Chapter 56

I get it.

It was about how, like some obsessed female lead in a fantasy novel from Novelpia, the Fairy Queen wanted to guard the Baron's corpse even in death.

But that was one thing, and this was another.

"Why is it so f*cking hard to look at a sword?"

Ian grumbled.

If a magical sword was sealed away with the Baron's corpse, the situation would become quite troublesome.

Tampering with the coffin might incur the Fairy Queen's curse.

Fortunately, the situation favored Ian.

"Is that it over there?"

In a corner of the graveyard, alongside a large mural, were neatly displayed items the Baron might have used in life.

Ian had seen such scenes several times before in the modern world.

"A museum... of course."

It was just like the folk museums that displayed ancient peoples' belongings.

The creators of this tomb weren't curators, but rather, they aimed to honor and commemorate the deceased.

The mural depicted the Baron slaying a monster, with the Fairy Queen looking up at him.

"Is this it?"

"This looks right."

"It must be this."

Ian slowly examined the Baron's armaments.

The sword, armor, clothing, jewels, and more that the Baron had possessed in life had all deteriorated into worthless junk over time.

"..."

Ian clicked his tongue at the sight of the ancient armaments turned to garbage.

In games, ancient tombs were filled with awesome weapons to loot.

Yet, in reality, the tomb was filled with nothing but trash.

Perhaps games were just games after all.

What might have been formidable weapons in the Baron's time had succumbed to the passage of time.

However, among the long swords and armor, there was one weapon that remained intact.

"... A dagger?"

As Ian pondered, Belenka retorted as if questioning what he was talking about.

"How is that a dagger?"

"It's short. So, it's a dagger."

"Look closely. That's more like a gladius, isn't it?"

Ian took another look at the weapon.

Upon closer inspection, it was notably short.

It resembled the gladius used by the ancients, characterized by its short length.

In the ancient Golden Empire, the broad tower shield and gladius were standard armaments.

This sword appeared to be modeled after a gladius, with a notably short blade.

"Isn't it too short?"

Belenka shrugged as if it was no big deal.

"Well, smelting technology was lacking in ancient times."

"...?"

You're the ones saying technology was lacking?

In reality, the weapon's short length was designed for use with a large shield.

Handling a tower shield was challenging enough; a longer sword would have made combat impossible.

However, Belenka and Ian, ignorant of ancient weapons and technology, could not be aware of such details.

"Isn't that the sword you were supposed to receive?"

"Yeah."

"Then it's better that it's shorter. Longer ones are cumbersome and heavy."

"What sword do you use?"

"I wear armor, don't I?"

As the defensive capability of armor increases, wielding two-handed weapons becomes easier.

Without a shield, the armor itself provides sufficient defense, allowing for its offensive potential to be maximized.

Belenka, clad in full armor, favored wielding a longsword, a weapon so lengthy it was impossible to handle with just one hand.

The longsword is, indeed, a two-handed weapon.

This reminded him of Salvador, the Sword Master he had met who also swung a two-handed sword.

Impressively, without any armor.

He was quite the remarkable elder in many ways.

"Does a wizard covet weapons?"

"Not at all."

Ian said, pulling out the short sword.

Though it appeared short at a glance, upon drawing it, it was not as short as expected.

Its length was between 50 to 60 centimeters, more than enough to take a life.

"Wow, that sword is...?"

Inglan exclaimed as soon as the sword was drawn.

He had heard rumors of a mystical treasure but could never have imagined what it would actually be like.

The magic sword that Inglan saw indeed seemed touched by a being beyond human intellect, an unknown power flowing along its blade.

"It seems to be enchanted with some magic."

Ian carefully touched the blade, feeling a sensation that was either hot or cold.

This reminded him of a story Lucy once told.

The magic sword Anoril, crafted with the powers of the sun and moon.

"How about it, Ian? Can you make anything of it?"

Lucy asked, but Ian remained silent, unsure of the mysteries it held.

It was not the kind of mystery that could be understood at a glance but rather one that required time and observation to slowly unveil.

However, Ian had a rough idea of how to unleash its power.

"[Rise up.]"

When Ian spoke in the Maronius language, the slumbering mystery within the sword responded.

The blade of the magic sword gradually heated up, emitting a scorching haze.

As Ian brought a piece of leather close, it burnt up, emitting a foul smell.

"Wow!"

"How did you do that, Ian?"

Inglan and Lucy almost exclaimed in unison.

It was understandable for Lucy, but why was the other human making such a fuss?

"Didn't I tell you before? It's a sword made with the powers of the sun and the moon."

"Yes, yes!"

"So, I tried invoking the mystery of the Sun, and it worked. Somewhat."

Lucy was overjoyed, jumping as if she had expected it all along.

She didn't know whether the magic sword would actually work.

Such details weren't written in the priests' records.

She had worried that it might be a fake, but fortunately, it was genuine.

However, Inglan's reaction was slightly different.

"Hmm. I understand the principle, but it doesn't seem like that's the way it should be used?"

If a nameless wizard had said that, they might have been scornfully told, "What do you mean 'no'? Look at this loser."

But Inglan was a professor at the Imperial Magic University.

With the opinion of such an esteemed wizard, no one would dare to speak against it.

"I agree. This is not merely a mystery of fire, but of the sun."

Ian readily agreed, and Inglan smiled brightly.

Truly Eredith's apprentice after all!

It's known that as people age, they tend to favor those who lend an ear to their words.

Inglan, appreciating that Ian did not disregard his words, held him in high esteem.

After all, being impertinent is often considered a badge of honor among wizards.

"Indeed. The way you used it looks like how one would handle the mysteries of fire. However, according to the legends, the sword was forged with the power of the sun, suggesting there's a more appropriate way to wield it."

"I'll have to research that in time."

Ian spent some time experimenting with the magic sword.

He couldn't harness the grand powers of the sun and moon but succeeded in manifesting their lesser attributes, heat and cold.

He managed to make the blade either hot or cold.

'What is this, a lighter?'

So, the magic sword Lucy gave him... was essentially a fantastical lighter.

It could be useful for lighting fires or freezing things, but that was about it.

However, for a novice wizard like Ian, it offered many practical uses.

Mysteries influenced by the weather, like cold and heat, could only be invoked under the right conditions.

For instance, the mystery of cold responds well in winter, while the mystery of fire becomes more active on hot summer days.

It's a natural occurrence but disappointing when considering its utility.

What use is invoking cold in winter and heat in summer?

But with a magic sword, things were different.

Creating ice in summer and sparks in winter, it allowed for truly wizard-like feats.

Of course, wizards proficient in Ice magic or Fire magic could easily do what Ian needed the magic sword for.

Yet, Ian's magical accomplishments were still modest.

In other words, it was a situation where a newbie had found an item useful for newbies.

In such cases, one should say.

'Lucky me.'

Ian smirked, a grin that might seem malicious to those unfamiliar with him.

Lucy approached him, perhaps the only one who wouldn't mistake his smile for malevolence.

Having spent a considerable time with Ian, she had a good grasp of his thoughts and how he reacted.

It was a pure smile, born from encountering a new mystery.

Others might see it as the grin of an ominous and unlucky wizard...

But Lucy simply shared in Ian's joy.

"Ian, do you like the sword?"

"Yeah. Of course."

Ian managed his expression.

It was a gift, after all, and likely important to Lucy.

He couldn't just openly revel in it.

"That's good to hear."

Lucy playfully poked Ian's chest with her finger.

"I promised you before, it's yours, Ian."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it. You've helped me so much already."

Lucy indeed kept her promise.

Lucy gifted Ian a treasure from Talian.

And the fulfillment of that promise meant...

'It's finally over.'

It implied that Ian's departure was not far off.

Lucy felt a twinge of sadness at the thought but didn't show it outwardly.

She wanted to present only her best self to Ian until the very end.

"Let's go, Ian."

Ian and his companions left the tomb of the Baron Talian.

The sun had already risen, brightly illuminating the world.

Ian found himself smiling unwittingly.

That day, Ian's group quickly prepared for dinner.

Everyone was tired after experiencing so much.

"Ah, I'm so hungry."

"I shall prepare dinner, master."

Though it was said that they prepared dinner, in reality, Ian hadn't lifted a finger.

The same went for Belenka and Lucy; servants Lucy had brought along, including slaves from the foot of the mountain, were waiting to serve them.

They couldn't be brought to the Baron's tomb, so they were left below.

"Ian! Let's eat!"

"Yeah. Okay."

Ian seemed indifferent, though he must have been very hungry.

Lucy found Ian's indifference curious.

"Aren't you hungry, Ian?"

"I am."

"You don't seem too happy about it."

Lucy couldn't understand Ian's reaction.

While they were enduring hardships inside the tomb dungeon, Lucy's servants had prepared a feast that was hard to come by outdoors, hunting beasts and baking dough.

There was wood pigeon pie with raspberry sauce, whole roasted wild rabbit, soup made from threshed grains, and savory butter.

It should have been delicious, given the effort put into it.

However, Ian sighed upon seeing the Western-style table filled with rich buttery aromas.

Western cuisine is fine for a day or two.

But, guys, I went on a trip to Europe.

It was fun for about 10 years, you know?

But f*ck, the trip never ends...

Ian knew he wasn't a traveler but a resident here.

If there was a municipal office, he'd have filed a complaint.

Yet, Ian still couldn't quite believe he was a resident of this fantasy medieval world.

It felt as if the journey would someday end, and he'd return home.

To a place where familiar landscapes, smells, and foods awaited him.

In some ways, Ian was indeed a traveler.

A wanderer from a strange world, dropped into this bizarre one by some deity's trickery.

Yes.

Ian had recently been feeling a peculiar sense of homesickness.

No, calling it homesickness might be too grand.

He simply missed Korean food.

"Haah. I just want to give up and slurp some instant noodles..."

The nation allowed the consumption of music and religion, as well as ramen, as a form of drug.

The proof was in Koreans collectively suffering withdrawal symptoms whenever they traveled abroad.

"At times like this..."

Ian took out a secret crop that Mani had given him as a farewell gift.

It was chili powder.

Mani, a botanist, had collected and grown all sorts of strange crops, among which was the chili pepper, familiar to Ian.

The reason for growing chili peppers was quite bizarre—it was a crop cultivated for the purpose of tormenting those one disliked...

When Ian discovered the chili and asked for some chili powder, Mani was confused.

"Do you have someone you want to torment?"

No? It's for me to eat.

Thinking that Mani might not give it if she knew the real purpose, Ian claimed he wanted it for self-defense and managed to obtain it.

"What are you doing, Ian?"

When Ian unexpectedly started sprinkling red powder on the soup and meat, everyone looked on with curiosity-filled eyes.

"What is that?"

"Spicy powder."

Inglan, ever the curious and adventurous wizard, didn't even wait for Ian's permission before trying the chili powder.

"Cough! Gah!"

Inglan's sudden choking startled Lucy.

"Inglan! What's wrong with you!"

"Cough! Poison! Everyone, be cautious!"

Belenka even stood up from the table.

Ian looked at Inglan with disbelief.

"You eat without asking and then make a scene. And it's not poison."

"But this tingling sensation...! It must be a paralyzing poison...!"

"It's not poison~"

Ian calmly continued to eat his soup.

With just a bit of chili powder added, the flavor changed significantly.

Yes, this was it!

Ian nodded in satisfaction.

Indeed, food needs this level of stimulation!

Seeing Ian unfazed, the rest reassured themselves.

"Can I... try it too?"

"You'll regret it."

After Lucy tried the chili powder with her finger...

"Cough, cough! You say this isn't poison?!"

She looked at Ian with tears streaming down her face, full of reproach.

Ian clicked his tongue in disapproval.

Such weaklings, he thought.

Always eating bland, buttery foods has made their palates overly sensitive.

For medieval folks who think even pepper is spicy, chili was definitely too much.

Except for one person.

"... It's unusual, but not bad?"

Belenka, with her face turned bright red, bravely ate the meat sprinkled with chili powder.

Watching Belenka, Ian felt an overwhelming urge to start a YouTube channel.

[Spicy Challenge! The reaction of a blonde to her first taste of chili powder?!]

'... Ridiculous.'

Thanks to Ian's use of chili powder, the group was thrown into chaos.

Perhaps that's why.

None of them noticed the watchful eyes hiding in the bushes, observing the group.