Chapter 719 - Chapter Sixteen: Exploration of the Testament ④

Chapter Sixteen: Exploration of the Testament ④

Cockroaches were stubborn even after becoming Revenants. In the end, it took a full two days for all of them to return to the earth. Those not on duty spent their time around the church, waiting for contact via the teleportation for sending documents.

Fortunately, there were no water leaks, and we inserted a large number of the largest Teleportation Circles that could be brought in through the tiny gaps on the embankment, jumping the water into the pond. Unless I illuminate with Light and erase the wall, teleportation cannot be used. It has to stay illuminated. Since the volume was large, we set up many magic circles, and as the water decreased and we could jump over the water surface on plates, we added even more and worked hard. Even so, it took a full day to jump all of it. The first trial alone took three days. The original plan was less than ten days, including two days of travel for the round trip. It's taking too much time. If it takes three days to break through one, it will take a month and a half to break through all of them. If this were something to be challenged in a situation where the Demon Lord had actually been resurrected, wouldn't it be too leisurely?

"We were able to break through without any damage. Once broken through, the second time is just a matter of moving, isn't it? Besides, once we reach the magic circles of the Testament, we might be able to go directly from the surface via teleportation. There is no need to rush."

When I accidentally spoke aloud, wondering if it took three days because of my strategy, Price-sama reasoned with me.

"It'll probably be a dead end halfway anyway, right? If we just do it thoroughly as far as we can go, wouldn't that be just right?"

"Don't rush, don't rush, let's settle in and go."

"Umu. There can be no mistake in Jeanne-sama's strategy, after all."

The seriously ill people were the same as ever, but the three princes also encouraged me.

"For a priest to outpace a warrior, how impressive. As expected of a user of light magic."

"Truly, a student of Catherine is too reliable and bellicose."

I feel like Erikson-sama and Harold-sama's words are a bit subtle. Edward-sama is stifling a laugh, too.

In the end, the talk came up that if necessary, we could continue during the winter when most Demon Lord army countermeasures stagnate, so we decided to proceed slowly and leisurely with safety first. Currently, the Demon Lord has not been resurrected. The idea was that we were doing this as a rehearsal.

When I illuminated the wall at the far end after breaking through the hall and proceeding straight from the entrance, part of it disappeared. It's the exit. At the same time, light was shining from behind. At the stone statue of the Goddess, Edward-sama, Sianya, the Priestess, and part of the knight order were waiting. When I asked what was going on, the wall had apparently disappeared on its own. The wall disappeared and the light of the bonfire became visible. I don't know what kind of mechanism this is either, but it's helpful that the simple Teleportation Circles can move forward.

Beyond the exit, as expected, there was a passage and a small room, and the stone statue of the Goddess was enshrined in the small room. This might be a repetition. We move the simple Teleportation Circles forward and make the front of the stone statue the foremost base.

And there is a similar door-like wall. Surely we erase this to go inside.

As a result of the knight order's exploration, there was a report that beyond the second door, something like a giant black onion head was growing throughout the room.

"It's as if things like tree roots are spread across the floor."

It seems the knights saw it for the first time too.

"Does it attack?"

"No, it's a plant-like thing, and there was no such sign in particular."

If it were a monster, it would react if approached unexpectedly, even if the opponent was a ghost. Once it realized it was a ghost, it would apparently make a disgruntled face as if to say "What the..." and then decide to ignore it. After that, it's normal to be ignored unless the ghost side does something. This onion head is the same as grass and trees and has no reaction. However, just to test it, when a Wind Cutter was released, it just bent limply and wasn't cut. Not only that, perhaps due to the impact, the onion head crumbled and strange powder scattered.

"If that is something like poison, caution is necessary."

Since I didn't understand well, I had them draw a picture.

"Isn't this mold? This. It's quite large, though."

I've seen it magnified with Sight. It's not exactly the same, but it's similar.

"That's right. It's similar to what grows on crops. I wonder if it becomes like this when magic power is concentrated."

Sianya agreed as well. Primordia, under the policy of the Releaser King, actively uses magic water made with Anti-Sepsis for agriculture as well. Since volume is needed, it's the beginner level. Because the effect retention time is short accordingly, they make it on-site and spray it there. I heard Sianya is also involved.

"Then, what is this?"

Price-sama didn't know this either. To be blunt, only Sianya and I knew. Well, there's no one in charge of epidemic countermeasures.

I release the maximum Light to illuminate the inside.

The scene inside was just as the scout knights said. Giant black onion heads are growing thick. The ones that are slanted are probably the ones they tried to cut with Wind Cutter. Indeed, they aren't cut. It's like weeds have been mowed with a tree branch.

The floor is crawled with black tree-root-like things up to the front of the disappeared wall. Near the onion heads, it's spread like a coarse spider web. Normal tree roots are thick near the trunk and get thinner toward the ends, but these are the same thickness. Not much different from the trunk of the onion head. However, according to the spirits, mold gets nutrition from the partner it sticks to. I don't think there's anything that could be nutrition on the floor deep underground. Perhaps, just like the Demon Lord's cave, magic stone powder has been scattered.

"I think it's a giant version of mold. Let's try casting Anti-Sepsis."

Anyway, we'll know if we cast it. If it doesn't resist, it'll be easy.

This time, while the Cockroach Revenants were being soaked in magic water, I brought a floodlight for illumination. It's for when I release the Light magic. If I release it from inside Price-sama's or Harrison-san's simple barrier, it'll probably be fine.

It was then. The onion heads began to sway as if blown by a great wind. At the same time, powder or particles, probably mold spores, flew from the onion heads.

"Eleanor-sama, please create a wind. That flying powder is dangerous!"

Sianya shouted, and Eleanor-sama and Wilson-san both released magic. Favorable Wind. As a result of the wind blowing toward the inside, the spores also flew to the back.

"Could it be that that powder is the source of the epidemic?"

I remembered Eleanor-sama's words to Sianya. During the Demon Lord subjugation war, we killed spiders by sprinkling mold spores on them. I'm sure mushrooms grew inside the spiders' bodies and burst out through them. Of course, the spiders died. If the same thing works on humans, it's quite bad. I instinctively stepped back.

"As far as I know, I don't think an epidemic caused by mold has been confirmed. But..."

"But?"

"At worst, your whole body might get athlete's foot."

It's a possible story. That's the worst. Sianya, who answered with a serious face, was also pale. Harrison-san was looking at his own feet, but it wasn't the time for that. Eleanor-sama was raising her eyebrows and increasing the power of the wind. Wouldn't it be better to just burn the surroundings with Flame or something?

While Wilson-san was preventing the spores by creating a wind, Eleanor-sama carefully burned the area around the entrance. In addition, Price-sama created a simple barrier, so Gwyn-sama, Roberts-sama, and Sianya went inside with me.

"Anti-Sepsis!"

When I released it with an eight-shot volley with reflectors, it crumbled limply from where the magic hit.

This time the opponent doesn't move. Since we only need to be careful of the flying spores, I decided against the time-consuming magic water treatment. We withdrew once and made many scrolls of high-level Anti-Sepsis and set them in the floodlights. The next day, when we all released them at once while repelling the spores flying with Eleanor-sama's and Wilson-san's wind, the effect was outstanding. I, of course, used the eight-shot volley with reflectors. I absolutely hate the idea of whole-body athlete's foot, so I spent a whole day doing it thoroughly. Moreover, this mold is not a Revenant. In other words, magic power powder was scattered on the ground, and it's possible it hadn't died until now because of that magic power. I sprayed water with Shower to make puddles and released Anti-Sepsis directly on top of them.

"Let's break through the next trial quickly. That way, we can move away from this room."

"More than that, let's go back to the church quickly and bathe in magic water."

"I'll illuminate everyone with maximum power just in case."

There are no itchy spots so far, so it's fine... I want to believe.

After breaking through two, the dark magic target came for the third. However, this was easy. After passing through the Goddess's room, there was just a downward passage, and the end was a dead end. I tried illuminating it with Light, but there was no reaction. However, when the Priestess merged with Sianya released Dark and hit it with black mist, a square hole opened in the wall and the mist seeped into the wall. The mist proceeded further and further back.

"Ah, it went through!"

It seems to have successfully penetrated. When illuminated with Light, it looks like a shortcut. The hole is not a door or a wall, but has a length of five or six steps. It's quite a large rock.

It's good that it went through, but once you pass through, the hole closes. The Priestess returned the mist once and made it into a cylinder. That way, the hole stays open. As a result of the knights who don't take damage from Dark going out to scout, it was found that there is a room beyond. Wilson-san made a cylinder inside the mist with Wind Barrier so as not to take damage from Dark, and Harold-sama and Bonnie crawled through the hole with floodlights. When they went to the other side, they were illuminating the surroundings and gave an OK sign.

I crawl through with Gwyn-sama.

Beyond the hole, there is a passage. Proceeding further leads to a dead end. When illuminated with Light, the wall disappears, and at the same time, the Priestess's voice can be heard from behind. Probably, the large rock that was blocking the way disappeared. When we go inside, there is a small room and a stone statue of the Goddess. It seems the third one was cleared.

Light, Light, Dark, so the next will probably be Dark.

Dark ended in a short time. If possible, I want all future ones to be like that.

The forward base moved, and it's time to challenge the fourth.

When the wall of the small room was erased, it was a downward passage. Proceeding down, it became horizontal halfway and led to a room. A tree that had turned into a monster was growing in the center. The trunk of the tree was split as if struck by lightning. That said, since black leaves are attached, it probably hasn't withered. The tree roots are firmly grasping the ground of the floor. Perhaps magic stone powder is being used here as well.

"There are characters carved here."

"It's true."

"But I cannot read them."

"Yeah, I can't read them either. Are these really characters?"

The voice of Gwyn-sama or the merged knight commander can be heard.

Approaching and looking at the wall illuminated pale blue, there are indeed things that look like characters carved. Is it an ancient language? I can't read it. Looking at Sianya, she is also tilting her head.

"What is this? What language?"

The Priestess doesn't seem to be able to read it either.

In this situation, we have no choice but to call an intellectual. Well, the Priestess is an intellectual too, though.

"Fumu. Can people of recent times not read this?"

It's Erikson-sama. Can he read it?

"No, I cannot read it as it is. It is Mirror Writing."

"Mirror Writing?"

Apparently, it can be read if reflected in a mirror. It seems to be a method known only to some high-ranking priests, used when making secret documents.

Now that I think about it, I feel like there was something like that somewhere. I forgot where, though.

Even so, they think of troublesome things. They should have just written normally.

When Sianya offered a hand mirror, Wilson-san took it and turned his back to the Mirror Writing. He held the hand mirror with his right hand above his right shoulder, perhaps so Erikson-sama could see it easily. Wilson-sama, sticking to his back, peered in.

"Let's see, 'Let this tree live,' that's how it reads."

Erikson-sama read it for us.

Let it live or whatever, it's a tree that turned into a monster... I see, is it the same as the Forest of Restoration... then?

"Normally thinking, it's Mold, isn't it?"

It's Wilson-san.

"Fumu. That is so. It is recovery magic for Revenants, but it should have been effective on monsters as well."

Mold, huh. I wonder if there's anyone who can use it.

"Mold? Sorry. I can't."

The Priestess surrendered early. Looking at Wilson-san, he is stroking the Magic-Sealing Ring. Surely he can use it. However, the seal must be broken. Price-sama, in his position, shouldn't be able to overlook it.

Inevitably, we withdrew once and reported to Price-sama, Henry-sama, and Eleanor-sama who were in the rear. The three of them actually saw the tree and then the Mirror Writing on the wall.

Price-sama, after glancing here... probably at Wilson-san... formed a huddle with Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama and began whispering. Eavesdropping is not good, so I withdraw to the rear for a moment.

Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama don't look at Wilson-san at all. They probably know he can use it.

After that, they called only Erikson-sama and began whispering among the four of them.

Having finished talking, they look here and call me.

"Unfortunately, Mold cannot be used now. We intend to try another method. Jeanne, what would you do?"

"Me...?"

"Yes. Please let us hear your thoughts."

If Mold cannot be used, there is no choice but the method of restoration in the Northeastern Forest. We have to illuminate it with Light adjusted in intensity so it doesn't wither and take acorns or sprouts. If it's an acorn, it'll be the next generation, but if it's a sprout, it's the current generation. However, is it okay to illuminate it with Light? If it's not Mold, won't it be a failure?

When Price-sama looked at Henry-sama and Eleanor-sama, both of them nodded.

"Jeanne, why don't you do here what you do every month?"

"Eh? Is that okay? Not Mold?"

"Yes. Let's try it. There's nothing to lose."

Is that really okay? If it fails, I hope we can try again.

I'm a little scared, but it's the consensus of the four big shots. Let's try it.

"Light!"

I did it with the strength I usually use.

Smoke begins to come from the tree. It's the moment Renata hates most.

The tree began to tremble. With creaking and cracking sounds, new cracks appeared in the already split trunk. In the Northeastern Forest, I let them live with this. No, to be precise, it's the next generation. I wonder if it's okay for this tree.

Black leaves fell with a rustle. It's almost time...

A few acorns fell with a clatter. Continuing further, it split greatly and seemed about to fall over. Is it almost bad?

Lowering the output just a little, I continued to illuminate, and it produced several sprouts.

Eleanor-sama cut off the sprouts with a knife. They won't grow if planted here. It's better to plant them outside with the acorns.

"Let's withdraw for now. We'll come back tomorrow."

Withdrawal was decided by Price-sama's words.

Honestly, I have no confidence. But that's the only way I can make a tree live. Fortunately, the tree has not withered yet. Let's hope the Bishop can use Mold.

The next day, the acorns planted next to the church had put out new buds. And the sprouts had grown a little longer. They did their best. From here on, they will grow back at a natural pace.

And when we returned to the place of the trial, the wall where the characters were carved had disappeared.

"It seems we were able to break through safely."

"The Mirror Writing was the key. If it's the opposite of the dark magic Mold, it would be light magic. They probably wanted it returned to its original tree form, rather than letting it live as a monster. In that case, there was no other way but the method Jeanne found."

Price-sama says, looking relieved.

"It wasn't Mold, was it?"

"To be precise, it was probably 'it didn't have to be Mold.' Anyway, I'm glad we could break through."

The four big shots said they were thinking of consulting the Bishop if they saw it today and it was no good.

In any case, it's good. The tree will be able to continue living.