kscans

CHAPTER 7 CHALLENGE TO THE LABYRINTH – Episode 10 The Puppeteer of Nightmares (Part 2)

t/n: back after a month and more than a half. so busy with work and study, and life just got hectic. this is the end of the dragonoid arc. next will be patarapoza arc.

3

Bard asked, “What is the size and shape of the “Inheritance of the First Humans”, and where is it located?”

“I do not know its size, shape, or location. Even “Master” does not know where it is. No one knows. That is why it is called the Spiritual Swords. The seven Spiritual Swords each have a divine beast spirit sealed within them. The Inheritance has the spiritual wavelengths of those seven divine beasts registered. The one who can synchronize with the Spiritual Swords and release their power can issue commands to the Inheritance. Those commands can reach far away. But now, the Inheritance may be at the edge of the Ogolar (Eternal Darkness) or at the bottom of the Yug (Great Sea), or deep within a great mountain. That is why this relay device exists,” he explained.

Though some of the words were unfamiliar, Bard understood the gist of it. He then asked what these divine beasts were.

“I do not know. They are mysterious ancient creatures. Are they gods or spirits? Some say they are beings without flesh, while others claim they were not. In any case, they are said to have possessed tremendous power.”

“Gods or spirits?”. That piqued Bard’s curiosity. But he then asked another question. Despite not knowing the shape or size, he seems to know a lot about the inheritance.

“I have extracted information bit by bit over many centuries from “Master”. And wielders of the Spiritual Swords have been summoned here before to call forth the Inheritance. We have witnessed that. But this is the first time an untainted wielder of the Spiritual Swords has come here. Now, Bard Rowen, summon the Inheritance here.”

What? What did he say? Echidorkiye said to summon the Inheritance here? Bard asked aloud, “If I commanded that light orb with this sword, would the Inheritance truly come here?”

“Yes. As you have heard, this sword is the key that can summon the Inheritance and issue commands to it. Now, call it forth.”

What is this? The tribal chief of the Dragonoids, Popolbarpopo, said that with this sword he can summon the power of the Inheritance. So he thought that no matter where the Inheritance was, its immense power would be delivered from there. But that is not the case. Whatever the Inheritance may be, it will appear here if summoned. The Inheritance itself. Could it be something that can move on its own? If it appears in this room, then it must not be that large. But how is that possible? This is deep within the Fyuza Mountains. To get to this room, one must pass through several closed doors. How does this Inheritance appear here?

“What are you doing, Bard Rowen?”

Bard continued to question. “Can it be used by you as well if it is summoned here?”

“Hmm? Ah. Have you not heard from the Chief? The priority to command the Inheritance… goes to the one who wields the Spiritual Sword. You may freely use the Inheritance until you die. But remember, the first thing you must do after summoning it is to kill “Master”. And when you die, the Inheritance will belong to us Dragonoids.”

“Kill “Master”,” he say. That’s quite a direct statement. But now Echidorkiye has said something that concerns him. He said that if Bard dies, the inheritance will belong to the Dragonoids. That means even those without the ancient sword can use the inheritance if it is right in front of them. This is a very important information. Because once the inheritance is summoned, Echidorkiye can simply kill Bard. He can also steal Yana’s bracelet and take control of his mind.

However, he don’t understand Echidorkiye’s thinking. He should be trying to manipulate Bard skillfully. Yet, he casually confesses to showing nightmares to Bard’s companions in order to make them kill each other. And he readily admits that even those without the ancient sword can use the inheritance. What is he thinking?

No, perhaps this is simply how Dragonoids are. Since ancient times, they have been the strongest race on the continent, with other races being mere slaves or prey to them. Even now, Echidorkiye simply just ordered the humans or Manunos around, expecting obedience as a matter of course. On the other hand, the “Master” demands unilateral obedience from them. This Dragonoid knows only such a relationship. Negotiation or bargaining is foreign to his mindset.

“What’s wrong, Bard Rowen? Summon the inheritance quickly.”

So this “inheritance” truly has the power to defeat their “Master”, does it?

“I’m sure you’ve heard of the ‘Arrow of Corama’s Fury’ that destroyed the city of Majnubec in a single strike. That is the inheritance. I don’t know what form it takes or how large it is. But the inheritance is the ‘Arrow of Corama’s Fury’ and the machine that fires it. The ‘Arrow of Corama’s Fury’ is the inheritance.”

The great lie of the Dragonoid tribe chief has been exposed. The inheritance has already been summoned, and it’s power has been wielded before. The Dragonoids know very well what kind of power it possesses. But still, the “Arrow of Corama’s Fury”? A divine weapon. A fearsome divine artifact that is said to have destroyed a city in a single strike. So that was the inheritance of King Jean.

Long ago, the God of Sun Corama, while preparing for the final war against the demonic gods, created a weapon called the “Arrow of Corama’s Fury” with the help of many other gods. It was a terrifying weapon that could erase the demonic gods and the land they inhabited by summoning a brilliant light from beyond the stars. However, the oracle god Odo prophesied that the use of the “Arrow of Corama’s Fury” would also lead to the destruction of the gods themselves, and the appearance of the mighty ally Mada-Veri on the side of the gods ultimately resulted in the “Arrow of Corama’s Fury” being stored deep within the God of Sun’s armory, never to be used.

But the “Arrow of Corama’s Fury” had been used before. When Zona, the jealous wife of the God of Sun Corama found out that he had made love to the beautiful Nelle, she flew into a rage and brought out the “Arrow of Corama’s Fury.” Zona fired the arrow to the land where Nelle lived. In that moment, Corama redirected the weapon’s trajectory. The “Arrow of Corama’s Fury,” which had soared far into the heavens, extinguished countless stars. Zona’s wrath was only appeased on the condition that Nelle be transformed into the hideous form of a serpent.

“Majnubec was a city that we had build by using the human being. But the ‘First Human’ destroyed the city of Majnubec with a single strike. Much later, “Master” learned of our oral tradition about Majnubec and had the ‘Wazaka Hollow’ investigated. Upon hearing the report, “Master” realized what had caused it. “Master” became unusually excited and ordered us to explore it further. Search the ends of the earth and find it. We were not told the exact shape or size. However, he said that we’ll know it when we see it. It was not easy to find, but “Master” did not give up. Showing a terrifying obsession, his search was relentlessly continued. Why did “Master” fear the inheritance so much? Because the “Arrow of Corama’s Fury’ has the power to destroy “Master”. There is no other explanation. But it seems to have been hidden with great cunning, as it could not be found no matter how much we searched.”

The ‘Wazaka Hollow’ is said to be a vast hollow in the desert, far to the west of the Mercano Temple Autonomous Region. Legend said that this hollow was the site of the destroyed city of Majnubec. And that this is not just a legend, but a story based on fact, as he have heard from the Dragonoid tribe chief the other day.

“They say it is an iron mass bigger than a castle. My servants and I have searched the entire continent, but found nothing of the sort. So it must be the spirit sword. The only way to summon it is with the Spirit Sword.”

Yet another lie has been exposed again. They said they did not know the shape or size, yet now claim it is an iron mass larger than a castle. But it cannot appear in this room. So what do they mean by “summon it”?

“If it had the power to instantly destroy Majnubec, it could easily blow away “Master” and the Captive Island itself. I have endured the humiliation, living only to obtain the power of that inheritance and destroy “Master”. Now, summon the inheritance!”

They say it will be summoned here, but will it actually appear nearby? He’s not quite sure. In any case, this place is far from the Captive Island. Even if he summon the inheritance here, he won’t be able to do anything about the monsters of the “Captive Island” from here. Unless he have wings to fly directly to the “Captive Island” immediately.

That means the Dragonoids have no intention of letting Bard use the power of the inheritance. Not even for a moment will they entrust their immense power to a human. Bard was convinced of this. The Dragonoid Echidorkiye intends to either take control of Bard’s mind and turn him into a puppet the moment the inheritance is summoned, or simply kill Bard immediately.

Echidorkiye has become quite exasperated. There’s probably a limit to how much knowledge he can extract from him. But there is one more thing he would like to ask. “Where did you bring Steshil and the other humans who work here from?” asked Bard.

“They are not human. They are mechanical dolls made of machinery. I have been maintaining them for three hundred years since I discovered this place and registered as their master, as per the instructions of the “First Humans”. They have been operating for about two thousand years, having been created by the “First Humans” originally,” he replied.

So, it’s an automaton! It didn’t look like a living human at all. But even so. For three hundred years, the Dragonoid Echidorkiye has been the master here. If that’s the case, he must have known the conditions for challengers. That to enter the labyrinth from the wind hole, a group of six or fewer people of three or more races is required. This Dragonoid should have known that. However, he had not conveyed that information to the Dragonoid tribe chief. Why had he not told him? Ah, that’s it. It was because he could freely use another entrance. By riding a flying dragon, he could reach that other entrance and enter this place. The tribe chief had not said that this other entrance had ever been closed. And even if that entrance was usable, without the permission of “Master”, the King of Evil Spirits, one could not infiltrate here. There was no need at all to go through the labyrinth to come to this place, so Echidorkiye had not conveyed the conditions for entering the labyrinth to the Dragonoid tribe chief. That’s probably what happened. It was fortunate for Bard and the others that he did not conveyed that information. If the Dragonoid tribe chief had that knowledge, he would have sided with the rebels. In that case, the knights of Parzam would have all been massacred, and Bard might have been taken hostage and be forced to cooperate. No, wait. Did Echidorkiye truly know the conditions for challengers? He don’t know. That’s unknown. And it doesn’t matter anymore.

Well then. He’d asked what he wanted to know. Bard quietly drew the ancient sword. When he lightly pressed the sheath with his left hand, his left hand hurt. Ah, yes, there was a crack in it. But Bard’s pain is dull. The overwhelming anger, the uncontrollable hatred, does not let him feel the pain. Bard called out to the ancient sword in a small voice.

“Stavros.”

The ancient sword was enveloped in a bluish-green phosphorescent light.

“Oh! So that is the power of the spirit sword. Hmm, hmm, hmm. It is indeed this formidable!”

Bard walked right up to Echidorkiye. Then, extending his arm straight, he pointed the ancient sword at the sphere of light floating in midair. Echidorkiye, with his three eyes wide open, stared intently at the sphere of light.

“Call it! Call it! Summon the inheritance to come here!”

Echidorkiye, the Dragonoid, commanded excitedly. As if there was no reason for Bard not to do so. Exposing his unguarded profile, he simply gazed at the ball of light. It was understandable. What he had long awaited was about to be realized now.

Bard swiftly rotated his body to the right. Swinging the ancient sword diagonally upwards. Echidorkiye was on Bard’s right side. His height was far taller than Bard’s. The tip of the raised ancient sword only reached the height of Echidorkiye’s chest. But a phosphorescent glow extended from the sword’s tip. The extended phosphorescent glow penetrated from Echidorkiye’s flank, climbing up his massive frame. And the glow sliced from bottom to top, exiting at the crown of his head.

After a while, Echidorkiye turned his face towards Bard. The phosphorescent glow had not inflicted any wounds on Echidorkiye’s body. He probably did not even feel any pain. Rotating his third eye, he looked down at Bard with a puzzled expression.

Suddenly, a line of light fracture ran across Echidorkiye’s body. At the same spot where the phosphorescent glow had passed through. The fracture line rapidly increased in brightness. Something luminous was about to burst out from within Echidorkiye’s body. And the light exploded. From Echidorkiye’s body, an explosion of light in every color spilled out. And it flew off in all directions of the space, disappearing thereafter. But Bard saw that each of those lights had faces, limbs, and wings. They were spirits. Echidorkiye had been “consuming” dozens, even hundreds of spirits. But how could a single living being eat so many spirits? Perhaps that was the power bestowed upon Echidorkiye by his “Master”. A special power granted only to the Dragonoids, the secret behind their extraordinary longevity and the curse that even the Queen of Manuno could not control.

And Bard also realized. Probably, when he had previously defeated the demonic beasts at Pakula, spirits had been released from within the beasts as well. But one needed special eyes to see them. Now, Bard could see the spirits.

After the spirits had flown out, Echidorkiye was left like an empty shell. Slipping, his body slid down from the fracture line. A sound like a metal block striking a rock resounded. The remaining body swayed and collapsed. The lifeless remains of the fallen Echidorkiye shattered and broke apart with a cracking sound. The fragments continued to break apart with more noise. The fragments and fragments were crushed into fine pieces, until only a pile of sand was left there. Bard coldly witnessed the end of the false life of the monster.

4

When Bard was brought before the one known as the Master of the Cave of Trials, and learned that it was the Dragonoid Echidorkiye, he decided to kill this Dragonoid. There would be no negotiations.

The perplexing inconsistencies of the Cave of Trials now made sense. There were two types of enemies in this labyrinth. One was the arena enemy. They were formidable foes, but they were worthy opponents. Come, enjoy this battle. Show your full strength. There was even a sense of warmth, as if wishing for the challenger’s growth. The being who prepared these enemies had a playful spirit.

The other was the corridor enemy. This enemy was simply vile, unpleasant, and foul. Their sole purpose was to torment and kill the challenger. What could be felt from them was malice. Terribly twisted malice. The being who prepared these enemies seemed to care only about toying with the challenger.

It was puzzling why a single labyrinth would have such clearly different types of enemies. But when Bard met the Dragonoid Echidorkiye, he understood. The enemies in the arena were prepared by King Jean, the First Human and the One and Only King. And the corridor enemies were prepared by this Dragonoid Echidorkiye. At the very least, he must have greatly distorted the enemies that should have originally appeared.

Therefore, Echidorkiye must be killed. For the sake of those who will challenge the Cave of Trials from now on. To prevent increasing the number of people manipulated by this selfish avenger. For the sake of those who died in Try. For those who perished in Lordvan Castle and Myrao Castle. For the beasts that were deemed demonic, used, forced to fight, and destroyed. And for the lost tongue of Karz.

Now, Bard’s entire body was ablaze with white rage. It may have seemed like burnt ashes, but that was not the case. His rage was white because he had burned away everything that needed to be burned. If anything touches it carelessly, that it will be immediately engulfed in white flames and burned to ashes without a trace. Bard is burning with uncontrollable rage.

Not yet. Not yet. Killing the Dragonoid Echidorkiye alone is not enough. Oh, the heroes of Lordvan! Your resentment will not be relieved by merely defeating this monster. The blood of this lizard alone is not enough to pay for your lives. There is someone who commanded this lizard’s schemes, flicking pebbles with his fingertips, moving the pieces of this game as if it were mere play. He have spawned countless demonic beasts and reaped human lives. I will not forgive him. I will never forgive that person.

He had no intention to summon the Inheritance. The idea of ​​using it to kill the monster is certainly appealing. But if he call upon such a dangerous weapon, it will surely be put to disastrous use in the future. Even if he know how to summon it, he do not know how to send it back.

If Bard does not summon the Inheritance, there is no way to deal with the monster. He do not know where the Inheritance is now, but it is best that it remains hidden in a place beyond human reach.

Nevertheless, Echidorkiye was a formidable enemy. Engdahl, Yemite, Godon, and Karz were quickly deprived of their free will and fell under his spell. If he can so easily manipulate the hearts of these four, then there is no one on the continent who can stand against Echidorkiye. The fact that even Engdahl of Gerkaast, who is said to have resistance to the Dragonoid’s curse, was helplessly ensnared by Echidorkiye’s sorcery was shocking. But when one considers that even the Queen of Manuno succumbed to Echidorkiye’s curse and was subjugated, the power Echidorkiye has obtained is exceptionally strong among the Dragonoids, before which all living things are rendered powerless. Then, the power of Patarapoza, which even Echidorkiye cannot match, is beyond imagination.

Bard let his boundless rage subside for the moment. First, he is worried about his comrades. How can he get in touch with Steshil? Will Steshil heed his request, or will he seek revenge for the death of his master? Speaking of which, it was said that a reward would be given to those who completed the Cave of Trials. Weapons, medicine, or knowledge. He wanted the medicine. The medicine to keep Zariya the Apothecary alive. If such a thing is possible. But Bard’s thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a blaring alarm. A lifeless voice echoed from the ceiling.

“Master’s death confirmed. Master’s death confirmed. The facility settings will now be reset. The facility settings will now be reset. All personnel except staff will be expelled. All personnel except staff will be expelled.”

Bard’s consciousness abruptly faded.

5

“Lord Bard! Lord Bard!”

He heard his name being called repeatedly, then he slowly opened his eyes. It was Quinta. Bard wake up and looked around. It was the Wind Cave. The six pedestals before the entrance to the Cave of Trials.

Godon is there. Karz is there. Engdahl is there. Yemite is there. And Zariya is there. They are all sleeping.

Karz had been woken up by Carla. Godon is being awakened by his attendant. Knight Natz is checking on Engdahl and Yemite. Bard went to where Zariya lies.

She has returned to her old woman form. But her complexion doesn’t look bad. There are signs of treatment all over her. Probably Steshil, Bard thought. It was just a guess, but not entirely off the mark. Before sending them out of the labyrinth, Steshil must have treated them. Speaking of which, Bard’s own left hand hardly hurts at all. Looking at it, a fine bandage is being wrapped and secured with a strange belt. Amazing medical skill. And Godon has also received treatment. Engdahl and Yemite as well. How fortunate. Especially Zariya, who should have exhausted her spirit power and died. But now, she alive. Did Steshil somehow infuse Zariya, who had lost the power of the spirits, with life force? He don’t know. What is clear is that Zariya is alive, and her complexion is not poor. Bard gently shook the old woman’s body.

“Karz! Your tongue, your tongue has been cut off! How terrible.”

Carla is screaming. Bard was about to say that no, he had bitten it off himself, but Carla is crying in Karz’s chest. Karz can’t push her away either, so he wraps his arms around her and gently embraces her. He decided to leave them be. It seems even their medical skills couldn’t restore Karz’s severed tongue to its original state. Or perhaps, if they had more time, they could have regained the lost tongue.

While this was happening, the apothecary Zariya woke up.

“Hey, Bard. That’s why I told you to come later,” Zariya said.

Lie. She was planning to die there. That’s what he thought, but the only words that came out were,

“Hmm.”

And then he suddenly thought, “What if… What if Zariya recovers and the power of the spirits still remains? Then perhaps I could use the power of the spirits to restore Karz’s tongue.” It’s uncertain. He hesitated to ask right away. But if that is possible, this old woman would likely do it for him. Rather, she must be careful not to overexert herself unnecessarily.

6

A report meeting was held on the spot. The Manunos had also been taking turns keeping watch, and they listened to the report together. Godon was tasked with reporting the details up to the point where the paths diverged into six entrances. Contrary to Bard’s expectations of an impassioned and emotional narration, he provided a surprisingly restrained and easy-to-understand report. Perhaps he has grown more composed with age. However, when it came to the battle between Bard and the God of War, his story became filled with exaggeration and tales of heroic exploits. Listening to this part alone, one might think of Bard as the greatest hero in human history. Yet, Bard did not find Godon’s narration distasteful. Godon’s earnest efforts to recount Bard’s achievements were deeply endearing to him.

When asked about what happened after they split up, Godon, Engdahl, and Yemite said they were suddenly teleported to an unfamiliar room and immediately attacked. The attacker they saw was Bard. The three of them were cut down by Bard. And when they woke up, they were here. Looking back, it must have been a dream, but at the time, it seemed so real. Karz gave a small nod, indicating that the same had happened to him. Zariya remained unconscious, and when she came to, she found herself here.

Then, Bard spoke. He me the mechanical doll Steshil and has a conversation with the dragonoid Echidorkiye. When he reached the part about killing Echidorkiye, the Manunos became unusually excited. It seems the report has reached the Queen directly, and the Manunos repeatedly asked Bard to confirm if the killing of Echidorkiye was indeed true. After Bard finished his report, a brief silence fell. It was Engdahl who broke it.

“Tori Bard. How will you settle the matter with Patarapoza?”

Despite the fact that the opponent is said to be one of the gods, there is not a shred of hesitation in Engdahl’s expression or attitude. This is an extraordinary display of boldness. Upon hearing this question, Bard was momentarily at a loss for an answer. How will he settle this? What exactly is the conclusion in this case? Is it to fight and destroy Patarapoza? Can one even fight against a god? No. There is a way. He will summon the Arrow of Corama’s Fury and use it.

But then, Quinta spoke up.

“Lord Bard. You, Lord Bard, hold great esteem in the two great nations of the Parzam Kingdom and the Goriora Empire. Moreover, and I hesitate to say this, but you have a great debt to them. Why not reach out to those two countries and search for the Arrow of Corama’s Fury? If you call upon the countries with ties to those two, you can search across the continent. There is nothing else on this continent that is larger than a lump of metal except a castle. If it is on this continent, it should be found. Fortunately, the evil god Patarapoza is now asleep. We will use this opportunity to find the Arrow of Corama’s Fury and defeat the evil god.”

It is a possibility that he had not considered. But indeed, it seems to be a method worth trying. No, that won’t do. If that were the case, the matter of the Arrow of Corama’s Fury would become known throughout the continent. Even if he was to request a search while concealing his identity, such a large-scale investigation would make it clear that he is searching for an extraordinary treasure, and once the secret is discovered, secrets will eventually revealed. No, that method will leave a disastrous inheritance for the future. Because after unsealing the Arrow of Corama’s Fury with the ancient sword, a conflict will arise over it. Even if he can summon it, he doesn’t know how to send it back, or whether he can destroy it.

In any case, King Jean’s inheritance was a weapon. It is likely a device to fire the Arrow of Corama’s Fury, rather than the arrow itself. The device seems to be larger than a castle. He cannot even imagine a weapon capable of annihilating a massive city with a single strike. The arrow itself must be of an unimaginable size. How many of those arrows are left? The Dragonoid tribe chief and Echidorkiye believe the ‘Master’ was desperately searching for the inheritance, thinking it was to destroy it. That may be the case, or it may not. But Bard’s intuition leaned towards the idea that it was not. Because even if that weapon can indeed destroy Patarapoza, it would be difficult to find and even more difficult to use. If it can only be unsealed by the ancient sword, then there is little hope of anyone using that weapon. Leaving it alone should not cause any problems. Why go to the trouble of searching for it and drawing attention to its existence? And if the purpose is to render it unusable, then ‘He’ could just dispose of all the ancient swords or defile them. So, is Patarapoza searching for the inheritance not to destroy it, but to use it? What could Patarapoza possibly intend to do with the Arrow of Corama’s Fury?

Imagining that made Bard feel a chill that made the hair on his body stand on end. Something terrible will happen. If the Arrow of Corama’s Fury is handed over to the King of Evil Spirits, something unimaginably terrible will occur. Bard’s inner intuition told him so.

Wait a moment. Perhaps the Arrow of Corama’s Fury was originally belonged to Patarapoza. King Jean took it from Patarapoza, sealed away Patarapoza’s power and imprisoned it on the Captive Island. For Patarapoza, regaining the Arrow of Corama’s Fury may be a way to recover its lost power. What will Patarapoza do once it gets its power back?

Bard, lost in these aimless thoughts, suddenly noticed everyone peering at his face. Bardo announced to the group.

“The matter of the Arrow of Corama’s Fury is best kept as unknown as possible. We will not request a great nation to search for it. I ask that you all refrain from speaking of this as well. I will not initiate anything regarding this.”

Eventually, the monster will awaken and send a messenger to Bard. He will deal with that when the time comes. But he’s made up his mind. He will not search for nor summon this supposed inheritance. Engdahl nodded solemnly and said,

“Then, call me when you fight that monster.”

“Me too.”

Yemite also spoke.

Then the party set out on their return journey. Along the way, the Queen of Manuno wished to meet with Bard. When they went to see her, she gave him an abundance of jewels that they overflowed from both of his hands. The Dragonoid Echidorkiye is a hated enemy that the Queen of Manuno cannot help but despise. Bard, who defeated him, received the Queen’s deep gratitude. Bard divided the jewels among the party.

The party returned to Fyuzarion. On the way, Bard reflected on his confrontation with Echidorkiye. At that time, Bard had only thought about killing Echidorkiye. But upon further consideration, there was no guarantee that the magic sword Stavros would be effective against Echidorkiye. It would have been more natural to assume it would not work. If Echidorkiye had taken the bait of Bard’s provocation and either killed Bard or cursed his heart, Echidorkiye would have faced Patarapoza’s severe punishment. However, Bard had not factored that in when he challenged Echidorkiye. He had simply attacked driven by his overflowing anger. Bard was a little surprised that this youthful recklessness still remained in him. Nevertheless, anger clouds judgment. When facing Patarapoza, he must maintain a calm heart at all costs.

Engdahl, Yemite, and the knight Natz stayed in Fyuzarion for a few days. Fyuzarion continued to develop at a remarkable pace, but one thing surprised him. On the second night’s meal, they were served a cold soup made with Egalsocia. This chilled soup was delicious after eating the piping hot meat in the warm room. The white soup was made with cow’s milk and sap, and the rustic ingredients became refined in Kamler’s hands. The issue was how they managed to chill the soup. Kamler had mobilized a large workforce to build an underground storage room lined with stone walls to serve as a refrigeration chamber. They also utilized an eastern mountain cave as an ice house, storing ice formed during the winter and regularly transporting it to the refrigeration chamber. What a waste, what extravagance. Kamler was the type of man who would use his own money to procure any lacking spices or dishware. He was someone who would go to unreasonable lengths if left unchecked. This man spares no effort or expense when it comes to cooking.

He became a little worried and consulted with Doriatessa about it, and she said that it was a good thing, because the number of people who need to be given work is steadily increasing. Furthermore, more and more influential people from distant towns are coming to Fyuzarion because of Egalsocia, and the ability to serve delicious foods to entertain them is their greatest strength.

Satisfied with this, Bard enjoyed the meal.

After saying that the food in Fyuzarion is delicious, Engdahl and Yemite returned to their respective home. Engdahl had Taranka to send him and assigned Seto as his attendant. Natz also accompanied them. After sending Engdahl, Taranka was instructed to travel to the royal capital of Parzam and report the situation to the King Julelan.

Yemite had Quinta send him.

Godon stayed in Fyuzarion for about two months, sending his attendants home ahead of him. During his stay, he helped Bard in various ways. Meals eaten together with Godon were enjoyable. Bard was slightly unwell after returning from the adventure in the Fyuza Wind Cave, but he was able to spend his days happily. Reluctantly, Godon returned to the Mageia territory. That was the last time Bard saw Godon’s face.

(End of Chapter 7 “Challenge to the Labyrinth”)