Chapter Five: The Holy Sword Altohtai

"Ah! That feels amazing!"

Mino threw himself onto the soft, fluffy bed, letting out a sigh of pure contentment.

As the warm quilt enveloped his entire body, it was the first time Mino realized that the quality of "high-end bedding" was something one could actually feel. Compared to the scratchy wild grass, the hard floors of dungeons, or sandy ground infested with beetles, the fluffy, feather-filled blankets of this prison cell were nothing short of an artifact worthy of Altotai!

With the lingering refreshment from his spa treatment combined with the softness of the bed, Mino was on the verge of drifting off into a sweet slumber.

Wait... had he forgotten something? Right, Altotai!

Mino sat bolt upright, discovering that his holy sword, Altotai, had been left discarded in a cold, stony corner. He rushed over and began patting the sword vigorously.

"Wake up! Wake up, my Eternal Holy Light, Sky-Shattering End-of-the-World Heaven-Severing Great Sword!!!"

A profound consciousness resonated in his mind along with the sound: "How many times must I say it... My Lord... My name is Holy Sword... Altotai."

The blade vibrated slightly, and Altotai's voice grew clearer. "Is this... the Demon King’s Castle?! My Lord, are we still alive?!"

"Indeed." Mino straightened his back, glanced left and right to ensure they were alone, and then put on a glorious expression. "In order to wage an unyielding war against the demon race, I was dragged into this prison. They sought to humiliate my soul and break my spine! Fortunately, I did not fully surrender!!!"

He had only surrendered, just a little bit... that was all.

"As expected of my Lord!" The holy sword trembled with excitement, its voice filled with reverence and confidence. "Those pathetic demons will never understand that the great ideals in our hearts... are indestructible by anything, not even tempting delicacies or comfortable lodgings!"

Mino glanced at the "X" shape he had left on the bed, coughed a few times, and then asked, "Let’s not talk about that. Altotai, now that you’ve awakened, help me break the magical shackles on my body. This is our best chance! We must punch our way through the Demon King’s Castle and annihilate the Demon King!!!"

"Oh! Leave it to me..." The holy sword cheered, a sudden, unprecedentedly pure light gathering on its blade.

*Pfft...* It sounded like a balloon deflating.

The next moment, the light vanished completely. Altotai’s voice surfaced in his mind, filled with shock: "Th-that... my power, I don't know where it went..."

"What?!"

Mino’s jaw dropped. Didn't the system reward revive the holy sword? Why was it still completely useless?!

"Oh no, My Lord, I understand now... Although I have awakened, they have planted a magic array inside me to absorb my mana. Just like you, I am now a powerless prisoner who cannot even tie his own shoes."

"...Did you... just take the opportunity to insult me?"

"No, no, not at all."

Mino slumped, tossed the holy sword back into the corner, and climbed back into bed.

At that moment, Kretina, having just finished the demon joint meeting, passed by and glanced in, slightly surprised.

"Oh? The holy sword Altotai has already awakened? I truly didn't expect that..."

"Logically, the holy sword shouldn't have awakened for another three days... As expected of the holy sword of the hero Mino."

Mino looked up at the ceiling.

So, this reward was going to be free in three days anyway...

Whatever, let it be.

Mino could only console himself. Fortunately, he hadn't revealed any real information about Ota.

"If Ota were here, he’d have to thank me! Just by using a few mini-dolls, I foiled the demons' schemes and traps..."

"As expected of me."

Thinking this, Mino tucked himself into bed and fell asleep, satisfied.

...

Inside the study, the dim light flickered.

Ota locked the door, walked to the corner, and gently opened the glass cabinet. Looking at the neatly arranged, exquisite clay figurines of beautiful girls, the corners of his mouth couldn't stop curling upward.

He carefully picked up a brand-new figurine he had acquired just these past few days. The delicate doll glowed with a fine luster under the soft light, as if one could see the texture of its skin.

Ota’s expression was one of obsession as he quickly made a decision.

"Tonight, it will be you..."

A long while later.

Prince Ota finished his official duties and walked out of the study.

The night grew deep...

A cold wind blew the window open, and an eyeball with bat wings fluttered inside.

"Lord Strategist... are these them? I can sense a faint trace of magic."

The monster's eyeball rolled incessantly, but its pupils had lost their luster, as if connected to some void.

"Yes, that's them."

Swell’s voice emerged, his tone satisfied. "The information provided by the registrar was indeed correct... though I don't know which doll is the most important one to Prince Ota."

"Well, just in case... destroy them all."

"As you command."

A searing red light shot from the monster's eye, melting the cabinet glass to nothing before landing on the rows of exquisite girl figurines...

"Lord Strategist, my task is complete."

...

The next day.

Prince Ota, having spent a refreshed night, pushed open the door to his study with a smile on his face.

The smile vanished in the blink of an eye.

Three full minutes passed.

"Aaaaaah—!!! Who did this—! Waaaaah, how could this happen!!!!"

A cry of anguish, like a slaughtered pig, erupted from the study.

"What happened?! Your Highness!"

The next moment, *bang*, the door was kicked open by Ota.

Ota Kuhl’s eyes were bloodshot, filled with fury and agony, as two lines of bloody tears streamed down his face.

The palace staff knelt, trembling and astonished.

Your Highness... what could have happened to him? Even when the devastating news of the hero being captured arrived, Ota, the cool-headed pillar of the kingdom, had only shown a hint of sorrow...

"Your Highness!" asked Erwin, the captain of the Knights. "What are your orders? The Knights are your blade!"

"Find me... find the one who..." Ota started, but upon seeing the gazes of the crowd, his face began to flush a deep red.

He bit his lip and fell silent.

"No, it’s nothing... You may withdraw... I was just a bit emotional because of Mino."

The knights were filled with sympathy. They hadn't expected the friendship between Prince Ota and the hero Mino to be even deeper than rumors suggested.

Anyone who didn't know better would have thought the Prince had lost a spouse overnight—or several.

"Leave me to be alone."

Ota slammed the door shut.

The mask of calm was torn away, revealing him gnashing his teeth. "Who?! What powerful evil force could bypass the heavily guarded palace and destroy my treasures!"

"This is murder! This is the act of a demon! They must pay the price."

Ota let out a wave of impotent rage within the study.

Finally, an unanswerable question emerged from the depths of his heart.

Who... could have known such an important secret of his?

Even his best brother, Mino, had never been told...

*Thwack!* Ota hammered the table, gritting his teeth.

"If I ever find out which bastard leaked this news, I will throw them into a den of demons to suffer the most brutal torture!!!"

"I promise!"