Ancient Beings (1)
“So, when are we doing this?”
“After today’s schedule ends. I’ll be waiting by the beachfront.”
“Yeah. Got it.”
Aven accepted my condition without complaint. Of course, it would have been unfair for only one side to set terms, so we agreed that if I lost, I would teach him magic. And not just any magic—silent casting.
Anyway, with the conversation over, I was about to head to the Southern Region’s Adventurer Guild with Hestia when…
“Why are you following us?”
“Didn’t I already say? I have business at the Adventurer Guild.”
“Ah…”
“Um… I’m fine with it, Kael…! Wouldn’t it be better if we all went together?”
I hadn’t even asked Hestia, but she was already glancing at Aven. It seemed his good looks had earned him some unearned favor.
Aven, Kael, Haidel, and Lucas. These four were the male leads of the original novel’s reverse harem, and according to the story, they were considered the greatest beauties of high society.
It wasn’t strange at all for Hestia to react that way while caught between two of them.
Of course, I didn’t particularly care.
“By the way, I hear the Southern Adventurer Guild gets a ton of dungeon subjugation requests. What do you think, Kael? The friendly match is one thing, but if we get the chance later, how about we tackle a dungeon together?”
“Sorry, but I’ll pass. I haven’t even decided what request I’m taking yet.”
Still, there was one thing I couldn’t figure out.
Aven… why was this guy acting so friendly toward me?
It made no sense.
“Hey. Don’t you have any friends?”
“…What?! Wait, where did that come from all of a sudden?”
“Sigh… Why is everyone around me such a loser?”
“I-I do have some, okay?”
The way Aven flinched like I’d hit a nerve made it obvious. From the start, how many noble sons or daughters would even befriend a commoner like him? Considering his background, it made sense.
He wasn’t someone who should have even been allowed into the noble academy. If not for the recommendation from the Empire’s sole Archmage and the Tower Master, he wouldn’t have gotten anywhere near the place.
With that, we arrived at the Adventurer Guild. Thankfully, it wasn’t far.
“It’s closer than I thought.”
“Ah… but we’re running out of time, aren’t we?”
Hestia pointed at the clock tower in the center of the village as she spoke. Aven had delayed us a little.
“We’ll make it just in time. Now that we’ve confirmed the guild’s location, let’s head back.”
That marked the end of our tour of the southern village.
Starting at two o’clock this afternoon, we were scheduled to visit the Imperial History Museum.
No matter how much the event was meant for noble socializing, the field trip was still fundamentally an educational outing. There was no way they would simply let the students run wild and have fun.
“The Southern Region was the site of the most intense battles during the First Empire-Kingdom War and suffered the greatest damage. It served as a major stronghold during the Empire’s formation, but it took a full century to recover from the devastation.”
Though it was called the Imperial History Museum, it mostly focused on the history of the southern Empire.
Thanks to the common sense and knowledge I’d received from Kael, none of the explanations were unfamiliar or difficult to understand.
“During the Second Empire-Kingdom War, the main theater was the western Rotos territory, so the South was largely spared from the fighting. That’s why it has been able to maintain its beautiful resort appearance to this day.”
While the main explanations were given from the South’s perspective, the Empire’s broader history was briefly covered as well.
The First Empire-Kingdom War had been a battle for the fate of the nation itself. If I had to compare it to something, it was like a full-on UFC match. The Second War, on the other hand, was more like a medieval European WWE where nobles shouted each other’s names and fought with honor.
During the First War, the survival of the country was truly on the line, and since knightly honor and noble culture hadn’t yet taken root, it could be called an era of barbarism.
In contrast, the Second War occurred after chivalry and noble values had been established. Even though it was a war between nations, they fought just enough before negotiating a settlement. It was during that time that the Rotos territory was elevated to margrave status, placing it among the highest-ranking noble houses in the Empire.
From then on, the current era continued.
The peace that followed had lasted nearly a hundred years. People no longer felt the reality of war, nor did they fear it.
‘Even the Rotos territory has grown complacent.’
Of course, I had been steadily sending letters to my father warning him of the danger of war, urging him not to let his guard down… but honestly, it didn’t seem to be having much effect.
Above all, this was a romance-fantasy world after all—the nobles’ level of awareness was abysmal.
“War… Can’t we all just disband the armies and live in peace?”
“Wouldn’t it be better to simply forget such violent history?”
“Still, every house needs a guard dog, doesn’t it? Oh ho ho. I heard it would be bad if there were no military at all.”
Treating the military like guard dogs.
The fact that this was the common sense of the nobles in this world meant the author who created it had the same level of understanding. After all, Maria had said the exact same things.
Let’s stop doing violent things like fighting each other. If everyone makes a promise, we can all live peacefully. If we just yield a little, everyone can be happy together.
What nonsense. As if international relations were some flower garden…
“Now, everyone, please settle down. There were many knights who sacrificed themselves to protect this nation. Out of respect for them, I ask that you remain quiet.”
““…””
Someone had said that.
If I were a spy, the first thing I would do is destroy the enemy nation’s security awareness. There is no more efficient espionage than demonizing the military and preaching that peace comes from disarmament.
After all, there’s that famous saying.
If you want peace, prepare for war.
In that sense, the current security awareness of the Empire’s nobles was truly lamentable.
“Alright, that’s enough of the boring stories. If you come this way, you’ll find a magic scroll bearing the signature of the First Archmage. This scroll contains numerous magic circles that form the foundation of modern magic.”
““Ooh…””
Even though it was a history museum, the students were far more interested in the artifacts than the history itself.
In particular, the magic department students gasped in admiration as they examined the Archmage’s circles written on a large piece of parchment.
But I, who could read the intent behind magic circles, already knew what they contained, so I couldn’t bring myself to be impressed.
-May you be able to fall asleep at night.
A spell to help with sleep. (Not a status ailment that forces sleep, of course.)
Or a spell to separate salt from sugar.
A spell that temporarily hides stains on clothes for a few minutes…
They were all trivial spells. None of them seemed particularly useful in a serious sense.
There was only one that stood out. Near the end of the scroll was a spell that allowed conversation with spirits who had not yet departed this world…
-Remaining vengeful spirits, release your sorrow.
‘Tsk… So it lets you communicate with the undead?’
It still didn’t seem all that useful. Still, I decided to memorize the spell that allowed conversation with spirits.
“Students, attention. From now until four o’clock this afternoon, you are free to do as you wish. If there is anything else you want to see, take this opportunity. That is all. You are dismissed.”
Once the museum guide’s explanations were finished, free time was given to explore the museum on our own.
Of course, since it was free time, we could relax in the museum café or visit any of the other theme zones that hadn’t been fully introduced yet.
“Kael. What do you plan to do during the free time?”
“I was wondering when you’d show up.”
And just like clockwork, Elia appeared, pushing through the crowd the moment free time began.
“What? You want to follow me?”
“I don’t have anything particular to do either. So I thought I’d spend the time with you, Kael.”
I pointed to a sign for one of the theme zones in the corner so she could see it.
The sign read: [Ancient Era Artifacts].
“I want to look around the areas we haven’t seen yet. Starting with that one.”
The Ancient Era. The time before the Empire, the Kingdom, and the Holy Kingdom were formed.
It was the era of the war between humanity and the Demon King’s army. The time when the Demon King’s forces were defeated and the remnants, cursed, degenerated into monsters.
It could truly be called a barbaric age.
At the same time, the Ancient Era was also known as the Mythic Era.
It was the age when the figures from myths actually existed and performed their feats. If I had to compare it to Earth, it felt like the era of the Trojan War, when the gods of ancient Greek mythology walked among mortals.
Honestly, even with Kael’s background knowledge, it was an unfamiliar period, which made me curious…
“Let’s go together, Kael.”
“Fine. Just don’t be a nuisance.”
Even Elia, who didn’t seem interested in history at all, quietly followed me to my destination.
The [Ancient Era] theme zone we toured wasn’t particularly impressive.
There were extremely old, elongated jars. Paintings on those jars depicting battles between humans and the Demon King’s army. Gods fighting alongside people. And, of course, the ever-present star worship symbols.
Most of the artifacts were worn and shabby, looking more like junk than anything awe-inspiring.
However…
“What is this?”
“Yeah… what is it?”
At the very end of the [Ancient Era] theme zone sat a massive boulder, and on top of it rested a stone coffin half-buried in the rock.
It looked exactly like the stone sarcophagus I had seen when I cleared the dungeon with Lapel and Elia.
And the information plaque beside it read:
Only the chosen one may open this coffin.
Feel free to try opening it yourself.
It was just like the Sword of the Hero that only the chosen one could pull from the stone.