Chapter 56 - Pallas's Ring

Pallas's Ring.

An item I received as a reward from the Burning Dungeon, it boasted the highest grade among rings.

Its role was to automatically activate an intangible shield, acting as a barrier the moment the wearer was exposed to an enemy's attack.

Every time I came to the Abyss, I tested the performance of this ring.

Kereuk!

Another goblin appeared.

This was the thirteenth one.

The goblin swung the club in its hand with all its might.

The target was my head.

Whoosh!

The club cut through the air as it approached.

But I didn't lift a single finger, merely watching the goblin's attack.

At some point, Pallas's Ring began to vibrate.

It had sensed a crisis situation as the wearer took no defensive stance.

[Activating Pallas's Shield.]

An intangible shield immediately appeared in front of my head, and the goblin's club was helplessly blocked.

Kereureuk??

The goblin had a puzzled look in its eyes.

It would have no way of understanding why its attack was blocked.

In fact, I was just as curious.

This kind of item didn't exist on the Kalia Continent.

[Shield durability has reached 0.]

[Entering self-repair mode.]

[Time remaining: 12 hours]

Keeeek!!

The goblin, its heart pierced by my Reapersword, met its end.

‘Finally!’

It was a significant change.

Until yesterday, the shield's durability had invariably reached 0 at the twelfth goblin.

But today, for the first time, it had lasted until the thirteenth.

Although further experiments were needed for complete verification, the hypothesis that this ring was a growth-type item had gained strength.

The factor influencing the ring's growth was likely the wearer's 'mana amount'.

My mana, though meager, was increasing daily, and Pallas's Ring must have detected a significant change for the first time today.

In fact, it made more sense for this ring not to be a growth-type.

For a top-grade item to block a goblin's attack a mere twelve times would be a flaw in its design.

And there was another important hypothesis.

Regardless of the power of the enemy's attack, as long as the shield's durability was not 0, it would perfectly defend me.

This meant that an item that could only block a goblin's attack thirteen times could, for a single instance, even block a dragon's breath, though this required a bit more verification.

‘Anyway, I’ve obtained something incredible.’

It was worth the trouble of entering the Burning Dungeon.

Since I couldn't activate the ring anymore today, I should quickly go to the Spring of Elixir and heal my body.

Then, this ring would grow stronger along with me.

***

At dusk.

As soon as I returned to the family estate from the Abyss, Chae Su-ji came to find me.

“The Wolyeong Unit Leader is looking for you.”

“My eldest brother? What’s the matter?”

“You will know when you get there.”

Who wouldn't know that. She was stating the obvious.

“But I have a question for you, Unit Leader.”

“Go ahead.”

“I am curious as to how you were able to suddenly recover your health, Unit Leader.”

Look at this one.

The way I was treating my illness was already a publicly known fact, yet she was asking about it.

She probably wanted to find out if my words were true or false.

Since she had a lie detector.

“The Spring of Elixir. It was effective.”

Of course, this wasn't the whole story, but it wasn't a lie either.

The Elixir was certainly acting as a catalyst.

“But Unit Leader. I heard that the Spring of Elixir was originally ineffective.”

“So you asked knowing everything. Were you that interested in me?”

“Unit Leader, you had changed so much in the few months our Wolyeong Knights were away from the family estate……”

“So you interrogated me?”

“In-interrogate!”

“Your tone felt a bit like an interrogation.”

I looked at Chae Su-ji with a sly smile.

“It's a misunderstanding!”

“At some point, I realized that the Spring of Elixir was effective. Is that enough?”

Naturally, her necklace showed no movement at all.

Because there wasn't a single grain of falsehood in my words.

“I understand, Unit Leader. Please forgive me if I was rude.”

“Next time you want to interrogate me, bring a lie detector. It would be more fun for me that way.”

At my words, Chae Su-ji's face turned beet red.

To be so bad at managing her expression.

***

The reason Seo Ji-hoon had called me was unexpected.

I thought it might be about the Hatchling's Nest, but he made a completely different proposal.

“You want to go to a dungeon with me?”

“Yes. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do. It was something you always wanted too, wasn't it, youngest brother?”

“Me?”

“Yes. You used to say it like a habit when you were young. That you wanted to get healthy and go on a dungeon raid with me.”

It was something he could have plausibly said.

For the Seo Ji-han of that time, even such trivial things would have been a lifelong wish.

“That was when I was young. Now I have some concerns. I'm a Unit Leader now, aren't I?”

The reason he suddenly wanted to go to a dungeon with me.

It probably wasn't just because of something I said as a child.

“Don't think too seriously about it. I'm just trying to keep a promise I made to you when you were young. Well, fulfilling such a promise is a pleasure for me as well.”

Types like Seo Ji-hoon were the most difficult.

His fundamental nature was good, but he wasn't entirely naive either.

Even this proposal surely had a hidden purpose.

“It's a difficult situation to refuse. Since you also granted one of my proposals, it would be right for me to follow suit.”

There wasn't much reason to refuse, and I thought it would be fine to face it head-on.

“Good. Then we're even?”

I nodded.

With this, I had also gained something.

I could now pressure Seo Ji-hoon to fulfill my proposal for sure.

“By the way, when is the dungeon raid?”

“Two days from now. If that's okay with you, youngest brother.”

“It's fine. But are we going just the two of us?”

“That's about right. Though an errand runner will be following us.”

“That errand runner being……”

No way. I had a feeling who it was.

“It's Chae Su-ji. She guided you here today as well.”

As expected.

I could now be certain of one of the intentions behind his proposal to go to a dungeon with me.

To learn more about me through her item.

Seo Ji-hoon. A person who was good but couldn't be let down one's guard against.

***

“Ho-joong.”

“Yes, Unit Leader.”

“Are you any good at reading people?”

“It's a bit much for me to say this myself, but I'm almost at Gung Ye's level.”

My trust in him plummeted, but since I had brought it up, I decided to ask anyway.

“Then, give me a one-line review of the three brothers of the Haewon Sword Family, including myself.”

After Seo Ji-hoon's return to the family estate, I had been thinking a lot about my family.

My father and mother were unequivocally good people.

There was no doubt about that.

But a question mark remained regarding my older brothers.

Seo Ji-hoon and Seo Ji-won.

Two people with different personalities, they were my blood brothers, but we were in an awkward relationship where we had to compete for the single position of Family Head.

Unless I gave up the position of Family Head, it was highly likely that conflicts would arise with them in the future one way or another.

During my Johan Raven days, I had seen countless bad endings between brothers.

It was common for brothers to stab each other with swords, and I had even seen a bloody revenge drama that spanned several generations.

I hoped that, at least in our family, such a thing would not happen.

I thought that a basic understanding of my brothers was necessary first.

“Even harsh criticism is fine. Just tell me what you honestly feel.”

“Are you sure you won't hold a grudge?”

“I won't.”

What on earth was this guy planning to say?

“Then I’ll start with Unit Leader Seo Ji-hoon.”

“Go on.”

“I believe he is the most likely candidate for the next Unit Leader. He can be considered perfect in all aspects, from his martial arts skills, achievements, to his character.”

“His weakness?”

“His way of speaking is a bit cringey?”

“I agree with that. Any other weaknesses besides that?”

“Not particularly.”

“You should have gone to the Wolyeong Knights instead of the Chamryongdan.”

“Didn’t you say you wouldn’t hold a grudge?”

“Alright. Then next. Tell me about my second brother.”

Choi Ho-joong hesitated for a moment before starting to share his thoughts.

“I think Unit Leader Seo Ji-won has clear strengths and weaknesses.”

“His strengths?”

“A cool-headed personality. He's someone who can always make rational judgments.”

“And?”

“His talent is not inferior to Unit Leader Seo Ji-hoon's. The gap between them comes from experience. Also, considering his relentless ambition, I think he could one day surpass Unit Leader Seo Ji-hoon.”

“You're a fan of my second brother.”

“I really like the Chamryongdan.”

This guy was now catching on and acting first.

“You said he has clear strengths and weaknesses? What are his weaknesses?”

“Extreme self-absorption. And the fact that he rarely acknowledges others.”

“I agree.”

“You absolutely cannot tell him I said this!”

Choi Ho-joong's assessment of the first two was not much different from my own thoughts.

In fact, I hadn't asked Choi Ho-joong expecting a deeply profound story.

I was just curious.

About the honest perception of the people around us regarding the three of us brothers.

“Then what about me?”

“It’s not easy to say it to your face.”

“Just say it honestly. I definitely said I wouldn’t hold a grudge.”

But the guy had a look full of suspicion.

“There is one appropriate word to describe you, Unit Leader……”

“Just say it. You frustrating guy.”

“A crazy bastard.”

“What?”

“I can’t think of a more fitting expression than that.”

“What does that mean?”

“At some point, I started feeling an aura from you, Unit Leader, that of a crazy bastard that no one can touch. I even get the absurd feeling that even the Family Head wouldn’t be able to do anything about you.”

“Using my father as an example is not appropriate. There is no parent who can win against their child, so it’s natural that my father can’t do anything about me.”

“The feeling I got from you, Unit Leader, is not of that kind. For example, it feels like you wouldn’t even blink if all the forces of the 10 great sword families stood in your way. Like the craziest bastard in the world.”

Ho. This guy wasn't a complete fool.

Hanging around me all the time, he had finally figured me out properly.

“I think I roughly know what you mean, Ho-joong. But that’s not because I’m crazy.”

“Then is there a more appropriate expression?”

It was because I had the 'dignity' of an emperor.

I had the experience of standing at the top, a position no one could reach.

In those days, I had the world at my feet, and everyone looked up to me.

And as long as my soul was intact, this dignity would not disappear.

‘What a shame.’

There was no way to fully explain this principle to Choi Ho-joong.

“For now, let’s just go with a crazy bastard.”

Choi Ho-joong, knowing nothing, just made a face of agreement.