Chapter 29

Episode.29 The Most Precious Thing

【Oh, a gold ring?】

‘This guy, being a rich girl, why is she so obsessed with treasures?’

【What? The richer you are, the more you desire gold and jewels!】

The shrill voice was incredibly loud.

‘King’s Insight activated.’

【Don’t ignore what I said!】

– Ding!

[Checking the object’s information.]

[Information]

Name: Ring of Covenant

Type: Contractual

Features: Blood Contract

– Current State –

Can handle noble beings. (Must be worn on the same hand, on the same finger to take effect.)

==========

It doesn’t seem like an ordinary ring.

It may sound like a bias, but there’s no way something that came out of a treasure chest is ordinary.

The ring fit perfectly on my ring finger.

At first, I tried it on my index finger and then my middle finger, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that both fingers felt a bit tight.

So, I tried it on my right hand, but wearing accessories on my right hand felt quite uncomfortable, so it obviously had to be based on the left hand.

And the finger it suited best was just my left ring finger.

That said, it didn’t really give it any significant meaning.

After all, even if it’s a noble being, it’s not human.

Because humans are a foolish species.

Even when they achieve the goals they long for, they become greedy for the next goal.

The most greedy animal.

Even with wisdom, they do not use that wisdom for unity.

No animal is as cunning as humans, searching through all subjects of dependency and control.

They are just too busy caring about their own lives.

The nation gave freedom, but it was merely a facade of freedom.

Everyone decorates themselves nicely on the surface and steps out into society, forcing a smile.

Returning to the main topic, a noble being would likely be a non-human species.

I don’t want to date, get engaged, or marry a monster.

【… What are you spacing out about? Was the ruby embedded in the ring that beautiful?】

“Not really, I was just wondering how to store this.”

【Can’t you just put it in your pocket again?】

Chaewon replied bluntly.

Her words weren’t wrong.

But this was too small, and it would be difficult to notice if it slipped out of my pocket during battle or while moving.

“I think it’s too small and could be dangerous.”

【I guess so.】

Chaewon didn’t seem pleased that her opinion was dismissed.

“This should be stored like this.”

It was a simple method.

I put a pair of rings, in other words, two rings on my left ring finger.

【Are you really an idiot?】

“What now?”

【I didn’t know you were that shy.】

“Eh? What do you mean?”

I asked again, not knowing what Chaewon was trying to say.

Then, Chaewon thrust her left hand forward.

【That ring should naturally be shared with me, right? Who wears two on one finger?】

“No, so I have to wear one on my ring finger and one on my index finger? You can wear both on one finger. Let go of your prejudices.”

【… You’re really frustrating. Shouldn’t you give me one of the rings?】

Saying that, Chaewon wiggled her left ring finger, emphasizing that she wanted me to put it on her finger.

I obliged her obvious request, which seemed like a subtle demand.

“No way.”

【… I didn’t want to say this, but honestly, if I hadn’t had the idea, you would never have seen that ring.】

“Alright, let’s get going. We need to hurry and get out of this gate.”

With the quest still ahead of us, I didn’t have the luxury to deal with such hysteria.

Moreover, if those skeletons pursued us, that would be another disaster.

We had just managed to shake them off.

I needed to avoid all the efforts I made going to waste.

I turned around and started walking back towards the door we first entered the library from.

【Wait! Take me with you….】

**********

“…”

【Wow… It’s really deep, huh?】

After walking for a while, we discovered a staircase that seemed to lead underground.

The staircase spiraled downwards.

Yet, the end was nowhere in sight.

Lanterns stuck in between lit up the way.

Still, the end remained invisible.

In essence, it meant we had to go down into this profound underground.

We exchanged glances and let out a deep sigh.

【… We really have to go down this gloomy place, right?】

“It’s not like you’re the one fighting anyway.”

【Well, that’s true….】

“If I’d known it would be like this, I would have stored a fighting soul in my sword.”

【I helped enough today, though?!】

Chaewon huffed.

Her exasperation seemed quite amusing.

– Step, step.

I started slowly descending the stairs while chitchatting with Chaewon.

“Hey, why do you find flying so difficult?”

【Because I’m flying.】

“I mean, you’re not even flapping your wings.”

【…】

“Physically, it shouldn’t be hard, and it’s not like you’re using magic, right?”

As I said, she was only about twenty years old and thought to be dead.

If that was true, she was definitely living as an ordinary person and died as such.

There’s no way she could wield magic.

【Have you ever flown?】

However, Chaewon’s reaction was different from what I had anticipated.

“Huh?”

【You’ve never flown, have you?】

There was a sharp edge to her response.

“U-Um, not really?”

【If you haven’t flown, just be quiet. What do you know?】

“Okay… Sorry.”

It felt strange to see Chaewon getting serious all of a sudden.

Or perhaps I hit her Achilles’ heel.

But something was odd.

The Achilles’ heel of the Chaewon I knew was a tragic death.

‘The rich girl is trying to act cool…’

【Hik!】

Yet, in the end, Chaewon was merely trying to play it cool.

Chaewon seemed to have something pricking at her conscience as she hiccupped.

We began to walk deeper into the underground.

Because the staircase continued to spiral down, I felt slightly dizzy.

Is this how it feels to be caught in a whirlwind?

Is this what it’s like in a storm?

I walked down the winding staircase, imagining such inconsequential things, striving to reach the deepest part of this world within the gate.

Silence flowed between us.

Chaewon and I were quiet.

As I felt the discomfort of the medieval-like structure, I wished to escape this situation.

Life is once, an unforgettable memory.

Right now, we could say we are in the process of creating it.

This is.

【Haaaw…】

Chaewon yawned.

This could have been the perfect time for a good thought.

【How much longer are we going to go down?】

Hearing her words, I carefully observed my surroundings.

Finally, it seemed we had almost reached the end of this endless staircase.

Without any special thoughts, lost in random thoughts, I soon reached this place.

Since I was young, whenever I let my mind wander during school classes, it was as if I were on a time machine.

Time seemed to flow swiftly.

Some people envy such a nature.

‘I find it uncomfortable at times.’

【… Is it uncomfortable for me to be sitting?】

Her eyes glistened.

“Ah, no. That’s not it.”

Seeing Chaewon about to get upset, I hurriedly replied.

【Geez… You startled me.】

– Thud.

I stopped walking.

Smoke began to escape my mouth, as if I had just smoked.

【W-What’s this atmosphere…?】

But it wasn’t smoke.

It was liquid turned into gas due to heat.

Steam was a collection of droplets receiving the cold atmosphere.

We call that steam.

Steam came out from my mouth.

“Wh-Why is it so cold here?”

The snowy mountains I first entered after obtaining the system weren’t this cold.

It’s not snowing or anything.

Just because I went underground.

The moment I stepped off the staircase, this cold enveloped me.

【Hey… Look over there….】

Hearing Chaewon’s words, I looked to the side.

Where I looked, there was a prison made of iron bars, almost all of which were half-torn off.

It seemed like something had roughly escaped from this place.

And around it were shattered fragments of skeletons.

I still didn’t understand why this field was full of graves.

“… A dead end?”

【Isn’t this the boss room?… There’s something ahead?】

She pointed with her index finger to a pedestal in front of the boss room and something on top of it.

I checked what that something was.

On the pedestal was a bowl shaped like a round ball.

And on top of it was a dagger that looked like it was made of bronze.

The dagger was sharp but didn’t seem very durable.

Behind the pedestal, there was something written in Latin.

At the sight of the Latin, I briefly contemplated whether I should learn it now—but since she is here, there’s no need.

I had no choice but to rely on Chaewon’s help once again.

“Hey, read this Latin for me.”

【Okay, got it.】

She tucked two books under her arm, climbed down from my shoulder, and began to read the Latin.

【Let’s see… It seems like there’s something written to do before entering the boss room?】

As she continued to skim through the Latin, her face suddenly turned red.

Chaewon started to repeatedly check the same section to ensure she read it correctly.

“… What’s wrong?”

Anxiously, I placed my hand on her shoulder.

【Hik!… Ah… D-Don’t touch me!】

She immediately swatted my hand away.

【Ah, ah, ahhh… I’m not ready for this yet!】

“What kind of nonsense are you talking about all of a sudden?”

【Haa….】

She seemed to have gathered her thoughts.

Resolved, she cautiously approached me.

【You know… It said over there…】

“Uh…”

【It said to offer the most precious liquid to open the door.】

“What?”

【So….】

She finally came completely closer to me.

And then she…

Grabbed my pants.

【F-First… Take them off.】

And she began to slowly pull down my pants.