69

The room where they killed the black-robed ones.

This room, too, was sealed like the previous ones.

Beside the huge stone gate, there was another riddle written in runes.

[I am the companion of those who chase what can never be caught.]

[But he is also the teacher of those who let go.]

[Who am I?]

“I have no clue… Do you know what it is?”

“No.”

Hamel shook his head at Daniel’s question.

He glanced around at the others in turn, but they all avoided eye contact.

“Rena. You’re a mage, right?”

Rena answered Daniel’s call confidently.

“If you think all mages like that kind of nonsense, that’s prejudice.”

“…I apologize for that.”

Daniel offered a reluctant apology.

For a moment, the group stood in a circle in front of the stone gate, pondering.

─Clap

Hamel drew their attention with a short clap.

“Let’s rest for now.”

It was late at night.

Outside the dungeon, the sky was surely being dyed a dark bluish dawn.

They were all exhausted from running through the dungeon without sleep.

Of course, compared to Hamel and those who had endured harsh journeys, this level of fatigue was nothing, but it was still better to rest when they could.

They all nodded at Hamel’s suggestion.

They moved toward the wall of the room and made themselves comfortable.

Lighting a small candle made the atmosphere noticeably calmer.

Daniel took off his helmet and wiped his sweat, while Ono massaged his tired legs and grumbled.

Rena fell asleep the moment she laid her head on the ground.

Whether she was thick-skinned or simply fearless.

In any case…

‘An enviable ability.’

Hamel wasn’t picky about sleeping arrangements, but he wasn’t as unaffected as Rena.

Small things like that were a great help for a wandering life.

As Hamel watched the group, Rupert caught his eye.

He sat quietly with a somewhat sullen expression.

Hamel approached him, sat beside him, and asked.

“Are you all right?”

“Oh, Lord Hamel. You’re here.”

Rupert only then noticed Hamel’s presence and nodded.

“My body is fine. It’s just…“

Rupert trailed off, hesitating to say something.

“My chest feels a bit tight.”

For a long time, unspoken regrets and worries had been lodged deep in his heart.

For some reason, he felt he could tell Hamel about them.

Hamel noticed this and silently listened to Rupert.

“I had a younger sibling.”

“…I see.”

As far as Hamel knew, the northern Sword master Reikard had no second child.

That meant only one thing.

Seeing Hamel’s wry reaction, Rupert smiled bitterly and began to speak.

“My younger sibling was a very brilliant child.”

His swordsmanship.

His learning.

They were all superior to him.

Even though they were two years younger than Rupert, they bore the family’s expectations.

A successor to the Sword master’s lineage.

A noble bloodline fit to be the guardian of the North.

All praise should have been directed at his sibling, not him.

He could have fought hard over succession, but Rupert held no resentment toward his sibling.

They were simply too radiant for that.

Rupert wanted his sibling, not himself, to inherit the family.

He was certain of that.

---

It was a huge, pitch-black hound.

He did not know why it was there.

The nearby forest he often visited with his sibling.

There, Rupert encountered a hound with rolling eyes and drooling.

─Sssslither

The creature did not bark.

Instead, it slowly closed the distance toward Rupert and his sibling.

Rupert had a premonition.

That it would attack them.

His body trembled.

At that moment, his sibling drew a training sword.

The child turned their head, forced a faint smile, and said.

“It’s fine if we’re together. Right, brother?”

“……”

“…Brother?”

What did I do?

After that exchange, Rupert had no memory.

Truly.

For some reason, that portion of his memory seemed to have been cut out and he could recall nothing.

What he could remember were fragmented small events.

Running guards.

A hound impaled by a sword and dead.

And…

The corpse of his sibling, bleeding to death.

What on earth had he done?

Thinking of the sibling left alone made it hard to breathe.

When their father learned of the tragedy, he summoned Rupert and asked about the circumstances.

Rupert, having no memory, could not offer any excuse.

‘Coward. You should have… died together.’

In the end, his father could not hide his contempt.

Much time passed afterward.

His father avoided Rupert.

Even after being named heir, if they happened to meet, his father would only look at him with displeasure.

When Rupert came of age, he was sent off to the imperial capital’s Academy as if being exiled.

After finishing his story, Rupert muttered in a pale, wan voice.

“I… I… abandoned my sibling.”

“……”

“My father was right. I should have died that day.”

Rupert squeezed his eyes shut and trembled.

Hamel, who had been listening quietly, suddenly spoke up.

“If the same situation came again, what would you do?”

“…Huh?”

“If the same situation happened again, would you leave your sibling alone, Mr. Rupert?”

Rupert widened his tear-filled eyes at Hamel’s sudden question.

After a moment, he shook his head and answered in a firm voice.

“No. Even if I had to die, never.”

“That will do.”

Hamel replied calmly and nodded.

“If you regret it, all you need to do is not repeat the same thing.”

Regret inflates and distorts past mistakes.

However…

“If you accept your mistakes and regrets, they can become the foundation for your growth.”

“…Accept them.”

As Rupert murmured and nodded softly, it happened.

“…Ah!”

Hamel sprang to his feet and exclaimed.

All eyes turned to Hamel.

Hamel ignored them and walked toward the stone gate.

He then read aloud the inscription again.

[I am the companion of those who chase what can never be caught.]

[But also the teacher of the one who lets it go.]

During the conversation with Rupert, Hamel realized the answer to the riddle.

The answer was…

“Regret.”

─Rumble

As Hamel spoke the answer, the stone gate began to open with a sound.

“…W-what is that?”

Ono approached in surprise and asked.

Everyone else also pricked up their ears, curious to hear Hamel’s explanation.

Hamel slowly began to speak.

“That which can never be caught is the past.”

“The past?”

“Yes. And regret can be called the companion of those who chase such a past.”

“Ah!”

Only then did the group nod in understanding.

Hamel continued speaking.

“But regret is not purely bad. For those who don’t remain trapped by the past and instead use it as experience, it can become a teacher.”

Hamel finished and looked at Rupert.

Rupert, meeting Hamel’s eyes, hesitated and then nodded.

He still couldn’t forgive himself.

‘But.’

If he were given another chance…

He vowed he would not make the same mistake.

---

Beyond the gate.

That place was clearly different from the rooms before.

A high dais and a single book reverently kept upon it.

That was all that was in the room.

Anyone could tell.

That this was the end of the dungeon.

The group approached the dais where the book lay.

The book, covered in unknown leather, was tightly bound with chains.

And on the altar, once again, runes were engraved.

[The record of the world, recorded with the creation of life.]

[The first memory that holds the memories of the Age of Gods.]

[The observer of the world.]

[That name is.]

“Root of All Wisdom.”

Hamel whispered the final name.

He wasn’t sure of the details, but it was clear this book was what the two groups that had branded the seal were after.

This time it wasn’t a riddle.

How could they undo the chains?

Just as Hamel was pondering, it happened.

“Step aside. In times like this, simple is best.”

Daniel said as he summoned aura from his sword.

The party took a step back.

Gathering all his strength, Daniel swung his sword.

But.

─Clang!

“Ugh.”

The chains didn’t even scratch.

Instead, Daniel was shoved back by a powerful rebound and staggered.

“…It seems impossible to break them by force.”

If not aura, the only things left were Divine power and mana.

Hamel looked between Rena and Ono.

Ono answered as if it were ridiculous.

“Do you truly think Divine power can break chains?”

“You never know.”

Hamel shrugged and Ono clicked his tongue, stepping forward.

He put his hand on the chains and complained.

“This isn’t a holy relic; it shouldn’t react to Divine power…“

─Clink

“…Hm?”

Ono tilted his head.

At the same time, the chains thickly wrapped around the book loosened and slid off.

“…It’s come undone.”

“…I see.”

As Ono and Hamel looked at each other awkwardly, it happened.

─Whish

The book suddenly rose into the air and began flicking its pages open on its own.

“…W-what is this?”

Ono flinched back in surprise.

As everyone warily stared at the book, it happened.

A buzzing noise surged into everyone’s heads.

[Birth and death continue endlessly in the waves of eternal circulation.]

[Everything changes, yet change itself does not alter]

[I am the observer who records all things.]

[Who shall be my chronicler?]

In the next moment, a flash like lightning roared through them.

Even Hamel lost his footing and staggered from the glare.

The next moment.

“……”

The book abruptly vanished.

And Ono lay collapsed on the floor.

“Mr. Ono.”

Hamel rushed to Ono’s side and checked his condition.

Fortunately, he had only lost consciousness; his breathing was fine.

However…

“What is this?”

On the back of his hand was a brand that had not been there before.

It was the shape of a golden tree.

A circuit-like pattern of branch-shaped scars ran up his arm.

And in that moment.

─Flash

Ono snapped his eyes open.

Bright colored light poured from his eyes.

“Stop! Stop showing me that! I don’t want to see it!”

“Ono!”

Hamel grabbed Ono by both shoulders desperately, but it was useless.

Ono writhed and gasped painfully.

“My eyes… my eyes are burning.”

“Mr. Ono, pull yourself together!”

Hamel could do nothing but call his name.

He struggled like that for who knew how long.

Ono collapsed and lost consciousness again.

The party worried and tended to him.

“That idiot… said Divine power was out of the question.”

Contrary to his words, Daniel was restless and couldn’t stand still.

After pacing beside him for a long time, he went to the entrance to keep watch through the night.

About half a day passed.

And…

“Damn… feels like a hangover.”

Ono mumbled curses as usual and sat up.

“Mr. Ono!”

When Hamel called him anxiously, he frowned deeply and answered.

“Don’t shout. My head feels like it’s going to split.”

“…I’m sorry.”

Hamel lowered his voice to apologize and gave a faint smile.

Ono grimaced and turned his head.

“Did we all eat something we shouldn’t have?”

Startled by the group’s gazes, Ono hurried to his feet.

Daniel, as if unconcerned, asked casually.

“So what was that?”

“…That was…“

Ono frowned and pondered.

He then opened his mouth with difficulty.

“I don’t know exactly, but a being close to divinity… probably. It seems it took up residence in my head.”

“What?”

Daniel echoed in alarm.

Anyone would be horrified at an unknown entity entering their mind.

Nevertheless, Ono continued, sounding annoyed.

“Surprisingly, there’s no strong resistance. Nothing else seems changed. But…“

To summarize Ono’s words:

What occupied his mind was a record from the Age of Gods.

It was knowledge difficult for a human mind to comprehend.

Thus, even the fragmentary memories and knowledge had left Ono’s mind in chaos.

“It’s still foggy and unclear, but I might be able to use it somewhere soon.”

“Don’t overdo it.”

When Hamel warned him with concern, Ono recoiled in disgust.

“Gah… I’ll handle it myself, so stop fussing. It’s disgusting.”

“…Pfft.”

“Ahahaha! Hahaha!”

Watching this, Rena, Daniel, and even Rupert couldn’t hold back their laughter and burst out laughing together.

Ono raged and yelled, and with that their dungeon exploration came to an end.