By that time, it was lunchtime, so we had everyone brought back by taxi, and it was time for lunch.
For some reason, Shureira-san was also joining us for lunch, which I didn’t mind at all. Food tastes better when shared with others.
Today’s lunch was fried rice, more specifically, buffalo minced meat and eggplant with sweet miso flavor fried rice.
I stir-fried the minced meat with sweet miso, fried the eggplant with oil in advance, and then added them to the rice and eggs, quickly mixing everything together. I garnished it with chopped green onions and adjusted the seasoning. Pre-cooking the ingredients beforehand prevents the rice from becoming sticky and makes it easier to cook.
It seemed like Shureira-san was having fried rice for the first time, and she looked at it curiously before silently enjoying her meal. Well, I’m glad she liked it.
After lunch, we had a meeting.
I reported that we had secured Shureira-san’s cooperation.
“So, does that mean we’re making progress with rescuing the choir club members?”
As for the others, their equipment had changed in some cases.
Most notably, it was their weapons. Suzumoto couldn’t find a good sword even during the shopping in Kukurts, so being able to exchange it now was a good thing.
It seems like Hariu and Kariya have lightweight armor made of some mysterious metal.
Hagasaki-kun, President, and Katori received decorative items made of this mysterious metal.
“This one is for Maito-san.”
I also received one, so I graciously accepted it.
It’s a scarf fastener made of the mysterious metal with a mysterious magic stone. Its effect is “Protection,” which appears to increase defense and healing power. The one I’m currently wearing boosts defense slightly, so I should switch it out.
Furthermore, it seems that the material gathering process went quite well, with 70% of the materials requested by Carissa-chan being collected in just that morning.
Well, some of the items were readily available in the market, and there were even some ingredients in the lecture room. I’m glad we didn’t eat those!
The remaining materials should be obtainable by running around here and there, and we should be able to get them all today. That’s fast!
“…And then, ‘Ashes of the Abyss.'”
Kadomi-kun seemed to be tirelessly searching the Abyss for “Ashes of the Abyss,” but unfortunately, he hasn’t found any yet. The Abyss is vast, and there are still areas he hasn’t explored.
However, maybe… No, I should stop that line of thought. Let’s just do our best. That’s all we can do.
“By the way, what’s the current stock of ‘Ashes of the Abyss’?”
“We’ll run out after making the elixirs for the choir club members.”
Oh, that’s not good.
Without life, the body also loses its meaning, and the reverse is true as well.
“Shureira-san, is it possible to create ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ artificially?”
“If we have the elixir, it’s not impossible to make it.”
Oh, that’s not good. It seems like Shureira-san understands that and is mentioning it.
“By the way, is ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ such a major material?”
“A while ago, you could buy it at the temple. It was expensive, though.”
Ah, I see. Former High Priest’s foolishness, and so on.
“Well, the temple stopped selling ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ after my sister succeeded in creating artificial life. It was done in the name of ‘preserving the path of humanity.'”
Ah, I see. Generally, it makes sense to do something like that, right? If it became known that heroes are practically immortal or can be resurrected, there would probably be a lot of people asking for immortality.
“But what exactly is ‘Ashes of the Abyss’?”
I decided to ask since I had the chance. What kind of powder is it, and what effects does it have?
Well, I did try to “Appraise” it, not just me but also President and Kariya. But it didn’t work! The name was revealed, but no information about its effects or properties came up!
I gave up, thinking that’s just the way it is, but…
“Oh, ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ is the finest mana stabilizer among existing substances.”
“Mana stabilizer?”
“Yes. In the case of the elixir that revives the body, ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ is necessary to stabilize the revived body until it fully integrates. For artificial life like my sister’s, it’s probably used to stabilize mana in the body for movement. My sister would know more details.”
…I don’t really understand.
But… could it be like this?
If we think of mana as a generator, then ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ could be something used to attach that generator to life or a physical body to actually make them work.
“Is there any substitute for it, then?”
“No, there isn’t. Honestly, it’s an unparalleled mana stabilizer. We still don’t understand how it manages to absorb mana to that extent. It seems that alchemists in Aegis tried researching it at one point, but it all ended in vain.”
I see… That powder is quite a mysterious substance. Well, it makes sense since there’s no known origin for it apart from being brought from the Abyss by the nth generation High Priest. We don’t know anything else about it either, apart from the fact that we got it from the Abyss.
“What if we ask Tsukimori-san or George-san to make more? Is that not an option? There’s still some left, right?”
Hariu rummaged through a shelf and retrieved a vial of ‘Ashes of the Abyss.’ It was still the same mysterious powder with a color that’s hard to describe. Yeah, it’s pretty to look at.
“It seems its performance decreases by 1% each time, so we can’t use copycat versions. It’s too scary.”
Just 1%. It might not sound like much, but when you’re trying to resurrect someone, you really don’t want to take that risk.
…But with this, it seems like we’ll really have to wait for Kadomi-kun to find ‘Ashes of the Abyss.’
After finishing lunch, Shureira-san returned home to pack, and Kadomi-kun was taxied back to the Abyss. We returned to the lab.
Furthermore, all the remaining required materials can only be obtained at night, come out only at night, or appear only at dawn, so we have plenty of free time until the sun sets.
As for me, I focused on stocking up on tea sweets, while the others had President act as a dealer for a game of blackjack.
“Maito-san, why don’t you ask the Goddess book about ‘Ashes of the Abyss’? Oh, and Hariu is bust.”
…That’s a good idea.
“I had 12! And then I get a 10!?”
“It might be a good idea to look at the other players’ cards. Look, 7 and 6 have already been played, but there are only two 10s, J, Q, and K in the game.”
“Well, can’t do anything about it.”
…Alright. I’ll take this opportunity while everyone’s playing. Yeah.
“Sorry for the intrusion.”
[You’re late. I thought you weren’t coming.]
“Yeah, there were some complications.”
I started with some small talk and gave her an update on recent events.
When I mentioned the Abyss, she reacted a bit.
[You went to the Abyss?]
“Yeah. Oh, do you know about the Abyss?”
[Don’t underestimate the all-knowing and all-powerful Goddess.]
“Oh, right.”
[That place is also the domain of that.]
…Oh, by “that,” she means the Demon Lord.
Seems like she wouldn’t say anything more than that so I asked what I wanted to ask.
“What does ‘Share’ mean?”
[‘Share’?]
“It’s the skill that brought me here.”
Now that I think about it, it’s a skill that I don’t quite understand. I believe its effect is to connect actions or tasks, but it doesn’t seem to fit the role of a “Maid” or even a “Head Maid” very well.
[This world is one where you can obtain what you desire if you wish for it. Do you know that?]
“So, does it mean that if you repeat actions related to a skill you desire, you can obtain that skill?”
[Wait… because I created it that way. I believed the world should be like that. If there is something one desires, it should be fulfilled. However, human desires are limitless. Even as the all-knowing and all-powerful Goddess, I cannot fulfill them all.]
Is she directly contradicting herself by denying her omnipotence?
Seeming to sense my doubt, the Goddess book continued.
[On the other hand, humans tend to surpass the all-knowing and all-powerful. I can’t help but think they should just be content and live within the boundaries of what is given to them. There are countless ways to live happily within the confines of what is provided. However, humans cannot see happiness in knowing no unhappiness. They willingly venture into destruction at the end of their boundless desires. That’s why I find them irresistibly lovable.]
It seems like she might be a bit out of touch with humans after all.
[I’ve gotten off track. In essence, this world does have its limitations, but humans can surpass them as much as they want. While there may be categorizations in this world to fit within, they are merely named to define oneself within the world’s scope, and the content remains entirely free.]
“Could you explain it a bit more clearly…”
[So, in other words, it doesn’t matter what you name a skill, and there is no inherent meaning to the name. There are no two identical skills. You may have chosen the name ‘Share’ for your skill, but in reality, it can change and adapt within the scope of that name.]
So, yeah, I get it.
I understand, for now.
So, ‘Share’ is just a name, and the name doesn’t really matter. I get that.
But the important part is missing!
“Is that related to the job of a ‘Maid’?”
[A foolish question. Your job does not have to be exclusively related to ‘Maid’.]
“So, skills are not tied to occupations but to individuals?”
[‘Occupation’ is something determined by people. People do not exist because of their ‘occupations.’ People decide their ‘occupations.’]
…That makes sense.
So, does that mean my ‘Share’ turned out strange because of my desires? Does it become like this if I wish for it?
Goddess Book seems to indicate that the topic is finished and turns the page.
Alright, I need to organize this within myself a bit more.
Now, onto the main topic.
“I want to obtain ‘Ashes of the Abyss,’ but how can I get it?”
This is what I want to know! The previous conversation was just an extra! This is it! This! Ultimately, if I don’t figure this out, I’m stuck!
[‘Ashes of the Abyss’?]
“Yes.”
…I waited for a while, but there was no response from the Goddess Book. When I prodded her for an answer, she finally responded.
[…I do not know.]
That was the response I received.
…Unexpected!
[What do you intend to do with it?]
“To create life.”
I realized it after I said it.
Isn’t it a bad idea to tell the goddess about this?
But it turned out to be needless worry.
[At last, humans can create life!]
The text seems to be dancing!
[Indeed, humans continue to advance!]
Oh, she’s happy! I’m happy too!
“So, you don’t know?”
[I cannot say for sure.]
…Ah, how heartless.
By that time, it was lunchtime, so we had everyone brought back by taxi, and it was time for lunch.
For some reason, Shureira-san was also joining us for lunch, which I didn’t mind at all. Food tastes better when shared with others.
Today’s lunch was fried rice, more specifically, buffalo minced meat and eggplant with sweet miso flavor fried rice.
I stir-fried the minced meat with sweet miso, fried the eggplant with oil in advance, and then added them to the rice and eggs, quickly mixing everything together. I garnished it with chopped green onions and adjusted the seasoning. Pre-cooking the ingredients beforehand prevents the rice from becoming sticky and makes it easier to cook.
It seemed like Shureira-san was having fried rice for the first time, and she looked at it curiously before silently enjoying her meal. Well, I’m glad she liked it.
After lunch, we had a meeting.
I reported that we had secured Shureira-san’s cooperation.
“So, does that mean we’re making progress with rescuing the choir club members?”
As for the others, their equipment had changed in some cases.
Most notably, it was their weapons. Suzumoto couldn’t find a good sword even during the shopping in Kukurts, so being able to exchange it now was a good thing.
It seems like Hariu and Kariya have lightweight armor made of some mysterious metal.
Hagasaki-kun, President, and Katori received decorative items made of this mysterious metal.
“This one is for Maito-san.”
I also received one, so I graciously accepted it.
It’s a scarf fastener made of the mysterious metal with a mysterious magic stone. Its effect is “Protection,” which appears to increase defense and healing power. The one I’m currently wearing boosts defense slightly, so I should switch it out.
Furthermore, it seems that the material gathering process went quite well, with 70% of the materials requested by Carissa-chan being collected in just that morning.
Well, some of the items were readily available in the market, and there were even some ingredients in the lecture room. I’m glad we didn’t eat those!
The remaining materials should be obtainable by running around here and there, and we should be able to get them all today. That’s fast!
“…And then, ‘Ashes of the Abyss.'”
Kadomi-kun seemed to be tirelessly searching the Abyss for “Ashes of the Abyss,” but unfortunately, he hasn’t found any yet. The Abyss is vast, and there are still areas he hasn’t explored.
However, maybe… No, I should stop that line of thought. Let’s just do our best. That’s all we can do.
“By the way, what’s the current stock of ‘Ashes of the Abyss’?”
“We’ll run out after making the elixirs for the choir club members.”
Oh, that’s not good.
Without life, the body also loses its meaning, and the reverse is true as well.
“Shureira-san, is it possible to create ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ artificially?”
“If we have the elixir, it’s not impossible to make it.”
Oh, that’s not good. It seems like Shureira-san understands that and is mentioning it.
“By the way, is ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ such a major material?”
“A while ago, you could buy it at the temple. It was expensive, though.”
Ah, I see. Former High Priest’s foolishness, and so on.
“Well, the temple stopped selling ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ after my sister succeeded in creating artificial life. It was done in the name of ‘preserving the path of humanity.'”
Ah, I see. Generally, it makes sense to do something like that, right? If it became known that heroes are practically immortal or can be resurrected, there would probably be a lot of people asking for immortality.
“But what exactly is ‘Ashes of the Abyss’?”
I decided to ask since I had the chance. What kind of powder is it, and what effects does it have?
Well, I did try to “Appraise” it, not just me but also President and Kariya. But it didn’t work! The name was revealed, but no information about its effects or properties came up!
I gave up, thinking that’s just the way it is, but…
“Oh, ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ is the finest mana stabilizer among existing substances.”
“Mana stabilizer?”
“Yes. In the case of the elixir that revives the body, ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ is necessary to stabilize the revived body until it fully integrates. For artificial life like my sister’s, it’s probably used to stabilize mana in the body for movement. My sister would know more details.”
…I don’t really understand.
But… could it be like this?
If we think of mana as a generator, then ‘Ashes of the Abyss’ could be something used to attach that generator to life or a physical body to actually make them work.
“Is there any substitute for it, then?”
“No, there isn’t. Honestly, it’s an unparalleled mana stabilizer. We still don’t understand how it manages to absorb mana to that extent. It seems that alchemists in Aegis tried researching it at one point, but it all ended in vain.”
I see… That powder is quite a mysterious substance. Well, it makes sense since there’s no known origin for it apart from being brought from the Abyss by the nth generation High Priest. We don’t know anything else about it either, apart from the fact that we got it from the Abyss.
“What if we ask Tsukimori-san or George-san to make more? Is that not an option? There’s still some left, right?”
Hariu rummaged through a shelf and retrieved a vial of ‘Ashes of the Abyss.’ It was still the same mysterious powder with a color that’s hard to describe. Yeah, it’s pretty to look at.
“It seems its performance decreases by 1% each time, so we can’t use copycat versions. It’s too scary.”
Just 1%. It might not sound like much, but when you’re trying to resurrect someone, you really don’t want to take that risk.
…But with this, it seems like we’ll really have to wait for Kadomi-kun to find ‘Ashes of the Abyss.’
After finishing lunch, Shureira-san returned home to pack, and Kadomi-kun was taxied back to the Abyss. We returned to the lab.
Furthermore, all the remaining required materials can only be obtained at night, come out only at night, or appear only at dawn, so we have plenty of free time until the sun sets.
As for me, I focused on stocking up on tea sweets, while the others had President act as a dealer for a game of blackjack.
“Maito-san, why don’t you ask the Goddess book about ‘Ashes of the Abyss’? Oh, and Hariu is bust.”
…That’s a good idea.
“I had 12! And then I get a 10!?”
“It might be a good idea to look at the other players’ cards. Look, 7 and 6 have already been played, but there are only two 10s, J, Q, and K in the game.”
“Well, can’t do anything about it.”
…Alright. I’ll take this opportunity while everyone’s playing. Yeah.
“Sorry for the intrusion.”
[You’re late. I thought you weren’t coming.]
“Yeah, there were some complications.”
I started with some small talk and gave her an update on recent events.
When I mentioned the Abyss, she reacted a bit.
[You went to the Abyss?]
“Yeah. Oh, do you know about the Abyss?”
[Don’t underestimate the all-knowing and all-powerful Goddess.]
“Oh, right.”
[That place is also the domain of that.]
…Oh, by “that,” she means the Demon Lord.
Seems like she wouldn’t say anything more than that so I asked what I wanted to ask.
“What does ‘Share’ mean?”
[‘Share’?]
“It’s the skill that brought me here.”
Now that I think about it, it’s a skill that I don’t quite understand. I believe its effect is to connect actions or tasks, but it doesn’t seem to fit the role of a “Maid” or even a “Head Maid” very well.
[This world is one where you can obtain what you desire if you wish for it. Do you know that?]
“So, does it mean that if you repeat actions related to a skill you desire, you can obtain that skill?”
[Wait… because I created it that way. I believed the world should be like that. If there is something one desires, it should be fulfilled. However, human desires are limitless. Even as the all-knowing and all-powerful Goddess, I cannot fulfill them all.]
Is she directly contradicting herself by denying her omnipotence?
Seeming to sense my doubt, the Goddess book continued.
[On the other hand, humans tend to surpass the all-knowing and all-powerful. I can’t help but think they should just be content and live within the boundaries of what is given to them. There are countless ways to live happily within the confines of what is provided. However, humans cannot see happiness in knowing no unhappiness. They willingly venture into destruction at the end of their boundless desires. That’s why I find them irresistibly lovable.]
It seems like she might be a bit out of touch with humans after all.
[I’ve gotten off track. In essence, this world does have its limitations, but humans can surpass them as much as they want. While there may be categorizations in this world to fit within, they are merely named to define oneself within the world’s scope, and the content remains entirely free.]
“Could you explain it a bit more clearly…”
[So, in other words, it doesn’t matter what you name a skill, and there is no inherent meaning to the name. There are no two identical skills. You may have chosen the name ‘Share’ for your skill, but in reality, it can change and adapt within the scope of that name.]
So, yeah, I get it.
I understand, for now.
So, ‘Share’ is just a name, and the name doesn’t really matter. I get that.
But the important part is missing!
“Is that related to the job of a ‘Maid’?”
[A foolish question. Your job does not have to be exclusively related to ‘Maid’.]
“So, skills are not tied to occupations but to individuals?”
[‘Occupation’ is something determined by people. People do not exist because of their ‘occupations.’ People decide their ‘occupations.’]
…That makes sense.
So, does that mean my ‘Share’ turned out strange because of my desires? Does it become like this if I wish for it?
Goddess Book seems to indicate that the topic is finished and turns the page.
Alright, I need to organize this within myself a bit more.
Now, onto the main topic.
“I want to obtain ‘Ashes of the Abyss,’ but how can I get it?”
This is what I want to know! The previous conversation was just an extra! This is it! This! Ultimately, if I don’t figure this out, I’m stuck!
[‘Ashes of the Abyss’?]
“Yes.”
…I waited for a while, but there was no response from the Goddess Book. When I prodded her for an answer, she finally responded.
[…I do not know.]
That was the response I received.
…Unexpected!
[What do you intend to do with it?]
“To create life.”
I realized it after I said it.
Isn’t it a bad idea to tell the goddess about this?
But it turned out to be needless worry.
[At last, humans can create life!]
The text seems to be dancing!
[Indeed, humans continue to advance!]
Oh, she’s happy! I’m happy too!
“So, you don’t know?”
[I cannot say for sure.]
…Ah, how heartless.
