Chapter 364 – To the Center of the Continent (1)
The Republic's secret treasury, entry into Tersau can only be discussed if at least two supreme councilors and ten regular councilors attend the meeting.
And through voting, only when more than half of the supreme councilors and two-thirds of the councilors agree, can it be decided to open.
An extremely demanding condition.
Not only is the number of people considerable, but they are not just rabble, every one of them is steeped in politics.
If not for knocking down the supreme councilor in one blow, and mentioning the reactions of DarkWarton and the Luas Church to create pressure, Tersau would still have remained shut.
In the darkness, faintly lit by the glow of mana lamps, many footsteps echoed.
A heavy silence.
Verden's party quietly followed Brillen and his escort, Woodgurd.
'The deeper we go, the wider it gets.'
Moreover, the passage curved in a gentle arc.
Considering the overall structure, it resembled a three-dimensional vortex. Brillen was heading straight for its center.
After some time passed, they finally arrived at the eye of the whirlpool.
A wide, half-moon shaped space.
Ahead of them stood a massive wall, firmly set, with nine keyholes engraved into it.
Brillen presented the key he had used to operate the passage.
"This gold-seal of Tersau is created only when the opening is approved by vote. And once it fulfills its role, it vanishes on its own. It is a security facility devised with inspiration from the Central Continent, and though the procedure is cumbersome, it is highly effective."
Even for a secret treasury, this was far beyond the norm.
Compared to the royal treasury vault Verden had entered before, in the Duchy of Riviant, Re Eronte, this place was on an entirely different level.
"Also, the unlocking sequence of this enormous door always changes at random. Only through the complex pattern delivered solely to the supreme councilors can it be opened. However, since it takes a little time, I would appreciate your patience."
Saying this, Brillen examined the entire wall, then confidently stepped to the far left.
Click.
As he turned the key once, a metallic sound came from within. The structure of the wall shifted ever so slightly in stages.
"Hmm..."
Continuing his observation, Brillen unlocked the second mechanism.
Once again the clang of metal tickled their eardrums, and a new structure appeared on the wall.
Verden carefully observed the process.
'So, every time he has to interpret the pattern, and each time present the correct answer.'
High risk, but excellent in terms of security... though it seemed awfully troublesome.
The patterns that appeared looked quite complicated as well.
Even with Verden's sharp eye, interpreting them at a glance was difficult.
Perhaps if he saw it once or twice more, he could solve it... but since there was no practical use, he didn't bother to commit it to memory.
Click... click... click...
At intervals of a few minutes, one by one, the locks were released.
Sweat beaded on Brillen's forehead as he exerted considerable concentration.
At last, after finishing the eighth sequence, only the ninth remained.
Since it was the final one, no interpretation was necessary.
Brillen inserted the key, then turned his head.
"The moment the key is turned, a thirty-minute time limit begins. After that, the treasury closes completely, and there is no way to exit. So it is best to move with some leeway. To open it again would take at least several weeks. Lastly, once you remove an item from a display, it is troublesome to return it, so please take care."
"Understood."
Verden took note of the precautions.
Hearing the confirmation, Brillen twisted his wrist.
Click───Kuuung.
A great roar thundered.
An ear-splitting clang filled the chamber.
As Brillen's key dissolved, the gap widened, and at last, the true Tersau revealed itself.
"...!"
A scene utterly different from before, dazzling and magnificent.
Brillen extended his hand, politely indicating the inside.
"We shall wait outside. May you obtain what you seek."
The maximum available time was about twenty-eight minutes.
Since they had no idea what was stored within, they couldn't afford to move leisurely.
Verden, Adrian, and Leira, the three of them stepped inside Tersau without hesitation.
***
From ordinary magic goods, to expensive consumables, and even rare materials from demi-humans and magical beasts.
Rows of display cases stretched endlessly, all the way to the ends of three branching corridors.
And at the dozens of intersections between corridors, items beyond counting filled the shelves.
It was truly a vast space.
Yet thanks to the countless golden mana lamps embedded in the ceiling, it felt wide open on all sides.
A dazzling sight, where even shadows barely existed.
'If we search together for our reward, the time will be far from enough.'
They had to move separately.
That was the efficient, and wise choice.
Leira to the right, Verden to the center, Adrian to the left.
Their directions were immediately decided.
One minute had passed since the door opened.
As if they had agreed beforehand, they spoke no words, and at once began their search.
They had to save every second.
Step, step.
Verden walked down the corridor, reminding himself of his predetermined goal.
'What is most urgently needed now, is either a practical artifact, or an unregistered magic tome.'
Suitable artifacts were of immense value, and unregistered tomes could be absorbed into the [Tome of Multiple Dimensions] he had obtained in the Ark, to enhance his magical capacity.
Of course, that was only the priority.
Even if it wasn't such a rare find, if something more useful appeared, he would not hesitate to choose it.
As he moved, Verden quickly checked any item that seemed worthwhile.
Time flowed.
Dozens of magical goods had been evaluated, yet none met his standards.
"..."
Then, a peculiar accessory caught his eye.
A luxurious circlet, adorned on the front with three transparent gemstones.
Below it lay an appraisal sheet, as with all others, but there was no time to read.
Ignoring it, he activated
[Circlet of Projection]
Not an artifact, but categorized as a special magic item.
'It allows the caster to project their consciousness into the magic clone of a 6th-tier enchantment,
In short, a magical accessory specialized for a single spell.
Its performance varied greatly depending on the wearer's mana control, but for Verden, that was no problem at all.
He stroked his chin, lost in thought.
'This is... not bad. No, for future plans, it might be better than most artifacts.'
Considering his future activities in the Central Continent, it would be extremely useful.
Almost certain.
But with eighteen minutes and twenty seconds left, it was too early to decide.
He memorized the exact location of the
On the way, he crossed paths with Adrian and Leira a few times.
Surprisingly, rather than rushing, they strolled leisurely like tourists admiring Tersau.
Apparently, they had already found their chosen rewards.
'...Am I the only one undecided?'
Suddenly, he seemed like an indecisive Magus.
Verden quickened his pace.
Filtering most items with his intuition, he shortlisted several candidates and carefully compared their utility.
When only five minutes remained, unable to find a suitable artifact, Verden narrowed it down to two.
The [Circlet of Projection], and a third option among the seven remaining candidates.
He wasn't entirely satisfied with the latter... but it was at least usable.
'Were my standards too high.'
Still, it was half a success, not a failure.
Taking both chosen rewards by the shortest route, Verden entered a new passage to return to the entrance.
"Hm?"
But he stopped in his tracks.
What held him wasn't an artifact, nor a rare magic item.
Drawn to a corner, Verden blinked.
'This is... could it be.'
Reflected in the wall, a golden relic bone.
***
Glory of the Dead, once found among the belongings of Viola of White Bone, the ancient relic, a golden femur.
Now, before his eyes, an almost identical golden bone.
The only difference, this one was a rib.
And unlike the golden femur Archbishop Joseph had purified, this rib was not tainted by necrotic energy.
Holding it, Verden's eyes glowed with mana.
[Skull. Rib. Femur.]
[To the one who gathers three golden relic bones, the path of gold shall open.]
'It is indeed the same relic.'
Its properties, and the inscription, were identical.
There was no doubt.
Why in the world was this inside Tersau.
Perhaps, since it appeared precious on the surface, they had simply stored it away.
'...What to do.'
Faced with the sudden increase in choices, Verden fell into deep thought.
Most relics handed down from ancient times are false legends.
Had not Archbishop Joseph said, the chances are extremely high that they are either fake, or exaggerated.
And even if two of the three golden bones were found, the last one might never be discovered.
...Even so, he hesitated.
If he ignored it completely, the golden rib would remain in Tersau for a very long time.
To recover it again, he would have to forcibly break into Tersau unless the Republic gave its consent.
A moderately useful magical item, or a near-mythical ancient relic.
Verden had to choose, and in the end, he made his decision.
And so he returned to the entrance.
Only one minute remained.
***
Rumble...!
The entrance of Tersau began to close.
Countless scraping sounds rang out as the nine locks were restored.
Soon, the massive door reverted to a solid wall.
Fortunately, all escaped safely without anyone left behind, but unlike Verden, Adrian and Leira's appearances had changed considerably.
'Did both of them choose artifacts.'
They were things Verden had seen during his exploration of Tersau.
First, the dark-blue robe Adrian now wore, its name was [Shadow Spider].
Depending on the wearer's will, it reduced presence, and when its command word was spoken at night, it allowed the wearer to blend into darkness and become invisible to sight.
A stealth-type artifact, perfect for hiding his identity as one of the former Central Continent's Four Strongest.
"Hm."
Adrian seemed especially fond of its simple yet flawless color and design.
'And...'
As previously mentioned, Leira chose armor as her reward.
From helmet to greaves.
A full set of jet-black plate armor, perfectly fitted to her physique, with a black cloak reaching below the knees.
'Artifact, [Iarden's Black Blood].'
The more blood it absorbed, the more all resistances temporarily increased, a special effect it contained.
But there was one major drawback.
After being worn, if the wearer did not regularly stain it with blood other than their own, it would be permanently damaged.
Leira shrugged indifferently.
"As an adventurer, I often fight anyway, so I judged it's not really a restriction, it's certainly better than how I looked just now, right?"
"Its intimidating appearance suits you well. The color contrasts nicely with your blond hair, creating harmony."
"...I wasn't asking for such a detailed review."
Awkwardly, Leira brushed her long hair spilling out beneath the helmet, hair that reached her back.
Then, with a small cough, she changed the subject.
"Rather, Asher, may I see what you chose?"
There was no reason to hide it.
Verden revealed the [Circlet of Projection] and the golden rib.
Compared to the others, his reward was of lower grade. That, paradoxically, drew attention.
"Such a... peculiar choice. Never mind the rest, but a golden bone? I didn't think you had a taste for antiques."
"Respect my preference."
At Leira's surprised reaction, Adrian narrowed his eyes.
Brillen, who had been watching alongside them, blinked.
"That is... a golden bone."
"Hm? You know this item?"
"Yes, when I traveled to the Central Continent on diplomatic duty, I personally brought it back. I happened to attend an archaeologists' auction, and purchased it there."
"Then why is it in Tersau...?"
"I thought it might benefit the Republic, but lacked the funds, so I covered it with tax money. Thus it came to belong to the national treasury. However, once in hand, I realized it wasn't of much actual value."
Should he be called a patriot, for acting in the nation's interest, or a corrupt politician, for misusing taxes.
Opinions would differ depending on who judged.
"But to choose that above all else... I didn't expect you to be so interested in ancient relics."
"Well, I have some curiosity."
"Value aside, satisfying one's own preferences is what truly matters. I have never once seen another relic like it, so in terms of rarity alone, it is no less than an artifact."
Brillen's words were half sincere.
The Republic possessed a total of seven artifacts, regardless of type.
More than most other nations, but even so, handing over three to outsiders was a heavy expenditure.
Yet unexpectedly, one less had been taken.
'And instead of an artifact, what was removed was, a magic item and a useless relic...!'
Frankly, he felt like applauding.
This way, he could also save face with the other councilors.
Although Brillen himself had opened Tersau, as a supreme councilor, he could not completely set aside his position.
In any case, the rewards had been properly distributed.
It was now time to leave Tersau.
And the time had come to depart from the Eastern Continent.
***
The airship departing from Tersau, arrived at the far western edge of the Beldirn Republic.
The city of Semitar, one of the few in the world with an intercontinental spatial teleportation array installed.
Normally, it should have been bustling with people traveling to and from the Central Continent, but with the array currently closed, the streets were relatively quiet.
"We'll handle the procedures, please wait a moment."
Leira, Brillen, and the executioners serving as escorts headed toward the transit office.
Normally, it should have been her task alone, but Brillen volunteered to help by skipping some steps.
A kind of send-off, and favor.
Soon, only Verden and Adrian remained, and Jack, who had been waiting nearby, quietly approached.
"What is it."
"Asher, I have something for you."
Jack tossed something.
Adrian, standing beside him, snatched it midair. It was a metal rod inscribed with a specific mana pattern.
"What's this."
"A key to an account at one of the world's three great banks, 'Anonium Bank'."
Magnus Bank, Dyna Bank, Anonium Bank.
Among them, Anonium Bank was unlike the others, having no branches.
It operated only its headquarters in the Central Continent, functioning more like a vault.
For a monthly maintenance fee, it provided fortress-like safekeeping services, its main product.
And it guaranteed complete anonymity, not caring for identity at all.
The only way to reclaim the deposit, was with the metal rod given at the start.
In other words, the one who possessed the key, was the owner.
"It holds the slush fund of Supreme Councilor Nellonian. Three months ago, on his orders, I prepaid one year's maintenance, so you can withdraw whenever you wish."
"Ah, so this is what you meant when you said you'd repay your life-debt within days.... But are you sure it's fine to hand this over?"
Surely, it held no small fortune.
Jack grinned.
"I never said that was his only slush fund."
Had he already secured his own share.
Despite his grim appearance, he managed himself shrewdly.
Verden took the metal rod and stored it in subspace.
"Jack, one thing I want to ask. Why did you suggest back in the Duchy of Riviant, that we travel to the Beldirn Republic together?"
"For no big reason. I thought that by forming a party with a capable mage, I could gain a strong foothold in the Republic... but I underestimated you far too much."
Having said his piece, Jack turned.
"In any case, I've repaid my debt properly, so I'll be going. If word gets out about the slush fund, it'll be troublesome. I wish you luck."
With a simple farewell, he walked toward the dock where the Republic's airship waited.
It seemed, though he had lost his job, he still intended to work in the Beldirn Republic.
Receiving an unexpected gift, Verden turned his gaze westward.
Beyond the distant unexplored lands, lay a continent he had never set foot upon.
"Adrian, what sort of place is the Central Continent?"
"Some call it chaos, competition, survival of the fittest, a world where only the strong endure, while others call it change, opportunity, a land of stability."
A continent where contradictions clashed.
It was a tower, where the lowest and the highest layers coexisted.
Where past and present lived together, leading into the future, the greatest of lands.
Adrian asked.
"After the battle at Sacrid, my lord seems to have chosen his direction more clearly."
"Yes, you're right."
A different light shone in Verden's eyes.
"The Luas Church will officially announce, that the false merchant company 'Licentia', said to be selling dragon bones by proxy. That will be the centerpiece of the plan."
It was both the axis of action, and the giant net that would draw prey.
Verden's voice brimmed with conviction.
At that moment, Leira's voice carried from afar.
Turning, he saw the glow of spatial magic faintly spreading.
"The intercontinental teleportation array seems ready. Let's continue this conversation once we're in the Central Continent."
"Yes, my lord."
Verden and Adrian moved.
Passing through what should have been a long waiting line, they stepped with Leira onto the enormous magic circle.
"Huuh."
Leira let out a small sigh.
Just thinking of the motion sickness that followed teleportation made her sigh again.
"Once more, thank you for aiding the Beldirn Republic. May you remain in good health."
Right after Brillen's farewell, a common announcement followed.
[First-time users may experience nausea or dizziness, in case of emergency please inform the attendant. Now commencing teleportation.]
Kiiing───!
The distinct violet light flickered.
Then, an overwhelming torrent of mana surged forth, engulfing Verden, Adrian, and Leira at once.
Leaving the magic tower, leaving behind about two years spent in the Eastern Continent.
After crossing death's threshold several times, Verden, who had attained formidable heights, finally stepped onto the true stage.
And across the world, the name of the Eastern Continent's divine one, Asher, spread far and wide.
The Eastern Continent, the Central Continent, and... even the Tower of Bohemirn in the Western Continent.
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