Millicent gave up trying to figure out where the food came from and turned to Patches. Since they had run into each other, she might as well ask him about the prosthetic arm.
"Mr. Patches, have you found any news about the prosthetic arm?"
"If you have, I'd like to set out as soon as possible."
Hearing Millicent's question, Rya finally noticed her right arm.
Beneath the robe Lucian had given Millicent earlier, the right sleeve hung completely empty.
Rya had been paying attention to other things just now, and only now realized that Miss Millicent had just one arm.
She covered her mouth in shock, never having expected that Millicent…
Then, as if realizing that her startled reaction might hurt Millicent's feelings, Rya quickly lowered her hand and hid it behind her back.
Fortunately, nobody present paid any attention to her actions.
Patches grinned at Millicent and said,
"Mmhmm. Your timing couldn't be better, Millicent."
"I only got some information from a fellow yesterday, and now you've shown up today."
"Hehehe. I have to say, that's a kind of fate in itself."
Hearing that there was already news about the prosthetic arm, Millicent's eyes immediately lit up, and she eagerly pressed him for details.
"Really? That's wonderful!"
"Please, tell me everything you've learned about the prosthetic arm."
"As for the Runes to pay you, I've already prepared them."
Millicent took several sizable Runes from her pack and showed Patches their alluring golden glow.
These were all Runes she and Alexander had collected during their travels.
Since Alexander had no need to spend Runes, they had all gone to Millicent.
Millicent was quite confident in the amount she had collected and believed it would surely satisfy Mr. Patches.
After all, she had nearly twenty thousand Runes saved up.
For Tarnished who generally traded supplies in units of hundreds or thousands of Runes, this was a considerable fortune indeed.
Millicent had taken out all the Runes at once. She had no intention of haggling over the price.
Even if she had to hand over every last Rune she possessed, it would be worth it as long as she could obtain information about the prosthetic arm. These worldly possessions meant nothing to her.
Yet, faced with such a generous reward, Patches did something entirely unexpected. He waved his hand dismissively.
"Oh, come on. There's no need to talk about payment…"
"Even if we only traveled together for a little while, we still built such a deep bond."
"So just consider this information a gift from me."
"Besides, I'd really like to see just how powerful you can become once you're whole again."
Of course, it wasn't as if Patches felt no temptation at all when faced with such a huge pile of Runes.
Any Tarnished would have struggled to keep a smile off their face at the sight of that much wealth.
If this had been an ordinary occasion, he would have agreed without a second thought.
Hesitating for even a single second would have been disrespectful to the Runes themselves.
However, Patches currently had something more important than Runes to worry about, so he had no choice but to give up the opportunity.
Patches admitted that he was indeed greedy and a little crazy, but he could still distinguish between what mattered most and what could wait.
After hearing his explanation, Millicent hesitated.
"Th-this doesn't feel quite right…"
"After all, I was the one who asked you to help me look for information. It doesn't seem right for me to receive it without giving you anything in return…"
While Millicent was still hesitating, Lucian had already figured out that Patches must have some other motive in mind.
Lucian shook his head. Millicent was still far too innocent.
Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say that she didn't yet understand what kind of person Patches really was.
So Lucian smiled at Patches and asked,
"You definitely wouldn't be this generous without a reason. What else are you planning?"
"Why not just say it outright? That way, you won't have to waste more effort coming up with excuses later."
Even after being seen through, Patches wasn't embarrassed in the slightest. He simply grinned and said,
"Hehehe. As expected, nothing gets past those eyes of yours…"
"Well, then, I'll just come right out and say it."
Looking at Millicent, Patches wore a somewhat obsequious smile.
"The thing is, there's actually something nearby that I'd like to get my hands on."
"But it's not very convenient for me to go out and retrieve it myself…"
"Things are going reasonably well for me here at Volcano Manor. I'd say I've managed to establish myself pretty comfortably."
"But even so, there are plenty of people keeping an eye on me while I do business inside the manor…"
"If I ever leave Volcano Manor, they'll probably strip me of everything I've got."
After finishing his little tale of woe, Patches licked his lips and continued,
"So I was thinking… perhaps you could help me retrieve it."
"Let's just consider that a way of offsetting the cost of the information. Hehehe."
Seeing how confident Patches looked, Lucian chuckled softly, unable to resist teasing him a little.
"Heh. Mr. Patches, I feel obligated to remind you of the terms of your proposed deal."
"Information like this is only worth a few hundred Runes. But hiring someone to go out and do the work for you costs considerably more than that."
"Millicent is no weakling. At the very least, most of the people at Volcano Manor aren't anywhere near her current level."
"This deal isn't exactly fair, is it?"
Patches' smile twitched twice before he finally wore the expression of a man who had just been thoroughly outmaneuvered.
He's seen through me. This is getting troublesome…
Patches began to feel a little flustered, no longer sure how to proceed.
He couldn't quite tell whether Lucian was merely joking around or genuinely intending to see that the deal was fair.
This really had been one of his little tricks.
The place in question was rather dangerous, and he had no desire to risk his own neck there. His plan involved very little risk to himself while also saving him the expense of paying someone else.
However, if they truly insisted on an equivalent exchange, he honestly had nothing else of comparable value to offer.
With a troubled expression, Patches spoke unusually earnestly.
"Hehe… Come on, don't put it like that."
"I'm sorry, but I'm really out of options here."
"That place is simply beyond what I can handle myself…"
After hearing Patches' request and understanding the circumstances, Millicent smiled.
"Sir Lucian, please stop teasing Mr. Patches."
"It seems this really is something important to him. Otherwise, he wouldn't be so nervous that he couldn't even tell you were joking."
Turning back toward Patches, Millicent nodded.
"I don't see a problem with it."
"I'm going to have to travel to the destination myself to look for the prosthetic arm anyway."
"If I'm going to encounter enemies and danger regardless, then bringing back one additional item won't make much difference."
Hearing Millicent's definite answer, Patches immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
His irritatingly sly smile returned to his face.
"Ahem. Well, that's wonderful!"
"In that case, I'll stop keeping you in suspense and tell you where the prosthetic arms are."
Patches took a map from his waist pouch, crouched down, and spread it out in front of everyone.
He pointed to the narrow stretch of land between Volcano Manor and the Altus Plateau.
There stood a castle surrounded by green poisonous marshland, its appearance exceptionally eerie.
"The prosthetic arms are here, at the Shaded Castle."
"I suspected that place might have some, but I only received confirmation yesterday."
Patches began explaining the situation to Millicent.
"The Marais family, who inherited the Shaded Castle, have served as executioners for generations."
"At the same time, the men of the Marais family are born with illness."
"The current head of the family, Maleigh Marais, was drawn to Malenia because of this, and he's utterly obsessed with her."
"Apparently, during the Shattering, Maleigh Marais managed to make contact with the Haligtree and Malenia, just as he'd always wanted."
"I'm not sure how he managed it, but he somehow got himself aboard the Haligtree's ship, so to speak, and obtained what he wanted."
"According to the information I received, he's apparently got an entire room piled high with prosthetic arms…"
As Millicent listened to Patches' explanation, an unmistakable look of distaste appeared on her face.
'Hmm… I never imagined there could be someone like that in the world.'
'What could anyone possibly do with a collection of discarded prosthetic arms? What a strange obsession…'
'And the fact that he's so closely connected to Lady Malenia makes the whole thing even stranger.'
Seeing Millicent's expression, Patches burst out laughing.
When he'd first heard the news, he'd felt much the same way. No, surely any normal person would have reacted that way.
Patches hurried to reassure her.
"Come on, come on. As long as the arms are usable, that's what matters."
"Just like my conclusion about food, there's no need to pay so much attention to where things come from."
"Sometimes, thinking too much about things only creates unnecessary stress. Hehehe."
"Besides, if he's got that many prosthetic arms, they must be the ones Lady Malenia replaced as she grew up."
"Look on the bright side. You're bound to find one that's the perfect size for you."
After thinking for a moment, Patches continued,
"And there's more good news. Maleigh Marais isn't particularly strong."
"Even though he inherited a large estate, that fellow has barely managed to maintain the strength of a hero. He's stuck somewhere in the middle, neither particularly weak nor particularly strong."
"He's only managed to survive thanks to an ancestral executioner's sword and the Shaded Castle's difficult terrain, which makes it hard to attack. Otherwise, someone would have devoured him long ago."
Millicent let out a breath, and her anticipation returned.
"Yes, you're right."
"Having so many prosthetic arms there is a good thing. That way, I'll be able to find the one that suits me best."
"With a prosthetic arm, I should be able to perform the perfect sword dance once more."
Lucian listened quietly without saying anything.
Patches' explanation was more or less accurate, but there were a few details missing.
The Shaded Castle had long since been occupied by Elemer of the Briar, and even the Marais family's ancestral executioner's sword had been taken from them.
Maleigh Marais himself had even been driven out of the Shaded Castle and could only vent his impotent rage from the outside.
Elemer had done an excellent job keeping the news under wraps. Not a single whisper of it had gotten out.
Still, it didn't really matter whether they knew about these things or not.
Lucian was going to make the trip there anyway.
Elemer of the Briar was practically a walking treasure chest as far as Lucian was concerned.
If they thought Maleigh Marais wasn't very strong, then Lucian regarded Elemer even more dismissively, almost as though he were nothing but a stray dog on the roadside.
For one thing, Elemer was a boss whose defeat would count toward an achievement, easily giving Lucian another achievement unlock.
And the Executioner's Sword he had stolen was one of the legendary weapons, making it another piece needed for the legendary armaments achievement.
Regardless of his reasons, Lucian had every reason to visit the place.
Millicent put away the map, then looked at Patches and asked,
"Then what is it that you want, Mr. Patches?"
Patches smiled and took out another sheet of paper. Clearly drawn on it in ink was an object resembling a musical instrument.
It was a percussion instrument that looked somewhat like a pair of clappers, made from two round copper plates connected by a cord.
Looking at the carefully drawn picture, which had clearly been made to ensure the object could be identified accurately, Lucian silently nodded.
'Just as I expected. Patches, you still haven't forgotten about her.'
Millicent had no idea what lay behind this. She simply took note of the drawing and then solemnly promised Patches,
"Don't worry. I'll bring it back for you."
Patches stood up and clapped his hands.
"Wonderful! Then it's settled."
"You two are going to explore Volcano Manor?"
Lucian nodded, acknowledging it.
"Since we're already here, we might as well meet the master of the place."
At that moment, Rya, who had been unable to get a word in edgewise, nervously rubbed her fingers together and spoke with some embarrassment.
"Ah, actually, you won't be able to meet Lady Tanith just yet…"
"We usually welcome newly arrived heroes during a banquet, so that we can formally greet them."
"So, would it be all right if I took you to the guest rooms first?"
Millicent had no objections, so she turned to see what Lucian thought.
Lucian considered it for a moment before nodding as well.
He could take a little time to look around Volcano Manor while waiting for Asimi to bring back the item.
And so, the two followed Rya into the manor.
Patches waved at them before crouching down near the entrance, watching as they disappeared inside Volcano Manor.
Once Lucian's figure vanished behind the closing doors, Patches curled his lip.
Volcano Manor was a den of monsters that devoured people without even spitting out their bones. He knew that better than anyone.
But now… with such an overwhelmingly powerful figure having been invited inside, Patches found himself praying that Volcano Manor would be lucky enough to have a few scraps left afterward.
Still, whatever happened to Volcano Manor didn't really matter to him. He just hoped Tanith wouldn't provoke Lucian.
Patches couldn't help feeling a little worried.
But Tanith wasn't like Rya. Surely she would recognize Lucian's identity and know better than to offend him… right?
—
As Lucian walked through Volcano Manor, he observed the interior and nodded repeatedly in approval.
The decorations inside the manor were extraordinary, even downright opulent.
Although the dim red candlelight gave the place a somewhat oppressive atmosphere, luxurious ornaments could be seen everywhere. Even the tables and chairs had clearly been chosen with great care.
If Leyndell represented the traditional style of the true Golden Order, while Caria embodied an elegant, old-fashioned aristocratic style, then Volcano Manor's design philosophy was pure extravagance: luxury piled upon luxury, built from an enormous accumulation of wealth.
Lucian could only conclude that its interior design was even better than his own Stormveil Castle.
As a place where criminals were dealt with, Volcano Manor was somewhere anything could happen.
And Rykard happened to be a judge utterly devoid of compassion, a man as cold and merciless as a serpent.
He had been born into the Carian royal family and knew how to enjoy the finer things in life.
So, in the past, he had probably simply plundered whatever he could, taking everything as far as possible.
After all, although Volcano Manor appeared relatively close to Leyndell, in practice it was a place so remote that the capital's authority barely reached it.
Lucian glanced at the many rooms lining the manor's corridor and asked Rya,
"By the way, I'd like to see Bernahl."
"If he's here right now, could you take me to find him?"
Rya looked rather surprised.
"Oh! So you know Sir Bernahl, Sir Lucian?"
Lucian nodded and answered simply,
"Yes. We fought alongside each other before, so we've met at least once."
Rya suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly.
"Very well. I'll take you both to your respective guest rooms first."
"Sir Bernahl is usually in the drawing room. The heroes of Volcano Manor often go there to find him."
"Once you've settled into your rooms, I'll take you to see Sir Bernahl."
—
Sitting on the bed, Lucian casually leaned back.
Before long, a mist began to gather beside him. Within the swirling haze, Asimi gradually took shape.
She had already returned a little earlier, which was why Lucian had deliberately waited here for her.
Once her body had fully coalesced, Asimi stretched lazily.
"Mmm… ah!"
"It's been so long since I've had a chance to stretch my body!"
Lucian asked casually,
"Well? Did you find it?"
Asimi patted her chest and proudly raised her chin.
"Of course! Don't you trust me by now, my lord?"
Lucian smiled without answering.
As a Mimic Tear that could imitate more than ninety percent of his power, Asimi's strength was beyond question.
Because she hadn't yet completed her own evolution, her imitative abilities still had certain limits, and she couldn't perfectly reproduce Lucian's full power.
Even so, relying solely on the strength she had already copied, Asimi was more than capable of sweeping across the Lands Between.
Her strength wasn't something Lucian needed to worry about. Other aspects of her, however, were still open to question.
After all, Asimi hadn't fully become human yet, so she could still be a little absent-minded.
Fortunately, a task like finding and killing an Ulcerated Tree Spirit, which relied almost entirely on brute force, was something she could handle perfectly.
Asimi tossed a blue crystal into the air. It landed neatly in Lucian's hand.
The name of the crystal appeared before his eyes:
[Cerulean Hidden Tear]
It was one of the Crystal Tears formed over a long period of time in lands blessed by the Erdtree's bounty.
When mixed into the Flask of Wondrous Physick, it could temporarily eliminate the user's consumption of FP.
In simple terms, it was a limited-time, budget version of infinite FP.
For fifteen seconds, the user wouldn't consume any FP at all. The effect was extraordinarily powerful.
At Lucian's current level of strength, fifteen seconds of unrestricted output could accomplish some truly terrifying things.
And unlike the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow cheat, this item could be used repeatedly.
He could use it once in each battle, then simply prepare another Flask of Wondrous Physick afterward. It would be ready to use again in the next fight.
Of course, the item wasn't completely without limitations.
The Tear itself was a consumable. Using it expended the magical energy that had accumulated inside it over countless years.
Each time he prepared the Physick, a portion of the Tear was consumed, much like steeping tea.
Regardless, Lucian wasn't stingy when it came to consumables like this. If it was useful, he would use it. That was still a better deal than relying on the Wind Spirit Moon Shadow cheat.
And if he combined it with Terra Magica and Comet Azur, or simply unleashed the power of the Sun directly, Lucian didn't even dare imagine how terrifying the resulting firepower would be.