The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon

Rena looked genuinely surprised. ”How did you know?”

”I’m about to tell you,” I replied.

Sharunian, still cradled in Rena’s arms, stared at me with wide, gleaming eyes. Naneow Tropin stood beside her. She also seemed to be waiting to hear what I had to say. I did harbor a certain fondness for these two, but not enough to reveal the truth about my regression. For now, Rena was the only one who needed to hear it.

When I remained silent, Rena gently set the cat down. She instantly understood what I wanted without me having to say a word.

Rena ordered, ”Naneow, Sharunian. I’d like to speak with him alone for a while.”

Naneow Tropin tilted her head, skeptical. ”With him?”

Sharunian shook hers in disbelief, as if the idea were preposterous.

Naneow warned Rena, ”He’s dangerous. We don’t know who he is, but he’s strong, very strong.”

Strong enough to be called dangerous by Naneow... I’ll take that.

”He saw through Sharunian’s curse trap and evaded my ambush. There are only a handful of people in the guild who can manage that,” Naneow added.

Truthfully, I’d only avoided it because I’d experienced the trap before, but I wasn’t going to correct her.

”Have I ever made the wrong call?” Rena asked gently.

”I won’t allow it. I can’t let you expose yourself to that kind of risk. You’re the guild’s most valuable asset.”

The cat on the floor nodded along earnestly. She clearly had no intention of backing down.

”You can restrain me,” I suggested.

”What?”

I stepped forward calmly. ”Use the rune cuffs. I’ll even let you use the same curse you tried earlier.”

I lowered my sword. ”Take me straight into the building you were planning to abduct me into. I won’t resist.”

”How do you even know about that?” Rena muttered.

The cat crouched down low, tucking its tail to its belly.

”Meow.”

”Even divination wouldn’t pick that up instantly. This is way off-script!)”

That’s an oddly specific meaning for a cat sound.

”Well, then,” Rena said with a smirk. ”That should be fine, right?”

She took the lead. Naneow and the white cat followed behind, watching me closely. We turned a few corners until we reached a building with a single chair sitting in the middle.

Pak!

A pair of glowing rune cuffs locked around my wrists, securing my arms behind my back. The runes glimmered with white sparks, their symbols completely indecipherable at my current level.

They clamped matching shackles around my ankles. The fluffy white cat crept up and tapped all over me. I couldn’t lift my feet, nor could I sense my surroundings. I was under total suppression.

Rena glanced at me, bound and seated, and gave a lopsided smile. Her smile shimmered with something more than amusement.

Rena announced, ”We’ll talk alone now.”

”Hm...” Sharunian grunted.

Naneow shrugged. ”Even I’d have trouble breaking out of this one. Let’s go.”

The cat gave me one last look, tapped its tail against the floor, and followed her out. Maybe it felt slighted like I had invaded its territory.

Rena smiled. ”Happy now?”

I shook my head. ”We’re not alone.”

Her smile faltered. ”How did you know?”

”I just do.”

”Oh, for the love of...”

Even with all my senses sealed, I didn’t need to feel it. I already knew. Rena stepped outside briefly to make a commotion.

When she returned, she looked serious. ”They’re gone. Now, tell me who you really are.”

Whether she was acting or sincere, I couldn’t tell, but I didn’t drag it out. This Rena was clearly more receptive than the one in my last life. She was undoubtedly still having that same dream again.

I plainly explained, ”That dream of yours... it wasn’t a dream.”

Rena’s lips tensed. She didn’t even try to play it cool. Her tongue slid over her lips, moistening them.

”What are you talking about?” Rena asked.

”All of it really happened. That was your past. And I’m the one who changed it.”

I told the story of how we met in the cave, the swordsmanship training, our travels together, and her sister. Rena didn’t even notice the sweat dripping from her palms. She was completely focused.

When I paused, she continued staring blankly, like she was under a spell.

A long breath slipped from her lips. ”Whew...”

She fidgeted for a while before closing her eyes tightly as if trying to latch onto something in her mind. ”Keep going. The memories are coming back.”

She’s regaining her memories?

That hadn’t happened last time, not like this.

Her memory density and her Affection level... had they both increased?

While she was immersed in focus, I told her about everything that came after she died, including the secret routes inside the capital, the burial operation, and its failure.

”So yeah. You probably shouldn’t try stealing any of the imperial Lurium.”

”I wasn’t planning to, but if the Empire ever starts digging toward us from the other side... things might head that way.” Rena nodded slowly. She seemed calm now. ”You knew about Marquis Ivote, the Empire’s primary informant. You even knew about Stieglitz. I have no choice but to believe you.”

Then she pulled out a thin, softly glowing metal plate from inside her coat.

Pak!

The cuffs and shackles clicked open.

She took my hands and gripped them tightly. ”Thank you.”

”You don’t need to thank me.”

”You saved me. Without you, my life would’ve been far bleaker, wouldn’t it?”

Strangely, this Rena didn’t treat me with suspicion. She closed her eyes and furrowed her brows as she synced her memories with my words, filling in the blanks. She didn’t even need me to explain much anymore.

Then Rena asked, ”What happens to the world after that? War? Tell me something interesting.”

Her tone sounded casual, as if asking about the weather. There was no need to ask whether she’d accepted it all, because her attitude spoke volumes. She had incredible composure. Most people would’ve curled up in a corner for days, maybe even rejected the memories altogether, but not her.

”You’ve really accepted it, huh?” I mumbled.

”If I hadn’t, why would I be here? I never really thought the world was working properly to begin with. Anything can happen.”

Rena’s calmness had a strange persuasiveness to it.

I explained how the war played out after her death. ”The Empire and the Confederation’s elite forces all clashed in Embermere...”

She listened for a long while, visibly enjoying the tale.

Rena finally said, ”Amazing intel. Sounds like it’ll come in handy.”

I watched her absorb every word. Then I said to her, ”There’s something I don’t get.”

”What is it?”

”Sharunian. She’s a prophet, right? During the Lurium operation, why didn’t she warn you?”

I didn’t say the rest. She even predicted I’d be here right now, but Rena knew what I was implying.

”I only told her about you in vague terms. A prophecy doesn’t give clear answers unless you have a detailed target, but...” Rena gulped. ”With her skills, she should’ve at least sensed something ominous. I think the Ashen Knight was simply... beyond her reach.”

”...”

The Ashen Knight had killed even Naneow Tropin and Gith-Za-Rai. His existence was so overwhelming that it defied comprehension.

While I wrestled with the implications, Rena’s next words were completely unexpected.

Rena slowly asked, ”By the way... why haven’t you mentioned that cute girl yet?”

”Girl?”

”The warm-hearted one. The one who stuck with you. Even in my dreams, she left quite the impression.”

I couldn’t help but be surprised. This time around, she remembered things far more vividly and with greater emotional depth.

Even her Affection and her memory...Did both continue to accumulate after the clear?

”That girl really cared for you. For a human, she was... interesting.”

”I was actually planning to tell you...”

Although I felt a bit conflicted, I explained the situation.

”So, basically, you want to support this girl, Rubia, in her fight for the lordship of Erast?”

I nodded.

”You want to recruit the marquis expected to act as judge?”

”Exactly. It would be best if things progressed smoothly...”

”Rather than some mass-produced scum, wouldn’t it be better if the lord I met in a previous life became the one in charge? You’ll introduce me to them later, too... But still.”

Suddenly, Rena’s expression darkened.

”What is it?” I asked.

”First of all, the premise is wrong. Marquis Leandro won’t be coming.”

I was genuinely surprised. Both factions in the dispute were expecting Marquis Leandro to be dispatched.

”Are you certain?”

”Yes, it’s information I got from an insider within the imperial family.”

It came directly from Marquis Ivote. That kind of intel was on a different level compared to the rumors swirling in the provinces like Erast.

Rena gently opened and closed her hand before continuing. ”Leandro is currently in charge of a top-secret theft case from within the imperial palace.”

A theft case?

That tickled something in my memory. It felt like something was about to surface.

”Our insider couldn’t confirm what exactly was stolen. Regardless, he won’t be taking on anything else until that’s resolved.” Rena exhaled softly. ”After that, he’s scheduled to participate in a campaign to subjugate basilisks in the northwest. And it’s not like a secret case like this will be resolved right away. So Erast is out of the question.”

A mix of relief and concern washed over me. I felt relieved that I wouldn’t have to get entangled with Marquis Leandro, but I was concerned over the possibility that someone who would never take Rubia’s side might be sent instead.

”Then... who’s coming?”

”Honestly, there are very few realistic candidates.”

Rena pulled out a piece of paper. She had written down a list of names and held it out to me. These were the same names the monocled woman had crossed out without hesitation.

Rena struck them out one by one, turning the list toward me so I could read it more easily. ”Not this one, or this one... All of them have prior commitments. We’ll double-check, of course... but here.”

Her pen paused at one name. It was the very name Rubia’s subordinate, the monocled woman, had crossed out so ruthlessly.

”Duke Biblio?”

Duke Biblio was the second duke-level figure I’d come across, but I’d never heard of his name before.

”An honorary duke. Honorary grand inquisitor. He’s an individual who rarely reveals himself. He just appeared one day and received every title the emperor could possibly grant.”

”Hmm.”

”However, all of them are honorary positions, so he doesn’t receive a salary, nor does he have any aides or land. He doesn’t even have an official residence.”

Suddenly, I recalled the imperial laws I had absorbed from the marquis. Honorary positions were strictly prohibited from holding any territory. Therefore, they couldn’t maintain any military forces, but being dispatched as a judge was still within their rights.

”Because he’s inactive, there’s barely any information on him. He’s old and rarely leaves his home. He keeps a quiet, private life. If the marquis isn’t coming, he’s the only one left...”

Just as I thought I’d need to investigate him...

”Let’s go together,” Rena stated.

”Go together?” I asked back.

”Yes, I’ll help you.”

Rena was offering to accompany me and assist directly. Just the thought of it made life ahead feel significantly easier, assuming the Affection I’d built up after clearing her route in the previous scenario still held strong.

Maybe I should have just gone straight to Rena when I returned to the past?

Her offer meant I could use T&T’s precise and overwhelming strength as if it were my own.

I immediately shook my skull.

Clatter.

”You’re refusing? Why?”

Purely selfish reasons.

There was no telling what could happen in the imperial capital. If there were beings on the level of swordmasters, they would easily detect my presence. They would get suspicious and start tailing me, and I didn’t want Rena to get caught up in that. At the very least, I could never watch her die again, not in front of me.

”What about Naneow?”

”I have things to do regarding the followers of Purson.”

”Then go with Naneow. Please.”

It would be much safer that way. Rena curled a corner of her lip.

”This reminds me of the time you locked me in that spider cave, you know?”

”Ugh...”

Rena chuckled softly before continuing. ”I don’t know. I don’t think I’m the same person I was in my past life. Honestly, if some guy came up to me and told me to repay a favor, I’d tell him to shove it and stab him in the thigh.”

”...”

”And all that ‘take care of me in my next life’ crap? Not my style. I just...” Rena took a breath to steady herself. ”Well, I don’t know what this world did to me, but right now, I like you. I mean, I’m fond of you, so I’m helping. That’s all there is to it.”

”I’m grateful for the help. But still...” After a moment’s hesitation, I shouted loudly, ”Naneow Tropin!”

The door opened the moment I called.

Thunk!

How long had she been waiting outside?

”Take her with you,” I ordered.