Maruyama Kugane - The Invaders of the Large Tomb

The advantage of being able to gauge the power level of opponents went without saying.

There was only one other person that Hekkeran knew of within the Empire that also possessed this ability. And that person was the Empire's highest ranked magic caster—Fluder Paradyne.

Although their eyes were the only things they had in common, it showed how gifted Arche was, since she was comparable to Fluder.

"To think that the Magic Academy would let such a talented child go."

"Exactly. To be capable of using the same tier of magic as me at such a young age is simply unbelievable. Perhaps it's possible for Arche to reach the 6th tier in the future."

"—I think that would be quite difficult to achieve. However, I would be happy if the possibility exists."

Just as the previously broken atmosphere was about to recover, Hekkeran clapped his hands.

Everyone's attention once more focused on the topic at hand.

"Now now, about the current request, do we accept or not?—Roberdyck."

"I have no objections."

"Imina?"

"Why not go with it? This is the type of work I've always wanted to do."

The work given to workers usually wasn't trivial stuff. Only a few days ago, they were still on the Kattse Plains exterminating undead. Work like that was quite different compared to what was offered now.

"In that case—"

"—If it's for my sake, please don't. Even if we refuse the offer this time I still have other ways."

The three of them glanced at each other, and a smile then appeared on Imina's face.

"No way. If you think about it, the request this time isn't the typical shady work. The reward is also really generous. Right, Rob?"

"That's how it is. It isn't for your sake at all. There's probably lots of undiscovered items within the ruins. Isn't it so, Hekkeran?"

"There you have it, Arche. Though it's regrettable that we can't make it known that we're the first explorers of the ruins."

"—My deepest gratitude."

Seeing Arche lowering her head, the three of them looked at each other and smiled.

"Well then, Arche and I will go and convert the plate into cash. The two of you go and prepare the necessary items for this adventure."

The items necessary for an adventure could include things like rope or oil, as well as certain magic items. For someone with a meticulous personality like Roberdyck, and Imina possessing the skills of a thief, this sort of work was perfect for them. On the other hand, one could say that Hekkeran was simply unsuited for tasks like his.

"Alright everyone, let's begin! ...Arche."

Turning towards Arche who was tilting her head with a baffled description, Hekkeran finally said out loud what he wanted to say before.

"The income from this commission isn't enough to cover your debt."

"—No problem. This much should be enough to extend the deadline by some time."

"You can borrow the rest from us."

"That's right. You can always pay us back later using the income earned from future jobs."

Of course it wouldn't be given for free since 'Foresight' members are all equal.

"—Hold on to it for now. I've already returned most of what my irresponsible parents borrowed. But give me some time to consider things through."

"That's fine. Take your time."

The four of them looked at each other one last time before heading off to complete what they were tasked to do.

Part 3

In a certain high-class residential district within the Empire's capital, that occupied a vast area of land. Since long ago, rows of luxurious mansions have been built on this land, erected in the style of the past. Walking by these mansions would bring out a feeling of historical nostalgia. One could certainly guess that the type of residents that live here were most likely aristocrats.

The mansions of aristocrats were a sign of their status. One could see it as a waste of money, but if not extravagantly decorated, they would likely become subjects of ridicule.

Furniture, jewelry, clothing, mansion, courtyard—all of these things needed to be maintained in order for one to have status amongst the upper class of society. For aristocrats, who were continuously establishing connections and cliques, it was necessary to display their wealth. Living in a plain mansion was enough reason to be ridiculed and looked down upon. Because of this, aristocrats that were interested in politics and power had to constantly decorate their bodies and holdings. Realistically speaking, this was similar to the display of strength between military forces.

It was a privilege reserved for the powerful.

These were the things one would see when looking around.

Even within the capital this area was one of the most well-regulated districts, where everything was nice and quiet. However, if you observed carefully, the quietness could be a bit unnerving. This was due to the lack of human presence.

In truth, the majority of these mansions were unoccupied and empty. Due to the events set in motion by the Blood Emperor, the majority of their owners ended up being unable to sustain the expenditures of living in this district.

Among these empty mansions, there were still a few that were being used. Unlike before, the gardening was kept very rough and there were no longer servants waiting outside.

It was in one of those mansions that Arche's family lived. She was welcomed home by her parents, who bore the proper appearance of typical nobles with the rightful bearings and fancy clothes.

"Ooh, welcome home Arche."

"Welcome back."

Before properly replying, Arche turned to look at a delicately crafted piece of glasswork which had been carefully carved into the shape of a cup. It radiated an air of great expense.

Arche's face twitched due to having never seen it before.

"—This is?"

"Oh, this is Artist Jan's—"

"—I'm not asking that kind of question. This is something we didn't have before, why do we have it now?"

"That's because it was purchased just this morning."

That was her father’s casual reply, using the same tone as if he was saying something like ‘Good morning’. Hearing this, Arche's body started shaking.

"—How much?"

"Hmm... I think it only cost around 15 gold coins. Cheap, isn't it?"

Arche drooped her shoulders in despair. She had originally planned on using the deposit from her current job to pay off a part of the debt, and now she found that it had risen even more.

"—Why did you buy it?"

"As aristocrats, if we can't even purchase things like this, we'll become the laughingstock of everyone."

Hearing the prideful laugh coming from her father, anger started to shine through Arche's eyes.

"—We're no longer aristocrats."

Arche's father's expression hardened at the sound of those words and his face turned completely red.

"That's wrong!"

Arche's father forcefully slammed his hand against the table. Due to the sturdiness of the table, the glasswork was not affected by the blow. Although Arche wouldn't have minded if it broke, her father probably wouldn't have felt any regret. It only costed fifteen gold coins, that’s what her father would think.

"As long as that piece of shit upstart dies, our family can instantly gain back its status! Members of our family have been nobles of the Empire for over a hundred years. It is absolutely unforgivable to end our line. This is an investment for our revival! Also, this display of power is to show that fool that we haven't given up!"

How foolish.

That was Arche's opinion of her father, who was currently out of breath due to his anger. The "fool"

probably referred to the Blood Emperor. For someone like him, Arche's family wasn't even worth consideration. If they really planned on regaining their nobility, this definitely wasn't the method to use.