kscans

Chapter 197 - The Sunken Church and the Church of Light (Part 1)

The fort was surrounded by high stone ramparts, and within its walls, alongside a large building with a spire, there were stables and a church. It was a similar construction to the fortress north of Frucht.

Marmi and I were welcomed warmly and treated to a lavish meal.

Fourteen soldiers were garrisoned at this fort. Apparently, there had been seventeen, but three had gone missing over the last few days. They had each vanished separately, always during the night.

I had assumed the missing men were just part of Marmi’s ghost story, so when I learned it was true, an indescribable chill ran down my spine.

Now, after our debriefing, we were shown to a luxurious room.

The space was large enough to hold dozens of people, furnished with a king-sized bed, a dinner table that could seat several, a writing desk, and a vanity. Everything was made of wood, but it all had a lustrous sheen that made it look expensive. A soft carpet covered the floor, the walls were lined with a velvet-like fabric, and there was even a large, full-length mirror.

Our room was higher than the castle walls, and the window offered a view of the lakeside we had seen during the day.

The world was bathed in the soft light of a waxing moon. The lake's surface was a deep blue-black, with patches of white where it reflected the moonlight.

There were no cicadas, only the faint chirping of night insects. It was a quiet night. Under normal circumstances, it would have been a beautiful, dreamlike scene, but after hearing Marmi’s ghost story, the darkness of the lake felt ominous, as if it were trying to pull me in.

As I stood by the window gazing out, I thought about Marmi’s tale and the three missing soldiers.

I glanced over and saw Marmi taking a negligee out of her storage, preparing to change.

"Hey, are you planning on sleeping already? What about the soldiers who disappeared?"

"...Not interested."

"You're scared, aren't you?"

"...I'm not scared."

She turned her face away as she said it. The gesture reminded me vaguely of Aira. I knew better than to say that out loud, so I kept my mouth shut.

She stopped getting ready and walked over to the window where I stood. She leaned against me, her gaze drifting outside. I wrapped an arm around her delicate waist and pulled her close, and her hand came to rest on my lower back.

"Do the grudges of those who die with regrets really linger, haunting the living?"

"...No. But there are monsters that look like those kinds of ghosts."

"I don't get it. Those monsters aren't made from human resentment, are they?"

"...That's right. They're imitations of resentment. Not the real thing."

"That makes even less sense. If ghosts don't exist, how can something imitate them?"

"...Sometimes, dungeons create monsters from people's imaginations."

"I see. So supernatural phenomena aren't real, but they can be brought into existence by people who imagine them..."

The Hekatonkheires, Cyclops, and Gigantes we fought in dungeons were all from the myths of my original world. Of course, they don't actually exist. But dungeons read people's thoughts and create monsters from them.

They read the threats that surface in the minds of explorers, and that includes otherworlders. That's why children of gods and giants from the myths I know appear.

"If monsters are born from people's awe and fear, then they're no different from ghosts. In that case, as you go deeper into a dungeon, do you find monsters that imitate gods?"

"...I've never heard of that."

I suddenly realized that Marmi was staring at me.

The moonlight streaming through the window illuminated her. Her translucent skin seemed even whiter, and her silver hair shimmered with a faint glow each time she breathed.

My arm around her tightened.

She, in turn, faced me and squeezed the hand on my back.

"...Mash..."

She rose onto her tiptoes as if to stretch and closed her eyes.

I gently pressed my lips against Marmi's. They were slightly cool and soft. The sensation enveloped my heart like a warm cloud.

When I pulled back, she opened her eyes.

"...I don't really understand how something like this can confirm our love for each other."

"Want to try it again?"

"...Yeah."

Just as she started to lower her long lashes again, I noticed the pale blue light from the window had grown stronger.

"...The lake..."

The entire surface of the lake was glowing with a pale, bluish-white light.

It wasn't a reflection of the moon. I felt the temperature in the room drop.

Marmi and I left the fort and started walking toward the lakeside we had visited during the day.

"...Mash. There are no such things as ghosts. Let's go back to the fort,"

Marmi said.

"No way. I can't possibly go to sleep after seeing that."

What if countless hands reached all the way into the fortress?

I'd heard the ghost story from Marmi, and I knew for a fact that three soldiers were missing. Just leaving it alone was far more terrifying.

If this was all some elaborate setup to create a suspension-bridge effect, I needed proof.

There was no way I could sleep until I knew we were safe.

Going to check things out alone was too scary, but thankfully, Marmi was with me.

For a moment, I lost track of my own thoughts. I'm not scared. I repeated it to myself, reinforcing the idea. This is just a natural phenomenon caused by some sort of coincidence. I just want to get to the bottom of this strange occurrence, that's all.

"Mo, if you're scared, you can go back to the room."

"...Hmph. I told you, I'm not scared. We just had our first kiss. Don't treat me like a child."

She squeezed my hand tightly.

Seeing that, I felt a sense of relief. It seemed she would stay with me until the end.

Our hands were sticky with sweat, but it couldn't be helped. I squeezed back.

We just kept walking. Worst case, I'd do as her mother suggested and use Goddess Summon. Laciel might not be able to solve anything and just go home, but that would be fine. I'd probably pass out and fall asleep, blissfully unaware of the horrors that might follow.

We continued down the moonlit path.

Standing on the shore of the lake, we gasped.

Countless particles of light drifted across the water's surface, each one blinking on and off. The lights were small and faint, yet they radiated a strange warmth. Reflected on the lake, they transformed into a cold, pale blue glow.

"Fireflies... There are so many of them."

I reached out a hand, and for a moment, the lights gathered around it before scattering again.

"...See? There are no ghosts, after all."

Marmi's words made the tension drain from my shoulders. The light of the fireflies danced on her cheeks, softening her expression and giving it a dim, warm glow.

Her mother must have told us that ghost story just so we would see this. The story about the missing soldiers was probably a lie, too. They had all been in on it, trying to fool us.

Hand in hand, we stood there for a while, mesmerized by the fantastical sight.

One firefly soared high into the air, then vanished as if dissolving into the starlight. I wished I could stay here and watch this with her forever.

Just then, a cool breeze, having lost the heat of the day, blew past us.

"Should we head back?"

I tugged on Marmi's hand, but she didn't move.

I thought she wanted to keep watching, but she was staring intently at one spot on the water's surface, utterly captivated.

It was a place where a particularly dense swarm of fireflies had gathered.

The light of the wildly dancing swarm reached deep into the water.

"...Mash."

Bathed in the showering rain of light, a church was illuminated.

A change was also happening to the swarm of fireflies dancing over the water.

The particles of light that had been scattered across the lake gathered in one spot, forming the shape of the church in the water. It was as if the decaying, submerged church had risen to the surface as a church of light.

I watched, forgetting even to breathe, as particles of light extended from the entrance of the radiant church toward our feet, forming a bridge.

I hesitantly extended a foot and stepped onto the bridge of light.

It wasn't an illusion; I could feel a solid, hard surface beneath me.

It felt as precarious as walking on glass that could shatter at any moment, but it seemed I could make it to the church of light.

As I thought this and took a second step, my hand was yanked back forcefully.

"...Mash! Focus on the mana inside you! Spread it through your entire body and resist!"

Someone's voice seemed to reach me from a distance, but I couldn't quite grasp its meaning.

Just as I tried to shake off the hand holding me, the sword at my waist clattered.

The sound brought Maryanne's words back to me.

I lowered my eyes and turned my consciousness inward, searching for the mana within my body. It was scattered, without form. Breathing slowly, I gathered the mana to my solar plexus as if kneading dough, then circulated it throughout my entire body.

I opened my eyes and turned my focus outward again.

I was halfway across the bridge of light, between the shore and the church. And Marmi was pulling my hand, trying to stop me from going any further.

"Was I... possessed?"

I couldn't believe it. It had felt like I'd only taken a step or two.

The ground beneath the translucent bridge wasn't land anymore, but the surface of the lake.

"Are you okay, Mo?"

Marmi gave a small nod in response to my question and let go of my hand. It was drenched, though I couldn't tell whose sweat it was.

I had been so drawn to the church of light that I had forgotten her presence entirely. I clenched my empty hand, determined not to forget she was by my side again.

"...Mash, there's a powerful mental manipulation spell cast here."

"You're right. This place is dangerous."

I couldn't even tell if the entity that created this phenomenon was hostile.

We should turn back while we still had our wits about us. We could still get away.

As I was thinking this, she started walking toward the church.

"Hey, are you serious about going? We should turn back."

Had Marmi lost her senses now? I grabbed her shoulder and turned her around.

She offered a faint smile.

"...I thought the ghost story and the missing people were just my mother's tall tale. But the three missing soldiers are probably in there. If I order them to fight, those men are prepared to die. So when I haven't given an order, I have to be the one to protect them."

Even if they were already dead, there were still soldiers who guarded the fortress. She felt she had to ensure their safety.

"Isn't that the job of the garrison? Besides, you're not part of the Star Union Family anymore."

"...I know. But this can't be solved by someone without mana. I want you to come with me, Mash."

I could feel a tremor run through her from her shoulder. Her words and smile seemed like a desperate attempt to act strong.

But it was clear she had made up her mind to go alone, even if I tried to stop her.

"Alright. But if things get dangerous, I'm running."

Of course, I would take Marmi with me no matter what. I swore it to myself.