“This stench…”
“It smells like rotten corpses.”
“Ugh…”
What on earth is going on in there that the smell of decaying bodies is wafting out? We had no choice but to cover our noses against the stench that leaked out to the entrance of the Temple. At this rate, have they piled up a mountain of corpses somewhere in the Temple?
“Ugh… It’s painful to breathe…”
“Sif, you still have to endure.”
It seems being a dog beastman made Sif go completely pale, even gagging. At this rate, I can’t even fight properly. I pulled out some cloth from my backpack, cut it into appropriate sizes, and handed one to each of my companions.
“Cover your noses with this. It’ll be better than nothing.”
“Ugh… Thank you…”
We quickly covered our lower faces with the cloth. It wouldn’t block the smell entirely like a real mask, but it was better than nothing. After overcoming this little hurdle, we were finally able to enter the Temple.
The Temple had a large lobby, a bizarre statue at the end of the lobby, and a red object bowing before it. Is that statue the god this Temple worships? We hid behind a pillar to confirm the overall structure without being noticed.
Lobby. Hallways on both sides. Should we search the hallway first then?
“I’ll search the right hallway first.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to split up?”
“No. The risk is too high.”
I flatly rejected Lewis’s suggestion. At first glance, it seemed efficient, but splitting up with two non-combatants present would only give them a reason to pick us off individually.
Better to be slow but sure and safe.
That would be the primary objective of this exploration of the Temple.
We began to move stealthily toward the right hallway like little thieves. How long had we moved? Once we had traveled a considerable distance, sticking close to the inner wall and cautiously observing our surroundings, a faint presence could be felt.
“A presence.”
“Could it be a monster?”
“Perhaps.”
“Shouldn’t we use a search magic?”
“No. If we use magic, it will complicate things.”
“Don’t you have a search skill?”
“…My skill is too obvious to use.”
Ah, that was the setting… I had tossed that excuse out there, but it was only after Sif asked that I remembered I had said that. Sif looked a bit puzzled, but said nothing further, as we couldn’t afford to nitpick in this kind of situation.
“So, what should we do?”
“…For now, everyone hide behind the pillars.”
Just as I finished speaking, everyone quickly hid behind the pillars and waited for the unidentified presence to approach. Tap tap. The footsteps grew clearer as they got closer. It was the first time I had heard such rhythmic footsteps after entering the dimensional rift.
I silently tightened my grip on the shovel and focused my muscles.
One.
Two.
Three.
A heavy impact struck my hand. Blood stuck to my face, but with the air in this Temple already rotting, it was hard to feel the metallic scent of blood. I squatted before the neatly severed corpse and turned my eyes.
“A person…”
Not a monster. A person. I stared intently at the neck hidden beneath a red hood. The attire looked familiar.
Harpas?
Is this damn island a base for the Halphas Cult?
No, if they were Halphas, there should be some kind of cult token—
“I’ll search the corpse. Keep watch. If you sense any presence, report immediately.”
Everyone nodded at my command. I began to feel around the corpse, looking for any clues that might be useful. But all I found were a small dagger and a little notebook. I tucked the corpse behind a pillar and opened the notebook.
[!@()!#&!$_!)(!]
“…A language I’ve never seen before.”
Strangely enough, my translation trait wasn’t kicking in. It’s not mechanical translation, so I didn’t understand why it wasn’t being translated. Why isn’t it translating? I folded the notebook and opened it again, flipping it upside down, but the unidentified language didn’t translate.
I have no idea what this is.
“Does anyone recognize these characters?”
“Hmm… I don’t know.”
“I don’t either.”
“Me neither.”
“Maybe it’s a code?”
A code? I gazed closely at the letters Sif suggested. Perhaps it’s a code, which is why my trait isn’t activating. I noted that possibility and stuffed the notebook into my backpack.
I thought of taking it to a codebreaker later.
“I’ll proceed.”
There are many places to investigate. I chose the right path among the large road through the middle of the Temple and the smaller roads on both sides. Ideally, splitting up to investigate the Temple would be the most efficient, but with two non-combatants, it was impossible. I peeked my head into the right hallway to check if anyone was there.
“…It’s annoying.”
The hallway had an odd structure protruding from the middle of the Temple building, and the closer I got to it, I could hear an incomprehensible prayer.
“!@&(#$)!($(!!”
The devout voice drilled into my ears, reminding me of the mass I had attended during military days, but realizing it was being spoken in an alien tongue left me feeling eerie. It sounded like a horror game I had enjoyed long ago.
“It’s quiet.”
“It’s hard to get a grasp because of the noise.”
The annoying sermon made my head chaotic. It was difficult to pick up the surrounding sounds due to that noise. I stood next to the first door of the hallway and looked at my companions. Excluding Sif, my companions were eagerly watching my mouth.
“Lewis. You keep watch. Sif, Perinne. Can you cast Silence Magic?”
A spell that disassembles the sounds in a designated area, resulting in silence. It was a skill frequently used alongside stealth magic for assassination plays in games. It was classified as a grade 3 magic within a game’s magic system, so they might have learned it.
Thankfully, I heard a positive response from Perinne.
“I can do it.”
“Cast Silence Magic on the door.”
I quietly readied my shovel while watching Perinne cast Silence Magic on the doorknob. Now, opening the door wouldn’t make a sound. I turned the doorknob and opened the door just enough for my toes to fit, then peeked inside.
“…A torture chamber?”
A corpse tied to a chair that looked straight out of a movie. The face was covered by a bag, so I couldn’t tell, but it was quite large. I opened the door halfway and stepped inside. The overall impression of the room was… not suitable for children’s education. A room covered in blood with a corpse sitting in it.
I slowly approached the corpse, shovel in hand. I didn’t want to, but I was planning to search the body. After all, this was the only corpse in this room.
One step.
Two steps.
Three steps.
The distance closed. Just as I reached a point where I could almost stretch my shovel, my instincts blared alarm bells madly.
“What the hell.”
A grotesque creature burst out from the corpse’s belly. The disgusting mass of tentacles lunged at my head like it was trying to steal my consciousness, and I instinctively jabbed the shovel into the creature’s body. The tentacles flailed, letting out a revolting death cry.
Damn it. I didn’t need a surprise show like this.
I thumped the burst-open corpse with the shovel a few times, turning around to search its body. But I found nothing unusual. Should I peel off the bag in the end?
Cautiously, I removed the bag and checked the corpse’s face. A middle-aged man. His face twisted in fear. Cause of death? Shock? I turned to check the neck. No signs of strangulation. Just what seemed to be black ink drawn in the shape of eyes on the nape of his neck.
If this is a religious symbol, then this cult isn’t the Halphas Cult.
Having gathered important information, I grabbed the doorknob to leave the room when—
“Johann, people are approaching this way…!”
What?
I turned my ears to listen to Perinne’s words. Only then did I start to hear multiple footsteps approaching me. It seemed they were walking casually, which was not good news.
I hurriedly opened the door and called my companions in. It wasn’t a good room for mental health, but I didn’t have the luxury to care about that. When I opened the door wide, my companions rushed in and covered their mouths. The state of the corpse was too horrific.
I closed the door and pressed my ear to it.
Tap tap, tap tap…
The sound grew closer and then faded away. Had they not found the corpse hidden behind the pillar? The footsteps were regular, as if they were going about their daily lives.
“Looks like we haven’t been noticed.”
“Thank goodness. I was worried we might’ve been found…”
“Maybe they’re dumber than we thought?”
Given that they were from such a cult, Sif’s words made perfect sense. With so many suspicious factors, it was odd they weren’t looking for us. If that’s the case, investigation might be a little easier…
Tap.
Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap…
“…Shit.”
Everyone’s faces went pale.
I gripped the shovel tightly with sweaty, slippery hands.
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