Volume 10, Chapter 23 – Cornelia’s Remnant

Laxy might not have noticed, but there were actually two God-Forged Angels in this pitch-black room. However, perhaps because their magic cores had been taken, or their internal magic circuits were damaged, the [Omniscient Map] didn’t identify them as ‘God-Forged Angels.’ After Yisi’s group entered the room, they didn’t suddenly light up and move like some kind of ruin guardians in a game; they just stood motionlessly with their eyes closed.

Letting Laxy support Camilla, Yisi walked straight to the faintly glowing stone pillar. According to the memory Cornelia had left her, only the person who broke the barrier was qualified to light the blue-glowing pillar.

While reviewing the memory, Yisi placed her hand on the pillar. With a soft “click” from inside the pillar, as if some mechanism had been triggered, a series of gear-meshing sounds came from within the walls. Immediately after, white lights on the dome-shaped ceiling, three meters above the floor, lit up. The surrounding walls began to rotate 180 degrees, and the bookshelves and alchemy tables hidden behind them appeared. The spacious hall instantly became cramped.

“I was just wondering how to get the stuff behind the walls… so it’s a physical rotation… Hm?”

Before Yisi could finish, the faintly glowing blue pillar suddenly sank into the floor. In its place, a formless mist appeared. The [Omniscient Map] identified it as [Cornelia’s Remnant].

What a stage-magic-like entrance.

“Successor, welcome to the Mansion of Cornelia. I am this mansion’s creator and the greatest human on this continent.”

Her voice sounded like that of a mature, reliable big sister.

“It spoke?” Camilla, who had come to Yisi’s side with Laxy’s help, widened her eyes, staring at the mist in disbelief.

“Don’t be surprised by my appearance. This is just a wisp of memory I left behind. Even if you ask me questions, successor, I cannot answer. All I can do is tell you how to use this mansion.”

“Laxy, is this technology from the Kingdom of the Gods too?”

“…I have never seen it,” Laxy replied, her expression complicated.

“Successor, to be able to break the barrier I set, you must have heard of my deeds in the Cloud Sea Mountains of Phantasmal Beasts, and followed my path to finally arrive here. Be glad of your perseverance. Only one who holds respect and pursuit for the name Cornelia can be recognized by the barrier. In other words, I should call you my pursuer. Hehe, but that’s a story for later.”

So only someone with amorous feelings for Cornelia can break the barrier…

Yisi stuck out her tongue, embarrassed, and glanced at Camilla and Laxy. Laxy was expressionless, but Camilla raised an eyebrow and whispered to Yisi.

“Onee-sama, is what she said true?”

“No, I’d never heard the name Cornelia. It opened really easily, Laxy can testify. The barrier was probably just old and fell apart on its own.”

“That’s good.”

After that, Cornelia’s Remnant recounted many of her life stories. For example, how she infiltrated a ruin from the Age of the Gods, heavily guarded by the Ymir Church, and stole a chess-piece-shaped [Divine Key]. With the key’s help, she quickly reached the world’s limit, and then, with her own power, conquered all the monsters in the Cloud Sea Mountains. To further explore the limits of magic, Cornelia finally chose to leave this continent. The “Kingdom of the Gods” technology used in the mansion was the result of her self-study, from magic books and items she had stolen during her many infiltrations of the ruins.

“…Since I have reached the world’s limit of level 99, I must naturally fight the Demon Lord to the death. There is nothing in this world that can stop me now. I will surely defeat the Demon Lord and return here within a year. Oh, my pursuer, before I return to test your love for me, this mansion is yours to look after. You may use anything inside as you wish, except you cannot sell or give them away. Remember, you must not enter the other two mansions until you have read all the books in this room. They each store things I brought back from the Cloud Sea Mountains and the Divine Ruins. They are too precious, and taking them out casually would attract envy and create unnecessary trouble, so I have set up barriers that only allow entry after reaching the corresponding level.”

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At this point, Cornelia’s voice grew fainter, and the mist began to dissipate, looking as if it was about to disappear. Laxy, who had been listening intently, gradually came back to her senses. As if a huge weight had been lifted from her chest, she let out a sigh of relief. “To think, a level 99 practitioner. This is truly… a miraculous encounter.”

“She still hasn’t returned, so she must have met with misfortune. And at only level 99, she calls Onee-sama her ‘pursuer’? She’s not even worthy to kneel and lick Onee-sama’s shoes.”

“Camilla, you need to be more respectful of the dead.”

There was just too much to snark at. Yisi could only give a wry “Ahaha…” First, Cornelia mistook level 99 for the max level. Then, there was the part about the barriers. According to Cornelia, the three mansions’ barriers were separate. Normally, I should have broken the main building’s barrier first, then the other two after my level increased. The reason I had to use [Archangel’s Breath] several times was because I was breaking all three level-80 barriers at the same time, which was naturally much harder.

Besides that, there were other minor details. For example, Cornelia had actually given me a map of the mansion when I broke the barrier, but because its function overlapped with the [Omniscient Map], and the [Omniscient Map] is a ‘higher existence,’ the mansion map was overwritten. This is what led me to believe Cornelia left those traps just to prank her successor.

“Well, let’s just be grateful and use this place. First, let’s see what books are on the shelves. If you find any on magic weapon forging, let me know.”

Now that all her companions had reached the level 20 threshold, the weapons she had made for them before were no longer sufficient. It was very likely they would be fighting demons soon. The forging knowledge she had gained in Antonio City was too thin. She needed more knowledge on offensive magic circuits to add things to her companions’ weapons, like [Pierce] to bypass magic defense, or offensive magic like a [Knockback] effect on a shield. When she studied trigger-type magic tool forging from Master Avis, the magic circuits she learned were too focused on defense and utility. As a result, her current knowledge base had very few offensive circuits.

“Wait!”

Just as the three had split up to search the shelves, the nearly-dissipated Remnant suddenly shouted, startling them.

“It’s alive again?”

“No… it probably just remembered something at the end.”

Perhaps it had noticed its own gaffe when recording the message. Cornelia’s Remnant coughed twice, regaining its initial composure and mature tone.

“Ahem. My pursuer, before I leave, I will leave behind two dolls to guard the mansion’s safety. They are angels I brought back from the ruins. Although they are too weak compared to me, they are more than enough to defend against ill-intentioned humans. Well then, my power ends here. Other, more specific instructions are all in my notes. Goodbye, my pursuer.”

“Angels…” Hearing that there were companions, Laxy, who had been searching for books, trembled. She slowly turned to Yisi, and then, contrary to her usual serious and proper image, she strode to Yisi and fiercely grasped her hands. “My Lord, she said there are angels here! Do you know where they are?”

Aren’t they right here?

Yisi wanted to make a playful joke, but Laxy was asking with such sincerity. Yisi cleared her throat, and following the method Cornelia had given her to control the mansion, she snapped her fingers.

“Flip.”

Clack clack clack—

As the walls flipped, the bookshelves and alchemy tables that had crowded the hall disappeared. The two God-Forged Angels who had been standing in the room at the beginning appeared, but just as Yisi had first observed, they were like inanimate objects, not activating along with Cornelia’s Remnant.

“These two angels seem unable to move, either because their magic cores failed or their magic circuits are damaged. Laxy, can you identify their models?”

“Mmm…” The hope of reuniting with her companions was dashed. Laxy bit her lip, her expression complicated as she looked away from her two companions. “If I can take out their magic cores, I can see their models… My Lord, if it’s a problem with the magic cores, may I request that you forge magic cores for them, just as you did for me? I will convince them to become your servants. Please!”

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At this, Laxy knelt on both knees in her excitement. Yisi, torn between laughter and exasperation, stopped Laxy from kneeling. As if comforting a child, she drew her right hand from Laxy’s grasp and stood on her toes to pat Laxy’s head.

“Even if Laxy didn’t ask, I would… heal them.”

I almost said ‘repair’ them. Although God-Forged Angels aren’t flesh and blood, so ‘repair’ wouldn’t be wrong, ‘heal’ makes them sound more like people.

“And Laxy, you don’t need to convince them to become my servants.”

“But this way, there’s no benefit for you, My Lord…”

“Just seeing Laxy happy is enough for me.”

“My Lord…” Laxy looked at Yisi with a moved expression, and something like tears began to well up in her eyes.

Is it necessary to be this moved?

Not letting her inner thoughts show, Yisi patted her chest self-importantly.

“Besides, one angel is enough for me.”

If I had three Laxys following me around every day, nagging me to practice my combat skills, I’d go crazy. Furthermore, if I woke up every day to three angels staring at me by the bed… just the thought of it means I’d never be able to sleep in. Not to mention three angels staring at me while I sleep—considering this, saying ‘one Laxy is enough’ isn’t really a lie, is it?

“Onee-sama, you’re even… Laxy…”

A stinging gaze came from behind. Yisi turned to look at Camilla, but Camilla’s eyes didn’t hold the displeasure or jealousy Yisi expected. Instead, it was a subtle, disbelieving expression.

As if she was saying ‘I wouldn’t even spare a doll without flesh and blood.’

This look, somewhere between shock and disdain, hurt Yisi more than direct disdain would have.

My dear sister, I wasn’t saying that to ‘capture’ Laxy, I was trying to reduce my future burdens!

Unfortunately, because Laxy was right there, looking moved beyond words, Yisi couldn’t explain.

“Um… Laxy, can you let go of my hand now?”

“Ah… I’m sorry, My Lord. I lost my composure.”

Sobbing, Laxy used the frilled apron of her maid uniform to wipe her tears.

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Yisi sighed.

“Haah. I’ll heal them in the next few days. But after that, Laxy, you have to properly explain their duties to them. Mm, I mean, their duty is to guard the mansion, not to take Laxy’s job. We still have some time before lunch. I want to go up and see the whole mansion. Camilla, you’re with me.”

“Mhm.”

“My Lord, what about me?”

“Laxy, you can do whatever you want.”

As if she’d thought of something, Laxy suddenly regained her seriousness, stood up straight, and assured Yisi.

“Understood. I will stay here and gather the books related to magic weapon forging for My Lord.”

“Then I’ll leave it to you, Laxy. The portal will stay here. If you want to leave, just walk through it to get back to the third-floor room.”

After giving her instructions, Yisi had the room flip back to being full of books and left the underground storage with Camilla.

The moment they appeared on the third floor, Tiffany hugged Yisi tightly, her chin resting on Yisi’s chest, looking unhappy.

“Liar.”

She must be referring to not finding the storage room. Yisi smiled and pointed to the room they’d come from.

“There really is an underground storage room. I didn’t trick Tiffany. If you don’t believe me, you can go look now.”

“Then, mana.”

No wonder she hugged me. She wanted mana.

As usual, Yisi made a small cut on her index finger and held it out. Tiffany deliberately opened her mouth wide, as if to bite Yisi’s finger off, and bit down—but the actual feeling was as soft as a waterbed, with no force at all.

“Master, we found an abnormality.”

“An abnormality?”

Yisi scanned the mansion with the [Omniscient Map] but found no strange people or magic circles.

Tina picked up where Mary left off. Perhaps from repeatedly hitting traps, Tina looked exceptionally wretched. Not only was her white bonnet missing, but her gray hair and white dress were also covered in dust and a mess.

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“After Yisi and the others disappeared, the courtyard fountain suddenly shot out a water pillar as tall as a dragon. And because of it, the weeds in the yard grew to be almost taller than this one and Mary.”

“Eh…”

That must be the effect of me activating the pillar.

According to Cornelia’s explanation, this mansion is equivalent to a miniature Tower of Alexia, connected to the ley lines via the Age of the Gods magic circle, allowing it to do all sorts of things, like change the weather, cast defensive or offensive spells (Tier-4 or lower), and drive off the aura of death from nearby villages to prevent the undead from gathering…

No wonder the map shows more and more people gathering around. I caused a spectacle.

“Those people didn’t see Tina’s horns, did they?”

“Hmph. How could this one make such a childish mistake.”

Tina waved her hand dismissively, like a mature adult.

“Master, besides the fountain, we found that a lot of the furniture has rotted and become brittle. The detached buildings behind the main house are also severely weathered, and there are a lot of rats in the kitchen…”

Mary listed the mansion’s problems one by one.

Why are there rats in a place uninhabited for ten years!

When Yisi said this, Mary replied they weren’t ordinary rats, but a type of monster. When there was no food, they could enter a state of suspended animation for years, and then swarm any animal that passed by. Fortunately, Tina was with Mary during the exploration. The reason Tina looked so wretched was because she’d had a big fight with the monster rats. Tina wasn’t used to fighting in a level 40 body, so it was hard for her to defeat the small, agile rats without destroying the kitchen.

After this, I’ll prioritize cleaning the kitchen and bathroom so we can make lunch and Tina can take a bath.

Knock knock knock.

Refina’s knock came from downstairs.

“Miss Yisi, are you in there?”

“Just a minute, I’ll be right there to open the door!”

It seems Pepe and Refina are done shopping.

Yisi marked the other two buildings on the map.

To prevent the maids from wandering in, I should put a barrier on them after lunch. Thinking this, Yisi ran down the stairs.