The Ruins of Lashutku (3)
These guys...
I barely managed to hold back a smirk.
Adelia's sparkling eyes. The reliable expressions of the Wintersield mages. And even the desperate gazes of the Coshat siblings.
Everyone was focusing their attention on me.
As if I were the only key to resolving this situation.
...Are they really planning to just coast through this entire expedition on my back?
In truth, a scholar of Marcus Coshat's caliber could easily decipher this level of ancient language.
The map was covered in all sorts of codes and complex mechanisms, but the riddle of the castle gate was far simpler in comparison.
I recalled that in the actual game, it only took Marcus three days to finish deciphering it.
But since everyone was mistaking me for a "being from the primordial age," they were eagerly trying to dump the work on me. The situation was just hilarious.
But, well.
Come to think of it, there was no need to rack our brains for three days to solve this riddle.
When there was a native speaker (?) who could fluently use the ancient language right here, why waste time playing a useless trivia game?
I could understand why they were staring blankly at me.
In this situation, stepping forward myself was indeed the fastest and most logical choice. Especially since the Dawnguard auction was just around the corner.
Ah, of course.
It wasn't like I was particularly unhappy with the current situation either.
...Because this is actually a golden opportunity for me.
Last night.
The conversation I had with Strawberry Latte while planning.
The principle that human resources were far more important than material rewards.
And now.
The moment had come to imprint myself as an extraordinary figure in the minds of everyone accompanying me.
"Hyung."
Right on cue, Strawberry Latte glanced at me and mouthed the words.
"Is it time?"
"..."
Yes.
It is time, my dear Strawberry Latte.
Step, step—
I slowly walked toward the castle gate.
Only the sound of my footsteps echoed in the silence.
The complex ancient characters carved onto the massive gate began to grow clearer.
I could feel everyone holding their breath as they stared at my back.
They probably think they can easily conquer this ruin by putting me at the forefront...
A smirk played on my lips.
I wore a faint smile.
Fortunately, with my back turned to them, no one could see my expression.
...But the one who's going to coast through this isn't you guys, it's me.
"..."
Marcus Coshat adjusted his glasses.
His eyes slowly scanned the ancient characters carved on the gate.
Let's see.
As one of the top experts in the ruins investigation team, he could gauge the approximate difficulty of the decipherment the moment he saw the ancient language.
He quickly estimated the time required.
A week if they took their time. Three days would be plenty if they pulled all-nighters and focused.
Even so, Marcus looked at Gaon with a subtle gaze.
The reason was simple.
...Because I'm just looking forward to it.
This was the first time he had ever faced a being from the primordial age.
No, it was doubtful whether he would ever meet such a person again in his lifetime, excluding Gaon.
Perhaps that was why he suddenly grew curious about whether Gaon could truly use the ancient language fluently.
Rather than suspicion... it was an emotion much closer to 'admiration.'
He wanted to see Gaon effortlessly solve the characters that were no different from codes to them, the complex letters that would take them days to decipher.
...Ah, he's moving now.
Step, step. Just then, Gaon began walking toward the gate.
Marcus, who had been inwardly hoping for the primordial being to step forward, sparkled his eyes.
Gaon came to a halt right in front of the gate.
Standing before the massive structure that towered dozens of meters high, his back looked infinitely small at a glance.
Yet, strangely, his presence was overwhelmingly immense.
It even gave the absurd illusion that the gate itself was bowing its head toward Gaon.
A steadfast composure that did not shrink even before the massive ruins that had endured thousands of years. A dignified and calm gesture that nothing could overwhelm.
With everyone's eyes locked onto him, Gaon quietly raised his hand and reached out toward the gate.
"It has been a long time, Lashutku."
His low, deep voice softly echoed through the ancient ruins that had slept for thousands of years.
"No matter how much time has passed... to think you would try to test me with a mere riddle. Has your memory grown so faded over a span of time bordering on eternity?"
"...?"
Everyone tilted their heads in confusion at his words, which treated the ancient ruins as a living persona.
Yet, Gaon's expression was dead serious. It was calm, as if confirming an obvious fact, but at the same time, it was imbued with absolute authority.
Tinged with a faint nostalgia, yet in a firm voice without a single tremor, Gaon declared.
"Open the gates now. Your master has returned."
Just as everyone was taken aback by that sudden proclamation.
Ruuuumble—! Rattle, rattle—!
A thunderous roar shook the earth. The massive gate, which had been tightly shut for thousands of years, finally began to open.
"...!"
Once the gate opened completely, a sight beyond imagination unfolded before them.
The ancient city revealed beyond the massive fortress walls was grand enough to take one's breath away.
A vast stone plaza and towering spires rising above it. Exquisitely carved pillars and grand buildings stood in neat rows.
Although it was a ruin devoid of any sign of life, its sheer scale and grandeur were enough to overwhelm anyone.
Just imagining that countless people once lived and breathed here made something heavy stir deep within their chests.
"..."
Gaon gazed at the sight with a meaningful look. An expression that seemed glad yet somehow lonely, as if reuniting with an old friend.
Without hesitation, he stepped over the threshold of the ancient city as if it were familiar ground.
Step. The sound of his first step onto the stone floor echoed hollowly.
Yet, no one dared to follow behind Gaon.
Everyone merely stared at his retreating figure in breathless silence.
What in the world...
An indescribable shiver ran down Marcus Coshat's entire body.
The words Gaon had uttered moments ago lingered in his mind.
The... master of Lashutku...?
The most prosperous civilization of the primordial age. An absolute empire that monopolized the favor and blessings of the great beings.
Gaon had referred to himself as the 'master' of that forgotten legend.
If so...
If those words were true, defining Gaon simply as a "being from the primordial age" was practically an insult in itself.
Because he was someone who had reached a status far higher than that.
...Could he be an absolute ruler even among the primordial beings?
Perhaps trying to test Gaon with a mere riddle was a laughable idea to begin with.
Aaargh, aaargh!
I screamed silently inside.
That was so cringy...!
Even to me, that line from earlier was way too chuunibyou.
If I were alone, it might have been fine, but...
Putting on this kind of act in front of Strawberry Latte made my hands and feet curl in embarrassment.
Especially since the guy kept glancing at me and snickering, the embarrassment was doubled.
Damn it...
"...Phew."
I let out a sigh and tried to regain my composure.
The riddles of Lashutku change every time.
Therefore, the standard strategy was to include the ruins investigation team in the party and have them decipher the problem.
In the game system, the gate would then open after three days to a week. During that time, the common strategy was to pitch camp in front of the fortress walls and train.
But there's a shortcut only veterans know.
Memorizing all forty-three possible riddle variations, comparing the patterns and ancient words one by one, and reciting the designated answer.
Once you became a top 10 ranker, you could do this easily without even looking at saved screenshots.
Of course, the details were extremely minute, so distinguishing them took some time. Even I had to ponder it for a bit.
However...
The barrier blocking the gate of the Lashutku Ruins was not a simple physical wall.
It's a barrier blocked by highly advanced overlapping wards.
The gate was merely a 'medium' to maintain that barrier.
In fact, it was the exact same structure as Archmage Demarion's entrance.
In other words...
Active Skill: Barrier Breaker has been used.
...It meant that there was no need to decipher and solve the riddle; I could easily break through it using this skill.
Well, anyway.
Once inside the ruins, the empire proper revealed itself. A massive palace visible among various buildings caught my eye.
That place was the "Core Point" of this dungeon. Of course, we would have to stop by several other places first.
Huh...?
Yet, why was it? The Coshat siblings and the Wintersield mages couldn't easily take a step forward. They were staring at the gate with lingering regret.
"Is there a problem?"
"Ah, well..."
At my words, Marcus answered cautiously.
"It's just a shame that the riddle on the gate has vanished. It was a valuable specimen that could have helped with future ancient language decipherment."
"..."
"Of course, thanks to Sir Gaon solving the riddle so cleanly, we saved a lot of time... but as a researcher, I can't help but feel a bit of regret."
Indeed. Immediately after I used Barrier Breaker, the shimmering characters carved on the gate had vanished without a trace.
Marcus was a scholar to his bones. He expressed his gratitude outwardly, but he couldn't hide his disappointment over the lost specimen.
For a researcher, new data was more precious than anything else.
"..."
A chuckle escaped me.
Although the Coshat siblings wore the guise of children due to their "restriction," they were fully grown adults inside.
Even so, seeing them display such scholarly curiosity felt admirable.
Perhaps it was because I already held a strong liking for the Coshat siblings in my heart.
Since I knew just how great of an asset they would become in the future.
Not bad.
Rather, wasn't this kind of pure desire for exploration the true quality of a scholar?
In the world of Lost Elder, there were plenty of people who pursued scholarship for power or fame. Someone as pure as Marcus was rare.
Having finished my thoughts, I looked at Strawberry Latte and spoke.
"Targon."
"Yes?"
You were laughing at me earlier, weren't you? Time to do some work.
"Do you remember the ancient language written on the gate?"
"Well... I will try."
Strawberry Latte pulled out a small notebook and pen from his chest pocket and began writing frantically.
He was perfectly replicating the complex ancient characters that had been carved on the gate.
The reason this was possible, of course, was partly because he was a veteran player, but...
Trait: Cool-headed Mind
Trait: Absolute Memory
...It was also thanks to 'Absolute Memory', one of the traits he obtained upon being reincarnated into the game.
"H-How can he write the ancient language like that...!"
Of course, the others, who had no way of knowing this, could only watch Strawberry Latte's actions in sheer shock.
Biorf, in particular, stared with wide eyes, completely amazed.
I answered on behalf of Strawberry Latte, who was busy writing.
"It is thanks to the remnants of the Transgressor."
"...Pardon?"
"He, too, was once summoned by the Great Sage Demarion. He inherited primordial information there."
"...!"
"That bizarre spell that nullified your attack is also a piece of primordial knowledge. It seems that during the process of soul transference, those memories were imprinted onto Targon as well."
Biorf's pupils began to tremble.
"I-If that is the case..."
"Yes."
I nodded and replied calmly.
"As long as the remnants of the Transgressor remain, Targon also possesses the potential to reach such a transcendent state. This is a fact I confirmed last night while examining his body."
"Ah...!"
Biorf let out an exclamation of awe.
"I-I knew it! I knew there was something special about Targon...! I always knew he had extraordinary talent...!"
Hearing their conversation, Strawberry Latte rolled his eyes and looked at me with a slightly anxious expression.
"...?"
Although his mouth was shut tight, his wildly shaking eyes seemed to scream:
"Fuck, Hyung! This wasn't in the plan! How the hell am I supposed to deal with the aftermath of this?!"
"..."
I don't know either.
Figure it out on your own.
Once you just throw it out there, things usually work themselves out.