Chapter 242: History of Midas

Inside a lavishly decorated study...

A man slumped on a cushioned chair that seemed to be struggling to hold his weight.

He was fat to the point that his figure was so round it looked like a ball.

Nevertheless, the luxuriousness of his golden attire seemed to describe just how rich he was.

Two beauties sat on his lap, showering him with praise— their flirtatious gazes and wandering hands making their intentions clear.

Knock— Knock—

At this moment, a knock sounded on the door.

"Who’s there—"

Creak—

The fat man hollered, his grating voice echoing through the study, only for the door to creak open before he could finish.

A male attendant in formal attire entered the room while breathing heavily, "Mr. Crypto, I’ve brought urgent new—"

"Argh! How many times do I have to tell you to knock first?!"

"I’m very sorry, Sir. It’s just that..."

Before the attendant could continue, the fat man noticed the pile of papers he was holding.

He then breathed heavily before whispering something to the two beauties on his lap, making them smile.

They then looked at him with a hesitant gaze before scurrying outside the study.

"That better be worth my damn time."

The fat man clicked his tongue as he received the pile of papers from the attendant.

As soon as he laid his eyes on the first few sentences, his eyes turned serious.

***

Back in the Midas Mansion...

Regis then began explaining some of the findings he had throughout the years of experimentation with the various animals that were affected by Aurelia’s gift.

He explained how some of the dragonflies, after being freed from the gift, exuded some phenomenon.

Some would spontaneously ignite into flames.

Some would die right after.

Some would be able to keep living healthily for a long time.

And some would even develop abilities.

As he finished explaining his findings over the desserts that Aurelia had served them, Aurum seemed to have thought of something and spoke.

"Do you guys remember how I was able to start the Midas Merchant Organization?"

Killian nodded, "Yes, Uncle. I remember you saying that although you started as a chef, your gift was the one thing that made you rich..."

"Yes, but to go further into detail..."

Aurum nodded before picking up a silver spoon under everyone’s gaze.

Then, a second later, the silver spoon turned into gold.

"My gift is called Golden Touch. It’s a Gold-grade ability passed down through our bloodline. Because of its nature, our family has always been a target for kidnappings and theft. That’s why, in the past, my mother warned me never to use it."

Aurum then paused for a moment, examining the now golden spoon in his hands.

He glanced at Regis and the others, then at his own family, all of whom were listening intently, their eyes filled with curiosity.

This was something he had never spoken of to his children— only his wife, Martha, had an inkling of it.

"Well, this is because back then, we were in a rural village on the outskirts of Acheron Kingdom. Our ability to turn things into gold did not really have much worth. And since we can only turn small things into gold, we did not see much worth in it as well."

"After all, selling gold to passing merchants often brought the envy of other villagers. Thieves and bandits ran rampant around those parts as well, so it was easier not to use the gift."

"However..."

Aurum paused once again and cleared his throat with a cough, before continuing, "After a series of events that led me to become a personal chef of a traveling merchant, I was able to learn one aspect of my gift through a mercenary who happened to be an alchemist."

Regis, Killian, and Pandora nodded at his words. Alchemists were also mages, after all. It was not strange for them to be adventurers or mercenaries to fund some of their works.

After all, in the years they had been adventurers, they had also met a few while doing quests.

"What was it, Dad?" This time, it was Auryn who asked.

Aurum glanced at her with a smile, "It’s the fact that the gold that our gift produces serves as an excellent mana conductor."

At this revelation, Regis, Killian, Pandora, Aurelia, and her siblings’ eyes widened.

They were aware of what this entailed.

"And so, I was able to establish the organization through the goodwill of the merchant I had worked for in the past."

Aurum continued with a big smile, "Whether it be alchemists, mercenary organizations, and even the royal family, I was able to utilize my gift in various ways to provide products that humans, dwarves, elves, and beastkins wanted."

"So far, the Midas Merchant Organization is the sole provider of Midas Gold throughout the kingdom and the other races. It was also the main reason why I was the first human to have made transactions with them."

He then glanced at Regis, who understood what he was implying immediately, "So, Uncle... what you’re meaning to say is that Aurelia’s gift must have a similar effect to your Golden Touch?"

"Exactly." Aurum nodded, "The gifts of humans are often said to be the equivalent to the other races’ racial abilities... but at what degree, exactly?"

"The names of the gifts... it being randomly granted to any human while possibly being hereditary as well... There are too many things that..."

As Regis was speaking, he felt something dripping down his arm.

"H-Hey..." It was Auryn who called out with her hands covering her mouth in surprise.

He looked at it and saw a long gash that ran through his arm, staining his white shirt with blood.

’As shit, and I just got changed too...’

Regis immediately stood up and ran outside, "Please excuse me for a while!"

Meanwhile, Patti, Auryn, and Martha sat with shocked expressions.

"H-Hon, w-what was that? Why did Regis just bleed suddenly?" Martha looked at Aurum with a panicked expression.

Auryn and Patty noticed Aurelia, who seemed not to have any reaction to the fact.

Aurum rubbed his eyes with a sigh, "You don’t have to worry about that. It just happens sometimes..."

"Hon..." Martha looked at him with a glare.

Seeing that he had no choice, he began to speak, "Well, you see... Regis didn’t really want to let you know about it, but..."

Aurum explained the situation to the others, with Killian— and occasionally Pandora— chiming in.

...

Meanwhile, Regis ran to the patio in the middle of the flower beds.

Seeing the increasing lacerations all over his body, he clicked his tongue, "What the hell are Vanessa and the others up to?"

Due to their requests, Regis had modified all existing soul contracts so that the contractees could choose whether or not to transfer their injuries to him.

Initially, they wanted to remove the contract, but he did not agree since he also wanted to make sure that they were safe.

And so, the two parties compromised.

Regis knew how the others loathed relying on the soul contract they had established.

Therefore, the fact that not only Vanessa, but also Perto, was now using it through their link made him worried.

"And why is Brutt not using it?"

Thoughts began to surge in Regis’s mind as he tried to guess what was happening to them.

After all, Vanessa, Perto, and Brutt had always been together during quests.

For some reason, he instinctively felt that their lives were in danger, even with the soul contracts linking them.

And his instincts, against his wishes, often meant something one way or the other.

"The attacks I’m receiving... why does it feel strange?"

Regis had already been used to various kinds of pain, yet the injuries being transferred to him made him feel something amiss.

"It feels as if I’m being attacked by different things every time..."

His Perfect Adaptation had already grown to the point that no attacks could be used on him twice.

The numerous thoughts running through his mind led him to a few hypotheses, "Either they’re fighting an army, or..."

A single thought floated in his mind.

Regis then shook his head, "Is there something I can do...?"

He then began browsing through every possible magic, aura art, and other abilities he had.

***

In the dark forests in the outer perimeters of Harmonia...

"Fuck! What if Regis is in the middle of a date right now?" Perto said out loud with gritted teeth.

Vanessa giggled, "Then I guess we’ll just have to apologize and give him a bouquet or something."

The injuries on their bodies disappeared, but the pain still ran through their very souls.

"You guys... I told you to run away already!"

Brutt yelled, his face filled with a myriad of emotions.

Happiness, as he appreciated the thought of his friends coming back for him.

Sadness as he felt that they were all going to die.

Vanessa glared at him, "Shut the fuck up! No one’s going to die today! Since when have you been so weak? Do you want to meet the demonic human leader in hell that badly!?"

At this moment, the grotesque matter seemed to have felt something.

The temperament of the three young humans before it was exuding something that could only be found in the most heinous of mass murderers.