By the time we reached the Amalgoa Ruins, it was already midday. The sun was high in the sky.
“Oh, yes. I’ve been expecting you, Prince Osvalt and Lady Philia. Indeed.”
Rick greeted us with a respectful bow. Yesterday, he’d been rattled by the trespassing at the Sivaltz Ruins, but today he appeared to have completely regained his composure. He wasn’t as pale, either.
“Hello, Rick,” said Sir Osvalt. “These ruins haven’t been broken into, have they?”
“N-no, uh… I did have a look, but there were no signs of forced entry. Indeed.”
“Any reports of suspicious individuals?”
“Oh, yes. Um, good question, Your Highness. I’ve, um, interrogated the knights guarding the site, and they all claim they haven’t seen anyone suspicious. Indeed. Um, here’s the detailed report.” Rick handed over a sheaf of papers.
“Great. Thanks for checking. Now, then, shall we head inside?”
“Yes, let’s go in,” I agreed.
“Uh, yes. Follow me. Indeed.”
Rick guided us into the Amalgoa Ruins.
Like the Sivaltz Ruins, they were shielded by stone walls, with a heavy gate serving as the entrance.
“As you may already know, um, the Amalgoa Ruins are the largest in Parnacorta. Indeed. And, well, many relics here tell us that this was once home to an advanced civilization.”
These were believed to be the ruins of one of the largest ancient settlements on the continent.
The ancient population was very small in number. These people had possessed magical technology far superior to ours, but records indicated that this very magic had brought about their extinction.
I was of the belief that we needed to know more about them to ensure that our society didn’t follow the same fate.
“Oh, I’m so pleased to see you,” Rick added. “Indeed. After what just happened, I thought you might have to cut your honeymoon short.”
“Yeah. We considered it, but this is our honeymoon, after all.”
I nodded. “We’d hate to postpone this valuable experience.”
While part of me was curious about the recent incidents, I was still excited to see the ruins.
“That’s fantastic. Indeed. Um, I’ll try my best to convey the wonders of these ruins as best as I can.”
Rick sounded determined. I greatly appreciated his consideration. I hoped to be able to take my time examining all the sites on our itinerary.
“Where are we headed first, Rick? That excavation site over there has sparked my curiosity.”
“I knew you would say that, Lady Philia. You see, that excavation site is the place I’m most eager to show you. Indeed. But, well, first, allow me to guide you toward that well over there.” Rick pointed to a well in the opposite direction. “That’s, um, the best order in which to see things.”
So he’d already planned out our tour. When it came to understanding history, chronology was vital. His reasoning made perfect sense.
I, however, had other ideas.
“Sir Osvalt, I’m afraid I have to take a look over there.”
“Huh? Philia! What now?”
“Wh-what’s wrong? Lady Philia! Lady Philia!”
I ignored their calls as I rushed over to the excavation site. There stood a tower-like structure.
“Talk to me, Philia. What in the world are you doing?”
“You’ll have to forgive me. I sensed someone’s presence, so I wanted to hurry over before they could escape.”
“Wh-what did you say?”
My response made Sir Osvalt, who had followed me from behind, widen his eyes in shock.
I wasn’t joking. There were intruders in the ruins.
I took a deep breath, then shouted as loudly as I could in the direction of the tower. “I see there are five of you! Please come out! I am a saint! I know some of you are injured! Stop hiding so I can heal your injuries!”
There was no question about it. Although they were hiding as well as they could, there were unquestionably people there.
At last, someone moved. It was the person who’d been most carefully concealed.
“My, my, what a surprise. I never expected to meet a saint in these old ruins.” A brown-haired man with an eyepatch sauntered toward us. He wore a turban and carried a large pack on his back, which gave him the appearance of a traveling merchant. “Still, I do remember hearing that the saint of Parnacorta was on her honeymoon. In that case, you must be His Highness Prince Osvalt, the second prince of Parnacorta. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance.”
He bowed politely, but given the circumstances, the gesture felt more contrived than sincere.
“That’s right. I’m Osvalt, prince of Parnacorta. You’re not from this country, are you? What’s your business here?”
Sir Osvalt stepped protectively in front of me. Casting aside his usual gentle demeanor, he gave the traveler a menacing look.
Flustered, the merchant held up his hands to indicate capitulation.
“Please, put your weapon away. I have no intention of fighting you, Your Highness. I fully intend to atone for my crimes.”
He didn’t seem remotely malicious, nor did he appear to be lying—but something wasn’t right. I found all his actions subtly off-putting.
“As long as you surrender peacefully, I won’t have to resort to violence,” said Sir Osvalt. “But how did you get in here in the first place?”
“How did I get in? Well, it’s a long story. I promise I’ll tell you every detail later.”
A long story… Suddenly, I thought of something suspicious.
How did Rick know what had happened?
If this merchant had been the one to share the news with him, that explained how he’d gotten in…
“Rick helped you, didn’t he? Rick let you into the ruins. Am I wrong?”