Outsider 6

The curse of the witch that spread across the world in ancient times was something similar to radiation.

After the curse, the entire continent turned into a wasteland where no living creature could survive, and only Raphdonia managed to escape the calamity.

…Or at least, that’s what people had been told.

But outside the walls, the witch’s curse did not exist.

No, to be precise, the curse as we knew it did not exist.

[The outside world is fine. Plants grow, and if you get close enough, you can even see insects feeding on the leaves. The same goes for wild animals]

Just like the post by some Noark player on Ghostbusters. The land beyond the walls wasn’t filled with death.

Well… it’s not exactly “fine,” either.

Standing at the edge of the cliff, I looked out at the monochrome world spread before me.

Everything was grey, except for the red glow of the rising sun in the distance, which created an otherworldly atmosphere.

“So the world wasn’t normal to begin with.”

As the GM muttered, this world was far from normal. But that only raised more questions. The palace had never spoken a single word of truth.

Radiation, my ass…

There was no poison in the air.

The world had simply ended in a different way.

Of course, I couldn’t guess why the Royal Family hid this fact—.

‘I think I understand why the Royal Family distorted the truth.’

“Huh?”

The GM lowered his telescope—when did he get that?—and kept speaking.

“How could they tell the people inside the walls? That this world is slowly heading toward destruction?”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“Look below.”

The point the GM indicated was the boundary where the gray waves met the land.

“It’s difficult to notice with the naked eye, but little by little, that area is expanding.”

My eyes followed his direction, and I could see the gray color steadily encroaching upon the land.

Looking at the place he pointed to, I could see that the gray color was slowly encroaching on the land.

“The problem is… I don’t think this is happening only here.”

“…And what do you mean by that?”

“Earlier, those who went outside the walls returned to the city, right? It is probably happening on the opposite side of the continent as well.”

“But even so, is there a reason to return to the city? If what you say is true, the city would be the first to fall, wouldn’t it?”

“Well… perhaps they know something we don’t. Maybe the encroachment cannot break through the protective barrier of the city’s magic circle.”

His explanation was baseless and unbecoming of a mage.

But…

He’s not entirely wrong.

The Noark bastards did invade the city.

This means there is a way to survive inside Raphdonia.

I don’t know exactly what it is yet.

‘I’ll have to figure it out by exploring the city myself.’
With that, the GM and I went down to the coastline and conducted a few investigations, but in the end, we didn’t uncover much. To sum up the little we did find…
First off, that grey area is literally a land of death.

Anything that touches it instantly loses its colour and hardens into stone.

We couldn’t test it on humans, of course.

I was curious if someone with strong magic resistance could withstand it, but I don’t have the courage to test it myself.

Anyway.

“A corpse”

The second thing we came across was a skeleton in a cave near the coast. It looked several years old, but despite searching the area, we found nothing else.

The third thing, and the most important, was:

“At this rate, it will take about ten years for the encroachment to reach the outer walls of District 10.”

Assuming the encroachment continued at the same pace, the city would be hit in ten years.

However, if the protective magic circle surrounding the city can block the erosion, it shouldn’t be a problem.

“Let’s stop the search and head back.”

“Are we really leaving?”

“I can’t keep holding you here forever. Don’t you want to go home?”

When I said this with a slight laugh, the GM’s eyes widened.

He looked at me like he couldn’t believe I was saying something so… normal.

“Don’t you want to—”

“No! Let’s go! Quickly!”

Hey, you’re happy to an almost disappointing degree.

I thought we’d gotten a bit closer.

“Alright, let’s go.”

After that, we left the shore and headed towards the wall, conversing along the way.

“Havelion. But isn’t it a bit strange?”

“What do you mean?”

“That all this hasn’t been discovered yet. From the atop of the walls in District 10, you’d be able to see the state of the world outside. But I don’t think I’ve even heard any rumors like that.”

“So… I take it you’ve never stood atop the walls, Baron?”

“I have.”

When I told him about my experience of climbing the Bifron wall and admiring the vast expanse of nature, he nodded in understanding.

“That’s because Bifron is a special case. As far as I know, the other walls are covered by illusion magic. Only Bifron’s illusion has malfunctioned.”

“…is that so?”

“Yes. Outsiders wouldn’t know, so it’s natural that you didn’t. And apparently, even the soldiers and knights stationed there think the scenery is just an illusion.”

That was the first I’d heard of it.

As a high-ranking mage who has lived a long life, he certainly knows a lot.

“But… don’t the sanctuaries also have illusion spells cast over them?”

Ah, that…….

“Yes, I just didn’t realise the walls were the same, too.”

The Sanctuaries are situated outside the city walls.

History books say that the royal family respected other races and gave them independent land to live on, but in reality, it was discrimination and ostracism.

Just look at the recent District 7 invasion incident.

When Noark activated the old royal magic circle, the sanctuary was instantly cut off from the city.

‘I got distracted’

If you continue walking through the sanctuary, you will eventually reach a section blocked by an invisible wall that prevents you from going any further. From what I recall, a forest once stretched beyond the boundary.

[All things must be done in order.]
[…]

[Warrior, the time has not yet come for you to wonder about what lies beyond.]

Back then, the shaman’s words had sounded so meaningful.

I’ve grown far stronger since then.

Maybe now, it is time to wonder about the outside.

“Well… it’s only natural you assumed the sanctuary was an exception. After all, the illusion magic was supposedly cast to consider the other races.”

“It suddenly makes me curious. What it’s really like.”

“Pardon……?”

“Since we’re nearby anyway. It’s on the way anyway.”

Taking advantage of the opportunity, we veered off course a little and moved closer to the walls.

“The area around the wall is all forest, so it’s very inconvenient.”

“Stop grumbling and move your feet faster.”

While consoling the GM, who was eager to return home, we eventually reached one of the six sanctuaries of Raphdonia.

A transparent barrier blocked our path, as if to say that we could not go any further.

This was the sanctuary of the fairies in District 9.

We could see inside without much difficulty.

“…Just forest, huh.”

Since it’s the outermost boundary of the Sanctuary, it was impossible to see the fairy settlements or cities, but it was still fascinating.

So huge…

 

The trees were enormous and perfectly aligned, as though they had been cultivated for millennia.

“…I came here because you said we should check it, but now that we’re here, what are you going to do?” As I was absorbed in watching, the GM nudged me.

Surprisingly, at that moment…

“…Huh?”

I thought I saw something moving beyond the barrier.

“Wait a moment.”

“…What?”

“Quiet.”

I made the GM shut up and stared intently into the forest. I caught sight of an elf revealing himself from among the bushes.

I told the GM to be quiet and stared intently into the forest. There I saw a fairy emerge from the trees.

With his silver hair and youthful appearance, the fairy seemed to be either underage or newly come of age.

“He’s coming this way.”

The fairy slowly approached our direction.

“Can he see us…?”

I wondered about it, since he was heading straight for us, but it seemed unlikely. If he had seen us, his expression wouldn’t be so calm.

Slide.

The fairy arrived at the barrier and placed his hand against it, as if feeling its invisible surface.

He muttered something—

“… …”

But the barrier prevented us from hearing.

Somehow, though, the GM translated.

“He said it feels suffocating.”

“…You can read lips?”

“A little trick I picked up. It wasn’t a difficult word.”

He smiled modestly, but I was genuinely impressed.

No wonder we were both former players, after all.

Being able to understand someone through language and understanding speech by reading lips are two different stories.

“Oh, now he’s mumbling to himself, ‘I wonder what’s outside…’

Thanks to his interpretation, I understood why the fairy was making that expression.

“Curiosity is the greatest of all human desires. Perhaps someday that boy will make a name for himself.”

“Didn’t you say people should only question what they can handle?”

“Yes, and that’s why I said he’ll become famous. People like me are merely curious, that’s all.”

Well, as expected of a mage, he speaks well.

“Well then, if your curiosity’s satisfied, shall we be on our way?”

“…Yeah, let’s go.”

As I turned away, I cast one last glance at the silver-haired fairy.

Hmph. There’s something familiar about his face.

Well, if fate allows, we’ll meet again someday.

***

The return journey was the same as before, but in the opposite direction.

Perhaps because we’d spent several days exploring unfamiliar places togethe, our conversations flowed more easily.

He no longer seemed so wary of me.

“And what about you, Baron? I’ve heard quite a few rumors about you in the city.”

“All nonsense.”

“Hmm, from what I’ve heard, I believe at least one of them was true—.”

“……You’ve gotten very comfortable, haven’t you?”

“Haha… S-sorry.”

He wasn’t just chatting now, he also started throwing out personal questions he must have been curious about.

“Um… What is your goal, Baron?”

“Are you picking a fight?”

“N-no, it’s not that. I’m really asking because I’m curious. You’re always ahead in dangerous matters and live so busily, right?”

“……I don’t have one.”

“Pardon?”

“I mean, I never had any grand goal. Me, and my people surviving together. If I had to name a goal, that would be about it.”

And since life is give-and-take, I asked him something in return.

“Then what about you? What’s your goal?”

“Me?”

“Yeah. You wouldn’t ask unless you had one yourself.”

“There’s… someone I really want to meet again someday.”

As a fellow player, I assumed his goal was to return to our original world—and that his reason for doing so was tied to “someone.”

Family, maybe…?

I didn’t pry. I just nodded.

“…I see. I hope you’ll meet them again.”

“…Thank you.”

“Stay strong.”

I clapped him firmly on the shoulder. He tried to dodge, but the GM still smirked in amusement.

Then he said—

If not for the incomprehensible ‘cultural differences’… Baron Yandel, you’d actually be quite a good person.”

I couldn’t tell if it was a compliment or sarcasm.

But fair enough.

Even the locals found me strange. To another player, I must’ve seemed even weirder.

Still feels a little unfair, though.

If they had started as barbarians like me, they’d have acted the same way.

…Probably.

“Let’s camp here tonight.”

“Yes, good idea.”

As daylight began to fade, we came across an open area with fewer trees and set up our bedding there.

‘At this speed, we should be able to return to the city by tomorrow evening.’

I closed my eyes and was double-checking tomorrow’s schedule when suddenly, a sentimental voice came from beside me.

“The sky, you see.”

“……?”

“The sky is the same in any world.”

Honestly, it was a feeling I often had while camping too.

Just lying down at night and staring at the sky made me forget where I really was.

But perhaps realizing too late that he’d spoken recklessly, he quickly added an unnecessary clarification.

“Ah, I mean… whether inside or outside the walls.”

“Yeah. Really, there’s no difference.”

“……”

And so we both remained silent for a while, gazing up at the sky.

Maybe it was because he’d spent nearly his whole life cooped up in the Mage Tower?

Out here, sleeping rough beneath the open sky, he seemed to be lost in old memories. Back when venturing in and out of labyrinths had been part of his everyday life.

“Baron.”

“…What is it?”

“You asked once about the first school of magic I joined, didn’t you?”

“I did. But you drew a line saying you didn’t want to talk about it, so I didn’t ask for details.”

So, has he finally decided to tell me now?

When I tossed the question back at him, the GM gave a bitter smile and answered bluntly.

“Yes. It’s not exactly an entertaining story, though.”

It seemed that, for him, today was one of those days.

A day when you just feel like talking, no matter who’s listening.

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