“I understand. Even if you tell me to attack the holy site of the Papal State, just because we’re friends, I doubt I can easily comprehend that.”
“…”
Fortunately, Sophia didn’t snap back or shout that we weren’t in that kind of relationship, so I was able to cautiously continue the conversation.
“Then, how about this? You’ll be our watchdog.”
“Watchdog, huh?”
Sophia seemed a bit flustered by my words.
“It’s not like I’m planning to turn historically important cultural assets into ashes.”
Sure, I was thinking about barging in and taking all the information, but ultimately, I was planning to turn back time, so it wasn’t exactly a lie.
“I just want to know a little something.”
“Can’t you just ask me directly?”
“Yeah.”
I cut her off firmly. There were plenty of stories that even the original Sophia at a high rank didn’t know. Naturally, if Sophia, being pretty much at the bottom among the Cathedral Knights, knew even a fraction of the crucial information of the Papal State, I’d be surprised.
“…Then, you know I have an obligation to protect that information from getting leaked, right?”
“…”
After a brief moment of thinking, I replied, “If I were to get that information, I’d be sure to share it with you.”
With that, I added, “And I’d also share that story you’re so eager to hear about ‘me.’”
Sophia’s eyes widened slightly at my words.
“The story about how you were told to learn about my combat methods — you wouldn’t think that’s all there is to it, would you? Surely, you heard the phrase ‘report anything unusual’ too.”
I could almost see an exclamation mark popping up over Sophia’s head.
“I’d guess that the Papal State thinks my power is connected to the ‘goddess’s power.’ If you accompany us this time and cooperate, I’ll share my story with you. I’m sure it won’t hurt you either.”
If it really came down to a situation where I couldn’t turn back time, I’d have no choice but to keep this promise.
But I didn’t think sharing such information would bring me any real loss.
So… well.
“How can I trust you?”
Sophia hesitated slightly and asked.
“The only proof I can show you is friendship. I don’t know how much you feel that friendship, but I think we’re pretty close.”
Right. I could honestly congratulate Sophia if she and Leo were together.
That way, I’d feel a bit less guilty towards Leo.
“…Can you speak in the name of the Fanggriffon?”
“That name isn’t that important in this conversation.”
I looked directly at Sophia as I said that. “I’m not asking you as a Crown Princess but as your friend, ‘Sylvia.’”
“…”
Yeah, it’s the same for Sophia.
Having grown up being constantly brainwashed by the Papal State since childhood.
Everyone’s a rival, and they’d have to step on each other just to climb a little higher.
Once you reach up there, you might taste the crumbs of friendship. After all, it does seem that friendships exist among the ‘knights’ of the Papal State.
“I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether to trust me or not.”
With those words, I stood up.
*
It wasn’t long after before Sophia came out of the room, having made up her mind.
Most of our group had finished grooming their weapons, and as time went on, the tension was slowly easing when Charlotte suddenly burst through the dressing room door, and Sophia emerged.
“…”
When our eyes met, Sophia nodded to me with the same stiff expression.
“Then it’s decided?”
Seeing Sophia like that, Charlotte opened her mouth.
“Let’s make one thing clear. What we’re looking for is that secret facility spread underneath Lutetia. As a princess, I cannot permit the destruction of the cultural site, the Cathedral of St. Latina. And collapsing the underground is also out of the question. After all, there are homes of the citizens of Lutetia above it.”
Everyone nodded at Charlotte’s words.
Seeing that, Charlotte looked at me.
Then she took a deep breath, slowly exhaled, and with a determined expression, spoke to me.
“Alright then. Let’s give it a go.”
*
The secret tomb beneath Lutetia is inspired by the catacombs of Paris.
The real catacombs are very cramped. There are spaces where a few people can walk side by side, but sometimes you’d have to squeeze yourself through gaps just to fit. It’s so overly dug out that people can go missing entirely.
And of course, our Millennium doesn’t have the technology to translate all of that into a game.
Unlike the real catacombs, which are worm-like and spread everywhere—
“What is this place…?”
The underground tomb we arrived at was a site that had ‘proper’ burial chambers. There weren’t skulls scattered everywhere or weird skull towers like in the real catacombs, but rather a grand and immaculate underground tomb that looked like something right out of a sub-culture anime.
Of course, the setting that “it’s spread all over the underground of Lutetia, and we can’t grasp the overall scale” is similar to the real catacombs.
“Such a place existed beneath Lutetia, and nobody knew until now?”
Right?
Well, in the original game and in this world too, beasts running around like ‘monsters’ exist, and in the sewers, boxes containing Marmaros sit there for some inexplicable reason — it’s a bit strange that nobody knows…
If it were a game, I’d think of it as ‘game allowance’ and move on, but now that this has become reality, it’s a different story.
Everything in a game dungeon is placed there ‘intentionally’ by someone. Just because this place is so spacious is not simply a matter of technological limitations, but also because if it were too small, it would make gameplay difficult.
Then who’s responsible for this ‘reality’ where that ‘game allowance’ so brazenly exists?
Moreover, this game allowance only applies to the ‘similarities of places’ and does not apply to other general aspects. There are no HP or MP. There’s no inventory either, so if you want to carry something, you have to hold it or put it in a bag.
I guess it’s pointless to seriously think about the reasons for the existence of this ambiguous part in a ‘reality.’
Anyway, the space spread before my eyes was undeniably real.
“Even if we use explosives here and there, the ceiling is unlikely to collapse. But let’s be careful, just as Charlotte said.”
When I said that, the party members, who had been staring blankly at the ruins, nodded.
…Well, I did blow up part of the sewer during the entrance, but there shouldn’t be any big problems.
I waved my arm once more. The reinforced armor embedded with a few mana stones was still functioning well.
“I’d really like to meet the artisan who made that equipment.”
Rena had said that.
Maybe I should introduce her to him once this matter is settled.
I slung the specially crafted elephant-hunting revolver across my back and held my trusty rifle in hand.
In my holster, I had an automatic pistol and a revolver, with magazines full of regular ammunition and a round of Marmaros ammo alternately loaded.
I’m probably the most heavily armed I’ve ever been with all my gear.
“If there are people around, I’ll do my best to minimize casualties. It’s a massive place, but because it spreads widely over Lutetia, it’s easy to get lost. Make sure to follow closely behind me.”
“…I’m itching to ask right away how you knew all this information, but since I’ve just seen that such a place actually exists, I’ll let it slide for now.”
“I’ll explain everything once it’s all over.”
With that said, I looked towards Sophia. She seemed a bit pale. Maybe it was because the torches hanging around the underground ruins emitted a pale blue light.
“…”
Alice still hadn’t said anything.
I could see a thought in her eyes: ‘You didn’t see this in advance, did you?’
…No, wait.
Did I just read Alice’s expression?
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