Chapter 452: The Kingdom of Gerios(3)
Chapter 452: The Kingdom of Gerios(3)
While Elena investigated the harbor under the scorching desert sun, the expedition members followed King Morgan’s words and searched the interior of the royal palace.
The reenactments shown by the wraiths no longer occurred, but they couldn't afford to let their guard down for even a second.
[The records... must be... preserved...]
"Aack!"
Even if there were no full-scale reenactments, wraiths would pop up occasionally, sending shivers down their spines.
They didn't show urgent situations like when the slave, Arthur Maishal, went to meet King Morgan, but their presence hadn't vanished. Occasionally, a wraith would appear, muttering to itself or wandering aimlessly.
This kept the expedition members in a constant state of alarm. Benphis, the archaeologist, was so startled that he even fainted at one point.
"C-Cardinal Deimos. Isn't there anything we can do about this?"
Having regained consciousness, Benphis pleaded with Deimos in a trembling voice.
He had explored numerous ruins and encountered spirits before, but this was far too much. At least with spirits, one could attempt a conversation; these wraiths just muttered like madmen or repeated the same actions over and over. It was driving him crazy.
"I am sorry, but the wraiths will continue to appear unless the one serving as their anchor ascends."
"Don't tell me that anchor is..."
"...Even King Morgan likely cannot control them."
Unless King Morgan ascended, the appearance of the wraiths was inevitable. Benphis turned pale upon hearing those words, but he ultimately had no choice but to comply.
He couldn't exactly go and ask King Morgan for a favor—he’d likely just end up dead. It was better to simply build up his courage while conducting the investigation.
Thus, the expedition members began to slowly look around the 'Library,' which had existed for a staggering 3,000 years.
A library is a repository of knowledge where countless books are gathered. If a single book was of immense value, a whole library was beyond imagination.
"My goodness. These are books, aren't they? And not just one, but several."
"Books from 3,000 years ago... A single one would be incredible, but to have this many..."
Naturally, they couldn't hide their admiration as soon as they saw the shelves packed with books.
Many shelves and books had been damaged during the Great Cataclysm, but given the sheer scale of the library, a significant number of intact relics remained. The scholars' desperate efforts to preserve the records had not been in vain.
In particular, the fact that there were many 'books' rather than just scrolls gave them a cultural shock. No matter how grand a palace was, they had never seen so many ancient texts in one place.
In the present day, paper-making technology had advanced enough that books were easy to obtain, but in the distant past, they were strictly the domain of a specific class. Even parchment would have been difficult to come by, yet here were enough 'books' to fill the shelves.
Furthermore, thanks to the desperate efforts of the scholars just before the fall, the state of preservation was excellent, and the records inside were intact.
"Delphine. Can you decipher this?"
"Let's see... May 13th, Year 653. Huh? Year 653? Albenheim was founded 3,500 years ago, wasn't it?"
"Then does that mean the Kingdom of Gerios was founded even earlier than Albenheim?"
"That's impossible. There's no way..."
However, that anticipation soon turned into a massive shock. A book picked up at random allowed them to infer the founding date of the Kingdom of Gerios.
A civilization established even earlier than Albenheim, which was known as the first civilization founded 3,500 years ago. The scholars found it hard to believe.
The Demon War was said to have broken out 3,000 years ago, but that was a rough estimate. For humans, it was an era that was practically a myth.
However, there were Elves whose maximum lifespan was known to be 1,000 years, and Albenheim was a nation that had never been invaded, except during the Race War. Naturally, they possessed more detailed records than other civilizations, allowing for an accurate determination of the year the Demon War began.
"According to the records of the Holy Land, the Demon War—or more accurately, when the existence of demons was first recognized—was 2,940 years ago. The founding dates are roughly similar, but..."
"Then are you saying other civilizations already existed, and Albenheim was founded later?"
"We don't know yet. We need to examine the records more closely. And this isn't something for us to judge alone. I think scholars from all over the world need to gather and decide."
There was a civilization founded earlier than Albenheim, the widely accepted 'first civilization.' Moreover, it was a nation established by humans, not Elves.
This alone was a massive truth that would turn the world upside down. Albenheim would likely be the most skeptical.
Despite their confusion, Benphis and Delphine began to look through other records one by one. Since this required more detailed research, they needed to check other things first.
"January 13th, Year 152... They had a script even back then? How..."
"This seems to be a record related to astronomy. It's certain, seeing how they've detailed the constellations here."
Despite having been submerged in seawater, the books and other records were preserved in a surprisingly clean state. Perhaps they had used a special treatment, considering the geographical characteristic of being close to the sea.
Of course, this was merely a guess, so in-depth research was necessary. Since it was a ruin that had been asleep for 3,000 years, the research would take a long time.
Accordingly, the archaeologists continued to examine the records, acquiring knowledge about the Kingdom of Gerios.
"Mmm..."
However, Deimos, who was watching them, couldn't help but feel anxious. He hoped Benphis and Delphine would hurry and focus elsewhere.
The fact that a civilization was founded earlier than Albenheim was shocking enough, but there was something even bigger remaining. At least, according to the Oracle.
Luminous had said it was fine to uncover such truths to one's heart's content. However, he had commanded that any truth submerged in a place as deep and dark as the deep sea must be cast back to its proper place.
What exactly was that truth? It was impossible to know for now, but it was certain to cause a massive ripple. Perhaps it was something that could even affect the gods. That, at least, had to be prevented.
"Ahem. Mr. Benphis. And Ms. Delphine."
"Yes?"
"What is it?"
At Deimos's call, the two archaeologists, who had been excitedly researching, expressed their curiosity. In their hands were scrolls with drawings on them.
Deimos then made a proposal that would be very tempting to them, using his characteristically benevolent tone.
"I suggest that instead of the records kept in the library, you look for more in-depth records. King Morgan gave his permission earlier, so it should be fine."
"By in-depth records, you mean..."
"I am referring to records that only the King or someone of equivalent status could access."
"Oh...!"
As soon as they heard those words, Benphis and Delphine's eyes filled with anticipation. They looked like beggars who hadn't eaten for days standing before a feast.
Seeing that expression, Deimos took it as their consent and ordered the paladins to escort them.
If it was a place accessible only to the King and those of similar status, there would surely be traps and monsters. Finding that place was the first priority. Since the palace itself wasn't particularly large, finding it wouldn't be difficult.
"......Is it here?"
"No way. Surely not."
"Isn't it wide open, though?"
Finding it really wasn't difficult at all. There was a large gate inside the library that was wide open.
At first, everyone was suspicious because it was so blatantly open, but they nodded after seeing the crest engraved on the door. The same crest was engraved on the gate leading to the Audience Chamber. It was clearly a symbol representing the King.
They didn't know why it was located inside the library rather than the bedroom or the Audience Chamber, but the fact that they had found it was what mattered.
"It leads to the basement?"
"It's certain they kept only the important records there."
"Let's go. Just in case, the paladins should prepare their blessings and arm themselves."
Feeling as if they were exploring a dungeon, the expedition members descended into the basement in a state of high tension. They didn't forget to light the surroundings with divine power.
"It looks more like a place where the kings' tombs are enshrined rather than a place for storing records."
"Hmm... I doubt that. Usually, kings' tombs are separate buildings. Though the problem is that everything outside was swept away."
The path down to the basement was quite deep. It was deep enough that the air felt thin.
Just how important were the records they left behind that they used ancient technology to build such a basement?
The expedition members were fascinated by the existence of the basement but did not let their guard down. There was no telling when or where something strange might pop out.
After descending for quite some time, they finally stepped onto flat ground instead of stairs.
"This place is..."
"There are... many rooms."
A long hallway with doors lined up on both sides. The expedition members looked around the hallway with varying expressions.
The atmosphere was eerie and desolate, but the hallway also triggered a sense of unease. Furthermore, the firmly closed doors of each room piqued their curiosity. What was inside?
Just as Benphis was about to take a step forward, a paladin beside him urgently raised an arm to stop him.
"We don't know what might be there. It would be best to be careful."
"Ah, yes. I understand."
"It would be best to enter the first room first. There might be traps, so be careful..."
Deimos had to stop mid-sentence. It was because of the scene that came into view as soon as he lit the area ahead with divine power.
There were traps, yes. More accurately, only the 'traces' of where traps had been remained.
A massive iron mace lay discarded on the floor, and a large boulder had fallen in the middle of the hallway. Though minor, countless arrows also lay on the ground. It was clearly the result of someone having triggered the traps.
"......Come to think of it, didn't he say a descendant came here first?"
"He did, but..."
King Morgan had said it himself—that his descendant had arrived here before.
These traps were likely triggered by that descendant. Still, just in case, they asked the scholars to estimate roughly when the traps had been triggered.
"At most, it doesn't seem to have been more than 30 years ago."
"......I see."
Thanks to that, it seemed they could pass through the hallway quite easily. Still, they didn't forget to activate a divine shield just in case.
The expedition members reached the first door as they had planned, but...
"......It won't open."
"There's no handle, either. How on earth do you open this?"
Whether a special key was required or not, the firmly closed door showed no sign of opening.
They wanted to force it open, but since they didn't know what might happen, they decided to leave it be. Instead, they were able to figure out the identity of this door and hallway, and for what purpose they were enshrined.
"It seems this is a place containing the tombs of past kings and records concerning them."
"How can you tell?"
"The same characters as the names I saw on the scrolls in the library earlier are engraved above. They are likely the names of the kings."
Indeed, names written in the ancient language were engraved above the doors. The expedition members nodded at Delphine's explanation.
"Then King Morgan's records..."
"Are likely to exist. Though I don't know if the door will be open."
"Let's check the open doors first."
There were none. Truly, not a single one.
The doors were all tightly shut, and only thoroughly destroyed traps met their eyes.
The expedition members wondered who could have passed through here to leave everything so broken.
Of course, thanks to that, they were able to walk straight ahead without a single injury. As they realized now, the hallway was longer than expected. They marveled once again at the ancient technology that kept the air from becoming thin even in such a place.
"Oh? That door over there is open."
One of the paladins pointed toward a spot. The expedition members shifted their gaze in the direction he pointed.
Just as the paladin said, there was exactly one space where the door was wide open, unlike the others. One peculiar thing was that there was no door opposite the open one. The same was true for the hallway behind it.
If the countless doors they had passed so far were the tombs and record archives of past kings, this was surely King Morgan's tomb. It was merely a guess, but the expedition members believed it to be so.
When they finally entered the room expected to be King Morgan's tomb...
"......It's a skeleton."
"Judging by the bone structure, it doesn't seem to be King Morgan."
They found a skeleton. A skeleton sitting at a desk, as if to record the end of the Kingdom of Gerios.
Behind the desk was a square stone tomb. This confirmed that the basement was indeed the tomb of past kings. Unlike the kings of other nations, they didn't build monuments but were enshrined underground. It could be seen as a tradition that was both frugal and modest in many ways.
"There's no body."
"The kingdom fell, so that's only natural."
Naturally, there was no body of King Morgan inside the tomb. it was empty. Since King Morgan would have fought against the demons until the very end, the chance of his body being intact was zero. Even the archaeologists didn't question this.
What they were most interested in was the skeleton sitting at the desk. Benphis cautiously approached the skeleton.
They then discovered a single sheet of parchment placed on the desk. However...
"Hmm? What's this? There are traces of someone trying to burn it with fire."
"What do you mean?"
"Look. There's soot on this edge."
There were traces of someone having tried to burn the parchment. Fortunately, it was relatively near the edge, so there was no trouble reading the record.
However, the fact that damage had been inflicted was the problem. For them, to whom every single record was like a treasure, it was an unforgivable act. Delphine clicked her tongue, deeply saddened.
"Did that descendant King Morgan mentioned do this?"
"Who knows... Let's just read it for now. It's a record desperately written until the moment the kingdom fell."
"Could you perhaps read it aloud?"
Just as the archaeologists were about to decipher it, Deimos stepped in and made a request. He instinctively realized that this was the 'truth' mentioned in the Oracle. There was no other reason for it to be here.
That was why he had to ask in a voice that was uncharacteristically urgent.
"The rest of you, please step outside for a moment."
"Understood."
After sending even the paladins out of the tomb, Deimos signaled the archaeologists.
The archaeologists were puzzled by his behavior for a moment, but they began to decipher and read slowly.
"December 25th, Year 942. Milek Malto, the last scribe of the Kingdom of Gerios, leaves the final record. I declare that everything contained herein is the truth, and it shall be the last legacy our Kingdom of Gerios leaves as we depart this world. May the descendants who read this not commit the same mistakes, and may the truth we have uncovered not vanish."
"The Kingdom of Gerios established itself at the western edge and was able to gain great power by roaming the continent and the sea. There were many hardships and adversities in that process, but we were able to maintain our lineage by persevering. But was it because of that? We completely forgot that no matter how strong a mortal is, they are merely fragile before the wrath of a god."
The passage showed both fear and awe toward the gods. For something written by a scribe of a kingdom on the brink of destruction, the content was somewhat calm.
Of course, the urgency might not be felt because it was written, but one could roughly infer how rushed they were by looking at the handwriting. While not exactly scribbled, such traces were evident throughout.
Benphis and Delphine carefully unfurled the slightly curled parchment and read the next page.
"We, who thought we were settled at the western edge, explored the entire world through the sea. Even when land routes were blockaded, we conducted maritime trade through our powerful navy, and conversely, we swallowed the cities that blockaded the land routes and incorporated them into the Kingdom of Gerios. In this way, the sea gave us power, but at the same time, it delivered a truth that we should never have known."
"That truth is..."
The archaeologists stopped mid-sentence. At the same time, they looked at each other before shifting their gaze to Deimos behind them.
Deep bewilderment was etched on the faces of the two scholars, and their eyes were trembling with confusion.
Their reaction made Deimos even more curious. What on earth was written that they were so horrified? And why were they looking at him like that? He stared at the scholars through eyes hidden beneath his thick eyebrows before quietly speaking.
"Please, continue reading."
"..."
"..."
At Deimos's words, the scholars looked at each other once more. Traces of deep contemplation were etched on their faces.
Just as Deimos was about to shout in frustration, Delphine swallowed hard and spoke in a trembling voice.
"That truth is... that this world has already been destroyed once by a war of the gods."
"......What?"
"And..."
Regardless of Deimos's shock, Delphine continued.
"That the mortals who survived the destruction seeped into this land."
*
"Isaac."
"Yeah?"
"If you finish the book about your world, what kind of book will you write next?"
Isaac blinked at Mari's question. They were currently enjoying a simple tea time in the bedroom. It was the first time in a long while they were alone, and the topic came up amidst all sorts of conversation.
Isaac looked upward, blinking, then shrugged his shoulders and spoke.
"I have one idea. For example, a story about the world just before its destruction? I think I might write that."
"You'd write something like that? Is that even possible?"
"It's not impossible. There were many works of that genre in my world."
In particular, there was one very famous game. The struggle of a human thrown into a world heading toward destruction. It was a game with a thick cult following thanks to its unfriendly storytelling and reasonably difficult difficulty.
Having been inspired by its unique story, he planned to write it if he ever got the chance. Of course, after the World War II novel was finished.
As he had said before, it was close to a sort of 'Xenon Biography IF' story, so the writing itself wouldn't be difficult. He’d have to add a few settings, though.
"That's interesting. But wouldn't the gods have something to say about that?"
Mari asked in a slightly anxious voice. The destruction of the world would mean that harm had been inflicted upon the gods. If it were anyone other than Isaac, they might have been dragged away for sacrilege immediately.
However, Isaac waved his hand as if it were no big deal, reassuring her.
"Hey, it's fine. It's not like the world is actually going to be destroyed."
Did he know that the world had already been destroyed once?
He certainly did not.