Chapter: 602
It’s been nearly two years since I set foot in this world, so some parts are starting to get a bit hazy, but there are definitely a few things I can never forget.
One of those is the dungeon.
The memories etched into my body, rather than my mind, come rushing back the moment I face that place.
So I can confidently say this: there’s no way there’s a smell of blood in the dungeon where Ruel’s doll is waiting. How could a stinky odor linger in a dungeon guarded by a noble and strict Holy Knight?
Ugh. Damn. Nothing ever goes according to plan. I can’t even swing a weapon properly, and now there’s a twist.
“What’s going on?”
“I’ll tell you what’s going on. Another loser found this place first.”
The condition to enter here isn’t ‘to be filled with the Lord’s holiness’ but rather ‘to infuse the Lord’s holiness.’
While I and Phoebe are the only ones who can do the former, the latter has plenty of ways to make it happen.
For instance, if I were to barge into the Artea clan’s storeroom, I could probably score countless entry permits.
So it wouldn’t be surprising if someone happened upon this spot by chance.
Especially considering this place is a sacred ground filled with clergy.
The problem lies elsewhere. The doll mimicking Holy Knight Ruel is much more finicky than the current grandpa.
He wouldn’t just sit by and watch his home get messed up.
If someone has started stirring things up here, Ruel would definitely move to eliminate the intruders.
Yet he couldn’t stop it. He had no choice but to let the underground fill with the stench of death.
Why? Because the intruder knocked out Ruel’s doll.
“Should we just retreat? This place is enemy territory now. We don’t know what could happen if we dig around for secrets.”
Arthur’s suggestion was perfectly rational. With an unpredictable variable now in play, it’d be better to pull back. Even though our strength is considerable, we can’t take on the entire Church.
I acknowledge that intellectually, but I couldn’t bring myself to say it out loud.
“Uh… right.”
As I muttered that, I watched Phoebe gather her hands to her chest, unable to look away from what lay ahead. I just couldn’t say we should go back.
“Useless Prince. Are you scared? Is your leg trembling in fear?”
“My own will has nothing to do with it. I just think it’s the best course of action.”
“What’s the difference between that and being a coward? I don’t get it!”
Phoebe is probably seeing visions of the past down here. The memories from the time she became a saint.
She succeeded in facing and overcoming the past she had once forgotten, but that doesn’t mean she can wholly erase the nightmares of that day.
“If you think you can’t win and plan to run away, then why are you carrying a sword? It would be more pitiful to go unarmed and elicit sympathy.”
“Lady, I’m fine. So for now…”
“Shut it! Pathetic saint! I wasn’t asking you!”
I somewhat forcefully shut up Phoebe, who seemed intent on stopping me.
Not everything here is for your benefit, Phoebe.
This is also a chance to tease that old man who got trampled by all these losers.
Even now, inside, Garad’s hearty laughter mixes with Grandpa’s shouts.
I can’t wait to see how much more amusing it’ll get once the truth comes out.
“Are you really okay? We might be fine, but with your current condition, you could be in danger in any unexpected situation.”
“Hahaha! Are you worried about me, Useless Prince!? I can handle the likes of you with just one hand!”
“Why does your hand look like that?”
“What? Did I do something weird?”
She merely mimicked holding a mace, and I don’t get why I’m suddenly clearing my throat.
Anyway, having secured Arthur’s agreement, I directed my gaze to the other two. Frey was restless, itching to dash forward, while Joy already had a few magic circles floating around her.
“No matter what’s waiting in here, it can’t be more dangerous than the Fairy Forest, right?”
“Of course not. The creatures here are just trash-tier, weak little nuisances.”
“So what’s the problem then? It’s perfect! Finally, a chance to put into practice what I learned from Lord Erginius!”
Joy’s attempt to shrug off the nerves was not convincing… honestly, it made me anxious.
The more confident she seemed, the likelier she was to make a mistake at a critical moment. History has shown that.
“What’s with that look? You saw how well I handled my magic on the way here! Trust me!”
“I didn’t say anything. Why are you the one getting all worked up?”
“Your eyes! Your eyes were saying it!”
“What are you talking about? Seriously, how in the world are you a noble lady?”
“Uwaaaah!”
By making Joy my scapegoat, I managed to lighten the atmosphere and turned my attention back to Phoebe.
She quietly looked at me, bit her lip, and nodded. With her eyes slightly reddened, I could tell she was on the verge of tears.
“As you all know, I’m weak right now. So focus on following my commands. There’s no shield to protect you from your foolishness.”
If this were a game, with my friends’ stats we could toy with the final boss. But here, it’s reality, and there are realms we can’t reach with game logic.
So we need to stay sharp.
The opponents we meet here are likely the priests of the Lord’s Church.
More specifically, they’re probably the Inquisitors.
If they’ve made this their base, then they must have laid numerous traps.
There may not be many enemies, but those few would not just fall over without a fight.
From the moment they realize we’re here, they’ll be setting ambushes to create favorable conditions for themselves.
I doubt their specs differ much from what I know. Hmm. I can see roughly what we should do.
“Let’s go, losers.”
As I step into the underground corridor, I felt confident my predictions were right. The traps laid out in the hallway were clearly the handiwork of an Inquisitor.
“Useless Knight. Get ready.”
“Okay!”
Ignoring the presence I felt beyond the fork in the path, I reached for the trap.
They must think we’d fall into it and are waiting to ambush us.
“Aah!?”
So I scream to lead them on purpose. My clear, high-pitched voice fills the hallway, and a man dressed in robes appears from the other side.
“Puhaha!♡ Did you expect me?♡”
As he prepares to throw a dagger, he dazedly stares at my smile, and in that moment, Frey, cloaked in wind, swiftly reaches him.
Noticing his impending doom too late, the man turns his head, but it was already too late; Frey’s sword had reached his neck.
“…Gah!?”
Frozen by the sensation of death, the man finds himself easily caught by a rope that sprang from his own shadow.
He writhes to escape the restraints, but those ropes are not something an Inquisitor who has forsaken their god could deal with.
How could something born from the power of darkness be broken by human strength?
Huh, that was too easy?
Even if he was caught by my taunt, isn’t it a bit off that he can’t react at all?
Is this what the Church’s Inquisitors are like?
Tilting my head, I approached the man and, after landing a few kicks to his gut while he squirmed, I left him gasping for air.
“…I mean, it’s great that we’ve subdued him, but wouldn’t it have been better to interrogate him?”
“There’s no way this idiot can be reasoned with. Just look at him. He’s too far gone and freaking out! Do you really think we can extract information from such a huge pile of idiotic waste?”
“I doubt he fainted because he liked it.”
“Lady, as you said, don’t expect any useful info. The Inquisitors are trained to endure torture.”
“Ah, you’re right. They probably wouldn’t be caught off guard during interrogation.”
As I nod my head, I glance over to the dark side, revealing what was once a person—his bones and flesh lay stark. The marks left on the flesh were definitely bite marks.
…Cannibalism? They ate people?
So the guy we just tied up? He looks like he’s been here a while. We’re looking at a state of complete starvation!
Plus, look at the wounds carved into his fallen clothes. It seems they deliberately let him live despite having every opportunity to kill him…
‘What… does that mean?’
These guys aren’t the hunters; they’re the hunted.
They were being hunted? The Inquisitors?
I didn’t even need to bother asking who was after them. Remembering whose territory this originally was brings the answer quickly to mind.
Hahaha! This has gotten interesting for another reason! The corruption of Holy Knight Ruel, huh?
Erginius, that guy. Can’t even make one lousy doll without messing it up. In the past, he could have subdued them with a bit of cruelty, but he wouldn’t have played with them like this.
…This kind of variable wasn’t something I anticipated.
Ah, damn.
If my body were in good shape, I could use Historical Confirmation to see what happened, but that’s currently impossible.
Historical Confirmation is quite draining. If I used it now, I’d be out cold before even gleaning any info.
As I pondered for a moment, I ended up letting out a hollow laugh. Ultimately, nothing will change. It’s just a return to the beginning. So there’s no reason to retreat.
“…May the dead find peace.”
Once I confirmed that Phoebe had finished her prayer for the departed, I moved forward again to clear the dungeon.
What awaited us was the very embodiment of horror.
Corpses ripped apart to intimidate the living. The skin of a person who had been screaming. Decaying chunks of flesh. Inquisitors trembling in fear as we dominated them. Debris and black blood strewn everywhere.
Phoebe and I suspected the unease in the underground was crafted from the sacrifice of the innocent, but the reality was different.
This hell was woven from the deaths of those who were not innocent.
“An alchemist? This reminds me of when we stepped into that dude’s dungeon.”
“…That place was truly horrific.”
“Who on earth could do such a thing?”
As we pressed on, step by step through this hell, a chill ran down my spine.
The old man raised his voice. I instinctively tightened my grip on my shield, trying to move my body. But my movements were meaningless.
Frey dashed past me, deflecting a mace with her sword.
“Here comes the creepy enemy.”
Rather than responding, the opponent swung his mace once more.
As Frey recoiled, the mace struck the ground, powerful enough to cause the floor to tremble.
“Losers. Get ready.”
Ruel’s broken doll approaches to kill us.
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