“Of course, it doesn’t mean you should follow the same path as us. You have your own path to walk. I just hope that Dural’s will does not end with me.”
“Senior…”
“The way you put it, the unicorn’s horn was simply finding its rightful place. This is no different. The bag of treasures, stupa, is meant for the right person.”
Yuric was worried. Whether he truly deserved such an enormous responsibility.
Tornel smiled slightly.
“There’s no need to rush into a decision. We still have plenty of time.”
“I’m only worried about whether I truly deserve this.”
Then Tornel spoke calmly:
“Listen. Qualification doesn’t appear overnight. It’s judged by the path you’ve walked so far. As I said before, I’ve been observing your actions. At first, it was merely out of curiosity, but later on, I watched very closely. Not just by what you did, but also by what others said about you. …What you planted wasn’t just a fleeting impulse. You’ve done what you truly believed was right. That’s how I see it.”
Yuric didn’t deny it. Tornel’s words were true. Everything he had done until now was never driven by impulse. He did them willingly because he thought it was the right thing to do.
“And the reason you’re here now is because you’ve walked this path all along. That’s all there is to it.”
“…I see. Senior’s words are correct.”
“I’ve been in your shoes too.”
Tornel reminisced about the past, a hundred years ago.
When he first inherited the bag of treasures, stupa. His predecessor was a mage named Ging. Ging was a strict old man, but he had pride and belief.
“If you wish, feel free to come anytime. The warehouse is always open for you.”
“Thank you very much if you allow me.”
Even though Yuric was also a mage, his curiosity couldn’t be stopped from the mysterious items piled up in this warehouse. Tornel understood his feelings well; he had felt the same way before. After living together with the previous Ging for about a year, he naturally inherited the bag.
After their conversation, Yuric and Tornel left the warehouse again. Yuric was still amazed by the magic of this bag.
Since then, Yuric visited Tornel every day. The peddler warmly welcomed him each time and gladly opened the bag.
Frankly, Tornel firmly believed that Yuric would inherit the bag. That’s why he showed him the contents of the bag, which he had never shown to anyone else!
“Your heart for cherishing and protecting humanity, I already know.”
Tornel genuinely wanted Yuric to inherit Dural’s bag. That’s why he showed everything to him sincerely. Luckily, Yuric appreciated his sincerity.
Every day, Yuric visited the warehouse and carefully examined the cursed items. To his surprise, he improved the sealing and barrier magic within just one night. Tornel couldn’t hide his amazement when Yuric handed him the paper. Although he knew Yuric was talented, seeing it firsthand exceeded his expectations.
Moreover, Yuric’s mana was a complete mystery. Unknown strange mana lingered in his index finger, while profound mana of unknown depth coiled around his head. Usually, mixed mana of different properties would cause a backlash, but surprisingly, Yuric’s body showed none of these signs. Instead, he naturally absorbed and transformed them into his original mana.
Another surprising fact was that Yuric could see spirits.
“There are spirits dwelling in the warehouse.”
This was something even the previous mage Ging and Tornel themselves hadn’t known. They had never seen anything like it in the warehouse in over a hundred years! …They knew spirits were sensitive beings, but they never imagined they could hide so discreetly.
Of course, Yuric was unaware of Tornel’s surprise and happily explored Dural’s warehouse.
A never-withering flower.
An ancient mage’s diary.
A mysterious jar.
A saint’s skull.
Scales of an ancient creature.
A letter with an unknown recipient.
Each item held a piece of distant history and secrets. And the treasures hidden by the treasure mage Dural on the continent were likely selected from these.
“Is there a treasure map?”
“There isn’t one. The maps have been lost for so long that it’s hard to track them down. There’s even a rumor that one of the maps was completely destroyed.”
“Destroyed?”
“The seventh treasure map, I believe. It’s about fifty years old. They tried to resurrect it, but it’s impossible to restore something that has been completely destroyed.”
“What a pity.”
There were five curses sealed in Dural’s warehouse, including the codex. Tornel had sealed one of them.
“It’s a curse that turns into stone. It was a terrifying thing. Thanks to Senior Violetta, we managed to prevent a disaster.”
This curse was trapped in a specially treated box and surrounded by dozens of layers of magical seals.
The reason they kept the curse here instead of passing it on to another magic group was simple. Storing too many curses in one place was too risky. If an accident happened, the consequences would be severe. Even in the mage tower, three sealed codices were managed. If the ninth chapter of the codex appeared on the ground, where to store it would be a significant concern.
As they admired the mysterious objects and curses, two weeks had passed.
Yuric had been visiting the warehouse, drawing and documenting each item. He needed to investigate and research their origins in detail later to understand their uses and how to store them more efficiently.
“We’ll leave next week. Further west. Will you come with me?”
The peddler asked Yuric this. After some hesitation, Yuric nodded.
Yuric had spent enough time in Shahaalbuzer. Now it was time to leave.
“Yes, I’ll come with you.”
“Good.”
Then Yuric returned to Lynnet’s shop and told her they would leave in a week. Although Lynnet was deeply attached to Yuric, she couldn’t stop him. In fact, he had stayed longer than expected.
Yuric bid farewell to the neighbors he had lived with. Everyone was sad to part with him. The young ladies who admired him secretly visited at night and left heartfelt letters at his window.
Connie, the shepherd boy, hugged Yuric tightly when he came to announce their farewell. But the boy didn’t cry. He knew that meetings and farewells were part of a cycle.
“Thank you, brother. I’ll never forget you. I’m so grateful for the picture.”
Connie cherished the family portrait Yuric had drawn of himself, his grandfather, and Laika as if it were a treasure.
“I won’t forget your flute playing either.”
When Yuric said he was leaving, Connie’s grandfather treated him to a lavish meal. Thanks to this, little Laika got to eat lots of meat.
Connie gave Yuric a brush made of wool as a farewell gift. Yuric felt the warmth of Connie’s family.
…
Finally, the day of departure arrived.
Early in the morning, Yuric packed his last belongings into a bag. After taking one last look at the room he had lived in for over three months, he stepped outside.
Lynnet had been awake preparing food. Yuric had breakfast with her as usual.
“Take this to eat on the way.”
Lynnet handed Yuric boiled potatoes and travel money. He couldn’t refuse and gratefully accepted them.
“Thank you. I’ve had a truly happy and comfortable time here, Senior.”
“So have I. Thanks to you, I’ve truly been happy. And I’ll cherish those memories you’ve given me.”
Lynnet was sincere. She had lived her life simply surviving, but thanks to Yuric, she learned the meaning of peace and happiness. She would never forget this memory.
Yuric left the shop with his bag. Lynnet saw him off to the gate.
“Go well. May the blessings of the universe be upon your path.”
“Please take care, Senior.”
Yuric hugged Lynnet tightly before heading to the station beyond the gate.
The station was bustling with people. Yuric found the carriage heading west. There, he found the peddler.
The two boarded the carriage. Soon, the carriage was packed tightly.
“Let’s depart.”
The coachman pulled the lever and climbed onto the driver’s seat. With a sound, the carriage started moving.
Yuric saw the sun rising from the distant eastern horizon. Dawn turned the white peaks of the Salt Range mountains red. It was a natural magic that always inspired awe.
The beautiful city of salt grew farther away.
