"Baron, have you come here to inquire about archaeology? I've traveled to many places and studied most ancient tombs," said the man named Kree, sitting across from him with a smile.
Sean figured he was being mistaken for one of those nobles with a keen interest in archaeology. Back home, he'd often heard that his cheap father—the previous Viscount Weigel—was a big fan of painting. That's why the house was filled with paintings more than any other art form. Word had it that every year when the empire issued subsidies, he'd also bring in some paintings. Even more absurdly, whenever he heard of someone in town who understood art, he'd invite them over for a chat.
By comparison, in this world, remote nobles would likely bring in people who shared their interests for a few words.
And it was probably a common occurrence, Sean thought.
He'd just checked the family tree earlier. The most accomplished ancestor dated back four generations, recorded as having joined a count's campaign to wipe out bandits in the south. The subsequent generations hadn't ventured far from the Tylermian region.
It seemed unlikely that a love for painting would naturally develop in a place like this, so Sean figured it was an act—or rather, a forced attempt to cultivate an appreciation for the arts. The reason behind it was still unclear.
Anyway, even Luke had spent a long time learning to appreciate paintings for the sake of studying them.
"Oh, you've been to many places?" Sean asked.
"Many... probably more than you can imagine," Kree said, raising an eyebrow.
Though Kree wore a cheerful expression, Sean saw no trace of that emotion in his status bar. In fact, among the team members behind him, he spotted a status reading **[Disgust!]** .
This was way too obvious a bluff.
"So you're a scholar too, then," Sean played along.
"I'm hardly a scholar—just a mercenary with a bit of archaeological knowledge. I once dreamed of becoming a 'Recorder' when I was younger, but I never had the knack for it. Eventually, I gave up. Still, some people from those study days remember me, so when they form mercenary bands, they throw me a bone," he said, pointing at the team behind him and laughing heartily.
He seemed like a pretty easygoing guy.
But Sean was wondering who the hell the "Recorders" were.
He glanced at Luke, who hesitated for a moment before leaning in to whisper.
"Recorders. An organization that collects historical records and personal stories."
So they were historians. That made sense... Why give them such a cryptic name that outsiders couldn't figure it out?
Turning his attention back to Kree, Sean steered the conversation toward their current archaeological dig.
"I'm curious—what's worth digging up in a remote place like Tylermian?"
"That's not quite accurate, Baron," Kree said, pouring himself a cup of warm water from the kettle on the table while signaling the other four team members—whose statuses were all **[Bored!]** and **[Annoyed!]** —to sit down.
This might take a while...
"It's precisely because it's remote that it often becomes a burial site for important historical artifacts. Especially during wars or when a nation falls, fleeing nobles often send servants or relatives to smuggle valuable items to remote areas, disguising themselves as merchants to start new lives... But many times, those nobles don't escape the追杀, or the servants get greedy and keep the treasures for themselves."
Kree spoke with such authority that Sean felt like he was listening to a story.
In this world, the empire and the nobles were bound together. You could say the noble faction was the foundation of the empire's long-term stability.
If the empire fell in war, the new regime wouldn't recognize these old nobles—most would be executed. That's why Sean's ancestor four generations back had joined the count's army.
It was a matter of life and death.
But then again, this place had been around for years. If there were any valuable artifacts worth digging up, the townsfolk would have already taken them. There was no way they'd leave them for these guys.
Besides, Sean hadn't come here to dig for treasure.
His eyes swept over the other members sitting next to Kree, especially the woman with magic points...
Suddenly, Sean noticed a new bar beneath her stats—something he'd never seen before. It was white, almost transparent, with a golden strip slowly moving in from the left.
What was this...
Sean felt his heart race.
She was casting.
Having been through countless games, Sean didn't catch it at first, but he quickly realized—this was exactly the casting animation for spellcasting classes in games.
She was already casting!
Interrupt, he had to interrupt...
That was the only thought in Sean's mind.
"May I ask, miss... I heard my knight had a dispute with your team yesterday. Was it with you?" Sean blurted out just as the casting was about to finish.
The casting bar vanished instantly!
Clearly, she hadn't expected to become the topic of conversation.
"Ah, that matter, Baron. To be honest, the dispute with your knight yesterday was partly our fault. We've already made peace with him," Kree said, finally realizing why the baron had sought them out today.
"I'm not blaming anyone," Sean replied with a smile, his eyes fixed on the magic-wielding woman.
Now he understood. Thanks to his eyes and his conversation with Kree, he'd figured it out.
These five were probably a temporary team. Kree kept emphasizing "I" when he spoke, and the woman seemed to be deliberately hiding within the group. Her health bar was far higher than the other four's—there was no reason for her to be just a regular member.
Moreover, compared to the others, her attitude toward him was the coldest. Her friendliness level had always been **[Cold]** .
"I came here not only to discuss archaeology but also to apologize on behalf of my knight. After all, you're our guests, and we should show more respect."
Outwardly calm as a rock, inwardly panicking like crazy.
Sean could tell—this woman thought he was dragging things out and affecting their plans. She wanted to use magic to make him uncomfortable enough to leave.
He couldn't beat them, so he'd better leave for now.
"How could we accept that?" Kree stood up politely.
"No, no... You must accept this apology. Otherwise, you'd be disrespecting me, the Viscount Weigel," Sean said grandly as he stood.
A few of them even showed a status of **[Embarrassed!]** .
Screw that!
After a few pleasantries, Sean graciously told Kree and his team to ask for any help they needed in Tylermian and to notify him immediately if they found any archaeological treasures so he could see them first. Then he left with Luke.
The inn was left with just the five members of the archaeological team...
"Who would've thought such a remote baron would be interested in archaeology," one team member said.
"Yeah, he's pretty nice too. He even brought us some dried food!" another girl in the team added.
"Manus, get the instruments ready. We're heading into the mountains..."