Chapter 49

Accompanied by the royal knight and the treasure vault manager, I headed towards the treasure vault in the king's tower.

The interior was quite spacious, and as expected of the royal castle's treasure vault, it was not cluttered with items haphazardly placed around. Instead, everything was neatly organized by category, and a detailed inventory was meticulously maintained.

"This is the shelf where the magic wands are kept."

"Thank you."

Following the manager's guidance, I arrived at the corner where the magic wands were said to be kept. The rare magic wands displayed on the shelves... one would only see such a sight in the royal castle's treasure vault or in the item box of a BFO veteran player. It was indeed an impressive sight.

While there were many wands, the number of candidates quickly narrowed down as I applied the specific conditions I had in mind.

First, it had to be a long staff, and the decorations on the part to be held should not be overly elaborate. The decorations at the tip, however, were not as much of a concern. Even if they had intricate designs, they wouldn't break from physical impact as long as magic power was channeled through them. The real issue would be if they couldn't withstand the circulation of magic power and self-destructed.

After looking through all of them, only four candidates remained.

The first one was a wooden staff adorned with a bust of a goddess. It was light and easy to handle.

The next candidate was a staff with a skull motif, made to look like a bone. It seemed easy to use, but having such a design would attract unwanted attention.

The third one was a staff made of a silvery material, with a bluish-white gemstone at the tip. A dragon was coiled around the staff, and the bluish-white gemstone protruded from the dragon's head like a horn.

The last one was a golden staff with a bud-like decoration at the tip.

All of these wands were ones I had never seen in BFO. Truly, this was the royal castle's treasure vault.

These four were the only ones that met the initial conditions. However, I couldn't make a final decision without channeling magic power through them to see how they felt.

"Shall I channel magic power through them?"

"Please do."

With the permission, I channeled magic power through the goddess staff... and the surrounding spirits manifested and danced around me. This staff could subordinate lower spirits. It was safe and not bad. Since I had four to choose from, I decided to check all of them.

The skull staff... when I lightly channeled magic power, it started to rattle its teeth. ...No, this one is no good. There might be other gimmicks, but carrying this one would be a bit of a hassle.

What about the dragon staff? It felt much heavier than the others.

When I channeled magic power, it reacted unusually. It seemed to be in a circulation state even though I was just channeling normal magic power. ...This is definitely a staff designed for circulation, isn't it?

"Hmm..."

I cut off the magic power and then channeled it in a circulation state.

Immediately, the staff began to amplify the magic power with a low, rumbling sound. The gemstone at the tip began to glow brighter as it accumulated magic power. This one might be able to withstand my use.

"Can I hear the history of this one?"

"It's called the Dragon Staff Uroboros. It was brought back from a dungeon by an adventurer a long time ago and presented to the royal castle."

"Uroboros, huh."

I see. I could confirm that the dragon coiled around the staff was biting its own tail. The term Uroboros refers to a snake or dragon biting its own tail... Quite an interesting piece.

My mind was already mostly made up, but I decided to check the last staff just to be sure.

When I channeled magic power, the bud opened. Up to this point, it was fine, but what happened next was not good. The sphere in the center opened its eyes.

...A magic eye staff, huh. It seemed that the staff's power was divided among its gimmicks, and the amplification of magic power was not as strong.

"I'll pass on this one... I'll take this one."

"Understood. I will report this to His Majesty. The royal family might publicize the items granted, so please be aware."

"That's fine."

By publicizing the rewards given by the royal family, they could demonstrate their generosity. By clearly showing a policy of rewarding merit and punishing faults, they could boost the motivation of those working below and maintain standards.

"Have you made your decision?"

"Yes, I'll take this staff."

When I showed the Dragon Staff Uroboros to Grace and Ashley, who were waiting outside the treasure vault, it was the one that felt the most comfortable. The length, weight, and purpose were all perfect.

In terms of performance, the goddess staff was the second best, but I had some complaints about its design and weight. The skull and flower designs seemed cursed, so I passed on them.

"Shall I escort you to the carriage?"

With a smile, the royal knight saw us off, and we left the royal castle.

"Welcome back. I'm glad you're safe."

When we returned home, Siera greeted us. She had been waiting for our return.

"Did you wait here the whole time?"

"An envoy from the knights might come while you're away. I was on alert until I heard the outcome."

"Well... why don't you come in for some tea?"

"Thank you."

I invited Siera inside, and while we drank tea, I told her about today's events. Ashley, who had been a bit tense at the royal castle, relaxed and showed a relieved expression after drinking tea.

"Anyway, if Greg and his gang start lurking around, we'll have to deal with it again."

By having Caduceus continue night patrols and showing the faces of those caught in the surveillance network to Siera for investigation, we could identify most of them.

"Understood. Can I continue assisting Theodore?"

"That's fine."

For Siera, being by my side was a form of insurance. Ilmhirld's position was still uncertain, and as a member of the Thieves' Guild, it was difficult for her to protect Ilmhirld from public authorities.

"But for a friend, you're quite dedicated."

When Grace asked, Siera smiled wryly.

"We grew up together, helping each other like sisters. When she decided to become an adventurer to survive, I joined the Thieves' Guild."

"...Why?"

"With information, I could detect danger early and help her escape or hide. I could also learn survival skills. It was a two-for-one deal."

Because Ilmhirld is a lamia, I see. ...I can understand the reason for protecting someone you care about. Grace seemed to have her own thoughts and nodded slightly.

Ilmhirld had been hunting outside the city until recently because she didn't have the skills to delve into the dungeon. She got bitten by a snake when she finally decided to enter the dungeon.

Siera must have felt relieved that Ilmhirld wasn't ready to enter the dungeon and could focus on learning skills.

The Thieves' Guild teaches skills to its members in exchange for a portion of the profits they earn using those skills, whether it's burglary, pickpocketing, or using lock-picking skills as an adventurer.

"By the way, what can Ilmhirld do?"

"She's good with a bow and arrow. Even without my keen sense of smell or hearing, she can accurately locate animals in the bushes. She also has abilities as a lamia, but she usually appears in human form, so I haven't seen much of them."

Hunting without relying on sight, hearing, or smell... Does she have a pit organ or can she sense heat?

"If... Ilmhirld were free, would you consider delving into the dungeon together?"

"Are you thinking of helping her find her homeland?"

When I asked, Siera closed her eyes.

"...I know she doesn't have the skills to go to the lower levels, so I don't think she would suggest such a reckless idea. I don't intend to ask her to do that either."

But if she gains more strength, there might be a chance someday.

"That would depend on Ilmhirld's skills. I can't promise anything at this point."

"Understood. Just considering it is enough. What are your plans from tomorrow?"

"I intend to delve into the dungeon as usual."

I also want to test the Uroboros, but my goal for tomorrow is to reach the shrine on the 20th floor, which is the branching point to the Twilight Forest.

The 20th floor has shrines that branch off into various areas. Even if the dungeon's structure changes, the shrines and the paths connected to them remain fixed.

"Anyway, if Ilmhirld is ever released... why don't we go to the beach to celebrate?"

"The beach?"

"Maybe fishing and shell collecting. Grilled clams are delicious, you know?"

A trip to the beach... I wonder.

Grace grew up inland, and Ashley probably doesn't know how to swim. Siera didn't seem particularly excited about the idea of going to the beach.

Still, getting used to water could be useful for dungeon exploration... Training in underwater breathing and water walking magic could be beneficial. It would be a fun trip under the guise of training.