Chapter 34: Discovered Secret (1)

Chapter 34: Discovered Secret (1)

A week had passed since Yuria left.

The empire is now buzzing with adventurers flocking to Hamel because of the unidentified dungeon discovered there.

Hearing news of a dungeon in Hamel, adventurers began arriving with dreams of striking it rich.

Adventurers heading to the bustling area passed between the mansion's walls, and we watched them absentmindedly.The debut release of this chapter happened at Ñòv€l-B1n.

-Surely it's an unidentified dungeon, right? Just need one solid artifact to come my way, please.

-Damn it. Like that’s going to happen? You should have prayed at the church like I did.

-Give me a break, fool. You should quit gambling.

I watched the backs of the adventurers leaving with hope and muttered softly.

"Pfft."

***

The quiet second floor, in the lady's room.

The lady frowned at the old bundle placed on the bed.

"Is this what Ricardo called the 4D pocket?"

"Yes."

An old bundle with patchy stitching.

As the lady poked it with her finger, the clear sound of coins jingling came from within.

"Ooh...!"

The lady nodded her head.

"A pouch that grants wishes!"

"That's right. This is a 4D pocket that can grant any wish."

Eyes wide, the lady focused all her attention on the old bundle. She hesitated to touch it as if it were a sacred relic, looking to me for salvation.

"Can I use this to conquer the world?"

"Do you want to?"

"Mhm."

Taken aback by such an unexpected answer, I quickly shifted my gaze.

The lady asked again.

"Is it possible?"

"Well, that’s a bit..."

"What? Then..."

The lady’s interest waned and with an "Ugh," she hit the bundle, sending a stream of glittering gold coins pouring out.

The lady pointed at the coins with her finger, her face asking what in the world was going on.

"Treasure?"

I nodded.

"Treasure."

The treasures in the bundle were gathered during our 2-night, 3-day exploration of the dusty dungeon, a week ago.

The treasures that adventurers dreamt of striking rich with were now inside this worn-out bundle.

Overwhelmed with amazement, the lady’s hands trembled.

"I can... grant my wish."

"With that amount, hardly."

"Not enough?"

"Yes."

"Still, it’s great."

Smiling, the lady began placing the gold coins against her chest as if she were a bank robber scooping money into a bag. Observing the lady swiftly moving her hands, I asked.

"What are you doing?"

"Saving."

"Over there?"

The lady nodded.

I took pleasure in seeing the lady develop such a strange habit, my eyes feasting on the spectacle.

‘Perhaps... this is better.'

I began to pull out items from the bundle, brought from the dungeon.

"Ooh...!"

As one dazzling item after another was lined up on the bed, the lady’s eyes rounded in excitement, her hands clapping.

"Do you see this?"

A bracelet fashioned from gold, a golden goblet, and more. The lady felt dizzy among the brilliant array of treasures, dazzling enough to blind, and she placed her hand on her forehead, staggering.

"Oh no... I feel like I’m going to go blind."

I shrugged, as if it were no big deal.

"This is the extent of our wealth."

"Are we no longer poor?"

"Yes."

"Really?"

The lady looked at me incredulously as though she couldn't believe it.

Today, she looked at me with an expression of pride I had seldom seen; it was so rare that my face flushed red.

The lady raised her thumb.

With a refreshing smile, she threw me the highest praise.

"I’m proud of you!"

I scratched the back of my head and blushed.

"I know."

Riding high on the lady's praise, I continued to pull out the remaining items.

"It must be worth 100,000 gold, I suppose?"

"Eeek...! That much?"

"Would it not be?"

Hearing the price, the lady looked at the necklace adoringly.

"I really like this."

"I'm glad you like it."

The lady seemed to contemplate.

"Is it okay to give me something so valuable?"

"You used to wear even more costly things."

"Still... this is valuable. Seems like it could buy ten years’ worth of beef?"

Having gained a proper sense of economy after once becoming impoverished, the lady’s sense of financial responsibility impressed me, but I had already designated her as the true owner of the necklace when I saw it in the dungeon.

"It's fine. It suits you."

"Really? Does it look good?"

"Yes. I thought you were a goddess."

"Hehe..."

The lady smiled happily.

Having cleaned all the tarnish, I placed the necklace around the lady's neck.

It matched perfectly with her pale neck. It was, of course, an easy compliment since she was naturally beautiful, but seeing the lady look so harmonious with the necklace made me smile with pride.

‘I really did well bringing it.'

────────────────

Promised Necklace [A+]

◈A necklace given by a conscripted man to his beloved wife as they parted for war.

[Let's Meet Again]

If the necklace chain breaks, the wearer swaps places with the giver. (Once)

────────────────

This artifact, though not appearing in the novel, had a good ability, so I brought it.

Seeing that the lady liked it made me feel delighted too.

In a moment of distraction.

-Rustle... Rustle...

The lady was already rummaging inside the bundle.

Was my gift not enough for her?

As she buried her face into the dusty bundle, a feeling of slight annoyance made me block the opening of the bundle.

"Eeeeeek...!"

"Ricardo...! The bundle is eating me!"

The lady struggled.

"Eeeek."

Before she could swear out loud, I opened the blocked entrance of the bundle.

The lady, covered in dust, glared at me sharply.

"Ugh...."

Seeing the dust matted in her hair, I turned my gaze to the window, whistling.

"It looks like the bundle monster found you quite tasty."

"No, it's a lie. It was Ricardo."

"Was it obvious?"

"Yeah."

After a moment of silence, the lady reached out her arm to me energetically, seemingly about to throw a gold coin she’d picked from the bundle.

"Such a feeble attack won't..."

I turned my head to dodge, but instead of throwing the coin, the lady grabbed my wrist. She then offered me a gold bracelet she had taken from the bundle.

The lady said to me with a cheerful smile,

"This is for Ricardo."

"For me, you say?"

"Yes."

The lady smiled brightly. Covered in dust, her face showed an innocent smile, which oddly touched my heart.

The lady took my right wrist.

Just as she was about to personally fasten the bracelet on me, she paused and tensed up.

"Ricardo."

"Yes?"

The lady looked at my right sleeve and spoke.

I noticed a question mark in my mind as she gazed at me with eyes full of reproach, not understanding the reason.

"You've wrapped your hand in bandages?"

"Ah..."

I replied with an awkward smile,

"You said you didn’t like tattoos."

The lady decisively said,

"I've come to like them now."

"I'm embarrassed, though."

The lady told me,

"You’re mean."

And so, I was scorned again today.