This thing was said to have been forged from the soul of an Extraordinary. The fact that it could drive those Demons into such a frenzy meant it clearly possessed a unique power.
Yax said in a hoarse voice, "The memories, skills, and insights of a powerful individual... even a portion of their soul’s very essence is imprisoned within it. Even an ordinary person, by holding it for a long time and earnestly trying to comprehend it, can gradually gain immense power and even glimpse the path to becoming an Extraordinary."
Huh?
’Isn’t this just inheriting experience?’
Even without the soul power itself, the knowledge, combat techniques, and Extraordinary insights it might contain were enough to tempt anyone who craved strength.
Yax grinned, a mocking smile on his face. "The soul in this coin was a willing sacrifice from Dominic to Lord Casaric... the soul of a Knight, said to be an elder of their Elvin Clan."
"Baelish Elvin," Arthur and Calvin said the name almost in unison. Their tones were tinged with a complex mix of emotions.
Then, the soul fire beneath Arthur’s helmet flickered slightly as he added, "Your Majesty, Baelish Elvin was the former commander of the Second Legion, a respected old Knight. It was rumored that over twenty years ago, he fell in a fierce conflict with a Beastman Tribe in the northern Snowfield. To think..."
His voice was heavy. An old Knight who had died on the battlefield and should have been revered with honor and remembrance had instead had his soul sacrificed to a Demon by a descendant, forged into this currency of pain and transaction... This was undoubtedly the greatest desecration of a Knight’s honor.
Yax snorted coldly, his tone dripping with contempt. "Dominic... It’s humans like him that I despise the most."
Chen Yu thought for a moment. ’Since it’s the soul of a human Knight... it would be most appropriate to give this coin to one of the Kingdom’s human Knights to inherit.’
Arthur and Yano were already Extraordinaries, so they didn’t need it. In that case...
"Calvin," Chen Yu said, bouncing over to the silent Knight, "do you want this coin?"
Calvin’s reply was not what Chen Yu expected. He raised his head proudly, his eyes glinting with confidence. "Your Majesty, I, Calvin, have no need for such a thing. Baelish Elvin’s path as a Knight is not necessarily superior to my own."
Chen Yu was in a pickle. The Slime Kingdom only had a few human Knights. Calvin didn’t want it, and Alice had her own path to follow...
He bounced around and his gaze fell upon Anna, who had been standing quietly behind Calvin. His little eyes lit up.
"You’ll do. Take it." Without another word, Chen Yu controlled the Kasa Silver Coin, and with a SWISH, it flew into Anna’s pocket.
Anna stood there in a daze, stunned by this sudden turn of events. Her mind went completely blank.
’This... This is a precious treasure containing the soul inheritance of an Extraordinary Knight, and he just gave it to me?’
’Is it some kind of cursed object? Why does no one else want it...’
She was beginning to understand why her master had sent her to follow Master Arthur and Master Calvin.
"But, Your Majesty, I..." Anna said, bowing her head, hesitating as she tried to refuse.
"His Majesty told you to take it, so take it. No ’buts’," Calvin interrupted coolly.
"O-Okay..." Intimidated by Calvin’s presence, Anna swallowed the words she had been about to say.
After asking Yax for some scattered bits of information about the Demon Legion’s organization, common troop types, weaknesses, and the distribution of other powers in the Golden Glow Valley, Chen Yu felt he had learned enough.
Arthur then asked, "Your Majesty, what should we do with this Demon? Should we continue to hold him here?"
A wicked idea bubbled up in Chen Yu’s round belly. He gave a little bounce. "No, let him go."
"Let him go to the White Horse Kingdom."
Although Arthur and Calvin were puzzled by Chen Yu’s decision, they didn’t ask any questions. They simply nodded silently and carried out the order.
Calvin stepped forward and used a key to open the cell’s Rune Lock. Arthur then gestured for Yax to leave.
Yax stared in disbelief at the open cell door, then looked out at the calm expressions of Chen Yu and the two Knights.
He hesitated for a few seconds, then took a step with his heavy iron hooves and strode out of the dark cell.
Leaving the dim underground prison and stepping out into the world, Yax’s heart couldn’t help but swell with an inexpressible sense of joy and relief, even though the air outside was still misty, drizzling, and damply cold.
It wasn’t that he hated darkness; in fact, the environment of the Abyss was far harsher and darker than this small cell.
He just felt... free. Free from the suffocating feeling of being imprisoned, of having his soul controlled.
But in front of that evil Slime, he would naturally show no hint of this joy.
He even grew secretly wary. ’Could this be another one of that Slime’s schemes? Letting me go on purpose, only to capture me again and toy with me?’
Yax looked around warily, every step cautious, his muscles tensed, ready to react to a possible attack at any moment.
But there was only the fine rain and the silence, along with the blurry figures of Slime and human soldiers patrolling back and forth on the distant fortress walls. No one stopped or followed him.
It wasn’t until he was running, had left the fortress’s patrol range, and was on the muddy road leading to the heartland of the White Horse Kingdom with still no one in pursuit that he confirmed with disbelief—he was really free?
That Slime didn’t keep him imprisoned, but just let him go like that?