Chapter 114: Ritual For Next Level
Not long afterward, after arranging all the work that was needed, Edgar and Andrew moved out.
The two horses trotted steadily through the forest. Edgar rode at the front, and Andrew quietly followed behind.
Unlike their previous expeditions, they weren’t searching for monsters or hidden caves.
This time, Edgar constantly glanced between the road ahead and an old hand-drawn map resting across his saddle.
Every few hundred metres, he stopped, climbed down from his horse, measured the distance using his own pace, and marked another line onto the map.
He kept on doing this while keeping a mental note of the pathway.
Andrew had watched him repeat the process for nearly an hour before finally asking,
"...Young master."
"Hm?"
"What exactly are you doing?"
Edgar finished another mark before answering. "I’m planning the route."
"The route?" The young boy tilted his head. "For what exactly?"
"For rail tracks."
Andrew tilted his head. It was a foreign word that Edgar spoke of. "...What’s a rail track?"
Edgar pointed toward the ground, and the boy followed his finger.
"Imagine two long strips of iron that can help bring items from one place to another with a cart that travels on top of them."
Andrew looked even more confused. "...Wouldn’t a normal road be easier?"
"Traditionally, yes, but it would be more expensive and would only be a short-term plan."
The blonde boy turned and looked at Andrew. "What I am building will work even on rainy days."
Edgar folded the map again before climbing back onto his horse and riding off.
Andrew scratched his head. "...I still don’t understand. Aren’t your Skeleton Nightmares already the best for it?"
"I don’t want to use them as laborers," Edgar replied calmly. "They are much more useful as fighters."
Andrew opened his mouth before closing it. He felt it was better not to annoy him anymore.
The two continued riding deeper into the forest.
Whenever the terrain became too steep, Edgar adjusted the route.
Whenever a swamp blocked the path, he would mark an alternative.
Hours quietly slipped away as the two of them kept moving.
By midday, the old map had become covered in notes, arrows, and measurements.
Andrew looked toward Edgar again. "...Young master."
"What?"
The young man hesitated. "...Can I ask something?"
"You just did."
Andrew laughed awkwardly. "...It’s something personal."
Edgar suddenly had a bad feeling. He glanced over and mumbled, "...Go on."
Andrew looked strangely curious. "...Do you like Lady Hera?"
Edgar paused. A startled look appeared on his face because of the random question.
"...What?"
Andrew hurriedly continued. "I mean... everyone can tell she’s attached to you, and Reeba always looks at you strangely."
Andrew kept looking for any clue on Edgar’s face. "So I was wondering... are you two..."
"No." Edgar answered immediately.
Andrew blinked. "...Really?"
"There isn’t anything."
The young man looked unconvinced. "...Reeally?"
Edgar sighed. "I don’t have time to think about romance."
Andrew nodded slowly. "...Makes sense."
A few minutes passed in silence, which both of them found uncomfortable.
Andrew spoke again. "...But Lady Hera is really beautiful."
Edgar looked straight ahead. "I noticed."
The young boy leaned in with a grin on his face. "Can you tell me what you like most about her?"
"....."
Edgar silently regretted bringing Andrew.
The rest of the journey became noticeably quieter.
Whenever Andrew looked as though another question had appeared, Edgar immediately handed him another measuring rope or map.
By late afternoon, they finally returned to the Fortress.
Only a few more hours remained before the Eternal Night arrived once again.
---
Inside the main hall, Edgar spread the marked map across the wooden table.
Several blank parchments quickly surrounded it.
He picked up his quill. "...Let’s calculate."
Using every measurement collected throughout the day, he slowly estimated the total length of railway required.
He also calculated all the extra things like the number of rails, sleepers, joints, and supporting plates in the list to get an estimate.
Hours quietly passed, and the pile of calculations continued growing larger.
Finally, Edgar leaned back, staring at the number that he had come up with.
"....Three thousand cubic metric tons." He stared blankly at the final number. "...That’s impossible."
The amount of steel required was simply absurd.
Even if Steven worked day and night, producing enough refined steel would take years.
Edgar rubbed his forehead. ’I underestimated it...’
He let out a sigh and rubbed his face from all the tiredness.
If he couldn’t get the steel, then there was no point in continuing the project. "...Later."
He folded the papers together.
There was no point worrying about something he couldn’t solve today.
Not wanting to get disappointed, Edgar reached beneath the table.
Twenty white Nightmare Stones rolled across the wooden surface.
’A little more and I will be done...’
Without hesitation, he began absorbing them.
One after another, the familiar warmth entered his body.
His Solar Heart refined every trace of Nightmare Energy before spreading it throughout his limbs.
Time gradually lost meaning.
By the time the twentieth stone crumbled into grey dust, Edgar’s breathing had become deep and heavy.
His entire body radiated a faint golden warmth.
Thump.
Thump.
His Solar Heart beat louder than ever before, and a strange pressure spread through every corner of his body.
The feeling wasn’t painful, but he most definitely felt... full.
Edgar slowly opened his eyes. "...I’ve reached it."
He knew that this feeling was what people called the level bottleneck.
No matter how hard he tried, his Solar Heart refused to absorb another fragment of energy.
It had reached its limit, and he needed to level up in order to continue.
At that exact moment, a familiar translucent screen appeared before him.
---
[Name: Edgar Atreus]
[Class: Sun]
[Level: 1 (Upgradable)]
[Stats:
Strength: 30
Speed: 30
Agility: 30
Endurance: 30]
Ritual Required to Upgrade the Level:
Burn a hundred Sornja Flowers around you and use two Yellow Nightmare Stones as supplements.
Complete the ritual in the middle of the Eternal Night.
---
Edgar stared at the two conditions silently without a word.
"I have no idea what a Sornja Flower is..." Edgar felt a headache coming on. "This is going to be a pain."
He lay down on the sofa while he kept staring at the screen.
The Eternal Night still raged outside the Fortress walls, while the warmth inside the house gradually lulled him to sleep.
His eyes slowly closed.