Chapter 393 - An Apology Worth Keeping
Now then, let's pull ourselves together. In front of me is the treasury of the world-renowned Anastasia Union.
It’s a treasury, after all! A treasury!
There aren't many houses that even have such a thing, and the thought of entering it makes all my various worries fly away in excitement. Opportunities like this don't come often.
"Wait, so we're allowed in here?"
The goal was a ring believed to have an engraving similar to the pendant stolen from the academy. Gozen said she would look for it now.
"I wonder. Considering our own headquarters, letting outsiders in is usually unthinkable."
"...Completely unthinkable."
Normally, she'd tell us she's going to check for the ring and to wait outside. That's the common sense move. Not only should you not invite people inside to see, but you shouldn't even reveal what kind of items you have in your collection.
Besides, we're villains. If there's something good, we'll slip it into our pockets. We definitely will.
If we found something we truly wanted but couldn't snatch right then, we might even come back to raid the place for it.
This is a treasure that the long-standing warrior organization, the Anastasia Union, carefully tucked away in a vault. Even if she modestly calls it junk, the more I think about it, the more interesting it gets.
Looking at Gradena standing next to me, I feel like her eyes are gleaming with a bit of a suspicious light too. I'm sure she's thinking the same thing.
"Hey, you brats, at least try to fix your expressions. It's obvious what you're thinking."
Gozen looked at us with exasperation as she opened the treasury door using a mana authentication key and a physical key.
"We can really go in, right? I'll even pay an entrance fee if that's what it takes, just let us in."
"Stop talking nonsense. I called you here for that very reason. Now follow me."
How incredibly generous. I eagerly followed Gozen and her aide as they entered without any further fuss.
The building was as large as a port warehouse. Since it looked like it could fit a good number of people, I didn't hold back and let my entire group in, not just Gradena and myself.
We passed through the doors with high expectations, only to find... it wasn't a room where treasure was just lying around. It was a plain, claustrophobic room lined with storage shelves.
Perhaps because of the wall's destruction and the intruders rummaging through, there were signs of damage in the room, but it had already been cleaned up and wasn't messy. It was incredibly plain.
Well, yeah, I guess that's how it is.
Even in our treasury, we don't just leave gold, silver, jewels, or valuable weapons and tools lying around. We display large items against the walls, but the vast majority is kept in storage shelves or cases. Come to think of it, this way lacks romance. I should reconsider how we set up our own headquarters' treasury.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but there isn't much here."
"What? So you call it a treasury, but it's really just a storage shed? How boring."
"Seriously, you got our hopes up for nothing."
Thinking about it calmly, there shouldn't be anything major in a warehouse standing out in the open yard. The real treasury is probably in a much harder-to-find location. But since the building is too sturdy for a simple warehouse, this is probably just an old treasury.
"The rings were around here, I believe..."
Ignoring our insults, Gozen began opening shelf doors one after another and rummaging through them to see if the target ring was gone.
Since it turned out like this, we were bored. If there were treasures lying around, we could at least have enjoyed looking at them.
"Looks like hard work, Gozen. Should we help?"
"That's why I called you. Hurry up and help. Don't go acting all polite now; it doesn't suit you."
What an unexpected development. It seems we're allowed to touch things on our own.
After exchanging looks, we joyfully began rummaging through the place. Even if she said there wasn't much, there had to be one or two interesting things. This was exactly like a treasure hunt.
For starters, I opened a nearby large closet and found several magnificent swords stored inside.
"...Hmm."
I could tell at a glance. They looked a bit old, but they were definitely not junk.
There weren't many, but they were all masterworks made of magic minerals for actual combat. Some even had magic crests. They weren't quite top-tier, but they were at least first-class items. They weren't exactly what my members here would crave, but at this rate, we might find something interesting.
"Is that side weapons too? Not bad, but I don't really need 'em. Would they fetch a decent price if we sold 'em?"
Gradena, who was right nearby, seemed to have found similar gear.
"President, Third Seat! Come look at this!"
I had a good feeling from that high-pitched voice. When I went to look, that shelf was lined with several accessory-type magic items.
This is right up my alley!
"Whoa, look over here too. There are several magic items!"
"Here too, here too! It's like a goldmine!"
"Looking at all this, I'm starting to want some of it. The quantity seems a bit low, though."
It’s true that the shelves were emptier than expected. But Gozen... you said there was nothing much here?
Well, there didn't seem to be anything I’d die for, but if she's giving them away, there's plenty I’d want.
For items owned by an organization like the Anastasia Union, I guess even fairly good things just end up sitting in a warehouse. What a waste.
"Stop playing around and find the ring first!"
"Don't be so stiff, Gozen-sama. Opportunities to openly rummage through someone else's treasures don't come often."
"Exactly. We're looking for the ring too."
No, something is definitely weird.
"Wait a minute. If you want to find the ring, you should have your underlings help, not us who are entering for the first time. You're not trying to brag about what's in here, are you?"
"I wouldn't brag about this junk. If there's something you want, take as much as you like. In exchange, our debt from earlier is settled. Understood?"
So that was it. The apology for trying to attack us without question would be settled with the tools here.
Even if they didn't have much value to a massive organization like the Anastasia Union, there were plenty of things that we could find value in.
However, whether I’d let her off the hook depended on checking the goods first. If I didn't find enough value, I couldn't call it even.
"I have no intention of letting you push your trash on me. But for now, if you say you don't need them, I'll take anything that looks good. Gradena!"
"Alright! You guys, go get some bags. I won't say we're taking everything, but we're taking anything that looks like it'll make us money! You don't mind, right, Gozen-sama?"
"I told you to do as you please. You're persistent. I'll feel refreshed just getting this junk cleared out."
"Big words. Just make sure the others don't come complaining later, okay?"
I couldn't stand being falsely accused again.
"I’m the one saying it's fine. If there's an idiot like that, you can kill them for all I care."
"Is that so? We'll take you seriously, so remember what you said."
I had planned to squeeze two hundred million Jist out of them for this apology, or at least fifty million. From a quick glance, everything here seemed old, and there were likely no expensive jewels or top-tier tools.
Even considering the number of items, given the empty shelves, I had a feeling the monetary value wouldn't reach a very high amount even if we took everything. Well, before I started complaining, I should look a bit more.
While the other members went to the vehicles to get bags, I began opening shelf doors and drawers one after another to check the goods.
None of them were bad. Most items looked like they’d fetch at least a hundred thousand or so, and there were several pieces of gear and jewelry that would go for hundreds of thousands. There were even some that could reach millions of Jist, but as expected, there weren't many.
I thought the members could each take what they wanted, but I had no intention of taking useless things. I’d just take what was functional, things that would sell for a particularly high price, and maybe some accessory magic items I liked the design of for my collection.
Hmm, as expected, the designs of the accessories were all old. Looking at them closely, they were actually a bit questionable.
"Adir!"
Gozen called her aide over and seemed to be whispering something. Even with my sharp ears, I couldn't hear across several shelves. Did she find the ring?
Then the man, having been given an order, left the warehouse.
"You were Yukarinōwe, right? Come here."
While I was pretending to browse the magic accessories, it was my turn to be called.
"What? I'm busy right now."
"Just come over here."
Fine. I went over to where Gozen was calling from.
"I heard you don't use a weapon."
Weapon? ...What is she talking about?
"I don't know who told you that, but I have these. These and my techniques are enough."
I pulled out my specially-made gloves from my pocket and put them on. Just clenching my fists gave me a sense of surging power. On top of the dull metallic luster from use, the faint light of the magic crests showed just what a masterpiece this gear was.
I do use throwing weapons and sometimes a bat, though I didn't bring it here. My main armament is my fists and my skills.
"...Hoh? Magic minerals of that caliber with magic crests... not bad, I suppose."
Gozen looked closely and seemed impressed, but she also seemed to find something lacking.
Looking at the gloves alone, there’s probably no one else in this world besides me who relies on them to fight. In a world where everyone usually uses blades, blunts, or projectiles as weapons, it can't be helped that my weapon as a heretic is different from the rest.
I could understand that even if it was good to me, it was more than just 'lacking' from another person's perspective. Still, I didn't feel great about her finding fault with them.
From the perspective of a big shot in the Anastasia Union, she probably has artifact-class armaments. Compared to that, weapons you can make in a shop probably look inferior even if they're masterworks.
Gozen then took a silver ring-like object from the shelf and held it out. It seemed she wanted me to take it.
When I held out my palm, two of the same objects were placed on it.
"Bracelet-type magic items?"
The silver bangles had slits in them and featured a distinctive double-helix design. They had several small, colorless, transparent gems set in them, giving them a high-end feel despite their simplicity. In a warehouse full of nothing but old designs, this was a gem that stood out. Plus, it was a magic item.
Given the flow of the conversation, I thought she was going to give me a main weapon, but apparently not. I was still happy to get accessory-type magic items, though.
"Try using it against that wall over there."
"Use it... well, fine."
It’s always a bit worrying to use something when you don't know its effect. I wanted to tell her to explain it first, but if she's telling me to do it, I might as well. It's someone else's house anyway; I don't care what happens to it.
I gave up on overthinking and put the bangles on both wrists. When I flowed a little mana into them, the rings, which had felt a bit loose, adjusted to fit my wrists perfectly. It wasn't that the bangles changed size, but rather the slit part closed to adjust the fit.
At this point, I didn't feel any particular magical effect.
Now then, she said to use it, but how?
"Focus on the gem part and pour in more mana."
As I was told, I held up my left arm toward the wall and gradually poured in mana.
It was a bit concerning how much more it consumed than I expected. On top of that, the multiple gems were an issue. Apparently, it didn't use all the gems; it activated by pouring mana into a specific gem. Concentrating mana into just one gem was actually quite difficult and required high-level mana control techniques. As a magic item, it was very difficult to handle.
As I continued to gather mana into one of the small gems on the bracelet, something was eventually released with a physical form.
It was several transparent threads. The threads seemed to have adhesive properties as they stuck to the wall, leading all the way back to the bracelet's gem.
When I tried pulling on them, the threads didn't seem to break easily; in fact, they didn't snap even when I applied considerable force. When I cut off the mana, the threads vanished instantly.
"Hoh, for something that's cursed, you use it quite easily. How much mana did you consume?"
Gozen looked impressed.
"...It didn't reach ten percent, but if it's like this for just one use, the consumption is too high."
"If that's all the consumption it takes, then you're quite something. Well? Don't you think it's useful?"
True. If I could use powerful threads that even my monstrous strength couldn't snap, it would add a lot of variety to my combat. It seemed like it could be useful in non-combat situations too.
I was worried about the high mana consumption, but it wouldn't be a problem as long as I didn't use it many times in a short period. Being a bracelet type, it wouldn't get in the way of my fighting style, and as an accessory, it was pretty cool.
"For someone who said this was all junk, you've got some good stuff. Are you sure you want to give this to me? Since it's this powerful, it must be expensive. Don't blame me if you regret it later."
Among the mediocre, old magic items in the warehouse that were neither expensive nor cheap, an item that could activate such powerful magic seemed like it would be worth millions to ten million Jist. Even taking the difficulty of use into account, this was a win.
"You showed you could use it easily, but its mana consumption is massive and, above all, the control is too difficult. No matter how strong it is, if no one can use it, it's the same as junk. Even if I tried to sell it, they'd clearly drive the price down."
I see. Even with my massive mana pool, a single use took nearly ten percent. For an ordinary member, even activating it would be difficult, and even if they could, the mana consumption wouldn't be worth it. It couldn't be used regularly, and if they wanted a trump card, they’d have plenty of other options.
And the difficulty of control was a fatal flaw in combat, where split-second judgment and action are required. But it was no problem for me. Even if it was cursed, I could master it easily as long as it wasn't a truly edge-of-the-seat battle.
"...It’s a waste of a tool to let it gather dust in a warehouse. Fine, I'll take it."
"Next is you over there, come here!"
Again? This time Gradena was called.
"I heard the talk. Are you gonna pick a tool for me too?"
"You use this."
"Huh? A ring? No way, that doesn't fit my style."
Gradena basically uses a sword, but as a last resort, she wraps her fists in electricity to punch enemies. A ring-type magic item would be at risk of breaking when she punched, making it difficult to use.
"Lightning-Fire Gradena... that's you, right? Just use it, hurry up and pour your mana in."
This Gozen... she seems to know our fighting styles.
"Fine, fine. I'm only doing this as a test, okay?"
Mumbling to herself, Gradena put the gold ring on her left middle finger and began to flow mana into it.
"...What is this? How much do I have to pour in?"
"Don't go doing it bit by bit. It's not about the amount; the intensity is what's important. Hurry up and do it for real!"
"For real? Don't blame me if it breaks."
As she was told, she raised her mana output, and when the magic still didn't activate, Gradena began to pour in mana for real.
"Take this! HHHHRRRRAAAAAAAAHHHH!"
The moment she flowed a burst of strong mana, the ring vanished, and in its place was a fist shrouded in crackling electricity. The mana was incredible. It was a far stronger magic than what Gradena usually used on her own.
"Do you see now? It's dangerous, so pull your mana back quickly."
"O-Oh."
When she cut off the mana, the ring that was supposed to have vanished returned to normal. Whoa, isn't this an amazing magic item?
"Gozen-sama... you're not gonna try and claim this one's junk too, are you?"
"For anyone who doesn't have an absurd amount of mana and a rare lightning magic aptitude like you, it's junk that no one can use. That's why it was rolling around in a warehouse like this."
"Heh, is that so? Well, I appreciate it."
"Next is you over there, come here!"
"M-Me too?!"
"This is for you. This dagger is a bit old, but it should suit you far better than what you're using now. For now, try pouring your mana into it."
It seemed Gozen was picking magic items that suited each of the seven of us. I could understand her knowing things about Gradena and me since we're high-ranking executives, but I was impressed that she even knew about the other members.
I watched for a while, but the sight of Gozen continuously handing out tools to my members was a bit strange.
Did she pick up on the characteristics of every member from hearing about yesterday's battle? For just having heard about it, her choice of tools seemed remarkably accurate.
She couldn't have seen through them right here... probably. No way, right?
This was a story about a little change of pace. They've gotten new tools and are all smiles as their combat power has increased.
In the next chapter, there will be another change of scene that feels like a change of pace. After the complicated developments, it's time for a reset.