After the significant events of yesterday, Raze thought it was best for him not to travel to other dimensions, especially since he had seen what happened to Gren. Having completely used his mana up as well and given away his only potion, at the moment, he needed to recover anyway.
However, Raze still wasn’t stagnant and doing nothing. He had earned some coin from selling the crystals to Himmy before they had left, and now having connections with the Red Brigade Clan, he knew if he was to sell them to Elder Yon, he could still get coin for it as well. Since they knew he had connections to the Alter group, he could now do things he couldn’t do before without the others asking questions.
Before there was next to nothing that Raze could do, and now he felt relatively free in his options, but there were a few things he needed to do beforehand.
At the moment, Raze, Safa, and Simyon were in the kitchen of the temple of all things. They were still currently standing there, and they wanted to have a conversation away from the ears of all the others.
“This is quite a great place, huh?” Simyon said. “To think, this is the place where I started my sweet friendship with the two of you.”
Raze decided not to comment and instead held out his hand.
Taking the earring off, Simyon rubbed the edge of it, and it snapped open. He then passed it over to Raze to have a look at. Before, when the earring was sealed, it was impossible to take it off this way no matter what he did. One could only forcefully take it off like Von, but now that the item was unsealed, it could be taken on and off, but as they would soon find out, Simyon was the only one that could use its effects.
“Give me information on this item,” Raze whispered, with lingering black magic coming out of his mouth.
It was quite the sight for Simyon and Safa to see. It hadn’t been long since they had seen him perform things that were out of this world. They still hadn’t been given an explanation for how it all worked, but after listening to the ones from Alter, it was something maybe they shouldn’t ask about. It was up to Raze if he wanted to tell them more, and he was hoping through this, that he would learn more.
The text of information appeared right in front of Raze, and after seeing all of the effects including the grade of the item, the fact it was a mythical item, he couldn’t stop smiling.
‘Hahaha, Alter has no idea what they just left in my hands. Although this earring can only work with Simyon now. I’m sure they would have taken it away if they found out about its capabilities. It makes me wonder if at Alter they still have some sealed items as well.’
“So is it good, what can this earring do? I mean the fact that I had a body that was as strong as a sword, and as heavy as a rock is already good, but is there anything else?” Simyon asked. 𝐎𝓥𝐞𝗅xt.𝑪𝑶𝗆
“Your earring, it is certainly special, and you would do well to never let anyone know about its powers or how you obtained them. Otherwise, there will be those after it,” Raze explained.
“As for the owner of the earring itself, it states that it can give you a steel body. At the moment, your body is at something called the common stage, but it is something that can evolve. As for how it would evolve, I can think of a few things.
“Either it would need crystals that contain the metal attribute, or perhaps, there might be a cultivation technique that can help you gain natural energy as well.”
Raze was basing these facts on the knowledge he already had about magical items and how cultivating dark magic increased the power in his core, so he assumed that it could do the same thing. The world of Pagna was full of cultivation techniques, so he was betting there would be one related to the metal attribute.
“Wow, so it really is like the steel body refinement technique,” Simyon said. “Yet, I haven’t cultivated or had to go through any of the special training that they have gone through, and there might be easy ways to increase its strength. This whole thing, it feels a bit like a cheat.”
“There is a bit more to it as well,” Raze continued. “Depending on the different attributes of magic that are induced with the earring, then there is a chance for you to be able to do other things and have other effects as well.”
“Magic?” Simyon replied.
Magic was something that was known in the world of Pagna but not in the same way. It referred to when a person would use tricks to fool someone, but it was quite clear that Raze wasn’t referring to this.
“You saw what me and that young girl could do from before, that’s what magic is. People can use a number of different powers with different attributes, just like how the earring has given you the power of steel. For now, though, it’s best that you don’t learn more about it. Just take the earring as a blessing.”
After finishing his explanation, Raze handed the earring back. It was useless in his hands, although he probably could have found some way to reveal the earring and try to become its new owner, the whole thing didn’t seem worth it, and he had somewhat imagined what Simyon had been through to obtain the earring.
Simyon had done no bad to him, and with everything he had been through, he surely deserved the earring.
Holding it, Simyon held the earring tight, clenching it in his fist, and then he went down on one knee, facing right at Raze.
“Raze, I don’t think you understand how much you have changed my life,” Simyon said. “I never thought that I would have the strength to become a Pagna warrior, never even thought of besting them, and now all of this has happened.”
“I really think, with this, I can become what I nevertheless thought I wished. I truly thank you, which is why, right here, and right now, I swear my loyalty to both you and Safa. The two of you who were there for me, during the whole time. Whatever you need me to do, whatever the cost, I will always do as you ask.”
Simyon lowered his head, looking down right to the floor. It showed his sincerity in this entire situation, and Raze was quite taken aback by it all.
‘The whole time I was at Alterian, was there ever a time when someone swore their loyalty to me like this? Perhaps there was one person, one who had never betrayed me. Maybe they are like her, both of them seem honest people.’
Naturally, seeing Simyon in such a position, Raze placed the whole palm of his hand on top of Simyon’s head. It didn’t feel odd or strange, despite the two of them being close in age, nor was it something Simyon had ever seen before, but he went along with it.
“With the life I have lived, it has become quite hard for me to trust others, but when I told you about the earring, you were the one who put your trust in me. Despite knowing what I had done, for some reason, you had also decided to keep things to yourself.”
“Safa also has shown her loyalty as she protected what was mine at the cost of her life. Back then, I had given her the choice to accept a family name, and now I am giving the choice to you as well.”
“Do you, Simyon, accept the family name Cromwell? To accept the name, it means we will protect those that bear this name, look out for each other, and never betray the family name. As long as you can accept this name, then I will accept your loyalty to me.”
There was a burning fire building up in Simyon’s belly he had never felt before, he had no clue why Raze’s words sounded so powerful. They didn’t sound weak, nor like random words spilled by a kid who knew nothing about the world.
Perhaps if Simyon was to follow this person, he would continue to achieve great things, even more than what he had already achieved.
“I accept!” Simyon said, lifting his head.
“Then, welcome to the family, Simyon Cromwell.” Raze smiled.