Chapter 69

Whether it was luck or just a keen gut feeling, I wasn’t sure. It was absurd, but I pushed that thought aside and watched as the protagonist’s party cleared the dirt from the floor. Sure enough, there was something there: a hatch that looked like it opened upward.

After examining the crest engraved on the lid, Hereis nodded.

“It’s the crests of the Ducal and Marquissate houses. We found the right place. It doesn’t look like the original entrance, but it’s likely an emergency escape route or something similar.”

I looked down into the hole revealed by the open door and…

‘Stairs again.’

A set of stairs appeared, featuring a structure that reminded me of the Garain County.
It was a downward path into a darkness without a single point of light.

“Surely there aren’t traps or something here too, right?”

Arianne spoke with a troubled expression, seemingly having the same thought. Just then, Hereis suddenly burst into laughter. I suppose the sight of our backs—standing there with stiff expressions looking down—was funny to him.

“Ahem! I told you, this was a shelter meant to hide from the eyes of magic beasts. Why would there be traps?”

“If anything, that makes it even more likely they’d set them to prevent magic beasts from breaking in…”

“I recall this wasn’t that kind of shelter. Rather…”

Hereis paused for a moment as if recollecting something before continuing.

“It was a space for rest. Let’s head inside. Saintess, please watch your step as you come down.”

-go go

-Wonder what’s in there

It was dark inside, making it difficult to secure a line of sight. I gripped the hem of Arianne’s clothes and took a slow step forward.

“…There should be a lamp around here somewhere. Oh, here it is. Luckily, there’s still some kerosene left. I’ll try to light it.”

After Hereis fumbled with something in the dark for a moment, a light flickered to life. The flame was unstable—perhaps because the oil was quite old—but it was enough to illuminate the room.

“It looks like a regular home.”

Scattered about were items that seemed to have absolutely nothing to do with magic beasts: a luxury sofa, a kitchenette where one could whip up a simple meal, and even a billiards table. Cobwebs hung everywhere as if the place hadn’t been used in ages, and the thick layer of dust was enough to gauge just how long it had been neglected.

“Didn’t you say this was a shelter to avoid magic beasts? This is basically just a villa…”

-Did they actually hunt magic beasts?

-Looks like they just hung out here lol

Hereis, who had been lost in nostalgia, flushed red with embarrassment.

“Well… this area is like that. But it does have a training ground and an armory in its own right.”

Hereis quickly changed the subject.

“Saintess. Is this the place you saw in your dream?”

…To be honest, I was in a bit of a bind because I expected to be greeted by a magic stone the moment I walked in, but there was nothing. Struggling to maintain a faint smile, I told him I wasn’t sure yet and that we should look around more.

“I understand. I will guide you.”

We did a quick sweep of the entertainment area, checked the training ground, the armory where only rusted weapons remained, and even the food storage, which was empty enough that even a mouse wouldn’t find a snack.

-Isn’t this the wrong place?

• Saintess? Are we screwed?

Arianne muttered hollowly.

“…There’s nothing that stands out.”

I hurriedly asked Hereis.

“Is this the end of it?”

No way. Please don’t let this be it.

Tell me there’s more, please.

“All that’s left now is Marquis Peyers’s private study. I left it for last because it seemed the least likely, but…”

Hereis didn’t finish his sentence. It felt like he was about to say he didn’t think there would be anything there either, but stopped himself.

“Mm. We can check it quickly, and if it’s not there, we can just look for other cave formations.”

A positive mindset is great and all, but this place is a wasteland now—how are we supposed to find a spot like that?

…At this point, I started to wonder how anyone in the future had ever discovered this place, which was hidden away like a secret underground bunker.

‘Did I overstep?’

I felt like I’d been acting a bit too big for my boots based on knowledge I wasn’t even certain of.

‘I should have made a plan using only the facts.’

Regret began to wash over me like the tide. But the reputation I stood to gain in the Marquissate just looked so sweet.

How was I supposed to resist that?

Thump! Thump!

A dull vibration shook the ground rhythmically. Growing anxious, Arianne urged Hereis on.

“This… it seems the magic beasts are swarming again, Vice-Commander.”

“Saintess, it’s this way. This is the Marquis’s private study…”

…!!

In his haste, Hereis threw open the door to the private study, and the first thing we saw upon entering was the silhouette of a person hanging from the ceiling.

-?????

-Shocks, that scared me

-Was this game rated 19+?

-Pls give a jump scare warning next time T_T

-This game is toxic

Hereis and Arianne both reflexively threw out their arms to shield me, blocking my path from front and back.

“Vice-Commander, what on earth is this?”

Once she confirmed there were no other immediate threats, Arianne stared at Hereis.

“I don’t know. It’s been quite a while since I’ve been here myself.”

Frowning, Hereis held the lamp up toward the figure. Naturally, it wasn’t a living person, but the corpse of a young man who had died so recently that decomposition hadn’t even begun.

Peering out from behind Hereis as much as I could, I saw a rope around his neck, tied to a small chandelier on the ceiling. In this dilapidated room, the chandelier and the corpse were the only things that looked new, creating a bone-chilling atmosphere.

‘It feels strangely… deliberate.’

I didn’t know who the culprit was, nor could I fathom why they would do something like this. There had been no mention of such a thing in the articles from the future, and the way the corpse was strung up for display was enough to incite pure horror. Standing at the very front, the protagonist peered at the body and muddled a name.

“Drott…?”

-Whoa, look at that Mental Strength drop

-Isn’t Drott the protagonist’s squire?

-I think they said he’s Mina’s younger brother

-Why is he dead here?

The shock must have been severe; Hereis took a step back, seemingly forgetting I was even behind him.

“Drott, you say?”

Arianne, who had been guarding my rear in case of a threat, rushed into the room.
She snatched the lamp from the protagonist and illuminated the corpse’s face.
It was pink hair, identical to Mina’s.

-Looks like it’s really him

The light in his pupils had long since faded, but he possessed the same red eyes as Mina.

“Why is Drott lying dead here?”

“I don’t know…”

He was the protagonist’s squire and the younger brother of the heroine, Mina. I had wondered why he was only mentioned and never appeared, but it seems it was because he was already deceased. The two approached Drott and untied the rope holding him up. The body slumped limply into the protagonist’s arms. Arianne slowly laid the body on the floor and closed his eyes.

“…It seems it hasn’t been long since this happened. Considering the slow decomposition rate of knights and the dry, cool air of the basement, I’d say a week at most…”

“Why, just why would he be here…”

Even as Arianne examined Drott’s body, the protagonist stood frozen to the spot. Leaving him be, I crouched down beside Arianne to inspect the corpse. The sight of the cold, stiff body was gruesome, but perhaps because I’d developed a tolerance back in the Garain County, it was bearable.

“Wait a moment. There’s something sparkling in his mouth.”

“Pardon? His mouth?”

Arianne told me to step back, saying it might be dangerous and she would do it herself, then pried the corpse’s mouth open.

-Ugh, why put your hand in there

And inside the opened mouth was a stone shining with iridescent light! It was unmistakably the magic stone I had been searching for so desperately.

-Oioioioi

-What’s a magic stone doing there?

“This is a magic stone… it’s a magic stone! Moreover, it’s radiating an incredible energy! Why didn’t I notice it from this distance?”

…!

I realized I hadn’t turned off the Holy Relic’s demonic energy masking function. So that’s why the protagonist and Arianne hadn’t noticed. How foolish of me.

“Ah, I forgot that demonic energy can’t be felt when standing near the Saintess.”

-Unexpected trolling lol

-Look at the Saintess being flustered hahaha

I was dumbfounded, not flustered.

Regardless, I spoke to Arianne, who held the magic stone as if possessed.

“That thing is likely what’s calling the magic beasts. Shouldn’t it be destroyed?”

“Ah… I see. Understood.”

Arianne dropped the magic stone onto the floor and crushed it with all her might.

Crrr-ack!

A bizarre sound, one that didn’t seem to belong to this world, echoed through the room.

“The color…”

When she moved her foot, the magic stone was revealed, shattered into gray fragments.
Arianne, seemingly startled, asked while panting slightly.

“Is it over now?”

“We’ll know once we go up.”

I glanced at the protagonist and continued.

“Sir Hereis. Are you alright?”

“Ah… I’m sorry. I am sorry, Saintess.”

-His mental state is gone

-His mental strength dropped by a hundred earlier

-It’s fine, he can just binge-eat items once the cutscene is over

Despite his apology, the protagonist couldn’t bring himself to leave. As he repeatedly looked back while failing to cross the threshold, Arianne soothed him with a sympathetic gaze.

“Vice-Commander. I understand your feelings completely, but the Marquissate comes first right now. Let us recover Drott’s remains later and head up quickly.”

“…”

“Vice-Commander?”

“I have no excuse. Sir Arianne, let us do as you say.”

Answering with a somewhat chilly tone, the protagonist passed us both and headed for the stairs. Not expecting such a reaction, Arianne watched his retreating back with startled eyes.

-Why is he being like that to Arianne T_T

-Arianne is a bit cold too. She probably knew Drott.

-Then what else is she supposed to do? Stay here and grieve forever? They have to move.

I shook my head at Arianne as she looked like she wanted to say more. It was a signal to just leave him alone. Arianne lowered her head with eyes filled with sorrow.

Before leaving the room, I swept the shattered fragments of the magic stone into my inventory. I figured Edelina might be able to analyze them.

“My goodness. To think such a sight…”

We opened the hatch of the underground bunker just a crack and peeked out to observe the movement of the magic beasts. We couldn’t help but gape immediately after, for the sight of hundreds of Golems marching in unison away from the Marquissate was quite a spectacle.

“Are they returning to the Dark Forest?”

Since the magic stone was gone, it was only natural.

“What a relief!”

“…”

Though he remained silent, it seemed the protagonist was also feeling relieved. Relieved myself that I had moved a bit further away from a Bad Ending, I carefully climbed out of the basement, ensuring we weren’t swept away by the Golems’ feet.

Returning to the ramparts, we were surrounded by the tearful cheers of the soldiers. The notifications for reputation gains—both for the protagonist and myself—rang out like crazy. Feeling the corners of my mouth rise naturally, I spoke up just as the welcome was winding down.

“It would be wonderful if Sir Hereis could lead the relief team to support other areas.”

-Excuse me? Us?

The protagonist, who couldn’t fully enjoy the moment, a somewhat moved Arianne, and the wide, surprised eyes of the rampart defenders all turned toward me.

“Other areas…?”

“This isn’t the only place where a magic stone exists, you see.”

-So you’re saying we have to do this again?

I was suggesting we go on an even bigger reputation hunt. I had no intention of being satisfied with just this. I put on a benevolent smile to disarm their suspicion and spoke.

“You can do it, right?”