MTLNOVEL Chapter 45
Chapter 45
"A Sacred Guardian Stone? Left behind by Terakan Draker?"
Sieg was startled at the unexpected item as he looked at the bracelet.
Why would an item left behind by Terakan Draker be buried in a corner without anyone noticing?
He checked the information about the bracelet.
― Bracelet Information ―
Description: A bracelet embedded with a guardian stone that can summon a familiar.
Unique Ability: Summons a familiar suited to the user's soul.
Special Note: The guardian stone is imbued with the Fairy King's Blessing.
"The Fairy King's Blessing, huh."
The Hero King Kaiser was known to have the blood of the Fairy King.
Because of this, when Sieg trained under Kaiser at the Hero King's Sanctuary, he had once asked about the Fairy King.
However, Kaiser seemed reluctant to discuss the Fairy King or fairies in general.
'Fairies, as beings, essentially exist outside the realm of this world. They only intervene in the material world in truly extraordinary circumstances, and even then, it's not necessarily a good thing. Whenever they do, it usually signals a major event in this world.'
In tales, the Fairy King was always closely tied to heroes.
And heroes never appeared without reason.
They would emerge only when something significant occurred.
Sieg thought it might not be a coincidence that the Sacred Guardian Stone, blessed by the Fairy King, had been in Terakan Draker's possession.
"Well, in any case, if it's something left behind by Terakan Draker, it should be useful."
Sieg decided to activate the guardian stone immediately.
"But how do I activate this thing?"
He examined the bracelet from every angle.
Even asking the system didn't yield any clues about how to operate it.
After struggling with the bracelet for a while, Sieg absentmindedly channeled Ether into the guardian stone.
Woooong!
The guardian stone responded to Sieg's Ether.
"So, it operates with Ether...."
To handle Ether, one must open the Ether Hall.
But typically, humans can't open their Ether Hall.
Even for Sieg, it was a power he had barely acquired after nearly dying.
In essence, it wasn't an item meant for humans to use.
Sieg finally understood why Terakan Draker's legacy had been left discarded in a corner.
Since no one could even identify its function, it must have been swept around before eventually ending up in a preservation box.
Sieg put on the bracelet and infused it with more Ether.
The guardian stone emitted a dazzling light.
『The Sacred Guardian Stone is activating.』
『The Fairy King's Blessing extends the summoning range to include spiritual beasts, entities even higher than familiars.』
『Matching a spiritual beast compatible with the user's soul.』
The light emanating from the guardian stone enveloped Sieg.
Simultaneously, the light began to transform, becoming hazy like a shimmering mirage.
The mirage, imbued with an auspicious aura, started drawing intricate patterns on the ground.
Tsssss!
Light seeped out from the mirage.
At the same time, a faint shadow emerged from within.
Radiant light burst outward, spreading across the surroundings like an explosion.
『Summoning of the spiritual beast has succeeded.』
Sieg watched as a spiritual beast stepped out from within the shimmering haze.
"What is this?"
『A spiritual beast, Dragon Horse, has been summoned.』
A horse of extraordinary appearance approached Sieg.
It had antler-like horns on its head, was about 1.5 times the size of an ordinary horse, and its mane-covered neck was adorned with dragon-like scales.
The Dragon Horse's sleek, bluish-gray coat shimmered with a radiant luster as it approached Sieg with a dignified gait.
Then, as if acknowledging Sieg as its master, it lowered its posture and bowed its head.
『Once a name is given to the spiritual beast, it can be summoned at any time through the guardian stone.』
"Give it a name?"
Sieg pondered as he gazed into the Dragon Horse's eyes.
After a brief moment, he slowly spoke.
"Bucephalus."
He named it after Bucephalus, the beloved steed of the Hero King Kaiser from ages past.
As soon as he named it, bucephalus's information appeared before him.
― Bucephalus Information ―
Description: A Dragon Horse possessing an auspicious aura.
Unique Ability: Can summon the power of thunder from its two horns.
Special Note: The King of Dragon Horses, a high-ranking spiritual beast.
"The King of Dragon Horses?"
Sieg didn't fully understand what it meant to be a king among spiritual beasts, but he could tell it was far superior to an ordinary Dragon Horse.
Satisfied with the name Sieg had given it, bucephalus affectionately nuzzled its face against Sieg's cheek.
Sieg, too, found himself deeply pleased with Bucephalus.
He felt he now understood what it meant for a spiritual beast to be "compatible with one's soul."
"Bucephalus, I'm counting on you from now on."
As if it fully understood his words, bucephalus nodded its head.
Curious, Sieg decided to mount Bucephalus for a test ride.
Given its massive size, he initially wondered if he could ride it comfortably, but once seated, it felt remarkably stable.
As soon as Sieg climbed on, bucephalus began galloping around the area.
What amazed him even more was that there was no sound as it ran.
But the surprises didn't end there—Bucephalus suddenly scaled the walls, running vertically before leaping to the ceiling, freely moving about without any restraint.
"My goodness! No wonder they call it a spiritual beast!"
Though it resembled a horse, bucephalus was a spiritual beast—a being far superior even to familiars—and thus carried an aura of auspicious power.
When Bucephalus returned to its original position, Sieg dismounted with a satisfied expression.
"Bucephalus, next time I summon you, let's run freely in a wide open space."
Bucephalus neighed happily, as if pleased by Sieg's words.
When Sieg canceled the summoning, the Dragon Horse disappeared, returning to its original place in the spiritual realm.
"I've gained an unexpected and incredible gift."
He decided there was no reason to linger further and left with the bracelet.
Although he could have hidden it and taken it out using his inventory, he refrained, knowing that items from the archive were systematically managed.
When Sieg reported that he would be taking the seemingly ordinary bracelet, the administrator tilted his head in confusion.
Most others who entered the archive typically chose swords or armor.
However, since the selection was up to the individual, the administrator completed the release process without comment.
Sieg noticed the administrator's curiosity but didn't care. He was simply satisfied to have obtained the bracelet that could summon Bucephalus, the Dragon Horse.
It felt as if all the fatigue from days of relentless parties had vanished in an instant.
Sieg had planned to visit Kali while in the Four Seasons Castle, but her extended trip outside the city made that impossible.
Duke and Andre decided to stay a bit longer in the city, so Sieg returned to the mansion ahead of them by carriage.
As soon as he arrived at the mansion, Decker approached him.
"Young Master, you have a visitor."
"A visitor?"
When Sieg headed to the reception room, he found someone completely unexpected sitting there.
"Cliff?"
Cliff Reinhardt, the owner of the Reinhardt Trading Company, was waiting for him at the mansion.
Cliff greeted Sieg with a respectful bow.
"Sir Sieg, congratulations on officially becoming a knight of the Draker Household."
Sieg raised an eyebrow at Cliff and said, "Suddenly speaking so formally—this feels strange."
"It is only appropriate for me to address you with respect, considering you are the youngest knight in the continent to be promoted and now an official knight of the Draker Household."
"Well, fair enough. But why are you here? I already received all the information you sent regarding the first request."
"I came because there is something I wanted to tell you in person."
"I'm listening. Go ahead."
"Would you kindly dismiss everyone?"
Sieg let out a faint chuckle as he looked at Cliff.
"You're quite demanding. But since the staff can't enter this room anyway, just say what you need to say."
Cliff nodded at Sieg's words.
At that moment, someone stepped out from the back of the reception room.
It was a woman whose face was hidden beneath the hood of a cape, yet she seemed oddly familiar.
'Could it be...?'
The woman pushed back her hood, revealing her face.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Sir Sieg."
Sieg opened his mouth, recognizing her immediately.
"Princess Melissa."
Cliff stood from his seat and respectfully escorted Princess Melissa forward. She took a seat across from Sieg.
Sieg alternated his gaze between Melissa and Cliff, piecing together the situation.
"So, Princess Melissa is the true owner of the Reinhardt Trading Company."
Melissa smiled elegantly, her gaze fixed on Sieg.
"You truly are different from other knights, Sir Sieg."
It was only then that Sieg understood why Cliff had taken such desperate measures to secure a cure for the Crimson Bloom Disease. It had been an act of loyalty to save the life of his master.
Sieg turned his attention to Melissa and spoke.
"What brings you here, Princess?"
"It seems my presence doesn't particularly please you, Sir Sieg."
"Not at all."
But that was a lie.
He needed to focus on mastering the Dragon-Cutting Sword Technique to complete his quest, and spending time on other matters was not something he welcomed.
Melissa saw through his obvious falsehood and let out a small laugh before speaking.
"I came to express my gratitude for the cure you provided, which saved my life."
"That was simply a fair transaction. There's no need for additional thanks."
"The terms you attached to the cure were quite... interesting."
Sieg's expression hardened.
"Just to be clear, the contract cannot be revoked or renegotiated."
"There's no need to worry about that. I wouldn't dream of breaking our agreement. However, I had some questions, which is why I've taken the liberty of coming here."
"What is it you're curious about?"
Melissa gestured, and Cliff placed a report in front of Sieg.
"What's this?"
"Take a look."
Sieg opened the document Cliff handed him. As he skimmed through its contents, his face stiffened.
The document Princess Melissa had brought was a type of analytical report.
'The Crimson Bloom Disease might not be a natural illness but an artificially synthesized disease created through magic?'
Melissa began speaking slowly.
"To treat the pathogen, I commissioned Nirvana through the Reinhardt Trading Company. I had to consider the worst-case scenario—that it wasn't caused by a natural pathogen. I hoped I was wrong, but it turns out my suspicions were correct. That report arrived late; I received it only recently. Fortunately, I was cured in advance thanks to the remedy you provided, Sir Sieg."
Sieg looked at Melissa and spoke.
"Are you suggesting that I created and spread this pathogen?"
"If that were the case, you wouldn't have infected me with it. Synthesizing a specialized pathogen, infecting someone, and then curing them just to gain three conditions would be a net loss, wouldn't it?"
The possibility that the Crimson Bloom Disease was an artificially synthesized pathogen created through magic was something even Sieg hadn't considered.
'Now that I think about it, the places where the Crimson Bloom Disease spread were primarily around Alencia. It even extended into the Troy Duchy and parts of Central Continent's cities that bordered it.'
Melissa pulled out another report and handed it to Sieg.
"What's this one?"
"It's an analysis report on the trend of increasing Crimson Bloom cases."
At Melissa's prompting, Sieg opened the report and examined it.
The number of Crimson Bloom patients was steadily rising, concentrated around Alencia's border regions.
"Why are you showing me this?"
"Don't you notice anything unusual?"
Sieg carefully reread the report.
It didn't take long for him to understand what Melissa was pointing out.
"It's a contagious disease originating in the border regions, yet there are no cases reported in the Empire."
Melissa nodded.
"The disease is spreading further into Alencia's interior, with the rate of transmission accelerating."
Sieg frowned. From what he remembered, there should still have been several years before the Crimson Bloom Disease became a widespread epidemic.
'Why is the timeline moving faster? Did something change because of my regression?'
Princess Melissa fixed her gaze on Sieg and spoke.
"I often prepare for the worst-case scenario. It's not exactly a good habit, but it helps prevent the worst outcomes from becoming reality."
After taking a deep breath, she continued.
"What if this Crimson Bloom pathogen is being created and deliberately spread by the Empire?"
Sieg couldn't easily respond to Princess Melissa's words.
If her suspicion was true, it would mean the Empire had attempted to assassinate a princess of a kingdom using a bioweapon derived from magitech.
At that moment, Princess Melissa spoke to Sieg.
"Sir Sieg, please answer this one question for me with certainty."
"What do you want me to say?"
Melissa's voice trembled slightly as she continued.
"Please tell me that you are not aligned with the Empire."
Sieg looked at Melissa and responded.
"Would my saying so truly give you confidence, Princess?"
"Sir Sieg, if I have one advantage beyond my title as a princess, it's my ability to read people."
She gestured toward Cliff, who stood behind her.
"Cliff gave me his trust, and I repaid that trust in kind. Because of this, the Reinhardt Trading Company has grown and will continue to grow."
Just as Melissa said, the Reinhardt Trading Company would go on to become one of the continent's top ten trading companies.
Sieg stared at Melissa, lost in thought.
'Would aligning myself with the princess benefit me in any way?'
As Sieg deliberated, Melissa produced something and placed it in front of him.
"If you can give me the certainty I'm asking for, I will offer this to you."
What Melissa revealed was another document.
When Sieg checked the contents, his eyes widened in shock.