ocean-life Chapter 105 – Mystery (2)
Chapter 105 – Mystery (2)
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]
Chapter 105 – Mystery (2)
“W-wait a second.”
Arkamis stammered, her golden eyes flickering back and forth.
With trembling hands, she reached into her pocket, gently grasping the contents inside.
Softly, she drew out her hand.
Swish.
Iridescent particles slipped through her clenched fist.
The sight made Arkamis involuntarily swallow.
“Gasp.”
Arkamis nearly choked on her breath.
She stood there, dazed for a moment, before creakingly turning her head to look at Ketal.
“You, you, you! How did you get this?”
“I was summoned to the royal castle. During that process, I helped solve a problematic matter. That’s when I obtained this.”
“...What do you mean?”T/his chapter is updated by
“It was related to the iridescent particles. Even if I wanted to explain, it’s difficult to do so.”
“Is it classified?”
“That... I’m not sure, but it’s awkward to talk about.”
The Tower Master had mentioned that the kingdom would reveal the matter of the Lutein Kingdom’s anomaly to the world.
That meant they would be the ones to disclose the information.
There was no need for Ketal to speak first.
“Really?”
Arkamis pondered alone.
‘Did he clear a dungeon to help the kingdom?’
She had heard similar stories from Milena.
Sometimes, when a dungeon was particularly unusual or contained extremely valuable materials, the kingdom would secretly hire skilled and discreet mercenaries to clear it.
Ketal had solved a request significant enough to be summoned to the royal castle.
That meant he had earned a certain level of trust.
‘He must be quite skilled as a mercenary.’
Ketal didn’t know about the mystery.
But mercenary skills weren’t just about strength.
Dungeon clearing required a variety of techniques to be evaluated.
Ketal seemed to have the skills to clear and solve dungeons.
In fact, while learning alchemy, he came up with ideas she never expected.
Ketal had helped the royal castle clear a dungeon.
The iridescent particles were the reward for that.
It explained why Ketal hadn’t told her the location of the dungeon.
Although she was undoubtedly skilled, she was still an elf and thus an outsider.
The kingdom couldn’t fully trust her.
Arkamis came to a conclusion.
“It must have been a very difficult dungeon to get such valuable particles as a reward.”
“Hmm?”
Ketal was momentarily puzzled by her words.
He hadn’t cleared a dungeon.
But he didn’t bother correcting her.
Arkamis kept marveling at the contents of the pouch.
“Wow...”
Arkamis’s eyes sparkled.
There were enough particles to be worth more than any gold or treasure.
Ketal asked expectantly,
“Is this enough?”
“Enough? Of course!”
Arkamis nodded.
Her eyes gleamed as she fondled the particles.
“With this much, I can eliminate most variables through experimentation. I’ll start making it right away.”
“That’s good to hear.”
Ketal smiled with satisfaction.
* * *
From then on, Arkamis devoted herself entirely to studying the particles, barely eating.
She analyzed their structure and how to handle them to create the mystery.
She even stopped eating Ketal’s cooking, which she loved so much.
“How about taking a break?”
“But...”
“You look extremely tired. It must be hard to concentrate properly like this.”
“...That’s true.”
Arkamis lay down on the sofa, her body swaying. Ketal asked,
“It seems you’ve made some progress.”
“Somewhat.”
Arkamis spoke with her eyes closed.
“It’s a truly fascinating catalyst. The more I research, the more new properties keep appearing.”
It was hard to believe such a thing could be found in a dungeon.
“What, was it a dungeon from a labyrinth?”
She joked.
Of course, it was a jest.
The labyrinth was a mysterious place inaccessible to outsiders.
Arkamis looked uncertain how to explain.
“They’re just beings that shake the world in the purest sense.”
“Shake the world?”
“Heroes can materialize the mystery. They can impose their will on the world itself.”
It wasn’t a metaphor.
They could alter the laws of the world.
“They can exert such strong influence that it’s beyond common understanding. For instance, one of the hero-class mages wanted to create their own city. A lawless and free city where no one could intervene.”
So, the mage created a city.
“Underground, where sunlight never reaches.”
A paradise for criminals.
The underground city, Magnarein.
This was accomplished in just one month after the mage decided to do it.
“...Is that even possible?”
“Impossible? Not at all. The Tower Master built the Magic Tower alone.”
“Wow.”
Ketal was genuinely impressed.
A city created single-handedly by one person, no less an underground city—a lawless, free city, a paradise for criminals.
These words were brimming with fantasy.
He felt a strong desire to visit Magnarein.
“They’re beings beyond pure comprehension. From a simple strength perspective, there’s one who single-handedly defeated a dragon.”
“A dragon!”
Ketal’s eyes lit up.
He had not heard any news about dragons so far, and had begun to wonder if they existed here.
Dragons, one of the most iconic fantasy creatures.
And a hero who could defeat one alone.
These were beings considered the strongest in the world.
“Of course, I’ve heard they have limitations, but even so, they’re beyond common sense. Even the Empire wouldn’t dare to recklessly provoke them. That’s what a hero is.”
“Fascinating.”
It was truly intriguing.
He also felt a bit regretful.
He should have talked more with the Tower Master instead of letting them go so easily.
“Oh, that reminds me.”
Arkamis suddenly remembered something.
“I heard there’s a hero who entered the White Snowfield.”
“...Hmm?”
Ketal’s face twisted into a peculiar expression.
“Why would anyone go there?”
“Who knows? Maybe to prove their strength. They went in three months ago and there’s been no word since.”
Three months ago.
After he had left the snowfield.
“The kingdom with the hero kept it tightly under wraps, and it’s only recently come to light.”
A hero was an irreplaceable treasure for a nation.
Their mere presence provided significant diplomatic advantages with other countries.
Naturally, a kingdom with a missing hero would try to keep that information hidden, but secrets have a way of getting out.
“The rumor probably started spreading around the time you went to the royal capital.”
“...Quite an odd person.”
“Right?”
Ketal genuinely couldn’t understand it.
Wanting to enter such a bizarre place was incomprehensible to him.
Their conversation led to another curiosity.
“Are there any elves who are called heroes?”
“There is one. An elf who made a contract with the Spirit King.”
“The Spirit King.”
Ketal’s eyes sparkled again.
The mention of such captivating figures made his heart race.
“But it’s just the power of spirits.”
Arkamis looked displeased.
“Gaining power through a contract with a spirit isn’t the same as obtaining power on your own, right? I don’t find it meaningful. That’s why we fought a lot.”
“That’s why you left your village?”
An elf living alone in a human kingdom, away from their tribe.
Even Ketal, who didn’t know much about fantasy, found it unusual.
Arkamis dodged the question.
“Well, that’s part of it. Elven villages are boring.”
Arkamis lay down on the sofa again.
“I prefer the outside world. It’s more stimulating and there’s more to learn. I’m not a typical elf.”
She then looked at Ketal.
“Do you think I’m strange?”
“Not really. You seem like a normal elf to me.”
An elf who left a boring village to travel outside.
That, too, was a classic fantasy trope.
Ketal thought nothing more of it.
Arkamis smiled, pleased with his response.
A week later, Arkamis completed her analysis of the rainbow-colored grains.
Everything was ready for them to understand the mystery.
[Translator – Night]
[Proofreader – Gun]