Chapter 46. Ruins of Marsica (1)

“L-Luke…”

A hungry sigh escaped her lips.

Her hot breath scattered into the air.

It was enough to make me flush just looking at her.

Rudine lifted her face.

Her disheveled silver hair, her long, thick eyelashes, her strained, hoarse voice—all of it was intensely stimulating.

I stood still and watched Rudine, who seemed half out of her mind.

‘…This is a mess.’

Her full breasts, slender waist, and smooth, gleaming white skin.

Any ordinary man would lose his mind to the surging desire the moment a woman carrying the soul of the Heavenly Star of Slaughter deliberately seduced him like this.

I, too, felt momentarily dizzy.

The Heavenly Star of Slaughter, exuding beauty for the sake of slaughter, wasn’t a realm that a man could withstand.

But I had to endure.

Her lust was fundamentally accompanied by a lust for murder, so if I let my guard down and made physical contact, I might end up with my head and body separated.

“Rudine.”

“…”

“Tsk, can you even hear me?”

A bashful smile.

Rudine started approaching me with a suggestive smile.

She reached my feet, pressed her body against mine, and rubbed against me.

Our faces were so close that our noses almost touched, and the atmosphere was incredibly hazy.

My body was already in a separated space, so I couldn’t feel the soft touch or the sweet scent, but my face felt flushed nonetheless.

I quickly looked around.

I didn’t sense any presence, but just in case, I confirmed once again that there was no one around.

After confirming that Rudine and I were alone in this place.

“Sigh.”

I let out a short breath.

And muttered the Activation Word.

“Reverse.”

Kiiiiing—!

The golden haze that erupted enveloped Rudine, who was panting, and everything slowed down, almost to a standstill.

An awkward silence fell.

I stared at Rudine, frozen in midair, then stroked my chin and fell into thought.

“…”

Now that the Ring of Yphrasia was gone, I had to find a new way to control the Heavenly Star of Slaughter.

This was a completely different situation from the original storyline.

I hadn’t even imagined losing the ring in an encounter with an Outer God.

If Divine Power could be a solution, I would have asked Elfriede for help, but even that was impossible.

While I was feeling a bit strange due to this unexpected crisis, a thought struck me like lightning.

‘…There might be a way.’

The ability to purify Chaos and convert it into Mind’s Eye was a unique characteristic of the Ring of Yphrasia.

This was an absolute truth stated in the original story’s settings.

However, if I limited the scope to simply sealing Chaos, there was another option.

‘Demon Sword, Evil Eating Sword.’

The Demon Sword Evil Eating Sword, also known as the Sword That Eats Chaos.

One of the Three Great Demon Swords crafted by Rentia Bellator, the God of Artisans, the Great Artisan.

It didn’t have the function of purifying Chaos like the Ring of Yphrasia, but it possessed the unique ability to absorb the user’s Chaos, seal it within the sword, and then release it.

This sword, made of Demon Iron, was notorious for corrupting the user's mind, but it was a meaningless drawback for Rudine, who was already consumed by Chaos.

In fact, the characteristic of this sword, which only revealed its true value when absorbing Chaos, was useless to other swordsmen, but it could become the perfect weapon for Rudine.

Not only could it enhance Rudine’s combat power by simply sealing and releasing the uncontrollable energy of the Heavenly Star of Slaughter into the sword, but it could also control her current berserk state… killing two birds with one stone.

It was an item I had to acquire in this situation.

‘If I remember correctly, its location is…’

The continent of this world was shaped like wings, with the Imperial Territory in the center and the Eastern and Western Continents spread out on either side.

Among them, the Duchy belonged to the Eastern Continent, and the place where the Evil Eating Sword was buried was also located in the Eastern Continent.

The Ruins of Marsica.

One of the seven ruins left by the Great Artisan Rentia Bellator during his lifetime.

Considering the distance, it wasn’t too far away.

However, there was one problem.

‘If I remember correctly, the Ruins of Marsica were within the Second Lord’s Territory…’

The territory of the Second Lord, Black Hand Myung-gak, was located at the eastern end of the Eastern Continent, and the Ruins of Marsica were within his domain. T

he reason I was reluctant to enter the Second Lord’s Territory was because of his troublesome personality, which could be described as the epitome of despicableness and viciousness.

‘I’ll have to avoid him as much as possible.’

Although I wouldn’t lose in a fight against him, he was as persistent as the Holy Order, so it was wise to avoid unnecessary conflict.

It would be best to conceal my identity, quietly infiltrate, finish my business, and leave.

Finishing my thoughts, I lifted my head and made eye contact with Rudine, who was staring at me while frozen in midair.

She scanned my body up and down with chilling red eyes.

Her gaze was like a hungry beast eyeing its prey.

I sighed, meeting her gaze directly.

“…I need to hurry.”

…What should I do with her, though?

****

As I had told the Head Butler, I finished my preparations to leave as soon as the sun rose.

Our group was small.

Me, Rudine, Adina, and Head Butler Siron, who would be our driver and guide—a total of four people.

Arkan said she had urgent business and left, saying we would meet in the Duchy, and Elfriede stayed behind, saying she would continue her missionary work in Shylock.

The carriage Siron prepared was ordinary.

Using the Lord Council’s carriage would attract too much attention, so I deliberately chose a low-profile and inconspicuous one.

I also wore a black robe instead of my official uniform.

I pulled the hood, which completely concealed my face, deep over my head and was about to get into the carriage when,

“Isn’t this… uncomfortable?”

Adina touched the hem of her robe with a dissatisfied expression.

As a Beastman, it seemed uncomfortable for her to hide her tail and ears.

“Bear with it. It would be troublesome if your identity is revealed.”

“That’s true, but…”

I turned my head and looked at Rudine.

As soon as our eyes met, she flinched and blushed, lowering her head.

Perhaps because of what happened yesterday, she had been persistently avoiding my gaze.

I didn’t particularly care, but Adina, watching Rudine and me, asked me with a strange look,

“Did something happen?”

“…Nothing.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

I ended the conversation and boarded the carriage.

Outside the window, the members of the Grand Duke Castle were lined up.

They were all saluting the carriage with their gazes fixed sharply forward.

Rumble, rumble.

My backside bounced with the ever-unfamiliar rattling.

The scenery flashing by the window changed constantly.

At first, it was the gloomy forest unique to Blackmore, with endlessly stretching bare branches. After passing through the desolate land and the entrance, Shylock’s Territory came into view.

The city, which had been shabby until recently, had regained some vitality.

New buildings constructed with the Imperial Family’s support were visible everywhere, and the number of people on the streets had increased significantly.

I also caught glimpses of people who seemed to be adventurers.

As time passed and we reached the Border of the Eastern Continent, lush greenery filled my vision, and in the distance, the silhouette of a city with a Spire began to appear.

Lazern.

The city known as the Gateway to the Eastern Continent came into view.

But we weren’t headed for the regular roads.

‘It would be difficult to avoid the Second Lord’s surveillance if we took the usual route.’

On the western outskirts of the city, there was a secret route called the Shadow Path among merchants.

It was a route mainly used by merchant guilds dealing with all sorts of illegal goods to enter the Second Lord’s Territory.

A slow but safe route that bypassed the outskirts of the Second Lord’s Territory.

“This way.”

Siron, who was driving the carriage, pointed to a narrow path.

A merchant guild was packing their goods there.

The carriage turned into the narrow path.

This road, off the beaten track, seemed buried in the forest. Lush trees grew densely as if to conceal the carriage, and only faint cart tracks remained on the ground.

As expected of a smuggling route, there were hiding places scattered along the path, and detours were prepared in case of emergencies.

I slowly turned my gaze to the side.

Rudine, with her head bowed low, was blushing, seemingly recalling last night’s events.

A subtle tension filled the carriage.

Concerned that yesterday’s frenzy might start again, I observed her and carefully spoke,

“Rudine.”

“…?”

“Is it happening again?”

“…What?”

“No, I mean, do you feel hot or strange like yesterday…?”

Rudine’s face flushed even redder as she seemed to recall yesterday’s memories, and she quickly turned her head away.

“Are you really okay?”

“…Yes.”

“If you feel strange again, tell me…”

“…”

Then it happened.

Screech!

With the sound of the horse neighing, the carriage suddenly came to a halt.

— Stop! If you don’t want to meet a gruesome end, everyone get out of the carriage!

The voices of several men mingled and echoed from outside the window.

They all spoke in rough and boisterous tones, clearly revealing themselves to be bandits.

The Shadow Path was a route that merchant guilds had been using secretly for a long time.

But such secret paths always attracted uninvited guests.

I clicked my tongue, looking at the bandits blocking our carriage.

— Hahaha! How dare you travel here without an escort? You must not value your lives!

Truly familiar lines.

I was planning to let Siron handle them, but Rudine, her face flushed crimson, rushed out of the carriage.

— Hmm? Who are you?

As I opened the window and poked my head out in curiosity.

Slash—

It was a single stroke.

The moment her Red Eyes flashed, the leader, who had been standing at the front, was sliced thinly like pressed meat.

He was cleanly cut down without even a chance to scream.

The bandits behind him froze, caught in sudden confusion.

Regardless, Rudine’s face was still flushed.

And a moment later, she made eye contact with me, who had poked my head out the window—

“!!!”

—and quickly turned her head away as if embarrassed.

Slash, slash, slash.

One by one, she sliced down the remaining bandits.

Adina, watching this, scoffed.

“Hmph, how messy.”

“…”

It seemed Siron wouldn’t have to lift a finger.