Chapter 151
Chapter 151
Chapter 151
Gateway to the Underworld (2)
After hearing the full story about the dungeon from Calline's subordinate staff officers, Rudian took some leisure time and became lost in contemplation as he looked around the surroundings for the first time in a while.
"I wonder if the village chief uncle and aunt are doing well."
When Rudian pressed the intelligence officer about Baran village's situation, he was told that the entire village had already evacuated to the rear.
'I don't have particularly good memories of that village...but still, I hope the village chief and his wife survive until the end.'
First caught up in wars between nations, now they were about to be caught up in a war between transcendent beings.
'Their survival now depends on what I do.'
Rudian planned to go rescue Evan immediately after completing a simple investigation of the dungeon.
'I'd like to recruit her if possible, but would that be feasible?'
Evangeline, the Guardian of Spirits, was exactly as her title suggested—a being who could freely command all spirits in this world.
In , spirits were beings that governed the nature of this world. They weren't simply elemental attributes with personalities, but if one were to exaggerate slightly, they were close to gods who governed this planet.
Of course, they lacked divinity, but at least within this planet, they could wield power close to invincibility.
And Evan was the sole contractor of such spirits.
Unless one could handle divinity, demonic power, or chaos like Giovanni, one could never oppose her.
'Evan would truly be a great asset.'
Even if recruitment proved impossible, if left alone, there was no telling what Layla might do using Evan.
Of course, Rowen wouldn't just stand by and watch, but with the 'Illusionist' Jarsen still active besides Layla, unexpected situations could arise anywhere at any time.
'Come to think of it, why is this bastard also staying silent like Adi?'
Rudian stared blankly at Diablo, who had somehow returned to his waist area.
'Hey, Diablo.'
—.......
'Are you sleeping?'
—.......
'You disgrace of the demon realm who got beaten by Uriel!'
—.......
Even his strongest provocation brought no response.
'What on earth is going on here?'
While Rudian understood Adi's situation after hearing the full story from Shub, what could be the reason for this one's lack of response?
'The seal hasn't been broken, but he hasn't disappeared either....'
The stealth authority could be used normally.
The wrath authority also made him feel power, albeit faintly, when activated.
'That means this guy has also fallen into a comatose state like Adi....'
Rudian felt an inexplicable sense of emptiness.
It had always been routine for Adi and Diablo to chatter constantly, but now both of them were absent from his surroundings.
'Even though these guys aren't dead, I'm feeling strangely melancholy.'
Rudian immediately shook his head and stood up.
Derrick was approaching from the distance.
"Ready?"
"Yes, I'm always ready."
Behind Derrick were familiar faces who had been appointed as deputy commanders of the Lion Hearts knight order.
"It's been a while, Count."
"Good to see you again, Sir Arnold, Sir Chris."
Both were capable knights who had helped Derrick fight Death Knight Simir Dran in the past.
...Though of course, they weren't particularly impressive to the current Rudian.
"These two plus three more knights, a total of five, will accompany you."
"That's reassuring."
Derrick smiled wryly.
"Haha, entering a dungeon whose difficulty hasn't even been confirmed—it reminds me of that time."
Chris, who was behind them, picked up Derrick's words.
"But unlike then, we don't absolutely need to reach our objective, so the burden is much less, Captain."
Of course, letting one's guard down was forbidden.
In this world, dungeons were places where one could die the moment they entered.
'If we think about falling into a trap and being teleported to Shub's temple, even a Sword Master would die before being able to do anything....'
Well, a suddenly appeared dungeon probably wouldn't be at that level, but once inside the dungeon, Derrick and those knights would likely become people Rudian would need to protect.
'If worse comes to worst, I'll just knock them out, throw them in a corner, and go alone.'
With such thoughts, Rudian left the barracks with Derrick's group.
As they rode past on horses, he could feel gazes from various places.
Among them were quite a few who had some acquaintance with Rudian in the past.
They were all people who knew Rudian from his days as a squire.
Naturally, their eyes were full of suspicion.
"Count?"
"Rudian?"
"Really?"
They all looked at Rudian, who was riding shoulder to shoulder with Derrick, with disbelieving gazes.
'...Well, that's the typical reaction.'
The vassal nobles under the Count, before whom Rudian used to grovel in the past, also had clearly disbelieving looks.
They too had received the news, but hadn't seen and experienced it directly.
As soon as they calmly passed through those gazes and went outside, Derrick opened his eyes wide in surprise.
"You seem accustomed to such looks."
"I'm someone who has even had an audience with His Imperial Majesty."
"Ah, right, you would have gone through the title investiture ceremony...."
Of course, that wasn't the only reason, but it was bothersome to explain, so he let it pass.
The group slowly headed east.
The dungeon that had suddenly appeared was, quite coincidentally, positioned right in the middle of the battlefield between the Morian Imperial Army and the Rohans regular army.
Its location was so exquisite that there were deep suspicions that someone—whether a magician or whoever—had pulled some strings.
After about two hours had passed....
"This is it."
A massive gate leading underground that had appeared in the middle of a wide plain came into view.
Normally, when a dungeon was discovered, people would rush over noisily, set up camp near the dungeon, and begin exploration.
But this time, there wasn't a trace of human presence around.
Rudian looked around and spoke as if finding it curious.
"It's completely abandoned."
"That's natural, given how it popped up at such an exquisite and suspicious timing. Besides, it's not a situation where we'd send troops just to occupy the entrance. Even the Adventurer's Guild can't easily touch it."
'Well, no madman would start exploration in the middle of a battlefield.'
If such a person existed, they would have a beast's brain rather than a beast's heart.
Derrick circled around near the dungeon entrance.
"As you can see, the entrance is ordinary. I don't sense any energy from inside. The problem is that combat has been delayed for three whole days because of this thing."
Since it appeared at a timing when they were gaining the upper hand, Derrick's expression was full of frustration.
"Haven't you done any exploration at all?"
"None. We just decided not to touch it at all."
"...That's wise."
It was good handling—not forgetting the greater cause due to greed.
The Rohans side had no particular reason to covet the dungeon from their losing position either.
However, as a result, Rudian would have to enter there without any information.
"I'll go in there alone. There's no reason for Sir Derrick and the others to take unnecessary risks."
"...Will you be alright? It's too dangerous for you to go in alone."
SWOOSH!
At those words, a smile curved Rudian's lips.
"I'm stronger than Sir Derrick now."
"...You've gotten much better at joking."
"You don't believe me."
"Come now!"
CLANG!
Whether Derrick understood Rudian's words as a joke, he playfully pointed his sword and shouted.
"Reveal your identity! You impostor wearing Rudian's mask!"
"This...feels like something I've experienced somewhere before."
Moreover, the other knights also surrounded Rudian in harmony with Derrick's antics.
It's what these knight fellows are good at.
Still, seeing him come out like this with what should be his own dark history, Derrick really has no lingering resentment.
'Or rather, does he have it? That he hasn't forgotten that day?'
Anyway, Rudian looked at Derrick with a sideways glance.
"You seem to be getting along well with Miss Cynthia these days?"
At those words, Derrick awkwardly sheathed his sword and turned his head.
"Ahem! I've been banned from entering the Harpana's waterdrop since then."
While the goodwill was appreciated, unnecessary baggage was declined.
When Derrick showed no signs of returning, Rudian created an aura sword and thrust it before Derrick's eyes.
DIIING!
The moment Derrick saw the aura Rudian created, his expression changed dramatically.
"Huh, haha...!"
"As you can see, I'm capable enough to protect myself."
At that sight, Chris, who was behind Derrick, also muttered blankly.
"...Is this for real?"
Not a magic sword, but aura.
To draw out aura so simply and leisurely, one would need to reach a level similar to Derrick's at minimum.
In fact, when Derrick reunited with Rudian, he hadn't thought Rudian could have changed this much.
Always groveling to others, never stepping forward, always living buried in work—a commoner.
Of course, he was perceptive and capable, which was why he could endure serving as Calline's squire for two years, but Derrick's impression of Rudian was just about that level.
But when Derrick returned after briefly going up to the capital, the person had completely changed.
A title... It was certainly surprising, but that he had earned it entirely through his own power alone—not just Derrick himself, but no one in Iskar thought so.
However, his gaze had deepened to the point where one might believe his soul had changed.
The composure to calmly receive the gazes of numerous nobles.
And...most unbelievably, the brilliantly shining 'aura.'
What on earth had happened to make a person change so completely?
Derrick was extremely curious.
"Are you really Rudian?"
"What, are you going to demand I reveal my identity again?"
"......"
At those words, seeing Derrick's expression as he began to seriously contemplate, Rudian's face naturally crumpled.
"Anyway, go back. I'll handle things here myself."
Setting aside how Rudian came to use aura, if it was certain that he really could use aura, there was no need to risk danger by accompanying him.
"Alright, understood...."
—Who gave permission...to let him go?
GASP!
At that moment.
A woman's voice filled with resentment and ghostly energy cut off Derrick's words.
—I thought it might have failed due to being overly cautious.... Finally, the sacrifice has arrived.
Rumble, rumble, rumble, rumble!
"Wh-what is that!"
At that moment, something like black mud burst out from the dark dungeon entrance and attacked Derrick and his group.
Rudian reacted first, followed by Derrick.
"Dodge!"
"Urgh!"
Derrick urgently shouted at his subordinate knights, but it was already too late.
"Sir Derrick!"
While Rudian avoided the black mud with superhuman reflexes, Derrick hadn't reached that level.
"Aaaaah!"
Thus, Derrick, who had shouted for others to dodge, was swallowed by the black mud that burst out in surprise attack and was dragged into the dungeon along with the other knights.
At that moment, Rudian clearly realized how this dungeon had come to be and why it had appeared in such a place.
"...Now I know exactly where this is."
The owner of that voice was someone he had heard before.
And quite recently too.
—If you want to save them, come inside... Rudian Belstad.
Clear hostility. And killing intent.
GRIND!
Rudian gritted his teeth as he called out the name of that voice's owner.
"...Layla!"
***
"What on earth is happening before my eyes right now?"
As soon as Derrick came to his senses, he saw some kind of illusion that bewildered his eyes.
It was such an unrealistic and absurd event, but...it was so vivid that his five senses were being stimulated mercilessly.
BAAAAAANG!
The waves parted.
No, to be precise, thousands upon thousands of undead reeking of evil energy began to be cut down with a single sword strike.
"What is this...!"
Derrick realized he was on some kind of high ground.
And he noticed that some kind of barrier was set up around him.
He didn't know who had set up that barrier, but seeing the horde of undead filling his vision, it was probably to protect them.
"Am I...dreaming?"
Rudian was fighting in the distance.
In one hand, he held a black sword, and in the other, a brilliantly shining white sword, cutting down the dead.
No, to be precise, with each swing of his arms, at least hundreds of undead were being annihilated in groups.
"This is...what exactly...."
Derrick blankly rubbed his eyes in a manner unbefitting his position and age.