Chapter 62
Chapter 62
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 62
Chapter Title: A Troubled Conscience
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‘It’s about time.’
This trip through time was also drawing to a close.
I had achieved a lot. My subspace necklace was well-stocked, too.
But I still hadn’t obtained the most important item.
‘Magic Armor.’
How could something like this even exist?
It was an artifact the likes of which I had never heard of or seen, and its performance was beyond words.
The legendary armors considered national treasures in my era… honestly, compared to the Magic Armor, they were nothing more than common antiques.
The Magic Armor I was currently using was classified as A+, the highest grade among them.
If possible, I wanted to get one for each of my siblings and retainers. Not necessarily A+, but at least C+ or higher.
With this, they would be very unlikely to die.
I could send my siblings to the battlefield and rest somewhat easy.
That was the thought that drove me.
The reason I’d been snooping around the prototype storage and testing room in Lorraine’s research institute.
I was looking for the right opportunity to clean out the Magic Armor inside.
“Good day, Sir Lansen Vanroah?”
But every single time, the head chamberlain… no, Senior Researcher Eodran, would appear as if out of thin air.
“Is there anything I can help you with?”
His lips were smiling, but his eyes were not. His dark eyes sized me up, full of caution.
‘…He’s strong. This man.’
Since he was a mage, not a swordsman, it was difficult for me to gauge his level precisely.
But the charisma in his gaze and demeanor was of a kind that only a powerful being could possess.
“No. I was just taking a walk.”
I gave a nonchalant shrug and walked past him.
“Sir Lansen Vanroah?”
Eodran called out, stopping me.
He still had the air of a crouching beast of prey.
“This may be very rude of me, but I took the liberty of investigating your background, Sir Vanroah.”
“And?”
“There was nothing to be found.”
Of course not. I’m not even from this era.
“The Director trusts people easily. That is why I must assist her properly.”
So, while the Director might trust me, you, Eodran, do not.
This… was a bit of a problem.
Whether it was day or night, the moment I so much as loitered nearby, Eodran would appear. He must have cast some kind of detection magic in the area. But I hadn't even noticed it.
‘There’s no way to get the Magic Armor without getting caught.’
Then what should I do? Just cut him down and take it by force?
The temptation flickered for a moment…
‘That doesn’t feel right…’
It felt a little, no, a lot, unsettling.
Even if they were people of the past, already dead in my time…
If I did that, what would make me different from Ksias?
Besides, I had grown unexpectedly fond of the people here, and it felt like something a human being just shouldn't do.
The mages here also seemed surprisingly strong, so I wasn't confident I could win.
‘Should I give up…?’
The Magic Armor… I craved it like mad, but I decided not to push my luck.
If I keep traveling through the past, another chance will come.
In the end, I could only scratch my head.
“I understand what you’re saying. I’ll be more careful from now on.”
“Thank you for your understanding.”
“However…”
I looked at Eodran’s face.
His once-lustrous white hair was now dry and brittle, and the wrinkles on his face had doubled.
I honestly liked the man, so I was a bit worried.
“Have you been sleeping lately?”
You look like a walking corpse right now.
Eodran’s reply was a spectacle.
“Hmm… It has been about five days since I last slept. But it’s manageable if I alternate between special potions and awakening magic.”
…No. From where I’m standing, it doesn’t look manageable at all.
“Haha. But the harder I work, the more comfortable our Director can be, wouldn’t you agree?”
Seeing the old man smile as he said that made me genuinely curious.
Kask, Eodran, all of them—why were they so devoted to that smiling, vicious employer?
“Ah, yes. I see.”
For the time being, I just bid him farewell and left.
I thought that would be the end of it.
Since I had no intention of loitering around the storage and testing rooms anymore… I figured I wouldn't run into Eodran again.
We were both busy people, after all.
But that very night, I came face-to-face with Eodran once more.
Well, to be precise, Eodran and Lorraine were face-to-face, and I was just caught in the middle.
“Director? Why on earth have you come here?”
“Ah, ah… Master Eodran. W-Well, you see.”
“I believe I made it quite clear that this was not allowed.”
“No…”
See.
That man is definitely strong.
He didn't seem to be consciously doing it, but… mana rippled around him as he seethed with cold fury.
The scale of it was so large that the fine hairs on my arms stood on end.
Seeing Eodran this furious, it was over. Done for.
I clicked my tongue in disappointment, my eyes taking in the ‘Dragon’s Magic Armor’ displayed in the secret storage.
That was the very cause of this whole mess.
What was known as,
Eodran’s ‘lifelong dream.’
Honestly, I had planned to go to bed early today. Tomorrow was the last exploration, after all.
But Lorraine had shown up unannounced in the middle of the night.
“Do you have a moment? Just a second. Come out.”
At that moment, she was quietly buzzing with excitement.
The woman who always strode about like a queen was tense like a cat in an unfamiliar neighborhood, warily scanning her surroundings.
“I have a favor to ask.”
She said.
“This is my lifelong dream. It might just be the greatest masterpiece I can leave behind.”
“So suddenly?”
“It’s a Magic Armor. One created using parts from the Mythical Era… a Magic Armor.”
What?
“I told you before, right? That the Magic Armor was inspired by armor from the Mythical Era.”
“You did.”
“But we still barely understand the armor of the Mythical Era. We’ve analyzed maybe 1% of it… and that alone gave birth to the current Magic Armor.”
Somehow, the things from the Mythical Era were so incredible that hearing about them now didn't feel real anymore.
It was literally like listening to a myth.
Oh, right. Back then, gods split mountains and shattered stars? Ah, I see.
That was exactly how it felt.
“This is a prototype, assembled according to my theories using parts from that Mythical Era. If this functions properly… we could push our interpretation of Mythical Era Magic Armor to 3%, or maybe even 5%!”
Hmm, up to this point, I just listened, nodding along.
But what she said next piqued my interest.
“At the same time, the strongest Magic Armor in history will be born!”
The strongest Magic Armor in history?!
A jolt!
The phrase sent a thrill down my spine.
It made me want it instantly.
But I maintained an attitude of indifference.
A negotiator from Roverland never shows their hand first.
“So?”
As expected, Lorraine was the one getting anxious.
“…Tomorrow is the last exploration, so our contract ends. That means today is the only day to run the experiment. Eodran should be busy today, too.”
Finally, biting her lip, she stated her terms.
“One hundred Mana Hearts! Or a mix of artifacts of equivalent value! W-What do you say?”
Mana Hearts.
To be honest, they were less of a priority for me now.
With my plan to steal the Magic Armor having failed, what did I need so many Mana Hearts for?
But still,
‘Well, I can take them as artifacts, or maybe I’ll get another chance to secure Magic Armor on a future trip…’
I decided to accept.
Besides, I wanted to see this so-called strongest Magic Armor for myself.
However,
“But that’s the one, isn’t it? The one you said could make my body go boom! and kill me.”
That’s the thing Eodran vehemently opposed before, right?
I prodded.
You have to attack your opponent to get something more.
Lorraine’s eyes darted around in a panic.
“Th-That’s for ordinary people. There’s absolutely no chance of that happening to you, Lansen! I’ve run the data on your physique, you know. It’s more than enough. 100%! Even if the Magic Armor goes berserk, you can overcome it. I swear this on my life.”
Well, that was reassuring, but…
Still,
“I’m not convinced. You’re asking me to entrust my life to your word alone.”
“Eek…”
Gritting her teeth, Lorraine finally said, trembling.
“Two hundred…! Two hundred Mana Hearts! Or artifacts of equivalent value! This is really my limit! Any more than this! I can’t give it on my own authority. I couldn’t even if I wanted to!”
Look at that. If you press them, you get more.
Only then did I give a firm nod and follow her.
And so we went to the secret storage, and I was in the middle of being utterly astonished by this ‘strongest Magic Armor’ when…
Eodran suddenly appeared.
“Director?”
“E-Eek? How? I even cast a concealment spell.”
“I am very disappointed, Director.”
And that’s how we ended up in the current situation.
“Ack! Ack! Let go for a second, Eodran! Let me go!”
He was surprisingly strong, easily hoisting the 176cm-tall Lorraine onto his shoulder and heading outside.
Forgetting her usual polite speech, Lorraine shrieked in anger, but it had no effect whatsoever.
“I told you it’s fine! Really! It’s 100% safe! I checked!”
“Indeed, Sir Lansen’s body might be able to withstand it. He is special, after all.”
“See! That’s what I’m saying! So…!”
“But have you verified the mental aspect?”
“Uh… Huh?”
“That thing uses a Dragon Heart as its power source, not a Mana Heart, does it not? One that is filled with the dragon’s residual thoughts.”
“Uh… about that…”
“Is it mentally safe? There’s no way to know. Magic has not yet advanced enough to handle the soul.”
“N-No, but still, Sir Lansen would be.”
“Be quiet.”
Eodran’s sharp retort made Lorraine flinch and lower her head.
“You too, Sir Lansen. Please forget what happened today and come out. I apologize for this.”
“…Understood.”
I followed Eodran out of the secret storage.
But a deep sense of regret made me look back.
It was black as night.
But it was anything but plain.
It was an artistic piece of Magic Armor, ornately decorated with every shade of black imaginable—matte black, glossy black, rough black, smooth black.
But what truly captured the eye…
‘That thing… it’s emitting an aura.’
Did she say it used a dragon’s heart for power?
Even though it hadn’t been activated, it was radiating an aura with a presence rivaling that of Grand Master Kain Manus. I couldn’t tear my eyes away.
What a waste.
The 200 Mana Hearts were a waste, but,
I really wanted that armor.
‘Dragon’s Magic Armor.’
That was the name of Lorraine’s lifelong dream.
***
I should be honest.
I didn't want to see anyone die.
It wasn't my first or second time seeing someone die, and the number of people I'd killed was countless.
But still.
Back then, was his name Milo?
The one with the light green hair.
He was turning into a wolf monster and chose to kill himself, to die as a human.
Even now, thinking about him leaves a bad taste in my mouth.
That must have been why.
Why I gave up on swiping all the Magic Armor I coveted so much.
Honestly.
I hadn't exactly lived an upright life.
I’d done my fair share of dirty work under Ksias.
I tried to uphold my own principles as much as my discretion allowed, but in the end, a warrior of Roverland couldn’t live a life of pure righteousness.
But… if possible, I never wanted to live like that again.
To take the Magic Armor, I’d probably have to kill Eodran, even if not Lorraine. The old man had that kind of resolve.
I really didn't want to do that.
And also,
The same went for the mercenaries on the exploration team I'd spent the last 20 days with.
They had somehow wormed their way into my heart, and I didn't want to see them die if I could help it.
That’s why I felt so conflicted.
“Uweeegh!”
“Eek! Stay back! Stay away!”
“Snap out of it!”
Because the final day of exploration was, quite literally, hell.
‘What on earth happened in just one day?’
What in the world lies in those depths?
The nightmare-like madness, as if it were alive, had grown immensely in an instant.
Before we could even uncover the secrets of the ruins, we found ourselves on the brink of annihilation.