Chapter 126: Patchwork (6)

The book Rena took from her coat was visibly ancient, yet well-preserved.

Was it sealed?

She gently ran her fingers over the cover before opening the first page. The words were written in a unique script.

Tropin Naneow, I leave the guild rules here.

The words were written in a unique script. Although the paper had yellowed, seemingly at least a hundred years old, the ink remained bold and clear.

"Tropin... Naneow?"

"One of the two founders of T&T. This is the rulebook he left behind," she explained as she turned the book toward me.

Another change.

The book seemed important, but I'd never seen it before. Rena had never obtained such a thing in the previous timeline. The future had shifted. Perhaps, my past memories would become completely useless from now on.

Holding the book open, Rena pointed to a specific section in the middle.

"Look here."

It was a clause titled

Qualifications and Appointment of Branch Leaders.

...Those who meet the following two conditions will be granted appointment by the recommendation of their branch leader and two additional branch leaders...

— Those who have been part of T&T for five years or more.

— Those who have achieved a performance score of 1,000 or higher.

"Five years... That's impossible to bypass, isn't it?"

"Look below."

I glanced at the bottom of the page. Something was scribbled into the blank space in tiny handwriting, easy to overlook.

However, those who bring one liter of Lurium will immediately be granted branch leader status.

Although written like an afterthought, the formatting was precise. The lettering matched perfectly, and was simply smaller in size.

"Lu...Rium?"

"It's a magic fluid, used by Ember as an energy source. It's an incredibly rare and nearly inexhaustible power supply, as it can't be created, only collected."

"Then this clause... was it made for Ember's benefit?"

"I'm not sure. Even after digging around, I couldn't find out why Tropin Naneow included this rule. But I'll figure it out once I become a branch leader.

Hehe.

"

I nodded. "...Then let's go get it now. We'll need horses."

"Oh, no need for that."

I gave her a questioning look.

"It's already in Grassmere. There are things in this city that run on Lurium."

"Explain."

"There's an underground dungeon here, guarded by golems."

"...!"

I immediately realized something. Yube's words from the city gate echoed in my mind.

Ahem! During the chaotic era when the Empire and the Alliance were breaking apart, there was a sorcerer who ruled the South. He gathered architects and blacksmiths from all over the world... to build his own tomb.

"Are you talking about the golems protecting the wizard's tomb?" I gulped.

"You already knew...?" She lowered her head with a slightly sulky expression.

"No. Just a legend I heard from another traveler."

If such a dungeon truly existed, I wouldn't explore it just for Rena's sake—I was genuinely interested.

While golems functioned on magic power, they didn't

use

magic. They lacked magical talent or Arcane Hearts. And if Rena was correct, that source was Lurium. If I could analyze how it worked...

Maybe I can solve my problem of not having an Arcane Heart.

Perhaps, I'd be able to use magic. It was a slim chance, but definitely worth trying.

However, according to Yube, many adventurers had looked for the tomb. They had scoured the outskirts of the city and found nothing. Rena grinned when I pointed out that it might just be a legend.

"There's one place no one has ever searched."

"...Where?"

Rena smirked.

"Take a look at this."

She skillfully rummaged through her bag, pulling out three long sheets of parchment—they were maps.

Whoosh.

A large-scale map of Grassmere unfolded across the table. It was incredibly detailed, including architectural blueprints and underground sewer systems.

"No matter where you go, people never seem to have enough money. Especially city administrators. Construction planners, sewer management officials..."

"Wait. You're telling me you got this just by paying them off?"

She did all of this in just two months? No matter how much money she spent, acquiring these blueprints in such a short time was a ridiculous feat. It was impressive beyond belief.

"Look here."

Rena traced her finger across the center of the map.

"The castle?"

She pointed at the inner castle, ruled by the count. It was completely blank. I immediately understood what she was getting at.

"You're saying Chandler's family is connected to this dungeon?"

"It's obvious. Here's why..."

Rena began laying out evidence piece by piece, explaining why the dungeon could only be located beneath the count's castle.

"It's clear that the lord is directly managing it. I spent a lot of money investigating, and not a single person has ever been inside."

"Not even one?"

"Not a single one. Isn't that weird? In any city, at least a few workers would have wandered inside by accident."

Her reasoning made sense. The more she explained, the more I had no choice but to agree.

"Suspicious. No one's touched it all this time?"

"It's the inner castle under the lord's control. Any major military force in Grassmere likely relies on the city for weapons. No one would dare stir up conflict by poking around."

I still couldn't figure out why.

"A noble family tied to a dungeon... What, did they learn weapon crafting from demons or something?"

Knock, knock.

I flinched at the sound of knocking on the door. A brief silence filled the room.

Knock, knock.

"...May I come in?"

It was Chandler's voice.

Rena murmured softly, "His intuition is sharp."

She quickly rolled up the map and tucked it back into her bag. Meanwhile, I picked up Acorn—now fast asleep—and gently placed it inside a pouch.

"You can let him in now."

"

Ah!

Please, come in!"

Creak.

The door opened, and a neatly dressed man appeared. Behind him stood Christina, who was at least a head taller than Chandler, silently observing.

Did they hear anything?

I had been so focused on Rena's explanation that I hadn't noticed them approaching. The room was spacious, with two partitions between the door and the table. There was a high chance they hadn't overheard our conversation.

Detect.

Instinctively, I checked Chandler. Nothing seemed suspicious. Did he know anything about the golem dungeon beneath the lord's castle? That question lingered in my mind. What exactly was the Chandler family trying to gain by hiding a dungeon inside the castle?

I asked him directly, "What brings you here?"

"Would you care to join me for a meal?"

I exchanged a glance with Rena, and she gave me a small nod.

"Sure..."

As if on cue, servers entered, carrying plates of food. Dishes were arranged one by one, starting with a bowl of fragrant, amber-colored soup.

They were expecting us.

"You're not eating?"

"I'm not hungry."

"

Ah,

well, then you should eat when you feel like it. If you'll excuse me."

Surprisingly, he didn't insist. Leaning back slightly, I observed them. Despite her earlier suspicions, Rena naturally welcomed both Chandler and Christina.

As expected of her, her conversational skills were solid. She nodded at the right moments and her eyes gleamed with interest, drawing people into speaking more.

"This young lord seems to be quite fond of my master."

"Indeed!"

"The moment I used the production pass given by my master, he came chasing after me like a storm..."

"

Hahaha...

well, that's..."

Chandler chuckled and continued chatting. He drank wine alongside the meal. The mellow aroma spread through the air. He glanced at me as if offering, but I waved him off.

Subtly testing Chandler's thoughts, Rena glanced toward the castle and remarked, "I never imagined the next lord of this castle would be my competitor... enough to make me jealous."

His expression darkened for a moment. Clearly, there was something on his mind.

"What's so great about inheriting a castle? What matters is what you build with your own two hands. In that sense, I respect you."

"You hardly know me."

"A swordsman speaks and thinks with his blade. Crossing swords with someone reveals more than ten days of conversation ever could."

He sounded like some swordsmanship philosopher. Even so, there was no reason for this man to hold such admiration for me. I wasn't as skilled as Isabelle, let alone the exceptionally powerful Marquis Leandro.

When I fought Chandler on the road to Yublam, I'd been much weaker. After all, it was before I had absorbed the second batch of knights.

What is his true intention?

I glanced at Rena and Chandler, who were continuing their lighthearted conversation. The meal was almost over.

Should I reveal my face before leaving to seem less suspicious?

Of course, I planned to use Masquerade. Rena would be surprised because she knew my true face. But she was also sharp enough not to react, obviously.

Masquerade.

I activated the skill and reached for my helmet. At that moment—

"Master...?" Rena flinched.

I leaned in slightly and whispered, "No need to worry."

Her face flushed slightly before she nodded. The truly amusing reaction, however, came from Chandler.

"...!"

Had he been watching me the whole time? He flinched as well.

What's with him?

Clank.

I removed my helmet. Chandler's eyes widened in shock. He blinked rapidly as if processing something unexpected.

"W-wait...?"

Rena wasn't surprised. Christina, seeing me for the first time, naturally did not react.

[Masquerade activated!]

[A human appearance has been overlaid on your face]

[Remaining time: 09:43]

"

Ah...!

"

Thanks to my whispered warning, Rena understood and even seemed amused. But Chandler's reaction... I couldn't understand it. He blinked, tilting his head slightly. It was as if he saw something completely different than he had expected.

"What's wrong?"

"No, it's just... I've never seen you take off your helmet before." Chandler tilted his head.

What is this about?

He clearly had something to say. Instead, he downed an entire glass of white wine in one go. He wasn't savoring the taste, he was trying to get drunk. A drop of alcohol splashed onto his cuff, leaving a faint stain.

Is he drunk?

Chandler's drinking pace suddenly quickened.

Christina spoke in a concerned tone. "My lord..."

"No. Leave me be."

Though fragrant, the wine must have had a high alcohol content. Having drunk so much, Chandler's voice began to slur slightly. The tension around him gradually increased. He hadn't come here just for a meal, but also to say something. Rena seemed to have noticed as well.

Before we realized it, Rena, Christina, and I were all watching his lips. A strange silence filled the room. Finally, he stood up. Then, he walked toward me and sat directly across from me.

Thud.

Looking me straight in the eyes, he slowly said, "...There's something I need to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Are you..."