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Chapter 7

  The morning sun had barely touched the rooftops when Elio heard a knock on his front door, soon he noticed a familiar voice from outside.

  “Elio! Open up, boy! I’m not getting any younger!”

  He opened the door to find Robertson standing there, two of his disciples flanking him in silence. Elio smiled.

  “Early as always,” he said.

  Robertson grinned. “I figured you’d be awake. Big day, after all.”

  Elio welcomed them inside and soon had tea brewing, with a few light snacks set out on the table. He and Robertson chatted over their morning tea,light-hearted talk about the weather, about the students, and their upcoming knight appointments.

  After breakfast elio showed them the celler and instructed them to pack all the wine carefully in a dimension bag.

  While the disciples began filling every last bottle of wine from the cellar, Robertson leaned back with a sigh.

  “These kids will be gone soon,” he said, watching them work. “Some off to serve the kingdom, some to become adventurers and make names for themselves. Once they’re gone, it’ll just be me and the bottles again until the next batch rolls in.”

  There was a trace of bittersweet pride in his voice.

  As the disciples are working in the basement celler, elio and Robertson came upstairs. He used some kind of magic to seal the area.

  After that Robertson reached into the folds of his robe and pulled out a small, ornate box. Its surface shimmered faintly, layered with runes that danced in the morning light. He placed it gently on the table.

  “I wanted to give you something,” he said. “This… is one of my most prized possessions.”

  Elio blinked. “What is it?”

  “A relic,” Robertson said, his tone shifting to something quieter, more serious. “An SSS-rank. I found it deep inside a dungeon in my early days, and nearly lost my life getting it out. I used it in my early days. i was called one of the strongest in the country, and this relic is behind some of my success .”

  Elio sat upright, stunned. Relics were ranked from F to SSS—F being basic enchanted trinkets, and SSS bordering on legend. Beyond that were mythical and divine relics, rarities so rare they were locked in royal vaults or passed down through famous families.

  “So… you’re giving me one of your best relics,” Elio said slowly. “Are you trying to get me killed? If someone finds out I have it—”

  “They won’t,” Robertson interrupted with a wave of his hand. “I haven’t told anyone. Not my kids, not my grandkids—not even my old companions. They’d rip each other apart for it. I’d rather give it to someone I trust. Also I don't need it anymore. I've become one with my weapon and with my decades of experience its a dead weight at this point.”

  Elio eyed him suspiciously. “It’s not cursed, is it?”

  Robertson let out a hearty laugh. “You think I’d give you something cursed? Please. I’m old, Elio—maybe ten, fifteen years left in me. I want to pass this on now, not take it to the grave.”

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  Elio leaned forward, curiosity rising. “So what does it do?”

  Robertson tapped the box. “It looks simple, but once you wear it around your neck, it hides its aura. No one will be able to sense its presence. It’ll bind to you—find you, even if you lose it.”

  He opened the box, revealing a sleek silver pendant with a dull, matte gem in the center.

  “It’s not flashy. Doesn’t shoot lightning or let you fly,” Robertson said. “But it will enhance your reflexes, your perception. In battle, you’ll move faster, see clearer, strike smarter. It’ll warn you of danger, help you anticipate your opponent’s moves—it can even show you their attack patterns. There’s an anti-poison function, and a personal shield strong enough to take a serious hit.

  “I know about the sword your grandfather made. It’s a good sword—but far behind other magical blades. And don’t take this the wrong way—I know your skills. You can handle common foes, but against true masters, you’ll struggle. With the relic, the sword, and the right judgment… you might even face a supreme master on equal footing. It's a relic that can make a novic look like a master.”

  Elio was dumbstruck. He had expected something valuable but not this valuable. It's like a cheat item from the novels he read.

  He picked up the pendant, feeling the weight of it. It pulsed faintly, like a heartbeat.

  “So it’s like an assistant,” he said. “Quiet, reliable, no downsides right?”

  “Exactly,” Robertson nodded. “ no downside. Thats what make it a sss rank. It won’t make you a god, but it’ll make you harder to kill. And in this world, that counts for a lot.

  “ its a sss rank relic but if it is used by someone incompetent, arrogant, or overconfident, it'll be useless. Don’t rely on it too much. It can give you guidance based on what it sees, but the human mind is unpredictable. You can never be completely sure of what your opponent will do.

  “So always keep your head clear. Stay sharp. Don’t be arrogant. And don’t rush.”

  Elio looked at him for a long moment, then said sincerely, “Thank you—for this amazing gift, and all the advice.”

  They didn’t speak much after that. The disciples returned with the last of the wine, and after a final cup of tea and a strong, back-cracking hug, Robertson stood at the doorway.

  “Take care of yourself,” he said. “Don’t die. And bring me more wine next time you visit.”

  Elio smiled. “Only if you don’t give me anything else that can change my life.”

  “Ha! Deal.”

  With a wave and the shuffle of boots, Robertson and his disciples vanished down the road, leaving Elio at the doorstep relic in hand, heart just a little heavier, and the journey ahead looming ever closer.

  As Robertson left Elio's house, his thoughts drifted back to his youth. He had only been a baron’s son not even the heir. It was Elio’s grandfather who had taken a liking to him, helped him with the way of the sword, and helped him set out on his first adventure. And now, years later, Elio was beginning a journey of his own. It might not be as dangerous as Robertson’s had been, but still, he had given Elio his most prized possession to help him survive in this twisted world.

  “With that, our debt may finally be settled,” Robertson smile as he walked down the village road toward his mansion.

  With everything packed and secured in his storage, Elio stood in the middle of the quiet house one last time. The rooms, now empty, echoed with faint memories laughter, long nights of reading, quiet meals with his grandmother, and the sound of his grandfather’s old tools. For the past seven years, this place had been his world. And now, it was time to leave it behind.

  He took one last walk through the home, his fingers brushing against doorframes and furniture, as if memorizing the texture of the life he was stepping away from. After locking the front door, he stepped out and circled to the back of the house.

  The small cemetery lay beneath tall trees, bathed in the soft morning light. Here rested generations of his family—his grandmother’s side, to be exact. Off to the side, two simple but lovingly kept gravestones stood side by side. His grandparents.

  Elio knelt before them, the wind whispering through the leaves above. He bowed his head.

  “I’m leaving,” he said quietly. “Not because I’m running away… but because I need to find something. Maybe myself.”

  He paused, voice trembling slightly. “I’ll come back later. Maybe even wiser. Just… watch over me, would you?”

  He didn’t notice the tears gathering at the corners of his eyes, but they glistened faintly as they trailed down his cheeks. He stayed there for a few more minutes, just breathing, listening to the wind.

  After wiping his face, he gave the graves one last look, and turned away.

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