NOVEL NEXT Chapter 101: Ocean And Tides Begin!
Giant honeycombs make for a perfect dessert. Sweet yet not overwhelming, they are a delightful treat that also benefits health and improves physical condition when consumed in moderation.
Once again, Grey was late. No one knew what she was busy with lately, but even the most punctual dinner time couldn't ensure her timely return. Each time she came back, she carried a few new wounds. Thankfully, she had items that could heal her injuries, or else she might have faced far more dire consequences.
Upon returning, she quickly grabbed her bowl and spoon, hastily eating a bowl of rice. Just as she was about to retreat to her workshop, she noticed the honey. With Athena's permission, she took a generous spoonful before making her way.
"Athena, is it okay if I stay in the shelter for the next couple of days? I can’t seem to get out," Grey asked, her tone filled with curiosity.
Athena called out to her, stopping her in her tracks. "Stay in the shelter for the next couple of days. It's too dangerous outside."
Grey turned, a puzzled expression on her face. It wasn't that she didn't trust Athena, but the request seemed unusual.
Seeing her confusion, Athena explained, "The weather might be problematic."
Though unsure whether to attribute it to environmental or weather conditions, Grey realized Athena was expressing concern for her. She flashed a bright smile, her pristine white teeth glinting as she patted her chest confidently.
"A little bad weather is nothing for us goblins!" With that, she lightly closed the door and returned to her workshop. Living and eating at someone else’s place meant her work had to be completed daily.
Athena pondered for a moment but decided not to elaborate. Who would believe her anyway? In time, Grey would get used to it.
【 Darkness is descending upon the world in 10...9...8...0 】
As another bout of darkness approached, Athena sat on the carpet, leaning against the sofa, a bowl of hot soup in her hands, her demeanor relaxed and content.
In stark contrast to her calmness was the system’s incessant stream of warnings, relentless and unending.
【 Cold wave incoming! 】
The system interface turned a glaring red, filled with warnings.
【 Respawn points will no longer be randomly reset, prepare for battle 】
【 Due to irresistible forces, special monsters will reappear tomorrow! 】
【 Due to irresistible forces, monsters will bring the ocean with them, prepare for defense! 】
【 Due to irresistible forces, the shelter will temporarily switch to floating mode upon the ocean’s arrival! 】
【 Due to irresistible forces, game difficulty has increased significantly! Subsidies are being issued, please check your mail for details! 】
Facing another unexpected event from the system, Athena remained unperturbed. If not for the system’s reminder about the package reorganization, she might have almost forgotten about it.
She couldn’t pinpoint when her luck began to sour, but these random package reorganizations had become increasingly elusive to her.
Still, she was quite curious about how this lush forest would transform into a vast ocean.
Opening the door, the outside world was no different from the usual darkness that came with these events—pitch black, with visibility reduced to nothing. Holding a luminous candle, she stepped outside.
There was nothing unusual outside—no sudden weather changes, no rain, no unexpected snow or wind. Just the tranquil and silent forest shrouded in darkness.
As she walked to the courtyard gate, seawater began surging from within the forest, rapidly flooding the area. In no time, a thin layer of water reached the front of Athena’s courtyard.
Interestingly, the seawater wasn’t absorbed by the ground at all. It seemed as if there was an invisible barrier separating the water from the earth, causing it to float above without ever touching the surface.
As the seawater reached the courtyard’s edge, the entire shelter, including the ground it stood on, began to tremble slightly.
"...?!"
The edge where Athena stood traced a curved line, isolating the shelter from the outside world.
With more water flooding in, the system’s promise of the shelter switching to floating mode was coming true. Remarkably, this vast shelter could be buoyed up by the shallow sea.
Athena could even feel the shelter gradually rising, ever so slightly, detaching from the ground.
The once-dense forest was being isolated, and by tomorrow, it might become an underwater forest.
She stood outside for a while, waiting for a tiny mail carrier to deliver a message.
She wondered if the Lost Soul had any way of knowing she had returned today. Normally, she would still be on the battlefield of the regional war.
In the distance, she spotted a small light—so tiny, about the size of a fingernail, yet impossibly bright and noticeable in the dark night.
A small paper boat, carrying a tiny lantern, sailed towards Athena. Inside the boat was a tiny figure, tirelessly rowing.
The scene was so cute that Athena tried to control her laughter, not wanting to mock the relentless effort of the Lost Soul just to uphold their contract.
Athena waits for more than 5 minutes.
It was the Lost Soul indeed, cursing and muttering in a language Athena couldn’t understand as he struggled to maneuver the boat.
When he finally reached the courtyard gate, gasping for air, he looked up at the towering Athena and handed her a parchment.
There were no exchanges, no greetings between them.
Athena took the parchment from his hand, and it unfurled and enlarged in her grasp.
“Oh, unlucky yet fortunate one, you are about to encounter a rare royal.”
This was the most text Athena had ever seen on one of these parchments. Since discovering that the Lost Soul was the one writing these messages, he had taken liberties, expressing himself more freely within the limits of his ability.
She pulled out a small wooden bowl she had specially carved, filled with honey, and handed it to the Lost Soul.
Without hesitation, he hung the lantern at the boat’s bow, reached out with both hands, and grabbed the bowl.
The weight of the honey caused the small paper boat to sink momentarily, but it quickly floated back up. The Lost Soul turned away and paddled off in his tiny boat.
The water level was only ankle-deep, yet he had somehow procured a boat, though his speed was a measly 2 meters per minute.
Despite his malevolent nature, there was something endearing about him.
As Athena turned to head back inside, she glimpsed the Lost Soul’s boat swaying erratically in the wind, drifting off course.
He struggled to keep the boat from capsizing, occasionally glancing back at Athena to see if she had noticed. Seeing her retreat, he sighed with relief.
“So embarrassing…” he muttered.
