Chapter 213
Chapter 213
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 213
Chapter Title: The Depth of Talent
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Hector looked up at the man who had picked a fight with him.
180 cm wasn't short by any means, but the knight before him was still half a head taller.
The man was young, and for a knight, his attire was a bit too free-spirited.
It wasn't full plate armor, and there were no symbols representing any knightly order.
He looked quite young in age too—maybe four or five years older than Hector.
Based on these traits, Hector inferred the man's identity.
‘Royal Knight.’
He'd heard they were selected purely on skill and talent from among all the knights.
Officially, they held the rank of regular knight, but even knight commanders couldn't casually order them around.
In short, they were the cream of the crop from every order, and they rarely ever left the imperial palace.
As their name implied, their main duty was protecting the imperial family.
But whenever they did venture out, their feats were astonishing.
Hector had even heard rumors that just seven Royal Knights had completely demolished a branch of the Dark Cult.
The knight tilted his head and said,
"Why the face? Did I say something wrong? I've never once thought Bednicker's secret sword arts were anything special."
‘Hoo…’
Hector let out a faint sigh, venting the heat of anger from his mind.
He'd braced for insults, but he hadn't expected the man to openly drag the family name into it.
‘…Red hair.’
Looking at the knight's hair, Hector thought. Could he be of imperial blood? It was possible for someone from the imperial family who'd spent most of their life in the palace.
Sure, imperial kin would be well-versed in etiquette, but without much social experience, they might commit rudeness like this.
‘…Like I used to.’
Swallowing a bitter smile, Hector spoke up.
"Do you know whose hand created most of Bednicker's current secret sword arts?"
"The Iron-Blooded Duke. That's exactly why I'm saying this. Word is, he's not just skilled in swordsmanship—he's proficient in spear arts, staff techniques, bare-handed combat, even archery."
"What's your point?"
The red-haired knight sneered.
"A warrior's life is one where even devoting yourself to a single skill your whole life leaves you lacking. That holds true even if you've been blessed with heaven-defying talent. Dabbling in everything might be fun as a pastime, but it's not the attitude to take when creating martial arts. It lacks depth."
"……"
So, he was saying the Iron-Blooded Duke's sword arts lacked depth?
Hector let out a hollow laugh.
"You're quite the talker."
"What?"
"I know why you're here. Enough yapping—let's get to it."
* * *
I flipped through the notebook Keian had given me, checking the auction items.
To be blunt, I'd bought them on a whim, so I barely even remembered their names, let alone their uses.
These antiques were tough to appraise even by name and appearance alone. What a headache.
At the very least, I needed to know what they were for.
I considered seeking out Helsta, but I'd heard he'd been diligently touring the academy lately, focusing on treatments.
No matter how rotten I was, I wasn't wicked enough to drag a hardworking guy away for something like this.
‘Maybe the Martial God?’
Not a bad idea, but somehow, he seemed to be giving off vibes that said not to bother him for a while.
Ever since we'd seen those murals in the Nameless King's tomb, he'd been lost in thought.
"Ah."
Then, someone popped into my mind.
A person who'd likely be very interested in these antiques. Someone with the eye to discern their purpose at a glance from the dean's collection.
I'd even prepared a bribe in advance for exactly this kind of situation.
I immediately pulled a key from my pocket and inserted it into the door's keyhole, turning it.
Click.
With the sound of metal meshing, the door opened… and beyond it stretched a pitch-black otherworld.
This made our third meeting.
It was starting to feel a bit familiar, but the sensation of stagnant water against my skin was still awkward.
It felt a little warmer today, though.
"Lise?"
I cautiously called out as I looked around.
Her designated seat, maybe.
The mountain of books she usually sat on felt empty. Was she buried under them again, like our first meeting?
The thought had barely crossed my mind when laughter echoed from somewhere.
"Kekekekekeke…"
It was an evil cackle, like a demon snickering.
No joke—it sounded just like the fiends swirling around when the Demon King descended.
Then, from beneath the stagnant water, Liseradigos slowly rose.
How to describe it.
It was like a ghost emerging headfirst from a river or lake. Her seaweed-like hair splayed out in all directions was eerie too.
If I were a bit more faint-hearted, I might've screamed.
"…Hmm?"
Lise tilted her head at the sight of me and asked,
"You're still alive."
"For now."
"You're tougher than I thought."
Dripping water, Lise propped her upper body on the books with both arms.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking a bath."
"Ah……."
"I adapted your Qimen Dunjia. Couldn't break the seal on this dull, godforsaken space, but I did manage to tweak the internal environment. Adjusting the water temperature, changing the lighting… It made for decent entertainment."
With a snap of her fingers, the bluish light pouring from the unknown space shifted to a rainbow of colors.
Snap.
Another snap, and worn instruments floated up from nowhere, playing on their own.
Classical music laid down as background.
It wasn't much change to me……
But to Lise, who'd likely stared at this stifling place for decades or centuries, it seemed plenty satisfying.
"Glad you enjoyed it."
"Mm. Right. You, Kusset's colt. What brings you to Liseradigos today?"
"……."
Kusset's colt.
It was what Lise often called me. I'd never thought much of it before, but today, it struck me oddly.
I blurted out,
"Did you know Kusset was still alive?"
"Hoo."
Lise sounded slightly impressed. She wasn't hiding her feelings—it even came across as genuine.
Meaning……
No matter her personality, she didn't seem the type to hide her emotions.
It was as if she considered such behavior lacking in dignity.
"Did the Family Head tell you?"
"Yes."
"Interesting. Sharing that fact… I see. So Delac's absurd plan succeeded at the very last moment…"
"Plan?"
Lise chuckled shortly and waved her hand.
The gentle music cut off abruptly.
"Business?"
"……."
The blatant subject change was also her way of saying she wouldn't answer that question.
I nodded readily.
I'd never expected to learn the Bednicker family's secrets so easily anyway.
Just realizing Lise knew something was harvest enough.
"I need Lady Lise's expertise."
"As I said before, consulting a great mage requires—"
"Compensation, I know. That's why I brought an offering today too."
"Show me."
Lise spoke in a pleased tone.
She seemed to know what it was before even seeing it.
Come to think of it, she'd said she could perceive everything about anyone who entered this space.
I pulled out the cookies I'd swiped from the auction house.
From Dr. Marten's Tea Shop.
"Heh heh heh…"
Like last time, she snatched them with her hair and nodded as she crunched into one.
"Still delicious after all this time. Next time, bring some tea leaves that pair well with these."
"Will do."
"So, what's the business? I'll hear it until these are gone."
I handed her the notebook from Keian.
Lise flipped through it while munching.
"This is?"
"Items I luckily picked up this time. I'm no expert on relics, so I came seeking your esteemed opinion."
"Are you treating me like some antique shop owner? Slightly offensive."
"As if. I thought of several with keen eyes, but you stood above them all."
"Flattery ill becomes you. Enough of the obvious pandering. It's just annoying."
"My apologies."
Even as she said it, Lise's face didn't look offended.
It wasn't just the cookie she was chewing; it was the face of someone who took praise as her due and reveled in it.
Maybe Lise had been high-status among the dark elves in the past.
"Whatever. I'm in a good mood, so I'll appraise a few worthwhile ones. But this is the last time for such bothersome tasks."
"Yes, ma'am."
I was sharp enough to nod quickly, and Lise's violet eyes scanned the notebook again.
After a moment, she spoke.
"You had Amon's Scissors, right?"
"Yes."
"Show me."
I pulled out the scissors and showed them to her.
The divine relic was now beyond worn—it looked like it'd crumble at a touch.
"It's in even worse shape."
"I used it to cut Harden Ihar's thread."
"You clashed directly with the Demon King's power? It's a miracle it didn't shatter."
Lise nodded, opened the notebook, and said,
"Use this [Randall's Cloth] to clean the items—it'll work wonders. For ornaments, the value doubles; rusty swords regain their edge instantly. Wipe armor, and it'll repel rain like oiled leather."
"Ah. So using that cloth would—"
"Of course, it could restore holy relics too. If they were in the same state as last time."
Lise handed the scissors back.
"Not now, though. You'd need a skilled craftsman to fix it first. Probably only dwarf artisans could handle it. One from the [Sandstorm Hills] would be ideal."
"Got it. I'll keep that in mind."
"And also……."
She went on naming several useful items, then paused slightly at one page.
"Oh ho. This……."
I waited silently without urging.
After giggling for a while, Lise looked at me and said,
"You have a [Holy Grail]. Could be a fake, and we'd need to know which one……."
"Holy Grail?"
"You don't know?"
"I know the concept……."
I recalled it was tied to the 72 churches.
When the seven-plus-two gods descended to earth, they gave these divine chalices to appoint their apostles.
"It actually exists?"
"In a world mixed with myths and legends? Of course."
"Hmm."
"This Holy Grail has no effect on ordinary folk. Only those blessed, descendants of Great Families, can draw out its true power."
Lise looked at me and asked,
"So, what blessing do you have?"
"Hmm. Hard to say……."
The Spirit Mountain blessing was tough to reveal to anyone.
Seeing my awkward expression, Lise unexpectedly nodded.
"Then let me rephrase. Is your blessing's proficiency low?"
"Uh, yeah?"
"How so, exactly."
"Hmm……."
Tricky.
I couldn't exactly say I couldn't choose when to regress.
"If it's hard to say, a vague explanation is fine."
Lise said with rare mercy.
Somehow, that mercy seemed to stem from the cookie she was chewing.
‘Not much left.’
Enough for five girls' tea time, but the pouch was looking slim now.
I quickly said,
"It's not a power I can use whenever I want. Strict activation conditions, limited uses—I can't just spam it."
"I see. Then it'll be especially effective for you."
"Pardon?"
"Using this Holy Grail will naturally raise your blessing's proficiency. For someone like you, the blessing's performance itself will improve."
"Improve how?"
Lise grinned.
"More uses, or the ability to activate it freely whenever you want."