C343 - Record (1)
Siris's eyes emitted a cold and sharp light. From her sword flowed a blue and vigorous energy that, at first glance, showcased her remarkable growth.
The unique coldness of the Endorma bloodline had long been recognized as a mysterious and powerful force.
This power allowed them to maintain their independence, even with only a tiny territory like the Hidden Palace.
"It's not even Full Ice, yet her sword skills are at this level."
A tingling sensation made Jin's forehead prickle. Without a doubt, Siris was considered one of the strongest among her peers and might even be stronger than Dante.
But could she measure up to the current Jin?
It was a question that didn't require contemplation.
She was undoubtedly formidable, but she was nowhere near Jin's level.
Young powerhouses like Siris, Dante, and Veradin were no longer rivals for Jin.
It wasn't even necessary to mention that Jin was the strongest among them all.
Jin was already competing with powers that had made a name for themselves in the outside world.
Although not many were aware of it, the knowledgeable ones recognized it.
Jin and Siris stood silent for a while, facing each other.
The little beastmen trembled, heads bowed in fear, while Talaris smiled, seemingly intrigued.
"It wouldn't be good if I defeated Lady Siris here."
Jin was here to make a difficult request, despite his reluctance. Although it was Siris who first offered to have a match, defeating her would be a heavy task.
On the other hand, losing was not something his pride would easily allow.
It wasn't as if he wanted to spar with her after not seeing her for almost two years.
Truth be told, Jin was genuinely happy to see her again.
Jin wanted to catch up, exchange greetings, and resolve their misunderstandings from the past.
As Jin contemplated whether to draw his sword or not, Siris unexpectedly burst into laughter.
Pfff.
"Heh, you even know how to make that expression. I've always seen you with a stone face or acting indifferent, so this is quite refreshing."
Siris sheathed her sword, and Talaris chuckled gracefully. The energy released by her laughter made the ground tremble as if an earthquake had occurred.
"Are you kidding?"
"For now, I know it's pointless to test our skills against each other. Sometimes, certain things are clear even without confirmation."
Siris had already acknowledged Jin's superiority two years ago when they participated in the mission.
-When I found out you were joining the operation, Lady Siris, I was really surprised.
-I'm more surprised that you alone turned the second floor upside down. You've become a monster, Jin Runcandel.
A conversation between Siris and Jin during the Compass Interception Operation.
Siris wasn't one to act mean-spirited in the face of objective facts. She wasn't ashamed of not being stronger than Jin either.
However, her desire to test her skills was genuine, even though she could do it anytime, even after inheriting Full Ice.
It was both her sincere wish to see Jin after such a long time and her mischievous nature that led her to play a little prank on him.
"It's been a long time, Jin."
Siris extended her hand for a handshake, and Jin responded with a smile, shaking her hand.
"I'm sorry I didn't come earlier."
"You say you couldn't come earlier. If you had, you would have incurred an additional offense. I can say it even without seeing it; my mother would have been furious."
"Your mother would have been furious with someone else's son-in-law. Hmm. Still, he wrote hundreds of letters, so my heart must have softened a bit, daughter."
"Hundreds of letters?"
"Yes, look at this. Isn't it cute?"
As Siris examined the letters, her eyes narrowed.
"Are they for me?"
"Yes?"
"Does my mother have eyes and I don't?"
Jin raised the corner of his lips.
Then he took another case out of his pocket and handed it to Siris. Inside were about ten letters.
Seeing that, Siris couldn't help but let out another laugh.
"I was joking this time too; I never thought it would be real."
"I've written the most in my life these days."
"Hmm, it seems I've seen a pleasant joke after a long time."
Talaris nodded as if that was enough.
"Well, you've shown some effort, so I'll forgive you. So, this time, have you come to entrust us with these furballs?"
Upon hearing that, Peng, who read the atmosphere, quickly stood up and assumed a formal posture.
"Greetings! Great and Almighty 51st Mistress of the Hidden Palace, Talaris Endorma! I am Peng, the First Leader of the Golden Peng."
Then Suny, Dori, and Song all stood up together, nodding their heads.
"I'm Suny, the Second Leader! If you save us, we'll serve you as benefactors for life."
"I'm Dori, the Third Leader! We'll infuse vitality into the Hidden Palace!"
"I'm Song, the Fourth Leader! We'll make you happy."
Darkflame, who got up late, also spoke up.
"Dark, Flame. Representative of the Watertail Tribe. Calm, and, kind. We. Catch, fish, well."
"Hey! How can you talk informally like that?"
"Human, language, honorifics. Don't know. All."
Talaris didn't seem moved by their appearance, but Siris looked at the little beastmen with almost hypnotized eyes.
"I've more or less heard about the situation. These little ones got in trouble for making cosmetic ads and ended up being chased by Zipple. Is that true?"
"Correct."
"Now that you have a reason, Runcandel would protect the business, so why did you come to our Hidden Palace?"
Having lived as the Mistress of the Hidden Palace for a long time, Talaris quickly understood the situation without needing a detailed explanation.
"It's because I trust the Hidden Palace more than my clan."
"Approved. Well then, what benefit do we get from this?"
"I will share a portion of the profits from the cosmetics business..."
"No, no. I also have plenty of money. I have more than enough, and there's plenty of food for this small land."
"There's a saying that goes, the more money, the better."
"So, you're willing to hand over a portion of the profits. However, that alone is not enough; I hope you've brought something more intriguing."
For a few seconds, Jin contemplated Talaris's intentions. He noticed that she was still fixated on the letter, and he knew she wouldn't keep reading it continuously just because she found it entertaining.
'She must be focused on the special content of the letter.'
The description of the Tomb of Temar. That's what he included in the letter. While explaining about the Tomb of Temar, Jin naturally included details about Zipple's manipulation of history.
"I will share all the information I find about Zipple with the Hidden Palace in the future."
"That's a satisfactory answer. Well, with those conditions, I can play babysitter."
Feeling relieved at last, Jin inwardly sighed with relief.
He had been worried the whole time. Even if he received the letters or the ancient iron, Talaris was in a position to coldly dismiss Jin or even drive him away.
Although she had attacked him because he was "unpleasant," Jin wouldn't have words to refute it.
Nevertheless, Talaris, as always, decided to help Jin.
Although she paid him some compensation, Jin felt like she didn't really give him anything in return.
'Anyway, sharing the profits of the business is something that should be done, and I should have also shared information about Zipple.'
To fight against Zipple, an alliance like the Hidden Palace was absolutely necessary.
The more Jin learned about them, the more he believed he couldn't defeat them with just Runcandel.
"Although Zipple may not go to the extreme of completely manipulating history like a thousand years ago right now, there is a possibility that something is unknown. The manipulation of history is still happening, and even I might know the wrong history."
Since witnessing the manipulation of history within the recording device, it had been hard for him to dismiss such thoughts.
Knowing that he could remember a falsehood as truth was one thing, but not being able to fully comprehend it was undoubtedly detrimental to a person's mental state.
"Today, with a few words, you've settled a significant debt, my son-in-law."
Talaris felt even more affection for Jin than he thought. It wasn't just because she saw him as her son-in-law but also because he was as irascible and eccentric as her friend. Especially considering he was the son of Cyron, whom she had acknowledged several years ago.
Although Siris murmured for her to stop calling Jin her son-in-law, Talaris completely ignored that comment.
"Now, only my daughter and my son-in-law are left. The rest of you can go; we have something to discuss."
"Yes!"
"Understood."
As the little beastmen quickly left the training ground, Talaris's expression turned serious.
"Jin."
"Yes, Lady Talaris."
"Although the Hidden Palace has remained mostly neutral over the ages, it hasn't always been so. When the first master of the Hidden Palace was chosen by the divine sword 'Full Ice' and the snow toad 'Mort,' we made a certain oath."
Fssssss...
The ice crystals on Talaris's hand gathered to form a single sword, Full Ice.
"This sword possesses the absolute power of cold that nothing can break. Even ancient iron would be nothing more than a heavy, clumsy piece of metal in front of Full Ice's ice. Not even your father could break this sword."
Suddenly, Talaris began to talk about Full Ice, intending to explain the "oath" made by the Endorma bloodline.
Boom!
Mort growled below. Then Talaris mounted Mort and extended her hand.
Jin and Siris also got on Mort, and before them, a white dimensional gate opened, leading to the "Snow Garden."
Jin was taken aback by the inexplicable snowy garden landscape. Mort sprinted with all his might.
"Where are we going?"
Just as Jin was about to ask that, the resonating sound of Talaris's Full Ice intensified, emitting a bright light.
The resonating sound grew louder and reached its peak, causing Mort to stop.
As they got off Mort, Jin saw another castle, which looked even larger than the Hidden Palace itself.
"It's been a long time since I came here."
The Hidden Palace within the Hidden Palace.
Or the real Hidden Palace.
That's what those who knew the Hidden Palace's secret called it.
"It's been a long time since I brought outsiders here."
As they slowly walked inside, the vast interior seemed desolate and pale.
And right in the center, there was a massive ice pillar formed by the power of Full Ice.
"Who is that person inside the ice...?
The ice pillar seemed to hold a person like a coffin. She was an unfamiliar woman, but Jin felt a sense of familiarity from her silver hair.
"This woman is an ancient magician from Zipple, whom our Hidden Palace has sealed for a thousand years using the power of Full Ice."
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