Chapter 62. Desert
I completed the *Assistant Bestiary*.
The model was the *Warrior of Devotion*, Elise.
Her nickname was “Bubble Bubble.”
“It’s hard to draw it perfectly… but I think it looked something like this.”
I murmured as I held up the drawing.
Then, Elise’s chat popped up.
【Bubble Bubble】─Huh? Did you draw me?
“Yeah. Does it not look alike?”
【Bubble Bubble】─No! It looks exactly the same!
【Bubble Bubble】─You remembered my face. I’m strangely touched.
Thankfully.
It seemed like there wasn’t much difference between the drawing I just made and Elise’s actual appearance.
Turns out my memory’s pretty good.
The other Assistants were astonished as they looked at Elise’s picture.
【Pururu】─What? Why’s she pretty?
【Pururu】─Is that our newbie?
【Yumi】─Wow, so beautiful. She looks incredibly valiant, like Joan of Arc!
【Rizenova】─For an S-rank, she looks kind of weak.
【Mysticism】─😮
【Mysticism】─She looks prettier than me…
【Pururu】─No way she’s *that* pretty in real life. Geon must’ve tweaked it a bit.
【Mysticism】─Exactly. There’s no way someone like that exists unless she’s a goddess!
【Yumi】─Jealousy’s so ugly.
【Rizenova】─Ugly indeed.
【Yumi】─By the way, Bubble Bubble, do you use a sword and shield?
【Pururu】─Was Elise a swordsman?
【Bubble Bubble】─I’m a magic swordsman.
【Pururu】─A magic swordsman? Whoa…
【Bubble Bubble】─But, Gauntlet, why’d you suddenly decide to draw me?
“Just because. I was bored.”
I answered vaguely.
In truth, I wanted to draw something to calm my mind.
Since I couldn’t think of anything specific to draw, I drew Elise instead.
Rather than creating something from scratch, it’s easier to have a model in front of you, so you can just move your brush without overthinking it.
That way, my mind clears, and I find peace.
【Bubble Bubble】─It’s been so long since you drew something for me, Gauntlet. It brings back memories.
【Pururu】─What memories?
【Bubble Bubble】─Geon used to draw me and my younger sister a few times in the past. My sister kept all the drawings.
Now that I think about it, she had a half-sister, didn’t she?
Elise’s sister was a woman who held the title of hero.
I suddenly became curious about how she was doing.
“Elise. Your sister… is she still alive?”
I hesitated briefly before asking carefully.
Most of the strong ones in *Elemencia* were already dead.
I hoped Elise’s sister hadn’t met the same fate.
【Bubble Bubble】─She’s alive.
【Bubble Bubble】─She’s got an annoyingly strong will to survive.
“…That’s a relief.”
【Pururu】─That’s a relief.
【Yumi】─Glad to hear that.
【Mysticism】─What a relief.
【Rizenova】─Indeed, fortunate.
The Assistants filled the chat with messages one after another.
They were all quite empathetic.
【Pururu】─But hey, Bubble Bubble.
【Bubble Bubble】─Yeah?
【Pururu】─What’s your relationship with Geon? Did you two travel together or something?
【Mysticism】─Wasn’t Gauntlet part of the hero’s party?
【Bubble Bubble】─Gauntlet wasn’t a part of our party, but he did accompany us a few times. I’ve also been helped by him a few times.
【Pururu】─Doesn’t sound like you two were that close then.
【Mysticism】─Phew.
【Yumi】─You seem pretty close to me.
【Yumi】─Bubble Bubble, you weren’t in some romantic relationship or had any weird feelings toward Geon, right? What exactly is your relationship?
【Rizenova】─Why is Yumi curious about that?
【Bubble Bubble】─We were just friends.
【Bubble Bubble】─Roughly speaking, I tried to recruit him as a companion, but he kept turning me down. That’s all.
【Yumi】─I hope that “just friends” is the truth.
【Rizenova】─? What will you do if it’s not the truth?
【Pururu】─Haha, so you’re saying she was a loser who kept trying to hit on Geon but got rejected every time!
【Mysticism】─😃
【Mysticism】─She got rejected!
The Assistants continued chatting amongst themselves for a while.
Then, out of nowhere.
【Yumi】─By the way, Geon, why don’t you draw us?
After Ha Yumi’s comment,
【Mysticism】─Draw us too! Make us our own Bestiary!
【Pururu】─Don’t discriminate! Geon, draw us all immediately!
【Pururu】─We’re Assistants too, so not being in the Bestiary is clear discrimination and favoritism! And I’m even one of the first Assistants! Yet you never drew me! Geon, wake up! Wake up!
The other two Assistants also started demanding that I draw them.
【Rizenova】─Didn’t Pururu get mad before, saying we’re not monsters and not to draw us?
【Pururu】─When did I say that?
【Rizenova】─Just earlier.
【Pururu】─I didn’t say not to draw us. I just asked why you were making a Bestiary.
【Rizenova】─That’s the same as saying not to draw us.
【Pururu】─No, it’s not.
【Yumi】─It’s obvious you’re changing your tune now because you’re afraid of being left out of the Bestiary.
【Mysticism】─Pururu, changing your story is so lame.
【Pururu】─Shut up.
【Pururu】─Anyway, draw us! Draw us!
It felt like I was watching a protest.
Pururu was causing the most fuss, making it seem like a one-man protest, though.
In any case, since they asked, I had to draw them.
Favoritism isn’t a good thing.
Though, I didn’t feel like drawing them right now.
“I’ll draw you later.”
【Pururu】─When?
“When I feel like it.”
【Pururu】─?
【Yumi】─Can’t you just draw us now?
【Mysticism】─Draw us now!
“I can’t. I worked so hard on Elise that my hand’s all tired.”
【Pururu】─Ah, if that’s the case, I understand.
【Pururu】─You can’t overwork your wrist.
【Yumi】─But Geon, your body is reinforced after unlocking the first stage of the seal, right? You’re super durable now, aren’t you?
【Mysticism】─Geon, you’re not even in a normal human body anymore. Liar.
【Pururu】─Shut up. If Geon says he’s tired, then he’s tired. Why are you pushing him? You wanna die?
【Mysticism】─Sorry.
【Yumi】─I wasn’t being pushy. I was just asking.
Surprisingly, Pururu defended me.
By the way, my hand wasn’t actually tired at all.
I just didn’t feel like drawing anymore.
“When I have time, I’ll draw you all. But send me a picture in the meantime.”
【Pururu】─What kind of picture?
“What do you mean? A selfie, of course.”
【Pururu】─Oh, yeah. You might not remember my face. Even if you do, it’s been a long time, and I probably don’t look the same now.”
【Mysticism】─I’ll send one too since I’ve changed my style a bit.
【Yumi】─Should I send one too?
“Of course, Yumi. You too.”
【Yumi】─You don’t remember my face? ㅡㅡ
“No, I don’t. So send it.”
【Yumi】─Okay.
【Pururu】─Haha.
【Mysticism】─🤭
I did remember Ha Yumi’s face.
I vaguely remembered Mysti’s too.
It hadn’t even been three years since I’d seen them both.
But, just like with Elise, I didn’t remember their faces clearly enough. To draw them in detail, I’d need their photos.
【Yumi】─I won’t send it right away since you’re not drawing now anyway. I need to pick a good one first.
【Pururu】─No Photoshop, you hear me? Send it with your bare face.
【Mysticism】─I don’t need edits. I’m already pretty.
【Yumi】─Bare face? Are you going to take one without makeup, Pururu?
【Pururu】─Of course, I’ll wear makeup.
【Mysticism】─I don’t need makeup to be pretty.
【Rizenova】─Mysti, you’re a bit too confident.
【Bubble Bubble】─Wait, wait. Are you guys going to reveal your faces too? I’m excited!
【Rizenova】─I’m curious as well.
【Bubble Bubble】─You don’t know their faces? You’ve never revealed your faces to each other?
【Rizenova】─They know my face, but I’ve never seen theirs. For the record, I’ve been to that labyrinth. I’m a former *Drifter*.
【Bubble Bubble】─I see.
The photos didn’t come immediately.
They were probably taking a bunch of selfies and picking the best ones.
【Pururu】─Selfies don’t work for me. I’ll ask a friend to take one for me.
【Yumi】─You have friends?
【Pururu】─I told you before that I do. Jeez.
【Yumi】─I’ll ask someone else to take one too. I’m not good at selfies.
【Mysticism】─Same. Selfies never turn out right.
【Rizenova】─Maybe that’s because of your face…
【Mysticism】─What?
【Mysticism】─Finish what you were saying.
【Rizenova】─Never mind.
【Mysticism】─😡
It seemed like getting their pictures would take a while.
***
I zoomed in on Iris’ screen, showing Team 4.
*Kinogine Arachne*.
*Azeras*.
The two SS-rank monsters were slowly approaching the giant door at the end of the fourth cave.
【Bubble Bubble】─Whoa. Those guys look really strong too.
【Mysticism】─They’re both SS-rank! They’ve been nerfed down to A-rank because of Geon’s arm right now!
【Bubble Bubble】─SS-rank!!?
【Bubble Bubble】─That’s crazy!!!
【Bubble Bubble】─That labyrinth is insane!! How do SS-rank monsters just casually wander around?
【Yumi】─Both of them are Geon’s tamed monsters. Hehe.
【Pururu】─Haha, look at the newbie. So adorably freaked out. Makes me wanna lick her.
【Mysticism】─😋
【Mysticism】─*Lick!* 😛
【Bubble Bubble】─Isn’t this the normal reaction?
【Bubble Bubble】─You guys just don’t understand how amazing SS-rank is.
【Yumi】─Yeah, our sense of scale is all messed up. We’ve never seen a monster in real life, only through Geon’s broadcast. That’s still how we experience them.
【Mysticism】─I’ve seen one in person.
【Bubble Bubble】─Your world must be peaceful without monsters. I’m jealous.
【Pururu】─If you’re jealous, come on over.
【Pururu】─Anyway, since the labyrinth is full of S-rank and higher monsters, I don’t even get excited about S-rank anymore. Haha.
【Rizenova】─You’d feel differently if you saw them in real life.
【Pururu】─Even an E-rank would probably make me pee myself. But F-rank monsters are supposedly weak enough that even a normal person could beat them, so they wouldn’t be that scary.
【Yumi】─Even a D-rank would be a disaster on Earth. Guns wouldn’t even work on them.
【Pururu】─Weak guns wouldn’t, but cannons might. If a D-rank monster appeared, I think the military could handle it.
【Yumi】─I was talking about regular people.
【Mysticism】─😶
【Mysticism】─Looking at it this way, a world where A-rank is the strongest like Rize’s is pretty amazing!
【Rizenova】─You just now realized? *Lumina* is great.
【Pururu】─Even a world where B-rank or C-rank is the strongest would seem godly compared to Earth.
【Yumi】─We don’t even have D-ranks. Though there might be plenty of strong regular people like E-ranks.
【Bubble Bubble】─You don’t even have people as strong as D-ranks?
【Mysticism】─Nope.
【Yumi】─They said starting from D-rank, you’re considered superhuman, right? There are no superhumans on Earth.
【Pururu】─You never know. There might be some hidden masters on Earth. Maybe there are more returnees like Geon.
【Mysticism】─😮
【Mysticism】─Now that you mention it, that could be true!
【Bubble Bubble】─Your world’s pretty fascinating.
【Yumi】─We think your world is fascinating.
【Bubble Bubble】─Anyway, I’d like to see an SSS-rank monster one day. You haven’t tamed one yet, right?
【Pururu】─Yeah, SS-rank is the highest we’ve got so far. But haven’t you seen an SSS-rank monster in your world?
【Bubble Bubble】─SS-rank was already legendary. I wouldn’t even know if SSS-rank monsters exist.
【Pururu】─?? Didn’t Geon say he’d seen one? Am I remembering wrong?
While the Assistants were chatting about monster rankings, Team 4 had already reached the massive door.
Kino ran her hand over the door and looked at Iris, asking.
─[Father, should I open it?]
“Yeah. Be careful, it could be dangerous.”
Kino nodded.
【Bubble Bubble】─Father? Did she just call Gauntlet ‘Father’?
【Pururu】─Not his real child. It’s a child born from the heart.
【Mysticism】─Geon doesn’t have *that* kind of thing with monsters.
【Rizenova】─We can’t be sure.
【Mysticism】─🤬
【Bubble Bubble】─Ah, she’s not his real daughter? That’s a relief.
【Yumi】─?
The giant door began to slowly move, cutting through the darkness of the cave.
*Thud*.
The sound shattered the stillness, echoing along the cave walls.
At the same time, beams of light seeped through the widening gap in the door, revealing a breathtaking sight.
Beyond the door stretched an endless expanse of golden desert.