Chapter 219
Chapter 219
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Translator: Ace
Chapter: 219
Chapter Title: Forgotten Relics and a Desperate Plea
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I glared at the book for a moment, but as expected, staring at the cover all day wouldn't reveal anything new.
I immediately flipped it open and rustled through the pages...
Soon, my expression turned to one of shock.
W-What is this...?
"...I can't read a single word?"
Had I suddenly gone blind again in the meantime?
I narrowed my eyes and checked the text... and quickly realized that wasn't the case.
Unlike the neatly printed title on the cover, the writing etched into the pages was far beyond anything I could decipher.
It was like worms crawling across the page.
In the best light, it was cursive script; in the worst, utter scrawl.
Even if it were in a language I knew, handwriting this bad would take time to interpret.
"...Hmm."
That sparked another question.
How on earth had Seren been able to read this language?
The one she'd learned from my third senior brother.
I recalled a conversation I'd once had with Seren.
- "So, what's your real name?"
- "My real name... well..."
- "How did you pronounce it again..."
"...Ow, my head."
I stopped thinking.
No matter how much I puzzled over it here, it felt like I wouldn't uncover the truth.
I'd have to meet that girl in person and ask.
For now, I'd take the book.
She'd said items in this warehouse with unknown creators could be taken without any special procedures.
So there shouldn't be any issue with me owning this book.
Of course, questions arose about why it was stashed away in the Armorer's Guild warehouse...
But I'd think about that later.
There were probably almost no people in the world who could decipher this book. Not even the most renowned archaeologists.
Yet Seren had deciphered Laplace's tome back in Goodspring.
And conveniently, she was in the royal palace right now.
'The attitude I glimpsed back then still bothers me too.'
Anyway, I planned to meet Seren today, so I'd put thoughts of the book aside for now.
I wandered around the warehouse again.
Frankly, I barely glanced at the weapons.
Even in the imperial treasury, none of them caught my eye.
For similar reasons, armor and other defensive gear didn't interest me either.
My fighting style centered on quick offense-defense transitions, so I needed to stay as light as possible.
Even when cornered, evasion was my main strategy over defense.
That's why my attention focused more on magic tools and relics rather than weapons...
Even so, I didn't summon the Martial God.
There wasn't time to appraise each one individually. Even minimally, there were thousands of items here.
So I prioritized things that caught my eye and tugged at my heart at a glance.
A gut feeling, I suppose?
Come to think of it, even back in my spoiled young master days, I'd occasionally indulged in luxuries this way.
"Ten minutes remaining."
It was the voice of the knight who'd been watching me idly browse.
The tone felt like he was urging me to decide soon.
"Hmm..."
Up to now, I'd only taken one book.
Somehow, even looking around more felt like a chore. Should I just grab anything?
That notion was starting to appeal to me when...
I spotted a peculiar pair of gauntlets.
They were pitch black in form, material unclear. In other words, they didn't look particularly special. That very ordinariness drew my gaze.
They didn't seem like weapons or armor.
"Hmm."
For some reason, they tugged at my attention and heartstrings.
I approached and examined the gauntlets closely.
Too thick for cloth, yet far too elastic for leather.
They were half-gauntlets that left the fingers exposed. I stared at them blankly, then slipped them on as if possessed.
"Whoa..."
I barely felt them on.
For an instant, it was like a thin cloth touching my skin, then even that sensation faded. I couldn't help but gasp in admiration.
How to describe it.
Setting aside the gauntlets' performance, they fit me like a glove—perfect harmony.
They say peerless swordsmen feel a sword wrap perfectly around their hand when they find the ideal blade. That's exactly how it felt.
'And somehow, this isn't all there is to them...?'
After a brief hesitation, I channeled internal energy into the gauntlets, and something astonishing happened.
Whoosh!
Jet-black flames flickered to life around my fingers.
"An aura?"
I was stunned.
These were divine artifacts that allowed anyone with basic internal energy control to manifest aura, regardless of their level.
I could wield aura too, but my proficiency wasn't high yet.
Using these gauntlets would be far more efficient.
Both in handling and energy consumption—it felt like it dropped by more than half.
The flickering black flames seemed geared more toward defense than offense...
Wrapped in them, I could probably catch even a master swordsman's divine blade barehanded.
"Well, damn..."
It was quite disconcerting.
With these gauntlets, I'd have the edge against foes half a step above me and hold my own evenly against those a full step ahead.
The only slight hitch was...
'...Master said relying on divine weapons would make you shit your pants.'
Hmm.
Uh-hmm.
Uhhhmm...
After agonizing briefly, I made my decision.
"I'll take them."
My ultimate opponent was the Demon King, after all.
I had to face monsters far beyond mortals, near-gods. No room to be picky.
"One minute remaining."
The knight's voice rang out again, but nothing else tempted me.
Two items felt sufficient—right at that moment...
My eyes caught a peculiar metal lump near the entrance.
"Hm...?"
I'd missed it coming in because it was tucked right by the door, a blind spot in my vision.
Anyway, the metal's surface looked impossibly smooth, and its texture felt oddly familiar.
Where had I seen that before?
"Ah~."
It reminded me of the rectangular object Seren had picked from the dean's treasury.
Nothing else worth taking, and this metal didn't seem to have an owner, so I grabbed it last and left the warehouse without regrets.
"Did you find items to your liking?"
"Yes."
"Please hand them to me."
I gave the knight the book, metal, and gauntlets. He nodded after checking them.
"Head right to the guest room. We'll send the armorer who made the gauntlets shortly."
"Got it."
I headed to the guest room.
The somewhat sparse interior held only a chair and table.
Fortunately, there was a window, through which I could still see the bustling armorers.
I perched on the table and watched them.
Muscles honed not by training but by labor. Passion hotter than the forge flames.
Harsh words flew occasionally, but I could feel their genuine love for their craft and work.
'What a great place.'
Maybe because Flame Arts of the Greatest formed my foundation.
Directly encountering this fervor stirred something in me too.
Watching people train always made my body itch faintly.
"......"
Somehow, I craved training.
When was the last time I'd trained properly?
Probably during those hundred days on Spirit Mountain with my fourth senior brother.
After that, it had been nonstop real combat.
Those experiences had greatly advanced my martial arts and mind-body too...
But something felt off.
Like I hadn't fully digested the weapons and means at my disposal now?
As if food were stuck in my throat.
'I need to make some decisions soon.'
Exactly what I'd do after leaving the palace.
Just then, a knock came, and the knight reappeared.
"We've finished checking. The book and unknown metal lump have no owners, so you can keep them as is...
The knight trailed off, asking with a puzzled expression.
"Are you really okay with these?"
"Yes. But why were ownerless items in the records?"
"They're both extremely ancient. Relics from the 'Forgotten Age' hold that much value."
The knight glanced out the window.
"The armorers here are master craftsmen and appraisers. Their eye for detail and knowledge surpass most archaeologists. The palace acquires these relics through certain channels and entrusts their appraisal to the imperial armorers. The items you saw are ones they ultimately failed to appraise—their origins and uses remain unknown."
"Ah."
That explained the abundance of antiques. They couldn't discard things without apparent value, so they stored them temporarily.
"And about the armorer who made your gauntlets... apologies, but you'll have to meet him tomorrow."
"Any reason?"
"Well..."
The knight looked troubled, sighed deeply, and said.
"He's refusing interruptions right now..."
"......"
This reward could be interpreted as an imperial decree depending on how you saw it, yet that was his response.
I knew dwarf craftsmen had strong pride, but experiencing it firsthand exceeded expectations.
Beyond the surprise, my curiosity about the maker grew; I wanted to barge in and see his face right then.
"Hmm."
Regrettably, the sun outside was sinking low.
The banquet Yeonokje mentioned would start soon.
"No helping it. Tomorrow then."
"Thank you for your understanding."
I shook my head.
It wasn't the knight's fault to apologize for.
The middleman always has it toughest.
I wanted to pat his shoulder comfortingly, but he wasn't my subordinate, so I just nodded.
* * *
I'd heard the banquet was in the imperial palace's first-floor grand hall—an enormous space.
I quickly checked my attire, shook off the persistent maids, and headed to the venue.
There, I ran into Charl and Hector in front of the palace.
"Oh. Big bro?"
"Ruan."
Hector looked unusually lighthearted. No bandages.
"Already walking around like that?"
"This afternoon, Lady Rena and Sir Morbias visited. They gave me precious palace potions. No issues moving now. Still a bit stiff, though."
"Ah."
"...And both apologized to me."
"At least they had some conscience."
"Sir Morbias's face was a mess."
"Probably tripped somewhere. That guy's clumsy-looking."
"Ruan."
Hector said sternly.
"The opponent was a member of the Royal Knights, the palace's shield. Lady Rena's handling wrapped it up well, but it could have escalated far worse. Mishandled, it might've sparked conflict between the palace and Bednicker Family. It was an emotional response."
"Fair."
I nodded readily, agreeing with Hector.
Hector seemed ready to say more but closed his mouth.
Then, in a quiet voice moments later.
"...Still."
"Yeah?"
"It felt satisfying. Thanks."
"Huh?"
"...Hurry. The banquet's starting soon."
As I blinked in surprise, Hector walked off to the venue with a straight face. His steps seemed a tad quicker.
Charl approached next and whispered.
"He asked me ten times if you were hurt."
"For real? Wow. Big bro's all grown up."
"Ha. You really..."
"By the way, where's Seren? Not seeing her."
"...Probably went ahead to the venue. Um. And..."
Charl hesitated slightly before saying.
"She seems to be avoiding us oddly. Might be my imagination."
"......"
Who knows. Maybe not.
Anyway, we entered the palace and stepped into the banquet hall.
"Whoa. What is this...?"
The venue's scale was extraordinary up close. Crystal chandeliers and marble walls dazzled to the point of eye pain.
Soft music played, food abounded, and people packed the place.
"Aren't there way too many noble heirs? All here because of us?"
"Partly, but today's also the Fifth Princess's debutante."
"Ah."
"So mind your manners if you run into Her Highness."
"I'm already friends with royals?"
"The academy and here are worlds apart—show proper etiquette. Please."
"I'm not a kid... Fine."
Hector eyed me suspiciously, then headed to the banquet's center.
"Ah! Sir Hector!"
"Haha. The banquet's star has arrived!"
"Long time no see. Feeling better?"
Soon, noble heirs swarmed him.
'Come to think of it, that guy's good at networking.'
He'd been friends with Second Prince Lanters from the start and frequently attended capital salons, so he knew most noble heirs.
Handsome face, impeccable manners—noble ladies' eyes shifted subtly the moment he appeared.
Like predators spotting prey.
Handling such fervent attention politely wasn't easy, I thought.
'Tough luck, big bro.'
With Hector drawing all the attention, moving was easier.
I grabbed food and drinks from a corner, scanning for Seren somewhere in the hall.
But after a full lap, no sign of her.
'Already left? Or...'
Just in case, I checked the balcony.
Unusually bright night.
Cool air, but moonlight and starlight poured down, illuminating the palace nightscape without lamps.
Seren Goodspring was at the balcony's far edge.
Crouched in a dim corner, sniffling faintly...
"......?"
Was she crying?
I hesitated briefly.
The Seren I knew had smirked even on death's door.
Red, bloodshot eyes sniffling felt alien.
"...What now...? What should I even do...?"
Unaware of me, she clutched her head, eyes trembling, mumbling.
"...I can't do anything alone... Never could. Scary. So scary..."
Seren burst into tears.
"Where did you go...?"
Without thinking, I asked.
"Who are you looking for?"
"......!"
Her head whipped around.
I figured she'd snap at me for eavesdropping or flee...
But her reaction was unexpected.
"Uh."
"......?"
"Uwaaaaaah-!"
Bursting into sobs, Seren ran at me. Tears and snot streaming.
"Wait—"
Before I could say stop, her body slammed into my abdomen.
"Young Master! Young Master Ruan...! Uwaaaah...!"
"...What's this about? Calm down first."
Averting my eyes from the horror of my expensive clothes soaked in saliva, I coaxed and soothed her until I pried her off.
"Hic, h-hic... Sob..."
Still not calming, tears dripping, she suddenly bowed deeply like a plea.
"Please help...!"
"Help with what?"
Dumbfounded, I asked back. Seren replied in a tear-choked voice.
"Please, please save Sihyun!"
...Who?