Chapter 650 - Chapter 3: The Demon Lord's Temple ②
"Wilhelmina, please contact the Paratroop Jaegers."
It was only for a split second that Eleanor-sama seemed stunned.
"Ha! In what way?"
"I want them to fly one bowl directly upward from the roof of the fortress monitoring this cave. The front is north. I want them to ascend as much as possible without overdoing it and check if the flickering of Jeanne's [Light] can be seen from above there. If it can't be seen, that's fine. It might be glowing on the surface of the clouds above."
"Understood."
Will went off on Wilson-san's plate.
"Everyone, I believe Jeanne has cast [Sight] on you. I want you to check; on the near side of the Demon Lord's Cave visible from here, there is a fortress..."
"I see it. No mistake. I just need to check if a bowl using [Flight Magic] comes flying up, right?"
"Please, Harold."
As expected of Harold-sama. He read Eleanor-sama's thoughts and is already taking action.
That means I just need to make the wall flicker if a bowl comes flying up.
As a result of Eleanor-sama's experiment, it was confirmed that the bowl flew up, but we couldn't be confirmed from over there. The reason was that they couldn't ascend enough. We knew because we had [Sight] cast. Compared to the ground, there's nothing to obstruct the view in the sky. Just clouds. Fortunately, today was a clear day with few clouds, and it was confirmed that there was something like a cloud almost directly above the entrance of the cave, slightly to the north. Even if there were something white like mist in the sky, no one on the ground would care. For one thing, if the altitude is high, it might not be visible. It was connected to a place that was unexpectedly hard to find from the outside.
Just in case, after digging along the other three sides and doing similar things, it was speculated that the basement of the Demon Lord's Temple is located directly above where one would ascend from the temple. As for the directions, the entrance of the temple, which is currently erased, is west, and the direction of the throne is east; the place where we first dug the hole was north, and the opposite side was south. This is the result of digging the four sides and peeking at the scenery from above. This is the same structure as temples and churches built by humans.
The Demon Lord's Temple is, of course, underground, so the sun cannot be seen; however, if it were on the ground and had windows, the sun would rise from behind the Demon Lord's throne. The position of the throne is the same as the position of the altar. This was unexpectedly surprising. I would have felt it more appropriate if the front of the Demon Race's temple were to the west. Besides, it's strange that the connection with the Demon Lord is the blue sky. To be honest, the time with Salamander felt much more Demon Lord-like.
"But why is it connected to the sky? That point is concerning."
It was Harold-sama. He's different from a priest. But that would be more important.
"Next, we just need to dig from above."
It was Will. Originally, it started from Will's proposal to dig under the temple.
The temple hasn't been erased yet. Since it might not return once erased, we left it for last. However, confirmation of whether it can be erased or brought out with the effect of [Light] is also necessary. In fact, the hole opened in the dirt wall disappeared when the [Dark] disk was canceled. The peephole in the mist slowly returned to normal just by reducing the output of [Light]. It seems full power is necessary regardless of the grade.
Wait? That means I have to illuminate the temple with full power while also illuminating the hole dug downward with full power? If there's a shadow, the hole made in the mist might close. I can put out two walls, but I wonder if I can erase the temple with that.
"Just do what you can. Since it's fine even if it doesn't work, I don't mind at all if you faint."
Um, Eleanor-sama, could you please consider the feelings of the person who faints?
"What are you saying? When Price was a young man in training, he used to faint many times a day."
Seriously?
When I looked at Eleanor-sama, she looked away.
It's a lie.
"Tch, can't you do it a bit better!"
What are you saying, old man!
Honestly, scouts really can't be underestimated.
In the end, after erasing the temple, we decided to all peek from above. Anyway, it's directly below. Besides, probably only the forest can be seen. If the bowl unit is flying in a likely place, they should be seen. It might have been better to tie Harold-sama with a rope and hang him. He's a scout with good eyes; everything would be clearly visible.
"You'd better not think of anything bad. You want to live long, don't you?"
He's smirking. His right hand is touching the sheath of his knife as if playing with it.
He saw through me. He's scary in a different way from the Headmistress.
"Ouch!"
"What are you doing to our country's citizen... and a priest at that?"
"S-Sorry. It was a joke, a joke."
Eleanor-sama is smacking Harold-sama's head. As expected of a former Queen.
It was found that there is a hole connected to the sky under the Demon Lord's Temple. Bonnie, who had [Sight] cast, used a hollow wooden tube while dangling a pebble at the end of a thread and, in cooperation with the Paratroop Jaegers, identified the spot directly below. It took quite some time, but it seems a certain degree of accuracy was secured. Maybe, if they dig a hole, they'll challenge the Demon Lord all at once when he's resurrected next time. I don't know if it can be done.
"But why is it connected to the sky?"
"I don't know."
No one can answer Harold-sama's question.
Could it be that the Demon Lord falls from the heavens?
"That's it."
"Probably."
Um, we don't know yet.
According to Eleanor-sama, when the Demon Lord is resurrected, he suddenly appears in the cave. "Apparently," because, naturally, no one has seen it. From what I've heard, when the Demon Lord is resurrected, an oracle is given at the temple by the lake where the Water Dragon of Finis lives. When and where he will be resurrected is known by that. However, that doesn't mean he wells up from underground. It's strange for him to jump with [Teleport], and it's even more impossible for him to walk into the cave from outside secretly at night. It would mean the Demon Lord appears from somewhere above the Demon Lord's Cave and enters the Demon Lord's Temple from there. Unbelievable.
"I thought for sure it was connected to a place like the underworld."
The underworld... the place where it's said those who died due to misconduct go? If so, it would mean the Demon Lord was dispatched from the underworld. If that's the case, I'd like him to take the evil spirits with him.
"Descending from the sky, it's almost like a god."
Harold-sama is saying something that could get him branded as an apostate. But well, for monsters, it might be so.
"Is it related to the opposite side?"
I changed the direction of the conversation to steer it away from Harold-sama's unsettling remark.
"The opposite side? What's that? Are you still hiding things from me?"
Come to think of it, Harold-sama had never been there.
That said, Price-sama hasn't been to the opposite side either. He might know from hearing from Eleanor-sama, but Harold-sama would be the first to experience it. Knowing that, Harold-sama cheered up and became all smiles, saying, "I see, I see." He's simple to the core.
"Then, it's similar to that opposite side, right?"
"Yes. However, in the case of Salamander and Gnome, the atmosphere was a bit different."
In the case of Gnome, I don't remember passing through the opposite side. It must be because he can freely use methods like selecting intruders or, depending on the situation, throwing them to another place or inviting them to his own place, even without a barrier.
"And, you don't know what it is exactly because the spirits won't tell you even if you ask?"
"Yes. They only tell me that the opposite side is the opposite side. So, I think it's better not to poke our noses in too much."
Hmm, Harold-sama crosses his arms. He glares at Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama. The two seem to have the same idea as me and are nodding "un-un." Probably, it's not a place where humans should go barging in without permission.
"Then, that's enough for the explanation about the opposite side. In short, there's a possibility that it plays a role like a passage connecting the world we live in and another world, right?"
"Yes."
He understood. As expected of a former hero.
"Then, shall we dive in?"
You don't understand at all!
"N-No, as for going there... it's better not to..."
"Why? If we go there and, if we're lucky, can block it, wouldn't we be able to prevent the Demon Lord's resurrection?"
"I-I don't think it's such a simple thing."
"We'll know if we go. Right, Henry?"
"Umu. We should go."
Eh! Are you serious?
"We've been blessed with the opportunity to go to such an unexplored place. Shall we go, Jeanne?"
Even Eleanor-sama... What was that nodding just now?
"Umu, truly a case of 'hearts in sync.' Our bond is eternal."
Ah, so that's what it meant. I was a fool to expect the judgment of ordinary humans from monsters who are, so to speak, not ordinary.
In the end, by the will of the three delinquent elderly, we decided to go to the opposite side... or whatever it is.
"So, how do we go?"
Say you want to go after you've thought of that much, old man.
That said, once it's decided we're going, there's no choice. To go, something like mist or steam is necessary.
"Clouds would be the substitute for mist."
It was Eleanor-sama. She had already found the answer.
"Suppose you climb a high mountain and are covered in mist. But even if you think it's mist then, it's a cloud when seen from below the mountain. Mist and clouds are the same."
I've climbed high mountains, but I didn't know that clouds and mist are the same. I thought for sure it would be mist that looks very similar to clouds since it's connected to the sky.
"If it's clouds, didn't we just connect with the outside?"
"This time, we'll connect from the outside."
"From the outside? How? Didn't your Paratroop Jaegers fail to reach it?"
"Yes. Therefore, we will illuminate it with Jeanne's magic."
"Hmm. That makes a difference."
So, we decided to go outside once.
"Now, Lyudmila. Here we go."
"Y-Yes."
The experiment to ascend toward the clouds began.
Eleanor-sama's bowl... or rather, sphere, is extremely thick at the bottom. Furthermore, she intends to attach Harold-sama's and Lyudmila's [Wind Barrier]... which are usually plates, but are so thick they are close to cylindrical... in two stages and ascend into the sky all at once. It's a bit scary that Lyudmila is nervous. She must have been identifying the spot directly below so persistently for this purpose. Bear furs were spread at the bottom of the bowl to prepare for the impact of the sudden ascent. It would be nice if we had Dune's fluff, but things aren't that easy.
I have no choice. I'll bring out my trump card.
I had them wait a bit before departing, pulled the chain at my chest, and called out to the crystal.
"My turn?"
It's the appearance of Fiona, who is always reliable.
I explained the situation. I think it can be done, but I wonder how it will go.
"I understand. You know, my output has increased compared to before. So I think it'll be okay."
I immediately had her merge with me.
"Well then, here I go."
Bowa!
When Fiona put her spirit into it with a "funn," pale blue flames rose from her body. Harold-sama, who was right beside her, was pushed by Fiona's spiritual pressure and staggered. There was no such thing until now. Her output is certainly amazing. I heard that as a result of her training, she became able to use the two techniques of mid-level flame and lightning, and she's one step away from high-level. Wonderful effort.
"Even if you didn't know, you must be careful."
"T-That's right."
Harold-sama, who had become strangely quiet at Eleanor-sama's words said triumphantly, said in a solemn tone.
We were seen off by Wilson-san and departed.
I am in the center, and everyone else is around me. On the count of three, everyone jumps up for a moment. At the same time, pale blue flames erupted from under my buttocks, and everyone who jumped up floated in the air due to the spiritual pressure that welled up at the bottom of the bowl. Even so, it's at most about knee height. I am also floating. Previously, thanks to this spiritual pressure, I was able to avoid injury. At that time, it came out from my whole body. I heard later that the pale blue flames emitted by ghosts usually rise upward, but that's mostly just for appearance, and the spiritual pressure itself comes out from the whole body, so it's spherical, so to speak. However, the direction of emission can be controlled to some extent. Therefore, it is radiated as powerful pressure toward the opponent regarded as an enemy. The spirits I've fought until now weren't radiating spiritual pressure spherically, but were radiating it toward me. So, if a ghost that has gained power radiates spiritual energy downward, it becomes enough to make a human float. Probably, if Fiona seriously puts out her maximum instantaneous power, she could fly through the sky like being launched by a catapult.
"Well then, Harold, Lyudmila, I'm counting on you again. Don't fear failure and do it boldly."
"Umu. Leave it to me. Lyudmila, have you remembered your timing?"
"Yes."
Eleanor-sama, Harold-sama, and Lyudmila were doing something together. Harold-sama is a scout. As he himself admits, he lies without hesitation. Among humans, he would be a kin of darkness, so to speak. Eleanor-sama must have some idea in calling Harold-sama as support for this operation.