Chapter 21: He Found It

Chapter 21: He Found It

Karyl moved slowly, his steps deliberate as he followed the forest path he had traversed daily. Finally, he arrived at Einheri.

He pushed open the door before him, and was greeted by the sight of books in disarray, piled up haphazardly throughout the room.

I can no longer look at this place, he thought.

Why was that the case? Before leaving, he visited this place one last time, a place that had completely transformed his life. Was it out of mere sentimentality? The answer was no.

Karyl slowly scanned the surroundings once more, feeling a sense of loss.

In the end, I didn't find it... Perhaps it had been nothing more than his greed, or maybe the desire to seek another treasure hidden by Kaye Aesir. It could also be that the only treasure he really left as Einheri was the Dragon's Heart.

That alone is an extraordinary treasure, though.

Karyl drew Agnel, the sharp sound of the blade's edge tickling his ears.

Thinking about it, this might just be the first time I've drawn a sword here.

He had wasted much of his time searching for a hidden mechanism. And as if to prove his transformation before finally leaving this place, Karyl slowly focused magic Agnel.

Kaye Aesir, because of you, my life has taken on a new meaning. I can’t thank you enough.

The sword blade emitted a soft, faint glow.

Look, he thought, this is what you have given me. This power, it’s something I never had in my life. I will use this power to change the world. As if making a vow, Karyl pointed his sword towards the bookshelf in Einheri.

"...Hm?" His gaze came to a sudden halt.

Something was lying on the floor in the darkness. Despite having thoroughly searched Einheri, he had failed to discover it.

"This is..." Karyl, his disbelief evident, rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands before looking at the floor again.

But when he looked again, there was nothing on the floor.

Did I see it wrong? Karyl tilted his head in confusion.

Suddenly, a thought struck him. Could it be...?

Once again, Karyl infused magic into Agnel. As the aura blade illuminated the surroundings like a torch, his suspicions were confirmed.

There it is.

He hadn't seen it wrong. The piece of debris he had seen on the floor just moments ago, was visible again.

Karyl picked it up and whispered, "This is..."

Human greed sometimes becomes a stepping stone for growth. I like greedy individuals. If you hadn't been captivated by the power contained within the Dragon's Heart and returned to this place, you wouldn't have found this.

His prediction was correct. The Dragon heart wasn't the end. This peculiar sorcerer had cleverly concealed his treasure in intricate layers.

Do you think I’m stingy? Well, you did come here to obtain my belongings for free. You should be grateful for any additional arrangements. Great power can never be easily acquired.

What a freak...

This man from 250 years ago was more than just odd. He had cast spells so that only those who had consumed the Dragon's Heart could find it. But simply using the magic present within one's body wouldn't suffice. If he hadn't specifically physically manifested his magic in this place, Karyl wouldn’t have ever realized it.

Was it a mere coincidence that Karyl had fulfilled such a rigorous condition? Or was it fate?

The magic of the dragons is pure magic.

It is a power that no one else on the continent possesses.

How you develop this power is something I cannot predict, as I did not acquire magic in the same way you have.

Like a chick instinctively searching for its mother, you will instinctively use your magic in the way you are best suited to.

Sword, huh... Karyl pondered, looking at the continuously inscribed letters on the ceiling.

His curiosity grew. And as if reading his mind, the words on the ceiling were written with certainty.

But remember, the method you excel at will be your path. However, it is in overcoming your struggles that you will reach the true pinnacle.

My strengths and my weaknesses... Karyl mulled over the final words.

He now knew what the pinnacle of the magic that he must reach.

Magic... The glowing letters on the ceiling gradually faded away.

Suddenly, he noticed something was placed under the lights on the ceiling.

Since when... How had he not noticed it before? No, such a thing hadn't existed in Einheri until now. Engrossed in reading the letters on the ceiling, Karyl had failed to notice the small box materialize before him.

He keeps surprising me more and more. Inside the box, Karyl found a small bracelet and ancient coins used long ago in the empire.

I do not know who you are. You might be a barbarian who stumbled upon this place by chance, a noble who exploits slaves, or perhaps a royal who commands those nobles.

Karyl couldn’t help but exclaim at the note left behind. He hadn't considered it, but Kaye Aesir already knew. The conditions he had set for his barrier may have seemed ludicrous, but they were not impossible to solve.

He carefully took out the bracelet from the box. It coiled around his wrist snugly like a snake, and he felt his magic settle calmly. The bracelet had a small snake’s head at one end, with a glowing red gem set in its mouth.

"This is..." Karyl's eyes widened.

The name of the bracelet emerged in his mind as if it were etched there: The Bracelet of Greed.