Chapter 104
Chapter 104
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 104
Chapter Title: Chapter 34 - Wind God Island
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Five days after the grand banquet.
Luther sat on the deck of a cargo ship docked at the harbor, gazing out at the sea.
‘As expected, going straight there in one shot was too much.’
The Malkuth Kingdom was located even further south than the southern reaches of the Empire, strictly speaking.
Moreover, the next destination, Wind God Island, was at the easternmost edge, making the distance too far to cover in a single straight shot.
So Luther had first moved to a southern imperial harbor before securing passage eastward.
If it were just about travel comfort, a passenger ship would have been far more pleasant and easier to arrange, but Luther chose a cargo ship for two reasons.
One was that it was easier to transport Schwarz, and the other was that cargo ships made it simpler to hide his tracks.
‘Normally, cargo ships don’t take passengers.’
Of course, on the flip side, he might stand out more, but since he’d boarded through connections in the first place, there was no worry about that.
There was a world of difference between wandering the harbor looking for a cargo ship and quietly slipping aboard through an acquaintance.
[Good deeds always reap their rewards.]
“It was a good deed with a purpose, but... well, you’re not wrong.”
The reason Luther smiled wryly was that the owner of this cargo ship was from the Malkuth Kingdom—none other than the uncle of Sebastian, Princess Yoru’s guard knight and the first bald man Luther had ever healed.
‘Baldness runs in the family.’
Like Sebastian, a blood relative, the cargo ship’s captain was strikingly handsome but bald.
Though he had received Sebastian’s letter, he had eyed Luther suspiciously at first, but now he was practically an ardent devotee.
[However, Master, there’s a chance your tracks could be exposed because you cured his baldness.]
[You seem to be the only one on this planet who can treat baldness.]
It was true. But Luther smiled wryly and replied.
“I couldn’t just refuse when he begged like that, could I? And... he said he’d wear a wig for a while.”
In exchange for the treatment, he’d conditioned that the fact be kept secret for at least half a year, so it shouldn’t cause immediate issues.
The man had been wearing a wig anyway.
“Still... treating people really does feel good.”
Luther could still picture the captain’s face, beaming as if he’d been given a new life.
Integra, who had been watching Luther fondly, spun in place and transformed into an outfit with a black oversized triangular captain’s hat, a loose white shirt, and tight black leather pants. She then perched on the crate next to where Luther sat, facing the same direction.
“What’s that?”
[A pirate. Or maybe pirate hunter fits better?]
Integra shrugged playfully, then suddenly stood up.
“What’s up?”
[The books have arrived.]
The harbor where the cargo ship was docked was a bustling trade port between the south and east, with dozens of ships coming and going daily.
With so many people and goods, books were plentiful too, and it seemed the crew members who went out for supplies had picked up the ones Luther requested.
[They’re stacked in front of your door. Shall we go check now?]
Luther nodded immediately at Integra’s question, which came as she shared vision with the drone waiting by the door.
There was no reason not to, and Luther himself was eager to read them.
Thus, inside the cabin below deck.
The captain had originally offered his own quarters, but Luther had chosen this room deliberately to avoid unnecessary friction with the crew.
Sure enough, as Integra said, over ten books wrapped in paper bags were piled in front of the door—mostly about the Eight Divine Weapons and the Sword Emperor’s legends.
[Given the topics, there are quite a few heroic novels and storybooks.]
That was precisely why Luther hadn’t sought them out before.
But after witnessing the true power of the star-cleaving sword—Clairheim Morr—in the capital of Malkuth Kingdom, Luther had changed his mind.
The tales he’d dismissed as exaggerations might all be true.
[The Sword Emperor lived over a hundred years ago, so generationally he’s nearly four generations back, but it’s still less than two hundred years ago. Survivors who actually witnessed his feats might still be alive?]
It sounded implausible in Dragon Hunter Origin, a world without Star Savior’s life-extension or immortality surgeries, considering human lifespans. But this planet had long-lived races beyond humans.
Especially in the east, where elves—the epitome of longevity—dwelled in numbers, so as Integra suggested, those who’d seen the Sword Emperor firsthand were likely still around.
[Anyway, there are really a lot.]
[There’ll probably be a lot of duplicates. Are you going to read them all yourself?]
Luther shook his head at Integra’s question, then smiled and said.
“Can you scan them? Like we talked about last time.”
[Understood. Please turn the pages.]
At Integra’s words, Luther swallowed dryly and opened the first book.
The title was Sword Emperor’s Love.
The illustration on the first page prominently featured the Sword Emperor and Grand Mage Clarice, so it was apparently their love story.
“Ahem.”
The image of the Sword Emperor and Clarice from the Iron Horse’s storage suddenly flashed in Luther’s mind, making him clear his throat awkwardly before rapidly flipping pages.
[Scan complete.]
[Please open the next book.]
It was just flipping pages at a speed impossible even for speed-reading, but for Luther with his nanomachine and Integra, that was enough.
[Next.]
[Next.]
[Yes, next.]
Matching Integra’s cues, Luther scanned all fifteen books in an instant and unwittingly broke into a pleased smile.
Integra then said.
[Master, you’ve always wanted to try this, right?]
“Well... it’s a cliché, isn’t it?”
Plus, it was a ability he truly wished for in reality.
‘Just glancing at it with your eyes memorizes it perfectly.’
On top of that, the support AI analyzed and summarized the key points.
If he’d had this in reality, he’d have aced every civil service exam.
[Master looks so cute, happily indulging in such modest fantasies.]
“It’s not that modest, okay?”
Sure, compared to saving the world from destruction, maybe.
Anyway, Luther shot a glance at the giggling Integra, then touched the covers of the scanned books and asked.
“Anything new?”
[Yes, especially some intriguing info on the Iron Horse... Schwarz and the Sky Giant.]
[But there’s a lot of overlap and miscellaneous tales overall, so I’ll compile and report it separately.]
[For now, prioritizing Wind God Island and Wild Hunt seems best.]
The books weren’t just about the Sword Emperor and Eight Divine Weapons.
Wind God Island and Wild Hunt.
There were no dedicated books on Wind God Island itself—just brief mentions in geography texts—but Wild Hunt had detailed academic records, as it was an ongoing disaster in the east.
[Wild Hunt occurs several times a year.]
[But since it’s small-scale, only hits remote areas, and follows patterns, actual damage is rare.]
“Like treating it as regular flooding?”
[Seems so.]
[However, the Great Wild Hunt every ten years is massive and extremely dangerous, so no cities or villages exist along its paths.]
[Only nomadic herds of centaurs roam, avoiding it.]
Luther nodded slowly at Integra’s explanation.
This much was learnable directly or indirectly by playing as Radien, the east arc protagonist, in Dragon Hunter Origin.
[The key point seems to be the Wild Hunt’s masters.]
[One of the elemental wyrms—wind, water, earth, fire—is chosen as master, triggering it. Research indicates regular annual Wild Hunts and the decennial Great Wild Hunt differ in the masters selected.]
[Powerful ancient wyrms, not ordinary ones, for the Great version.]
Ancient wyrms were those who’d lived long, amassed power, or retained strong Helcanes blood, nearing true dragons.
[But Master, some seem... too weird to call wyrms?]
Integra snapped her fingers, and illustrations from the books unfolded as 3D blueprints. Indeed, among the ancient wyrm candidates for Great Wild Hunt masters, some made you question if they were wyrms at all.
[Especially Larkan, earth master candidate—it’s fully mammalian?]
Its muscular body had black fur instead of scales, with a gorilla-like build.
Its head resembled a horned lion or tiger, raising doubts if it qualified as a wyrm.
“Well... if the locals call them wyrms, they are.”
This was a world where even krakens counted as ancient wyrms.
The important thing was that these ancient wyrm candidates for Wild Hunt masters existed.
Tataria, the colossal 50-meter-wingspan bird for wind.
Hydra, the six-headed dragon for water.
Tyrant Larkan for earth.
Flame Giant Horse Volcanus for fire.
Each was a monster incomparable to regular wyrms even before becoming master.
[Still, Master can beat them all.]
[You’ll get much stronger!]
Newly developed gear, Iron Horse hidden functions.
Undiscovered fragments and the Sky Giant slumbering in the east.
In the original game, playing east arc protagonist Radien meant fleeing was the best you could do against them, but this time would be different.
“Yeah, let’s head to Wind God Island first.”
The small island, unmentioned in the original, presumed to house one of the Eight Divine Weapons: the Sky Giant.
[But Master.]
“Yeah, Integra.”
[You don’t seem interested in seeking out the east arc protagonist this time.]
[Wait, is it because Radien’s a guy?]
Sun Maiden Anne Rose.
Moon Woman Ash.
The difference with elf male mage Radien?
“No, it’s not that. I just don’t need to meet him right now?”
[Really? For real real?]
“Yeah, for real real.”
Of course, it was also true he had no urge to rush meeting some guy—let alone one near the world’s top handsome rank—when there was no need.
But then.
Integra, looking down at Luther perched on the bed, suddenly giggled and wore a familiar expression as she said.
[How cute.]
“No, why. What’s so.”
[Hehe, don’t worry. In my eyes, Master’s the handsomest no matter what.]
[Yep yep, handsome. Handsome. Our Master’s so handsome!]
“Might as well die.”
Were masters and servants both weak to mindless praise?
As Luther turned away bashfully, Integra ramped up the compliments, and eventually Luther fired back with his own.
“Our AI has such pretty hair.”
[Our Master has the most perfect proportions.]
“Our AI has such a gentle yet sweet voice.”
[Master, do you know your voice is so cool? It just melts me~]
Both blushed from face to neck, squirming in embarrassment, yet they didn’t stop the shy compliment war.
And two days later, in the afternoon,
Luther and Integra—thoroughly wrecked by shame and awkwardness—arrived at Wind God Island.