Chapter 21: He Found It

Karyl moved slowly, his steps deliberate as he followed the forest path he had traversed daily. Finally, he arrived at Einheri.

He pushed open the door before him, and was greeted by the sight of books in disarray, piled up haphazardly throughout the room.

I can no longer look at this place, he thought.

Why was that the case? Before leaving, he visited this place one last time, a place that had completely transformed his life. Was it out of mere sentimentality? The answer was no.

Karyl slowly scanned the surroundings once more, feeling a sense of loss.

In the end, I didn't find it...

Perhaps it had been nothing more than his greed, or maybe the desire to seek another treasure hidden by Kaye Aesir. It could also be that the only treasure he really left as Einheri was the Dragon's Heart.

That alone is an extraordinary treasure, though.

Karyl drew Agnel, the sharp sound of the blade's edge tickling his ears.

Thinking about it, this might just be the first time I've drawn a sword here.

He had wasted much of his time searching for a hidden mechanism. And as if to prove his transformation before finally leaving this place, Karyl slowly focused magic Agnel.

Kaye Aesir, because of you, my life has taken on a new meaning. I can’t thank you enough.

The sword blade emitted a soft, faint glow.

Look,

he thought,

this is what you have given me. This power, it’s something I never had in my life. I will use this power to change the world

. As if making a vow, Karyl pointed his sword towards the bookshelf in Einheri.

"...Hm?" His gaze came to a sudden halt.

Something was lying on the floor in the darkness. Despite having thoroughly searched Einheri, he had failed to discover it.

"This is..." Karyl, his disbelief evident, rubbed his eyes with the back of his hands before looking at the floor again.

But when he looked again, there was nothing on the floor.

Did I see it wrong?

Karyl tilted his head in confusion.

Suddenly, a thought struck him.

Could it be...?

Once again, Karyl infused magic into Agnel. As the aura blade illuminated the surroundings like a torch, his suspicions were confirmed.

There it is.

He hadn't seen it wrong. The piece of debris he had seen on the floor just moments ago, was visible again.

Karyl picked it up and whispered, "This is..."

Astonishingly, it was a remnant of the now burnt note that had been in the box with the Dragon's Heart. He had thought it had been completely burnt by the flames, but miraculously, three letters remained intact.

Death, Seek, Abandon

Karyl scrutinized the charred piece.

Did this survive by chance...?

No, it was Impossible. This was a note left by Kaye Aesir, the Grand Sorcerer himself. Such a careless oversight was out of the question.

Those who seek, if you fear death, then abandon.

At that moment, Karyl recalled a sentence that Kaye Aesir had inscribed within Einheri.

Why didn't I notice it until now?

He inadvertently looked at the dagger he was holding.

A dry gulp accompanied his realization.

Could it be... This was the key?

He had never drawn a sword in the library, or more accurately, he had never channeled magic in Einheri before.

That's when, like puzzle pieces fitting together, the fragments slowly began to move across the floor. Slowly, they formed a coherent sentence, the letters shone brightly in the darkness, etching themselves into Karyl’s vision.

Seek, Death, Abandon

“This is... what...” Karyl’s voice caught in his throat as he stared at the letters before him.

What was he supposed to do? The question was meaningless; the answer was already there. All connections, from the beginning until now, led to one thing: It was

magic

.

Karyl clenched the fragments tightly in his palm. He channeled magic into the crumbling pieces, akin to holding a sword. A cascade of dust spread out, emitting a brilliant light.

And then, all of a sudden, the papers infused with magic scattered into the sky, revealing golden letters that appeared on the ceiling of the old library, as though written by a pen.

This, this is...

The dark ceiling fragmented and reassembled like a kaleidoscope, the sentences breaking into pieces and then piecing themselves back together. Karyl's eyes trembled.

Welcome, Stranger.

The scattered words combined to form a complete sentence. Karyl stood there, speechless, in the face of this unexpected sight.

Being able to read this proves you have mastered Dragon Magic.

Once again, the letters on the ceiling scattered and reassembled, forming a new sentence.

This was designed to respond only to Dragon Magic, so no matter whatever magic others use here, it will be in vain.

"Ha... Haha..." Karyl couldn't help but find the situation absurd.

Human greed sometimes becomes a stepping stone for growth. I like greedy individuals. If you hadn't been captivated by the power contained within the Dragon's Heart and returned to this place, you wouldn't have found this.

His prediction was correct. The Dragon heart wasn't the end. This peculiar sorcerer had cleverly concealed his treasure in intricate layers.

Do you think I’m stingy? Well, you did come here to obtain my belongings for free. You should be grateful for any additional arrangements. Great power can never be easily acquired.

What a freak...

This man from 250 years ago was more than just odd. He had cast spells so that only those who had consumed the Dragon's Heart could find it. But simply using the magic present within one's body wouldn't suffice. If he hadn't specifically physically manifested his magic in this place, Karyl wouldn’t have ever realized it.

Was it a mere coincidence that Karyl had fulfilled such a rigorous condition? Or was it fate?

The magic of the dragons is pure magic.

It is a power that no one else on the continent possesses.

How you develop this power is something I cannot predict, as I did not acquire magic in the same way you have.

Like a chick instinctively searching for its mother, you will instinctively use your magic in the way you are best suited to.

Sword, huh...

Karyl pondered, looking at the continuously inscribed letters on the ceiling.

His curiosity grew. And as if reading his mind, the words on the ceiling were written with certainty.

But remember, the method you excel at will be your path. However, it is in overcoming your struggles that you will reach the true pinnacle.

My strengths and my weaknesses...

Karyl mulled over the final words.

He now knew what the pinnacle of the magic that he must reach.

Magic...

The glowing letters on the ceiling gradually faded away.

Suddenly, he noticed something was placed under the lights on the ceiling.

Since when...

How had he not noticed it before? No, such a thing hadn't existed in Einheri until now. Engrossed in reading the letters on the ceiling, Karyl had failed to notice the small box materialize before him.

He keeps surprising me more and more.

Inside the box, Karyl found a small bracelet and ancient coins used long ago in the empire.

I do not know who you are. You might be a barbarian who stumbled upon this place by chance, a noble who exploits slaves, or perhaps a royal who commands those nobles.

Karyl couldn’t help but exclaim at the note left behind. He hadn't considered it, but Kaye Aesir already knew. The conditions he had set for his barrier may have seemed ludicrous, but they were not impossible to solve.

He carefully took out the bracelet from the box. It coiled around his wrist snugly like a snake, and he felt his magic settle calmly. The bracelet had a small snake’s head at one end, with a glowing red gem set in its mouth.

"This is..." Karyl's eyes widened.

The name of the bracelet emerged in his mind as if it were etched there:

The Bracelet of Greed

.