Chapter 24: 24. The legendary Black Silver
THREE DAYS LATER
ALEXANDER
Three days later, Michael arrived personally. That fact alone should explain how seriously he was taking the situation, because guild masters did not leave their offices for normal missions. Guild masters definitely did not travel several days to investigate monster rental agreements. Yet here he was standing at the entrance of the crystal caverns and staring at me.
"Tell me this is a joke."He said.
"It is not."I said.
"Alexander."He said.
"Yes?"I asked.
"Tell me the guards misunderstood."He said.
"They did not."I nodded.
Michael closed his eyes.
"Sir, everything in the report is accurate."One of the guards immediately stepped forward.
"No."Michael pointed at him.
"It is."The guard said.
"No."Michael said.
"The crystal lizard voluntarily provided ore."The guard pulled out a notebook.
"No."Michael said.
"It offered regular crystal payments, and it referred to the arrangement as rent. It has maintained the agreement for three consecutive days."Guard explained.
"No." Michael said as he looked ready to retire.
Eventually, we guided him deeper into the cavern. Aiko led the way.
"The bird is still a butler."Michael noticed him immediately.
"Yes."I nodded.
"I hoped that part would somehow fix itself."Michael said.
"It did not."I sighed.
Michael sighed heavily. We eventually reached the large crystal chamber, the crystal lizard was there, eating crystals. Exactly like before. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Michael stared and the crystal lizard stared back. Crunch.
"That is a monster."Michael said.
"Correct."I nodded.
"A monster."Michael repeated.
"Still correct."I nodded.
Michael rubbed his forehead and the crystal lizard suddenly stood up. Everyone became alert as the creature walked toward a crystal formation. It broke off several large crystal chunks, carried them over and placed them directly in front of Michael. Then it sat down and the entire chamber became silent. Michael stared at the crystal pile, the crystal pile stared at Michael. The lizard looked pleased with itself.
"It says welcome."Aiko adjusted his gloves.
"It WHAT?"Michael slowly turned toward him.
"It says welcome."Aiko repeated.
The lizard chirped and Aiko nodded.
"It also says this month’s rent payment is larger because several guests arrived."Aiko explained.
One guard collapsed against a wall laughing, another looked seconds away from doing the same. Michael remained completely motionless, the crystal lizard chirped again.
"It says the new visitor appears stressed and should eat more."Aiko translated immediately.
The chamber exploded into laughter, even Scarlet covered her mouth, Noa looked away to hide a smile. Rosalia actually smirked as Michael looked personally betrayed by reality.
"I spent twenty years becoming guild master."He said. "I studied monster ecology and I learned ancient dungeon theory. I have survived three dungeon breaks."
The crystal lizard chirped.
"It says that is impressive."Aiko listened.
Michael stared at the lizard and the lizard stared back. Then it offered him another crystal and Michael accepted it.
"You accepted the rent."A guard said.
"I accepted evidence."Michael said.
"You accepted rent."Another one added.
"I accepted evidence."Michael sighed.
"You accepted rent."I said.
"One more word and I am doubling your paperwork."Michael pointed at me. The crystal lizard immediately pushed another crystal toward him.
"It says you are now a tenant representative."Aiko smiled politely.
Michael looked at the crystal, looked at the lizard, looked at me then slowly lowered himself onto a crystal rock.
"I am never convincing anyone this actually happened."He sighed.
For the first time since arriving, even Michael stopped arguing and simply watched the crystal lizard happily eat its lunch. At that moment, I realized that the crystal lizard had somehow become Michael’s problem. Not mine, Michael’s. That fact alone made me happy. The lizard sat proudly beside its crystal pile while Michael continued questioning reality.
"DING."Then my system suddenly flickered.
"Oh no."I blinked.
"What happened, Master?"Scarlet immediately looked at me.
A screen appeared in front of my eyes.
Level increased, current level: 9. Mana capacity increased. Bond synchronization improved, new growth milestone reached."The screen said.
"Level nine."I stared.
The room immediately went quiet.
"Again?" Michael asked.
"Apparently."I said.
"You keep leveling at a rate that should not be possible."Michael said.
"I am aware."I sighed.
"I do not think you are."Michael frowned.
Before I could answer, the ring on my finger suddenly became warm, a familiar glow appeared then Zavier emerged. The legendary blacksmith looked around once, then his eyes landed on the cavern walls. Everything changed because for the first time since I had summoned him, he looked genuinely shocked. His calm expression vanished.
"What is this?"Zavier asked.
Everyone turned, and Zavier had already walked to a nearby wall. His fingers touched a dark metallic vein running through the crystal. The legendary blacksmith froze, then he started laughing, not normal laughing, the kind of laugh that made experienced adventurers nervous.
"Oh no."Michael immediately stepped backward.
"What?" I asked.
Scarlet looked confused, Noa looked concerned, Rosalia quietly moved farther away.
"BLACK SILVER."Zavier pointed at the wall.
The guards looked at each other.
"Black silver?"One guard frowned.
"Wait... THE black silver?"The second guard went pale.
"THE black silver."Zavier turned around so fast I almost jumped.
"Do you understand what this is?"His eyes were glowing as his entire blacksmith soul had activated
"No."I said.
"Of course you don’t."Zavier grinned.
"This material can withstand absurd mana pressure."He pointed dramatically at the ore. "It accepts enchantments easily, it is stronger than ordinary steel and it is almost impossible to find."
Then he looked around the cavern, there was black silver everywhere. The legendary blacksmith looked like he had discovered heaven. The crystal lizard tilted its head.
Chirp. Aiko listened and then smiled.
"The lizard says there is more."Aiko translated.
"What?"Zavier froze.
The lizard chirped again and Aiko translated.
"It says this is only the outer deposit."He said.
The entire cavern became silent, Zavier looked like he might faint.
"The outer deposit?"Zavier asked.
The lizard nodded, then stood up and it motioned for everyone to follow. Excited chirping echoed through the cavern.
"It says it would be happy to show us."Aiko translated immediately.
"No."Michael slowly sat down.
The lizard chirped proudly.
"Yes."Aiko translated.
"No." Michael repeated.
"Yes." The lizard chirped again.
Zavier was already following it.
"Move."Zavier said.
"Zavier-"I tried to stop him.
"Move."Zavier said.
"Zavier."I tried again.
"Alexander, if this creature shows me a larger black silver deposit, I will personally build your entire team custom equipment."Zavier grinned.
Everyone froze, even Noa looked surprised.
"You would?"She asked.
"Yes."Zavier nodded.
"Master crafted equipment?"Scarlet blinked.
"Legendary master crafted equipment."Zavier nodded.
The entire party immediately followed the lizard, including Michael.
"I hate this mission."The guild master looked defeated.
The crystal lizard happily led everyone deeper into the cavern, meanwhile, Zavier looked happier than he had since being summoned which was honestly far more terrifying than any monster. The deeper chamber was enormous, black silver veins covered the walls like rivers of darkness running through crystal. Even Zavier had gone completely silent for a moment. Then the crystal lizard stopped walking, the cheerful creature that had been happily leading us suddenly lowered its head.
"Something is here."Aiko frowned.
The cavern became quiet, very quiet. I stepped forward, then my lantern illuminated the far side of the chamber. Bones, human bones. Weapons, armor, backpacks. The remains of the expedition. Michael froze. The guards immediately recognized the guild insignias engraved on the rusted armor.
"No..."One whispered.
"It really is them."One guard slowly walked forward.
"Captain Roland’s team..."Another swallowed hard.
"They disappeared twelve years ago."Michael looked older in that moment.
The crystal lizard slowly approached the remains. It wasn’t afraid, it looked sad. Aiko listened as the creature chirped quietly. Then his expression changed.
"What is it?" Scarlet asked.
"It says they were not killed by monsters."Aiko looked at the bones.
Everyone froze.
"What?" Michael asked.
"They found the black silver deposit."The lizard chirped again as Aiko translated as the lizard continued. "They became greedy, the expedition argued. Some wanted to report the discovery. Others wanted to hide it and return later. The argument became violent."
The guards looked horrified.
"No monsters?" One whispered.
"The lizard says they fought each other."Aiko shook his head.
The crystal lizard walked to a section of collapsed stone nearby. Aiko listened again.
"It says the fighting damaged unstable crystal formations."Aiko said.
I looked upward. Huge crystal spikes hung from the ceiling, the entire area looked dangerous.
"The ceiling collapsed."I said.
"They trapped themselves."Michael closed his eyes.
"The survivors could not escape."Aiko nodded.
Silence filled the cavern, even Isabella wasn’t talking.
The crystal lizard carefully nudged one of the old backpacks with its nose, almost respectfully. Michael slowly walked toward the remains, then he knelt. For a long moment he didn’t say anything.
"Twelve years."Finally he sighed. "We searched everywhere." The guild master lowered his head. "And they were here the entire time."
The guards stood silently beside him, no jokes, no comments, just silence. Then the crystal lizard chirped softly.
"It says it protected the remains so scavengers would not disturb them."Aiko smiled faintly.
"The lizard did?"Michael asked.
"It remembered them."Aiko nodded.
The guild master looked at the crystal lizard for several seconds, then he slowly bowed his head.
"Thank you."He said.
The crystal lizard chirped happily, immediately returning to its normal cheerful self, which somehow made the entire situation even stranger. Meanwhile, Zavier was staring at the black silver walls again.
"I can not believe they found this."He said.
"I can."Michael looked up as pointed around the cavern. "This chamber alone is worth more than several guild branches combined."
"You actually calculated it?"One of the guards nearly tripped.
"I started calculating three hours ago." Michael looked tired. "Then I stopped because the number became upsetting."
"DING." The system suddenly appeared.
"New quest available. Recover captain Roland’s final records. Reward: Unknown."The system said.
"Oh no."I immediately groaned.
"Whatever the system wants, do it."Michael pointed at me.
"What?"I asked.
"For once, I want answers too."He said and I nodded.
It seems this time the system also wishes to help the guild, and I was glad for it.
