Ray was heading towards Phillip’s County when he asked Aptel about the identity of the artifact.
Aptel replied that it was a type of artifact even he didn’t know and speculated that it might have been a weapon used by an Apostle from the era before ‘us’.
Ray muttered that he should have smashed the artifact immediately upon first seizing it.
When Ray declared that he would destroy any cursed artifacts on sight from now on, Aptel strongly argued against it.
In the midst of their argument, Clemens woke up.
“Wasn’t it you who were sent by the royal family?”
“Hey, did you really believe that? It’s impressive you haven’t been scammed while doing business all this time.”
“?!”
Having brought Clemens up to speed on the situation roughly, Ray stopped his horse.
To bring Clemens to Phillip’s County, they needed to go through precautionary checks.
“Take off your clothes first.”
“…All of them?”
“Everything, including your underwear.”
“…”
Clemens had no choice but to comply.
After making Clemens completely naked, Ray thoroughly inspected his belongings.
After confirming there were no issues a moment later, Ray traced a circle around Clemens’ chest with his finger.
This was to project the contract seal from the magic circle outward. After some fumbling, Clemens managed to do what Ray wanted him to do using the decoding authority.
After examining the contract seal with the decoding authority, Ray furrowed his brow.
“One of the contracts is missing.”
There had been three contract seals tied to Clemens.
The contract with his family, the contract with the spirit, and the contract with Florya.
Of these, the one with his family was gone.
Realizing the change late, Clemens soon put on a sad face.
“…The person I had the contract seal with was on the ship and seems to have passed away.”
After answering, Clemens belatedly checked Ray’s expression.
He worried whether Ray might be upset that he had shown respect for the deceased family member, but Ray didn’t care at all about such things.
“The experience and knowledge you gained leading the caravan will be helpful to the county, but… you’ll have to live as if confined.”
Even if Clemens covered his face, his hardened upper body was too distinctive.
Ray added that he would also need to prepare to part ways with the spirit who saved his life, then asked in a low voice.
“Can you accept all of that?”
“…I want to live.”
“I hope your resolve doesn’t waver.”
Throwing clothes at Clemens whose face was complicated, Ray added.
“It’s a good place with many good people. You won’t have a hard time living here.”
“…Understood.”
“If you’re done getting dressed, let’s go.”
The horse carrying Ray and Clemens started moving again.
*
While Ropheiren watched, Luna dropped the longsword she was holding.
The magical circuits engraved on the longsword shone brightly, then the sword spinning in mid-air disappeared instantly.
Seeing that the experiment seemed successful, Ropheiren let out a groan mixed with exclamation.
“Oh wow…”
“…”
Luna reached out her hand into the air.
The vanished longsword reappeared in Luna’s hand.
However, the sword that had been fine just moments ago was twisted in various ways and turned into scrap metal.
It was the result of not being able to withstand the stress generated when entering the A-Space.
Although the weapon was broken, the fact that it was broken meant that the experiment itself was a success.
Luna and Ropheiren succeeded in implementing an artifact capable of being stored in A-Space.
“Other mages would have fainted if they saw this.”
Ropheiren kept marveling.
The magical theory related to A-Space storage was obtained from Obelisk with Aptel’s help.
However, directly implementing the theory written in the book was an entirely different matter.
In the case of the magic circuit that needed to be engraved for A-Space storage, the structure had to be redesigned individually according to the shape, material, and weight of the object in question.
Moreover, since the object could deform during the process of engraving the magic circuit, the circuit had to be modified and supplemented in real-time while working.
This process required high-level computational work.
Therefore, it was a task worth attempting only with the collaboration of dozens of mages specializing in A-Space magic and relevant artifacts.
Yet, Luna completed the work of engraving the mana circuit with only Ropheiren’s assistance.
It was an achievement that was difficult to comprehend with the common sense of ordinary mages.
Ropheiren knew that Luna’s talent was different from those called geniuses in the world, but he still couldn’t get used to it.
“But why the serious face?”
Even though the experiment was successful, Luna wasn’t feeling any excitement; instead, she looked disappointed.
Luna looked at the twisted longsword with a dissatisfied eye.
She wanted to make an artifact to give to Ray as a gift, but most metals couldn’t withstand the stress generated when entering A-Space.
Ropheiren examined the twisted longsword handed to him and said.
“There’s no way a material that can endure spatial distortion exists in this backwater… Ah, there is one.”
“?”
“If it’s Dragon Heart, it would be sufficient…”
“…”
Luna looked at Ropheiren with a wry face.
Luna, who helped Ropheiren urgently complete the research on Dragon Heart in the past, knew whose chest it currently resided in.
Ropheiren grinned and explained that it was a joke.
Chuckling, Ropheiren returned the twisted longsword and murmured.
“You truly love him wholeheartedly.”
Even though it wouldn’t be strange to feel jealous, you cherish everything he loves together.
At first glance, it was beautiful, but it was a blind and twisted love.
“Maintaining such an attitude won’t lead to a good outcome…”
“Luna!”
A voice calling Luna’s name was heard outside the lab. It was Karen.
When she opened the door, Karen smiled and delivered the news that Ray would return today.
“Do you want to come greet him?”
“…Yeah.”
Nodding her head, Luna approached the desk after a moment of thought.
Luna rummaged through the pile of books on the desk and picked up one that was particularly sturdy and thick.
She planned to hit him on the head with the book she had in her arms if he dared to present yet another book as a travel souvenir.
However, even though they headed to the manor, neither Luna nor Karen met Ray.
Because Ray hid in the carriage until he entered the manor without showing his face.
Meanwhile, Jenkins informed that Didier and Johanna were given another mission and would return a few days late.
Karen waited at the main gate of the manor to see Ray’s face.
However, a servant of the Count’s household waved her hand, telling her to go home because Ray had to stay in the manor for a few days due to mission reports.
On the way back home, Karen grumbled dejectedly.
“At least show your face for a bit…”
Looking at Karen kicking stones aimlessly, Luna shook her head.
“…Ray hasn’t returned.”
“Huh…?”
“Ray wasn’t in the carriage.”
A shadow fell over Luna’s face.
Judging by the situation, it seemed like there was something that needed to be dealt with quietly again.
Though he was likely to return within a day or two, Luna wasn’t sure if Ray would return safely unharmed.
Anxious, Luna quietly bit her lips.
*
Finally arriving at the prearranged location after riding his horse, Ray met up with Didier and Johanna who were camping nearby as a precaution.
As the robed figure of Ray riding his horse approached from afar, Johanna initially tensed up but soon recognized Ray and brightened up.
Camping on roads where no one traveled wasn’t exactly an enjoyable task.
Since they had to avoid detection, Johanna spent her time hiding and passing the time tediously, so she was thrilled at the thought of returning home.
“Come on quick!”
Johanna jumped around in excitement.
As Ray approached with Clemens on horseback, Didier stepped forward and asked.
“Did everything go well?”
“Yes, well… I’ll report in detail once we return. Thank you for waiting.”
With a slight bow, Ray approached Johanna.
“Thank you for lending me your sword.”
“Yeah.”
Before parting ways, Ray borrowed Johanna’s sword from the Zeppelin X series, promising to return it after using it briefly.
At the time, among the swords available to Ray, Johanna’s was overwhelmingly superior in performance, making it an unavoidable choice.
Grinning, Johanna took back her sword, then gasped in shock.
“What, wha…?”
Johanna’s mouth dropped open as she scrutinized the sword again, trembling all over.
“My, my sword!! What happened to my sword!!”
The sword Ray borrowed and promised to return “safely” came back severely damaged.
The blade was scorched and partially melted, losing its form, and the hilt was bent all around.
It was beyond repair.
Johanna gasped for breath.
“What are you going to do about this!!”
Johanna was furious.
For years, Johanna cherished the sword gifted by Ray, always polishing it before sleeping and often sleeping with it in her arms.
That sword was not only precious to her but also quite valuable.
It was abnormal not to foam at the mouth seeing the cherished sword returned as scrap metal after brief use.
“Hey!! Give me back my sword! Give me back my sword!! What am I supposed to do with this!!”
“…”
Hearing Johanna’s reproach, Ray stood with a slumped face under his robe.
Truthfully, Johanna’s reaction was justified. If someone returned a borrowed item in such a state, Ray himself would have grabbed them by the collar.
Besides, the Zeppelin X series wasn’t exactly cheap.
However, after risking his life to remove impurities for the children’s future, hearing such words made Ray feel self-loathing.
Ray suddenly remembered an old memory.
Back when Ray was much younger, Jimmy returned after a fierce fight with a gang one day.
Breathing heavily as he returned that day, Ray shamelessly asked for more support for the orphanage budget.
Was Jimmy feeling this way back then?
Recalling Jimmy’s face with thinning hair, Ray pretended to wipe away tears.
Jimmy, I finally understand now. How did you manage all those years? I’ll be filial when I return.
While Ray was reflecting on himself, Johanna’s voice continued to rise, and Didier’s expression grew increasingly serious.
The Zeppelin X series swords weren’t made of materials that melted easily.
Furthermore, turning an X series infused with Ray’s mana into scrap metal required firepower comparable to high-ranking annihilation magic.
“Ray, are you injured?”
“…Still bearable.”
His response was odd.
Didier gestured urgently.
“Take off your robe.”
Ray hesitated for a moment, glancing at Johanna.
He knew hiding it here wouldn’t help conceal his injuries for long.
Despite his discomfort, Ray removed his robe soaked with oozing blood.
Johanna, who had been complaining just moments ago, froze upon seeing Ray’s condition.
“Uh…?”
