Chapter 87

# Chapter 087

The description of the room being shabby was relative to the other rooms in the palace.

The space, large enough to accommodate a hundred people, was filled with various weapons. Most of them seemed to have discolored and corroded.

"Amazing..."

Charlotte looked around the room with admiration.

Seeing the sparkle in her eyes, Ian nodded slightly.

"Go ahead and look around."

Charlotte quickly ran off, her steps regaining their energy.

"To think she would lecture me about greed. Really."

In contrast, Tesia had a disinterested look on her face. Ian said as he moved forward.

"You don't seem interested in weapons. The former judge used to use them well."

"Uncomfortable. I don't want to use them. I guess I didn't handle weapons even when I was a fairy."

"It's hard to imagine a fairy who doesn't know how to handle weapons..."

Ian thought of the fairies in the game. They were arrogant and cruel, especially towards other races besides humans.

Like the ground-dwelling dwarves who hammer metal, the smelly proto-demons, and the greedy long-nosed goblins.

Most of the derogatory terms he knew for other races were learned from fairies.

"Whatever, do as you please."

Ian moved forward, taking in the various weapons displayed.

According to the settings, they were ancient items.

Some of the items that could be checked had their durability depleted, but their original performance was superior to most items of this era.

'The technology level seems to have been higher back then, except for the empire...'

Indeed, the decline of civilization is not uncommon in the history of the world.

In this world, marked by countless wars, it would have been even more frequent.

It wouldn't be strange if the civilization of the ancient kingdom was on par with the current empire.

Otherwise, the artifacts in the game wouldn't have such outstanding abilities.

There would be no reason for the empire's technicians and mages to study ancient spells and techniques.

"...Wow."

Ian's steps suddenly stopped as he continued his thoughts.

A dagger on a rack caught his eye.

It was a double-edged dagger, its blade still sharp and uncorroded.

Mysterious patterns shimmered on the blade's surface.

Ian gripped the dark handle, which seemed to be made of bone.

An information window appeared.

Ancient Adamantite Dagger.

Despite its low rarity level and lack of special enchantments, it had exceptionally high attack power and durability. It also had an option to increase the chance of destroying equipment on attack and a penalty for being unrepairable.

'Excellent.'

After confirming that it didn't fit his current dagger set, Ian promptly stored the Adamantite Dagger in his subspace.

Although there weren't many other items that caught his eye, his expression became more relaxed.

Finding a decent piece of equipment was already a significant gain.

"I found something useful, Ian."

Charlotte approached shortly after, holding a large single-edged axe with both hands.

"You and meow, you look so fitting. You look really brutish."

Tesia mocked her.

Charlotte snorted.

"Such a poor eye for beauty, typical of an elf."

Charlotte stood in front of Ian and extended the axe to him.

The axe was as heavy as it looked.

A wide and long single-edged blade, with the lower part of the blade extending to cover more than half of the handle.

It provided ample protection for the hand gripping the handle, and the entire handle was made of metal.

"Hmm."

Surprisingly, this item could also be checked. It was an ancient craftsman's battle axe, with a high attack power and defensive capabilities. It had excellent durability and a durability recovery option.

Ancient runes were engraved along the handle, indicating that it operated by absorbing ambient magic power, as it didn't require a magic stone.

The rarity level and its survival over time were likely due to these runes.

"Isn't it excellent?"

Charlotte asked, her eyes shining.

Ian shrugged.

"It's too heavy for me to use."

"Is that so..."

Just as Charlotte's ears drooped slightly,

"I think it suits you more than me."

"..."

Ian looked at her and added.

Charlotte blinked.

Ian gestured to her empty scabbard.

"Since one of your swords is already broken, if you can handle this, use it."

"Ah..."

Charlotte took the axe from Ian, looking at it with a dazed expression, as if she hadn't expected it.

She then swung it sideways with one hand.

It seemed heavy even to her, but that made it more appealing.

Smiling like a child with a new toy, she looked at Ian, suddenly coming to her senses.

"Is it really okay to give me such a valuable item?"

"Since I won't use it anyway, I'll sell it if you don't. Do you want the money?"

"No way..."

The fur on her hand gripping the axe handle tightened.

Charlotte, unable to hide her joy, looked at the axe and declared,

"I'll do my best from now on, Ian."

"Unbelievable... Again, only that beast gets a gift."

Tesia sighed.

"Good fortune often comes to those who don't expect it."

Charlotte, with the axe slung over her shoulder, passed by her nonchalantly.

Her short tail swayed.

Tesia, who had been glaring at her back, suddenly turned her head.

"I've changed my mind, Ian. I want to find something in here too..."

Her voice suddenly cut off.

The light source that had been dimly illuminating the area suddenly dimmed.

Rumble...

A low vibration, spreading from a distant place. Dust fell from the ceiling of the palace.

The earthquake subsided, and the surroundings were dimly illuminated again.

Tesia, who had stiffened, rolled her eyes and looked at Ian again.

"Could this be...?"

"...We were too complacent."

Ian, with a blank expression, immediately turned around.

***

The group returned to the audience chamber and immediately entered the dark passage next to it.

They had no choice but to move forward, relying on torches, as they didn't know where the passage led.

Moreover, there were no other paths besides this one.

Rumble...

Intermittent, low vibrations, as if the abyss was stirring, continued.

Whether these vibrations indicated the collapse of the underground palace and the passage was uncertain.

But the mere possibility was enough reason to escape.

'...I hope this isn't a dead end.'

Ian silently clicked his tongue.

Like the underground palace, this passage was a path he had never experienced in the game.

The danger of ignorance in this world became painfully clear.

The idea of being buried alive underground had never crossed his mind before.

'If the path is blocked and the palace collapses... I'll have to try everything I can.'

He moved forward, continuously organizing various plans for the worst-case scenario.

Of course, not everyone was facing the fear of the unknown in the same way.

"Die here...? No, I can't even die. Will I be buried alive here forever? Drying up like a mummy? No, that can't happen. Guys, please. If that moment comes, rather, kill me with your hands. No, I don't want to die. Ian, Ian must have a way. Ian always finds a solution. Ian, right? Please, answer-"

Tessia's muttering, initially just a movement of her lips, grew louder.

Trapped, she seemed unable to control the characteristic madness of demons.

Her orange eyes finally glared at Ian.

"Shut up, elf."

Tessia didn't respond sharply as usual. She just revealed the trembling of her red eyes and looked at Charlotte.

"I'm scared, Charlotte. You might not fear death, but I do. I don't want to die..."

"..."

Charlotte's eyes narrowed.

After a moment, she said,

"At least you won't die alone, elf."

"..."

"Don't worry about surviving alone in this deep abyss. I'll help you find rest before that."

"Rest...? Death?"

"Seals see it that way. Lord Solara also said so."

"Can I, a demon, achieve that?"

"I don't know. But even if your soul wanders in the void, it's better than being buried alive for eternity."

"...Yeah, that's true. Dying would be better. Got it. Let's have a good fight when that moment comes, meow."

"Fight...?"

"You want to die in battle, right? I'll grant your wish."

Her tone was condescending.

Charlotte's lips curved into a smile.

"Not a bad offer. But I'd rather die by Ian's hand."

"Me too. Ian won't make it painful."

"Let's save that opportunity for later."

Ian, who answered, looked at Charlotte and Tesia.

"We need to prepare to climb the stairs ahead."

"!"

Charlotte and Tesia's gazes swept over the distant darkness.

At the end of the long darkness, a set of high steps faintly appeared.

"I take back what I said. I won't die."

Tessia, who spoke, flung her silver hair and moved forward.

Ian and Charlotte, exchanging a brief smirk, shook their heads and followed.

Ian and Charlotte climbed the steps, each higher than their knees.

Ian, of course, and Charlotte's breathing grew slightly heavier.

It was natural to be tired, as they hadn't had a proper rest since entering the forest.

Of course, they couldn't stop.

They just kept climbing the stairs, one after another.

"Here. Here."

Tessia's voice echoed.

The stairs had come to an end.

Hum, the Sword of Judgment hummed low.

It seemed Tir En's gaze had finally reached them.

Ian finally stood at the end of the stairs.

"This is a door, right? It looks like one, but it won't open when pushed."

Tessia pointed to the tall door in front of them. Unlike the underground palace, it was made of dark stone.

A pillar, larger than Ian, protruded beside the door.

"Is it a mechanism...?"

Ian approached it.

Charlotte followed suit.

"What is it? Is it just decoration?"

Tessia, looking bewildered, also approached. Ian looked down at the gap below the lever, covered in dust.

"If I push, pull it with all your strength."

Ian pushed the lever with all his might. Charlotte and Tessia, standing on either side, also pulled with all their strength.

Creak... Creak... Click.

The pillar, making an uncomfortable sound, eventually tilted and stopped.

Click, click, click, click, click-

The sound of old gears and pulleys engaging and turning continued.

Puff-

Dust rose as the door slowly opened. Contrary to expectations, no light seeped through.

Dull darkness. They were still underground.

Rumble...

The door finally opened completely with a low rumble.

Ian looked at the scene revealed beyond the door for a moment.

Another ruin's interior.

"Where is this...?"

Tessia, who had been muttering, closed her mouth. Ian put a finger to his lips.

Ian signaled to the two and cautiously stepped beyond the door.

Stagnant air. The vast silence made even small sounds echo.

Like the passage they had come through, there was no light source here.

The dimming torch barely illuminated the surroundings. For Ian, that amount of light was sufficient.

Taking another step forward, he looked back. It was the middle of a wall.

A location where a door seemed unlikely.

'Secret... passage?'

Ian turned his head again.

The high ceiling characteristic of the giant ruins.

A stone pillar was visible a few meters ahead, with no decorations or patterns, and it extended to the sides at a considerable distance. Similar pillars were visible on the far side as well.

A strangely familiar scene.

'...Could it be?'

Ian's gaze, following the pillars, stopped. Far away, a massive gate, closed, was visible.

In the center of the gate, a pattern resembling an inverted hammer was engraved.

Ian's brow furrowed.

'Could there be such a secret passage...?'

In the Ahigoren Mountains, there was an underground ruin where the giant army and its commander slept. At that time, the hammer was the symbol of the army.

This meant that the place they had emerged from was the ruin of the giant army.

'If so, where in the dungeon are we-'

Crack.

A sound like a crack in ice echoed at that moment.

Ian's gaze, which had stiffened, turned to the opposite direction from where the sound came.

At the end of the row of pillars, a massive throne.

On it, a frozen giant silhouette.

Crack.

The sound of cracks in the ice continued.

Ian's lips finally curled into a hollow smile as he confirmed the blue light beginning to rise beyond the silhouette.

'Shit...'

The commander was awakening.