The 31st Piece Turns the Tables
chapter-152

After seeing the mysterious holy relic in Seol’s hands, Karen and Karuna recalled a completely forgotten memory.

It was a memory from the distant past, from when they first entered Montra's secret storage room.

* * *

“...And for that reason, we will be having an excursion.”

“Do apprentice knights normally have an excursion to the imperial family’s secret storage?”

“A good question, Karuna. This is an opportunity you’ve received because Karen, your older sister, incessantly begged him. Do you understand the situation now?”

“I do, Sir Lain. Karen has caused another incident.”

“Hahaha… Well, Jin is the type to listen to any request…”

“Still, she shouldn’t have done that.”

“Mmm…”

While Lain scratched his nose, Karen spoke up, addressing both the storage keeper and Lain.

“What’s that over there?! Where did you get that?” asked Karen.

“That’s um… hm… it’s definitely looted goods, but… where did we get this?”

“...It’s alright. I stopped wanting to hear after you said ‘looted goods’.”

"It would be stranger if everything flowing into an Empire this large were ordinary. I don't know much about them either, except for a select few. Don’t tell me… did you expect me to describe them kindly to you, Karen?”

“No! I didn’t expect anything at all because Lain isn’t kind!”

“I like your honesty. All knights should be like that. Now, what are you supposed to do when a senior knight compliments you?”

Clack!

Karen quickly put her heels together.

“Ah! Thank you!”

“Get rid of the ‘Ah!’.”

“Thank you!”

“Nice, okay. I’m teaching you this now for when you officially become a knight later, alright? It’s all for your sake.”

“What a boomer…”

“What did you say?”

“It’s nothing!”

The group entered deeper into the secret storage.

With a mischievous look, the young Karen then directed a question to Lain.

“So… what are the ‘select few’ that you know…?”

“Hm… Don’t be curious about it.”

“But I am curious, though? I’m so curious I can’t stand it~”

“Urgh…”

“Even though we came all this way? Even though I’d probably beg Jin again if we go back like this?”

“......”

"Then we'd have to come back again, wouldn't we? And you'd have to come back with us too, Lain~"

“Fine, I guess there wouldn’t be any issues if I showed you. Open the inner door.”

“That’s..”

“Quickly. Nothing will happen.”

“I understand, Sir Lain.”

Rumble rumble…

Hummmmmm…

Karen marveled as the countless mechanics, traps, and spells installed in the secret storage activated.

“Woah…”

“It’s shiny, right?”

“Yeah, it’s shiny like your head, Lain.”

“You little…! My hairline just took a slight retreat, alright? It’s not that bad yet!”

“...I thought you were a knight who didn’t know the word ‘retreat’?”

“...There is nothing shameful about a strategic retreat. Regardless, don’t touch anything. Observe with your eyes only.”

With only the four of them in the massive treasure room, young Karuna and Karen were overwhelmed by its grandeur.

After quietly observing for a while, Karuna eventually stopped in front of a certain item.

“Excuse me… Sir Lain…?”

“We should head back soon now… hm? Ah, Karuna. What is it?”

“Over here, it’s about this…”

“Uh… Ah… Ah! That’s not something you should be looking at!”

Lain quickly tried to use his body to hide the item from Karuna’s eyes.

And obviously, that caught the eyes of Karen, the supreme villain.

“Woah! You must have found something fun, Karuna!”

“Argh! Go away!”

“What is it? What is it? Why are you acting like this? Is it something embarrassing? Is it a naked statue of youuuu?” laughed Karen.

“You brat! Why would there even be something like that?!”

“What is it then? Show me, argh… G-Get out of the way…”

“Argh! Don’t bite me! Fine, okay! I’ll show you! I’ll show you, okay?!”

Only Jin could have known the depth of humiliation endured by Sir Lain, the Sun Knight and captain of the guardians, at the hands of Karen.

As Lain stepped back, he revealed three white spheres behind his back.

And surprisingly, they were all the same size and shape.

“Woah… are these jewels?”

“...They’re not.”

“Do you know what these are then, Lain? You didn’t know what anything else was.”

“Of course, I know. Any guardian would know what these are.”

“What is it then? What is it, huh? Tell me!”

“Are you curious too, Karuna?”

“...Yes.”

“Alright! So, from this point on, we’ll be…”

Lain began by explaining the orb’s origins.

Karen and Karuna, after hearing the explanation, had questions.

“So you’re saying… these are the weapons for the imperial family’s guardians?” asked Karuna.

“Precisely. Montra spared no expense in creating this through alchemy.”

“Then is your weapon made from this too, Lain?”

“Of course. There’s an annoying process called ‘succession’, though. Regardless, all of the guardians have a weapon made from this ‘pearl’.”

“This is… a pearl…? So it is a jewel then.”

“Huh? Uh… well, I guess it is when you look at it that way. But is it really a big deal?”

“It’s pretty.”

“Hm… Hmmm…”

However, Karen, sensing something strange, asked Lain a question.

"So why is this rotting away in some dingy storage room?"

“You brat… I bet you’re the only person in the world who would describe Montra’s secret storage room as a ‘dingy storage room’. And you don’t have to worry. These extras were only completed recently.”

“Extras?”

"Basically, we'll fall back on these if the next guardians can't handle the current guardians' weapons."

“...I see.”

Montra’s imperial family had a total of eight guardians.

This fact has never changed.

“Why? Do you want it?” laughed Lain.

“What? N-No. I’m not even a guardian. Why would I?”

“It’s written all over your face, though.”

“Don’t look at me!”

"Haha... If you want something, just put in the effort to get it. Who knows... maybe you two will be the ones wielding two of the three pearls."

As Lain encouraged her, young Karen gave him a look.

“...Do you really think it’ll happen?”

"Who knows, but one thing I'm certain of is, if you don't put in the effort, that day will never come."

“Okay! Then let’s train when we get back!”

“An excellent idea! Now, let’s get into the horse stance until we get back!”

“Right now?”

“Have you given up already?!”

“No! Let’s do it! Arghhhh!”

“Keep going! Do it, so you won't have to apologize to tomorrow’s you!”

“Sorry! I’m sorry, tomorrow’s me! I give up!”

“Oh no! When I transcended space-time to peek at tomorrow’s you, she rejected your apology! I guess there’s no other choice. Keep going!”

* * *

Translator - goguma

Proofreader - Karane

* * *

Seol blinked a couple times.

“So this is that pearl?”

“Yeah, I’m telling you, it’s that. Right, Karuna?”

“Yes, it's likely that same pearl, Master.”

“But… How did it end up here?” said Karen before turning around to give Chameli a stern look.

Chameli spoke rapidly in shock.

“Th-the Holy Nation of Varanoa dedicates significant effort into the discovery and acquisition of holy relics. This is something that we, the Nevenian parish, acquired.”

“And where did you get this?”

"There are too many routes to pinpoint the origin accurately."

“Tch… I bet it was a tomb raider.”

"That's... probably the case. Most of the holy relics we've acquired were obtained that way.”

Seol quickly whispered something to Karen.

“Is it valuable?”

"I can guarantee you that every holy relic she has on combined right now wouldn’t compare to this. Even in Montra, where we piled up treasures like mountains, this pearl had special treatment."

“Then we should take this.”

As the two whispered to each other, Markon and Frannan approached them.

“It looks like the two of you are having quite an interesting conversation. Mind if we join?”

“Hm…”

“Don’t worry too much. We aren’t interested in the item. We just want to know in case it could assist us with our research.”

Seol hesitated for a second, recalling how Frannan had come all this way to assist him. Then, he began to explain about the pearl.

“Do you really expect me to believe that? That this was an item used by an ancient empire?”

“Weren’t you the one who asked me?”

“Hm… then I’m sure you also know how to use this, right?”

“Karen, could you explain it to him?”

Karen began to explain it like it was nothing special.

“The person has to take on a trial from the pearl called ‘succession’. It’s important because the shape and power of the weapon change based on the successor’s will.”

“Hm… that’s quite interesting. And how strong is it?”

"I'm not sure what I could say about that. It does come with special powers, but it was unique for each guardian.”

“I see… is that so? Hey, Mareko.”

“It’s Markon.”

"Regardless, if you're the holy relic keeper of such a large branch… you must also be able to analyze holy powers, right?"

“I am, but… I’ve already tried and failed.”

“Haha… that’s because you didn’t have me.”

“Do you have experience in this field as well?”

“Of course. There was nothing I didn’t try to raise my skills.”

"Then... then this could lead to some amazing discussions. You've ignited a fire within me as well."

Frannan turned to Seol.

“Hey, I’ll be borrowing your item for a bit. That’s fine, right?”

Seol casually opened his hand, allowing Frannan to take the pearl. Frannan smirked seeing that, and grabbed it.

“Take some days to rest and repair your equipment. If this pearl really is as amazing as I think it is… there might be hope for you to wield Agony.”

“I look forward to it.”

Seol gave a small bow before leaving. Chameli quickly hurried after Seol, stopping him before he fully left the branch.

"Snowman, I want to thank you once more. Because of you, we've managed to solve an issue that would have been impossible with our parish’s efforts alone. Though I'm uncertain if the pearl suffices as a reward, please understand that our gratitude toward you is genuine."

“...Okay.”

“And on that note… would it be alright if we continue to message you through our brother, JewelryKang?”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

Chameli’s expression noticeably brightened as she had a huge smile plastered on her face.

“Thank you so much! I will make sure that your stay here is comfortable!”

“Ah, okay…”

Seol still wasn’t used to such hospitality. After all, he was the type who believed everything came with a price.

‘She might ask something annoying from me in the future… Regardless, let’s do maintenance now.’

Creak…

Seol, after entering the accommodation Chameli prepared for him, listened to the rest of Karen’s story.

As he was listening, he asked her a question.

“So, you’re saying… two of those pearls ended up becoming your swords?”

“Yeah, exactly.”

“Hm…”

“I was only able to remember it now. The Red Lotus Sword and the Moonlight Sword were both made from that pearl.”

Karen and Karuna’s swords had been a mystery until now.

Not only were the powers within it mysterious, but Seol also found it strange that despite being forged into completely new swords, they retained their original powers.

‘Well… I don’t need to hear more to know that it’s an incredible holy relic.’

Because the swords had been reborn, as if they had souls of their own, Seol couldn’t help but be intrigued by the newly acquired pearl.

Seol pulled out a bottle from his inventory to look at Agony.

He wondered what he had to do to rein in this evil spirit. Surprisingly, the answer came much sooner than expected.

* * *

After exactly three days, Frannan called for Seol.

“You were right.”

“What?”

"We've finished analyzing it, and we've concluded that the pearl does, in fact, possess that power. To think this holy relic grants the successor a power that best suits them... I still can't believe it."

“Hahaha! Montra’s alchemy does seem like miracles at times, yeah.”

Frannan laughed along as well as Markon continued.

"If you're interested in uncovering the truth behind the pearl's powers, it could take us years. Would you like us to do that?"

“Of course not.”

Frannan nodded.

"I agree. If this were mine, I'd spend every day researching it, but... ultimately, this item belongs to you. It should work in your favor."

“...Yes.”

"Now, there are four ways for you to wield Agony."

“...That many?”

“Have I finally shown off my prowess as an Aspect Magician? But more importantly… I don’t think we’ve agreed to a reward for my assistance.”

“That’s…”

"And in these situations, it’s much faster if I just tell you what I want first. Something’s been annoying me recently, and I would like for you to help me take care of it."

“What is it?”

“Well, it’s just some minor problems surrounding the magic towers…”

“Even though I’m an outsider? Is it really okay for me to come along?”

“That’s something for me to decide. So, what do you think?”

Seol thought for a second before nodding.

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

"Alright, then let me explain how we’d cook that monster in your inventory. You can pick whichever option you like the most after hearing them all.”

Frannan then began his explanation.

“The first option, we’d lower its intelligence.”

“...Its intelligence?”

"Yeah, that little rascal has been sneakily corrupting its wielder to take their lives. An awful thing, really."

[No, I haven’t. I didn’t, though? I never did that.]

Frannan read Agony’s expression before continuing.

“Once we reduce its intelligence, it would become nothing more than a strong fool. And those are always easy to handle.”

“Are there any side effects?”

“It would be too stupid to use all of its powers.”

“......”

“Second option, we’d restrain it and forcibly take away its powers bit by bit.”

“There are issues with this option too, right?”

“Every option has issues. After all, this little shit is an issue.”

“That’s reasonable.”

“Regardless, even though we could safely take its powers after restraining it, there’s a chance that its powers could never recover. And if that happens, it would just become a one-time use item.”

Gulp…

“Are you scared?”

“What?”

“I thought I heard you gulp just now.”

“That wasn’t me.”

It was the sound of Agony gulping.

[H-Human! If you try to restrain me, I’ll just kill myself! And if that happens, it won’t go according to your plans!]

Frannan and Seol ignored Agony.

“Third option, we melt it with the pearl’s powers.”

[You demons!]

- Agony’s reunion with its long-lost master.

- I’m sorry, demon… We humans are sorry…

"However, if we do that, the processing would make it weaker than its original state."

"Judging by how all the options so far only involve wielding a portion of Agony..."

“Yeah, the last option is a bit different. Fourth option! We’ll stuff it into the pearl.”

“...What? Is that really possible?”

“It is. After all, the most efficient method to purify a demonic spirit has always been to use a holy relic.”

“Would we be using the pearl’s powers to melt Agony for this method too?”

“No, we’d just be messing with its discernment between good and evil a little.”

“What?”

"It doesn’t know how to be good because it was born in evil. We’d simply be tinkering with the moral compass in its head so that it does good from time to time and engages in evil less frequently."

“Theoretically, that’s perfect.”

Frannan laughed.

"I've always been theoretically perfect. I’ve just failed in application. Now, do you need time to make a decision?"

[[Frannan has asked you for your preferred method to make Agony submit to you. Which option do you choose?]

1. Lower Agony’s intelligence.

2. Restrain Agony and slowly sap away its powers.

3. [Required: Adequate Holy Relic] Melt Agony to turn it into pure strength.

4. [Required: Adequate Holy Relic] Tinker with Agony’s moral compass.]

“It’s fine, I’ve already made my decision.”

“Haha… so, your decision?”

Seol replied, causing Frannan to laugh.

"Oho…”