‘There was a place like this underground?’
When he followed Count Orhan and arrived at the underground storage, an exclamation burst from Gale’s mouth.
“Whoa...”
“This is where I have gathered the treasures I have collected over the course of my life.”
It was exactly as he said. After passing through several doors, they arrived before a gilded door, and inside it were dozens—no, hundreds, even thousands—of treasures. All sorts of weapons and equipment lay scattered about in disorder.
“If there is something you like, choose one.”
At those words, Gale felt his heart begin to race.
The Orhan Territory had the Latium Mine.
Latium was a rare ore that contained mana within the substance itself.
It was used as an essential material in various items produced throughout the empire.
Because the demand was enormous, Latium’s value was beyond imagination, and Count Orhan, who held the mining rights and distribution rights to Latium, possessed wealth that was truly beyond measure.
‘I heard he was raking in money, and with wealth like this, I suppose that sounds about right.’
With this level of wealth, it was only natural that the Golden Dawn Society had set its sights on Count Orhan.
If they could monopolize Latium, they would have no need to worry about money in the future.
Thinking that, Gale slowly looked over the weapons.
Then a beautiful dagger, shaped as though it had been carved from a gemstone, caught his eye.
A hammer seal was engraved at the end of the blade.
“Is this... made by the Wieland Brothers?”
At that, Count Orhan, who stood beside him, approached with a sparkle in his eyes.
“Oh... you know the Wieland Brothers?”
For a moment, Gale thought he had slipped up.
Right now, he was a naïve fifteen-year-old who had been kidnapped after going out to catch stag beetles.
Get a grip.
“M-my teacher was an ardent supporter of the Wieland Brothers....”
“Indeed, your teacher has remarkable discernment.”
The Wieland Brothers were famous blacksmith brothers who had crafted the swords of successive Sword Saints.
And he even had one of their works?
Count Orhan began explaining excitedly, as though he had made it himself.
“This dagger’s name is Tyrant. It is a jewel sword whose entire blade is made of Latium, and it contains nothing less than 5th Tier magic inside.”
It was undoubtedly genuine.
Judging by its form, physical attacks would be impossible, but its true value lay in the magic contained inside it.
Of course, if it were used once, the sword would break as a single-use item, but being able to use 5th Tier magic with a single sword was an enormous advantage.
Aside from Tyrant, every weapon hanging on the walls was worthy of attention even across the continent, and as good items kept appearing one after another, Gale’s mind grew increasingly confused.
‘Good grief... I never thought I’d be agonizing over a storage room I hadn’t even expected.’
It was a collection where no matter what he chose, the word jackpot would come out on its own.
As he walked while slowly examining the items, Gale reached the end of the storage room, and an interesting object came into view.
“What is... this?”
It was a small wooden box about the size of a ring case.
Beneath the shallow layer of settled dust, he could see the figure of a dragon engraved in gold leaf.
At Gale’s question, Count Orhan subtly avoided his gaze and said,
“It would be better not to take interest in that. There is a cursed object inside.”
“A cursed object?”
“A relic of the old era.”
A relic of the old era.
That referred to the age before the empire, which possessed the oldest history on this continent, had even come into being.
Count Orhan stroked his beard and continued.
“It is something I bought for amusement from a foreign merchant. So this is where it was.”
“May I open it?”
Count Orhan looked at him with concern and said,
“Do not touch the object inside under any circumstances.”
Gale nodded.
When he opened the wooden box, he had only lifted the lid, yet a scent like heavily decocted medicinal herbs filled the storage room.
The thing inside was a small bead that looked as though a bit of soil had been clumped together.
Count Orhan, who was watching Gale, said,
“I took it to a famous appraiser in the empire and commissioned an appraisal, but he could not determine what it was used for. Merely smelling it leaves me with a bitter feeling.”
At those words, Gale laughed inwardly.
‘Strictly speaking, this is also an object from the old era, but it’s different in nature from the others.’
Its name was an elixir.
In the old era, it was said that the technique of making medicines in the form of such beads was highly advanced.
In that age, each organization possessed an elixir that reflected its own unique character.
They had various names, such as the Great Rejuvenation Pill and the Purple Dawn Divine Pill, and in the near future, these elixirs would be called panaceas and enjoy tremendous popularity.
‘There were a lot of fakes back then too, so it was disappointing in all sorts of ways, but with a scent this strong, I can consider this genuine.’
Gale swallowed and closed the wooden box.
“I will take this.”
When he said that, Count Orhan looked bewildered as he replied,
“Are you serious? That object has no value whatsoever. Rather, because it is an object from the old era, no one knows what problems it might cause.”
“I just like it.”
For a moment, his face remained stiff, then he continued.
“Huh. This is the first time I have encountered such a case.”
Count Orhan stood there, flustered, and fell into thought for a moment.
Watching him, Gale thought, ‘I suppose he never imagined I’d choose something like this.’
No matter how good an item was, if one could not properly draw out its power, it was no different from a pearl necklace around a pig’s neck.
Gale knew perfectly well that he had no talent for the sword, so he had no need for the famed blades filling this place.
The same went without saying for other weapons like hammers or bows, and the armor felt too excessive for his fifteen-year-old self to wear.
‘For now, this is perfect. I can get the rest in the empire when I need it.’
In this world, there were still countless artifacts and weapons whose effects or abilities had not yet been confirmed.
To Gale, the world itself was no different from a vast treasure vault.
There was no need to choose clothes that did not fit simply because they were precious here and now.
After thinking for a moment, Count Orhan said, “Choose one more.”
At those words, Gale blinked and asked back,
“Wh-what do you mean...?”
“You are our family’s benefactor. If rumors spread that we gave a cursed object as repayment to our benefactor, I would be too ashamed to lift my head.”
Gale admired the dignity he felt from Count Orhan.
Now that Rita had returned, Count Orhan was not the same man who had once been no better than a ruined shell.
Gale nodded and said, “Then for the remaining item, I will take the jewel sword you mentioned earlier.”
It seemed the most useful among the items here.
‘Since it’s a dagger, it’ll be convenient to carry... and if I need urgent money, I can sell it.’
If another crisis came that was severe enough to make him sell his lifespan again, the magic contained inside it might help.
“Tyrant, is it? A fine judgment.”
Just then, a growl sounded from inside Gale’s stomach.
Since he had eaten nothing for two days, it was only natural in a sense.
Count Orhan smiled and said, “I shall have the items prepared when you depart tomorrow. First, let us go eat.”
Gale hid his embarrassment and nodded.
***
“I ate until I was about to burst for the first time in a while.”
It had been a long time since he had eaten a properly prepared meal.
Before his regression, it had been one war after another, so he had not been able to eat a proper meal.
‘I chewed jerky day in and day out.’
Recalling that time made him shudder.
Gale returned to the room where he had awakened.
When he opened the door, slightly cool evening air came riding in on the wind from inside.
“Oh, you’re here?”
Rita, who had been sitting on the opposite windowsill and looking outside, spoke.
The wind blew beneath the faint moonlight, making her red hair flutter.
Gale stepped into the room and said,
“What are you doing with no lamp lit?”
She hopped down from the windowsill and approached him.
“I just came to say thank you. Thank you for saving me.”
At those words, Gale smiled faintly.
He had thought she was just an immature child, but she knew how to say things like this too.
She had grown up.
“When I asked Anna earlier, she said you met my father?”
Was that maid’s name Anna?
Gale nodded.
“That’s right. He thanked me for saving you.”
“I just met him too. Did Dad say anything to you?”
“No, he didn’t say anything in particular.”
For an instant, Rita’s eyes changed.
“Then why are you suddenly saying you’re going to the empire? And what is this about the Imperial Army?”
“Haha... There are circumstances for that....”
“And magic! When in the world did you learn magic?!”
Rita glared sharply at Gale.
Gale slowly avoided her gaze.
It had already been over twenty years since he had last spoken with her.
He did not remember everything about her accurately, but he did not think she had felt this sharp.
“R-Rita, about the magic I used, I can’t really say any more....”
Rita, who had been glaring at Gale, let out a deep sigh and said,
“Haah. I’m sure it’s a secret anyway. Fine. That’s not what I came here to talk about. Take this.”
She came up in front of Gale.
In Rita’s hand was a small ring.
“What is this...?”
He thought he had seen it somewhere before, and realized it was the anti-magic ring Kalif had used.
“Benon said this should be given to you.”
“I’m not sure whether I should accept this.”
“He told me to thank you. Something about you protecting me in his place.”
Gale laughed softly.
Rita continued.
“And I have good news.”
“Good news?”
“I decided to go to the empire too.”
At the sudden declaration, Gale’s eyes widened.
“Out of nowhere?”
“It’s not out of nowhere. Dad was originally in the Imperial Army too. I’ve only made up my mind more clearly.”
“Then, don’t tell me you’re leaving tomorrow too...?”
The corners of Rita’s mouth rose.
“That would be nice, but Dad says that’s not allowed. He said he’d send me later when he thinks I’m ready. So until then, I’m going to work hard at all sorts of things.”
Rita said that, then walked toward the door before turning only her head back.
“Let’s meet next time in the empire. I’m going after graduating from the academy, so I’ll let you become my subordinate.”
At those words, Gale’s lips curved up.
“Do well so you don’t arrive too late and end up as my subordinate.”
“Listen to you, so confident. Then I’ll get going. Good night.”
After she left and the door closed, a cool night wind entered through the window.
“Rita is coming to the Imperial Army too?”
Gale looked at the moon hanging low in the distance and thought, Please let every problem be resolved before she comes to the Imperial Army.
***
The next day.
The maid Anna woke Gale, who was sprawled asleep on the bed.
“Master Gale, the carriage bound for the empire is arriving. You should begin preparing soon.”
Gale let out a long yawn.
That was because he had fallen asleep after analyzing the ring Rita had given him until late into the dawn.
‘Rozena is a goddess.’
Originally, he had intended to understand the anti-magic structure and go straight to sleep, but its structure was more complex than he had expected.
If he had not recalled the definition of anti-magic that his former teacher Rozena had taught him, interpreting the ring’s principles would have been close to impossible.
‘It’s a good thing I had the correct formula. I would’ve gone through hell.’
Even so, somehow, just before the sun rose, he had managed to fully grasp the structure of anti-magic.
With this, the possibility of magic with an anti-magic effect applied had also opened up.
“Yaaawn... Shall I start getting ready?”
He put on the clothes that had been folded for him the previous evening, packed his meager belongings, and went down to the first-floor entrance, where Anna was waiting.
“You have come. The carriage has arrived. Will you depart immediately?”
At that moment, he recalled what Count Orhan had said the previous day.
“Yesterday, the lord said he would give me the items... what happened to the things he mentioned?”
“If you mean those, I have them with me.”
Anna handed him a small pouch.
“It is a subspace pouch. The lord said it might be dangerous, so he instructed me to place them in here for you.”
Gale received the subspace pouch with surprised eyes.
A subspace pouch was a pouch that, despite its small size, could contain several times more items than its apparent volume.
“I also placed some travel money and additional supplies necessary for your journey inside. Once you arrive in Rustav, a guide will be waiting for you.”
“Thank you.”
“I hope peace and stability dwell before you from now on, Master Gale.”
After finishing his farewell, Gale headed to the carriage.
Befitting Count Orhan’s generous nature, the carriage was also extremely luxurious.
When he looked outside through the small window on the door, he saw Rita, tiny in the distance, watching him from a second-floor window of the estate.
Gale waved his hand, and soon she disappeared.
“Then we will depart for the empire.”
With the coachman’s spirited voice, the carriage began moving smoothly.
As he looked at the scenery wavering outside the window, Gale quietly fell into thought.
“Whoo….”
A small tremor stirred in his chest.
Only now did it feel as though he was standing at the starting line.
Gale murmured quietly, “One step closer to the Imperial Army....”
Thinking of what would happen from here on, Gale quietly kindled his fighting spirit.