"I-is it over already?"
"Just like that???"
The Holy Relic asked belatedly after snapping out of her daze as she approached Ale. The boy simply nodded his head with a cheerful expression in response.
"Yup. All clear!"
He safely kept the box inside the inner pocket of his jacket as if he was dealing with some precious priceless treasure before he started dusting off his clothes.
'But there's no dust here.'
The Holy Relic wanted to complain but let Ale be as she followed Ale and went back the way they came from. It was finally time to release the captives.
Ale's job was done.
He had successfully managed to solve the recurring issue of the water disaster.
While Rudy and his party was busy dealing with the already born level 5 disaster above water, he jumped down, found the root of the problem and solved it.
The only thing left to do right now was to release the people that were being held at the palace underground and take out the holy relic.
"There are quite a lot of them..."
Ale made a quick headcount and there were more than a hundred people down there, including people from other tribes.
"How..."
Ale was thinking about ways how he could safely transport them to the island. But a boat capable of holding all of them didn't even exist at that time.
"I apologize for the trouble.. If only I could store their boats as well.."
The holy relic felt truly remorseful as she apologized while glancing at Ale's troubled expression. She was a powerful relic indeed.
Managing to bring down so many people down there without harming a hair on their body was already proof enough of her power. But even asking her to bring their boats down safely on top of that would definitely be asking for too much.
Ale shook his head hearing her apologize as he found that ridiculous as well. The relic didn't even have a master yet. Doing all that without any external support was in itself a tremendous act.
"You've already worked hard enough. Trying to suppress the sword all the while reaching out to the humans for help, it must've been very difficult."
He said as he started opening the doors to the underground cell one by one. First of all, he was planning on getting them all together at one spot and then asking the people above for help.
'I don't need to do everything by myself, right?'
Ale knew that he had help and he was going to make proper use of them. He had already done plenty, by securing the sword and stopping new disasters from ever spawning again.
By no means was he a guy who loved doing manual labor. It wasn't his forte.
The Holy Relic felt touched by Ale's words as she felt how he truly recognized her efforts and goodwill.
It was not a human, nor any other living being. It was just a relic, something material.
And it was bestowed upon by a small fraction of its owners will. That's how it could have a mind of its own and make decisions based on that will.
That's why, when a living being truly recognized its efforts instead of just taking it for granted and worst-case scenario, greedily trying to take control over it, the relic couldn't help but feel joy.
Since it was a relic of higher dimension, it could sense things that normal people couldn't. Such as one's intentions and the truth behind their words. As such, it could tell just by hearing Ale's voice how he had no greed or evil intention towards it.
'Maybe I've finally found the one.'
As such, it decided to help Ale out by allowing him to take control over it. It was willing to accept Ale as it's master. No. 'She' wanted Ale to be its master. Only someone like Ale was worthy.
"There's still a way... to transport them safely to the land."
The relic spoke while it saw Ale dragging the people one by one and gather them to one place. Ale halted his steps and looked at the relic, a little surprised.
"There is? Really? What is it?"
He asked curiously as he approached the Relic, leaving behind the elf he was carrying.
The relic lifted her arm and pointed its finger towards itself as it spoke.
"Me."
"...you?"
Ale tilted his head, acting as if he had no clue what she was talking about. The relic nodded her head elegantly as it explained the meaning of her words.
"One of my powers is to shape-shift. By using that power, I can turn this palace into boat large enough to carry all of them. but..."
She paused midways during her sentence as if trying to increase the suspension. Ale played along and asked with intense curiosity what laid at the end of that sentence.
"But...?"
"But... I cannot utilize that power by myself."
"Uh... what? Then what should we do? Is there anything I can do to help?"
Ale asked eagerly, but he already had a clue as to where this conversation was going.
"Umm.. yes. I need to make a contract with someone. A living being with free will who meets the criteria... "
"So, you need a master first... A master who'll use your power."
Ale made an expression as if he finally had a clue about what was going on.
"Yes. That's why, you- ah."
The relic was about to say something, but it suddenly stopped midways as it made a surprised sound. The next moment, it moved its head and looked at the ceiling of the palace.
"Is something wrong?"
Ale asked following her gaze and looking up as well. But he couldn't see anything except a high ceiling.
"Your friends are here... Two of them."
"My friends?"
'Is it Phil and Gary? These guys.. really..'
Ale wondered as it looked at the ceiling. Those two were the only people crazy enough to jump into the ocean following his footsteps. Or so he thought.
"Should I guide them inside?"
The relic asked. Ale could tell that they were probably making a fuss outside right now. Although it was the ocean floor with high pressure and no air, those two were monsters so it couldn't possibly stop them.
"Yes please. Sorry for the trouble."
He felt responsible for their actions since they were his people as he apologized awkwardly.
"It's fine. They seem to care deeply about you."
The relic smiled as it waved her hand. Ale presumed that it was probably her way of controlling everything around her so although he couldn't see any visible changes, he knew his friends were being safely guided inside.
That also meant he didn't have much time to finish his private little conversation with her.
"So, what you were saying earlier.. To sum it up, you want me to-"
"That's correct. I want you to be-"
"Find you a worthy master, right?"
Their words overlapped and the relic stopped mid-sentence as it tried to understand what Ale was saying.
It could clearly sense how there was something very wrong with the words that Ale just said yet it didn't understand how he could reach that conclusion.
Were the hints not clear enough? Was it not normal for people to think of themselves first as the master candidate? Did Ale not like Holy Relics? Was there something wrong with it? If not, why would he come to such a conclusion...?!
All sorts of questions went through its mind as it tried to come up with a proper comeback. She no longer even dared to suggest Ale to be her master anymore since she didn't know if he had any issues with Holy Relics or something similar.
There were many people who didn't like Holy Relics after all. Maybe Ale was one of them, or so she thought.
"Umm.. yes.. I need someone who meets the criteria."
So, she decided to play along with his misunderstandings for now. Little did she know that Ale was doing all that on purpose.
There was no misunderstanding to begin with. He was purposely trying to change her trajectory, her target. He had no intention of carrying a Holy Relic with him after all. It'd just make someone weak like him an easy prey for the bad guys.
"So, what are these criterions?"
He asked as he pretended to listen very carefully. But he already knew what it'd be. The traits she was about to point out would be the exact depiction of Rudy's character.
"They need to be honest, brave, strong yet gentle. A good person overall."
"Hmm.. Since no human with malice in their heart can wield you to your full potential. And?"
Ale made her realize that he was accurately understanding her points as he finished his explanation for her and asked for more.
"Someone with a strong sense of justice."
"Since your owner was a Saint? Understandable. What else?"
He nodded his head as he went along with her.
"And.. someone who's not bounded by fate."
The last requirement was the hardest and the most complicated one to follow by far. Not only because those types of people were hard to come by, but more so because most people didn't even know what those words exactly meant.
"I see.. That much should be necessary since you're a Holy Relic."
Yet, Ale seemed to completely understand the meaning of her words as he nodded his head once more. The Holy Relic was a little surprised by Ale's knowledge and understanding but it only made her stick harder to her previous decision, of making Ale her master.
Afterall, what were the chances of someone else meeting all those criteria being present in that place, at that moment? It sounded impossible. She could only see Ale, the one that met all those criteria, yet was somehow unaware of it.
"Yes. That's why, you-"
"I know the perfect candidate for you!"
"Umm.. What? ... you do?!?" - She was shocked beyond words.