CHAPTER 48: GAINS (2)

’Can this be considered stealing?’

Noctis picked up a glove and put it on his right hand.

Its soft fur lining with a leather top covered his palms and its hardened leather fingers covered his fingers.

The thumb and the index finger were totally covered, while every subsequent finger had a single phalanx missing.

The middle had its whole finger covered except distal phalanx, the ring only had the proximal phalanx while the last didn’t have any protection for itself.

’Who does it even belong to?’

Noctis tried the boots that fit him perfectly. Its length protected his shins. Its soles are perfect for moving sneakily along the forest floor while absorbing the shock, perfect for long distances.

Same with the elbow guards as the perfect balance of weight and guard made it perfect for archery.

’Doesn’t this fit a little too well?’

Finally he decided to discard his old clothes as he put on the tunic, leggings, and jerkin and fastened it with the belt.

He didn’t need the belt strap or the quiver as he was used to the back quiver now.

’Even the clothes...? Well she did say rewards...’

Even as Noctis mock debated himself, his hands never stopped. Soon he had put on the clothes and fastened the boots and guards, and stood proud in the full gear.

His clothes were still of dark and deep earthy colour as before, but it now resembled a ranger out on an excursion with proper measures than a village boy lost in his back jungle... wait..

The quality of making of the gear enhanced his already charming appearance as the white hairs contrasted with the dark gear, making them even more prominent.

Adding his face, Noctis resembled more to a runaway prince or a noble scion on his hunting retinue.

’I hope it’s not considered blasphemy or something.

Come to think of it, don’t people need to wash their feets and and hands and get some offerings before entering sacred temples and such? I did wash myself this morning but is there even a deity to present such offerings to...’

Noctis’ hands kept moving as he looted everything he fancied, out of necessity obviously, and discarded others.

He noticed other things, like heavy chest plates and thick shoulder plates with feathered scowls, but he didn’t wear those.

They were every bit charming, along with providing much better resistance but his style involved a lot of moving and he wasn’t used to having plated armour on him.

There was a bone mask placed there too. Unlike other pieces of equipment this one was crudely made, like someone had just cracked open an animal skull to fashion it.

He discarded it too before finally turning towards the cloak in the middle of the room.

Taking a deep breath he finally approached the cloak, as nothing had come of it even after such a long time had passed since he entered the room.

Standing in front of the cloak he extended his hands towards it and coursed his hands on the cloak.

It was extremely soft and delicate, just as it looked, making him wonder if this was even intended to go with other hunting gear.

It resembled more of a piece of clothing to go with a noble attire. Especially as it was such an eye-catching piece, a pristine white for dark forests.

Nevertheless Noctis still took off the cloak from whatever it was resting on as he put it on himself.

He was curious to still try it on.

Immediately after putting it on he felt a warm rush of energy coursing throughout him, relaxing and soothing all his nerves and muscles.

It healed the pains he didn’t even know he had as he felt the energy complementing his own energy, mixing into it and strengthening it further.

’Oh neat.’

His hunch has been proven correct as he realised that the cloak was indeed magical.

Further he realised that the moment he put on the cloak, he stopped feeling any cold from the moonlit air. It enveloped him in a comfortable warmth.

’I hope it’s adaptable.’

Even as he assessed the cloak, his eyes remained fixed on the object that now came to light as he lifted the cloak.

The thing that the cloak was resting on was not some rack he had presumed it to be.

At least it wasn’t just the ramp that was under it.

What he saw was a long thin slab of some sort of rock; likely volcanic as it looked from its smooth glass-like texture and dark colour.

On the top of this rock was embedded with a sharp knife with a white bony blade and a wooden handle.

Grasping the handle of the dagger, Noctis pulled it out of the rock with little effort. Its blade reflected the moonlight like polished marble as he noticed the intricate patterns inscribed on it as well as the handle.

Besides the ornamental design, it looked like a very ordinary hunting dagger. Not even that sharp from his observation as he traced its edges.

’How was it embedded in this rock?’

Noctis looked up at the rock, at the thin, almost imperceptible mark where the knife was secured with a perplexed expression.

Not able to understand, he tried to slash another part of the stone with the blade. As he slashed it across the stone slab, the blade moved through the stone like he had slashed it through air.

Next thing he saw was the slab cleanly cut across the path of his slash, its upper part fell down with a soft sound on the floor.

’Huh????’

Noctis’ eyes opened wide at this scene.

Still unable to believe himself as he carefully examined the knife, Noctis once again slashed out, this time at the wall of the room.

It didn’t go through the wall like the rock but a straight line appeared on the wall, a few centimetres deep.

Noctis’ eyebrows twitched at this development. He looked down at his left hand where he had slashed the knife before using it on the rock in horror, only to see it completely fine.

’Just what is going on?’