Chapter 77 — Sanctuary
Chapter 77 — Sanctuary
Translation: GodTL
After Adil left.
To keep my promise to the children, I went down to the first floor where the dining area was and told them about today's events.
The children listened as if hearing an exciting heroic tale.
Even after the story ended, they pestered me, asking if there were any other stories.
In the end, I was held captive by the children for nearly an hour telling stories before I could finally escape.
"Yaaawn."
The moment I returned to my room, I threw myself onto the bed.
Though my entire body was exhausted enough to fall asleep immediately, sleep didn't come easily because the conversation I'd had with Adil kept swirling in my head.
'A secret space Bellium created underground...'
Considering various contexts, it was far more likely that something related to me would be in that secret underground space rather than the statue.
Just what kind of place could that secret space be?
I couldn't say for sure, but it probably had connections to Bellium or contained precious artifacts of Elysium, including relics left behind by Bellium.
Perhaps among them was the object that helped me catch the wyvern yesterday.
There was also a high probability that the object which brought me to this world was there.
But what could it possibly be?
With thoughts endlessly tangling together, I ended up losing sleep that night.
And the next day.
Having barely slept, I woke late and had a late breakfast at the inn's dining area.
According to Adil yesterday, he was going to gather materials that might help me and come here by this morning.
Given that he still hadn't appeared by this hour, perhaps the task was taking longer than expected.
Or maybe he was sleeping in from exhaustion.
In any case, after finishing my meal.
I waited for Adil while sipping a cup of tea.
Just as I was about to take my first sip of freshly brewed tea, the door opened and Adil entered.
Perhaps having rushed here from his home, Adil leaned against the wall as soon as he entered, panting heavily.
"Huff... Sorry... for being late. You've been... waiting long?"
Still catching his breath, Adil asked me.
Having said yesterday that he'd sort through the materials, dark circles now hung heavily under his eyes.
"Not at all. I just finished eating and was about to have some tea. Would you like a cup, Adil?"
"If you don't mind, Min-jun."
After steadying his breath, Adil sat across from me with a cup of coffee.
"Did you sleep well last night?"
"No. I kept thinking about what secrets might be hidden there and ended up losing sleep. How about you, Adil?"
"I couldn't sleep even if I wanted to. I spent the whole night organizing the materials I'd gathered, agonizing over which ones might help you."
Though dark circles filled the space under his eyes, the bright gleam in Adil's gaze suggested his efforts had borne fruit.
"Did you... find anything useful?"
"Of course!"
He seemed to have made a discovery satisfying enough to feel exhilaration.
"Let's finish this and get going. I'm already itching to tell you everything."
After tea time, Adil guided me to his house to show me the materials he'd compiled.
Perhaps because it was the caretaker of the Statue of Bellium's residence, his home was also located very close to the statue.
Upon entering Adil's house, I saw books and miscellaneous items strewn about haphazardly, as if he hadn't had time to tidy up.
"Sorry for the mess. Please bear with me."
Following Adil's lead, I entered his study, where he picked up several books and a notebook from his desk.
"First, after reviewing the materials, I regret to say there were absolutely no mentions of Earth, the world you came from."
"What about references to other worlds besides Earth?"
"Unfortunately, no. There weren't any ancient texts that even mentioned other dimensions at all."
I'd secretly held some hope, but it was disappointing.
Perhaps noticing my disappointment, Adil quickly changed the subject.
"But as I mentioned earlier, I did find records that might be useful to you. For example, information about the aura that only you could see the day before yesterday."
Adil flipped through his notebook, searching for something, then opened a thick tome and showed it to me.
"Right here, this passage."
On the page Adil opened, it was written:
<If there exists one who has witnessed the mysterious radiance yet unrevealed to the world,>
"'Do not hesitate—bring him before me at any time.'"
"...That radiance—could it be—?"
"You're likely correct in your assumption. Considering the context of this passage and other historical records, the 'radiance' mentioned here is almost certainly the same light you witnessed the day before yesterday."
Adil explained that this had long been an enigmatic passage, and he was overjoyed that my presence had finally provided a clue to deciphering it.
"Then, Adil, how should we interpret the phrase 'bring him before me'?"
"This is merely speculation, but I believe it refers to granting access to the deepest part of the secret chamber beneath Lord Bellium's statue—the 'Sanctuary.'"
Putting everything together, it seemed Bellium had been waiting for someone like me all along.
Which meant my arrival here was no coincidence.
"Anyone recognized as a member of Elysium may enter the Sanctuary itself. However, the lowest level is strictly off-limits—not just to outsiders, but even to Elysium's own residents. Only those who pass a rigorous selection process are permitted entry."
"Just what could be down there...?"
Catching my murmured question, Adil answered plainly.
"In the deepest part of the Sanctuary... lies Lord Bellium's remains."
"Then, the line in the book—'bring him before me at any time'—"
"Likely means exactly what it says."
Even after his death, Bellium's will remained: Bring that person before my remains, no matter when.
That was the only interpretation that made sense.
"There's definitely some kind of connection between me and Elysium. I just don't know what it is yet."
I could almost grasp a crucial clue—but it remained frustratingly out of reach.
"I agree. Ah, Min-jun, would you look at this passage as well?"
Adil flipped the page and showed me another line:
'I shall grant that one the sight of yet another radiance.'
"This suggests that Lord Bellium intended to bestow another power upon the one who witnessed that 'radiance.'"
"But... Lord Bellium is no longer in this world, is he?"
How could someone who died tens of thousands of years ago possibly grant anything?
Yet, upon reflection, it wasn't entirely impossible.
Bellium might have left behind instructions for someone like me—or, like in the Garden of the Dragon Sword, a lingering will could remain.
No sooner had the thought crossed my mind—
"A faint remnant of Lord Bellium's will still lingers in the lowest chamber where his remains rest."
"...!!!"
I had suspected as much, but to hear it confirmed—
The revelation sent a thrill through me.
If his will still existed, then just like with Minos in the Garden of the Dragon Sword, I might be able to speak with him directly and learn why I was called here.
But that hope was short-lived.
"However, whether due to the passage of millennia or some other influence... it's so faint that it could vanish at any moment."
Adil dashed my expectations completely.
"Then... would it be possible to converse with him...?"
"Unlikely. If we could speak with his lingering will, I would have done so long ago."
Adil's disappointment was palpable.
As a historian, he admitted that the chance to speak with Bellium—who held the answers to Elysium's past—would have been a dream come true.
But he cautioned me not to get my hopes up.
In simple terms, Bellium's will was like a comatose patient on the verge of death—barely clinging to existence.
"...What a shame."
"Still, I'm certain this will be of great help to you, Min-jun. Is there anything else you'd like to know about Lord Bellium or the Sanctuary?"
"I think this is enough for now. If I have more questions later, I'll ask."
"Understood."
Adil bowed politely.
"Ah, before that—the items you requested yesterday. If you hand them over, I'll deliver them to the elders for you."
Ah, right. Yesterday, I'd promised to provide a few mundane Earth items, no matter how trivial.
"Of course. Here you go."
I rummaged through my subspace and pulled out some common Earth goods, briefly explaining their names and uses to Adil.
Throughout the explanation, his eyes sparkled like a curious child's as he diligently took notes.
Then—
"Now, I'll guide you to the statue before leading you into the Sanctuary."
I followed Adil toward the Statue of Bellium.
My heart pounded—yet, alongside the excitement, there was an odd, comforting familiarity.
The same sensation I'd felt when first seeing the statue washed over me again as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Seizing the opportunity, I decided to ask Adil about the peculiar feeling.
"By any chance, Mr. Adil... have others ever mentioned feeling something like this in front of the statue or inside the Sanctuary? The sensation I'm talking about is..."
As I described what I was experiencing, Adil fell silent in thought before eventually shaking his head.
"No, unfortunately not."
"That's a shame."
"Still, it's fascinating. Even after hearing your explanation, I can't quite grasp what kind of sensation that must be."
Exactly.
I couldn't tell if I was getting closer to the truth or just going in circles.
At any rate, it didn't seem like I'd learn anything more here.
After slowly circling the statue once, Adil guided me to the hidden passage leading to the Sanctuary.
From the outside, it looked like nothing more than an ordinary break room for staff—the kind you'd find at any tourist site. But once we stepped inside and rolled back the rug, a secret staircase descending underground was revealed.
I figured that once we reached the bottom, we'd arrive at the hidden space known as the Sanctuary.
At first, I assumed the stairs would be the only obstacle, but even after descending, we encountered several security measures.
"The security is thorough."
"Well, given the nature of the place, it can't be helped. It's inconvenient, but necessary to keep unauthorized outsiders from wandering in."
Only after unlocking the final mechanism and riding a mana-operated elevator down for quite some time did the mystical hidden space of Elysium—the Sanctuary—finally unfold before my eyes.
It felt as though a massive underground lair, large enough to house an entire Dragon family, had been repurposed into a refuge.
Since Bellium himself had created this space, it must have existed for tens of thousands of years at the very least.
Yet, despite its age, the interior was remarkably well-maintained—so much so that it was hard to believe just how ancient it truly was.
"So, Mr. Min-jun, what are your first impressions of the Sanctuary?"
"It's... much larger than I expected. I'm honestly stunned."
The word "hidden space" alone didn't do it justice.
When I first heard it was underground, I imagined something modest in scale—but this was practically an entire subterranean city.
I doubted anyone could see this place for the first time and not be left speechless.
Adil nodded and began explaining the origins of Elysium.
"The Sanctuary was created by Lord Bellium to ensure the safety of Elysium's citizens. Since the city was founded by exiles gathered from all corners of the continent, there were always those who viewed it with disdain. Even with Lord Bellium, a Dragon, standing as its protector, the early years saw frequent invasions from outside forces."
And so, Adil's impromptu history lesson began.
"That's bold. Unless they were Dragons themselves, I can't imagine anyone daring to attack a city under a Dragon's protection."
Adil nodded in agreement.
"According to records, such audacious invaders did exist in the early days. Some were unaware that Lord Bellium stood as its guardian, while others knew full well but had been sent on assassination missions, slipping into the village undercover."
Guess there are reckless people everywhere, whether on Earth or here.
But then again, Elysium was a gathering place for the hated—so it made sense.
"Because of this, Lord Bellium repeatedly witnessed the innocent citizens suffering. It's said that the tears he shed during those times became the very relic you absorbed—'Bellium's Tears.'"
I had no idea such a legend was tied to the relic I'd taken in.
"Is there any chance that legend might be true?"
"Highly unlikely."
Well, that's why it's a legend, I suppose.
"At any rate, this Sanctuary was built by Lord Bellium to protect Elysium's people. Over time, repairs and modifications were inevitable, altering its original form—but we've done our best to preserve it as closely as possible."
For the citizens of Elysium, this was undoubtedly their most sacred and significant space.
I couldn't help but feel a sense of reverence.
"Thanks to this, despite being geographically and historically prone to invasions, Elysium has managed to survive for tens of thousands of years without falling, preserving its history and traditions."
Adil seemed to take great pride in that fact.
And honestly, I could see why.
"The fact that a refuge built tens of thousands of years ago still serves its purpose is a point of immense pride for us. Though it's bittersweet that even now, we still have to retreat here whenever threats arise."
Just listening to Adil made it clear how often Elysium had been targeted.
"Now that we've covered the history, shall we properly explore the interior?"