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Chapter 345

The Sealer did not reveal himself.

Perhaps he was waiting for the right moment, or perhaps he was simply not the impulsive type to strike without warning.

Either way, it didn’t matter much to me.

In the heart of the Dream Demons’ underground city, I erected and activated a mana gate.

“A teleport gate… I never thought I’d see one being artificially constructed.”

“Take this.”

I handed Marian a small, key-shaped artifact.

“It’s a necromantic key, encrypted with spirit magic. With it, you can manage the gate remotely, even from a distance.”

“And you’re giving this to me because…?”

“You should manage it yourself. You wouldn’t hand your own house keys to someone else, would you?”

“But the value of a teleport gate must be enormous.”

“I’m not so desperate that I need to profit from it.”

The value and potential of such a gate were limitless, but so too was its shadow.

A system of that magnitude always invited danger.

Marian held the key tightly in her hand.

“The council has decided.”

“Go on.”

“We’ve accepted your proposal. A few Dream Demons will be dispatched to your territory periodically.”

“No need for that.”

I tapped on the side of the gate.

“No need for physical travel. With this, you can go straight to Cascadia anytime.”

Of course, I’d still have to install a corresponding gate on the Cascadian side.

Perhaps it was time to create a centralized terminal, linking the Great Forest and the Dream City alike.

“That… makes sense.”

“Then I’ll count on you.”

“We’ll be in your care, Lord… what should we call you?”

“Just call me Young Master. That title fits well enough.”

Strictly speaking, I also held the honorary rank of Guardian, but there was no need to bring that up.

“Understood, Young Master. Then… it’s a pleasure.”

“Likewise, Princess.”

* * *

The Dreamforged Alliance.

It wasn’t merely an alliance; we had, in effect, linked the Dream Demons’ subterranean city to Cascadia.

They entrusted their production to me, and in return, I supplied the rare materials they needed.

Among the items I provided were catalysts refined from mana-infused crude oil, an unlimited supply of it.

The Dream Demons’ artisans, perceptive as ever, immediately recognized the catalysts as top-tier.

Using them, they rapidly mass-produced a new generation of artifacts.

“Thanks to your catalysts, we can now craft dozens of artifacts in no time,”

Marian said.

Ordinarily, only two or three of such powerful artifacts would ever see daylight.

But with their skill and my materials, the numbers grew exponentially.

The first artifact I requested was a simple one: an emitter that recorded and continuously radiated a specific frequency wave.

Useless to most, but to one particular soul in Cascadia, it was a lifeline.

Wuuuung…

A faint hum filled the air as the gentle wave stabilized a ghostly form.

Meryl Dyne’s soul.

A spirit fractured and fading, but as soon as the frequency reached it, its form began to settle, like ripples calming on a pond.

“You died trying to save someone,”

I murmured.

“That makes you a hero.”

Whether her actions changed the outcome didn’t matter.

The faint tremor in her aura told me she understood.

I gathered the remaining artifacts and stood.

The next batch wouldn’t be sold for profit, but rather to gauge the market’s reaction.

To carve a new trade route, infiltration was far more efficient than confrontation.

And fortunately, I already had a reliable merchant, Aurora, the head of the Planetaria Trading Company, which dealt regularly with Cascadia.

The heiress of the Lavren family, one of the Empire’s richest lineages.

Despite her right to private audiences with the Emperor himself, she had built her fortune alone, without her family’s help.

If anyone could turn this venture into a sensation, it was her.

Profit wasn’t the goal this time.

The goal was advertisement, proof that these artifacts could be supplied consistently.

Thirty Dreamforged artifacts were ready.

Not many, but each rivaled Dwarven craftsmanship.

Soon, the term Dreamforged Artifact would echo across the continent like Dwarven-made.

And yet… there was one unsettling detail.

The Sealer still hadn’t made a move.

I expected him to lash out immediately, but nothing.

[Perhaps your assumptions were mistaken.]

“Hardly. I may not be good with people, but judging by the structure of his seals, he’s a vicious sort.”

And such vicious types were usually straightforward in how they acted.

“By the way, Librarian, why did the permissions on the Hall of Records suddenly increase?”

[Because you made deeper contact with the Red Moon.]

“So, those permissions are tied to it?”

[All I can tell you is this: the more you interact with the Red Moon, the more forbidden access you’ll unlock.]

The deeper one tangled with the Red Moon, the greater the risk of madness, but also, the greater the knowledge and power gained.

As if something were pushing me to fight it.

The thought made my skin crawl.

But what could I do?

The conflict was already underway.

So be it.

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* * *

In the central continent, auction houses abounded.

Some were chaotic, others meticulously organized.

This time, the auction was one of the latter, normally uneventful, until a particular rumor ignited interest among nobles and mages alike.

Cascadia was auctioning a “Dreamforged Artifact.”

Those familiar with the “Paradise Artifact” from Cascadia were intrigued.

Most had believed Dream Demons to be nothing more than mythological beings.

An artifact made by them?

Impossible, or at least worth seeing for themselves.

Attendance was modest, until the main item was unveiled.

[Star that Reflects the Hero]

-Type: Necklace

-Category: Defensive / Support Artifact

-Grade: A+

Unique Effects:

-Radiance of Mercy [Confirmed]

-Body of Steel [Confirmed]

-Breath of Mana [Confirmed]

There were gasps across the hall.

“Three top-tier effects… on one artifact?”

“That’s relic-grade!”

Even the Tower’s Artificers and the Mage Association had never produced such a thing.

Normally, an artifact could only sustain one, maybe two powerful effects before its structure collapsed.

Three was unthinkable.

Collectors stared, wide-eyed.

The value was astronomical, fit for royal tribute.

Radiance of Mercy granted daily healing magic.

Body of Steel enhanced vitality and muscle reinforcement.

Breath of Mana, a blessing that even prodigy mages carried as lifelong talismans.

Normally, combining such effects would overload the body.

But this artifact harmonized them perfectly.

“Where did the Cascadia family even find something like that?”

“I heard rumors of treasures being unearthed from their mines.”

“Or maybe a hidden dungeon?”

“Security’s too tight to confirm anything.”

The auction began, and every additional item stunned the crowd anew.

“That one’s relic-grade too!”

“No… maybe not quite, but still leagues beyond the market standard.”

Ten artifacts were sold that night, but word spread that Cascadia had thirty more in reserve.

At first, attendees came out of curiosity.

By the end, they were prepared to empty their vaults.

The name Cascadia exploded across the continent.

Rumors swirled, claims that they had discovered a massive ruin filled with relics.

Buyers paid absurd sums to secure even one piece.

And soon after, reports emerged, travelers returning from Cascadia with proof:

Dreamforged Artifacts were real.

The market trembled.

“What the hell is this?”

“These aren’t relics, they’re newly made.”

“You don’t mean… those Dream Demons are actually crafting them?”

“If that’s true, it’s a complete industry reset. A game changer.”

“Pack up the funds, we’re going to Cascadia. If we offer these to His Majesty, he’ll be thrilled!”

“Y-yes, sir!”

A new era in artifact craft had begun,

and the established artificers who once ruled the market suddenly found themselves on the verge of ruin.

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