CHAPTER 24

It is strange when I think about it. In fiction, when the main character got injured, they’ll sometimes be taken care of by someone with a high hospitality. Why does it happen exactly? It makes no sense. Now that I experience it, it makes less sense—if that’s even possible in the first place. I’m not complaining that Nostrades and Nostreidon are sheltering me. I just can’t comprehend how it happened in the first place. There’s no guarantee that someone like me won’t just slaughter them. Is this some cosmic law written to ensure that the story will go on?

The Nostra brothers serve me cinnamon bun. It reminds me of mom. Mom loves making cinnamon because my first father loved to eat it, so she made it the first item on the store shelves. It didn’t sell well at the time. In fact, it was never the top pastries we’ve ever sold. Customers prefer something with chocolate in their pastry. However, due to the story of my first father, our bakery became known as the cinnamon bakery. I’m grateful that they never linked us to my second father.

After gaining their permission, I take a look at their kitchen to see how they made their bread. I was expecting a huge wood-firen or brick oven, but no. It’s actually quite modern. In fact, I dare say that it’s actually more advanced than the one my mom and I had at home!

Now that I think about it, does Ambrousia has better technology than in my world? I have only seen a small portion of it, and the one I’ve seen had turrets on top of an obsidian wall. Considering that the Bread Village was cut off from the rest of the world due to the Keyward Stone, then it is possible that the technology they had is actually primitive when compared to the outside. There must be more of the Ambrousian Empire out there waiting for communication from Bread Village. That’s a problem. If I can somehow amass an army to take Bread Village, then the rest of Ambrousian Empire from out there might come to invade us. That’s bad.

Wait. Let’s get back to technology. In my world—World Number 1, there’s no Adventurers and bosses. But here, there is. There’s no mention of that either in World Number 69 and the Fey’s world. What if, that kind of technology actually came from Ambrousian Empire? They made this to differentiate between usable and unusable outsiders? They don’t fancy the Demons and Feys, so they’re bad. Anyone from my world is good. They’ve gamified their own world for their own benefits.

Wait. I’ve been going on with my conclusions on slavery. Let me make sure with the Nostra brothers first.

“Contract spell?” asks Nostrades. “Yeah. The empire sure used that a lot. Especially Submissing Freedom.”

“They say that it improved the economy,” says Nostreidon. “We don’t know if they still used it after sealing us.”

Okay. I got that one right.

Now then, why would Adventurers from some worlds are accepted while others don’t? We’re all outsiders. They should hate us equally. I could be destroying the world right now just like the Demons and Feys.

Of course. We can be enslaved with contract spells! They can’t do that with the Demons and Feys. If they can, they would’ve done that. That’s why we’re fine while others don’t. We can be used. That means that Salty Ray, Timothy, and Wanda could be controlled if the knights got to them. Just in case, I ask them.

“Contract spell?” says Nostrades. “There’s usually no sign. You have to look for any weird behaviors for that.”

“It’s good for business if I dare say so myself,” says Nostreidon.

Okay. I know those three. I should know if they’re controlled or not. The only problem is, can I beat all three of them in one fight? I should… wait. There’s no way that the Nostra brothers can answer this. They don’t even know my party.

If I recall, Contractuaries expand from Low Leyline Point to other places. Obsidian slows down the influence of Contractuaries. Destroying obsidian wall equals expanding Contractuaries equals stop slavery. Considering that my goal to go back home is no longer feasible, then this should be my primary goal. I will still fight Demons, but I don’t have enough information to find them. Since I have more information on Bread Village, that goes to the top priority.

The ceiling shakes. They’re looking for me. From the sound of it, there are a lot of them. The Nostra brothers are panicking. That means that they don’t have any backup plans or secret path. My party cannot even beat one let alone an entire fleet. I need a boost! I need a power up! I need…

Keyward Stone.

I don’t know if I can make it on time, but here goes. I put the stone on the ground. Then, with Dwarvel, a punch. Another punch. More punches. Punching punching punching punching—

I can hear something break. It’s not the stone. It’s a wooden door. They found the entrance. I make solid steam to slow them down. Then, I keep punching.

An Ambrous Knight is trying to cut the steam with their bladed gauntlets. I keep on punching.

The steam wall is breaking down. More punching.

An Ambrous Knight is standing behind me. They raise their bladed gauntlet to strike me down. Punch—

DETAIL CHECK
Subclass achieved: Cubic Leash

Just in time!