Chapter 71
Chapter 71
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 71
Chapter Title: Abandoned Mine (9)
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The completely severed upper body flopped pathetically onto the ground and rolled off into the distance, while the lone lower half came to a halt.
The moment the leader was bisected and died, the surrounding earth puppets that had been thudding toward them froze in unison.
In the sudden silence, Lilia asked cautiously.
"Is it... really over?"
"Yes, it is."
Galen replied with firm conviction.
Whether the enemy was playing dead and plotting something could be confirmed by the experience points, so there was no need to worry.
Even while clearing away the surrounding puppets and blocking approaches, Water Flow Manipulation had kept accumulating experience, and it leveled up once more after taking down the leader.
Vanity Inferno, used only once but crucial in ultimately dismembering the leader, had its contributions recognized and leveled up as well.
Spirit Creation, which had run out of mana before heading to take down the leader, didn't gain any separate experience, but it had grown the most from its earlier exploits, so that was satisfying enough.
Savoring the familiar sensation of leveling up for a moment, Galen summoned the spirit.
Ssslruk—
The water giant, having completed its mission, curled inward.
Spirit Creation's mana was consumed when 'altering' the spirit's form, so shrinking it required mana too.
With his mana truly depleted now, the shrinking process was slow. It recovered bit by bit even as it was used bit by bit.
Still, Lilia knew well that Galen recalling the spirit meant the battle was truly over.
"Haaah."
Lilia let out a sigh of relief as the tension drained from her, dispersing her radiant sword.
"That was really tough this time... Even more than the Devil's Cradle."
Hunting pirates in the Dawn Archipelago hadn't been easy, but objectively speaking, Galen had shouldered the hard fight against the ghost war machines.
Lilia's role had been sweeping up the lesser pirates and suppressing the Seven Assassins at the end, so she'd only faced foes weaker than herself.
The last time she'd truly felt her life in danger was back when she'd clashed with Moritz.
She was a step stronger now than then, yet this had been even harder—proof of just how horrific this ruin was.
"But we gained a lot in return for the hardship."
"That's true!"
At Galen's consolation—that wasn't quite consolation—Lilia beamed brightly in an instant.
"Guess I got my New Year's gift early!"
"If you get it twice, you're in for trouble."
It wasn't for Galen to say, but Lilia was showing utterly absurd growth speed.
It had been barely four months since her upgrade from priestess to bishop in the Devil's Cradle.
And now she was upgraded again.
On par with Vice-Archbishop Roald, who'd trained her—surpassing even Myra.
She'd already made church history as a teenage bishop; who knew if she'd hit archbishop before twenty.
"It's all thanks to you, brother!"
"Nah, I think it's just Lilia being amazing."
"It's true though..."
Galen couldn't pinpoint what he'd even done, but since Lilia insisted, he let it slide.
In the meantime, the steadily shrinking spirit finally fit neatly in his palm, adorably small.
Galen used Water Flow Manipulation to draw it in, grasping it with his left hand. The soft, squishy blob shifted with a slrrk, wrapping around his wrist.
"Anyway, let's head back."
"Yeah!"
Even strolling leisurely, nothing troubled them anymore.
Crossing the cavern, the pair returned to the expedition.
Naturally, the fighting here was over too, and cleanup was in full swing.
The four leaders, who had collapsed haphazardly on the ground without a care for appearances, noticed their approach and hastily got up, brushing themselves off.
They looked rough, but their limbs were intact—a decent outcome, all things considered.
"...You made it back safe."
Alon spoke in a hoarse voice, while Veron gave a light nod with half-lidded eyes.
The two reeked of exhaustion, but beyond that, Galen caught a faint awkwardness. He couldn't miss the sharp perceptiveness honed from years as an attendant.
Noting it but saying nothing, Galen stayed silent.
'Well, of course they'd feel awkward around me.'
Everyone agreed smashing the ruin's core before the expedition collapsed was best, leaving no choice but to send Galen.
Now that it was done, regret was setting in. You can't feel the same before and after using the bathroom.
The ideal for the expedition would've been Galen smashing the core and heroically dying. No need to share treasure then.
But he'd returned unscratched, complicating their thoughts.
Complaining now? They'd lose on principle and strength alike.
"You look totally fine, for real."
"Impressive. Truly."
Akanksha and Sachet, at least, seemed to have let go of regrets, acting cool about it.
Who knew if they were crying inside, but points for not showing it.
Come to think of it, Steelwall had shown more greed than Red Rock Alliance from the start.
Galen shrugged in response.
"I have to be. Unlike you all, one hit and I'm dead. Best to avoid them entirely."
"I meant you don't look tired at all, injuries aside. Good work, anyway."
"How's the expedition holding up?"
Lilia asked. Akanksha smiled faintly.
"No major losses. No deaths, some injuries but nothing irreversible. Your priests are helping too."
"Then I'll lend a hand!"
Exhausted herself, she hurried off to tend the wounded—a model cleric through and through.
Priestess or bishop, she never changed, which was why Galen trusted her as a comrade.
Watching her go for a moment, Galen turned to the leaders.
"Once you've handled the rest, wrap up the search and let's go."
"Go?"
"We found the treasure. No need to stick around."
No matter how vast the cavern, it was pitch-black underground.
Not ideal for rest, wounded or not.
Treasure secured, defenses offline—come back anytime to haul it out.
They could carry it now, but turning battle-worn folks into porters right away? No.
"...Fair point."
"Agreed."
The leaders consented.
After about thirty minutes' rest, the expedition—leaving the injured behind—sent the able-bodied to finish searching the cavern.
They'd circled half along one wall earlier; now the other side.
Reaching the entrance, they found nothing.
No warehouse, nothing worth taking. The one was plenty, though.
Finishing the wall search, they moved to the center.
The intact-looking earth puppets startled the members.
Crush!
Appearances only. They didn't move; a kick crumbled them like sandcastles.
With the ruin's functions halted, their absurd durability vanished too.
But the debris shocked them more.
"Nothing to say to this..."
Veron muttered with a low sigh.
After Galen and Lilia left, the four had given their all defending the expedition.
They could've claimed, 'Church smashed the core, but we humans and earth fairies bought time.'
But the shattered puppets at the center? Too many.
It screamed they'd smashed through all this to reach the core—embarrassing to claim mere time-buying.
In the end, the search only elevated Galen and Lilia further.
Thus concluded the ruin exploration.
When the expedition exited the ruin, it was still afternoon, well before sunset.
Even so, the leaders called for early rest.
Galen and Lilia did nothing but crash and recover.
The next day.
The last day of late winter—and the year—dawned.
"Just to be safe, we'll resurvey the ruin once more."
Alon announced at the morning meeting after breakfast.
"We didn't spot anything odd leaving yesterday, but the passages twisted midway, right? Functions off—maybe new paths opened."
"Meaning another secret treasure room? Will the earth fairies join?"
"Of course. Just in case."
"We'll sit this out then. No need for us to tag along."
Just poking around regretting the end—no need to indulge.
The expedition seemed half-hearted too. Alon and Akanksha resting; only Veron and Sachet going.
Guards from yesterday's entrance duty rotating in, so oversight left to two priests.
After watching the second team enter, Galen and Lilia strolled near camp, resting.
Chatting about insights from the ruin.
"Remember watching Bishop Roald purify that war machine? It was a blessing miracle."
"Yeah. You said it felt unprepared then."
"I kinda got the sense, but not how to use it. Then I met Akanksha."
"Earth fairies related?"
"Couldn't articulate it at first, but your explanation clicked. You said earth power feels like donning invisible armor all over, right? Blessing miracle's the same vibe— it hit me!"
"I see."
"Right at entry, it was almost there, missing one piece... Then you staggered, panic hit, and somehow it worked?"
"Ah, that moment..."
"So yeah, all thanks to you—every bit true!"
Insight from nothing much, panic usually tangles things, yet hers unraveled.
Clearly just Lilia's talent, but she credited Galen—embarrassing yet grateful.
Kindness begets kindness. Galen returned praise.
"Thanks to you, I gained one more safely."
"Huh? What?"
"This."
Glancing around, confirming clear, Galen extended a hand to the ground between them.
The earth poked up, birthing a small mud golem.
Toy-sized, but sprouting from solid ground was key.
"Whoa?"
Lilia's eyes widened round.
"This... like the ruin's?"
"Yep. Overload from the insight made my head spin briefly."
"Whoa, for real! Unfair! Total cheat!"
Puffing her cheeks—who was calling who?—Lilia soon relaxed.
"But I'm happy I helped. Even if I don't know how!"
"What matters is I felt it that way. Like you said."
Galen grinned.
"Anyway, good luck next year too."
"You too!"
Lilia beamed back brightly.