Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 98
Chapter Title: Examining the Relics
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After that, Arsen asked a great many questions.
About the South's environment and culture, its social structure, and more.
Kren answered diligently, though a bit annoyed, allowing Arsen to gather quite a bit of information.
Not only that, but Lasur joined in the chatter, sharing even more.
As a veteran excavator, and the vice-leader and hands-on operative of a powerful excavation team, he possessed a wide range of knowledge.
Especially since the "unexplored ruins" Arsen needed to tackle were their target, he provided detailed info on those.
Arsen didn't just ask questions one-sidedly; he shared his own wealth of knowledge too.
The cultures and episodes from the various estates he'd seen traveling from Beluan were enough to rival a hero's saga, so he had plenty to tell.
In particular, while recounting the tale of subjugating the Lord of the Mountains, even Kren was so engrossed that his eyes sparkled.
In the midst of their conversation, Lasur glanced out the window and said,
"It's about time to head back. The day's getting dark."
Peering out the wooden window at his words, Arsen saw that the outside was already draped in thick sunset hues.
Realizing how much time had passed while watching the sunset, a wave of fatigue suddenly washed over him, and he unwittingly closed his eyes for a moment.
Noticing this, Lasur chuckled and said,
"You look tired too, Sir Arsen. How about we call it here for today and head back? Your comrades will worry if we're too late."
"That sounds good. I've learned so much thanks to you. I truly appreciate it. Sir Lasur, Sir Kren."
Kren responded with a curt "Mm" and a nod.
After exchanging goodbyes with Kren's men as well, Arsen left the inn alongside Lasur.
At the door, Kren, who had come to see them off, left a quiet farewell.
"Next time, become a stronger knight."
It probably carried the meaning of "so we can have an even fiercer duel."
Thinking he was steadfast in so many ways, Arsen bowed politely in response.
By the time they returned to their inn, traversing streets shrouded in encroaching dusk, it was Eloise who greeted Arsen.
After a brief scolding about not being too late, she noticed the exhaustion etched on his face and asked cautiously,
"You don't look well. Are you hurt anywhere?"
"I'm fine. It's just..."
Arsen considered explaining in detail but shook his head.
There were a few reasons it was hard to explain in public, but the main issue was that he was simply too tired.
"There was some business. Nothing bad, and I have stuff to tell you, but I'm beat right now."
"Then go in and sleep first. You fought hard, so of course you need rest."
Eloise assumed it was fatigue from the duel with Janak, but in truth, Arsen's poor complexion stemmed from the intense spar with Kren.
Fighting Janak three times felt less taxing than a single bout with Kren, which said it all.
Of course, he'd gained just as much in return.
Back in his room, Arsen let Eloise help him remove his armor before lying on the bed.
Amid the onrush of accumulated fatigue, he felt a hand gently stroking his head.
Eloise whispered softly while petting Arsen's hair.
"Good work, Sen. Get some deep sleep."
Hearing Eloise's voice, Arsen opened his mouth to speak.
Unfortunately, sleep overtook him just before the words could escape.
Thanks to that, what he'd meant to say vanished into the world of dreams.
*She told me not to pet her head.*
* * *
The next day, after sleeping like the dead, the first to greet Arsen upon waking was intense muscle pain.
Welcoming this unwelcome guest he hadn't felt in ages, Arsen shared yesterday's intel with Eloise.
The essence of purity, the South, and even tales of the king.
Eloise summed it up in one sentence.
"So we might have to fight that monster after all."
"Yeah... I hope not, but."
After Arsen's reply, a brief silence fell.
Then Eloise stood from her chair and said,
"If that's the case, we'll need good gear, right? Let's check the items first."
"Items?"
"The spoils from Janak."
"Oh."
"I checked them out while you were gone. I'll show you how they work."
Only then did Arsen realize he'd completely forgotten about leaving them with her.
He wasn't uninterested in relics to begin with—perhaps Kren's encounter had been too shocking.
Having beaten a relic-dependent foe, only to be overwhelmingly defeated by one who relied on none.
The inn had a spacious basement, so with the innkeeper's permission, Arsen borrowed it.
In the dim basement, they first conjured magical light, then Eloise reached into her magic backpack.
"First up is this."
What Eloise pulled out first was Janak's armor.
Naturally, Janak's armor didn't fit Arsen size-wise.
For ordinary plate, Eloise could resize it herself, but tampering with a relic's magic by melting and adjusting it risked unknown issues.
Eloise resolved Arsen's doubts simply.
"It has a size adjustment function."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Apparently most relic armors do."
He briefly wondered about the law of mass conservation, but nitpicking physics in magic seemed ridiculous.
Humans emitting heat from their hands to melt metal already spat on thermodynamics.
"Lucky. How does it work?"
"I'll adjust it. Put your hand on the armor."
Following her instructions, he placed his hand on it. Eloise did the same from across, focusing her mind.
Moments later, the armor melted like liquid and began wrapping around Arsen's body.
"This is..."
"Stay still."
He held the pose as instructed, and soon the liquified armor tightly enveloped him, reforming into its original shape.
Finally, like when Janak wore it, it covered his entire body except his head.
Perfectly fitted to Arsen's frame.
"All done. How's it feel?"
"This... it's amazing. Feels like wearing nothing."
Arsen's original black star-iron armor had been custom-made too, but technological limits meant it came with the usual discomforts when worn.
Narrower joint range, subtle snags when twisting, and such.
But now, aside from the sensation of something on him, there was zero resistance.
Like wearing perfectly fitted athletic wear.
He tried removing it, but the armor's joints stretched so oddly that normal methods wouldn't work.
"Need magic to take it off too?"
"Yeah, but you don't need a mage. It's knight-adjusted. Put your hand on the chest and infuse mana."
Doing so, he felt a cool release at his back, forearms, thighs, and calves.
Leaning back slightly, the back peeled open like a cicada shedding its shell, letting his body slip out.
Seeing this, Arsen couldn't help but think of ways to exploit the donning method.
"Could someone else force it off?"
"It only responds to the wearer's mana. Otherwise it'd be stupidly vulnerable."
"Good to know."
Amazed by ancient wisdom, Arsen re-entered the armor and infused mana.
The back sealed shut, returning him to full gear.
"Bit of bad news while you're liking it: couldn't restore the defensive functions."
Looking at it now, the upper body—where he'd focused attacks—lacked the glowing runes.
Arms and legs still glowed, but vital protection was effectively gone.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. It doesn't auto-repair over time; needs recasting. Proper ward mage required."
Arsen knew Eloise wasn't skilled in wards.
She'd failed restoring Luden's master's guardian stone due to mismatched affinity.
"No ward specialists among Star Eater mages?"
"Nope. They're not that high-level to begin with."
Arsen sighed in disappointment.
"Irenne could've fixed it, huh?"
"Yeah. But we can't go back."
"True."
Small consolation: the armor's base defense rivaled his black star-iron set.
Plus easy on/off, great mobility, and even limited ward spells made it valuable enough.
Arsen stowed his black star-iron in the magic backpack, welcoming his new companion.
Next, he picked up Janak's battle axe.
With a 1.5-meter haft, no one would call it one-handed.
But with strength beyond ordinary knights, Arsen wielded and swung it effortlessly.
Stretching a bit, he twirled it lightly, prompting Eloise to say,
"Simple to use. Swing while infusing mana."
"Got it. Let's see..."
As instructed, Arsen infused the blade and swung vertically.
A deafening crack echoed as the stone floor bore a deep gash—like a knight's full-powered strike.
Eloise let out a soft "Oh" in admiration.
Unlike her impressed reaction, Arsen shook his head, unsatisfied.
"Powerful, but can't use recklessly."
"Why?"
"Too much mana drain. Spamming it'd be trouble."
Indeed, this invisible blade projection consumed far more mana than expected.
Even for top-tier knight Arsen, it was burdensome for casual use.
"Janak must've planned quick finishes. If I'd known the drain, I could've dodged and dragged it out."
He might've won without exhausting the armor's wards—or Janak could've surrendered from mana depletion.
Better a minor loss than sharing a city with a grudge-holding, sneaky local knight.
Arsen decided to adopt the axe as his new weapon.
He'd rarely used axes, so he'd need practice, but once mastered, it'd outdamage his longsword.
Sturdy, sharp masterpiece, and relic power justified the mana cost.
"Next... wait, what about that earring?"
The one that once endangered Arsen by slicking the floor mid-fight.
Deep down, his most coveted item.
With it in a duel, most knights would fall like cut grass.
To his question, Eloise shook her head.
"That? Got it, but useless."
"Why?"
"Modern-made disposable relic. Like Luden's teleport rod."
Made sense on reflection.
Unlimited uses would've made Janak more than a guard captain.
Non-agile knights could've just been tripped and struck.
"Feels like a raw deal."
No ally trope here—powerful enemy gear, all flawed.
Hard to feel good.
Seeing his regret, Eloise encouraged,
"Think positive. We never expected to get them anyway."
"Fair."
Shaking off the disappointment, Arsen checked the last: bracelet and necklace.
Items Janak never used—or appeared not to.
Both useful: necklace warned of projectiles, bracelet aided stamina drain.
Eloise giggled at him wearing them over armor.
"Look at you. Totally weird."
Indeed, necklace and bracelet over plate looked bizarre.
Overt relic signaling, bad for combat too.
Fortunately, minor armor tweaks let him wear them underneath.
* * *
After relic check, Arsen called a meeting.
The ruin-city sold estate-wide maps at market, so a large room with one spread became the conference area.
Arsen pointed to one spot.
"We're going here next."
"Uh, bro. That's..."
"Yeah."
The ruins he'd indicated were where "Tiger Claw" excavation team lost comrades and retreated.
Known for magic traps: Ire Ruins.
Also a prime candidate for Star Eater's clues.
"Expect lots to haul, so everyone goes except Sir Anun and a few soldiers."