The Cup of the Golden Star
Everyone had already stuffed their pockets full when Lox started fuming, forcing them to reluctantly set the treasures down while shooting nervous glances his way.
Honestly, those pushovers.
What was so scary about Lox, anyway?
I was still hiding behind a pillar, snorting in amusement.
“This is your final warning. If anyone acts up again, I’m done handling the money. No more accounting, no inventory checks, no ticket purchases, no schedule confirmations, and no travel planning! You can all do whatever you want. Get lost for all I care!”
Ah… that was actually a little terrifying.
Planning really was a pain.
Above all, our next destination was the capital to watch the Sword Masters’ duel. If Lox—the only one in the group with any sense of organization—went on strike, we’d be in trouble.
I slipped out from behind the pillar and stood beside Ash, looking as innocent as someone who hadn’t taken a single thing. All six of us had gathered by then.
“Um… Lox? I found something… You might like it.”
“The cup! Did you find the cup?”
“No, there’s a skeleton over there. Looks like the dungeon’s master.”
Gail said this while lowering a golden spear as tall as he was.
Where on earth had he picked that up?
***
The dungeon’s master had apparently died in his sleep—or perhaps from some chronic illness—lying peacefully as a skeleton on the bed. So much time had passed that only bones remained; aside from the fact that they were still dressed, they were just bones.
With no name or even gender identifiable, the skeleton didn’t feel like a dead person so much as an unreal painting.
“Let’s all pray.”
We formed a circle around the bed, each taking the hand of the person beside us. Bowing our heads deeply, we offered a brief moment of respect for the deceased.
Lox and Ash stayed bowed for a long time. I slipped away early and started rummaging through the books scattered around the bed. None looked particularly useful, but I gathered every one that seemed in decent condition just in case.
After picking up about twenty, the stack grew too heavy, so I handed some to Ash and Chad without asking their opinion.
“Jeanie?”
“What! What! I didn’t take anything!”
“It’s incredible, isn’t it? We’re standing on top of ancient relics right now. All thanks to you.”
I’d been feeling guilty, but Lox’s sudden change in attitude caught me off guard. I slowly backed away and hid behind Ash.
Why was he acting like this?
“You don’t need to be so wary. I simply haven’t had the chance to properly thank you yet.”
“……It’s nothing, really?”
“I know you possess an extraordinary talent. Having you accompany us this far has been nothing short of a blessing.”
“No…… well…… Without the letter, we wouldn’t have found this place…… Lox, you read the map well, and the others worked hard. Finding this place was thanks to all of you. I just opened the door.”
“……”
“Why is everyone so quiet all of a sudden?”
The atmosphere had turned strangely cold.
“What’s wrong with him……? Is he sick?”
“Is he dying tomorrow?”
“Good grief, did he get hit with some ancient curse? The kind that changes your personality.”
Even when I said something nice for once, this was the reaction. Of course, it was only because I’d gotten the ring in exchange.
There was always a reason when I acted kind.
Take Iel, for example. Whenever I suddenly behaved myself, his eyes would bulge as he frantically searched the academy for whatever disaster I must have caused.
“Now that we’ve paid our respects, shall we continue searching for the cup? Everyone, spread out!”
Wait—had he only been polite to the dead so he could loot in peace?
Figures. That Lox bastard…… If he ever betrayed Ash, I’d kill him on the spot.
First, we had to get out of here before we could do anything else.
“Rai?”
[You don’t have to say it—I already know! The other one’s inside that statue!]
There were two treasures in this space that Rai couldn’t eat. One was the ring I’d absorbed; the other was most likely the Cup of the Golden Star.
And right where Rai was pointing stood a plaster statue holding a cup high.
“Aha.”
I walked straight toward the statue without hesitation. The men started staring because I was heading directly for my target.
“So this is how it was hidden.”
The statue was slightly taller than me, sculpted in near-human proportions. When I ran my hand over it, white powder clung to my fingers.
It was made of a very fragile material.
Lox, ever sensitive to my destructive tendencies, was already watching me with unease. He reached out as if to stop me, but I was the same person who’d earned the nickname “Hand of Minus” by age nine.
“What are you—huh, ack!”
The hollow statue tipped over with little effort and crashed to the floor with a loud noise. As expected, it shattered into countless pieces.
By now, the group no longer reacted with surprise when I broke something.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“Must’ve not liked the look of it.”
“Who knows what goes on in her head. Might as well try understanding a cat.”
“Jeanie, you can do whatever you want—except kill people.”
Except Lox!
“Have you lost your mind?! That’s an ancient relic!”
“I knew you’d say that!”
Despite the accident, I stood tall as always. Whether I had a reason or not!
I kicked the broken plaster aside and plucked the golden cup from the debris, holding it up with a smug grin.
Why wouldn’t I? It was the very thing we’d been searching for.
“Th…… that……!”
Watching everyone’s expressions shift as the golden cup appeared in my hand was quite entertaining. I brushed off the white plaster dust, revealing its flawless form.
Five-pointed stars encircled the rim, studded with red gems, while the inside depicted a deep blue night sky scattered with stars.
Judging by the craftsmanship, there was no doubt.
It was the Cup of the Golden Star.
“Here. Caught it.”
After a quick look, I tossed it to Lox, who stood closest.
***
The cup, similar in shape to a wine glass but smaller and heavier than its size suggested, traced a short arc through the air. Lox, clearly not expecting the throw, scrambled to catch it with his whole body. For a moment his face was pure shock; then he stared at it as if he couldn’t believe it was really in his hands.
Looking down at the cup nestled against his chest, he began to tremble all over.
“Golden…… Star……”
He looked so dazed I worried he’d forgotten how to breathe.
Or so I thought.
He wasn’t frozen in place—he was concentrating intensely, appraising the cup. At some point he’d even pulled out a measuring tape and magnifying glass.
He examined it from every angle with meticulous care, checking whether it was genuine or a clever fake before allowing himself to rejoice.
Finally convinced it was real, his eyes widened……
“……Lox, are you…… crying?”
[He looks like a mother-in-law at a funeral!]
“Guys! Lox is crying!”
[Lox is a crybaby!]
I announced the delightful news to the men who came rushing over, though I seemed to be the only one enjoying it.
“People cry when they’re really happy!”
Enk.
“You’re so mean! Don’t bully our Lox!”
Chad.
“Damn…… Is it really that good?”
Gail.
“Jeanie, teasing someone who’s crying is something only children do.”
Even Ash’s particularly irritating remark made me pout. Their reactions were nothing like I’d expected.
Damn it—they teased him all the time, but when I did it, they got serious!
Now I was the only bad guy here!
Well…… technically true.
“But look at him crying. It’s making me itch to tease him.”
How could anyone resist laughing at Lox, who was clutching the Cup of the Golden Star to his chest while desperately trying to hold back sobs?
What kind of person wouldn’t tease him?
[Apparently not the polite kind.]
[Maybe not.]
[By the way, Master! Why does everyone look so serious?]
I’d been wondering the same thing. We’d found the treasure, so I felt light as if we were on a picnic, yet the men’s expressions grew increasingly solemn. They surrounded Lox and me in a circle, faces grave, saying nothing. We’d found the cup—shouldn’t they be overjoyed?
The atmosphere only grew heavier.
“……Why are you all acting like this? Smile! Don’t ruin the mood.”
Being someone who could read a room, I stopped cackling and wiped the grin off my face.
If they kept this up, I’d look like the weird one!
“It’s just…… I’m still in shock……”
“Yeah, it doesn’t feel real. That we actually found the cup.”
“We’ve been trying all this time, but I never thought the moment would actually come…… The Cup of the Golden Star is a legend. No one’s found it in over eight thousand years. It’s said to be a divine gift that rose with the continent itself…… Even seeing it now, it doesn’t feel any more real than the other treasures.”
Was facing a legendary ancient relic really something to be so cautious about?
As someone who regularly fed a dragon, I couldn’t relate at all.
I was far more accustomed to unrealistic situations than most.
Ash seemed just as unable to accept it right away; his eyebrows were slightly raised in surprise—more than usual.
Ash was the type who’d blush and get flustered if I touched him, yet surprisingly reserved when it came to showing emotion otherwise. He was always calm and composed rather than expressionless. Which only made me want to shatter that serene look even more.
“Hey, by the way.”
“Yeah?”
“How did you know the cup was hidden inside the statue?”
“Right! You walked straight to it.”
Finally, they were looking at me with respect. About time!
Seizing the moment, I shrugged and puffed out my chest.
“I just knew at a glance? It was the only cheap plaster statue among all the treasures, and it was even posed like it was making a toast.”
“Whoa…… Amazing.”
“That’s incredible.”
[You fraud!]
While basking in their admiration, a familiar voice cut in.
[How dare you! You can’t talk to Master like that!]
[I’m the one who found it for you! It was my achievement! And you’re taking all the credit!]
[What? What you find is what I find, and what I find is what I find! Haven’t you figured that out yet?!]
[Kuh……]
[The spirit does the work, and I get the praise! That’s just basic, basic!]
Of course, no such rule existed.
[You evil master!]