Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Pluto’s Black Star

045 – Pluto’s Black Star #4

“Hmm, Hassan of Samaria, it seems you have a habit of relieving your excitement from battle purely through s*xual desire, huh. But I am not a priestess of Venus. As for your s*xual urges, let the others deal with them.”

“That’s actually a misunderstanding due to performing CPR on someone having difficulty breathing…”

“Hmph, well, fine. Since you did deserve merit for your actions, I’ll let it slide this time. But there won’t be a next time.”

Hippolyte, who had regained consciousness, suspected something out of her own assumptions and ended up forgiving me in her own way.

In a world where most medical practices are considered illegal, there would be no way for anyone to know about CPR. Therefore, I stopped trying to explain. No matter what I said, this woman wouldn’t have listened.

In reality, if a random woman undressed my unconscious pants and then shouted, “I performed resuscitation on him!” would I believe her without question?

“Still, it was quite impressive. Your technique may have been rough and barbaric, but you narrowly avoided all vital spots. There will be injuries, but their lives won’t be at risk. It’ll be easy to capture and interrogate them.”

Changing the mood, Hippolyte complimented my swordsmanship. Though I had swung my sword with the intention to k*ll, she said I had missed all vital points—it was somewhat amusing.

Nevertheless, for my crude sword skills, this performance was more than adequate.

“Necromancer Koma. Your fate from this point on shall be handed over to me, Hippolyte, priestess of Mars.”

Hippolyte spoke to the necromancer lying on the ground, his arms cut off and writhing. In response, the necromancer coughed up bl**d and chuckled, “d*ath…is something…no one can bind…. Hence it is…equal…”

Swish.

At the same time, the necromancer’s body began to scatter in all directions like completely dried sand. What exactly is going on here?

Not just the necromancer, but the bodies of all the cultists sprawled around him dissipated into powder-like fragments.

“…Perhaps he used some potent poison. To take his own life… Does he not fear the eternal punishment of Tartarus?”

“Already… I’ve achieved what I wanted… The primordial abyss… Its seeds have been planted in the bodies of righteous successors… Chaos… seeks rebirth… New…”

With those final words, the necromancer’s body crumbled into dust. All that remained was a tattered, bl**d-stained robe and a bizarre iron club-shaped necklace he had worn.

Hippolyte picked up the necklace and said, “This is… a Saga-class relic. The Black Star. I heard it was lost years ago from the temple in Calan. It belonged to this man?”

Swish.

Then she extended it to me. Given the sinister and terrible aura this necklace possesses, I tensed and my voice trembled.

“What… what is this?”

“Koma was essentially defeated by you, thus the spoils of war belong to you. The ownership of this Black Star is yours.”

“Is… is that real?”

Saga-class relic? sh*t, this is incredible!!

To think I could possess it. Saga-class relics are said to have the value of dozens of gold coins, aren’t they?

“sh*t, thank you, Hippolyte-sama!”

“It is simply the reward for what you’ve done. Still, Samarian Hassan, I am impressed beyond expectation. The Black Star of Calan emits mana strong enough to shatter the mind, yet you managed to withstand it and subdue them all—”

Though Hippolyte spoke, my mind was filled with the sight of glittering gold coins. I have no idea what I’d do with the gold coins yet.

Should I buy a house? Or maybe a carriage? sh*t, my impoverished brain can’t even come up with an answer!

“Anyway, here you go. This thing is unsettling somehow. Apparently, this relic and I are not compatible; I don’t want to hold it for any longer.”

“Compatibility? Do relics have such attributes?”

“Yes. Saga-class relics are tools and treasures used by heroes whose names were once inscribed in the history of legends. Due to their ingrained karma, they become miraculous creations. Thus, if one does not share their karma, the item becomes practically useless. There are those who go insane struggling to wield them.”

I’m not sure what she means exactly. But perhaps it’s like thinking of it as an exclusive item for specific classes.

This Black Star, it seems, is specifically designed for necromancers; to anyone else, it’s merely expensive junk due to incompatible attributes.

Swish.

So, anyway, I took the relic from Hippolyte’s hand.

The moment it touched the tips of my palms, an electrical current surged through my spine and up to my brain. Then, accompanied by a “Ding!” sound effect, words appeared before my eyes.

“You have acquired Pluto’s Black Star.”

“You may enhance the Black Star by consuming 100 merit points.”

“Do you wish to enhance the Black Star into Pluto’s Eye by consuming your merit points?”

“Yes.”

“No.”

The words floating before my eyes are telling some rather strange things. They’re saying I can strengthen the item by consuming merit points. Is this actually a feature of this relic?

Actually, this isn’t my first time handling a saga-class relic.

Before I was freed from slavery, I remember acquiring Clepios’ Staff, which granted me this strange skill.

At the time, I didn’t understand much, but now that I’ve acquired this necklace, the Black Star, I cautiously speculate that saga-class relics do indeed possess inexplicable abilities and forces beyond rational explanation.

sh*t, merit points are involved everywhere. It’s truly a precious metric. Though I now have a rough understanding of how to obtain them, so it’s not a big problem.

“What’s wrong? Is there a problem? Have you lost your mind or something?”

But then, Hippolyte immediately drew her sword as though she were about to slash my neck. Startled from my thoughts, I spoke.

“There’s no problem. Please, you can put your sword down.”

“Then, let’s head back. In any case, Samarian Hassan—quite the achievement you’ve pulled off. The guild should have some good news for you. You can expect it.”

When we returned to the place where the group had encountered the skeletons, the priestess Cassandra was administering various treatments to people.

People everywhere were moaning, wrapped in bandages. Among them, the first to greet me was Svel, the snub-nosed bard Malco.

“Brother! You’ve returned safely!”

“sh*t, how did you manage to survive amidst those skeletons?”

“I guided them peacefully to Charon with a requiem for the dead.”

“Malco-san was under my protection-.”

Appearing with a swish and his enormous shadow, Bussa, his upper body wrapped in bandages, turned his narrow gaze towards the relic hanging from my neck, then to Hippolyte.

“Hippolyte-san, Koma…?”

“He’s dead. All of Koma’s followers, the cultists in Calan.”

“Indeed. But… Does the fact that this Samaritan is wearing that necklace mean the reason is as you suppose?”

Nod.

Without answering, Hippolyte’s nod caused Bussa to moisten his thick lips with his tongue.

“Samaritan-san, each time I see you, you only become more interesting. My affinity for you has increased.”

sh*t, isn’t this guy more dangerous than the cultists when it comes to men? I just want to slice him with my sword, but I’d probably lose in less than five seconds. Definitely.

It wouldn’t be an issue to just lose, but seriously.

“Anyway, Director Bussa, it seems there’s an entrance to Pluto’s ruins here in Calan.”

“Pluto’s ruins?”

“Yes. Perhaps the abnormal fog and the cultists are also related to that. The entrance is currently sealed, but we might need to return to clean things up soon.”

“Hmm, well, that’s something to discuss with other Silver Tier adventurers. In any case, let’s head back. Lucky for us, it ended sooner than expected. If we had continued walking through the mist and the bog, it would’ve taken longer.”

That concluded a journey of about two days. Including the return journey, it was a total of three days.

I was filled with various kinds of weariness, and the moment I saw the towering city walls of Sodomora, I felt my energy completely drain away.

sh*t, we’ve finally returned. I feel like I’ve aged five years.

“Then, I, as the representative, will handle the mission completion report. Distribution of the reward will be received individually from each of your processors tomorrow.”

After dispersing at the west gate, it’s time for personal maintenance and free time.

With items ranging from crocodile skin to goblin teeth in hand, my mind is filled with excitement over turning them into cash. Floating on air and walking on clouds – this must be how it feels.

Where should I sell them? Should I go to a general goods store? What was the name of that general goods store… While lost in thought, someone tapped my back.

“What is it, Luna?”

“Hassan.”

“What is it? Do you have something to say? Want to drink together again today?”

“Mm-hmm, you’ve worked so hard! We need to celebrate! Unless, do you have something else to do?”

Of course, there isn’t really anything I need to do immediately after returning.

If anything, it would be taking a bath to clean my filthy body or pondering how to best spend the money I’ve earned.

“Well, I don’t have anything pressing to do.”

“Then, you must join us at Nymph’s Wing Inn by evening, like last time!”

Before I could respond, she hopped off somewhere.

Maybe she’s gone to sell the various materials she gathered during this expedition, like bog mushrooms or whatever.

Thinking back, Luna, who I thought would just be a burden, actually performed remarkably well. If she hadn’t driven away the alligators, we might have all perished.

Our initial agreement was to form a fixed party until Luna reached the Bronze Tier. But if she continues like this, continuing to tackle missions together could be an excellent choice.

Anyhow, since the sun was still high in the sky, I had some free time before evening, so I briefly visited a bathhouse to clean my body and then wandered around looking for a clothing shop.

Though I had sacrificed one piece of alligator leather as an offering or tribute, I still had one more piece of high-quality alligator leather left.

Which clothes shop should I choose?

While pondering this, I stopped at a store with a large sign that claimed it was “blessed by Minerva.”

What does “blessed” mean exactly? Is it similar to the sign outside a tailor’s shop advertising their victory in some sewing contest?

Ting.

As I opened the wooden door, the inside revealed a cheerful fabric shop filled with bright wallpaper and various fabrics.

There’s a refreshing, pleasant scent in the air – jasmine? Lavender? I’m not sure.

“Ah, a young Samaritan! Come on in.”

A woman with long, deep azure hair greeted me.

Dressed in a purple off-the-shoulder short dress that looked to be made of silk, she showcased her snow-white thighs, calves, shoulders, and neck. Her look was dazzling.

Most strikingly, one side of her outfit was tied precariously with a knot, enhancing the sultry exposure. Quite captivating, indeed. This must be someone from the fashion industry.

But her face was sharp, almost severe, yet when viewed altogether, she was a stunning beauty who exuded a chilling and mysterious presence. Around her early to mid-thirties, perhaps?

Of course, in this world, age should not be judged solely by appearance. While contemplating this, the shop owner spoke.

“Young Samaritan, what brings you here? Oh, that’s quite an impressive necklace. Your taste is good. It looks quite expensive, and I’ve seen something like it before.”

The woman’s eyes sparkled as she noticed the relic around my neck. Perhaps she has a deep knowledge of accessories given her involvement in the fashion industry.

“Ah, I’ve come to sell some leather.”

“Leather? Rabbit? Squirrel? Deer?”

“Crocodile.”

“Eh? Ah, crocodile? Wow, that’s intriguing. Never thought of that. Let’s have a look, shall we?”

Thus, I took out the crocodile leather from my backpack. The woman’s blue eyes noticeably flickered as she examined the long and stiff hide.

“Excellent quality. Swamp crocodile leather tends to spoil easily, but you’ve preserved it well. The drying process could be slightly better, but overall, I’d say 7 silver coins.”

“Wow.”

7 silver? That’s more than I expected.

“Or, for an additional 3 silver, I could make you a set of clothes. A jacket and a pair of pants, with a bit left over.”

The young shop owner glanced me up and down and then said this. Judging by my worn-out apparel, I must have looked quite ragged.

Since I was already planning to have some clothes made from this crocodile leather, I happily accepted her offer.

“Then, here’s 3 silver.”

“Alright! You have better earnings than you appear. Now, let me take a few measurements.”

Swish – the azure-haired shop owner approached me, using a tape-like instrument to measure around my waist, chest, arms, and other places.

Molkan…

Her large and soft bosom brushed against my arm and back. I felt the bl**d rushing to my lower body. Does she not realize she’s touching me? Or is she doing it intentionally?

I’ve heard rumors among male adventurers about shop owners using their bodies to cultivate regular customers.

“Then, wait over there for about thirty minutes.”

“Thirty minutes? Isn’t that awfully quick?”

“I’ve been blessed by the goddess of talent, Minerva-sama. I’m on a different level from amateurs.”

With an air of confidence, she pulled out her sewing scissors, needle, thread, and began cutting and sewing the leather, attaching fabrics to create garments.

Swoosh, swoosh, swish.

Her movements were as deft and intricate as a spider weaving its web with many legs.

“There seems to be a bit of fabric left. Would you need anything else?”

“Ah, could something like this perhaps be made with the leftover materials?”

“Ah, that’s easy. But it’ll cost an additional 2 silver since it requires more intricate work.”

“Hmm…”

As a result, I was able to get a sturdy leather pair of pants and a sweat jacket-style top.

Additionally, using the remaining fabric, she crafted another tool as a bonus. Surprisingly, it turned out better than expected. Truly, someone blessed shows superior skill.

“Come again next time, Samaritan friend!”

Waving goodbye to the shop owner, I stepped out onto the street.

The sky had begun to darken. Following the familiar geography, I headed toward the Nymph’s Wing Inn, spotting a pink-haired girl seated at a table in the corner of the local tavern.

“Hassan! Over here!”

“Has Malco not arrived yet?”

“Huh? I didn’t invite the snub-nosed one. But Bussa-sama has an appointment. Oh, you’ve changed clothes! You look like a capable thief!”

Luna has often called me a killer, a bandit, or a robber.

Is that this girl’s way of complimenting me? Adding “capable” definitely makes it a generous compliment, sh*t. But I’ll take it as a compliment at least.

While I was lost in thought, Luna kept circling me, inspecting me closely.

“Wow, crocodile leather really is good. In Idaiophoe, crocodile leather is the best. Not just anyone can use or wear it.”

“Is that right?”

“Jealous! If I were strong enough to catch crocodiles, I’d love to!!”

Thinking about it, crocodile leather was quite expensive in the world I used to live in too. There were also many debates about animal cruelty.

Huffing and sniffing the new clothes, Luna’s eyes sparkled with interest in something behind me.

“Anyway, what’s that thing behind you?”

“Ah, this? Here you go. It’s yours. I made it especially for you.”

Actually, I was planning to give this later, but since it’s been discovered, there’s no helping it.

“Mine? Really!? Truly!?”

“Truly. It cost an additional 2 silver to make.”

One-third of the crocodile leather. Without Luna, we wouldn’t have been able to catch the alligators. In this sense, it’s a rightful reward she deserves, sh*t.

Thus, I handed a pair of small crocodile leather sandals to Luna.

They looked like typical ancient European sandals, interconnected by straps and leather.

Anyway, upon receiving them, Luna’s emerald eyes widened as if they had become huge marbles.

Drip drip…

In no time, thick, transparent tears began to fall from her now-gigantic eyes.

[Author’s Postscript]

Hassan’s first expedition has come to a successful end!! I tried pacing this one with a longer tempo to see how it would play out—hopefully, it was enjoyable.

And by the way…

Recommendations… Comments… Coupons…!!

If these three elements combine into a powerful combination, maybe tomorrow. Aaahhh!!

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