Matan’s Shooter

Chapter 88

Lepanto quietly began to dig. Every time his arm moved, covered in blue light, the ground rumbled.

“Was it in the ground?”

“It was because of the war.”

Minutes passed.

Shortly after, a thin rod appeared.

It was covered in dirt and rusted, and anyone would think it was garbage, but when Lepanto’s right hand held it, it began to have a light of a perfect sword.

“Brochette…”

It was the sword’s name. 

Lepanto whispered the name quietly, and the light in his right arm moved to the sword.

The rapier absorbed the mana.

And Biyemi, who saw it, opened his mouth, as his draw dropped.

“A magic sword……?”

“Biyemi-nim?”

“That is a magic sword! That rapier… Just look at that light. Oh my god, what kind of magic sword was buried in this empty field?” 

What is a magic sword? It wasn’t just a search for a long-lost rapier. At least, it was certain that it was a strange sword.

The rapier, who took Lepanto’s mana as if it was swallowing it, was removing the rust by itself and blew away the dust.

It didn’t take long for the flashing sword to appear.

“I finally found it… Now I can finally start over again. Kuheuk…… euuhk……

Lepanto sobbed a little. What was he going to start over?

At least, from the end of the Human-Demon War until now, the memories lost for the past 20 years, and the joy of finding the sword again, Leeha knew it.

“Cough, cough. I looked ugly. What is your name outlander?”

“Ha, it is Ha Leeha.”

“Thank you, Ha Leeha-kun. Thanks to you, I got everything back. Thank you so much.”

“It was nothing.”

Lepanto tied the rapier to his waist and hugged Leeha using his only arm.

The stinky smell from Lepanto’s body had already disappeared.

Babam-!

[You have completed the Escorting the Veteran quest.]

[Intimacy with ‘Skewer’ Lepanto increases by 100%.]

[Fibiel Kingdom’s National Contribution increased by 10.]

[You have achieved 100% intimacy with ‘Skewer’ Lepanto.]

[Continental Reputation increased by 10.]

[You leveled up.]

‘Oh……?’

Continental Reputation increased just by reaching 100% intimacy? Isn’t that a public achievement for the Fibiel Kingdom?

‘Is the continental fame because of this beggar- no, this fencer?’

If Leeha took into account his level rising, the difficulty of the quest was considerable.

Well, if he was a normal level 30 player, he would have died at the entrance of Marching Plains.

Although the level up and reputation increase felt good, his main purpose still remained.

Leeha opened his mouth as he released his huh with Lepanto.

“Knight Lepanto-nim. Could you please tell me? About Mr. Brown and Ms. Elizabeth.”

“… It’s better for you to not know. It was because of that that I lost my memory.”

“They?”

Did those two made him lose his memory? Lepanto shook his head as he was afraid to raise any doubts.

“No, they didn’t do anything directly. But knowing their whereabouts, I had no choice but to be enchanted with memory control magic.”

“Memory Control Magic…… Why?”

“How can we tolerate the betrayal of National or Continental heroes? That shouldn’t have happened.”

Lepanto shook his head.

Was he regretting it, or was he laughing at someone? Maybe he was laughing at himself.

“So, I shut my mouth. For all those who witnessed Mr. and Mrs. Brown’s departure that day and reported to their superiors. I think my name was well known too, but compared to them, I was just a fledging fencer. If it was possible to sacrifice a few young knights to preserve the hope of mankind, it would have been natural to do so.”

However, Lepanto’s appearance that was grinding his teeth meant that he would not forgive them.

“Then those who cast the memory-control magic……?”

“At that time, they were the staff officer of the 3rd Corps. Wizard Lotzac. Where is he now-” 

“…… Wizard Lotzac? Who was he. Isn’t he the leader of the mages of the Royal Palace?”

“?!”

“!?”

It was Biyemi who answered.

“Does the Lizardian outlander know the Wizard Lotzak?”

“Ah, no, I do not know him personally. I have just heard of him.”

Anger flashed in Lepanto’s eyes for a moment. His eyes showed that he would cut down Biyemi if he said he was friends with Lotzak.

Flustered, Biyemi quickly waved his hands.

“Biyemi-nim……? How do you know him?”

“Ah, that, didn’t you know? He is a famous NPC. Ha- Hali-hali-nim knows the name of Captain Jiat as well, right?”

“What? This and that…. are different.” 

There was no comparison between the quest NPC in the beginner village that everyone encounters, with the NPC Mage Commander in the Royal Palace that I have not even seen or heard.

Much less when Lepanto mentioned his position and name during the Second Human-Demon warring period.

He was the staff officer of the Corps. How did he know whether or not the 3rd Cops Staff Officer became the Royal Palace Mage Commander?. With just the mention of the name Lotzak?

‘As expected, this person……’

Leeha’s eyes twinkled, but there was no time to chat.

Lepanto spoke again.

“Anyway…… at that time, they tried to conceal it, but even the records could not be manipulated, and the Royal Archives must have written what ‘we’ reported. The royal records cannot be modified or deleted by anyone except the king.”

“The Royal Archives……?”

“The king ordered that any small-scale local wars be recorded in all respects related to the Second Human-Demon War. It will definitely be there. Much more detailed information than what I know.”

Lepanto nodded. Leeha wanted to know who the people he expressed ‘we’ were.

Perhaps it was the people that went to report when they saw Mr. and Mrs. Brown leave.

If they were lucky, they would remember the memory they lost, like Lepanto, but if they didn’t…… they would still be wandering like a mad beggar, or dead.

It was valuable information that those people reported in exchange for their lives. It was Lepanto’s guess that the information would be gathered at the Royal Archives.

“Kikit, the Royal Archives… Hali-Hali-nim will have a hard time.”

“Do you know it?”

It was no longer surprising that Biyemi interjected.

Rather, Leeha began to ask under the assumption that the Lizardia knew everything.

“It’s in the basement of the royal castle. It is difficult to find exactly what you are looking for among the vast amount of data, but the problem is, it is impossible to get there.”

“Why?”

“Kiskiskis, Hali-Hali-nim, how much fame or national achievements do you have now?”

“I……”

Should I tell him? Leeha opened his Achievements window and looked at the figures.

Continent Fame 160, Fibiel National Achievement 265. All other countries 0.

‘Kijeong said that I have very high fame compared to my level. Biyemi might be suspicious of something if I said it here…….’

That’s not a problem now.

He decided that Biyemi’s secrets might be bigger than his. If so, he thought that it would be beneficial to reveal details to some extent and dig up Biyemi’s information.

“Continental Fame 160, Fibiel 265.”

“Huh? Huh? Kiskiskis, really? And you’re only level 34?”

“Yes. It somehow happened like that.”

Biyemi looked like he wanted to upload.

However, Leeha’s answer did not come out.

“Kiskis, whoa…… really…… It’s like I don’t know Hali-Hali-nim even when I already know you. It’s a huge number, but you still won’t be able to get in. The condition for entering the palace itself is Continental Fame 300, and Fibiel Kingdom National Contribution 500. Moreover, don’t you want to enter the Royal Archives? If it’s there, unless you know someone special…… you won’t be able to enter with a simple reputation or contribution.”

“The Lizardian Outlander is right. It would have been left as a royal record, but it’s obvious that won’t have any special numbers. Because some people won’t even be able to read it. If Ha Leeha is looking for information, you might be able to find it if you go there”

Lepanto nodded at Biyemi’s words.

However, Leeha thought differently.

“Oh…… I would like Knight Lepanto-nim to tell the story directly.”

“Directly?”

“Mr. Browless wants information about the two of them. It’s good for me to find information, but…… If  ‘skewer’ Lepanto-nim meets him in person-“

“I’m sorry. I can’t.” Lepanto shook his head. Leeha slightly clenched his teeth. He couldn’t send Lepanto back just like that.

Wasn’t it hard to enter the Royal Palace, and harder to find the Royal Records? Perhaps, what Biyemi said was true.

‘Then, he didn’t have time to gather evidence! Bargaining activate!’

[Bargaining skill activated.] 

[The chance of persuading the target increased by 24%.]

As the saying goes, to raise your reputation, you must receive quests from level 200 or higher.

In other words, at a low level, there was no other way to get it by chance.

However, this quest had a time limit. He didn’t have the time to go looking for something like that.

Rather than go to Browless to search for the records, Leeha decided to take Lepanto directly.

“I don’t have much time. Browless, who remained in the capital, was waiting to get any piece of information! Aren’t Lepanto-nim and Browless former comrades?”

“Comrade……”

“Can’t we go directly to Director Browless, if we can’t get the records? Anyway, he’s one of the Three Musketeers. His reputation and contribution to the country will be sufficient. So if Knight Lepanto-nim talked to Browless face to face…… won’t you be able to figure it out much faster?”

Leeha spat out words.

He really didn’t know what was going to happen. However, his words made sense, so Lepanto was not able to decide easily.

Browless, one of the Three Musketeers, will be able to enter the Royal Archives.

“No…… I’m sorry. However, I can’t do that.”

[Persuasion failed.]

‘Keuheuk!!!’

Leeha struggled to hold back what he wanted to shout out. If this happened, activating the skill again will be of no use….

“Why? Knight Lepanto-nim-”

“I am a dead man.”

“What?”

“Why did Lotzak cast magic on me, or on ‘us’? It was to kill me. To remove me from this world without dirtying his hands. If I couldn’t regain my memory, I would have lived and died as a beggar, or I would have died at the hands of monsters while wandering around. So I can’t go to the capital. No, I can’t be in the Fibiel Kingdom.”

It was a contradictory statement, but Leeha could understand it.

In this world, a person who should have been forgotten and lost, should not appear in the capital.

“Lotzak…… Are you going to pursue him?”

He didn’t know if he could pursue him, but Lepanto did not want to let go. If I remind him of my existence again, other knights could be in danger.

It can be said that Lotzak could kill all those who reported at the time and those who had their memory control magic cast on them. If Biyemi was right, it’s because he’s in the position of a ‘Royal Palace Magician’ now.