see her expression, he could feel her emotions in her gaze falling upon him.
The goddess asked,
[Now, I will bestow upon you a blessing that corresponds to your offering. What blessing do you desire?]
Three options appeared before Dales eyes.
Increase Strength
Enhance Armor
Strengthen Soul
Dale pondered over his choice.
Dale gleaned several lessons from his recent battle with Hasina.
Dale who did not yet have proper attack skills lacked attack power.
Although his current strength was enough to sweep away minor foes, facing robust enemies like Hasina proved to be a challenge.
When dealing with such foes, a mage is definitely the best choice.
The thought of seeking a mage crossed his mind, but it was no easy task.
In the first place, Dale doubted whether it was feasible for him to find a competent mage, and it was realistically difficult to always bring a mage with him to the party.
Ultimately, the only solution to his lacking attack power seemed to be increasing his physical strength.
With brute strength, he could sufficiently handle monsters like Hasina.
However, I cant completely forsake defense. Balance is key.
Dale decided to invest in his strength and armor enhancements at a ratio of 2:1.
He was tempted by soul strengthening but concluded that it wouldnt be too late to invest in it once he acquired suitable skills.
Darkness flowed from the goddess and seeped into Dales body and armor.
His muscles twisted and became denser, and his armor now shimmered with a more profound darkness than before.
After completing the distribution, Dale checked his status.
[Dale]
Grade: 3
Class: Dark Knight
Strength: 48
Defense: 29
Magical Power: 10
Stamina:
Spiritual Power: 10
[List of Acquired Skills]
Life Force Absorption
[Traits]
Half-Human, Half-Undead
Unholy Senses (Enhanced)
Blessing of the Goddess of Night
[Titles]
Demon Servant Slayer
High strength and defense stats.
With just these two, Dale was already far stronger than others of the same grade.
This was proof that Dale was growing in the right direction.
After a satisfactory review of his status, Dale found himself thinking about something.
He was curious about something but hesitated to ask.
However, he soon gathered his courage and cautiously asked the goddess.
When I first awoke in this world and saw you, do you remember the question I asked?
The goddess of the night answered him in a calm voice that was devoid of any pitch.
[You asked me who summoned you to this world and why.]
Yes. You said it wasnt you and that you couldnt provide an answer to my question.
[I had said that you were not yet worthy of the answer.]
Dale then asked.
Am I still unworthy?
[Yes. But dont be too hasty. Continue as you are, and eventually, all your questions will be answered and you will attain what you seek.]
Although the answer wasnt entirely satisfactory, Dale didnt argue and simply nodded his head.
Understood. Ill return again.
[Do come again. I always await your visit.]
Dale put on his helmet again and went out of the prayer room.
Dale thought as he walked down the dark corridor.
Not worthy yet.
Did this mean that being grade 3 was still insufficient?
In truth, Dale didnt fully trust the goddess.
Summoning someone to this world wasnt something just anyone could do.
It was undoubtedly an act only possible for a few with immense power and ability.
And one of them was the Night Goddess.
Even though she denied it, Dale couldnt dismiss the possibility that she might have been the one who summoned him here.
How could he be so sure?
Their relationship might be friendly right now, but he knew he couldnt completely depend on the goddess.
Even if the Goddess of Night genuinely had Dales best interests at heart.
In the end, do I have to find the answer myself?
Dale lifted the longsword and ran his hand over the words engraved on its blade.
Stand tall by ones own strength without dependence.
Dale, who was lost in thought for a moment, started walking again.
Theres no need to overthink it.
The direction Dale needed to take to solve this mystery was already clear.
He had to become stronger.
Much stronger than he was now.
***
After returning from the temple, Dale again immersed himself in practicing his writing at the inn.
There was nothing else for him to do.
He had checked the mercenary guild, but there were still no suitable tasks for Dale. Garland was also absent, likely busy with work.
I wanted to test my improved skills.
But what could he do?
Dale continued to write on the paper. Suddenly, he applied a bit too much force, and the quill pen snapped in half with a snap!.
Ah.
He thought he had controlled his strength, but managing it was still difficult.
After breaking the pen given to him by Leon, Dale awkwardly scratched his helmet.
Now, he really had nothing left to do.
Maybe I should polish my sword.
Just as Dale was about to habitually clean his cursed sword with a rag, someone burst into the inn.
It was an uncommon occurrence.
Lately, the Drunken Mule Inn had been so deserted that only flies buzzed around.
The short woman who entered scanned the room quickly. She had charming freckles, and Dale immediately recognized her as a gnome.
The gnome, after glancing around, spotted him.
Then she muttered with a very frightened expression.
Natalie, you can do this. The dark knight wont eat you. Yes.
Whats this about?
She had burst in, suddenly looked scared by herself, and now was reassuring herself.
As Dale looked at her in bewilderment, the gnome swallowed her saliva and approached him hurriedly.
The gnome standing in front of Dale took a deep breath. But she was still scared as she asked cautiously,
Ex-excuse me, Mr. dark knight?
Speak.
Well, I just just wanted to ask. You dont, um, you dont eat people by any chance, do you?
Seeing her come to him only to blurt out such a strange question left Dale perplexed.
But he replied nonetheless.
Dont worry, gnome meat isnt particularly tasty.
The gnomes face turned pale with terror.
It seemed his attempt at humor which was meant to ease her fear had backfired.
That wasnt the right approach.
Dale scratched his head and asked.
Who are you, and why have you come looking for me?
Ah!
Suddenly remembering her purpose, the gnome woman hastily bowed her head.
And then she spoke in a desperate voice.
Please help me! Leon is in danger!