Chapter 9

The man replied shamelessly.

“I haven’t found it.”

[You? Hmm. That’s surprising. Someone who can evade your eyes? There can’t be many like that in this kingdom. I suppose they really are a dangerous existence.]

“Did you contact me just to ask that?”

[I was curious about your progress. And, truthfully, I reached out because I was worried about you. Last time, you didn’t replenish your mana adequately. As you know, if your mana isn’t fully restored, your body will slowly deteriorate—from the furthest parts toward your heart. To prevent such a catastrophe, you need to replenish mana consistently and sufficiently.]

“Did you contact me to lecture about things I already know? Using one of the few remaining birds for this?”

As he spoke, the man flicked the bird’s metal-plated head. It made a dull thud, a sign that the inside had rusted. This wasn’t the only issue. The birds from the magical era had been severely damaged, with critical systems beyond repair.

Once feared as killing machines that heralded death, these mechanical birds were now reduced to tools for discreet communication or reconnaissance. Ironically, their rarity had increased their value. The technology to repair or preserve them no longer existed, so they were treated as treasures despite essentially being junk.

The man found the bird ridiculous. Its red eyes rolled aimlessly, giving it the look of a rabid creature.

[That’s how important you are. You’re the kingdom’s treasure.]

The distorted voice, likely caused by the bird’s malfunction, made Lorien’s words sound bizarre. Rex smirked at the irony, correcting her.

“More accurately, the kingdom’s useful dog—or weapon.”

[Rex, there’s no need for sarcasm. It’s bad enough knowing you’re out there alone.]

Lorien’s voice softened, genuinely sounding worried. It wasn’t an act. Since becoming his liaison, she’d treated him as though she were his caretaker. Rex imagined her with a pitying expression as she spoke, her voice now damp with emotion.

[I know you’re strong. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need help. In fact, the stronger you are, the more you need support—from me, from the kingdom. In small things you might overlook. You understand what I mean, don’t you?]

Warm and sentimental, yet hollow and irritating. Rex dismissed her words with a sharp change of subject. He didn’t want to hear more of her feigned concern.

“What’s the current status of the Andras Empire?”

[Fortunately, quiet. Or rather, they’re too preoccupied to make a move. Repairing the fortress you destroyed will consume all their attention for a while. You wrecked their experimental facility for war machines. They’ll be too busy recovering from that to investigate us anytime soon.]

Lorien’s answer brimmed with confidence, her pride evident. She was elated over the destruction of the enemy’s prized base. Though Rex had carried out the mission, as his coordinator and liaison, Lorien felt an overwhelming sense of accomplishment. She continued with an enthusiastic tone.

[Think about what we’ve achieved together and what more we’ll accomplish. Doesn’t it excite you to imagine how much greater we can make this kingdom?]

“Not at all.”

Rex’s cold response elicited a soft laugh from Lorien. She’d expected as much. It didn’t bother her. What would have annoyed her was if he lied, hiding his true feelings. His blunt honesty fostered familiarity and goodwill, giving her confidence that she had a place by his side.

[Rex, I know. You’re going to make this kingdom truly remarkable. So if you need help, just say the word. Though I’ll be there before you even ask.]

“If you have nothing more to say, let’s end this.”

[Are you sure you’ll be fine on your own? If finding it proves difficult, I can send a knightly order.]

“To this place? Send ones who can survive. Not that there’d be many.”

[Ugh. You’re probably right. No one but you could handle responding from that island. Still, perhaps the newly augmented knights could manage. They’ve been enhanced with mana, like you…]

“Disconnecting.”

[Oh, let me know if you make progress with the target! I included a packet of magical powder with the bird—it’s expensive, so only use it for reporting…]

Rex cut her off with another flick to the bird’s head. The connection severed, leaving the mechanical creature to repeat its nonsensical stuttering.

“Re, Re, Rex…”

“That’s one crazy birdbrain,” Rex muttered, prying open the bird’s beak to extract a small leather pouch. As soon as the pouch was removed, the bird’s erratic eye-spinning halted, and its wings began to flutter. A mechanical chirp, unclear and jumbled, emerged from its beak—probably signaling the end of communication. Moments later, the bird soared into the sky.

Rex watched the mechanical creature’s sound fade into the distance, then poured the contents of the leather pouch into his hand. A shimmering gray powder glinted in his palm. In this era where magic was incomplete, this powder was a precious commodity, enabling limited magical feats.

Of course, grand-scale attack or defense magic was out of the question. Its uses were practical, such as assisting with household chores, detoxification, healing, communication, and even translation. Its versatility depended on how it was processed. Rex returned the powder to its pouch, lifted his gaze, and focused on the swamp’s center.

The previously calm flow of air had shifted slightly, though noticeably. His eyes narrowed. Someone was at the location where she was. With a tensing of his legs, Rex leaped forward. The mist spiraled behind him, struggling to keep up but dissipating futilely in his wake.

“Let go—!” Suji struggled desperately, thrashing to escape. But the wiry figure restraining her held unbelievable strength for his lean, branch-like build. The sheer force made Suji wince, her eyes welling with frustrated tears.

What on earth was happening? Suji’s eyes darted around. Four people held her limbs, three aimed their sharp bows, and one prowled the room with a spear in hand, surveying the surroundings. Eight intruders in total had barged in so abruptly. Suji had barely woken from a nap, lifting her head groggily, only to find them already upon her. There had been no time to flee.

‘Who are they…?’

Swallowing her fear, Suji examined the invaders. They wore primitive leaf-woven outfits but draped coarse, robe-like cloths over their shoulders, giving them the eerie appearance of cultists from a fringe religion. She blinked in disbelief. The man with the spear gestured for the others to drag her outside.

“No—!” Suji twisted her body frantically. She fought against their grasp, but the more she resisted, the tighter their grip grew. It didn’t stop there. One of them untied a rope of thorny vines from his waist and bound Suji’s wrists and ankles. The sharp thorns pierced her skin, drawing thin streams of red that trickled down her limbs.

‘No, I can’t let them take me!’

But her fear of the unknown outweighed the pain. These people were anything but friendly; their cold, detached eyes treated her as nothing more than an expendable object. Though Suji tried to stay alert, her eyelids grew heavy, and her vision blurred.

‘Poison?’

The restraints were coated with a mind-numbing substance. As her sight dimmed, Suji’s panic deepened. If only she could see clearly, she might find a chance to escape. Desperately biting her lip, she forced a sharp pain to jolt herself awake. For a brief moment, her vision cleared, and she noticed a man—likely their leader—searching the room with practiced ease. He inspected various objects, then replaced them as though familiar with the space.

‘Is this… their home?’

She wasn’t entirely wrong. This group had returned to a temporary hunting shelter they used while traveling far from their main settlement. Normally, they wouldn’t venture this deep during the mist-heavy season, but recently, outsiders had been frequenting the island. This time, they came deliberately, hoping to capture an outsider for their rituals. If lucky, they could offer them as sacrifices.

“Shame there’s only one,” one of her captors remarked, smacking his lips. Last time, they’d caught two victims and fed them to the lake monster. Sated by its feast, the creature hadn’t troubled their tribe for some time. They had hoped for at least two victims again, but unfortunately, all they found was this scrawny woman.