Chapter 95
Chapter 95
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 95
Chapter Title: Chapter 30 - Temple of the Sea #4
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‘A signal from the Galactic Federation? For real?’
[I have no reason to lie about something like this.]
[That said, it does seem like an outdated signal. It’s pretty faint, too.]
Normally, hearing “outdated” would be disappointing, but Luther’s heart raced instead.
And why wouldn’t it? Even Clairheim Morr was considered outdated compared to Integra.
‘Then could it be one of the Eight Divine Artifacts?’
[It’s possible... but I can’t say for sure.]
[Right now, on this planet, there are three main categories of things capable of emitting a Galactic Federation signal.]
[1. Spaceship debris]
[2. Eight Divine Artifacts]
[3. Various facilities, including the Submarine Tunnel and Sky Island]
[There could even be a difference in manufacturing dates between 2 and 3. The Sea Key worked on both the Submarine Tunnel and Sky Island, but we can’t confirm they’re from exactly the same era.]
It was a reasonable point.
But Luther caught one key fact from Integra’s explanation.
‘The Submarine Tunnel and Sky Island didn’t emit any signals, right?’
[That’s true... Eh, what’s the worst that could happen? Go ahead and get your hopes up!]
Raising her voice, Integra floated slightly in the air, tilting her head as if listening intently.
[Assuming it’s one of the Eight Divine Artifacts, the likely candidates are the Iron Horse and the Final Armament.]
[The locations of the others are at least roughly known, but not those two.]
Iron Horse and Final Armament.
Luther clenched his fist in excitement, and Integra seemed to match his energy, spinning in place and changing her outfit.
She was now in a sleek black women’s business suit with black horn-rimmed glasses—anyone would peg her as a teacher or professor.
[Ahem.]
[Either one would be great, but cliché-wise, I think the Iron Horse is more likely than the Final Armament.]
[We’ve only gathered Clairheim Morr so far, so it’s unlikely some unidentified armament would just pop up out of nowhere.]
She looked deadly serious behind those glasses, but it was really just baseless speculation.
Still, Luther couldn’t help but think it sounded plausible.
After all, would the Final Armament really show up this early?
‘So, the Iron Horse?’
[If it’s one of the Eight Divine Artifacts, the Iron Horse has the highest odds.]
The Iron Horse, one of Sword Emperor Clausewitz’s eight divine artifacts, said to outpace Gale.
Clairheim Morr, the Star-Cleaving Sword, had lived up to its name with its immense power, so Luther’s expectations for the Iron Horse were sky-high.
‘Even Clairheim Morr without Ultimate Form is incredible...’
Ultra-Vibration Blade.
The biggest factor in his victory over Lagros was none other than the Ultra-Vibration Blade.
If he hadn’t ambushed and severed its right arm, if it hadn’t come to fear the Ultra-Vibration Blade, the battle could have gone in a completely different direction.
‘So, Iron Horse.’
Even just an autonomous android horse, true to its name, would be amazing.
So please, just show up already.
That’s when Luther silently prayed.
“Um... Luther?”
Yoru, lightly clinging to his right arm, spoke up cautiously. Aru, stuck to his left arm, furrowed her brow and followed suit.
“Luther, are you talking to the spirit right now?”
The guy who’d been flinching and blushing at the princesses’ advances suddenly clenched his fist, panting with excitement—it was only natural they’d find it weird.
“Huh? Oh, yeah! I was just chatting with the spirit.”
Luther smiled awkwardly in response, and while Aru kept frowning, Yoru let out a long sigh of relief, even if she didn’t fully get it.
[She thought you were some weirdo but seems relieved you’re not.]
[The Queen and Third Princess think the same.]
[Tsk, what a shame.]
Excuse me?
Who’s disappointed that someone’s not being labeled a weirdo right now?
But this wasn’t the time to bicker with Integra.
The water bubble had reached its destination.
“We’ll be moving underwater from here. I’ve heard you can travel in water, Luther, but is that possible?”
High Priest Martriel asked politely, and Luther nodded.
“Yes. Please wait a moment.”
With that, Luther turned to Aru and Yoru. The two naturally released his arms and stepped back.
“Integra.”
[Activating Aqua Form. Breathing enabled for 2 hours and 30 minutes.]
[Plus Night Wing, flipper mode!]
The nanosuit enveloped his entire body. This time, Night Wings attached to his arms, legs, and back, transforming into fin shapes.
“Oooo, so this is the heavenly armor...”
“Wow...”
“Indeed, that thing from back then...”
Seeing Luther’s transformation, the high priest, Third Princess Iru, and the grand general each murmured in admiration.
The grand general was probably recalling the time Luther was ambushed by thugs.
[Now that I think about it, we need to grill the high priest for compensation.]
[I’ll memo it so we don’t forget.]
‘Right.’
Our thrifty little Integra.
Luther mentally praised her, lightly tested his movements, and nodded to the high priest to signal he was good.
“Then I’ll dispel the water bubble.”
The high priest glanced at Queen Reina for final permission. She nodded, and he dismantled the bubble.
The surrounding space slowly filled with seawater—another display of magic. Everyone but Luther made a light gesture, and their legs turned into fish fins.
‘Oooo.’
Luther had seen Aru’s mermaid mode a few times, but Yoru and Queen Reina’s transformations were new.
And since they were underwater, when they shed their outer clothes, they were essentially in bikini swimsuits.
[Master, your gaze keeps drifting to weird places.]
Called out by Integra, Luther cleared his throat and forcibly looked away.
Aru, standing next to Queen Reina, giggled. Yoru and the queen blushed slightly, while Third Princess Iru hid shyly behind the queen.
[How about looking at the high priest and grand general?]
They’d stripped off their tops entirely, bare skin and all.
But Luther had no desire to do that.
And Integra, who’d suggested it in the first place, clearly wasn’t planning to let him anyway.
[No helping it, then.]
[I’ll have to sacrifice this body once more.]
Saying it like she deserved praise, Integra spun gracefully and transformed again—this time, not just her outfit.
[How’s this? Suits me?]
She’d become a mermaid with shimmering silver fins, brushing back her hair as she asked.
It was close to Aru and Yoru’s bikini look, but the difference was her provocatively revealing maid outfit instead of a swimsuit.
“Ahem, uh-hm.”
Luther blushed and cleared his throat. Integra grinned, satisfied at his reddened face.
[Seriously, our master is such a maniac.]
“Ahem, hm.”
Luther had never even asked her to say that, so it felt unfair. But denying it wasn’t true either, so he just cleared his throat instead of arguing.
Of course, his eyes stayed fixed on Integra.
[Ahem. Staring like that makes me shy, you know.]
Integra smiled coyly and shyly, then swam after the high priest.
[The signal’s coming from that direction.]
[It’s emanating from the Temple of the Sea.]
Like with Sky Island?
Luther swallowed dryly and kept swimming. Soon, his eyes widened in awe.
“Wow.”
The scene unfolding before them.
The seawater cleared for a moment, revealing a bright vista ahead. Luther’s vision filled with beautiful, multicolored lights.
The Temple of the Sea, located on the seafloor.
The sight of small, lovely lights glowing softly in the water rivaled—no, surpassed—the night view of Saint Elena Island.
“Beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes, truly stunning.”
Answering Aru’s question with a smile, Luther followed the pleased high priest deeper.
Like the Sky Island temple, the Temple of the Sea was a single-story structure, not very tall. But like the royal palace in the capital, it featured a massive arched entrance and a towering spire.
‘Integra, the signal?’
[Still coming from straight ahead on our path.]
[It’s getting stronger bit by bit... Definitely originating somewhere in the Temple of the Sea.]
What could it be?
Was the Iron Horse that outpaces Gale truly slumbering here?
Swallowing again, Luther followed the high priest.
Since they’d planned this visit, aside from some priests coming out to pay respects, they encountered no one and headed straight to the temple’s deepest point.
“From here on, only Luther and Queen Reina, please.”
Reaching the heart of the temple—the audience chamber where Malkuth’s King Adon ha Arets was recuperating—the high priest said gravely.
It had been arranged beforehand, but Aru, Iru, and even Yoru looked unhappy.
None of them had seen King Adon in years.
But it couldn’t be helped.
The audience chamber was, as the name implied, for meeting the sea goddess Adonai Melech.
Even princesses couldn’t enter casually.
“Luther... Please take care of Father.”
Aru, speaking for the princesses, grasped Luther’s hand.
She was always bright and cheerful, but not now.
Her face looked ready to burst into tears. Luther smiled back reassuringly and lightly hugged her shoulders before turning to the high priest.
“Then I’ll open it.”
As the princesses and grand general stepped back to the entrance, the high priest slowly opened the door.
And at that exact moment, Integra spoke.
[The barrier’s down, and the signal’s stronger.]
[The source is definitely the audience chamber.]
What could be waiting?
Luther stepped into the audience chamber through the wide-open door.
* * *
Passing through a few white, flowing curtains revealed a space with a very high ceiling and a round floor. At some point, the surrounding seawater vanished, replaced by breathable air.
Just like inside the high priest’s water bubble.
[Light’s pouring from above.]
That was probably the spire they’d seen outside.
Whether hollow or due to some magic, soft golden light streamed from the heavens, illuminating the chamber like an aurora.
At the room’s center.
Like the room with the ritual device, there was a single dais. King Adon ha Arets lay upon it, eyes closed.
[Life signs are extremely faint.]
[Seems like a long-term coma.]
Just like in the original story.
Early forties, maybe?
Mermaids lived longer than humans, so age was hard to gauge from appearance alone. But years of illness had ravaged his face.
“He’s been like that since before I became high priest. I did my best... but maintaining his current state was my limit.”
Martriel had risen to high priest because the previous one was helpless against the king’s illness.
That said, under Martriel, the king’s condition had stabilized instead of worsening. Greedy for money, power, and women as he was, the man clearly had talent.
“Luther, could there be any improvement?”
At Queen Reina’s desperate tone, Luther approached King Adon without rash promises and checked his pulse.
‘Integra, what do you think?’
[Doesn’t seem operable.]
[We can only hope the herbs work.]
Treating the grand general’s daughter had taught Luther and Integra that the high priest’s healing magic “restored to original state.” They’d assumed the king’s illness was similar, but apparently not.
‘Magic cause after all, huh.’
The herbs he’d brought were a lesser form of Elixir, said to cure all diseases and boost vitality. They wielded powerful life force to expel curses.
Luther gently pried open King Adon’s mouth and poured in the prepared herbal extract.
[King Adon’s life signs are slightly stronger.]
[Adding the high priest’s holy magic would be best here.]
Hearing Integra, Luther beckoned the high priest. He hurried over and instantly understood.
As a holy power wielder, he could see the surge of life energy.
“Oooo... His Majesty is recovering!”
The high priest, deeply impressed, boosted the herbs with holy magic. King Adon’s recovery visibly accelerated.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
Queen Reina rushed to the dais, tears streaming as she saw him improve.
Golden light from above, silver from the high priest’s hands, and the herbs’ effects mended the king’s long-broken body in moments.
Then, suddenly.
The light enveloping King Adon swelled massively and vanished like a lie.
“Your Majesty?”
Queen Reina grasped his hand, calling tearfully.
His eyelids twitched, then slowly opened.
“Rei...na?”
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
At his clear voice, Queen Reina clung to him, sobbing.
The high priest’s eyes welled up in, and despite just regaining consciousness, King Adon patted her back.
King Adon had recovered.
Another miracle impossible in the original story had occurred.
But Luther couldn’t bask in the heartwarming scene for long.
Clap clap clap. Integra applauded and turned to him.
[Well then, Master. Time for the main event.]
The main event.
Treating King Adon was a bonus. The real priority was elsewhere.
‘Yeah, that’s my Integra.’
Chuckling softly, Luther pulled out the Sea Key from his inventory and looked toward the signal’s source—
Below the dais where King Adon lay.
A slot just like in the Submarine Tunnel and Sky Island control rooms sat neatly there.
The mysterious Galactic Federation signal.
Luther slowly stepped toward the dais.