From this duel, Baron collected over one hundred Prole Copper Coins, which was worth a little more than one Silver Coin.
The bettors in Yan Nan Town weren’t as nurous or wealthy as those in Westminster Cathedral. Moreover, the bookie clearly lacked the slick, adaptable personality of soone like Jack—the kind of person who knows when to quit while they’re ahead and can tell anyone exactly what they want to hear.
So, according to the Priest, even though the bookie was supposed to make money off a commission, the high stakes and odds ant that the single Silver Coin Mayor Gorman bet on Baron nearly bankrupted him.
This surprised Baron—not because soone who didn’t understand betting and lacked deep pockets would dare to act as a bookie, but because Mayor Gorman had actually bet on him.
After all, everything from the mayor’s previous behavior to the regretful look on his face when he spoke with Ludwig after the duel suggested the two of them were working together.
After the duel, Ludwig bid farewell to Mayor Gorman and Baron, then departed.
As it turned out, Ludwig wasn’t a Bounty Hunter hired by Gorman. He had just been passing through when his dal sensed a faint fluctuation, leading him to the altar.
Analyzing the scene and listening to the mayor’s words led him to conclude that the fugitive, Baron, was either a liar or an exceptionally skilled Demon Hunter.
And aside from Demon Beasts, the thing Ludwig loved fighting most was a highly skilled Hunter.
Even if it ended in failure.
But according to Ludwig, this wasn’t the first ti he’d t his match. Before his duel with Baron, he had been defeated by another man.
That man’s Swordsmanship was subli and untraceable, like a phantom. It was because of his match against that man that he had left Steel City, planning to start in Gillian and wander the Prole Continent with his sword to temper his skills.
Just then, a boy popped out from the side, complaining, "Uncle Ludwig! What about ? Don’t I count?"
Ludwig patted the boy’s head, ruffling his hair. "Alexander, the journey is very dangerous. I’m afraid I won’t be able to protect you."
The boy, Alexander, glanced at the Little Nun, Olivia, whose eyes were fixed on Baron. He clenched his fists, jutted out his chin, and said defiantly:
"Uncle Ludwig, it’s like I said before: I’m not going anywhere until I beco a Demon Hunter!"
With that, he took a large step forward, pointed at Baron, and shouted:
"L, you better rember this! My uncle Ludwig may have lost to you this ti, but next ti!
Next ti, he’ll definitely beat you! He’ll take back that Hunter’s dal that should have been mine!"
"And what if your uncle still can’t beat Mr. L?"
Perhaps annoyed by Alexander’s arrogance, Olivia stepped forward and spoke.
Seeing the Little Nun step forward, the boy’s face flushed red, and it took him a long mont to stamr out, "Then I, Alexander, will take up the duty of defeating L!"
The Little Nun laughed at his words. The boy watched her, rubbing his head in confusion, while she simply offered a faint smile. "That’s what makes you a child."
Ludwig grabbed Alexander, who was about to argue, and after offering another apology to Baron, they left.
Standing at the church entrance, Baron watched the retreating figures of Ludwig and his nephew. He stroked his chin, pondering the na Ludwig had ntioned—the person who had inspired him to give up a stable job in Steel City and wander the world.
But in the end, he shook his head and decided to drop it. He had more important things to do.
After informing the old Priest and refusing the Little Nun’s offer to bandage his wounds, Baron returned to his room. He deposited the newly earned Copper Coins into his Gentiana Pattern Ring and took out the [Secret Notes].
His escape from Plains had been so rushed that he hadn’t had ti to properly investigate its secrets.
With so ti still left before dusk, he had to properly study this thing—this supposed Taboo Item that had devoured his one million pounds and couldn’t even be detected by the [Glimpse of the Mysterious Crystal]...
Baron paused. ’Wait, that’s not right. According to Stella’s explanation, the [Glimpse of the Mysterious Crystal] can detect any Taboo Item that’s been touched by ’the mysterious.’’
’So this [Secret Notes] isn’t a Taboo Item at all. And judging from our conversation and the ssage from No. 2, it’s not hard to guess that No. 2—my sister, Yelena—has one just like it.’
’If it’s not a Taboo Item, then it must be one of the man-made alchemy items, right?’
’But could a man-made alchemy item be that intelligent? Needing to be ’topped up’ with money to send and receive ssages, just like sothing from a later era?’
’It even devoured one million pounds outright?’
The thought of one million pounds made Baron’s heart ache. Whether in 1987 or 2017, one million pounds was no small sum!
And this damn thing just ate it all!
At this thought, Baron’s temper flared. He drew his gun and pressed the muzzle against the cover of the [Secret Notes].
"Spit out my British Pounds, now! Or I’ll shoot!"
The [Secret Notes] remained perfectly still.
Damn it. Baron wasn’t about to indulge it. He pulled the trigger.
’To hell with the [Secret Notes]! I just want my one million pounds!’
But then, sothing strange happened. When the regular bullet he had loaded beforehand struck the cover, a transparent ripple appeared on its surface. Before the bullet could detonate, it vanished into the ripple, never to be seen again.
Baron went, "Huh?" He tapped the cover. It was rock-solid.
Flipping open the book, Baron discovered a new entry had appeared in the table of contents: "Damage Storage (1/10)." Below it, a line of fine print read: [Uses reset after ten days].
He tapped the entry, and the book automatically flipped to the correct page.
Drawn on the page was the image of a Magnum Bullet, seen head-on as if flying toward the reader.
Following the instructions, he tore out the page, aid it at the statuette of the Lonely Silver-faced Goddess on the headboard, and infused it with Spiritual Power before releasing it.
The bullet that had been absorbed monts before shot out from the page, shattering the Goddess statuette to pieces.
Baron stared dumbfounded until a knock sounded at the door. It was the Little Nun, asking what had happened.
"It’s nothing, everything’s fine," Baron added.
After confirming the Little Nun was gone, Baron looked at the entry in the table of contents: [Damage Storage(0/9)]. He began to think that maybe his one million pounds had been... well spent?
His frustration subsided a little. He flipped back to the page with his conversation with No. 2.
After a long mont of thought, he picked up the pen and wrote another line:
[No. 1: You’re not Yelena, are you.]
He wrote this ssage with two main objectives. First, to verify if a ssage could even be sent from the Prole Continent to the Inner Side.
Second, it was a test for No. 2, who he suspected was his sister, Yelena.
Faced with this question, she would have to say "yes" regardless of the truth. He could then use her answer as a pretext to demand she provide information to prove she was Yelena.
If she refused, it was highly likely she was an imposter.
And if she did provide proof, he could gather more important information about this newfound sister of his, so he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage when they eventually t in person.
’Win, win, win!’
Next, Baron turned his focus to the newly discovered [Damage Storage] function of the [Secret Notes].
After so experintation, he found the function could mostly store "projectiles"—things that had been fired or thrown.
For example, Dragon Fla, Alchemy Bullets, thrown rocks, or even a flung dinner plate.
However, attacks that were still connected to him, like the "Rising Dragon Fire Fist" he executed by coating his arm in Dragon Fla, or the Blood Scythe, could not be stored.
Only a small wisp of fla or a few drops of blood would be absorbed for later use.
In the end, Baron glanced at his few remaining uses, then fired two Alchemy Bullets into the book to store them. He would have to wait for the uses to reset before he could experint further.
...
As dusk drew near, Baron, now fully prepared, had the old Priest lead him to the location of the Undead Knight sighting.
It was a tree-lined path, surrounded by dense fig trees with thick leaves that blotted out the sun. The wind that blew through was cold and gloomy.
When they arrived, Mayor Gorman was already there. Apparently, he had heard that Mr. L was going to investigate the Undead Knight the Priest had spoken of. Believing there was safety in numbers, he had brought a few of his followers and had been waiting for so ti.
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