Chapter 69
Chapter 69
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 69
Chapter Title: Chapter 23 - Sea Key #2
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No sooner had they arrived in the Malkuth Kingdom via the submarine train than they headed back to the island with the station to gather herbs.
After hurriedly collecting the herbs, they boarded the submarine train once more, bound for the Malkuth Kingdom again.
Having gone through this whole process, Luther slumped into his seat on the submarine train and let out a long breath.
‘Busy day today, all things considered.’
Arriving at the island, getting pranked once thanks to the Sword Emperor’s journal, fighting bats while discovering the submarine tunnel, riding the submarine train to the Malkuth Kingdom and back to gather herbs.
Physically, he wasn’t all that tired, but mentally, Luther felt like he’d already burned through all his energy for the day.
“Once we get to the Malkuth Kingdom, let’s grab a room first and get some food. A bath, too.”
He still didn’t know exactly where in the Malkuth Kingdom the submarine train would arrive, but it would be somewhere in the kingdom—somewhere on the central island, no doubt.
The Malkuth Kingdom, as shown on maps, consisted of seven islands.
The largest central island and six smaller ones surrounding it.
But that was only part of the Malkuth Kingdom’s territory.
The kingdom’s true domain lay beneath the sea, on the ocean floor.
“Still, the royal palace is on the central island. The ritual will be held there, too.”
Muttering to himself as he recalled the original story, Luther suddenly sensed something off.
Normally, when he talked about the original plot like this, Integra would chime in with comments or raise new questions, but she was unusually silent.
“Integra?”
He called her name, but there was still no response.
“Integra.”
Luther turned to look beside him as he called her name again.
Integra stood in front of the submarine train seat with a blank expression on her face.
“Integra?”
He called again, but still no answer.
No, it seemed like she couldn’t even hear his voice at all.
[…….]
Integra just stood there, her eyes unfocused, saying nothing.
Luther felt a chill at the sight of her standing there like her power had been cut off. He jumped up from his seat and reached out, but his hand passed right through.
After all, the Integra before him now was nothing more than a projection.
“Integra! Integra!”
She was right there in front of him, but he couldn’t touch her.
His two hands passed straight through Integra’s body, making Luther’s heart race with urgency.
Her very existence felt like an illusion.
“Integra. Are you playing a prank? This is a prank, right?”
She often pulled mischievous pranks like this.
But there was still no response.
Luther’s hands continued to pass harmlessly through her shoulders.
Integra wasn’t reacting.
His voice wasn’t reaching her.
“Integra!”
Luther shouted once more and reached out as if to shake her shoulders.
And it was right then.
[Kyaa?!]
[W-What is it?]
“What’s wrong, Master?”
“You’re making such a desperate face.”
“Did you have a nightmare or something?”
Integra’s eyes flew wide open in surprise before she asked in a gentle tone.
Her eyes, filled with concern but now shining with life unlike moments ago, met Luther’s as he took a deep breath.
“Integra?”
[Yes, Master.]
“It’s your Integra.”
She flashed a cheeky smile and curtsied slightly by lifting her skirt, just like always.
But Luther couldn’t fully relax.
He reached toward her ear and said,
“Hang on, just let me touch you for a sec.”
“Huh? Uh… sure. One moment.”
Blushing slightly at his sudden request, Integra closed her eyes and opened them again, her face even redder.
“Now… ahem, go ahead and touch.”
She looked down shyly, as if embarrassed.
Luther pulled her into a tight embrace.
She was warm.
She was soft.
He could definitely feel Integra.
“Haa…”
Luther hugged her tighter, exhaling in relief.
He could touch her.
Integra was definitely here with him.
She could communicate with him.
The fear had been so great that the relief was equally overwhelming.
Luther hugged her tightly once more.
But it was only for a moment.
Seven seconds passed, and Integra became an untouchable illusion again.
His arms no longer felt her softness, her warmth, or her solid presence.
Yet Luther couldn’t easily let go of the arms that had been holding her.
And after a few more seconds.
Integra slowly lifted her head from within his embrace.
Now back to a projection, she couldn’t touch him, but she raised her hand as if stroking his cheek and gazed at his face.
[…Master?]
At her call, Luther opened his eyes.
He faced the hand hovering over his cheek—untouchable—and her face.
Integra smiled tenderly.
And in a gentle voice, she asked,
[Are you okay?]
“Did you really have a nightmare?”
“Our Master’s such a baby, a total baby.”
She teased playfully at the end.
As if to reassure him that everything was just like always.
That was why Luther relaxed.
He released his arms from around her, let out a long breath, and after giving a small smile to Integra—who had chosen to wait patiently rather than press him—began to explain.
“So, anyway…”
Integra suddenly going silent.
Standing there with dead eyes like her power was cut off, not responding no matter how much he called.
As Luther explained, Integra’s eyes widened in shock.
[I froze up?]
“Yeah, you were just standing there limp like this, and no matter how much I called, you wouldn’t answer.”
Luther dangled his arms limply and stared blankly at the floor. Integra furrowed her brow, crossed her arms as if searching her memory, and closed her eyes.
“Hmm…”
“I don’t know.”
“I’ll run a self-diagnostic for now.”
“It’ll only take a moment, so don’t worry too much and wait for me.”
“Your Integra will definitely return to your side. Got it?”
“Yeah.”
Integra vanished in a burst of light as Luther nodded.
It was something that happened often, and she had promised to come back, but
Luther found himself gritting his teeth unconsciously. He forced deep breaths to calm the anxiety that felt like his heart was dropping.
And after about ten more minutes.
What felt like an eternity passed, and Integra’s voice returned.
[Master, the diagnostic didn’t turn up anything major.]
“Maybe it was just a momentary glitch?”
“Like buffering.”
“I’ve been recklessly acquiring and analyzing data lately… stuff like that.”
“Anyway, the conclusion is, no need to worry too much. Got it?]
As she finished speaking, Integra reappeared before Luther’s eyes. She looked at him with kind eyes, then wore a sly smile.
“Heh heh.”
“Fufu.”
“Our Master is so cute.”
She poked at him teasingly again.
Instead of responding, Luther let out a small, involuntary laugh.
This time, he truly felt relieved.
So Integra smiled quietly instead of teasing him further and took her place beside him.
Truth be told, she wanted to hold his hand, but less than fifteen minutes had passed, so she couldn’t.
And then another minute, two minutes passed.
After a brief silence, Luther and Integra spoke up almost simultaneously.
[Where do you think the submarine train connects on the central island?]
“Who knows, but the central island itself isn’t that big, so no matter where we exit, we shouldn’t need to camp out. We’ve got the Air Striker, after all.”
[Path of the Sea.]
[Sea Key.]
[The Path of the Sky and Path of the Earth are on my mind too.]
“Once we arrive in the Malkuth Kingdom, we should advance the main story and look for any other facilities where we can use the Sea Key.”
“Good idea. Any clues?”
[If we search hard enough, something’s bound to turn up.]
“We might even find a fragment.”
“That’s awfully haphazard for an AI.”
“Hmph, am I some ordinary AI?”
Integra placed her hand on top of Luther’s with a haughty tone.
Just seven seconds.
But the warmth was definitely transmitted.
The submarine train came to a stop.
It was the Malkuth Kingdom.
* * *
[Master, I can’t pinpoint our exact location, so stay cautious.]
“We don’t know what’s outside the station. Got it?]
“Yeah.”
Luther gave a curt reply and stood before the firmly shut door.
Somewhere on the central island of the Malkuth Kingdom.
The submarine train’s terminus.
Luther took a deep breath and used the Sea Key to open the door.
[Another door.]
“Yeah.”
Beyond the door was a short corridor about two meters long and another door.
Was it just for added security?
As the door behind him slammed shut upon entering the corridor, Luther didn’t dwell on it and used the Sea Key on the door ahead.
What appeared next was a circular room about five meters in diameter.
[Master, there’s a door on the ceiling.]
“On the ceiling?”
[Yes, and now… it’s opening?]
As Integra spoke, the ceiling door began sliding open left and right.
But the real problem came after.
“Huh?”
The moment the door opened, a massive volume of water poured down.
An enormous amount—enough to fill the room in an instant!
[Nanosuit deploying!]
The nanosuit enveloped Luther’s entire body just as the first drops hit the floor.
The rushing water soon reached his chest, and right after, it filled the room completely.
[Seems the ceiling connects to a lake or river.]
[The visor’s stored air will last 180 seconds for breathing.]
[We should head upward to escape.]
That’s exactly what Luther thought.
Without hesitation, he activated his backpack and the thrusters on both arms.
-Kwagaga!
[The water depth isn’t too great.]
[The water’s warm.]
[Possibly hot spring water.]
Sure enough, after ascending about ten meters, he could vaguely make out the scenery above the surface.
A faint glow.
A pitch-black night sky with two moons.
Before he could take it all in, Luther’s body burst out of the water.
Indoors.
Marble floor.
More precisely, an open-air bath with the ceiling broken through.
No—a bathhouse.
‘A bathhouse?’
As Luther’s feet touched down in the shallower area a bit ahead of where he’d surfaced, his eyes caught the familiar upper body of a woman.
Sky-blue hair, eyes wide in shock, a white slender neck, and below it, a beautiful—
[Blocking visor vision!]
Pitch black.
Luther could see nothing more.