Chapter Thirty-One: Letter / Stone Tablet

Cana sat back in his chair, observing the three people before him.

Statements that are too outrageous often become unbelievable.

"Just that degree of power could destroy the world?" Aliris asked, sounding skeptical.

*If that much power could destroy the world, does that mean I could destroy the world, too? I suppose I’m quite formidable,* she thought to herself.

Black remained silent; the lingering effects of the Void still clouded his mind.

Bobot wore an expression of disbelief, looking at Cana as if he were a charlatan from a cult. Her travels had exposed her to plenty of such swindlers. She simply hadn't expected the prince of a nation to be gullible enough to believe such things.

"How could you possibly know such vital intelligence?"

It was no wonder Bobot was doubtful. Even though Cana was a prince, his kingdom was incredibly small, exceptionally barren, and completely disconnected from the rest of the world. It was less like a sovereign state and more like a remote, backwater village.

Cana hadn't expected them to believe him immediately. While there were signs, they were faint and infrequent, and knowledge of the Void was reserved for a tiny fraction of the world’s population. If he wasn't mistaken, he was currently the person who understood the Void best.

After some time had passed, he had stopped hoping for a miracle. He truly had arrived in this world, replacing the original Cana and becoming a part of this reality. If he wanted to survive, some problems had to be resolved—such as the Void invasion. If it wasn't stopped, the entire world, himself included, would be doomed. That was simply unacceptable.

Fortunately, in the original game’s storyline, countless people had worked together to resolve this crisis. If he intended to act in the future, he needed to establish an interesting persona—one who could foresee omens of the future and sense impending danger. Such an ability wasn't entirely absurd, especially when the Creation Stones—the most preposterous things imaginable—were real. Seeing fragments of the future was hardly worth mentioning.

"I can see omens of the future."

"?"

As soon as he spoke, it wasn't just Bobot; even Aliris couldn't help but walk over and touch Cana’s forehead.

"Should you rest? You might be too exhausted today, Your Highness," she said, looking concerned.

Cana laughed helplessly. "I know you don't believe me, and I didn't expect you to. You only need to know that this is happening. In time, you will naturally come to believe my words."

Cana hadn't expected them to trust him immediately; this was merely to lay a foundation. When he later demonstrated knowledge he shouldn't possess, they would instinctively attribute it to this "ability," sparing him the need for further explanations.

"The Void’s influence on the soul is lethal, especially for souls that haven't mastered special powers," Cana continued, pivoting the conversation. He gestured toward Aliris and Bobot. Turning to Black, he explained, "Aliris possesses the power to control blood, which I call Blood Magic. Bobot is a scholar and a spellcaster who can manipulate magic."

He then pointed to himself. "Although I cannot yet control these powers, I know for a fact that the power of Blood Magic exists within me. Like the Count, we are members of the royal family. In essence, we are souls capable of manipulating special forces, and these forces provide a form of protection for our souls. Because of this, the weak flashes of the Abyss cannot affect us; it’s as if we are hiding under a tree, shielded from the sun."

Cana then pointed at Black. "But you are different. You haven't mastered these forces. You are standing bare in the sunlight, with no shelter to protect you from the flashes of the Abyss, so you were naturally affected. However, your long-term training as a knight has fortified your willpower, allowing you to break free from that influence. The residue remains on the surface of your soul, but since it was only a faint flash, it will disappear on its own after some time."

Black exhaled in relief. At least the problem was temporary. By now, he had developed a deep, instinctive trust in Cana’s words, especially regarding matters outside his own expertise. Truth be told, though he hated to admit it, he had begun to fear that the apocalypse Cana spoke of might be real, having experienced the Void's influence firsthand.

Bobot listened from the side. Unlike Black and Aliris, she was well-traveled and scholarly. She didn't know about the Void, but as a spellcaster—even a modest one—she had witnessed the flash of the Abyss. In that environment, the absence of magic flow had made it impossible for her to cast even the simplest cantrip. She had felt the impact on her spirit deeply. Hearing Cana’s explanation, she was forced to admit that it sounded correct, at least based on her own experience. This made her wonder if his other, more outrageous claims might also be true.

"Alright, that’s enough of a lesson. I have a letter to write to the Count."

Cana rose and returned to his room to write to his uncle, leaving the others to digest what they had just heard.

*Dear Uncle,* he wrote, *I do not know the situation on the front lines, but I believe you are aware that our resistance against the Bloodkin forces is limited. Once they regroup and reclaim the cities, our failure is inevitable. I am sure you are also aware of how the Bloodkin convert the city’s inhabitants. Before that happens, I believe you should secure a path for retreat. Based on my surveys, we may be able to depart by water. We only need to construct some vessels—even simple rafts. I request your approval to organize the people of Riverbend Town to build river craft so that we may...*

After sealing the letter and handing it to a soldier, he returned to his room. Aliris remained on guard in the courtyard, Black had departed, and Bobot had retreated to her quarters.

Cana sat in his room, his mind replaying the image of the rat-man affected by the Abyss. *To think that the Void’s reconnaissance forces are already here.*

In the game’s lore, the 4.0 version's world-ending crisis had been foreshadowed since the 2.0 version. Cana hadn't expected to encounter it during the 1.0 start of the game. Yet, looking back, it made sense. The 1.0 version focused on the Blood Plague in the Kingdom of Safro, while the 2.0 version expanded to the continent he was currently standing on. If there were traces of the Abyss here, then other continents were surely already affected as well.

But those were problems for another day. His priority was the shard of the Creation Stone and the ruins where it was hidden.

He took out his primary spoils from the operation: the other half of the ancient relic disc. He placed it against the half he had obtained from the merman. The stone was incredibly durable, and the two pieces fit together seamlessly. The pattern revealed was a strange, triangular-shaped tree.

*The ancient alchemical empire of Betville.* A fallen nation, now nothing but ruins.

Outside, the sun was setting. Tomorrow, he would take the disc to explore those ruins. Feeling a surge of excitement, Cana began to train in the courtyard. The growth of his strength could not stop.