Chapter 12
Entering <Mirabilis>! (3)
I had prayed countless times, but in the end, no holy water was created.
I felt discouraged by the shallow faith of a modern person, but disappointment alone would not solve the situation.
After thinking for a moment, I asked Deus.
“Hey… brother. What happens if I go inside without holy water?”
At that, Deus tilted his head.
For a moment, it felt like his eyes turned cold—an illusion, perhaps.
A strange discomfort brushed the back of my neck. I quickly lowered my gaze as if I were praying again.
‘He’s not much different from David… maybe it’s just those dead eyes that are unsettling.’
As I did that, he gave a faint, lifeless smile.
“You might not know, but this place is quite dangerous. It’s better to be prepared.”
“…Do we have to use holy water for that?”
“Well.”
After saying that, his gaze lingered on the statue.
He stroked the rough surface engraved with several crosses, then leaned his head toward me.
A sudden tension made my shoulders stiffen as I held my breath.
But he didn’t care and slowly continued touching the statue.
Those eyes—lifeless, yet oddly obsessive—turned toward me.
“…Isn’t it arrogant to think that everything will be fine just because it’s ‘normal’?”
He whispered softly.
In an instant, my expression stiffened with tension and mild confusion. My spine went rigid as questions filled my mind.
‘…Was that line even in the script?’
But that rising doubt—
“Let’s make holy water and go inside. That’s better for you.”
—quickly faded with his next words.
Still, a lingering discomfort remained in my mind.
I glanced at the back of his head, wondering if he had noticed my suspicion and was acting according to the “game script”… but that felt like an overreach for now.
I didn’t fully understand the coercion imposed on NPCs by the storyline.
‘From what I’ve seen with Peritas, during certain story progressions, they seem to speak only lines that fit the situation, almost like they’re possessed…’
But there had been too few cases to be certain.
I looked away from him, who was now again praying as if reciting a script.
We couldn’t stay here forever, so I looked for a solution.
“Pepper, you good with smell?”
“What do you mean?”
“Can you distinguish scents well?”
“Well, if we’re talking noses, that’s my specialty!”
“Alright. Then can you find a bottle about the size of two finger joints that smells like this water here?”
After rewarding him with a piece of apple as an advance payment, the ferret nodded vigorously.
Pepper quickly left after enjoying the apple, and soon—
“I found it!”
Crash—
From the small ferret’s arms, bottles spilled out.
Unlike the strangely clear holy water pooled in the statue, these bottles shimmered with faint bluish fragments floating inside.
In Mirabilis, there was usable holy water besides that produced by the statue, and this was it.
In the actual game, there was no need to search for it thanks to the scripted supply—but for now, I was just grateful for this backup option.
‘I almost would’ve been stuck here for good.’
I picked up one bottle and opened the lid.
<Abandoned Holy Water>
Description: Holy water infused with someone’s prayer. The power of a god can be felt. It seems capable of repelling enemies.
Nothing beyond what I already knew.
However—
There was text on the bottom of the bottle.
The final line.
I paused.
The ink was smeared and unreadable.
[Someone’s message: (ink smeared, unreadable) I hope you stay safe. I’m always sorry.]
‘…Was this always here? A kind person.’
It felt strange to say this while stealing holy water made for someone else, but it didn’t matter.
After checking the description, I scratched Pepper’s head in gratitude.
“Eii, annoying!”
He complained, but his mouth was clearly curling upward. Satisfied, the ferret climbed back onto my head.
After confirming he was firmly attached, I wrapped the rosary given by Deus around my hand. The crosses clinked with metallic sounds.
I took a stance, holding one bottle of Abandoned Holy Water, and opened it while watching Deus’s reaction.
“…God <Vita>, protect me from temptation and danger.”
And then—
Drip.
I subtly poured the holy water into the statue’s basin and mixed it.
Whoosh—
A pale blue light spread through the water in the statue.
From a modern perspective, it was nothing special—just the visual effect of opening holy water.
But—
‘Will this work?’
Deus didn’t react strongly. He simply stared at the water in silence.
A faint anxiety crept in, and I rubbed my stiff shoulders, glancing at him repeatedly.
Soon after—
“You did well. As expected of my brother. You can do it after all.”
I swallowed a sigh of relief.
It seemed the check had passed.
I high-fived the ferret on my head and nodded as I collected the holy water.
There were four bottles of abandoned holy water in total.
With this, the early section should be manageable.
Then suddenly—
‘…But was abandoned holy water always this easy to find?’
A doubt surfaced, but I shook my head.
Good things are good.
If it’s a bug that leads to something bad, that’s different—but luck like this is always welcome.
Satisfied, I placed the bottles into my bag.
Deus spoke again.
“By the way, do you know how to use this statue?”
▷ Of course.
▷ Tell me.
▶ Tell me.
Deus nodded and grabbed my hand, guiding it to the engraved cross on the statue rather than the basin.
Then—
“W-what are you doing?!”
The rough, scaly texture—like reptile scales—made me pull my hand back quickly.
His purple eyes turned toward me.
“Give me your hand.”
“…What are you doing, I said?”
“Prayer.”
Was that in the script?
At that moment, a line flashed through my mind.
[He pressed his forehead against your hand and recited a prayer. After a while, he lifted his head and spoke.]
[“David, want to try it too?”]
‘So it was there… damn it.’
In the original game, it was just pixel art, so this detail wasn’t emphasized. Experiencing it directly made it more unsettling.
But I couldn’t refuse.
So I extended my hand again.
Deus leaned forward and pressed his forehead against my hand.
At that moment, chills ran down my neck.
‘H-he’s so cold… How can human skin feel like this?’
It felt less like a human… and more like another species. Or perhaps… someone already dead.
But he continued murmuring unknown words.
The low voice vibrated through me, making my palms sweat even though I was holding cold stone.
After a while, he lifted his head.
“Try it once, David.”
I stared at him for a moment, then adjusted my grip on the statue and pressed my forehead against my hand.
Then—
Ding!
[Pin point-1]
David-with, Desiderius/Day
A save point has been set.
‘So if I die… I respawn here.’
My mouth went dry.
The realization that I could die again finally felt real.
The world’s fear, which had slightly faded while interacting with relatively harmless beings like the kitchen bear or the talking ferret, returned and clung to me.
It felt like being strapped to a ride and lifted into the sky with a stone pressing against my chest.
As I froze—
“…!”
A pale, slender hand grabbed my shoulder.
I looked up slowly.
A being stood before me—resembling David from a mirror, but slightly more refined in features.
He smiled.
He gently patted my shoulder as if to reassure me.
“David.”
His thin voice pierced my ears, as if tapping directly on my brain.
But I and the ferret remained still, focusing on his lips.
He said:
“Trying something new is always frightening.”
“……”
“But I know this. It will protect you. So… rely on the grace bestowed upon you. I’ll help you a lot too.”
…That was true enough.
Fear aside, I had to survive.
And if I was scared, that didn’t mean I could avoid moving forward.
Another truth came to mind.
‘…Personal discomfort aside, Deus hasn’t actually done anything.’
Moreover, the Deus I had seen so far was just a figure bound by the storyline.
So perhaps he, like Peritas, might have aspects different from the “game character” I knew.
With that thought, I let go of some of my fear.
There was no need for unnecessary suspicion. I should use what I can use, cooperate with others, and aim for the best outcome.
And that outcome would ultimately be returning home—the place I missed more than anything.
I nodded and took his hand.
Whether it was the ferret tilting its head above me, or the surprisingly reasonable NPC, I felt a bit better.
“…Alright. Let’s go.”
But about four and a half hours later—
I heard that same voice again.
Even though the story progression had changed.
“Trying something new is always frightening.”
My face went pale.
I checked my stiff shoulders, trembling arms, hands… and finally, my head—still attached where it should be.
He looked at me and tilted his head.
“I’ll… help you too?”
At this moment, the remaining time was—
From now… 4 hours and 44 minutes.
