The Lady of the Lake.
Archibald and Rumia had encountered her by nothing less than fate.
So far, Undine was giving them all the information that she had.
Of course, there was more to it but giving them the starting information was the usual modus operandi in any such situation.
The water spirit continued:
"On Vorkalth's orders, the Byzan Army attacked Rivelune and overpowered our defenses. Due to my incomplete power, I was unable to maintain our protective barrier. Unfortunately, some individuals who resisted were killed and a few women were taken captive. The Aquos Chronicles will give them control over my power, which they plan to use to expand their military presence in the neutral region. I was able to create a spirit doll during the chaos, but it is weak. I have been attempting to gather Adventurers to assist me for the past week, but no one has yet accepted the offer."
Without a doubt, Archibald didn't know what the Aquos Chronicles was by context, only by definition.
It was the source of Undineʼs existence, her power and some sort of cable that enabled the blessings of mana to their land.
All in all, it was gravely essential.
Neither Rumia nor Archibald spoke. They'd know when the right time to speak was, it wasn't now.
"The Byzan Army is not content with their chaos and has set their sights on the annihilation of my people. This includes the creatures that inhabit my village and those who have placed their trust in me. If they are successful in their endeavors, my power will be extinguished and it is unlikely that even the most skilled Adventurers would be able to halt their progress. I must warn that if the Byzan Army reaches this level of power, it is possible that only a kingdom may possess the capability to stop them."
The old lady lowered her head in dismay. A sorrowful countenance did she wear.
"Wait hold it?! You're telling me if they succeed they'll have your powers, and with that their actions can only be foiled by a kingdom?"
In all earnestness, Archibald didn't know how serious she was saying that. He didn't know the strength of divine spirits in this world was so overwhelmingly powerful.
Rumia affirmed this to be true with her words stating:
"The strength of a divine spirit is to be feared. Now that someone already has her Chronicles, it's a total game changer. And not in a good way."
The divine water spirit nodded her head to gesture her answer was but the truth.
The thought of it terrified Archibald.
"General Vorkalth, a human, has enlisted the assistance of monsters to expedite the eradication of Rivelune."
Undine with her slightly angelic inaudible voice, spoke.
Although surprising, Undine confirmed the veracity of her statement.
"But aren't monsters generally reluctant to cooperate?"
Rumia questioned the feasibility of such an alliance.
Undine explained:
"General Vorkalth is an accomplished strategist, capable of devising and implementing tactics to ensure the success of his objectives."
There was something bothering Archibald.
In his former life, he was a dedicated critic of games, meticulously crafting pages of reviews that highlighted both the strengths and weaknesses of each game.
His ultimate goal was to provide constructive feedback to the developers, helping them to create more immersive and realistic gaming experiences.
Interestingly, this same approach can be applied to the current situation at hand.
"I have a question.." said Archibald to Undine.
"Please, ask.."
"Well, seriously, if this army is going to be a problem down the line, why not just call up the kingdoms in the empire for backup? You're a divine spirit. Who in their right mind would say no to you? That's what I think at least."
There was some sense to what he said. So much so that even Rumia agreed to his statement.
Undine proceeded to enlighten them, there was a political factor to consider.
"It is best that the neutral region, remains free from the control of any kingdom. The recent hypothetical scenario of the Byzan Army overpowering Rivelune is a cause for concern. If such an event were to occur, kingdoms would be compelled to take legal action to prevent the Byzan Army from expanding their territory. However, it is important to note that some kingdoms may use this as an opportunity to expand their own territory under the guise of stopping the Byzan Army."
It wasn't acceptable. The neutral region should remain neutral and free from any kingdom's control.
The explanation sounded more complex than it actually was.
All the kingdoms, namely: Ixtal and Beldris, simply had to wait.
So in a sense, the kingdomʼs administrative engine wasn't an ally to them either.
"So how can we help?!"
Rumia was eager to offer a helping hand.
Archibald on the other hand, wasn't too thrilled by the idea.
("Playing the hero? As much as I'd like it to look that way.... I'm not one.")
He lowered his head which caused his hair bangs to fall, in turn casting a shadow over his face.
The two had yet to notice Archibaldʼs change in behavior yet.
The old lady produced a pocket watch, wrapped in cloth, with a golden case and a slow ticking mechanism.
"What is this...?"
Upon receiving it, Rumia inquired about its purpose.
The old lady explained that when the short hand reached twelve, her life force would be completely drained, and her powers would vanish, urging Rumia to help her village.
"I put my faith in you both.."
Naturally, Rumia was honored to have been so greatly trusted by the water spirit.
"I guess you made the right choice helping this woman after all, Archibald.."
But, he didn't respond.
"Archibald?" she leaned in a bit closer, maybe he'd be able to hear her now.
It took great confidence for Archibald to say what he said next.
"They're strong... It's better I let Rumia go on her own. Unlike her, I'm not righteous enough to risk my own life for a bunch of people I don't even know."
He used a mellow tone to speak. He was obviously aware of how spineless these words would make him look.
"I'm sorry, I can't help you."
In the end, he never claimed to be a hero. He was selfish from the start. Only now had a situation come to test his righteousness.
Rumia was taken aback by his words.
The water spirit on the other hand only smiled mildly. She wouldn't force anyone into such a quest, especially children.
"Archibald... Raise your head."
Rumia demanded, with a stern voice.
Yet, Archibald didn't respond. His clenched fists only tightened as his head hung low.
"Archibald... Raise your head."
Any other girl would've exploded by now, but Rumia never gave anyone high expectations. She wouldn't raise her voice unnecessarily.
If he could be so spineless, then he wasn't worth it.
Upon finally acknowledging Rumia's persistent requests, he raised his head.
"W-What?" his voice quivered in shock.
Archibald observed that the water spirit -----Undine's spirit doll body was gradually fading away.
Undine's body had become translucent and weakened, causing her to fall from her seat.
Despite Archibald's attempt to catch her, she passed through his arms due to her less tangible form.
The spirit doll had almost completely lost its corporeal form.
"You're a Pendragon aren't you?"
Archibald who knelt beside her with tears in his eyes replied:
"I... I am, how did y—"
"Your eyes, it was just obvious. They're similar to Arthur Pendragon the fourth, he was the one I handed the Excalibur to... Before he fought the first dragon ---Xerxes, he was scared. Do you know what gave him faith?"
"N-No.." his sniffling made talking arduous.
"His blood."
"His blood?"
"Yes, there lies great strength in the blood of Pendragons... Use that strength to guide you."
Attempting to grab her aeriform hand, he failed. This made him all the more broken, but he held back his tears.
"I promise you, I'll recover your village."
Something Archibald had forgotten was his identity.
Haruto was the spineless and unmotivated one, not him.
("I promised myself a new page in this world... I won't be selfish anymore, I'll start to care more and most importantly... I'll live a life I can be proud of!")
Watching just two meters away, Rumia already knew what his next answer would be.
She didn't want a pervert who turned tails and ran when things turned for worse.
Who she wanted, was the boy who saved her from the ogre.
A hero.
Undineʼs final words were:
"If you say reveal, you'll be able to see (~Coughs) a map... One that leads to Rivelune. There may be challenges along the way, but if you both make it there... The others await you, the few righteous individuals I could gather to help... If the Aquos Chronicles is lost, I'll fade away from existence."
Her body vanished, it was only then Archibald recalled this wasn't her actual body. Merely an avatar she created to recruit members.
For her avatar to vanish meant her powers were drastically getting weaker.
They were running out of time.
'Can we do this?'
Rumia thought.
One could only assume the worst.