Chapter 598: Third Record (1)

Translator: RaidenTL

Chapter 598: Third Record (1)

Chapter eleven of the rift of Basement Floor One.

Well, I guess it was chapter three from my perspective, but whatever.

The clear condition of this chapter was simple. After saving Erwen and I, we just needed to survive in the city for the night. By the way, this information was revealed to us by the Wizard Gahuin's hint ability.

"Being able to know that just on instinct," I asked carefully, "could you explain that in more detail?"

"Haha, I also wish to be able to...but I lack the words to describe it any deeper than that."

"Then don't try to describe it and just answer my questions with either yes or no. Can you do that?"

"Well, we'll have to wait here until nightfall either way. Let's try it."

"Is it something like a voice you hear inside your head?"

"Hmm, not at all."

"Then does the information come to you when you see something?"

"Not that either. Every time the location changes, I immediately feel as if I need to be doing something... Ah, of course, I have those feelings again whenever I obtain a clue or new pieces of information."

"I see."

I asked about twenty more questions to the old man and came to the ultimate conclusion that this ability of his really was just an instinct the wizard now possessed.

It's as if his Sixth Sense stat increased specifically for clearing the rift.

That was as far as I could explain this ability to the best of my knowledge.

There was no denying that it was, of course, a useful ability, but I still came to the conclusion that relying solely on it could lead us to a devastating loss.

"I must say...you have quite an inquiring mind. I was quite surprised," Gahuin Versilus said as he let out a hearty laugh.

But I knew what he actually meant.

Can you stop bothering me now?

I didn't know why all these nobles talked in such a roundabout way like this.

"One last question," I stated.

"...What is it?"

"Do you know what will happen if we leave the city before nightfall?"

"There's no point giving a yes or no answer to this one. We cannot leave the city before that time anyway."

"We can't leave?"

"There is a high-ranking dimensional magic that can't be taken as any ordinary barrier magic that's surrounding the entire city. Other people can come and go as they wish, but we cannot cross that boundary."

"I see... As promised, that was my last question, thank you. Have a good rest."

"Oh hoh..." Gahuin seemed to have been waiting for me to say that, as he didn't say anything else and went to rest by himself in a corner.

I watched as he grabbed his hip while slowly crouching, then found myself mildly amused even as a different question came to mind.

Why does the old man look like that?

This was why I couldn't immerse myself into the story. Erwen was taking the role of the younger sister and looked like a young child, yet the old man, who should be her older brother in the story, still looked like an old man.

Wait, how did he go to the academy looking like that in the first place?

It would've been like seeing a grandpa wearing a school uniform and taking a lesson among the other children, so how did no one think that was odd?

My curiosity was piqued, intrigued by what Gahuin Versilus's chapter one experience was like, but I decided to ask him later when we had time again. I got the feeling he would just get pissed off if I tried to ask him now.

And I had other people I could be talking to as well.

"Archbishop Hesteia."

"...Yes, Lord Baron. What is it?"

"I just want to have a talk."

When I squatted to sit next to the archbishop, he seemed a little avoidant, as he scooched a little to the side. "If this is about my ability, I have already told you everything there was to it before, so there is nothing else I can—"

"Doesn't matter. I'm not here to ask about that."

"Then...?" The archbishop looked at me with curiosity in his eyes. It seemed that he expected me to annoy him just as I did with Gahuin just then, but what I wanted to ask him was something completely different.

"I want to ask about the internal workings of the Reatlas Church."

"You mean...the work of my church?" When I threw a subtle glance at him and caught his eye, his face immediately hardened. If he was like a friendly neighborhood grandpa before, he was now emitting the pressure of a businessman sitting across the table for negotiation. "Then...speak first."

It wasn't a sure agreement or denial.

With that, I tried to test the waters first. "I'm curious about the position of Sven Parav in the church," I began.

"The position of Sir Parav..." he trailed off, before continuing, "I'm afraid I'm having trouble understanding. Could you tell me what your intentions are in asking that?"

His eyes were too fierce for a member of the clergy. So the archbishop had no intention of answering that bait of a question. There was only one method left to me.

"Your Excellency, it seems that every one of the clergy, including you, hates Sven Parav and is harassing him. So—"

"Is that what Sir Parav told you, Lord Baron?"

"He didn't tell me. That's just what it looks like to me."

"Hmm, is that so?" The archbishop seemed to go into thought for a second before his eyes sharpened once again, focusing back on me. "You're mistaken."

"A mistake?"

"Yes."

"But from what I see—"

"Even if it looks so in your eyes, it is still a misunderstanding. So I believe that you should focus only on what you should be doing, Lord Baron."

"Uh..."

"In any case, this is an internal matter of the church. Is it not?"

I didn't like the way he looked at me or the way he spoke, but I didn't show any outward reaction and stepped away with a hesitant, "Sure."

The first reason for this was that I got flustered. I didn't expect the archbishop to react so strongly. And the second reason...

It's even more suspicious with how angry he's getting.

That reaction of his was enough of a gain for me. If Sven was merely being used as a disposable pawn because he was an evil spirit, there would be no reason for him to go this far.

Then there must be another reason...

Hmm, then what was that reason?

As I thought it over, I noticed Gahuin glancing at me while leaning on his wall in the corner. It seemed that he was paying attention to my conversation with the archbishop. When I met his eyes, he just let out a cough and turned away before closing his eyes.

My curiosity was piqued, intrigued by what Gahuin Versilus's chapter one experience was like, but I decided to ask him later when we had time again. I got the feeling he would just get pissed off if I tried to ask him now.

And I had other people I could be talking to as well.

"Archbishop Hesteia."

"...Yes, Lord Baron. What is it?"

"I just want to have a talk."

When I squatted to sit next to the archbishop, he seemed a little avoidant, as he scooched a little to the side. "If this is about my ability, I have already told you everything there was to it before, so there is nothing else I can—"

"Doesn't matter. I'm not here to ask about that."

"Then...?" The archbishop looked at me with curiosity in his eyes. It seemed that he expected me to annoy him just as I did with Gahuin just then, but what I wanted to ask him was something completely different.

"I want to ask about the internal workings of the Reatlas Church."

"You mean...the work of my church?" When I threw a subtle glance at him and caught his eye, his face immediately hardened. If he was like a friendly neighborhood grandpa before, he was now emitting the pressure of a businessman sitting across the table for negotiation. "Then...speak first."

It wasn't a sure agreement or denial.

With that, I tried to test the waters first. "I'm curious about the position of Sven Parav in the church," I began.

"The position of Sir Parav..." he trailed off, before continuing, "I'm afraid I'm having trouble understanding. Could you tell me what your intentions are ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠in asking that?"

His eyes were too fierce for a member of the clergy. So the archbishop had no intention of answering that bait of a question. There was only one method left to me.

"Your Excellency, it seems that every one of the clergy, including you, hates Sven Parav and is harassing him. So—"

"Is that what Sir Parav told you, Lord Baron?"

"He didn't tell me. That's just what it looks like to me."

"Hmm, is that so?" The archbishop seemed to go into thought for a second before his eyes sharpened once again, focusing back on me. "You're mistaken."

"A mistake?"

"Yes."

"But from what I see—"

"Even if it looks so in your eyes, it is still a misunderstanding. So I believe that you should focus only on what you should be doing, Lord Baron."

"Uh..."

"In any case, this is an internal matter of the church. Is it not?"

I didn't like the way he looked at me or the way he spoke, but I didn't show any outward reaction and stepped away with a hesitant, "Sure."

The first reason for this was that I got flustered. I didn't expect the archbishop to react so strongly. And the second reason...

It's even more suspicious with how angry he's getting.

That reaction of his was enough of a gain for me. If Sven was merely being used as a disposable pawn because he was an evil spirit, there would be no reason for him to go this far.

Then there must be another reason...

Hmm, then what was that reason?

As I thought it over, I noticed Gahuin glancing at ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠me while leaning on his wall in the corner. It seemed that he was paying attention to my conversation with the archbishop. When I met his eyes, he just let out a cough and turned away before closing his eyes.

...Let's rest as well.

After that, I went next to Erwen and spent my time resting.

"Sir Versilus. It's been a while since the sun has set. How much longer do we have to wait?"

When nothing happened even as night fell, we had a short discussion before deciding to exit the basement and go up to the surface, following Gahuin's feeling that we should check outside.

"So here's where you were hiding! I've been looking for you for so long!"

A knight who had been walking around alone in the empty house looked at us... No, to be precise, he looked at Gahuin before approaching him with open arms.

"Who are you...?"

"Haha! Who am I? Do you not recognize me because we haven't seen each other in so long?" The knight sounded very happy to see him as he took off his helmet.

Judging by his reaction, Gahuin didn't seem to know who this person was supposed to be even with his role as the older brother.

"Mister, I've met that person before. He was the imperial knight who helped me when I escaped from the village. It's that knight."

"Haha, seems the young lady hasn't grown as much since the last time we met."

Erwen recognized the unknown knight.

"Yandel, same with you as well."

Fortunately, I recognized him as well.

"Escort a girl. Help her reach her destination."

Although his face was marked by the passage of time, I realized that he was the knight who had given me the escort request in chapter one.

Even so, that wasn't the part that surprised me. Hiding Erwen in a cave and asking me to escort her? That was plausible. And it made sense that he would be friends with Gahuin who had the role of the older brother in this rift. What really surprised me was what he said next.

"Ah, there's a few new faces here as well. I'll introduce myself."

The knight gave us his name with a bright smile.

"I am Ravigion Kommelby Rafdonia."

As soon as the name that boggled the minds of all residents of this world was dropped, a round of shock responses burst forth.

"Ah..."

"Uh..."

"Ehm..."

This old man was the Immortal King?

***

The Immortal King, Ravigion III.

The person who had saved the territory of Rafdonia, which was but a single territory, from the End to create the final citadel of the continent.

The village chief told me that he had done so only because he had a, in his words, "good friend" ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and diminished his accomplishments, but it didn't change the fact that he was a historic individual.

"You can just call me Ravigion. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And the friend of my friend is also my friend, aren't they?"

His easygoing personality made me feel even more awkward. In my mind, the Immortal King was a charismatic monster who exuded an impossible level of presence and pressure.

"Alright, then—"

"Wait! Could we perhaps have a small discussion...? I mean, can we?" Gahuin, who had the role of "his friend," couldn't control his turbulent emotions and ended up tripping over his words.

"A discussion... I'll leave you lot alone for a moment."

"You don't..." Gahuin sputtered. "You don't need to. I can just use magic."

"Do as you wish. But I suggest you finish as quickly as possible. We don't know when the imperial soldiers will barge in."

"Don't worry... We'll... We'll finish soon."

After obtaining the knight's permission, Gahuin immediately cast voice control magic before rushing to say, "He's... D-does everyone think he's real? Th-the words that m-m-man said...!"

The archbishop was the first to respond. "Maybe it is just his name that is the same. The fact that Ravigion III existed means that Ravigion II and Ravigion I also existed, correct?"

"Ah, th-that's...true. That's true..."

Only then did it seem like the wizard's brain began to function again. Gahuin began to speak to himself as if to collect his thoughts.

"I heard that the first Castellan and the seventeenth Castellan used the name Ravigion. Since this is the bloodline before the final citadel was created, his middle name is not known... Yeah, there is a possibility he could be one of the two..."

I could sense that Gahuin was trying his best to gather as much information as possible to deny his reality. But of course, the village chief mercilessly cut him off.

"Sir Versilus, calm down. This is already the period in which the witch appeared. There is no chance that this is Ravigion I or Ravigion II."

"A-ah..."

"If you are truly curious, ask him the name of his wife. Well, if that man is impersonating the Immortal King, none of this will matter."

"Th-then I will deactivate the voice control magic."

With that, Gahuin turned off his magic. However, because he was shaking so badly that he couldn't even look the knight in the eyes, I was the one who asked him the question.

"Ravigion, what is the name of your wife?"

"Ah... I suppose you could be suspecting that I am someone else impersonating myself."

"Give me your answer first."

"Karnon," he answered firmly. "That is the name of my wife. She is overseeing my territory while I have vacated its seat. I'm carrying out what you have requested of me."

"What's been requested of you...?" Gahuin tilted his head as if he had no idea what he was talking about, and the village chief coughed to signal to me.

Ah, now that I think about it, he did say that during the previous chapters, there were moments where things went wrong because they didn't act like their characters...

There was no need to make the Immortal King, who we suspected to be a helpful NPC, feel that something was off.

"Anyway, take this," he said, placing something in Gahuin's hands.

"What is this...?"

"Hmm...you are quite odd today. This is the object you requested from me. After calling me all the way here as well."

"Ah! Th-that's right...?" Gahuin looked dumbfounded as he received the black jewel.

Shwaaa!

The jewel immediately began to emit a black fog. I instinctively tried to step back from the sudden phenomenon, but my body refused to move.

What the—? Is this a betrayal?

The possibility crossed my mind, but thankfully, the expression on the Immortal King's face was one of genuine worry.

"To be honest...I still don't know." Gahuin stared at the king in bewilderment as he continued, "Even if that object works properly and lets you get to the Great Demon Realm in one piece, and you meet with the evil god..."

He suddenly began to talk. Even without the hint ability of the wizard, I could immediately understand what he was trying to say.

"There is no guarantee that the evil god will fulfill your wish."

This was the mission of the next chapter.

"I will leave before the imperial soldiers get here. I bid you good fortune."

And then, the world faded to black.

...Let's rest as well.

After that, I went next to Erwen and spent my time resting.

"Sir Versilus. It's been a while since the sun has set. How much longer do we have to wait?"

When nothing happened even as night fell, we had a short discussion before deciding to exit the basement and go up to the surface, following Gahuin's feeling that we should check outside.

"So here's where you were hiding! I've been looking for you for so long!"

A knight who had been walking around alone in the empty house looked at us... No, to be precise, he looked at Gahuin before approaching him with open arms.

"Who are you...?"

"Haha! Who am I? Do you not recognize me because we haven't seen each other in so long?" The knight sounded very happy to see him as he took off his helmet.

Judging by his reaction, Gahuin didn't seem to know who this person was supposed to be even with his role as the older brother.

"Mister, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I've met that person before. He was the imperial knight who helped me when I escaped from the village. It's that knight."

"Haha, seems the young lady hasn't grown as much since the last time we met."

Erwen recognized the unknown knight.

"Yandel, same with you as well."

Fortunately, I recognized him as well.

"Escort a girl. Help her reach her destination."

Although his face was marked by the passage of time, I realized that he was the knight who had given me the escort request in chapter one.

Even so, that wasn't the part that surprised me. Hiding Erwen in a cave and asking me to escort her? That was plausible. And it made sense that he would be friends with Gahuin who had the role of the older brother in this rift. What really surprised me was what he said next.

"Ah, there's a few new faces here as well. I'll introduce myself."

The knight gave us his name with a bright smile.

"I am Ravigion Kommelby Rafdonia."

As soon as the name that boggled the minds of all residents of this world was dropped, a round of shock responses burst forth.

"Ah..."

"Uh..."

"Ehm..."

This old man was the Immortal King?

***

The Immortal King, Ravigion III.

The person who had saved the territory of Rafdonia, which was but a single territory, from the End to create the final citadel of the continent.

The village chief told me that he had done so only because he had a, in his words, "good friend" and diminished his accomplishments, but it didn't change the fact that he was a historic individual.

"You can just call me Ravigion. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And the friend of my friend is also my friend, aren't they?"

His easygoing personality made me feel even more awkward. In my mind, the Immortal King was a charismatic monster who exuded an impossible level of presence and pressure.

"Alright, then—"

"Wait! Could we perhaps have a small discussion...? I mean, can we?" Gahuin, who had the role of "his friend," couldn't control his turbulent emotions and ended up tripping over his words.

"A discussion... I'll leave you lot alone for a moment."

"You don't..." Gahuin sputtered. "You don't need to. I can just use magic."

"Do as you wish. But I suggest you finish as quickly as possible. We don't know when the imperial soldiers will barge in."

"Don't worry... We'll... We'll finish soon."

After obtaining the knight's permission, Gahuin immediately cast voice control magic before rushing to say, "He's... D-does everyone think he's real? Th-the words that m-m-man said...!"

The archbishop was the first to respond. "Maybe it is just his name that is the same. The fact that Ravigion III existed means that Ravigion II and Ravigion I also existed, correct?"

"Ah, th-that's...true. That's true..."

Only then did it seem like the wizard's brain began to function again. Gahuin began to speak to himself as if to collect his thoughts.

"I heard that the first Castellan and the seventeenth Castellan used the name Ravigion. Since this is the bloodline before the final citadel was created, his middle name is not known... Yeah, there is a possibility he could be one of the two..."

I could sense that Gahuin was trying his best to gather as much information as possible to deny his reality. But of course, the village chief mercilessly cut him off.

"Sir Versilus, calm down. This is already the period in which the witch appeared. There is no chance that this is Ravigion I or Ravigion II."

"A-ah..."

"If you are truly curious, ask him the name of his wife. Well, if that man is impersonating the Immortal King, none of this will matter."

"Th-then I will deactivate the voice control magic."

With that, Gahuin turned off his magic. However, because he was shaking so badly that he couldn't even look the knight in the eyes, I was the one who asked him the question.

"Ravigion, what is the name of your wife?"

"Ah... I suppose you could be suspecting that I am someone else impersonating myself."

"Give me your answer first."

"Karnon," he answered firmly. "That is the name of my wife. She is overseeing my territory while I have vacated its seat. I'm carrying out what you have requested of me."

"What's been requested of you...?" Gahuin tilted his head as if he had no idea what he was talking about, and the village chief coughed to signal to me.

Ah, now that I think about it, he did say that during the previous chapters, there were moments where things went wrong because they didn't act like their characters...

There was no need to make the Immortal King, who we suspected to be a helpful NPC, feel that something was off.

"Anyway, take this," he said, placing something in Gahuin's hands.

"What is this...?"

"Hmm...you are quite odd today. This is the object you requested from me. After calling me all the way here as well."

"Ah! Th-that's right...?" Gahuin looked dumbfounded as he received the black jewel.

Shwaaa!

The jewel immediately began to emit a black fog. I instinctively tried to step back from the sudden phenomenon, but my body refused to move.

What the—? Is this a betrayal?

The possibility crossed my mind, but thankfully, the expression on the Immortal King's face was one of genuine worry.

"To be honest...I still don't know." Gahuin stared at the king in bewilderment as he continued, "Even if that object works properly and lets you get to the Great Demon Realm in one piece, and you meet with the evil god..."

He suddenly began to talk. Even without the hint ability of the wizard, I could immediately understand what he was trying to say.

"There is no guarantee that the evil god will fulfill your wish."

This was the mission of the next chapter.

"I will leave before the imperial soldiers get here. I bid you good fortune."

And then, the world faded to black.