Chapter 46 Amelie's Growth (1)

[You have arrived at Chaos Training Grounds]

[Stamina Regeneration increased by 500%]

[Mana Regeneration increased by 400%]

[Chaos Power regeneration increased by 300%]

[Growth speed increased by 200%]

[The Time Difference set by the Mediator of Chaos: 1 is to 3]

[1 day on Earth, 3 days on this place]

[You cannot die in this place]

…

Amelie Rose read the stacks of System messages laid in front of her vision, and soon, her expression turned into a baffled one; she scratched her eyes with her both hands to check if she was dreaming or if this was another reality. She was standing in front of a rectangular arena that was the size of at least hundreds of meters in length and width. There were also different kinds of weapons, as well as training dummies on each corner of the arena.

'This place is a treasure! But the message about Time Difference is something else…'

As she thought of that, Amelie took a glance to her side, then she saw Russell Moon who arrived with her, but his glance was directed above as if conversing with someone, prompting her to look as well; thus, she saw the sky filled with stars that illuminated the cosmos, and a sense of wonder entered her very soul with the serene sight of the night that reflected on her reddish eyes.

"Let's take a seat first…"

Russell spoke beside her as she realized there were no benches or seats around.

Both of them sat on the edge of the arena near the weapons and armor section, and a training dummy.

After some time, Russell asked her an expected, and unexpected question which caused her to momentarily faze.

"Were you selling 'Dark Tears' in the 'Black Market'?"

"Were you being pursued?"

The 'expected question' was about the 'Dark Tears' she was selling on the 'Black Market' before she came to Obelisk Academy, while the latter was the unexpected one.

"I'm being pursued... but how did you know?"

Although the man in front of her held many secrets, and those secrets were being laid upon her, she couldn't help but ask.

"Even 'Dark Healer' is a 'Rare Profession or Class', it doesn't mean you're the only one who possessed it, also almost everyone is either dead or held captive by some other faction. How did you discover it? About that 'drug'."

When she heard Russell's last word, a sharp pang of guilt suddenly jolted her heart as she remembered the effects of the 'Dark Tears' she sold in the 'Black Market' that caused deaths to some people which included some minors swept by their peers, and adults who do nothing but pursue pleasure or other desires.

After some rumination, she spoke with an apologetic tone.

"A few years ago, before I turned seven years old, and before the System was granted to me, the manifestation of my 'Profession' was seen after an incident that caused me to 'cry', and at that moment, my parents were shocked, felt terrified with the unknown.

They didn't know, the same as me about it, but when they consulted others from somewhere I have no idea from, they were told that it can bring bad luck; thus, my parents sold me to some broker, then I ended up in the streets after escaping after three years as a slave in an underground of some sorts. I tried to find what's special about my 'dark tears' that time as I was just a little kid, then another incident happened, it was when I was crying in a sewer, I forgot about my condition at that moment, then some rats approached me as if I was already dead, then with some lights that reached the sewer, I saw my 'dark tears' that were crystallized, eaten by rats… then…"

"They went crazy."

Russell ended what she was supposed to say as he listened to her story, and thought.

'What a tragic one…'

He remembered the 'discriminated professions', but when he wrote his novel in his previous life, he didn't specify the names and backgrounds of the 'main characters' classmates, instead he just vaguely wrote the 'Professions' of the unnamed classmates in his novel.

What he wrote in his previous life was the professions' names, as well as some professions that needed something to be acquired like Amery Blight's 'Blood Swordsman' class that he saw a few days ago through his Skill: Gaze of the Abyss (EX).

'To think what I wrote turned into a tragedy story…' Russell couldn't help but felt a baffling sense of guilt…

'Although I considered this new life a blessing to me… I feel like it became a tragedy for others...'

…

Dark Tears were a kind of drug that came from the tears of a person with a 'Dark Healer' profession… its effects were relaxation at first, but addictive, and would turn the consumer crazy in the long run. Crazy, not in a way to be completely mentally unstable, but it amplifies the subconscious desire of the consumer…

Those desires vary depending on one's nature.

Some murdered their loved ones, then kill themselves in the process.

Some directly committed suicide with amplified depression.

Some became bold to commit thievery.

Some became brain-dead, and all could do was laugh unendingly.

"It has a cure which is Skill: Purification (S), but considering 'Dark Tears' is illegal, it was impossible for people to approach a 'Priest' for such treatment. Although there were 'Priest' in the 'Black Market', the costs of Purification were immense; thus unaffordable."

Amelie spoke, as she remembered what she witnessed during her time in the 'Black Market', and in the streets. She wore a lamented expression as if she was about to break into tears again.

"It wasn't your fault," Russell said succinctly.

…

After some time of talking, a notification entered their ears as they reflexively shut their words, and read the holographic screen in front of them.

[Constellation 'Night of Primordial Goddess', says one of her subordinates is coming in a minute.]

[Constellation 'Night of Primordial Goddess' activated the Skill: Eternal Barrier (God)]

[You will be protected against any 'pressure']

Russell, who saw the notification felt a sense of nostalgia as he read the messages and thought.

'Was this the barrier the Goddess used on me when "she" materialized in front of me?' He let out a self-deprecating sigh as the feeling of wanting such skill surged within him.

…

As considered a 'Party' under System's rules, Amelie Rose also saw the System messages behind the 'notifications', she silently thought of various questions in her mind.

'Constellation [Night of Primordial Chaos]?'

'Eternal Barrier?'

'Is she the contractor of Russell?'

After some thinking, she remembered what happened earlier in the morning, when a 'World Announcement' were sent across the world via System.

'Based on the world announcement earlier, there's something called True Ancient Constellations…' as she wondered, she glanced to her side, and curiously asked Russell.

"Russell…"

But before she could ask, she refrained from doing so…

'I don't know how to properly ask it! I might look rude to her contractor.'

Russell, who heard her voice spoke as if he knew what she was going to ask, and answered vaguely.

"Higher."

"What?" Amelie thought for some time before her eyes widened with the sudden realization that hit her.

'Higher than True Ancient Constellations!?'

She looked blankly at Russell as if she was lost, her mouth agape, then after some time, her thoughts were snapped out by the cracking sounds as space was torn in front of them.

'This is the second time I'd seen such phenomena… it still amazes me.'

…

[Constellation, 'Lady of the Shaded Spade' is materializing.]

Within the torn fabric of space, a woman in a deep black gown appeared in front of Russell and Amelie, turning them agape with the sight.

"Her" features were composed of deep black eyes, deep black hair that was fluttering, a height of 169 cm, and wearing a black veil hat that partly covered her eyes.

Even though Russell already saw the Goddess of Night personally, he couldn't control his emotions as his heart beats uncontrollably. He took a glance at Amelie beside him and saw her looking down, avoiding taking a gaze at such existence, her eyes felt looked like she lost her soul.

'I—', she couldn't even make a thought.

Due to the Eternal Barrier that Goddess of Night cast upon them, they didn't die instantly under such presence, the pressure she exudes was lessened immensely in their perspective, but the moment the Eternal Barrier was retracted, they felt that they will vanish instantly.

After a few seconds of silence…

"My dear, what a ruined child…"

She maintained her bearing while looking at Amelie, while she took a short glance beside her, forming unknown thoughts, then retracted her gaze.

"Dear, you came here because you have decided to make a new path for yourself."

Amelie, who heard her words mustered up the courage to look at the presence in front of her and replied in an unsteady tone.

"Y-y-ye-s… h-how s-should I ad-address y-you?"

'I was like you when I first met my Goddess!' Russell lampooned inwardly as he took a glance at Amelie as her eyes darted around.

"My Lady will suffice." The Goddess said succinctly.

'I don't know here…' Russell thought, almost face-palming in front of another goddess.

"My Lady, thank you for taking interest in me. I will fulfill your expectations."

She mustered the courage as she felt like she could converse clearly.

"My, my, that is what I like, my dear. Shall we proceed then?" The Goddess asked, prompting Amelie to close the distance as she approached the Goddess.

'I don't dare to let her walk to come to me!' She thought and felt like any dishonor would lead to her death without even knowing why.

Russell watched the contract procedure happen in front of him.

Amelie extended both her palm, then the hands of the Goddess were placed atop hers at a certain distance, not touching each other.

After the contract procedure ended, the Goddess said to Russell as she took a glance at him.

"You have now a companion, Mediator of Chaos."

The Goddess vanished instantly as she walked again in the torn fabric of space, then a thought struck him.

"Wai-!" he couldn't finish his words.

'My Goddess said you will groom her! What the hell is this?'

[Constellation, 'Night of Primordial Chaos' laughs at her contractee.]

[Constellation, 'Lady of Shaded Spade' asks her Goddess' contractee how could she does such a thing.]

Russell frowned at the System messages as he realized he was tricked again by her Goddess' words.

'Right, how can a Goddess train personally?' he lampooned as his hands covered his face from the realization and embarrassment.

"My Goddess, I have a question about what happened earlier…"

[Constellation, 'Night of Primordial Chaos' says to interact more with the Egg??? and not let it engage the conversation first.]

'Is that so… basically the 'Egg???' was silently feeling gloomy because I don't talk to it often?'

'How does it relate to the True Ancient Constellations? But based on my Goddess' answer, she indirectly confirmed that those world announcements were pertaining to the 'Egg???' that was entrusted to me…'

'I'll just do what she says, also that time, I was bombarded with notifications regarding my Nihility Trait that restraining the True Ancient Constellations' gazes… maybe it will become more potent if I keep interacting with the 'Egg???''

He made various conjectures as she forgot Amelie's presence, then he heard a voice beside him.

"Thank you, Russell."