Chapter 473 - Seventh Tale: Gnome's Cave (10)
As we were being swept along, what had been an ascent suddenly became a descent.
The flow gradually became faster, and we were being swept along more and more.
“Ah! I can see light over there!”
It's still quite far, but for now, I'm grateful we can escape.
“Jeanne, make the light illuminating the front stronger. Make it reach as far as possible. A bit to the right is fine.”
While illuminating as Wilson-san told me, I saw a hole. The water flow is divided into left and right at a junction. The front is light, the right is darkness.
“Which one will it be?”
I was asked, but normally it would be light.
“The right. Please go toward the dark hole.”
It's Eleanor-sama.
“I-Isn't that dangerous?”
“The side that looks safe at first glance might be a trap.”
Ugh, as expected of Eleanor the Tactician. Decoys are a staple for traps.
“Besides, it's only a trial if you dive into what seems dangerous.”
“Eh?”
“On the battlefield, there are times when you must take risks, a 'this is it' moment. Now is that time.”
Oh no. The fighting spirit of the former hero has been ignited.
When I looked at Wilson-san, he said one thing: use [Defend] on the living.
This exploration, both the first and second times, had situations where it wouldn't have been strange to die. They say things happen in threes. I hope Eleanor-sama's hunch turns out for the better.
As the side hole approached, Wilson-san manipulated the ball to move it toward the right wall. Since we proceeded as if bumping 'gotsun-gotsun' against the wall, I almost fell several times. Henry-sama is waving his hand toward the back to signal them to move to the right.
As we got closer to the hole, I realized that the water flowing toward the light seemed to have a faster current. The side hole isn't a dead end, but the end might be getting narrower. If we get stuck midway, we'll have to go against the current. It would be tough.
No matter how I think about it, I feel it would be better to go toward the light.
While I was thinking that, we were caught by the flow going to the right and were sucked into the darkness as if being pulled in.
Are we descending a bit? The flow gradually became faster. On top of that, it seems the water level gradually dropped. The ceiling became higher and higher. Before long, the upper part of the bowl came out of the water surface. There must be little water.
Looking back, the Horse Man's bowl is following. That side is changing its shape to be a bit long and narrow because there are many people. If there's a sharp turn, they might get stuck. Since [Light] would become a means of attack for beastmen and Ghouls, I divided them into a human group and a beastman group, but if the ball becomes a bowl midway, it might have been better to move at least the Fox Man to this side.
(It can't be helped, Jeanne. We have no choice but to trust Eleanor-sama like this.)
(That's right, Fiona. I understand, but I'm still worried somehow.)
(It's fine. If anything happens, I'll protect you. I've become stronger, you know.)
She wasn't the kind of girl to say these things, she must have really become stronger.
(It's like a guardian spirit.)
(Oh, I am Jeanne's guardian spirit.)
(That's right. Thank you. I'm counting on you.)
The strongest scout as a guardian spirit. I feel like I can do this.
As we flowed further, the flow became faster and faster.
The way ahead is pitch black midway. Is it my imagination, or can I hear the sound of water roaring 'dou-dou'?
The standard for such times is a waterfall...
“Jeanne. It's a waterfall. Give up on [Light]. Fiona and I will see how things are. Also, make sure not to fall. Fiona, if possible, could you put out light as a substitute for everyone's lamp?”
It's Wilson-san. After giving instructions to me and Fiona, he advised Henry-sama and the others to crouch, and sat down himself.
I sit down too. At the same time, Fiona's pale blue flames enveloped me. Since we're completely merged, it looks like I'm emitting light from my own body. I could release ball-like light from my palms, but Fiona chose to release it from her entire body.
“This is Fiona's spiritual pressure. A splendid technique.”
I was praised by Eleanor-sama.
It's a combined technique with Fiona. Just as Fiona takes no damage even if I'm bathed in holy magic while we're completely merged, Fiona's techniques don't damage my body. Of course, since my body has substance, I can't pass through walls, and if she teleports, she'll leave me behind and only Fiona will move.
For movement and exercise within normal range, Fiona can manipulate my body's movements. To put it simply, it's like being possessed, but she doesn't manipulate my mind. In the case of bad evil spirits, there are apparently bad ones that take over the mind and eventually break it, but Fiona is a good spirit so there's no need to worry.
Henry-sama, who is standing alone, shouts 'Waterfall! Waterfall!' to call out to those behind. Those behind are screaming 'gyaa-gyaa,' but it can't be helped anymore. I might be scolded later, but it's all Eleanor-sama's fault.
We changed the shape of the bowl back to the original ball.
This is getting really bad. Henry-sama also hurriedly crouches.
Since the merged Fiona is raising pale blue flames, the surrounding walls are visible. I pressed my body against the front of the ball so I could illuminate the front as much as possible.
The sound of water became louder and louder, and at the same time, darkness approached rapidly.
It's a waterfall. No mistake.
Falling...
Hiih!
With a 'gakun,' the bowl fell. It falls down as if rolling forward.
Everyone rolls forward.
In other words, I'm at the bottom.
Fiona must have increased her output; with a shout of 'Mun!' pale blue flames surged all at once from our merged body. At the same time, everyone's bodies that were about to fall on me stopped midway.
Amazing!
Fiona had already grown to the point where she could apply pressure to surrounding objects with her pale blue flames!
The first time I experienced spiritual pressure was surely during the rehearsal Price-sama took me to. It's not as much as then, but I can tell she's releasing pressure.
(Fiona, that's amazing! You've really become stronger.)
(S-Sorry, Jeanne. Don't talk to me now!)
I see. She's really at her limit.
“S-Splendid!”
“Umu. Thanks to that, it seems we'll avoid injury.”
Henry-sama and the others were able to maintain a distance where they almost touched me but didn't, so in the meantime, they adjusted their posture and moved to positions where they wouldn't bump into me even if Fiona ran out of breath.
Immediately after we started falling, Wilson-san showed his flight magic with the ball and floated beautifully in the air, but the height of the waterfall wasn't that high. With a 'bashan!' sound and impact, we fell onto the water surface.
It was quite an impact, but thanks to Fiona, it only hurt my bottom a little.
An instant later, the ball moved as if sliding sideways; that was Wilson-san's fine play. Immediately after, those behind fell with screams, probably because they hadn't made a perfect ball.
Multiple falling sounds 'dobon, dobon' were heard, so several people must have been thrown out. If this ball had stayed in that spot, someone might have broken their neck.
“I'll rescue them. Please make it into a plate shape.”
Eleanor-sama immediately gave instructions, and the ball became a plate.
The right hand I entrusted to Fiona went up above my head, and a pale blue fireball came out of the palm. It must be a marker for those behind. Even if they have night vision, the effect would be weakened if they fall into the water. If they come up toward the light, it'll be easier to help them.
Fortunately, the Fox Man immediately climbed onto the plate and lit foxfire, securing sufficient brightness.
While beastmen and Ghouls were climbing up one after another, the Wildcat Sister, who fell a bit further away, was struggling as if drowning. I've never heard of a cat that's good at swimming. It seems to be the same even as a beastman.
Fortunately, Eleanor-sama deployed a plate-shaped [Wind Barrier] near the sister and rescued her as if scooping her up, so everything was fine.
“Geez, what is this! This trial! I didn't hear anything about getting soaked!”
She seems quite angry, and is it my imagination, or do her claws look extended?
“Well, don't say that. If Gnome felt like it, he could have dropped us onto rocks from a cliff. Compared to that, he's being kind.”
That's scary. It's as the Fox Man said. If you can't instantaneously exercise flight magic or something, you'd really die.
“Exactly. As expected, choosing this side was the correct answer. If we had gone toward the bright side, it would have surely been an outdoor waterfall.”
Eleanor-sama is triumphant, but couldn't we have just flown through the air then? Well, I won't say it out loud. Fiona is also telling me in my head not to say it.
Now that everyone's safety was confirmed, I looked around once more.
It seems we fell into a place like an underground lake, but I have no idea what to do from here. The water is unexpectedly cold, and the beastmen are sharing the fruit wine in their water bottles, warming themselves with foxfire, while Eleanor-sama is drying their bodies with a gentle [Favorable Wind].
In the end, while waiting for those who fell to settle down, I decided to go scouting with the merged Fiona on Wilson-san's bowl.
The width of the underground lake and the height from the water surface are almost the same as the hall where the Tarasque was. I don't know the water depth.
While having Fiona illuminate with pale blue flames, I thoroughly investigated the ceiling and walls.
Unfortunately, there are no apparent escape holes in the walls or ceiling. Only the waterfall we flowed from. Just in case, Wilson-san used a second [Wind Barrier] to change the flow of the waterfall and looked behind it, but it was just a wall.
“Do we have no choice but to go against the current?”
I asked Wilson-san.
I don't think anything good would come of going toward the light, but it might be better than the underground lake.
However, there's a place we haven't explored yet.
“It can't be helped. We're diving.”
It seems Wilson-san had the same idea, and we decided to dive into the underground lake by changing the bowl into a ball.
The underground lake wasn't that deep. It feels like water is accumulated up to about half the height from the lake bottom to the ceiling. It means it's twice the height of the hall where the Tarasque was.
“My guess is there should be an escape hole heading up in the West.”
“Up?”
“Yes. To the first hall.”
“In other words, returning to the original...”
“Probably.”
That was the case with the first exploration where we met the Ghouls.
“Gnome knows that Jeanne is exploring the surroundings using [Sense Living] and [Light].”
“Yes. I think so.”
“In other words, you're relying on detection of the living and visual confirmation.”
“That's right.”
Well, of course. I can't do any other detection methods.
“In other words, if he exploits that, he can make a perfect camouflage.”
Well, of course. But then, how can we see through it?
“It would be impossible for a human. However, we have allies called beastmen. Let's rely on their wisdom and abilities.”
Saying that, Wilson-san urged me, as I tilted my head, to continue the underwater exploration.
Before long, the escape hole Wilson-san mentioned was found. When we went inside and explored, it surfaced after climbing up. Beyond that, a passage to the North continued. As a result of Fiona's scouting, it apparently becomes an ascent midway and further turns West. In short, it's the direction of the original location. It seems Wilson-san's idea was correct.
We stopped the exploration there and returned to everyone.
“I see. It seems we can't find it just by exploring the passages.”
“Yes. I think it would be better to settle down and think about this together.”
At Wilson-san's report, Eleanor-sama crossed her arms.
“What do you all think?”
“Hmm. I'd like to go back once and consult with the Elder.”
When Eleanor-sama asked, the Wolf Man replied. The Boar Man nodded.
“How about this. Wasn't Eleanor-san drawing a map? Maybe these underground passages are made along some kind of shape. We might understand something if we look at the map.”
It's the Fox Man. He looks somehow smart, and the Horse Man and Deer Man agreed.
“What is the Wildcat-dono's opinion?”
“Either way is fine. But it's not urgent, and it might be okay to go back after looking at the map.”
Her body, clothes, and fluffy hair have successfully dried. She said it languidly, perhaps wanting to take a break.
There's no need to rush back. When we checked Eleanor-sama's map as the Fox Man suggested, we found something unexpected. I hadn't noticed because I only cared about the direction, but the map Eleanor-sama drew, taking into account the estimated travel distance, looks like a picture of four circles stuck together from the hall.
“I might be wrong, but it might be a four-leaf clover.”
The Horse Man said. For them, clover is food for spring and summer.
“Look. Let's say the caves extending from the central hall are lines. Let's say the cave where we encountered the Cerberus draws the first leaf opening to the East. The cave where we encountered the Ghouls is the leaf opening to the North. If the escape route Bishop Jeanne-sama and the others found is connected to the hall, then the cave and waterway we passed through this time are the leaves opening to the West and South. It doesn't not look like that.”
Saying that, he traced with his finger the place where the discovered escape route was estimated to follow.
“A four-leaf clover. How romantic.”
Eleanor-sama smiled. She must have liked the Horse Man's idea.
“For us beastmen, the four-leaf clover, which represents good luck, is considered to represent the Four Great Spirits. In other words, that's why it's a rare thing that isn't easily found.”
The Horse Man explained. Seeing Eleanor-sama nodding 'un-un,' she must have known.
“Hmm. Then, if that four-leaf clover represents the Four Great Spirits, Gnome might be in the center of the leaf opening to the West.”
It's Wilson-san. Heading West was correct, but it wasn't a passage. It's the center of the passage.
Everyone gasped. We might have finally discovered the clue to breaking through Gnome's trial.
“There were height differences in the passages, weren't there? If a four-leaf clover is drawn, it means the leaves are tilted. So, how about we also pay attention to the height difference and aim accurately for the center?”
At the Horse Man's proposal, everyone agreed.
According to Eleanor-sama's estimation, it should be a place slightly lower than the hall. In other words, we should dig diagonally downward in the West, slightly South direction.
“Alright! If that's the case, let's just go and try.”
“Then, let's return to the hall once and dig a hole together. Let's conquer Gnome's trial.”
When Eleanor-sama replied to the Wolf Man's words, everyone nodded in unison.