Chapter 200: An Old Friend (16)

[Mind's Eye (C+)]

[Skill: Detection Lv. 7 activated.]

With only a slight health drain, I swept over the mountain path's details, analyzing everything in view. The path was narrowing. Soon, it would be too tight for our current carriage to pass through.

"There's a clearing up ahead. Turn the carriage around there and go back," I said to the coachman.

"The clearing, sir? Are you sure I can do that?"

The question held a double meaning—more than just permission, it asked how I knew such a clearing existed.

"Of course."

Naturally, we soon came upon a wide enough space to turn the carriage. Startled, the coachman quickly unhitched one of the horses from the carriage.

Rubia blinked beside me and asked, "How did you know?"

"Just a hunch."

Flap!

"What's with the mystique all of a sudden? Doesn't suit you," Isaac muttered.

Ignoring him, I pulled out a few silver coins from my pocket and offered them to the coachman. "You've done well."

"No need, sir."

"You really won't take it?"

"Yes. I'm quite all right. Besides..." The coachman finished untying the horse and secured a large saddle to its back. "Our lord instructed us to leave behind a mount in cases like this. It's a sturdy one, and should be fine with two riders."

"Obviously, you leave both horses behind. Who does this guy think he is, trying to drive the carriage back?"

"..."

"Thank you."

"I'll pass your words along to our lord. Please travel safely."

The coachman tied on a few light supplies: some dried meat, fruit, and a windbreaker. He gave the reins a gentle tug, then stepped aside.

[Skill: Horseriding Lv. 2 activated.]

I mounted the horse with ease and extended my hand to Rubia.

Isaac, perched on a tree branch above, let out a disgruntled sound for some reasons.

"Hmph."

Rubia reached out to me, and I helped her up, settling her behind him on the saddle.

"I don't know how to ride..."

"You know how to hold on, right?"

"Yes..."

"Then hold on tight."

"What a ridiculous scene. Just get moving already."

Clop-clop! Clop-clop!

Though the horse was carrying two, the well-built stallion galloped effortlessly along the mountain path. It barely snorted; its hooves were so fast that they blurred. Isaac, by contrast, flapped hard to keep up with them. Behind me, I could feel Rubia's breath trembling, even though the winter mountain didn't feel cold in the slightest.

"My back's sore."

"Want to stop riding?"

"No. It's my thighs... They ache in a good way. I like it. Later on..."

I waited for her to finish.

"Even if I learn to ride well, I think I'll still want to ride behind you."

I didn't understand.

"Why's that?"

Rubia smiled softly and replied, "You block all the wind for me."

I could feel her heartbeat against her back. With each motion of the horse, the snow-covered white peaks around us rippled like waves.

"Hey! Are you just gonna leave me behind? You little—!"

"Isn't a journey like this hard for you? Wouldn't it have been easier to stay at the estate...?"

"It would've been, right?"

"Yeah, probably."

Just as I thought I should've left her behind, Rubia continued with a playful grin. "If you'd left me, I probably wouldn't have slept a wink, wondering if I should've chased after you. I wouldn't have been able to eat. I'd have withered away and died. So it would've been great, right?"

It wasn't great at all. After a moment's hesitation, I realized she was speaking in a roundabout way.

"Is that sarcasm?"

"Who knows."

Oddly enough, a system window appeared:

[Rubia's Affection increased by 1!]

It didn't feel like just a number.

A cold wind blew straight at us, and the horse dipped its head slightly.

Flap!

Isaac, still flapping behind us, fell even farther behind. I slowed the horse's pace a bit.

***

The Order wasn't far now. This time, we bypassed any small villages and headed straight into the jungle.

"You sure you've been here before?"

"I told you, I have."

We carefully guided the horse through the thick vegetation. Isaac flew slowly around me, his wingbeats subdued.

It was quiet. I recalled the first time I'd come here, when Isaac had believed the sect would be thriving, protected by a magic barrier. That version of Isaac had been crushed when they discovered the ruins.

Now, however, it seemed Isaac had placed his trust in me. Isaac didn't react with the same level of shock, though he was clearly dispirited.

"It's time to ask. How did you know the Order had fallen? Tell me everything."

"I don't think it's too late to tell you after I find out more about Kevin Ashton."

"..."

Isaac didn't respond. He didn't even grumble about arrogance, too busy surveying the ruined sect.

Isaac flapped forward silently, and I followed. Soon, I spotted Isaac perched atop Joshua's head. The stone totem was charred black. Its wings were broken, its face smashed in.

Startled, Rubia gasped softly beside him. "Oh no..."

Isaac sat there for a long while. I gave him the time.

In my previous life... Wasn't the sect's pet the size of Acorn? I wondered if the little guy was still alive. I saved it once, hopefully that would be enough to keep it from falling into another trap.

We couldn't ride any farther. I dismounted and stood near the totem.

Rubia said softly to Isaac, "Was that... a friend?"

Isaac was quiet for a moment.

"Let's go. Step on the sigil and descend."

With a flap of his wings, Isaac flew down the cliffside. I looked down the steep drop, then turned to Rubia.

"You said you wanted to come with me, right?"

Rubia nodded.

"Careful... Hold tight...

Hup

!" I never intended to let her go alone. "It's dangerous."

I wrapped one arm around her waist and lifted her with ease.

"

Mm

..."

"Breathe easy."

Her heartbeat quickened. Clearly, she had a fear of heights. We jumped down, me holding her tight as she barely drew a breath. To come this far despite being so scared... she must've really wanted to go on an adventure. With a light push-off, we dropped into a circular opening roughly two meters wide.

"

Haah

..." Rubia exhaled deeply, her head bowed and eyes shut tight.

"We're here."

***

"Wow!" Rubia let out a gasp of admiration. "This really is an adventure!"

She swallowed hard and looked across to the other side. We stood for a moment, gazing at the snow-covered peak opposite us, before walking inward.

"That's Verolite!"

"Vero...lite?"

"Yes! I've only ever read about it in books. Its symbolism is protection from demons."

"Protection from demons?"

"Right. It's a stone said to ward off dark spirits. Among all the stones that emit their own light, this one is particularly special."

"

Hmph

! What a bunch of useless knowledge. Just get moving already." Isaac sounded strangely embarrassed.

Perhaps it was because he knew the Order hadn't been protected after all. About ten more minutes in, we reached the same point as before—massive boulders completely blocked the path.

"Step back."

Rubia didn't say a word and quickly retreated.

"You sure about this?" Isaac flew backward with a skeptical flutter of wings.

I didn't bother answering. Recalling Isaac's advice from my previous life, I'd have to use Sword Energy and chip away and push bit by bit from this very spot. This time, I'd nailed down the technique.

Kzzzrak!

A flash of green sword aura and flames burst forward, blasting open a hole in an instant.

"..."

Even Isaac seemed surprised.

I glanced back.

Rubia stood leaning against the stone wall, one hand over her chest. "

Uhh

..."

"What's wrong?"

"I guess I should've adjusted faster to seeing giant boulders just.. break apart like that,' she said it like a joke, but her heartbeat was racing.

[Servant System]

[Rubia was startled by your display of strength!]

That was it? Just surprised?

I'd grown so used to the servant system showering me with benefits that I half-expected a bonus to Stamina recovery, or something similar. It was ridiculous in hindsight. Maybe I was viewing Rubia too much as a system function. Feeling a bit guilty, I urged them forward.

"Let's go."

I solved the puzzle with ease and led them naturally down the stairs.

"It feels a bit dark here, and very quiet..." Rubia said, tension in her voice as she looked around at the temple buildings.

Isaac, already sunken into a subdued mood, flew low through the air. I followed Isaac to the temple's center, a towering structure that looked to be at least thirty meters tall.

"Brace yourself before you look inside."

"I know."

***

"Uaaagh...!"

Isaac's cry of pain echoed out from within.

Rubia looked at him. "He's... really struggling in there. What's inside?"

"Hundreds of his descendants are hanged there. Want to see for yourself?"

Rubia nodded solemnly. "I didn't come all this way just to see things that are easy and pleasant."

Clatter... clatter...

Surprisingly, Rubia didn't react dramatically. Less than even Rena had. I found myself unsettled by her composure, but I couldn't exactly ask,

Why aren't you freaking out?

So I just looked at her.

She muttered softly, "Skeletons..."

"You're not shocked?"

"I'm a necromancer,” she replied with an almost smug look, staring directly at me.

I had forgotten. Still, up to this point, she had only ever raised me. Then again, she did spend every day with a talking skeleton. A few dangling ones probably wouldn't faze her anymore.

Flap!

At some point, Isaac had flown down to inspect Purson's emblem. A second wave of fury overtook him. It became clear that this place had once hosted a ritual, engraving the brand into souls.

Before, Isaac had explained that the cultists were tortured and sacrificed as offerings. It was no wonder he was shaken. Unable to remain inside any longer, Isaac flew out, both wings drooping with exhaustion.

Rubia walked over to the distressed bird. "Sir Isaac?"

Flap...

The crow puppet flinched, trying to flutter away as if her presence was too much. However, he didn't have the strength to fly off. Rubia gently placed her hand on the back of the puppet's neck and petted it softly.

"To think I'm being patted by a human twenty times younger than me. Absurd."

"Your heart must hurt a lot right now."

"..."

"They've all become shining stars now. They're watching over you from above at night. And even during the day, because the stars are actually still up there. They're all looking at you, cheering you on."

"You sure talk a lot." Despite the grumbling, he stayed right where he was. Wings folded, Isaac silently accepted her comfort. "I need a drink. Go to the left side of the tower."

As expected, he was guiding me to the hidden stash of Lurium. I reached out my hand—something I had done once before. With practiced ease, I phased my hand through the wall and pulled out a box.

Without thinking, I muttered, "It's too light?"