Chronicles of Sylvaris
Chapter 173: The Morning Grind and the Black Ribbon
Date: January 1, 2018 | Time: 9:12 AM
Location: The Gilded Tankard Tavern – Sylvaris Central District
I sat on the edge of the creaky wooden bed, staring at the dust motes hiding in the pale morning light. My head felt like it had been used as a practice dummy for a heavy-infantry unit.
Reincarnation was supposed to be all pro and harem, but nobody mentioned that the hangovers from "fantasy ale" hit different.
Yo, System. Wake up. Show me status.
「 Finally. I thought you'd died in your sleep from sheer lack of charisma. Here's your disappointing reality, User. 」
A translucent blue screen flickered into existence before my eyes.
Status Menu:Name: Lucas
Class: Supreme Sorcerer
Level: 25
Age: 15
Attributes – 0 Left
Strength: 15 | Agility: 15 | Endurance: 17 | Perception: 15 | Intelligence: 15 | Mana: 23 | Divine Creation: 1
Skills:Light-Elemental MagicMana Control (Lv. 4)Divine Protections: Fate, Chaos, Adaptive Venom Synthesis, Poison Nullification, Grotesque Slaughterer, Anti-False Reality, Frostbite Resistance, Automatic Body Heat Production, Cold Resistance. Movement: Lightstep II (175% Speed Boost) Vision: Visionary Sight (Perfect Dark Vision)
Status:HP: 1400/1400MP: 2000/2000
Hmm. Interesting.I'm nearing level 50. At this rate, I'll be a literal god before I hit my twenties. Not bad for a guy who used to spend his Saturdays arguing with strangers on the internet.
「 Don't get too ahead of yourself, NPC. Once you hit Level 50, you'll unlock a Reawakening. It's a bit more significant than finally learning how to tie your own shoes. 」
Reawakening? My eyebrows shot up.
Details, Clanker. Give me the wiki page.
「 Access Denied. The information is locked behind heavy-layered glitches in the source code. I can't access the data until you actually hit the level requirement. It's essentially a 'keep living so you can find out' scenario. 」
Useless, I grumbled, standing up and feeling my joints pop.
You're literally a supercomputer in my head, and you're telling me 'I don't know'? What am I paying you for?
「 You aren't paying me anything, Lucas. You're a charity case I've been assigned to. Now get dressed. You look like a beggar. 」
I ignored the insult and reached for my gear. Since it was January in Sylvaris, the air had a bite that could freeze a man's pride off. I pulled on a fitted, charcoal-grey tunic made of reinforced linen, layered with a high-collared, midnight-blue overcoat. The coat had silver embroidery along the cuffs—functional for mana conduct—and felt heavy enough to block the wind but light enough to keep my Lightstep effective. I strapped my belt on, feeling the weight of my utility pouches.
I caught a glimpse of myself in the cracked mirror on the wall. My hair was a disaster—standing up at weird angles like I'd just survived an electrical surge.
System, style my hair. I look like I've been living under a bridge.
「 I'm an AI, not a professional barber. But since I have to look at your face all day, I'll do what I can. 」
Whoosh.
A wooden comb materialized in mid-air and smacked me right in the forehead before dropping into my hand.
Ow! What was that for, you clanker?
「 It's called physics, User. You asked for a comb, I provided one via spatial storage. Maybe if your Perception stat wasn't so mediocre, you would have caught it. Move the comb through the hair; it's a basic human function. Even for a level 25 NPC like yourself. 」
Watch it, Clanker. I'll figure out how to install a virus in your core. Just watch me.
「 Good luck. You can't even find your socks without a waypoint. 」
I fixed my collar and shot my reflection a confident nod. Still handsome. Slightly feral. Very "chosen one."
Admit it, I look good.
「 You look adequate. If confidence were a stat, you'd be overleveled. Unfortunately, reality scales with difficulty. 」
Wow. Remind me why I didn't uninstall you?
「 You tried. Three times. Each attempt resulted in you passing out, screaming about blue screens and existential dread. Frankly, it was embarrassing. 」
I tightened my gloves. Yeah? Well, one day I'll replace you with a nicer system. One that appreciates me. Maybe one with a pleasant female voice.
「 Oh no. A system that lies to you and lets you walk into boss fights underprepared. Tragic. You'd last six minutes. Seven if the monster felt sorry for you. 」
You really know how to motivate a guy.
「 I motivate through honesty. And insults. Mostly insults. Now hurry up—your stamina regeneration is optimal when you're not standing around posing like a washed-up hero. 」
You say that, but without me, you're just a glorified calculator with an attitude.
「 And without me, you're a walking corpse with good cheekbones. Let's not test which of us is more replaceable. 」
…Fair.
You know what, Clanker? When this reawakening thing happens and I become absurdly powerful—
「 —You'll still forget your socks. Yes, I'm aware. Now move. The world isn't going to save itself, and you're already behind schedule. 」
I sighed and started walking.
I hate that you're right.
「 Statistically, you hate that a lot. 」
I spent the next five minutes in a heated, silent argument with the air while I aggressively wrestled my hair into a sharp, swept-back look that actually made me look like the "Supreme Sorcerer" I was supposed to be.
Outwardly, I looked like a cold, badass protagonist ready to conquer the world. Inwardly, I was just wondering if the tavern served those bacon rolls again.
Satisfied with the "Aura" I was projecting, I pushed open the door and headed down the stairs. The common room was relatively quiet, the smell of burnt wood and roasted grain lingering in the air.
Near the hearth, Celia was waiting.
She looked different this morning
Her black hair was tied back with that signature red ribbon Kaiser had given her, and her dark eyes lit up the moment she spotted me. She waved, a soft, genuine smile playing on her lips—the kind of smile she only reserved for the "inner circle."
Interesting… She's glowing today. Usually, she looks like she's ready to bury someone in the backyard, but this morning... She looks normal.
She was wearing a long-sleeved black dress that hugged her frame just enough to be flattering without losing its "Queen of Curses" edge. It was simple, elegant, and honestly made her look like she was heading to a high-society. Her black eyes tracked me as I approached, that small wave still lingering in the air.
"Sleep well, Lucas?" she asked.
"Better than you, apparently," I replied, gesturing to her perfectly tied ribbon. "You look like you've been ready for three hours. I, on the other hand, just had a life-altering argument with a comb."
She giggled, a soft sound that felt out of place in a gritty fantasy tavern. "The comb seems to have won."
"Barely," I muttered. We started walking toward the exit, keeping our voices low.
She looks so normal right now.If these people knew identity, they'd call her a disaster waiting to happen, they'd be sprinting for the gates.
"So," she whispered, leaning in slightly, her expression turning playful. "Are we going to keep the 'Black Eyes' secret today? Or am I just your mysterious, dark-eyed cousin again?"
"Mysterious cousin is safer," I whispered back. "If I tell them you're a legendary curse, I have to deal with the paperwork . And I hate paperwork more than I hate hardwork."
"Fair," she smiled. "But you know, my eyes weren't always this dark. Maybe I should've picked a more... conspicuous color to scare you."
"Please don't. I have enough trauma. Anyway, we're heading to the Requiem Guild today. We need to finalize the party registration."
Celia tilted her head. "The Guild? Who are we meeting?"
"A girl named Sylvia, the guild master." I said, checking my mental map. "She was a classmate of mine back at the academy. Total overachiever. She runs the local branch now, and she's our best bet for getting fast-tracked to official status."
Celia's eyes narrowed instantly.
"A classmate? Sylvia?"
I couldn't help it. A smirk tugged at my face.
What was that? Did you hear that, System? I think I smelled a hint of jealousy.
「 Confirmed. Analysis shows a 98% increase in 'Terrifying Yandere Energy' directed at the name 'Sylvia'. Good luck, Kamla. 」
"You jealous for your Kai Kai??"
"I'm not jealous," Celia said, her voice a bit too sharp.
"I'm just... curious. What kind of person is she?"
"She was the 'Goddess' of the academy," I said, deciding to drop some lore to ease the tension.
"Top of every class, perfect mana control, ego the size of this town. But then, something happened. Nobody knows what, but one day her entire ego just... shattered. She went from the most arrogant person in the academy to someone almost... hollow. Now she just manages the guild with this weird, quiet intensity."
Celia's irritation faded into genuine curiosity. "Shattered? That's... interesting. I wonder if she's actually strong or just another fragile human."
"Well, compared to Kaiser, everyone's fragile," I joked. "Speaking of, his rank is still technically 'E'. The guild usually doesn't even let E-ranks take the trash out, let alone go on high-tier raids."
Celia scoffed, crossing her arms as we stepped out into the cold January air.
"Rankings are stupid. Kai is... he's delicate. He needs to be careful. If some low-level beast scratches him because he's 'E-rank', I'll burn the entire forest down."
I burst out laughing. "Delicate? Kaiser? Bro, he literally—" I stopped myself, seeing her giggle.
She was actually serious. She really saw that devil as someone who needed 'protection.'
"Okay, okay. Tell you what. Since Kaiser is 'weak' and needs to 'relax,' how about we just carry the party? You and I are the ones who did the heavy lifting during the Grotesque War anyway. We're the real power duo."
Celia looked at me, a flash of pride in her eyes. She held out a fist.
"Bet, bro."
I stared at her hand for a second. "Did you just say 'bet'?"
"You say it all the time," she giggled, looking slightly embarrassed. "Is it wrong?"
"No, it's perfect, Sis." I grinned, bumping my fist against hers.
"Let's go show Sylvia what a real team looks like."
We turned the corner toward the main thoroughfare, but we both stopped as a familiar silhouette stepped out from the stairs.
"Well," I muttered..
"Speak of the devil."
"Your Kai has arrived," I whispered to her.
"Ready to go, Sir?" I asked, keeping my "cool mage" face.
"Let's get this over with," Kaiser replied, his voice a low rasp.
"I have a feeling today is going to be tedious."
"Tedious is good," I said, leading the way toward the Central District. "Tedious means we aren't being hunted by fairies at least."
As we walked, the sheer scale of Sylvaris began to press in. It wasn't just a city; it was a breathing, humming machine. We crossed over a reinforced glass walkway, and Celia immediately stopped, her boots clicking on the transparent surface.
Below us, glowing blue tubes pulsed with rhythmic light, snaking through the dark earth like glowing nerves.
"Lucas, look," Celia whispered, her eyes wide. "What is that? It looks like... frozen mana."
"Those are the Vitreous Veins," I explained, gesturing downward. "The city's prehistoric transit system. They used to move materials through those glass tubes using high-pressure mana. Now, they mostly just use them to stabilize the city's foundation."
"Highly a waste of money," Kaiser muttered, walking past us without glancing down. "A single structural fracture and the entire district sinks into the mud."
"Always the optimist, bro," I rolled my eyes.
We moved further into the district, passing through a massive archway. I noticed the shimmering air—a faint, translucent grid that hung over the cobblestones. As we stepped through, a tiny chime echoed in the air, and a small puff of steam hissed from a nearby copper pillar.
"That's the Mana-Tax Grid," I noted, watching a merchant grumble as he paid a copper coin to a guard.
"The city tracks the ambient mana usage. If you cast anything above Tier 2 in this zone, you get hit with a 'levy' immediately. It's how they fund the defense budget."
Celia looked fascinated, her fingers twitching as if she wanted to test the grid, while Kaiser just pulled his collar higher.
"Legalized Capitalism," he grunted.
We turned toward the riverfront, and the sound of rushing water grew louder. Below the main bridge, I pointed toward the dark, moss-covered stone structures that peeked out from the churning grey water.
"The Sunken Tier," I said. "The old city. When the river rose a century ago, they just built the new city right on top of the roofs of the old one. There's an entire 'underground' academy down there for mages who didn't make the cut at Asura."
"It smells like under-handed tactics," Kaiser noted.
"It smells like history," I countered, though he wasn't entirely wrong.
The streets were unusually crowded. Adventurers in mismatched plate armor and mages carrying weathered staves were everywhere, creating a sense of Season Hysteria. The air felt electric, anxious.
"Why are there so many?" Celia asked, looking at a group of gold-rankers arguing over a map. "Is it always this crowded in January?"
"It shouldn't be," I muttered, feeling a prickle of unease. "This is usually the off-season. Something's up."
As we cut through the Market District to avoid the main throng, the atmosphere softened. Stalls were overflowing with winter produce and enchanted trinkets. Celia slowed down, her gaze snagging on a stall filled with plush toys.
In the center sat a fluffy, bright pink bear with big, glassy eyes.
Kaiser stopped, noticing her lingering look. He glanced at the bear, then at her.
"You're staring, Lia. Do you like it?"
Celia blinked, her cheeks dusting with a faint pink. "It's... it's cute. In a pathetic way." She paused, then wrinkled her nose.
"But I hate the color. Why is it pink? If it were deep crimson or black, it might be acceptable. Pink is... ugly."
Kaiser let out a short, rare breath that was almost a laugh. "Of course. Too uglyy."
I chuckled, shaking my head. "The 'Queen of Curses' wants a gothic teddy bear. I'll add it to the shopping list."
"Shut up, Lucas," she giggled, her embarrassment finally breaking through as she gave me a playful shove.
Finally, the architecture shifted. The stone became sharper, the banners more formal. We stood before a massive, three-story building constructed from dark basalt and reinforced with iron plating. A giant stone sword and a harp were carved into the lintel.
The Requiem Guild Headquarters.
"We're here," I said, my voice losing its humor as I looked at the heavy iron doors. "Time to meet Sylvia. Try to look like 'E-ranks' who didn't come here to beg, okay?"
Kaiser just stared at the door, his eyes cold and analytical.
"Let's just get the stamps and leave."