Chapter 20 : Weapon

Chapter 20: Weapon

The rain started to pour as Conrad and team entered the grand museum. In Prismara, July was the rainy season. Though Prismara was close to the northern hemisphere, this year had seen a steep fall in temperature all over the world. Frequent rain didn't help as overall temperatures plummeted over the months. People were eagerly waiting for summer to arrive early.

Nadeko was filled with excitement as every corner of the museum displayed historical artifacts. Even though Conrad and Nadeko both were from the history department, their interests were in stark contrast - Nadeko was the top scorer while Conrad ranked lowest. The new owner of Conrad's body was an engineering major, so Dev didn't have much interest in history either. However, after coming to this world, Dev was eager to learn more about history, believing there could be clues to help him return to his world.

"Where is the new stuff of Alexander Gustavo?" Nadeko asked Conrad as if they were already friends.

Conrad frowned. "Huh? How would I know?"

"So go find out first," Nadeko ordered.

"Hey, did you forget we're not friends? I beat your boyfriend. Why are you ordering me around like we know each other?" Conrad retorted.

"See Clara, your brother's true colors," Nadeko turned to Clara. "He's just good in front of his sisters. He's actually a terrible person."

"Sister Nadeko, my brother is a good person," Clara defended.

"Hey, don't try to turn my sister against me. That won't work," Conrad said annoyingly.

Conrad looked at Nadeko with narrowed eyes.

Noticing his gaze, Nadeko said, "See Clara, your brother is now looking at me. He wants me as his girlfriend even though he knows I have a boyfriend who is way richer and more handsome than him."

"More handsome? That guy? You've got some jokes," Conrad said sarcastically.

"Hey, just because you have a good face doesn't mean it can cover your terrible personality. Jared is a way better guy," Nadeko snapped.

"What did you just say, you bitch?" Conrad raised his voice.

"Stop, you two!" Clara intercepted them both.

"I don't know what happened between you two, but I know you're both good people, so please don't fight," Clara said, looking at them with angry eyes.

"Yes sister, why are you arguing with him when he saved us just now?" Maya asked her older sister.

Conrad and Nadeko looked at each other. A moment of understanding passed between them as they recalled the earlier incident - Conrad moving without hesitation to protect them, Nadeko's genuine fear turning to relief.

It's such a pain. It's not like I don't like her, it's just that she pisses me off so much. Though, seeing her scared earlier...

"Hey..." Nadeko said while looking away, her fingers fidgeting with the edge of her sleeve.

"Huh?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said those things about you. Thank you for saving me and my sister earlier. It... it must have been scary for you too, but you didn't hesitate.”

Is she for real? I didn't know she could apologize sincerely.

"Ah... No... I'm also sorry for calling you a bitch and for what happened in class. I honestly admire your efforts towards history," Conrad admitted.

"Really?" Nadeko asked.

"Yes, actually I want to learn more from you. I was just in the library looking into some history books."

"Huh? I can't believe it. Why didn't you ask earlier? Next time, invite me over. We can go together after class," Nadeko suggested with sparkling eyes.

"Ahem..." Maya interrupted. "A minute ago you were arguing, what happened to that? And sister, you have a boyfriend, so don't act too cozy around Mr. Conrad."

Because he is mine.

"Huh? What are you talking about? We're just classmates. What does that have to do with me having a boyfriend?" Nadeko asked, tilting her head.

Conrad looked at Maya with the same confusion as Nadeko. Seeing Conrad's gaze on her, Maya started to feel flustered.

"Now that you've cleared your differences, we can explore the museum," Clara said excitedly while grabbing her brother's arm. "Especially with two history students here to teach us many things, it should be fun!"

"Hey Clara, I didn't know you were so clingy to your brother. It's as if you're an entirely different person," Maya said teasingly, through her eyes held a hint of concern. Growing up as the younger sister, she'd always watched how Nadeko handled relationships. But lately, something felt different about both her sister and Clara.

Clara remained silent.

Maya glanced between Conrad and her sister, remembering how differently Nadeko acted around Jared. With Conrad, there was a natural flow to their arguments and reconciliation, unlike the careful way Nadeko spoke around her boyfriend. Being the younger sister meant Maya noticed these things, even if she didn't always speak up.

Well, she does feel different. I think she might like me more now. Honestly, I don't mind her being clingy. I have inherited Conrad's memories, so I know how much Clara and Conrad used to fight. She never showed this side to Conrad before. Now she feels like a little girl appropriate for her age. Wait, I think she's already over twenty, so it's not like she's a little kid anymore. But in this world people tend to live longer. I know people get married in their late thirties and that is normal for this world. My Sister Isolde for an example is just in her right marriage age according to this world's standards but she is still single. I do worry for her.

Sigh. Conrad let out a sigh thinking of the future of his sisters.

"Hey Conrad, what kind of books were you reading in the library?" Nadeko asked from beside him.

"Oh, I was looking into books related to weapons in war, but I didn't find much," Conrad explained.

"That makes sense. Those kinds of books are usually in military schools. Conrad, are you perhaps interested in joining the army of Aurelius? The way you fight seems like you're very strong and well-trained. Honestly, I've never seen someone fight like that."

"Yes, yes! You felt like some kind of superhuman!" Maya said excitedly.

Clara looked at her brother, also confused about his sudden strength.

Well, I have pretty much trained my entire life, even as an engineering student I never skipped.

"Well, I practiced a lot. I'm not that good. If you see a true fighter, you wouldn't even get a chance to blink," Conrad said to Nadeko.

"Really? Wow, the world really is huge."

Well, there's Anira. She could beat me without even blinking, I think.

"Conrad, look there... it's Alexander... let's go!" Nadeko jumped in excitement as she grabbed Conrad's hand and pulled him toward the section.

"Hey... slo-"

Clara and Maya were dumbfounded by Nadeko's actions.

Maybe making them friends wasn't a wise choice after all.

Clara looked at her best friend and asked, "Maya, are you sure your sister has a boyfriend?"

"I think..." Maya hesitated.

"Hey, let's not fall behind. Let's go!"

When Conrad and Nadeko reached the section, an old diary page was showcased as if it were jewelry.

"A diary page of the legendary conqueror Alexander Gustavo. He was truly the man among many. I don't think anyone can match his majesty," Nadeko said with passion in her eyes.

"So you like strong men, huh?" Conrad said with a smile.

Nadeko gave him an odd look.

"Well, Alexander was really special. No matter what I read, it's said he couldn't be defeated. But the most fascinating thing about him was his origin. Nobody knows exactly where he came from. Some say he was a hidden noble, some said he was actually a bastard child of the king, others suggested he was a slave. There are many myths surrounding him too - people believe he was a demigod who was very close to being a god. His fighting style remains a mystery to this day."

Nadeko listened intently to Conrad. When he finished, she said, "Conrad, you know so much. It doesn't seem like you have low scores. Do you score low intentionally?"

"Ah..." Conrad scratched his head, at a loss for words.

"You don't have to say... well, what you said about Alexander is true, and that's what fascinated me since childhood. Our family isn't very well off financially. Growing up, my dad was my hero, but after his passing, the books about Alexander kept me from being lonely. It's like I have some special bond with him even if we're epochs apart."

Maya and Clara joined them. Clara grabbed her brother's arm again.

"What is that, Conrad?" Clara asked.

"That's a diary page left behind by Alexander. It's written in a cryptic language, but there's a close relation to Monoglif, so some letters are identified by scholars," Nadeko explained, lifting one finger like a teacher. "For example, there was mention of someone named 'An-' - the full name wasn't identified because of the cryptic letters used later, which are very different from any current language."

"Some scholars believe that might have had huge significance in the war of the 5500's."

"Is that so? Thank you, Sister Nadeko," Clara said.

"Just Nadeko."

"Okay..." Clara replied softly.

An... An... Anira? Yes, she knew Alexander Gustavo, so it's natural for him to mention her name. But why cryptic letters? Is there some kind of secret?

"Conrad, what do you think Alexander used in the war?" Nadeko asked suddenly, snapping Conrad out of his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh, swords maybe? It's an ongoing discussion between historians and archaeologists."

"I think he used firearms," Nadeko said seriously.

"But professor said that's debunk-"

"No, you fool. Our professor doesn't know everything. I truly believe there was something mysterious about Alexander, as if he wasn't a normal human..."

That part you're absolutely right about. He was an Essentia like me.

"Look at that thing in the center of the museum."

"Huh, where?" Conrad turned to look.

In the center of the museum stood a glass case surrounded by ropes and guards who watched every movement carefully. Inside, a rusted stone and metal object was placed with precise care. Below it, written in Heraphant: 'Unidentified object of Alexander.'

What is that...

Conrad's eyes widened. Countless new thoughts flooded his mind. His engineering knowledge from his past life sparked recognition - the oxidation patterns on the metal, the specific way it had degraded over time, the apparent mechanical components visible despite the rust.

Is that a... gun? Wait, guns are useless, it's not like no one knows that. But why is it heavily guarded? The degradation pattern isn't natural for this world's timeline. From an engineering perspective, the metal composition seems... wrong for this era. Something is odd about that thing.

"I believe that's a firearm Alexander used in his bottles. I don't have any basis for that, but it's my instinct," Nadeko whispered to Conrad.

Conrad didn't say anything, only nodding slightly as his mind raced with possibilities.

Alexander Gustavo’s weapon.