Chapter 103 - Chapter 103

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「It seems I may have overindulged in wine yesternight. I'm deeply embarrassed to have shown such unseemly behavior before my younger sibling. Please don't read too much into the nonsensical ramblings I spouted while drunk…」

Indeed, Estelle had been nonsensical and incoherent last night. But had she really drunk that much wine? Or perhaps, contrary to expectations, Estelle had a low tolerance for alcohol? I continued reading the letter.

「…You don't need to concern yourself with Uncle's words. My father often says similar things to me as well. And while I'd like to believe it won't come to this, if you do happen to find a woman who captures your interest, make sure to have my 'approval' first. I worry that with your gentle nature, you might be taken advantage of. If you ever feel lonely, leaning on your sister is also a viable option. I shall end here. See you at the academy.」

The relatively brief letter was brimming with concern for me. Do I really come across as that incompetent to Estelle? Then again, considering my past actions, perhaps it was understandable.

However, it seemed Estelle hadn't fully grasped my father's true nature. While he may appear lenient on the surface, my father had never failed to achieve anything he set his mind to.

If I remained passive and took no action, he might indeed start searching for a different marriage prospect according to his own wishes.

    *

A few days after Estelle's departure, a farewell ceremony was held at the front gate of the mansion to see me off. At the forefront stood Adele, clutching a new teddy bear tightly in her hands. I had paid the seamstress a generous bonus, and she had delivered a product exceeding expectations in just one day.

Adele had named the new teddy bear Eddie, just like the previous one, and rarely let it out of her grasp, except for very brief moments.

"…Goodbye, brother…" she said softly.

"How mature you've become. A little more growth and you'll be all grown up."

"…I'm not a baby anymore… Adele has grown up…" she protested, puffing her cheeks despite my praising pat on her head.

This time, Adele didn't cry. There could be several reasons — perhaps Mona's presence had provided some stability, or she might have matured a bit internally. Alternatively, it could be the result of my efforts. Considering how her face had noticeably brightened only upon hearing the invitation to visit during the academy's autumn festival, the last reason seemed most plausible.

"Edwin, do you really have to leave so soon?" My father stepped out from behind Adele, his face etched with regret at my early departure.

"Father," I acknowledged.

"What kind of mansion did you rent that requires so many repairs? I'll give you more money, so take this opportunity to find a better place and sign a new contract."

"Ha ha, that would be too much trouble, don't you think, father? It's just minor fixes here and there. Don't worry too much," I declined, waving off my father's suggestion.

Although there were nearly two weeks left before the end of the break, I had decided to set out early once again. To justify this, I had fabricated an excuse about the perfectly fine mansion.

I had resolved to explore all the locations I knew between the South and the academy. In truth, based on my memories, there wasn't anything particularly special left in this area. I was more curious about the shards of the divine dragon.

So far, I had absorbed four shards, and if things went according to plan, I could potentially acquire up to six more this time. Such a number might yield significant results, I thought.

"If you insist, there's nothing I can do. If you need any help later, don't hesitate to ask. Also, remember what I told you last night… Although it's not as good as Robinette, I've already identified several potential marriage prospects."

"…I understand father," I replied, noting my father's serious demeanor, which suggested his previous words were far from idle talk.

Adele shot a quick glare at my father before briefly entrusting her teddy bear to Mona and scurrying over to me. She hugged my legs tightly.

"Brother, don't go anywhere without Adele…"

"Of course not. Where would I go? I have to stay and live with Adele for a long, long time."

"Hehe…" She finally smiled, seemingly satisfied with my response.

I soon boarded the carriage, and Adele waved her hand so vigorously it became a blur, just as she had done before; the family guards followed me initially, but I dismissed them all when we stopped at Westbury, using the excuse of having other matters to attend to.

I immediately changed course to retrieve the items. After nearly ten days of rigorous travel, I successfully acquired the items from five locations, leaving only one remaining. I asked the local residents about "Eanna," and they directed me to a particular place.

However, Eanna wasn't merely a cave. Upon examining the cave walls, I discovered several murals that appeared to have weathered the passage of time.

"…Was there such a place?"

While most of the murals were too damaged to discern clearly, I could still make out some of the images. The murals were painted from right to left, depicting people standing on the ground, falling meteors, and finally, people with their heads upside down.

"...…..?"

I thought for a while if there might be a hidden meaning, but nothing came to mind. As I was pressed for time, I stopped thinking about it any further and moved again. I entered the blocked part of the cave and found the mark of the item hidden nearby. And I retrieved the box that appeared after blowing mana into it.

The box was pitch black, and on it was an emblem engraved in intaglio with a long line drawn horizontally across the shape of a heart.

I opened the lid and the item inside revealed itself. It was definitely a bracelet called "Blessing of the Ancient God" that was in Eanna. I could barely remember the name, so of course I couldn't remember the effect either. Maybe it would slightly increase my physical abilities. Of course, even such items would make a difference if they were stacked one by one. I packed up the bracelet and the dragon shard and left the cave.

Maybe because it was the last place, it stayed in my memory especially vividly — the murals on the cave wall and the unique pattern engraved on the box.

    *

"Young master, are you truly intent on auctioning this item?" the appraiser asked, his voice tinged with disbelief.

"Why? Is there something wrong with the item?" I inquired.

"Of course not. It's the other way around. It's been a while since I've seen such a treasure…"

The appraiser's reaction was one of exaggerated excitement. He handled the dagger I had given him as if it were a priceless family heirloom.

"The craftsmanship, the balance between the blade and hilt, the material of the edge… Of course, I'll need to look at it more closely, but even what I've already figured out is enough to call it a treasure."

"I'm pleased to hear that, but aren't you overstating its value?"

"Overstating? If anything, I'm struggling to find adequately restrained expressions. In my humble opinion, it's certainly on par with Caron's signature series, if not superior."

Caron was one of the Empire's most renowned blacksmiths, with a waiting list for his signature pieces stretching years into the future. The dagger I had handed to the appraiser was one of the items I had retrieved from the cave.

I had chosen this particular piece for appraisal as it lacked any special effects and seemed least useful to me personally. However, judging by the appraiser's reaction, even this item was considered extremely valuable. And seeing the appraiser's reaction, I became even more curious about how high the value of this item could go.

"That's enough. I can see you have an excellent eye. And as I mentioned earlier, I will proceed with putting it up for auction."

"Hehehe…you won't regret choosing our auction house. However, I must inform you that the date of the next auction is yet undetermined. Um… you know, right?"

The appraiser asked me cautiously. I was now in the capital, and when I arrived, the atmosphere in the capital was already very chaotic. Unverifiable rumors were circulating like ghosts through the streets.

There were talks of an attack on the Imperial Palace, that the Vice Commander of the Imperial Knights was missing in action, and that the imperial princess, whom the Emperor cherished, was on the brink of death.

Yet no one could confirm the truth of these rumors. The streets were heavily patrolled by guards, harshly punishing those spreading gossip. People could only whisper furtively, avoiding the watchful eyes of the authorities.

I was in no better position to ascertain the facts. I knew nothing of the capital's affairs and hadn't caught even a glimpse of Princess Alkmene since the ball. I could only hope that these events weren't a new variable in my plans.

"That is fine. I don't need the money urgently. I'm sure it will open someday if I wait."

"Of course. Then, first, please sign the consignment contract…"

After signing a consignment contract with the auction house, I immediately got into a carriage heading to the academy. And since the capital and the academy were within a stone's throw of each other, I was able to reach the academy territory in less than a day.

There was a bit of dust accumulated in the mansion I returned to, but it goes without saying that there was no place to repair.

— CHIRP! CHIRP!

As I opened the windows to air out the dust, I heard a familiar sound from somewhere. I reflexively turned my head and saw a small bird perched on the windowsill.

The bird didn't fly away but continued to chirp at me. I had wondered if it might have forgotten me, but it seemed even more intelligent than I had thought.

"Have you been well?"

— CHIRP! CHIRP!

The bird chirped in response. Seeing it made me truly feel that I had returned. As I gently stroked its feathers several times, the bird made a contented sound before disappearing beyond the window.

With the cleaning nearly complete, I closed the window and settled on the floor. I then took out the six dragon shards I had collected on this trip and began to absorb them. In less than a few minutes, I had successfully absorbed them. Then I waited patiently for several minutes.

"Are ten still not enough? At this rate…"

Just as my excitement began to wane because nothing happened, I suddenly felt a tingling pain in my right forearm. I reflexively raised my arm to check the source of the pain.

There, I saw something about the size of a fingernail protruding from my skin. As I moved my arm back and forth, it caught the sunlight and glimmered slightly. It gave off a sense of foreignness, utterly incongruous with human flesh.

"…A scale?"

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