The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon

”All the ones that had been hiding... they’ll be wiped out in one sweep.”

The western desert was still home to many monsters, but most of them didn’t live here because they liked the sand. Under the scorching sun, with not a drop of moisture in the air, they were out in the desert of fear of humans, not out of preference. Once the Empire began its full-scale purge, their extinction would be inevitable.

”Let’s at least offer a moment of silence for the trials ahead of them. Also... can I take the merchants’ stuff?” Rena asked.

Rena sounded oddly bashful for someone rifling through corpses. She wasn’t the type to ask for permission.

”As much as you want. Take it all,” I replied.

”Thanks.”

Rena efficiently stripped the corpses of valuables. I had no interest in arguing over loot. Nothing that didn’t glow green would be worth much anyway. It had been a while since I’d seen her looting like this.

As I watched, a thought nagged at me.

A sweeping purge of the West, right before a war...

I couldn’t remember such an event happening. Maybe I’d changed something again, but that seemed unlikely. Even as a butterfly effect, it was hard to justify. I hadn’t done much in this life that involved the Empire, unless I counted saving Rubia after she escaped from her uncle.

I hadn’t even gone to Erast this time. I’d kept a low profile. Sure, I killed a few people at the inn, but that alone couldn’t have triggered a shift this big.

It was more likely that I simply didn’t know this piece of history. Or maybe this western purge was just a smoke screen set up as a pretense for something else entirely.

Which is it?

I was still thinking it through when Isaac fluttered back toward me, laughing like he wanted attention. ”Hehehe. It’s been a long time since I saw this desert. It’s not bad, coming here in a body that doesn’t feel heat or cold.”

I held my tongue. I almost asked when the hell he’d been here before, but I recalled he had ruled half the Empire centuries ago. If I asked him about the past, he’d just ramble about his glory days for an hour. So I stayed quiet.

Sure enough, Isaac kept going. ”You fought well. Quite the show.”

”You could’ve helped, instead of watching,” I quipped.

”What for? You had it handled. Life’s a solo act. But... did you see anything?”

Isaac was still obsessed with the status windows, but he clearly couldn’t see them himself. Even though I’d gotten a massive window after defeating the Ash Worm, I wasn’t going to tell him. I’d only share what I knew if he gave me something useful first.

”Don’t bug me about it. If something’s worth saying, I’ll say it. But did you really not know that thing was here? Even after being in the Western desert?”

”How would I know what’s hiding in some backwater? It’s been ages—I don’t remember everything.”

Isaac flapped his wings in denial, right as Rubia joined in. ”You didn’t seem all that surprised.”

Isaac flinched. ”What, you think I’d be startled by something like that?”

”But you even nodded, didn’t you?”

”I guessed. Doesn’t mean I knew for sure. Even if I did know... I wouldn’t have told you.”

What?

My new Desert Adaptation skill could detect quicksand, and I was really tempted to bury him in some right now. ”You wouldn’t tell us?”

”Life’s all about taking risks. What happened to your sense of adventure?”

So that’s why he told me not to buy the intel back at the auction? Unbelievable.

Before I could say anything, Rubia stepped in. ”You only say that because you’re not the one taking risks. Wasn’t that why you stayed buried in your tomb for so long?”

”Ugh... kids these days. No sense of challenge, and too much sass,” Isaac grumbled and then flapped away into the sky.

Once he was gone, Rubia stepped closer, her eyes gleaming. ”Are you okay?”

”I’m alright,” I answered.

I was covered in sand, but nothing was broken. Her cheeks were flushed pink—probably not just from the desert heat.

Rubia looked at me and mumbled, ”Sorry.”

”For what?”

”I just... thought you looked really cool. I should’ve been worried, but instead...”

What is she even saying?

”Fighting something that huge... it was like a scene from one of the books I used to read...”

She hadn’t been conscious during the fight in Leraie’s sanctuary. So this was her first time seeing me actually fight.

”I see. You’re not hurt, right?” I asked Rubia.

”Of course not! I just stood back and watched the whole time.”

Just then, Rena approached after looting the corpses.

Rubia, still a bit flushed, turned to her eagerly. ”You were incredible too! Watching you fight together was amazing!”

Chrrrk.

Rena quietly rewound the wire on her forearm, ignoring Rubia’s compliment, and turned toward me. ”Where’d you pick up such a delicate little lady? She doesn’t suit you—or this desert.”

Rubia gave a bittersweet smile and nodded, lowering her gaze. ”She’s right. Watching you both fight... honestly, it made me feel small. I can’t help like that...”

”No. You help a lot,” I said quickly.

That wasn’t an empty compliment. Even if I hadn’t told her, the servant system was reasonable enough to keep her close.

Rubia’s face brightened just a little. ”I don’t... but thank you. That means a lot.”

Ding!

[Rubia’s Affection increased by 1!]

Rena stood in front of us and blinked at the message she couldn’t see, but her expression shifted slightly. A moment of silence fell between us.

Did I say something wrong?This feels bad.

A single word now could ruin everything. Strength, agility, magic—none of that would matter here. One wrong move, and it’d all come crashing down.

Seconds ticked by.

Rena exhaled and stepped back.”Hah... Watch out for scorpions.”

She kicked the dead merchant’s tattooed corpse.

Rubia smiled and nodded. ”Thanks for the tip. Is there anything else I should watch out for?”

Rena smirked faintly. ”You’re a funny one. Don’t go too far northwest, either.”

Rubia looked between the two of us. The tension in the air eased a little.

Now I could ask what I’d been holding in. ”Why not?”

Rena’s brows furrowed. A serious expression came over her.

”Leandro von Batyenne. Does that name ring a bell?” Rena answered.

Rubia asked, ”Yeah. Do you know him, Mr. Skeleton?”

Rubia looked at me, surprised.

I didn’t make it obvious—did I?

However, she must’ve noticed a flicker of reaction while standing so close.

Rena raised a brow at me, too. ”Wait, really?”

I shook my skull. ”Of course not. I just zoned out for a second. What about him?”

Rena hesitated, then answered, ”Commander of the Empire’s Blue Lion Order. One of the Four Swordmasters. They say he headed west to hunt a basilisk. Apparently, it’s a new operation that just started.”

This wasn’t the first time I’d heard of the basilisk hunt. I’d heard the rumor during my last life with Rena that the marquis had been tasked with slaying the basilisk. I never knew the exact timeframe, but this was when it happened.

”Then...”

”If you run into him, it’ll be a real pain. Don’t head too far northwest.”

I had no intention of bluffing. Rena could probably estimate the gap between me and the marquis better than anyone.

”Thanks for the intel. What’s the price?” I asked.

”You’re asking after I’ve already given it to you? What a good customer. But...”

Rena raised the heavy pouch filled with silver coins. ”Consider it payment for letting me loot these guys alone. Fair trade, don’t you think?”

”I see.”

I could picture Marquis Leandro vividly in his gleaming blue armor. If I met him here, I’d be forced to regress on the spot. I didn’t bear any personal grudge against him. If anything, the grudge was mine alone, but even without one, he’d recognize me immediately and try to split me in half without a second thought.

With Isaac looking as shady as ever right next to me, his suspicion would double. The marquis would never just let it go. He’d chase us down without hesitation.

I really don’t want that...

It’d be smarter to keep leveling up in the East. Even with how strong I’ve become, I wasn’t confident I could take him on. Rena clearly understood that. Rena wasn’t urging me to try.

Rena smiled. ”Let’s just find the Lurium... and get the hell out of here as fast as possible. Good luck out there. It was nice seeing you again... Well then, I’m off!”

Hiiiihing!

Rena climbed onto her horse with practiced ease.

That was odd.

”I thought you were also here for the Lurium?”

The way she wished me luck and tried to ride off felt strange. I’d assumed she’d follow us to the temple—she’d gone as far as planting a tracking device, after all.

Still astride her horse, she twisted slightly at the waist and looked back at me. ”I was, but after seeing how you fight... and how easily you talk to me about everything... I kind of lost interest.”

She grinned.

”Besides...”

”Besides?”

”I came up with a better plan.”

”A plan?”

”Yeah. Forget the small stuff. I’m going after something big.”

”Lurium?”

”Yup.”

Now that got my attention. I needed that silvery liquid, too. I didn’t know if what we’d find in the Temple of Yemera would be enough for a class change. In addition, for some reason, Lurium didn’t disappear after my regressions.

Not just the location, but its influence seemed to carry over too. Rena previously had nine vials, and her stats had skyrocketed. I’d only appointed her as a branch leader, but now she’d risen to the level of director at T&T’s headquarters, and they were plotting massive operations.

If I could secure enough Lurium, clear Rubia’s scenario, and pass it on to her... Maybe it was a wild fantasy. But maybe—just maybe—when I regress again, Rubia would be reborn as a powerful warlord, one of the continent’s true elite. The possibility lit a fire in me.

”You’re saying the stuff in the temple isn’t much?” I asked.

”It’s not just the temple. Even if you gathered everything out here, it’d barely count as one. The other nine... they’re somewhere else.”

”Where?”

Rena pointed into the air, toward the northeastern sky.

The direction she indicated made me flinch internally. Rena smiled and said the name of the place that was on my mind.

”The imperial palace.”