Chapter 92 : The Red Heart

Thump.

A temptation that seemed to pull at my very soul.

Among the thirty-six artifacts, only three resonated with the spirit of metal.

The one closest was a two-handed sword, the height of a person, perfectly suited to my taste.

Its blade was straight and long, as if made without regard for efficiency, with a simple guard.

The simple design of the sword clearly held immense power.

Even so.

[Song of Steel.]

[Ability: Creates a mana blade by consuming stamina. Damage less than half the original volume is presumed to be self-repairing.]

I quite liked the simple utility of its powerful mana, but.

“Hah….”

It might be better than ‘Blade’ for now, but I was confident that my spell would one day possess even greater abilities.

Besides, I surmised that it wouldn't be long before I could use a mana blade on my own, just like Sir Anthony, so there was no reason to choose such an artifact.

“Tsk….”

“So it was a metal attribute. I had a hunch, but you’ve awakened a truly rare sub-attribute.”

“Yes. Well….”

I just smiled and affirmed Trauni's words.

I never thought Trauni, being a fellow Spirit Master, wouldn't notice.

I was just disappointed that the artifact that had caught my interest wasn't all that useful.

‘Alright. Check the other two, and if not, find something for the family. No, that was the original plan, wasn't it? Right, so what if I can’t find anything.’

I moved on, trying to achieve a mental victory.

Fortunately, the second item was perfectly to my liking.

A simple, black necklace around which countless metal spirits clung.

“Oh….”

[Necklace of Protection.]

[Ability: Three times a day, it raises the wearer's physical defense to the level of well-refined steel. Activates upon receiving an impact that would cause injury. The remaining uses automatically recharge every 8 hours after activation, but can also be recharged immediately by pouring in metal mana, depending on the amount.]

‘This is something I can use.’

An option that naturally made my eyes shine.

Besides, being a necklace, wearing it under my armor would be no problem.

It could temporarily substitute for the helmet I needed right now, or it could be a useful item to dissipate powerful impacts that passed through my armor.

Even the limitation on its uses seemed surmountable for me, and.

‘It’s imbued with docile spirits. That means it doesn't discriminate between people….’

Even if I ended up not using it, it seemed it could serve as a protective artifact for my mother or Lian.

“This….”

“Are you satisfied this time?”

I was about to nod my head at once, but.

Fwoosh.

Seeing Anthony behind Trauni, swinging a sword that spewed flames, the words got stuck in my throat.

“It seems Sir Anthony has already made his choice….”

The sight of him perfectly controlling the energy, engulfing the surroundings in red flames without affecting the other artifacts in the slightest, looked incredibly cool.

‘As expected of a knight, it’s all about offense. Tsk….’

Suddenly, the Necklace of Protection felt incredibly shabby in comparison.

“……I’ll look around a little more.”

There was still one more artifact that resonated with metal mana.

And that last one, though farthest away, was giving off the most intense pull.

I had to at least see that one, didn’t I?

“As you wish.”

‘Please!’

If I don’t like that item, then I can just choose the Bracelet of Insurance, no, the Bracelet of Protection.

Thinking that, I could walk with a much lighter heart.

However.

The place my steps led me to had only a single red gemstone on display.

A red gem cut into a polygon, like a well-crafted diamond, with every facet reflecting a brilliant light like a mirror.

The moment I saw it, I had a strange feeling.

‘A heart?’

Why did a heart come to mind first when looking at a gemstone?

Moreover.

Thump.

My own heart began to beat as if in response to the gem.

“This is……?”

But thinking rationally, I felt I shouldn't follow my instincts.

It was a little strange.

The energy of metal was felt so strongly.

Of the three, this was where the most spirits were gathered.

‘It’s just a gemstone?’

Puzzled, I shifted my gaze and read the description of the gem.

[A part, or core, of something unknown.]

‘Core……?’

The name itself was suspicious to no end.

On top of that.

[Ability: A part of something, containing powerful metal mana. Presumed to be a power source for an ancient weapon or armor made of metal. A piece that did not even get a scratch from the hammering of Seven-Star Taniel at the time of the kingdom’s founding.]

A gemstone that didn't get a single scratch from a Seven-Star's attack.

If I had only read this far, I would have just ignored it, no matter how strong the pull, but.

[Special note: If the object that uses this as a power source actually existed, whatever it was, it would have been a transcendence-grade artifact or something comparable to a mythical divine weapon. However, since no method to utilize the power contained within nor any connected parts have been found, it is evaluated as treasure-grade and left as such.]

The added explanation, which other artifacts lacked, intrigued me.

Especially.

‘A part of a mythical treasure?’

I just couldn't ignore those words.

Of course, the reaction of others was different.

“……This is almost useless. Ah, but perhaps not for Sir Muno.”

“Pardon?”

“If you use metal Spirit Arts, you should be able to charge your mana with this. It’s an item that replenishes its mana almost instantly, even after being completely drained.”

“Pardon?”

Does that even make sense?

“It will probably be of use to Sir Muno as a portable mana charger. A nearly infinite one at that. It’s useful. However….”

Infinite?

Trauni's explanation made me even more tempted by this gem, but.

“……Considering various factors, wouldn’t that Bracelet of Protection be a better choice? The royal treasury is not a place one can enter so often.”

As he said, this opportunity was too precious to be spent on a mere mana charger.

However.

‘That would be true if this were just a mana charger.’

Was it because I had seen the description, or was there something else to that red gem?

Thump.

The pull I had felt from the very beginning was now tugging at my soul even more strongly.

It was to the point where I felt I should rightfully own it.

Thump.

The closer I got, the stronger the pull felt.

Suddenly, a phrase from the description caught my eye again.

Power source.

[……Presumed to be a power source for an ancient weapon or armor made of metal…….]

Armor, huh…….

I looked down at my own armor.

Of course, this was a part of my body, not an artifact, let alone an ancient relic.

But it possessed a strength and mystery that surpassed most artifacts.

‘I think it will work…….’

I stared at the red gem as if possessed, with a dazed look in my eyes.

And then I picked it up.

“Sir Muno! If you touch it rashly, it will be considered your choice……!”

Trauni’s shouting went in one ear and out the other.

Woooong.

Kwaddeudeuk.

‘Power source, heart…….’

I forcibly altered the center of my breastplate, a part I hadn't felt the need to use until now.

‘Ugh…….’

Trying to temporarily alter the shape of my already fixed armor consumed a considerable amount of mana and mental energy.

Woddeuk.

I forced a groove into the center of my breastplate, perfectly sized for the gem.

Tak.

The moment I embedded the gem into it.

Flash.

“Kuh!?”

For a moment, my mind went white, and I felt an immense energy flowing through my entire body.

Wuuuuuuuung.

‘Ugh!?’

An uncontrollable power began to race through my whole body, beyond the armor.

Strangely, though I felt pain, I didn’t feel like anything was wrong.

On the contrary.

Swaaaaaa.

Wuuuuuuuung.

As the light that filled my vision faded.

The red gem was firmly fitted in the center of my breastplate, as if that had been its rightful place all along.

“Sir Muno?”

“Hah….”

My mind was clearer than ever before.

And the reason was clear.

The red gem. Another ‘heart.’

‘This was originally mine.’

To be precise, it was probably something made long ago for me, or for others like me.

I couldn't explain why if someone asked, but it felt like I had finally reclaimed something I was supposed to have.

And that alone changed many things.

The gem, the ‘other heart’, transmitted the proper way to use power, as if it were teaching me.

‘I’ve been using my power incorrectly all this time.’

My previous method of using the metal manipulation ability was to focus my mind for a moment to move metal, like deflecting an arrow’s path or twisting an enemy’s weapon.

But the ‘path’ taught by the red gem, the ‘other heart’, was different.

Paaang!

A firmness felt in a lightly thrown punch.

Thump.

Wuuuuuuuung.

My armor, which transmitted no shock inward even when struck with mana-infused force.

‘It’s not just about moving metal, I can interfere with the element itself.’

Kwaddeudeuk.

Just by naturally tuning my armor with the metal manipulation ability, it gained more than 1.5 times its previous strength and elasticity.

My armor was sturdy to begin with, but now I had a hunch that most impacts wouldn't even dent it.

On top of that.

Wuuuuuuung.

A gray metal mana shimmered like a heat haze over my armor and fists.

Just by moving it, I could drastically enhance the strength of my armor.

‘I can do this too.’

Paaaaaaaaang!

I could create a mana blade about 10cm long at the tip of the ‘blade’ I swung in the air.

Things I had never even dreamed of were now happening so naturally.

Just by being able to feel and handle metal as if it were my own body.

“Sir Muno?”

“Hoh?”

I heard surprised voices from my side, but I focused only on my own abilities.

‘So this works.’

The essence of the metal manipulation ability, conveyed to my mind by the ‘other heart’, was, in a way, extremely simple.

‘To move, tune, and add power to metal to the extent of my ability's reach.’

And that was perhaps, no, probably the ultimate form that metal Spirit Arts sought.

To be more precise about what I felt now.

‘Spirit Arts were created to supplement the power to control elements like my ability… with mana? Does that even make sense?’

It was confusing, but it was the truth.

The enlightenment and intuition engraved on my soul through the gem said so.

I could clearly feel that the efficiency of the spell’s power contained in ‘Blade’ had also naturally improved significantly.

‘I want to try it out right now.’

But the situation wasn't right for experimenting.

“……I will take this, Sir Trauni.”

As an uncontrollable smile tried to escape from my lips.

I belatedly heard Trauni’s dry laugh.

His expression was one of someone who had realized something.

“To think that the main body of that relic was Sir Muno’s artifact, it’s surprising. I suppose this is what they mean when they say a treasure has its own master.”

A guess that was about a million light-years away from the truth.

But I didn't bother to correct him.

‘With this, has the rumor that my ability is an artifact become half-true?’

As a smirk appeared on my face.

Anthony, who had chosen a red sword that matched his own armor, approached them.

His expression also seemed bright, as if he had obtained what he wanted.

On top of that.

“You use a mana blade right after getting an artifact? Junior, you really are a monster. That thing just now, it looked like your inherent power, not the artifact’s ability, didn't it?”

As if he had grasped the essence just by seeing me swing my blade once, he was staring at me with intrigued eyes.

“……This artifact assists with Spirit Arts, so thanks to it, I gained some intuition for handling mana and was able to do it. I always thought I’d be able to do it someday……. I was lucky.”

In response, I added an objective explanation, separate from my current satisfaction, and showed modesty.

But Anthony's eyes lit up even more.

“Oho. So you could have used a mana blade with just growth? I heard that the Corporeal Arts of Gluttony doesn't use mana?”

“Ah……. That is…….”

“You, did you perhaps evolve that peculiar Corporeal Arts? A 3rd characteristic?”

The talk about characteristics that I had heard from Count Enoch Trian now came from his mouth as well.

‘A 3rd characteristic…….’

Grandpa Enoch is one thing, but how does this guy know about the Corporeal Arts of Gluttony too?

“……Yes. Well, it just happened.”

“Hmm. It would be difficult to reach Seven-Star with a 3rd characteristic…….”

He even said the exact same thing.

“Are you mentioning Seven-Star to Sir Muno, who is not even seventeen yet, Sir Anthony?”

“I’m saying it because I see that much talent. Of course….”

However, what followed was a little different.

“……Since the junior before my eyes has already proven his extraordinary talent, I suppose the future is unknown. Good. I’ll be looking forward to it, junior. No, Sir Muno.”

Looking forward to what?

There were many things I wanted to ask, but Anthony, as he had always done, didn't even give me a chance to open my mouth and spoke directly to Trauni.

“It seems everything is settled now, Chamberlain. Isn’t that right?”

“……Well, I’m glad you are both satisfied.”

Trauni calmed his startled heart and declared that the time for choosing treasures was over.