Chapter 136 : Chapter 136
Chapter 136
Matthew Exclusive: Lost Techniques of the Ancient Druid School. Purchased for 4,000 points!
Four thousand points, what’s that!
It felt trivial now.
Didn’t even seem expensive.
‘Good, and…’
Naturally, Know-It-All and Wild Instinct were next.
They’d been at Lv 4 for a while, so it was time for Lv 5.
‘This might be the last.’
For Firearm Comprehension, reaching Lv 10 evolved it into Proficiency.
Proficiency at Lv 10 would evolve into Mastery.
Unlike those, most skills capped at Lv 10.
‘The steady, royal road to growth. But not for Know-It-All and Wild Instinct.’
Their growth per level was phenomenal.
Take Know-It-All’s progression, for instance.
Lv 1: Basic knowledge.
Enough to take top honors at the Academy.
Lv 2: Key formulas and information.
Gave me confidence in crisis decisions.
Lv 3: Knowledge impacting the world’s fate.
Enabled me to intervene and prevent disasters.
Lv 4: The Great Library, granting access to all human-recorded information.
Wouldn’t Lv 5 be the cap?
‘Of course, the performance feels lacking because I can’t fully utilize the skills.’
Know-It-All and Wild Instinct activated based on my stream of consciousness.
Even if I could access all the world’s knowledge, if I wasn’t interested in carriages, it wouldn’t flood me with details about their scientific design.
‘But that’s unavoidable.’
I wasn’t a god.
How could I care about everything?
‘Even so, they always add impressive effects.’
Know-It-All (Lv 4) agrees it’s impressive, acknowledging the master’s analytical ability.
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) is pleased, saying it knows a thing or two.
‘…Anyway, shall I level them up?’
I casually decided to upgrade both skills.
But.
To upgrade Know-It-All and Wild Instinct to their final Lv 5, an unlocking process is required.
‘What, unlocking?’
Can be unlocked through a specific person. The hint lies in Martin’s past.
What was it saying?
Unlocking?
‘…Could it be.’
If the answer lay in Martin’s past… I had a rough guess.
‘Lilac called Martin Know-It-All.’
In past experiences, Lilac always called me ‘Master is Know-It-All!’
That might be the origin.
‘What about Wild Instinct? Sebastian?’
The Ulvhadin Family’s mentor was tied to the Hound… or so it seemed.
But there was no clear trace in past experiences.
‘Maybe because I haven’t revisited past experiences since reaching Lv 4. The hint must be there.’
For now, I upgraded other skills.
Strength, Agility, Mana, Endurance, and others to Lv 10…
Consumed 6,750 points.
To go beyond Lv 10, I recalled it required grueling training to achieve mastery, but honestly, I wasn’t confident.
It’d help, but it wouldn’t significantly boost my shooting.
This was enough.
“Oh, and…”
I also raised Movement to Lv 4.
Movement (Lv 4) sobs, thinking it was forgotten!
“….”
Not a perk like Know-It-All or Wild Instinct, but still a crucial skill…
I’d been too busy to level it up until now.
‘Pity.’
If I’d leveled it during the Brahmus fight, it might’ve helped.
‘But back then, I maxed out Stellar Force and had barely any points left. Couldn’t help it.’
If I hadn’t squeezed every bit of Stellar Force, Brahmus’ recovery would’ve been faster.
No need to spell out what disaster that could’ve caused.
Now that I thought about it, there was no reason to stop at Movement Lv 4.
‘Points to spare.’
Consumed 18,000 points!
Movement (Lv 10) cheers! The pinnacle of the Movement skill!
Know-It-All (Lv 4) demands if this makes sense!
Wild Instinct (Lv 4) stares in disbelief!
What could I do?
You guys can’t level up further.
‘Ugh.’
I poured all my points from this time into Movement.
‘It’s fine.’
The Brahmus terror taught me again—survival was key, no matter what.
With nearly 10,000 points left, no problem.
‘The Black Knight armor’s broken too… This investment is necessary.’
According to Princess Adela, repairs would take even longer.
Already a month had passed.
‘Should I catch some sleep?’
I hadn’t slept a wink, staying with the World Tree’s seed all night.
‘Maybe I’ll be there when I wake.’
Martin’s tired eyes slowly closed.
‘Hmm…’
They shut.
***
‘…I slept soundly, unlike myself.’
Rising with a groggy face, Adela stretched her arms wide.
The dim cabin was cozy, and through the window, a starlit night sky shone… along with a distant pillar of light.
“Hmm…”
Looking around, Adela stepped off the bed.
Her hair still swayed, her eyes as clear as if she hadn’t just woken.
The cabin door opened without a creak.
‘Interesting.’
No one was there.
Just faint lights illuminating the dark corridor.
It felt like being a mischievous child sneaking out at night, sparking excitement.
‘Let’s see. Where’s Martin’s room?’
Visiting at this hour might be rude.
No, it definitely was.
But that was mere commoner logic!
‘Who dares stop me when I wish to go?’
Snorting, she scanned the corridor doors.
The Harmadun and Deminiyan Families had kindly labeled each room.
‘Oh, here it is.’
About to barge in, Adela paused.
‘…Isn’t entering in the middle of the night rude?’
She’d done so before without issue, though.
Now, facing it, she felt a twinge of fear.
‘Knocking might wake others. The soundproofing seems solid, though.’
Pressing her finger to her lips in thought, Adela had an idea.
‘What if Martin’s suffering from sleep apnea or something?’
She reached to fling open the door.
‘Ugh.’
It was locked.
‘Pity…’
“Locked, huh.”
A voice from behind made Adela freeze.
She hadn’t sensed a thing.
Since when?
What was the purpose?
A hand reached from behind, fiddling with the lock until it clicked open.
Inside, Martin slept soundly on the bed, utterly exhausted, not stirring.
The problem was… this wasn’t the time to focus on that.
“Oh, don’t mind me. Just checking on the kid. Man, who’d have thought he’d pull off something this huge? I can’t live like this, really.”
Turning slowly, she saw a man in a pure white robe.
‘What…’
The hood’s interior glowed, obscuring his face.
But look at that sacred divinity.
A man cloaked in stellar power—where else could you find such a person?
‘To meet so absurdly.’
Adela and the Star Child stared at each other silently.
After a brief pause, he shrugged.
“Hmm, I thought you’d say something.”
“….”
“Haven’t you been searching for me for a long time?”
She felt his gaze.
No doubt.
It lingered briefly on the Desert Hierophant.
“…I have.”
“…!”
At Adela’s bold reply, the Star Child flinched.
“You insolent brat.”
He flicked her forehead.
With a thud, dull pain hit, and Adela scowled.
“You…!”
“I was alive when your father’s father’s father’s father’s father ruled! You’ve eaten manners like bread in stew! Back in my day, we didn’t even step on elders’ shadows! Kids these days, no respect!”
His words left Adela staring blankly.
‘…He’s just a cranky old man with dentures.’
There was such a noble… much criticized, destined to live long.
Unless he’d escaped the Shadow Knights’ blades.
…Don’t misunderstand.
She’d killed him after learning from Elidore he was tied to demon worshippers.
“…Anyway.”
Adela cut off the Star Child.
She didn’t want to stay here any longer.
“I acknowledge my past actions.”
And above all.
“But why bring up something from ages ago?”
She’d long since stopped.
“Didn’t you know I no longer seek the Peacemaker?”
Thanks to Martin, sleeping soundly over there.
At her words, the Star Child shook his head.
“I know. But I was curious why you sought me. And why you stopped.”
“Why?”
Adela smirked.
“It’s quite simple and trivial.”
Long ago, I was abandoned by the world.
My precious things were taken, and I lived confined in a separate palace for ages.
“I needed power. Overwhelming power to destroy everyone.”
I wanted to kill them all—emperor, prince, nobles, commoners, everyone!
The legacy of the Cosmos Empire, the epitome of over-technology, was perfect for fulfilling my twisted desires.
“…But I gave up.”
If not for Martin, I’d still be burning with that desire.
“Gave up? Why?”
“Because something more precious came along.”
“Hmm.”
The Star Child glanced at Martin.
It didn’t matter.
Even if he knew, even if the world knew, what of it?
I, this woman, loved that man.
“And the precious people taken from me, I’ve met again in another way.”
Harris and Nanny were still with me.
No conversation or interaction, but their souls surely watched over me.
Even if I was once twisted, with them here… I couldn’t show a pathetic side.
Above all, Martin was here.
‘Martin, you are…’
My salvation.
“So, Star Child of the Peacemaker, I don’t seek you. Nor do I need you.”
“….”
Golden eyes met Stellar Force.
Then, the Star Child.
“Splendid.”
He turned.
“That’s redemption enough. You pass.”
I realized then.
He didn’t just come to see Martin.
‘He came to kill me and take the Desert Hierophant.’
A flash of white light, and the Star Child vanished from the cabin.
Adela swallowed hard.
Her limbs trembled.
I, unshaken in any situation, was overwhelmed.
‘…Tired.’
Time to sleep.
She turned… and looked at Martin, sleeping soundly.
So, Martin was a Peacemaker too.
Ironically, the person she’d sought was right beside her.
…No matter.
It was irrelevant now.
Hiding his identity was nothing compared to the wrongs she’d done to Martin.
“Sleep well.”
She slowly closed the door.
“My lovely hound.”
The door shut… and Adela returned to her quarters.
“Haa.”
Martin let out a sigh of relief he’d been holding.