Chapter 54
Chapter 54 - Your Staff Was Awesome
"Lucy. You said it was around here. Why can't I see it?"
"No, I'm sure this is the right place! If you don't trust me, why did you bring me here?"
"If it's right, why can't I see it? Want me to hit you?"
"V-violence is wrong! How dare you, a hero, use violence against a delicate lady!"
"Don't you feel ashamed saying that about yourself?"
"... Ugh..."
Lucy and I came to the snowy plains, north of Halcenberg territory which was the undead's stronghold.
We were arguing in the middle of a white plain covered in thick snow and ashes.
Setting aside the fact that Lucy and I arguing was like a daily roll call for military personnel.
The problem was the content of that argument.
"If I died around here, my corpse should be here somewhere."
I looked around.
It's all covered in thick ashes. Without any lie, everywhere I look there's nothing but grayish-white ashes.
Naturally, neither my corpse nor my residual sentiment could be seen, buried in the ashes.
'There really were a lot of undead.'
Even where we're standing now, the ashes are piled up to our knees. In some places, it reaches up to chest height.
'Even during my military service in Gangwon-do, snow rarely piled up this much.'
Anyway, we came to where the Demon King said I died in my past life, but my corpse is nowhere to be seen.
Even Izanami's heart can only give an approximate location, making it difficult to pinpoint the exact spot.
Moreover, with the ground in this state, it would be hard to find anything even with the Demon King's precise memories.
'Should I give up after all?'
Actually, there's almost no chance my ability scores would increase from recovering residual sentiment since I wouldn't have raised my status during such an urgent battle. Experience and level inheritance are effects of the 'Death God's Favor' skill, so they have nothing to do with Izanami's heart... I roughly know what happened from what the Demon King told me.
There's no real need to recover the residual sentiment. I just came because it felt unsettling.
'Yeah. Let's give up.'
It's not good for a man to be so obsessed with past events.
I decided to give up cleanly and turned around.
"Ughak?!"
Thud. Right after, I tripped on something and fell spectacularly.
In that moment, ash powder poured into every hole in my face - eyes, nose, mouth, and ears.
"Apua! Cough! Cough! Ugh damn it!"
When I finally got up, my whole body had turned white like the Kumho Tire mascot.
The Demon King saw me and burst out laughing.
"Puhahaha! Serves you right, hero! Justice always prevails!"
Hey, don't you feel ashamed saying that as a Demon King? I thought about picking a fight but decided against it.
Instead of arguing, I tripped her feet and made her fall too.
"Apua! Cough! Cough! Y-you crazy hero. Cough!"
The Demon King flailed around buried in the ashes. Maybe because she's so small, she struggled to get up.
Good. I felt much better. Once I was satisfied she was evenly coated in batter, I helped her up.
"Blegh..."
As the exhausted-looking Demon King opened her mouth, ash powder poured out. I couldn't help but make a disgusted face.
However, that was brief. My eyes were drawn to the small staff in her hand.
"... What's that?"
"Hm? What?"
"That thing in your hand."
"What's in my hand...?"
The Demon King finally looked at her hand.
She raised the staff with wide eyes.
"Huh? What's this? When did you put this in my hand, hero?"
"..."
She probably grabbed it reflexively while flailing around on the ground.
That staff must be what I tripped over too. I sighed slightly and took the staff from the Demon King's hand.
"This is..."
A black staff with an impressive huge red jewel. It's an item not in my current memories.
However, given it was around where I died, I could deduce it belonged to a high-ranking undead officer.
I quietly observed it and activated Mimir's Eye.
[Name: Staff of Soul Pacification (Relic Grade)]
[Modifiers: Strength -5, Intelligence +35, Magic Skill Level Support +2]
[Details: A short staff used by Eldritch, the most loyal vassal of Lustica Asmodeus. With Eldritch's powerful magical energy imbued in carefully selected rubies, it demonstrates excellent performance in magic assistance.]
[Number of possible enhancements: 1]
"Wow holy shit...!"
Among all the items I've seen so far, this is the first one that increases stats by more than 30 points.
Of course, strength decreases by 5 points, but who needs strength unless you're doing crazy things like being a " Physical Mage". We're not Gandalf here. [TL/N: Yh, Gandalf was a fighter]
'No, that's not even the main point...'
And the magic skill level support. This is the truly broken aspect.
If we consider the 35 stat increase as equivalent to about 12 levels of adjustment, the skill level support becomes increasingly broken efficient the more magic skills you have.
'This is what you call a growth-type weapon.'
If you have 10 skills, it's like a 20 level increase effect, and if you have 20 skills, it's like a 40 level increase effect.
In other words, since its performance varies according to ability from low to high levels, there's no reason to look for other equipment once you have this.
'Okay. Game set.'
There's nothing more to see here.
Residual sentiment? Whatever. People should look forward in life.
The search wasn't in vain since I found something better than residual sentiment . Let's give up cleanly.
"I'll give this to Seolbaek later."
For now, Seolbaek is an intelligence character. I'm not sure if the techniques Seolbaek uses are considered "magic", but either way, a 35 stat increase is definitely not a small amount.
I looked at the pile of ashes somewhere with a refreshed mind and put the staff in my bag.
And with a smirk, I muttered to the unknown owner of the staff.
"Your staff was awesome."
Taking the Demon King who was disgusted by my sudden grinning, I walked towards the castle.
This is really the end now.
My steps toward the castle were lighter than ever for the final meeting with Halcenberg.
* * *
"Oh, Lord Jeong-Yong! You're awake! Hero of Halcenberg! How delightful to see you again after three days!"
The Margrave of Halcenberg, whom I hadn't seen in a while, had quite a different personality from before.
First, he started speaking formally to me. Plus, the smile never left his face.
His tension was through the roof. Even now, as he welcomes me while personally changing the audience chamber's interior, his energetic aura was almost suffocating.
"Ugh, shit..."
The Demon King shows disgust beside me. Seeming about to dry heave, she quickly escaped the audience chamber.
But honestly, I feel uncomfortable too.
Unable to stand it anymore, I spoke up.
"Excuse me, Lord Margrave."
"Yes, what is it, Hero of Halcenberg!"
"First, please stop speaking formally, and please refrain from using that title. It completely kills my desire to converse."
"...Hmm. Ah, I understand. My apologies."
"No, there's nothing to apologize for."
Halcenberg awkwardly cleared his throat and returned to his usual self.
Thank goodness. He was capable of switching it on and off. If not, I might have packed up and left right away.
'Hmm. This place has changed quite a bit too.'
I looked around once.
The crumbling audience chamber had returned to quite a solemn atmosphere. Various ritual vessels decorated in black caught my eye.
I touched the tapestry on the wall and asked.
"What have you been doing? Remodeling?"
"Nothing special. Just preparing a memorial service for the many who died here."
"...Ah."
No wonder. I thought the interior was too dark and gloomy for decoration. So it was for a memorial service.
As I corrected my posture solemnly, the Margrave instead waved his hand and laughed heartily.
"No need to be so formal. Before, we were too busy just suppressing the reviving undead to even think about memorial services. Being able to hold this ceremony is all thanks to you."
"...I see."
This man has a talent for saying serious things while laughing.
Please say serious things with a serious face, Lord Margrave. I don't know whether to laugh or cry.
While I was thinking that to myself, fortunately, hopeful words began to flow from the Margrave's mouth.
"And since I've lifted the martial law, the territory's residents who were evacuated should soon be returning here."
"Oh."
"To forget the past sorrows... and start anew. That's what this ceremony is about, so to speak."
That's welcome news indeed.
Having just Leila, the Margrave, and the insane Gwyn in this vast castle feels too inhuman.
Just imagining the castle bustling with servants and residents made me feel better. It felt like the frozen temperature of the castle had warmed up.
"That's good. When it becomes more livable with more people, please invite me again sometime. I'd really like to see it with my own eyes."
"Though I'm not sure how many will hope to return to this ruined territory."
A bitter smile hung on the Margrave's lips as he said this.
With a face mixed with apologetic and worried feelings, he said.
"Thanks to your efforts, all the undead are gone... but this is still a harsh land to live in. Not just the severe cold waves... but Eldritch isn't the only ancient demon race. Now that the fierce tiger has retreated, other demon races will be eyeing this land greedily."
"Still, if I were a resident, I would return right away. If only to see your virtue, Lord Margrave."
"Hahaha. I appreciate the kind words."
The Margrave laughed it off self-deprecatingly, then filled a silver ritual cup with wine to the brim. Then he passed one to me.
"Do you like alcohol?"
"Can't get enough of it."
I accepted it and drank it all at once. One shot.
The Margrave nodded satisfactorily, then drank his all at once too. Also one shot.
...I should take back what I said about cutting off his neck last time.
"...Hmm. Indeed. I see."
The Margrave, who had been quietly staring at the empty cup, suddenly nodded to himself. Then he looked at me with changed eyes.
His upturned eyes, now serious, were filled with regret.
"The fact that you're asking to return again... means you're planning to leave this place now.”