Chapter 179 - Fifth Story: Church Underground Passage Exploration ⑤
=== CHAPTER 179 ===
In the second room, there were wolves. They were one size larger than any I had seen before, with pale gray fur.
Since they weren't silver, they probably weren't Fenrirs.
If they're wolves, they won't use magic.
However, there were more than twenty of them.
If Robinson-san were here, it would be one shot, but he isn't here now.
Since the Archbishop-sama was here, we knew in advance, but even if it was from a distance, it didn't feel good to be surrounded.
While letting out growls, they gradually drew closer.
"Just do as I said earlier. Everyone, huddle together by the wall and crouch down. Jeanne and Kevin are at the front."
We all huddled together as told.
The Headmistress touched the tip of her staff to the ground and began to draw a semi-circle on the ground as if to surround us while muttering something.
It was a barrier to ward off monsters.
As we waited like that, one impatient wolf pounced.
I instinctively dodged.
"Gyain!"
It crashed into an invisible wall, let out a yelp, and backed away. Just like the Revenant from before, it seemed they couldn't enter the barrier.
"Jeanne. This barrier allows holy magic to pass through, so defeat a few of them with [Holy] using the Black Stone."
It's an absolutely safe decoy strategy.
"[Holy]!"
When I finished the incantation and chanted an amplified [Holy], the one it hit collapsed with a thud. It can defeat a wild boar in one hit. Wolves are easy too.
Since they were right nearby, I picked off the ones that pounced and were bounced back.
Once five of them had fallen, they took their distance and surrounded us.
This was also the same as before. Wolves surround their prey.
Since they were looking at us, it was a chance.
"Fiona. Please!"
Fiona, floating in the air, dropped one pack of gunpowder. It was the one Beowulf had brought, the thin one wrapped in parchment.
Since she would take damage if she were inside the barrier, I had her fly through the air beforehand and wait behind and above the wolves.
At the same time, I used amplified [Light] to blind them.
Just as they let out yelps, a thunderous roar echoed.
Since it would be bad if the fur was damaged, I had the gunpowder explode at a distance.
There shouldn't be any damage to the wolves, but they seemed to have lost the strength in their legs from the sudden sound. They were standing on only their front legs, scratching the ground frantically.
"Now! Everyone, attack at once!"
We exited the barrier and counterattacked.
Bonnie fired arrows, and Beatrix used amplified lightning magic.
The opponents could hardly move. They were hit with amusing ease.
Since their numbers were reduced by half, Beowulf and Katherine-sensei also charged in.
Eventually, even the Archbishop-sama and Secretary-sama charged in, and finally, they were completely wiped out.
"I wonder if that person is okay? I hope he can keep his breath until the end."
When Flora whispered that, the Headmistress also agreed, saying he's an old man so it's worrying.
I don't think you're one to talk.
"What? Did you say something?"
"It's nothing."
She's sharp. It seems she sees through everything.
As expected, the Headmistress was invincible.
After that, things like a huge lizard with six legs and a huge wildcat appeared, but they were no match for her.
To be precise, she didn't let them be a match.
At the same time she identified the opponent's true nature, she immediately gave us instructions.
Those covered in scales are weak to ice and lightning. Those covered in fur are weak to fire. She taught us how to put those laws into practice at a combat level.
She would fire ice or fire magic to the left and right of the opponent to limit their range of movement, endure with the barrier or Beowulf's slimy shield, and stop the opponent's movement. We would deal damage with [Holy] or arrows, and Katherine-sensei would finish them off. If we knew there weren't many of them, we didn't even use gunpowder.
The magic used was also only amplified beginner-level magic.
The underground structure was also simple, perhaps because we had proceeded straight ahead.
From the barrier gate, it was arranged in the order of passage, room, passage, room, and they were simply connected by doors. The passages were dark, but since torches were lit in every room, I could also attack with amplified [Holy].
"Among the magical beast types, there aren't many with real backbone. Just Fenrirs and Griffons, really."
Apparently, she has fought them all.
Since Griffons fly in the sky, she seemed to have had quite a hard time, but she said they probably wouldn't appear underground because it's narrow.
That Fenrir probably did its best.
When it realized its lightning was blocked by [Magic Reflection], it easily dodged Kevin-sama's and my [Holy] and Bonnie's arrows, deployed magic defense, and gradually closed the distance.
It was all well and good until it pounced on the Headmistress, who had stepped out in front of the barrier pretending to have lost her patience, but after being blown away along with its magic defense by a single shot of high-level [Holy] from the front, it could no longer move satisfactorily.
After that, I hit it with several shots of amplified [Holy], and finally, Beowulf and Katherine-sensei finished it off.
According to her, magical beast types whose forte is agility cannot avoid high-level magic that targets a wide area in a place like an underground hall. In the end, magical beasts are basic frontal attackers. If you solidify your defense and show an opening after making them impatient to some extent, they will absolutely pounce.
That's where you strike them down.
Of course, that's limited to ultra-high-level mages who can use high-level magic without chanting.
Does that mean... what? Slugs are the strongest underground?
It would mean even the Headmistress and the others who defeated the Demon Lord couldn't defeat them...
"Now that you mention it, that's true."
I decided not to make eye contact with the sullen Headmistress.
When we passed through the door of the room where we defeated the Fenrir, we came out into a strangely bright small room.
Whether it was magical light or not, the ceiling was glowing to an extent that wasn't dazzling.
In the room, there was a single small bookshelf, and five or six thick books were lined up.
There was also a table and several chairs.
This must be the 'records' the Dwarf was talking about.
According to the Headmistress, who glanced at the spines, they were all in ancient characters.
"This is a wonderful thing."
The Archbishop-sama was looking at the spines with a flushed expression.
There were several volumes, but each seemed to have a title.
"It says 'Chronicles'. It's just as the Dwarf said. It's our human history."
The moment he tried to touch it, sparks flew from his fingertips.
"Are you okay?"
When I hurriedly ran over, he seemed to be fine.
It seemed he was blocked by something.
"I see. So it is protected like this."
It seemed to be a barrier.
However, we can't read it like this.
The Dwarf said that if we wanted to know human history, we should proceed further, but...
"Jeanne. Please try using light magic."
Even if I illuminated the bookshelf with [Light] at full power, when the Archbishop-sama tried to touch it, sparks still flew.
"Is our only option to go to the altar?"
While listening to the Archbishop-sama's disappointed voice, suddenly, something flowed into my head.
Letters... I can read ancient characters... no, I'm not seeing the letters.
Information is flowing in on its own...
"What is... this?"
When I instinctively clutched my head and crouched down, everyone supported me in worry.
"Jeanne. What's wrong?"
Even when I looked at the Headmistress, her face appeared only blurred.
Everyone's voices also gradually became inaudible.
My head was becoming filled with information about the island.
Somehow, even though I'm not reading the letters, it's like I'm reading a book.
And it's not just one volume. Various things entered my head simultaneously.
I was confused and started to panic.
This is bad, my consciousness is fading...
Everything before my eyes is turning pitch black. I can't stay standing...
Reflexively, I pointed my right hand toward where the bookshelf was and released [Light], and it stopped abruptly.
However, my consciousness cut out there.
"Jeanne! Jeanne! Pull yourself together. Are you okay!"
Looking up, Beatrix was shaking my shoulders.
Finally, I could see her face.
Looking around, everyone looked worried.
It seemed I had fainted.
"I'm okay. I'm sorry."
Flora emerged from her flower and leaped onto me.
"I didn't know what was going to happen. Geez, don't scare me like that anymore."
She was sobbing.
Suddenly, Dune's words floated into my mind.
(The ones waiting are Flora and the others...)
I see. Sorry, Flora. This is no place for me to be collapsing.
"Thank you, Flora. I'm okay now."
When I stroked her head as she clung to me while sniffling, she seemed to calm down.
"Jeanne. It's to wake you up. Drink some wine."
When I took a sip from the canteen the Archbishop-sama held out, I finally managed to swallow it down.
"I understand. I believe this is a system where information flows into the head of the person who used light magic as if they were reading what's written."
I gave a brief summary of what actually happened... it was quite difficult... and told them.
Everyone was tilting their heads.
Well, that's only natural.
Even I, who experienced it, was astonished.
"In short, it means only Jeanne can read it?"
Since Beatrix asked, I said I thought so, and when I reached for a book that caught my eye on the bookshelf, I was able to pick it up easily.
When Beatrix reached out, saying "Let's see," she was repelled.
Everyone else tried too, but it was the same.
I brought it to the table as it was and tried to open... it wouldn't open!
"It may be because if you open it, others might be able to read it too."
The Archbishop-sama said.
What a nasty barrier.
Don't be so stingy and let everyone read it.
Since I had no choice, I timidly illuminated the book with a modest [Light], and information flowed in.
This time it was for one volume. It'll probably be okay.
What I found out was about King Griffith.
King Griffith was born as the son of the chief of a tribe that had built a settlement in what is now Nakanohara. At that time, as I had heard from the Archbishop-sama, it was an era where conflicts between small tribes occurred frequently.
Villages they had each built were fighting amongst themselves. Among them, the one who sought a path to peace was King Griffith.
I realized once I understood this far.
I'm reading the continuation of the story I heard from the Dwarf.
I was able to read the parts I wanted to know.
Thinking about it, this book stood out strangely on the bookshelf.
Apparently, it even saves me the trouble of searching.
Wait a minute, one more time, from the beginning...
When I willed it so, the information flowing in returned to the start.
King Griffith was born as the son of the chief of a tribe that had built a settlement in what is now Nakanohara.
Wait a moment.
It seems I can also pause it.
I don't know what kind of mechanism it is, but it's quite convenient.
"I understand. This book contains the continuation of the history of this island that the Dwarf told us about."
The Archbishop-sama immediately bit onto that.
"What kind of things are written?"
"Please wait a moment."
I rewound it from the beginning once more.
When I tried putting the information that flowed in into words, it went well.
I paused for a moment and explained.
"Then, it means we can have Jeanne read it aloud to us?"
"I believe so."
"Hmm. Then, would it be alright if I heard a little of the continuation of the Dwarf's story?"
The Archbishop-sama was completely excited.
He must really like history.
Well, if that's the case, it can't be helped.
I did plenty of reading aloud to small children during my orphanage days.
It's not particularly a burden.
"Then, only the parts from King Griffith onwards..."
I thought that much would be easy, but the content was not something to be read aloud to children.