Enlightened Empire

Chapter 277

Several days passed by since Corco and Sumaci had been stranded on the unnamed island. In that time, they had cleaned out the cave and turned it from a hole into a home. Just like Corco had expected, they managed to find a source of fresh water inside when they properly illuminated the entire space the morning after their conquest.

Although it was just a puddle that was fed by trickles of water from a rugged cave wall, it would still be enough for their purposes, at least so long as neither of them was planning on extended bath time. Thus, Corco had spent some time in the previous few days to set up a water filter, made from cloth left over from their old, torn clothes, as well as fine sand.

Although it was crude and wouldn't get rid of any germs, it was better than nothing. Even more, they were already using water straight from the ground, so bacteria were less of a problem than sediments. After their filtration, they would thoroughly boil the water as well, at which point they could consider their water safe to drink. With that, their most immediate problem had been solved.

At the same time, they had taken care of the second most immediate problem, their food issues. As a local resident of the Verdant Isles, Sumaci had scouted the surrounding woods and successfully identified several fruits and plants they could eat, as well as dug out some roots from across the island. For now, it was more than enough for two people to survive.

They had also cleaned out the room as best as they could, though on Corco's insistence they hadn't thrown away the guano from the ground, and instead had created a heap of it in a corner. After, they had used some of the driftwood and rope from the shipwreck as well as some materials from the forest outside to create makeshift furniture. Logs and barrels had become their chairs and tables, while a few palm leafs had been dried by them and put together to create hammocks, so they would be safer from insects, snakes and other potential threats when they were sleeping.

Even better, Sumaci had solved their directional issues as well. As an experienced navigator in these parts, she managed to identify their orientation as well as the exact island they had landed on during the second day after their arrival. Thus, there was a real chance for them to return home.

Now that their most immediate needs had been eased and they had a goal to work towards, they finally had the leisure to spend their first day on then island that was without constant, uninterrupted work. Their home was dry and as clean as it would get. They had enough food and water to last them several days, and both of them were still healthy and fit. Before they considered more advanced issues like rescue, there was nothing left to do but celebrate.

Thus, in the evening, they sat together in the cave, around a small fire they had made, and organized a proper feast. Though of course, their options were quite limited, so they threw in the last bit of protein they had left, before it would spoil. Yet despite their limited options, Corco was much happier with this banquet than he had been with all the ones he had thrown in Saniya. And from a look at his fellow sufferer's happy face, it seemed like he wasn't the only one.

“You know, This doesn't taste as bad as I thought it would,” Sumaci said as she chomped down on a piece of her bat-on-a-stick. After the first bat massacre, she had lost all her previous inhibitions from her family education. Rather than fear the bats, she became a proper bat-avenger, taking them out whenever she saw them and eating them with great enthusiasm. Now all she needed was a black costume and a raspy voice.

“Don't be fooled,” Corco replied while he suppressed a laugh. “No matter how much you like the taste, these things are more dangerous dead than they are alive. We're having some trouble with infectious diseases in Medala right now. Even if your bat soup is delicious, I'm sure you don't wanna spread Covid in the Verdant Isles on top of everything else.”

“If you're trying to be funny, you should first make sure that others understand what you're talking about,” an annoyed Sumaci said. “How else would you make others laugh at your joke?”

“That's only if I want to make others laugh.” Corco shrugged. “I'm telling the jokes to myself, and I think they're hilarious.”

“How selfless.”

“Yes indeed, I'm an outright saint.” Corco put on an exaggerated face and spread his arms in penance. “I spare the rest of the world from my god-awful jokes, so they better be thankful.”

Rather than play along with his nonsense, Sumaci gave him a troubled smile and ate in silence. For a while after, Corco simply watched the fires and enjoyed the silence. All of a sudden, he felt an exhaustion deep within his bones.

Ever since he had gained these new memories, he had worked hard, day and night. Without any breaks or vacations, he had established a business empire, fought his brothers for his inheritance and then began to build his kingdom.

All the while he had to spend what little time he had left on writing down the knowledge in his head, or on teaching it to others. Although he had always hoped that he could offload some of his work to others, there was no one else like him in the world, at least so far as he knew.

When he had been moving constantly, he hadn't felt any problems with his breakneck pace. However, the past few days had been different. After their initial struggle for survival, life on the island had slowed down. He didn't have to think up new plans for his kingdom all the time. Whenever he made a decision, he didn't have to consider the local or global political players either.

He felt like a wheel that was constantly spinning. Its speed had covered up the fault lines, as well as the underlying problems with the wheel's propulsion. However, once it had come to a stop, all the problems became visible straight away, and it was hard to get the tortured machine running again. Just the same as the wheel, Corco body almost collapsed without the support of inertia. After a decade of nonstop work, he was exhausted to his very core.

However, something unusual had happened once he had noticed his tired mind. Since then, he had slept better in his cheap hammock than he had at any point in his fancy bed inside his fancy castle. All day, he only had to consider the barest of necessities. Beyond that, he had the time to just sit and stare into nothingness.

Even more, for the first time in ten years, he didn't have to shoulder all of his problems alone. Instead, he had someone to rely on, someone who could carry her own weight and wasn't reliant on his leadership. Really, if he had to land on an abandoned island with someone, he was glad that it was with Sumaci.

“What's so funny?” the familiar voice asked. When Corco looked up, he saw that the princess had stood up to clean off the wooden sticks they had used to skewer the bats and was coming back to the fire. Only now that he mentioned it did Corco notice his own smile.

“This isn't so bad, actually,” he said as he stared into the fire again.

“No, this really is fine, isn't it?” As if she knew exactly what he was talking about, she answered without hesitation. With a sigh, the girl sat next to him. For a while, they just sat in silence and stared into the flickering flame together, until Sumaci broke the peace.

“You know, there's one thing I always wanted to know,” she began.

“Shoot,” Corco replied in a casual tone. “This great scholar holds the wisdom of the universe within his grasp. All questions can be answered. You only need ask, my disciple.”

“Why do you keep wearing that fake fatsuit all the time? You look much better like this, don't you think?”

“You mean my armor?” Corco looked down to his bare chest. For days now, he hadn't been bothered by his lack of defense. In fact, he hadn't even remembered that he didn't wear his armor up until this moment. Meanwhile, his chainmail was lying somewhere on the beach, alone and forgotten.

“You look ridiculous in that thing,” Sumaci continued. “Like a little round man, like those Arcavian merchants. If you didn't hide your physique, those lords would respect you a whole lot more.”

“Isn't it good when they underestimate me?” Corco shrugged. He was aware of all the rumors that were being spread about him. Just the same, he was aware that those rumors came from his political opponents. However, the rumors would only get them so far.

As his strength in the south grew, the rumors within the southern kingdom became quieter and quieter. Meanwhile, the assumption of his enemies that he was weak and out of shape had saved his life more than once. Thus, he remained unimpressed by Sumaci's preferences. Instead, he would prove the usefulness of his plans, as he always did.

“Plus, It's not like I'm wearing armor for no reason,” he began his argument.

After, Corco sat up and showed off a long scar on his right arm.

“You know where this came from?”

“I'm sure you will tell me,” Sumaci replied in a casual tone. At the same time, she came closer to better see his old wound in the flickering light of the bonfire.

“That was back in Arcavia, when a vengeful baron tried to kill us,” Corco explained. Though of course, he left out that the baron had had every reason the be vengeful. “These things happen all the time when you're in my line of business, so I feel better with the armor on.”

With that, he considered the debate over, but Sumaci's interest seemed stoked.

“What about this one?” she pointed to a triangular gash on his left shoulder.

“Assassination. That one wasn't fun. The attacker died though, so it was a fair trade.”

“And that?” This time she pointed at a long scar that ran across his left flank.

“Assassination. That one wasn't fun. The attacker died though, so it was a fair trade. Somehow they're always going for the left side. huh? Maybe I should carry a shield too.”

“And this?” she asked and held his left hand to get a better look at the ugly scar that ran across his middle finger.

“Uuhm...” This time, Corco wasn't as willing to share.

“Let me guess, another assassination?” Sumaci asked, clearly in a good mood.

As she waited, she stared into his eyes. Only now did he realize how close the princess was.

“That was when I tried to show my kitchen staff how to properly filet a fish, and I cut myself. Kitchen knives are dangerous.”

For a second, the cave was silent again, before his answer made Sumaci fall over from laughter. A bit uncomfortable, he stared down at the excited young woman who was now lying on his lap and thrashing about, gasping for breath.

“Really, why do you have to be this honest all the time?” she said as she brushed a tear from her eyes. “I mean, why ruin the mood? You could have lied at least this once, right?”

Of course, his honesty was based on his principles, as well as his reservations. He couldn't just lie to someone he cared about, and he couldn't just start a war over his own selfish desires, so truth had been the only option.

However, when he stared down at the verdant princess, her knotted hair flowing down his lap and onto the ground, her eyes as bright as her smile, he once again felt the exhaustion deep within his bones, as well as the freedom of his mind. Rather than answer her question, Corco bent down and closed her lips with his.

After Corco slipped off the ship and into the green waves, he was engulfed by bubbles and muffled sounds. For a moment, they robbed him of his orientation, but somehow he managed to retain his composure. When he looked around a bit, he noticed the somewhat brighter water to his right side and identified it as the surface. Despite his earlier confusion, he wasn't far away from the life-saving air, but it was still hopeless.

With all of his strength, he tried to swim back up stroke by stroke, but he only managed to slow down his sinking body. Despite his strong cultivation, he wasn't the greatest swimmer in the world in the first place. Even worse, out of habit, he was still wearing his heavy chainmail armor.

Why are you wearing armor, you idiot? No one knows you're here, who the fuck will assassinate you in your cabin!?

However, curses didn't help him much now. Desperate, he tried to fight against gravity and managed to somehow stabilize his body in the water. Yet that was his limit. The light never came closer. His lungs burned like fire as they tried to trap his last breath of air, but soon even they gave out. As another set of bubbles rose to the surface, this time from within him, he could feel consciousness slip away. The last thing Corco felt was a pair of hands that grabbed him under his armpits, then he was completely gone.