Chapter 115 - Chapter 18: The Exploration II
We boarded the bowl.
Since it would likely only be ascending and descending, thanks to making the bottom as thick as possible, the bottom was wide and the edges were low accordingly. It was more of a plate than a bowl. We decided to ride sitting down so as not to tumble off.
Since it was transparent, when I held my hand over the bottom, the light reached through the bottom of the bowl.
"[Magic Defend]!"
James-sama cast a magic defense spell on the bowl.
"You can do things like this!"
I was surprised that he could cast magic on a wall of air made by magic to strengthen it. Paul-san was also startled.
"It's fine because I'm not casting it on the magic itself."
I didn't know that... However, I'd heard something good.
"[Defend]!"
In that case, I tried making the bowl hard. With this, it should have become strong against physical attacks too.
"We can be at ease with this."
Roberts-sama also seemed satisfied. After all, we had no choice but to protect ourselves with the bowl against what was directly below. It would be terrible if the bowl were pierced.
Just in case, James-sama had three of Marcelo-san's Holy scrolls. If the opponent that appeared was a type of monster, he could likely defeat most of them.
"Everyone, please be careful."
To the sound of Gladys-sama and the others seeing us off, we slowly descended while illuminating the bottom of the hole with my right hand and the surrounding walls with my left.
James-sama's Fire Ball, which he had sent ahead of the bowl, seemed to have reached the bottom. It was burning like a bonfire.
Looking up, I could barely see the torches wedged into the walls.
Perhaps we really had descended to the same height as the shrine at the foot.
"It seems we've reached the bottom."
James-sama was looking at the candle inserted into the lantern. Not much time had passed.
When I put the Light at maximum intensity with both hands, the ground became visible.
The cavern had gradually widened from the top, and it was wider than I had thought. It must have been more than ten paces in diameter.
On the ground where there was nothing, only the magical fire illuminated the surroundings.
"There's a side tunnel."
As Roberts-sama said, there were two side tunnels open at the bottom. They were open exactly on opposite sides of the bottom of the almost circular hole.
They were vertically long, about the same size as the cave beyond the wind barrier.
We landed and illuminated the side tunnels with Light, but we couldn't see to the depths.
"Wouldn't one lead to the entrance and the other lead further in?"
"Roberts, if that's the case, one side would be completely blocked."
"The site of the landslide, then."
If we only explored one side, if there was something in the other hole, we would be attacked from behind. That said, we couldn't split up any further. It would be the same even if we called the people waiting above.
I wondered if we had no choice but to call Henry-sama and the others.
"Just block one side. While we're at it, it'll be fine if we dig a pitfall or something."
Roberts-sama said something rough. Certainly, if we blocked it, we wouldn't be pursued from behind.
"That's better. It's still too early to regroup with Henry-sama and the others."
Saying that, James-sama took out a bowl and a water skin from his own storage bag.
He poured water into the bowl, and I thought he was going to drink it, but that wasn't it.
He was floating a piece of wood shaped like a fish.
The fish changed direction slightly once it floated in the water.
"It seems this way is west, in other words, the site of the landslide. Shall we block this side for now?"
Amazing. He apparently knew the direction.
When I asked Paul-san, he said it was something that had been transmitted from the continent.
There really are all sorts of things.
It seemed they would block the one closer to the entrance.
Promptly, the civil engineering work began. After digging a large hole, they kept throwing soil into the side tunnel, and near the entrance, they dug a hole and built another wall of soil in front of it.
"What about the people above? Shall we call them down?"
Roberts-sama was asking.
If Paul-san went back and forth in the bowl, it would be over in an instant.
However, James-sama's thought seemed to be different.
"Let's have them stay above until safety can be confirmed to some extent. This cavern will likely protect everyone."
James-sama said while looking far above.
The flames of the torches were barely visible. They were like stars in the night sky.
As long as Paul-san wasn't there, no one would be able to descend until Eleanor-sama came.
The remaining time was a little over half an hour. Finally, it had become an exploration with four people.
We were to proceed through the side tunnel riding in Paul-san's bowl. Since the bowl itself would be a shield, it was just right. The newly made bowl was made according to the size of the side tunnel, with high edges and a vertically long shape. It was faster and easier than walking.
When illuminated with Light, it didn't branch off, and it was only slightly winding, so we could proceed easily.
"At this rate, we can cover quite a distance."
"Yeah. We should have done this from the start."
Even if we went directly under the mountain peak, since the speed of the bowl was quite fast, we could apparently reach it in about half an hour. It was just the right pace.
"But what is this hole for?"
"I don't know. Jeanne, when you met the water spirit, did you pass through caves or anything?"
"Only a very little, but we passed through an underground passage. But if anything, passing through the water was longer."
Here, I remembered the Hand-holding Song.
"Come to think of it, in the Hand-holding Song, one is supposed to be blown away at the Western Gate. So far, we haven't come to a place where we'd be blown by the wind, so wouldn't this be a place unrelated to the barrier?"
"Hand-holding Song? Priestess Jeanne, what is that?"
Oh, right. Since James-sama was from another country, he didn't know.
"It's a song about the Four Great Spirits created by the first King of Sertoria. Clues to meeting the spirits are sung in it."
"Is there such a song?"
Since it was a good opportunity, I sang it. Roberts-sama and Paul-san sang along with me.
"Is there no such thing in Medioland?"
"There are no clues at all. It hasn't even been passed down whether light magic could be used."
"Well, normally that would be the case. They would keep it secret."
I was a bit surprised. Did it have to be kept secret? But Dune was participating in banquets and appearing before people with a nonchalant face.
"It's because if it's not kept secret, you'll be targeted by other countries or some kind of power. Just imagine if it became known that you'd obtained the power of a spirit. Those dangerous countries to the south might come to steal it with their eyes changing color."
Seeing as Roberts-sama was saying it while laughing, I wanted to believe it wasn't that serious.
"It's natural to think so. However, it's no use overreacting. Anyway, only the person themselves can use it, and you can't even meet a spirit unless you can use light magic, right? There's no need to worry. The first King likely foresaw that and made the song and spread various rumors."
"Rumors?"
"That the Primal Ruins have an underground passage and are connected to somewhere outside the barrier."
Come to think of it, Paul-san had said something about there being an underground passage at the bottom of the lake. But there was no such thing at the ruins.
"If that's the case, is what we're currently proceeding through that underground passage?"
"It might be. Anyway, Dune doesn't know. If it's something humans made later, it's likely something no good."
Suddenly, Roberts-sama thrust his spear forward.
"For example, that. Paul, stop!"
At the same time Paul-san stopped the bowl, I put the Light at maximum intensity.
When Roberts-sama poked the ground with the tip of his spear, a pitfall opened its mouth.
When I peered inside, something sharp was pointing upward. Apparently, nothing was caught in it. If there were a corpse, it would likely show up in my dreams.
"There are people who set things like this. Since we're flying in the bowl, we passed by several, but there might have been some we didn't notice."
If the traps were intended for things walking on the ground, the mechanisms would also be on the ground. Does that mean they don't trigger for those who are flying?
"You noticed it well."
"The floor was slightly dented. I noticed because it was a clean square, but I wouldn't have noticed otherwise. I'm always setting traps here and there, after all. I can tell if it's something made by an amateur."
"As expected of a country made by former hunters. Teach me next time."
I heard that knights of other countries dislike such methods, saying they go against chivalry. I wondered how he felt about that point.
When I asked timidly, James-sama smiled.
"Priestess. As you know, war is ultimately just people killing each other. I believe there is no aesthetics or anything in such actions. Such things are merely rules made by nobles so they don't kill each other, nothing more than self-justification. As one who commands a war, one should consider how to keep one's allies, including soldiers, from dying, and for that purpose, one must learn about traps and acquire the way to see through them. Of course, there will be times when my soldiers set traps for the enemy. At that time, I, as the war leader, just have to have the resolve to take that criticism without making poor excuses."
I was surprised. I wonder if this is what people call 'insight.'
"In war, there are no knights or soldiers. The point is, you kill or are killed, isn't that all?"
At Roberts-sama's words, Paul-san nodded silently.
From then on, we stopped occasionally, and after Roberts-sama's explanation, we began to intentionally trigger the traps.
Stones fell, spears came out from the walls, and arrows flew, but we dodged them all and Roberts-sama broke them with his spear.
I wondered what on earth they were aiming for by setting so many traps.
"I wonder what is ahead."
"Ultimately, it's something humans made. It likely won't be anything that great."
Roberts-sama answered James-sama's question. Precisely because it was something humans made, I felt all the more malice, but Roberts-sama didn't seem to mind.
And then, darkness spread in our path. It wasn't the narrow walls of the cave, but seemed to be a wide place to the left and right.
In the widened area, something was wriggling.
The stench of rot was terrible.
Their faces were rotten so I couldn't tell well, but they were pig-faced. There were quite a lot of them.
They seemed to have noticed us and came toward us.
Perhaps because their eyes were dead, they didn't flinch even when bathed in the light of the Light.
"Orc Revenants!"
"Good grief, what a troublesome opponent."
Roberts-sama was holding a silver spear. He could likely defeat them, but there were many.
"What shall we do? Shall we retreat once?"
"Yes. Paul-dono, could you please retreat and draw them out? It's a bit rough, but I'll settle this with fire magic."
James began his incantation. He intended to use magic of high-level or above.
"Jeanne. A big one is coming. Don't you dare poke your face out from the edge of the bowl."
I was forced to sit down by Roberts-sama. Since he was holding me by the scruff of my neck and pressing me down, I couldn't stand up.
I mean, it hurt a little.
Roberts-sama's thumb and pinky were almost touching at my neck. What huge hands he has.
As the bowl retreated, the monsters entered the cave. Here, he could attack in a straight line. If all of them entered the cave, it would be settled in one shot.
Judging the timing, James-sama activated the magic that had become like a red-yellow ball in both his palms.
"[Prominence]!"
From both hands thrust out in front of his face, orange flames burst forth. They surged forward while swirling, swallowed the monsters chasing us into the cave, and proceeded straight into the depths.
After the mass of fire passed, nothing remained. Did it sweep them away? Or were they burnt to the bone...
"It's ultra-high-level fire magic. Apparently, it's one of the spells my mother used when she fought the Demon Lord."
Are you serious?
Even if they were Revenants, they were originally Orcs, right?
Isn't it like Roberts-sama swinging a silver spear to exterminate a single mouse?
The temperature inside the cave was rising rapidly. It was quite hot. No, it was burning.
Wait a minute. The surface of the walls is melting...
"[Blizzard]!"
This time, a snowstorm erupted from James-sama's hands. It was high-level ice magic. Apparently, since it had become too hot, he intended to lower the surrounding temperature.
"Did I overdo it?"
Roberts-sama was laughing.
"Sorry. It wasn't magic to be used in a narrow place. Paul-dono, sorry, but please retreat. It's good that we exterminated the monsters, but at this rate, we'll shrivel up."
"U-Understood, pfft, so, so be it!"
Paul-san had unintentionally burst out laughing.
"Man, that was something."
Since everyone had been cooled down after getting hot, we were drenched in sweat. James-sama was wiping his face with a hand towel.
"I used both hands and did it at full power. If I'd known, I should have used one hand."
I felt the result wouldn't have changed much, but I suppose I shouldn't say that.
"Everything is an experience. It's good it wasn't outdoors. If it were outside, it would have become a forest fire."
"At this rate, I'll be scolded by Eleanor-sama."
"Come to think of it, my mother was your master."
"Was that so?"
I was surprised. I didn't think there was a connection in a place like this.
"It's been since Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama visited Medioland when I was about ten years old. Since then, I've been receiving instruction every time they came and went for one reason or another."
"While my brother and I were getting our butts smacked with a staff by Bishop Catherine, James was being put through the wringer by my mother."
"Um, as expected, was she strict?"
I wondered if he was subjected to fire torture or water torture if he failed.
"No, I don't remember being treated like that. I was instructed kindly."
"The treatment is quite different. It's unfair."
"In exchange, for every failure, I had to perform a joke that would make Eleanor-sama laugh once."
That was more than enough punishment. It was pitiful to an extent.
"Sorry. I'll apologize on my mother's behalf."
The sweat running down the forehead of Roberts-sama, who bowed his head, was likely not because it was hot. James-sama's cold magic was already starting to take effect.
"No. I don't really have that kind of sense, but I've become able to quickly perceive the humor and jokes of the other party at negotiation tables with other countries and laugh naturally. In that sense, I am grateful."
I unintentionally looked at Roberts-sama's face.
It seemed he had been brainwashed, but it must be a high-level technique to be able to laugh at every single one of an old man's lame jokes that are only useful on a hot summer day. The other party would surely be delighted.
As a result, if it was useful in diplomatic settings, it might have been a good thing.
Since the temperature seemed to have settled, we decided to go to the hall.
The cave along the way had been rapidly heated and rapidly cooled; no living creature would be safe from the temperature difference alone.
The cavernous space was silent, and only the breathing of the four of us could be heard.
When I illuminated the surroundings with the light at maximum intensity, it was a fairly wide circular room. If packed without gaps, about five hundred people could likely stay there. Several pillars were standing.
The ceiling wasn't that high, only about twice that of the cave.
There were hollows here and there on the floor, but there seemed to be nothing.
"A dead end?"
"Seeing as Revenants were loitering about, there likely aren't any traps on the ground. If so, is it above? Jeanne, illuminate above. Paul, we'll look around from corner to corner."
While looking up at the ceiling along with Roberts-sama, as I illuminated it with Light, there was a hole open in one spot.
From the entrance we came in, it was in the left direction.
It was the same size as the cave we had come through to get here. Surely, we could ascend in the bowl.
After James-sama solidified the defense overhead with Wind Barrier, I put the Light at maximum intensity and tried to illuminate it.
I couldn't see the end at all.
It extended upward like a vertically connected pipe.
I thought we were going to climb just like that, but James-sama was looking at the lantern. One of the lines carved into the candle was no longer visible.
"Roberts. It's time. Let's cut it short for now."
"Understood. Before that, dig a large hole directly under here. If Revenants fall from above, we'll have to break a sweat again. Let's drop them into the hole to some extent."