Chapter 272: Tears of the Elf Queen
Chapter 272: Tears of the Elf Queen
〈Record〉
Only after using our comrades as shields and deactivating the city's magic circles one by one, at the cost of many sacrifices, were we able to seize the opportunity to defeat the mage. Perhaps if the Princess of Execution had not discovered the magic circles related to regeneration and healing, the expedition might have failed once again.
(Omitted.)
…but in the end, there were two locations where we made significant gains. One was a room we entered without any thought, and the other was Mavolo’s laboratory. The most overwhelming of the two was not the laboratory, but the room we had entered thoughtlessly.
Some of the equipment found there was later identified as having been used by heroes of the past. But that wasn't all. Thinking back on it now, I cautiously speculate that the remaining equipment might have belonged to the ancient Residents who came to rescue them. The reason for this is…
Excerpt from the Ancient Magic City Magia Expedition Report, Page 17.
*
“There's nothing special here.”
The first room I entered was nothing special. At first glance, it looked like a lavish VIP room, but a closer inspection revealed it was all chaff with nothing worth taking. In other words, it was all for show.
But there were still many rooms left. The fourth floor had a total of seven doors, so if I checked the remaining six, I was sure to find the things I knew about. With that thought, I soothed my disappointment and closed the door.
Thud. Thud.
Almost simultaneously, I heard the sound of another door closing. I glanced to the side and saw Ahn Hyun coming out of a room, tilting his head in confusion. He met my eyes and gave a slight shrug.
Five left.
Having each explored a room, the two of us started walking again to investigate the remaining ones. After about eight steps down the corridor, we found a white-painted door. I stopped in front of it and, with a pounding heart, opened it. And then…
Slam! Slam!
That crazy bastard.
The incredible sight inside the room made me curse under my breath. I let out a sigh and closed the door. Suddenly, I worried we might come up empty-handed. I had read the records, so I had a rough idea of what equipment would be here, but I couldn't shake the feeling of "what if."
My anxiety began to accelerate when the third room also yielded nothing. In the end, Ahn Hyun and I met at the last remaining room at the same time. His face was filled with disappointment, a clear sign he was in the same boat as me.
“This is pretty discouraging, especially after all the trouble we went through to get in.”
“We're not done exploring yet. We haven't opened this one, and there are other floors. Let's just check this place and then head down.”
Ahn Hyun nodded silently as I spoke, tapping the last door.
“Yeah, Hyung. Still, the door itself looks pretty nice.”
Ahn Hyun was right. It seemed they had paid considerable attention to the living quarters, as they at least had a lived-in feel. The door before us was particularly different from the others. The frame and hinges were adorned with patterns, and it had a smooth, glossy sheen.
This seems to be the room Mavolo used. I have high hopes for this one.
“I'll open it. Let's go in.”
“Alright.”
Ahn Hyun took the lead and opened the door. It swung open smoothly without a single creak, a sign of good maintenance. The room that revealed itself was quite spacious. The first things that caught my eye were the bookshelves occupying both walls. Between them stood a wide desk, its back to a large, rectangular window.
Besides a painting on the wall and a few other pieces of furniture, this was enough to confirm my suspicions. It wasn't flashy. In fact, it was rather plain, but the deep traces of time left on everything gave it a classical, antique atmosphere. In short, it felt like a ‘mage’s room.’
Walking inside, I slowly looked around. The bookshelf on the left was packed with thick tomes, while the one on the right was, strangely, lined with hundreds of crystal balls. I used Sensing, but there was nothing hidden. I stopped in front of the desk and picked up a large book lying in the center. Then I spoke to Ahn Hyun, who was still looking around.
“Go check out that bookshelf. Look at the titles and grab any books that look like they might contain Ancient Magic.”
“Hyung, I can’t read the ancient language…”
“…Then just look around the desk.”
“Okay!”
The book in my hands was incredibly thick, suggesting it contained a vast amount of information. I checked the cover, but there was no title. After tracing the gold-trimmed corners a few times, I opened it to the first page. A full page of ancient text greeted me. I couldn't read it as fluently as the Residents, but thankfully, I had studied it to some extent during my first playthrough and was confident I could decipher about 70% of it.
I gently brushed the dust off the paper and began reading from the first paragraph.
「Today, I finally… conducted it. Although I used all the city’s residents as…, and I myself can no longer leave the city… I have no regrets. Lloyd and Margarita should be arriving around now. The time for… has come.」
「I still can't forget their captured faces. As expected, Margarita did not panic and calmly… me. I wonder if she can maintain this attitude… Heh heh.」
Could this be Mavolo’s journal? If so…
As I continued reading, I found entries detailing the invitation and kidnapping of Lloyd and Margarita. I decided to keep reading for now and turned the page.
「Today, I finally took Margarita’s virginity…. Seeing her… for the first time excited me even more. I forced Margarita in front of Lloyd…. She finally showed a different reaction. The sound of her wails filling the room…」
「Did she finally notice the…? Grazia… leading a subjugation force…. Of course, the force was…. As expected, within the city, I am no different from a god. I wanted to capture Grazia as well, but her companions were so…. In the end, I let her escape. She was quite skilled. Especially…. Still….」
「My precious Margarita. Could she have ever imagined? That the noble Elf Queen would be surrounded by monsters and forced to…. Every time I managed to draw out a new reaction from her, it was so…」
「I had a good idea. To breathe new life into Margarita, who had lost her will to live after confirming Lloyd’s death… I transformed into Grazia and pretended to rescue her…. I still can't forget it. The look on Margarita’s face as I changed back into… and she went numb. She… screamed. Hehehehe.」
“……”
I considered closing the book right then and there, but since I had read this far, I decided to endure it a little longer. It seemed better to skip the first half and focus on the latter part. I grabbed a thick chunk of pages and flipped them all at once.
「… Margarita is pregnant. Her belly grows larger by the day…. Honestly, I wasn't paying much attention… My mind is a mess.」
「In the end, Margarita gave birth to a…. I was going to crush it in front of her, but for now, I… it. It could be my child, but there’s a high chance it’s a monster’s. She and I have been together, but for the past year, she has been with the monsters more…. Rather than hatching it right away, I decided to preserve it for now. I’ll use it for blackmail. Hehehe!」
「Today, strange… entered the city. I captured them and manipulated their minds, discovering they are ‘Users.’ Users? How interesting. I must investigate further. I was just… so this is perfect.」
「Today… I decided. I will… use Mind Manipulation on Margarita as well. She might lose her true self as a queen, but I want to see… now.」
Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip! Flip!
「How much time has passed outside? The subjugation forces no longer come. Instead, the frequency of these ‘Users’ entering has increased. At first, I just killed them, but they can spit out some rather interesting…. Well, since the two of them… I’m thinking of making some…. Of course, after using Mind Manipulation….」
「This is a problem. Was it not infinite? If Margarita dies. I have to save her somehow. I will begin my research today….」
「I’ve tried various approaches, but my research shows no progress. I killed one of my subordinates in a fit of anger, but I never expected to find a path here. It seems there’s always a way. Using humans as sacrifices. I need more humans. The ones I have now are far too…. I cannot leave the city. Therefore, I… subordinates who can lure humans in from the outside.」
「…is lacking. Just as I was considering killing all my remaining subordinates, 10 fresh humans arrived. It’s…. But killing them right away would be…. I must lure these guys into the…. They say they… for…. In that case, what I… now is….」
「While inspecting the prison, I found a User daring to communicate in secret. I was… with saving Margarita, but I never thought she’d have a… in her ear. An interesting idea, but I… her in half as an example. I was running out of… to feed Margarita anyway….」
「Today, an additional 14… seems they fell for the… I set up…. But it’s still not enough….」
Thud.
“Huuu.”
Sighing, I closed the book and tightened my grip on it. The first part was mostly disgusting filth detailing Margarita’s “training,” but the latter part contained things worth reading from a mage’s or alchemist’s perspective. Vivian, in particular, might find Mavolo’s research notes very helpful, as she was also a Resident. Even a single, casually written note from a high-level mage could be a stepping stone for improving one's skills.
I hesitated for a moment but eventually relaxed my grip. If there was even a sliver of a chance it could be useful, it was better to take it. Having made up my mind, I walked over to the wall and began examining the tightly packed books.
“Hyung, did you find anything?”
“A few things. But I'm not sure yet. You?”
“Came up empty. I searched the desk and drawers, but there's nothing useful.”
“I'll look some more. Go check what those crystal balls in the back are.”
Ahn Hyun replied, “Yes, Hyung,” as I scanned the book titles, then walked behind me.
About five minutes passed. I was in the middle of pulling out a few books that might be helpful for Hayeon and stacking them up. Suddenly, a strange moan drifted to my ears from behind me.
(Mavolo de Ailight. I can’t believe you’ve done this. It’s not too late. If you are truly my comrade….)
“Uh, uh.”
“Ahn Hyun? What are you doing over there?”
“H-Hyung. Th-this is…”
Ahn Hyun stammered, his face flustered. I looked over to see what was happening and saw images flowing from several of the neatly arranged crystal balls. The objects on the bookshelf were video-playback crystals.
“Did you touch those?”
“Y-yes. I saw they were playback crystals, so I just turned on a few that caught my eye… and suddenly these weird scenes…”
(Please, Mavolo! It’s not too late. If you repent for your sins and release us now….)
(Are you enjoying this despicable act? I’m disappointed in you, Mavolo de Ailight. I misjudged you. You truly are irredeemable trash. You may have my body, but you will never have my heart.)
(No, no! I don’t want to be taken by monsters! Lloyd! Help me, Lloyd!)
(Haaa… Haaaaa….)
I was an idiot for having any expectations.
For the first time, I felt a slight regret for killing Mavolo de Ailight so easily. To think he not only kept records but also saved videos. This was an act that surpassed even Belphegor. A shiver ran down my spine at his crazed obsession, and I immediately walked toward the crystals. All the while, the crystals Ahn Hyun had activated here and there continued to play.
(Grazia! You came to save me! Thank you so… Grazia…? Ma…bo…lo?)
(Llooooyd!)
(Heh… Hehe….)
(Hngh, uh, uh, yes! L-Lord, Ma-bo-lo! Ahh! It feels gooood! Harder, harder…! Haaah! Aaaah!)
“Hyung. Is this by any chance the Elf Queen you told me about?”
“Ahn Hyun. Step back.”
“Y-yes?”
“Get behind me. You'll get hurt.”
I spoke calmly and stood in the very center of the wall. In front of me, a crystal in the middle row was playing a scene of Margarita hugging Mavolo tightly while vigorously shaking her hips. I drew my right knee up to my chest, gathered my magic, and unleashed a powerful kick into the air.
BOOM!
I slammed my foot forward. The empty space before me rippled violently, and an intense shockwave washed over the entire wall.
CRASH! SHATTER!
The bookshelf attached to the wall splintered into pieces, and the force of the impact shattered every single crystal ball that had been resting on it. The fragments flew into the air before starting to rain down.
Shhh… Shhh…
As the last of the scattered fragments settled on the floor, I handed all the books I was holding to Ahn Hyun.
“Ahn Hyun. Put all of these in your bag.”
“Ah. Yes, Hyung. But…”
“?”
“That woman in the crystal just now. Is she really the Elf Queen?”
I was about to give a slight nod as I watched Ahn Hyun hastily shove the books into his bag.
Th-th-th-thump!
Suddenly, I sensed someone rushing down the corridor outside.
As I stared at the doorway, Lee Yoojung burst in, a katana in one hand, looking like she was ready to tear someone apart. Her face was frantic, but she looked bewildered when she saw Ahn Hyun and me standing there calmly.
“Yoojung, what's wrong?”
“O-Oppa. Are you okay? I suddenly heard something explode.”
“Ah. It's nothing. Everything's fine.”
“I see…”
Lee Yoojung looked at the crystal shards littering the floor with an awkward expression. Then, as if remembering something, her head shot up.
“Oh, Oppa. Are you done exploring the fourth floor?”
“Almost. You?”
“Yeonju-unni and I are both done. And she told me to come get you quickly.”
“Really? Did you find something?”
“Yeah. I found one thing, and Yeonju-unni found one. But I think it's better to check the second floor first.”
Hearing the conviction in Lee Yoojung's voice, I decided to wrap up the fourth-floor exploration for now. I'd thought the items I remembered were most likely on the fourth floor, but it seemed they were on another floor after all.
At Lee Yoojung's insistent gaze, I gave a quiet nod. Ahn Hyun and I then followed her out of the room.
*
We hurried down the stairs and reached the second floor, where I saw Ko Yeonju waiting for me in front of a room with her arms crossed. Sensing our approach, she turned her head and waved one hand.
“You're here. Did you find anything on the fourth floor?”
“Not nothing, but they're things we'll have to look into later. What about you, Ko Yeonju? Was there anything on the second floor?”
“Hoho. You're in such a hurry. It's in this room, so come and see for yourself. You'll probably be surprised.”
Sensing the impatience in my tone and pace, Ko Yeonju answered with a gentle laugh. I approached her and immediately peered into the room.
The inside of the room was spotless. It was so clean it looked as if this area alone had been deliberately tidied; there was even a difference in the color of the floor inside and outside the doorframe. But that wasn't what was important. My Third Eye was already active. The moment I raised my gaze, I felt the others peeking over my shoulder from behind.
『Caligo Abraxas』
『Paradisus Plate Mail』
『Orthros Long Boots』
『Brilliant Flash: Laura Phyllis』
『Garment Woven from Yggdrasil Leaves』
『Rhiza Boots』
『Headband of Purity』
『Severed Wings of the Elf Queen (12 pairs)』
『Mage of the Blue Moon (Book, Secret Class)』
『Dawn Gladiator (Sword, Rare Class)』
『Moon Spirit』
『Tyrfing』
The instant I scanned the room's interior, messages filled with all sorts of information began to fill the air. I stared at them, dumbfounded, as Ko Yeonju's languid voice echoed beside me.
“Amazing, isn't it? You can tell just by looking that they have an extraordinary aura. It seems…”
“This is…”
“Congratulations, Soohyun. You insisted on coming inside, and it looks like you've hit the jackpot on this expedition, too.”
Hearing Ko Yeonju's words, I finally felt like we had found one of the troves.