The Fate X Dungeon
Ch#06 - The Secret of the Dragon Stream

“What?! The core of this place uses Centuries stone!!” What Erza vilang with her flat face was a new surprise to me.

I understood that it was already part of his attitude, but this was the first time I saw an unenthusiastic person when talking about a natural treasure like the Centuries Stone.

Magic stones are natural minerals that have been condensed naturally under the bowels of the earth. These rocks have been forged over the years by the heat and energy of the earth. The embodiment of the crystallization of the enormous mass of magic.

And among the several levels of magical stones known until now, centuries stone is quite rare. This stone could only materialize after absorbing magic mass particles for 100 years. This kind of material should be used as the basic material for making ancient artifacts.

Ancient artifacts themselves are able to destabilize a country with just its appearance, even various parties are willing to start a war to get it.

Does this guy not understand how big this is? Or maybe he already understood how important it was, until he himself chose to keep it in the deepest location of the dungeon.

“Why do I have to be that surprised?” asked Erza sounded indifferent, this became a proof that my thoughts towards her were too excessive.

“Haah, what exactly do you think? Just so you know, the Centuries stone is a precious magical stone, and it takes more than luck to get it. So... do not arbitrarily show good things to others without knowing the value!” tukasku sewot while pointing at Erza's face.

At first glance the change in Erza's expression can be realized, without knowing the meaning. The corners of his lips curved into a smile.

Not a sincere or gentle smile, it looks more like hiding the implied meaning in it.

“OK, no longer need to be long. Do you know the reason I wear centuries stone as the base?”

“Un. Why indeed?”

Because I myself do not know, so can only answer questions with questions.

After which, he only made a small gesture to follow her using an eye glance. Following behind him, walk away from the core and approach a glass tube that is also placed in this room.

“This is the answer. A magical stone equivalent to or higher than a centuries stone is the only one that can produce this.” he said while tapping the glass tube with the back of his hand.

Out of curiosity, I put my face on the side of the glass tube. When I saw something that was in a glass tube, it looked like water, but it produced a mysterious, slightly purplish-blue luster.

I guess this is the same as magic potion, or.. where is potion? Could it...

“It looks like you already have a guess, and I can say that your guess is true.”

Realizing what I was thinking, Erza spoke up to justify my thoughts even if I did not reveal them. He who has so far had a more cold and flat expression, smiles easily. Ignoring me who thought hard in my sense of rudiment. He did not try to explain it to me immediately.

This Man!! He really enjoys playing with my confusion! My name is in my heart.

My curiosity is getting bigger, it would be nice to ask the person directly. That's how I thought

“This is the same magic potion as the potion bottle from you before, right? I see this is no ordinary potion, huh?” ask directly. I don't want to be made more curious.

The potion that Erza gave me was one of the biggest reasons for me, to be willing to give my loyalty to her. How not? With the potion in it, I can obtain enormous life energy without the need to take it from others. This was the first time I knew of this kind of potion.

For me who is a succubus, this is very valuable, even more valuable than the legendary Phoenix's Tear potion, which he said can heal various diseases, wounds, and extend that life.

“Enter with about dragon pulse groove?”

Despite the many questions in my head, the new questions Erza gave me blew them all away. Because he just opened another topic of conversation, I so made a crime.

Dragon pulse groove? Even though I was sure I had heard it, it took me a while to give an answer, and that was after I repeated the sentence in my head many times.

“As I recall it is a magic power source that accumulates and flows deep underground, right? I don't know if it's true or not. Although it is true, I wonder how many were involved to gather such a large number of sources, although until now there has been no evidence of its discovery. ”

“Already expected, it seems that the demon race does not know about it either. No, rather they have also forgotten about this.”

Erza who smiled faintly after I heard her words, made me fall silent. His facial water was calm, but it gave me a turbulence that was hard to express.

“Do you think the dragon's pulse groove is there because of someone's interference? If that's what you understand, then it's a big mistake.” the patch while pointing the index finger at me.

“Didn't that be? Otherwise, why would such a large amount of mana accumulate on the ground just like that? Where is the resource produced by living things, how can—”

“No, your knowledge is wrong. That's what I said.” said Erza cut my words. “I didn't expect, the information and notes about dragon pulse or dragon flow are still there. But how could people forget its origin?”

Various sentences entered my head and just came out. My mind can't understand all of his words. Erza even mentioned that my knowledge was wrong. Then, what's right?

Before I could ask, Erza was before me to speak.

“Alright then... I'll give you a valuable lesson. What exactly is mana and life.”.

“According to common knowledge, mana is a source of magical energy produced by living beings. It's true but it's also wrong at the same time. What if for example which is the form of energy that the body has to expend and comes from a purer type of energy?”

“Tu-Wait! It makes no sense, which is the energy needed to stabilize life, even plants produce mana.”

So why does the body need to know where if it is needed? I knew living things would die if their bodies were dry.

Erza's explanation didn't match what I had learned, until I denied it without a second thought. For me there is no lie from his words, but I do not want to swallow the raw words Erza without understanding her meaning. That's how I've learned so far.

“Good, I don't want you to take my explanation for granted. So I'm gonna give you a question. What is it that makes up this life?” erza asked once more.

“Enn. Life is composed by Raga, Soul, and Where, right?”

Strange in my eyes, the look on her face did not change, but I could tell Erza's happy feelings from this conversation.

“If what we are talking about is a physical creature or Materians, that answer can be correct. But what I'm talking about is life all over the world and the creatures that live in it.”

“Entahlah... what is it?” The longer I go, the more I don't understand his words. Therefore, I just shook my head.

“The answer is Aether.” he said briefly, but clearly.

I haven't heard of Aether before? So he could only stare confusedly at her calm face. But not wanting to make me more confused, Erza immediately explained that.

“A existence that is superior and purer than where. The mass particles of life energy that make up this world. Both living beings and inanimate objects, all composed by Aether. And this aether exists in every corner of the world including in the air and the ground.”

“I mean, in other words it is the source of energy that makes up every element in the world, and which existence is the indirect result of this Aether?” As soon as Erza finished closing her mouth, I tried to interpret about Aether according to my own understanding.

Next I can see Erza nodding in satisfaction.

“Then... The dragon pulse groove was a gigantic energy current that slept within the ground. I understand now! The reason people don't find it is because they don't know what Aether is like.”.

“Your quick thoughts make me happy. That means it is not in vain to call you.” his gaze becomes soft when looking at me. I didn't think Erza would praise me.

“So, what does this have to do with?”

There was still something I did not understand, so I gave him another question while pointing at the glass tube near us. More precisely, it points to the contents that are inside the glass tube.

My question was answered with a small breath, before finally giving me an answer.

“This is an extraction from the Aether that comes from the dragon stream, and I've already converted it in the form of a potion using the dungeon core as its intermediary.”

When I found out the origin of the potion, I directly attached my face to the glass tube to observe the contents in it in earnest.

So this is Aether? I did not know Aether until Erza explained it to me, but considering that she could extract the dragon stream and make it as a liquid, this.... wait...?

Eh?! Dragon current or dragon pulse groove, he said?!

I was shocked because I realized it too late, immediately I turned my head to Erza.

“Ja-So you've found where the dragon flow is?!” mataku.

“Why are you asking now? Not only found it, but I have also built this dungeon in the middle of the dragon stream.” he said with cuek. Even I can't tell which one is serious and which one is joking.

“We are in the middle! And you found it! So there is a way to find out where Aether is?!”

I was so curious that I showered him with questions. Seeing me like that, made Erza feel confused according to my observation. Even though he had so great to hide all of that with his calmness, before he finally patted my head softly.

“Tenace. I don't know if anyone else can feel the aether, but before knowing about the aether I don't feel its existence either.”

“Really...”.

“Iya. There's still a lot I don't understand. Either that's the reason why people forget about the existence of aether, or things that are still ambiguous in this world. So when you help me with my work in the dungeon, I also want you to help me with my research. So that if one day I can't continue my research, I want you to continue it.” The words I heard from Erza's mouth contain the sadness behind it. For now I don't understand why.

However, realizing that there are still so many things I do not know at this time makes me very excited. I didn't realize I was laughing remembering it.

“Hehehe.”

I feel very grateful to have chosen Erza as my master. As I was excited at the thought of things, I also did not realize that a thousand-sense smile had bloomed on his face.

......................