Chapter 32

Chapter 32
Chapter 32: Never Mind The Heir, I’ll Focus On Healing

“Then what about the rest of them? Who among them is the true hero in the first place?”

Historical records only noted that the hero steered the war toward triumph, yet literature and local legends offered zero clues regarding his physical appearance, his ethnic background, his biological sex, or the nature of his subsequent life.

“……To begin with, I must investigate this in incremental stages.”

Countless inquiries lingered in his mind concerning why his grandfather had deposited those artifacts within the labyrinth, alongside the current status of his primary avatar, though those concerns lacked urgency at present.

Lion scanned his surroundings with a blank expression.

This constituted the secondary dilemma.

“How on earth am I supposed to shatter the illusion magic?”

Within the confines of the digital interface, dismantling a dungeon’s deceptive barrier merely required clicking an affirmative prompt, yet translating that mechanic into reality proved remarkably troublesome.

“I lack the capacity to manipulate illusion spells like a genuine sorcerer.”

The high-purity mana circle he had recently acquired as a milestone reward for completing an objective stood testament to his current standing.

It signified access strictly to the first circle of mana.

“Countering illusionary barriers demands at least the fourth circle, rendering my current attempts futile.”

Overcoming this specific dungeon by sheer force would likely necessitate high-tier arcane prowess comparable to Petrick’s capabilities.

“In that case, formulating a tactical workaround is mandatory.”

Lion paced leisurely across the turf, deep in contemplation.

Conventional wisdom dictated that every single dungeon possessed a viable solution, distinguishing itself only through varying degrees of difficulty.

Even given Lion’s modest tier, a method to clear the trial undoubtedly existed.

Assuming that held true, a pathway forward must certainly be present…

“Ah.”

A sudden realization struck Lion.

The Shilling Shop!

“Let me inspect the Shilling Shop first.”

Examining the inventory and acquiring a functional item vastly outperformed remaining entirely empty-handed.

Lion instantly summoned the Shilling Shop interface.

『As your assets have exceeded 100,000 Shillings, the Shilling Shop is now officially open.』

『Your current rank is Bronze.』

『Welcome, customer.』

『Would you like to check the products?』

The Shilling Shop greeted him with a demeanor noticeably more amicable than before.

“There are tiers involved as well?”

The system proved far more structured than anticipated.

He pondered whether escalating his rank might eventually unlock concealed merchandise categories.

Ah, dwelling on that could wait; time was of the essence.

“Display the merchandise.”

『All items are now available.』

Just as he had observed previously, the stock was methodically sorted into distinct categories.

『Life』, 『Food』, 『Maintaining Appearance』

And the section labeled as ‘Under Preparation’ during his last visit…

『Survival』

“……Survival?”

Could that possibly represent the exact utility he required most at this moment?

Lion promptly navigated into the Survival tab.

“Hmm……”

Unlike the alternative categories, the Survival tab exhibited a remarkably sparse inventory.

『Emergency Escape Chair』

-3,650,000 Shillings

-Assists in escaping once from any situation.

-Injuries sustained during the escape are not covered. See terms and conditions below.

“……”

Putting aside the exorbitant cost, injuries sustained during transit?

Lion tapped the terms and conditions displayed in miniature typography, then swiftly dismissed the window.

The microscopic text saturated his field of vision.

“Isn’t this an absolute scam?”

He harbored numerous grievances, but since financial constraints rendered the item entirely inaccessible anyway, he opted to move forward.

Next on the list…

“This item?”

『Worn-out Key』

Wasn’t this precisely the artifact located under the Life tab previously?

It appeared to have shifted to the Survival tab alongside the official grand opening.

Lion reviewed the item’s specifications.

-1,000,000 Shillings

-Can unlock anything. It can be deployed upon material objects, conceptual entities, and even oneself. However, physiological side effects resulting from bodily application are not covered.

-Due to excessive wear and tear, the success rate is compromised.

-Unlock Probability: 20 percent.

-Remaining Uses: 1

“This is utterly absurd.”

What possible justification existed for pricing this item at a million Shillings?

Despite the grandiose description, didn’t this essentially amount to a device proclaiming, ‘Indulge in excessive avarice, and divine providence alone knows what fate awaits you’?

He found it impossible to fathom the mindset of whoever designed the Shilling Shop.

Alternatively, perhaps the commodities housed within the Survival tab were intended to be strictly avoided whenever feasible.

They were likely designed strictly as a catastrophic measure of last resort when an individual’s existence hung in the balance.

“In that case… the assets within the Survival tab remain unusable for the time being.”

Crossing his arms, Lion glared fixedly at the Shilling Shop interface and muttered under his breath.

“Does a filtering function exist to isolate purchases matching my exact current capital?”

『Apply filter?』

It actually functioned?

The digital marketplace within In the World had never displayed such user-friendly mechanics; the Shilling Shop seemed to operate under slightly different principles.

‘Hold on. If that holds true…’

Lion recalled a commercial application he had frequented in the past.

Assuming it adhered to a similar architectural framework…

Might such a specific query actually yield results?

“Display items ranging from 0 Shillings to 120,000 Shillings. Include discounted rates should items meet promotional criteria, rather than restricting results to baseline costs. Sort results by price in ascending order.”

『Loading items up to 120,000 Shillings, including promotional discounts, in ascending order of value.』

Subsequently, the Shilling Shop interface manifested a loading progress bar, promptly populating the visual display with items arranged sequentially.

『Magic Seasoning A』

-Randomly yields nostalgic powder.

-30,000 Shillings

『Magic Seasoning B』

-Allows you to select and incorporate a specific nostalgic flavor.

-50,000 Shillings (MD Recommended!)

True to expectations, the Magic Seasoning lineup immediately captured his attention, trailed by various alternative merchandise sorted strictly by valuation.

『Monster Feed』

-60,000 Shillings ☞ 59,000 Shillings (1,000 Shilling Discount!)

-※Caution※ Strictly prohibited for human consumption.

-Exercise caution to prevent your companion beast from developing obesity.

『Netherworld Repair Kit』

-90,000 Shillings

-Instantly repairs any deficiency within the Shilling Shop inventory.

-Refrain from opening your eyes during the restoration process.

“None of these serve any purpose at present.”

As he bypassed the minor novelties, only commodities valued above 100,000 Shillings remained visible.

“Hmm……”

Weighing his options, Lion added two distinct items to his virtual basket.

‘Let us prioritize these selections.’

One carried a price tag of 110,000 Shillings.

『Magic Detector』

-Capable of registering the arcane signatures of an eighth-circle Archmage, and even the ancient draconian utterances of an extinct dragon species!

-Provided you retain the physical capacity to clutch this Magic Detector within your palm at that precise instant.

-Usable Uses: 3/3

Equipped with this instrument, pinpointing the illusionary magic immediately and uncovering a tactical vulnerability would become feasible.

Consequently, executing an escape would follow with greater ease.

Nevertheless, the primary complication stemmed from his minor budgetary shortfall.

‘This implies I remain anchored here until I accumulate sufficient Shillings.’

Lion surveyed the surrounding terrain.

Fortuitously, a freshwater lake and abundant timbered areas sat nearby. Furthermore, his current coordinates occupied a level expanse carpeted in pliable grass, ensuring short-term survival posed minimal challenge.

“……Let us evaluate alternative possibilities first.”

Lion reviewed the remainder of the inventory roster.

He had previously glimpsed this particular item during a promotional preview.

『Sharp Scissors』

-990,000 Shillings ☞ 9,900 Shillings (99% discount applied to initial acquisition!)

-Ergonomic shears designed to fit comfortably within a single hand. Capable of severing any visible entity, provided it lacks a soul.

-Incapable of excising objects surpassing the physical dimensions of the scissors themselves (e.g., timber logs, iron portals, boulders, celestial meteor impacts).

Oh?

Such an astonishing promotional markdown!

The sheer discount factor naturally drew his focused gaze.

Even though the nomenclature alone seemed entirely disconnected from his current predicament, an instinctual sensation warned him that passing up the offer equated to a severe missed opportunity.

“Hmm? Wait a moment.”

Lion concentrated intensely upon the item description.

‘A meteor strike?’

That represented a high-tier large-scale incantation accessible strictly to master Archmages.

The ultimate pyromancer spell capable of dragging celestial bodies down from the firmament.

Blocking such a phenomenon was deemed impossible, let alone physically cutting through it, yet if the text explicitly designated it under the forbidden category…

Doesn’t that logically imply, conversely, that the tool possessed the capacity to slice through arcane constructs as well?

‘If only visual confirmation were achievable.’

Following a brief deliberation, Lion finalized the transaction for the 『Sharp Scissors』.

While the Magic Detector possessed considerable allure, the shears represented an implement he could deploy instantaneously.

‘Even had I utilized the Magic Detector to confront the illusion magic directly, breaching it with my current mastery tier would prove exceedingly difficult.’

At best, he had barely succeeded in generating a single mana circuit.

Even factoring in the superior purity of his mana, tackling fourth-circle enchantments remained a formidable hurdle.

However, should he concentrate intensely enough to narrow the operational focal point, isolating the critical components should prove attainable.

Interfacing directly with the underlying mechanism and facilitating an escape via the tool’s utility offered a superior strategy.

‘The viability is absolute.’

Moreover, the item lacked the alarming hazard profiles associated with the merchandise housed in the 『Survival』 tab.

“Very well. My decision is finalized. I shall acquire this.”

『Item acquisition successful!』

『The 『Sharp Scissors』 are now permanently bound to the user.』

『9,900 Shillings have been deducted.』

『Your active balance stands at 99,100 Shillings.』

In a fraction of a second, the Shillings residing within his inventory vanished entirely.

A cold sensation gripped his chest as the capital evaporated.

“……It is acceptable; I possess the means to acquire Shillings anew.”

Besides, failing to escape immediately would render all accumulated currency and assets utterly meaningless.

Since relying upon external assistance was out of the question, resolving the crisis independently remained his sole recourse.

And viewed from another perspective, didn’t this present an exceptional opportunity?

He had been deposited straight into the reward zone without enduring the arduous process of clearing the dungeon conventionally.

Successfully navigating this trial might even yield auxiliary treasure drops.

“Reflecting upon the matter, this may not constitute an entirely adverse scenario.”

Fortunes favored the bold.

Regardless of how eccentric the proposition sounded under these circumstances, Lion maintained absolute self-assurance.

While familiarity with the game’s broader narrative arc might remain hazy, Lion retained complete confidence regarding the underlying mechanics of the system.

Furthermore, his preliminary reconnaissance of the immediate vicinity had already uncovered a discernible structural pattern.

Namely:

『Rare Pure White Flower』

-Precisely one specimen spawns per sector.

-Incapable of flourishing alongside yellow blossoms or purple turf.

-Highly prized as an ornamental landscaping component.

That identical pristine white blossom.

As he patrolled the perimeter moments prior, he observed that these specific floral specimens were cultivated across the lawn in a rigid, repeating geometric arrangement.

Nor was the phenomenon restricted solely to the pure white blossoms.

『Rare Yellow Flower』

-Precisely one specimen spawns per sector.

-Incapable of flourishing alongside white blossoms or purple turf.

『Uncommon Purple Grass』

-Precisely one specimen spawns per sector.

-Incapable of flourishing alongside yellow blossoms or white blossoms.

A cumulative total of three distinct, abnormal flora variations existed.

‘And the rule dictates a strict limit of one per sector.’

Given the dense cultivation density within such a restricted expanse of turf, exactly two theoretical explanations presented themselves.

Either the arrangement was artificially engineered, or the local terrain was subdivided into discrete regional sectors.

Under that hypothesis, wouldn’t identifying the most anomalous sector among these engineered zones suffice?

*Swipe.*

As Lion combed the terrain with heightened deliberation, his expectation was duly rewarded.

An irregular zone materialized before him.

Those three distinct botanical specimens grew interlocked exclusively within specific designated coordinates.

‘One of these exact spots must house the core mechanism.’

Lashing out with indiscriminate destruction risked permanently entangling him within the labyrinthine magic.

“Very well, now…”

Shall I execute a thorough evaluation?

Lion drew in a measured breath and closed his eyelids.

To perceive the internal circulation of his native mana circuit.

Following an extended period of visual deprivation, the rhythmic thud of his own heartbeat resonated clearly within his ears.

And as he allowed his consciousness to drift deeper into his physical vessel, trailing the cadence of that pulse…

—-.

A miniature current of energy registered near the vicinity of his heart.