The Imperial Treasury (2)
"By the way, Hyung."
A memory from the past suddenly came to mind.
It was a few months ago, shortly after Strawberry Latte had possessed his current body.
At the time, I had just finished explaining the Sword Master's Soul.
After hearing about the insane skill that made me the strongest entity in the world for a mere 0.01 seconds, Strawberry Latte asked a foolish question.
"If that skill is so overpowered... can't you just pump all your stats into Mana and solve everything?"
Sigh.
Hearing that, I let out a deep sigh and shook my head.
There was no way Strawberry Latte didn't know the answer. No matter how many times greater my achievement points were compared to his, the second-ranked player was still the second-ranked player.
For a guy as smart as him to ask such a stupid question... it meant he had just blurted it out without thinking.
Even so, I answered him with all my heart.
Thwack!
Though first, I had to give the eternal second-place player a good flick to the forehead.
"Ow! Why did you hit me?!"
"Because you're talking nonsense, you idiot. What do you mean, pump your Mana stat?"
Come to think of it, one hit wasn't enough.
Since he was second place, he deserved two.
Thwack, thwack!
"Ow! Ow!"
Anyway.
There was one thing I had constantly emphasized ever since I first opened my eyes in this godforsaken world.
Unlike physical abilities, Mana was a stat where innate talent mattered most.
In other words, without a born 'foundation,' no amount of effort would prevent your growth from eventually hitting a hard ceiling.
And my Mana stat?
Mana: 1
Indeed.
No more, no less... it was exactly 1.
Investing in Mana in this state would yield returns far too meager compared to the cost required.
Of course, that didn't mean there were no ways to increase Mana under these conditions.
There were plenty of methods, such as devouring advanced magic grimoires, training with mana stones, or consuming mana-boosting elixirs.
But the moment I chose that path, I would have to give up the time and resources that should be allocated elsewhere.
In short, the opportunity cost was simply too high.
"In this game, how you roll the snowball in the early stages is absolutely critical."
"Right...?"
"So, rather than delaying other areas of growth to force points into an inefficient stat like Mana, it makes more sense to focus on areas with immediate, guaranteed effects to quickly build up my physical weight class."
"..."
"And once that foundation is built, it's much better to slowly touch upon Mana later on."
No one knew Lost Elder better than I did.
With the experience and knowledge accumulated over 200 playthroughs, along with countless trials and errors...
Because of that, I could be certain.
The path I had chosen so far was the most effective growth route. It was a near-perfect, optimal choice without a single wasted step.
'If I had gone all-in on Mana from the very beginning...'
I would have missed out on Ritardando Jin (True), Ultimate Auto-Parrying, my unlocked swordsmanship talent, and the Dragon Body.
Above all, I wouldn't even have been able to properly build relationships with key faction NPCs.
Would I have been able to survive until now in that state?
No.
I could guarantee that I would have already followed in Mr. Cedric's footsteps.
Which meant I would have died a pointless death.
At least he went cleanly in one shot, sliced in half. I might have met a far more gruesome end.
—Come to think of it, even if I had that skill, I don't think I could have done what you did, Hyung.
—...
—I don't think anyone else but you could map out such a meticulous growth route with a glass cannon whose base stats average out to 1.
Do you get it now?
Strawberry Latte hadn't said those words for no reason.
While I would build up my Mana foundation whenever I had the chance, focusing on that stat in earnest was a task for later.
For now, securing faster and more reliable growth took priority.
'Of course...'
Even so, there occasionally existed irregular items that unconditionally boosted stats regardless of whether one possessed a foundation.
Exceptional existences that literally ignored the rules, allowing one to transcend the limits of innate talent.
'Those items are incredibly rare.'
You could count them on one hand across the entire game, and even then, the difficulty of obtaining them was astronomical.
But...
What if one of those very items was sleeping right here, in the Imperial Treasury of Rashutku?
'I must obtain it, no matter what it takes.'
That was one of the reasons I had sought out the ruins of Rashutku in the first place.
Fwoosh—!
As the doors swung open, a dazzling golden light burst forth.
"Whoa..."
The Koshat siblings gasped in unison.
Everyone else could only gape in sheer awe.
The interior of the treasury was a sight that defied imagination.
Colossal shelves that seemed to reach the ceiling lined the walls, with all kinds of items and artifacts displayed between them.
Armor and weapons forged of solid gold, accessories studded with various gems, scrolls inscribed with ancient characters, and magical tools radiating a mystical aura.
All the wealth and knowledge accumulated over thousands of years by Rashutku, once the greatest empire, was gathered here.
"Th-this place is..."
Marcus muttered in a trembling voice.
"...This is heaven."
Behind his glasses, his eyes were filled with a mixture of awe and excitement. For a scholar, this was a sight they might see only once in a lifetime, so that said it all.
Natalia was no different. Though she had reverted to the body of a young girl, the instinct of a treasure hunter burned fiercely in her small eyes.
It was then that Emperor Tarosk spoke.
"This is the true legacy left behind by Rashutku."
"..."
"However, bear one thing in mind. The items you may take from this place are limited to exactly three."
"...Th-three?"
When Marcus asked back in disappointment, Tarosk nodded and continued.
"Indeed. That is the law of the empire, and the final trial you must undergo."
"..."
"Those blinded by excessive greed shall lose everything. A true successor must know how to discern true value from among countless legacies."
Hearing those words, I let out a silent chuckle.
To reiterate, this was not a real historical ruin, but merely a dungeon that 'mimicked' the Rashutku Empire.
Naturally, there was a system-imposed limit on the treasures of the Imperial Treasury we could take.
'Of course, it doesn't really matter.'
I had already decided on all the treasures I needed to take anyway.
"Hmm, if we can only take three..."
Selena trailed off, her eyes shifting subtly.
She began to glance around at the group, her expression clearly betraying her thoughts on who would get what.
To be precise, rather than worry, her face looked filled with greed.
"Wh-what is it...?"
Natalia reacted immediately.
Was it because she had already been burned by Selena several times before?
Catching that shifty look, Natalia snapped back in annoyance.
"What's with that look? Are you seriously planning to take a share? After you stole the map from our Ruins Investigation Team?"
At those words, Selena let out a frustrated sigh and retorted.
"Miss Koshat."
"What!"
"I will say this once more: that was a lawful cooperation with absolutely no issues under the treaty."
"What...?"
"We, Wintershield, completed the deciphering of the map in accordance with the treaty, and we did not embezzle any relics. We even conducted a joint exploration with you, the Ruins Investigation Team."
"..."
While Natalia stood there speechless, stammering, Selena calmly continued.
"But what exactly did you do? Objectively speaking, wasn't the Ruins Investigation Team's only contribution to this dungeon raid the provision of the map and the key?"
"...W-what did you say?"
"I recall we received almost no help in the core aspects, such as actual combat, strategy, or translating the ancient language. And yet, you shamelessly intend to demand a share of the rewards?"
Natalia let out a scoff, dumbfounded.
"Ha! What kind of nonsense is she talking about? Isn't handing over the map and the key the most important part? Without them, we wouldn't have even been able to enter the ruins in the first place!"
"..."
"A-and... w-we are... descendants of the Rashutku Imperial Family! So it's only right that we inherit the legacy!"
Natalia's face flushed slightly red.
She seemed embarrassed to call herself a descendant of the imperial family.
Of course, Selena replied without even blinking.
"Even that lineage was verified by Sir Gaon. Without him, you wouldn't have even known you were descendants of the imperial family."
"Wait a moment."
At that moment, Marcus intervened. Adjusting his glasses, he spoke in a calm voice.
"If we're going by that logic, what did Wintershield do? Deciphering the map and key, opening the gates, entering the palace, and passing the trials—Sir Gaon was the one who led every single step of this process."
"That is..."
Selena fell silent for the first time.
Faced with Marcus's calm point, she couldn't find a way to refute it.
A heavy silence descended upon the room.
Before long, everyone cautiously turned their gaze toward me.
Their expressions showed they had newly realized who held the final decision-making power.
...
"...?"
A dry laugh escaped my lips before I could stop it, finding the situation absurd.
Seriously, what was with these guys?
Now they just glanced at me whenever anything happened.
'It's not like they're puppies looking at their master for approval...'
Well, it was actually better this way. Since things had turned out like this, no one would complain even if I openly gave orders.
Having reached that conclusion, I declared in a firm voice.
"I will decide which treasures to take, as well as how they will be distributed."
"...?"
For a moment, everyone looked flustered, surprised by my sudden, unilateral declaration.
"Trust me. This is the best choice."
"..."
"There are hundreds of treasures piled up here, but only three are truly useful. I am the only one who can accurately pick them out."
Hearing this, Biyolf asked in surprise.
"H-how... how do you know that, Sir Gaon...?"
I replied calmly.
"Because I've been to this treasury several times before."
"...!"
"...!"
Everyone stared at me in shock.
Although they kept their mouths shut, I could practically see all sorts of misunderstandings spinning in their heads.
"..."
Just then, Strawberry Latte looked at me.
His sharp gaze felt like he was glaring at a con artist.
'Uh... Strawberry...?'
I didn't lie this time either, you know?
I had entered and exited this place dozens of times while playing the game.
"..."
Feeling slightly awkward for no reason, I averted my gaze.
'Anyway.'
I quickly moved through the treasury, picking out the items I needed.
An old compass, a hand mirror flowing with a mysterious energy, and a pendant containing a small amount of liquid.
There were certainly countless high-performance items in the Imperial Treasury, but most of them could be replaced by other things.
However, these three were different.
They were so outstanding that they were completely irreplaceable.
'The experience of 200 playthroughs wasn't in vain.'
With this, all preparations were complete.
'I'm a bit worried, but...'
I gripped the black chest with all my might.
'...Now, it's finally time to wake her.'
I really hoped the Silence spell was as perfect as the Lord of Flame and Blacksmithing had guaranteed.
Please.
Tap, tap.
A dark underground cavern.
Along with the sound of weak footsteps, the Puppet Master Batu made his appearance.
"Ah, Batu."
The Sphere Knight glanced at him and muttered in a low voice.
"I heard the news. I am truly sorry."
"Huh? Wh-what... what do you mean...?"
Batu asked back in confusion, looking genuinely bewildered as if he had no idea what the knight was talking about.
At that moment, the Tentacle Woman next to them let out a seductive laugh.
"Fufu, pretending not to know because you're embarrassed?"
"...?"
"I heard you confessed to Doriko Shiro and got rejected?"
"N-NO, I DIDN'T!!! Wh-who spread that ridiculous rumor?!"