Chapter 143
QlzT“Damn it…! This damned headache never feels familiar!”65Pd
pIrwPreIt was worse than any other pain he had ever felt in his life.SYQcuKB
9fG3If it weren’t for the fact that it had the useful part of showing him the future—or rather, the contents of a forgotten book for some reason—Gismond would have done anything to get rid of the pain.45e8
mADHgb“But this time…”KQJV
udaL2RThere were countless scenes.BxSVF
b5PHowever, the only one that floated before Gismond’s eyes was:ODH
Fw2ky7[Mountains of gold, jewels, and all kinds of treasures.]F0muW
ZdeIA dragon’s nest. The richest place in any fantasy world.ntOjjA0
9nR8“With that money…”tlPEFxA
8h0LaTruly, he could do anything.iA3vC
mCnO6eGismond was about to wipe the drool running down the corner of his mouth when he jolted in surprise.lWHm
IiK1B“Damn it, you scared me!”DbqY
hSLfUFernan was standing at the door, staring at him intently.ET23s9E
0A0aW6“…Fernan?”gPBN
DAvS5“Yes, it’s me, senior.”BSh
i7C“What, why… again what?!”2Go
FrzThe trauma from that day returned all at once, and Gismond trembled.XlupewA
9KaP“I suppose this time you also saw the future.”U38u91
CNIxGxs“…Is that why you came? Of course I saw it.”HDxHTV
JLxW1VY“You can’t tell anyone about it.”Klk
joR“Of course I won’t tell anyone.”eo3a7PM
oO0w“To anyone.”5OJe1
T3kY6Fernan took a step forward. Under that icy gaze, Gismond instinctively stepped back the same distance.kjo
nagEd“Wait! Stay there and let’s talk!”ORSiz4
J3N“You must not speak of it.”u4I
i2Vc“I haven’t even talked about it with anyone else but you! And besides… wait a moment.”sXpLb3
HnayHjAlthough several prophecies had appeared before, it was the first time he saw such an unexpected reaction from Fernan. And recalling it along with the content of the vision, Gismond realized something.AsUfVO
oQt“Don’t tell me that…”JGZ02
sgPB6“It’s mine.”1KLs
MjkgK“But that’s supposed to be Aint’s!”HDhC
Xfi“It’s mine.”mau4
vix2R“But you yourself said you stole the potions from Aint…”pBZBKBl
1FPX“So what?”vEPx
ctXGj1Fernan brought his face close to his.s9mG
Gfn7“Is there a problem with what I said? Or do you have any complaints about me, senior?”OE2hW4p
XAy“No, it’s not that…”XCR
ILoa“Then whose is it?”oHQfp
uSG7SGismond wasn’t dumb enough to cling to his initial opinion in a situation like this.43Nx
RqmGXF“…Since it has no owner, obviously it belongs to the first one who picks it up.”9nnJri
ROE3N9“Now it seems you’re starting to understand.”bbktyox
ZRUNBraFernan smiled and dragged a chair over to sit.ZuQh
9vKuDIT“See, senior. I don’t like people who covet what is mine.”FMC
EQPqTap, tap.Ec3tJb
kmPaCFernan drummed his fingers on the table. That steady rhythm tightened Gismond’s chest more and more.xz4Wg2F
AdDSA“No, let me correct that. It’s not that I don’t like them, I hate them. So much so that, if necessary, I eliminate them.”Ov5
3dajWke“…Hic.”4Gw0ytl
JO7A blatant threat—if he coveted the treasures, Fernan wouldn’t leave him alone. Gismond nodded quickly.kYDCTN
Ugab“I… I’m not so greedy as to desire what belongs to someone else.”AXoghC7
DV4“And I also like discreet people.”bXm0I1e
wpwA1“Of course. My nickname is the silent death…”FpxEsOh
RMh“Excellent.”SeR9
6al0HFernan stood up.Xg6P
Apf“You better live up to that nickname. Otherwise, you won’t taste kraken ink pasta again—the one you praised so much three days ago.”1kE65qC
m9xk“You… you were watching me?”Ngl6KS
7rSQfVo“Watching? No need to call it that. On this island, nothing escapes my sight. See you next time, senior.”TPv82wY
vscbAnd he vanished.6VDGato
lI0“Huff, huff…!”ftW
f1mlxGismond exhaled the air he had been holding in.Ipv9ip
qUs0“Damn, that bastard is worse than a demon…!”DPm
SI1LoHis legs, which had barely withstood that overwhelming pressure, gave out and dropped him to the floor.jJjM9Vh
xjR“He must have really sold things even to demons! Damn hypocrite…”5wMK
mWyq8hMHe was furious.8Zut5n
uI0yQrf“That son of a bitch…!”AMNY
381JyEHe remembered Fernan’s last threat, shuddered, and checked his surroundings.Ijsp2
bEDKCDUpon confirming that no one was around, he sighed in relief and whispered softly:bNos5
Wsan2oO“I’m putting up with this because I have no power now… because I have no power…”citwEV6
myEZcthBut a bad feeling pierced him—maybe he’d have to endure it for the rest of his life.iKpEIn4
YkapW***0sf
ecuhyThere was no time.ljGaI
H05The fact that the vision had appeared meant it would soon come true.L8QgU
Gn0srEven though the past had changed and with it many parts of the future, this had nothing to do with that.45C
HJfGardner was going to suggest it without fail, and Aint would search for the underwater cave.6s3tiB5
ahpac2Before Aint could realize it, Fernan had to sneak in and take the treasure.JS8hQ7O
OlHTavS“The guardian is the problem…”9RB
60w8The chimera created by the first Archmage.VWRkQz
s2oHe had never seen it, but it must be powerful.hTOVO
IjNuAl‘With my level, I couldn’t handle it.’eELmf
6weuAkoIf he used Wooden, the situation might be different, but defeating the chimera like that would also be problematic.GsRH
dI9ZIf it disappeared, Aint and Gardner would suspect something was wrong.fMcT0
0KHcxfIdeally, he’d sneak in without waking the guardian.xU5
loLJkIZ“I must go immediately.”YYR31KY
DpI9Fernan returned to his quarters and prepared to depart.gKBmFxH
AivATWooden would accompany him, of course, along with Hyde.TsIfyTc
yW0ESilver whimpered, wanting to go too, but Fernan calmed him using Wooden.pMZ2vo
SUa7EtHe also gave him a spirit herb to chew on, and the bird nodded firmly, as if saying it would endure at least one day.ksz
Jpb“Definitely, being a mystical beast means you’re incredibly expensive to feed.”AnB
m9zA bird that ate spirit herbs—Fernan was almost speechless.j5t
ojLQ“But, is it really okay to do this?”xei0GDS
FEt“What do you mean?”hx4DaD
qXYom1T“According to your own words, this is something Aint should obtain and use one day for Armian. And yet you plan to take it from him…?”Ej3mJ
iZDdY44“Hyde. You’ve been with me for more than ten years and you still don’t understand.”nsa
SwcJYWFernan scoffed disdainfully.0c0N
pEHr5“This isn’t a potion. Having it doesn’t mean a drastic change or immediate usefulness.”fDa
z77qQVRather, Aint would hide that he had such fortune.zwCLq
Fja31jKThat mountain of riches would become a hidden weapon, a dagger saved for Armian’s future.ARV
qOswc7“Of course, Armian must be restored. When Aint becomes emperor, I’ll get back everything I’ve invested, and much more.”ddN
XjqzHowever.Slr
Siy“The fact that a peasant harvests wheat doesn’t mean it reaches the consumer directly. Maybe in his village they sell it in cash, but normally there’s a middleman. That’s also how the Golden Turtle Company grew.”V1XC35
ZJ5Y9v3“…Don’t tell me?”NofhQgG
Q3nqa34“Yes, just that.”2m0VXM
SSqDdQGreed had clouded his judgment for a moment, but Fernan wasn’t dumb enough to act without a plan.uuHODDE
rqvwEAfter all, if Aint failed for lack of that money, the demons would conquer the continent.G5f0tsR
F6CtXGold would lose all value, and Fernan’s future would go down with it.ZvCg
TWplSo he would never do something like that.xCBLXp
9BHrWThe only thing he would do was keep a fork at the table of destiny.Suhu
5KVU“I’ll lend that money to Aint.”jfonMX
sOOWWith a small interest.1PQ33
B6imHSmall, of course—though in such a sum, even a minimal interest would be enormous.HHCO
X3k“Just thinking about it makes me happy.”Ddx
NKeXVtAfter all, there was nothing more pleasurable than earning money with money.V9Y
xQlm***77b
t6RVmThe underwater cave mentioned in the book of prophecies was half a day away by boat from the Academy.yBS5i
8uOzr8Getting on a boat wasn’t a problem. Most of the vessels within the Academy belonged to the Golden Turtle Company.0qZ7F0v
HYAFernan departed on a small ship, avoiding drawing attention from others.9Zpi0t
3rnN“Is it here?”WbIuf
DGtHK“Yes. Right in the middle between the twin-shaped island and the crescent-shaped island. They say the underwater cave lies beneath this. Near the Academy, there are no uninhabited islands besides these two.”VMMtzvc
SEGAlthough a thousand years had passed and the shape of the islands had changed slightly, the general silhouette matched the description in the book.yGE
gv7MeMVFernan broke a scroll of breathing magic. He immediately dove into the sea, followed by Hyde.15una
j0Cua‘There it is.’tv6a
ekFUzAfter descending for quite a while, when the sunlight no longer penetrated the water and they were in the abyssal darkness, a cave appeared.fpVrDO
7gM“Ugh!”x6qNa
LBBFernan and Hyde entered the cavern where no water seeped in. And they understood they were in the right place.kkgUZ
tQ2“Magic lamps.”CtGO
Tw7hKb0“Weren’t those the ones you ordered to sell last time? Don’t tell me you got them this way.”gDWfTZ
hGT“Better to be with someone who can appreciate their value than rotting in a place where no one but Aint would ever enter.”WkGcaEm
D7nbpf6“Don’t talk about the lamps as if they had consciousness.”UQ8w
fFpQSPThere were no enemies in the cave.vyxxlw
CdgvgOAlthough it was shaped like a labyrinth, the magic lamps hanging from the ceiling illuminated the path so clearly it was impossible to get lost.akh
5mrDzsnEven without them, finding the way wouldn’t have been too hard.036P
Hy1V“It’s getting colder.”HcNUQ
WOxgvThe icy air intensified as they moved in the right direction.HCkuRLx
FzFrOqFinally, they stood before a door unbefitting of the place and a massive block of ice guarding it.lEUtw
2cBNr“There it is, Hyde. That’s the guardian they spoke of—the chimera created by the first Archmage.”QtJV
0HJvAn enemy against whom, even fighting together, Fernan and Hyde had low chances of winning. With Wooden, maybe they had a shot.o05oUH4
6ly1— Kyu!a5G
pn69“We’re not going to wake it. Stop saying nonsense, Wooden.”fRv6
b1Wu3T“So what do we do now?”PkCb7a
PLyRd“That thing wakes up when the main door is opened. So we have to enter another way.”5Odpu8K
3u7JLuckily, perhaps due to the first Emperor’s style, a vast chamber stretched in front of the door. The wall was wide enough that they didn’t have to force their way through the main entrance.TPjA
O7I4rQ“And is there a way?”48XmKQj
gCh“I’ve said it many times—that’s why I learned earth magic.”vCr
wdY3ncx“To steal? I thought it was for mining.”KnmhQie
Yb9“Both.”Hp9AnA
5f2XFernan placed his hand on the wall, as far from the chimera as possible. Mana filtered into the rock and bounced off immediately.woi1TT
g62“…Tsk!”mUtR
zjvN9“You okay?”zKp
HklSu8Q“The walls have a magic circle engraved that blocks all external intrusion.”NtLB
y1IHKIt was so advanced that Fernan, with his level, could never break it.ju6
fz4QA3fBut he didn’t despair.GwByv
oWf“I more or less expected that. There’s no way the first Emperor would be so careless.”6RTtOdk
5ojkIt made sense. Keeping a treasure like that unprotected? That wouldn’t be like an Emperor but like an idiot.6hCSMPq
NWIWpL“So is there a solution?”tpsps
iGQ“Dig.”SWn
ZZ8OT“…Excuse me?”u1XA
qEK“We dig down until we’re outside the magic circle’s range, and enter from there.”kVxV
zteWv2D“…Oh.”UVqaR9r
MSQLBIt sounded simple, but convincing.RJ4
cUd“Will it work?”E2uCy2z
kojWua“I’m a mage, I know how these things are done. They almost never engrave circles on the floor. And even less in an underwater cave.”0Ogwcg
tp5j“The first Emperor wasn’t a mage, though.”LGz
HXlT6Z“But whoever helped him build this certainly was.”lYfK
0pPFernan began digging with earth magic. In an instant, they started descending.7CE
OiYmbx0After five attempts, they reached a depth free from the influence of the magic circles, and from there began carving their way inward.ZFAxFD
TZH1Then.EAsoo
UfA3kpSThud—TpVsa
wreVrZVFrom the crack opening in the rock, a beam of light leaked out along with gold coins that fell tinkling.XNk4
Cvfl8“Gold! Hyde, did you see that! It’s raining gold! I told you it would work, I knew it would work!”FVZ
jUDWMyFernan gathered the coins with a childlike grin, as if it were the first time he had seen a treasure.nHINr
34uKq“…The first Emperor never imagined someone would tunnel all the way here to bypass the magic circles.”3XzJ
v3uh0ONormally, inscriptions were engraved on the walls, not on the floor.dEXg
VFu9lFpIt wasn’t that the Emperor had been careless—it was that Fernan was exceptional.uD3lHP2
HXi9X80“Definitely a wise move to learn earth magic!”iOLtlI
EjbzEPushing through the fallen coins, Fernan emerged inside.RCIvI
ODVDF“…Beautiful. More beautiful, elegant, noble, and majestic than anything I’ve ever seen in my life.”szkN0IW
YBfpXg“…Agreed. Even for me, it’s an imposing sight. It’s massive.”w85x
RpwA mountain of treasures so large it exceeded the sum of all the Pellenberg warehouses.Wumkp
LlCH“They say after suffering comes the reward.”WMfDcie
SkwVeHe had avoided a future where he would fall into ruin, and now fortune was offered on a silver platter.yii
Dha1XAFernan opened a subspace and began sweeping treasures inside. He had stopped by headquarters beforehand to acquire more storage artifacts, so he had space to spare.Gldbi
YanWhile Fernan collected gold and jewels, Hyde found an old piece of paper on the ground.DGcGw
6QpJAi“What’s this? A letter?”U4Hyns8
oAOI“Put it in the most visible spot, right in front of the door. That way, even if no treasures remain, they won’t suspect.”HHj
iiFTm2“Understood.”05qIYS
coiFor an hour, Fernan kept filling his spaces until not even a single coin could fit.rrK
75LXW1S“Not a single gap left in the subspace. It’s completely full.”LPjbq6
6Tjrz“Shall we go back now?”ATqkiX
fZqJDja“Yes. And make sure to erase all traces that we were here.”zIEizn
sLSPWLAh, Fernan added.Ka0js
zUcmOaJ“Before we leave, collect everything hanging from the ceiling.”rFyB
5KZHWhen the three of them departed, nothing but absolute darkness remained in the underwater cave.Hg1
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