Chapter 24
Chapter 24
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 24
Chapter Title: Grand Duke's Heir Has Run Away
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"Heh. I came to catch a runaway bluebird, but look what I found instead."
The woman shot me a meaningful glance as she said that, and I gave a curt reply.
"And?"
"This outfit... it's definitely the ceremonial robe of the late Karl Grand Duke, right?"
"Probably."
"Redheaded little bro~ How'd you get your hands on this robe?"
The woman fixed me with the sharp gaze of a hawk eyeing its prey. Amid the strange tension, I let my hand drift toward Yojjo.
"Won it gambling, by chance."
"Really? You must be pretty lucky."
"You could say that."
In an instant, a greedy expression crossed her face as she sidled right up to me.
"Little bro. Please sell this robe to me. Pretty please?"
"Sell it?"
"If I display this robe at home and invite my know-it-all friend over, it'll be pure poetry. She's such a pain. But with this one robe, I can hit her where it hurts. I'll pay top coin for it—sell it to me."
It seemed this woman was after my robe purely to get revenge on her friend. Well, I had made plenty of women cry in my time.
With the tension easing, I sheathed Yojjo again and began haggling.
"Fine. Eight grand leaves, then."
"Isn't that a bit steep?"
"Steep? Hmm. Tell me the name of this beautiful big sis, and I'll knock off one grand."
"You're saying you'll shave off 1,000 gold leaves just for my name?"
"Of course~ A name as beautiful as yours is worth at least that much."
The woman burst into giggles. She seemed pleased by the compliment. But this big sis was a bit of a pushover. A little flattery, and she looked ready to buy the robe for 7,000 leaves.
She extended a hand as white as fine jade.
"My little bro has good taste. Alright. I'm Armida. And you?"
As I shook her hand, my eyes darted about thoughtfully. Armida. I'd heard the name. Armida of the Ebony Brew—the senior overseer who was about to lead the new Guardians from the forces of darkness on the Path of Penance. She had a reputation for dragging trouble wherever she went, a real loose cannon, and this woman gave off the same vibe.
But it was probably just someone with the same name and personality. The real Armida should be preparing to depart on the Path of Penance with the new Guardians right about now. She had no business being here.
"I'm Kaoyan Anukin. Just a lone wolf utterly smitten by big sis Armida's beauty."
"Hohoho. My little bro's got a silver tongue."
"No joke. If a guy doesn't drool a little with you standing there, is he even a man? He'd have to be a eunuch. Heh heh heh."
Armida grinned ear to ear, practically melting.
"Little bro, you've got some slick sales tactics."
"Nah. It's just my pure heart speaking. Alright! If you become my lover, I'll give you this robe for free. Deal?"
Armida rested her chin on her hand, considering.
"For real?"
"Totally~ Even if I had a hundred of these robes, I wouldn't trade one for anything less than you. Heck, I wouldn't trade the whole world for you."
Armida clutched her stomach, laughing uproariously. She looked utterly delighted, as if she'd heard the highest praise imaginable.
"Hohoho. Little bro, you're really growing on me."
"So, call?"
Armida's laughter faded, replaced by a regretful expression.
"Can't do that. You can't buy or sell affection with goods."
"Tch."
"Anyway, sell me the robe. I've got a real use for it."
"Now I'm offended. Not selling. If big sis doesn't like me, what's the point of money? Forget it."
"You don't want money...? How about a gift infused with this big sis's affection? It'll be worth way more than that robe, I bet."
I perked up a little. A gift worth over 7,000 gold leaves? That piqued my interest. Items of that value were rare in the world.
"What's that?"
"Something you'll love. You'll go nuts when you see it."
Armida pulled a large, translucent object etched with runes from her bosom. It was an essence crystal. But it was impossibly huge. The largest essence humans could crystallize was the size of a chestnut; this was as thick as my fist and as long as a gourd.
This was definitely an extra-grade essence, producible only in the sky city of Chronos.
I snapped to attention and eyed Armida. That meant this big sis might be a Valkyrie.
My gaze shifted to the massive jet-black axe slung over her shoulder. Up close, it looked familiar. That axe was Talatas, the Death Executioner's Axe of the Dark Moon—one of the Seven Divine Artifacts. Recently, someone had secretly taken it from the Hall of Divinity and replaced it with a fake. And it seemed this woman was the culprit. That made Armida a Valkyrie with near certainty. Only Valkyries could infiltrate the Hall of Divinity and walk out with a Divine Artifact.
'First Catrine, now big sis Armida's come down to earth...? No, there's one more. The wielder of Losim. What the hell is going on?'
But I shut it out of my mind. I didn't want to get tangled up with any more Valkyries. Besides, until the Age of Ruin, nothing major happened beyond wars between humans—no need to care.
I picked up the massive essence Armida had set down.
"So, what's this?"
"A magic item that summons the Jet-Black Curved Demon Steed. Faster than any horse in the world, tireless too. Plus, it breathes devastating flames from its mouth. Impressive, right?"
My hands trembled. If her description was accurate, it was a one-of-a-kind survival item. In the Age of Ruin, speed and endurance were key to survival, and the Jet-Black Curved Demon Steed nailed both.
"For real? Mind if I summon it once?"
"Sure. But you need to do the ownership ritual first. Only the owner or those they permit can ride it."
"How?"
"Smear your blood on it."
I nicked my finger with Yojjo and dripped blood onto the massive essence. Black smoke-like aura billowed out, connecting to me.
After completing the ritual, I memorized the summon and dismissal methods from Armida, then decided to call forth the Jet-Black Curved Demon Steed.
I tossed the massive essence into the air and shouted.
"Summon! Jet-Black Curved Demon Steed!"
Black smoke erupted from the tossed essence, coalescing into a smoke-formed black demonic steed clad in black armor.
Crimson flames spewed from its mouth, nose, and eyes with each breath, spreading like wildfire. Touching its smoky black body made my hand sink right in. The essence—its only weak point—was securely hidden within the armor, and its smoky black mane and tail swayed gently in the shop's faint draft.
It looked incredible at a glance. No surprise from a magic item crafted in the sky city of Chronos.
Armida approached me.
"Like it?"
"Yeah..."
"Then I can take the robe?"
"Sure."
My response was mechanical. I was completely entranced by the Jet-Black Curved Demon Steed. Sorry, Armida, but it looked more beautiful than you right now.
I shot a dirty look at the guide knight eyeing it greedily from the side, then hurriedly dismissed the steed. Who did he think he was ogling? The Jet-Black Curved Demon Steed was my precious baby now.
'Ugh! I'll gut his belly.'
Armida, clutching the robe, spoke up again.
"Alright, little bro. Down to business?"
"Business?"
"Yeah. Truth is, I came here because of that runaway bluebird."
She glanced at Shura, and I looked back and forth between them.
"Is that bluebird... our Shura?"
"Yep. She vanished midway on the Path of Penance. I'd really appreciate it if you'd let me take her, little bro."
"Oh~?"
I drove a hard punch into the face of the black-armored knight beside me. He tumbled across the floor with a crash, collapsing unconscious in the corner of the shop. He'd rubbed me the wrong way from the start.
Armida narrowed her eyes.
"Little bro. What’s that mean?"
"Nothing much. That jerk was wasting our time earlier. Now I get why."
"Oh? Naughty boy."
"Yeah. Deserved it. Should've killed him, but I got something out of it earlier, so I spared him."
Armida flashed a sly smile at Shura. Shura's hand went to Dalahan, on guard.
"Anyway, little bro. What do you say?"
"What're you planning to do with our Shura?"
"Train her into a swordsman worthy of wielding Dalahan."
"Oh, big sis is gonna teach our Shura?"
"You catch on quick. That's right."
I snorted.
"Don't joke. You're the most stunning beauty under heaven, big sis, but you ain't cut out to teach our Shura. Don't ruin a promising sprout—give it up."
Armida narrowed her eyes.
"That's 'cause you don't know me."
"I do know. That's why it's a no."
"Heh. Why?"
"Those born strong don't know how to get stronger. Why? They never went through the process. Sure, you might be stronger than anyone in the world, big sis, but as a teacher? Zero talent."
Armida's eyes flickered slightly.
Valkyries were created strong by the gods' will from the moment of their birth. In other words, "born strong" meant her as a Valkyrie.
"You figured out who I am?"
I fiddled with the summon orb while eyeing her axe.
"I'd be an idiot not to. Talatas, the Dark Moon's Death Executioner's Axe, has never appeared in the world."
"Oho~ Sharp eyes too, little bro. You're really winning me over."
"Anyway, give up. I can't just watch Shura go down the wrong path."
Armida rested her chin on her hand, ears perking at my words. Being strong didn't make one a good teacher. She might even ruin Shura's future—that seemed plausible.
"Hmm. You make a good point, little bro... but what now? I made a bet with my know-it-all friend. Whose disciple gets stronger, you know."
"Who?"
"She's around. The blond who's somehow a dung fly. First in history."
I chuckled. I had a pretty good guess who.
"Big sis, how about this? If Shura needs to learn how to use Dalahan, you teach her. I'll handle the sword path. Then you're still her teacher, right?"
"Huh. I guess?"
"But no Path of Penance. That's penance? Kid's play. I hate wasting time on nonsense."
Armida shook her head.
"No can do. I'm using the Path to find a friend. Very important."
"Then you definitely shouldn't go. Wandering everywhere won't find anyone."
"Then?"
"Make him come to you."
"Can't. If he shows up, we're all dead. Kid's crazy strong."
"Ugh, big sis, you're killing me. Going to him gets you killed worse. Even a mutt wins eight out of ten in its own den."
My words weren't wrong at all. To catch a tiger, you enter its lair—but common sense said that was suicide. Better to lure it out.
"Hmm. Come to think of it, yeah."
"Anyway, business done. I'm outta here. Got places to be."
"Little bro. Where to?"
"Desert city Kara."
"That's far."
"Yeah, best place to live. Follow if you want, or don't."
As we left the shop, Armida hurried after us.
"Little bro! Hey~ Let's go together."
I smirked slyly. She took the bait. I'd thought I'd have to fight another Valkyrie, but her ditzy side made it easy to fool.
Plus, traveling with her would be handy insurance. Valkyries were the noblest beings in the world.
For one, the Church couldn't touch me with her around. Even the popes, top religious leaders, were her lackeys. One word from her, and blasphemy or wrecking a divine temple would all slide.