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Ian stared quietly at Audrey, who was sitting across from him, smiling brightly. When a beautiful woman suddenly says something like this, it’s natural for one’s mind to go blank for a moment.

Especially in a small carriage with only the two of them, and given her enchanting smile, it’s hard not to misinterpret her intentions.

“I mean it sincerely.”

“…I understand that it’s not romantic interest.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because there’s nothing about me to fall for.”

“Maybe it’s love at first sight?”

“That’s unlikely.”

Ian answered firmly. He didn’t think he made a particularly good impression on their first meeting. Moreover, from the look on her face when she heard his name, it was clear she knew of his notorious reputation.

Reversing a negative perception takes consistent effort, and it was unlikely a brief conversation would change that.

As expected, Audrey pouted.

“…How dull.”

“Did you expect me to be thrilled?”

“A little bit~ Am I really that unappealing?”

“You are very attractive, but unfortunately, I’m not that naive. You know my background.”

“Ah, yes. The Berger family title is Duke. Even though you’re the third son and unlikely to become the head, your family’s backing remains significant.”

Audrey continued slowly.

“Moreover, you’re quite handsome, so I can understand why you might be approached with various motives, including social advancement. It makes sense that you would be so composed.”

“I won’t answer that.”

“That’s fine. Honestly, it doesn’t matter much.”

Looking at Audrey with her sly smile, Ian gave a wry smile.

“So why this mischievous behavior?”

“I told you. I’m interested. You might not know, but Mr. Ian, you’re quite famous.”

“…I am?”

“Yes. Your recent achievements have been impressive. You’re only level 3, yet you’ve slain dark mages, hunted magical beasts, received a golden badge of recognition from the hero. And I heard just yesterday that you led the Red Spear Knights to defeat dark mages who had occupied ruins? The items you brought today were from there, too…”

“It was just good luck.”

“Oh, how modest.”

It wasn’t modesty; it was truly good luck. Although he wasn’t fond of the term, he couldn’t deny it this time.

Who could have expected a high-ranking dark mage to appear there?

And if it hadn’t been for the hero, who was already there, offering assistance, he would likely have died without a chance.

Audrey’s eyes sparkled as if she were looking at a great hero, although she might not know the whole truth.

“But still, it must be your solid skills that allowed you to achieve such feats, right?”

“…Yes, I suppose.”

“I hear you’re working as a mercenary?”

“You know that too?”

“I’ve been gathering information on mercenaries lately, and that’s how I heard about you. So, I’d like to ask you for a commission.”

“If it’s a personal request, wouldn’t it be better to hire a mercenary?”

Since the world is so harsh, mercenaries who lack talent find it difficult to survive. However, a lack of talent doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of skill.

Survival demands relentless effort, so finding a useful mercenary is not that hard if you’re willing to pay the right price.

“Of course, but I couldn’t find anyone who met the conditions I needed.”

It must be quite specific.

“Do I meet those conditions?”

“For now, yes. More than anything, I feel I can trust you. I suppose it’s what you’d call intuition?”

“If you overly rely on such uncertain feelings, you might face serious trouble later.”

“Thank you for your concern, but I can’t just ignore it.”

“Of course, that’s true…”

Inside the rattling carriage, Ian looked at Audrey.

This was an unexpected request. He had no idea what it was about, but the mention of trust suggested it was something that needed to be kept secret. He was curious.

“I’ll decide whether to accept the commission after hearing what it entails.”

“…Hmm.”

“If it’s something that shouldn’t be disclosed externally, I promise not to speak of it.”

Audrey seemed to think for a moment but soon nodded in agreement.

“I wouldn’t insist on accepting a commission without explaining it, so I’ll tell you.”

“Thank you for understanding.”

“Well, where to start… To summarize, I’ve discovered some ruins.”

“Ruins?”

The eastern part of the El Carda Empire is relatively rich in ruins compared to other regions.

This is to be expected. Long ago, it was the land where the warriors of Elyar fought, later it was settled by various mystical and unique kingdoms, and finally, it was occupied by the Xail Empire.

Unfortunately, the Xail Empire fell rapidly and was destroyed by a sudden assault from the Outer Seas, and ironically, this left many ruins behind.

Before the founder of the Berger family reclaimed this land, it was a place no ordinary strongman would dare to tread, being a cursed land.

Seeing Ian’s skeptical look, Audrey answered with a proud smile.

“Yes, ruins!”

“From which era? Elyar? Teramin? Rogolod, or the Xail Empire?”

“Rogolod. The architecture is crude and practical, so it’s definitely from that era.”

“What kind of buildings were they?”

“That’s a secret. But there are protective spells and barriers to keep people away, and it seems that magical beasts have been living nearby for quite some time, so there’s a very high chance that artifacts are still present.”

Ian thought for a moment and then asked.

“This might be an odd question, but do you have a relative named Elian Pretus?”

“He’s my older brother. Why do you ask?”

“Oh, just checking.”

As expected, Audrey is indeed Elian Pretus’s sister.

The ruins might well be her grave.

“…”

If that’s the case, it’s not going to be an easy commission. If he were to accompany her, could he ensure her safety and return alive?

However, it was clear that if he refused now, she would come back as a corpse.

‘It would be difficult to dissuade her.’

Indeed, ruins are an alluring prospect.

The fact that the barrier has been maintained until today suggests it might contain some special power or hold significant artifacts, similar to the Elyar Temple.

Moreover, Rogolod was a land of craftsmen. Known for their skill and techniques, they created all kinds of extraordinary items that were unparalleled even by today’s standards.

In the past, when heroes died, their great achievements were revered, and secret tombs were created for them. This practice continued even after the country of Rogolod, which had been rapidly expanding under the Xail Empire, surrendered and faded into history. Naturally, when these tombs were discovered, they were often filled with rare treasures and artifacts used by the heroes.

As a result, Audrey was highly likely to disregard any warnings about the dangers, especially since it involved something so tempting.

‘It would be a waste to let her die.’

Even Elian Pretus was incredibly skilled, so if Audrey has even greater talent, it would be worth watching. In fact, her value was already proven by her ability to create and maintain Grade 4 golems.

‘So, she must be saved.’

Since I’m back, it would be good to revive short-lived talents to contribute to humanity. I don’t have a strong sense of duty, but having witnessed the world’s decline with my own eyes, I can’t let precious talents be lost in vain. If I can save her, it would indeed be changing the future.

And it would be nice to obtain artifacts as well.

‘Elian Pretus…’

I should meet him too. It might be necessary to talk with him about whether he knows anything about the regression. I might naturally encounter him if I go to the Magic Tower. Just as my thoughts were trailing off, Audrey called out.

“Ian Berger?”

“Oh, sorry.”

“It’s alright. But does the commission have anything to do with my brother?”

“No, it does not.”

Audrey blinked and then tilted her head.

“Then how will you handle the commission?”

“If it’s related to ruins from Rogolod, there should be many useful items. I’d like to receive one of those items as payment.”

“Don’t you want money?”

“You know my background. Having it would be nice, but I wouldn’t miss it if I didn’t…”

Audrey nodded.

“Depending on what you find, if it’s not related to magic, I’m willing to offer a payment instead. You don’t have to worry about that.”

“Sounds good. Then I’ll accept the commission.”

With Ian’s acceptance, Audrey smiled and extended her hand.

“……?”

“What are you doing? Pinky swear. Also, stamp with your thumb.”

Ian was taken aback but complied as requested.

“Is this sufficient?”

“Not at all. This is just a preliminary agreement. We’ll need to sign a formal contract later.”

“How many people will be departing?”

“Hmm, for now, I’m thinking of six. While more people would be better, the more we have, the less we would get in return.”

“That might be true, but isn’t that too few?”

No one knows what dangers might lie in ruins. There could be traps or guardians. Thus, experienced treasure hunters usually gather a sufficient number of people before undertaking such ventures. The minimum number was ten.

Audrey smirked.

“I can handle the work of five people on my own. I have two Grade 4 golems, and I am also a skilled mage, so you don’t need to worry. I’ve also already hired three mercenaries.”

“Who have you hired?”

“Diem the Archer, Lise the Priest of Life, and Grio the Shield Warrior. All three are Level 4 experts and very tight-lipped.”

“You must have paid them quite a bit.”

Treasure hunters often collaborate with mercenaries, so it’s natural to remember the profiles of well-known individuals even if one doesn’t actively memorize them. While I don’t know much about Grio, Diem and Lise are reliable figures.

‘Wait a minute. Didn’t Diem and Lise work as a mercenary couple until I died?’

Perhaps the ruins where Audrey was supposed to die are elsewhere. However, that doesn’t change my decision to take on the commission. I’ve accepted it, so I’ll see it through.

“But… with three of them, myself included, that makes four. Including you, Audrey, we’ll have five. That leaves one spot open.”

“I haven’t found anyone yet. Since it’s a ruin expedition, it seems like a treasure hunter would be necessary, but I haven’t found anyone suitable. Those who are reputable or trustworthy are either already part of an expedition or have their own team.”

That’s right. Treasure hunters who aren’t part of an expedition are essentially unreliable, and even among those who are, skilled and trustworthy individuals are rare. So, finding a competent one will require considerable effort.

Ian smiled and said to Audrey, “You’re quite lucky.”

“Why’s that?”

“Because you won’t need to search for a treasure hunter anymore.”

“Do you know someone?”

“Yes. Right in front of you.”

Audrey looked at him with a confused expression, probably thinking he’s suddenly talking nonsense.

“I can assure you that I’m much better than most treasure hunters.”

“Really?”

“You might not believe me, but why don’t you test me? I can handle finding paths, interpreting ancient texts, detecting and disarming traps—pretty much anything.”

“No way.”

“It’s true.”

“Really? You can actually do all that?”

Audrey looked skeptical, but Ian just nodded confidently in response.

“Absolutely.”

“Alright then. But I’ll need to verify it. I need to be sure.”

Ian agreed to this. It wasn’t a lie meant to gain her favor. Meanwhile, the carriage had reached its destination.

———