The magic chandelier in Leraje’s treasure warehouse shone softly. This place was quite large because it accommodated the loot that Leraje earned every time she fought and won. It was just like a large museum. Even so, Grid’s footsteps didn’t stop at all. He glanced at the hundreds of treasures that filled the place and pa.s.sed by without any regret. His att.i.tude was like seeing stones.
‘Kalbaba said that these are all rare treasures... he really has poor vision.’
It resembles me.
Indeed, the strong seemed to have a connection. Leraje was chasing after Grid and feeling proud for some reason when she suddenly stiffened. She was reminded of the only time when Grid stopped. The Behen Archipelago Record. That guy stopped walking just once to pick her diary.
‘Don’t tell me that he is interested in me?’
This was the only way she could understand why he coveted her diary over numerous treasures.
‘Why is he interested in me...? Ohu, it is natural to be interested due to the yearning heart.’
Grid just wanted to see the entries about the Undefeated King. However, it was natural to misunderstand from Leraje’s position. It happened when she arbitrarily came to this conclusion...
“This...”
Grid finally stopped walking. Out of the hundreds of treasures, the item that finally caught his attention was placed in the most secluded corner. It was neglected instead of exhibited. In the depths of the corner, the ident.i.ty of the item covered in dust was nothing but a piece of cloth.
It was a faded, old cloth. It was so wrinkled that it was no different from a rag at first glance. It felt like the caretaker of the warehouse used it to clean the shelves and threw it in a corner. However, Grid’s discerning eye recognized that this cloth was special.
[Cloth Left Behind by One Who Departed]
[Rating: ???
A cloth left behind by someone unknown when they left h.e.l.l.
Weight: 10]
“T-That is a rag,” Leraje responded immediately. She called it a rag like it wasn’t a big deal, but her floundering limbs and wide eyes showed a different story.
‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal.’
[You have failed to observe the targeted item.]
“Ugh!” Grid felt sharp pain from his eyes and stepped back. His eyes were bloodshot. This was the second time that he failed to appraise something and felt pain from the backlash. It was proof that this cloth was special.
‘Open Potential.’
[Please specify the skill to increase the rating.]
‘Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal.’
[The potential of Legendary Blacksmith’s Appraisal has been opened and the skill ‘Blacksmith’s Appraisal Comparable to a G.o.d’ has been activated.]
Blacksmith’s Appraisal Comparable to a G.o.d was undoubtedly an appraisal skill with the best function in the worldview. Yet the first time he used this skill, Grid tasted failure. It was because the target of the appraisal was the martial G.o.d’s secret technique.
‘I couldn’t appraise the secret technique because it is taboo to touch the one G.o.d.’
There wouldn’t be a second failure. No matter the owner of this piece of cloth and how great they were, they couldn’t be comparable to Chiyou. As if in response to Grid’s conviction—
[You have succeeded in the appraisal.]
The detailed information of Cloth Left Behind by One Who Departed was updated and appeared in Grid’s piece of view.
[Beriache’s Underclothing]
[Rating: Legend (transcendent)
Durability: 117/519 Defense: 450
★ The skill ‘Impenetrable Skin’ is activated.
★ The skill ‘Worn but Not Worn’ is activated.
★The skill ‘???’ will be unlocked when certain conditions are met.
The underclothing worn by the vampire progenitor Beriache, during her days as a great demon.
A garment made by Beriache weaving her magic power like it is thread. It is comfortable to wear since it changes according to the user’s body shape.
Conditions of Use: Beriache, Beriache’s blood, a great demon with a ranking of 3rd or higher.
Weight: 10]
“...Crazy.” A sound of admiration burst out of Grid’s mouth. Beriache’s Underclothing was cla.s.sified as ‘underwear.’ This meant it could be worn with armor, but its defense was abnormally high. Additionally...
[Impenetrable Skin Lv. 1]
[Pa.s.sive
Immune to damage below a certain level.
* Damage over a certain level is reduced by 10%.]
[Worn but Not Worn]
[Pa.s.sive
The body becomes as light as a feather.
You can move more lightly.]
There were two pa.s.sive skills attached to it.
‘Impenetrable Skin... I admired it when I saw Kraugel using it.’
Impenetrable Skin was a high-cla.s.s pa.s.sive skill. However, the description for Worn but Not Worn was vague. How much did it increase agility?It wasn’t clearly stated how fast it would be. It just described it as ‘lighter,’ so it was difficult to know the correct effect unless he experienced it himself.
‘Plus, the other skill could be poisonous.’
It was just the defense and Impenetrable Skin already made it worth it.
“I want this as the second gift.”
The progenitor Beriache—she was the 3rd great demon, but she was expelled from h.e.l.l for doubting G.o.d Yatan. He wondered why the clothing of Braham’s mother was in Leraje’s treasure warehouse, but this wasn’t very important. It was enough if Grid owned it.
‘I want it.’
It was natural to wear it directly. He also wanted to improve his understanding of it to help increase his underwear making skills. If he could make better inner clothing, then he would naturally speed up the proficiency of his tailoring skill.
“...You are a pervert.”
Leraje sent a disgusted look at Grid who showed his blatant desire. To anyone who saw it, it would look like Grid was coveting women’s underwear.Grid didn’t care. The other person was a great demon. Affinity might’ve increased, but it was only by one.
It wasn’t a good relations.h.i.+p. In the first place, it couldn’t be good. She was born a great demon and there was a high probability she would be an enemy when they met again. Thus, there was no need to resolve the problem of being misunderstood as a pervert.
“I will use it well.”
“Wait.” Leraje grabbed at Grid who was reaching for Beriache’s Underclothing. “This clothing... it is the relic of my idol. It is a precious thing. I wish you would choose something else.”
“I think it’s been left too roughly for something that is cherished.”
“It couldn’t be helped. All the rulers of h.e.l.l must regularly present treasures to a ruler higher than themselves. You might not believe it but there are rulers above me. If this cloth is conspicuous, they might want to take it away. I was forced to disguise it as a rag.”
Leraje, the bluffer who claimed to be the greatest ruler of h.e.l.l, actually confessed honestly. It seemed Beriache’s Underclothing was a very precious thing to her. Of course, this wasn’t something for Grid to care about. As mentioned earlier, she was likely to be Grid’s enemy.
Ignore her, get the treasure, and leave.
Nevertheless, Grid took his hand off Beriache’s Underclothing. “What is your relations.h.i.+p with Beriache?”
Expanding on the story meant finding out more information. More information could help him. Perhaps Leraje’s story would have greater value than this legendary transcendent item.
“My specialty is struggle and victory, but I’m also in control of love.”
“...Huh?” A great demon was talking about love.
Leraje blushed and lowered her head when she saw Grid’s reaction. “Don’t laugh. I also know that I am different from other demons. Therefore, I was always confused.”
She instinctively yearned for love. She felt a desire to fulfill the love of others. It was a hard desire to fulfill. The demons of h.e.l.l had no interest in love. Leraje never discussed love in front of anyone and was always lonely. “I wasn’t understood by anyone and didn’t fit it. Beriache was the only one who understood me. She didn’t laugh at my desires, but cheered me on. Thanks to her, I gained the courage to fight, win, and rise to where I am today.”
“......”
Grid recalled how much Braham and the other direct descendant vampires loved and admired the progenitor Beriache. If Beriache was absolutely evil like the other great demons, could she have taught her children love? Would she had criticized Braham for harming his kin? Could her fourth child, Noll, be able to inherit the trait of ‘kindness’ from her? In retrospect, Berriache was fundamentally different from normal demons. This was why she doubted and denounced Yatan, only to be expelled from h.e.l.l and inflicted with the Curse of Sloth.
‘Beriache must’ve been treated as a mutation by the demons.’
The demon who understood and was able to empathize with her was Leraje, who now stood in front of Grid...
Grid’s vigilance faded when he realized this. He listened seriously rather than unconditionally doubting Leraje.
“She told me this before she left. In order to change this h.e.l.l which is ruined by evil and killing intent, she will surely come back. If... if she really can’t come back, then she will send someone who is better than her.”
“......”
Beriache dreamed of transformation as well as revenge. Grid hadn’t met her in person and would never meet her, but he didn’t think her goal of changing h.e.l.l was ridiculous. Marie Rose and Braham—her children (other selves) were proving it. She deserved a transformation.
“This clothing is a token of my reunion with her or a gift to her other selves. I can’t give it to you. I’m sorry for not keeping my promise to give you any treasure. Please understand.”
Her words were understandable. Leraje confessed everything and bowed her head while believing that Grid would give in. Yet contrary to her expectations, Grid held Beriache’s Underclothing tightly in his hand.
“...I’m disappointed.”
Grid spoke to the frowning Leraje, “There is no need to be disappointed. It is right for me to take this clothing.”
Grid a.s.serted. It was absurd nonsense from Leraje’s point of view.
“You have the right? Do you want to claim that you are her other selves? You... do you take me as a fool?”
“That isn’t it. It is just that Beriache’s other selves are by my side.”
Grid touched Elfin Stone’s Ring. A b.l.o.o.d.y storm started blowing. It was blood energy. The energy that Leraje had always missed dominated the area and Elfin Stone appeared.
“Ah...” Leraje was surprised by Elfin Stone’s red-brown eyes. Then she glanced at Grid with amazement. Grid was taking off his armor and putting on Beriache’s Underclothing.
Just then—
[Beriache’s Underclothing has detected the blood of the Blood King.]
[The hidden skill ‘Blood Master Lv. 1’ is activated.]
The hidden function of Beriache’s Underclothing was revealed. If one day he could make underwear exactly the same as this, he would greatly increase the fighting power of all direct descendant vampires, including Braham and Noll. Grid was convinced of this. Leraje stared at him blankly before smiling. “I see. You approached me on purpose.”
“......”
Did he approach her?
This time, a notification window that his affinity with Leraje had increased by 20 appeared. At this point, Grid was worried.
‘Isn’t it too much of a hodgepodge?’
It was common sense to get acquainted with different races such as the water clan, vampires, orcs, elves, etc, but now it was a great demon after establis.h.i.+ng a friends.h.i.+p with an archangel...
He wondered if this was really okay. He was very worried that he might be known as an opportunist.