Shout out to manofsteel! I can't reply to your messages for some reason so I can't answer you

Chapter 8: World Key Experiments

Well…after having calmed myself from the sudden change in my body, I switched my attention to Freya who was still clinging to me.

“U-umm, Freya. N-not that I hate the feeling of being hugged but…umm…” (Lucas)

All I have to do is say how long until she let go but feeling that it will be rude to say so, I’m really stuck on what I should do.

Glancing at the Arch-bishop for help, he only let out an amused laugh as if he found the situation amusing and does not want to help.

Well, it seems that Freya has already come to and realized her actions as she pulls herself away from me giving me a glance at her deep red face.

“T-that…I’m sorryyyy~!” (Freya)

“Ah-” (Lucas)

Unable to hold her embarrassment, Freya darted out of the room in full speed!

As I was unable to stop her, I was forced to stay still for a few seconds while blinking repeatedly to process what just happened.

Meanwhile, the Arch-bishop is still laughing while my subordinate trio has wry smiles, Vil was sending piercing glances on me for some reason. Warren is…ah, I forgot he was actually here…

[“…That face, you completely forgot about me huh?”] (Warren)

“*C-cough* Anyway. As there seems to be no other change in my body, I think I will be monitoring myself from now on but I want to continue the experiments.” (Lucas)

“Understood, only, Lucas. If what you just said is right then…” (Arch-bishop)

“Yeah…if people from my world were to now of it, they will definitely try it. And when they do, in the end, I have no clear solution as to how to solve this phenomenon so if they try the same method as I did…” (Lucas)

“They could die.” (Arch-bishop)

I nodded at the Arch-bishop’s conclusion.

The process of the adaptation isn’t something that should be tried without caution.

If people just blindly do it, then there is a high chance that they will die. Moreover, I have no idea what the door in my vision is.

And pulling it was really hard so there may another factor to it.

“And even if they do survive…if the power they get is…something bad. And it falls into the wrong hands…I have another faction to worry about.” (Lucas)

Damn, I need to warn Trask about this.

“For now, what just happened in this room stays a secret, got it?” (Lucas)

“Yes, milord!” (Jacob, Ellen, Alfan)

My subordinate trio bowed while Warren and the Arch-bishop also nodded in agreement.

I also nodded upon seeing their reactions.

Now then, to check what happened to my body in [Earth].

“[Log Out]!” (Lucas)

I was surrounded by a familiar light as I close my eyes. When I opened my eyes again, I saw the visor of [Portal] in my vision as well as the familiar bed in my back…was not what happened!

….Eh?

Huh!?

EEEHHH!!!???

N-no way!

Th-this is that isn’t it!?

I’m stuck aren’t I!?

This is the scenario where the MC cannot find the log-out button and is now forced in a death game right!?

Nooooo! I don’t wanna die!

I just survived after that painful adaptation process only to die a few minutes after!?

Don’t screw with me!

Damn…like this, how can I fight if all my fighting abilities are probably in [Earth] because my [Harus body] is there!?

…

..

.

Wait…

“…[Disconnect]…” (Lucas)

Switching back to [Harus’ Lucas], I tried to log out once more.

…

It worked!

Haaah, damn…don’t scare me like that.

I sat up on my bed and noticed my body drenched in sweat. I guess I was that nervous huh?

Geez, and here I thought I can’t log out…turns out, I won’t be able to if I’m in [Earth form] in [Harus] huh? What a pain…

After a few minutes of calming myself, I looked over the scene recorded by the camera set up in my desk.

“Huh, we really did switch…what a weird phenomenon…But this is bad. I should avoid doing this in the future since it renders my more powerful self, defenseless in this state…I don’t wanna get stabbed while playing…more like, what will happen if that happened?” (Lucas)

I don’t even want to think about it…nor can I even test it.

It’s best to leave unanswered questions like that, unanswered.

Also, I saw the [World Key] disappear from my neck when I logged in…could it be that the key is somehow tied to its wearer’s consciousness?

Now then, for the next experiment. I grabbed a t-shirt as well as a kitchen knife from my condo and stored them in my inventory after switching characters again.

I also made sure that there are no manas in them using [Magic Appraisal].

The [Magic Appraisal] is really a nice skill as it lets me know the identity of a magic as well as traces of it. Though it’s not high enough to see descriptions from high leveled spells as well as identify the caster.

If I focused [Magic Appraisal] in [Harus] I would see a faint glow on every object and beings. The stronger the light, the higher the object’s internal mana.

Not only that, but the scene of seeing the world filled with magic…there aren’t any words to describe it other than magical.

But here in [Earth], it can be used to identify which is from another world and which is not.

Now then, to test something.

Logging in again, I took out the t-shirt and kitchen knife and looked at it again.

“Wow, they already have mana…” (Lucas)

…I’m envious on how objects don’t have to suffer in the adaptation process…

I gave the two objects to a [Tailor] and a [Blacksmith] that are present in the castle to have them improve it.

What happened was…

NameBlack Esprit T-shirt (+5)RankEEffect+8 DEFDurability100/100DescriptionA normal black T-shirt made by the Esprit company.

NameLakeland’s Chef’s Knife (+5)RankDEffectAdds a more elegant taste to your dishDurability300/300DescriptionThe stainless steel, fully forged blades have undergone an ice-hardening process for reinforced strength, so they stay sharper longer, and the soft-grip handles are easy to control, even with wet hands.

Wow.

The T-shirt aside, I didn’t think my kitchen knife is this great!

Where did I get this again? Ah, there was an old lady walking in front of me one time and this knife fell on her bag. At that time, I thought that she was actually a killer so I took the knife and hid it…Now that I think about it, I’m an idiot aren’t I?

Haah, why did that even cross my mind? I mean come on. An old lady? A murderer?...I really am an idiot huh…

Well, no use fretting over it now. It’s not like I’ll see her again anyway muhahahaha.

While I maniacally laugh inside my head, I confirmed that my experiment was a success.

The experiment was whether materials from [Earth] can be tempered with here and still achieves the same effect as tempering with materials in this world.

Now, time to try tempering with [Earth] materials while in [Earth] using skills from this world.

Logging out, going back to my world and switching characters again, I took a random shirt from my closet and started beating it. Yes, I am beating it.

After checking that it lost durability, I used [Cloth Repair] on it and it worked! I also checked with my [Magic Appraisal] but it seems that the shirt didn’t get any mana.

The same also happened on a normal knife in the kitchen.

This means that skills from [Harus] can be used here while not affecting it too much. After all, if I healed someone here, who has no mana, and it ended up having them suffer the adaptation process, then it would be bad.

…Ah, but me and Freya healed a bunch of people here during that Mapua incident didn’t we?

Next is…if I can take people with me in the [World Gate].

Since I can’t open it in [Harus], I went to [Senerth] instead.

“Ah! Lucas! Hehe, I recognized you!” (Aeran)

“A-ah, good girl…” (Lucas)

Is she still upset that Aleris recognized me before her?

Well, since it’s kinda cute how she clung to me, I petted her head before I knew it.

Speaking of Aleris, she’s no longer here huh? Well, I guess she must’ve gone home already.

Alright, time to experiment.

“[World Gate Open]! [Earth]!” (Lucas)

“Eh? You’re leaving already?” (Aeran)

Ah, I forgot to explain it to her.

“Well, I am testing a few things. For that, I’ll need your help.” (Lucas)

“If it’s Lucas, I’ll do anything!” (Aeran)

Aeran cutely pumped out her chest looking confident.

“Then, come with me.” (Lucas)

“E-eh!?” (Aeran)

Aeran seemed shocked at how I grabbed her hand so suddenly…come to think of it, that was quite rude huh? I forgot that Aeran is still a girl older than me and just treated her like a kid.

“S-sorry, that was rude of me.” (Lucas)

“A-ah! I was just surprised!” (Aeran)

After I let go and apologized, Aeran’s face looked like that of a kid whose candy was stolen and immediately held my hand.

Though I don’t know what just happened, I shrug it off and took Aeran with me to the gate.

Passing through was a success!

It seems taking someone with me is fine after all!

While I nod to myself at the experiment’s success, Aeran was hovering around excitedly in my room.

“Aeran, I still have a few things I want to test. After that, you can roam as you like.” (Lucas)

“R-really!? I thought that can wait until after a few days?” (Aeran)

“It’s fine if you don’t leave this room. Rather, it’s still night so most tourist spots are closed.” (Lucas)

I looked at the clock in my room and see that it’s just past 10:00 PM.

Well, it’s the same in [Senerth]. I’m surprised that Aeran isn’t asleep.

Rather, even Aleris was up until a few minutes ago.

“That’s fine! Now, what do I do?” (Aeran)

“I want to know what exactly triggers for the [World Gate] to close.” (Lucas)

In fact, ever since we got here, I already opened the [World Gate] again and after the short talk just now, I still see the gate open.

I don’t really want it to stay open for long so I decided on the next test.

“Can you go through it, Aeran?” (Lucas)

“Roger!” (Aeran)

Aeran happily salutes and flew towards the gate.

…I guess some aspects of her is still that of a child’s huh?

Thinking that the gate will close if someone passes seems to be wrong as the gate is still open.

“Aeran, can you hear me!?” (Lucas)

“I can hear you, Lucas!” (Aeran)

Seems like sound also passes.

“I’m going to throw something, if the gate doesn’t close, then throw it back!” (Lucas)

I grabbed a random object on my desk and threw it in the gate, after a while a pen dropped from the gate.

Huh, so objects will still not close it.

Could it be the [World Key]? But Aeran has one as well but it didn’t close. Ah, maybe it has to be the key that opened it!

“Aeran, I’m going to throw my [World Key]! If the gate closes, open it again and come here!” (Lucas)

After hearing her confirmation, I unequipped the [World Key] and threw it in the gate.

Immediately after it passed, the gate disappeared without a trace!

So that was the key after all…bad pun not intended.

After a while, a gate appeared in thin air and a child with wings appeared from it.

“Hehe, did I do good?” (Aeran)

“Yeah, thanks for the help.” (Lucas)

Once again, my hand unconsciously went towards her head and started patting her.

Well, that’s fine I guess since she seemed to like it.

Now then! There is something that I needed to check no matter what!

I opened the gate again but this time, I gave the key to Aeran and have her stay there while I pass alone.

Seeing the gate still opened behind me, I took out something from my pocket.

That is, my cellphone!

Switching it on, I looked at a certain icon on the top. It was the wifi icon and it has full bars!

“Woo! Wifi in a fantasy world!” (Lucas)

Well, that’s that. I only want to say that haha.

After celebrating, I went back to my condo and had Aeran close the gate.

How? With the [World Gate Close] command. It appears after a [World Gate] is opened but the opening command itself does not disappear so it should be possible to open multiple worlds but since [Harus] is sealed, I would have to find another world to test that.

“Alright Aeran, I still have a few things to do but you can roam around the condo if you want.” (Lucas)

“Un!” (Aeran)

I let out a wry smile as I look at Aeran clearly holding herself from darting off and looking at everything in the room.

In fact, if she had a tail, I could imagine it wagging wildly right now.

“One more thing. Can I borrow both of your keys?” (Lucas)

“Sure!” (Aeran)

“Thanks, you can go around now.” (Lucas)

Like that, Aeran started looking at every object curiously like a cat being brought to a new home.

After switching characters and storing one of the keys inside my inventory, I switched back again twice and took the key in my inventory.

This experiment is to know where my [Harus body] goes when I’m not logged in.

“[World Gate Open]!” (Lucas)

Choose the world you wish to go[tr]Earth (Current Location)

Harus

Senerth

Huh, it’s not recorded…what could this mean?

No matter how I think it thoroughly, I can’t get a good theory. In fact, I don’t even know how to start thinking about this.

Haah, well. I guess I’ll have to figure this out for later.

Thinking about it now only hurts my head.

I looked for Aeran to give back her key only to find her looking at the flat screen TV in the living room seemingly trying to find out what that is.

I smiled wryly at the sight and grabbed the remote to switch it on.

Suddenly seeing the bright light and sounds coming out of the TV, Aeran had the face of someone who just saw the most unbelievable thing.

She even went around it a couple of times trying to figure out how the people in the TV are there.

Seeing her like that, I can’t help but release a chuckle.

“Ah, Lucas! What is this thing!? I can see people but…I can’t seem to touch them nor can they hear me.” (Aeran)

“Of course, that is called a [Television]. Simply put, it projects images or videos.” (Lucas)

“Images? Videos?” (Aeran)

Can’t be helped. I started teaching her terms from [Earth] and she listened attentively.

I also explained her how to use the appliances and gadgets that I have. The most outstanding reactions were from TV, cellphone, blender, electric fan, refrigerator, headphones, dryer, shower….okay fine, all of them.

Really, I can’t get enough of her reactions as they were very funny. I even videoed it by the way. I think I should also do this to Eu and Freya. I bet it will be fun.

Right now, she’s currently enjoying playing wii sports in front of the TV.

Seeing a spirit flying while holding a wii remote was really a surreal scene that I can only smile wryly again.

“Well, I need to go back to [Harus] so I’ll be leaving you here for a while, is that fine?” (Lucas)

“Un! Leave it- waa that was close! Aha! Scooooreee! Leave it to me, Lucas!” (Aeran)

Once again, I smiled wryly at the sight of her playing.

I wonder what will happen if I gave her a [Portal]?...I think I need to try that later as well in Freya. For now…well, some other time…

Logging back in [Harus], I see the Arch-bishop is already gone.

After asking Jacob, he said that he went off to sleep as it was already 7:35 PM. Confirming the time in my vision, I nodded and also told the three they can sleep if they want.

I also told them to say the same to Freya if they were to see them.

“What will milord be doing?” (Jacob)

“Hn? For now, I’ll be painting in a free room somewhere.” (Lucas)

It’s been a while since I last painted after all.

“W-would it be possible to watch milord paint?” (Ellen)

Ellen asked while fidgeting.

Hmm…I suppose there’s no harm in it.

“Sure, but compared to the other painting here, I am still an amateur so I might disappoint you.” (Lucas)

“Not at all! Please let me watch over milord as well!” (Alfan)

“Well I suppose I also want to see milord’s skills. We can even post it in the art gallery afterwards.” (Jacob)

“Eh, no no no no. My work does not deserve to be in the same room as those ones!” (Lucas)

“But didn’t milord say that an art is something to show others?” (Jacob)

G-guu!

Damn you for using my own words against me!

“Fine, but place it in a different room. You can also include that room in the route where visitors can enter as I said earlier.” (Lucas)

[“Heeh, I didn’t take tsundere as your character, Lucas”] (Warren)

“Who’re you calling tsundere!? In fact, how did you even know that word!? More like, don’t just appear all of a sudden!” (Lucas)

Damn…I keep forgetting that he’s here…I guess he really is a shadow…even his presence is as thin as a shadow.

[“Ah yeah. I’ve been meaning to ask this but…how did you break out, Lucas?”] (Warren)

“Break out?” (Lucas)

I’ve never been arrested you know?

…Wait, did I just think that I will definitely break out if I were arrested?

[“I meant break out from the [Dragon’s Wrath]. You were clearly not in control so how did you snap out of it? You only told us that you somehow managed to be conscious but…I find it difficult to believe that you can just ’somehow’ escape from that dreadful spell.”] (Warren)

What’s with this guy suddenly saying serious stuff even though he doesn’t appear often.

Ah, is it because he doesn’t appear often that he wants to emphasize himself when he does?

To the side, I see my subordinate trio tilt their head at me seemingly wondering what had happened so I explained them Warren’s existence.

They seem to doubt it but when they saw a red lightning ball appear in thin air, they believed it.

For some reason, that spell is the only thing other people can see and it’s not even a dangerous attack spell. At most, it can only kill mosquitoes.

Well, after I told them about Warren’s question, they also nodded as if waiting for my answer.

“Even if you say that…I mean, I don’t even understand it myself. I think…before I regained consciousness, I was thinking about love.” (Lucas)

“Love?” (Jacob)

“Yeah, it only started when I recalled about enemies and somehow led my mind to love and regained consciousness.” (Lucas)

Now that I think about it, wasn’t that weird?

“Then milord must’ve simply recalled the love of your life.” (Jacob)

“Kyaa, what a romantic event. Unable to control himself, the image of his love one broke the bonds that bind him!” (Ellen)

“I see, so it is true what they say that love can make a person stronger.” (Alfan)

[“Love…is it?”] (Warren)

Jacob let out a knowing smile, Ellen seemed to be drowned in her delusions, Alfan was nodding to himself while stealing glances at Ellen, and Warren seemed to be trying to recall something.

But that’s weird, after all I…

“I no longer have someone I love.” (Lucas)

Sighing and turning my back towards the four I recalled an image in the past.

An image of a girl who I once swore to love with all my heart till the very end.

The girl who was once the center of my universe.

But that girl…

“She already betrayed me a long time ago…” (Lucas)

She was the reason why I can no longer understand how a girl thinks…I guess, somewhere deep in my heart, I feel like the more I try to understand a girl, the more I will only get hurt when they leave me. So I stopped understanding them.

Thinking I just made the atmosphere heavy, I sighed, walking ahead of the four along with a sad nostalgic atmosphere around me.

+ + +

“…Lucas…” (Freya)

In a corner near Lucas and the rest, Freya leaned on the wall as she clenches her chest.

She was only going back to find them after she had calmed down somewhat but ended up overhearing Lucas so she hid herself.

“So Lucas had that kind of past…like I thought I…” (Freya)

Freya looked at the ring in her finger with sad eyes.

“…I was not loved…” (Freya)

Author's Notes

BOOM!

Okay...so I said that there will be decrease in writing speed so how come I'm already done? Haha, too much schoolwork so I escaped here...

Well, I bet you guys are probably disappointed with the ending huh? Me too...haha. I'm not kidding though, sometimes when I write, things just goes by and most of the times, they weren't part of the plan. -_-'''

Though I did plan for that Lucas past thingy but Freya being there was not haha, it was kinda like in the spur of the moment and I didn't want to erase it since it seem to be important.

Thx to Hyoudou, I was able to have an idea how to fix it in the future so thx!

So, since a lot seem to want to know if you can take someone with you to the [World Gate], the answer is yes!

I will also explain Lucas' new earth body more in the future as well. Next chap is about painting, training, and seeing the effects of the city fountain theme. The chapter after that will be meeting the Prince and a time skip. (just a few days though) Then the next volume will be-!

*insert drum roll here*

World Alliance!...is the title. There, interactions with all three worlds can be seen so stay tuned!

Also, to those that think what's up with that old lady thing with the knife, kukuku, let's just say it will lead to something interesting :3 mhahahahahaha

Oh yeah, I wonder if there was any that thought for a moment: "So this novel will now be a trapped-VRMMORPG genre!?" or something. Haha, well you're wrong! That won't happen yet :P

And to those that missed it, here's Wargon's POV during the crossover written by Warhawx! Crossover here :P (Part 1)

Another thing. I think most of you already know I have a wordpress for this but I haven't updated it so the chapters there are still stuck in volume 2 but I'm fixing the other pages. Here's a Characters List to those that forgets some characters. If there are any missing, please tell me :3

So! What will Lucas do with the knowledge he gained after the experiments? How will his life now turn out as someone who can heal just about any wound in a touch? Where has Eu been all this time? What will Lucas paint? And how will Freya surpass this trial?

P.S.: Will do the tables tomorrow :P

Japtem Version