Chapter 87: Inside the Palace, on the Throne

It was the same as always. Although Felix didn't possess Originium-based healing skills and hadn't specialized in any medical profession, he was still capable of performing basic first aid—just as he had done previously for Nine.

A complete cure was out of the question. All he could do was stop the bleeding.

Carnelian slowly rose to her feet, swaying slightly before steadying herself against the wall. Her breathing remained heavy and uneven. She'd need to get checked at a hospital. From what Felix remembered, Caprinae were known to be incredibly tough—like Degenbrecher. And Carnelian was no exception. Tough, through and through.

Felix moved to the corpse of the black-robed leader and began his usual routine of looting. Aside from retrieving the cracked map, there was little of value to be found. The Witch King's remnants appeared to be poor. Their black robes looked cheap, and their masks were fused too tightly to remove and sell.

As for their staffs—those were practically unsellable. Offering them to other players would only invite trouble, especially since these staves had clearly been enchanted with spells. Any buyer would likely become a target for the Witch King's remaining followers. Felix, kind as he was, wouldn't set someone else up like that.

With the map safely back in his possession, Felix gave it a quick glance. Other than a few bloodstains on one corner, it was intact. The black fog that had once covered it had long since lifted after being unlocked with the key. There was no longer any ominous aura or sense of loss while looking at it.

Turning to Carnelian, he extended a hand. She grasped it and leaned into him for support.

"Some of your injuries were caused by magic. I can't treat those here. You'll need proper care at a hospital," he said with a pause. "We can't stay in this city too long. We've drawn too much attention these past two days."

Carnelian hummed in quiet agreement. Fatigue weighed on her from the battle, and she remained silent.

Felix brought her to a hospital in the upscale district. It was already deep into the night, with dawn just on the horizon. The doctors on night duty here were more familiar with treating Arts-related injuries. When they saw the extent of Carnelian's wounds—and the fact that she was still standing—their jaws nearly hit the floor. Any ordinary person would've been unconscious after suffering that kind of Originium Arts assault.

Carnelian was quickly wheeled into the operating room, leaving Felix waiting alone on a row of plastic chairs in the family lounge. She had traveled this land by herself. Her home, her family—they were all far away in Sargon. Right now, Felix was the only one she could rely on.

He remained in the waiting room until morning. As dawn broke, he stepped outside to buy two breakfasts and a newspaper. The front page reported yet another closure of the postal station. Citizens were furious, gathering in protest outside the city hall—but their complaints fell on deaf ears.

The Gesatzswächter and the gendarmerie were undoubtedly dealing with a storm of problems. They must have realized that the damage came from Felix and Carnelian. After all, their attack patterns had been recorded by the gendarmerie during their earlier skirmishes.

Still, Felix wasn't too concerned. Once Carnelian recovered, they'd leave. Whatever the Gesatzswächter thought of them no longer mattered.

After finishing the newspaper, Felix saw Carnelian being wheeled out of the operating room, her body wrapped in layers of bandages. A nurse approached him.

"The patient arrived just in time. We've removed all Arts-related damage. The concentration of Originium crystals in her bloodstream was low, and thankfully, no scars remain. Your lover is incredibly resilient—but please try to do less messing around in the future."

"We're friends, not lovers," Felix replied, taking the bill from the nurse. He glanced at the total and paid without hesitation.

"My apologies for the slip of the tongue," the nurse said with a polite bow. "Your friend will need to stay under observation for a day or two. Once she wakes up, she can begin eating, but only small portions to start."

Felix nodded. After the nurse left, he stood and made his way to the ward.

He couldn't help but notice how frequent his visits to this ward had become lately. Mandragora had been here once, and now Carnelian had joined the list. It really would've been much easier if their team had a dedicated medical professional.

To his surprise, Carnelian was already awake. She curled her lips into a smirk when she saw him, clearly pleased by the look of surprise on his face.

"Your body's structure is honestly kind of terrifying," Felix muttered, half-joking.

He handed her the breakfast he'd brought. She peeked inside the bag and frowned when she saw the light meal.

"Isn't this way too little?"

"The doctor said to start with small portions. Once you've adjusted, you can eat whatever you want." Felix chuckled. "I'll treat you to something better when you're discharged."

"You're actually offering to treat me? Just so you know, my standards are pretty high."

"Doesn't matter. It's not like I'm short on money."

Carnelian let out a light laugh, taking his words as a boast.

She wasn't eager to leave Felix's side—not because of familial attachment or romantic affection, but because she saw something in him. Something that sparked her interest. Step by step, she had been drawn in by those flickers of brilliance, until eventually, she stood beside him, fighting shoulder to shoulder.

Out of all her past travels, none had felt as exhilarating as the past two days. Exploration, reconnaissance, combat—every moment filled her with lingering excitement.

Having someone who could watch her back, who would let her fight freely and without fear—that alone made it worth staying.

"Once you're better, we'll head out to explore again."

"You go ahead. I'm staying here," Carnelian replied, her words slightly muffled as she bit into the bread and ham.

"Why?"

"You're the one who found the enemy. You're the one who discovered the map. Isn't it basically a treasure map? Whatever's waiting at the end might be something you really need." Carnelian crossed her legs casually, her tone calm and sincere. "We met by chance and became comrades just as unexpectedly. I don't want to steal your prey."

This Caprinae was as honest as ever, laying everything out without hesitation.

"Carnelian, what do you think is the most important thing when traveling?"

Felix sat down beside her, facing the sunlight that streamed gently through the window. He quietly gazed at the brown-skinned beauty resting on the bed.

If Degenbrecher were here, she'd probably recognize that the boss's philosophical rambling was starting again.

In his previous life, Felix had a talent for rhetoric. Doing business with NPCs had trained him well—knowing how to charm both sides, adjusting his words to suit the listener… those were just basic skills.

"I believe the purpose of travel isn't simply to reach a destination," Felix began, his tone calm and measured. "It's about the feelings and experiences gathered along the way. During a journey, we're not only moving across land, but wandering in spirit. Every step is an exploration of the unknown Terra."

"The true meaning of travel lies in the gains made along the way, not the end point itself. We feel the weight of this world's suffering, and along the way, we discover human connection—emotions that give us the courage to keep going when we hesitate, and direction when we're lost."

He smiled, then extended a hand toward her.

"I'm inviting you to join me on this journey of discovery. Will you come with me?"

Carnelian's eyes flickered. After a moment, she broke into a wild, brilliant smile. "Alright. If you're that passionate about it, I'll tag along."

After their exchange, Carnelian closed her eyes again to rest. She needed to recover quickly. Although she already seemed nearly healed, Felix had caught the doctor's quiet sigh during the examination. Caprinae resilience truly bordered on terrifying, truly a goat.

---

The next morning, after a full day of recovery, Carnelian was discharged from the hospital. Outside, a Military truck waited for them at the entrance.

Carnelian let out a whistle when she saw it. Running her hand over the reinforced armor of the truck, she grinned. "Where'd you get this beast? Looks pretty sturdy. Did you reinforce it yourself?"

"I'm a craftsman. Now get in."

"So secretive," she teased.

With a playful hum Carnelian swung her long legs over to the passenger seat and shut the door with a satisfying thud.

"Let's hit the road!"

Felix stepped on the accelerator, and the pickup sped off, leaving Graufield behind. Initially, he'd only planned to grab his supplies and make a quiet exit. He hadn't expected things to take such a wild turn. At this point, he wasn't even sure if his luck had been unbelievably good or horrifically bad.

But rather than worry, his player instincts kicked in—curiosity eclipsed caution.

In the mid-game, he had joined several singularity exploration missions as part of a larger team. And now, once again, he felt that same thrill—that rush of uncovering the mysteries hidden in the magical land of Terra.

---

Not long after the truck disappeared down the road, several military police officers who had been stationed near the hospital stood up and began reporting the developments to their superiors and the Gesatzswächter.

"It seems they weren't involved in the incident," the gendarmerie captain speculated. "Their attack the other night... it looked like it was for revenge."

The Gesatzswächter beside him shook his head.

"No. It wasn't just retaliation," he said calmly. "It was vengeance."

He looked into the distance through the mask, his voice calm and measured.

"That Sankta went to the cemetery yesterday evening. Left flowers for the three deceased Leithanien citizens. Do you really think the Sankta race would go to war with the remnants of the Witch King over something so selfish? Don't forget who they are. The Sankta who walk this land are either messengers—or executors."

"…How are we supposed to clean up this mess?" the gendarmerie captain asked, quickly changing the subject to give himself a way out.

"I've already reported it to the Empresses's Voice," the Gesatzswächter replied. "But incidents like this aren't rare in recent years. The Witch King's remnants can't stir up much trouble anymore. The Empresses's Voice likely won't spare much attention."

The gendarmerie captain's lips twitched. He wanted to speak up, but in the end, remained silent. His status and position left no room to complain—even if it was he who had to deal with the fallout from this worsening security.

---

[Mission Details: You solved the map puzzle with the clue from the Witch King's remnant. Proceed to explore the singularity marked on the map—there may be something to gain.]

[Task Requirement: Identify the location of the singularity based on the map, and begin exploration.]

[Reward: 13,000 EXP]

[Special Reward: Unknown]

The quest log had updated again—but this time, the promise of an unknown special reward was enough to catch Felix's full attention.

What kind of reward could it be?

He had never heard of a singularity mission named [Lingering Echoes] in his previous life. That meant… he was the first one to trigger it.

Using the landmarks drawn on the treasure map, Felix quickly identified the route and set out. The map appeared old—some landmarks had been eroded by wind and sand, while others had been destroyed outright by natural disasters, leaving behind almost no trace.

---

After two full days of driving through desolate mountain regions, Felix finally arrived at what appeared to be the destination. Before him rose a strange, jagged stone mountain. Comparing it with the map, he confirmed—it was the right place.

"Are we there yet? My legs are completely numb from all that sitting."

Carnelian yawned loudly as she stepped out of the vehicle, stretching lazily beside it.

"Hey, Felix. How about letting me pilot the Ranger today?"

As Felix exited the vehicle, she extended her hand toward him, asking for the drone's remote control.

Felix didn't mind. If she wanted to mess around, he'd let her. It wasn't a big deal.

"The ruins should be right around here—halfway up the mountain, at the entrance of a cave," he said, fully geared up. He loaded spell-engraved bullets into his pistol as he spoke, then glanced over at Carnelian.

The Ranger drone she now controlled lifted off unsteadily at first—but quickly regained its balance, soaring toward the stone mountain ahead.

The climb itself was uneventful. Surrounded by mountains covered in greenery, this particular slope was bare—no grass, no wild animals. A strange contrast.

Felix checked the drone's Originium contamination module. The reading brought good news: the cave ahead showed no signs of Originium presence. There would be no need to wear protective gear to enter.

The entrance was narrow, overgrown with moss. Felix and Carnelian exchanged a glance before instructing the Patroller to fly in ahead and scout the area. Once it had traveled a safe distance and detected no threats, they followed behind.

Inside the cave, a dark passage wound downward—not a staircase carved by human hands, but more like a channel carved over time by flowing water.

Their footsteps echoed softly, and before long, Felix spotted scattered piles of white bones. Most bore sword-inflicted wounds, though some skeletons were surprisingly intact. They were strewn along the sides of the path, clearly long dead.

"The injuries were caused by a sharp weapon… and some show signs of explosive shattering," Carnelian observed. As a Caster, she knelt beside two skeletons positioned as if locked in an embrace. "This one used a Arts sword and tried to launch a self-destructive slash at the other—but the Art must've failed. Otherwise, we'd only see fragments now."

"It looks like no one's been here in ages."

Their steps left crisp prints in the thick layer of dust. Soon, they arrived before a door—its surface steeped in shifting black ink. Felix recognized the Arts immediately. It carried the unmistakable traces of the Witch King's remnants.

"This door was created with Arts," Carnelian murmured in awe. "For it to endure so long… I can't even begin to imagine the strength of the original caster."

Felix thought for a moment, then reached into his pocket and pulled out the map. He held it up to the door.

The ink on the door stirred as if it had come alive. It detached itself, flowing toward the map and seeping into its surface. The once-clear lines of the map were soon consumed by darkness—and the next moment, the map began to crumble.

"This map… it was an Arts unit."

Felix nodded. He stepped forward and peered inside, guided by the faint light.

Beyond the threshold, the passage opened into a vast, palace-like chamber. At the far end, atop a torn and faded carpet, stood a Spear—ancient and still.

It felt like a scene frozen for a thousand years.

And in the dark, from a distant throne, it seemed as though someone had just opened their eyes.