Published at 26th of December 2025 7:42 am

Chapter 508: If You Have an Eye for It, Junk Can Turn Into Treasure

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You seem to be individuals of considerable promise! Very well, join my expedition!

With that single declaration from Zurich, we were easily accepted as members of his heros partyor rather, his research team. As we pushed through the forest, heading toward the ruins, I felt Tia quietly reach out and grab my hand.

[Hey, Ed, this isnt what you told me. This means we werent supposed to meet Zurich and the others here in the original timeline, right?]

[Yeah, thats true. But honestly, this small of a difference might just fall within the margin of error.]

In the first timeline, I met them only after arriving at the ruins. To be precise, I was thrown into a pathless part of the forest, wandering aimlessly until I stumbled upon the ruins, completely at a loss. Thats when Zurich and his team approached me, marking the beginning of our interaction.

That said, calling this deviation a completely different flow from the original would be an exaggeration. Back then, I had walked straight into the forest without stopping, but this time, I lingered to talk to Tia.

In other words, its possible that even in the first timeline, if I had stayed where I was and called for help, Zurich and his teamwho may have been nearbymight have noticed and approached me. Without concrete evidence to prove they werent nearby, theres no way to definitively rule out the possibility.

[Still, lets stay vigilant. Theyre bound to interfere at some point,] I told her.

[You really think theyll show up?]

[They almost certainly will. Honestly, if we never ran into them again, Id be more surprised.]

In my prediction, Lukathe one who always seems to show up ahead of the heros party unannouncedwould likely appear and go, Theres no way the senpai is actually interested in history! Let me confirm it myself! before throwing something like a history quiz our way.

That would make things tricky. The knowledge I had of this world was limited to some tidbits of expertise Id been exposed to during the first timeline. Beyond that, I didnt have much of the general or foundational knowledge needed. If I were judged as too ignorant, it could have jeopardized my ability to accompany Zurich on his research.

I had prepared a few countermeasures just in case, but in the end, no such disruptions occurred, and we arrived at our destination: the Dashiketarma Ruins.

Wow what an incredible place, Tia murmured.

Chuchuchu, indeed! You can feel the history and wisdom radiating from it. Truly a majestic sight, Zurich replied with enthusiasm.

The ruins sat nestled in the forest, resembling a small hill in size. Covered in layers of ivy and moss, its worn exterior was a testament to the vast amount of time it had stood in this place.

But huh? The area near the entrance is oddly clean, Tia noted.

Well, yeah, nyaa. You see, when it was first discovered, adventurers came rushing here in droves, Nyamcket explained.

Oh, that makes sense. So, were not the first ones to step foot here, Tia said, nodding in understanding.

Precisely. Hmph utterly disgraceful, Zurich huffed, clearly displeased.

Unlike the rest of the ruins, overgrown with plants and moss, the open area near the entrance was simply muddy and barea stark contrast. This was undoubtedly a result of the heavy foot traffic it had seen over the years. Although recent is relativeit had been well over a decade since those days.

Given this, there was no need to worry about traps or the like. Zurich walked into the ruins with his shoulders squared confidently, and we followed him inside. He quickly stepped into a small nearby room, picked up a shard of pottery from the floor, and held it out for Tia to see.

Lunaritia-kun, how much value do you think this holds?

Eh?! Uh its a shard of something, right? Im sorry I can tell it probably has historical significance, but if were talking about value in the sense of something Id want, then, well, none at all, Tia answered, her long ears drooping apologetically.

But Zurich, rather than taking offense, nodded calmly at her honest response.

Thank you for your candid opinion. Its true that, from the perspective of adventurers whose sole metric is monetary value, this shard is worthless. Only frauds or religious zealots would attempt to assign it a price. But for us researchers, its an entirely different matter. As you said, this shard holds immense historical value.

Zurich examined the fragment intently, holding it close to his face. Tia and I crouched beside him to take a closer look as well. Stroking his whiskers, Zurich began an enthusiastic explanation.

Hmm, judging by its shape, this must be part of a plate or a jar no, Im certain its a plate. A large one, for serving food to multiple people.

Wow, you can tell all that just from this?

Of course. Pottery is made by shaping clay, but there are subtle differences depending on whether its flattened by pressing or stretched upward to form a vertical shape. Additionally, jars tend to show greater wear on the interior due to prolonged contact with contents, unlike plates. When you consider these factors, its reasonable to conclude that this is almost certainly a plate.

Thats amazing!

Tia clapped her hands enthusiastically, her eyes sparkling. Zurich puffed out his chest with pride before continuing.

And the presence of this plate suggests that groups of people gathered here regularly to share meals. There may be other pieces of tableware nearby, or perhaps even a storage area for food. By examining their layout and scale, we could determine whether ancient people lived here permanently or simply visited from time to time. Do you see? From just a single shard, we can make numerous educated guesses about the lives of people who existed hundreds, even thousands of years ago. That is the essence of archaeology and the true value of this fragment.

Nyaaa. As expected of senseiso impressive, Nyamcket chimed in.

It really is incredible! Ed, Im actually a little surprised by how moved I am right now, Tia gushed, grabbing my hand in her excitement.

I-Im glad to hear that, I replied, feeling her enthusiasm radiate through her grip.

But just as Tias excitement reached its peak, Zurich tempered the mood with his somber words.

However this knowledge holds no monetary valuenot even a single copper coin. And so, adventurers destroy jars and plates in their reckless searches, dismissing them as worthless trash. This room likely once provided clear evidence of daily life, but now, theres almost nothing left.

Thats heartbreaking, Tia murmured, her mood dampened.

Though Zurichs intent wasnt to blame her, his words struck a chord with both of us, reminding us of the damage wed witnessedor perhaps even causedin the past.

Ed-kun, Lunaritia-kun, I hear youre skilled adventurersso I have a request for you. Im not asking you to leave treasures untouched. You risk your lives fighting beasts and exploring ruins, and I have no right to deny you that. But please, do not needlessly destroy furniture, dishware, or jars. Just push them aside or place them on a shelf. A small amount of care can preserve invaluable insights into history. Even a single preserved item can tell us so much more than shattered remains ever could.

Understood. Ill keep that in mind. Right, Ed?

Yeah. At the very least, when we have the time to spare, well try our best.

Chuchuchu, thats all I could ask for. I dont expect anyone to risk their life to save a plate. But in this world, theres no such thing as an action thats entirely meaningless. Someone has to take the first step. And if adventurers as capable as you set the example, perhaps one day, the orld will follow.

Nyaaa. Sensei always says the best things, Nyamcket purred.

Chuchuchu! Naturally!

Zurichs words settled deep in my heart. The notion of treating even discarded relics with carethose words lit a small, steady flame within me.

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