The Forgotten Ruin

The scroll was a notice from the Academy, addressed to Lamier Weaver’s guardian—essentially, me. It was like a home correspondence letter. Starting with apologies for causing concern, there was nothing of note in it. It lacked any mention of responsibility or future plans, stretching a simple “we will handle this quietly and well” into dozens of lines by rephrasing the same sentiment. I considered tossing it, but I checked the Dean’s name at the bottom one last time before putting it aside.

As I opened the detailed documents, Viscount Timothy explained the situation while trembling.

It was an annual field exercise conducted jointly by the Faculty of Knights and the Faculty of Magic. Normally, a special trainee like Lamier wouldn’t need to participate. However, he had chosen to go when he heard this year’s training would be in the Northeast Abas Mountains. The Weaver estate is located right at the foot of that range. It was a win-win: Lamier could visit his home, and the Academy could receive support from the Weaver family. Or it would have been, if the accident hadn’t happened.

I dismissed Viscount Timothy and pressed my throbbing temples.

A protagonist going out for monster hunting practice and falling into unexpected danger is a classic fantasy cliché. “The Dragon’s Empire” had that plot point too.

Usually, it’s an Ogre, or if the protagonist is a bit stronger, a Demon…

But the author of “The Dragon’s Empire,” as if determined to win on scale alone, threw in a monster wave. It was small for a “wave,” but it still created a situation where over a thousand monsters swarmed down from the mountains.

Reading the report, I realized. This was the exact event from the novel.

“I’m going crazy…”

Lamier Weaver made it out alive. He even found a forgotten ruin and obtained a decent item.

However, in the original work, the villain was by the protagonist’s side. This is also a cliché; they were in the same group.

I sighed gloomily and rummaged through the pile of papers. Two knight orders were being sent to the Abas Mountains. It was enough to stop monsters from crossing into human territory, but nowhere near enough to search for and rescue missing students.

This was also bad news for Lamier. If he had been stranded with Kallios like in the original, at least five knight orders would have been sent to find them.

Should I request the dispatch of additional knights? Just one more would be a huge help.

No, I shouldn’t.

I gave up the thought. I couldn’t push others into a death trap just to save Lamier. Besides, the knights were a group that lived and died by their pride. They wouldn’t be happy to know they were moved by a private request from the Emperor’s brother.

It would be better to hire mercenaries specializing in search and rescue. I had plenty of money.

“Isaac. Call Ilios—”

Vrrr.

A vibration hummed at my waist. Even after ten years, my hand naturally moved toward it. I felt the palm-sized pouch that now felt awkward to be without.

“Tell Ilios to come.”

I finished the order while untying the string. Vrrr. Vrrr. Meanwhile, the Great Seal inside the pouch continued to vibrate.

[It’s basically my heart, that thing.]

Lamier’s words came back to me. I loosened the ribbon-tied opening and pulled the Great Seal out. The seal, which had now turned as red as the Breath of Capre, tumbled into my palm.

Then, a brilliant white light exploded.

A disheveled Lamier Weaver, covered in blood and dust, scrunched his face as if he were about to burst into tears at any moment. I went to pat his head, but he was such a mess that his original hair color wasn’t even visible, so I just patted his shoulder instead.

It was a very minor touch, but perhaps it touched the emotions he had been holding back. Lamier’s chin puckered like a peach pit, and tears began to stream down his face. Seeing him weep silently made my annoyance vanish, leaving only pity. How to solve this situation… I’d figure that out after comforting him. I sat in front of him and pulled him into a hug.

“You must have been very scared.”

He buried his face in my shoulder. Feeling my shoulder grow damp, I slowly patted his back.

I had taken it out because it was vibrating like a phone, wondering if it might be something. I never imagined that instead of a phone connection, I would become an invited guest.

First, I was shocked to see a dark, damp cave instead of my cozy room. Second, I was shocked to see a wide-eyed, filthy Lamier. The third shock came a bit later.

Where are we?

I don’t know.

Why am I here?

I… don’t know that either.

While we exchanged stupid questions with stupid expressions, my chest didn’t hurt. And it still hasn’t hurt even now, thirty minutes after leaving the spire.

“Your Highness.”

“Yes.”

“I… I’m sorry. But.”

I thought he was done crying, but I guess it was just the beginning. Lamier sobbed and gripped my clothes as if clinging for dear life.

“But seeing you like this, I… here, alone…”

He really has a lot of tears. But what can you do? It’s okay, it’s alright. It will be okay. I comforted him by repeating the words Kallios had used to comfort me. Unlike him, I had no knowledge or ability to make this situation better, but what else could I do but say it was okay? I couldn’t let him cry more.

He poured out tears and incoherent words for a long time before finally falling silent. I didn’t know if he fell asleep crying or if he was just embarrassed now that he’d calmed down. It didn’t matter. My arms were stiff from moving them so much, and my legs were starting to go numb.

I gave his warm, tear-soaked body one last squeeze and then lowered my arms. Sniff. The sound of a runny nose followed. I rummaged through my pockets and handed him a handkerchief. Lamier took it and blew his nose. He was embarrassed, after all. I moved away as he slowly stood up. His swollen face was pitiful yet funny. When I let out a small chuckle, he smiled along.

“Laughing like a fool.”

Lamier let out a “hehe” and raised a hand to his eyes. Rubbing his sore eyes would only make them hurt, so I grabbed his wrist and pulled it down.

“If you’re out of tears, shall we talk now?”

Lamier sat up straight with a serious expression. He didn’t need to go that far… no, maybe it’s better for him to be a bit tense than to cry again?

In the original work, only Lamier Weaver and Kallios survived. It was because they encountered a pack of Ogres. Unless it was a special situation like a monster wave, Ogres never moved in groups. An Ogre is a greedy monster that wants to shove everything living into its mouth, with no sense of kinship. Regardless, the group of about fifteen people was torn apart and swallowed into the Ogres’ bellies. Only Lamier and Kallios narrowly survived.

But this time, what Lamier encountered wasn’t a pack of Ogres, but two Gargoyles. A Gargoyle is a high-difficulty monster for a student to hunt, but a mage of Lamier’s caliber can at least buy time. In fact, he did just that to let the other students escape, and he intended to slip away when he saw an opening…

The problem was the monster wave. Goblins, Orcs, and even wild mountain beasts were running rampant, making it impossible to return to the camp. Lamier decided to move to the neighboring estate through the Abas Mountains. It was a proper choice. The documents I saw before coming here stated that monsters had moved near the Weaver estate. He would have died if he had tried to head back blindly.

If that plan had been carried out safely, I wouldn’t have ended up here. Not that I came here on purpose.

While mountain-climbing to avoid monsters, Lamier encountered an Ogre separated from its pack. A 3rd Circle spell couldn’t pierce an Ogre’s thick skin… and he said he found a cave while running away.

“I thought I was lucky.”

You’re not going to cry again, are you? I checked Lamier’s face. He was wearing a bitter smile. Right, crying just drains your strength. Don’t cry, just keep talking. I waited while looking at the wall, which used to be the cave entrance but was now packed with collapsed stones.

“I used my mana to the very bottom trying to break through this. It didn’t work, though.”

“There are… a lot of stones.”

“It’s probably 20 meters deep.”

“Oh dear.”

The cave he entered to avoid the Ogre collapsed, and he struggled to survive until his mana was exhausted, finally collapsing four days ago. He was lying there waiting for death when light suddenly exploded inside the cave. I know what that was. It was my entrance effect.

“Did you look further inside?”

“Yes.”

He probably tried to break through the blocked entrance because he couldn’t find anything inside, but I asked just in case. Lamier looked at me with a serious face. With that swollen face, he didn’t look particularly solemn. I just met his gaze without saying much.

“His Majesty the Emperor’s crest was drawn on the wall.”

“Pardon?”

Why a random Imperial crest? Lamier handed something to the puzzled me.

“Is this it?”

It was a thin bookmark made of gold.

“Yes.”

On the bookmark, about half a span long and two fingers wide, was an intricate and complex pattern representing the Dragon God Capre.

Since the Arneb-s Imperial Family crest is used for official matters, many people don’t even know that an ‘Emperor’s Crest’ exists… regardless, this was indeed the Emperor’s Crest.

“This was drawn there?”

“Yes. At the end of the cave, there’s a fairly large… cavern-like space. It was on one side of the wall there. It’s a bit faded and erased because it’s old, but it’s certain.”

I stood up immediately.

“Let’s go.”

“Pardon?”

“I said, let’s go there.”

After narrowly escaping, Lamier and Kallios wandered the mountains for about a week before finding the cave. The cave, which looked deep at a glance, seemed dangerous. You never knew what might come out of it. But the two had no luxury to look for another cave. Kallios had a deep wound in his thigh… or was it his side? Regardless, and Lamier’s mana circuits were tangled from scraping the bottom of his mana.

The two entered the cave after a silent agreement. And after walking for a long time, they found a giant painting that looked as if it were drawn by a person.

A magnificent mural of a beautiful red dragon looking up at the sky.

This is that forgotten ruin. The place where the item to power up Lamier is buried.

I guess he really is the protagonist. I smiled as I watched his filthy face walking right beside me. I’m glad I can keep my word—the one I said so often my mouth went dry—that it would be okay.

I had forgotten.

The reason I live as a terminally ill person is because of my weak body.

I was exhausted after walking for only a few minutes. I wanted to squeeze out every last bit of strength because it was embarrassing to rest already after so boldly saying “let’s go”… but it was impossible. I gripped my trembling legs. My breathing became so ragged I felt like I was going to cough. Even so, it’s ridiculous that I can’t walk better than Lamier, who hasn’t eaten properly for days, cried for nearly 30 minutes, and has tangled mana circuits.

“Are you alright?”

I couldn’t even answer and just slumped down.

Lamier held out a leather water skin with a truly apologetic expression. I didn’t even take it. Seeing its limp shape as if nothing was in it, it seemed there were only a couple of sips left. It was better for Lamier to drink it than for me, who had come after eating lunch. I might regret it later if I get incredibly thirsty, but if things go as I know they will, the situation won’t get worse.

After offering it to me a few more times, Lamier hooked the water skin back onto his waist. Unlike my ragged breath, I rubbed my surprisingly calm chest while retracing my memories.

The way to open the door to the forgotten ruin is simple. You just offer blood at the altar. Considering that the person who offered blood in the original was Kallios and the drawing is the Emperor’s, Capre’s crest…

My blood, which inherited Capre’s blessing, should work too.

It will, right? There’s no way it won’t?