Chapter 05
As Walter listened to the details of the commotion Ethan had caused, he rubbed his forehead.
He had encountered countless situations like this before, yet somehow, he always managed to forget one crucial detail.
At this point, I suppose I can blame my own forgetfulness.
Walter felt sorry for Rex, who had been knocked unconscious, but he decided to give Ethan the benefit of the doubt this time.
“It’s true that you weren’t notified until late. I’ll make an exception just this once.”
“Phew.”
Ethan breathed a sigh of relief, finally able to relax.
“However, consider this a warning.”
“Thank you.”
And with that, the matter was settled. However, the atmosphere had yet to fully recover.
Now, how am I supposed to deal with this icy atmosphere?
The room had grown cold, and every one of his fellow recruits was looking at him the same way.
Freak.
It didn’t take long for Ethan to be branded a potential threat at the training camp.
A short while later.
Setting aside the matter of Ethan for the moment, the recruits found themselves divided over how to distribute the items.
Out of the twenty-three recruits, three took the lead in voicing their opinions.
They were the very people Ethan had been keeping an eye on earlier: Nicholas, Rebecca, and Koren.
Nicholas spoke first.
“How about we decide on an order and let everyone pick one item they want, one at a time? That way, we can distribute everything fairly.”
Rebecca immediately objected.
“Why bother deciding on an order? Whoever claims something first gets to keep it. Simple as that.”
Resting her chin on her hand, she added with a mocking smile,
“I’ll do things my way. I don’t care about anyone else. Whoever grabs what they want first wins.”
Koren agreed with her and added,
“Exactly. But what if some lunatic starts causing a scene and tries to steal things, like a certain someone?”
His gaze was fixed on Ethan. Nicholas, who had his arms crossed, muttered in agreement.
“In that case, we’d all be justified in dealing with him together.”
At that moment, every recruit in the room nodded.
Ethan had already been classified as a potential threat.
You won’t die just because you fail to find something. I will.
Unable to reveal what was really going through his mind, Ethan shamelessly changed his tune.
“I wholeheartedly agree with all of your opinions.”
“…”
The recruits stared at him in disbelief, but Ethan played innocent and got down to the serious business of searching for an item.
The room was filled with all kinds of objects.
A dagger decorated with gold inlay, a ring set with intricately crafted gemstones, an ancient book that looked worn but somehow extraordinary…
However, Ethan had to be careful.
If I fail this quest, I’m guaranteed to die.
With everyone keeping an eye on him, he couldn’t help feeling increasingly anxious.
Stay calm. I’m Ethan Fritz. Think of all the skills I possess.
Ethan Fritz had always possessed exceptional talent when it came to business and gathering information.
However, the Ethan of the past had never managed to make use of those talents.
He had accumulated a great deal of knowledge in his head, but when the moment came to put it to use, he couldn’t retrieve what he needed.
But the current Ethan was different.
With a new consciousness residing within him, he could organize the information he possessed, apply it efficiently, and make use of it at a moment’s notice.
His knowledge no longer simply wandered aimlessly through his mind.
He had gained the ability to read situations, draw upon his memories, and make immediate judgments.
Now, at this very moment, Ethan decided to put that ability to full use.
Countless objects he had seen in the Thieves’ Guild flashed through his mind.
The differences between genuine and counterfeit items, which the former Ethan would have simply overlooked, now appeared crystal clear.
He immediately turned his attention to the objects before him. Reaching for the items his competitors had been examining closely, Ethan began analyzing them one by one, either touching them with his hands or holding them up to the light.
First, an iron dagger.
The name of a famous blacksmith, Ferguson, was engraved on its blade.
Ethan scratched the back of the blade with his fingernail.
Click.
A tiny amount of metallic powder flaked off.
Cheap steel. A genuine legendary sword wouldn’t shed material like this.
The blade was made of low-grade steel and was probably worth around three silver coins.
Next came a golden ring.
Ethan slipped the ring between his fingers and gently twisted it.
Squeak.
Gold was supposed to be soft enough to bend easily, but the ring resisted more strongly than he had expected.
Noticing a faint reddish mark left on his fingertips, Ethan chuckled.
Copper with gold plating. A knockoff of a noble family’s ring. Five silver coins, at most.
The third item was an ancient book.
Ethan opened it and rubbed his fingernail along the edge of a page.
The scratched area revealed a lighter color beneath the surface.
They artificially aged the exterior to make it look old. Maybe seven silver coins.
He also blew gently on one of the pages and confirmed that it was ordinary paper rather than parchment.
Finally, there was a crystal necklace.
Ethan held it up to the light.
A genuine mana crystal would emit a faint glow from within, but this one merely reflected the light.
When he pressed it gently, he noticed tiny air bubbles trapped inside.
It’s not a real mana crystal. Just a lump of glass. It’s not even worth one silver coin.
A smile spread across Ethan’s face.
The experience he had gained from examining countless objects in the Thieves’ Guild had taught him how to distinguish the genuine from the fake.
That experience had certainly not been wasted.
Ethan smirked.
Nicholas and Rebecca, who had considered themselves fairly clever, were now examining counterfeit items with serious expressions, struggling to make sense of them.
Koren, who appeared to be the only recruit from a noble family, had recognized that some of the items were fake. However, he still couldn’t find a genuine one, and he was biting his lower lip in frustration.
Judging from everything he had seen, Ethan reached a single conclusion.
Every item in this room is fake.
If that was the case, where was the real item?
Ethan surveyed the room, carefully examining the walls.
Then he noticed something odd about the wallpaper on one side. The way it had been pasted onto the wall looked unnatural.
He cautiously reached out and lifted a corner of it.
Hidden behind the wallpaper was a sealed envelope.
After breaking the seal and examining its contents, Ethan’s lips curled into a satisfied smile.
Bingo!
A short while later, time was up.
Walter walked among the recruits with heavy steps, inspecting their chosen items one by one.
“Disqualified.”
“Disqualified.”
“This is fake. Disqualified.”
His voice echoed throughout the room.
Disappointment was evident on the recruits’ faces.
Each of them clutched the item they had chosen, but Walter’s cold assessments quickly crushed their hopes.
Then Walter’s gaze fell upon the envelope in Ethan’s hand.
“What is that?”
The other recruits also turned to look at the old envelope Ethan was holding.
Nicholas snorted.
“Hah. What value could a piece of paper like that possibly have? Don’t tell me that’s what you picked.”
Rebecca made no effort to hide her scorn.
“So you’re just leaving it to luck now? I thought you’d found some incredible treasure.”
But Ethan simply smiled and opened the envelope.
Inside was an old check.
The following information was written on the back:
- Issuing Bank: Rubinus Commercial Bank
- Amount: 120 gold coins
- Signature: Duke Valenstein
“This is a check issued by Rubinus Commercial Bank. The signature on it belongs to Duke Valenstein.”
Ethan held up the check and spoke confidently.
“If you take this to the bank, you can receive 120 gold coins.”
The recruits murmured among themselves.
Who would have thought that a single piece of paper could be exchanged for 120 gold coins?
Ethan smiled, basking in what he believed was his victory.
However, Walter folded his arms and let out a deep sigh.
“Yes, it certainly has monetary value. But is that all there is to it?”
Ethan froze for a moment.
Walter then slowly turned toward another recruit, Baluk, and looked at the item in his hands.
“Baluk, what did you choose?”
“T-This one.”
Baluk hesitantly held out his chosen item, looking far from confident.
At first glance, it looked like nothing more than a failed stone carving.
Parts of it were broken off, and its shape was barely recognizable.
Nicholas laughed in disbelief.
“This guy really picked the worst item of all. Isn’t it just a lump of rock?”
Walter, however, spoke quietly.
“If you look at it from a particular angle… you’ll see it.”
Baluk slowly turned the sculpture and tilted it slightly.
In an instant, the curves and shadows shifted, revealing a familiar shape.
Under the bright light, Koren stared in astonishment.
“Could this be… a fragment of the Golden Prophet statue?!”
The Golden Prophet was a legendary statue modeled after the likeness of a famous prophet.
Even the royal family coveted it, and its value was beyond anything that could be measured in mere money.
However, this particular piece was incomplete, with part of the statue having broken off.
Something like that existed?
Ethan’s eyes widened in surprise.
Baluk himself looked genuinely shocked by the unexpected praise.
“T-This is really worth that much?!”
Walter spoke slowly.
“If we consider only their monetary value, Ethan and Baluk are tied. However…”
The corners of his mouth lifted.
“This sculpture has clear collectible value and is the kind of object nobles would covet. It cannot be compared to a mere check. Rather than receiving 120 gold coins immediately, you could potentially sell it to someone for a much higher price.”
The recruits began murmuring among themselves.
Looking at the situation realistically, Baluk seemed much more likely to become the representative of their class.
Ethan’s confidence in his victory began to waver.
Of all the things that could have turned up, why did it have to be something like that? How am I supposed to win? How can I convince him that this check is worth more than 120 gold coins?
At that moment, a thought suddenly flashed through Ethan’s mind.
He abruptly raised his head and spoke.
“We’re not finished yet.”
Every eye in the room turned toward him.
Walter’s eyes gleamed with interest.
“What do you mean, we’re not finished?”
“This check is worth more than 120 gold coins.”
At Ethan’s rebuttal, every recruit looked at him as though he had lost his mind.
Nicholas spoke with a sour expression.
“The bank will simply exchange it for 120 gold coins. How can it possibly be worth more than that?”
“If you look at it purely as a check, then you’re absolutely right. But you can’t ignore the value of the name attached to that signature.”
Ethan pointed at the signature.
[Duke Valenstein]
For a moment, a strange tension filled the room.
Several recruits flinched and exchanged glances.
Ethan continued slowly.
“Duke Valenstein wasn’t just another noble. He was a hero who made enormous contributions to the founding of the Unified Empire of Astar. The common people revere him almost like a god, and among the nobility, there’s a widespread belief that his personal belongings can protect their owners.”
A few people scoffed at his explanation.
“And how exactly does that make it worth more than 120 gold coins?”
Rebecca crossed her arms and spoke sarcastically.
Ethan smiled and shook his head.
“You don’t seem to realize how much his possessions sell for at auction. Not long ago, a single brooch sold for 500 gold coins. A tiny brooch, mind you. Do you know why? Because it belonged to Duke Valenstein.”
“…”
A brief silence followed.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Rebecca firmly rejected his claim.
Baluk also looked troubled as he glanced down at the check.
Then Walter, who had remained silent for some time, spoke quietly.
“An item bearing Duke Valenstein’s name… From that perspective, he does have a point.”
Everyone turned their attention to Walter.
He stared intently at the check before continuing.
“Duke Valenstein didn’t simply come from a prestigious family. He distinguished himself on countless battlefields and helped establish the Empire. His possessions carry symbolic significance beyond that of ordinary antiques. Nobles regard his personal belongings as lucky charms. Even a small piece of jewelry can sell for hundreds of gold coins. A check bearing his actual signature could fetch at least 300 gold coins…”
Baluk’s expression faltered.
Ethan seized the opportunity and added,
“It might take some time, but if this check is put up for auction, I’m confident it could sell for more than 300 gold coins.”
After pondering the matter for a while, Walter gave a faint chuckle.
“Very well, Ethan. You’ve understood the purpose of this test perfectly. Tax delinquents are far more cunning and reckless than you imagine. Sometimes, they’ll go so far as to commit outrageous acts that would make you question your own moral principles. To collect taxes from people like that, you need an eye that cannot be deceived and the ability to recognize the true value of things. What you’ve demonstrated isn’t merely an understanding of numbers. It’s the ability to see the value hidden behind them.”
Instructor Walter nodded and made his announcement.
“Congratulations, Ethan. You’ve been selected as the representative of your class.”
“Thank you.”
Ethan smiled and bowed his head slightly.
[Quest: Become the Class Representative]
Reward: Benefits as the class representative.
Penalty: Death upon failure.
— Congratulations. Quest completed.
It was a moment of relief, as Ethan had narrowly escaped death while trapped in a desperate, seemingly hopeless situation.
