Azimuth: The Elden Throne

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"I'm next!" Erminia said with a wide and bright smile as she gently grabbed a box, trying not to be overly assertive as she looked at Dale

"Go on, don't mind me." He said as he looked at her, giving her the green light

Even now, as he interacted and spoke with the sisters, Dale could not comprehend where Ermin's true sisters, the ones he described to him all the time, were.

The only thing that seems to match is how he affirmed them to be 'good' people.

It was somewhat understandable, you are someone different to your friends than to your parents, girlfriend, wife, child, work, etc.

But apart from maybe the younger sister, Dale couldn't see anything from the older sister that resembled that of the monster described by him.

However, as he thought more and more about it, then it made sense?

How many older sisters out there bullied their younger brother only to act polite in front of strangers?

Maybe due to their stress, maybe out of love, to get attention, protective instincts going haywire, and so on and so forth.

Of course, there were many magnitudes to the word 'bullying' but he couldn't really tell if it was severe in her case specifically.

He didn't want to push them away, especially since Ermin didn't seem to wish for that either, but he wasn't going to welcome them into his circle the same way he did Ermin.

That may as well be impossible.

He could already see how Ermin wasn't entirely himself with them around, as he wasn't truly letting himself go, so if he pulled them in, the only thing that would cause would be a sense of discomfort in the boy.

At least, that was how he saw their relationship, he had to make sure to separate the space between them… It's the same case as inviting a friend to a party and dragging his parents with him, it just won't work.

Albeit that may end up impossible given how they always play together.

Dale wanted to know them but not to the point he would include them in his ideas and plans, not only because of the reasons above but also due to what he knew of them

The sisters were just two casual girls playing a game, that was how everything was to them, what good would it take to bring them in on his adventures that could potentially lead to real-world consequences?

Ermin was someone in search of adventure and he had already seen a portion of the 'truth', even if only from a distorted angle.

As he slowly realized the connections and intricacies hidden as Dale himself hinted at him the pieces of what was going on, just what sort of reaction would he have as he reached the definitive truth? The one he still sought after...?

Ermin sought adventure, not the secrets within in its entirety but he would definitely go after them if he caught wind of it.

He would find them eventually, the whole world would, so Dale felt it was a matter of course to guide him down a safer path as if he'd inevitably come across it. .

He wasn't sure what was going to happen once Ermin hit Level 100, what sorts of things would trigger, and what would happen from then on...

But if he was going to find that out, then there was no one better than his close friend for the task.

There was the matter of placing a close friend he trusted on a messy road that could prove fatal, as there was no guarantee things would remain safe upon reaching that line, but Dale wasn't completely naive.

He would be unable to take a step if he minded everything in his way… Not that Ermin was an obstacle, nor anyone.

His family and friends he slowly isolated himself from, wasn't it all due to this? Because of his own doubts?

In his own search for the truth, things like the Event a few weeks ago may repeat… No, it'll definitely do so.

If there are people willing to cause that much of a commotion to capture him… There's something happening out there, and it would affect everyone, player or not.

At that point, would his actions really matter?

Is staying silent all the time the right answer?

Dale is but one person controlling two bodies, and he's already stretched thin, if things scale to a point he needs to be present in both at the same time to manage his life properly, he won't be able to keep up.

He needs those around him to be independent and trustworthy enough to live their own lives as pushing them aside won't change anything as he can't protect them from a falling ceiling if that ceiling is the whole sky.

If the world was to change, then he needed to prepare not only himself but those he cared about as well, even if they weren't aware.

In essence, wasn't that what Roger was doing by dragging his Granddaughter to his side?

"Here I go!" Erminia said with a large smile as she gave the chest a slap

/THUD!/

/Shine.../

/Clack!... Stop.../

[48]

"Huh? 48? That's... Low... Ehh... Was I too violent?" She asked out loud as a bead of sweat fell from the side of her face

"Not quite... I would even dare say you weren't violent enough." Eleonora said with a chuckle as she adjusted her hair

"That's not much better than how I did…" Ermin said from the side as he crossed his arms, somewhat satisfied with himself

"Humph!"

His sister gave him her tongue as she gave him a funny expression.

"Well then, open it, see what you got." Eleonora said as she stared at the box in curiosity

Erminia looked at Dale for a moment and he gave her a small nod, a gesture for her to open the chest.

[Ding]

[You've gained, Chaotic Solution]

"Hm? What's this?" Dale asked as he inspected the item

'A potion, hence, a consumable, is it the thing I want?' He thought calmly as he held the bottle

It was about the size of his index finger, a greenish solution trapped within a crystal vial, it seemed to change colors from time to time, varying between black and grassy green...

[Chaotic Solution

Type: Consumable

Effects:

Potentially increases a Random Stat for up to +3, to a max of +10.

Can potentially decrease a Random Stat for up to -3, to a max of -10.

*Stat gain or loss cannot surpass 10, as such, after receiving +10/-10 to a Stat, it can only go down or up from there and won't go back even with successive consumption.

...

Description: A strange concoction from unknown contents made by an even more obnoxious alchemist.

A failure product that wasn't properly appraised, as such, its true effects remain unknown.

]

"Ohhh! A Stat potion, heh, the value may be average but the quality is high." The younger sister said with a proud tone

"You… Should read the description of an item more thoroughly." Ermin added from the side as he shook his head

"Eh?"

"..."

Meanwhile, Dale was silent, his complexion was completely and utterly distorted, good riddance he was wearing his helmet...

'Just what I needed, another accursed gambling item.'

'There's one good thing about this though, it's that if you drink enough of these, your Stats will eventually average at 0, so you can fix any mistakes to potentialize the gains, as even +1 to one Stat is better than nothing.'

'Though at that point, it would've been better to sell the potion for items for greater rewards...'

'I'm not planning on drinking it anyway, an increase of 10 to all Stats is incredible but if my luck goes bad I'll instead see myself with -3 to a random Stat right now.'

'So until I get these in bulk… I'll keep looking away.'

"Bla bla… Wait... Negative three?! Ohh… Yeah, oops, it's not that great…" The younger sister said as she looked down, depressed

/Tap…/

"Don't be like that, it's my turn now anyway." Eleonora said as she patted her younger sister's back

"May I?" She said as she asked Dale

"All yours." He said with a chuckle as he pulled a chest from the ground

"I won't be polite then." She said as she gently tapped the chest

/Shine.../

/Clack!... Stop.../

[96][1]

""...""

Everyone stood in silence at the number that the dice fell on… Even Eleonora herself.

"Heh, I like this number." She said with a smug face as she looked at the dice[2]

"Sister!" Erminia replied with an embarrassed expression

"... Sigh, where's the fairness of the world?" Ermin said as he despaired

"..."

'There's always a lucky one out there…'

"I'm curious as to what it'll be." She said as she opened the chest

[Ding]

[You've gained, Clock of Almayer]

'A clock?' Dale thought in silence as he pulled the clock from the chest

In the end, the item was still his so only he could grab it.

[Clock of Almayer (Half-Luminous)

Rating: 7-Star

Unique Effect: Weather Control

Pressing on the Clock's crown allows the user to control the weather.

When faced with extreme climates, one may stop them momentarily for a quick rest.

If necessary, one can activate the Clock to push back the weather back into its natural state.

When in the hands of a particularly gifted Wizard, one may hasten the fall of rain.

Requirement: Mana: 200

Description: An old pocket watch with intricate details that once belonged to Almayer, its creator.

With his death, the clock passed down from master to disciple, eventually being lost together with the wind.

Almayer created the clock so he could observe the passing of the seasons and their unique climates so he could study their many unique characteristics, eventually adding them to his theories and magic research.

A simple tool only in name and purpose but one whose creation is clad in obscurity and complexity, so much so that most that received it could not fathom the formulas involved with its creation.

There is a signature carved at the back of the clock, it reads: Rain only ever falls, and even if not, it'll eventually do so. A.A

]

""...""

Everyone thought the same thing as they read the watch, even if for different reasons:

'Jackpot!'

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Notes

I feel like I've stretched this interaction, sorry if it felt like this but I quite liked writing about it haha.

But enough is enough, let's move on with the plot, Babylon has much to offer and we've just gone about its halfway point, maybe just third...

See ya'll later.

Peace!

[1] I actually rolled a 96 for once, 80 had been my highest dice so far and I actually tried to reset my luck today by rolling the dice 10 or so times...

[2] If you didn't understand, 96 is... What? Go read the Book!

....... 69

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