It was extremely sad to have to read those messages. So, even this system has limits to prevent me from evolving infinitely and becoming a god in no time. Honestly, that's disappointing.
"Even if it's disappointing, it only makes me more excited to level up."
'I just found out I need to level up even faster. So, give it your all.' While my clones are gaining experience for me, I don't really know what I should be doing. All I can do now is wait for Fang Yuan to arrive at Edas Village.
Only then will I be able to have some fun.
The clones responded that they would work even harder, and I smiled with satisfaction.
"Since I've got nothing to do right now, how about creating the emblem of my Familia? Every Familia has one."
Let me think of something...
About the name... I thought of something like "Eidolon Familia."
Eidolon, from mythology. It's not exactly the meaning I wanted, but it's close. There's no name in mythology that directly means "clones" or something like that, right?
There are words like Simulacrum, Mimesis, or Doppelgänger, but I don't think they suit a Familia name. Eidolon, on the other hand, fits quite well. So I think I'll go with that name.
"But the hardest part is the emblem."
I thought of something simpler, like an emblem resembling the sun — a circle in the center with smaller triangles around it. Thirty-two of them, to be exact. That's the number of clones I want as the main members of the Familia.
The rest of the clones will also be members, but I definitely won't treat them as importantly as the first 32, since there are just too many.
I'd go crazy trying to give attention to 200 or 300 clones.
Another emblem I thought of doesn't have much to do with clones.
A circle in the center, with some patterns and a sort of "void" in the middle. The patterns need to be well-placed and visually striking.
Would it work if I drew both designs and asked my clones for their opinion? …
I think I'll try that.
"But drawing it might take a while."
Either way, there's no need to rush. I haven't even talked to Loki or Freya yet.
'I'll only talk to them once my original body is far away from Orario.'
I wonder how Fang Yuan is doing.
####
POV: Fang Yuan
It's been a few days since I received the master's mission, but it's been a bit difficult. I've checked some maps and asked around, trying to figure out how to reach this place called "Edas Village."
Turns out it's not as close as I expected.
And it's not that easy to get there either.
Carriages are constantly leaving the city for other destinations, but none of them go to Edas Village.
"Does that mean I'll have to go there on foot?"
It's far, but I can make it in a few days.
Still, I don't know how dangerous it is out there.
I put my hand on my chin and started thinking more carefully about what I should do.
That's when I saw a carriage entering Orario. It was being driven by a very old man. So old I felt like he could drop dead at any moment. I decided to follow his carriage.
The carriage stopped in front of a restaurant, and the old man got down.
After him, others stepped out from the back of the carriage and entered the restaurant. Before going in, the old man tied his horses properly, and just as he was about to enter, our eyes met.
He noticed I was watching him, but he didn't mind. He took off his hat and smiled at me.
I didn't return the smile. The man entered the restaurant.
'Four horses.' The carriage wasn't that big, but it was pulled by four large, well-groomed horses. That old man really takes good care of them. "..." I kept circling the carriage, watching my surroundings.
There were a lot of people nearby, but I didn't care.
I approached the carriage and used a knife I had found to cut the ropes. Then, I jumped onto one of the horses without hesitation, and it neighed loudly.
The loud noise drew everyone's attention.
Even though I didn't know how, I kicked my heels into the horse and started galloping like a pro.
As the horse charged toward the city gates, I heard people yelling.
"Hey, that kid stole the horse! Stop him!"
"Thief! Thief!"
I ignored their shouts and headed out of the city.
I looked back and saw that no one was chasing me.
It was my first time leaving the city. I followed the long road heading north.
I need to get there as fast as possible. I've already wasted too much time trying to find transportation.
'I should've done this sooner.'
####
It had been a few hours since I left Orario, heading north. Even from a distance, I could see tall mountains. "That must be the place, but it's far." I'll probably need about two days to get there.
Thankfully, I don't need to rest, but I can't say the same for the horse.
So when night came, I stopped to let the horse graze and went looking for water.
It was a bit hard to find, since there was no lake nearby.
After the horse ate and drank, I sat on the ground and looked up at the starry sky. "I remember being somewhere like this before. A place with a sky as beautiful as this."
But I don't remember where it was…
I sighed and looked around.
I hadn't seen any monsters since leaving the city. I thought monsters would be everywhere because of the huge walls around the city, but that's not the case.
I thought I'd get to have some fun like the other clones do inside that place called the dungeon.
I haven't gotten even a little stronger since I was born.
That's depressing.
"Huh?"
That's when I started hearing some sounds.
I was next to a small forest, and the sound was coming from there.
"What? What's someone doing out here?" I heard a man's voice.
Besides him, there was another man and two women.
"..." I stared at them with empty eyes and then stood up.
####
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Next chapters: Chapter 45 - I'm going to rip your arms off (Pov: Fang Yuan) / Chapter 46 - Emblem. / Chapter 47 - Master, I have completed the objective.