Chapter 96

I have kept you waiting ('ω')

Due to my main job and the book publication work, the updates have been a bit delayed……

Two days after returning from "Glad See-Im."

I, Rain, and Moria, the wise one of "Scordia," gathered the clients, including the Marquis Bedivoe, in the guild conference room.

Normally, I would hesitate to summon clients who are also high-ranking nobles, but the matter at hand is far too serious.

"So, you're saying that the labyrinth is a city from another world that was moved to our world using special magic?"

"In simple terms, that's correct. It seems they modified a spell that can send a person to another world to move an entire city."

At my explanation, the Marquis Bedivoe tilted his head in confusion.

"But the residents have disappeared, and strange monsters are roaming around, right?"

"…Those monsters are the residents of 'Glad See-Im,' my lord."

The notebook found in the underground waterway, the diary obtained from a house, and the daily records read in the grand library—all these have helped us understand what happened in that world.

The gods who supported that world began to fight among themselves, leading to a decline.

In an attempt to save his country, 'Glad See-Im,' King Vodan, who was both a god and a king, decided to move his kingdom to a new land as the world was on the verge of destruction.

Perhaps King Vodan was already mad when he made this decision.

After all, such a thing should be impossible.

…No, in terms of whether it's possible or not, it probably is.

For example, if our world were to face such a situation, some people might be able to escape from this world. Adventurers like us would be at the forefront.

Break through the "Colorless Darkness" and cross the deepest "Abyss Gate."

If my theory is correct, that would allow one to cross worlds.

However, it comes with risks.

Even if all adventurers aimed for the deepest point, only a fraction, perhaps one in ten, might make it.

For ordinary people, it would be almost impossible.

That's why the king had to resort to a mad method to turn the impossible into a twisted possibility.

"He sacrificed humanity."

"What do you mean?"

"The magic I encountered in the grand library of Vodan Castle was on a massive scale, highly specialized, and utterly insane."

It's a method I hesitate to describe.

I don't feel capable of explaining this horrific magic adequately.

"Yue, it's okay. I'll help supplement the explanation."

Rain, sitting next to me, nodded.

Moria, sitting on another sofa, also nodded.

I was the one who directly encountered that magic, so I should be the one to explain.

"I believe it was a large-scale replacement magic using 'Gold' as a medium."

"'Gold'? 'Replacement Magic'? I've never heard of these spells. What do you think, Boardman?"

"I don't know either. Let's hear the explanation. Could you start with 'Gold'?"

I nodded to Viscount Boardman and took out the ring from the bag.

Yes, the golden ring held by the monsters of 'Glad See-Im.'

"This is a part of 'Gold'… or rather, it's difficult to explain, but it is gold itself."

"Gold itself? I've heard that a considerable number of these items have been found from monsters?"

"Yes. They are individual yet all the same, and they are one. Rain, could you show them?"

"Sure."

Rain took out a magic device from her magic bag, a thin vise-like tool with a square crystal plate.

"Is this something made at the Royal Academy of Sciences?"

"Um, yes. Please look at this."

Rain placed the ring on the magic device and channeled a small amount of magic.

An image appeared on the crystal plate, accompanied by noise.

"Today, the sky is still red… I wonder what will happen to us."

The first-person view rotated.

The crystal plate showed the main street of 'Glad See-Im,' with people walking around.

"This ring was found inside the cocoon-like monster that attacked us."

"Are you saying the ring is a magical stone that can project images?"

At first, I thought so too, but it was even worse.

"No, my lord. The information recorded in this ring… is the information of humans themselves."

"Surely you don't mean…"

It was a mad idea.

King Vodan must have already been influenced by the 'Decline.'

If humans couldn't cross dimensions, then they didn't have to be human.

A massive 'single gold' that was a will-bearing magical stone.

The king gave the 'golden rings' created from it to the people.

Thus, to save 'Glad See-Im,' the king complemented the humanity of the people with the rings. However, it wasn't perfect.

The 'single gold,' which served as the medium for the 'wish-granting magic,' was also distorted by the 'Decline' and was as mad as the capital.

Still, the magic was activated in an incomplete state… and thus, 'Glad See-Im' crossed dimensions while retaining the unprecedented culling of the 'Decline.'

Fortunately for us, the magic was incomplete, causing 'Glad See-Im' to manifest as a labyrinth.

Thanks to this, we gained the advantage of time against this 'culling.'

After explaining this, I looked at the Marquis Bedivoe, who was deep in thought.

"I understand the story, but ultimately… what will happen if we leave it as it is? Hero?"

"From this point on, it's speculation, but the entire land will likely be consumed by the labyrinth. The 'Decline' light will distort the elemental power, and the 'Curse of Gold' will erode the existence of living beings in the areas that became the Vodan Kingdom."

"In other words, if we do nothing, this world will turn into a place where those incomprehensible monsters roam, right?"

I nodded.

This is the conclusion we reached with Moria, Rain, and Silk.

"We should call for A-rank adventurers from all regions."

"That would be wise. We can't afford to be picky about methods anymore. The overflow of the 'Decline' has already begun."

"Yes… I don't think we have much time. I will continue to request the conquest of 'Clover.' Yue Ferdio, you have been granted the duties and rights of a 'Hero.' Please serve the kingdom."

I stood up and replied, "Yes," to the Marquis's words.

Rain and Moria followed suit.

"You, that look… you have an ace up your sleeve, don't you?"

Maniera, who had been quietly observing the proceedings, gave me a sharp glance.

She's as perceptive as ever.

"I'll do what I can."

With that, I left the guild conference room.

How was it? ('ω')

It might have been a bit hard to read as it was somewhat expository.

If you have any questions or didn't understand something, feel free to ask.