I Became a Dark Knight in the Game

58 – In Search of the Lost Heirloom (2)

“Stole a family heirloom, what are you talking about?”

“That’s the thing. Everyone says I stole the heirloom, but I don’t remember. I don’t remember anything from that day except for the theft, so I couldn’t even defend myself.”

Kriel felt a sharp headache. Sometimes people like this come out. Unpredictable human beings who you never know what they might do.

It was best not to get involved. What if strange misunderstandings piled up and people started saying I was like a deep-sea creature trying to lure the family’s prodigal son to steal the heirloom?

“No. To be honest, no matter how much gambling debt I have, would I sell the heirloom? Even if my memory is hazy from drinking, I’m not that brainless.”

So he had some common sense. Criel had just upgraded his evaluation of Alberic from a madman selling heirlooms to a slightly crazy but still somewhat human (he almost said ‘human’ but corrected himself, remembering Alberic was a direct descendant of an elven noble family).

“Even if you sell the heirloom as stolen goods, it’s too easy to trace. Just selling my mother’s jewels would cover a year’s worth of drinking expenses, so why sell something like that?”

“What?”

“Huh? Oh, you don’t know much about the world!”

Tuon whispered. [Master, he seems like a crazy elf.]

“Why is an heirloom an heirloom? Because it’s precious! I don’t like flaunting my family name, but our Lir family is quite well-off. How many fences could handle goods treated as heirlooms from such a family?”

The number of fences with the financial power to handle transactions of the scale of an elven noble family’s heirloom is limited. The big shots of the empire’s underworld would have to step in to offer a fair price, if at all.

And even if you sell it as stolen goods, it’s still a problem. The seller would have to sell it again, and items labeled as ‘heirlooms’ have too clear an original owner, making it hard to choose a sales outlet.

“No matter how drunk I am, I wouldn’t forget such basic common sense. I’d rather sell my mother’s jewels than get thrown in jail by the elders for selling an heirloom. The elders don’t look out for me, but my mother does!”

[A crazy filial piety… ]

Criel, who was from the land of the courteous East, felt an urge to cleanse his ears. He rubbed his temples for a moment before speaking.

“So, you’re claiming you didn’t steal the heirloom. Why didn’t you tell the family elders that?”

“I did, but they asked, ‘Then what were you doing at that time?’ I told you, I wanted to argue, but I couldn’t remember, so I kept my mouth shut and ended up here.”

Clap. An unexpected sound of applause was heard.

“Well, now that I’ve told my story, let’s hear yours. Not many people come here, and my boredom threshold was crossed long ago!”

His story, huh. Criel stroked his chin. It wasn’t a very interesting story.

“I came to see if a spirit tainted by the abyss could be purified.”

“A spirit? No wonder there were fewer footsteps for three people. Were the other two spirits? Which one, the haughty one or the friendly one?”

[It’s me, you fool. How can an elf live like that!]

“The friendly one, huh. I can’t even trust spirits. Such a clear and pure voice, yet tainted by the abyss. What kind of behavior led to that?”

The ancient spirit, who believed elves were a noble race, scolded Alberic for living in such a manner. Alberic countered by asking what the spirit had been doing to get tainted by the abyss.

The spirit retreated into the horn with a single dying scream.

A single word to skillfully suppress the opponent. Criel revised his evaluation of Alberic to ‘a crazy guy with a slick tongue.’

“But purification? Isn’t that usually the job of priests?”

“I already visited the Holy Kingdom. It couldn’t be done by miracle or magic, so I had to ask those who know spirits well.”

“Ah, I see. But why are you trapped here?”

“I picked up a ring tainted by the abyss on my way. I handed it over to the local manager for proper disposal, but there seems to have been a misunderstanding.”

“What? Our family may be a bit old-fashioned, but we’re not the kind to recklessly imprison people…”

Alberic was bewildered by the tyranny of his family. Footsteps echoed through the corridor.

“Here! There’s someone here! Is it time to eat?”

“Young master… How many times do I have to tell you that it’s hard to get rice in the Lir family?”

“Rice! Rice! Rice! Rice!”

The person who walked in with a deep sigh was wearing something like a robe. Judging by the strangely alien atmosphere it exuded, it seemed to be some kind of artifact. The skin color glimpsed beneath the robe was bronze or brown. In the fantasy novels Creel had read during his time on Earth, this appearance would likely be called a ‘dark elf.’

Of course, having dark skin did not mean it was associated with the abyss. For example, Creel himself, a dark knight, had excessively pale skin.

Elves, being close to spirits in origin, were said to have their natural elemental attributes reflected in their skin or hair color.

‘Was he born with the element of earth?’

“Oife. Are the elders going to release me soon?”

“Your story hasn’t come up in the family. They’re busy talking about some crazy abyssal creature that invaded.”

“Huh? Abyssal creature? The friend in the room next to mine?”

“Friend? What nonsense…”

“Hello there.”

Creel waved from the corner. The elf, Oife, who was about to give bread to the ‘young master,’ looked at Creel in bewilderment. He had a truly ominous appearance, befitting an abyssal creature.

“To add, I don’t think I’ve gotten close enough to Mr. Alberic to call him a friend.”

“No! We bared our hearts to each other in the lowest of places, so we’re practically friends, even if we haven’t shared a drink!”

“Don’t consider alcohol a necessary condition for friendship.”

The abyssal creature’s words were surprisingly reasonable. Oife couldn’t respond and just mumbled.

“If you go upstairs, please pass on a message. Ask the gate city mage, Lwein Lir, if he knows the name Creel.”

Finally, Oife straightened her expression.

“That’s unfortunate. Colin Lir’s plan failed. The position Lwein was trying to seize remains unchanged.”

“I know.”

“Huh?”

“I’m the one who sent that friend Colin to eternal rest.”

At the sudden revelation, Oife hesitated, and Alberic added another word.

“They say the abyss-tainted ring that friend brought was found in a nearby village? Try asking around!”

*

Oife headed to her lord, in other words, Alberic Lir’s father.

“According to the one imprisoned… Creel claims he defeated Colin Lir.”

Nawiden Lir stroked his beard. Among the elves who could live with a youthful appearance for their entire lives if they wished, Nawiden Lir was one of the rare ones who had an aged appearance.

It wasn’t entirely by choice. The scars from the last Demon King War, inflicted by the Abyss, left aftereffects on both his soul and body.

However, Nawiden did not suffer wounds that were beyond recovery. If he had received treatment at the right time, he could have maintained his youth. If it weren’t for his wife, who suffered even deeper wounds to protect him, he would have done so.

Watching his wife age day by day, consumed by the Abyss, Nawiden gave up his youth. He was determined to enter eternal rest together.

If there was one thing he wanted to set right before leaving this world, it was his son’s misconduct. How long would that reckless son continue to live like that?

“…Elder Nawiden?”

Nawiden was awakened from his regret by the voice of Oife calling him. Now was not the time to worry about his son.

“If he has put Colin Lir to rest and resolved the troubles that have befallen our family’s land, this treatment would be a great insult. Quickly send a letter to Lwein and inquire in the surrounding villages. If he truly did as he claimed, the villagers will remember.”

*

Clunk. The door opened. Two elves stood at the door.

“Oh. It seems things have gone well.”

“I’m sorry!”

One of the elves bowing was Oife, and the other was the elf who had greeted him yesterday. Criel replied indifferently that it was fine. It was common to encounter suspicion or hostility while wandering around.

The elf, whom he met for the second time since yesterday, bowed his head and spoke.

“I don’t know how to compensate you… My hasty judgment has insulted your honor. I apologize again.”

“Don’t worry about it. It happens often. But has Lwein’s reply already arrived?”

“No. Instead, we heard about Sir Criel’s deeds from the people in the surrounding villages. Everyone in the villages you passed through praises your virtue.”

Criel tilted his head.

“I never revealed my name nearby.”

“They all recognized you as the knight with a strangely intimidating appearance.”

Ah.