A Stuffed Cheonma in my Head - Chapter 90



Only Noblemtl

Episode 090. The Prodigal Son

* * *

Kkukkung… … Kkukkugkung―

The large doors opened on both sides with a loud noise.

It seemed as if it had not been opened for a long time, and dust rose like a cloud.

“Oh.”

I waved my hands and waited for the dust to settle.

The dust slowly settled.

“……what?”

At one point, the dust cloud seemed to glow golden, and soon a dazzling halo of light attacked my eyes.

“… … !”

The sight that emerged when the dust settled was a spectacular sight.

We were greeted by gold and jewels so dazzling that we instinctively squinted our eyes.

It was an enormous amount even at first glance.

Everyone stared blankly at the sight before them, speechless.

I tapped Shushuruta’s shoulder, who was dazed.

“You have to take the lead.”

“Uh, yeah. Right.”

Shushuruta, who had come to his senses, walked ahead into the treasure room.

With Shushuruta in the lead, we slowly entered.

The ceiling was dotted with luminescent crystals, just like the ones I had seen on the stairs.

The luminous crystals were the same as those seen on the stairs, but the brightness in the room was completely different from that on the stairs.

It was because the gold and silver treasures scattered everywhere were scattering the light here and there.

They were stuffed into boxes and crates or strewn messily on the floor.

“and…….”

All kinds of gold and silver treasures were strewn about carelessly in the large room.

There is a saying that you should take care of your golden sight.

Could the owner of this place be the owner of that proverb?

It seemed like someone who had no interest in treasures had just carelessly thrown them into the underground vault.

It seems like every time I get a treasure by accident, I come here grumbling and just throw it away.

[… … Haam.]

Cheonma yawned, suddenly losing interest.

When he started fighting the demons, his eyes sparkled, but now he looks bored.

Was the owner of this tomb Cheonma?

“There might be other traps, so follow carefully.”

Shushuruta walked slowly along the path between the treasures scattered on both sides, and the rest of the group followed behind him while looking around.

“Don’t even think about touching the treasure, because the trap might be triggered. Especially you!”

Shushuruta, who had been giving instructions, suddenly turned around and pointed to a place.

There, crouching down, was Linda, trying to pick up a sparkling jewel.

Linda, slightly startled by Shushuruta’s rebuke, answered in a resentful voice.

“I haven’t touched it yet.”

“You didn’t try to touch it?”

“… … .”

Linda looked at me blankly.

I glared at her with eyes that told her to listen to Shushuruta.

Linda got up from her seat, slightly dazed, and followed us.

“joy.”

Shushuruta, who had warned Linda, moved forward carefully so as not to touch the treasures scattered on the ground.

What catches your eye is gold. Does that make sense?

Shushuruta slowly walked to the end of the passage, looking around, and nodded.

“Fortunately, there doesn’t seem to be any particular traps in the room.”

At those words, Linda immediately tried to touch the treasure.

Shushuruta suddenly shouted.

“That didn’t mean you should touch it! Do you think there’s some kind of magic attached to it? Why are you touching it so carelessly!”

“… … Tsk.”

Linda pursed her lips at Shushuruta’s shout.

Why do I think of a yapping cat and an unruly puppy?

I called Curtis, who was nearby.

“Sir Curtis.”

“Yes, your Majesty.”

“You keep an eye on Linda so she doesn’t do anything else.”

“……All right.”

At the end of the passage, which was lined with treasures on both sides, was another door.

Unlike the doors that previously blocked the entire passageway, this door was the size of a normal door, just big enough for one person to fit through.

There was a keyhole there that looked as if someone had stabbed it once, and on the door was written in large letters some words.

“Only those who are qualified to enter”

As I read the passage with my arms crossed, Shushuruta explained.

“There is a ninth sword inside.”

I said, tapping the writing on the door.

“I don’t think he’ll give it to me readily.”

“Maybe so. Hans said that if someone who is not qualified enters, they will never be able to get out.”

“How do I know if I’m qualified or not?”

“I don’t know that much.”

“Is there another test inside? How do I prove my qualifications?”

“He doesn’t know either.”

“… … .”

Shushuruta looked at the text for a moment, touched her lips, and then said.

“I guess it means that one can hold the magic sword but not be controlled by it. It is said that Oposis was extremely wary of the ninth magic sword.”

“hmm.”

It was a reasonable hypothesis.

“Hans said he’s never been inside there before. Only Ophiuchus goes in and out alone every once in a while.”

“hmm…….”

“Furthermore, Hans said he did not attend Oposis’s funeral and therefore did not know the details.”

“why?”

“Have you forgotten? Hans was kicked out of the forge before Ophis died.”

“ah.”

“Of course, that wasn’t actually a kickout, but Oposis secretly sent him out to a place where no one would know about the dagger.”

“So, you have to go in to find out.”

“Yes.”

Without hesitation, I thrust the dagger into the long keyhole.

Woof-

This time, the dagger vibrated and made a short sound, and then the door opened silently, like a ghost.

The other side was shrouded in darkness with not a single ray of light visible.

I stared into the darkness and glanced back.

“Okay, then, I’ll be back.”

The greeting came back.

“I will wait.”

“Devil! You have to come right away!”

Shushuruta looked at me.

“Ashvan. You don’t have to worry.”

“Are you talking?”

Then, when I playfully pushed the guy’s face with my palm, Shushuruta frowned and pushed my hand away.

I smiled slightly and stepped into the darkness.

Swish.

The door closed behind him.

* * *

The room was completely plunged into darkness.

Even if I waited quietly, there was no sign of it getting brighter.

Complete darkness, without even a hint of light.

It was as if the goddess of the night, Ketel, had poured the darkness of the night itself into the room.

After a while, I started to get a little confused as to whether my eyes were open or closed.

It was dark when I opened my eyes, and it was dark when I closed them.

So in the end I just decided to close my eyes.

I closed my eyes and slowly spread my energy.

When I opened my eyes, the world was dark, but when I closed my eyes, the darkness retreated a step.

Sometimes it’s clearer when you close your eyes.

No, not that.

The energy that was spread around me groped around and gave me information.

The room was not as big as I thought.

It’s probably about 10 meters long and wide.

[What a strange place.]

Cheonma muttered, regaining his interest.

“It’s just a dirty dark room.”

[It’s not just dark. It feels like something is off.]

“……okay?”

[It’s just a gut feeling, but I think it’d be better not to stay too long.]

“check.”

I walked forward a few steps at a leisurely pace.

In front there was a platform that reached up to the waist.

A sword was placed on top of it.

“… … Is this the ninth sword?”

But I couldn’t just take it out and hold it.

This is because the upper part of the stage was surrounded by a thin membrane.

I put my inner energy into my fingertips and then snapped my fingers.

Ting!

It was quite sturdy, and I wondered what metal it was made of.

It wasn’t iron. It was something lighter but stronger.

“hmm.”

Sling-

I took out my sword and tried to smash it, but at Cheonma’s words I put the sword back in its scabbard.

[Didn’t you ask me to prove my qualifications?]

“That’s right.”

[Does smashing prove qualification?]

“… … Hmm. That makes sense.”

Smash. That was a word that had nothing to do with proving one’s qualifications.

Surely there must be another way.

I reached out and felt under the podium.

“also.”

I felt underneath and felt a groove.

It was the keyhole of courtesy. A keyhole specifically for daggers.

I thought that the key was being used very well.

Click—

I put the dagger in. I heard something interlocking.

Once again the key made a rattling sound… … .

Slurp―

The metal film on the stage was slowly peeled away.

“This is it.”

The moment he smiled with satisfaction and was about to put his hand on the sword.

{Who are you.}

I heard a voice.

I was so surprised that I took a big step back.

At the same time, the energy was spread more precisely, but nothing special was detected.

I couldn’t even figure out where the voice came from.

I looked into the darkness and asked.

“Who are you?”

The voice said.

{I think I asked first. Who are you to ask that?}

It was a voice that sounded like that of a well-dressed old man, but this time again I couldn’t tell where it was coming from.

It felt like the whole room was speaking, rather than just one place speaking.

I had no choice but to reveal my name.

“It’s Ashvan. Where are you talking about?”

{Ashvan… … Please wait a moment.}

At the same time, the energy in the room began to gather around the stage. It was as if it was sucking up the mana around it.

It gathered in one place, flowed down the dagger, and fell like a drop of water at the end of the handle.

How should I express this?

It felt like the mana in the air had been condensed to an extreme degree and liquefied.

Pusss—

The mana that fell to the ground evaporated and a shape emerged from it.

I opened my closed eyes and looked at the sight.

Something vague like smoke was mixed here and there, and soon the faintly glowing figure of an old man appeared before my eyes.

I could guess this person’s identity without even being told.

This is probably the owner of this tomb.

“… … Opposition?”

The old man nodded.

{That’s my name.}

“You’re dead, aren’t you? I heard you died quite a while ago.”

{He died.}

Oposis readily admitted it.

{This is what remains of my consciousness.}

“… … Is that possible?”

{It can’t be helped. Do you know what an ego sword is?}

“I’ve heard of it.”

{It’s a simple application.}

“… … .”

I decided to just let it go since it wasn’t important.

Oposus stared behind me and spoke in a rough tone.

{Did you come with friends?}

“That’s what it is.”

{It seems like a lot of time has passed. Could you tell me how my disciples are doing?}

I hesitated for a moment, wondering how to answer… …and then I just said it.

“They’re all dead.”

{… … .}

“I heard that their disciples and descendants are all dead.”

Oposus remained silent for a while.

“It’s a pity.”

{… … I see.}

Oposus laughed bitterly.

{Did the prodigal son who ran away from the blacksmith shop die?}

‘Prodigal son?’

I thought for a moment and realized that it meant Hans.

Judging from the fact that he is called Tang-Ara, it seems he was quite the troublemaker when he was young.

“The prodigal son has become the head of the household.”

{hmm?}

“I have a kind wife named Julia and a mischievous daughter named Joy.”

{That damn bastard got married?}

“Yes. They bicker with their wives often, but they are a very nice family.”

{Woohaha!}

Oposus shrugged his shoulders and burst into hearty laughter.

I also couldn’t just sit still, so I joined in.

“Hahahaha!”

{Wahahahaha!}

Oposis, who had been laughing with his shoulders shaking for a while, looked at me with a smiling expression.

{I guess I’ll have to live long to see that guy’s my father.}

I nodded and responded appropriately.

“That’s right.”

Oposus looked at me.

{How did you come to be connected with the youngest guy, you who speaks like that?}

“The prodigal son saved my life when I fell off a cliff.”

{It’s fate.}

“It’s fate.”

We exchanged glances and smiled.

I thought I knew something about this guy called Oposis.

People say he’s a legendary blacksmith, but to me he’s just an old man with a hearty laugh.

Simple, affectionate, and worrisome.

Just a kind-hearted, stubborn old man you see anywhere.

Would it be the case that even a simple man like this would get involved in an unfortunate incident if his abilities were too outstanding?

… … My mouth felt bitter.