Chapter 80

Now, Leoard was about to put into action the plan he had been warming up. The secret notebook contained the knowledge of the 48 Fates, which he had extracted from the memories of the true person.

And this knowledge was also necessary for Leoard to avoid death. However, in the original story, Leoard was definitely going to die. The cause of death varied, but no matter which heroine the protagonist chose, Leoard would die. It was all too unjust.

That's why Leoard was using the knowledge of the 48 Fates extracted from the true person's memories to devise a strategy. Until now, he couldn't do anything due to his circumstances, but now that he had full authority over Zeato and had hired civil servants, it was time to put his plan into action.

"Hehehe..."

Leoard smiled sardonically as he stared at the notebook, lost in his imagination. If this plan bore fruit, Leoard might be able to avoid the death flag.

"Alright... I'll investigate the ancient ruins near Zeato and revive the transfer magic circle hidden deep within!"

The 48 Fates revealed that several civilizations had existed and disappeared over the long history. Among them were some that possessed magic more advanced than the current magic. One of these was the transfer magic that Leoard mentioned. It was a magic that could instantly move a person to a distant place. It existed in the past, but there were no users now, and it had become a legendary form of spatial magic.

Moreover, there were ancient ruins in the world, and within them were remnants of the past. Some of the artifacts brought back from the ancient ruins were as worthless as garbage in the modern world, while others were impossible to replicate. Treasure hunters who aimed for a fortune never ceased to explore these ruins.

"Alright... The problem is that when I revive the transfer magic circle, that guy will appear. I'd rather avoid it, but since he takes an interest in the person who revives it, I can't avoid it..."

Leoard was complaining about a certain person. According to the story, when Leoard revives the transfer magic circle in the ancient ruins he is about to visit, he will encounter this person. It's a forced event that leads to a battle. However, in the game, it was possible to avoid the battle depending on the choices made.

But this world is not a game, so there are no choices. Therefore, Leoard's negotiation skills will be crucial. Ideally, it would be best to resolve the situation peacefully, but in the original story, the person who revives the transfer magic circle is one of the heroines, not Leoard. If he is asked any questions, it will be game over.

And the reason why Leoard is so worried is that the person he is about to encounter is one of the strongest in the world. In the world of the 48 Fates, the strongest character is undoubtedly the evil god added as a paid DLC. However, there are three characters who can defeat the evil god alone if the conditions are met. One of them is the person Leoard is about to encounter. The evil god has various gimmicks but excels in both close and long-range combat. However, in close combat, it is the second strongest in the world, and in long-range combat, it is also the second strongest.

By now, you should understand that the person Leoard is about to encounter is the strongest in the world in terms of long-range, or magic. If a battle were to occur, even if Leoard brought Gilbert, Barbalot, and Isabelle, he wouldn't last five seconds. He is that strong.

However, despite this, the transfer magic circle is still attractive to Leoard. It would be foolish to leave it alone. Therefore, Leoard decided to gather his resolve and proceed with the investigation of the ancient ruins.

Immediately, he summoned Gilbert, Barbalot, and Isabelle to form the investigation team.

"Thank you for gathering..."

Isabelle, finding Leoard's behavior amusing, spoke her thoughts frankly.

"You don't suit that at all. Was it necessary to darken the room unnecessarily?"

"Are you saying you don't know how to have fun!?"

"Unfortunately, I don't have that."

"Ugh... whatever."

"Hehe, there really are people who say 'Ugh...'"

"Want to turn you into charcoal?"

"So, what's the matter today?"

"Your quick change of attitude is impressive. Anyway, I gathered you today because I discovered ancient ruins near Zeato and want to investigate them, so I'm including you in the investigation team."

"Is that so? Young master, did you really discover ancient ruins?"

"Yes, but I haven't told anyone yet."

"Wait a moment. Lord Leoard, wasn't it supposed to be reported to His Majesty the King when ancient ruins were discovered?"

"That's right, Barbalot. But the actual report will be made after the investigation."

"Then you're going to make a false report to His Majesty?"

"No, that's not it. I will report that we discovered them, but we will investigate them first."

"Isn't that just a sophistry?"

"True, but in general, the person who discovers ancient ruins is given priority. That's why there are treasure hunters."

"I see. I understand the general idea, but will the investigation team consist only of us?"

"Ancient ruins are filled with dangerous traps and powerful monsters. Therefore, a small, elite team is the best answer."

"In other words, it's already decided?"

"Yes. As the acting lord of Zeato, I order you, Gilbert, Barbalot, and Isabelle, to accompany me and investigate the ancient ruins!"

And so, the four of them set out to investigate the ancient ruins. Isabelle tried to report to Sylvia, but Leoard stopped her, not wanting any unnecessary interference.

Thank you for reading! If you have any evaluations, comments, bookmarks, or reviews, they would be a great encouragement. Please let me know if you find any typos or errors.

Thank you for always reading!