Cold

Reiner's heart raced with anticipation as he unfastened the suitcase's tarnished clasps and slowly lifted the cracked leather lid.

The fabric lining faded and worn, greeted his eyes. The patterns had lost their vibrancy, and the dulled fabric had seen better days.

The interior was a little disheveled, showing signs of age and neglect.

Neatly folded garments, although showing signs of age, still retained an air of classic style. There were tailored suits, silk shirts, and some trousers.

These are Zephyr's clothes.

Because of Zephyr's memory fragments, Reiner already knew about the contents of the suitcase.

Although the memory wasn't clear. He guessed there might be some clothes.

Why was Zephyr going to Ysvelor City?

Reiner didn't know about that. He kept wondering while inspecting the contents of the suitcase.

Hidden beneath the clothing, Reiner found a collection of unfamiliar but familiar currency.

The bills were crisp but still usable.

The banknotes were slightly larger than the modern currency used today, measuring approximately 6 inches (15 centimeters) in width and 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) in height.

The bill in Reiner's hand was the most basic currency of the Quilloria Kingdom.

It was only implemented a few years ago.

As merchants and wholesalers desired to avoid the heavy bulk of copper coinage in large commercial transactions, bills started to appear.

Isn't this the same as the Tang Dynasty?

As an art conservator, Reiner had a vast amount of knowledge related to history.

The bill he found had a denomination of "50 Units" and featured an intricate design with historical symbols and artistic motifs.

As Quilloria was the Kingdom founded by scholars, the designs on the bill were mostly quills and scrolls.

However, It would be only four to five USD.

The purchasing power of 50 units wasn't much. Reiner smiled bitterly as he thought of the reason behind that.

Reiner carefully set aside the clothes, currency bill, and keepsakes, and he noticed a small, glass container nestled among the items. It was clear and unadorned, a simple vessel.

Gently lifting the glass container, he turned his attention to a broken test tube that he had noticed earlier in the snow.

With meticulous care, Reiner collected the fragments of the broken test tube, being cautious not to harm himself or the pieces of glass.

It might be useful to study them someday.

Reiner didn't know why he felt that. However, his intuition was telling him to store that broken test tube.

The glass container was cylindrical, with a round base and a straight, cylindrical body, much like a classic glass jar. It had a diameter of about 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) and approximately 5 inches (12.5 centimeters) in height.

As for the test tube, it was partially broken, with one end missing. The half-broken part was about 3 inches (7.5 centimeters) in length and a diameter of 1 inch (2.5 centimeters). While the fragments (shards) of the test tube were smaller, with the largest pieces being around one inch in length.

The broken test tube was also cylindrical but slightly smaller in diameter and with a flat bottom. This design made it easier to fit the test tube inside the glass container.

Reiner could see the faintest traces of dried residue on the inside of the broken test tube. He also collected samples of that snow where residue was slightly spilled.

Looks like the job of an Archeologist is fun.

Zephyr Loraine, was a citizen of the Western Continent's Quilloria Kingdom, Lyravon County, a village near Ysvelor City.

He graduated two and half years ago from the Archeology Department at Chronos University.

After graduation, Zephyr pursued a career as an archaeologist, participating in field excavations, historical research, and preservation of ancient artifacts.

He worked on various archaeological projects, helping uncover and document the history around Lyravon County.

While working, he had chosen to continue his studies by enrolling in a postgraduate program to further specialize in a particular field of archaeology, such as prehistoric archaeology.

After 2 years, he completed his postgraduate program. Now he needed a job.

He tried for various job interviews, such as Museum Curator, Teacher for new students, and Joining a private firm. But...

He is still unemployed.

Unfortunately, Zephyr was still unemployed. He does some freelance work and earns meager change - enough to pass a few days.

Tsk...

His life really sucks.

Reiner clicked his tongue. Even though people liked to hear about Archeological discoveries, they rarely supported it financially. It was a very tough job.

There weren't many chances of success. The majority of the time, it was a failure. Furthermore, you need good equipment and manpower for projects.

As his current attire was torn and ill-suited for the frigid snowfield, Reiner took out a set of clothing that seemed more appropriate for the snowy environment.

His fingers were tingling because of cold air. Zephyr's gloves were already thrown away before he got wounded. Reiner tried to remember it, but he couldn't.

He began the process of unfastening the metal clasps and fastenings of his leather jerkin, a sturdy outer garment. The jerkin had offered some protection against the cold, but it was time to change into warmer attire.

Reiner carefully slipped his arms out of the leather jerkin's sleeves, revealing a woolen tunic underneath.

The leather garment fell to the snow at his feet. The tunic was already torn. So Reiner didn't hesitate to tear it while undressing...

He turned his attention to his torn trousers, which had become stiff and cold. Reiner began by undoing the belt and buttons, allowing him to lower the trousers past his hips.

With a gentle shimmy, he managed to remove the trousers, revealing his long underwear beneath. The cold snow now touched his legs.

Reiner was left standing in his thermal long underwear, which was designed to keep him warm in cold conditions. It was his last layer of protection.

It's so cold...