“You really know about this sword… and where the last piece is?”
Schumacher, utterly taken in by the con artist, now looked at Kay with the complete faith of someone convinced they were standing before a true Prophet. Kay simply nodded with a secretive expression.
“Of course I do. If I didn’t, how else would I have escaped Inas Idenbach?”
That last remark seemed to seal the deal. Schumacher clamped his mouth shut. The truth was Inas had let Kay go, but after what Schumacher had suffered at Inas’s hands, the lie was all too believable.
“Then can you tell me where the final fragment is?”
“You know it’s up north, right?”
“…Yeah.”
“It’s on the mid-slopes of the Northern Pagan Mountains, near the border with Intusnica. The place is called the Temple of Eternity. You can get there directly from Montstein City, in the heart of the Magnus Duchy.”
Though Schumacher had clearly fallen for the lie, suspicion still lingered in his eyes. He glared at Kay with lingering doubt.
“If you lied to me on purpose, I’ll cut you down.”
“Suit yourself.”
Even when confronted directly, Kay only grinned. Clicking his tongue, Schumacher turned from him and looked toward Nigel.
“So, Duke, where do you plan to go next?”
“I need to return to my territory. There’s something I need to confirm there…”
The perfectly convenient destination made Schumacher’s eyes narrow in suspicion. After a moment of thought, he looked up sharply.
“Wait a minute—you’re seriously going back to your duchy after escaping Inas Idenbach? Are you out of your mind?”
“There’s something I absolutely must do there.”
“Whatever you need doesn’t matter if you’re dead.”
“By that logic, Inas could come after me at any moment. I already knew that when I decided to go.”
Inas had flung Schumacher to the sea and then hurled him back into the capital like it was nothing. It finally seemed to hit him. His expression turned grim. Nigel had been worried Schumacher might object, but unexpectedly, he just sighed.
“So that’s how it is. That bastard’s toying with you.”
Nigel grimaced. It wasn’t entirely wrong, but he didn’t want to admit it either. Since Nigel said nothing, Schumacher let out a weary breath.
“He’s a bastard, through and through. Treating people’s lives like some kind of joke…”
Fuming, Schumacher clenched his teeth. Nigel couldn’t bring himself to agree and gave an awkward smile. In truth, Inas probably didn’t even see any of this as a game. He might not even find it entertaining.
After a long silence, Schumacher looked up, his expression conflicted.
“Fine. I’ll go with you.”
“Are you serious?”
Schumacher’s conclusion was unexpected. When Nigel asked again in disbelief, he calmly nodded.
“Of course.”
“Don’t you have your own objective? We’d just be in the way.”
“I’ll help only enough that it won’t interfere. Don’t worry.”
Nigel glanced at Kay. He didn’t like the idea of sticking the Protagonist and the Final Boss together, but clearly this was a course of events he couldn’t reject.
He sighed to himself, thinking about his own role. It really did feel like he was being dragged along for the ride.
Well, it wasn’t like he didn’t know things would reset anyway. There was no driving force pushing him to act desperately. Whether he did well or not, it would all be erased. So why bother trying? No matter what he did, the outcome would always be the same.
“Then I suppose I’d better find us some horses. The sooner we leave, the better.”
While Nigel was lost in his self-loathing, Schumacher began making preparations. He donned a black cloak and took his old knight sword—still bearing the mark of his former order. Probably to avoid attracting attention. Nigel hesitated for a moment before standing to follow him.
“Ah, then I’ll—”
“You two stay here. I won’t be long.”
Taking the advice, Nigel sat back down. Once Schumacher left the room, he walked over to the window and looked outside.
Watching Schumacher disappear from the manor, Nigel turned and glared at the unbothered Kay.
“What’s going through that head of yours?”
“What do you mean?”
“You deliberately dragged Schumacher into this. Didn’t you?”
“I did. But isn’t it a good thing? He’s the safest escort we could ask for.”
“Maybe so, but you’re strong enough on your own—”
“Two’s better than one. I might be fine solo, but traveling with the Duke complicates things.”
“…”
He didn’t have a comeback for that. When Nigel was the biggest burden on the journey north, it was hard to argue with someone offering help—even if you didn’t fully trust them.
Nigel idly fidgeted with his cold teacup. He didn’t regret running from Inas, but he wasn’t sure if following Kay this far had been the right move. Maybe it would’ve been better to collapse somewhere along the way and go it alone. Of course, he knew full well he’d likely die out on the plains. Still, the thought lingered.
“Don’t worry too much. Everything will work out just fine.”
Kay, clueless about Nigel’s inner turmoil, offered only cheerful reassurances. Frustrated, Nigel downed the rest of his cold tea in one gulp and set the cup down.
“By the way—how did you do that earlier?”
“Do what?”
“You dodged Schumacher’s attack. Right now, you’re…”
Weak. He didn’t say it outright, but Kay easily caught the unspoken words and answered casually.
“I still have the memories. My body isn’t as fast, but my technique’s gotten a lot better. And I’ve fought Schumacher so many times, I can predict most of his moves.”
In other words, the visible Level isn’t everything. Sure, compared to Inas, he’d still be flattened instantly, but at least they weren’t in danger of dying on the road.
“Good to hear.”
“As long as Inas Idenbach isn’t around, we’ll be fine.”
“…”
He wasn’t wrong, but Nigel didn’t know how to respond and kept his mouth shut. An awkward silence filled the room, and he found himself fiddling with the empty teacup again.
Thankfully, Schumacher returned before long.
“Something happen? The mood’s weird in here.”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“Hm… Well, I’m ready. Got three horses. We can leave now—just need to pack the essentials.”
“You already got the horses?”
“I paid off the stablemaster at the city guard’s outpost a while ago. It’ll get chalked up to the knight captain’s account. Let’s move.”
Schumacher gathered the few bags they had and headed out first. Kay dragged the dazed Nigel downstairs.
Getting out the front gate on horseback was a breeze. They weren’t wanted men—yet. And just having Schumacher in the lead meant nobody even asked for ID.
The journey continued in silence. They rode hard all day, forcing down potions when fatigue set in. Occasionally they ran into trouble in towns, but it never lasted long—they weren’t staying anywhere more than a night. They moved faster than any of Nigel’s past travels by carriage.
The journey only paused briefly when they were about halfway.
“Looks like we’re not leaving today.”
The rain that had started the night before had only worsened. What began as a drizzle had grown into a torrential downpour, blindingly heavy.
“We should wait it out. If we push on in this, you’ll collapse.”
“Sorry. I’m being a burden again.”
“Not just you. Even the horses might slip on terrain like this. It’d be suicide to keep going.”
The route from Solne to Magnus necessarily cut through mountain passes. There were flatter paths, but they’d have to take a major detour. The way ahead was steep and treacherous.
Kay pulled his cloak tighter around himself.
“I’m heading out for a bit.”
“Where are you going?”
“To find a hood for the Duke. It’ll be hot, but even something from a nearby village would be better than nothing.”
Nigel, who had initially looked at him with suspicion, quickly felt ashamed.
One thing he’d noticed in recent days—he attracted a ridiculous amount of trouble.
Whenever he was alone, someone would pick a fight. Where are you from? What are you doing here? Seemed like normal questions—until you heard the tone. Schumacher often ended up dragged into it, and sometimes even Kay.
It wasn’t like Nigel hadn’t already caused enough problems, constantly collapsing from exhaustion. He couldn’t even lift his head in embarrassment.
“Sorry. You’re doing all this because of me.”
“Not at all, Your Grace. The fault lies with those who start the trouble.”
Kay smiled with the kind of gentle face that made you feel guilty for ever doubting him. His light, reassuring voice as he dashed out into the rain seemed ridiculous, but strangely calming. Nigel watched his back disappear into the downpour, lost in thought.
At his core, Kay really was kind. He was the protagonist of justice, after all. As Nigel stared at the empty spot where Kay had stood, Schumacher clicked his tongue beside him.
“That guy’s suspicious. Don’t trust him too much.”
“I don’t completely trust him.”
“Sure you don’t.”
Schumacher clicked his tongue again, clearly unconvinced. Having seen Nigel constantly weak and frail these past days, he seemed to now view him as helpless. Not wrong, physically speaking—but he seemed to have completely forgotten that Nigel was the Duke of Magnus, a man who once commanded armies.
Then again, Nigel had started to forget that himself lately. Feeling ridiculous, he said nothing and kept his gaze on the window.
“I thought someone would’ve chased us by now, but I guess not.”
“Yeah…”
Schumacher’s offhand comment got only a lukewarm response.
Nigel was heading toward the very place where Inas was. There was no need for Inas to chase him—he’d come on his own. For all Nigel knew, Inas might be watching him even now, using magic. Watching his every move, knowing that none of it would change anything.
Either way, they’d meet again when he reached the duchy. Nigel wasn’t sure what kind of face he’d wear when that happened.
“You okay, Duke?”
“Yeah…”
He couldn’t hide the heaviness in his voice. Seeing this, Schumacher brought him a blanket and covered his knees, then went downstairs to fetch hot tea.
The cup he returned with smelled cheap, but the warmth was comforting. Nigel had lived on nothing but the finest his entire life—but now, even poor-quality tea felt pleasant, probably because of the cold. The tension in his body eased just a little.
“You’ve been looking out for me a lot. Thank you.”
Nigel’s sincere gratitude made Schumacher’s face flush bright red.
“I-It’s nothing. You just looked so down, right in front of me…”
“You’re a kind man, Schumacher.”
Schumacher froze. Caught off guard, he glanced down at the Glarus Relic strapped to his waist.
“That’s a joke, right?”
“I’m at least half-serious.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I’ve killed so many people for this.”
He muttered bitterly, self-deprecating. Which, ironically, proved Nigel’s point.
“You’re kinder than most people who go after Glarus’s Relics.”
Nigel didn’t mean to say Schumacher was wholly good. But for someone branded a villain, he was sensitive and capable of empathy for the weak. That duality was strangely fascinating. From what Nigel could tell, Schumacher didn’t really belong in the world of the Relics.
“Do you even know what kind of chaos that Relic will cause if you get it?”
He wasn’t mocking. He was genuinely curious. Schumacher gave a heavy nod.
“I do.”
“Then why go through with it? Once you claim that Relic, you’ll change.”
Schumacher stared at him. In the dim room darkened by the rain, his eyes flashed with a strange light. Nigel clenched his teacup. He wasn’t afraid of death—but for a moment, he did feel a flicker of tension. Still, he held Schumacher’s gaze without flinching.
After a long silence, Schumacher broke into a small laugh, the menace vanishing from his eyes.
“What, are you trying to play Prophet now too?”
“Hardly. It’s just obvious.”
Without his memories, Kay was gentle, righteous, and a bit soft. He always tried to resolve things without killing, even when facing serious criminals. For Kay to have killed Schumacher in the original timeline, there had to have been a damn good reason. Kay hadn’t said what it was, no matter how many times Nigel asked.
“I’m just worried. We’ve traveled together for days now—I’ve come to care, a little.”
“…”
“I hope you don’t do anything you’ll regret later.”
Even if things would reset, for Schumacher, this was his one and only life. There was no need to ruin it unnecessarily.
Schumacher flinched at the sincerity in Nigel’s eyes. He didn’t seem offended—just surprised.
“Duke, I…”
“Ah—I’m not judging you. I was just curious. Do whatever you want.”
In this loop, Nigel was nothing more than an observer. He’d do what he could, but no more than that.
“Why do you trust me, Duke?”
That quiet question after a long silence caught Nigel off guard. He hadn’t meant to trust him. But there was no need to deny it now. He turned his gaze out the window. Schumacher had once called Nigel naïve—but maybe the truly naïve one was Schumacher.
The rain finally stopped by morning. The journey resumed.
Ten days after they’d left the capital, the group finally arrived at Montstein—the heart of the Magnus Duchy.
Montstein.
A land older than the kingdom itself, passed down through the Montstein line for generations. The borders of the duchy had shifted over the years depending on the royal family’s whims, but Montstein City had always remained under the Montsteins’ rule.
Nigel stared up at the massive fortress walls surrounding the city. Built over a thousand years ago to fend off endless wars, the towering walls had never been breached.
“Now that I’m this close, I’m certain. The final fragment is in the mountains. I don’t need to enter the duchy itself.”
From a vantage point just before entering the territory, Schumacher made his farewell. The sword at his hip glowed faintly with an ominous red light. Nigel made a conscious effort not to look at it.
He was sorry to see him go, but it was time. There was a chance they wouldn’t meet again this loop. Despite bonding over the past few days, they’d become strangers again in the next cycle.
Schumacher clearly picked up on the sadness in Nigel’s voice.
“If you’re worried, I could come with you—”
“No, it’s fine.”
Nigel planned to confirm the coffin before visiting Etna’s grave. Inas and Kay might not have lied, but unless he saw it with his own eyes, he couldn’t fully accept it.
There was no need to show this man—who held him in some esteem—the sight of him digging up his brother’s grave. That would just crush the affection Nigel had carefully earned.
“If that’s how you feel, fine. I need to gather the rest of the Relics anyway if I want to stand against Inas Idenbach. If you end up facing him… hang in there. I’ll come save you somehow.”
“You don’t need to do that.”
Nigel shook his head, expression turning serious. Schumacher looked at him with that same pitying gaze, soft and distant.
“You really are too kind. If it were me, I’d use you for everything I could.”
“I’m not kind, damn it…”
Nigel gave up halfway through the protest. Unsurprisingly, Schumacher ignored him.
“Thanks for everything. I’ll definitely come rescue you, Duke.”
“I said I’m fine.”
The bold declaration from a man with world domination in mind would’ve been reassuring—if it weren’t so misplaced. Still, Schumacher left firmly believing he was doing the right thing.
