Chapter 27: Memories and Discoveries

Raine gently rubbed the mottled ring, the cold touch of the metal spreading from his fingertips. Pausing for a moment as he pinched the ring, he eventually clenched it in his palm, abandoning the thought of putting it on. It was never wise to casually wear a ring of unknown origin. This was something that the Sloppy Ranger from years ago had warned him about many times.

His thoughts seemed drawn by the ring, instantly returning to a few years ago, to that simple campsite surrounded by the evening breeze and the chirping of insects. The dancing campfire was the only light source in the darkness, illuminating the Sloppy Ranger's weather-beaten face. Tipping his head back, the man chugged a large mouthful of cheap ale and let out a loud, satisfied BURP. The heavy scent of alcohol mixed with the smoky smell of the campfire formed Raine's very first impression of an Adventurer.

This was practically a reserved program for every night. Fueled by liquid courage, the Sloppy Ranger would talk endlessly about his magnificent adventures. Young Raine would sit cross-legged opposite him, listening intently to tales of deep Underground Dungeons, ancient ruins, and powerful Demons, his eyes sparkling with longing. He never knew how much of it was just bragging, or if they were simply classic tropes lifted from some adventure Epic, but these stories truly opened a window for him to glimpse the vast world.

From the Sloppy Ranger's detail-filled accounts, Raine learned that he was once a member of a veteran Adventurer squad called "Giant Statue Suspension", and was the team's indispensable Scout and tracking Expert. He had once described, with a tone of pride tinged with loneliness, how their team had explored the Tiffling Ancient City sunken in a swamp, and fought a grand battle against the Harpies Group entrenched at the peak of the Dragonbone Mountain Range. One of the experiences that left a rather deep impression on Raine was a story about a Cursed Ring.

"... That was deep in the Dragonbone Mountain Range, in an Owl Bear's nest where the ground was covered with picked-clean bones and dry grass," the Ranger began, his eyes growing hazy as if piercing through the campfire to see the distant past. "The nest's owner, an old Owl Bear that had gone mostly bald, reacted like a mouse seeing a cat when it spotted us. It twisted its bloated body and turned tail to run. That panicked look was truly comical!

"I chased after it. Right in the bone pile by the nest's entrance, something flashed in the afterglow of the setting sun—just a quick flash, as if winking at me!

"I dug it out and saw it was a golden ring, engraved with intoxicatingly exquisite patterns and inlaid with a Sapphire. It was absolutely gorgeous!"

He subconsciously touched the unremarkable, worn Short Sword at his waist, his voice raising a bit with a trace of his past excitement. "That was my loot! According to the squad's distribution mechanism, it was rightfully mine to take! I put it on my finger right then and there! I even purposely flaunted it in front of the others.

"Especially toward that Dragon Descendant champion warrior who always loved to show off his shiny trinkets. I still remember the look of sheer envy in that guy's eyes as clear as day!"

His tone took a sharp dive, carrying a heavy regret. "But when I woke up the next day, I couldn't laugh anymore.

"All the metal gear on me, including this Short Sword personally crafted by a renowned Dwarf Forging Master..." He drew a portion of the dull blade with a sharp CLANG. The light of the campfire shone on it, yet failed to reflect even a hint of the cold gleam it should have had. "And all the refined iron Arrowheads in my Quiver, every single brass buckle on my Leather Armor, and even the tin spout of my Water Bag—all of it had inexplicably rusted! The rust was as thick as if it had been left out for a hundred years!"

His voice trembled with heartbroken anguish. "My damn Mage companion, a Dwarf chick who could make the heavens and earth change color when casting the Lightning Bolt and Fireball Technique, patted her chest and promised she could handle it. But when she chanted Remove Curse, she actually mispronounced a syllable! It ended up making the Curse even worse!

"Damn it! I forgot she was a Mage from the Molding Energy School and was completely inept at those finicky Defense Spells!"

Taking a fierce swig of ale, his bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at young Raine, his tone more serious than ever before. "Boy, do you understand now? That thing was a cursed Magic Item, and its Effect was to accelerate the decay of all metal equipment on the wearer!

"So, never wear any accessories of unknown origin! What they bring isn't necessarily Power, but more likely a misfortune capable of bankrupting you!"

With the memory ending there, Raine pulled his thoughts back to reality.

Even though the possibility of finding a genuine Magic Item in the collection of a low-level Demon like a Kobold was infinitesimally small, he was not going to take that risk. He decided, "I should find an opportunity to have an Expert skilled in the Identification Skill take a look at it. That is the only solution the Sloppy Ranger mentioned."

At the exact same time Raine made up his mind, Kaelin, on the other side of the main hall, was holding a torch and carefully examining the junction between the ground and the rock wall inch by inch. Her movements were cautious and focused. The tip of her boot gently brushed aside the loose dirt and rubble in the corners of the cavern wall, not letting a single abnormal trace slip by.

Suddenly, her movements paused. On the muddy ground near the base of the rock wall, her eyes caught a stone structure different in color from the surrounding earth, only about the size of a fingernail. She immediately squatted down and used her scabbard to lightly brush away the dirt and moss covering it.

An ancient stone slab bearing a pattern was quickly revealed. Engraved on it was an extremely exquisite crest. The design featured five Griffins spreading their wings in flight, the lines flowing smoothly and full of Power. Kaelin's breath hitched slightly. She immediately pulled a worn piece of Parchment from her waist pouch. Quickly unrolling it, the torchlight illuminated the drawing on the skin—it was the exact same flying Griffin Group crest! An indescribable surge of excitement rushed into her heart, making the fingers holding the drawing tremble slightly.

Forcing down her inner thrill, she swiftly put the drawing away. Drawing the dagger at her waist, she began to clear the surrounding area more meticulously, using the stone slab as the center. She scraped away the thicker layers of dirt and pulled apart tangled roots. Before long, a square stone slab door embedded in the ground appeared before her eyes.

She immediately tried to open it, digging her fingertips into the crevices and even attempting to pry it with her dagger. However, the stone door was unimaginably heavy and didn't budge an inch. After several failed attempts, she subconsciously looked toward the tall, straight figure on the other side of the hall. The memory of them fighting side by side just recently flashed through her mind; that stalwart figure had already proven everything with his abilities.

After a brief internal struggle, Kaelin took a deep breath and called out to the back of the man she knew she could trust. "Raine! Come here and help!"