God-Tier Enhancement: My Upgrades Never Fail-Chapter 49: Episode 10 _ Tell Me Your Wish (2)

3.

A day passed, then two... Four days had passed since Han Simin entered the treasury.

“That bastard is... still inside the treasury?” the Emperor asked, incredulous.

“Yes, Your Majesty. He has not yet emerged.”

"Is he actually looking at every single item in there?" the Emperor wondered aloud.

"I will go and see, Your Majesty," a courtier offered.

"No, leave it."

No sane person would ever do such a thing. Passion was one thing, and the determination to choose the perfect item was another, but who on earth would read every single book in a library just to find the most useful one? Of course, the Emperor believed his treasury was worth such an effort, but it was still an incredibly foolish method.

"It seems I’ve chosen my adventurer quite well," the Emperor said dryly.

"He may appear that way, but he is a very thoughtful person," the Princess interjected softly.

"Are you taking his side already?"

"Father..."

The Emperor’s mood soured further. Not only was he annoyed by the man’s apparent intent to clean him out, but now his only daughter was defending him with a bashful expression.

"This won’t do. I’m going to go and keep an eye on him."

His retainers’ faces twitched. Such a thing was normally unthinkable. A strange change was coming over the famously level-headed Emperor. Was this the influence of an adventurer?

They were said to bring change to the continent, and here one was, starting with the continent’s very ruler. Who else could dare to make the Emperor move personally? Suppressing their smiles, they followed him.

The Emperor, however, paid them no mind. He marched toward the treasury, fully prepared to punish the man on the spot if he was up to any funny business. But it was a wasted trip.

"Oh? What brings you here?"

"...Have you finished choosing?"

Just then, Han Simin emerged from the treasury, looking grimy but wearing a smile of utter satisfaction. The sight was doubly infuriating. The man had a talent for getting under one’s skin with a single expression.

"What did you choose?"

"Oh, I just grabbed a few things after looking around. There’s some pretty useful stuff in there. Must have taken you a while to collect it all."

’Useful stuff?’ The Emperor was so dumbfounded that he couldn’t even speak. These were priceless treasures, selected and re-selected by the rulers of the continent since the time of his ancestors. And this man called them merely ’useful’?

"That’s...!"

"I’ll put them to good use, thank you. I never thought I’d find something like this in a place like this. It’s a poignant reminder that good things happen to good people."

As the Emperor’s eyes fell on the items in Simin’s hands, he gasped. There was a mottled egg, an ornate hammer, and a glittering necklace.

"How in the world did you find the hidden treasury?" The Emperor’s voice was laced with utter defeat. ’That damn bastard! Did he really search for a treasury within the treasury?’

That had been the main reason he had let his guard down. The truly priceless items were in the secret vault. Even if the main treasury were to be plundered, as long as the inner one remained safe, it wouldn’t be a total loss. But to think he would bring out items from that place... The Emperor’s anger gave way to sheer exhaustion.

"I have a good nose for money," Simin said with a grin. "I’ll make sure they’re put to good use."

"It seems I have no choice but to make you my son-in-law."

"I look forward to our business partnership, Your Majesty."

The Emperor had no intention of taking back his words; his pride wasn’t so fragile. However, the reasons for making Han Simin his son-in-law had just become much more compelling. The man had taken three of the Empire’s sacred relics. He had to be bound to the Empire, one way or another.

"So, shall I state my wishes now?" Simin asked.

"...We will discuss it this evening."

"Sure, why not. I was getting hungry anyway. Let’s have a meal together."

The Emperor wanted to punch him. The sincerity of the urge was plain in his eyes, but Han Simin didn’t even flinch. This was his way of life, after all.

’And the ’I don’t give a single shit’ approach is the best of them all.’

The phrase itself was vulgar, but the philosophy behind it held many lessons. It was how he had become a person who always got what was his. To others, his character might seem a little flawed. But so what! Simin felt no shame. With his head held high, he walked toward the dining hall, the Emperor at his side.

* * *

Though he acted nonchalant, it was an unexpected stroke of luck for Simin as well. Who would have thought that a treasury filled with such expensive items would have another, smaller treasury hidden inside it? Just grabbing a random item near the entrance would have been enough to buy a mid-size car. It was a level of paranoia that was hard to fathom, and for Simin, who couldn’t comprehend the mindset of the ultra-rich, it was a possibility he’d never even considered.

However, a thought that struck him while examining the items one by one led to a fortunate discovery. ’What if, in the unlikely event, the Empire were to fall? If I were the Emperor, wouldn’t I secure this treasury, which is basically a vault, first? But how?’

He couldn’t just pick up and carry away such a large detached palace, nor was there a way to move so many treasures at once. ’So, shouldn’t there be some kind of device? Something that could compress the entire palace in one go?’

If so... ’That would have been a jackpot.’

Unfortunately, no such device existed. But his meticulous search of the treasury’s interior led him to find the treasury within the treasury. Inside, he discovered a new paradise. There weren’t as many treasures as outside, but there were enough to choose from. After careful consideration, he selected three items that would best utilize his unique talents.

[Egg]

Grade: Random

Description: An egg from which anything could hatch.

[Hammer of Legend]

Grade: Legendary

Requirement: Legendary Enhancement Master job

Attack Power: 50 (Sealed)

Option 1: Sealed

Option 2: Sealed

Option 3: Sealed

Special Option 1: Sealed

Special Option 2: Sealed

[Necklace of Revival]

Grade: Epic Special

Option 1: Upon death, revive once without penalty (Cooldown: 30 days).

Simin knew there had been better items, some so good that he wondered if leaving them behind was a huge mistake. But he didn’t regret his choice. He was certain that if given another chance, he would pick these three again.

’I’ll win back the money I blew on that ring with these.’

Putting aside the mysterious egg—he had no idea why it was in a secret vault filled with such priceless items—the Hammer of Legend and the Necklace of Revival were treasures of unparalleled rarity. A class-exclusive weapon and an item that lets you ignore the death penalty once. Considering the players of ’Fantastic World’, who believed time was money and had a morbid fear of death, this necklace could be sold for an astronomical price. It was, in essence, a spare life. One that recharged once a month.

The advantage it offered was beyond words. For instance, it could be the trump card that leads a party to finally clear a raid they’ve been stuck on. Not only that, but it would also dramatically boost a player’s confidence while hunting. The belief that you could come back even if you died was an invaluable asset.

Simin snickered in pleasure. Of course, the item Simin was most excited about was the incomprehensible egg. Why was it in there? Because the Emperor and his predecessors were fools? Not a chance. There had to be something special about it. Besides, Simin had fond memories of random boxes!

’I wonder what a +15 egg will give me.’

At the very least, it probably wouldn’t hatch into a perfectly soft-boiled egg. He was already getting excited. He knew he shouldn’t get hooked on gambling, but he couldn’t help it.

"And so, my path is set once again."

The Hammer of Legend was sealed, but he was sure he’d find a way to unlock it eventually. The neglected ’Follower of the Legend’ quest might even be related to it. The quest description was full of nonsense about the will of his predecessor, but if the reward was good, he was willing to set aside some time to pursue it.

"First, let’s go make some wishes."

But before that, he had a mountain of other things to deal with. He placed the egg in his subspace inventory and set out to begin his second war. A sense of tension filled him as he walked, each step taking him into unprecedented territory.

’This won’t be easy.’

Would the Emperor, having already been taken for a ride, meekly grant his requests? The thought that he needed to keep his wits about him dominated his mind.

4.

As expected, the Emperor’s expression was frigid. It was only natural, having been manipulated by some nobody and having his treasury plundered. No, more than anything, his biggest complaint was likely that this thief was trying to snatch away the daughter he had so lovingly raised.

All the more reason not to be intimidated. If the Emperor had intended to kill him, he would have done so already.

"I’ve come to make my wishes."

"You have taken three of the Empire’s sacred relics, and still your greed knows no bounds."

"I have nothing to say if you choose not to keep your promise, but..."

"You know I will grant them."

"Which is why I’m risking my life to speak to you now."

Simin swallowed hard. He’d never been this insubordinate even to his superiors in the military. If he were in the Emperor’s shoes, he would have decked a subordinate like this, regardless of whether they ended up in the stockade. He was getting a fresh appreciation for the Emperor’s composure.

"Let’s hear them."

"Alright." Impressed, Simin laid out the wish he had prepared. "First, please help me find the place where the legacy of the Legendary Enhancement Master rests, and assist me in obtaining what is there. With your full material and moral support."

The Emperor was silent for a moment. What a strange wish. It was a blank check, an opportunity to recoup all his material losses, yet after much deliberation, Simin had decided on this for his first wish.

’It’s an SS-rank quest, and I don’t even know what the reward is.’

It pained him to use a wish this way, but the decision was based on logical deduction. ’I found a class-exclusive hammer in the Emperor’s treasury. A Legendary item, at that.’

Of course, its options and attack power were all sealed, but the fact that it was a Legendary-grade item was reason enough to invest one wish in an uncertain future. Moreover, it wasn’t just any Legendary item; even at +0, it had three options and two special options. If his predecessor had stashed away treasures collected while wandering the continent, it would be a jackpot big enough to let him quit the game. Wherever that place was, it was likely too difficult for a mere level 21 player like him to handle alone.

"Very well. I know of his tomb," the Emperor said.

"Oh! Really?"

"However, I have never entered, as all who were unworthy died upon entry. I will assign you a unit of knights to escort you to the tomb’s location."

"...What about going inside?"

"I will refuse any wish that involves a meaningless sacrifice."

’Yeah, yeah.’ Simin was annoyed that his wish came with conditions, but since the Emperor had readily agreed, he nodded. If everyone who lacked the qualifications died upon entry, there was no need to bring anyone inside with him anyway. More importantly, he had found out the location so easily! Suddenly, he felt the wish had been well spent.

"State your second wish."

"Yes."

He felt a mountain of new journeys piling up as soon as his long one had ended, but he accepted it gladly. When it came to making money, the more work, the better. However, he was a little anxious, since this wish was like a lottery ticket whose value would only be known once scratched.

Therefore, he decided his second wish would be something that could become a reliable source of income.

"My second wish is a bit ambitious. Is that alright?"

"...Speak."

The Emperor’s brow furrowed slightly at Simin’s preemptive warning. This man, who had acted so brazenly before him, was suddenly asking for permission. Just what kind of absurd wish was he about to make? For a moment, the words "Then don’t make it" rose in the ruler’s throat, but he remembered the Princess was watching from the side and regained his composure. He took a deep breath, preparing himself for anything.

Simin carefully began to speak. "I would like to have a territory in the Empire."

A single sentence, spoken cautiously yet filled with desire. The unexpected request made the Emperor’s shoulders slump.

"Is that all?"

Such a modest wish! It felt even easier than the first one. The first wish risked making the already unpredictable Simin even stronger and harder to control. The second, however, was tantamount to him willingly placing himself under the Emperor’s authority.

"Granted."

There was no reason to refuse. In fact, he had already planned to grant Simin a noble title and a small territory as the Princess’s consort. It was a freebie wish!

"I will also grant you a title."

"Oh! Thank you."

The Emperor acted as if he were being incredibly generous, like he was throwing in a special gift.

"Um, however..."

The Emperor looked at him, confused.

But the world was not as easy as the Emperor thought. Or rather, Han Simin wasn’t.

"If possible, I’d prefer a large territory teeming with high-level hunting grounds and plenty of dungeons, with adjacent undeveloped land, and at a crossroads between several kingdoms." Simin continued, "And it would be best if the territory’s finances were in a very healthy state."

For the first time, the Emperor’s face openly contorted into a scowl.

* * *