Chapter 214: In Dork’s Point of View (4)

Daat left a bright red handprint on Gant’s broad forehead, then stretched with a beaming smile.

“That was so satisfying that I want to hit you again.”

As he looked around, wondering where to go next...

“How did you do it?” asked Dudu, who had followed him out of the Celestial Archery Hall.

Daat shrugged and answered, “Archery? Because I’m a genius.”

“No. You are not a genius of archery.”

“Chief Instructor Gant admitted it, but are you denying my archery skills, Mr. Dudu?”

“That’s not what Dudu is curious about. Dudu wants to know about the method you used to learn archery.”

“Method? I don’t quite understand what you mean...”

“Don’t play dumb. Tell me. You are not a genius of archery, but you became one. How was that possible? If you tell Dudu, then Dudu will also tell you anything you want to know.”

“Hmm...”

Daat’s gaze toward Dudu sharpened.

They say eccentrics are always geniuses, and this Dudu is no exception. He actually noticed my Frame and Focus Coin.

He didn’t have to worry about Dudu stealing his technique, as Frames and Focus Coin were something no one else could replicate, even if explained. Still, the fewer who knew of them, the better. To reveal such a secret so easily would be foolish. And yet, Daat decided to share it with Dudu. He was confident Dudu could keep the secret, but more than that, he was curious to see his reaction.

“Dudu, this is my signature technique: how to become a manufactured genius. Do you understand what I mean?”

“If it’s that precious, then I, too, will tell you my signature technique.”

“Weren’t you an archer of Sefira? I think anyone here could teach me Sefira’s archery.”

“Dudu learned Sefira’s Zodiac Archery, but doesn’t use it. Instead, I created a small archery of my own.[1]”

“What is it? If it interests me, I’ll consider trading.”

“Drawn Archery. That’s my technique.”

As he spoke, Dudu summoned Aura Arrows in his hands and drew them into the air. In the blink of an eye, eight Aura Arrows were suspended in midair. Then, Dudu clapped, and something amazing happened.

Snap!

The speed was even faster than releasing an arrow from a bowstring. Even to Daat, a five-star Master, the trajectory was impossible to see.

“I found it bothersome to carry a bow, so I wondered if I could shoot arrows without one. That’s how this technique, Drawn Bow, was born.”

Dudu’s technique fascinated Daat, and he judged it to be worth exchanging with his own since it even paralleled aspects of the Flying Thunder Sword.

“Dudu, if you split ten seconds into ten, how much is that?”

“Dudu isn’t stupid. One second.”

“And split one second into ten?” Daat asked again.

“0.1 seconds?”

“I call that 0.1 a frame, so to me, a second has ten frames. I can perceive things frame by frame.”

“...Maybe Dudu is stupid. I don’t understand how that’s possible.”

“Of course, it’s not constant. Maybe Big Brother is different, but... Anyway, I turn my concentration into coins and store them in my mind, then use them when needed. Then, I can enter the frame world and exponentially increase my focus for an instant.”

“Inside here?” Dudu said, pressing his forehead with his finger.

“It doesn’t exist physically, but in the concept of an inner world. I can hold up to one hundred coins. Once spent, they recover at a rate of one per hour when I’m relaxed.”

“I know the idea of an inner world. But Dudu has never seen anyone apply it in reality. Daat is remarkable.”

“Not as much as Big Brother, but yes, I think so too. Still, the amazing part is archery itself. Do you know how many Focus Coins I used just to learn the basics? Thirty.”

“Is that a lot? Dudu has no reference.”

“It’s not easy to explain, but... For example, learning Elvish only took me ten coins. On the other hand, mastering my sword master Joyray’s Flying Thunder Sword Technique cost fifty.”

“Dudu cannot enter the frame world; I can feel it. However, this idea of Focus Coins feels doable. Dudu wants to learn it. Teach me the trick.”

“I could explain, but I won’t guide you through it. Too much hassle.”

“Just explain. Dudu will figure it out alone.”

“Fine, but then you must also teach me.”

“Agreed. Dudu will teach you Drawn Bow.”

“Let’s walk. I was exploring Sefira anyway.”

“Dudu likes talking while walking.”

And so, Daat and Dudu walked the grounds of Sefira together while sharing their techniques. Along the way, Daat casually asked about many things. He realized that Dudu was one of the Seven Stars of the North, a high rank within Sefira, and knew far more than the servant following him around. Despite his eccentric appearance, Dudu answered every question without hesitation. At a glance, Dudu didn’t look like he would know anything, but Dudu answered every one of Daat’s questions with ease.

“The sun sets. Dudu must return. Daat, can we meet again tomorrow?”

Sefira’s estate was vast; it was impossible to explore in a single day without a horse.

“Of course. I like how easily I can talk with you. Let’s walk again tomorrow.”

“Exploring Sefira is boring, but talking with you is useful. Very well.”

“Then let’s meet under this bell tower at sunrise.” Daat nodded.

“Tomorrow, tell me about Keter.”

“What about him?”

“To Dudu, you are a kind of genius that doesn’t exist in this world. And yet you call Keter even more of a genius. I want to know why.”

At Dudu’s request, Daat smiled and shook his head.

“I can’t explain Keter with words. Just meet him. Trust me.”

“Understood. Dudu will meet Keter.”

At Daat’s firm words, Dudu simply nodded. As he returned to his quarters, something long forgotten began to stir inside him: excitement. Dudu let his imagination take over, wondering what Keter looked like, and just how great he truly was.

* * *

Even nightfall couldn’t dim Daat’s passion. If anything, it shone brighter, like fireflies in the dark.

“Seeing things at night feels completely different from seeing them in the day.”

He even took it a step further and began walking around with a book in one hand while sneaking glances at it as he strolled. The people of Sefira could only click their tongues at such antics.

“So he really is Lord Keter’s acquaintance... He definitely isn’t ordinary.”

“Well, at least he’s not causing any major trouble.”

“I heard he slapped Chief Instructor Gant on the forehead with his palm?”

“Then Gant must have deserved it. Wasn’t it the same back when it was Lord Keter?”

Naturally, Daat’s activities reached the ears of the elders as well.

“Hahaha! I hear he even offered to become Sefira’s advisor! Embarrassing, isn’t it? The position of elder is supposed to be the patriarch’s advisor! Just how lacking must we be, for him to volunteer as one?”

Reganon laughed as he delivered the stinging remark, while...

“Etiquette... we must teach him proper etiquette. I won’t let that brat Daat turn out like Keter!”

...Panir hit the roof, ready to hunt Daat down and drill manners into him on the spot. If Hissop hadn’t stopped him, a serious incident might have followed.

Meanwhile, Taragon was locked away honing his crossbow skills, while Anis and Myle happened to run into Daat by chance. Both of them had the same impression.

“He’s like a little Keter.”

When Keter had first come to Sefira, he had dashed about everywhere as if he had limitless stamina, stirring up incident after incident. Daat wasn’t quite that extreme, but he didn’t lack energy and enthusiasm either. Still, there were clear differences—Daat was far more polite, curious, and talkative than Keter.

The Sefira family didn’t resent Daat’s behavior. Having already seen the precedent set by Keter, they only looked forward to discovering in what ways Daat would prove himself useful to the family. However, they were forgetting one thing: Keter never helped Sefira for free. And Daat had just as little intention of offering his efforts without return.

“No sense in giving my devotion only to be discarded later on.”

Learning Sefira’s strengths and virtues also meant uncovering its weaknesses and flaws. Daat was already drafting plans, both to protect himself and Keter from betrayal, and to wring from Sefira every return for his investment.

* * *

At the border of Lillian’s southern and western regions was the Jar Canyon, named after how the mountains curved together like the mouth of a jar. The terrain was treacherous, and it was dark as the night, even at midday. There was no trace of civilization there. Yet two figures strolled through it as casually as if they were out for a walk in their front yard: Keter and Decameron.

“Found it.”

Though he had seemed to wander aimlessly, Keter stopped atop a rocky rise. The damp, marshy ground, the dense undergrowth, the sheer boulder wall ahead—nothing about this place suggested a destination. But Keter suddenly struck the rock with his fist.

Craack! Rumble!

He wasn’t showing off his strength. The broken stone clearly revealed the shape of an artificial door.

“Six, did you know? If you backtrack through the exit of a treasure site, you come straight to the treasure room. No need to bother with the entrance or trials; just grab the prize.”

After all, treasure sites weren’t made by gods, but by people. People would hide them in remote places like this instead of selling or passing them down because there were no heirs, or the heirs weren’t worthy. So the builders left trials in the form of ruins to test their successors.

This ruin Keter arrived at was also supposed to be cleared by passing the five trials, but...

I don’t have to do that.

He had already been here before he regressed. He had stumbled across this place while looking for a place to hide. Back then, it had already been looted, but he still remembered what was here and where the exit led.

I still don’t know when it was looted, but judging by the look of it now, this place was built quite recently.

Old ruins were usually mossy, crumbling, and littered with debris. However, the wall Keter touched was smooth, and the floor was squeaky clean. This all meant that the ruins had been built recently.

Not that it matters. Whoever built this meant for someone to inherit it. I’ll make good use of the treasure, so they can rest easy.

He pressed forward through the exit route. After descending for some time, another dead end awaited. It was a wall made of amantir and reinforced by magic, but...

Heavenly Strength: Third Level.

Crack! Crash!

When one was strong enough, there was no need to think; Keter smashed the wall apart and entered the treasure chamber, whistling.

“No guardian, just treasure!”

In the center of the room stood an altar, and on it, chained in place, lay a thick tome.

“The design notes for sticker magic, a revolution in the magic world. It’s a perfect match for archery.”

As he reached for the book without hesitation...

Creak.

...just then, a door to the side opened, and a disheveled middle-aged man stumbled out.

“Huh?”

“Eh?”

The man’s bleary eyes widened as he saw Keter reaching for the tome.

“A-a thief!”

Keter scratched the back of his head and said, “Guess I came a little early.”

The ruins weren’t new; they were actually still under construction. Not knowing that, Keter had boldly strolled in through a back door that no one should even have known existed.

1. It seems Dudu refers to himself in both first and third person. ☜