Settling Affairs (2)
“Please don’t misunderstand me. No matter how easily you conquered a Calamity-class dungeon… it would be wise not to give the Crimson Land of Original Sin even a second glance.”
“…Why?”
I asked even as the thought crossed my mind. The Crimson Land of Original Sin. That place sealed beneath the Red Barrier was indeed one of the Seven Calamity Dungeons.
Marquis Tern’s reaction made that clear enough.
“Well, I’m sure you’ve heard plenty. It’s said to be an absolute forbidden land that no one should ever dare approach……”
“I’m not sure what misunderstanding you’re under, but I’ve only recently become an adventurer. In fact, my current rank is still just apprentice adventurer.”
“…What?”
Honestly, I wasn’t entirely certain of my exact status myself. The last time I had visited the Adventurer’s Guild was quite a while ago.
But the last time I checked, I had been an apprentice adventurer. They had said they would raise my rank if I demonstrated my mana, yet back then I hadn’t known how to use mana at all.
As if he had heard something completely unexpected, even Marquis Tern—normally so skilled at controlling his expression—was momentarily at a loss for words.
After a long silence, had he finished sorting his thoughts?
Marquis Tern’s eyes lit up.
…Just how had he finished sorting them?
“In that case, I apologize for the discourtesy. To explain in detail within the limits of my knowledge: the so-called Seven Calamity Dungeons… while the seven dungeons are classified as Apocalypse-class, they are only grouped together by name. We do not possess complete information on all seven. Even approaching the vicinity for a preliminary survey results in disappearances, so proper investigation is impossible.”
Marquis Tern adjusted his posture neatly, as if determined to explain thoroughly, and launched into a longer account.
“However, because these are dungeons that have stood in those places since ancient times, fragmentary historical records remain. That too can be considered information. Among them, the Crimson Land of Original Sin… is the one about which the least is known, yet which carries the most severe notoriety handed down through the ages.”
“What kind of notoriety?”
“It’s simple. Don’t even look at it. Do not set foot there. That place alone must never be coveted. Such words have been passed down from the past and solidified like a proverb. Even now, if you ask which of the Seven Calamity Dungeons is the most dangerous, most will point to that place without hesitation—without even knowing its true nature.”
“Then… in the present day, have there been no attempts at preliminary surveys?”
“That’s right.”
“So no one in this era knows what lies inside the Red Barrier.”
Marquis Tern paused briefly at those words.
It was less that he didn’t know and more that he was deliberating whether it was safe to speak of it.
Then he lowered his voice slightly.
“Strictly speaking, it isn’t that we don’t know. Some of the books left from the past contain records about that place. They must have known something for such warnings to be continuously passed down.”
“May I ask what that is?”
“What I’m about to tell you would be best kept to yourself if possible. The Crimson Land of Original Sin… that is, inside the Red Barrier, it isn’t like a typical dungeon with a single characteristic or structure. It’s said that various magical beasts exist as if multiple dungeons were combined. And not ordinary ones—Calamity-class bosses or even more powerful magical beasts are said to be abundant.”
From the perspective of someone who had lived inside the Red Barrier for several months… no, for over a year, his words were certainly correct. Even a slight change in zone would bring forth magical beasts completely different in appearance, abilities, and habits.
But that level of information was something one could learn just by staying a single day, not a year.
“That’s how it’s described in the books. As if another world exists inside……”
“….”
The marquis concluded in a somewhat solemn tone, yet the words did not particularly resonate with me.
“And?”
“…And? With just what I’ve told you, haven’t you grasped the outline of that dungeon to some extent? It’s different from trembling in fear without knowing its true form at all.”
“I see. Thank you for sharing such valuable information. Is there any other information?”
“Hmm, you seem truly interested. What I know ends here. I’m not hiding or concealing anything. The content remaining in the books is only about this much. Even those above me, or those said to be well-versed in dungeons, probably know no more. What I saw were the ancient texts stored in the Imperial Archives.”
“….”
My interest cooled rapidly.
The information Marquis Tern had shared was certainly precious. Such an archive would be accessible only to a select few among the high-ranking nobles.
But ultimately, without any clue about the castle sleeping in the abyss of the Crimson Land, or the kingdom that existed deep on the far side, there was no point in continuing the conversation further.
I felt it was time to wrap things up here.
As if quickly reading that atmosphere, a flicker of fluster crossed Marquis Tern’s eyes.
“A-Already leaving? Did I perhaps say something that made you uncomfortable……”
“Not at all. I’ve just returned from a dungeon myself, so I need some rest. Once things settle down, I hope we can have another opportunity like this.”
I could at least offer some polite lip service rather than giving the impression of simply extracting information and walking away. In truth, there wasn’t a complete absence of lingering feeling in a corner of my heart.
“Then, will you attend the banquet that will be held after you return?”
“A banquet?”
“Yes. Since the conquest was successful, a grand banquet will be held at the imperial level. It would be nice if we could converse again there.”
“Understood.”
Marquis Tern couldn’t have failed to notice that my greeting was mere courtesy. Yet he did not grow greedy and cleanly drew the line at that level.
It was certainly a skilled social maneuver that was hard to refuse.
With those words, I rose from my seat and headed for the tent.
The next afternoon, Ren and Bedeia returned to the base with several people.
Some of them were priests of the Luen Order. The same patterns engraved on Bedeia’s armor were neatly embroidered on their robes as well.
Among the group of priests was a familiar face.
It was Nilain, the bishop of the Luen Order whom we had summoned recently to respond to the Black Moon Cult’s attack.
He mixed among the group with his unchanging expression, and the moment he arrived he approached without hesitation those suffering from the heat and used purification.
The light mana he emitted was distinctly different in nature from the Cheong-ui I handled, yet the process of seeping into the body and gradually removing the seeds of heat was remarkably similar.
After the purification was complete, Nilain finally approached me, who had been watching from afar. There was no looking around or gauging the situation.
His movements made it clear that the purpose of coming here from the start had been to meet me.
“We meet again. I’ve heard the story.”
“Hello.”
That story had probably come from Bedeia. Ren was not the type to casually leak my affairs.
Certainly, if he had heard about the inside of the dungeon, it was only natural for curiosity about me to arise.
I had shown many things that could not be explained simply by power and mana.
As long as it was not an intention to covet the alien items I had obtained from the dungeon, that level of conversation was fine.
Anyway, since I had openly demonstrated the solo conquest of a Calamity-class dungeon, it was something I would have to face someday.
Especially the Order……
Because the power I handled bore certain similarities to the Outer Gods’ power that they were wary of, they could not help but harbor doubts from their perspective.
It was something I had anticipated ever since taking Bedeia along. The reason I refrained from using black mana was also to avoid carelessly turning their suspicions into certainty. Black mana too blatantly evoked the Outer Gods.
“…I’ve heard that you can handle a power similar to the purification we use.”
“It’s hard to say it’s the same, but looking just now, there are similar points.”
“I’ve heard it’s a power that is neither mana nor something else we know of.”
A benevolent smile still rested on Nilain’s face, as if all those questions stemmed from mere curiosity.
But the words he spoke clearly carried hidden meaning.
He wanted to ask whether the power I used resembled the Outer Gods’ power.
It matched exactly what I had anticipated.
When I had brought Bedeia anticipating this, I had possessed the confidence that even if they suspected me, they could not interfere with my purpose of approaching the truth inside the Red Barrier.
But after conquering the dungeon and learning that the Outer Gods’ power was exerting quite a bit of influence on this world, my mind had changed. Rather, I decided to use this situation.
I deliberately summoned my will. My will took form as Cheong-ui, gathering blue light in my hand.
Even though an unknown aura suddenly rose before his eyes, Nilain examined that aura carefully without any change in expression.
“…Hmm, it is certainly an aura we do not know.”
I did not bother speaking in circles.
“It is not the power of the Outer Gods.”
“…Yes, so it appears.”
Without averting his gaze, I continued straightforwardly.
“Besides this power I have now, I can apply far more advanced forms of power into various techniques.”
I transformed the blue aura into a red one, and then into Su-ui tinged with black.
It bore a color similar to black mana, yet it was a completely different aura from black mana.
I coated one arm with black Su-ui and struck it with the other, showing the impact resounding with a solid thud.
“In fact, those Black Moon items the Order took back then. The items said to be imbued with Outer Gods’ power. I heard ordinary people can’t even touch them. But I can. I’m the one who placed them there, after all.”
“The reason you’re saying this……”
“I’m speaking honestly. I’m curious, you see. What the Outer Gods’ power truly is. A more precise nature.”
I withdrew the aura from my fingertips and spoke slowly.
“But everyone seemed not to know. Top-class adventurers, nobles…… Is that information known only to the Order?”
“If by nobles… you mean Marquis Tern, then yes, he doesn’t know. However, there are certainly those who do know. Of course, we are the ones who informed them.”
The bishop’s expression remained calm. But the blue eyes half-revealed within those small eyes were sharply piercing through me.
“I understand your intention. In other words… you need our power. To be precise, information.”
“Yes. At that time, you said that the Order is making great efforts to counter the Outer Gods’ power but it is insufficient. There are parts where I can help. In exchange, what I want is information, as you said.”