Chapter 89

The Ruins of Cabolis (2)

"Isn't there a limit to how shameless you can be...?"

The voice of Neohou, clearly agitated.

It was the reaction I expected.

To come out of nowhere and demand something as precious as a mana stone, even I thought it was incredibly shameless.

Still, from her reaction, it seems she does have it.

"I clearly warned you before. If you keep trying to use me like this..."

"I'll make sure the next request is the last one."

I decided to cut the argument short, knowing it would be futile.

Neohou flinched.

"Are you saying the next request will be the last?"

"Yes. If you give me the mana stone this time, I'll definitely tell you the location of the spirit we agreed upon, and that will be the end of it."

I glanced at the level floating above her head. It was still 90, just like before.

A place where a spirit as powerful as Lacia, the great spirit of thunder I had destroyed, resides.

With that as bait, she couldn't possibly refuse.

Neohou, narrowing her eyes, looked at me and said,

"Do you even know how valuable a mana stone is? Honestly..."

"If you're trying to test me, just go to another lord."

I immediately cut off her attempt to fish for more.

No matter what, I can't just let this request slide.

At my words, she frowned even more and gave up.

"What do you need the mana stone for?"

"Does it matter?"

"......It doesn't matter. Just keep your promise, 7th Lord. You must give me the information after the next request."

"Of course."

Unlike her desperate tone, I nodded lightly.

She clicked her tongue, clearly displeased, and stood up.

"Wait a moment."

She seemed to be going to fetch it herself and left the room.

I leaned back in my chair and waited for her to return.

'If I get the spirit, will she try to completely sever ties with me again?'

No matter what attitude she takes, I don't plan to break my promise easily.

After all, I've been through this once, and unless she's a fool, she won't recklessly challenge me again.

Soon, Neohou returned to the room with something the size of a fist in her hand.

The mana stone, unlike ordinary mana stones that emit a faint blue light, was completely transparent.

I took it from her and examined it.

"Thanks. I'll be going now."

With the mana stone in hand, I left the 2nd Lord's castle immediately.

It was late, but neither of us wanted to stay at Neohou's castle, so I decided to move right away.

***

In the game, there were countless ruins and dungeons.

Some were unrelated to the main story, but others were part of it.

The Ruins of Cabolis.

A ruin left by a great mage who was once called a grand sage in an ancient era.

The place I'm now heading to with Ashel was also a ruin related to the main story.

It was the episode where Ashel, upon learning the truth that no members of her clan survived, firmly decided on her path.

Roar!

Tiyongi, who had been slowing down and changing direction, roared in frustration.

I patted his neck to calm him down and looked down carefully.

We were currently in a vast plateau to the west of Saintea.

I remembered the location of the Ruins of Cabolis well, as it was part of the main story.

'It was a terrain like a deep pit...'

It was a significant and large terrain, so it shouldn't be hard to find.

And as expected, I found it soon.

In the middle of the plain, a terrain that bulged out and then sank in, like a gentle volcanic crater.

"Let's land."

I landed Tiyongi in the center of the pit and dismounted.

From above, it looked small, but once we were down, the protruding sides were so high they blocked the view completely.

'Let's see...'

I heightened my senses to the maximum and looked around for the entrance to the ruins.

I didn't need to search for long. Soon, I saw what I was looking for, a massive aura of mana in the distance.

A rock embedded in the slope, somewhat awkwardly.

'That's it.'

Ashel and I approached the rock.

It was long and flat, resembling a stone door, with three fist-sized mana stones embedded in a triangular pattern in the center.

Two emitted a faint golden light, but one was half-broken and only showed a transparent light.

I examined the half-broken mana stone and touched it, then applied a little force.

'Hmm.'

It didn't budge at all.

Despite being half-broken, the mana stone was firmly embedded in the stone door and didn't move.

I pretended it was no big deal, removed my hand, and said to Ashel,

"Try to pull this out."

"......Ah, yes."

She seemed distracted by the powerful mana she felt from the rock and inside, but at my words, she stepped forward.

She easily pulled out the broken mana stone.

She looked at me with a puzzled expression, and I pushed her back and inserted the mana stone I had brought.

Although the size didn't match, the mana stone stuck to the hole like a magnet. Soon, the mana I felt from the rock surged, and the mana stone turned golden.

I stepped back from the vibrating rock and said to Ashel,

"Try to infuse mana into the rock."

Ashel hesitated for a moment, then placed her hand on the rock and raised her mana.

Her blue mana mixed with the golden mana, and the rock began to split and open on both sides.

Rumble.

In the game, this ruin was initially inaccessible due to a broken mana stone. While it might be possible to break into most ruins, this one was not just any ruin.

Eventually, the inner passage was revealed. The ceiling was dotted with glowing stones, so it wasn't dark.

"Let's go."

Ashel, who had been looking at the passage with a bewildered expression, turned around, slightly surprised.

She always stayed outside when I discovered such places and went in alone, so that was probably why.

But this ruin was for Ashel alone. I hadn't explained anything to her yet.

I took the lead, and Ashel, as usual, followed me silently without asking any questions.

'It's spacious.'

I walked through the wide passage, feeling the cool air on my skin.

Soon, we reached a much larger space with a magic circle engraved on the floor.

Like the underground scenery in the Grand Lord's castle, there were mana stones and lines of mana, with a magic circle in the center.

Ashel and I focused on the magic circle.

A translucent blue light was writhing in the air, like a spirit or an ethereal being.

Knowing what it was, I waited patiently.

It was more of a guide than a guardian of the ruins.

It was a being created by the owner of the ruins to guide the trials set within.

Soon, it took on a proper form and transformed into the appearance of an old man.

- ...How long has it been! Finally, someone has come!

A very excited voice echoed in my head.

The being grinned and alternated its gaze between me and the surprised Ashel.

- Welcome, adventurers! This place was arranged by the great Grand Sage Cabolis for future generations. Those who find this place are worthy of challenging the trials. There are two trials, and if you choose one and pass it, a fitting reward awaits at the end.

I looked at the two entrances on one side of the room, as the being had described.

Ashel followed my gaze a beat later.

- The left entrance tests physical strength, and the right entrance tests mental strength. If you fail the trial, you will lose your life, so choose carefully. If you do not wish to challenge the trial, you can leave the ruins now.

I fixed my gaze on the right entrance.

The trial of mental strength.

It was a trial that brought out the painful memories of the challenger and pushed their mind to the limit, requiring them to overcome their suffering and torment.

It was similar to the hallucinations Ashel experienced from the monster in the Demon Realm, but it would be much more intense.

However, since this was just a trial, if Ashel firmly resolved herself, she could overcome it, as she did in the game.

'If you fail, you will lose your life.'

The risk was significant, but I wasn't worried because I had confidence.

The Spirit of the Emperor within me would make mental attacks ineffective.

If things got out of hand, I planned to take Ashel and escape.

Of course, I didn't know what other dangerous mechanisms were in the ruins, but I had to take that risk.

"We'll enter the right entrance, Ashel."

I said and walked towards the right entrance.

Ashel, confused by the sudden trial, followed me, and the guide floated behind us.

Inside the entrance, another magic circle covered the entire room, emitting a much larger aura of mana.

- You have chosen the trial of mental strength. Let's begin the trial.

The guide raised its mana, and the magic circle responded with a bright light.

"......!"

Ashel, who had been swaying, immediately collapsed on the ground, losing consciousness due to the activated magic.

I, on the other hand, remained standing.

However, I could feel the memories of my past flooding my mind like a tidal wave.

'Oh......'

So this is how it works.

All the painful memories I've experienced in my life flashed vividly, amplifying negative emotions to the extreme.

But since my life as a game player was relatively smooth, and the Spirit of the Emperor protected my mind, I wasn't affected.

I felt only a sense of curiosity as the memories passed.

Then, the next set of memories were unfamiliar.

"......?"

What is this?

I was running desperately, bleeding profusely, pursued by some trackers.

A burning village, screaming people, and me standing dumbfounded in the middle of it all......

Confused by the unknown memories, I soon realized.

These are...... not my memories before I possessed this body, but the true owner's memories.

Irregular and tangled fragments of memory floated to the surface and then sank back down.

I furrowed my brow, trying to recall the passing memories.

But the memories that had already passed quickly faded like a dream.

- Hmm, you're holding up well?

The guide looked at me standing there and chuckled.

- But if you keep forcing yourself, you'll go mad. Lose consciousness like your companion. This trial is meant to be overcome in the subconscious, not by sheer willpower......

"Hey."

I interrupted the guide.

"Can you intensify the illusion magic you're casting?"

- ...What?

"The memories are fading. Do it quickly before I forget."

The guide looked at me with a startled expression, as if I were a madman.