Rukna headed straight to the inn where Chad was said to be resting, lost in thought.

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

‘I heard they’re trying to revive the Demon’s Egg.’

If so, that means they’ll need materials to break the seal.

‘Hey Visby, how do you break the seal on the Demon’s Egg?’

“There are two ways. Either obtain objects condensed with the five ethers that compose the world, or weaken the seal and then cast a powerful curse.”

‘Where are these objects condensed with ether?’

“The one imbued with light ether is with humans, water ether with mermaids, fire ether with dwarves, earth ether with gnomes, and wind ether with elves.”

‘That’s too abstract.’

“It also includes objects made by combining the powers of the five races.”

At those words, Rukna recalled the object said to have been created when the five races gathered according to the 10-year prophecy.

‘That would be the holy sword… Oh?’

“How unusual for you to guess correctly, master!”

Rukna’s eyes widened as if just realizing an extremely important fact.

‘You’re the key to breaking the seal? Really?’

Rukna acted as if about to take off and throw away the necklace right away.

To think that the helpful item assisting her since possession turned out to be the object properly drawing aggro from the greatest villain in the world!

“Master? The aura you’re giving off right now feels so cold, as if you’re about to leave me immediately. Of course, that must be my imagination?”

‘I feel like I’ll die a horrible death if I keep you. Like I’ll become a target of the Red Eagles!’

“I see. Dark wizards can’t even touch me, let alone use me, but what would a foolish master like you know? Fine. Throw me away.”

‘Really?’

“Really or not, just go ahead and throw away your cold and ungrateful former master.”

The holy sword called Rukna its former master. Its voice had sharp thorns in it, unlike usual.

Come to think of it, it wasn’t wrong.

Even Matian couldn’t draw the holy sword, so how could a dark wizard possibly do it?

Then what the Red Eagles were after wasn’t the holy sword, but rather the object with the most condensed water power here.

‘For example, something like the golden elixir said to be the pinnacle of alchemy.’

If so, Grand Sage Kuran was in danger.

They must be targeting the only being capable of synthesizing the golden elixir.

‘Hey Visby, do you know where Kuran is right now?’

“You are not my master. The discarded Visby will not answer.”

‘Visby?’

Hey Visby? Hello?

Rukna kept calling out to the holy sword, but the snorting sword did not respond.

‘Hey you, Visby! It’s urgent right now!’

Rukna cried out desperately, but there was no answer.

Meanwhile, Rukna arrived in front of the inn where Chad was said to be resting.

‘Hmph, fine. I’ll solve this on my own.’

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

“Second floor, Room 1. A lot of people looking for that guest.”

The innkeeper answered apathetically while mixing some liquids in triangular flasks.

It seemed everyone on the Isle of Wisdom was deeply into alchemy.

‘A lot of people came looking for Chad?’

Rukna tilted her head quizzically as she went up to the second floor and knocked on Room 1.

“Hey, Chad!”

There was no response from inside. Had he gone out?

She tried turning the doorknob, but the door was locked. How inconvenient for him to be away at such an urgent time.

What to do now? There was no other way.

Should she go alone to protect the Grand Sage? As Rukna anxiously bit her nails, her gaze fell on the pendant around her neck.

‘I was wrong, oh holy and great sword.’

Lifting the pendant with both hands in apology, she looked quite respectful.

“……”

‘I’m serious. I must have lost my mind for a moment. I spoke out of turn to the great Visby without knowing my place.’

“……”

‘Please forgive me just this once. How could I survive in this world without you? Oh holy sword symbolizing divine mercy, please show some mercy to your lowly master.’

Rukna apologized to the holy sword like a clingy ex-boyfriend begging to get back together.

“Ahem, you’re curious about Chad Buto’s location?”

‘Thank you for softening your heart, Lord Visby!’

“Your respectful attitude pleases me, so I’ll scan the surroundings. Scan complete. Enter the room and go straight for 50 meters.”

‘Go straight for 50 meters inside the room?’

There’s no way the room could be that big. Is this Visby still not over its anger?

Rukna struck the doorknob with the scabbard at her waist and entered the room first.

The room was small, barely fitting a bed and a wardrobe. But if she was to go straight from here…

Rukna stared at the wide open window directly ahead.

‘Is this what you meant by going straight?’

Rukna immediately ran to the window and looked down.

A cloaked man could be seen in the alley straight ahead.

Judging by the distance of about 50 meters from here, it must be Chad.

He was embracing a red-haired woman, whispering into her ear so intimately that they didn’t seem to be just acquaintances.

‘Is he seducing a woman even in this situation?’

But that woman, was it just her imagination that she seemed similar to the one seen at Fritz’s lab?

However, since they looked serious rather than sweet, Rukna decided to go to Chad first.

‘Hey Visby, will I be okay if I jump down from here?’

“Yes, master. Thanks to your training with the great Visby, you can land safely without issue. But take a look around first.”

Around? Rukna quickly turned her head to survey the room.

Then she noticed a glittering gold pendant under some carelessly discarded clothes on the bed.

‘Isn’t that the imperial crest?’

The golden lion crest symbolizing the Greyten imperial family.

‘It might not be Chad’s belongings.’

It was strange, since she had learned in politics class that the current emperor had only one legitimate heir, the crown prince.

There was Princess Toria, but she was an adopted cousin of the empress, not of imperial blood.

‘Hey Visby, is there some hidden prince cliché in this world?’

“I don’t understand your meaning, master. Would you like to know the order of imperial succession instead?”

‘Never mind that. I heard it in class.’

Everyone knew the crown prince was first in line, so that was expected, but she was so shocked to see Matian Wiegratz’s name as third in line.

The god of this world clearly favored Matian.

‘And Rukna’s existence must have been pushed aside.’

The possessor of a miserable fate who lost her parents in a terrible accident, then luckily got adopted by the Golden count family, only for her adoptive parents to die in a mysterious accident as well.

Trying her best to be of help to the family, she disguised herself as a man to enter the military academy, but ultimately couldn’t endure and ran away, dying an untimely death – the epitome of misfortune.

‘In a way, having such terrible luck is quite similar to my past life.’

Being left all alone without parents was exactly like that.

‘Enough. This isn’t the time to get sentimental.’

Her thoughts had wandered unnecessarily far after discovering the imperial pendant.

Rukna leapt down from the second-floor window sill, landing quietly and steadily on the ground like a cat.

‘This is no joke!’

Rukna patted her strengthened limbs a couple times as if proud, then stealthily approached Chad standing in the alley with the woman.

“…without…to…failed.”

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

Tilting her head in confusion, Rukna approached right behind Chad when the woman noticed her and exclaimed “Oh my!” before quickly running away.

Chad, who had visibly stiffened, slowly turned his head to look at Rukna.

“…Luka?”

“What are you doing here, Chad?”

“I was in the middle of a love affair. Which failed thanks to you.”

Chad flicked Rukna’s forehead with his finger.

“She was quite a pretty woman. What a shame. It’s all Luka’s fault.”

“Ah… sorry?”

Rukna apologized without thinking, then raised her voice at the end. Wait, this isn’t a situation where I should apologize.

“Why did Luka come looking for me instead of going to the tower?”

“Matian…”

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

Chad burst out angrily, asking if that guy’s words were law or something.

The many guests who came looking for Chad at the inn must have been looking for Matian.

“Chad?”

“Ah, geez.”

Chad belatedly waved his hand slowly, regaining his usual tone.

“I get a bit sensitive when I’m tired. If only I’d managed to seduce that woman earlier, I’d be feeling better.”

Rukna silently stared at Chad.

From afar he had just seemed like a lazy, chronically fatigued playboy, but up close he was quite a sensitive and crooked person.

“Anyway, what did Matian say?”

“Together with you…”

Rukna was about to relay that he said to keep watch on the situation outside, but she closed her mouth.

His secretly possessed imperial crest pendant, his suspicious conversation with that woman.

She didn’t want to fully convey the information to Chad, who seemed somewhat dubious.

“He said to rest with you. He’ll call if needed.”