How to Live as a Knight After the Ending

Chapter 97: Uncomfortable Encounters (3)

Recently, the Archaeological League made a big deal about the discovery of ancient ruins deep underground in Tirna.

It’s no wonder people’s eyes lit up.

What is an ancient ruin?

A mysterious place said to have been built in the distant past, in a time when myths were still alive.

The ruins themselves are of immense value, but more importantly, they might contain gold and silver treasures and artifacts.

Artifacts were what people wanted most.

The value of artifacts is hard to put a price on.

If you happened to come across one that was intact, you could make a fortune analyzing it and creating artifacts from it.

Just as money was Tirna’s favorite thing in the Golden City, artifacts that were worth money were a coveted commodity.

“It’s going to be a mess.”

“What’s the big deal? This is an ancient relic.”

“Has anything like this happened before?”

“There was. It’s a famous story that a medium-sized company that discovered an ancient ruin about 20 years ago became a large company.”

The gap between businesses in Tirna is huge.

The gap between small and medium-sized companies is insurmountable, and the gap between medium-sized and large companies is even greater.

It is said that the gap between classes was narrowed by ancient ruins.

That alone was enough to make those thirsty for success covet it.

“Besides, the size of this ruin is also formidable. We’ve only skimmed the entrance, and it’s hard to imagine its scale.”

“Hmm. I see.”

Osian found himself intrigued but not necessarily because Lorraine was talking so excitedly.

‘If it’s an ancient ruin by this era’s standards, it’s about as big as a dungeon by the standards I used to play.’

Ruins did exist in the games he played.

Ruins, or dungeons, were filled with countless monsters, traps, and of course, rewards.

Due to the game’s large scale, there were over 100 dungeons scattered across the continent.

‘In the 99th play I only went to the ones that were required to complete the story…….’

A rough count would have left over 90.

Of course, there was no guarantee that those 90 would remain.

‘For now, the first place I laid my eyes on had been cut down, too many years ago.’

Even ancient ruins are bound to have crumbled over time.

Given that, most of the dungeons and ruins Osian remembered were likely gone.

In fact, some dungeons were built into mountains, which had been pushed out of the way to make way for factories.

As the world developed and changed, many places disappeared.

‘But where were the ruins found this time?’

The article said it was in the 32nd district.

It just so happened to be adjacent to the 33rd district, which has a large population.

It was a nondescript area, but Osian could easily envision a future where people swarmed like bees.

“If I go here and get a single artifact, I’ll be able to make a living for the rest of my life!”

Lorraine shook herself, dreaming of a rosy future.

-Ugh.

Diolan saw the flicker and turned away in disgust, as if he’d seen something he shouldn’t have.

“More than that, this looks like a lot of competition.”

Lorraine winced at Osian’s point.

As much as she fantasized about the ruins, reality was harsh.

“Is there any way we can get involved?”

“Well, it’s…….”

It was Ronan who answered for the hesitant Lorraine.

“That’s impossible.”

“Impossible? It’s not that impossible!”

Lorraine protested. As if to say, don’t crush her rosy dreams.

“Common sense would dictate that the Fixers could easily get involved in something like this, and if we’re keeping an eye on it, they’ll be keeping an eye elsewhere.”

Osian nodded in agreement.

‘If the artifacts from the ruins are that important, it won’t be just the Fixers.’

The city of Tirna will be on the move, and the corporations will no doubt have their eyes lit. What about the mages and the organizations that exist in Tirna?

“That would make things even more fucked up.”

Osian made a reasonable point.

With all those organizations fighting over a single ancient ruin, there would be a fight for control from the entrance.

It was nothing new to see chaos and destruction ensue the moment a treasure map was discovered.

‘Well, it’s not like I’m not interested.’

Even if he cleared them before, it’s a different feeling to go there now.

It’s one thing to see the world on a monitor, but it’s quite another to actually feel it with your five senses.

But in a place like this, where the competition is so fierce, it’s hard for a fixer to even hold out a business card.

“Hoo-hoo. You’re right, it’s going to get very noisy around here, with people claiming ownership, and people dying and killing over treasure inside.”

“You mean you have a plan for that?”

“That’s right. As the article says, for starters, ancient ruins like this one are managed by the Archaeological League.”

“The Archaeological League.”

Tirna was a city of unions, so of course there was an organization of archaeologists.

Called the Archaeological League, they are mostly dedicated to the exploration of dungeons and underground ruins said to exist in the distant past.

“They’re given priority rights to the ruins, since they made the discovery, it’s like a law in the city of Tirna to prevent chaos.”

“And what good does that do?”

“Well, for one thing, there are fewer unscrupulous people claiming ownership of the ruins on a whim. That alone calms the chaos and makes things as orderly as possible. The fun comes after that.”

Ronan grinned and raised an index finger.

“The Archaeological League controls the entry itself, but that doesn’t mean they can just waltz into ruins where they don’t know what dangers exist. The people of the Archaeological League don’t have the power to explore the ruins themselves.”

“Then they’ll need people to keep them safe, or they’ll have to cede the exploration rights themselves, or hire people.”

“Exactly. Even the Archaeological League is divided into countless archaeologists and explorers. The League gives them each a pass, which they then auction off.”

In other words, archaeologists or explorers who have access to a site are hiring people to join them.

It’s an interesting structure. Selling tickets to discovered ruins.

What’s even funnier is that when you put them up for auction, there are tons of people who want to buy them.

I thought, “This is how an organization like the Archaeological League makes money.”

They would enter together, and then if there were gold or silver treasures or artifacts from inside, they would split it on a proportional basis.

Once the ruins are found, the League will have a fortune that will sustain them for years to come.

It was a capitalist choice, indeed.

“Well, there are usually people fighting over tickets down there.”

Lorraine explained.

The number of released tickets is unknown, but it’s certainly fewer than the number of people who want to enter the ruins.

“Some people blackmail archaeologists and force their way in, some people have always been friends with archaeologists or explorers, and some people just have prestige and money. There are many ways. Oh! There’s one more.”

“What is that?”

“When the archaeologist hires the person on his own, which is a very, very rare case.”

“But doesn’t it always favor the one with the most money?”

“Not necessarily, because force is important, and more money doesn’t necessarily translate into more force.”

If an archaeologist were given the choice of choosing between a tycoon and a magic tower, who would he choose?

The latter, of course.

Even if wizards pay a little less, their abilities would shine through in a place like a ruin.

“Even the tycoons and corporations that got the tickets in the first place hire fixers when they’re short-handed.”

“Subcontractors of subcontractors.”

“That’s what the fixers are after. They get paid to catch the falling water somehow, and if they’re lucky enough to get a percentage of the treasure from the ruins, they’re good to go.”

“That’s what you’re aiming for.”

“Ew! Why not?”

Lorraine pouted her lips.

Lorraine pouted her lips, not realizing that even if she thought about it, the odds of her ending up in those ruins were slim.

“I’m just using my imagination. There’s only a limited number of people who can go there in the first place.”

“I see.”

“So we just have to stay out of it and see who actually goes in there and what they bring out. That’s kind of fun.”

The sweet dream over, Lorraine sat back in her chair with a jolt of reality.

She swings her legs back and forth, and although she says she’s fine, she’s not.

Just then, a package arrived by registered mail for Ronan.

“Hmm? Mail all of a sudden? That’s unexpected. It usually comes in at 6 a.m.”

Ronan opened the envelope, puzzled, and pulled out the document.

Ronan’s eyebrows rose subtly as he quickly scanned it with his eyes.

“This is…….”

Everyone turned to look at Ronan.

Ronan handed the papers to Osian, deciding it was better for him to see them than to explain them.

“You mean me?”

“Yes. This is for you, Mr. Osian.”

“Where the hell did it come from…….?”

“The Archaeological League.”

At the mention of the Archaeological League, Lorraine tilted her chair back and lost her balance.

“What, what, what, what?!”

“Archaeological League?”

Osian was puzzled, too, and checked the papers.

It was stamped with the seal of the Archaeological League. Under these circumstances, an urgent registration with the seal of the Archaeological League was sent to him?

Osian felt a strange feeling of anxiety and anticipation.

“We would like to invite you, Mr. Osian, to join us on this expedition to the ruins.”

Even Ronan, who would normally have laughed heartily, was stunned.

*

‘This is interesting.’

Osian never thought he would be chosen.

Sure, he’d been working hard to raise his stock as a fixer lately.

Even so, he hadn’t expected to be a part of the ruins expedition.

‘I should thank them for picking me.’

Considering how many people were interested in this trip, it was a bit of a surprise.

Maybe that’s why.

Osian didn’t feel happy, but more than a little surprised.

What was even more surprising was that he hadn’t been chosen by a subcontractor, but by the archaeologist himself.

‘Why he picked me, I’ll find out when I meet him.’

That’s why Osian had come to the archaeologist’s office.

Part of his purpose was to meet my employer once, but he couldn’t stay because he was concerned about Violet Fox.

-Why, why only you…….?

The look on Lorraine’s face, almost bleeding from her eyes, was too much for even Osian to bear.

‘It’s not a human expression.’

Osian shook his head and stood in front of the office.

The office was a small detached house.

It was a small, two-story house that had been built quite a while ago, and the old walls showed its age.

Osian rang the doorbell on the first floor.

It took a moment to hear the chime as an urgent voice came from inside.

“Wait!”

-Wudangtang! Thud! Chulpuduk!

The sound of something running, falling, spilling, and tumbling was heard and with a squeak, the door slowly opened.

“Heh, heh, heh. Glad to see you!”

Stepping through the open door was a woman with thick-rimmed glasses and braided hair.

Her baggy clothes and greasy, lime-green hair that hadn’t been washed in days and she looked like the poster child for a researcher.

As if to prove that her journey to the door hadn’t been uneventful, behind her was a stack of toppled books and scattered papers.

“You must be Mr. Osian, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you! Ah, come inside, it’s a little dirty, but I’m sure I can handle a guest.”

A little dirty?

Osian frowned at the cockroaches scurrying among the books.

He glanced over at the kitchen, where dirty dishes and dust were piled high in the sink.

He could tell it hadn’t been cleaned in months.

The stairs leading up to the second floor were filled with books and there was barely enough room for one person to walk through.

“Pleased to meet you. I’m Ilua, an archaeologist with the Archaeological League.”

“Osian. Fixer and knight.”

“Wow!”

The archaeologist who introduced herself as Ilua’s eyes lit up.

“What is it?”

“Because I’ve never met anyone who actually introduced themselves as a knight before!”

“You mean……?”

“Yes! I’ve done some research on knights in the past, especially the Wandering Knights of the past, who are described as superhumans with great power, and I’ve always wanted to meet Mr. Osian!”

I wonder what her reaction would be if I told her that I was a Wandering Knight from the past.

She wouldn’t believe it, of course.

Osian decided to ask something else first.

“Was I the only one who was called?”

“No. I called other people, too, because it’s hard to hire just one person, isn’t it?”

Just in case, it was me.

“Well, he’ll be here soon, and you’re just in time!”

Ilua responded to the beeping alarm and went downstairs to fetch him, saying she’d be right back.

A moment later, the door opened and Osian couldn’t help but sigh when he saw who it was.

“Why are you here?”

Apparently feeling the same way, Balud shot Osian a cold glare from behind his glasses.