Fated to Be Loved by Villains

EP – 022.2 – Netherworld 

She will be of great help in this endeavor.

I initially thought persuading her would be difficult, but she didn’t even need to listen to what it was and just agreed straight up. 

“We’re friends. Is there anything to worry about?”

–She’s even so enthusiastic about it. 

I called out to Elijah with a smile.

“Hey.”

“Yes?”

“Take this.”

Elijah tilted her head in wonder when she saw the item I held out.

“…What it this?”

“You will need it.”

This is the only explanation I can give right now.

Her asking what it was was natural. 

After all, what I gave her was a several meters long iron rod. One couldn’t even imagine what it was used for. 

Meanwhile, I’m holding a disc that’s big enough for to fit at least two humans.

Nonetheless, Elijah took the rod and then looked up at the sky, checking her watch from time to time.

We’re currently at the rooftop of Gregory Hall, a building that originally served as a spire and is now being used as an observatory.

Although it falls a bit short compared to the clock tower at the center of the academy, it is one of the tallest buildings in Elfante. 

“…I know you asked me for help but what are we trying to do in a place like this?”

“For the gathering.”

“…Yes?”

“Wait a little.”

I said while focusing at the sky. 

Soon, what I had been waiting for began to unfold.

“…Uh?”

Elijah uttered in confusion as a cluster of light suddenly began to gather at a height so high that it was even difficult to see from the observatory’s viewpoint.

Even in Elfante, where all kinds of abnormal things happen, this phenomenon only comes once every few months for only a very short amount of time. Hence, most faculty members, let alone students, are unaware of it. It’s natural for Elijah to be confused. 

“Alright, get ready.”

“Yes, yes? How, what should I prepare for?”

I then instructed the fidgeting Elijah to hold the stick to the ground, to which I rolled the disc over on the tip.

It looked like a spoon lying on the ground.

“Great, now lie down here.”

“…Yes?”

“Quickly.”

Saying that, I flop down onto the disc. I tap the seat next to me and urged her to do the same.

“What are we going to do?”

Despite her grumbles, she nonetheless laid down next to me.

“So are we just going to lay down here and watch the night sky together?”

“For now.”

After saying that, Elijah hesitated for a moment before replying.

“…Hee. They’re shining romantically. So, what do you want me to do instead of leaving it to Princess Tristan-”

“Is it romantic? Well, it does look pretty.”

“Yes? Why?”

For ordinary people, the Gregory Hall may no more than be a ‘tall’ building, but for players who have cleared the Sera DLC, it holds a special meaning. 

In the game, this is where the portal to the ‘Netherworld’ opens. A place where materials with all sorts of bizarre effects, that had never been seen before in the main story, appeared.

This was the space where those angels were gathering before.

“That is the entrance to the Netherworld.”

“…”

Elijah alternately looked at the clustering lights in the sky with a loading bar above her head. 

It was then that she finally processed the meaning of my words, and her face gradually turned pale.

“…What did you just say it was?”

“I said it’s the entrance to the Netherworld.”

“Why would something like that pop up in a place like this?!”

Her reaction was normal.

This “Netherworld” can be simply expressed as the “Hell” in Savior Rising’s world. 

In the first place, it can only be accessed by purchasing the DLC after completing the main story. Needless to say, the survival mode was difficult.

‘…Actually, I don’t really want to do this either, to be honest.’

I wouldn’t have even considered this as an option if the damned storyline hadn’t been fcked up. Now, I have to go because I need something in there.

I gritted my teeth while fiddling with the black card in my pocket. 

The portal to Netherworld that opens in the Gregory Hall isn’t the only one; there are others like the Spirit World.

Perhaps the President already knew that I would use it to enter such a place when she gave me this “otherworldly key.” 

I just need to enter and quickly leave right after obtaining everything I need. Staying in such a dangerous place for long is a no go.

I never expected her to know the ‘Netherworld’, which is considered the worst in terms of survival difficulty among all other worlds.

“…”

And I’m sure she wouldn’t expect what I am about to do. 

“…Fortunately, we’re far away from it. It doesn’t seem like it would affect us much, since it’s so high up in the sky.”

“I guess so. It’s normally impossible to even get close to that place. And, at the very least, you need to have the ability to survive in there to even attempt to enter.”

It is in that context that portals are created at such a terrifying height.

Like each profession need to master their own skills to enter. 

For example, a Priest must have at least enough skill with divinity to make an ‘air bridge’ up there, a Knight must be strong enough to jump up there, and a Mage must be capable of floating or flying magic…

In any case, it is a place filled with complex and powerful restrictions. 

“But that is if it’s done normally.”

“…Why do you say that?”

Elijah’s expression suddenly became strange.

She probably noticed that her body was ‘fixed’ on the disc.

This was because I activated it by pressing the button underneath the disc.

“…”

“…”

As Elijah was silent, wondering what was going on…

There’s the sound of the iron rod that she had been laid down earlier being driven into the floor.

“…Mr..”

“Eung.”

“No way, no, is it what I’m thinking it is?”

“Eung.”

The rod bent into an arch.

And the disc tilted at an angle.

Yes.

It’s just like a ‘catapult’ before launching a stone.

These two items are a set. However, they have very limited use and cannot be used for multiple purposes. That’s why they been gathering dust in Elfante’s Vision Warehouse. But its performance was certain.

It was originally designed to shoot ‘projectiles’ at a very fast speed and high into the sky, with terrifying momentum.

Naturally.

It has enough power to ‘launch’ me and Elijah to that portal.

“Are we going in there now?”

“Uh.”

“…In the Netherworld, without any equipment?”

“It’s okay. It will be over soon.”

Uh. It should work. 

I confident that it will.

It’s definitely dangerous, though.

“…”

At this time, Elijah suddenly smiled broadly.

“You really are crazy, fck.”

“…”

Before I could even respond.

Elijah and I were shot into the air at a terrifying speed.