The following day, the investigation began in earnest.
Unfortunately, most of the magical books and scrolls found within the ruins had been cut up and crumbled, making it impossible to verify their contents.
However, some of the books still had some readable pages. Several researchers, including Cecile, were tasked with classifying these books and preserving them as much as possible.
In a hidden chamber in the deepest part of the ruins, there was a mysterious artifact.
It resembled a globe floating in mid-air, surrounded by three rings, resembling Saturn’s rings, stacked in different directions.
When we checked it out with detection magic, we noticed that it had several layers of magic barriers.
“This artifact must be so powerful that it has to be protected tightly. It is likely to be the most significant discovery of this investigation.”
Marquis Colliwood said, summoning Aslan and me.
“However, to transport it to the capital, we first need to deactivate the barriers protecting the artifact. I want to entrust this task to researcher Eila.”
My eyes widened in surprise at those words.
I had only been part of the Royal Magic Division for three years, and entrusting such a heavy responsibility to a young researcher like me seemed overwhelming.
“You demonstrated remarkable skill in opening the door to these ruins. Undoubtedly, your analytical abilities regarding ancient magic and your expertise in dismantling barriers are unmatched in this expedition. That’s why I trust you to handle this task.”
Marquis Colliwood turned his head toward Aslan.
“Professor Aslan will assist researcher Eila. With his academic knowledge, he can advise her on aspects she might overlook, and moreover, being siblings, your cooperation is likely to be seamless. I sense a unique camaraderie between you.”
His last words carried a hint of sarcasm, and I felt a pang inside.
Nevertheless, considering the humiliation Caden suffered at Aslan’s hands, it could be said that Marquis Colliwood was being incredibly lenient by leaving it at this level.
After all, Marquis Colliwood was known to be a fair-minded man and a strict meritocrat.
The fact that he entrusted me with such a crucial task was proof of that.
It also meant that Marquis Colliwood recognized me purely on my ability. I was actually quite pleased with myself.
“I will leave the supervision of the work to Viscount Doane. Keep the young people under control.”
“Yes, sir.”
Viscount Doane bowed his head. Like Caden, he was a member of the Disaster Management Department, and was known as one of the best at detecting and removing curses.
The more valuable the artifact, the more likely it has a powerful curse placed on it to prevent it from being stolen. That seemed to be the reason for his appointment.
After Marquis Colliwood left the room, Viscount Doan stepped forward and looked back at Aslan.
“Shall we begin then?”
“Yes, Viscount.”
******
After two days, Aslan and I took a break and returned to Bellum.
Due to the remote location of the ruins, Marquis Colliwood allowed all team members to return to the city for two days of rest every ten days, considering the enforced homelessness we had to endure.
As I soaked my body in the warm bath, it felt as if the accumulated fatigue was being washed away.
‘I should get some rest during the day. That way, I’ll be able to visit Clyde tonight.’
It had been five days since we last met.
‘I hope nothing unusual happened during the time we were apart.’
Parting in such a way made me uneasy.
Honestly, I wasn’t sure if I could pretend to be unaffected when I saw Clyde again.
Beyond my awkward feelings about meeting Clyde, I was genuinely concerned about how he was doing.
He had traveled all this way because I told him to.
What do you do alone most of the time when you are not with me in a place where you don’t know anyone except me?
In reality, I know very little about Clyde.
All I knew was what I’d read in the original novel.
Even that had become a distant memory after I helped him escape seven years ago.
I wish for Clyde and his mother Hena to live happily together for a long, long time. In Heremos, there would be no chance of his identity being exposed, so it would be best for them….
‘Is Clyde’s mother really still alive, or is she….’
Clyde had told me that it was a lie when he said his mother had died, but I couldn’t help but think that it might also be a lie.
In the original story, Hena was the most precious person to Clyde. If she were alive, I don’t think he’d be so blindly obsessed with me, and I don’t think he’d be so unstable.
If Hena was really dead, Clyde would have no one left.
Unlike me, he had no family and friends and couldn’t blend into human society.
But was it right for me to push Clyde away?
Does he not have anyone in the world except me?
It was a frustrating and suffocating feeling.
I closed my eyes tightly and sank into the water.
*****
Late that night, I left the mansion and headed to where Clyde was.
As usual, the door was left open.
‘I’ll have to ask him to keep it closed in the future. No matter how much Clyde can withstand the cold, it’s freezing outside…’
I closed the front door and entered the inside.
“Ruby?”
As soon as I reached the bedroom door, I heard Clyde’s voice.
Even in the midst of confusion, hearing his voice seemed to warm my heart.
“Yeah, it’s me. You waited so long.”
I opened the door and went into the bedroom.
Clyde had lit the fireplace and was sitting in front of it when I arrived.
Since it had been a long time since we last met, I thought he would jump up and run towards me as soon as he realized I was here, but Clyde remained seated without moving.
Seeing him like that made me feel a little disappointed, and at the same time, I felt silly for feeling that way.
I took off my cloak and sat down next to Clyde.
“How have you been?”
“Good. And you?”
“I’ve been busy with the archaeological investigation of the ruins. By the way, I didn’t tell you, but the real reason I came to Andela this time was to investigate ancient ruins. Well, technically, that’s the excuse I used to leave Trachen.”
“Because you needed to get me away from your father?”
Clyde asked in a hushed voice.
“…Yes, that’s right.”
I replied, and then remained silent for a moment.
“But Clyde, even when you found out that I’m the daughter of Julion Rojasis, you didn’t seem bothered at all.”
It was a question I mustered up the courage to ask.
It has been a lingering question in my mind since the day we reunited.
Until then, I had always assumed that if Clyde found out the truth, he would naturally resent and hate me.
“What do you mean?”
“Just from your perspective, I’m the daughter of your enemy… I thought maybe you would hate me.”
At that, Clyde narrowed his eyes and smiled.
“Nonsense.”
“…Nonsense?”
“Yeah. It’s absurd. There’s no way I’d hate you for that. If anything, it’s the opposite. You saved me even though it meant defying your father.”
“…….”
“Besides, ‘enemies’ is a bit of an exaggeration. Obviously, I had a little trouble with your father, but it’s not to the extent of being enemies. It’s not like Julion killed my mother or anything like that.”
“Ah….”
Hearing his words, I realized it was true.
In reality, unlike the original story, Hena was still alive, and Clyde had only been imprisoned for less than a month. It’s safe to say that Clyde didn’t have the same blood-bathed vengeance on my father, Julion, as he did in the original.
Of course, that’s only relative.
I still vividly remember my father torturing Clyde, burning his body with fire.
It was not something that could be easily dismissed as merely “a little trouble.”
Clyde saying those things was undoubtedly meant to ease my sense of guilt.
Back then, he endured such excruciating pain to avoid being caught, to protect me from being caught…
For some reason, my nose felt stuffy, and my throat tightened.
“I… I thought that if you found out, you would surely think I had betrayed you, and you would definitely resent me…”
