Episode 45.12

"That one got quite the mana capacity, as well as multitudes of exceptional functions I added in, it was one of my best work to date, but I sold it off for a special price to Kagaru, <Jaira>'s leader when he begged for it. I felt sorry for that mage girl, Veta, you see."

"Veta should be back at her hometown by now. Got her enough money to live off along with her mother. That was one of the terms I put to forgive Kagaru and co."

"Did you, really. Thanks for that, Lecan-chan."

"I thought this necklace was a dungeon item."

"The necklace itself is a dungeon item. That's what should be shown when Appraised either. But by combining it with another Grace Gear and magic tools I specially made, I made it possible for mages without <Absorption> to use its mana storage, and adjusted it so <Recovery> and <Purification> don't get repelled."

"That's true. But does that mean you've been researching on <Purification>'s property."

"Where do you think you're standing at? Here is the holy land of mages, Palcimo. We have research being done on <Purification> at the institute. Oh but keep that a secret."

"I see. Makes sense. Hold it. Are you saying you've got more <Necklaces of Intuador>."

"Of course I do."

"Won't you sell me two of them. I'd like to equip Eda and Julius."

"Oh that's fine. I'll bring them with me when we start our expedition."

"Thanks."

Lecan had been going into all kinds of stores in Palcimo, hoping to find something interesting, but he had no luck thus far.

To begin with, he's given up on magic tools that boost offense. He's got no plan to use the great many Grace Swords he obtained in Tsubolt except for a few ones either. Because it's a pain to engage in a fight while accommodating for a sword's particular quirks. He's decided to master his use of <Sword of Rusk> and <Comet Cutter> in most fights, and to only deploy type-effective Grace Swords on specific enemy types.

He hasn't found any defensive gear that surpass what he has on hands either. He bought several stuff that can undo curses and poisons, but he doesn't think he'd ever use any on himself. He's been looking for equipment to give Eda and Julius, yet he was unsuccessful in his quest to find one.

But <Necklaces of Intuador> are another matter. It'd be a huge relief if he could get Eda and Julius equip them.

"Fuee, fuee. The dungeon'll finally see another conquest after 62 long years. My blood's boiling already."

"Oh yeah, it was 62 years ago when Era Morfes last conquered Dungeon Palcimo."

"Yep indeed."

"If I recall right, Mazara Wedepasha made Era her pupil 120 years ago. Just how old was Era when she conquered the dungeon?"

"That'll be 74."

"So she entered apprenticeship with Mazara when she was 16. Still, 74 huh, quite an advanced age to dungeon diving."

"Young, way young. She was ten year younger than the me now."

<TLN: Catch the latest updates and edits at Sousetsuka.com >

"What. Are you 84?"

"Manners now, haven't you been taught not to ask a lady's age."

Lecan made a rough calculation in his head.

If Era was 16 120 years ago, say she birthed a daughter on her 26 and that daughter birthed Jiza on her 26. That would match with Jiza's age, 84, now.

But he never imagined her to be that old.

(Should I really bring this elderly woman into a dungeon?)

But when you think about it, the Magic Research Institute houses <Purification> users. And the board of directors must be scrambling to keep Jiza live longer. Which means Jiza likely has been getting <Purification> on a regular basis. Not only Jiza, but her mother and grandmother too. You receive the effect of rejuvenation if you keep getting <Purification> cast on you.

(Meaning a Crystallization might have started occurring on her already.)

(Gotta get her Eda's <Purification> later.)

He parted ways with Jiza and headed back to the inn's diner, there Eda and Julius were enjoying tea.

"Today's a break day. Dungeon diving starts tomorrow."

Lecan went out to town by himself.

As he roamed around the town, he eventually found himself near the hill.

Awfully solid buildings lining up on top of the hill. It's the Magic Research Institute and Direct Order Store. Housing a few mages with amounts of mana beyond belief and many more mages with respectable amounts of mana. It's got layers upon layers of some extremely intricate magic barrier-like things. It's a place Lecan absolutely doesn't want to get in.

He's got a feeling that he's probably gonna find lots of things he seeks at the direct order store. But there's a high chance there will be something hindering him in battle there. And not even Lecan could deal with it if the numerous mages present there jump on him all at once.

As he was having dinner in the diner Tolda recommended them, Chubby walked in, plopped down on a chair to his opposite and started ordering food. Chubby lifted his cup inviting for a toast, but Lecan ignored him.

"Oh you're so cold. Chief, chief. I've got good news."

"Yeah?"

"Marquis of Smarc had hired at least three assassins in an attempt to murder you, chief."

"What's good news about that."

"But all of them canceled their contracts."

"What?"

"According to my investigation, apparently Marlia Fotos barged in Smarc Mansion in the capital and persistently pestered him for three days straight."

"Sounds rough."

"To whom? Anyway, Marquis of Smarc has been apparently made to vow before gods at Ceres Temple, to never mess with you again, chief. Looks like Priestess Marlia met chief early on month six, huh."

"Good intel you got."

Lecan didn't sense Chubby at Vouka. Though this spy has always this shifty presence around him, it's virtually impossible to detect him sneaking around unless he's gotten extremely close by.

"And now you'll never need to worry about Marquis of Smarc messing with you. At least for now. So what do you think. Good news wasn't it."

"I see, good news indeed. Thanks for your trouble, Chubby."

"It's Gwislan."

Lecan finished dinner and went back to his inn.

(Oh?)

He's hearing some familiar sounding voices from the first floor dining room.

It's Eda's. Julius's. And lastly, Arios's.