The teleportation circle flared softly beneath Null's feet.
A ripple of pale light swept outward—and the next moment, the cold marble corridors of the Sanctum vanished.
Warm sunlight replaced them. The city of Lumeris stretched out below the floating Sanctum like a living painting—the entire capital seemed to glow beneath the afternoon sky.
Null stepped off the platform.
"…Alright." He rolled his shoulders once. "Let's go to the rendezvous point."
The road leading toward the outer gates of the city was busy with merchants, carts, and travelers. The faint scent of baked bread drifted from nearby stalls.
Null walked along the roadside path.
From the outside, he looked relaxed. Inside his mind, however—
A familiar voice spoke. A voice that rarely initiated conversation on its own.
[Master.]
Null kept walking, hands in his pockets. "…Oh?"
He blinked slightly.
That alone was unusual. Fantasy Omniscience was normally quiet unless prompted. But today—her tone carried something unfamiliar. A faint trace of urgency. Even… anxiety.
[Master, I must warn you. During this mission, you will encounter certain danger.]
A pause. Then—
[Master's death fate rate: 99.77%.]
Null didn't even stop walking. "Yeah, yeah. I know." He waved a hand lazily. "You've been saying that since this morning."
A brief silence followed. Then—
[Yes. However, it seems you are not taking my warning seriously.]
Null snorted. "Don't worry." He stretched his arms behind his head as he walked. "Do you have any idea how mysterious your master is?"
The voice paused. Then replied with perfect honesty—
[Indeed, I do not, Master. Despite being omniscient, I am blind to my own wielder. It is a deliberate paradoxical limitation my creator installed within me.]
Null grinned. "Hehe. Good for me then."
There was a faint pause. [Why, Master?]
Inside Null's consciousness, the avatar of Fantasy Omniscience tilted her head slightly. She looked like a young girl made of shimmering data—long pink hair drifting weightlessly around her shoulders, her eyes glowing faintly with streams of information.
Fantasy Omniscience genuinely did not understand. In her opinion, the limitation was inconvenient. If she could read Null's existence directly—she could analyze weaknesses in his existential framework, guide his training far more efficiently, predict his true future trajectory, optimize his decisions, and help him navigate life more effectively. The inability to do so only limited her usefulness.
Those were only the most basic advantages. There were many more.
Thus, she did not understand why her master seemed… pleased by it.
Null replied, the playful tone dancing in his voice. "Simple." He shrugged. "Because you can keep secrets from me—but I can't." He glanced up at the bright sky above the city. "So it's only fair that I get to have my own privacy and secrets."
[Master.] The reply came instantly. [You are quite childish.]
Null beamed. "Thanks for the compliment."
Then his tone shifted slightly. "But seriously though…" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "…I can't believe how your responses are sounding more emotionally developed as time passes." He smirked. "It's an interesting change."
Fantasy Omniscience responded calmly. [Master. It is called evolution.]
Null teased, smirking. "Oh? You're going through EQ evolution now? Fantasy Omniscience-san, what have you been doing since your creation? Living in a cave or something?"
A brief silence. [I have been dormant. And please mind your language, Master.]
Null sighed dramatically. "Geez. Now I'm getting lectures from my own supernatural ability. What has the world come to…"
The massive outer gates of Lumeris slowly came into view ahead. Guards stood stationed beside towering stone walls while travelers passed through the archway.
Null continued the conversation. "By the way, Fantasy Omniscience-san. How do you know I'm going to face certain danger? I don't recall you having a function like that."
The answer came immediately. [Master, it is a passive function. It activates when danger to the user's existence exceeds a certain threshold, prompting me to inform you in the form of a warning.]
Null nodded thoughtfully. "I see."
Then Fantasy Omniscience added calmly—[Besides. I am omniscient, Master. I know everything that is happening and about to happen in the world.]
Null halted his steps for a moment. "…Oh?" He grinned mischievously. "Are you boasting, Fantasy Omniscience-san?"
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Then Null burst out laughing. "Hehehe. You're getting cuter every day, Fantasy Omniscience-san. You're developing an actual personality."
Inside his mind—the pink-haired avatar froze. A blush tainted her cheeks.
…Cute… She cupped her hands against her face as she processed the unfamiliar word.
Null, unfortunately, had absolutely no idea this was happening. Otherwise he would have spent the next hour teasing her mercilessly. But fortunately for her—he couldn't.
Ahead, the enormous gates of Lumeris opened to the wide open grasslands beyond the city.
Null stepped beyond them. Wind brushed across the open plains. Merchants and caravans traveled along the main road, and further ahead, a broad field had formed into a sort of informal gathering ground.
Adventurers. Mercenaries. Freelancers. People waiting for teammates.
The rendezvous point.
Null walked toward it as he stretched lazily. "Anyway, Fantasy Omniscience-san. Why do I have such a high death fate on this mission?" He scratched his cheek thoughtfully. "Don't tell me it's that cliché scenario where the bandits are stronger than they should be."
The reply came immediately. [Incorrect, Master. The mission you accepted is not faulty. The bandits are indeed low-level.]
Null raised an eyebrow. "Then?"
A short pause. Then—
[It is more accurate to say… there is a hidden knife attempting to eliminate you. Because your existence is an eyesore to a certain individual.]
Null smiled faintly. "…Is that so." He lightly frowned. "From your description… and my own calculations… I can probably guess who that 'individual' might be." His tone turned dry. "Sigh. What a classic enemy trope plot I've gotten myself into."
[Master. You appear oddly calm.]
He looked ahead toward the rendezvous field. A gathering point. Whenever a mission required multiple participants, people assembled here before heading out.
As Null approached—he could already see several figures waiting.
Young. Roughly his age or even younger. Clearly novice adventurers.
One of them noticed him first. A tall boy with short brown hair and light armor waved.
"You here for the merchant road bandit mission?"
Null raised a hand. "Yep."
The group gathered loosely beneath a lone tree. Four others in total.
The brown-haired boy stepped forward. "Name's Ronan Vale. Apprentice swordsman." He gestured toward the others.
A lean girl with twin daggers strapped to her belt raised a hand casually. "Mira Talwyn. Scout."
Next stood a broad-shouldered young man carrying a wooden staff. "Derrik Stone. Earth mage apprentice."
Beside him, a quiet girl in simple robes gave a polite nod. "Lyra Fen. Healing trainee."
Finally—a short blond boy carrying a crossbow gave an awkward wave. "Uh… Tobin. Ranged support."
Ronan crossed his arms. "So that makes five of us." He studied Null briefly. "You're a Sanctum trainee, right?"
Null nodded casually. "Something like that."
Ronan grinned. "Good. Now that the last member is here, let's go."
Null looked toward the horizon as well. The merchant road stretched across the plains. Quiet. Peaceful. Almost too peaceful.
Inside his mind—Fantasy Omniscience spoke once more.
[Master. The assassination attempt will begin right after the bandits' subjugation.]
…Oh? How did you know? Did you read these kids' futures?
[Yes.]
Null smiled faintly. He rested his hand casually on the hilt of the borrowed sword at his side.
Then let's see what kind of knife our mysterious friend decided to send.
And with that—the newly formed party of novice adventurers began walking toward the road where the bandits were waiting.