Chương 62

The council meeting ended with a quiet sense of hope. The First Prince turned to Elysia and smiled.

"Let us go. My carriage is waiting outside. It is time you saw Singuled." Elysia gave a sharp nod. For the first time since Rudra had met her, the stoic alchemist actually looked nervous. She turned to Rudra.

"I will find you later at the guest quarters."

"Take your time," Rudra said, giving her an encouraging nod.

"Make sure your fellow colleague is okay. I'm going to head down to the vault and secure our rewards." Elysia smiled faintly and followed the Prince out the door. Ten minutes later, Rudra was standing deep beneath the palace. He stood in front of a pair of massive, heavily enchanted iron doors. The Royal Chief Mage muttered a long spell and pressed his palm against the metal. The heavy doors groaned loudly as they swung open. Rudra stepped inside, and his eyes immediately widened. The Royal Vault was massive.

Gold coins were piled up in the corners like loose dirt. Racks of glowing swords, heavy steel shields, and beautiful wooden staves lined the walls. The air buzzed with strong mana.

"Take your time, Marquis Rudra," Princess Seraphina said softly, walking beside him. She still sounded a little amused by his sudden, massive leap in noble rank.

"Everything in this room is at least Epic tier. Many items are Unique, and a few hidden in the back are Legendary."

"Got it," Rudra nodded. He tapped his dark staff on the stone floor, his eyes scanning the room.

"This is the Sword of the Lion," Seraphina offered, pointing to a beautiful silver blade on a velvet pedestal.

"It grants a massive boost to attack power and strikes with lightning."

"Neat," Rudra said. He didn't even slow down. He walked right past the legendary weapon racks. He completely ignored the shiny plate armor. Seraphina blinked in confusion. She hurried to keep up with him.

"Marquis... are you not looking for a weapon? I know your Staff is a fine weapon, but there are legendary, kingdom-forged blades here that could cut through steel."

"Nope," Rudra replied, digging through a dusty shelf in the back of the vault.

"My staff is already Epic-rated, and I'm perfectly used to the reach and the weight. If I grab a fancy sword, I have to completely relearn my fighting posture. Plus, weapons eventually break or get outdated. I need things that have lasting utility." Seraphina stared at him.

"You are allowed to pick two of the greatest treasures in the Murray Kingdom, and you are looking for utility?"

"Exactly," Rudra grinned behind his leather mask. He had walked straight into the 'Miscellaneous' section. This was where the royal family kept ancient relics they didn't fully understand or couldn't figure out how to equip. Rudra tossed aside a glowing orb and a heavy gold necklace. Then, his eyes locked onto something sitting at the very bottom of a dusty wooden crate. He reached in and pulled it out. It was a heavy block of strange, dark metal with a sturdy handle.

The system prompt instantly appeared in his vision. [Protean Crafting Cauldron] [Rating: Unique Durability: 400/400 - Highly resistant to alchemical explosions or burnt ingredients. - Cooking and Alchemy production time is reduced by 10%. - Skill [Form Shift] will be generated. A tool forged by a master dwarven artisan who blended a morphing slime core with enchanted steel. It was meant to be the ultimate traveler's companion. However, because it requires genuine mastery over both the culinary arts and alchemy to even activate its core magic, the royal knights deemed it a useless failure and tossed it into the miscellaneous pile. Conditions of Use: Intermediate Cooking (Lv. 1 or higher) AND Intermediate Alchemy (Lv. 1 or higher). Weight: 60] [Form Shift] [The user can change the shape of this item into basic cooking or alchemical tools Resource Consumption: 100 Mana Skill Cooldown: 10 Minutes] Perfect, Rudra thought, reading the description. A portable kitchen and alchemy lab all in one. My cooking is already Intermediate, and my Alchemy is Beginner Level 9. Cooking that soup for the King pushed it right to the edge. I just need to brew a few more potions, and I can equip this.

"I'll take this," Rudra said, holding up the heavy block of metal.

"That's item number one." Seraphina sighed softly but nodded.

"Very well. And for your second item?" Rudra turned his attention away from the miscellaneous pile. If he already secured a top-tier utility item for himself and Elysia, he needed his second item to be a pure combat boost. Since his unique class relied heavily on basic attacks and physical stats rather than magic skills, he needed something that amplified raw violence. He walked over to the high-security glass displays containing the Legendary items. He bypassed the helmets and boots.

Finally, his eyes landed on a pair of pitch-black leather gloves resting on a silk cushion. They looked simple, completely lacking the glowing gems of the other legendary armors, but the dark leather radiated an intense, heavy pressure. [Obsidian Drake Leather Gloves] [Rating: Legendary The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Durability: 800/800 | Defense: 120 - Attack Power is increased by 30% - Attack Speed is increased by 30% - Grip strength is greatly increased. Crafted from the tough hide of a mutated Obsidian Drake that once nested in the northern peaks. The leather is surprisingly lightweight, but it is so densely packed with raw draconic energy that a weak user cannot even bend the fingers. Conditions of Use: 1, 000 Strength, 1, 000 Agility. Weight: 50] Rudra whistled under his breath as he read the massive 30% boost to attack power and attack speed. It was the ultimate brawler's item. There was only one problem. A thousand points in Strength and Agility?

Rudra grimaced behind his mask. Even with all the hidden stats I've gained from my class and the titles, my physical stats are only hovering in the low 600s. I can't even bend the fingers on these things yet. But instead of feeling discouraged, a familiar, burning motivation flared up inside his chest. He had a clear goal now. He needed to hunt stronger monsters, cook higher-tier stat-boosting meals, and level up until he could finally wear these gloves.

"I'll take the black gloves," Rudra pointed at the display case. Seraphina smiled.

"A fine choice, Marquis. Those will serve you well once you grow strong enough to wield them." Far from the royal palace, on the quiet outskirts of the capital, a black carriage pulled to a stop in front of a heavily guarded stone manor. The First Prince stepped out and held the door for Elysia. She stepped down, her red hair catching the afternoon sun. Despite her usual stoic demeanor, her hands were clenched tightly into fists.

The Prince led her past the royal guards, through a quiet courtyard, and into the manor's eastern wing. The scent of strong medicinal herbs hung thickly in the air, barely masking the sharp, metallic tang of blood. The Prince stopped in front of a wooden door and nodded to Elysia.

"I will wait outside. Take all the time you need." Elysia took a slow, deep breath. She pushed the door open. The room was large and dimly lit. A massive, heavily muscled man sat on the edge of a bed, his upper body completely wrapped in thick white bandages. Dark, jagged scars peaked out from beneath the linen. Beside the bed rested a giant, chipped broadsword that radiated a faint, terrifying red aura. The man had a rugged, weathered face and sharp, battle-hardened eyes.

He was currently trying to strap a leather bracer onto his arm with his teeth, grunting in frustration. A dark, chaotic energy seemed to leak from his wounds—the residual side effect of his brutal Half Killing Energy, a destructive combat art that inflicted agonizing internal injuries to both his enemies and, when pushed to the limit, himself. Hearing the door open, the man looked up. For a long moment, neither of them moved. The heavy silence stretched across the room.

The bracer slipped from the man's mouth and hit the floor with a dull thud.

"Elysia?" his voice was rough, like grinding stones. He stared at her as if looking at a ghost.

"Is that... is that really you?" Elysia's strict military posture completely collapsed. Her shoulders trembled.

"Senior Singuled." Singuled pushed himself off the bed, ignoring the fresh blood seeping through his bandages. He crossed the room in three massive strides and pulled Elysia into a crushing hug. Elysia buried her face in his shoulder. She didn't sob loudly, but silent tears streamed down her face. Singuled was the Third Knight, but to her, he had always been a mentor and a big brother figure who had protected her on countless battlefields. The sheer relief of seeing him alive was overwhelming.

"I thought they killed you," Singuled muttered, his voice thick with emotion.

"The assassins... they boasted that the execution poison had melted your heart in the frozen woods."

"It almost did," Elysia whispered, pulling back slightly.

"But a traveler found me. He saved my life and cured the poison." Singuled's eyes widened.

"Cured an Imperial execution poison? Who is this man?"

"His name is Rudra," Elysia said, a faint, genuine smile touching her lips.

"He fights with a black staff. And... he is a cook." Singuled blinked, completely thrown off.

"A cook? A cook neutralized a military-grade toxin?"

"He also just became a Marquis of the Murray Kingdom today," Elysia added. Singuled rubbed his forehead, groaning softly.

"I have been asleep for three weeks, and the world has gone completely mad." He let out a low, bitter chuckle.

"Well, whoever this Marquis Cook is, I owe him my life for keeping you safe." Elysia's smile faded into a serious, cold expression.

"Singuled. What happened to the rest? Did anyone else survive the purge?" Singuled's face instantly darkened. The faint red aura around his sword seemed to pulse with his rising anger. He limped back over to his bed and sat heavily.

"Asmophel is the one who betrayed us," Singuled spat, his voice laced with pure venom.

"He was the one who forged the treason documents. He sold us out to the Emperor just so he could take the Captain's seat." Singuled looked down at his scarred hands. His broad shoulders began to shake with a suppressed, violent fury.

"I fought for the Empire my entire life," Singuled whispered, his voice cracking.

"I tore out the hearts of our enemies for the glory of my homeland. But when I returned to the capital... I wasn't greeted with cheers. I was met with thousands of soldiers. And Asmophel had already..." Singuled choked on his words. A tear slipped down his weathered face.

"They hung the heads of my parents, my wife, and my children in the city square. I fled like a coward so I could live long enough to kill Asmophel with my own two hands." Elysia's breath hitched. She covered her mouth in absolute horror. She knew the Empire was cruel, but slaughtering the innocent family of their most loyal knight was pure evil.

"I will help you kill him," Elysia swore, her eyes burning with cold hatred.

"We will tear the Empire down."

"We will," Singuled nodded firmly.

"But there is something else you need to know, Elysia. Something far more important right now." Singuled looked up, a fierce fire burning in his eyes. He grabbed her shoulder.

"During my escape, I captured one of the Imperial trackers," Singuled said.

"I forced him to talk before I broke his neck. Elysia... your brother is alive." Elysia gasped. Her heart completely stopped.

"Piaro... survived the ambush?"

"He did," Singuled nodded.

"Your blood brother fought his way out of the capital. He is currently a wanted fugitive, hiding somewhere on the continent, searching for the evidence to clear our names and expose Asmophel. The Empire has thousands of soldiers quietly hunting him." Elysia's fists clenched. The despair that had haunted her for months vanished, replaced by a burning, unyielding purpose. Piaro—her biological brother, the man who had raised her, trained her, and led the Red Knights—was still out there.

"Then we have to find him first," Elysia declared. A few hours later, Rudra walked out of the Murray Kingdom's royal palace, adjusting the collar of his black trench coat. His inventory was significantly heavier. He had the Protean Crafting Cauldron safely tucked away, and the Obsidian Drake Leather Gloves sitting in a locked slot, waiting for the day his stats were finally high enough. He found Elysia waiting for him near the grand fountain in the plaza. She looked entirely different.

The heavy, lingering aura of depression that usually shadowed her was gone. She stood tall, her eyes bright and intensely focused.

"You look happy," Rudra noted, leaning on his staff.

"Your colleague doing okay?"

"He will recover," Elysia nodded.

"The Prince has promised to keep him hidden and supplied. But Rudra... I have a favor to ask. A monumental one."

"Shoot."

"We received intelligence," Elysia said, looking him dead in the eye.

"My biological brother, Piaro, is alive. He is hiding somewhere in the world, trying to clear our names. I need to find him." Rudra scratched the back of his neck, looking up at the sky. He had a brand new shape-shifting cauldron to test. He needed to grind his intermediate cooking and alchemy skills. And most importantly, he needed a massive amount of experience points and high-tier monster meat to bridge the 400-stat gap for his new legendary gloves.

Wandering the entire continent looking for a legendary fugitive swordsman sounded like the perfect excuse to hunt the craziest ingredients in the game.

"Alright," Rudra smiled beneath his mask.

"Let's go find your brother."