IRHWSDD 32

Island of Wisdom (6)

Rukna moved straight toward the inn where Ched was supposed to be resting, lost in thought.

What was the purpose of the dark wizards coming to the Island of Wisdom?

“I heard they’re trying to revive the Devil’s Egg.”

Then that would mean they’d need the materials to break the seal.

“Hi Visby, how do you break the seal of the Devil’s Egg?”

「There are two methods. You can either acquire an object condensed with the five ethers that make up the world, or weaken the seal and pour a powerful curse onto it.」

“Where can I find an object condensed with ether?”

「The Light Ether resides with humans, the Water Ether with merfolk, the Fire Ether with dwarves, the Earth Ether with gnomes, and the Wind Ether with elves.」

“That’s way too abstract.”

「It also includes objects created by the five races combining their powers.」

At that, Rukna recalled an object said to have been created by the five races according to the ten-year prophecy.

“That’s the Holy Sword… huh?”

「Well, well! You actually got it right, Master!」

Rukna’s eyes widened as if realizing something extremely important too late.

“You’re the key to breaking the seal? Really?”

Rukna almost felt like she wanted to throw the necklace away.

After all, the item that had helped her while possessed turned out to be the object that attracted the ultimate villain of this world!

「Master? The aura you’re giving off makes me feel like leaving immediately. Of course, that must just be my imagination, right?」

“If I keep you, I feel like I’ll die screaming. The Red Eagle will target me!”

「I see. A dark wizard wouldn’t even be able to touch me, let alone use me, but what would a foolish master know? Fine. Abandon me.」

“Really?”

「Really. Just abandon me already, my cold and ungrateful former master.」

The Holy Sword addressed Rukna as its former master. Unlike usual, its voice was sharp and cutting.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t wrong.

Even Martian hadn’t been able to draw the sword; there was no way a dark wizard could.

Then the Red Eagle wasn’t after the Holy Sword—it was after the object in this place most condensed with the power of water.

“For example, the Golden Elixir, the pinnacle of alchemy.”

That meant the Grand Sage Kuran was in danger.

They would target the only person capable of synthesizing the Golden Elixir.

“Hi Visby, do you know where Kuran is right now?”

「You are not my master. I, the abandoned Visby, will not answer.」

“Visby?”

Hi Visby? Hey?

Rukna continued calling the sword, but the fuming Holy Sword didn’t answer.

“Hey, you! Visby! It’s urgent!”

Rukna shouted desperately, but there was no response.

Meanwhile, she arrived at the inn where Ched was supposed to be resting.

“Hmph, fine. I’ll handle this myself.”

Entering the inn, Rukna asked the innkeeper for Ched’s room.

“Second floor, room 1. Quite a few people have been looking for that guest.”

The innkeeper replied indifferently while mixing some liquids in triangular flasks.

It seemed everyone on the Island of Wisdom was completely absorbed in alchemy.

“Many people looking for Ched?”

Rukna tilted her head in curiosity and went up to the second floor, knocking on room 1.

“Hey, Ched!”

There was no response from inside. Perhaps he had gone out.

She tried the doorknob, but the door was locked. How could he leave at a time like this?

What should she do now? Should she go protect the Grand Sage alone?

Rukna anxiously bit her nails, lowering her gaze to the pendant around her neck.

“I was wrong, oh holy and great Holy Sword.”

She lifted the pendant with both hands and bowed in apology, genuinely respectful.

「……」

“I’m serious. I guess I lost my mind for a moment, getting cocky with the great Visby without knowing my place.”

「……」

“Please, just this once. How can I survive in this world without you? Show some mercy to your humble master, oh Holy Sword, symbol of divine grace.”

Rukna apologized to the sword like a clingy ex begging to reconcile.

「Hmm hmm, are you curious about the location of Ched Vuto?」

“Thank you for loosening your heart, Visby!”

「I like your respectful attitude, so I will scan the surroundings. Scan complete. Enter the room and go straight for 50 meters.」

“Straight for 50 meters inside the room?”

There was no way the room was that large. Maybe Visby wasn’t fully appeased yet.

Rukna pushed the doorknob down with the scabbard at her waist and stepped inside.

The room was barely big enough for a bed and a wardrobe. But if “straight” meant that…

She stared at the wide-open window directly ahead.

“So that’s what you meant by straight.”

Rukna ran straight to the window and looked down.

In the alley straight ahead, she saw a cloaked man.

Given the distance of about 50 meters, that had to be Ched.

He was holding a red-haired woman close, whispering in her ear. They didn’t seem like casual acquaintances.

“Even in this situation, he’s hitting on women?”

But the woman looked familiar—wasn’t she the same one from Fritz’s lab?

Yet, their interaction seemed serious rather than romantic, so Rukna decided to approach Ched first.

“Hi Visby, if I jump from here, will I be safe?”

「Yes, Master. Thanks to your training with the great Visby, you can land safely. But check your surroundings first.」

Surroundings? Rukna quickly scanned the room.

She noticed a glinting golden pendant under a pile of clothes tossed on the bed.

“Isn’t that the royal crest?”

The golden lion, symbol of the Grayten royal family.

“Maybe it doesn’t belong to Ched.”

She remembered that only the crown prince was the legitimate heir, though Princess Tolya existed—she was an adopted cousin with no royal blood.

“Hi Visby, could there be a hidden prince trope in this world?”

「I don’t understand, Master. Shall I tell you the royal succession order instead?」

“No, I’ve heard it in class.”

Everyone knew the first in line was the crown prince, but Rukna was startled to see Martian Wigraetz listed as third in line.

The gods of this world clearly favored Martian.

“And someone like me, Rukna, must have been completely overlooked.”

Orphaned in a tragic accident and luckily adopted by Count Golden, she lost her foster parents to mysterious circumstances as well—her life was a collection of misfortune.

She had enrolled in the military academy disguised as a boy to support her family but ultimately ran away, an unlucky mess destined to die young.

“I guess my luckless fate is quite similar to my past life.”

Left completely alone without parents, it felt the same.

“Enough. This isn’t the time to dwell on that.”

After noticing the royal pendant, her thoughts had wandered too far.

Rukna jumped from the second-floor windowsill and landed quietly and steadily like a cat.

“This is no joke!”

She tapped her newly strengthened limbs with satisfaction, then silently approached Ched, who stood with the woman in the alley.

“……I couldn’t ……”

The red-haired woman had her arms around Ched’s neck, whispering something.

Rukna tilted her head in confusion and approached right behind Ched. The woman, noticing Rukna, gasped and dashed away.

Ched, who had stiffened noticeably, slowly turned his head and confirmed it was Rukna.

“……Ruka?”

“What are you doing here, Ched?”

“I was doing some romantic business. Thanks to you, it failed.”

Ched flicked Rukna’s forehead with his finger.

“She was quite a pretty girl, but it’s a shame. All your fault, Ruka.”

“Uh… sorry?”

Rukna instinctively apologized but trailed off—was this really her fault?

“Why didn’t Ruka go to the tower and had to come find me?”

“Martian…”

“Martian, Martian, Martian! Everyone’s always looking for that Martian.”

Ched barked in frustration as if Martian’s word were law.

So the guests looking for Ched at the inn were after Martian.

“Ched?”

“Oh, right.”

Ched slowly waved his hand and returned to his usual tone.

“I get a bit sensitive when I’m tired. If I’d hit on that woman earlier, I might have felt better.”

Rukna silently observed Ched.

From a distance, he looked like a lazy, chronically fatigued flirt, but alone with her, he seemed irritable and sharp.

“By the way, what did Martian say?”

“He said to stay with you….”

Rukna closed her mouth, deciding not to mention that he had said to watch the outside situation.

With the suspicious royal pendant and the mysterious woman he had been talking to, she didn’t want to relay everything directly to the wary Ched.

“He said to stay with you. Call if needed.”