Chapter 75: The Use of Mithril - Part 3
"The more I look at it, this bracelet is incredibly beautiful. Truly a masterpiece crafted in Gafka's workshop," the princess said, sliding the bracelet onto her wrist. "How does it look? Does it suit me?" she asked us.
"Yes, it suits you well. It's adorned with minimal decorations, but it complements you nicely, Your Highness," I replied.
"Since you usually don't wear accessories, just having a bracelet adds a nice touch to your aura. It suits you incredibly well," Chloe added.
I concisely expressed our thoughts while Chloe conveyed the change in the princess's demeanor. Upon hearing our words, the princess smiled with gratitude and said, "Thank you."
Afterward, we shared the events of yesterday's dungeon exploration with the princess and discussed how challenging it was to obtain Mithril.
That day, we entertained the princess with enjoyable conversation until she seemed satisfied, and we fulfilled our primary duties.
"Jin, can I have a moment?" Julius asked.
"Julius-san?"
After finishing our meal and taking a second shower, I was about to return to my room when Julius stopped me. Had Julius been waiting for me all this time using magic?
"I visited the princess earlier. Is it true that you gave her that bracelet?" Julius inquired.
"Yes, is it not appropriate to offer gifts as a commoner? Since the princess has been kind to me, I thought it was a gesture of gratitude..."
"No, it's not about that. I, too, give gifts to the princess when I go on expeditions. However, the material of that bracelet is Mithril, isn't it? May I ask how you acquired it?"
I had expected the princess to be upset about the gift, but it seemed Julius was more concerned about the source of the Mithril.
"Do you know the dungeon near the capital city, the Rockstone Mountain Dungeon?" I asked.
"Yes, the one known for frequent Golem appearances?" Julius replied.
"Yes, I found the Mithril in a mining location on the 20th floor there."
Since I had no intention of hiding it, I shared the location where I discovered the Mithril with Julius. He mumbled to himself, "Rockstone Mountain... 20th floor..."
"Julius-san?"
"Oh! I'm sorry, thank you for the information."
Julius expressed his gratitude with a graceful bow and left, seemingly having come solely for this information.
"What was that about? Well, Mithril is a rare ore, so maybe he was just curious?" I wondered.
With that in mind, I returned to my room, lay down on the bed, and looked at the bracelet. With this, even with my current abilities, I could engage in combat with some formidable monsters. The rumors of the suppression had mostly subsided, and I had spent a few months as an adventurer.
Now, if something were to happen in the future, it probably wouldn't cause as much of a stir as this incident.
"The best option is to avoid any commotion, but it's likely impossible..."
Among my knowledge of games, some items could only be acquired through significant achievements. Some of these were what I desired, and they would inevitably attract attention.
"Since I can't obtain them discreetly, I have no choice. I can't give up."
While there were exclusive items for protagonists, there was nothing I particularly wanted among them. The Hero's Sword, for instance, held significant value, but it could only be wielded by someone with the Hero's Mark, making it useless in my hands.
However, I aimed to obtain other useful items, preparing for any future events. With these thoughts in mind, I drifted into sleep.
The next morning, after preparing for work, I realized that I didn't sense Julius's presence as I usually did. I asked the princess if she knew where Julius had gone.
"This morning, he came to me and asked for some time off. It's rare for Julius to request time off, so I granted it, especially since I don't currently need him. But I didn't inquire about where he was going," the princess explained.
"I see..." I responded.
Julius had left without informing anyone of his destination, an unusual action for the Sword Saint devoted to the princess.
"Could it be, Julius-san went to retrieve Mithril?" I speculated.
"Huh? Why would Julius go to get Mithril?"
"When we met in the hallway yesterday, he asked me about Mithril while waiting for me. When I mentioned that I had obtained it in the Rockstone Mountain Dungeon, he seemed a bit odd."
Upon hearing this, the princess appeared troubled. After some contemplation, she reassured herself, "If it's Julius's strength, he should be fine even in the Rockstone Mountain Dungeon. I won't worry too much. He offered a few days off, so he must have his reasons."
Although she seemed concerned about Julius, the princess tried not to show it and spent the next few days in apparent indifference to his absence. On the final day of Julius's requested leave, however, he did not return home.