576 Vice Admiral Icebergs Collectors Room (2/2)

Heh heh, if they realize that the secret organization backing me was established only about half a year ago, including The World and Miss Xio, whose connection has been established but not recruited, there aren't more than ten people. I wonder if they will get so infuriated that they end up losing control...

As his thoughts raced, Klein entered the cabin and followed a dim passageway, passing through one wooden door after another.

He followed Edwina up some stairs and arrived at a brighter second level.

Before entering the pirate's dining hall, they passed by a half-opened room.

Klein casually glanced inside and saw a gigantic black iron key sitting on a wooden table.

”These items are evidence from our various treasure-hunting expeditions. Most of them are mementos, while others have yet to show their value and require further study.” Edwina appeared cold, but her explanations were in great detail. It had the feeling like she was afraid that he wouldn't understand her or was left puzzled.

And when she mentioned the word ”study,” her aqueous blue eyes clearly lit up a little.

Evidence of the various treasure-hunting expeditions? Klein couldn't help but look inside carefully.

At this point, Edwina pushed open the door and walked in. She then introduced in passing, ”This is a gold coin from the Fourth Epoch's Solomon Empire.”

Klein's gaze shifted over and saw a coin placed inside a frame.

It was entirely dark gold in color, as though it was combined from two semicircles of different dimensions. It looked extremely asymmetrical, and there was a sharp crown engraved on its surface. It looked very similar to the crown worn on the King of the Five Seas, Nast.

Edwina was like an owner who liked to flaunt her collection. She began introducing the items in the room, making Klein recall a familiar person—Old Mister Eye of Wisdom, the great detective, Isengard Stanton.

In regards to the trait of flaunting collections, they're very similar... Is this a tendency of people with huge collections? Wait, Mr. Stanton had studied in Lenburg for four years. Vice Admiral Iceberg's description includes information that Edwina Edwards that hails from Lenburg. This... Lenburg's capital is the headquarters of the Church of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. Mr. Stanton also admitted that he converted his faith to the God of Knowledge and Wisdom while studying abroad... Could the faction backing Vice Admiral Iceberg be them? Klein listened in thought until Edwina stopped in front of the huge iron black key.

Just like he had seen in the dream, the key was about the size of a seven-string zither. An ordinary human would have to wrap their arms around it to move it. It was dull and ancient-looking.

The patterns on it are similar to the City of Silver's style. It clearly has giant traits... Klein nodded and was just about to retract his gaze when he heard Edwina say, ”You can study it.”

You are letting me study it? You probably have no idea how many latent problems I've triggered in the past. Aren't you afraid that the Golden Dream will disappear once you let me study it... Klein criticized himself in a self-deprecatory manner before reaching out his right hand to touch the black iron key that seemed to belong to a giant's.

He found it ice-cold to the touch, and regardless of how much spirituality he injected into it, it was useless.

Unfortunately, I cannot bring it above the gray fog to study it... Klein retracted his right hand and shook his head indiscernibly.

He shifted his gaze onto a book in goatskin placed on the same table. On the brown cover were words written in ancient Feysac: ”Groselle's Travels.”

”It originates from a sunken ship. It had been soaked at the bottom of the sea for 165 years without suffering any damage,” Edwina introduced. ”It records a story about a giant named Groselle. He had decided to head to the Nation of Frost to hunt the King of the North, a powerful frost dragon. Along the way, he encounters companions, a female elf, a devout ascetic, an aristocrat of the Solomon Empire, and a Loen soldier. The story develops until they encounter the King of the North before it suddenly comes to a halt. It's not the end, but the later pages cannot be opened no matter what methods are used. You can give it a try.”

This isn't a notebook in a journal style, but rather a novel? This novel sure is odd. It puts together characters from different epochs and eras. It should be something that was recently produced... Klein flipped through the book and allowed the yellowish-brown pages to slide past one after another.

The content was roughly what Edwina said, but the story appeared rather abrupt and fractured. It kept making Klein suspect if he had missed a paragraph. For example, the protagonists would become familiar with one another moments after encountering each other as strangers.

Soon, he browsed to the last few pages and found that they were stuck together. There was no way he could pry them apart.

Such effects... probably can be dealt with above the gray fog... I wonder what sort of accidents might happen... Klein turned his head to look at Vice Admiral Iceberg.

Edwina fell silent for a moment before saying, ”If you wish to have it, I can sell it to you. I've studied it for years without gleaning anything from it

”However, I have a condition.

”What is it?” Klein returned with a question.

Edwina pursed her lips and said, ”If you figure out something, you have to tell me the result, so that I won't have to be puzzled over it.

”As long as you agree to this condition, I can sell it to you for cheap.”

Klein's interest was suddenly piqued.

”How much?”

”8,000 pounds,” Edwina said calmly.

”Uh...” Klein deliberately pondered as he nodded indifferently. ”I'll consider it.”

I'll consider how to pretend that this never happened... he thought silently to himself.