The Stargazing Witch & The Dungeon Planet
Chapter 127: The Next Step

Chapter 127: The Next Step

I had a lot I needed to think about, but in a way, I had minimal time and too much time on my hands.

(“ So what is your plan now? ”)

First, I am going to verify the results of this experiment, and depending on the results, I have some final work today.

(“ And after that? ”)

I’m going after the core; obviously, it is something I need to do.

The guard was still fiddling with his abilities, and I’d assume looking at his skills after his Vocation had changed.

He went from [Earth Mage] to [Earth Vanguard], which sounded like an improvement, but I didn’t have a grasp on whether it was truly better or not purely by the name. Names, unless they were really on the nose, didn't give the best description of their abilities. Mine was called [Stargazer], and Lila’s vocation was called [Lightning Hand]; neither was great just on the name alone at describing the abilities granted. Though, in Lila’s case, at least one had the possibility of assuming that it was somehow derived from [Lightning Mage]. 

The situation has shifted a little faster than expected, but I can’t say it was unexpected.

Murdering the Dominous Hood idiot was something in the books since the start, but the bastard’s lack of patience made everything more annoying for me.

I basically went with the assumption that I would no longer be as welcomed by the Nelatta as I was before and potentially no longer allowed in the meraimaka.

Cole-Ra-Cu was practically the leader of this civilisation, but I didn’t know where we would draw the line. I knew he wanted these two to be left alive, as they were ‘remnants of a lost world,’ and from his repeated words of wanting them to stay alive, I knew he would be deeply upset by the loss of one of the humans. Al-Roo knew we were the same race, so he probably passed the information on to Cole-Ra-Cu if he hadn’t before. The issue was I didn’t know Cole-Ra-Cu well enough to understand what kind of decision he would make ahead of time.

I guess that it does not really matter.

I knew my time here was reaching its end soon.

I had plenty of crystal to survive for a while longer, and maybe within that time I would be able to relearn how to absorb mana from the atmosphere, but I didn’t want to just survive here, waiting my days out. I wanted to be free of the looming collar that hung over my head and the danger and pain that my recent injuries had caused me. 

I was used to pain…

So used… 

But… 

It was overwhelming… 

Every moment, a torturous pulse tried to steal my train of thought.

I honestly felt that pain would never be a problem for me, that I would always just deal with it, but for years I have dealt with pain, and then since last year I began experiencing my first soul-related injury, and now I was dealing with the pain of my soul nearly being torn apart again and left in a mutilated state.

Being in this state for over a month made me realise that I would stay in this state if it meant I could still be alive.  

Lu’s reaction was certainly not what I expected…

Lu was someone I treated as a useful source of information. She was nice and reminded me of the times I had talked to Lila when she was a child. Which would be fair, as she was considered by the Nelatta to be a child, but I guess she grew attached to me more than I thought. 

(“ Did she manage to wiggle her way into your little heart? ”)

No, the truth still is, if I want to claim the core of this world, it will end with her death.

(“ What a cold-hearted bastard, who raised you? ”)

I don’t know if you have gotten better or worse at manipulation.

(“ Huh..? ”)

I elaborated. 

In a way, it feels like you have gotten better, but you are also just kind of… missing the mark? Like, you know enough now to make the correct kind of points; that is the simple part. Even a child can say things to make adults feel bad, but when a child says things, it usually has an extra bit of venom because they are being genuine with their questions or statements. You, on the other hand… lack the sharp bluntness of a toddler and are basically just a child who knows their parents hate being called fat, and so calls them that because they are angry at them. It lacks the finesse of a truly deep stab and doesn’t have any bonuses to make up for the lack of it.

(“ … ”)

Espr was seemingly stunned silent, which was a win in my book.

For the time being, my plan was to focus on my next steps.

While the guard being an [Earth Vanguard] might be useful in digging up what I wanted, any plan I had cooking didn’t immediately adjust to include his toolset, but he had something useful in his abilities. I would adjust to wherever the most efficient use of our collective abilities would be. Though I did have to be careful, as a repeat of what his idiotic partner did would be problematic… well, mostly annoying.

From an outward perspective, it may seem that my plan was simple or not the most thought through, and to that I say, yeah, probably.

I knew my plan was to go underground, but that was easier said than done. 

I didn’t know if it was going to be a large cave system or some old ruins in the corner of the world, but I did have some clues.

After exploring the world, even though the monster appeared everywhere, they were certainly more common around the meraimaka. The Kelrara also only appeared to attack the meraimaka. Despite my attempts to cause some chaos in other parts of the world.

So, in all likelihood, if there was an underground thing, it would be near the meraimaka, which also happened to be near the centre of this world.

“So Guard, or actually, what is your name?”

He replied, “...Darragh.”

“Darragh, I will give you time to explore your Vocation, but I want you to be aware, sooner rather than later, I will attempt my exit out of this place.”

“...”

“And I will bring you along with me if you want to.” An unwilling extra honestly could be more dangerous, considering everything I had to deal with.

“Okay… What do I need to do?”

I answered, “Simple, be ready. Our trip out of here will likely be via the underground, and while I can make a hole down there. I’m going to ask you first, do you think you can make a hole relatively easily? Because my method would be a big explosion, but considering you are an Earth-based Vocation, you might have an easier job than I when it comes to digging a hole.

“So, that’s my whole purpose, to make a hole?”

“Your cycle of confidence, sass, absolute dread, and fear is sure to be an interesting one to watch. Whenever I think you settle into a position, you shift back up the chain before I scare the living daylights out of you again.”

His body shivered at my declaration.

“Proving my point.” I shook my head. “And again, I don’t need you. I was simply offering the position of hole digger, but if that is beneath you, you can rot here.”

“You said–” 

“I gave you a chance to live, and I’d say I have given you chances.” I tighten my fist in intimidation. I didn’t really want to kill him right now. That just felt too exhausting an action after what just happened, but if he kept being a baby, then I might change my mind. 

“Ever since I told you to stop and listen to me, you haven’t exactly been the easiest to work with. Sure, you may have experienced a bunch of pain getting your Vocation improved, but trust me, out of the two of us, that pain was nothing compared to what I am currently feeling. Now, as stated, this world is not kind to you, and I will try to bring you back with me, but if that is impossible or you don’t even want to try, well, I will not have lost anything.”

“Glup…”

I think he got the message this time, and he better have, because within the next few days, we will be attempting to escape.

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