Chapter 40
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Two Masters
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"Fortunately, the Black Sacred Relic discovered in Reville didn't fall into their hands first thanks to my disciple... and your disciple."
"Gula, huh."
As if they'd known each other for a long time already, Karen and Erna conversed without any awkwardness, bringing up the Black Sacred Relic discovered in Reville—Gula.
"It's funny how things turn out. The adventurer who saved my disciple back then ended up becoming yours."
"Because he has the talent I was looking for."
"Hmm."
Since the two had already met and talked yesterday, Erna knew that Karen had recently taken on a disciple—and that the disciple was the very adventurer she'd encountered before. She smiled with interest.
Though Karen's active period as an adventurer hadn't been that long, so her name wasn't widely known across the continent, Erna was at least one of the people who knew her true capabilities.
'The Sword Princess, once said to inevitably become an S-rank adventurer someday, has taken a disciple...'
A woman who had reached A-rank adventurer solely with a single sword and her skills, without any backing.
She'd been forced into retirement shortly after her promotion due to a certain incident, but if not for that, Karen might have become the continent's most famous adventurer by now.
"Yuseong... Speaking of my disciple, did you hide the matters related to that Black Sacred Relic?"
"Yeah. Only I know about it even within the Magic Tower. I thought I'd hidden it well, but I was pretty surprised when you suddenly started investigating that adventurer named Yuseong and turned Reville upside down."
Erna admitted that she was the one who had concealed all information about the Black Sacred Relic—Gula—even from the Temple.
It was an outrageous act that would leave her with nothing to say if the Temple, which prioritized Black Sacred Relics above all else, found out and dragged her off to an inquisitor.
But Erna was utterly unapologetic.
"You know well enough that the Temple isn't some spotless sanctuary."
"...Yeah."
Recalling the incident that had forced her into retirement as an adventurer, Karen nodded bitterly.
When she'd heard about the Black Sacred Relic from Yuseong, she'd been immensely relieved to learn that the Magic Tower figure involved was Erna.
Erna was one of the few people Karen could truly trust.
"So, what about that relic?"
"I brought it right over and started researching it. See this scar? It's from when it tried to rip my arm off just for touching it..."
As if she'd anticipated Erna's response, Karen casually posed the question, and Erna's eyes sparkled as she boasted about her research progress.
Her expression made it clear she found researching the Black Sacred Relic enjoyable—even after going through the ordeal of nearly losing an arm just to satisfy her curiosity.
"It's a shame. If only I could get my hands on a Good God's relic too, besides the Black Sacred Relic."
"...Don't say that outside. They'd brand you a heretic."
"Hehe. I'm only saying it to you."
Karen gave a wry smile at Erna's words.
She had personally witnessed the near-war between the Magic Tower and the Temple when Erna had once tried to research a relic from one of the Good Gods—the Arbiter of Justice.
She was a true mage, devoid of any faith and driven solely by thirst for knowledge.
That very trait made her utterly immune to persuasion by the fanatical followers of the Evil Gods, who worshipped their deities obsessively.
To Erna, gods were not objects of worship but subjects for study.
Karen, who had honed her own swordsmanship without deep ties to the Temple or strong faith herself, could thus coexist with Erna without any friction.
"Why would I hand such a prime research subject over to the Temple? They'd confiscate it the moment they knew."
"Sigh..."
"If they took it and kept it safe, that'd be one thing. Like with Ruschia back then..."
"Erna."
"...Sorry. That was insensitive."
Erna realized her slip and quickly apologized to Karen.
But Karen just smiled bitterly and shook her head.
"...R-Right. You said you met Clarice? Is she still like that?"
Desperately searching for a new topic, Erna blurted out the first thing that came to mind—then immediately regretted it.
Clarice had been one of the key figures in that incident too.
"...Yeah. Seems she still blames herself for it."
Karen recalled the Clarice she'd met this time.
Her behavior had seemed a bit suspicious, but without solid evidence, she'd arbitrarily detained and intimidated her own disciple, Yuseong.
'Karen! Let these guys go for now!'
'Clarice? Are you sane? These guys just stole from those people's wallets...'
'Some people make those choices because life is hard. Our Church of Justice must uphold justice... but preventing even one innocent person from suffering is more important than catching ten villains!'
Memories surfaced of the old Clarice—always smiling during her duties, steadfast in her faith in their church, calmly discerning right from wrong.
Before that incident, she'd maintained a bright demeanor utterly unsuited to her role as an inquisitor.
"Mm. Sorry for bringing up heavy stuff again... but Yuseong, was it? That kid—he's not really an Evil God follower, right?"
"No."
As if apologetic for dragging up heavy topics repeatedly, Erna scratched her cheek but still voiced her underlying concern. Karen shook her head firmly.
Yuseong was absolutely not an Evil God follower.
She displayed unwavering trust in the disciple she was teaching.
"Hrm... If you say so, then it's fine."
Erna, who had scanned Yuseong's body with mana back when he was recovering at the Temple, nodded as well.
Though she claimed the Temple couldn't be trusted, her attitude suggested she trusted Karen implicitly.
'Karen was the first to notice that 'traitor' in the past, after all.'
She had spotted the traitor within the Church of Justice long before anyone else, so Erna trusted her judgment completely.
Of course, that early discovery had saddled Karen with a 'curse'...
"Enough about my disciple. You said you have one too. How is she?"
"Oh? Laila? She's a total genius. I'm only teaching her basic elemental magic for now, but soon I'll pass on my secret art—space magic..."
To lighten the heavy mood, Karen brought up her disciple, and Erna's demeanor flipped in an instant.
Discarding her cold mage persona, she wore the goofy grin of a proud parent, gushing about Laila.
"...Hah. My disciple just took down a necromancer this time..."
And Karen.
She too soon wore an expression no different from Erna's, bragging endlessly about Yuseong.
.
.
.
.
"You want help picking out a magic tool?"
"Yes."
After finishing the orc hunt and returning to the city.
Having come back earlier than usual, I had some time left, so I headed out to do the magic tool shopping I'd been planning.
But figuring a mage like Laila would have a sharper eye than me, I asked if she'd help.
"Sure, that's fine."
She'd said we could call it even for the debt since we were partying up and working together, but she still seemed to think some debt remained and readily agreed to my request.
No, beyond agreeing...
"If you're buying from the Magic Tower, I could take on more debt and..."
"No. I'll buy it with my own money, so stop going on about debts."
I stopped her from offering to take on debt herself just to buy it with her money.
How badly did she hate owing money...? And yet that would just mean owing someone else—apparently that was fine?
'I'm already profiting plenty.'
Just partying and adventuring with Laila satisfied me fully.
Honestly, it had been a decision swayed a bit by lust, but thanks to it, I'd tackled D-rank level requests with a reliable partner, honing my practical combat sense and swordsmanship.
Fighting alongside a mage was invaluable experience too, and surprisingly, the two of us were clearing requests daily with ease—our income was quite decent.
We'd already split it two ways and still made 30 silver.
'Now I have the confidence that even solo, I could scrape together dozens of silver in no time.'
So rather than hoarding the money I had—which felt precious—I decided to boldly invest it in my future while I was already in the city of Palos.
I now had faith that my current self—no, my future growing self—could earn back what I had now.
And that confidence...
"...How much is this?"
"Air Step Boots... They let you leap off the air up to three times, and the price is around 150 gold."
The moment we entered the Magic Tower and I saw the prices of the magic tools, it shattered to pieces.
'Fucking expensive...'
I'd come in with confidence, prepared to blow my whopping 35 gold fortune, but before the dazzling array of magic tools, 35 gold was pocket change.
I'd spent a bit of the reward money over time, leaving only 35 gold... Even if I'd scrimped and brought 40 gold intact, buying a decent one would've been impossible.
"By the way, Laila—how much were those magic tools you offered to repay your debt with?"
"Some were made directly by my master, so the expensive ones go over a thousand gold."
"........."
Should I retract my words now and ditch the party talk to beg for one of Laila's magic tools?
'No. Some gains can't be bought with money.'
If I just built up my skills, the money would follow eventually.
And without the strength to protect it, even a precious item would just get stolen by raiders.
This wasn't modern Earth, protected by law and morality. I had to keep that in mind.
"Hm... So only low-grade magic tools are in budget."
That said, not every magic tool was an expensive luxury; there were minor ones I could afford with my current funds.
Like lighting magic tools using glowstones, lighter-like ones that could ignite fire anywhere, ones that stored large amounts of water...
'...They all feel kinda trivial.'
They were highly practical in terms of utility, but nothing really grabbed me.
Even these had prices starting at 10 gold each.
'Isn't there anything useful in combat?'
I wanted a magic tool practical in real fights—not some convenience item.
Something that could serve as a wildcard in unexpected situations, like when I'd suddenly run into that necromancer in the sewers.
"Nothing catching your eye?"
"Yeah... kinda."
As I replied to Laila, who was explaining the tools beside me, I scanned the ones within my budget.
Anything even slightly appealing was way beyond my funds.
'Hm?'
Eventually, turning my head, I spotted a display with multiple identical-looking magic tools.
"Oh, those are consumables."
"Consumables?"
"Yeah. They sacrifice permanence for one or two uses before breaking."
Laila shook her head dismissively, as if they were nothing special.
"Hmph. Consumables, my foot. In my eyes, it's just shoddy enchanting that fails after a few uses. If I'd made them..."
She gave the consumables a harsh assessment while subtly bragging about herself.
But from the moment I heard her words, my heart was set on those consumables.
'They break after one use? But...'
What if I Duplicated them?
"How much are these?"
"Most are a few dozen silver? Some effects might cost gold."
Absurdly cheap compared to tools with effects lasting years or semi-permanently.
Hearing that price sealed the deal for me.
"I'll take these."
"What? That junk?"
Laila stared at me in disbelief, but my decision was firm.
Right there, I bought about ten with different effects.
'Think of it as an investment.'
Even cheap consumables added up with ten of them, costing a fair bit, but if my idea panned out, it could prove a brilliant choice.
That said...
"Is this even a magic tool? This is just..."
"Well, the ignition is magical, so yeah, it's a magic tool."
I picked up the most expensive among my purchases and tilted my head at Laila.
Doubting it was a magic tool given its ridiculously simple structure,
"I'm telling you, don't use that inside the city. You'd get arrested immediately."
"No plans to."
"Well, non-mages do carry those consumables as insurance sometimes..."
I carefully stowed it in my subspace pouch and headed back to the inn.
Excited and eager to test my Duplication ability somewhere out of sight as soon as possible.