The Skeleton Soldier Failed to Defend the Dungeon-Chapter 198: An Old Friend (14)

Rubia gently lifted a silver pendant and asked, "What about this one?"

She seemed slightly tense, which was adorable. Maybe she liked it, but was worried I wouldn't.

"It's nice. Suits you well."

It wasn't just empty praise. Though plain in design, the elegant curve fit her well. She seemed to have a good sense for picking what matched her.

"It looks pretty." 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

"Right...?" Rubia's cheeks turned a rosy pink.

Isaac, slumped weakly on the hilt, said, "She wants it, dumbass."

"..."

When we entered, I'd already told her that she could get whatever she desired. I didn't think she'd hesitate over something so simple.

"She's checking your reaction first."

I gave her reassurance again. "Go ahead and take it."

"Wow... Thank you! Thank you so much!" Rubia bowed her head.

"Is there anything else you'd like?"

"I'm fine! This one is more than enough. But..."

"What is it?"

She tilted her head and pointed to Isaac, still perched on the hilt.

"Is this crow doll some kind of jewelry stand?"

"Hm..."

Well, with all the stuff hanging from him, it did look a bit ridiculous. Almost comically so.

"What? A jewelry stand!? The nerve on this one... "

Right, Rubia hadn't seen Isaac flying around or speaking yet.

"Uh... it's the soul that was inside the sword earlier,” I said.

"Really? So the famous Sir Isaac ended up in here!" Rubia said.

"Would you listen to that? Why does it sound like she's mocking me?" Isaac said.

"It's a misunderstanding." Rubia said.

"Should I reconnect you?" I asked Rubia.

"No. Don't. Don't link me with some fledgling pup. I want to remain dignified and still." Isaac refused without hesitation.

"Um... Aren't you tired, though?" Rubia gave me a concerned look.

"Let me know anytime you want to reconnect." I offered.

"Okay! Thank you. Oh, and... can this move?"

Flap!

When Rubia reached out toward him, the crow figurine shot upward in alarm.

"You startled me! How dare you...!"

He spread his wings wide as if to intimidate her. But being only about thirty centimeters tall, he wasn't threatening in the slightest.

Flap! Flap!

"How dare you treat the great Isaac like a plaything!"

His reaction was unexpected. Wasn't he just leering earlier, going on about sisters and innuendo? Maybe that whole vulgar act was a bluff—an attempt to look rough. It could be that he was actually quite shy, or maybe he just didn't like women.

"How impressive... It's fascinating to see a doll fly like that. Makes me curious how it works." Rubia's eyes sparkled.

This current form wasn't bad either. Maybe I shouldn't bother refilling his mana fluid. Even without Lurium, Isaac seemed to fly just fine. While flashy, that transformation earlier was possibly too intimidating.

Flap!

Isaac flew up to a height of five meters, dodging her reach.

"Oh no, he flew up too high... Even with all that jewelry wrapped around him, he still flies so well."

"Hmph. Tell her not to even dream of touching me. Still, for a pup... she's got good instincts."

"Instincts?"

"Not you. The girl. She picked a good one."

In the end, Rubia only picked one item: the silver pendant. Even though it seemed ordinary, she was still holding it with care.

I asked her, "Don't want to wear it?"

"No! It's just so beautiful... I'd feel bad using it carelessly."

"Try putting it on."

"Y-yes!"

She hurriedly fastened the pendant around her neck. It settled in the small hollow between her collarbones. The delicately-curved silver shimmered with a soft, wistful light.

"It's enchanted. The spell lightly dampens presence—nothing major, but useful enough."

A necklace that suppressed the wearer's presence just by wearing it. Not enough to throw off my senses entirely, but something about her aura did seem fainter.

"Don't even think about stealing it for yourself. Your concealment ability is way stronger anyway."

Of course I wouldn't. Rubia stood quietly beside me, occasionally sneaking glances at Isaac.

"Anything else you'd like?"

"Clinging to your side like that... pathetic. Hmph. Not that there's room to carry much anyway."

Isaac had a point. With the long sniper and the greatsword in hand, I didn't have many free limbs. I glanced at the trinkets dangling from Isaac's neck.

Storage space...

Mudcash's pouch came to mind. The one I learned from saving Hobgoblin Zixkisses Boomtong, and made by the goblin mage Mudcash. It was said to hold infinite gold coins, but I wondered, Could it truly hold nothing but gold coins?

If I had that pouch, I could probably fit more of what was here. Another thought crossed my mind. When Gith-Za-Rai died, what about that subspace holding her remains? How was it created? Could others see that space? Could anyone use it? I never got to test it. Maybe Mudcash's pouch worked in a similar way.

"Um... Mr. Skeleton?" Rubia's voice pulled me out of my thoughts.

"Are you okay?"

Clink.

I shook my head. Maybe I was accumulating too many memories all at once. Anyway. First, we'd go to the Order, just like Isaac said. After showing him the ruins of his old Order, I could think further.

The real issue now was the girl in front of me.

"Rubia."

"Yes?"

"I'm going on a journey."

It could be a few months or maybe a year. I did plan to get her out of Grassmere before danger struck, but there was always the chance I'd die along the way. This could be our last meeting in this life.

So, I asked her, "Will you come with me, or stay in the castle?"

Of course, staying here would be far safer, at least until the imperial family decided to send their insects. Rubia didn't seem surprised. In fact, it was as if she had expected the question all along.

She looked straight at me and said, "Do I get to decide that?"

There was a quiet resolve in her voice.

"Yes."

"Really?"

I nodded.

Rubia clenched her small, pale fists and looked me straight in the eye.

"Then I'll go with you! I want to experience the real world for myself, not just read about it in books."

She bit her lip and kept her gaze on me.

"Of course, I'll be a burden, right? But... I might still be useful somehow? Um... I've learned a lot of languages... If we ever go to the far East, I could help with translations! I'm not sure about interpreting, but..."

"Hooh. She speaks Eastern tongue?" Isaac, who had kept his distance from Rubia, sounded slightly surprised.

"What's that about?"

"Heh... After the sea was blocked off, there's no way to reach that place anymore. So what use is knowing Eastern tongue now?"

"No way at all?"

That didn't seem right. Gith-Za-Rai claimed she came from the East. I'd also heard that Baron Chandler trained there.

Isaac answered coldly, "You can't reach the mainland. The most you'll find is a small island—a replica of the East, like an amusement park."

"What does that even..."

However, Isaac seemed unwilling to elaborate further. I opened Rubia's status window.

[Name: Rubia Ray

Necromancer Lv.1

Health: 9

Strength: 7

Agility: 8

Wisdom: 14]

[Affection: 35

— Rubia trusted me and felt a strong bond and closeness.]

[Basic Skills:

— Book Finding Lv. 10

— Book Reading Lv. 10

— Ancient Language Lv. 3

— Rune Language Lv. 3

— Navigation Lv. 3

— Etiquette Lv. 2

— Eastern Language Lv. 3 (new!)

— ??? (Affection too low.)

— ??? (Affection too low.)]

[Perks:

—Increase Affection to unlock.]

[Titles:

—Increase Affection to unlock.]

One of the previously hidden ??? skills had been revealed as Eastern Language. Whether it appeared because she mentioned it aloud or was already there, I couldn't be sure.

Hmm...

Even without that skill, she wouldn't be a burden. If anything, thanks to the servant system, I benefited just by having her nearby. What bothered me was the fact that I'd be using her when I couldn't even guarantee her safety.

Flap! Flap!

My attention turned toward Isaac, who was fluttering in the air. From his perspective, I thought he'd insist on bringing her as an insurance hostage. But he hadn't said anything. Could it be that Rubia made him uncomfortable?

My thoughts deepened. If I left her here, would she really be safe for a year?

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Hmph. Handle it yourself. Why ask me? What, planning to blame me if she ends up a corpse?"

"..."

His retort stung. In the end, this was my decision. My responsibility. Leaving her behind would be shirking that duty. I'd be abandoning Rubia to the mercy of Grassmere's protection when I didn't even know how the lord could change. Until now, Isaac had been feeding on him steadily. Once freed from that leash, the man had gone off on a hot spring trip. Who knew what kind of person he'd become going forward?

Would he still submit obediently to the imperial family's irrational demands? Would Chandler become the new lord sooner than expected? If the new lord resisted even slightly, wouldn't the imperial assassins show up again with their creatures?

After a long moment of thought, I made up my mind.

I looked Rubia straight in the eyes and said, "Come with me."

Her eyes widened in disbelief, tense with anticipation. "Really...!?"

"Yes."

I gave a nod.

Ding!

[Rubia's Affection increased by 3!]

Through the translucent system window hovering in the air, I saw her gaze. Her clear, untainted eyes glistened faintly as her expression wavered. Was that answer unexpected?

"I thought I was being greedy... I'd just get in the way. I never thought you'd say yes..."