Chapter: 531
After sending off the girl who came holding my friend’s mace, I spent my time organizing the research I had conducted thus far.
Knowledge accumulated over centuries spent underground.
All the results I could present, thanks to the genius known as Erginius, who achieved immortality.
This preparation was aimed at passing that knowledge along. I felt no sense of loss.
Ultimately, the great mage, Erginius, left his mark on this world purely as an apology to future generations—how could I possibly feel regret about that?
Moreover, this time, the one he chose to share his knowledge with was one of the few he recognized—a treasured pupil of my friend and also the chosen missionary of the great god Armedi.
While the skeleton holding Erginius’s memories might lament that it could only offer her so little, it held no feelings of regret.
After several days of preparing to impart everything I had, Erginius made an effort to resolve a new curiosity of his before facing the end.
A ceiling that must never crumble. Even if it were to collapse, it should only do so through some miraculous means and definitely not through ordinary bombs and scrolls.
He made every effort to understand why the ceiling had broken under such mundane circumstances. The process, however, was anything but easy.
This great mage’s accumulated knowledge and theories could not explain the phenomenon that had clearly occurred.
It’s easy to declare it nonsense.
It’s convenient to ignore what transpired before your very eyes.
But a mage mustn’t do that.
A mage, a scholar, tasked with exploring and solving the phenomena of the world, must decipher what happened right in front of them.
If existing theories fail to explain it, then the original knowledge is simply wrong.
What went wrong? Where was the oversight? What new aspect emerged? It was crucial to follow the traces obsessively until the correct answer was found.
The best method for that was to recreate the phenomena one by one.
I remembered the type of scrolls and bombs that brat used. I had memorized the order perfectly.
So, I needed to recreate each step to identify where the variables occurred.
Days passed while Erginius was lost in his research, and finally, he discovered a clue.
Something faintly emanating from a scroll that altered the surroundings into another realm.
A force that spreads and tears apart the gaps between magical energies.
I didn’t know exactly what that force was, but I understood how it worked.
Thus, coming up with a solution wasn’t too difficult.
By meticulously organizing the magic of the ceiling, I could ensure that the mysterious power flowing from the scroll wouldn’t scatter everything perfectly. My judgment was sound.
The magic now refined and operating more organically wasn’t toppled by the unknown force.
With this, the next time that brat came back, I wouldn’t be accessible in the same way as before. But that wasn’t the important part.
There was this new force I didn’t even understand. The mysterious energy flowing from the realm scroll.
I had to uncover it.
After hundreds of years, I was discovering new knowledge like a man possessed.
Was I stricken by this? When I noticed there was commotion above the ceiling, a sense of loss surged within me.
I wanted to research this new force a bit more, but they had arrived so quickly.
No. No, it wouldn’t be right for a being to cling to regrets in this world and remain as a ghost.
But does that mean I ought to depart this world without resolving the unknown right before my eyes?
If I didn’t research it, this power could remain unknown forever!
Ah. Speaking of that brat, she hadn’t transcended the trials and claimed a position here the last time.
True. While I indulged her once, it wouldn’t be the same this time.
That brat could surely reach this place correctly, so I’d research this power until the time came.
Having reconciled with myself, Erginius confirmed Lucy had left and speculated she was off preparing to conquer dungeons once more before diving back into research.
It was after half a day without Lucy’s return that he realized something was amiss.
What gives? It shouldn’t take so long to prepare for a dungeon conquest, right?
The clear indication of his approach should have been aimed directly at her; it was likely she hadn’t anticipated my method being countered.
So, she should have come back by now to prepare for the dungeon conquest. Why hadn’t she returned even after all this time?
Noticing something strange, Erginius unfurled his magic to look above the ceiling.
He checked to see if Lucy Alrn still remained in this vast desert.
Fortunately, Lucy Alrn was still there.
However, did she appear to be interested in conquering the dungeon? Not at all.
‘If you go to the far right on the second floor of this pathetic dungeon, there will be a secret passage, you know? Then from there…’
She was busy conquering a dungeon that existed in the desert along with the mercenary band she led.
Her lengthy explanations sounded somewhat exasperating and grandiose, almost annoying. But no one present dared to take her words lightly.
As Erginius pondered this oddity, he soon heard the reason from one of the mercenaries.
‘How much profit will we make if we cart all this away today?’
‘When the mercenary commander throws money at that young lady, I always thought it was pointless, but it all makes sense now!’
‘Enough chatter! Let’s just get ready to dive in. We need to pillage quickly and get out before we hit the next one!’
Lucy Alrn had already yielded some results several times before.
Instead of conquering my dungeon, was she busy conquering such trivial things? Why? How?
…
Could it be that she didn’t know where the entrance to my dungeon was?
So, was she searching for this dungeon?
Upon considering that Lucy, who was well-versed in dungeons, might not know such a thing felt unlikely, but Erginius, just to be safe, stealthily created indicators leading to the dungeon.
‘Young Lady, what is this?’
‘Why bother with such nonsense? Greenhorn Senya is indeed generous. How about showing interest in this pebble?’
‘Uh, um, isn’t it nothing?’
Completely ignored.
After this, Erginius made several attempts to present clues, but each time, Lucy disregarded them and headed to another dungeon.
Even during the expedition around his dungeon’s entrance area, the only dungeon she ignored completely was his! Even when everyone remarked on its oddness!
Though Erginius had often been told he was somewhat oblivious, the overt disregard made it impossible for him not to recognize the problem.
Lucy Alrn was not unaware of his dungeon. She was merely choosing to ignore it knowingly.
She was wandering around the desert, protesting against him.
Why did she disregard him?
Realizing this, Erginius couldn’t help but think of the term petty.
Next was a grievance about not being able to return the goodwill I extended first.
What was that brat thinking, and furthermore, what the heck was that friend of hers doing supporting her?
Consequent grievances followed, leading him to a moment of self-reproach.
Bitten down to the bone, like a habit in the memory left behind by Erginius, he chastised himself.
You foolish fool.
It’s because of that same curiosity you’ve committed a grave sin, and now you’re trying to forget your position because of so much curiosity.
You vowed not to forget your sins for a lifetime, despite knowing that the great mage who created you left this memory most vividly.
Has the passage of hundreds of years dulled your memory so that sin feels light?
Remember.
You are but a trace left by Erginius.
You ought to leave the world bearing the will of that great mage, a being that should be forgotten. Curiosity and a hunger for knowledge are things that those who must live in this world should possess, not those destined to leave it.
And anyway.
In the end, what would it matter for the wretch to cling to regrets?
Haha. Is this a way of leading them to recognize their mistakes themselves?
Undoubtedly, this is the method of a great deity.
Regardless of how irritating the surface appears, at heart, it’s merely an apostle of the god.
Chuckling internally, Erginius finally checked one last time at the various preparations he had made before opening the way to the surface.
To fulfill the legacy left by the great mage, Erginius.
*
‘Erginius! Seriously, you’re dragging this out! You should have popped out by now!’
I had wandered the desert for a day just to provoke Erginius.
The mercenaries conquering the dungeon appeared fatigued around the eyes, yet their mouths were all smiles.
While I was searching for hidden treasures to pass the time in this desert, naturally, their weights became heavier.
I picked up a few things I needed along the way too, so I had no complaints. But still, I wished for a reaction soon.
[He’s been stubborn for a while now. Why not just outright ignore any clues presented next time? ]
‘So you want to rile him up? Not a bad idea!’
Alright! Next time I find a clue, I’ll smash it to bits and laugh in his face! He couldn’t help but react then, right?
“Hey! Wizard! Stop!”
“State your affiliation!”
As I was brainstorming ways to beat Erginius, a commotion stirred among the mercenaries scanning their surroundings.
Intrigued, I turned my head to find a slender man with flowing dark hair in the distance.
…Huh? If my memory serves me right, he looks quite similar to Erginius from the cutscene, doesn’t he? Am I mistaken?
[…Lucy. That skeleton… Could it actually make a public appearance? ]
‘That. That’s definitely Erginius, right?!’
[Seems to be the case. ]
‘What’s that skeleton doing out here?! Even wearing human skin?!’
[How am I supposed to know?!]
What the?! Did this event exist? No way! After blinking in disbelief, my gaze met Erginius’s from far away.
And then, in the blink of an eye, the skeleton vanished from sight only to suddenly appear right in front of me.
“Sorry for making you wait so long.”
“Who said I was waiting for a pathetic loser like you? You’re way too full of yourself! You’re still stuck on that pathetic stage, aren’t you?”
“Hmmm. I have quite a few counterpoints to that, but your words have prompted me to learn something, so I’ll let that go for now.”
Learn something?
What could that mean?
What did I even do to him?
All I did was provoke him, right?
As I stunnedly rolled my eyes, Erginius chuckled softly.
“Okay, okay. I get it. You’re satisfied if I say thank you, right?”
Wait?
No.
What is this guy even thinking?!
What on earth has led him to wear that annoying smug grin?
He’s just a pathetic and ancient virgin skeleton, trying to act all youthful!
Someone explain to me clearly!
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