Episode 192
Jik, taken aback by Shadia’s words, asked again in disbelief.
“What did you say?”
“The Northern Duke has eliminated every lord who posed a threat and forced their vassals into submission.”
Her voice trembled slightly as she spoke to Jik.
“Boss, the Northern Duke I saw… was a monster.”
Shadia, the first disciple of the Mountain Elder and a seasoned assassin, had witnessed countless horrors. Yet, whatever she had encountered in the north had left her genuinely terrified.
Jik inquired further.
“So, what’s the situation in the north now?”
”…Everyone’s holding their breath, waiting to see what the Northern Duke will do next.”
Jik set down the documents he was holding.
“The information you brought is no longer useful, then.”
Shadia nodded silently.
Jik turned his gaze out the window, recalling a memory from his past life.
The image of the Northern Duke, clad in armor and draped in thick wolf fur, wielding a massive sword. She was as formidable as a Valkyrie from legend.
Allies spoke of her with reverence, while enemies whispered her name in fear.
The Iron-Blooded Sword.
Jik chuckled softly at his reflection in the window.
“To think I was worried about the Iron-Blooded Sword. If she heard, she’d laugh for three days straight.”
The protector and ruler of the north. In his past life, she was the ideal Jik aspired to reach, a goal he desperately wanted to hold onto.
It was laughable that he had worried about the Northern Duke, knowing better than anyone that she needed no one’s help.
Shadia asked Jik, “What should we do, Boss? Do you want me to gather more information about the north?”
Jik shook his head.
“No need. I’ll give you a different task.”
“What kind of task?”
Jik handed Shadia the information he had gathered from interrogating Dario about the Abyss’s base.
“This is data on coffee production sites. Look for any remnants of the old church or suspicious cult activities.”
Shadia took the documents and nodded.
“Understood, Boss.”
With that, Shadia’s figure vanished into thin air.
The carriage carrying Jik continued its journey as if nothing had happened.
Upon arriving at the mansion, Jik finally allowed himself some rest and fell asleep. He usually only needed two hours of sleep a day, dedicating the rest of his time to training.
Typically, Jik slept without dreaming, but tonight felt different.
‘What’s going on?’
As he regained his senses, Jik realized he was in a familiar place.
A dense bamboo forest.
It was the Highlander domain of Mount Ouroboros, where the Hermit of Stories resided.
‘I can’t tell if this is a dream or reality.’
Cautiously, Jik made his way to the Hermit’s dwelling.
There, he found the Hermit lounging on a bench, waiting for him.
“Ah, finally connected.”
The Hermit stretched and sat up as Jik approached.
Jik asked, “Is this a dream?”
The Hermit, looking as if he found it hard to explain, replied, “For you, it’s a dream, but not for me. I used the dream as a medium to bring you into my domain.”
Though Jik didn’t fully understand, it seemed his physical body hadn’t been transported here.
The Hermit grumbled at Jik.
“What have you been up to? I’ve been trying to reach you in your dreams, but couldn’t connect.”
“I’ve been busy, barely sleeping.”
“Not sleeping? Are you even human?”
The Hermit shook his head, clicking his tongue before opening a fan and speaking to Jik.
“I heard you found the Holy Grail. You’re becoming quite famous.”
“Me?”
“Yeah, even some folks at the High Table mentioned you. Oh, and Nigel said he knows you.”
Jik was startled by the mention of his former mentor.
“How did he describe me?”
“The Rock Chieftain asked him to hunt a Hydra, and by the time he got a proxy to take care of the forest, you’d already taken it down.”
“Ah, the Hydra…”
This was a tale from his current life, not his past. Jik felt relieved.
The Hermit continued.
“He was grinding his teeth, saying you stole his prey. Be careful if you ever visit the Forgotten Forest.”
”…”
Jik realized his mentor hadn’t changed from his past life and resolved once more to avoid that place.
Maintaining a calm demeanor, Jik said, “I’ve found one of the relics. I still need to find the other two.”
“I asked around the High Table about that. That’s why I reached out to you.”
The Hermit waved his hand, producing a book.
“Hmm. Let’s see. Ah, here it is.”
Flipping through the pages, he spoke to Jik.
“I asked everyone, but no one seems to know much about the relics. They’ve all grown old for nothing.”
He continued as he turned the pages.
“I did find some credible information. Have you ever heard of Tyr’s Shield?”
“This is the first time.”
“It’s such an ancient legend that it’s not well-known. Let me explain briefly: Tyr was a warrior as renowned as the Hero King Kaishir, even before the ancient Chronos Kingdom was established.”
“A brave warrior…? Wait a minute. Isn’t that the Brave Knight Tius? One of the Clock Tower Knights…”
“Tius? Ah, the pronunciation might have changed over time. But the original name is Tyr.”
Jik, having watched the Kaishir Chronicles, knew various details about the legendary Clock Tower Knights.
Tius, or Tyr, was a rival who matched Kaishir until the end in the legends.
Even the fearless Kaishir was said to have fought Tius for three days and nights before barely claiming victory.
After his defeat, Tyr accepted it gracefully and became one of Kaishir’s most renowned knights.
Kaishir himself admitted that without the Brave Knight Tius, the founding of the Chronos Kingdom would have required greater sacrifices.
Alongside the Noble Knight Schatten, Tius was one of Kaishir’s most trusted knights.
The Hermit continued.
“Anyway, I believe Tyr’s Shield is one of the relics.”
Jik tilted his head in curiosity.
“In the legends, Tius proved his bravery by charging into enemy lines with only a sword, no armor or shield. Did he have a shield?”
“The modern versions say that, but let me show you…”
The Hermit gestured, and a large painting appeared in a three-dimensional display.
In the ancient war depiction, a man was charging into enemy lines with only a shield.
“Is this Tius?”
“The older versions say Tyr charged into battle with just a shield, not a sword.”
“With just a shield?”
“Yes. In today’s world, swords are more popular, so the story might have changed. Stories often get distorted by those who pass them down.”
It was a plausible explanation.
Even the legend of the Dragon Slayer had been completely misrepresented, leading to the myth of the Liberation War and the Dragon Slayer Terracan Draker.
Jik examined the shield in the image closely.
He recalled that Hoshgar had mentioned one of the relics was a shield just before disappearing.
The second relic was likely Tyr’s Shield.
Jik asked the Hermit, “Why do you think Tyr’s Shield is a relic?”
“Tyr’s legend has many versions, but there’s a common theme.”
“What theme?”
“Tyr, with his shield, never got injured by enemy attacks. Even if he did, he healed quickly.”
“Does that prove it’s a relic?”
“Terracan Draker, who possessed a relic, also healed quickly and fought bravely despite injuries. The Brave Tyr, the Dragon Slayer Terracan Draker. Don’t they seem similar?”
Terracan Draker had gained the unique class of Immortal through the power of the Holy Grail and a pact with a dragon. It was the result of many coincidences.
‘If Tyr’s Shield grants the bearer the power of an Immortal…’
Even if it wasn’t a relic, such power could change the course of a battle.
If the shield fell into the hands of the Abyss, the Empire, or Abel, the chaos on the battlefield could become uncontrollable.
‘I should definitely look for Tyr’s Shield.’
Jik asked the Hermit, “Do you know where the shield is now?”
The Hermit pondered before speaking slowly.
“Have you ever heard of Creta?”
“Creta? What’s that?”
“You know the Minotaur, right?”
“Yes, it’s a monster.”
“Creta was a kingdom on the northern continent. It had so many Minotaurs that hunting them was a rite of passage for warriors.”
“I’ve never heard of such a kingdom. Why bring it up?”
“Tyr was from that kingdom.”
The Hermit continued his tale.
“Tir was the illegitimate son of the king of Crete. Abandoned in the forest at birth, he was raised by the druids there. They say Tir displayed incredible strength even before reaching adulthood. At just fifteen, he managed to capture a Minotaur with his bare hands.”
“My goodness. And that was in an era without the concept of aura.”
“Exactly. Some versions of the story suggest that Tir was blessed by a lake fairy, granting him immense power.”
“A lake fairy, you say…?”
“In context, it would have to be the Fairy King.”
“Are you suggesting the Fairy King gave Tir a shield imbued with his power?”
“That’s my theory. Relics are essentially artifacts created by the Fairy King, infused with his power for humans. After the hero-king Caishir left for the land of the fairies, Tir supposedly returned to his homeland. And there’s only one place that could be.”
“Crete, you mean.”
“Yes. Although the kingdom of Crete has vanished, its legacy continues to this day.”
“How so?”
“You should know. The Turn family.”
Zeke was taken aback by the hermit’s words.
“The Turn family, allies of the Draker bloodline?”
“Exactly. The Turn family descends directly from the kingdom of Crete, from Tir himself.”
Zeke was bewildered by this unexpected revelation.
“The Turn family…”
Leaving Zeke to his thoughts, the hermit continued.
“The Turn family likely has no idea their lineage traces back to the hero Tir. So much of the story has been lost. You only knew him as Tius, right?”
Zeke nodded in agreement.
“I’ve never heard of the Turn family using a shield. Perhaps Tir’s shield is just lying forgotten somewhere within their estate.”
Zeke looked at the hermit and said, “I’ll investigate the Turn family and see if I can find Tir’s shield. But how do I contact you with any news?”
“There’s an old method… hold any storybook in your hand in front of a mirror and call for me.”
“Will that send the message?”
“No, it just summons me.”
“Then how do I actually communicate with you?”
“I’ll reach out to you in a dream like this.”
”…”
Zeke wanted to suggest setting up a communication portal, but he doubted magic signals would reach this Highlander’s domain.
In the end, Zeke nodded in agreement. The hermit promised to share any new information about other relics with him.
“I should be going now.”
“Ah, leaving already? Alright then. Up you go.”
The hermit stood up and lightly tapped Zeke’s head with a fan.
“What are you…?”
Suddenly, Zeke sat up in bed.
“Huh? It really was a dream.”
He looked around, confirming he was indeed in Atlas’s mansion. The dream had been so vivid, it was hard to distinguish from reality.
Despite the hermit’s somewhat laid-back demeanor, Zeke was reminded that he was a member of the High Table, operating beyond the world’s usual rules.
Recalling the hermit’s story, Zeke thought, “The Turn family, huh. I was planning to visit them eventually. This works out well.”
With a determined glint in his eye, Zeke got up. It was time for him to take action once more.