Chapter 467 - Seventh Tale: Gnome's Cave (4)
When we somehow scrambled up, we came out into a small room barely large enough for two people to stand. It was connected to the bright room Fiona had mentioned, and the light we saw from below the hole was being emitted from the ceiling of that room.
Just like the Earth Dragon's room, there are tables and chairs. There are shelves on the walls with dishes and leather bags. Barrels and water jars are lined up on the floor. The difference is that the small room we came out of was connected to various places with doors at the Earth Dragon's place.
"Excuse me!"
No response.
"Is anyone there!"
Still no response.
"This is Gnome-san's house, right! Is anyone there!"
Same, no response. It was the same with the Earth Dragon. At that time, Eleanor-sama's heartfelt joke exploded and became the trigger to call out the Earth Dragon, but if I or Fiona do that, it won't be a joke.
"I came with a recommendation from the Earth Dragon!"
For an instant, I felt the light from the ceiling waver. The Wolf Men seemed to notice too and were looking at the ceiling curiously. Gnome reacted. They are definitely here.
If the opponent is pretending to be out, it can't be helped.
"I'll take a little water, alright?"
I scoop water from a jar into a bowl and take out the Gnome Detection Stick to let it float. The detection stick is standing upright in the water.
"Look, as I thought. You're in a place where you can hear me if I call out, aren't you."
They are continuing to ignore me. Fine then. My voice is being heard.
"I'm sorry, but I'll take a little food and water. Because of your trap, we're exhausted."
"H-Hey, Bishop Jeanne. The opponent is Gnome... a great spirit. Isn't this bad?"
The leader pulls my sleeve, but this is no time for that. We need rest.
"Spirits, humans, beastmen, and ghosts don't matter. If there's someone who is tired, they should be helped as much as possible."
"B-But..."
"No 'buts'. I understand very well that you all are against using the water and food in this room without permission. However, please follow my instructions as the Bishop here. No matter how much you all insist on opposing opinions!"
"U-Understood, understood. I understood, so don't raise your voice so much."
"Now! Please drink water quickly. There should be some food in that barrel. It's my instruction as the Bishop. Please eat. And after that, please sleep slowly."
Now, now, hurry up! I raised my voice and took a bowl from the shelf, and Fiona helped me while laughing.
"Hey, Jeanne. Shall we open this barrel? Maybe it's alcohol."
"Alright! Open it. If it's alcohol, let's have a banquet. It's the Bishop's instruction."
"Okay!"
She takes out the knife from her waist to pry open the lid of the barrel. When she put her hand on the barrel, it rolled over with a 'goron'.
"Are you alright? Jeanne."
"Yeah. But I only tried to hold it down a bit. It's quite a light barrel."
"Maybe it's not alcohol."
The barrel rolling 'goro-goro' goes toward the Wolf Men. Just as the leader stepped forward and tried to stop it with the sole of his foot by raising one leg. The barrel changed the direction it was rolling.
"Whoops. What's with the floor here? Seriously. Isn't it moving on its own?"
Hoho. So it was disguised as that.
"Please stop this already and show yourself. Otherwise, we'll all pin you down and pry you open."
I call out to the thing rolling in the corner of the room.
"Bishop... that barrel is..."
"Yes. It's Gnome's transformed appearance. Before coming here, I went to the Earth Dragon's cave, and how should I say, it's the same."
When I answered the Elder who asked, the barrel that was lying on its side stood up on its own.
"I-It moved."
"Of course it moves. It's Gnome, not a barrel."
The exchange with the Elder seemed to be the final blow, as the barrel started to tremble 'furu-furu', and then its color changed and it became like a lump of brown clay, and that clay began to take a human shape.
While the Wolf Men, starting with the Elder, were slumped down as if their legs had given out, the surface of the human-shaped clay became like glossy stone washed with lava at a volcanic crater, and just like that, limbs were formed, colors like clothes were added, the hair color became like human skin, the gray-mixed hair became like that too, its height grew, and it completely became a human form.
The height is about the same as mine. However, since it was only about knee-high when it was clay, it might be transforming.
In human terms, the age is about sixty or seventy. Maybe about the same as Henry-sama and the others.
"I'll praise you for figuring out my true identity well."
How could I not. What are you saying after such a preamble.
"I thought only Gnome could do a Teleport into the ground, especially a movement of the place itself."
"The Earth Dragon can do it too, right?"
Hmm. From the way he uses sentence endings, he seems to be an older person. Since Salamander is like a vigorous middle-aged man born about four thousand years ago, he might be two or three thousand years older. No, considering the relationship with the Earth Dragon, he might be even older.
"The Earth Dragon is melting the perennial snow of the eastern mountain range, so I don't think he's in this area."
"Hmm. You've really met and talked with the Earth Dragon. Moreover, it seems you've gained a certain amount of trust."
"I don't know about that part, but he lent me this stick, saying he would introduce you."
The Gnome Detection Stick in the bowl is standing straight in the water.
"Yeah, I was allowed to see it. It's quite something for a human."
"Then, I'm sorry, but is it alright if we rest here? I'm one thing, but the Wolf Men are quite exhausted. If it's alright, I'd like to have them drink water. If possible, food too."
The Wolf Men are prostrating themselves before Gnome.
"You are a human, right. Why did you come this far?"
"To meet you, who was introduced by the Earth Dragon. I intended to have these people guide me. Because the direction indicated by that stick was exactly their territory."
When Gnome asks the Wolf Men, "Is that so?" the Elder lowers his head with a 'hah' sound. His forehead touched the floor.
In the end, Gnome shared simple food and water, and we all partook. After that, we were allowed to rest for a while and were able to take a nap. The Wolf Men, who were nervous at first, seemed to have been overcome by fatigue, as they eventually started to breathe in their sleep.
Recovering our energy, we even received breakfast, or rather, food upon waking up.
"Well, since you've finally reached this far. Let's talk for a bit."
"Um, by the time the talk is over, a thousand years won't have passed and the mountains won't have frozen, right?"
"Wahahaha! You know well."
It's not something to go 'wahahaha' about.
In conclusion, Gnome was not angry with the beastmen. In fact, as a result of teaching humans how to use minerals, they reflected on the fact that conflict had arisen with the beastmen and seemed to have kept a bit of distance from both sides.
"Why didn't you teach the beastmen how to use minerals?"
Beastmen are using metal now too.
"I tried to teach them. However, the refining of metal from ore requires a large amount of heat... in other words, fire. Beastmen are bad with flames."
In other words, the beastmen declined.
"W-What! Is it true?"
"I don't tell lies."
"I-I see..."
It seems various legends had been distorted. Well, humans frequently distort and transmit history. In that sense, humans and beastmen might be close.
The Wolf Men were quite happy to know that Gnome did not hold anger toward the beastmen.
However, Gnome has teleported us deep into the ground. We could have almost died. If someone goes through such an experience, they can only think they are angry.
"I didn't particularly teleport you deep into the ground."
"But we dug upward quite a lot."
"That's only natural. Because you dug from the foot of the mountain toward the summit. I wondered when you would notice, and I was worried you might die."
We all involuntarily exchange looks and slump our shoulders.
Of course, we had considered that possibility. However, in that situation, we didn't know which side was closer to the mountain surface. In the end, we chose the direction indicated by the Gnome Detection Stick. It was a gamble, so to speak.
"But we somehow reached here."
"Of course. Because I thought you would run out of strength and die like that, I was the one who moved."
"T-Thank you very much for that."
Good grief.
But as expected, spirits are kind.
The place we were teleported to was apparently near the Ancient Priestess's grave.
"If you had dug straight sideways instead of going up, you would have returned to the original place immediately."
"Hah, is that so."
"Why did you dig up?"
Because the ceiling was high. I understood that we moved along with that mossy path. However, the Wolf Men couldn't think of a place with such a high ceiling. It's strange for such a space to be in the ground without an exit.
"Is that how it is?"
"That's how it is."
It seems those who live in the ground don't understand.
"I hadn't particularly heard such a story."
"From the Earth Dragon?"
"No, a human."
"A human?"
"Yeah, you visited the grave, didn't you. The owner of that grave."
The Ancient Priestess! She had established friendship not just with beastmen, but with Gnome too...
"It wasn't when she was alive. It was after she died."
"After she died?"
"Yeah, that thing."
Saying so, Gnome pointed to the ceiling.
The ceiling... no way, this light is... Previously, when Fiona and I explored the altar in the hot spring town, Fiona said. The ceiling of the place where the secret books are is glowing with something like a soul.
"Fi-Fiona?"
"Yeah. It's the same as the place we went together before. That's why I thought it was safe."
However, the ruins with the altar were built three thousand years ago. The Ancient Priestesses are people from five thousand years ago.
In other words, this is not such a place...
"Um, I have a certain purpose for coming here... to the beastman territory."
"A purpose. Since you came with beastmen, you must have come to challenge the trial. The wall that cannot be passed without light magic."
They know...
"Yes. I heard that the beastmen are acting as gatekeepers."
When I looked at the Elders, they nodded deeply.
"I know. That's why, since Jeanne, who uses light magic, and these people came together and touched the gravestone, I teleported you into the ground. However, I was allowed to block communication with the outside world to some extent."
Blocking communication with the outside world must mean that the spirits couldn't be called.
I understood that. But, isn't it strange?
"Th-Then, the trial is..."
The leader asked breathlessly.
"Yeah, fighting with these guys."
"A-As I thought, so it was... our role was that..."
The Elder slumped his shoulders at Gnome's words. He must still think that beastman blood is necessary.
"But we fought properly. Jeanne and I fought everyone and captured them alive. In other words, as a result of the battle, Jeanne won."
"T-That's right, Elder. Jeanne met Gnome like this. She achieved her goal."
No, that's wrong. I can't put it into words because of the Vow of Silence, but the goal is the altar that serves as the entrance to the place where the secret books are stored. I think it was certainly good to meet Gnome, but the goal itself has not been achieved. Besides, the altar is from three thousand years ago and has nothing to do with the Ancient Priestess. The trial here has a different purpose.
"No, that's not right. You all did fight, but after that, you tried to escape. Besides, the reason you are here like this is because I helped."
Well, it's a fact that we escaped.
"Yes. This time, since there was no way to handle it, I prioritized the escape. I intend to come again next time after preparing sufficiently."
"Hmm. You are quite reasonable."
"Yes. Besides, the place I'm looking for might not be here."
Saying so, they peered into my eyes with a 'fumu'.
"Je-Jeanne. What are you saying."
"That's right, Jeanne. You are the one who uses light magic. You are supposed to be the one who brings us new ways of living and promotes development."
Um, that's not it.
Fiona pulls my sleeve. I understand very well what she wants to say.
"Then, what is your purpose?"
Ignoring the Wolf Men, Gnome asked. Thanks to that, the Wolf Men became quiet.
"Um, meeting you. And exploring the ruins built by humans three thousand years ago that are around here. Those ruins are protected by a wall that can only be erased with Light... light magic. The entrance is an altar."
"Ruins built by humans?"
"Yes. Probably, I think."
"Aren't they nearby?"
"Eh?"
"Don't you know? Then you have no choice but to work hard to find them."
Umm. It was naive of me to think that if I could meet them, they would tell me. However, I found out they are near here.
"But, Gnome, there's no wall around here that can only be erased with light magic."
"There is. It's just that you all can't find it."
"But it's not in our ancestors' legends."
"That's only natural. Because humans built it."
"Humans... no way, the silver mine ruins..."
The beastmen all exchanged looks. They probably don't want to go.
"Um, if you all can't go, I'll go with other people..."
I tried proposing it, but...
"N-No. We will guide you. Just give us a bit of time. That place can't be reached right away. Various preparations are necessary."
"I-Is that so."
The Elder said in a hurry.
"Preparations, huh..."
It's Gnome.
"W-What is it?"
"I thought for sure you were having humans dig silver and selling it. I wondered what 'preparations' meant."
"Ah, no, that... ehehehe."
After the leader looked at me, he immediately looked away.
"Um, is the negotiation partner the Prince of Regnentes?"
They all looked in a completely different direction. Apparently, I hit the mark.
"By the way, my requirement is the conquest of the wall of the ruins built by humans, but I feel it's a bit different from your purpose..."
"Is that so?"
When I ask the Elder, even Gnome is listening.
"Didn't the Bishop say she wanted to meet Gnome?"
Since the topic changed, the leader sidled up to me, pushing aside the Fox Man sitting next to him, as if this was the moment.
"That's true, but the purpose of meeting Gnome was to ask about the location of the ruins built by humans."
"What. Then your purpose is achieved. After that, it's just a matter of these guys guiding you."
"That's right. Thank you very much."
Fiona and I, the three of us, have a light toast.
"T-The story is different!"
The leader sidled up even closer.
"I don't think it's different. I said from the beginning that I came because I wanted to meet Gnome. For some reason, I ended up challenging Gnome's trial."
The wolves fell silent. They must have recognized my claim.
But what is Gnome's trial?
"Th-Then, the birth of the fifth great spirit..."
The Elder is getting ahead of himself. It's not just a matter of meeting.
Since Gnome is staring into my eyes, the Elder began to talk about the return of the fifth spirit.
"According to what I've heard, Bishop Jeanne has already established friendship and obtained the protection of water, wind, and fire. After that, she only needs to establish friendship with the earth spirit Gnome. If that happens, the fifth spirit will be resurrected, the original rich forests will return to this island, and the life through the former coexistence will surely be revived..."
Gnome is still looking at my face. I looked away several times, but they won't stop.
"I wonder. This human girl... was it Bishop Jeanne?"
"Ah, yes. Jeanne is fine."
"I see, then I'll call you Jeanne, but this Jeanne is a bit dangerous."
D-Dangerous? I've never been treated as dangerous before.
"Gnome. Where is Jeanne dangerous?"
"T-That's right. Jeanne brought us new techniques and food just like the human Priestess of legend."
The leader asked with a solemn expression. The Elder said as if to match him.
"Jeanne."
"Yes."
The Wolf Men were ignored. This kind of thing might be the role of the guide.
"For example, if the powers of these four spirits—water, wind, fire, and earth—were to unexpectedly combine now, do you know what would happen?"
"Um, I don't know."
Ah, no, if water or wind and fire combine, an explosion of a scale that changes the terrain might occur, and the living things around it might die out. Even more so, if the powers of the Four Great Spirits were to unexpectedly combine...
"Could it be..."
When I say what I realized, Gnome nodded deeply.
"Ho, you know?"
"I received such an explanation from other spirits before."
"Then you should understand. How dangerous it is to make a single human priest shoulder such a responsibility."
"That is true. But wouldn't it be fine if such a thing didn't happen? Jeanne already has the protection of three spirits."
The leader is arguing against Gnome's words.
"Wait a minute!"
I can't shoulder such a thing.
"You don't understand, Wolf. Humans die easily. They might be attacked by someone like a robber. And what would happen if the proof of friendship with the spirits that Jeanne acquired was stolen and misused? If that happens in a place like the Royal Capital, a town where over a hundred thousand humans live will vanish in an instant."
That's... I can tell my face is changing color. I didn't know that friendship with the Four Great Spirits was so dangerous...
"That is true, but..."
"It's not limited to robbers. Imagine being targeted by someone trying to destroy that country. If there's even a single assassin, the Royal Capital can be collapsed and a country can be obtained. It's also used in diplomacy. Every country will surely attack this girl."
As expected of someone who loves discussion. The Fox Man is being cornered more and more. I want Gnome to do their best here.
"We will protect Jeanne."
"Hoho, in what way?"
"We'll have Jeanne move to our settlement. If we do that, the entire settlement can protect Jeanne."
"W-Wait a minute, what are you saying."
"Jeanne, are you truly against the realization of a world of coexistence?"
Th-That's... Of course, I'm not against it. But even so, there are things that can be done and things that can't be done.
"If you won't clear Gnome's trial, I can't tell you about the mine ruins either."
Leader, that's cheating.