Terminally-Ill Genius Dark Knight

177. The first head of Reinhaver

[You have obtained a new artifact.]

[Would you like to view its information?]

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[Basic Information] Name: Wind-Infused Chainmail Type: Equipment Grade: Mid-Upper Attribute: Wind Stats: Agility +3 (Hidden stat effect unlocks at 10) Equip Restrictions: — Special Effects: Controls the flow of wind. Increases the duration of time-related skills. Reduces physical and magical damage by 15%.

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[Hidden stat ‘Agility’ effect unlocks when total exceeds 10.]

[New trait ‘Body Blessed by the Wind’ unlocked.]

[Duration of ‘Genius Time+’ extended to 10 minutes.]

[Summoning the player’s status window.]

————————————— [Basic Information]

Name: Nox von Reinhaver Gender: Male Age: 15 Race: Human Primary Element: Darkness Achievement: Dragon Slayer

[Traits] Positive: [Genius of Swordsmanship and Combat] / [Genius of Mana Sensitivity] / [Insight] / [Master of Memorization] / [Iron Mentality] / [Genius of Acting] / [Body Blessed by the Wind (NEW)] Neutral: [Manifestation of Darkness] Negative: [Terminal Illness] / Prone to Minor Illnesses / [Cold Limbs] / [Possession]

[Stats]

Physical strength: 9.1 (+2) Mana: 14.8 (+2) Luck: 10 Willpower: 14.9 (+1) Charm: 27.3

[Skills]

Active Skills: [Genius Time+] / [Advanced Dark Family Swordsmanship] / [Southern Swordsmanship] / [Ignition] / [Basic Arkheim Empire Swordsmanship] / [Material Transformation] / [Dark Spear] / [Limit Break] / [Mana Conversion] / [Basic Moonlight Sword] / [Light’s Step]

*Due to the [Terminal Illness] trait, the player’s remaining lifespan is 163 days.

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‘This’

A wave of satisfaction surged through me. If there’s a high-risk, high-return skill that lets you use it for 10 whole minutes without backlash, especially when it’s [Genius Time], does it even need more explanation?

‘This skill already upgraded once with a scroll I got from Noah. What if it’s enhanced again here? And the benefits of this armor don’t end here. This artifact is specialized for nimble movements and, best of all, it can be worn discreetly underneath the clothes without anyone catching on’

Naturally, I have to invest in armor to protect my life. But lugging around bulky cloaks and plate armor?

That’s insane.

Even if you use magic to conceal it, other people will eventually find out. In that case, wearing something slim and easy to layer like chainmail just like this is better.

The plate armor is too risky after all.

There’s no comparable method to catch your opponent off guard besides this. That’s Inner Lunatic’s Law

‘Of course, in real medieval times, this would have been too thick as well’

But not here. The technology is far more advanced. It’s thin but still performs incredibly well. There’s no reason to not use it.

“Not bad”

“Haha! Of course! It’s equipment crafted by this Arson after all!”

Arson, recovering quickly, laughed awkwardly. For a moment, I thought about how I should teach this talkative dwarf a lesson, but I quickly snapped out of it. There’s no point. Even though he looks like this, he’s still useful. And there’s something I haven’t heard from him yet. Something very important. Related to my origin.

‘The secret behind the First Head’s sword…’

I pondered for a moment, but I’m someone who saves the main dish for last. Getting the crucial stuff out of the way first puts my mind at ease.

“Let’s start with the enhancements.”

“…. Are you sane?”

Arson looked at me in shock, but I didn’t care.

“Isn’t it just natural? What’s the point of equipment that isn’t enhanced?”

“But… but what if I can’t recreate such a masterpiece again?”

“Enhancement might be a bit…”

Even Eleanor seemed startled, but I wasn’t bothered. Since this gear is difficult to obtain, I’ll keep the enhancements minimal. Just within the limits of what my Luck stat allows.

“Let’s begin.”

“Young Master, Gambling has been proven dangerous many times over. As prime representative, Paracelsus-nim is….”

“That guy was just plain unlucky. From the beginning, I’m not gambling, it’s enhancement.”

I dismissed Zitri’s advice and urged Arson to pick up his hammer. He was trembling, but there was nothing to worry about—it wasn’t like this was dangerous. Why?

My Luck stat is maxed at 10. This means that for any equipment enhancement, I can get straight up to 7 enhancements without fail. I planned to enhance the chainmail exactly seven times.

With every 1 enhancement, physical and magical damage reduction increases by 2%. I’d easily gain an additional 14% defense boost. From my perspective, not taking advantage of this would be foolish.

So, I declared as I looked at Arson’s face

“Enhance it.”

“B-but… I don’t like saying it, but recently, I’ve had failures in here and there… so, I even nearly died”

Someone almost killed Arson? I don’t know who it is, but I nearly lost a talented person I asked him with a serious expression

“Who asked you to do the enhancement?”

“Someone called Paracelsus… Yeah, that was the name. He grabbed me by the collar and held a blade to my throat, threaten that he would kill me. People barely managed to stop him.”

….Paracelsus? Without realizing it, I sighed while resting my chin on my hand.

“Pathetic guy… gambling was never his forte.”

“Mr. Dwarf 1, was the person who stopped him a small, frail-looking, black-haired individual?”

Eleanor asked. Arson nodded as sweat dripped off him

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

“It was Leon,”

“Leon-nim”

After Zitri and I declared almost at the same time, I reflected to the despair Paracelsus must’ve felt trying to enhance equipment here. My perspective shifted a bit.

I retrieved a pile of enhancement stones from my spatial pouch and placed them on the floor.

“…What are you doing now…?”

“We’re going to 10 enhancements.”

“….? W-what did you just say?”

Arson scratched his ear, trying to ignore me, but I was already motioning for him to grab the hammer, pressing him to act. Could he even refuse this?

“…Alright! In return, you can’t hold me responsible for anything! Got it?!”

“I’ll consider it.”

“Just consider… it?”

“I wouldn’t really mind cutting you down right here.”

After giving a truly ruffian-like response, I watched him proceed with the enhancement. And I had no regrets.

The reason was clear.

[You have successfully enhanced ‘Wind-Infused Chainmail’ to +10!]

Because the enhancement succeeded.

Although the chances had significantly decreased, I firmly believed that this enhancement would succeed. From the olden times… Enhancement always requires a sacrifice.

‘Paracelsus, your equipment was a worthy offering. Be satisfied.’

With a faint smile, I finished enhancing my equipment and briefly locked eyes with Eleanor. For some reason, she didn’t look at me like I was crazy. Instead, she just shrugged her shoulders, shooting her characteristic calm gaze my way.

“Now then, Eleanor, could you give us some space?”

“Yes, I understand. In exchange, please make some time for me later. There’s something I’d like to ask.”

“I’ll consider it.”

“You promised to help me, didn’t you?”

“…..”

I couldn’t answer as I watched Eleanor rise from her seat. Even if it was from my days as Shane, I had made a promise sealed through the mana pact. What did that promise mean? It was clear. I had no choice but to honor it.

“Alright”

“Young Master, did you make some kind of promise?”

Zitri asked as if she was concerned. I couldn’t bring myself to explain, so I simply nodded. I felt her narrowed gaze seemed inappropriate for someone looking at their master. but I chose to ignore it.

“See you later then.”

As Eleanor left, I turned my focus back to the matter at hand. Finally, I would uncover some of the secrets of Inner Lunatic’s world—hidden truths about Reinhaver.

After Eleanor left, I began focusing entirely on his story. Finally, I was uncovering the world’s secret that I didn’t even know when I played Inner Lunatic. I could find out hidden truths about Reinhaver’s family and a little bit of a clue These revelations might prove invaluable later when I find myself in situations with no prior knowledge.

Zitri casually activated [Silence], cutting off all external sounds, and I held my breath as I listened intently to Arson’s words.

The story that followed was nothing short of shocking.

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“The Reinhaver family truly established itself around 200 years ago. The one who founded the family was the first head of the family, ‘Jin von Reinhaver’. He was a conqueror who possessed enough power to seize control of the entire continent,”

Arson explained. I could only freeze at his words.

200 years ago?

“But that time, it was stil….”

“That’s right. It was before the Holy Arkheim Empire was founded. But there’s no mistake, this is a fact. The history of the Reinhaver family is far more extensive than you might think. And the surprising part doesn’t end here.”

“What is that shocking truth?”

“Demons.”

My two eyes narrowed. What did I just hear now?

“The first head of the Reinhaver family was a Demon’s seed. That’s why he was able to wield such power. They say he used it to slay the sacred white dragon, a symbol of divine purity. From its scales and skin, the sword you now wield, Stormbringer, was forged.”

It was a story you couldn’t understand easily if you were sane. The first head of Reinhaver could wield demonic power?

Even without that, I had been questioning the origins of the holy attribute within my own mana. In a such situation, to suddenly hear that the founder of the family had wielded demonic power, it was extremely unbelievable

“We’ll have to pause the story here”

“… What is the reason?”

As I asked sharply. For once, Arson met my gaze with an uncharacteristically serious expression. Silence hung heavy in the air. Zitri’s trembling hand and gaze were directed at me. Arson took a breath before continuing.

“Because the rest of the story is even more shocking. I need a mana pact oath ensuring you won’t kill me. If I am not sure that you won’t kill me, I cannot continue.”

“A mere oath?”

Thump! Thump!

My heart pounded violently, as if it were urging me.

To keep listening. You have to advance and get close to the truth.

As if it shouted like that. For the first time, it wasn’t just acting, as if I truly became the ruffian of the Reinhaver family. I looked at someone with my cold and arrogant, lavender eyes

“I’ll swear as many times as you want, so tell me. what is actually the Reinhaver family”