148 - 24 Hearts

Twenty-Four Hearts - Chapter 148 > Book Rabbit - Web Novel Archive Chapter 4: The Country of Entertainment and Culture, Urn [You've gathered the fourth shard.] [This is an unprecedented event since a shard of Perlnern fell into Middle Earth over two centuries ago.] [The fact that nobody is aware of this makes it even more astonishing.] [Although no judgment can be made about you since no one knows, your remarkable achievement raises your level by an additional 3 points.] ────────────────────── 「Status Window」 [Name: Yuda Arshe] [Title: Little Hero of Serenia Castle (2)] [Level: 48] [Class: Black Claw - Shadow Swordmaster (Hidden_A)] [Resurrections: 25] [Strength: 51(C) / Potential A] [Stamina: 47(C) / Potential S] [Agility: 61(B) / Potential SS] [Magic: 45(C) / Potential B] [Magic Resistance: 58(C) / Potential S] [Charisma: 12(F) / Potential A] [Knowledge: 21(D) / Potential B] ◀ Special [Luck: 85(A) / Potential S] ◀ Special [Remaining Points: 12] ────────────────────── However, the updated status window didn't just show a 3-level increase, but an additional 3 points as well. I generally read system messages, and upon checking when this increase happened, it turned out to be a reward for helping Isabelle at Regen earlier. 「Quest - Regen」 [Chieftain Chachung Isabelle’s Request 1 - Scout the Orc Village] └Reward: Level increase by 1, substantial favor increase with the Black Wood Tribe. [Chieftain Chachung Isabelle’s Request 2 - Defeat the Heroic Sword Owner Quake] └Reward: Level increase by 2, shard transfer, and 30 increase in Isabelle’s favor. Level 48, swordsmanship proficiency is 9… Just a bit more, and I'll become another heroic sword owner before I head to the Elf Forest. Contemplating how to use the new ring's options, I found myself arriving at the mansion. The count, who had been silent after handing over the ring, claimed he was tired and returned to his room immediately upon getting out of the carriage. Left alone, Yuda had nothing else to do either. I went to check Jeane and Arhil's room, but they hadn't returned yet. Returning to the quiet room, Yuda sat on the bed, having taken off only his outer garments. He caught sight of the two shards on his left hand. Out of the twenty-four shards, he had already gathered four. Carpe Diem. Artemia. Yakal. Valentine. The grand sword Yakal, possessing a magnificent form amongst them, hadn't yet acknowledged him as its master, but that was a matter of time. 'Smooth, surprisingly so.' Considering the numerous deaths experienced, it couldn't be called smooth, yet the plan was, more or less, being faithfully executed up to now. 'If I can rescue the elves here and gain their favor, it will be perfect.' Having obtained the shard in Urn, there was only one left. Tomorrow, I needed to meet Roksin to get a map of the mansion. Although there was an attempt to draw it in the <Memo>, either too much was forgotten, or it was postponed until later, as no proper map existed. Fleeting memories failed to recall it adequately. "Hmm." Lying down on the bed, the softness drained all tension away. The unique scent and gentleness of the blanket were truly comforting. As he lay there, Yuda slowly fell asleep, only to awaken abruptly in the early hours of the morning. Gasping slightly, Yuda realized he had been asleep, curled up like a fetus, shivering under the blanket in the cold darkness. Groaning softly, he lay staring up at the ceiling. Though a cool breeze wafted in through the open window, he continued to gaze at the ceiling, his eyes gradually adjusting to the darkness. "…What time is it?" As he murmured, a holographic clock appeared in the corner of his vision, displaying the current time. [04:19] A time too vague to embark on a stroll, visit a casino, or go to a restaurant. Roksin needed to be met early, but that could wait until after six. There's no way he was that diligent. Letting out a small sigh, Yuda shifted his gaze from the illuminating green clock to the ceiling, causing the clock to disappear. As he lay there absentmindedly, he sniffed like a dog. Come to think of it, there was a sweet aroma wafting in the room. Rising and looking around, he found a paper bag on the small table. Braving his laziness, he went to the table and opened the bag, discovering a host of food inside. Bread, snacks, and drinks. It seemed like either Arhil or Jeane had left it there, but it had grown cold, indicating it had been a while. Yuda pressed the button on the lamp by the bedside. It emitted a soft glow, though he didn't know how it worked. "Tastes good." Perhaps it was hunger, but it tasted delicious. A hamburger with cabbage, mayonnaise, and a meat patty, fruit juice, and an assortment of snacks were plentiful. As he dug continuously into the paper bag, devouring voraciously, he felt a presence watching from outside the window. "Is it tasty?" "……Yeah." Roksin was there. He entered through the window, clad in black attire. As the dark aura dissipated around his shoulders, he removed the mask from his face and glanced at Yuda, stuffing his mouth with cookies, with a rather pitying look before chuckling softly. "Waking up early is good, but I didn't expect you to eat as if you've been starving." "Want some?" "Nah, I'm good. Unless it pairs well with wine, which I've had plenty of before," Roksin declined with a dismissive hand wave. He removed the black bag from his shoulders, placing it on the table. As he glanced around the room, he turned on the overhead light instead of the lamp, brightening the room instantly. The sudden brilliance caused Yuda to shut his eyes briefly before opening them slowly. Once his eyes adjusted, Yuda became acutely aware of Valentine on his left hand. If this was Roksin from the Shadow Kingdom, he'd probably identify it as a shard upon seeing it. Although the paper bag in his left hand was concealing it somewhat, Yuda thought it best to remove the ring and stow it in his <Bag> when he had a moment alone, perhaps when Roksin stepped away. ‘Perhaps I should wear gloves,’ he mused. With winter approaching, no one would find it suspicious. While slightly inconvenient, given Valentine's notoriety among the people of Urn, it seemed prudent to keep it concealed here. The count had surrendered the shard unconditionally, so this was a minor courtesy Yuda could offer in return. Unaware of Yuda's contemplations, Roksin began retrieving various items from the bag he brought. "Seronic family... Neyuebe... Hissen... Three in total." As Roksin mumbled, unrolling a scroll, Yuda hastily removed the ring and tucked it into the <Bag>, lifting the paper bag again as he casually approached Roksin. "Is that a map?" "Yes, these are the estate maps of three noble families. But other nobles also own elf slaves; why did you ask only for these three?" "Because I can't free them all. These houses hold high elves, you see." Roksin was taken aback. How did he know that? The presence of high elves was a detail Roksin had only uncovered when compiling intelligence. Other elves had resigned to their status as slaves, living subdued lives under the nobles. However, rumors had circulated about Seronic, Neyuebe, and Hissen families recently acquiring high elves with plans for training. Roksin couldn't help but wonder about Yuda's source of information. How well did he know the Shadow Kingdom? Could there be another intelligence network intact unknown to the Shadow Kingdom? Despite placing Yuda under surveillance yesterday, no contacts were observed. "So, it's about rescuing the most valuable ones?" Yuda set the paper bag down and spread a map on the small table, all the while chewing a cookie, his cheek puffed out hamster-like to speak. "Partly, but given I can't save them all, I aim to free those who are capable and determined to return to the forest. There must be more than just a few elves in one mansion, and how could I relocate every elf in Urn?" "Indeed, I did wonder if you would just rescue anyone randomly. At least you have a plan." Roksin nodded approvingly, feeling relieved that Yuda was being pragmatic. "Naturally. But the bigger issue is whether we can orchestrate a full escape. As soon as we hit one mansion, the entire city will be on high alert." "And they'll undoubtedly suspect us, the Shadow Kingdom, right away." In Urn, the most influential wielders are the mages, the nobles themselves. They hold control, and raiding one of their estates to free elves would surely initiate a crackdown. They’d likely begin an immediate search. If they found no trace, they'd naturally suspect the most secretive group, the <Shadow Kingdom>. That would be the logical assumption given the nobles' standing and their likely knowledge of the Shadow Kingdom's existence. They might have attempted contact numerous times, and if accused, they might confront us. "Are you sure about helping us like this?" "Not sure at all, but what can I do? I have to honor my word, who else will?" "I like that. So here's the plan: if the nobles come pressing the Shadow Kingdom, once I'm safely away from Urn with the elves, release my location and information to the great nobles." "That doesn't assure you won't get caught soon after." Roksin questioned, uncertain whether Yuda was serious. Great nobles could be considered high-level mages. They possess long-distance teleportation magic and wield powers comparable to a battalion. Each family commands a formidable magic corps, unparalleled in strength. If Yuda’s whereabouts were disclosed, could he truly escape with the elves from Urn? Despite this risk, Yuda simply gave Roksin a confident, defiant grin. "Let them try if they can." ---------= Author's Note ---------= Hehe ;;; I just realized now that I missed recording a quest reward from Regen earlier. Judge... I'm innocent...