Ch 134
Judging only by his appearance, he is extremely ordinary.
However, his flippant smile contained a light yet absolute confidence, as if he looked down on the world.
He was a man who made viewers wonder, “What makes him so confident?”
The fourth Sword’s Owner.
Hero Candidate Felix.
He intently looked at the man before him, Lisir.
The new Holy Sword’s Owner.
“…”
Felix’s expression as he looked at Lisir became very subtle.
It could be said that the state of mind he was feeling was clearly revealed outwardly.
-Felix. What do you think of him?
His Holy Sword, Pocena, asked a question in his mind.
‘He doesn’t seem like a bad guy…’
If Felix had met Lisir in a normal setting, he would have had a purely good impression of him.
His unassuming atmosphere was more than enough to evoke goodwill from the other party.
However, the problem was that he was the new Advancement Hero.
Felix remembers the previous Advancement Hero.
Overflowing ambition and the presence to back it up.
He was truly a man who perfectly fit the name Advancement.
But how about the man before him now?
He was showing an unskilled appearance, unable to properly receive the Holy Sword’s energy, and living with the Holy Sword fixed to his hand with a bandage.
An appearance where not even a fragment of the majesty befitting the name Hero could be felt.
Could he, who couldn’t even handle what the previous Advancement Hero couldn’t handle, handle the fate of Advancement?
Well.
A skeptical smile appeared on Felix’s face.
‘Why did the Sword of Advancement choose this guy? Pocena, do you have any idea?’
-The Sword of Advancement… Zallak looks most closely at potential when choosing an owner. Perhaps he has something we don’t know?
‘Potential… it seems too well hidden.’
Soon.
Felix reached a conclusion.
‘Still, shouldn’t Jane be the right owner of Advancement?’
-I think so too. The Power of Advancement is not something anyone can handle.
The Sword of Advancement was considered one of the most difficult Holy Swords to handle.
They found it hard to imagine him, who couldn’t even adapt properly to the energy of Advancement, skillfully handling the Power of Advancement.
At this point, I became curious about Jane’s intentions when she said, “He’s an amazing guy who is incomparable to me.”
I even wondered if that kind-hearted Hero might have given the Sword of Advancement to Lisir.
“You two, have you greeted each other?”
Just as Felix was lost in thought with Lisir in front of him, Jane approached.
Felix then spoke to Lisir.
“I’m Felix. Jane told me about you. It seems like you showed something amazing in the Trial of the Sacred Sword?”
“Thank you for your kind words. I am Lisir.”
Felix’s gaze remained fixed on the Holy Sword still held in Lisir’s hand.
Felix barely diverted his gaze to Jane.
“So, Jane. What do you think? Have you considered my proposal?”
“Well… then, is that why you visited Bondales?”
“My destination was Bondales because of that ‘Prophecy’ like you, but that’s my top priority right now. Originally, I was planning to talk to the Talent Scout staying in Bondales, or Frozen Breath, or the Grey Tower, but since you’re here, there’s no need to take the long way around.”
“…”
Jane pondered Felix’s words, then turned her gaze to Lisir.
“Then, while we’re at it, how about asking Lisir too?”
“What?”
Felix looked at Lisir and let out a weak chuckle.
“Jane. I told you. This isn’t something to share with just anyone. I shared it with you because I trust you.”
“I appreciate that. That’s why I’m telling you this. Lisir is a trustworthy person, both in terms of trust and ability.”
“A trustworthy person? Didn’t you say you just met yesterday?”
“Right.”
“Then what makes you trust him?”
“…”
Ha.
Jane, who was retracing her memory, let out a chuckle.
“Will you honestly believe me if I tell you?”
“What kind of grand story are you about to tell.”
Jane excitedly recounted the events of the previous day.
“…He handled the Power of Advancement without the help of the Holy Sword, and it was almost like an explosion during the Trial of Purity?”
“Ah.”
And then, she belatedly realized her mistake.
Once she laid it all out, it wasn’t a believable story at all.
Jane nodded, seeing Felix’s distrustful expression.
If she were in his position, she would have reacted the same way.
She should have gone through the process called Reverse Overlord to anticipate this reaction, but it was a clear miscalculation.
‘What do I do…’
The Enhanced Ability Lisir used seemed to involve tremendous side effects.
I can’t just say, ‘Show me that one more time so he’ll believe me.’
In the end, Felix had no choice but to choose a second-best option.
“Anyway, I’ll vouch for Lisir’s ability and trustworthiness.”
“…”
If a Hero like him says this, there’s definitely something to it.
‘Lisir…’
After this is over, I’ll look into that name first.
Felix decided to remember the name clearly and nodded.
Lisir then asked Jane about the whole story.
“Jane. What is this about?”
“Simply put, Felix’s party obtained a certain Ancient Artifact in a Dungeon, and they’re looking for someone to use it with.”
“An Ancient Artifact… someone to use it with?”
“It’s an Ancient Artifact called The Asking Left Hand.”
Felix interjected.
“It’s an Ancient Artifact that grants the user’s wish with the power contained within it.”
“…So, you’re looking for someone to make a wish with it?”
Lisir glared at Felix.
It was the kind of expression you’d see if someone said, “Wouldn’t you like to easily earn a large sum of money?”
“Of course, that’s not all. To ask The Asking Left Hand for something, you have to solve the problem it presents first.”
“Ah, so you’re looking for someone to share the risks and rewards.”
Now he seems a little less like a scammer.
Lisir nodded in agreement.
“Actually, the risks aren’t that big.”
“Yes?”
“According to the information we gathered through our investigation, the problems posed by The Asking Left Hand are generally easy. There’s no need to share the risks; they’ll likely just watch us and suck their thumbs before going home.”
“Then why are you asking for help?”
“It’s better to be safe than sorry. And at the same time, we can share the rare experience of seeing an Ancient Artifact.”
“Ah.”
What do you think?
Felix looked at Jane.
Jane then consulted with her party members.
Their consultation ended quickly.
“Our party will participate. Belota and Calia say that it’s a rare opportunity to see such an Ancient Artifact? They really want to see it.”
The two of them then looked at Lisir together.
‘An Ancient Artifact that interests the scholar and elf of a Hero Party.’
Lisir’s curiosity was piqued by those words.
Perhaps they might gain unexpected gains in the process.
“Zallak. How are you feeling now? Can I participate in this?”
-…Yes! I think it’s okay! I think I can take off this bandage now!
“Oh, that’s good. Then let’s go.”
Lisir carefully removed the bandage and sheathed the Holy Sword.
Felix watched and smiled wryly.
‘Does he need the Holy Sword’s permission for every action…’
What exactly did Jane see in that man, Lisir?
Felix left the mansion where Lisir’s party was staying, leaving his deepening doubts behind.
A moment later.
Felix returned to the mansion with his party members.
In his hand was a long, stick-like object wrapped in purple cloth.
Lisir’s party guided them to a place prepared in advance inside the mansion.
A spacious room.
A table was placed in the center.
Felix placed the item on the table and unwrapped the cloth.
The Asking Left Hand.
The item, which looked like a withered monkey’s hand, revealed itself.
The two Hero Parties and Lisir gathered around the item.
“Ready?”
Everyone agreed to Felix’s question.
Then, Felix gestured to his comrade Wizard.
A small woman pushed her hood back and approached The Asking Left Hand.
Mysterious silver hair and eyes, as if they contained the stars themselves, were revealed.
“…”
She began to pronounce an unknown language with her small lips.
The entire ritual proceeded in an ordinary atmosphere.
This was because they were confident that, based on the investigation results, the problems posed by The Asking Left Hand were mostly trivial.
Soon, the woman’s incantation stopped.
Creak.
Simultaneously, The Asking Left Hand began to move.
Creak.
Crack.
A sound like dry branches breaking came from its joints repeatedly.
Continuously.
Continuously.
Ceaselessly.
“W-wait━”
The woman, who had maintained her composure throughout the suspicious ritual, showed her bewilderment.
“What is it, Tilla? Is something wrong?”
“S-something’s wrong…!”
“What?”
“This reaction… this power… it’s different from what was written in the documents!!!”
The atmosphere in the room grew heavier by the second.
The Asking Left Hand.
What had been empty like dry branches until just now began to fill with power.
-Your wish has been granted.
Soon, the hand began to speak.
The language the woman had pronounced while performing the ritual.
It was a language that Lisir’s party did not know.
Nevertheless, they could understand the language.
-As you wished, the city was cursed and met its destruction.
They could understand the seriousness of the content contained in the language.
“W-wait…! What are you saying!”
Ignoring the woman’s cry, the left hand continued its story.
-Now it’s your turn.
The previous user’s enormous request.
It began to speak of the price to pay.
-Bring before me a being who wields a sword in the morning, handles the mysteries of magic at noon, governs nature in the evening, and illuminates the surroundings with divine power at dawn.
✦✦✦
『Title: What? Why are all of Felix’s Hero Party dead?』
Content: Could it be The Asking Left Hand? Is this because of it?
-: Yes
-: So the ‘asking’ wasn’t asking a question, but burying someone?
-『Author』: No, according to the investigation results, it’s nothing special.
-: There’s a document they referred to when they investigated.
That document wasn’t updated.
Because the country was destroyed.
-『Author』: ???
-: The last wish made to The Asking Left Hand
was the destruction of the country, yes.
-『Author』: Ah
-『Author』: But what does that have to do with the Hero Party’s annihilation?
-: The difficulty of the problems posed by The Asking Left Hand isn’t random,
it’s proportional to the scale of the previous wish.
So they got hit by extreme hot potato passing.
-『Author』: Oh, damn, hahahahaha
-: The problem< given as the price for the destruction of a country… how do you solve that, yes.
-: If you actually use The Asking Left Hand,
it’s really insane.
It’s practically a suicide tool.
✦✦✦
The unknown power flowing from The Asking Left Hand was swimming between them.
It was a time-critical situation, but their bodies and thoughts were all in a state of standstill.
“In the morning a sword, at noon… so, it’s asking for a being who can wield all four powers!?”
Because there was no point in rushing.
It was the price for destroying a city.
Therefore, that unreasonable request clearly belonged to the realm of impossibility.
“Cough…!”
At that moment, the woman who performed the ritual clutched her throat and collapsed.
Black marks were spreading from her neck to her entire body.
“Ugh…!”
Soon, Felix frowned and checked his left hand.
The black marks that stained the woman’s body were spreading to him.
That mysterious power was slowly spreading to everyone in the room.
“Damn it…!”
They instinctively sensed.
That if they failed to fulfill its demands, they would face unbearable consequences.
But what can they do?
How on earth are they supposed to fulfill that absurd request?
‘Damn it, think! Think! Maybe it’s a riddle. No, it must be a riddle! It wouldn’t make an impossible request, no matter what! Felix! Think! Think of it!!!’
Just as Felix was struggling to find an answer in the impossible,
“Wait, Lisir!?”
Lisir hesitantly raised his hand.
‘Could it be that he found something!? The answer to the riddle!?
Felix’s trembling eyes were fixed on Lisir.
Just as he was waiting for the answer to the riddle to be spoken from his mouth,
-…
Hmm.
The Asking Left Hand let out an uncomfortable groan.
“What…?”
Felix checked his left hand.
The black spots were disappearing.
‘What?’
He hadn’t even given the answer yet?
Felix struggled to understand the situation.
✦✦✦
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