The Male Lead Is Obsessed With My Health Chapter 256

Surprised by the scenery—which felt like a completely different world compared to the city—I grabbed Pession.

“Pession, did we come in the wrong way?”

“We came in correctly. Don’t worry.”

“But still……”

No matter how I looked at it, this place was nothing like what came to mind when you heard the word ‘ruins.’

‘They said it’s called ruins, but it actually runs on completely different rules from reality.’

Now that I was experiencing it firsthand, I understood why exploring ruins brought adventurers wealth and fame, and why artifacts found only in ruins were valued so highly.

“I get now why skilled adventurers are paid so much.”

And I also understood why, despite so many adventurers and knights going in, this ruin still hadn’t been fully conquered.

It was just too big!

‘Dad……!’

Thinking about finding my dad in a place this vast made my vision go dark. Today, this dutiful daughter really wished she had fire affinity.

‘Just let me find you!’

Wondering if detection magic might work, I closed my eyes and spread my mana. Pession asked,

“Do you feel anything?”

“No, nothing.”

What I could see looked normal, but sensing it with mana felt like a completely different world. It was dull and vague, like being underwater. If I were an ordinary mage, I probably wouldn’t even be able to cast basic spells.

‘It really feels like entering a hidden world.’

If all ruins were like this, it explained why mages were so interested in artifacts but rarely worked as adventurers themselves.

“Pession, do you feel anything?”

“I sense people over there.”

Pession pointed toward the mysterious building in the distance. Sensing presences from that far away—yeah, Sword Master.

“Do you think they’re adventurers?”

“We’ll find out if we go.”

A sigh slipped out on its own.

“What do you think that building is?”

“No idea. Maybe… ruins inside the ruins?”

“Come on, no way.”

I thought he was joking, but Pession just shrugged.  Maybe he was serious.

I grew quiet for a moment.

“Do you think Dad might be there…….”

 

****

 

 

 

The place Pession pointed to turned out to be a massive adventurer camp. It looked like a temporary base built so adventurers could explore the ruins more easily.

“What should we do?”

“Let’s go in for now.”

When I looked at him with concern—my distrust of people at its peak—Pession pointed to the flag hanging over the camp.

“That’s the crest of Gremwart.”

“Gremwart……?”

It was a family known for adventure and exploration.

The head of the family was famous for wandering the world instead of staying in his territory or mansion in the capital.

“There are two possibilities. Either an adventurer guild run by Gremwart was dispatched here, or there’s an adventurer from the Gremwart family.”

Since Pession often ran into adventurers while hunting monsters, he seemed used to situations like this.

“Even if we leave right away, we can probably get basic adventurer supplies. Most adventurers carry spares, and a camp like this would have plenty.”

“That would be helpful, but……”

“And if we’re lucky, we might get information about the Duke.”

In the end, I gave in to Pession’s persuasion.

If I were alone, I’d have searched for Harun—who was definitely somewhere here—instead of approaching a camp like this.

And so, when we arrived at the adventurer camp, we met someone we never expected.

 

****

 

 

 

House Gremwart was the only one among the Five Ducal Houses whose head had never changed.

The moment Pession appeared at the camp, the Duke of Gremwart rushed over, causing a brief commotion.

“Hahaha. Your Highness, it’s been a long time.”

No—why was someone so important in a place this shabby……?

A veteran adventurer still actively conquering ruins at the age of seventy-two, Duke Gregory Muon Gremwart.

“It has been a while, Duke.”

“I never imagined I’d meet Your Highness in a place like this.”

Neither did we.

After leading us to his tent in the vast camp, the Duke was immediately asked by Pession,

“What brings you here?”

“Hahaha. If you ask an adventurer what he’s doing in ruins, isn’t there only one answer? Of course, I’m here to conquer them. I’ve been working on this ruin for the past three months.”

“Three months?”

“Yes. Is something wrong? Lately, I’ve been seeing knights more often than adventurers, which I found strange.”

The Duke tilted his head at us, seemingly unaware of what had happened outside the ruins.

Up until then, I had only been listening—but now I spoke up.

“Because of a ruin outburst, strange phenomena have appeared in Gairen. Do you happen to know the reason, Your Grace?”

“Strange phenomena……?”

“Yes?”

“This is the first I’ve heard of it. So something like that was happening outside. And you, miss, are…….”

“Please call me Arellin. I’m part of an investigation team dispatched from the mage tower to look into the abnormal events in Gairen.”

A look was directed at me, clearly wondering why a mage tower investigator was traveling together with Pession.

“Due to circumstances, I ended up joining His Highness.”

Duke Gremwart let out a dry chuckle at my words.

“Haha, I see. It seems a lot has been happening outside as well, Your Highness.”

“That’s why I ask—have you seen any other mages or knights?”

At Pession’s question, Duke Gremwart stroked his chin as he replied.

“It’s rare for mages to work as adventurers. I can count on one hand the number of mages I’ve seen.”

There had been blood everywhere, but aside from Jemello, not even a single corpse had been found. I’d assumed we would naturally see the mages once we entered the ruins.

‘Then where did all the mages go?’

Meanwhile, the Duke continued speaking.

“As for knights, if you go farther ahead from here, there’s a temporary knight order base not far from the front line where monsters appear.”

“Why are the knights stationed away from here?”

“Haha, I asked the same thing. They said their goal isn’t conquering the ruins, but something else. It seemed to be led by Duke Mubisk’s son—do you know anything about that?”

Pession shook his head.

We each fell into our own thoughts for a moment.

I was the first to break the silence.

“Do you believe this ruin can be conquered, Your Grace?”

“There is no ruin that cannot be conquered. That is the creed of House Gremwart. And we’ve completed about 90% of this ruin’s map.”

“So you’re saying it’s only a matter of time.”

“Exactly! Archaeologists are deciphering the inscriptions, so it won’t be long now.”

I wanted to ask about the phenomena happening outside the city, but since the Duke had been inside the ruins the whole time and knew nothing of the outside world, it didn’t seem like I’d get any useful information.

And besides—

“By any chance, have you seen Grand Duke Halbern?”

“Hoh? Grand Duke Halbern has come here as well?”

I asked just in case, but as expected, I couldn’t get any information about Dad either.

 

 

****

 

 

Thanks to Duke Gremwart’s permission to stay in the adventurer camp as long as we liked—and even providing us with tents to sleep in—we were able to move around with peace of mind.

‘It’s true that I’m closer to Dad than I was back in Gairen.’

The necklace the Regent Duke had given me before we parted—saying it would help me find Dad—began to glow more strongly once we entered the ruins.

I’d thought it was just a common mass-produced holy relic from the Holy Kingdom of Lemren, but despite its appearance, it seemed to be quite effective.

‘Didn’t they say it helps fulfill the wearer’s wish?’

“Where did you get that?”

“My godfather gave it to me.”

“Ah, the Regent Duke.”

Pession showed a brief flash of jealousy at the sudden appearance of the necklace, but once he knew where it came from, he settled for a slightly displeased expression.

“Arell.”

“Hm?”

“When you were alone with Duke Gremwart earlier, why didn’t you say you were a Halbern?”

“This isn’t a ballroom.”

It was my first time meeting the Duke Gremwart I’d only heard rumors about, and I didn’t feel like bringing up the Halbern name just to greet him. It wasn’t that important anyway.

“I see.”

Pession didn’t seem like he was trying to argue, and he dropped the subject.

“Pession.”

“Yes?”

“How much do you trust me?”

At the rather sudden question—

“Absolutely.”

Pession answered without hesitation.

“I told you. I can do anything for you.”

A line I’d half ignored before suddenly felt incredibly reassuring.

“Then… you see…….”

 

****

 

 

 

Even inside the ruins, there was a distinction between day and night. The sun never rose, but since it periodically grew dark, adventurers conveniently called the bright cycle day and the dark cycle night.

In the dead of night, when most people staying in the adventurer camp were fast asleep.

Masked figures surrounded a single tent.

One. Two. Three.

Suspicious silhouettes moved in perfect unison, following a predetermined signal.

But when they struck, they were met with an empty tent—and fell into confusion.

“It should be here.”

“Why is it empty……?”

The moment they hesitated—

Pession appeared behind them and knocked the strange men unconscious in an instant.

“Arellin was right.”

After binding all the fallen attackers, Pession dragged them toward a tent built in the safest area.

The sudden disturbance woke the adventurers on night watch, who in turn woke their companions. Drawn by the noise, Duke Gremwart came out as well, and his expression hardened when he saw the intruders thrown before him—along with us.

“What is the meaning of this, Your Highness?”

“That’s what I want to ask, Duke.”