Shepherd Wizard

Chapter 96

Translator: Pai_

Turan's most powerful magic artifact, the Mimic Relic.

The representative functions of this item were to observe the flow of magic power in the surroundings, absorb and store the magic power of the dead, and allow temporary use of that power by consuming it.

Because of this, its interior was originally an empty space filled with various colors of magic power in liquid form, layered separately. However, its form had completely changed now.

The space that should have been empty was mostly filled with intricately crafted gears, and at the center, five circular rings overlapped each other in an interlocking manner.

Inside those five rings, golden, brown, purple, gray, and teal-colored liquids shimmered.

"This is..."

According to memory, the golden color represented the Sun Bloodline, the brown was the Earthmover Bloodline, the purple was the Berserker Bloodline, the gray was the Ruler-Tamer Bloodline absorbed from Renaud and other Nagin nobles, and the last teal color was the Rapids-Frost Bloodline absorbed from Visen.

Certainly, other traces of bloodlines such as the Barrier Master, Pyromaniac, or Illusionist, which had been only partially present before, had now completely disappeared.

Seeing this, Solif asked in confusion.

"What? Weren't there more than five before? Are they all gone?"

"Probably."

Who would have thought that instead of improving after absorbing magic power, its functionality would actually worsen?

Clicking his tongue in disbelief at the absurd situation, Turan barely had time to dwell on it before Meisa suddenly reached out toward the relic.

"Let me appraise it."

"Can you?"

"Unlike crafting, appraising is a basic technique. Maybe not Ashiz, but I should be able to see something."

Receiving the relic, Meisa sat down directly on the sandy ground, frowning as if concentrating.

It seemed that even for a powerful Enchanter like her, appraising a top-tier sacred relic was not an easy task.

A few minutes later, Meisa wiped the cold sweat off her forehead and spoke.

"The functions have definitely changed completely from before. But I don’t think it’s a loss. No, actually, it's more than worth the power we divided from the Great Sea Serpent..."

"Can you explain in detail?"

"First of all, now the stored magic power is limited to five types. If you want to store more, you have to release one of the previously stored ones."

"That's a drawback."

As Solif grumbled, Meisa clicked her tongue lightly as if telling him to be patient.

"But in exchange, the stored magic power is no longer consumable."

Turan and Solif momentarily forgot to speak and just stared at each other.

If that were true.

"You mean I can use the abilities of another bloodline permanently?"

"Yes. To be precise, the ability of the bloodline in the topmost ring here will always be applied to the owner. You can turn the gears on the side to change its position."

"This is... truly an object that even gods would covet. It's unbelievable."

"It's an object created by the combined magic power of a god and the Great Sea Serpent."

It was certainly as Meisa said.

An artifact born from the merged magic power of a god and a magical beast rivaling that power, where else in the world could there be such an extravagantly crafted relic?

Even considering that, it was still an overwhelmingly powerful and useful item.

It was truly at a level where even the mythical treasures of legend would pale in comparison.

If this function became widely known, the Mimic Relic would undoubtedly become the most coveted item among treasure hunters in the future.

After a brief moment, Turan took the relic from Meisa, familiarized himself with its operation, designated the Sun Bloodline, and hung it around his neck.

Immediately, he felt the change.

"It's real."

He could sense the application of the abilities inherent in the Sun Bloodline, enhanced vision and the ability to observe various forms of light.

As he drew upon his magic power and mixed light and fire, the Light of Judgment naturally formed a halo behind him.

"It doesn’t deplete at all?"

"Strictly speaking, my magic power is being consumed."

"Well, that's a given. So, there are five in total now, right? Let's test them all."

After a while, Turan switched to the Berserker Bloodline and engaged in another test of strength with Solif.

Previously, the difference in power was so vast that it was like a child being overpowered by an adult. However, this time, Turan had the upper hand.

It was likely because the Berserker Bloodline enhanced physical strength more efficiently compared to the Guardian Bloodline in terms of magic power consumption.

"Ugh - this is crazy!"

"I feel like my mood gets elevated when I use strength forcefully. It would be dangerous to use this recklessly during battle."

“That’s why it’s called the Berserker Bloodline.”

After testing the remaining three bloodlines, Turan and his companions acknowledged that the Mimic Relic’s absorption of the Great Sea Serpent’s magic power was well worth it.

A magic artifact that could guarantee the abilities of one bloodline or even two if it originated from a great noble house, without any conditions?

Considering that the Guardian Magic Artifact became a top-tier relic solely because it consumed a massive amount of magic power to grant the Guardian Bloodline’s defensive abilities, it was utterly absurd.

Having confirmed all of its functions, Turan bowed his head respectfully to the other two.

“Sorry.”

“For what?”

“We all worked together to get this, but I’m the only one who unfairly benefited. I’ll make sure to compensate for the loss later.”

Since the Mimic Relic was bound to Turan, the other two couldn’t use it at all.

Thinking about how a portion of that mythical creature’s power was expended for something they couldn’t even utilize, it was clear that they had made a great sacrifice.

Moreover, considering that Bije was also soul-bonded with Turan, it meant that Turan alone had taken three out of the five available slots.

That was far from fair.

Meisa had nearly been torn in half, and Solif had been on the verge of suffering equal or even greater injuries.

Hearing this, Solif burst into laughter and suddenly slapped Turan’s back with his palm.

Because Turan had last tested the Carmine Bloodline, he had no resistance and was sent sprawling forward, his face crashing into the sand.

"Keck."

“Whoops, guess that was too strong. I’m not used to this newfound strength yet… Anyway, cut out that sappy talk. It’s making my skin crawl.”

“You hit him well. If it weren’t for injury, I would’ve punched him too.”

Normally, if Solif had hit Turan, Meisa would have glared at him first. But this time, she actually sided with him.

“We decided to share the magic power willingly. We’re friends willing to risk our lives for each other, if that makes one of us stronger, then so be it. On the other hand, if you were in our place, would you hold back your magic power to prevent my relic from getting stronger?”

“…No, I wouldn’t.”

As Turan chuckled and brushed the sand off his face, Meisa carefully stood up and added,

“Besides, you were the one who landed the decisive blow in this fight, weren’t you? Based on contribution, you deserve an extra share.”

“That’s not right. We all risked our lives. Just because I seized the right moment doesn’t mean-”

"Ah, stop being unnecessarily stubborn!"

*

After spending a long time chatting by the beach, the three of them first used the healing potion magic artifact to treat Bije’s wings.

If it had been real liquid, the sheer amount they forced down her throat would have made her stomach burst. They fed her again and again for half a day.

Finally, when the recovered Bije squawked loudly and flew into the sky, Solif looked up at her and asked.

“Now that I think about it, Bije’s magic comes from your power, right? Does that mean she can use lightning now too?”

“Probably.”

Apparently, Bije heard that from afar, because she immediately struck the ground right in front of Solif with a powerful bolt of lightning, then puffed up proudly.

Seeing this, Solif let out a deep sigh and muttered.

“That demon bird has finally gained offensive abilities… Oh, what a world we live in!”

As Bije prepared to drop a lightning bolt on Solif’s head, Turan quickly stopped her and retrieved a metal swing from his large-capacity pouch, attaching it to her legs.

Moments later, Bije took off into the sky, carrying the three of them with her.

Despite Bije being stronger than before, the speed at which she flew while carrying the swing did not increase significantly. This was not due to a lack of strength or speed but rather because flying too fast would put excessive strain on the swing, making it unable to endure.

Of course, the passengers could reinforce it with magic power, but there was no need for that since the situation was not urgent.

“The ship was quite fast, but flying is still the best. It’s also what I’m most used to.”

Meisa looked down at the vast, open sea, her tone carrying a hint of excitement.

Seeing her legs dangle limply, swaying back and forth, Turan deliberately turned his gaze away.

“So, what’s our destination?”

“We should be close. We’ve been flying for about ten minutes since passing Migel Island… Ah, I think it’s over there. Bije, adjust slightly to the left.”

Their destination was a small island, the original resting place of the Mimic Relic.

Originally, Solif had wanted to see the relic’s former owner, but they also harbored hopes that bringing back the enhanced relic or its paired mask might trigger some kind of reaction.

Not long after, they landed on the island and immediately searched for the pond inside, stepping into the water.

Unlike before, they no longer needed to dive in.

“This is really convenient, traveling with a Carmine noble.”

“You flatter me.”

Now that Turan had designated the relic to the Carmine Bloodline, his ability to manipulate water had become incomparably more powerful and precise.

He split the water within the pond to create a passageway, freezing the surface beneath their feet to form descending steps.

Thanks to this, they were able to reach the bottom without getting a single drop of water on them except for Bije, who, in her curiosity, extended her wings through the water and got herself completely soaked.

“Hmm…”

“This is the place, right?”

“Yes.”

The area where the Great Sea Serpent had once been was easy to recognize due to the sunken sand and scattered rocks. However, the god’s corpse, which should have remained there, had vanished without a trace.

Even after activating Tracking Magic to search for any human remains, there was nothing detectable within dozens of kilometers.

“Armania clearly said the god’s corpse was left as it was.”

“Was that a lie?”

“No, I don’t think so.”

Passing by the two puzzled companions, Turan walked toward a small fragment of a soul that he could sense through the relic.

The Mimic Relic, hanging from his chest, vibrated with a low hum as if recognizing its former master.

“Elder.”

Turan retrieved the Jewel Box, opened the lid, and summoned the librarian. As he sleepily opened his eyes, he looked at the soul fragment and spoke.

“Oh, you’ve found another one?”

“Yes, I believe so.”

"Found it... Huh?"

“You can see?”

At the voices coming from behind, Turan turned his head to find Solif and Meisa staring at the librarian in shock.

“You two… can see me?”

“Yes…”

“So this is what you look like. It’s an honor to meet you for the first time, Elder.”

“It’s not my first time meeting you, so we can skip the greetings. Looks like you hunted that Great Sea Serpent?”

“Yes, we did. Could that be the reason?”

“Most likely.”

It seemed that awakening the third bloodline had allowed Solif and Meisa to interact with the librarian.

After a brief moment of surprise, Turan decided to address the reason he had called the librarian in the first place.

“Would you be able to store and analyze this person's soul fragment?”

"This person? Who is it?"

“The god who perished alongside the Great Sea Serpent, as I mentioned before.”

“Hmm… Well then, place it inside. I’ll take a look.”

After infusing magic power into the Jewel Box and absorbing the fragment, Turan informed the others that only the soul fragment of the drowned god remained.

“It seems that the god's undead spirit was what had been preserving the corpse. When we absorbed it, only the remnants were left behind.”

As he explained what he had just discovered, the two of them nodded in understanding.

"It feels uncomfortable to just carry around the soul fragment of someone who did such things."

“But we can’t just leave it behind. If we handle this carelessly, someone else might end up like Visen. I doubt the god would have wanted that.”

Meisa voiced the exact thoughts Turan had, leaving Solif with nothing more to say.

“Maybe we’ll find a way to grant them rest someday.”

With Turan’s words as a closing remark, the three of them each paid their respects in their own way at the place where the soul fragment had been found.

It was a memorial for a hero who had fought and lost their life without anyone knowing.

*

With their final task in the North Sea completed, Turan’s group decided to move on to their most urgent priority, Meisa’s treatment.

The problem was that an ordinary healer would be nowhere near capable of treating someone like her, whose power had now reached a level comparable to the heads of great noble houses.

At the very least, they needed the help of a healer on the level of a family head from a healer’s lineage, a high-ranking noble healer.

“It would’ve been convenient if I had kept the Healer Bloodline in the relic. A shame.”

“If we get the chance, we should try to obtain it. But then… what should we remove to make space?”

“If I had to choose, I’d say the Nagin Bloodline is the least useful.”

Both the Ruler and Tamer Bloodline abilities were rarely needed in most situations.

As they discussed this, the three of them continued flying southwest on Bije’s back.

By sunset, the vast coastline of the continent welcomed them.

“So, we’re back in the Enril Desert again.”

“My mother used to say that the people here all have horns on their heads and red faces.”

Having wandered the desert for months before, Solif wore an expression of pure boredom, while Meisa, in contrast, looked at the expansive desert with a mix of wariness and curiosity.

Taking her on a leisurely desert tour to satisfy that curiosity might have been enjoyable, but for now, ensuring her treatment came first in case of any unexpected developments.

Turan’s group landed on a sand dune and, after satisfying their hunger with a dried-out desert fox and some rations, continued their journey while avoiding towns and villages.

For two days, they observed the occasional traveling merchants and bandits from above.

By the time they had traveled from the northwestern to the southwestern part of the Enril Desert, a familiar wetland came into view.

The Siraf Wetland, the Lavitas territory.

“It feels like we always end up retreating here whenever something happens.”

“It’s the safest place, being a great noble house untouched by the gods. And it’s home to the world’s best healers.”

This time, instead of heading to the hot springs where Aikul resided, they inquired directly about the direction of Lavitas’s capital.

The last time, they had coincidentally met Rida after lingering at the hot springs for months. But now, with time being critical, they needed to go straight to her residence.

“I hope we can see her soon…”

Meisa rubbed the scar on her waist, looking anxious.

When she was first injured, she had confidently claimed that as long as she could use Flight Magic to move, she would be fine.

However, as time passed, she increasingly found it inconvenient.

From basic bodily functions to the everyday struggles of being unable to use her lower half, she was realizing the full extent of her difficulties.

Fortunately, thanks to Bije’s fast flight, which spared them from unnecessary delays, Turan’s group soon arrived at Lavitas’s capital, Merem.

“Wow, this place is huge.”

“Keep your mask on, Sol.”

“No worries, I got it covered.”

Lavitas’s capital, Merem, was much smaller and more compact compared to Morgen, the capital of Aravion.

The Siraf Wetland lacked the capacity to support a large population, making it difficult to build an enormous city.

Even so, with a population exceeding 150,000, it was still a major city that easily surpassed most ordinary ones.

Before entering the city, Turan removed his mask and handed it over to Solif, knowing that a wanted notice for him was circulating within the House Lavitas.

Fortunately, at the time, neither of the two Lavitas nobles had seen his portrait, so they had not recognized Solif's identity. However, if they visited the main house directly, someone was bound to notice.

While the Mimic Relic could not freely change appearances unless paired with its twin mask, it still retained the ability to copy the face of a corpse. Currently, Solif was wearing the face of a young hunter whose body they had come across on their way.

Wearing the mask, Solif trailed behind Turan’s group like a attendant, carrying several fake loads of baggage. Bije, perched atop him, pressed her feet mockingly against Solif’s head.

"Hey, can you stop that?"

As the bickering between Bije and Solif continued, Turan’s group entered the city of Merem.

Rather than using Flight Magic, Meisa was being carried by Turan. Her technique was still not refined enough to make her movement appear as natural as walking.

It wouldn’t have mattered in an isolated area, but displaying such an unnatural method of movement in the middle of a city would be akin to announcing her status as a noble of Aravion.

After a short while, Turan called over a passing officer and instructed them to summon a knight.

By projecting magic power at a level befitting a high-ranking noble and mentioning his acquaintance with Rida, the meeting was arranged with remarkable speed.

“You may go inside.”

Fortunately, unlike Aravion, the residences of the Lavitas members were not strictly isolated, making them easy to locate.

Due to the soft ground, there were no towering structures, so the mansion was neither massive nor grand, but it exuded a unique architectural style with an air of timeless elegance.

Upon entering the reception room, they were greeted by the Lavitas matron, Rida, who sat with her legs crossed, smoking what appeared to be a hookah. She welcomed Turan with amusement.

“It’s a pleasure, young Turan. And Miss Misha as well… My, the last time, you two were just friends, yet now it seems things have progressed. Ah, youth is wonderful. You can’t bear to be apart, can you?”

Rida made a teasing remark as she observed Turan carrying Meisa with an intrigued expression.

Turan gave a wry smile, setting Meisa down onto a nearby chair before taking a seat himself. Then, he asked in a low voice,

“It’s not what you’re thinking… More importantly, could you introduce the gentleman beside you?”

Seated across from Rida was a man who appeared to be in his mid-forties. He had an exceptionally weary expression and strikingly long silver hair.

Judging by his appearance, he was unlikely to be one of the handsome husbands Rida often boasted about.

Glancing at him, Rida sighed slightly, as if finding the situation somewhat bothersome, and explained,

“Ah, didn’t I mention last time? The heir of House Varaha has gone missing. This is his father, Godis Varaha. He came here after hearing that I had seen someone who resembled his son.”