Chapter 290: Power, and the Worship of Power (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 290: Power, and the Worship of Power (1)
Construction was in full swing at the Volta estate.
Workers swarmed the mansion, which had previously been so dilapidated it looked as though it might collapse at the slightest breeze. The Lord and his family often wiped away tears, still unable to fully believe in this dreamlike reality, while the residents who had fled the famine were returning one by one.
Vinn Branche, the butler of Volta, spent his days overseeing free food distribution for the people and his evenings consulting with the Lord on how to best utilize the support funds provided by Runcandel. Following Jin’s orders, Petro had provided the funds "within reasonable limits," but even that was enough for this small fiefdom to regain its vitality and begin planning for the future.
Consequently, Vinn Branche was filled with pride. He could say with absolute certainty that his life had never been more enjoyable.
"This is all thanks to you, Sir Knight. Since becoming the butler of Volta, I have never seen the estate so full of life!"
Vinn smiled as he served freshly brewed barley tea.
"Once the renovations on the Volta mansion are finished, workers from Tikan will arrive to build your new house. I plan to install a forge in the basement with specialized soundproofing, so let me know if there are any other facilities you’d like to add."
"Oh, heavens, I don't need anything like that. Just the thought of having my own house is more than I deserve. Thank you so much!"
"I should be the one thanking you."
Slurp.
As Jin sipped his barley tea, Murakan grimaced in annoyance. In fact, he had been wearing a look of profound dissatisfaction for the entire hour since they had arrived at Vinn’s house.
"Hey! Picon Minche, get out here already! You mustachioed jerk. How long are you going to keep us waiting?"
It was because Picon had yet to speak up. Furthermore, Murakan was still fuming over the fact that Picon hadn't properly explained the dangers when he first told Jin about Temar’s first grave.
"Er, um. Lord Murakan, I apologize. Even though I am the contractor, I don't exactly have the ability to summon Lord Picon at will."
Vinn scratched his head awkwardly.
It was three hours later when Picon finally appeared. It was just as Murakan’s patience was reaching its absolute limit. Vinn’s eyes rolled back until only the whites were visible, and his body began to convulse. It was the sign of Picon’s descent.
"Guh-urk."
A moment later, a light flickered in those white eyes, and Picon’s voice rang out.
[Good grief, you’re so noisy with all that yapping.]
"Lord Picon."
[Ah, yes. Welcome back, Jin Runcandel. By the way, Murakan, you’re as tactless now as you were back then. Surely you didn't think I was staying quiet because I didn't want to talk to you?]
"What? You didn't want to talk to me? Why?"
Picon’s eyes widened as he glared at Murakan.
[Have you forgotten how much you hounded me when I was forging Barisada and Bradamante?! You’d show up every single day asking when they’d be finished, talking nonsense about how your mustache would grow faster than I could work...]
"What on earth are you talking about? When did I ever do that?!"
Murakan looked genuinely bewildered.
[Hah, you don't remember? I suppose you also don't remember how Lady Quicantel and Temar used to sneak over behind your back to apologize to me multiple times? Because of you, there were more than a few occasions where I considered quitting the production of Barisada and Bradamante altogether.]
As Picon shouted, Jin looked at Murakan and clicked his tongue.
"Murakan, you were in the wrong."
[Is that all? While you were loitering in my forge acting like a nuisance, didn't you hunt down and beat up any other dragon that so much as flew over our village? Do you have any idea how much the other blacksmiths pleaded with me, saying they were scared to death because of you?]
"Wh-what are you talking about now? Your forge was in some backwater corner in the south of the Bilmer Kingdom. That was nowhere near the Storm Castle and wasn't my territory, so why would I beat up passing dragons?"
[Wherever I am is my territory. Wasn't that the phrase you lived by back then?]
Suddenly, Jin recalled something Murakan had said in the Viment Sea when they first went to find Quicantel.
— Anyone who enters my territory starts by getting a beating. That’s how it was back then.
In his prime, Murakan’s personality had been incomparably worse than it was now. He was the ultimate existence—arrogant, overbearing, and unspeakably fierce. Everyone who knew Murakan in his prime remembered him that way. It was no wonder that even Latri, who had never met Murakan before, had trembled upon seeing him for the first time based solely on the legends. It was a well-known fact that most dragons had foul tempers. Among them, the Murakan of that era was certainly exceptional.
Picon exhaled a sharp, angry breath. Just thinking about how he had been tormented by Murakan in the past seemed to make his blood boil.
[Because of you, the bards even made songs about how the screams of dragons could be heard every day in the blacksmith village of the Bilmer Kingdom. The rumors got so distorted that people started calling me a rogue blacksmith who acted out because I had you and Temar backing me!]
Murakan blinked his eyes in confusion for a long moment.
"Well... Picon, if I really did that, then I’ll start by apologizing. I’m sorry."
Picon flinched and locked eyes with Murakan. His inner thoughts were racing. I'm sorry? Is that really a phrase that can come out of Murakan’s mouth?
[What did you just say?]
"I said I’m sorry. To be honest, out of everything you said, I only remember making fun of your mustache... but looking back at my behavior at the time, those are certainly things that could have happened."
[Are you really Murakan? For real?]
"It seems I’ve developed some memory issues during my thousand-year slumber. And as you can see, I’ve lost a lot of my power. Anyway, if I did anything to upset you, I apologize."
The moment Murakan abruptly moved to bow his head, even Jin was startled and reflexively grabbed his shoulder. Picon was also holding onto Murakan, looking utterly dumbfounded.
[Hey, you don't have to go this far... Whoa, whoa, Murakan. We were close in our own way; I was just being cranky because I was annoyed. You’re making me feel weird now.]
Now, it was Picon who looked more uncomfortable.
"Picon Minche."
[Yeah.]
"A thousand years ago... was I an evil dragon?"
That was Murakan’s pride. He took pride in the fact that while he might have been arrogant because he possessed the greatest power, he had never done anything that would earn him the title of an "evil dragon."
[No, you weren't an evil dragon. You never harmed humans, and, uh, well. You used to play well with the village kids, too. Remember? When Ellie, that little girl, was kidnapped by the Zipple, you were the one who found her... Ah, dammit. Why am I making excuses for you?]
"Silderay, whom I met in the tomb this time, also cursed me out, calling me a scoundrel. At first, I thought he’d gone mad, but seeing your reaction, it seems there really was something wrong with me. In my memories, I only have good thoughts of Silderay and you. Because you were all Temar’s people."
Jin had never seen Murakan like this. Murakan truly couldn't remember. A portion of his memories from just before he fell asleep was blurred, and he was aware of that fact. However, he hadn't thought those blurred memories would be important. He figured if they were important, there was no way he would have forgotten them. But after meeting people who knew—or spoke as if they knew—his "old days," such as the leader of Kinzelo, Silderay, or Picon, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
[Look, Murakan. You aren't an evil dragon. It’s true you hounded me back then, but there was a reason for it. Runcandel could only strike at the Zipple once Temar’s sword was finished.]
Picon shrugged and continued.
[And it’s true you beat up dragons frequently. But trespassing on territory is a valid reason, and besides, since I was making Temar’s weapon in my forge at the time, it was only natural for security. Back then, ninety percent of the dragons in the world belonged to the Zipple.]
Murakan lifted his head.
[No one was unaware of the many sacrifices you made for Runcandel and Huphester. I was just being petty because I was glad to see you, but if you act like this, what does that make me?]
"Right, I thought it was strange. There was no reason for you or Silderay to hate me, so I was baffled. You haven't heard anything from Silderay, have you? I’m telling you, that guy called me a scoundrel! Can you imagine? That polite fellow!"
[I haven't seen Silderay since I finished making the greatsword Volgar. He was probably just running his mouth for no reason, like I was.]
"Silderay went a step further and even called Solderet a traitor. The kid said he saw it in the past through a recording device made of spirit energy in that place."
After Jin spent some time explaining the recording device, Picon’s eyes went wide.
[...There was such a thing? I heard from Solderet that there would only be a guardian modeled after Silderay’s will. That’s why I intended for you to obtain the fragments of the greatsword Volgar there to strengthen Bradamante.]
As Murakan had suspected, the spirit energy orb was not an item used in blacksmithing. Picon examined the orb from various angles and stated once more that he had heard nothing of this from Solderet.
[More importantly, I cannot understand why Silderay would call Solderet a traitor. Didn't that man revere Solderet more than any of the other Ten Great Knights? He was always perfectly respectful to you as well.]
"Picon. You were still alive even after I fell asleep, weren't you?"
[I lived for about three more years. Or was it five?]
"Did Solderet happen to do something bad to Runcandel during that time? Do you remember anything like that? From what I heard from Quicantel or Misha, there was nothing."
[Oh, you’ve met Lady Quicantel as well. I’m glad she’s still alive. Anyway, as far as I know, there was nothing. As you know, Runcandel was defeated by the Zipple afterward and entered into a covenant. If both you and Temar had led that war in perfect condition...]
Picon trailed off, glancing at Murakan. He knew all too well how much of a wound and humiliation that event had been for the two of them and for Runcandel.
[...I’ve misspoken. I’m sorry, Murakan.]
"First you corner me and call me a bad guy the moment you see me, and now you’re apologizing? Honestly, Mustache, even after becoming a god, you have no dignity."
[Anyway, in my opinion, the reason Silderay said that is likely something that can only be understood by finding more of the recording devices Solderet left behind.]
"Lord Picon. Do you happen to have any more of the keys Solderet left?"
At Jin’s question, Picon shook his head.
[That was all I had. Instead, I know who holds the key to the second tomb. Similarly, there will be a guardian in the second tomb, and there will be materials to strengthen Bradamante.]
"Who has it?"
The one who held the key to the second tomb was a truly unexpected name.
[Olmango, the God of Shellfish.]