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Chapter 41: The Secret of Tatur

"It\'s nothing."

"It\'s clearly not nothing. You obviously had a fight. And here I thought you were on the kid\'s side. Was I wrong?"

"Choose your words wisely. He\'s now the master of Tatur. Call him Master."

Dushala seemed taken aback by Suan\'s firm voice. "Well, then..."

"If it doesn\'t come naturally to you, feel free to speak as you please," Karyl spoke nonchalantly, seemingly pleased with Suan\'s changed demeanor.

"I will reveal to you a secret of Tatur that you are unaware of. Though I\'ve become the leader here, I do not take your roles as administrators lightly. Moreover, I believe this secret will deepen your loyalty to me."

The more he spoke, the more curious they became. What could be this secret of Tatur that even they didn’t know? And how could a newcomer know about it? The two looked at Karyl with a mix of curiosity and fear.

"Just a moment!!" That\'s when someone was seen rushing towards them from a distance.

"Kamma?"

"Geez, isn\'t this too much? Why am I always left out? I\'m an administrator here too!" Kamma exclaimed, paying no mind to the mud staining his long robe as he gasped for breath.

"How did you even find out about this?"

"I have people scattered all over the streets. I knew you\'d try to do something behind my back."

"Such a pointless effort..."

"Pointless? How dare you! Being by the Master’s side even at this hour holds significance!" Kamma said, smiling sheepishly at Karyl. "The title seems to suit you perfectly, Master."

"Crazy..." Dushala snorted in disbelief at Kamma’s behavior, but the tension seemed to ease slightly thanks to him.

"It’s good to have you here. I figured you\'d come even if I didn\'t tell you."

"Ha, haha... Is that so?"

"Kamma of the slums has an unrivaled information network, after all."

"Oh, you flatter me." Kamma bowed again and again, nodding repeatedly at his words.

"Let’s Proceed."

***

"Do you know when Tatur was built?"

"I\'m not sure..."

"I\'ve heard it\'s an artificial island, but we don\'t know the details. The Fonein River flows so strongly around it that it\'s considered forsaken land," Dushala said, as she followed Karyl.

"It\'s not properly documented in history books either. Though, even if it were, I doubt we\'d pay much attention." Suan and Kamma nodded at her words.

For them, who had to struggle to survive each day, reading books was a luxury they couldn\'t afford.

"The empire was founded about 250 years ago. The Grand Sorcerer Kaye Aesir, and the Emperor, Parson Shutean, who was known as the Great Emperor, unified the large and small territories with immense power."

The three nodded in agreement.

"But Tatur is much older, dating back to the Magical Era, a thousand years ago."

An old door creaked open, and its sound echoed through the room. Kamma seemed surprised that the door to the black market was being opened again so soon.

"Buildings from the Magical Era are famously complex, like mazes. This place, which you use as a black market, is one of those."

"But we\'ve already surveyed this area. Each facility has its owner."

"Correct," Karyl said as he passed through the door leading to the black market. "Although it\'s complicated, having a map means you won\'t get lost. It would be a shame if this was all there was to Tatur\'s secret."

Karyl turned to look at Dushala. "Hmm, here it is."

A while after they had entered the black market, Karyl touched a wall. They still had a long way to go before reaching the divided areas of the market, which was just a long path downstairs at about the halfway point. Kamma stuttered at the sight of Karyl carefully examining a seemingly blank wall.

"A wall...?"

"Yes."

"W-Wait a moment. You\'re not planning to break it, are you? That would cause the ceiling to collapse." Kamma clung to Suan, seemingly afraid of the dark.

"The ancients wouldn\'t have built it so recklessly," Dushala said, looking disapprovingly at Kamma.

"This place was a fortress built by the dwarves during the Magical Era. It has several unique features." Karyl exerted force on his gauntlet, causing a sharp blade to protrude. "If I insert the blade into this small crack and turn it..."

An eerie grind of metal followed as Karyl, despite the precarious appearance, forcefully turned the blade of his gauntlet. With a resounding thud and a slight click, the wall began to shift, revealing a hidden space.

"...appears a hidden chamber."

"How...?" Dushala murmured in disbelief.

A hidden space in Tatur, undiscovered even by her who thought she had explored every corner.

"It won\'t show up on magical detection. Plus, the “key” to open the chamber has to be an item of certain durability and flexibility, something made by dwarves or gnomes. And if you fail, the chamber can never be opened again, so only those in the know can find this place," Karyl explained, his lips curling into a faint smile.

Narh Di Maug, I must really thank you when you awaken. In the meantime, I\'ll make full use of all the knowledge you shared.

A massive cavern, resembling an unbelievably clean factory filled with intricate iron structures, opened up before them, defying the notion that it had been beneath the earth for a millennium.

"There..." Suan\'s voice quivered. "Is that a ship?"

"Yes. But it’s not made by humans." Karyl looked at the battleship that was tightly bound in thick chains as if sealed.

“It\'s similar to the airships of the Guidance Mercenary Gang. Unfortunately, it can\'t fly, but no ship on the Fonein could rival its beauty." He spoke with a hint of nostalgia as if reminiscing about a familiar object.

"It\'s the work of the great dwarven blacksmith Purval Muir, from the Magical Era. It’s likely that this along, with the airships, are the only remnants of his craftsmanship on the continent." Karyl pointed to the figurehead. "Look, that\'s the symbol of the Muir clan."

A colossal golem, looking as if it could move at any moment, knelt at the ship\'s bow.

Tatur was... a fortress. Dushala shivered at the unexpected revelation.

If a location bordering the empire, the three kingdoms, and the principality could engage in battle so easily, it might just become the most formidable place among the numerous kingdoms of the continent.

"Could this... be an artifact from the Magical Era?"

"Yes."

Dushala stared at the ship, rendered speechless. Who would have thought something from the Magical Era lay hidden beneath Tatur? And how does he know about it?

"Does it... still function?" Unlike Dushala, who was filled with concerns, Suan asked eagerly, his whole body covered in dust.

"Of course, it does." Karyl effortlessly cut the chains.

After all, you were the helmsman of this ship in my past life. He found Suan’s question funny.

Suan Hazer had once been hailed as the reincarnation of Nelson Howard, the Island King, who ruled over the western archipelagoes of the continent thanks to this ship.

This will serve as the cornerstone of the invisible empire I will create.

Karyl remembered how Suan once steered this ship across the continent. "This is the mana battleship."

The heavy chains fell to the ground, causing the underground hall to shake, and dirt fell from the ceiling.

"W-Wait, don’t handle an artifact from the Magical Era so recklessly..."

About a thousand years ago, in an era when elves, dwarves, and various other species thrived, magic was far more prevalent than it is now. The magic that exists today was established by the Seven Elders, known as the Original Sorcerers. However, many of these spells are no longer in use.

That\'s why artifacts from the Magical Era are so valuable, like those in the imperial treasury.

Occasionally, artifacts from the Magical Era are discovered in ancient ruins or dungeons.

For many, the Magical Era felt like a distant dream, causing them to handle these artifacts. But Karyl held a different perspective.

What’s the point of hoarding valuable items in a treasury if they\'re never put to use? Every artifact from the Magical Era is far more useful than modern items.

The empire, principality, and three kingdoms all possessed these Magical Era artifacts. Among the most notable was the Staff of Infinite Breath, made from a special mineral called Clear Distilled Water, that was stored in the imperial treasury.

It\'s frustrating. Even the best tools are useless if not used. Only the court magician, Kadin Luer, has the skill to use the Infinite Breath, but the emperor hides it out of fear of the chancellor, Karyl thought smiling bitterly.

I will be different. I\'ll use everything at my disposal.

To be in a position where fear is rendered unnecessary, to have dominion over swords, magic, and all forms of power—that is what truly matters.

“What will we do if Dushala, who commands even the nobles of the empire, gets scared by something like this?”

"W-Who\'s scared?" Dushala said, stepping back slightly behind Suan.

"It’s functional, but it can\'t be used right away. First, summon the dwarves from the black market to repair it."

"Is it safe for them to see it?"

"We have no other choice. Thanks to special methods involved in them, only dwarves can work on Muir\'s creations." Karyl shrugged. "Also you\'re good at keeping secrets. And remember to appoint the dwarf from sector 5-UK-37 as the manager. That\'ll keep things quiet. Although not from Muir\'s clan, they\'ve served the royal family for a long time."

"Right."

Dushala eyed Karyl, who spoke about such matters so casually. How does he know so much, even about the black market\'s sectors?

"The legacy of Muir will ensure that they keep things quiet."

"Umm... Ca-Can we go inside?" Suan asked, his eyes shining.

"Of course you can. But remember, don\'t take it out of here until I say so, or it might become a target of the empire."

"Understood."

Karyl patted the ship\'s side. "Aren\'t you curious? Just imagine the reaction across the continent when this battleship is revealed."

"Well, it’ll be very interesting," Dushala responded, trying to sound nonchalant, but the smiling lips hidden behind her veil betrayed her gratitude.

The arrogant nobles and those who had exploited her as if she were an insect, the thought of getting revenge on them made her want to leap in joy.

As if aware of her thoughts, Karyl spoke calmly, "You can look forward to it. This is just the beginning."