Chapter 83 – Reward
The royal castle of Ridron, Re Ante.
Following the administrator, I walked down a white corridor basked in warm sunlight. At regular intervals, principality knights stood guard with strict discipline, and even the slightest gaps were covered by cleverly hidden magic devices.
It was security befitting a castle where the pinnacle of a nation resided.
'I wonder what a country greater than this would be like.'
Verden followed the administrator's pace, taking in the sights inside the royal castle. After all, a commoner rarely had the chance to set foot here.
Before long, they arrived before the audience chamber. Once permission to enter was given, magic devices activated in succession, and the massive doors slowly opened.
A blue carpet stretched from the entrance to the throne.
On the throne sat Duke Riviant with commanding dignity, and Endrick alone guarded his side.
Led by Count Rodenmeyer, they stepped forward and knelt on one knee in turn.
"From the looks of it, you've had a proper rest."
"It is thanks to Your Grace's benevolence."
"Benevolence, you say? Enough with such empty courtesies, let us get straight to the point. No other nobles are present, and surely your minds are already filled with thoughts of reward."
"We…."
The duke flicked his hand as if unwilling to hear any rebuttal.
From outside the chamber, administrators came in carrying chests, each adorned in copper, silver, and gold.
A long table was placed before the duke.
Upon it, six chests were lined up in a row.
"Then, let us begin with the rewards for the tournament. Seron, step forward."
The named man stepped forth.
He was the one who had lost to Jack in the semifinals, finishing third place. The duke opened the copper chest and pulled out its contents.
"To Seron, who placed third, I bestow this 'Mithril Dagger'. Use it well."
"Thank you, Your Grace!"
The mithril dagger had no particular magical effects. Judging by its color, it contained only a small portion of mithril, yet its design was exquisite. At an auction, it would fetch quite a sum.
"Next, Jack."
This time, the runner-up.
From the silver chest, the duke drew out a metal belt.
"To Jack, who placed second, this 'Belt of Strength'… hmm, for a warrior as strong as you, it may not prove of great help, but it should offer some effect nonetheless."
"I humbly accept."
Jack took the belt and returned to his place.
Though it was only a single rank apart, the prize was far more valuable than the mithril dagger, and Seron cast an envious glance his way.
But the true prize was yet to come.
The duke moved to the gold chest.
"Finally, Asher, step forward."
The awaited first place.
Upon opening the golden chest, a ring set with a deep blue gem was revealed.
"To Asher, who placed first, I bestow the 'Ring of Permafrost'. As you know, it is but a replica, yet it can reproduce eight percent of the original's power, and when driven to its limits, up to thirteen percent. Of course, its durability will be greatly consumed, but even so, it will grant tremendous strength to an elemental mage such as yourself."
"Thank you."
Verden put on the Ring of Permafrost.
At once, he felt a change in his inner magic power. It was the much-spoken phenomenon of attribute distortion.
'Though it's not even one-tenth of the original… still, I look forward to it.'
The frost of permafrost.
He longed to test the magic in real combat as soon as possible.
Once Verden stepped back, it was the nobles' turn.
As before, the rewards began with the lowest-valued chest.
From the copper chest came a document granting partial reduction of territorial tax for one year.
Now only the gold and silver chests remained. In other words, it was time to decide first and second place.
Three nobles were left, but the obvious contenders were Count Rodenmeyer and Count Voldiane.
The count who had brought Seron sighed quietly in regret.
Tension filled the chamber.
At last, the duke opened the silver chest and called a name.
"Count Voldiane, step forward."
In that moment, the fortunes of the two counts diverged.
This confirmed Count Rodenmeyer as first place. Count Voldiane was granted rights to pioneer lands on the outermost borders of the principality.
It was a considerable prize, yet the count could not feel pure joy.
At length, Count Rodenmeyer's name was called.
"First place in both the tournament and the territory evaluation. This is the first time in our principality's history. It seems you are the true protagonist of this grand event."
"It is my honor, Your Grace."
From the gold chest, the duke pulled out two documents.
One was the mining rights to a newly discovered silver vein in the Kazerdan Ridge.
The other, the rights to a magic stone mine seized from a bankrupt merchant guild last year. Verden was dumbfounded by the scale of such rewards.
'Unbelievable.'
Even for a grand event, this was excessive for a once-a-year territorial evaluation. If properly operated, the silver vein and magic stone mine would yield astronomical wealth.
Surely the duke had his calculations in mind, but even so, it was an extraordinary reward.
Returning to his place, Count Rodenmeyer met Verden's gaze and twisted his lips into a smirk. An irritating expression, yet not unwelcome to Verden.
Such rewards meant he too would be paid handsomely.
True, the count might nitpick and trim the payment to his liking, but he was not the sort of shameless noble to recklessly slash it down to a paltry sum.
"With this, the grand event of this year is concluded. You have all done well. Return now to your estates."
"Yes, Your Grace."
The rewards for the tournament and the territories were all bestowed. Yet Verden still had something left to receive.
"And Asher, remain behind."
***
Verden followed the duke and Endrick toward the heart of the royal castle.
Even with the duke himself present, the guards followed every procedure with rigor. Verden too had to temporarily hand over his spatial bag.
"This is the castle treasury, Re Eronte."
Before them loomed a door more solid and massive than that of the audience chamber.
When the duke placed his hand upon it, a metallic twisting sound rang out, and the door opened.
Glass cases lined the walls, filled with all manner of magical items.
Compared overall, it was certainly smaller in scale than the treasure vault of the magic tower.
There were no lethal magic circles that would slay intruders at a touch. Even combined, the contents here could not compare to a single piece in the tower master's prized collection.
But of course, that was to be expected.
"Our principality has only a short history since its founding. Thus the treasury is small, yet I have gathered these with care. What do you think?"
"It is most impressive."
It was no empty flattery.
Among them were indeed items of high value that caught Verden's eye. For a nation only twenty-two years old, it was remarkable.
'…That one?'
As Verden browsed the treasury, he found himself drawn forward.
Behind the glass, a necklace set with a black gem shimmered with rainbow light.
The duke approached.
"As expected of a mage, you can recognize a fine piece. This necklace is called 'Core of Tricolor'. It possesses the effect of fusing three elements, even if those elements are in direct opposition to one another."
Elemental fusion of two attributes was already a difficult technique.
A careless attempt could cause the magic to run wild, endangering the mage. Indeed, such accidents did occur from time to time.
'But to fuse three elements, even those at polar opposition?'
The first was nearly impossible, the latter outright magical impossibility.
An effect beyond reason.
"…Is it an artifact?"
"Yes. But a dangerously unstable one. Not a single elemental mage has survived its use. All failed to control the magic, exploding themselves or dragging the surroundings into devastation. Though an artifact, it is useless, so it sits here like a burden."
At that, Verden's eyes gleamed.
The meaning of "a useless burden" was simply that no one was capable of using it. As a mage, of course Verden could not help but want it.
So what if it was dangerous.
Verden was certain he could overcome it.
"You don't mean to say you actually want this, do you?"
"If I do, will you grant it to me?"
"Of course not. As recognition for the subjugation of the Soul Tree and as payment for our agreement, an artifact would be far too much. Moreover, even for you, the chance of death is high. Among its former wielders were elemental magi, yet they too failed to endure it and perished. The reward has already been decided. Endrick."
Endrick approached one of the glass cases that contained robes.
He unlocked it and presented a robe to the duke. It was dyed in a deep shade of green.
"This robe is called the 'Robe of the Wanderer'. It carries the tale of a traveler who once wore it while crossing half the continent. And fittingly, it bears effects that match such a tale."
"May I Appraise it?"
"Hm? You can Appraise as well? Very well, try it."
Verden received the robe and used Appraise.
◇ Robe of the Wanderer
⦁ Preservation of condition
⦁ Maintenance of body temperature
⦁ Medium resistance to physical damage
⦁ Medium resistance to all attributes
⦁ Once per day, can use Invisibility
⦁ Once per day, can use Cloak of Whirlwind
'This is no ordinary magic item.'
The robe possessed effects incomparable to the one he was currently wearing.
Resistance to all attributes, in addition to allowing the use of spells. Furthermore, Invisibility and Cloak of Whirlwind were 5th-tier magic. Though limited in usage, a robe bearing such abilities was extremely rare.
"Among your gear, the robe seemed the weakest, so I prepared this. I believe it sufficient as recompense."
"I gratefully accept."
More than sufficient.
It was an unexpected windfall.
With that, their business in the castle treasury was finished.
The three left the treasury and walked toward the door. Verden cast one last glance at the Core of Tricolor, but the duke shook his head as if to say there was no chance.
'What a pity.'
Holding both regret and satisfaction in his chest, Verden left the royal castle.
Passing through the main gates, he strolled leisurely through the capital with the intent to return to the count's residence, when suddenly, someone blocked his path.
'Jack?'
Jack, with a stiff expression.
Approaching Verden, he asked out of the blue.
"Asher, do you perhaps have any thought of going to the Republic of Beldirn?"
"I do not."
Verden had no idea why Jack would ask such a question, but his answer had already been decided.
At the unhesitating reply, Jack blinked. He stood there, mouth slightly agape, before nodding with a faint look of disappointment.
"I see. Pardon me."
Leaving only those words, Jack turned away.
...Had he really waited all this time just to ask that? Well, since he was already gone, there was no need to think much of it.
Casting Jack aside from his mind, Verden shifted his thoughts.
'More importantly, Gluttony still has yet to appear.'
He had expected some movement during this grand event with all the nobles gathered in the capital. Yet it was strangely quiet, as though Gluttony intended to vanish altogether.
'Impossible.'
After causing such chaos, there was no way he would simply hide now. Surely something would happen soon, and whatever it was, it would not be ordinary.
Verden was certain.
***
As night fell, along the darkened road, three carriages were moving.
A voice came from outside.
"Count Dabirk, it grows late, perhaps we should make camp…"
"Do not stop, return to the estate."
"But it is dangerous…"
"Dangerous, nonsense! With magic items the night road is as clear as day! Instead of wasting time with such words, focus on driving properly!"
In answer came only the sound of reins being pulled.
Count Dabirk, irritated, ground his teeth on his lip.
'Damn you, Rodenmeyer!'
Count Dabirk had long harbored feelings of inferiority toward Count Rodenmeyer. In appearance, lineage, strength, intellect, in nothing could he surpass him.
And now, the mage he had brought along was utterly crushed. Not only that, even after he personally went to propose, the insolent mage named Asher refused to come.
Of course he was furious.
"..."
Opposite him, Luke sneaked a glance at the count.
Once hailed as an academy professor, now treated as worthless, unlike before. Likely because he had been humiliated with a crushing defeat in the second round.
'Damn it all!'
Luke burned with rage at Asher.
Never before in his life had he felt such disgrace. Over and over he swore to himself that someday, he would repay this humiliation.
Clatter!
At that moment, the carriage came to a sudden halt.
As it rocked, the count slammed his fist against the wall and shouted.
"What kind of fool drives like this! Do you want to die!"
...No answer.
Listening more closely, sounds of commotion came from outside. At last sensing something wrong, the count and Luke stepped out.
"Aaaagh!"
"Guaaaah!"
Screams erupted all around.
The knights of House Dabirk were fighting grotesque monsters of abnormal form surrounding the carriages.
"Abnormal species? Why here all of a sudden…"
Even in the dead of night, this was not a place such creatures would appear. In fact, he had never even heard of such abnormal species existing within the principality.
The knights fought hard, but casualties fell. Seeing the corpse of a knight with his head torn off, the count panicked and rushed back into the carriage.
"L–Luke! Do something! Before more of my knights die!"
It was not their lives he mourned, but the value of the knights themselves as assets of the house.
'All the better.'
Luke pulled a staff from his robes.
Whatever it took, he intended to quell this chaos and reclaim his lost standing.
Then, a crimson-black abnormal species strode forward.
An indescribable chill raised the hairs on his neck, but Luke forced a laugh to show bravado.
'Just an abnormal species, nothing more.'
Magic gathered at the tip of his staff.
Luke invoked his spell.