After the Golden Hand Niruin returned to Chiazhand, the underground city, the stories of their experiences spread at an incredible speed.
It was truly a series of unbelievable tales. It was astonishing enough to find the unicorn’s horn, which was Dural’s tenth treasure, but it was even more astounding that they returned the treasure to the unicorn who came for its own and received a blessing in return. Who would have thought the Golden Hand would give up such treasures?
However, when the Golden Hand appeared younger, people could not help but believe those unbelievable stories.
After arriving in the city, Yuric wrote a thesis summarizing his interpretation of the map leading to Dural’s tenth treasure and the exploration process. He included illustrations and copies of the treasure map in the thesis and sent it to the Mage Tower.
“A storm will rage on Stormy Hill for a while.”
Once the thesis is released, the number of mages wanting to visit the secret room under the land where the treasure was located will grow like a snowball. How could any mage resist such curiosity!
And since seeing the unicorn, Niruin has been able to see spirits as well. Although they do not cling as closely as Yuric does, the spirits no longer avoid the Golden Hand.
Having discovered a new aspect of the world, the Golden Hand no longer pursued wealth alone.
“I won’t waste this opportunity given to me.”
With such a resolution, Niruin decided to restart his studies in history, something he had learned a little about when he was young. Naturally, Yuric became the Golden Hand’s private tutor and conducted history lessons every morning.
The bodyguard knight and personal mage, who had watched him for a long time, were most surprised by the Golden Hand’s transformation. They clearly remembered when this change began.
“It started when Yuric visited the elder’s office.”
At that time, they only saw him as a presumptuous mage. However, Yuric used his unique traits to eventually win over even Elder Schleifen. He was undoubtedly an extraordinary person.
Count Pauche, who ruled the underground city of Chiazhand, invited the Golden Hand and Yuric after hearing about them.
Count Pauche was a stylish middle-aged man, unremarkable in any particular way.
“I’ve heard the rumors. Is it true?”
Since Yuric told the story in an interesting way, he enthusiastically recounted the process of finding Dural’s treasures. Count Pauche listened intently, sometimes gasping in amazement and clapping.
“The unicorn’s horn? Wasn’t it a pity?”
“At the time, I didn’t feel any regret. It was a valuable treasure, but it belonged to someone else. Isn’t it right to follow what is just?”
“How impressive. I heard you loved treasures greatly.”
“Haha, this friend is my treasure. That’s enough.”
The Golden Hand patted Yuric’s shoulder as if handling the most precious treasure in the world. Count Pauche nodded in agreement. Hearing this, he said Yuric was a great mage with excellent skills and character.
“Teacher Yuric’s story was wonderful. I’ll invite you often.”
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
Yuric spent three months of winter in Chiazhand with the Golden Hand.
New buds sprouted in pots, and thus, the new spring arrived.
“Didn’t you say you were going west?”
“Yes, I plan to explore further west.”
“I see.”
But the Golden Hand Niruin couldn’t be away from his post for too long.
“Thank you for everything. I don’t know how to express my gratitude.”
Yuric smiled warmly, as if he already knew.
“I understand Grandfather’s feelings. And I’m grateful too. Without your care and kindness, I wouldn’t have come here.”
Now, Yuric called the Golden Hand Niruin “Grandfather” instead of “Your Grace.” This was what Niruin had desperately wished for.
“Write me often. I’ll always wait for you to come back.”
“It might take some time, but I’ll definitely stop by.”
“It’s okay even if it takes time. I’m much healthier now, so I can wait.”
Yuric gave Niruin a framed picture with a painting inside.
It depicted the Golden Hand giving the unicorn’s horn to the unicorn spirit. It was a wondrous and beautiful painting. Niruin, feeling like a grandfather receiving a gift from his beloved grandson, smiled happily.
“I love it.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
This time, the Golden Hand gave Yuric a gift: a high-quality muffler and a magic artifact from Kreleton Mountain. Although Yuric already had one purple magic artifact from Kreleton Mountain, this one was slightly better in quality.
Yuric gratefully accepted the gift without refusing it. He believed it was impolite to refuse such a kind gesture and wanted to accept Grandfather’s sincerity and affection.
“Thank you, Grandfather. It’s a wonderful gift.”
“Let me see.”
Yuric wrapped the muffler around his neck. The sight of Yuric wearing the dark blue muffler looked dignified and handsome.
“Lovely fit.”
“I’ll cherish it.”
Of course, Yuric also gave pictures to the guards and servants he worked with, as well as the bodyguard knight and personal mage. Everyone was genuinely delighted with the gifts.
Leaving a day earlier than the Golden Hand, Yuric departed early in the morning from the underground mansion. Niruin walked up to the surface to see him off.
“Yuric, I’ll pray for boundless glory in your future every day.”
The two hugged deeply.
“Grandfather, I’ll write. Stay safe until we meet again!”
Yuric boarded the carriage heading west.
The Golden Hand stood there, watching the carriage disappear in the distance.
The sun rose from the distant eastern horizon.
Yuric felt the splendid spring revelry in the fields regaining color.
He was twenty-two years old in the spring of his life.
*
In the Research Department of the Ronadium Mage Tower.
A clerk, busy processing numerous theses, received a thick envelope from the west. If it were anyone ordinary, it would have been placed at the bottom of the pile, but the sender’s name caught the clerk’s attention immediately.
—Mage Yuric.
‘…Yuric?’
The clerk pushed aside the thesis he was reading and opened the envelope to examine its contents. Inside were several theses along with supplementary materials.
Having handled this for over twenty years, the clerk instinctively sensed that these were no ordinary contents as soon as he started reading.
‘Treasure Mage Dural…!’
Dural was a legendary ancient mage. The ten treasure maps he left behind were considered treasures themselves.
It was proven that Dural’s treasures were national treasures, and discovering them would mark a significant milestone in the magical world.
Out of the ten treasure maps, four had been interpreted over the centuries, and only two of the discovered treasures had been publicly announced: the Star of Lazarus and the Branch of the World Tree.
Surprisingly, Yuric had discovered a new treasure of Dural.
The clerk was startled and immediately handed the thesis to the head of the research department. Upon verifying it, the head also called in a large group of historians from the Mage Tower.
“Gather in the conference room immediately!”
Excluding those who were lecturing or absent, more than twenty mages gathered in the conference room. They asked why they were summoned.
“There’s an urgent thesis that requires your verification.”
“Even so, why rush this? I have lectures coming up soon…”
“Can you verify it first?”
Since there was only one thesis, the most authoritative mage sat down to briefly review it. The other mages either waited seated or stood behind the mage reading the thesis to observe together.
However, the hand of the mage reading the thesis grew faster, and finally, he confirmed the author.
“Oh my, did they find Dural’s treasure?!”
The mages waiting for the thesis to be turned over stood up in surprise.
“Treasure? You mean the Treasure Mage? Did they find Dural’s treasure? Who? When?!”
They all crowded around the old mage. The head urged them to calm down.
“Once we verify it quickly, we can discuss it later…”
“No, let’s continue here. Don’t worry.”
“But didn’t you mention having a lecture?”
“We can postpone it!”
The historians examined the thesis, seeing Dural’s tenth treasure map for the first time in their lives. Even the old mage, who had studied history all his life, had never seen any of Dural’s ten treasure maps before.
Publishing the complete Dural treasure map and detailing the entire process of interpreting and exploring it to discover the treasure was unprecedented in history. It was a topic that would drive historians mad.
“This is incredible.”
The news of Yuric discovering Dural’s treasure and writing the thesis spread rapidly throughout the Mage Tower.
Former Mage Tower Master Tristan, upon hearing the news, visited the tower. Now sitting in the council of elders, he read the thesis with a content smile.
“Yuric, you’re doing well.”
The council formed a verification team to send them to various places to verify the contents of the thesis.
Various historical research laboratories in the Mage Tower also prepared to investigate clues themselves.
People who heard the news frequently discussed the treasure.
The magical world was swept up in a treasure frenzy brought by Yuric.
