“Fire Ball!”
“Cold Strike!”
He saw many other parties, but they were hunting ghost monsters.
Weed looked around the mansion a little before giving up. It was a colossal site, so it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a castle.
Weed had wandered through many castles of Vampires when he was in Todeum, but this was different from those castles, even the estimate of the number of rooms in the powerful Count's mansion was immense.
Weed asked, “Where is the basement?”
Smith just shook his head from side to side.
“It happened a long time ago, so I don't remember. Though, I might remember if I drink a bottle of booze…”
Weed frowned.
'Good-for-nothing alcoholic, drunkard!'
Other hunting parties were hunting all over the place in Count Savoid's Mansion. If it was a basement they didn't discover, it was either meticulously hidden or had to be an extraordinary place.
'Even if it was discovered, it might not have been made public.'
They wouldn't have been able to enter the basement even if they found it if they didn't have the key. It was human nature to not want to do something that was good for someone else. Even if the basement's entrance was discovered, it was possible it hasn't been made public.
If so, Weed figured he had to cooperate with Smith to find it.
Weed opened his rucksack and pulled out a bottle of beer.
“Come to think of it, I do have liquor.”
“Harumph. Give it to me!”
“The basement…”
“… I do remember. It's probably down by the staircase.”
The place Smith had pointed out was the bottom of the stairs, leading to two additional floors.
Weed tried going behind the wooden staircase. There was nothing there, except thickly piled up dust. However, when he probed around with his hands, he could feel an imperceptible crack.
'So it's here.'
Weed cleared the dust and found a small key hole. Then, he placed the key he received from Smith and turned.
Creeaaaak!
He had to push forcefully to barely open the old door.
Weed entered the basement together with Smith and closed the door. He didn't forget to pull out the key, either.
Because it might be discovered by another party hunting in the mansion!
Weed was absolutely not one who would fall flat on his face when the prize is in sight.
You have discovered Count Savoid's basement.
Fame increased by 50.
Through adventure, experience has slightly increased.
“Aha! So this is the Count's basement.”
Smith had emptied his bottle of beer somewhere along the way and smacked his lips as if he was in regret.
“If it's a done deal, why didn't ya give me whiskey?”
“I absolutely do not have whiskey.”
Beer was at least common and cheap, but since decent whisky was at minimum a few gold, he had no intention of offering it.
Weed looked around the basement.
Many books were arranged in this place, which seemed to have likely been used by the Count as a secret study.
“The Basics of Flame-Based Magic”
“The Study of Wind Elements and its Affinity”
“Ten Law of Flatterly Elementalist Should Keep in Mind”
“Traveling the Versailles Continent on Foot”
“Money-Making Opportunities”
“Witch, the Sorceress Who'll Read Books for You”
He could tell just from looking at the titles, a variety of books were adorning the bookshelves.
Weed stuffed every book into his bag.
'I'll make money if I sell them at a curio store or antique bookstore.'
Since the quest's next chain was determined, he packed them away cleanly.
He also searched the Count's desk.
There were gold coins worth about 300 gold in the drawer, and a carving knife as well.
'I'll have to sell this too.'
Weed was one to memorize the prices of a wide variety of items on the spot.
Even if a supermarket's automatic price calculation system broke, if it was Weed's store, there probably wouldn't be a slightest reason to worry. It was all because Weed was the type who would thoroughly remember the buying price starting from the factory to the selling price, surtax, and even what applied to the “Buy 1 Get 1” marketing deal.
365 gold coins multiplied by 12 gold coins is 4,380 coins!
It was to the point where he made calculations in the blink of an eye.
When it came to money calculations, he beat math prodigies!
Weed saw a book spread open on the table.
“The Origins and History of the Matallost Religion”
He began to skim through it.
The ancient Matallost faith's congregation was the largest compared to others who arose from rituals conducted by the people who held death sacred.
They considered death as returning to the embrace of their god… as the Matallost faith was adhered to as the Kingdom's established religion, Warriors pay their respects to the Church before going out into battle.
However, the public perception of the Matallost church changed as the years passed.
Wars between tribes decreased, and a castle was built against invading monsters, establishing peace.
The Matallost faith became shunned as death was regarded with fear.
In addition, the Arpen Empire's continent unification war, each kingdom competitively gave preference to the church in their own territory.
In particular, churches related to war received respect, and the Matallost Church was disadvantaged by its doctrine of being led and guided by Death.
Death became the last name the remnants of the Matallost Church yelled, and even mention of the name alone became abhorred in public regard.
Priest candidates of the Matallost Church decreased more and more, and the position became occupied by another Church.
The churches of Freya's prosperity or of the God of Fighters, Belacus, increased.
…The Matallost Church lost its power, and the support of each Kingdom was severed. It was assumed they, who hid in the shadows, increasingly could not throw away their desire for power.
The power to guide through death!
They dreamed of revenge by using their strong holy power. Specifically what kind of revenge they've planned is unknown.
Ding!
— Intelligence and Wisdom have both increased by 5 from reading advanced information about the Matallost faith.
— You have acquired information about the Resurrection Church.
Weed found something else from the desk. It was the robe worn by Resurrection Church Priests.
Matallost Church. Since currently they were more often being called the Resurrection Church, it didn't matter if you spoke carelessly about them.
“Count Savoid must've been a Priest of the Resurrection Church.”
Weed guessed judging from how Count Savoid had possession of the Statue of Death, the symbol of the Resurrection Church.
“Huuh, look here a bit!”
Just then, Smith discovered a wide room.
A magical circle was drawn inside the room, and in the middle, on top of an object looking like a tombstone, was a bowl where something could be placed inside.
An image of the Statue of Death was drawn into the bowl.
“Maybe this is where it should be placed in?”
Weed took out the sculpture from his bosom.
The Statue of Death he'd acquired at the end of his duel with Death Hand in the Dwarf's underground Kingdom, Kuruso!
The second coming of the Matallost faith and the reconstruction of the Niflheim Empire.
He didn't know what kind of effect it would have on the Versailles Continent, but when he recalled the contents of that quest, there was no reason for it to end here.