Chapter 43
Chapter 43
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 43
Chapter Title: Old Comrades
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Cynthia gripped the wooden box and chanted the incantation.
"In the presence of the Father who created heaven and earth, I believe. In the name of the almighty heavens, bless this box—"
Shiiiik—
A white light gathered in her hands, settling into the box.
Clank.
A metallic sound echoed from the keyhole-shaped opening, and the door swung open.
The intense magi spilling from the slight gap filled the tavern. Its pressure was so overwhelming that several adventurers, sensing an inexplicable dread, got up and left.
Cynthia jolted in surprise and let go of the wooden box.
"What is this?"
I opened the lid and answered her.
"A hidden piece."
"A hidden piece?"
"Yeah. It's something the guy once called the tower's master left for the apostles."
No one knows when they left such items or why they intended them for adventurers.
All that's known is that adventurers who find the tower's hidden paths can obtain these 'artifacts.' No one had uncovered the truth by the time I died in my past life, so naturally, no one in this era knows either.
"Something left for the apostles?"
"Yeah, more precisely, it's said to be passed on to adventurers."
"...How did you find out?"
"Find out what?"
"About the tower's hidden paths... no, about that item."
"It's a secret."
"A secret?"
"Yeah."
She didn't ask further.
She knew I wouldn't tell her anyway, and pushing would only lead to snide remarks.
"So, what's the hidden piece inside? Let me see it."
I pulled out the item from the box.
A talisman known as 'Darkstar'—I don't know who named it—and...
'What is this?'
A ring embedded with a red ruby I'd never seen even in my past life.
I paused at the appearance of this unknown item.
No matter how I examined it, I sensed no special aura, and slipping it onto my finger yielded no reaction.
'Is it something I can't use?'
As I silently inspected it, Cynthia cautiously peeked over.
"Which one's our share?"
"Your share?"
"Yeah, we agreed on seven-three split. But with only two items, we'll have to take one each, right?"
'I don't know what the ring is, so I'll test it through her first.'
I hung the talisman called Darkstar around my neck.
And slipped the ring onto her finger.
Swish.
"Here."
"...Huh?"
"It's yours."
Cynthia jumped in shock and yanked the ring off her finger.
"W-what are you doing?"
"What?"
"Why did you put a ring on my finger?"
"Because it's yours."
"Mine?"
"You wanted compensation."
"No! That's not it. I asked why you put the ring on my finger."
Berddin couldn't understand her reaction. He'd given it when she asked, so why the fuss?
But there was a reason. In the hometown where Cynthia was born and raised, a man putting a ring on a woman's finger signified marriage.
Of course, both in his past life and now, he had zero interest in such matters, so he had no clue why she was getting worked up.
"If you don't want it, give it back."
"N-no, that's not what I meant! How old are you?"
"Eight."
"Eight? Do you even know how old I am?"
"No."
"Fifteen. Fifteen. Seven years older than you."
Berddin furrowed his brow.
His expression plainly screamed, 'So what?'
The conversation stalled. Silence hung between them.
Cynthia slipped the ring back on, then abruptly stood with an irritated huff.
Thud.
"I'm heading out first."
"Where to?"
"Where else? Your mansion. We're from out of town, so we need to scout a place to stay ahead of time."
"Stay at the mansion. I'll tell the butler."
"Stay over?"
"Yeah. Next tower climb is in three days. Stick around Legion until then."
The artifact left by the tower's master, 'Darkstar'.
I hadn't known its power in my past life since it wasn't mine, but using it now revealed its astonishing strength.
Just wearing it around my neck made energy surge through my entire body.
I'd heard it boosted the user's maximum stamina.
'I didn't expect it to be this much.'
Siegfried swung his sword through the air and spoke to me.
Whoosh—
"Seems like something you shouldn't use lightly."
"Why?"
"Great power comes with a great price. Misuse it, and your mind could shatter."
He'd said the same when I learned Aura Blade.
And he hadn't been wrong.
I'd felt the corresponding backlash firsthand.
'Fair enough.'
With maximum stamina increased, recovery would need to scale accordingly.
Even now, after a big fight, I was laid up for two days.
'Like with the Goblin Champion this time.'
It felt great during the battle, but afterward, my legs wouldn't move right. I'd been so focused I hadn't noticed the fatigue. Good thing I brought recovery potions; without them, I'd probably have been carried out on Rox's back.
'Yeah, exactly.'
And I'd gained a valuable lesson from this fight.
I'm different from my past life now.
Not that I'm weaker—no. Starting the tower climbs early meant I hadn't finished growing physically, so I couldn't accurately gauge how my body reacted to impacts.
Like only realizing upon reaching the mansion that my bones had cracked blocking the Goblin Champion's attacks.
"It ached, but..."
I hadn't known the bones were damaged.
I bowed my head to Siegfried, treating him as my master.
"You're right, Master."
"Of course. I don't say wrong things. By the way, I noticed you held the sword a bit oddly this time."
"You mean the reverse grip?"
"Yeah, a greatsword style I never taught you."
His insight was as sharp as ever.
The techniques I'd used against the Goblin Champion were all ones I'd devised in my past life.
Mistilteinn was too long, forcing me into that style, and he'd caught every moment.
"The sword was too long, so I swung it however was comfortable."
"...However was comfortable? So no one taught you?"
"Yes."
"Yet the sword's path was beautifully precise. The blade's trajectory effectively sealed the enemy's movements."
"Must be because I have a great master. They say a good teacher lets you learn two from one, right?"
Something Siegfried had said to me in my past life.
"Hm... Sounds familiar."
Brunhilt climbed up my chest and intently examined Darkstar.
With a meaningful expression, as if she knew something about the talisman, she said,
"Din."
"Yes."
"Be honest. You know what this is, don't you?"
What should I say?
Brunhilt can detect lies. Losing her trust here would mean no magic lessons, so I had to choose my words carefully.
"I know."
"How?"
"I can't explain now. I'll tell you when the time comes."
"Not the time to talk? ...Fine, I'll wait. But make sure you know one thing for certain."
"What?"
Swoooosh—
Brunhilt shifted to human form, gripped the talisman tightly, and smiled.
"I made this amulet. Long ago, I gave it to someone with the surname 'Strange.' It's something that can stand against gods."
My jaw dropped involuntarily.
I was too shocked to speak.
Brunhilt made this artifact?
No, more than that—gave it to someone named Strange.
'Then why was it with an apostle?'
Amon had told me in my past life that all apostles' hidden pieces were made by gods.
One of them was lying. But Brunhilt wouldn't.
Hmm—
"Really?"
"Yeah! I told you, I got right up to the tower's summit once. I gave that talisman to the knight I partied with back then."
"Knight?"
"Yeah, he was called a hero at the time. But to me, he was just a knight. Without me, he wouldn't have gotten that far."
Today, I learned a new fact unrecorded anywhere on the continent.
A fragment of forgotten history, revealed so easily.
"What was his name?"
"Siegfried."
"Siegfried?"
"Yeah, a total idiot who thought he was super strong. He ignored the party's input, acted alone, and nearly died so many times I couldn't count."
Siegfried erupted.
"What! You were late, shaking your butt, so I started fighting first!"
"Do you not know the word 'wait'? Figures—that's why you died first and became a guardian spirit."
"What'd you say?"
"I said what I said."
"You crazy bitch!"
"What'd you say, you crazy bastard!"
They started bickering.
Ignoring their racket, I sorted through events in my mind.
'Siegfried and Brunhilt lived in different eras. How did they climb the tower together?'
One answer came to mind.
Siegfried had said Brunhilt was his guardian spirit.
And she'd helped him reach the top.
But just now, she said they fought together—so either she possessed someone, or intervened from the spirit realm into this world.
"Master."
Siegfried and Brunhilt both looked at me.
"What?"
"Why?"
I shook my head and pointed at Brunhilt.
"No, Master Brunhilt."
"Yeah, speak, little Din."
"Just curious, but as a guardian spirit, how can you intervene directly from the 'spirit realm' to 'this world'?"
"..."
"As far as I know, only gods can do that."
Brunhilt beamed.
Of course, I didn't expect an answer.
I'd asked several times before.
But there was a reason for asking now.
'I can make a deal this time.'
Her secret for mine.
"If you tell me, will you explain how you knew about that talisman?"
'Got her.'
She didn't disappoint my expectations. Curiosity got the better of her.
I pretended to ponder, gazing afar, then nodded.
"But I hear the answer to my question first."