CH 210

Three more petrified people have made a full recovery, and one was completely healed by casting Recovery on top of the cure.

The last one still has the tips of her limps on the right side petrified, and still looking gray. Casting Appraisal tells me the condition has changed to ‘petrification – stopped’.

After casting Recovery, Mia and Trisha shake their heads, telling us it’s not working.

“Let’s just go back and try the cure there. There’s nothing more we can do here.”

That’s all I can say now.

Leila looks frustrated the whole way through, and clenches her fists tight to contain her emotions.

Casey is the only one who hasn’t fully recovered.

Two days later, after checking the condition of the people who were petrified, we start moving again.

Apparently return stones don’t work here, so we’re heading to the twenty-seventh floor, since we know the way there.

We’re going to check if return stones work over there.

We move slowly, but steadily make progress day by day. We have to fight monsters too, so that also slows us down.

We have plenty of food, but the rest can’t be said for disposable items, so we need to be careful. There’s also the fact that many of the people here aren’t at their best.

“Are you all right?”

Asks Chris, and I respond with a weak nod. I’ve been feeling strange ever since we started walking again.

I should be pretty much invincible while walking, but my body is starting to hurt. My status screen shows me my HP is gradually decreasing, and my MP keeps going down and recovering.

I’m carrying Casey on my back, but I’ve carried much heavier things without any issues.

Chris is the first one to notice something isn’t right, followed by Mia and Leila. That makes sense considering they’re the ones closest to me.

But I don’t want to worry them, so I ask Mia to periodically cast Heal on me but not tell the others.

This group is pretty on edge as it is. There’s a tense atmosphere in the air, and more than half the people here are nervous just walking forward. The shock of the trap and the monsters that came after it is still fresh in their minds.

The cockatrice is down, but there might still be monsters we don’t know about. And I’m sure just seeing monsters that aren’t undead roaming around normally is going to bring them bad memories.

“How long until we reach the staircase?”

“I think we’re about a third of the way there.”

Sera says to Carl.

“So it should take us ten days if everything goes well? It’s crazy how you rushed through this distance in one go.”

I don’t think that’s true. We’ve been resting more than we walk every day.

But I think starting tomorrow, we’ll be able to walk a little more. It sounds like most people are pretty much back to normal.

I’m actually starting to worry more about my own condition. I’m recovering well when I sit down, but something was added to the walking skill in my stats.

Effect – (User won’t get tired no matter how much they walk) – (Get one experience point with each step) *Currently 〇△✕◇

I don’t know what that means.

Looking at my body using Magic Energy Control tells me the flow of magic energy in it isn’t good. It looks disturbed.

I stay quiet all the time, except when I’m cooking. I don’t fight, since I’m also carrying someone, and since I have the job of merchant, I settle into the role of cook for the most part.

When there’s about a third of the way left, I see a group of about twenty people on Map.

“Stop. Something’s coming.”

Says Hikari, and everyone stops and grabs their weapons.

They’re ready to attack at any time, but it’s not monsters that are coming.

What peeks out from a corner is in fact a group of adventurers, and I see a face I recognize

“Leila. Are you all right?”

Asks Ash while walking towards her.

“Ash? How come you’re here?”

She’s confused because they seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

“There was a request from the guild, but it took time to gather people. Your father was also worried.”

Jake also approaches us, and says this group is composed of a mixture of people from different clans, with three others from Guardian Sword.

“…Are you all right? You look sick.”

Asks Jake without changing his expression, but his voice tells me he’s worried.

At first I thought he was strict and unapproachable, but Ash told me that if I paid attention, I’d get the feeling that he’s trying to act big. I don’t really see any difference.

“…I’m fine. More importantly, do you have medicine?”

“Ah, Ash.”

I put Casey down, and Ash gives her a petrification cure… But it doesn’t work.

Everyone watching is bewildered. It should have worked.

“What does this mean?”

Asks Jake, pretty much speaking for everyone.

“Let’s try one more…”

I say, but my body trembles and tilts before I can finish.

I can’t stay up, and kneel. My body feels heavy.

“Sora…”

Is the last thing I hear before my consciousness goes dark.