Denebergen's Seven Wonders (3)
Hmm, I said it confidently, but...
It had been a full seventeen years since I'd last dealt with ancient script. When I got that dagger that wove a map of the underground secret passages with magic, I was too busy deciphering it to study it deeply, and after reincarnating, I'd had zero interest in that sort of thing.
Of course, my assassination and combat skills were etched into my instincts, and I'd trained relentlessly even after reincarnating, so I was confident there. But my knowledge of ancient script? Looking back now, it was hazy—I could barely remember it.
If I just had some time, I could probably decipher it.
At least the knowledge hadn't vanished entirely; faint traces lingered somewhere in my mind. I slowly read the ancient characters inscribed on the door.
I couldn't say it would be quick, but with a little time, I figured I could make it out. Over thirty minutes had been promised to Yozef, and more than half had already passed. I didn't want to drag this out any longer.
I could always come back alone later and puzzle it out properly.
More than anything, I couldn't just stand by and watch them openly drag in Charlotte and the other talented commoner students to toy with them at will.
Someone might say it wasn't my place as a noble to get involved. But once upon a time, I'd been a powerless commoner suffering unjustly at the hands of villains like these. I couldn't look the other way.
If a kind noble had stepped in to help the me from my past life, orphaned and alone after losing both parents, my whole life might have changed.
Who knows how the world turns?
The silver lining was that Charlotte and I weren't near the front of the line. We were pretty far back, so the other first-year freshmen went ahead of us, called up one by one by Humpton.
In the meantime, I used my exceptional eyesight to calmly and methodically decipher the characters on the door, one by one.
"Young master...?"
Charlotte glanced at me curiously, tilting her head, but I was too focused on the door to respond.
The later my turn came, the more pressing time became. Terrified freshmen slammed into the door, fumbled with wires to pick it, cast useless spells—and through it all, I ignored them, pouring every ounce of concentration into the ancient script.
"Kukuku, watching these kids make fools of themselves is pretty entertaining. Next?"
Humpton and his gang sat nearby, mocking the freshmen as they ordered them to open the door.
Like they could. At first, a few tried out of pride, but they all realized soon enough: this door couldn't be opened by their own power. Humpton's crew was just tormenting them for kicks.
Disgusted at being toys for their amusement, the other freshmen put on a token show and quit before really pissing them off.
"Who's next? That guy?"
The line had dragged on, and I'd wondered why—turns out it was my turn.
Damn it, I've only decoded seventy percent!
Deciphering was tough even with full focus; stepping forward would scatter what I'd done. Humpton wouldn't just let me stand there staring at the script.
He'd send his thugs to harass me for being boring, and I'd snap, abandon the decoding, and throw punches.
"C-Can I go first?"
Just then, as I scowled, someone volunteered in my place—a clear, ringing voice. Charlotte.
Charlotte?
Come to think of it, yeah. From the moment I'd said I'd go with her to the place the seniors called her to, she'd been fidgeting with guilt.
She hadn't said it outright, but her face screamed it: Sorry for being a burden instead of helping, young master, even though I'm just a servant. Even knowing I didn't see her that way.
She wanted to help me somehow. Reading my mind, she'd pulled her spot forward from behind mine to buy me time.
Her quick wits had always anticipated my needs back at the estate, fetching things before I even asked. Now was no different—she saw right through me.
"It's okay, young master! I'll open it so your turn never comes!"
She whispered so the others wouldn't hear "young master." It was a slight distraction, but I nodded gravely.
I could complain about the remaining thirty percent, but positively? I'd decoded seventy percent in fleeting moments while others half-assed it.
Unlike them, if Charlotte bought me just a little time, I was sure I could finish perfectly.
"Thanks."
With that conviction, I glared at the door until my eyes burned.
Almost no characters jumped out immediately, so I applied elimination methodically: visualize the ancient alphabet in my head, erase vowels, sort consonants, eliminate subgroups, repeat.
It took time, but the answers were certain.
Bam!Bam!BOOM!
Meanwhile, Charlotte was genuinely trying to smash the door. Ramming her body into it repeatedly, yanking the handle like she'd rip it off.
Of course, her efforts did nothing against the ancient magic sealing it; only her energy drained.
"Raaagh!"
But she didn't give up, challenging it relentlessly. At first, I'd thought she was just stalling for me—but no, my mistake.
It wasn't stalling. She was trying to break it herself so my turn never came.
Sensing it was impossible, driven solely by not wanting to trouble me.
"Hah... huff... hngh..."
"...Hey, what's with her?"
"Why's she trying so hard?"
"This is scary. She's weird..."
Even Humpton's gang paled at her unyielding assault.
As I'd thought when they arrived, just a year or two older. How much "senior pride" after living that little longer?
These pathetic flunkies were overwhelmed by Charlotte's ten consecutive body slams—mix of loyalty and madness—backing away slowly.
"Kyahak! Look at that girl's tits bouncing!"
Even so, the boss was the boss; Humpton kept pointing and laughing, but the playfulness was gone. Forced laughter to hide his intimidation—obvious to everyone.
To all here, especially his own thugs, his ugliness was revolting. Naturally.
"Stop."
But it wasn't Humpton or the others who halted her. I called out firmly.
"Stop, Charlotte. That's enough."
Having finished the last thirty percent, I walked forward, scooped up her limp body, and stood before the door.
Humpton's crew froze, mouths agape, not grasping what was happening.
I swept a disdainful gaze over the trash and clicked my tongue.
"You said open the door, right?"
"...Uh, y-yeah."
"I'm opening it now. No one move."
I patted Charlotte's back and whispered softly.
"Good job."
"Hic... snif... I'm sowwy..."
Tears she'd held back burst forth; she drifted into sleep. I held her princess-style for comfort and glared at the door.
Now, just recite the sentence as interpreted, in ancient script.
The grand mage who made this door had kindly told me:
— 'Stand before the door and recite the following sentence...'
No key, no force, no clever trick. Just the ability to read and comprehend the ancient message left behind.
Maybe in five hundred years, the script had faded from the world—leaving only me who could read it.
Or the door's maker knew it too, so at least two.
...Though questionable if they count as 'people.'
I read the sentence on the "Absolutely Unopenable Door" verbatim.
"I will wait for you forever."
Rumble rumble RUMBLE!
The instant I finished, the entire underground shook. Pebbles rained from the ceiling; the ground quaked so hard standing was a struggle.
No one here had ever felt such violent tremors; all were stunned.
"Hiiik!"
"What the hell?!"
"The dorm's collapsing!"
"Earthquake? A real earthquake?!"
"Run!!"
Freshmen and Humpton's gang bolted in panic, fleeing the basement.
But I, carrying Charlotte piggyback, stood firm.
"I said don't move."
My icy voice pierced the roar; Humpton's fleeing crew froze like statues.
I seized the moment, gently set Charlotte in a safe spot, and turned.
Even in a crowd, chaos shatters group cohesion worse than beasts. Knowing this, I accelerated without hesitation.
Whoosh!
"You crazy bastard, what're you doing?! If we don't run now, we all die—including you...!"
"Buried alive sounds nice. At least we'll be buried somewhere, right?"
Focusing my senses, I kicked off the ground. Vibrations made standing tough, but balance was just another sense.
As they staggered, I ran smoothly, like strolling my bedroom.
Smashing a fist into their boss's face? Child's play.
"You little shit... guhk...!"
Humpton resisted as a supposed upperclassman—but lifting his left foot amid the quake toppled him on one leg.
I never miss an opening.
Thwack!
"Gaaah!"
It wasn't a punch to fell a normal person. Just seventeen, not the fittest body.
But to off-balance Humpton, it was lethal; tumbling, he smashed his knee on stone, howling.
I didn't let up, kicking and pummeling with both feet.
"Aaaagh! Gyaaah! Sorry! Sorry! I'll apologize! Just forgive me, you fuck!!"
"I'm dying here anyway. Crushed by rocks. You're dying with me. Got it? We all die together where you brought us."
"Fuuuuck! Please! Just spare me once! Yeah?! Money! I'll give money!"
"Don't need money. We're dying anyway."
"Hiiiiiik!"
Thinking death real, Humpton's face went ghost-white. Even a wastrel fears imminent doom.
A bigger guy than me crawling to escape? Human cockroach.
"Hey, no running."
"Gyaaaaah!"
"Noisy guy."
The moment he fell, I crushed his ankle underfoot, grinding. No help, no escape for Humpton.
His final stand: shrieking at his thugs, ugly desperation bare.
No trace of the smug senior mocking freshmen minutes ago.
"Help! Somebody help!"
"Told you to shut up."
"S-Sorry! I'll be quiet! Mouth shut!"
"Can't walk for a while anyway—want me to silence you too?"
I wrenched his sewer-mouth open, grabbed his snake-tongue.
He shook his head frantically, face drained.
"Be quiet now?"
Hmm, threats feel awkward after so long...
But nostalgic. Nice.
For a moment, I summoned the me before meeting Liwin, Elfin, and Yustina.
The merciless assassin whose hands never dried of blood.