While I was relaxing in the park with Illness, the large gates at the entrance swung open. It seemed another visitor had arrived. Given that the gates had opened, I assumed they were arriving by carriage.
While I idly wondered who it might be, I glanced toward the gate and froze in astonishment.
"...Eh? A flying carpet?"
"That is a Secret Treasure~. It is quite a rare sight~," Illness remarked.
"A Secret Treasure? Um, is that different from a Magic Tool or just regular magic?"
What entered wasn't a carriage at all, but a flying carpet carrying a couple who looked like nobles. They sat side by side, taking in the view, but my attention was entirely fixed on the carpet itself.
Flight magic was incredibly advanced. Even if one were to condense it into a Magic Tool, it would require a massive Magic Crystal—perhaps not quite on the scale of Teleportation Magic, but certainly substantial. Indeed, things like the flying trailers or the hoverboards I'd seen before were quite large.
However, the carpet floating through the gates was thin. I couldn't imagine a Magic Crystal large enough to power such a flight formula fitting into something of that thickness. I had assumed the passengers were simply levitating it themselves with their own magic, but then Illness mentioned a term I wasn't familiar with: "Secret Treasure."
"Yes~. Since they are quite rare~, it is no wonder you do not know of them, Kaito-sama~. 'Secret Treasure' is a general term for items with special effects that cannot be replicated by modern Magic Tools~. They are occasionally discovered in places like ancient ruins~. The items themselves possess properties similar to Magic Crystals~, allowing them to be used in a similar fashion~."
"I see. So they’re like ancient out-of-place artifacts."
"The difference from Magic Crystals is that their formulas cannot be rewritten~. A single Secret Treasure possesses only one specific effect~. They are extremely valuable items~. When discovered, they are often sold at auctions~, where wealthy nobles, great merchants, or royalty bid on them~. That couple likely obtained theirs through such a path~."
"Heh, if they’re that rare, they must be incredibly expensive. Only someone with immense wealth could ever get their hands on one."
I hadn't realized that such "ooparts" existed in this world too. Though, come to think of it, the idea of items made from rare monster materials possessing strange magical properties was a common trope in manga and games. In a world where magic was real, the existence of such mysterious items actually made perfect sense.
"There are those who investigate ancient civilizations and ruins in search of such Secret Treasures~. Speaking of people you know, Kaito-sama~, Hapty-sama’s activities are essentially those of a specialized hunter~."
"Ah, I see. Come to think of it, she did mention she did some ‘treasure hunting.’ Though she claims to be a ‘chivalrous thief’..."
Well, since Hapty was just another one of Alice's clones, it made sense. The search for and management of these unknown items was likely handled by Alice—or rather, the Phantasm King’s Faction. There was a good chance Alice even had a hand in the auctions. To put it simply, it seemed Hapty’s job was to scour the world for these relics.
"Do you think there are still many undiscovered Secret Treasures out there?"
"Indeed~. Especially in the Demon Realm~, where many races have perished over the ages~. During the chaotic eras of the past~, many powerful Demons likely hid their treasures away~. They are still being discovered deep underground even now~."
"Heh... there’s something romantic about that. It’s pretty cool."
"Kuhihi, you are right~. The thought that unexpected items might still be found~ certainly brings a sense of wonder~."
If I ever got the chance, I wanted to look into these treasures myself. Perhaps some were on display at the Royal Museum; it would be interesting to see them.
Secret Treasures A general term for items that cannot be reproduced through modern magic tools, or whose original materials remain unknown, yet still possess magical power. They are extremely rare and valuable, and there are specialized hunters who seek them out.
...Furthermore, their true nature is "special items that Shallow Vernal created as experiments in the past," scattered across the world to see how mortals and demons would use them—relics from her ancient era of trial and error.
Serious-senpai: "...As I thought, she's the Main Culprit!?"
???: "Generally, the unknown 'system' items or things without reproducibility in this world are just things Shallow Vernal-sama was trying out here and there... As expected, she's the source of almost everything."