Vol 3. Chapter 74: Once Met, Never Sought

“Normally you could only pick from outside. You’d choose, and I’d bring it out for you. This time I’m making an exception and letting you enter the [Painting Hall Tower] because you stacked two reward claims together, so you’re allowed to come in here and pick a higher-spec weapon.” The elder raised a brow.

“And you’re still nitpicking? Most students don’t earn the right to set foot in here even after a full academic year. You getting in already puts you ahead of plenty. And you want two? Why don’t you just say you want to empty the [Painting Hall Tower] while you’re at it??”

“Sir, are you saying all this because you feel heartbroken and annoyed that I’m taking something from here?” Vinny suddenly realized he might be hearing some subtext.

“Hmph!!” The elder didn’t answer. He just folded his arms and snorted.

Tch. So it is that.

“Handing good stuff to someone who can’t bring out its power, letting it gather dust—better to leave it in the vault.” The elder said.

“But if it stays here, isn’t it just gathering dust anyway?” Vinny asked hesitantly.

“That’s still better than one day having it stolen and ending up in the hands of some bastard who uses it to do evil.” The elder huffed.

“Sir, you really look down on me that much? With my dignified appearance, do I look like some weak chicken who’s gonna get killed by bad guys one day?” Vinny protested.

“You do.” The elder sized him up and answered without a second of doubt.

“Tch, sir, your eye for people is terrible! You know who I am? The Camella Idea King! Ever since I entered Carillian Academy, you know how many times I’ve walked the line between life and death?? I survived them all. I might be useless at everything else, but my life? Tough as nails!” Vinny started bragging.

And honestly, it was true. Being crushed between a bunch of Destiny Heroines, taking that many causal hits and still not dying... that wasn’t just luck.

Especially back when Aesphyra hadn’t dropped her intent to kill him yet. That had been the most dangerous stretch of his life. If she’d really decided to get revenge and finish him, he would’ve been fighting the weight of fate itself—against the whole world’s luck—while he was still at his weakest, not yet grown. One push, and he would’ve shattered.

But he endured all of it. Which meant his time wasn’t up.

“Alright, alright, quit yapping about your dog-shit luck. Pick already. If you don’t, I’m lowering this crystal.” The elder said, annoyed.

“Hehe. Then, sir, what’s the highest grade weapon I can pick?” Vinny rubbed his hands together, putting on a shamelessly flattering face.

“Hah. Don’t get greedy. From what I see, you can pick at most a top-grade [Magic Tool]. Nothing higher.” The elder said with contempt.

“Only a top-grade [Magic Tool]? That’s boring. Sir, can’t you be generous and give me something higher?” Vinny pouted.

Only a top-grade [Magic Tool]?

“What, you look down on that? Do you know how rare a top-grade [Magic Tool] is? Most of your high-born upperclassmen are using lower-grade [Magic Tools], and plenty are still stuck with [Refined] weapons.” The elder laughed.

“I’ll be honest, sir—top-grade [Magic Tools]? I do look down on them. I already have one.”

“You’ve got a top-grade [Magic Tool]?” The elder stared skeptically. “You, with that broke-ass look?”

Vinny took off his earring and showed it. “Want me to make it show its true form for you?”

“Show your head.” The elder glared at him. “If you want it to turn into a painting and fly away, go ahead and try.”

“....” Vinny could only put Frostfang back on with a sulky face.

“Not bad. That weapon wasn’t originally yours, was it?” Just one glance and the elder seemed to see straight through it. “You already have something that good—why are you even here?”

“Sir, who ever complains about having too few life-saving treasures?” Vinny grinned.

“Suit yourself. Even if you keep picking, you won’t find anything better than what you’re holding.” The elder said like it didn’t matter.

“Huh? Why? You’re telling me Carillian Academy’s vault can’t produce one weapon higher than a top-grade [Magic Tool]?” Vinny asked.

“Hah. Compared to the treasures here, top-grade [Magic Tools] are nothing. Common as hair on a cow. You just can’t take any of the better ones with you.” The elder shook his head.

“Why not?”

“Do you know what comes after top-grade [Magic Tool]?” the elder asked.

“Of course. [Divine Armament], then [Legendary].” Vinny answered.

“Then you should understand. Once a magic item reaches [Divine Armament] tier, it gains a little intelligence. It can choose its master. When it reaches [Legendary], that intelligence fully awakens and fights in sync with its owner.” The elder said slowly.

“[Divine Armament] and above can recognize a master. They won’t accept someone they look down on. Even if you ‘get’ one, it won’t let you use it. You understand now?”

“How would I know if I don’t try?” Vinny didn’t care. “What if some [Divine Armament] just happens to like me?”

“Hahahaha.” The elder—irritating as ever—burst out laughing like he’d heard the best joke of his life.

“Kid, do you know how many [Divine Armaments] are stored in Carillian Academy’s vault?”

“Huh? I don’t.” Vinny pressed his lips together.

This old man had been showing off in front of him nonstop, like it gave him some huge sense of superiority.

God, he was annoying.

“This vault holds most of the [Divine Armaments] preserved since the Carillian Ancient Empire. The [Painting Hall Tower] has a thousand years of history behind it.”

“Then that means there are [Divine Armaments] here like stars in the sky?” Vinny’s eyes lit up.

“Even if that’s true, do you know why this place doesn’t worry about theft for anything above [Magic Tool] tier?” the elder asked again.

“Uh... because [Refined] weapons and [Mundane] weapons aren’t worth stealing, so no worries there. And anything [Divine Armament] and above has intelligence, so you can’t steal it—either it won’t leave, or even if you take it, you can’t use it?” Vinny guessed.

“Exactly. Now you get it. I’ve guarded the [Painting Hall Tower] for decades. I see these [Divine Armaments] every day, but to this day not a single one has ever resonated with me.”

“Hahahaha! So you’re the one nobody wants, sir! Right next to the water and still can’t drink it. All these years and not one of them picked you—working so hard you basically worked yourself into a dog’s life.” Vinny cackled the second the elder finished.

“Kid, you’re no better!” The elder’s face flushed red instantly. Then he launched into a string of stuff like, “I’m a guardian, and guardian business can’t be called ‘not being chosen’!” and “My duty is to protect, how could I ever want these treasures!”—the kind of nonsense that was hilarious on its face.

It was obvious he’d been hit right where it hurt. Vinny had nailed his sore spot.

It wasn’t even that he wanted them, really. People who work at Carillian Academy are elites among elites. If you’re not proud, you don’t get called a genius.

Geniuses always have that quiet feeling that the starring role should be theirs. Put simply, if this were a novel, they’d assume they were the main character.

Clearly, this elder had felt that way when he was young too. He’d thought he was the genius among geniuses. Reality slapped him hard. Becoming a guardian of the [Painting Hall Tower] was a position of immense trust.

He never meant to betray that trust. But the gap between reality and his expectations had just been too big.

He’d entered thinking weapons would adore weapons-masters, that at least a few [Divine Armaments] would choose him.

Instead, years passed. The bigger his hope had been, the deeper the disappointment.

Just like Vinny said—after all these years, not even one [Divine Armament] had chosen him. Vinny had dragged out the one truth he kept refusing to face, and ripped the cover off it. Of course he cracked.

“Hey, hey, sir—what’s that?” Vinny spotted a painting. It showed a golden spear shaped like fangs, with a blood-red tassel, and a huge closed eye set into the blade.

“That spear is called [Mastobre’s Demon-Eye Spear]. It’s a lower-grade [Divine Armament]. Supposedly the legendary artificer Mastobre refined a demon lord from the Demon Pillars’ domain into it. The demon eye on the blade can open and stare at people, and they say no one’s evil thoughts can hide from it.” The elder pointed at it.

“Nice. Sounds insanely high-end.”

“What, you looking at it?” The elder glanced at him.

“Why not? It’s cool.” Vinny was itching to try. “Old man, look—since I combined two reward claims, if a [Divine Armament] actually likes me, can I take it with me?”

“You say that like you’re sure it will.” The elder sneered.

“Yeah, but if I really get one, will the Academy recognize it?” Vinny grinned.

“What are you talking about? If the Academy let you pick a weapon here, why would it back out? You think Carillian Academy is that petty? I’ll warn you though—don’t get too cocky. When you get disappointed, don’t blame anyone but yourself.”

He lifted his staff and beckoned toward the Demon-Eye Spear.

In an instant, the painting drifted over. Under a dark-gold beam, it built itself into a spear in midair.

Vinny instinctively reached for it, thinking he should catch it before it fell—

—but the next second, the huge eye on the blade opened.

A massive golden vertical pupil, webbed with bloodshot veins. Deep symbols seemed to rotate inside it.

Vinny’s heart clenched. He felt like some unknown force was staring straight through him, piercing past skin and bone to his core.

Then, a moment later, the demon’s golden eye closed again.

This time, it never opened for him.

“...What does that mean?” Vinny asked after a blank second.

“Still don’t get it?” The elder laughed cruelly. He waved the spear away. It returned to a painting and floated back to its place.

“You’re unqualified. It didn’t choose you. The eye opened, looked once, and shut.”

“That’s it? So decisive?” Vinny clicked his tongue. “It only looked once? Come on, once isn’t enough. Can it even tell who I am from one look? Did it really see what kind of person I am? And it just leaves like that??”

“For a [Divine Armament], one look is enough.” The elder snorted. “They know instantly whether you’re the one they’ve been waiting for. What did you think this was, an interview? You think you have endless chances?”

Vinny didn’t answer. He pressed his lips together.

Okay. First try, instant face-plant.

After that he noticed another weapon—a moon-crescent axe. It was like a slice of moonlight, shining with silver radiance that revealed delicate patterns like glowing divine metal.

When Vinny reached toward it, that moonlight dimmed in a flash. The whole axe went from sacred brilliance to something dull and ordinary.

“Brat, rejected again.” The elder said from the side. “That [Inscription of Divine Radiance] doesn’t want you. Its glow isn’t open to you. Give it up.”

Vinny had no choice but to move on, looking at other [Divine Armaments].

Slowly his mindset shifted. At first he’d cared whether the design or weapon type matched his taste. Later it became: if it was a [Divine Armament], he’d try it.

He tested more than ten in a row. Not one was interested.

The ways they rejected him varied too. One even spat fire at him right as he was about to touch it, nearly scorching him.

“Whoa—what the hell? Are these [Divine Armaments] all this violent? They won’t even let me touch them?!” Vinny snapped.

“Because they all look down on you.” The elder said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

“How about you just give up? Stop obsessing over [Divine Armaments]. Look at the [Magic Tools] instead. They’re enchanted too. Sometimes a dead object with no mind isn’t a bad thing—at least it won’t refuse you.”