Chapter 414

Chapter 414

For Sale. Fallen Lady. Never Used.

Episode 414: The Unspoken Rule: A Deceased Villain Leaves A Diary!

The day after I finished marking my territory in Faye’s room, which took several days.

Faye was still rolling around naked in bed. I stopped her by grabbing her chest and asked,

“Come to think of it, Senior Faye.”

“Hmm? What is it, Junior?”

Her tone was a little more drawn out than usual. Feeling myself relax along with her voice, which held both languor and satisfaction, I continued,

“Just before I got on the golem, I briefly saw Rohan… his hair had turned black, somehow? Even though he looked a bit tired, it wasn’t the same deeply sickly feeling as when I saw him last time. What happened?”

“Oh, you mean that?”

Having said that much, Faye began to hum triumphantly with a smug smile.

“Heheung! When the blessing of the Unyielding Steel descended upon the golem, blessings also came down on me and my father! That’s why!”

“Ooh…”

The effects of blessings bestowed upon objects vary by item, but blessings bestowed upon people are largely divided into two types.

One is a blessing for item-dependent warriors, which increases the efficiency of their equipped gear.

Except for a few unusual cases, it’s a reliable effect that always pays for itself… but the blessing Faye received is probably the other kind.

“A blessing that slightly improves the quality of all items you produce… right?”

“That’s right! It’s called the Blessing of the Golden Hands, and it will definitely be a great help to you, Junior!”

The Blessing of the Golden Hands may seem unassuming, but it’s incredibly useful when actually put to use.

Even among items of the same grade, there’s bound to be a slight difference in quality when you look closely.

For example, a mid-grade potion might restore 100 HP, while another might restore 97 or 101.

It’s a subtle difference, but these discrepancies widen as the item’s grade increases, so quality correction in itself is excellent.

…But the real effect becomes apparent with higher-grade items.

Most high-grade items are created through several intermediate stages. It’s like making a special alloy first, then using that alloy to create various other things.

And the Blessing of the Golden Hands is a blessing that applies corrections even to the production of such alloys.

Higher-grade materials are made from improved intermediate materials, and the quality of those higher-grade materials also increases, and then the quality of the finished product made from those higher-grade materials increases again.

In other words, the more complex the process, the more the blessing’s effects can be stacked. Naturally, the bonus received by the final product is enormous.

For Faye, who’s almost skilled enough to attempt crafting near-endgame gear, this blessing is perfect.

“That’s great! As far as I know, isn’t the Blessing of the Golden Hands a blessing that only a few dwarves have received?”

“Probably. Blessings bestowed on objects are rare enough, but blessings bestowed on artisans are even rarer. At least in this generation, it’s just me.”

That makes sense. The Blessing of the Golden Hands was a blessing that only players could obtain in H&A.

At the time, I just thought it was a device to make the protagonist stand out, but it’s different now that I generally understand the circumstances.

They’re probably just short on divine power from bestowing blessings on simply decent armaments.

It feels like the Unyielding Steel truly put in a concerted effort, considering the level of blessing bestowed on the golem this time, and the blessing bestowed on Faye.

“…Wait a minute. Rohan also received a blessing?”

There’s no way the Unyielding Steel would have that much divine power left over, right? Besides, didn’t they say Rohan was going to die soon?

“Well… the blessing my father received is a little different. In a way, you could even call it a curse…”

“A curse?”

Why would the Unyielding Steel do that? Could it be because I tormented Faye? I doubt a god would be that concerned.

Faye waved her hand at me as I tilted my head in confusion.

“It’s only a curse from a dwarf’s perspective! Objectively speaking, it’s a blessing.”

“What kind of effect does it have?”

“Instead of being unable to create any more items, he gains immense immunity to poisons and diseases.”

“Ah.”

Resistance to poisons and diseases is neither easy to obtain nor something that can be trained once acquired, so if someone bestows it upon you, it’s right to accept it with gratitude.

However, the cost is a ban on crafting. Usually, one could simply live without making anything for the rest of their life. Isn’t it just a matter of buying what you need anyway?

But for a dwarf, it’s a punishment comparable to being told not to breathe.

“Why such a blessing…?”

“They probably wished for my father not to die. Or perhaps my father prayed for it.”

That makes sense. Rohan is one of the most excellent artisans of this era. Even if he can no longer create items, his knowledge remains, so simply preserving that would be a great help.

Since he’s an old man with not much life left anyway, even if he’s not in pain, he won’t suffer for long.

If that’s what Rohan wished for, it’s even easier to understand. A person who wants to live doesn’t need a reason.

“Well, either way, it’s a good thing for me. If he had just died from the stimulant’s effect, I’d feel a bit uneasy, like I killed him.”

“No, who would think that?”

“Me? Even if not, if my father dies, I’m the only remaining blood relative, so I’d have to become the next Jarl… and I’m not ready for that yet. Right now, living with Junior and making necessary items is more important than the territory.”

“That’s certainly true. It’s quite a large territory, and neglecting it would lead to big problems. Even if you just handle the minimum cleanup, considering the size of the territory, it wouldn’t be a one or two-day job.”

Faye nodded roughly, as if agreeing with me. Her attitude seems to downplay the fact that Rohan is alive, but… I can see it.

That’s a look of inward relief, isn’t it? Given Faye’s inherently kind nature, it’s perhaps a natural reaction.

I gently stroked Faye’s chest for a moment. Then, a knock was heard from beyond the firmly closed door.

Knock, knock.

“Lady Faye. Rohan says he has something to tell you. Can you spare some time?”

“Ryubeubina? My body’s all better now… Did Father ask for us? What’s going on?”

“It seems something was found in Madam Astrid’s—no, in the traitor Astrid’s room that can shed light on the detailed inner workings of things. It’s a rather sensitive topic, but Rohan said you all have the right to know. Of course, if you don’t wish to, you can decline.”

“Really?! They found out why?!”

Faye cried out, sitting bolt upright. Her ample chest swayed freely with the inertia.

…Enough to send a ‘boob slap’ my way, right next to me.

I shrugged, unsure whether to feel pain or pleasure at the subtle sensation.

“Well, it’s an unspoken rule for a villain who died without saying anything to leave a diary or a letter.”

“What kind of rule is that?! I’ve never heard of it!”

“There’s actually a reason for it.”

It’s not like it’s a game mechanic… In fact, anyone can figure it out with a little thought.

Unless they’re in the heart of an Evil God’s faction, cultists are always people who have to live in hiding.

But people can’t endure living entirely in secrecy. This is especially true for cultists whose minds are unstable due to the influence of an Evil God.

“But they have no one to talk to, do they? So they write diaries or letters. They mumble to themselves, or they want to confide in a distant comrade.”

“Ah. I think I know what you mean. I used to mumble to myself a lot when I was going through a tough time.”

Faye, with messy bangs drooping, exuding a gloomy aura, mumbling to herself in a semi-basement workshop?

“…Possible!”

“Huh? What’s possible, Junior?”

“It means I like Senior Faye a lot. Anyway, we’ve kept Ryubeubina waiting too long. So, what are you going to do? Are you curious about Astrid’s circumstances? Or do you not even want to bother thinking about it?”

“Hmm… Honestly, I am curious, right? She might not have liked me, but her affection for Father was genuine. And her personality wasn’t that twisted, either.”

Faye explained that while Astrid treated her with indifference like others, she never specifically tormented her for being illegitimate.

“Then it’s decided. Everyone, get dressed. We need to get ready to go out.”

“Yes, Master.”

“Are you finally done?”

“Ahem. I sometimes think this is fine too.”

The answers came as if they had been waiting. By the way, Iona and Helena were still unconscious, having just been dealt with by me.

While waking them up and getting them dressed, with a look of utter calm on their faces, Ryubeubina’s flustered voice was heard from outside.

“Eh? Why are you dressed…?”

Hmm.

I don’t know exactly how old she is, but she looked quite young, even excluding the small stature characteristic of dwarves.

She’s at an age when curiosity is abundant.

“I’ll be ready soon, so come back in 20 minutes.”

“Y-yes, yes, understood!”

Her shrill voice answered as her footsteps faded away.

Alright! You little kids, scram! This place is about to become a battlefield!

“Master. Have you seen my socks?”

“Those are my clothes, Lady Yareunshade. If they don’t fit your chest, don’t try to force them on.”

“Ah. I-I’m sorry. Most clothes don’t fit my chest…”

“Keuk!”

Well, it’s a battlefield in a slightly different sense. With so many people, it gets annoying when clothes get mixed up sometimes.

Anyway, after that, I changed clothes and came out.