Chapter 55- Right And Wrong (Part 1)
Rin's mind was in shambles from the sheer amount of emotions he felt at that exact moment. He couldn't recall what he saw but the lingering feelings from it were still there as vivid as ever. Tears kept trickling down his face so he quickly wiped them and tried to calm his beating heart.
Elise sat beside him and kept looking at him with a confused gaze. She had seen Rin cry before when he lost Mika and also when he lost his mother and sister. He was sad, broken, and depressed.
However, the emotions she saw in Rin's eyes at that moment were far from normal sadness. It was as if she was looking at a being that lost his half. It was as if she was looking at someone whose soul was completely shredded to pieces with no chance of ever fixing itself.
That flicker of horribly dark sadness took her aback and made her question what really happened in that split second when Rin touched the dagger.
"What did you see?" After a long time, she asked again.
"I… don't know. But, it felt extremely painful as if thousands of knives were stabbing my heart again and again and again. I have no idea why I felt like this." He clenched the clothes on his chest as he tried to recall what he saw.
But, each time he tried to remember, a strong headache assaulted him and made him stop thinking for a good 4 seconds.
"You don't need to try and forcefully recall it. Calm down." Elise said.
"Ah! You are most likely right. Sigh, I don't want to ever feel that way again. It's the worst possible thing I could ever go through."
"..."
"Anyway, sorry for worrying you." He tried to say it jokingly but the answer he got made him blink in sheer surprise.
"It's ok. Take care of yourself." Her reply was bland and cold but it was still a nice reply that Rin never thought will ever get from the cold and aloof Elise.
'Did she start softening up for me? I wish that's the case but she's still as cold as ever.' He thought as he laughed at his own naive thoughts.
"Anyway, let me check the dagger first. It better be worth the mental torture I went through."
Elise watched silently as he looked deeply at the dagger for a good 5 seconds. After that, Rin's eyes widened in shock.
"What the fuck?!" He exclaimed loudly.
"What did you get?"
"Here, you have the appraisal skill, right? See for yourself." He gave her the dagger.
Elise didn't get why he didn't just say what made him shocked but she still used Appraisal nevertheless.
Then, just like Rin, she had a surprising reaction on her face. She had no idea that out of all things, it would be this kind of power.
[Fragment of the Shadow Monarch's dagger]
[This is one fragment of 3 other fragments that make the full weapon. Each fragment is scattered across the vast universe. Find them to complete the whole weapon.]
[Rank:???]
[Durability:???]
[Level: 01]
[Skills: Ruler's Army]
[Ruler's Army: You can use this skill to absorb any opponent you kill and turn them into a servant that you could summon. The moment the creature turns into your servant, it loses 60% of its initial prowess.]
"See?" Rin asked.
"It's quite… interesting."
"Not interesting. This is outright stupidly powerful. I can literally create a whole army of creatures that fight for me. It didn't even state any number limit. This is insane!" Rin felt a rush of energy assault him at the mere thought of the vast possibilities he had using this weapon.
"This Shadow Monarch… who is he? To possess such strength. What kind of existence was he?" Elise asked with a suspicious look on her beautiful face.
"I'm also intrigued to know. He is definitely something else. I can only imagine how powerful he was and using this dagger, he must've been some kind of supreme being even among gods."
[That's what I explained before, didn't I, host?]
'I didn't fully believe you at the time.'
[Do you still have trust issues, host? Did you experience a case of infidelity before?]
'Shut up… just shut up. I don't have the strength to argue with you about how you ended up with that conclusion.'
[I will take that as a yes.]
'Fuck no!'
[It's a joke, host. I am sure that you are a loner. There is no way you could get cheated on if you never had a partner in the first place.]
'... I hate you. I genuinely hate you with every ounce of my being.'
[I love you, host.]
"Sigh, anyway. It's really something else. But, we have to leave now before anyone cou-"
"Anyone could what?"
Out of nowhere, a gentle and warm voice spoke to them. Elise and Rin sprang up on their legs and looked around them warily.
"Oh! Please, drop your guard. It's me, Maria, big sister."
Out of the shadows, Maria came out smiling toward them.
"What are you doing here, Maria?" Elise asked with squinted eyes.
Even under the pressuring gaze of Elise, Maria didn't seem to be that worried as she replied with a nonchalant smile.
"I couldn't sleep so I decided to take a stroll around the castle. That's when I saw both of you enter the treasury then I decided to follow you."
'Who would believe that?' Rin thought in his head.
"I'm telling the truth, really."
Her innocent attitude and pure smile didn't quite fit the situation which made Rin feel tense and on alert.
He had no idea how she was able to enter the treasury without making a single sound. Hell, how did she even get past the guards without initiating a conversation which Rin and Elise could hear in this quiet place?
It all simply didn't fit together and it made him feel as if this girl Maria wasn't the same person she pretended to be. She had a secret that he didn't quite grasp yet.
"And now that you came here, are you satisfied?"
"I am, actually. Wait, no! I wanted to get to know Mr. Rin personally."
"Me?"
"Yes! I have been interested in you, Rin."
'She really quickly dropped the honorifics, didn't she?'
"Why are you interested in me?"
"I mean. Look at where we are. You have sneaked inside the empire's most precious place to get a dagger while accompanying Aviresion's scared princess. Is there anything normal about that, Rin?"
"You weirdly… have a point." Rin looked troubled as he replied honestly."
"Hehehe! You are really funny, Rin. I like you. Why don't we become friends?"
"I will gladly refuse."
"Huh?! Why?!" Maria asked with a sad look.
"Enough, Maria. Stop this stupid play of yours and get to the point of why you are here."
"Heeh? You are so boring, big sister. That's why no man will ever like you."
Instantly, a cold aura erupted around Elise and engulfed the room. Her face was still as calm as a lake but her aura was raging quietly.
"Get. to. the. point." She repeated slowly.
"O-Ok, ok. You win. But, I didn't lie about the fact that I was interested in Rin. He's such a unique person and I couldn't hold myself from getting curious about him. However, I also came to this place for another reason… that dagger, can you give it back to me?"
"Can I ask why?"
"It's mine so it's only natural I get it back. Besides…"
"Besides?"
"That dagger is actually… found in the demon's territory."
"Huh? Wait…"
"Yes, Rin. That dagger is indeed something created by demons… a cursed object that shouldn't be touched by a human unless that person wants to get corrupted."
'Wait… if that was the case… No! it's not the case here. This dagger is one of the deceased Shadow Monarch's belongings. It can't be something created by demons… unless…' A weird thought crossed Rin's mind for a second before he shook it away quickly.
"Can I ask your permission to take this dagger with me? I know I'm being unreasonable since I was about to steal it anyway. But, how should I explain this… it's something I urgently need."
"Ok! You can take it."
"I really need it so if you could find it in yourself to… huh?"
"I said it's yours now! You can use that dagger."
"Are you serious?"
"Moo, Rin! You are too slow! Come on, I said yes twice."
"But… that was too easy!"
"Hehehe! Well, I do have one condition though."
"What condition?"
Maria chuckled happily and then replied.
"Follow me and you will know."
Rin quickly looked at Elise with a complicated gaze. His eyes asked 'what should we do?'
However, Elise didn't know what to do either. Maria was a very mysterious and unpredictable person so she can't really wrap her head around what that little girl was scheming. But, on the other hand, they also can't risk her telling the king and the other princes and princesses or they will be in trouble. Stealing from the royal treasury isn't a laughing matter at all.
'Fuck! This really turned bad!' Rin could only curse the world for this bad outcome.
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