Do You Want to Become Stronger?

"Though it was a little strange, it was true."

The doll's expression seemed somewhat odd, but her tone was extremely serious. "He was a High-Order Mage, and he had lived for over four hundred years."

"Over four hundred years?!" Roger could not help crying out. "Could living in a tomb in this world really extend your lifespan?!"

Humans in this world had longer lifespans than people on Earth when healthy. Nobles generally lived to be between one hundred and one hundred fifty years old.

Even so, a High-Order Mage's natural lifespan was only twice that of their race, which was three hundred years.

That old mage, who did not look particularly respectable, had actually lived for more than four hundred years!

Did that not mean he had exceeded his natural lifespan by a hundred years?

"What you said... wasn't wrong."

The doll's face was full of helplessness. "If you... oh, no, you're already dead."

"..." Roger did not want to speak. He withdrew into himself. "Could it have been magic potions? Ones he brewed himself? That's really incredible!"

After his brief surprise, he recalled some information. Magic potions, blessings from certain gods, and rare natural treasures could all extend one's lifespan, though they were quite scarce.

"No, what I meant was that if you were still alive, you could also form a contract with the Dark Element. You could gain more years of life as well, for the tiny price of never being able to leave the Dark Element Magic Anomaly Zone."

"Are you jealous because I might become a god soon?" Roger's mouth twitched slightly.

What did she mean, if he were still alive?

That hurt!

"How could I be?!" The doll became slightly flustered and angry. "Lord Roger, as a magical creation, it is impossible for me to possess such thoughts. Absolutely not! No!"

At the end, Roger seemed to hear a crack.

Then... her head fell off...

Right in front of Roger, a head with twin ponytails fell from the doll's body and rolled right over to him.

Her body maintained its previous gesture, still waving as if to say that she was not that kind of person!

"I get it. No, no! Hurry up and put your head back on." Roger wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and nodded with utmost seriousness. "Let's adjust the image and see whether Hedy can spread those rings."

At Roger's urging, the doll skillfully and nimbly reattached her head, even tidying her hair afterward...

Creepy!

Far too creepy!

How did she have a trick like that?!

He knew she was a doll, but that scene really could have scared someone into cardiac arrest!

Fortunately, with that topic over, she no longer seemed interested in causing trouble. Instead, she quickly adjusted the image to what they wanted to see.

The beginning was always the hardest.

As long as it could be promoted, there would be no need to worry about expansion in the future.

By the time Hedy arrived at this city famed for its towering walls, grand estates, and magnificent royal palace, the sky had already begun to lighten.

Smelling the scent permeating the air, Hedy could not help frowning slightly.

It truly was as imposing and magnificent as the stories claimed.

But it was also old and filthy.

Even though the weather was rather cold, a foul stench filled the entire street.

It seemed every brick had been steeped in the smell.

It was nauseating!

Hedy was no stranger to the road leading to the district where mages gathered. She occasionally brought the old mage's potions here to sell.

Looking at the low, chaotic, crowded houses around her, where hardly any sunlight could be seen beneath the city walls, she frowned even more deeply.

Even she, who lived in a "graveyard," felt that the environment here was terribly harsh.

A few scattered vendors cried out along the street, but the sparse pedestrians could not bring them much business.

Every face was filled with numbness.

Everyone seemed like a walking corpse.

The winter cold had pushed these chronically malnourished people nearly to death.

When they saw the coffin... or coffin-like box floating behind Hedy, they rarely became somewhat "lively," almost instantly dropping to the ground.

Even if their hearts were filled with fear or disgust, even if they wished to avoid her as quickly as possible, their instincts—an almost inborn instinct—made them press their foreheads tightly to the ground, as though even looking at those lofty spellcasters or noble lords would defile them.

This did not last long. By the time she entered the next district, the surroundings had improved somewhat.

This was where the "citizens" lived.

Craftsmen with a little wealth, or those serving nobles, lived here.

The houses here were clearly larger, and the pedestrians looked more spirited as well.

When they saw a spellcaster or a noble carriage, they did not immediately prostrate themselves. Instead, they moved to either side of the street, lowered their heads, and bent at the waist, making sure they were lower than the carriage windows and the spellcasters' heads.

As she continued deeper, reaching the district where wealthy citizens gathered, these "respectable people" no longer grovelled.

Yet when they saw Hedy, they still bowed in greeting.

The massive wooden box floating behind her seemed like proof of her status.

Even without a carriage or emblem, it did not affect the respect and fear people showed her.

They were more respectful and more afraid than when they saw other spellcasters.

Because... she looked like someone not to be messed with.

Hedy did not react much to this. She seemed long accustomed to it, just as the neighbors at the foot of the mountain instinctively feared her. But just as she was about to enter Starlight Street, where mages gathered, she suddenly stopped in place.

Not far away,

green flames suddenly rose from the eye sockets of a mage wearing robes.

"Ah! What is that?! Don't come near me!! Help!!!"

A Mage Apprentice at the edge of the street suddenly staggered back several steps, flailing his arms as his frantic screams nearly tore his throat apart.

The Apprentices around him felt a chill rise in their hearts.

Yet not a single one dared make a move.

"Mages are equal, but Apprentices must remain humble!"

The mage, whose green flames had vanished at some point, snorted coldly and ignored him, walking straight toward the depths of the street.

The other Apprentices looked at the Mage Apprentice lying on the ground with his face already twisted in pain, but none dared go over to help him.

"Do you want to become stronger?"

After an unknown amount of time, a gentle voice suddenly sounded beside the Mage Apprentice lying limp on the ground. Then he felt the pain in his body rapidly receding, and he groggily opened his eyes.

It was someone hidden beneath a hood. He could not see her face, but behind her floated an ornate... coffin!

Fear immediately filled his heart.

"Y-yes, sorry, Mage sir! I..."

The Mage Apprentice hurriedly lowered his head.

"The one who attacked you just now was not me. I'm asking you: do you want to become stronger?"

Hedy's voice came again, but it did not ease the Mage Apprentice's fear by much. The people around them hurried away one after another.

They were terrified that Hedy would make them her next target.

"I..."

"Do you?" Hedy asked again.

"Yes!"

At last, the Mage Apprentice made up his mind. "What do you want me to do? Horace is willing to give you everything, as long as I can become stronger!"

But Hedy did not respond.

He only heard a faint click.

Then a ring floated before him.

"This is a divine gift from the Magic Goddess. Put it on and pray to it, and you will receive everything you desire, provided you are devout enough."

Hedy quickly explained the prayers for the Magic Goddess and the Technology God. Once she confirmed that he had memorized them, she left without looking back.

Leaving only the Mage Apprentice standing there in a daze.

He knew of the Magic Goddess.

But what the hell was the Technology God?

A god he had never heard of!

Several dozen seconds later, Horace hurriedly put away the ring, quickly found a corner of the street, sat down on the ground, and began to pray.

He did not dare delay in the slightest.

He was afraid that the mage from earlier would come back for him.

Even though he had no idea why he was doing this...

But soon, his expression became utterly blank.