Chapter 79: Debt 79 - The King’s Relic
Helen approached Ryan and grabbed the collar of his trench coat with both hands.
"Hey Ryan... I know you’ve been busy, but what do you mean King? What is this all about?"
Ryan looked away.
"Don’t even ask me."
"And who else am I supposed to ask, then?"
Each of them was surprised.
Without understanding when such a thing could have even happened.
Of course, it wasn’t something Ryan had officially accepted yet, but they were already treating him as such, and that could only mean that the elders had announced it during Ryan’s absence.
’Those old fossils, I told them we would talk about it later...’
He walked on, ignoring Helen’s words.
"Anyway, don’t get distracted by that stuff."
Then he fixed his gaze on the people around him.
"And as for you, don’t call me that yet. It’s not something I’ve accepted. Is that clear?"
"Yet?" Mirian questioned.
"It seems like you’ve already made up your mind, hasn’t it?"
Ryan turned toward her.
"Don’t talk nonsense. I said I would talk to them later."
Then Karol stepped in.
"But King of the Elves? That is... unusual. Offering the crown to a human... did I say unusual? That would never happen... in any case, if it turns out to be true, I think it’s very convenient."
Helen grabbed Karol by the shoulder and turned her toward her.
"Hey, I’m not opposing it, I think Ryan would be a good king... it’s just that... first that other thing happened and now suddenly they tell me he’ll be King. What else are they hiding from us?" she grumbled.
"Hey, I’m not hiding anything. It took even me by surprise. Anyway, we’ll talk about that later. There are more important things right now..."
Ryan began to look around, perhaps due to his enhanced senses from having such high attributes, but he seemed to notice an inconsistency within the village.
’And the village grounds... don’t they look smaller now? Or is it just my imagination?’
"Where is Irina?" Ryan asked one of the guards in front of him.
"She is with the elder woman. She has spent a lot of time with her over these last two days."
"Does she usually do that?"
"No... I think it’s the first time they’ve spent so much time together."
Ryan nodded.
"I see."
The crowd began to step aside.
"Young Ryan, we must speak urgently," said Irina’s grandfather, making his way through the crowd.
"That old man is still kicking."
"Helen! Be more respectful, will you!"
"Sorry, but I didn’t say anything bad."
He stood before them.
"Ha ha ha. Dear Mirian, and dear Helen, I’m glad to see you haven’t changed a bit."
Then the elder directed his gaze toward Karol.
"And I see you have another companion. Young Ryan is... well... what a joy it is to be young, isn’t it?"
’This old man...’
Then he approached Karol and took her hand.
"What is your name, young lady?"
"Eh... well, I’m Karol. I joined the party recently, hehehe."
Ryan approached.
He placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, old man, tell me, what did you want to talk to me about?"
"Oh, you’re right, I’d already forgotten. Follow me, quickly."
Then he and the elder went off together.
He followed him to what used to be the King’s bedchamber.
After climbing three floors, they arrived; the space was vast with an enormous bed.
Additionally, there was a room that served as a study or meeting place.
A desk and a chair, surrounded by various magic relics.
On the desk lay the King’s crown and a necklace with a glowing gem.
"Why are you showing me this place?"
The elder approached the table and picked up the necklace.
"This is what I want to show you." He held the necklace up to Ryan’s eye level, and Ryan took it.
He brought the necklace closer to observe it carefully.
The interior of the gem was filled with an intense blue glow.
"Mana?"
"Yes... it is the King’s mana."
"But how can it still be active?"
The elder walked to one of the windows in the room and stood looking out into the distance.
"You’ve entered the village several times... don’t you notice anything different now?"
"Different?"
"Yes, for example..." The elder turned back toward Ryan and held his hands slightly apart but without touching.
Then he added.
"Do you notice the place being smaller now?"
’So I wasn’t imagining it?’
"Yes... I noticed it when I came back. But what is the reason, and what does this necklace have to do with it?"
The elder walked back to the desk and placed his hand on the crown.
"That necklace belonged to my son, the King... and it was used as the core to keep this place operational. My son’s magic could create rifts in space."
"Like dungeons?"
"Yes, or at least something similar. I’m not entirely sure. The point is... that necklace is a relic, and the mana inside it acts as a conduit to keep the place running. To keep it from collapsing."
Ryan looked at the relic again.
"Now that you mention it, the mana inside the gem is only half full. Is that why the village is shrinking?"
"Exactly, young Ryan. And that is why I brought you here to tell you."
"Hmm... but isn’t it enough to just refill it with mana? Anyone should be able to do that, right?"
The elder fell silent for a moment.
Ryan pressed him.
"Is it not possible?"
Then the elder crossed his arms.
"You see... my son’s magic was special, and he could recharge the mana without problem, but he did so because he was the owner of the spell."
The elder paused.
He swallowed and then spoke.
"We have been taking turns to recharge it with mana all this time, but because of the density of our mana, it isn’t just that it’s not enough, but it runs out very quickly."
He pointed to the relic.
"For that thing, a ritual must be performed to establish a new owner with strong and vast mana. Only then will it be stable."
"So, what you’re trying to say is that if there isn’t a new owner, the village will disappear?"
"Basically. We will return to the forest grounds where you entered. It’s already dangerous enough to stay here as it is; we would be sitting ducks in that destroyed forest."
’One problem after another. At least I think I can handle this.’