Chapter 139
Chapter 139
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: The Fallen One
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The Fallen One.
After receiving the notice of passing.
I immediately opened the box.
'I wonder what's inside.'
A massive retinal alloy weighing several hundred kilograms.
The exam proctor had said it.
It's only 1kg, but... you can proudly say it's better than that 300kg retinal alloy door.
Retinal alloy was so rare that even in the Western Continent, it could only be obtained with the crown prince's help.
But something even better than that?
'What the hell is it?'
I opened the box.
And what I saw was the universe.
No, it was something like a beautiful meteor embodying the cosmos.
"What do you think? Beautiful, isn't it?"
"Y-Yes......"
I stared blankly at the meteor.
If retinal alloy had shape-memory properties and could hold one gift when infused with mana.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Starlight Stone (星輝石). Yeah, that thing is definitely way better than retinal alloy. '......Starlight Stone?'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Yeah, it might suit you pretty well. 'What kind of properties does it have?'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -It has the property of erasing anything. Despite looking like it could hold everything. 'Erasing?'
......Emotions.
⚔ ITEM ⚔ Starlight Stone (星輝石) ◇It contains the power to erase all things ──. It's said that only a tiny amount has fallen into this world. "......"
Censored even for an item?
I squinted at the starlight stone.
Before the starlight stone, there was only one thing the system couldn't distinguish.
Chloe.
She had that "world's ──" thing.
So, was this similar to that?
'......A stone full of mysteries.'
I stared at the starlight stone.
As I did, the exam proctor cleared his throat with a "ahem."
"Are you perhaps worried about refining the starlight stone?"
"Pardon?"
Worried about refining the starlight stone? Sorry, but that means nothing to me.
'I have Synthesis.'
The cheat gift called Synthesis.
And the Thief's Divine Realm assisting it.
With craftsmanship reaching the divine realm supporting it, I had no need to worry about refining.
"If you're worried about refining the starlight stone, you can ask the dwarf right in front of you."
"Dwarf...... Pardon?"
I looked at the proctor.
Height around 170cm. A bit shorter than me, but perfectly human-looking.
Dwarves were usually under 120cm anyway.
'But this tall?'
Brandil was like that, and so was the proctor.
"A half-human hybrid."
"Ah, I see."
"My father was human."
I flinched a little.
His father was human, yet he married a woman under 120cm......?
'That's pretty damn suspicious.'
No, even if it's racial traits.
Marrying a woman under 120cm.
'These guys...'
Are they lolicon?
I started seriously suspecting the proctor's father.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Suspicious? Ah, yeah, I suppose it is. 'Right? Something's off......'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Dwarf women have beards, so if hairy women are his type, it's suspicious. '......That's really suspicious.'
It was so suspicious I thought about keeping my distance.
Anyway, I looked at the half-human dwarf proctor.
"Are you offering to do it yourself?"
"Well...... I'd love to handle one of the dream ores, the starlight stone, but my skills aren't up to it. Even so, I'm in the warrior category."
"Then?"
"I'll recommend someone. There's a being in the Eastern Continent called the Divine Craftsman."
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Divine Craftsman? No way that guy's still alive? 'You know him?'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Of course. The guy's skill was top-tier enough to refine a holy sword once. 'Refined it?'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -The holy sword was made from star creation jade, a material equal to starlight stone. So no ordinary blacksmith can refine a holy sword. Hell, they can't even melt it. '......Hmm.'
I eyed the holy sword suspiciously for a moment.
This guy had always given me that vibe when talking about the holy sword—not about his own body, but like he knew its history.
Is this guy a hero?
Like the first hero or something.
The inaugural hero, called peerless alone.
He made a contract with the goddess to stop the beasts or whatever that were about to invade this world.
And as a result, he brought the Demon King into this world.
I thought carefully, making sure the holy sword didn't notice.
His vast knowledge and familiarity with hero techniques had always been suspicious.
"You'll introduce me to the Divine Craftsman?!"
Seraphina the elf, who had been eavesdropping, shrieked.
"Not you."
The proctor gave Seraphina a cold glare.
"The only one who can handle the starlight stone, the winner's prize, is the Divine Craftsman, so I'll write you a recommendation. Well, that's part of it."
The proctor made a circle with his thumb and index finger.
"Above all, this starlight stone can't be refined with money... Writing you a recommendation lets me boost my favor with the Divine Craftsman too."
"......"
Honest, I like that.
I pondered for a moment, then nodded at the dwarf's words.
'Might as well meet him anyway.'
Building rapport with a master who can handle starlight stone isn't bad.
'Ermé might know him too.'
Having extra routes is gamer basics.
I nodded at the proctor's words.
The holy sword spoke to my thoughts.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -But don't you have the Synthesis gift? Just synthesize it with the starlight stone. 'Yeah, true.'
I agreed inwardly with the holy sword.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Then why? 'To see how this starlight stone is handled.'
If I like it, I'll just make one sword and be done.
'If not, I'll use it as synthesis material myself.'
No loss either way.
*
However, I couldn't meet the Divine Craftsman or whoever.
The reason was simple.
'The hero competition hasn't ended yet.'
Thief and Veronica, already set as Saintess, were done, but warrior and mage were still going strong.
Should I just synthesize it outright?
[Recommendation: Master's gift and Thief's Divine Realm have already advanced to the divine realm, no other race can handle it.] Cheongju, who shares my gifts, said so.
"Really?"
[Affirmative. Soon, even without the elf's alchemy gift, Thief's Divine Realm can handle cooking, brewing, and potion-making.] Is that possible?
If so, there's no point in the elf's alchemy.
'If that's the case, great for me.'
I could turn the current Cheongju into a production master.
But would it work?
I could kinda sorta do it, but I had this weird gut feeling it wouldn't cut it.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Your gut's never wrong. 'What's with that weird certainty.'
I grumbled inwardly, but I trusted my instincts.
Whenever this guy felt ominous, something bad always happened.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -Well, nothing like that will happen here. '......'
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -In a big event like the hero competition, no one's gonna cause trouble. Any incident would bring attacks from every empire and kingdom in the East and West Continents. The holy sword just raised a flag......
But half of me agreed with him.
Still.
'......Raids are standard at places like this.'
Is it okay to be this complacent?
I sharpened my senses, but nothing seemed amiss.
*
The hero competition continued.
The warrior division was still in full swing, and the mage one was winding down.
Interestingly, most from the East Continent were martial artists, and mages—what they called shamans here—were rare.
Maybe that's why.
Eastern martial arts outclassed the West's, and Western magic surpassed the East's.
Watching made me think about magic.
I'd learned a bit from Clara before.
But quit pretty quick.
One reason.
'Mixing jobs in this world is too half-assed.'
Like a vessel.
Dig one path fully or you don't learn properly—happens a lot.
That's why hybrids like thief-warrior were rare.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -You might master magic properly, but it's not ideal. To reach the end, you might have to pick one path eventually. 'The end.'
Thinking about it made me sigh deeply.
At first, I just wanted to get home from here.
'But I've grown attached to this place.'
Honestly, barely anyone in that world knows me.
No, tons do, but no one I care about—that's the truth.
I sighed, lost in such thoughts lately.
'Must be 'cause life here's comfy.'
I often had weird thoughts like that.
"What's wrong?"
Ermé had snuck up and asked.
"Lately, life's too comfy, so I keep thinking about the future."
"That's good. Thinking about the future is fine—as long as you don't obsess. Stay true to the present, forget the painful past, and if you want revenge, don't forget."
"I see."
"In that spirit, how about a date with me?"
Ermé grinned.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙ -That one's a total vixen. The holy sword badmouthed Ermé behind her back.