Chapter 348
Episode 106: The Recorders (6)
“Using recording magic, you say?”
“Yeah. I can’t promise I’ll find it faster than you, but I’m certain I can do it more discreetly.”
“That’s music to my ears.”
Right now, Jin couldn’t afford to throw too many people into searching for the Myoin tribe.
There were simply too many eyes watching him.
Not just his own family, but other factions like Ziphl were keeping a close watch on Jin and his group.
Ever since the cosmetics business took off and Jin fought against the Phantom Corps, interest in him had skyrocketed.
Of course, he had always been a figure of attention, but recently, the major powers controlling the world had sensed a strange tension brewing between Runcandel and Ziphl.
And at the center of it all wasn’t Siron or Kelliak—it was Jin.
Because of that, investing too many resources into searching for the Myoin tribe risked triggering Ziphl’s detection network.
Besides, they owed Jin a debt.
“You told Mal to cooperate more actively, but seeing him act on it so quickly… I guess he’s finally realized he needs me too.”
Valeria looked up at Jin.
“Let’s just say it’s because we’ve built a bit of trust.”
She was growing intensely curious about this man named Jin.
He might be part of a plan left by the ancestors of Hister, had memories from when he was one year old, and had even died once.
What on earth was he? Did he even realize he had died before?
But judging by his past actions, that seemed unlikely.
“Jin Runcandel has acted like he didn’t care about his life since his days as a trainee knight. Just from what’s known outside, it wouldn’t be surprising if he’d died dozens of times.”
Did he have some secret backing? Or was he just an incredibly tough human?
She hoped it was the former. Now that they were allies, it would be troublesome if Jin died too soon.
“If Jin Runcandel dies, I have a gut feeling we’ll never recover Hister’s history again…”
It was a strange feeling.
“Aria Owlheart.”
“Yes?”
“Now that things are roughly settled, I want to talk more about the recording device.”
Jin placed the spirit orb on the nightstand.
“You were sure this wasn’t something Solderet made. You said it was made of spirit energy, but I want to know what made you come to that conclusion.”
“Where did you get this spirit orb?”
“By raiding the secret villa of the family’s second knight, Joshua.”
Jin explained to Valeria what had happened that day.
They had stormed the villa to rescue a comrade’s guardian dragon but unexpectedly encountered a demon. They killed it and took the orb.
“Rontelgius, one of the four great demon duke families. That explains a lot.”
“You know everything. Even among my comrades, only the dragons knew about that.”
Valeria had confirmed the name in the Hister family’s archives.
“The reason I said the device wasn’t Solderet’s is because of the uniquely malicious demonic energy it contains. And you might know this, but there are beings unrelated to Solderet who can also use spirit energy.”
—“A witch. It must be her doing.”
She recalled the words of Sara Runcandel, guardian of the second tomb.
She hadn’t been able to ask more at the time, but Sara had implied that Helluram could also use spirit energy.
“You mean the witch Helluram?”
“You know a lot. Yes, that recording device is probably hers. No one else could have infused that much demonic energy into the orb. Rontelgius was a close aide to the Demon Beast King Orgal, and Orgal was Helluram’s lover. So the demon you killed must have been carrying that orb.”
The witch Helluram. Valeria had met her in a past life of Jin’s.
“Master said he met Helluram when he was around twenty and again at twenty-five.”
So when Quikantel told his comrades that Helluram was a ‘person,’ Jin wasn’t surprised. Valeria had already told him about it before his reincarnation.
“I’m still not sure if this belonged to the demon or Joshua.”
“If the recording device belongs to the family’s second knight, your eldest brother is likely connected to the witch Helluram.”
The Prophet.
Jin nodded, recalling that figure.
“Maybe the prophet Joshua has with him is Helluram.”
He thought it best to wait for more concrete information before telling Valeria.
For now, just having her as an ally was a big win.
“What will you do with the recording device? It’s not related to Solderet, but will you leave it to me?”
“Yeah. Also, do you happen to read the demon language?”
“To check the papers and grimoires I got from killing the Rontelgius demon family?”
“Exactly.”
“Unfortunately, I don’t know the demon language at all. I’m not a miracle worker.”
Valeria grabbed her robe hanging by the bed.
She chuckled softly after realizing there were still Latri’s cookies inside.
“I should get going. I have to examine the recording devices you gave me and keep searching for the Myoin tribe. I won’t have a moment to breathe for a while.”
“Any progress on the broken recording device from Solderet you gave me at first?”
“It’s a time-consuming task, so please understand. I want to finish it quickly and get the other half of the ancestor’s grimoire soon.”
Unlike their first meeting, this time Jin extended his hand first. Valeria didn’t hesitate to grasp it.
“Take care, Aria Owlheart.”
“You too.”
August 20, 1799.
Two months had passed since Jin returned to his family.
The cosmetics business had resumed advertising right after the small prisoners were rescued, and as a result…
Jin, Runcandel, and Bigung were literally raking in huge sums of money.
Both the premium line, Geumseol, and the affordable line, Eunseol, were flying off the shelves, quickly dominating the cosmetics market.
Of course, they could no longer advertise in the Lutero Magic Federation.
But word of mouth was a terrifyingly powerful force.
Nobles in the Lutero Magic Federation were paying several times, sometimes dozens of times the price, to buy Geumseol cosmetics on the black market.
Runcandel’s profits meant Ziphl’s wealth was leaking out.
The elders could no longer look down on Jin’s cosmetics business, and Telrot felt a deep satisfaction that his judgment had been right.
But there was one man who was deeply displeased and wounded in pride by the huge success of Geumseol cosmetics.
“Ugh, this can’t be! This can’t be happening!”
Bubar Gaston.
He was losing one of his jobs and hobbies recently.
“What’s so great about those stupid cosmetics? How can these fools not appreciate Bubar’s artistic soul? To think my transformation techniques are being outdone by makeup—I can’t accept this…!”
The special product of the Geumpaeng Guild, ‘Okseol,’ was selling out day after day alongside Geumseol and Eunseol.
Okseol’s main customers were assassins, elite theater troupes, and spies.
It allowed users to transform their appearance just by applying it roughly, so most of Bubar’s clients who had requested his transformation procedures were rapidly defecting.
“…Please just shut up, Bubar Gaston.”
Vishkel had been listening to Bubar’s whining for over five hours a day for several days now.
He felt like he was losing his mind.
Since meeting this disgusting man, his patience had been tested countless times, but lately, it was especially unbearable.
“I want to achieve my great work soon so I can twist this bastard’s neck. No, that’s not enough. I want to carve his whole body alive…”
Dark circles formed under Vishkel’s eyes as he imagined violent things.
“Damn Jin Runcandel! Nothing’s gone right since I met that guy! What’s so great about those disguise cosmetics called Okseol? Vishkel, get me some. I want to see it with my own eyes.”
“I’ve told you many times, the Geumpaeng Guild doesn’t sell those disguise cosmetics to just anyone. Kinzell or Ziphl can’t buy them at all.”
“If I send low-ranking members whose identities aren’t exposed, I can get them, right!?”
“Ugh, no. Those low-ranking members aren’t even entertained. How many times do I have to explain this, Bubar?”
“Ah! No, I can’t take it anymore! You know I can’t tolerate anything that hurts my artistic soul!”
“What does your artistic soul have to do with their cosmetics selling well?”
“It does! It feels like I’m being defeated. Ah, I’m so angry my head might explode. Vishkel, I think I need something sweet. Please get me a sweet potato croquette.”
Vishkel instinctively reached for his waist.
If he had lost his composure for just one second longer, he would have drawn his sword and cut Bubar’s throat.
That would have been a very happy ending for Vishkel personally.
“Hold on, hold on, for the great work… the great work…”
His hand trembled.
Even as he struggled to calm himself, Bubar kept going nonstop, even spitting on Vishkel’s stiff blue coat as he ranted.
“Sweet potato… croquette… I’ll get it, so calm down…”
Vishkel felt like he was going to lose his hair from stress.
He wanted to scream, but if he did, Bubar would probably foam at the mouth, go berserk, and start self-harming, so he held back.
“Brother, Bubar.”
Margiela rolled into the room in her wheelchair.
“Margiela.”
“Miss Margiela! Please listen to me!”
“Haha, I overheard everything you two were saying outside. No wonder you’re upset, Boubart.”
“Of course, Marjiela, you really understand how I feel!”
“Of course! Boubart, you’re our friend, after all.”
As soon as Marjiela entered, Boubart immediately softened his anger.
“So, Marjiela, will you help me get that cosmetics called ‘Oksul’ from those guys?”
“Boubart, I want to help you just as much as you want me to, but there’s an order to things, isn’t there? We have to take it step by step.”
“But I can’t take it anymore. At this rate, I feel like I’m going to just snap and die.”
“I know, I know. I can’t just stand by and watch a friend fall apart. I’ll go meet Jin Kyung myself.”
“Ugh, that unlucky guy? No way. He’ll definitely cause trouble for you, Marjiela.”
“Actually, I owe him a favor, so he won’t. Hey, brother, why don’t we take Mr. Berakt and visit the Garden of Swords?”