The Munchkin Disciple Wants To Stop Being Obsessed Over

5 – Daphne’s Test (2)

Just moments ago, I was clearly a spectator, admiring the lake from the top of a high cliff.

I didn’t realize I’d be bungee jumping without a safety cord so suddenly.

The silver lining was that just before hitting the water, I realized something was wrong, and I was successful in reacting in a way.

“Heup!”

-Splash!

I took a deep breath and held it.

This way, even if I fell into the water, I wouldn’t suddenly choke on the water and drown.

When I opened my eyes again, I could see the changing scenery of the blue lake below.

‘Damn it.’

The problem was that I didn’t know how deep this body would sink as it fell at a high speed.

‘I can’t move.’

Was that all? I needed to move to even struggle, but my arms and legs wouldn’t budge.

Moving in the water was already hard enough due to the water pressure.

But my arm was filled with a heavy bracelet that scattered mana around.

‘Is this psycho really trying to kill me?’

It seemed highly likely.

A person with a normal mindset wouldn’t even consider dropping a ten-year-old child like this.

‘I think I’m going to die at this rate…’

Holding my breath was getting harder, I was beginning to reach my limit.

This is trouble. If I can’t hold my breath in this deep water and accidentally drink the water, I would definitely drown.

In the meantime, my limbs couldn’t move because of the bracelet, and mana itself was not functioning.

Damn. If I could only wrap the mana around my body, I would be able to move.

‘Hold on.’

-“But there’s not entirely no way to manifest magic.”

-“Deceive Chunching. Then, with far less mana than initially needed, you can generate magic.”

Suddenly, I remembered. The words Daphne said just before dropping me.

[Please select your reward.]

[1. All Stats +10]

[2. Deceiver of Chunching(lv.1)]

[3. Starlight (Lv.1)]

Here it was, the list of quest completion rewards I hadn’t managed to pick earlier.

“The One Who Deceives The Heavens…”

It was a trait that could only be acquired by casting a specific spell ten thousand times within a specified time frame.

“Although hard to acquire, its effects were beneficial.”

Even though it took a while to acquire, it was worth it.

Once earned, it virtually reduced mana consumption to zero, making it a golden goose for magicians.

“Although the other rewards are tempting…”

In the game, there was the choice of ‘All stat +10’, a trait one could hardly achieve even after investing at least a year.

And the ‘Starlight’, a tier 0 trait attainable by merely a handful of characters who were fortunate enough.

Originally, I was planning to choose either one of these and earn ‘The One Who Deceives The Heavens’ by grinding later on.

“[The One Who Deceives The Heavens (lv.1)] is added to your traits.”

As I was clearly heading towards a bad end, I decided without hesitation.

“I’ve done it!”

Its effects were enormous.

As soon as I chose the trait, mana began to circulate in my body.

With sheer will, my mana enveloped my body. My arms and legs, previously immobile, stirred as light as feathers.

“Ah, right…”

But as I floundered for a short while, I soon clocked onto something crucial.

“I can’t swim…”

Come to think of it, I was never able to swim, even in my past life.

*Splutter*

This was bad.

****

The lake, still rippling from something having fallen into it.

Sitting nearby on a rock and looking at it somberly, Daphne muttered softly.

“Was I too harsh?”

She hadn’t planned to push Camelle this hard, at least not until this morning.

She had simply intended to test him lightly today.

To see how he would react when faced with a difficult situation.

So she intentionally chose a very difficult path and forced Camelle to follow her.

In all honesty, she had thought he would collapse on the spot within no time.

After all, the forest trail that she’d walked was so treacherous that even a fit adult male could get exhausted within two hours.

“Hmm…”

She was the one who created these conditions, so it was only natural for him to give up halfway.

What she wanted to see in Camelle wasn’t the resilience or determination of a child.

What she really wanted to check was whether or not the aura of evil would manifest from within Camelle when his spirits were low.

If any hint of that was visible, she wouldn’t hesitate to strike him down.

Because, if the aura of evil manifested when one’s spirits were low, it meant that they’d already become a vessel of sin.

A soul of a completed vessel couldn’t regain its original, pure state no matter what, and would inevitably turn into a monster causing chaos based on its instincts.

So, as Daphne, it was a part she absolutely had to verify.

“Fascinating…”

However, instead of emitting evil energy, Camille successfully followed her for five hours, almost as if to show off.

Daphne couldn’t quite comprehend it.

How could a child of only ten years old follow that rough path without a single complaint?

Was it a will to survive?

Or simply her intrinsic foolishness?

Daphne was skeptical, but whatever the answer was, it was fine.

Because if the former, it meant she had outstanding spirit, which was good. If the latter, it reminded her of her nostalgic past, and she didn’t mind that.

“Her talent isn’t too bad either.”

That was an understatement. Even for Daphne, who had lived a long time, this was a first.

The child, who couldn’t even feel mana before.

However, Camille, from just listening to the explanation, felt the mana and wrapped it around herself.

To be honest, it was astonishingly unbelievable.

To achieve something in just one hour that even those called geniuses would need to invest over a year in.

That’s why Daphne, with a sense of inexplicable expectation, decided to accept Camille.

“Maybe I set my expectations too high…”

Daphne muttered while twirling the blue magic bracelet filled with the same otherness she had given Camille.

As the color was gradually fading, but as the bracelet was still blue, it signified that Camille was not dead yet.

And since it hadn’t turned black so far, it seemed there were no signs of evil energy emerging.

“Well, it’s a bit disappointing…”

Daphne, who had been staring blankly at the bracelet, rose from her seat.

Judging by the gradual pink hue of the once-blue bracelet, she could guess that Camille had started drinking water.

Due to the unexpected expectation, she had thrown her into the lake deviating from her plans.

Camille was probably not the “Opener of Destiny.”

If she was, Camille would have succeeded in fooling heaven in an instant.

By now, she would have been ahead enough to step out of the lake.

There would have been no need for the bracelet to turn pink.

“Still, it’s not so bad…”

Although it was a bit disappointing that Camille was not the “Opener of Destiny” she had sought, Daphne quite liked Camille anyway.

A level of mental and physical strength she couldn’t understand.

An intelligence that was unthinkable for a ten-year-old.

A talent that she couldn’t help admiring.

And even an appearance that reminded her of someone from the past.

While she may not be a special child, she was definitely a child worth taking in.

“At least she’s neat.”

Moreover, as confirmed through the Truth Eye yesterday, Camille had completely lost her memory of anything before yesterday.

And this fact was something that stimulated something secretive within Daphne.

“What was it? Raising for… Ah!”

Unable to remember the appropriate term, Daphne hurriedly plunged into the lake.

The reason was simple, the bracelet that was being fiddled with had turned red unnoticed.

Just for the record.

The word she could not remember was ‘necklace’.

****

It was not difficult for Daphne to find Camel in the lake.

The familiar aura emanating from Camel.

And even the tracking spell etched on the bracelet.

It took Daphne only 20 seconds to reach Camel.

However.

‘I’m still foolish.’

In that brief moment, Daphne could not hide her anxious emotions.

Considering the bracelet had turned red, Camel was likely in a precarious state.

Yet, she was preoccupied with frivolous thoughts and had temporarily forgotten about the safety of the child.

She might inadvertently cause the tiny precious child to tragically lose his life because of her.

‘He’s alive!’

Daphne, who found Camel with his pale face in no time, quickly enclosed him in her arms and began to rise towards the surface of the lake.

‘···?’

It was then.

A few strange things started appearing in Daphne’s eyes.

‘Is the surrounding mana twisted?’

Initially, the mana around Camel seemed to be twisting, as if it had a will of its own.

‘This isn’t typical···.’

Naturally, Camel was unconscious.

However, the twisted mana in the surroundings seemed to wrap around Camel’s nose and mouth as if to protect him.

As if the mana itself has willed to protect Camel and even demonstrated it through magic.

‘···.’

Daphne could not easily comprehend the situation unfolding before her.

The supernatural energy, mana, having a will?

Moreover, actually manifesting magic on its own?

This was a phenomenon that even she, who had lived through an eternity, was encountering for the first time.

‘···?’

Almost reaching the water’s surface while immersed in thoughts, Daphne’s pupils were filled with astonishment sensing something strange.

‘He was surrounded by mana?’

She initially thought it was trivial.

But, it wasn’t. Upon closer examination, there was a subtle layer of mana enveloping Camel’s body.

‘He fooled the leviathan.’

This puzzled Daphne. He fooled the leviathan, why couldn’t he emerge from the water?’

“Phew!”

Carrying Camel like a princess, as she exited the lake, Daphne mumbled with a strange expression looking at the child in her arms.

“···He couldn’t swim after all.”

‘Am I alive…?’

That seemed likely.

Even as I lay with my eyes closed, the alert notifications in my mind suggested as much.

[You have completed the Hidden Quest ‘Daphne’s Test (2)’.]

[A Sequel Quest ‘Earn Daphne’s Favor!’ has begun. (Favorability 20/100)]

[Upon success, you may choose your reward.]

Unlike before, this news wasn’t welcome. No, it was downright annoying.

Someone was almost killed trying to complete this quest.

And the reward? Earning the favor of the very person who nearly got me killed.

Even the most tolerant man alive would undoubtedly spout insults if he were in my position.

‘This damn woman…’

Sure enough, as the memory of gulping water in the deep lake resurfaces, the curse words well up inside me.

‘I can’t take it anymore.’

I don’t care about being possessed or filled with spirits. To think she tried to kill me?

You just wait till I see you. I’ll show you the true power of insults honed in K-games.

It was as I was making this resolve…

‘Uh…?’

Suddenly, a soft sensation on my lips and a warm breath filling my mouth.

Instinctively, my eyes flicker open.

‘Hah…’

What I see is platinum blonde hair tickling my face.

‘…’

The closed eyes of a woman, her eyelashes stunningly beautiful.

And then.

‘Oh my.’

A glimpse of her white flesh seen through her wet clothes.