Hector looked up at the other person who was picking a fight with him. Hector's height of 180cm wasn't small, but the knight in front of Hector was at least half a head taller than him.
The man was quite young and dressed in a somewhat unconventional manner for a knight. He wasn't wearing full-body armor and there were no symbols representing an order of knights. At first glance, he looked to be four or five years older than Hector.
Based on the above characteristics, Hector inferred the identity of this man. Is he part of the Royal Knights?
Hector had heard that these knights were selected purely based on their skill and talent. Their official rank was an ordinary night, but even the commander of an order of knights couldn't casually give orders to them. In short, they were the elite of the elite chosen from each order of knights.
Hector had also heard that they rarely left the imperial palace. As the name suggested, their main duty was to protect the imperial family. However, when they did leave the imperial palace, their performance was amazing.
Hector even heard rumors that just seven Royal Knights had destroyed a branch of the Dark Church.
The knight tilted his head and said, "What is with that expression? Did I say something wrong? I never thought that the Badnikers' hereditary swordsmanship was outstanding."
Hector let out a soft sigh, releasing the anger that had caused his mind to heat up. He had braced himself for insults, but he hadn't expected his family to be openly attacked.
Hector saw the knight's hair and thought, He has red hair... Could this be a member of the imperial family?
It was understandable if someone who spent most of his life in the imperial palace was a member of the imperial family. Of course, members of the imperial family would be educated in etiquette, but it was possible they would commit such rudeness since they didn't have much social experience.
It is just like me in the past. Hector swallowed a bitter laugh and asked, "Do you know who invented most of the Badnikers' hereditary swordsmanship?"
"It is the Iron-Blooded Lord. That is why I am saying this. I heard he is not only skilled in swordsmanship, but also spear techniques, staff techniques, hand-to-hand combat and even archery," the knight replied.
"What do you want to say?"
The knight sneered. "Spending a lifetime honing just one martial art technique is already insufficient for a martial artist. This is true even if they have talent that the heavens envy. Being interested in all things might be pleasant for a cultured person, but it isn't an attitude one should have when creating a martial art. It loses depth."
So, he was saying that the swordsmanship created by the Iron-Blooded Lord didn't have depth?
Hector burst out laughing. "You talk a lot."
"What?"
"I know why you are here. Stop rambling and let's have a duel."
***
I flipped through the notebook Kayan had given me and checked the auction items. To put it bluntly, I had bought things as I pleased. Even their names had been blurred, let alone any useful information. It was difficult to infer the true value of these antiques with just their names and appearance.
Things had become troublesome. I should at least know what to use them for. I considered going to find Hellstar, but I had heard that he had been busy working at the academy lately. No matter how bad I was, I wasn't wicked enough to go to someone who was working hard to push them even harder.
Or should I ask the Martial God? It wasn't a bad idea, but the Martial God gave off the vibe that I shouldn't talk to him for the time being. He seemed to have fallen deep in thought ever since seeing the mural at the Tomb of the Nameless King.
At that moment, another person came to mind. Someone who seemed very interested in these antiques. An individual with keen insight who immediately recognized the purpose of the dean's collection. I had also prepared a bribe in advance just for situations like this.
I immediately took out a key, put it in the keyhole of the door and turned it. There was the sound of metal clicking and the door opened. Beyond it, a dark world unfolded.
This was the third time we had met. I believed I would be more used to it by now, but the feeling of stagnant water that I couldn't soak in was still awkward. The water also seemed a bit warmer today.
"Lise?" I carefully asked and looked around.
Should I call it a reserved spot? The top of the pile of books she usually sat on was empty. Was she buried under the books like when we first met?
Just as I was thinking this, I heard laughter coming from somewhere.
It was evil laughter. It was as if a demon was giggling. It wasn't a joke. The laughter was eerily similar to the demonic laughter that swirled when the demon king descended.
Then from beneath the stagnant water, Lise Ladygoth slowly rose up.
How to say it? She looked like a ghost emerging from a river or lake. Her still-wet, seaweed-like hair spread out in all directions. If my composure was any weaker, I would've screamed.
Lise tilted her head and stated, "You are alive."
"For now."
Dripping with water, Lise slowly rose up, only her upper body exposed as she rested her arms on a stack of books. "You are tougher than I thought."
"What were you doing?" I asked.
"Taking a warm bath."
"Ah..."
"I applied the Qi Men Dun Jia that you mentioned. I couldn't break the seal of this damn boring space, but I did succeed in changing the internal environment to some extent. Adjusting the temperature of the water, changing the lights... It was quite good entertainment."
The moment Lise snapped her fingers, the mysterious blue light pouring down changed to a myriad of colors. Then she snapped her fingers again and old instruments floated out of nowhere. They each started to play on their own.
Classical music played in the background. It wasn't a big change for me, but perhaps it was satisfying enough for Lise, who had seen the same scenery of this stuffy place for decades or even centuries.
I said, "I'm glad you had an entertaining experience."
"Um. Yes. Kuset's descendant, what do you want with me today?"
Lise often called me Kuset's descendant. I usually didn't think much of it, but it sounded strange today. I blurted out, "Did you know that Kuset is alive?"
"Hoh." Lise was slightly impressed. She seemed to have no intention of hiding her true feelings.
For some reason, this attitude seemed pure to me. Regardless of her personality, she didn't seem the type to hide her emotions. It almost felt that she thought such behavior lacked dignity.
"Did you hear about it from the family head?" she asked.
"That's right."
"How interesting. Sharing this fact... I see. In the end, did Delac's ridiculous plan succeed at the final moment?"
"Plan?" I echoed.
Lise smiled and waved her hand. The soft music stopped. She asked, "What is the purpose of your visit?"
The blatant change of topic was also an indication of her intent not to answer the previous question.
I nodded in agreement. In any case, I didn't think it would be so easy to know the truth about the Badnikers. It was a harvest just to learn that Lise knew something about this.
I replied, "Something happens that requires your insight, Lise."
"As I said before, in order to consult a good mage—"
"I need to pay a price," I finished for her. "That is why I brought an offering today."
"Take it out," Lise said in a satisfied tone. She seemed to know what it was before even seeing it.
She had once said she could grasp everything about anyone who set foot in this space.
I took out the De Marlin Refreshments cookies from the auction house.
"Huhuhu..." Lise took it with her hair like last time and nodded as she chewed on the cookies. "It has been a while, but it is still a delicacy. Next time, bring some tea leaves that go well with them."
"Got it."
"So what is the purpose of your visit? I'll listen to you until I'm done eating these cookies."
I took out the notebook I had received from Kayan and handed it to Lise.
Lise flipped through the pages while munching on a cookie. "What is this?"
"These are the items I was lucky enough to get this time. I don't have much of a discerning eye for artifacts. I'm here to ask you about your opinion," I answered.
She scoffed. "Are you treating me like an antique shopkeeper?" It is a bit unpleasant."
"How could that be? I thought of several people with a keen eye, but among them, you stood out the most."
"Your eloquent tongue offends me. Spare me the obvious flattery. It is just unpleasant," she spat.
"I'm sorry."
Despite her words, Lise didn't look particularly displeased. It wasn't just due to the cookies she was chewing. It was the expression of someone who had always been praised by others and enjoyed it. Perhaps Lise was someone with a high status even among the black fairies in the past.
"Well, okay. I feel good, so I'll take a look at a few things that can be used. However, this is the last time I will deal with such troublesome matters," she stated.
I nodded quickly. "Yes."
Then Lise scanned the notebook again. After a while, she said, "You have Amon's Scissors, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Take it out."
I took out the scissors and showed them to Lise. This divine relic was more than just old. It had deteriorated to the point where it might crumble with the slightest touch.
Lise muttered, "It looks even worse."
"I cut Hadenaihar's thread with this."
"Did it directly collide with the power of a demon king? It is pure good luck that it hasn't broken." Lise nodded, opened to a page in the notebook and told me, "If you use this Randall's Cloth to clean items, it will be very effective. An ornament's value will double or a rusty sword will instantly regain its sharpness. If you polish armor with it, even rain will slide off it as if it was oiled."
"Ah. Then I can use that cloth—"
"Of course, it can be used to restore the divine artifact, if it was in the same condition as last time." Lise handed the scissors back to me. "It is difficult now. A good craftsman probably needs to take good care of it first. Only a dwarf craftsman can fix it. A craftsman from Sandstorm Hill would be best."
" I'll keep that in mind."
"In addition..." After that, Lise talked about many things that could be used. Suddenly, she became slightly surprised when she saw a page. "Oh, this..."
I waited silently.
Lise chuckled for a while. Then she looked at me and said, "There is a Holy Grail. It might be a replica, and I need to know which number this grail is, but..."
"A Holy Grail?"
"Don't you know?"
"I conceptually understand it, but..."
I remembered that it was probably a relic related to the Seventy-Two Churches. It was the divine cup that the seventy-two gods bestowed when they descended to the ground and appointed their apostles.
"Is it real?"
"This is a world of myths and legends. It isn't surprising that it exists," she replied. "The Holy Grail has no effect on ordinary people. Only the descendants of the Great Families who have received blessings can unlock its power."
Lise looked at me and asked, "By the way, what type of blessing do you have?"
"It is a bit difficult to reveal..."
It was impossible to reveal the Spirit Mountain's Blessing to anyone.
I spoke with a slightly embarrassed face, and Lise nodded in an unexpectedly easy manner. "Then I'll change the question. Is the level of your blessing low?"
"Uh, I guess?"
"Exactly in what way."
"Um..."
It was tricky. I couldn't say that I couldn't decide when to go back in time.
"If this is also difficult to say, it doesn't matter if you give a vague explanation," Lise told me with a rare benevolent face.
Somehow, I felt that this benevolence was coming from the cookie she was chewing.
There aren't many left. I gave enough for five girls to have a full tea session, but the pouch that once held the cookies now looked a bit empty.
I said quickly, "It isn't a power that I can use when I want. The activation conditions are difficult, and there is a limit to the number of times I can use it. This means I can't use it freely."
"I see. Then this will work especially well for you," she remarked.
I was surprised.
Lise continued, "Using this Holy Grail will naturally increase the level of your blessing. In your case, the performance of the blessing itself will increase."
"Increase?"
Lise smirked. "You will be able to use it more often or you will be able to use it whenever you want."