Episode 51.14

"Now then, Lecan. Time to reveal your trick."

Dungeon Knights' commander, Duo Bahn spoke.

This room currently has the townlord, Parkugrein Shadrest, his heir Ashidgrein, Rubianafale, Temple Head, House Aide of Shadrest Kinisun Zoga, the loyal knight Estfarin, Viscount Saljirein Ruka and his son Nodlein as well as Duo and Lecan.

Previously in the chamber, Duo asked Lecan why didn't the <Amulet of Soul Shattering Bug> work. Lecan replied, he couldn't answer there. Duo asked back, then where could he get the answer, Lecan said back, somewhere with the least possible amount of people. Thus the ten of them gathered in this back room.

They all quenched their thirst with the prepared tea.

Duo had called an appraiser to appraise the <Amulet of Soul Shattering Bug>. The summoned elderly appraiser had a similar aura with Elder Termin. He must be the best appraiser in Yufu. He wrote the result on the paper which the townlord's group read. As such, no one doubts the veracity of <Amulet of Soul Shattering Bug>'s Grace. But that begged an even bigger question as to why it didn't work then.

Thus why Duo asked Lecan his trick.

"Duo. Compare that amulet you got on you with this ring on my left index finger."

"Hmm?...Oho. Their patterns look alike. Wait, what. This is..."

"I've seen similar Grace Gear before. They are objects called <Ancient Grace Gear> or should I say <Genesiac Grace gear>, they can only be obtained in the very first conquest of every Grand Dungeons that exist in this country." (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

No one said a word, waiting for Lecan to resume.

"Each of Genesiac Grace Gear possesses a tremendously powerful Grace, but they have one peculiar trait. Activating two Genesiac Grace Gear at the same time cancels out each other's effects."

"Is... that true. I see. You did recite some kinda spell back then. That was the activation spell for that ring huh."

"It was."

"Well I'll be damned. Then back then if you weren't there by chance, and you didn't have and activate your Genesiac Grace Gear by chance, we all would have been enslaved by that Southern SOB?"

"Well, yeah sounds about right. Still, the Sage who taught me all about <Genesiac Grace Gear> mentioned that <Amulet of Soul Shattering Bug> might be in the Royal Family's possession, turned out it was in Yufu all along huh."

The place fell into silence. Townlord Parkugrein broke that silence.

"Lecan-dono of Wazrof Household. We are all truly in your debt. Words cannot express how grateful we are. How would Yufu have fared had you not come here by chance. I cannot even begin to imagine."

"Wasn't by chance."

"Pardon?"

"Apparently Lady Rubianafale prayed for my coming here. I was summoned by Lady Rubianafale."

"Hahaha. So you were. Come to think of it, Lady Rubianafale did mention how Lecan-dono is like an avatar of Argent Flame Wolf."

"What's that about?"

"Are you not familiar with <Tales of Argent Flame Wolf>?"

"I'm not. Not a native of this world."

"So you were. A picture book of <Tales of Argent Flame Wolf> Lady Rubianafale read in her childhood had a traveler character who saved the main princess character, and that traveler had the exact the same attire as Lecan-dono's. That traveler was the avatar of the Divine Beast that is Argent Flame Wolf."

"Which Argent Flame Wolf's that. That guy ain't nothing laudable."

"What?"

"Nah, nevermind. That aside, I'm told by that Sage that <Orb of Dark Emperor> was found in Dungeon Yufu. The Grace should be <Resurrection>. Would love to take a look at the real thing if you have it."

"So you even knew about that. Even though its existence is confidential, we cannot possibly refuse Lecan-dono's plea."

Parkugrein signaled to Duo with his eyes.

Duo stood up and bowed before he left the room.

(Figured it'd be here.)

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

(Spot on.)

Lecan started having the inkling after seeing Duo Bahn jesting about the dead in dungeon expedition. When he considered the possibility of them having ways to deal with death, Lecan recalled about <Orb of Dark Emperor> and how it has <Resurrection> Grace. Shira said she has no idea about the orb's whereabouts. Which means it was never used in public. Then where is it used. Dungeons. No rumor ever spread because it's an object usable only in dungeons. Lecan's acumen on these kinds of things is unusually acute.

The temple head muttered to himself.

"I see now. So that's how it was. Ah, I understand."

Parkugrein looked at the temple head dubiously.

"Temple head. What did you understand?"

"The young man who later became Zaka Founder King paid Yufu at the time a visit, he reached an agreement with Yufu King after which the king dispatched his troops during the Founding War. I had always wondered why would the king made that agreement."

"I do find that matter odd as well. So you are saying you have solved the mystery then."

"It's <Amulet of Soul Shattering Bug>. I believe the young man presented that to the king in exchange for one dispatch of troops."

"That's. But, would that mean the king of Yufu at the time wanted to have this extremely dangerous Grace Gear for his own?"

"Yes. I believe so myself. It was likely for the sake of keeping it from being used by anyone."

"Keeping it, from being used, by anyone... I see."

"Yes. The king kept it close to himself for that reason, and stored it away."

"I see. Even I never heard a thing about such a powerful Grace Gear. The king attempted to bury away its very existence."

"Yes, yes. Many things fall into place if we go by that reasoning."

"And thus Geitglein came across this forgotten object when he was rummaging through the treasury."

"Well about that, we cannot say for sure yet. Not until we ask the person in question."

Meanwhile, Duo came back along with the vice commander Black.

Black took a wand out. It's a short wand with an orb embedded on the grip.

The engraved pattern looks familiar.

"Hou, that's it huh. Mind if I cast <Appraisal> on it?"

"You may do as you wish."

Lecan took his thin wand, calmed his mind, kneaded his mana, carefully recited the preliminary casting and cast <Appraisal> magic.

<Name: Orb of Dark Emperor>

<Type: Wand>

<Spawn Spot: Dungeon Yufu Floor 1>

<Depth: 130>

<Grace: Resurrection>

※Resurrection: Letting this wand touch a corpse and activating the Grace will resurrect that corpse. Resurrection is certain within 100 inner heartbeats of the time of death, the probability decreases thereafter. Bodily damage will be healed with the resurrection. Activation spell is <Viren Jia Zafus>. This Grace can only be activated once a year. This Grace is only effective on humans. This Grace is only usable inside dungeons.