Chapter 721 - Chapter Sixteen: Exploration of the Testament ⑥

Chapter Sixteen: Exploration of the Testament ⑥

Beyond the newly appeared exit, there is a passage. That passage is a straight descent. And we reached the fifth Goddess's room. And there was no need to illuminate with Light. Because the exit was behind the stone statue of the Goddess. In other words, Thought Communication came after Mold. With this, Thought Communication was bypassed. Since it's a place they went to the trouble of letting us bypass, I decided not to enter and to proceed ahead.

"The Priestess from earlier might have originally intended to talk there," Erikson-sama says, thinking she might have wanted to hear about the state of the outside world at the place of the trial. Erikson-sama himself has been doing his best for a thousand years pretending to be an evil spirit because he had things to convey about the Testament. He probably understands the feeling.

The ceiling doesn't glow, but she might be there. But it's not the way back yet.

When I go to the people in the rear and ask, Eleanor-sama, Will, and Bonnie had Highway Cookies Deluxe. Price-sama had a bottle of high-quality wine. All four warriors had one bottle of alcohol each. I have the dried meat.

"In the Goddess's room where we promised to stop by on the way back, we've set up a Teleportation Circle. From now on, that will be the midway base. There are still plenty of Highway Cookies. There are various other things too, so let's all eat together."

I said only that toward the ceiling and proceeded to the exit.

The sixth trial was Undead. This magic was easily finished because the Priestess can use it.

When we entered the trial room, I was surprised. Because bones of something huge were piled up.

The scroll in the box at the sixth Goddess's stone statue said to reassemble those bones as they were.

Normally, it's impossible. But it can be done using Undead magic. I saw it at the Silver Mine in the Northeastern Forest. Fortunately, it was for one creature rather than multiple individuals, so when the Priestess chanted Undead, it was easily returned to its original state. As a bonus, she cast Necromancy and made it walk around the room. Judging from the size and shape, I think it's a giant Fenrir. After making it go around the room once, when the Priestess ordered it to go to the exit of the room, it went to the place where we first entered, but when she specified otherwise, it stopped at a corner of the wall. When illuminated with Light, the wall disappeared. It's the exit.

After confirming there is a stone statue of the Goddess beyond the passage, the bone Fenrir was returned to the earth with Purification and sent off.

And the seventh trial was the Cockatrice Head.

At the seventh Goddess's stone statue, while waiting and illuminating the wall, the ghosts who had gone ahead came back in a panic.

"Caution is required ahead."

"We must devise thorough countermeasures."

"I think it's better to go back for today."

It's a reaction unlike any before.

"Did something happen?"

I think it was the knight commander merged with Gwyn-sama who asked. However, Gwyn-sama is also a Crown Prince, so he speaks in a similar tone.

"It's a Cockatrice. If you catch its gaze, you'll be turned to stone."

That's bad.

When we fought in the Demon Lord subjugation war, we should have defeated it while looking at a mirror.

"Is it a Revenant?"

"It is a Revenant, but the Cockatrice Revenant is only the head, and there are also Stone Golems."

A Cockatrice with only a head? What is that? Is there such a thing?

Looking at Sianya, she has a serious face.

"Probably, they made only the Cockatrice's head into a Revenant and made that into a Golem."

This tone is the Priestess.

"Is there such a thing?"

"There is. After all, a Revenant is essentially a corpse, right? Since they made a Golem using that as material, it functions with only a part of the body."

The three knights are all nodding their heads vigorously. It must be so.

If that's the case, it'll be a group of monsters that added the Cockatrice's petrification ability to the Stone Golem's striking power. Isn't this seriously trying to kill us?

According to the knights' story, the heads are embedded in several places from one-third of the way into the trial room... not only on the opposite wall, but also on the left and right walls, and the ceiling. Although they cannot move, they can change the direction of their heads up, down, left, and right to some extent. If you enter from the entrance, the intruder will be looked down upon by many heads. Just imagining it makes my spine go cold.

Who thought of such bad taste? I've been to various places, but this is the scariest.

Moreover, there are five Golems. The Golems' role is likely to stall the intruder to keep them within the Cockatrice's range.

"Since we are ghosts, we went inside and scouted while invisible, but the heads reacted as soon as we showed ourselves. It was good that we vanished and changed locations the moment they opened their closed eyes, but if we had been bathed in that light, I shudder to think."

"Then, can you not go right next to the heads while invisible?"

Harold-sama is also merciless.

"My apologies. To launch an attack, we must show ourselves. While defeating a few, we would receive concentrated attacks from the other heads."

"Umu. Then it is impossible."

If there are heads in so many different directions, it would be quite difficult to annihilate them even with large magic. As expected of something made by the Priestess. She knows how to fight with numbers over quality.

Harold-sama, Erikson-sama, the knight commander, and Wilson-san all fell silent. They probably don't have a good plan.

It's better to have all the big shots consult on this.

"Mirrors. There is nothing else."

Eleanor-sama insisted on a temporary withdrawal. She says we should just fire magic indiscriminately while covered in mirrors or metal polished to that extent. I think that scene itself would be terrifying.

"If we are to do it now, there is no choice but for Jeanne to release maximum Light in all directions and win a hit-or-miss battle of light rays."

"Let's withdraw for now."

Withdrawal. There's no way I can do that.

"I wonder if the Cockatrice's rays can be blocked by my Dark or Jeanne's Light? Let's experiment."

The Priestess says something reckless. Light is impossible. Dark might work. However, if the range is too wide, the mist will thin out and might let the petrification rays through. On the other hand, if we make a small one, we'll be attacked by Golems.

"How will the experiment be conducted? To illuminate from this doorway, even if Jeanne illuminates with maximum power, isn't the distance too great?"

That's right. By all means, let's withdraw.

"Ah, I see. Then, either way, it's a retreat."

So, it became a temporary withdrawal.

On the way back, we go to the Goddess's room, which we made a midway base, to have a banquet with the Priestess from 4000 years ago. Since it was impossible for everyone to participate due to the small space, we made it a girls' party. Participants were those who could speak the ancient language: Eleanor-sama, Sianya, the Wetlands Priestess, Fiona, and me—five in total. The Priestess and Fiona released their merger.

When I called toward the ceiling, it glowed. She came.

"Should I cast Thought Communication?"

It glows twice. It seems unnecessary.

How will she do it? While I was wondering, the ceiling stayed glowing. It's the same as the place where the Secret Books are placed.

"Jeanne, here... It's the same as Gnome's place."

"Yeah. And the place of the Secret Books."

It's Fiona. She was the first to let us know that this light is not magic.

"Hello, everyone. Welcome."

The voice was transmitted without Thought Communication. At the same time, I can tell the surprise of those with me. It seems everyone can hear it.

"My self-introduction to those other than Jeanne is late. Nice to meet you..."

The Priestess from 4000 years ago introduced herself. Considering her birthplace, Eleanor-sama told me it would probably be around the western part of present-day Engrio.

Since we're going with the line of no talk about the cave exploration, I have her talk about herself and stories from 4000 years ago. What I found out was that, as expected, she was a princess. Surely, she must have been incredibly excellent. She herself is modest, but she is managing the Testament.

"That was an era when many truly excellent mages existed. It was called the Generation of Blessings."

At the time, it was apparently said to be the influence of the magic leakage accident in the Northeastern Forest. They were afraid something might happen, and at the same time, they expected that fighting monsters would become easier. The Priestess was one of them, and since she could use holy magic since she was a minor, she entered the priesthood at her family's recommendation.

"Which could you use, light or dark?"

"I am dark."

"Then, you're the same as me. As expected, can you use all five?"

"No, when I first came here, it was only three. The others were holy magic and magic other than elemental magic, like Teleport."

"That's amazing."

Because the Wetlands Priestess talks to her a lot, the conversation is flowing well. After all, those who were Priestesses in the distant past can probably understand each other.

"Can you really not leave here? Even though as ghosts, we can move like this."

"I am a bit different from a ghost. I am not the releaser of the Testament herself. I am only a very small part. I just have power."

"Then, will you stay like this forever?"

"I wonder? I don't know either."

Honestly, I want to know that. Apparently she is a part... or rather, will and power, but she is also a part of my future self.

"What happened to the main body?"

Does she lose her will and power?

"She lived as a single human and must have passed away."

"Is there anything that changed after releasing the Testament?"

"I don't think anything changes for the main body. Because I am a duplicate."

"Duplicate?"

"Yes. A duplicate of a part of the will and emotions of the releaser of the Testament, who has the same power as the main body and was called the Fifth Spirit, equal to the Four Great Spirits."

It's like a living ghost. Hmm. I don't really understand.

Looking at the Wetlands Priestess, she has her arms crossed. It seems the Priestess doesn't understand either. Not only that, Eleanor-sama and Sianya also seem not to understand.

"Can the Four Great Spirits be called here?"

If they can be called, I'd like to have them all gather and talk.

"Four Great Spirits? I cannot call them."

"I will call them."

Just in case, I look at Dune's ring, and it's emitting light as usual. It feels like they can be called.

"Oh? That is the spirit's..."

"Yes. I received it from the spirits of water, wind, and fire."

"Do you have the protection of the Three Great Spirits?"

To be precise, it's apparently all four, but I haven't received a stone from Gnome for safety reasons. In that regard, I don't really know if I truly have Gnome's protection. I'm staying quiet because I feel like I'll be told difficult things about the definitions of protection and guardianship.

"I received a stone. Also, a companion has the stone of the earth spirit."

The Priestess, after thinking for a while, asked me to call him.

"If possible, I'd like Gnome-sama. I've never met a spirit other than Gnome-sama."

"Then, I'll contact Gnome."

If it was 4000 years ago, Dune and Mel weren't born. Naturally, there must have been different spirits, but I haven't met them. Salamander was probably in the volcano in Finis with the Fire Dragon, so he wouldn't have met the Priestess.

In the end, difficult talks end up being with Gnome.

Contact goes from Eleanor-sama to Will, and Will calls Gnome. Gnome said he would meet her, so he came. However, it became a condition that no exchange regarding the release of the Testament would be made. Since spirits are neutral, it can't be helped.

"Gnome-sama, it has been a long time."

"It has been a long time, hasn't it?"

It's true that they met before, and they don't introduce themselves to each other.

"Are you still shut in here as usual?"

"Yes. I cannot use my power if I leave here, and I have no other place to go."

"It would be fine even if you couldn't use your power, wouldn't it?"

"It is my duty as one who released the Testament."

"How serious you are."

"My apologies."

Hmm. I don't know if she's a duplicate or what, but she's somehow pitiful. I think she should go outside more.

"Jeanne, won't you take this girl out appropriately?"

"Heh? Is that okay?"

"Gnome-sama!"

The ceiling flashed. She might have gotten angry.

"It is my duty to discern whether one who aims for the release of the Testament here is truly worthy of releasing it. Gnome-sama should also know this well."

"Yeah, I know well."

"Then..."

"Then or whatever. Anyway, the only candidate for the one who will release it is Jeanne. Then, it should be fine to act together outside for a while and discern her character."

"However, if I leave here, the various mechanisms of the trials will not function."

"If they don't, what happens?"

"It will be completely sealed."

"Then, there is no problem, is there?"

That's true. If it's sealed, the secret is protected.

"If I go outside and something happens, what will you do? The Testament will become permanently unreleaseable."

That's a problem. I've spent a lot of time so far. That effort would go to waste.

"Don't worry. Such a thing won't happen so easily."

"No. I exist in this world like this to fulfill my duty. I cannot leave here."

Hmm, this is a problem. I never thought it would turn out like this.

"Then, if this Jeanne releases the Testament, what will happen to you?"

"I will lose my power."

"And?"

"I don't know. I might become a non-existent being."

"That won't happen."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, actually an old friend is in my dwelling, but he exists in the same form as you."

"Is that so?"

"That's right, so you also, since a successor candidate named Jeanne has appeared, must think about what comes after."

"What comes after..."

Somehow, I felt a gaze from the direction of the ceiling. Is she looking at me?

"What should I do?"

"So, while you can, see this world widely and look for a new place you want to live."

"Then, please let me stay at Jeanne's residence."

Why did it turn out like that? It's too sudden, I can't understand.