A (Cute) Voice Echoing In My Mind

'...ake up...ke up...'

'...t're you doing? Just get up alre...'

'...can't believe you've done something like this...'

In the middle of my forced slumber, I heard a tiny voice echoing inside my head, telling me to wake up. At first I can't make any sense of what the voice was telling me as it sounded faint and incoherent, like white noise, but the more the voice called me, the more clear it becomes.

'How long are you going to sleep like that? You're not on a vacation break, you stupid human!!!'

"A-Ah—eh? W-What's going on..."

When I opened my eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling first came into my view...or to be more specific, the lack of it thereof. The only thing that's above me, was the darkness that goes for who knows how far. It's like looking at the night sky, albeit fully devoid of stars.

This isn't the first time I saw this kind of void. Having gone through some of the weirdest phenomena to date, this much is but the least of my fears.

Even so, it's surprising and a bit concerning that the place where I'm currently at isn't actually that dark. At the very least, in this unfamiliar small room, there's a tiny lamp that's still doing its hardest to illuminate the entire room, giving off a reddish light.

Just where exactly am I right now? How did I end up here—

Ah. I almost forgot.

I...let myself fall into that lady's trap.

I was taken here while I was out of commission by that lady, a small, dark cell with no way of entry or exit in sight. She even went as far as to put chains on my arms and feet.

Putting these restraints aside, having laid down on a metal bed without any sort of cushion for too long totally sucks. I only realized it when I tried to get up, that my back ached like hell. Surely this isn't bed sores, am I right?

Haaah. I already expected that something like this will happen after I decided to just go with the flow, but I'm really starting to regret that. What should I do next, now that it all comes to this...

Of course, the most important thing for me is to find a way out of this place. And to start, I need to break free from these chains.

If I recall correctly, the thing that that lady had laced onto that blade have disabled my usage of my powers and fully immobilize my body. I don't know exactly what substance it is, but that lady must've used a small dose for me, enough to paralyze a person without killing them in the process. It must've also been a few days since that incident, and I can somewhat move my body freely, so the effects could already be negligible by now?

No. I was wrong.

I tried yanking the chains to see how durable they are. These chains, are probably the same as the ones the unnamed girl have used to tie me, if not a lot thicker. It's already hard to break through it even with my full strength, what more now that my abilities are 'turned off'?

Hahaha...looks like I'll be here for a very, very long time...

"Why are you already giving up the moment you realized your current situation? Do you not have a single bit of resolve inside you body? Can't you take this situation more seriously, you stupid Ren Mortel!"

Ah, that voice...

"T-Tessa...? Is that you?"

"That's right. It was I, the perpetually sexy and charming High Priestess, Tessa," the voice replied proudly.

At that moment, the image of Tessa finally appeared in my mind: her long, silvery-white hair that seem to float on their own, her robes befitting of her title the [High Priestess], the atmosphere around her that screamed divinity unbound by all physical limitations, I can see all of it clearly.

Well, barring the fact that she was caught in a misunderstanding and turned herself into a child, therefore showing that the the Goddess of All Wisdom is not actually that wise, she is indeed a bona fide goddess.

"Hmph, to think that you've immediately plunged yourself into this great of a trouble while I was away...have you already regressed to the point where you can't handle things without me?!"

"I should be asking you that, Tessa. I know you went on a meditative journey, but why did it take so long? I was worried that you've already crossed the bridge, you know?"

To be more clear, she didn't tell me that she'll be going on a long slumber. I just knew it by instinct, and probably that's because our senses are somewhat bound together thanks to the Arcana.

Irritated, Tessa crossed her arms and replied—

"No, I don't want to go there yet! Just as what you said, I'm on a journey inside your mind...a very long journey!"

"Oh, yeah? Tell me more about it."

When I asked her that, her face twitched before blurting—

"T-That's...I can't tell it to you yet. It's a goddess' secret, you hear? You will face divine punishment if you dare pry the details from me!"

"Fine, fine. It's not that it concerns me, right?"

"Hmm? Ah, yes...it wasn't..."

'Oh, before I forget, I got something to show you!' without a moment wasted, a vial of mysterious reddish-purple fluid appeared on her hand.

"This fluid in my hand...was extracted from your body, and this is the reason why I woke up."

My body instantly tensed upon hearing that from her. Isn't that, the liquid that's laced on the blade that pierced me? The image of it inside my mind, scares me a bit.

"Yes, this is the one used to knock you unconscious," Tessa added. "This liquid, does things on a victim depending on the dosage. In small amounts or in dilute form, it can paralyze and prevent the person from using their abilities temporarily. When used in larger doses, however..."

"It can kill a person, is that what you're trying to say?" I inquired.

After all, I've heard news in the past about people dying from over consuming even the safest substances in the world, such as water. Too much of everything is bad, get it?

But, contrary to my expectations, Tessa shook her head slowly and said:

"Strangely enough, this liquid at large doses...can act as a steroid, inducing a person's abilities to exceed way past the limits a human being theoretically would have. One might not notice it immediately as the effects are similar with the smaller doses initially, particularly the temporary sense of numbness and paralysis, but once it finally sets in one will quickly know that this thing actually does more good than harm."

She said that in the past, it was considered a top-tier substance, enabling even the lowliest of folk into tales of legend, but thanks to people with I'll intentions abusing its potential, it has become a substance bearing the stigma of the desperation to get stronger through illicit means.

She also said that for that effect to be achieved, only a few drops were needed. Except, the amount that Tessa is holding cannot be considered as just 'a few drops'.

As expected from Tessa, she was able to fully analyze what sort of substance that is even at a first glance. It really is underselling to say that I'm grateful to have someone like her here.

But still, if that's the case, wouldn't it be a waste to use that much on me to artificially improve my abilities? In the end, that lady would just—

—Wait. Don't tell me...

"Do you...understand it now, Ren Mortel?"

As if telling me that my assumptions were correct, Tessa revealed a smug grin on her face. Seeing her like that, gave cold chills on my body.

"Aren't you glad, Ren Mortel? Instead of immediately draining you off of your powers and disposing you afterwards, you've been given a chance to become stronger for some more time? I have yet to meet that lady, but I'm sure she also sees great value on you!"

"A-As if I'm feeling good about it! I'm not some pig that's being fattened up for later consumption!" I retorted.

The situation is worse than I thought. I knew that that lady is up to some crazy stuff, that she's too eager to see me, but I never expected it to be on this level.

"You said earlier that the amount of that strange substance in my body is considered too much, right?"

"Implicitly, yes."

"Then..."

BLAGSHHH!!!

Breaking the seemingly impervious chains as if they're made of wet paper, I finally up from the bed and spoke:

"Let's get the hell out of here."

-----

Because the substance is working in the opposite way I thought it should be, the Arcanas in my body—which were disabled until now—have already returned in their normal state, or perhaps, even more. The door of the room where I was detained, was sealed with various magical mechanisms and traps, but the 'slightly improved' [High Priestess] made short work in decoding all of them.

"You know, Ren Mortel, had you not decided to limit the powers of the Arcana I gave to you, something like this would've been already a commonplace to you."

"Are you still upset about that, Tessa?"

"Of course I am! Seeing my powers being used in their weakened state breaks my heart...well, if I still had one!"

The image in my mind of a divine-looking goddess acting like a real child and stomping her foot in anger is such a weird experience I can't share to anyone. If this leaks out, another blue-haired brat might do worse than just foot stomping.

"While it is great that the Arcanas are in a state that's beyond my imagination, I would still prefer them to be as natural as possible: steadily improving not in a hurry, but not too slow either. I want to do it at a right pace."

Tessa, probably not wanting to start another argument with me, only sighed as she said:

"Hmm, fine. I may be a goddess, but right now I am just your guide. I will devote my remaining power to help you in your endeavors."

"Nn. Thanks, Tessa. Having you here, at least inside my head, feels reassuring."

Outside the room, there's a short corridor that's leading to a staircase, going down. Descending through these stairs can be challenging as there were no light sources in sight, but luckily I can create a bright flame in my hand with the help of the [Magician].

These stairs where we are at, isn't the spiral ones normally found in large yet restrictive structures like castles and towers. Instead, this one just goes straight down and at a dreadfully steep angle, with no apparent end in sight. Because I do not have Lerish's [Tower] with me, I can't make use of the 3D map she's already mastered, but I can estimate that with our current pace, we've covered about a couple hundred meters down.

"We've been going downstairs for several minutes now. Are you sure this really is the way, Ren Mortel?" Tessa asked, as she's already starting to feel really bored.

"Beats me. My gut tells me something's going on at the bottom."

"This gut of yours, I'm a bit annoyed that you're relying on it more than me," Tessa said, puffing her cheeks.

As we're still walking down the stairs, I noticed that the air around me is getting hotter and more humid—like the inside of a room in the middle of July, without air conditioning or electric fan turned on.

Even with my limited knowledge, I'm also aware that this phenomenon is normal as one goes deeper underground, but isn't this way too drastic of a change? This heat is more uncomfortable than that of the climate in Plate Town, which is hot and dry almost all-year round.

Also, the smell...

It's not bad like smelling rotting flesh, but it's overwhelming indeed. Very pungent, much like the scent of burnt gunpowder after every New Year, a very sulfury odor that's very unhealthy to inhale for long periods of time.

This heat and this scent. Fire and brimstone.

Finally, after what seems to be an eternity, we reached the bottom of the stairs. In front of us, another door stood in wait unlocked, as if waiting for us to open it.

"Tessa...would you believe it if I told you that I'm scared right now?"

"Eh, as much as I don't want to, your mind is telling me otherwise. What exactly are you scared of? I need to know so that I could help you."

While still facing the door, I said to her:

"I'm afraid...that if my assumptions are correct, I might do something I'll definitely regret for the rest of my life."

With my slightly trembling hands placed on the huge metallic doorknob, I let out a couple deep breaths. Even with my Arcanas back in top condition, I still couldn't ascertain what will happen the moment I open this door.

"Whatever happens, I'll still be right here. That's why, go for it," Tessa said to me with a very soft and clear manner, the voice of a goddess.

With her words echoing inside my mind, I steeled myself and...

I gently opened the door.