My Lord Who Is Being Prudent! [EN]: Chapter 140

§ 140. Unresolved Questions

Ding! Ding! Diri-ri-ring!

The notification window was going crazy.

Notification windows popped up non-stop, spamming Cyan’s view.

Was that the reason for the chaos?

Ding!

《Goo-ma-an-hae-ae-ae-aeg!!》

Now even Mobile Lord [Cyan’s smartphone, acting as a companion] was freaking out.

“…What is it, really?”

Cyan genuinely wondered what was going on.

It wasn’t like Cyan was doing anything out of the ordinary right now.

He was simply heading to Ruben with the Dark Elves.

But.

Ding!

《Fame Points + 3,000 P》

《Fame Points + 4,000 P》

Fame Points were skyrocketing, rising rapidly.

The accumulated amount was already a whopping 34,000 points.

Ding!

No, 37,000 points…

Ding!

“…Oh well, whatever.”

Had there ever been a time when he understood Mobile Lord?

He didn’t know the reason, but Fame Points rising was a good thing.

‘More importantly…’

Cyan checked his inventory.

And confirmed the amount he had.

[Current Gold Held] – 32,060,500 G

32 million.

It wasn’t just 3,200.

A whopping ‘million’ followed the number 3,200.

It was beautiful, even mesmerizing.

An amount he wondered if he could ever utter in his life.

A sum that truly made him doubt whether an individual could ever amass such wealth.

An astronomical number that could only inspire disbelief.

That amazing, beautiful, dizzying, and mesmerizing number.

The name he called out with all his might.

32 million gold.

“Ah…!! Aaaah…!!!”

Cyan trembled with an indescribable joy.

And.

Ding!

《Bug-geuh-lyeo-sseo-eo-eo-eo-eo!!!》

Mobile Lord also seemed to be feeling the same, as the smartphone vibrated non-stop.

Thus, Cyan and Mobile Lord.

Both trembled, feeling different kinds of joy.

And after some time had passed.

Cyan was able to regain his senses.

“Hoo…”

A trembling deep breath.

Now that the matter in the North was resolved.

And he had an astronomical amount of money.

“Now all that’s left is to whale [spend a lot of money on in-game purchases]—”

No. Isn’t it?

Cyan paused for a moment at the thought that suddenly popped into his head.

He had been so distracted by the 32 million gold that he had forgotten one thing.

Cyan immediately checked his smartphone.

And checked the quest list.

『[Story-Linked Quest] – ‘In Search of Continuing Truth’』

“Why isn’t this still cleared?”

He could see the Story-Linked Quest that hadn’t been cleared.

“Haven’t met the conditions yet?”

That could be…

The Story-Linked Quest was about uncovering the thousand-year secret tied to Insteez.

But Cyan had only resolved the incident in the North.

He hadn’t uncovered anything about the secret at all.

“Wait, come to think of it…”

What happened to the broken Insteez?

Insteez, which had swallowed Asrandiz.

Cyan had strengthened to counter its power.

And finally, the second form of the Mahonsura Sword, Annihilation Asura (滅天修羅) [Sword of Extinction].

He unleashed that power and shattered Insteez, which had swallowed Asrandiz.

Fortunately, he had successfully resolved the incident in the North.

But the Story-Linked Quest was about uncovering the thousand-year secret tied to Insteez.

That meant.

“I can’t clear the quest…?”

Cyan’s body momentarily froze.

Not being able to clear the quest.

That meant he couldn’t face the truth that Kyle had encountered, nor could he receive the quest’s reward.

“No, no. It can’t be.”

Cyan denied the thought that popped into his head.

Of course, Insteez was shattered.

That was a fact Cyan had clearly witnessed with his own eyes.

The very fact that Asrandiz had returned to normal was proof of that fact.

Therefore, Insteez no longer existed.

But it was a staff that Elodie had used during her lifetime.

Moreover, it was a staff made by carving the World Tree itself.

He doubted it would disappear so easily.

Besides.

“The quest hasn’t failed.”

The quest hadn’t failed yet.

The quest was still in progress.

That meant.

There was still something to clear the quest.

“In that case…”

Cyan looked around, searching.

Then, in the distance.

He saw Sera looking around the Dark Forest.

The Dark Forest, filled with mana [magical energy].

The Dark Forest seemed unfamiliar and new to her.

And usually, people would be frightened by the looming mana, but Sera was none other than a Dark Elf.

A Dark Elf who wielded the mana of darkness.

The mana looming in the Dark Forest felt rather familiar to her.

Cyan immediately approached Sera.

“Sera, do you know what happened to Insteez?”

“Huh? Insteez?”

Sera tilted her head at Cyan’s sudden question.

But soon nodded.

“Yeah. I know.”

She shook her head up and down.

“You know?”

“Yeah. I have it.”

Soon, Sera reached into her bosom.

And then suddenly held out something of unknown identity to Cyan.

“Here.”

And at the same time as Sera’s words.

Ding!

『[Story-Linked Quest] – ‘In Search of Continuing Truth’ (Cleared!)』

The notification sound that the quest had been cleared rang out.

“…What is it?”

Cyan wondered what this was.

No, he really wondered what it was.

If this was the case, what was all that anxiety just now?

‘Oh well, whatever.’

Since when was Mobile Lord normal?

‘It’s good that it’s cleared.’

Cyan shook his head.

And then carefully examined what Sera had held out.

Something round, a little smaller than a fist.

Something that looked like a plant seed at first glance.

No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t look like Insteez, a staff.

Giving it the benefit of the doubt a hundred times, an orb used by mages?

But it was literally an orb with the benefit of the doubt a hundred times.

Frankly, it was right to see it as a seed of an unknown plant.

“This is Insteez?”

“Yeah.”

Even so, Sera only nodded vigorously.

She was full of conviction without a hint of doubt.

Sera had the ability to see through the essence of existence.

“Hmm…”

That meant this was really Insteez…

To be exact, Insteez that had been shattered by Cyan.

But even though it had been shattered, it didn’t look like Insteez at all.

That’s because there wasn’t even a trace of it being broken.

It just looked like this form from the beginning.

Cyan stared blankly at the unidentified seed(?).

Then he turned his gaze back to his smartphone.

『[Story-Linked Quest] – ‘In Search of Continuing Truth’ (Cleared!)』

On the screen, the notification window that the quest had been cleared was flashing.

Cyan immediately touched the screen.

Click.

『▶A thousand years ago, Elodie makes a request to Kyle, who came to find her.

‘Can you… kill me?’

Kyle hesitated, but ultimately did not grant that request.

In the end, Elodie decides to seal all her power in Insteez forever.

However, is there anything eternal in this world!

Now, after a thousand years have passed.

The power sealed in Insteez has awakened!

The magic power of Elodie, who was called the Archmage!

That transcendent magic power was about to stain the world with darkness!

Ppa-bam!

A hero appears in times of chaos!

You have demonstrated superhuman power and driven out the darkness that has fallen upon the world!

Moreover!

Even saving the Dark Elves by destroying Insteez with your king-wang-zzang-like [awesome] wit!

Oh my! Oh my!

You! You’re really king-wang-zzang!!』

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.

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‘…What is it, really.’

Cyan muttered without realizing it.

No, what is this really?

Let’s just say that the quest was suddenly cleared.

Well, let’s just say that other things are like that.

But.

Where is Elodie’s legacy, the reward for the quest?

Considering Kyle’s legacy and Muriel’s legacy.

Elodie’s legacy would not be ordinary either.

But no matter how hard he looked, he couldn’t see anything like Elodie’s legacy.

Only the seed in Sera’s hand could be seen.

And this suddenly cleared the quest.

That meant this seed was the core of the quest.

“What is this anyway?”

What is this anyway?

“Insteez.”

“So, where does this look like…?”

At that moment, a thought flashed through Cyan’s mind.

Cyan carefully examined something that looked like a seed.

Something that Sera called Insteez, something that looked like a seed.

“Could this be…?”

Only then could Cyan vaguely realize the identity of the seed.

Insteez was a staff that Elodie had used during her lifetime.

It was a weapon that the legendary blacksmith Morcru had made himself.

And Insteez was different from the other Arnaise’s weapons except for Kyle’s weapon.

It could be said to be a slightly more special weapon.

Because Insteez was a staff made from the World Tree itself.

It was not simply made by adding parts such as trunks, branches, and leaves.

A staff made by carving out the entire World Tree.

Insteez was a staff that could be said to be the World Tree itself.

In a word, Insteez was the name of the staff and the name of the World Tree.

Insteez was the World Tree.

The World Tree was Insteez.

So the seed in front of him now.

“Could this be Insteez’s seed… so, the World Tree’s seed?”

“Yeah. That’s right.”

Sera nodded vigorously.

At Sera’s appearance, Cyan was momentarily stunned.

It seemed that this Insteez.

So, this seed of the World Tree was the legacy left by Elodie.

“…Crazy.”

That’s why Cyan muttered without realizing it.

That’s because the World Tree was a reward that couldn’t even be converted into value!

The World Tree contains the source of life and is also called the Tree of Life.

It is also known as a tree that grows through the boundary between life and death and supports the world.

Of course, it is not really a tree that supports the world.

To be exact, a tree that supports a city or a village?

That’s about it.

However, it was an undeniable fact that it contained tremendous power.

Didn’t he see the power of Insteez with his own eyes in the first place?

Of course, it was a power combined with Elodie’s magic, but being able to contain such transcendent magic.

That alone showed what kind of power Insteez possessed.

It was not called the tree containing the source of life for nothing.

So, if this is planted in Ruben…

Ruben would have unimaginable effects.

Of course, the World Tree is a tree with its own will.

In simple terms, it was not the kind that could be planted arbitrarily just because you wanted to transplant it.

But if it had transformed into a seed form like now, it was a different story.

This was the manifestation of the World Tree’s will to move to a new home.

You just had to take it and plant it in Ruben.

So this was worth more than 32 million gold.

In the first place, the World Tree was a treasure that could not even be obtained even if you poured in 32 million gold.

Moreover, this was not an ordinary World Tree.

Of course, how could the World Tree itself be ordinary?

This was the World Tree used by Arnaise and Archmage Elodie.

32 million was not enough, he couldn’t get it even if he offered hundreds of millions of gold.

Cyan said to Sera in a trembling voice.

“H-hey, maybe. C-can I take that?”

“Um…”

At Cyan’s words, Sera was momentarily lost in thought.

She was wondering whether to give this or not.

But Sera’s worries were not as long as he thought.

“Okay. It’s very dangerous, but… it’ll be okay if it’s Cyan.”

Then Sera coolly handed over Insteez.

Cyan received the seed of Insteez with trembling hands.

And was the World Tree really the World Tree?

As soon as he received it, he felt an unknown and considerable power at his fingertips.

‘Is it because it’s not an ordinary World Tree, but Insteez?’

Of course, the fact that it was a World Tree was far from ordinary.

“But you said it was dangerous? This Insteez?”

“Yeah. There’s something very dangerous inside this Insteez. It’s suppressed now, though.”

Something very dangerous?

“Are you talking about Elodie’s magic?”

“No.”

Sera shook her head slightly.

And slowly opened her mouth with a slightly nervous look.

“Something… very dangerous.”

“…”

At the same time as the question of what that was.

Ding!

A cheerful notification sound rang from the smartphone.

『[Story-Linked Quest] – ‘Unresolved Questions’』

‘…What is this again.’

Cyan touched the notification window that appeared on the screen.

Click.

『▶A thousand years ago, Elodie sealed all her power in Insteez.

But after a thousand years, that power awakened.

And that power was about to stain the world with darkness.

But ppa-bam!

With your heroic spirit, you solved the case pababak!

Ddu-sha ddu-sha! You solved it!

In the end, you succeeded in winning the legacy left by Elodie!

As expected, king-wang-zzang [the best]!

I’m a king-wang-zzang lord!

…That’s what I thought for a moment!

Uh-la-la…?! [sound effect for something unexpected]

Something is strange.

A thousand years ago, Arnaise saved the world from the demons.

Elodie was the most noble Arnaise of all.

There’s no way that Arnaise, who saved the world, wouldn’t be noble, right?

But the power of Elodie that awakened was not noble.

It was more evil and darker than anything else in the world.

Elodie, who used the mana of darkness.

Could it be that her power was corrupted by a thousand years of time?

But Elodie knew how to control the mana of darkness.

She even learned it from Kyle.

But why wasn’t the power of Elodie that awakened noble?

Could this be the reason why Elodie had to seal her power?

Then did she really seal her power?

Or did she have to ‘seal’ something with her power?

Elodie’s corrupted magic power eventually scattered and disappeared.

But why?

Something unknown is lurking inside Insteez.

What is this?

Is it the remnants of Elodie’s scattered magic power?

Or was it the reason why Elodie had no choice but to seal her power?

Or was it the reason why Elodie asked Kyle to kill her?

If so.

Why didn’t she commit suicide like Muriel?

That would have been much cleaner.

Why did Elodie choose to seal her power instead of committing suicide?

Conversely, why did Muriel choose suicide instead of sealing her power?

And what did Kyle know?

A thousand years of truth faced, but still unresolved questions.

Well, you know what to do now, right?

Looking for still unresolved questions~♪

Let’s go go~! Hoo-bi-go go~!! [nonsense phrase]

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‘…Really.’

What the hell is this quest—.

‘Oh well, whatever.’

Cyan shook his head.

It’s only a loss for me to argue.

‘That’s right.’

Cyan checked the contents of the quest again.

Among them, a part that particularly stood out.

《But why?》

《Something unknown was lurking inside Insteez.》

‘Something is lurking in this seed?’

Cyan looked up again and carefully examined the seed.

The form of the seed, which had no particular characteristics.

Cyan quietly closed his eyes and recited the gyeol [formula] of the Mahon Jebeop [a type of magic].

And he peered into the inside of the seed, squeezing through the attracted magic.

‘Hmm…’

There was nothing particularly felt.

He could feel an unknown and powerful force.

But it didn’t feel particularly dangerous, as Sera said.

But.

“So I was worried about what to do with it. But Cyan is okay. Because Cyan is very powerful.”

Sera seemed to feel differently.

Sera, who sees through the essence of existence.

Could she see something different?

Right then.

“Lord! We’ve arrived in Ruben!”

Amelia’s lively shout was heard in an instant.

When he turned his head and looked up, the scenery of Ruben came into view in the distance.

The long journey was over and he had finally arrived in Ruben.

Cyan shook his head at the scenery of Ruben.

“I’ll know if I go and plant it.”

Cyan strode towards Ruben.

#

The scenery of Ruben, which had become closer.

In an instant, Cyan’s back stirred greatly.

“W-what is this…?”

“Is that a territory…?”

There, the Dark Elves were buzzing with surprised faces.

Well, that’s because the appearance of Ruben, which they faced up close, could never be seen as an ordinary territory.

First of all, starting with ‘Crazy Steel Book! Lv.4’ that he wondered if it could be pierced…? [referring to the territory’s defenses]

A moat of unknown depth.

A guard tower that didn’t seem to have any blind spots.

Even though the Dark Elves had been isolated from the world.

They knew that Ruben was by no means an ordinary territory.

The Dark Elves stirred greatly and looked at the appearance of Ruben.

Cyan turned his back on those Dark Elves.

“Hoo…!”

And with every step he took, he felt an unknown tension.

He also had trembling feelings at the sight of Ruben after a long time.

But apart from that, Cyan had no choice but to be nervous.

Based on his past experiences, really surprisingly.

To the extent that it might be a magic formula.

Every time Cyan went somewhere, there were always incidents and accidents in Ruben.

Moreover, this time, the period of time Cyan left Ruben was quite long.

It took 10 days to resolve the incident in the North.

But the time he was unconscious was 3 weeks.

It took 1 week to handle work and go back and forth from the Imperial Palace.

And 3 weeks to call Amelia to the North and sell things.

He had been away for almost 2 months.

“Hoo…!”

Cyan took another deep breath and moved his steps.

Like that, one step, two steps.

Just as he was about to take three steps.

Kieeeeeeeek─!

An unknown scream erupted from inside Ruben.