The Free City of Vertas (IV)
A few days ago.
There was a reason I had held onto Soul of the Sword Master until the very end of my battle with the Heavenly Dragon Bird.
It was to exploit the system of Lost Elder.
Specifically, the mechanism that rewarded players with appropriate skills when they performed specific actions.
Clang!
What if I defended against the Heavenly Dragon Bird's attack with perfect timing?
The system would recognize it as an extraordinary feat. And an appropriate reward would follow.
My prediction had been spot-on.
Of course, I never imagined I'd get a skill this powerful as a reward...
Auto-parrying.
It was a defensive skill for swordsman characters that existed in the original game.
Normally, it was a technique that automatically blocked enemy attacks with a certain probability.
However, the reward I received, Ultimate Auto-parrying, boasted effects on a completely different level from the original skill.
For starters, it has 'Ultimate' attached to its name.
A 9-star legendary skill.
True to its majestic rank, this ability automatically deflected all fatal attacks.
And it did so regardless of the user's Perception stat.
It's practically an invincibility skill.
This was no exaggeration.
Had it not easily blocked the attack launched by the Level 80 Adelia just moments ago?
This meant that most attacks wouldn't even scratch me.
In the game, *Advanced Auto-parrying* was the absolute limit. Even then, it was an ability only high-level characters with monstrous stats could use.
Considering that, obtaining such a skill at Level 1 was utterly absurd.
Well, at least I can breathe a little easier now.
A faint smile played on my lips as I stared at the skill window.
Now that I had this ability, the risk of dying some pathetic, sudden death was completely gone.
"Lord Gaon."
It was then that Adelia called out to me in a tentative voice.
Silently picking up her sword from the ground, she asked, "Would it be alright if I tried just one more time?"
"..."
Try one more time?
Try what, exactly?
As I wondered in silence, a sharp *shring* echoed.
Adelia leveled her sword at me once more, looking as if she were ready to charge at any second.
Seeing her stance, I silently glanced at my skill window.
Cooldown: 23 hours, 58 minutes, 11 seconds
...She was asking for my death.
"That is enough training for today."
"Ah."
Adelia slowly lowered the tip of her blade.
Her shoulders slumped, a look of deep disappointment washing over her face.
Adelia...
I've said this before, but I really don't want to die yet.
The Free City of Vertas.
On the top floor of a mansion situated in the western district of this bustling city, a portly man muttered to himself after receiving a report from his butler.
"The Heavenly Dragon Bird..."
The man's name was Edmon Brickwood.
He was the head of the Vertas Eastern Merchant Coalition and the director in charge of managing all items registered for the auction.
Tapping his desk with an expression dripping with greed, he spoke again.
"You said the carcass was cut in half with unnatural precision?"
"Yes, sir."
The butler, wearing a monocle, nodded and continued. "According to the coalition's investigators, the clean cut is impossible unless it was severed in a single strike."
"Hmm."
Edmon Brickwood let out a low hum and fell silent.
A powerhouse capable of slaying the Heavenly Dragon Bird? And in a single blow?
No matter how much he racked his brain, only one possibility came to mind.
"It must be the work of a Sword Master. Or at least a high-ranking knight of comparable strength."
"...Yes. I am inclined to agree."
*Tap, tap, tap.*
Silence fell over the room once more.
After tapping his desk for a moment, Edmon questioned the butler again.
"So, who registered this carcass for the auction?"
"His name is Hakun Durdamel. He is a special-grade merchant who runs a fairly large guild under our branch."
Edmon nodded slowly.
"Hakun... Hakun Durdamel..."
Yes.
It was a name he had heard before.
A fellow who had achieved the rank of special-grade merchant at a relatively young age through sheer business acumen. Despite being in his early thirties, he was already a veteran who had traversed the Silk Road over a hundred times.
"Did he know the carcass he registered was the Heavenly Dragon Bird?"
"That has not been confirmed yet. However, the ownership of the carcass is registered under a man named Gaon."
"...So Hakun Durdamel is merely acting as the broker?"
"Yes, sir."
Pondering the situation, Edmon smirked.
"Have you verified the identity of this 'Gaon'?"
"He is a man who entered the city just a few days ago. His records prior to that are completely blank. There is a record showing that Hakun Durdamel used his authority as a special-grade merchant to issue him an identification plaque."
"Any other notable details?"
"Nothing special has been reported, other than his sharp features, a frail-looking physique, and a woman accompanying him who is presumed to be his bodyguard."
"Aha, is that so..."
The smile on Edmon's face grew exceedingly sly.
"...Well, the picture is clear enough."
He began to lay out his deduction.
"A Sword Master who received Elder's revelation must have slain the Heavenly Dragon Bird for some reason. Then, Durdamel, while passing through the uncharted territories, happened to stumble upon the carcass."
That 'some reason' was of no concern to Edmon right now.
The only thing that mattered was that the carcass had fallen into Durdamel's hands.
"The moment Durdamel realized this monster's carcass was out of the ordinary, he decided to put it up for auction. That fellow has an uncanny nose for money, after all."
"..."
"But when it came to actually putting it on the market, he probably got cold feet. No matter how high-ranking a monster is, it's rare for a carcass to radiate this much aura."
Hearing this, the butler nodded.
He, too, was beginning to grasp the context of the situation.
"I understand. So he set up a vagrant from the uncharted territories as the nominal owner while he stepped back into the shadows."
"Exactly."
Edmon grinned. Having worked together for so long, the butler was quick on the uptake.
"He claims to be nothing more than a broker, shifting all the risk onto this 'Gaon' fellow."
Edmon had dominated the commerce of Vertas for a long time. The schemes of merchants like Durdamel were as clear as day to him.
However, this was all just his own speculation. There were still details that needed verification.
"Yet, something feels off."
Edmon narrowed his eyes.
"Durdamel is by no means a fool who would use such a simple trick. Above all..."
He tapped the desk out of habit.
"...this entire scenario hinges on the premise that the brat failed to recognize the Heavenly Dragon Bird."
Of course, Edmon's premise was perfectly logical.
Divine Beasts were the emissaries of the ancient gods, and only a select few knew of their existence.
At most, it was limited to members of the Holy Families or high-ranking figures like Edmon who had connections to them.
I doubt a newly promoted special-grade merchant would possess that level of information network, but...
One could never be too sure.
Perhaps Durdamel had fully grasped the value of the Heavenly Dragon Bird and pulled this stunt with a powerful backer supporting him.
*Pfft.*
But Edmon quickly scoffed at the thought. It was an absurd assumption, even to him.
How could someone who had just barely reached the rank of special-grade merchant have a faction rivaling the Holy Families backing him?
...Well, I still need to make sure of everything.
*Tap, tap, tap.*
The speed of his fingers tapping the desk increased.
No matter how slim the possibility, an issue of this magnitude had to be thoroughly investigated. The trickier the situation, the more meticulously he handled it. That was his way.
Having reached a conclusion, Edmon handed down an order to his butler.
"Go and test the waters."
"With Durdamel?"
"No, the one registered as the owner of the carcass. That Gaon fellow, or whatever his name is."
It would be far easier to deal with a clueless vagrant than to try and read the mind of a cunning special-grade merchant.
Confronting Durdamel would come only after they had a grasp on the situation.
Understanding the hidden meaning behind Edmon's command instantly, the butler bowed deeply.
"Yes, sir. I will look into it immediately."
*Creak, thud.*
The butler left the room to carry out his orders.
Staring at the firmly closed door, Edmon chuckled, letting his imagination run wild.
If this goes the way I think it will...
Not only would he be able to legally seize the Divine Beast carcass owned by a rookie special-grade merchant, but Edmon would also be able to achieve the ambition he had harbored for so long.
...This time, I will finally secure a firm footing in my relationship with the Holy Families.
He had no intention of letting this golden opportunity slip through his fingers.
"Whew."
A sigh escaped my lips.
I had rested enough and verified the performance of my newly acquired abilities.
Now, it was time to move on to the next step. The road ahead was bound to be packed.
Did they say it would take a few more days for the Heavenly Dragon Bird carcass to be listed in the auction?
Since it was the first time a Divine Beast carcass had ever appeared on the market, it seemed there were many complicated procedures to go through.
It would take some time, but since the coalition would have cast preservation magic on the carcass, I didn't need to worry about its value depreciating.
With that in mind, I planned to travel to a nearby area with Adelia while waiting for the coalition's approval.
All to obtain the 'ability' I had planned for in advance.
"Adelia."
I called her name. The sulking girl snapped her head up to look at me.
"Prepare for a week-long trip."
"...?"
"Our destination is Vertas's Labyrinth Village."
Labyrinth Village.
A slum located in the underground tunnels beneath the Free City of Vertas.
It was a dangerous place where the city's dregs gathered, far beyond the reach of public security.
Yet, hearing this, Adelia showed no sign of reluctance. Instead, the corners of her mouth began to twitch upward.
What is it now? Why is she so happy...
Ah.
Only then did I realize what was going through Adelia's mind.
She was expecting me to help her grow in a harsh environment again, just like the trial I gave her in Dawnguard's abandoned factory.
...It's really not like that, though.
My heading to Labyrinth Village was purely to achieve my own goals.
But with Adelia's talent, she would probably grow rapidly on her own anyway.
Well, either way, the result would be the same, so it worked out.
"Then I will go fetch the necessary supplies from our lodgings."
"Go ahead."
I decided to practice my swordsmanship for a bit until Adelia returned.
A certain possibility had suddenly crossed my mind.
By the way...
*Whoosh!*
Swinging the Feather Sword while it was still in its scabbard, I recalled my duel with Adelia.
Though the clash had ended in an instant, the sensation of it remained vividly etched in my body.
...Could I perhaps utilize my swordsmanship talent to internalize Ultimate Auto-parrying?
With the talent I possessed, it seemed entirely possible.
If I could replicate this ability with my own strength without relying on the skill itself, it would be ideal.
I was twirling the Feather Sword this way and that to test the possibility when—
Huh?
I froze.
It was at that moment I spotted 'someone' approaching from the distance and stopped my movements.
For some reason, the man's appearance was incredibly familiar.
"..."
A middle-aged man casting a cold gaze from behind a monocle.
Neatly slicked-back hair. A perfectly pressed tailcoat.
One could tell at a glance that he belonged to the upper class.
That guy is...
My brow furrowed.
And for good reason—he was one of the most notorious NPCs in Lost Elder.
Or rather, the minion of such an NPC.
...Taylor, the butler of the Brickwood family.
*Tsk.*
I clicked my tongue.
Of all times, the Brickwood family's butler was approaching me now?
That alone gave me a rough idea of how the auction registration for the Heavenly Dragon Bird carcass was going.
Things are getting complicated.
There was a reason the registration was being delayed.
It seemed the head of the Vertas Eastern Merchant Coalition was playing dirty tricks.
I could easily foresee what would happen next. In the game, the Brickwoods had choked out countless merchants in this exact manner.
Actually, is this a good thing?
A cold smile spread across my face.
Because this means I can excise the rot of Vertas early on.