I stared at the book for a while. Of course, I couldn't find anything else from the cover no matter how long I looked at it.
I immediately opened the book and flipped through the pages...
Soon, my expression filled with astonishment. "I can't read anything?"
Had I become illiterate again in a short time? I narrowed my eyes to check the characters, then I realized that this wasn't the case. Unlike the cover written in print, the writing on the pages wasn't readable at all. It looked like crawling earthworms.
To put it in a good way, it was cursive writing. To put it in a bad way, it was illegible. The handwriting was so bad. Even if it was in a language I understood, it felt like it would still take me ages to decipher it.
Then here came the question. How could Seren read this language? It was the language I learned from Third Senior Brother.
I recalled the conversation I once had with Seren.
"So what is your real name?"
"My real name... Let's see..."
"How was it pronounced again?"
"Wow, my head hurts." I stopped thinking. Somehow, I felt that I wouldn't be able to find out the truth no matter how much I thought about it here.
I could only answer this question after meeting her in person. Thus, I decided to pick the book.
They said that among the items in the warehouse, anything with an unknown creator could be taken without any special procedures. In other words, there would be no problem with me owning this book.
Of course, I also had questions about why this book was placed in the warehouse of the Master Craftsman's Sect, but I would ponder this later. There were few people in the world who could interpret this book. Even the most famous archaeologists wouldn't be able to do it. However, Seren managed to read Laplace's New Book in the Goodspring family. It just so happened that she was in the capital right now.
I'm also troubled by her earlier attitude. In any case, I was going to meet Seren later today. I should put aside all thoughts of the book for now.
I went around the warehouse again. To put it bluntly, I hardly paid attention to weapons. This was the imperial treasure, but I didn't think any of the weapons here would catch my eye.
It was the same for armor, though for a different reason. My combat style relied on a quick shift between offense and defense, so I needed to be as light as possible. Even when on the defensive, evasion was my main strategy rather than blocking. Due to that, my focus naturally shifted away from weapons and armor and more toward magical tools or relics.
However, I didn't summon the Martial God. I didn't have time to evaluate them one by one. There had to be thousands of items in this warehouse. At the very least. Hence, I prioritized whatever caught my eye and stirred my interest.
I guess it was a gut feeling? Come to think of it, I used to enjoy luxury like this in the past.
I was looking around in a daze when a voice echoed, "Ten minutes left."
It felt like they were telling me to hurry and make a decision. At this point, I only had one book with me. Somehow, it felt too troublesome to look around any longer. Maybe I should pick something roughly.
I was ready to settle for anything when I spotted strange-looking gloves. They were black in color and made of an unidentifiable material. In other words, it didn't look very special. On the contrary, it attracted more attention due to that. It couldn't be regarded as a weapon or armor.
It was a state where my eyes and heart were somehow connected. I got closer and checked the gloves. It was too thick to be called cloth and too elastic to be leather. The design resembled fingerless gloves. I stared at the gloves and put it on my hands as if possessed by something.
"Wow..." The sensation of wearing it was almost non-existent. For a moment, it felt like a thin piece of cloth had touched my skin. Then even that sensation faded. I was amazed.
How should I describe it? Putting aside its performance, I felt that this was a perfect match for me. It was said that when a swordsman held a sword that fit perfectly in his hand, it would seem to click in place. That was how I felt right now.
Besides, I don't think this is all that is to it.
Concentrated energy? I was surprised. This was an artifact that allowed anyone with a certain degree of internal energy control to manifest concentrated energy, regardless of the wearer's level. I was also able to manipulate concentrated energy, but I couldn't say that I was proficient at it.
This meant that using these gloves would be much more efficient. In terms of handling, it felt like the internal energy consumption had dropped to less than half. The flickering black flames felt more like a force focused on defense rather than offense. If I wore this, it felt like I could catch the sword wielded by a master with my bare hands.
"Hah, really..."
It was quite unsettling. With these gloves, I would be able to gain the upper hand with someone half a level above me or even compete with someone one level above me.
There was only one thing slightly bothering me. "Master said that relying on divine weapons will make me shed blood."
I groaned in hesitation for a while before making my decision. "I will take them for now."
In any case, my final opponent was a demon king. I had to deal with monsters far beyond mortals. I was in no position to be picky.
"One minute left."
I heard the knight's voice again but didn't feel any more greed. The moment I thought that two items would be enough, a strange metal lying near the entrance caught my eye. The reason I didn't see it when I came in was that it was placed near the door. It was a blind spot in my vision.
The metal surface looked unimaginably smooth, but the texture was somehow familiar. Where had I seen something like this before?
"Ah!" It felt similar to the rectangular object that Seren chose in Alderson's treasury.
There was nothing else worth picking, and this metal didn't seem to have an owner. I grabbed it without hesitation and left the warehouse.
The knight asked, "Do you have any items to your liking?"
"Yes."
"Give them to me."
I handed the book, metal, and gloves to the knight.
The knight checked the items, nodded and said, "You will find a room if you go to the right. If you wait a while, I will send in the blacksmiths who crafted the items."
"Yes."
I headed to the room. There were only chairs and tables inside the room. Fortunately, there was a window. Through it, the sight of the busy craftsmen outside could be seen.
I sat down at the table and watched. Muscles that were strengthened by work, not training. A passion hotter than the flames in the brazier. There were harsh words spoken from time to time, but I could feel that they truly loved their job and their work.
This is a good place.
Was it because the First Fire Technique was my foundation? I felt something stirring inside me when directly exposed to such passion. Watching someone train made my body itch with the desire to move. It felt like I was craving training.
When was the last time I really focused and trained seriously? It was likely the time when I spent 100 days with Senior Brother Arang on Spirit Mountain. After that, there was only a series of battles.
Of course, those experiences had a huge improvement on my martial arts and my mental growth, but I felt bloated. It felt like I hadn't been able to properly absorb the weapons and means I had now. It was as if food was stuck in my throat.
I have to make a decision soon. I wasn't sure exactly what I should do after leaving the imperial palace.
Just then, there was a knocking sound and the knight reappeared.
"Everything has been checked. The book and this mysterious metal object are ownerless, so you can keep them as they are, but..." The knight asked with a puzzled expression, "Are you sure you are okay with this?"
"Yes. By the way, why are items with no owners included?"
"Both are very old items. Artifacts from the Forgotten Era hold such value." The knight's gaze shifted to the window. "The craftsmen here are both excellent craftsmen and appraisers. Their keen eye and level of knowledge surpass that of most archaeologists. As a result, the imperial palace acquired these artifacts through some type of channel and entrusted their appraisal to the imperial craftsmen. The items you saw are the ones the craftsmen failed to appraise. They were unable to uncover their origin or uses."
"So that's how it is."
This was why there were so many antiques. They couldn't be discarded just because they didn't seem valuable right now, so they were temporarily stored.
"Regarding the gloves you chose, I'm sorry but you will have to see the blacksmith who made them tomorrow."
"Is there a reason?" I asked.
"That..." The knight looked confused. Then he sighed heavily and replied, "He doesn't want to be disturbed right now..."
This reward could be interpreted as an imperial decree, but to answer like this? I knew that dwarf craftsmen had a strong sense of pride, but it was more than I expected after experiencing it firsthand. Putting aside my surprise, my curiosity about the craftsman who made it grew even more. I couldn't help wanting to force the visit to see his face right now.
Unfortunately, the sun outside the window was slowly setting. Soon, the banquet that the Lotus Jade Emperor mentioned would begin.
"It can't be helped. Then I'll see him tomorrow," I said.
"Thank you for your understanding."
I shook my head. In the first place, this wasn't something the knight should apologize for. The person caught in the middle was the one in the most difficult position.
I wanted to pat the knight on the shoulder to comfort him, but he wasn't my subordinate. Thus, I just gave him a small nod instead.
***
I heard that the banquet was held on the first floor of the imperial palace in a huge hall.
I briefly checked my clothes, pried off the clingy maids fussing over me, and made my way to the banquet hall. Then I ran into Charles and Hector in front of the palace.
"Brother Hector?"
"Luan."
Somehow, Hector looked lighter. Perhaps it was because the bandages were gone.
I asked, "Is it really okay for you to be walking around already?"
"Dame Lena and Sir Morbius stopped by this afternoon. They gave me one of the imperial palace's precious potions. Thanks to that, I can move without any trouble. I am still a bit stiff though," Hector replied.
"That's good."
"In addition, they both apologized to me."
"I guess they have a conscience."
"Sir Morbius' face was a mess," Hector noted.
"He probably fell somewhere. He looks a bit clumsy," I said with a straight face.
Hector said with a stern expression, "Luan, the other person is a member of the Royal Knights, an imperial shield. It ended well thanks to the efforts of the captain, Dame Lena. However, things normally would've escalated much further. If things had gone slightly wrong, it might've turned into a full-on conflict between the imperial family and the Badnikers. You made an emotional response."
"I admit it." I nodded obediently and agreed with Hector.
Hector tried to say more, but ended up shutting his mouth. After a brief pause, he said in a quiet voice, "Still—"
"Yeah?"
"It was a bit satisfying. Thank you."
"What was that?"
"Let's hurry. The banquet will start soon." Hector headed toward the banquet hall with a serious expression. Somehow, his pace was a bit faster.
Then Charles approached me and whispered, "He asked me ten times if you were hurt."
"Really? Wow. My older brother has finally grown up."
"Hah. You really..." She looked exasperated.
"By the way, what about Seren?" I asked. "I can't see her."
"She must've gone into the banquet hall first. And..." Charles hesitated slightly. "I feel like she has been avoiding us the entire time. Maybe I am mistaken."
Who knew? It was possible it was not a mistake.
We headed into the imperial palace and stepped into the hall where the banquet was held.
"Wow. What is this?" I blurted out.
The size of the banquet hall that I saw in person was definitely exceptional. The glittering chandeliers and marble reflection were almost blinding. There was a lot of music and food, as well as people.
"Aren't there an unusually large number of noble children? Are they all here because of us?"
"That is true, but today is also the debutante ball of the Sixth Princess," Charles answered.
"Got it."
Hector chimed in, "So be careful when you say and do in case you run into the princess."
"I have already made friends with members of the imperial family," I protested.
"This place is completely different from the academy, so be respectful. Please," Hector pleaded.
"I'm not a child. I understand."
Hector glared at me with suspicious eyes. Then he headed for the center of the banquet hall.
Soon, a large number of noble children gathered around Hector.
"Ah! Hector!"
" Haha. The star of today's banquet is here!"
"It has been a while since I've seen you. Are you feeling well?"
Come to think of it, he is very careful about managing his network of connections. Originally he was also close to the Second Prince, Lantus, and he often showed his face at social gatherings held in the capital. Therefore, he was acquainted with most of these noble children.
He had a handsome face and good manners, so the eyes of the noble ladies changed slightly the moment Hector appeared. They were like the eyes of beasts that caught their prey.
Responding politely to such enthusiastic advances won't be easy. Good job, Brother.
Hector drew a lot of attention, so it became easier for me to move. I picked out food and drinks in a corner and looked for Seren somewhere in the banquet hall. However, I couldn't see her shadow despite making a big circle around the hall.
Has she already gone back? Or... Just in case, I went out to the balcony. It was an exceptionally bright night. The night air was cool, but the moonlight and starlight shone down in harmony. I could see the night view of the imperial palace even without any lighting.
Seren was standing at the end of the balcony. She squatted in a corner where she couldn't be seen and was sniffling.
Is she crying? I was baffled for a moment. The Seren I knew was someone who sneered even at the moment of death. Due to that, seeing her sniffling with bloodshot eyes was a strange sight.
"What should I do now? What should I do..." she muttered while holding her head as if she didn't see me. "I can't do anything by myself... It has always been like that. I'm scared. I'm so scared..."
Seren mumbled with tears streaming down her face, "Where did you go...?"
At this time, I couldn't help asking, "Who are you looking for?"
Seren sharply turned her head.
I expected Seren to get angry with me or run away from me, but her reaction was unexpected. She burst into tears and rushed toward me. Her face was covered in tears and her nose was runny.
"Wait, you—"
Before I could say anything, Seren's body slammed into my abdomen. "Young Master! Young Master Luan! Uwaaaah!"
I tore my eyes off the horrific scene of my expensive clothes being covered in saliva, gently comforted Seren, and finally managed to pull her away. "Why are you like this? Calm down first."
Seren suddenly bowed while tears were still dripping down. "Help...!"
"What can I do for you?" I asked with a puzzled expression.
Seren replied with a tearful face, "Please save Shi-Hyeon!"
Who now?