Chapter 292 - Completed Tasks

'Talk about a massively poor use of space.'

As Rynold made his way towards the corner of the room where the bookcase was, he got a clear view of the man's way of living. It was filthy, extensively so. The only thing that was even remotely clean was the bed covers. And, even then, the sheets were far from fresh.

'How could someone live like this?' Rynold asked himself as the expression he carried perplexed at the sight of the dust. It was ironic, though, seeing as how Rynold himself wasn't the most well-kept person out there. He knew what a mess looked like, seeing as how his workshop was more or less in a disorganized state. But, this? This room was a bit much, even for Rynold's taste.

Reservations about the room aside, Rynold made his way to the bookshelf without any trouble. He reached for the top shelf, catching a fistful of dust in the process. Nonetheless, Rynold managed to grab the jewelry box. It was right where the man said it would be.

'Okay, good. Let's see here...'

Rynold opened the box and started rifling through the contents inside. He lifted up every piece in it and inspected them, throwing one after the other back into it soon after. Rynold didn't stop until he went through each one, with disappointment soon followed.

'Great,' Rynold thought to himself as he shut the box and placed it where he found it. He then clapped his hands, promptly getting rid of the dust that had gathered on them. After which, Rynold let out a deep breath and turned to the door. He walked out, looking for the stairs that would lead him to the next level. The attic was the next place to look, after all.

It didn't take long for Rynold to go through all the hallways on the top floor. He had gone through them twice now, but Rynold didn't really find a way up. The thing was, Rynold definitely spent the effort to look for it too. At that moment, Rynold felt dumbfounded. He knew the man didn't lie about it either, so what gives? Rynold didn't really understand it until he looked up.

'I'm a fucking idiot.'

There it was, the attic ladder. All Rynold had to do was think of how people would get up in the attic. People would have undoubtedly thought of a way to make the way up a bit more subtle than others. Rynold didn't think things through that much.

Effortlessly reaching the tab, Rynold pulled. The ladder fell in front of him, creaking as it did. Rynold instinctively took a step back, avoiding the dust that had fallen. Rynold didn't know what else to expect here, seeing as how people avoided attics. The whole connotation of attics being creepy. Well, it was something Rynold didn't necessarily believe. But, the absence of any light sure didn't help.

'Ah well,' Rynold sighed as he activated [Protecting Light]. Paranoia was something Rynold tended to avoid, but he'd be damned if he didn't expect the worst out of every situation he faced. That said, he took the steps and ascended to the attic. 'This place is, well, I can't say I'm surprised.'

The attic, much like every other place in the castle, had layers of dust, grime, and other foreign substances. Rynold expected as much, really. He knew it was going to be like this. At that point, Rynold was just grateful that he had [Protecting Light] activated.

'Geez. Where do I even start?'

Shaking his head, Rynold decided to dig through the nearest pile. Dust flew up every time Rynold moved something, making the experience far from desirable. Rynold had no choice but to approach the tedious task in front of him. All he could do then was hope that he'd come across the ring sooner than later.

Time quickly passed by. Rynold rifled through box after box with nothing to show for but dirty hands and inflamed sinuses. It would've been great if he were here for priceless artifacts and antiquities. But, they weren't something Rynold felt eager to take, seeing as how they serve no other purpose than for decoration. Rynold had the ring and the ring alone in his head. And, a few hours later...

"Finally!"

Rynold found a tiny box and opened it. The ring sat there, devoid of any dust. He didn't take another look at the thing and immediately placed it in his Inventory. From there, he returned everything to the way they were and descended down the stairs. Rynold had a smirk on his face, glad that he had found it after all this time. And, with that, his mission was complete.

Returning the attic ladder back to a close, Rynold swiped away all the dust that had covered him. He deactivated [Protecting Light] too, seeing as he didn't need it anymore.

And, now that that was over with, Rynold made his way to the man's study. While he could bolt out of this place and leave unannounced, something about the man had warmed up to Rynold. It was the polite thing to do, seeing as how the guy didn't have any social interaction for who knows how long. Rynold felt the need to, well, say goodbye.

'Hm...'

Sitting in his chair, Rynold didn't have much to do while he waited. He didn't expect the man to have taken so long. Well, he didn't know how long and how thorough the checking process was. Either way, Rynold had to do something to fill up the time. And, out of pure coincidence, Rynold reached over to his side and grabbed a book. A book that, for all intents and purposes, shocked Rynold to see it there.

'Am I looking at this right?'

Opening the book to the first page, Rynold started reading. He flipped through the pages, comprehending every word and its meaning. At that moment, Rynold devoted his attention to the book and its contents.

"Ah, you're here. I appreciate your willingness to see this old man before leaving," the raspy voice snapped Rynold out of his concentration. "What are you reading there, young one?"

"It's Rynold," he replied, "And, I have no idea what the hell I'm looking at here. If I'm reading this right, isn't this something that you should lock away and throw away the key?"

"I don't suppose you could explain why would I do such a thing?" the man sat across the table once more, looking at Rynold with a seriousness he didn't expect to receive, "While I appreciate the perfectly valid concern, I see no reason for doing so. Unless, of course, you know something that I do not. In which case, please, enlighten me."

"No, no. I get it. If anyone were to have it, it would be safest with you. But, I just can't help but think that this thing holds something that people like me shouldn't know. Well, you know, mortals? The acknowledgment on the first page alone is worrying."

"Which is why it remains here, no?" the man answered, a smile forming on his sickly pale face. "That text holds secrets that mortals would kill for, but it is not the only copy. I hold one. I do not know of the rest. While that text is certainly well-articulated, others are more dangerous. Take this one, for example."

The man picked a book off his desk and placed it in front of Rynold. The title, in bright gold color, bolded and capitalized, read, "The Anthology of Curses and Spells of Destruction."

"You're telling me that's more dangerous than this one I'm holding right now?" Rynold asked, closing the book and holding it before him. The title, visible to the man sitting across the table from him, read, "Killing Gods: the Complete Guide."

"Well, yes, of course," the man nodded and smiled, making Rynold all the more confused. "While that book contains several detailed accounts, they aren't necessarily accurate. After all, the gods are still in power, yes? That book is barely a guide, a theoretical application of certain theories towards an unwanted objective. This one, on the other hand, holds spells and methods that would not only cripple a man but also make them wish they were dead. There's even a spell here that would make corpses reel in their graves. The absolute nail in the coffin is that there aren't much in terms of cures or removal of the curses. So, believe me when I say that this book is dangerous beyond any reason."

"Yeah, no, I believe you," Rynold answered, acknowledging what the guy had meant, "But, and here's the most confusing part for me, why is it in English? Books like these, they're normally in some ancient dialect. Elvish or Latin or something."

"An interesting query," the man nodded, "Indeed, texts such as these are far more likely to come in an ancient tongue. I cannot give you an answer, however, I can offer you a theory: these texts are far less ancient than it seems."