Chapter 167
People often ask, “Do you think money falls out of the ground if you dig?”
Meaning, of course, that money never comes out of bare earth.
Usually, that’s correct.
You don’t dig dirt and find money.
But today, Lloyd’s situation was a little different.
‘Why wouldn’t it come out? It’s popping out like popcorn!’
His satisfied eyes were fixed on the pit he had just dug.
A hole about fifty centimeters deep.
Inside it lay a skull.
Not a model like you’d find in a school biology lab, but a real human skull.
Anyone with a normal mindset would’ve immediately recoiled.
But Lloyd was different.
‘Oh, my little gold nugget.’
The way he looked at the skull was like an old miser staring at a golden calf. Or like someone who found a fifty-thousand-won bill fluttering with autumn leaves.
Naturally so.
A precious gem was sitting inside the skull.
‘So all I have to do is dismantle the mana inside and the gem becomes mine. Like this. Just like this.’
Kiiiiiiiing!
His three mana circles spun vigorously with dreams of wealth and luxury.
The magic on the skull.
The mana condensed inside the gem.
He absorbed it all.
He dismantled the structure of the mana through the rotation of his circles.
Like removing circuits from a time bomb.
Or pulling out Jenga blocks one by one.
He dismantled and tore apart the dangerous structure of mana.
Then expelled it through his opposite arm.
Fssssss…!
The now-ordinary mana dispersed into the air.
He kept at it for who knows how long.
By the time sweat dripped down his forehead—
At last, the dangerous energy inside the gem completely disappeared.
Naturally, Lloyd’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.
‘This gem is now mine. Hehehe.’
Clink!
The gemstone rolled out of the skull and dropped into his palm.
It looked so beautiful and precious.
Lloyd inspected it fondly, eyes glimmering like honey.
‘Good. No scratches. Perfect.’
This was already the twenty-fourth one today.
Lloyd had spent half a day circling the cliffs around Namaran.
He had found twenty-four skulls and collected twenty-four gems accordingly.
His pouch grew heavier, and so did his heart.
But he wasn’t just happy.
“I don’t know what terrible fate you suffered, but may you rest in peace.”
After collecting the gem, he placed the skull on the ground.
He bowed respectfully.
Then carefully packed the skull into a cloth bundle so it wouldn’t break.
There were already three such bundles beside him.
All filled with the twenty-four skulls he’d collected.
‘Good thing I had spare cloth in my backpack.’
Otherwise he never could’ve carried so many skulls around.
‘I can’t hold a funeral, but I can at least bury them somewhere warm and sunny.’
These were people with no bodies left.
Even their skulls had been used by dark mages.
How full of resentment they must have been, buried carelessly with a cursed gemstone inside.
He didn’t want to just dump them somewhere.
A little troublesome, a little inconvenient…
But basic respect demanded at least burying them properly.
So Lloyd collected each skull every time he collected a gem.
Before he knew it, the sun was hanging low on the western horizon.
Night was approaching.
Soon, everything would be dark.
‘Should I head back for now?’
Lloyd picked up the bundles of skulls.
He brought them to his lodging and returned for more.
‘Of course. Why would darkness stop me from collecting gems?’
You row when the tide comes in.
You raise the sail when the wind blows.
And you dig up gems while they’re there to be dug.
You must extract every drop when the opportunity comes.
Like stretching your stomach to the limit at a buffet.
Like seizing the chance to deepen a relationship when a crush sends the first text.
With a chance like this, Lloyd believed he had to stay up all night collecting gems.
‘This opportunity won’t last long.’
These were gems imbued with dark mages’ magic.
He was digging them up and stealing them away.
Sooner or later, the dark mages would notice the magic circles they’d painstakingly set up were disappearing.
‘So I must take as many as possible before they notice. I can do it.’
Like running for a one-day blowout sale.
Like lighting up your eyes for limited giveaways.
Lloyd sprinted outside the castle walls, sweat soaking through the soles of his feet.
And he dug.
And dug more.
Unearthed.
And unearthed more.
Like a farmer harvesting a bumper crop.
Like a fisherman hauling in a heavy net.
He found many skulls, dismantled the mana, and took the gems.
And along the way, he even got a bonus.
Ding-dong!
[Skill Level Up!]
[Asrahan Heart Technique : Triple Circle Lv 3]
[Mana Amplification Rate: 560%]
[Skill Exclusive Options: ① Energize (Modified) ② Potential Burst (Modified) ③ Power-Saving Mode (Modified) ④ Circle Shift ⑤ Rapid Charge]
[RP Required for Next Level: 600]
[Current RP: 3,005]
‘Heave-ho!’
Checking the message floating before him, Lloyd clenched his dirt-covered fist.
The process of dismantling the dark mana condensed within the gems—
It required him to run the Asrahan Heart Technique at full output.
That alone seemed to give the skill tremendous combat experience.
‘Ah, coming to Namaran was the best decision.’
He stopped the dark mages’ plan.
He pocketed tons of expensive gems.
He strengthened the Asrahan Heart Technique.
And he thoroughly inspected the construction sites for the slope-stabilization project as well.
[Underground Scanning].
Plus the Asrahan Heart Technique.
Only he could combine both.
‘Lululala nananana.’
A cheerful humming escaped him.
And with that song as his labor companion, Lloyd continued collecting gems through the night like he was harvesting wild ginseng.
♣
“Did something happen?”
Around midnight the next day.
Lloyd was counting the gems he had dug up all night, smiling in satisfaction, when a familiar voice came from the window.
A slightly cold, sharp tone.
He turned. Javier was climbing through the windowsill.
Lloyd tilted his head.
“And what did you go through to become a sparkly, dazzling lady?”
Indeed—Javier looked exactly like he had at the distribution center.
A plain, utterly modest dress.
A long, silver, silky wig.
He was still in full “Lady Ella” mode.
Perhaps embarrassed, Javier scrunched his nose.
“It was unavoidable.”
“Unavoidable? Your instincts told you to?”
“…I would like to make it clear that this is a deeply offensive misunderstanding. Absolutely not.”
“Then what?”
“As I said before, there is a part of Cannavaro’s mansion that is nearly impossible to enter.”
“The place protected by magic?”
“Yes. The basement.”
“You disguised yourself to get a chance to enter that?”
“Yes.”
Javier nodded.
“No matter if I’m a Swordmaster, I can’t counter magical security. I needed a way to enter unnoticed, and this was the only option.”
Something crossed his mind and his brow furrowed.
“I didn’t plan to go as far as cross-dressing at first. But my appearance was the problem.”
“Because you’re too handsome?”
“Yes.”
“Wow. You’re not even denying it.”
“It’s simply the truth.”
He said it matter-of-factly.
“I draw too much attention. Even in disguise, I can’t change my face. Then I came up with the reverse idea.”
“If you disguise yourself as a woman, even if people look, they won’t connect it to you?”
“Yes. No one would expect a well-known knight to dress as a woman. That was the reasoning. So I did it.”
He lifted the hem of his apron slightly.
“I was worried at first, but no one suspected a thing.”
“And now you’re the famed beauty Lady Ella.”
“…Let’s forget that part.”
Javier grimaced.
“Anyway, after three days in disguise, I found an opportunity to enter the basement. Under the pretext of running an errand. But the basement was… strange.”
“How?”
“There was another basement under the basement.”
“Oh? Did you go in?”
“Not yet. Only Cannavaro and a few close aides have access.”
“Makes sense. Suspicious.”
“Are you still suspecting him?”
“Of course.”
Lloyd looked at him sideways.
“You still think he’s a good person?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I’ve found no evidence connecting him to wrongdoing. And he still spends every day caring for refugees.”
“Tsk. You say that after seeing a basement under a basement?”
“Rich men often build secret vaults.”
“If you’re so busy defending him, why’d you go cross-dressing?”
“As I said, I’m following your orders thoroughly.”
“You answer smoothly.”
“I’ve learned from watching you.”
“And you’re shameless?”
“Thank you.”
Javier smiled faintly.
Then asked:
“But earlier—you also had something happen, didn’t you?”
“Hm? Why?”
“Your dark circles worsened. But your expression brightened.”
“You noticed?”
“Yes. A lot.”
“Well, I found this.”
Lloyd took out a black gem.
Then he explained everything from yesterday.
The skull underground.
The suspiciously condensed mana.
The gem that appeared after dismantling the mana.
Javier’s expression grew subtle.
“So you spent the night grave-robb—no, excavating these gems?”
“Yup. And I think the skulls and gems are related to Cannavaro.”
“Do you have proof?”
“That’s what you’re going to find.”
He had no proof yet.
Skulls and gems buried underground.
Nothing directly proved Cannavaro’s involvement.
But Lloyd knew.
‘This is definitely Cannavaro’s doing.’
He knew because he’d read Iron-Blooded Knight.
Cannavaro.
He was the one who created Namaran’s Barrier.
He would do something similar here.
“So listen. You said there was another basement, right? Investigate it. There’s definitely something there.”
“Lloyd. Aren’t you forcing suspicion too strongly?”
“That’s why you’re confirming whether I’m right.”
“……”
“And if this gem really is his, he’ll start acting differently by tomorrow. He’ll assume the gems were stolen. He or his aides will panic. Use that chance.”
“……”
“Want to bet on it?”
“What kind of bet?”
“If I’m wrong and Cannavaro has nothing to do with this, I’ll call you ‘big brother’ for a year. When we’re alone.”
“Three years. How about that.”
“…Wow.”
“Scared?”
“Not at all. But if I’m right and Cannavaro is the culprit, you’ll have to wear that outfit when we return to the Frontera Estate.”
“……”
“Scared?”
“Not at all.”
“Good. But you must accept the truth once it’s revealed. Understood?”
“Of course. The bet is just for fun.”
Naturally.
Hearing about the skulls and gems, Javier could feel this was no ordinary matter.
Dark magic.
A sinister plan brewing in this city.
He felt the unease in his skin, and nodded seriously.
“Then I’ll return as soon as I find something. Until then, please stay safe.”
“You too.”
Lloyd sent Javier back out the window.
The cool midnight air drifted through the open frame.
It cleared his mind.
He reviewed his plans again.
‘I need evidence. Skulls, gems, and proof that Cannavaro buried them.’
If he found that—
He’d go straight to the Count of Namaran.
‘Then it’s game set. Even if Cannavaro is a dark mage, he won’t escape if the estate knights raid him without warning.’
Lloyd wouldn’t need to move personally.
He wouldn’t take the risk.
He could prevent Namaran’s Barrier incident entirely.
‘So Javier… I’m counting on you.’
Javier could do it.
Thinking that, Lloyd sat at the table.
He began counting the gems he’d collected all night.
And the next morning—
Cannavaro’s eyes widened in furious rage when he discovered that all the cursed gems—Noctanium—buried around Namaran’s walls had vanished.