Chapter 85
Chapter 85
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 85
Chapter Title: Adventure Club #4
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─Do you hear the song of the masses?
─The furious song of the masses─.
No, no!
I hurriedly closed the window at the sound of singing coming from outside. Someone threw a stone at the glass of my office, and an axe pounded against the door.
Crack, crack─!
I tried to barricade the door with bookshelves and my desk to block people from entering.
─Theo Gospel, confess your sins!
But in the end, people flooded in like a wave through the opened door.
I flailed my limbs in resistance, but it wasn't easy to shake off the rough hands of the masses with my slender body.
─Hieeek…!!!
In the end, I was tied to a cross and hoisted high into the air. People threw stones at me and spat curses.
─Don't worry, you monk bastard. We'll send your queen and the other nobles to join you soon enough!
I turned my head at their words, and beside me, several more crosses rose up. On them were Aira, Elga, Mirna, and Marmar.
─Please spare us…! Marmar has done nothing wrong…! Crucifixion is extremely imp-phobic…!
Marmar?
Why was Marmar tied to a cross?
Come to think of it, something felt off. Why was there a revolution? Where was this? I should be in the Ark.
What the hell.
Suddenly, the people's faces darkened, and only the eyes of the silent crowd stared sharply at me. I felt chills in this oppressive silence.
The song that had been playing stopped, and the drums and trumpets fell quiet. In that moment, the air was filled with a suffocating stillness.
That silence engulfed everything like a black tide.
“……!”
When I finally came to my senses, I saw the rundown shack, the integrated desk, and the mosaic blanket draped over my shoulders.
“What was that? Just a dream.”
Only then could I calm my pounding heart and the cold sweat drenching my body.
“Ha, what a shitty way to start the morning.”
A nightmare of being executed by an angry mob.
Had it been a month? I hadn't had that nightmare since stopping Belmont's rebellion.
Of course, I knew exactly why I was having it.
The notebook I had left open last night, scribbled with notes.
「Villain Hunter Party List」
It blatantly showed my stress.
The protagonist's party might come to this Ark.
That fact was driving my mind into a corner.
Were those guys really coming here? According to Marmar, it was a warrior, priest, hunter, and guide—a party of four.
Excluding the random guide, the rest matched the Villain Hunter party exactly. What happens if the real protagonist party comes to the Ark?
I agonized over it all last night.
Logically speaking, there was no reason for Aira to clash with the Villain Hunters now.
Aira hadn't awakened as the Blood Queen and massacred people indiscriminately. In that sense, she was no longer a target for the Villain Hunters.
Naturally, I, Theo Gospel, had no reason to be targeted either.
But this world was full of variables.
I should firmly tell Elga and Aira to stay away from the crossbow heroes' party. And I should avoid them as much as possible too.
Ssslrk, creeeak.
Just then, the shack door opened.
“Comrade, you're awake? Why'd you sleep slumped over the desk like that? I laid out a carpet and blanket on the floor!”
Marmar appeared holding a red fruit—an apple.
“I wanted to give you breakfast. This is all I could get! Let's split it!”
“Sure.”
I shared the apple with Marmar. They say apples in the morning are good for you?
Crunch crunch, it was tasty.
Marmar had already finished her share and was staring at me. Now I noticed her gaze on the apple in my hand was filled with envy and longing.
“Not really hungry in the morning. You eat this too.”
“Really?”
Seeing Marmar so delighted, I handed her the apple I'd taken a bite from. She devoured it greedily, then said to me.
“You said we're going to the Aspiration Hall today, right? It's not far from here. Not sure what's living there, so we gotta be careful.”
“Yeah.”
I washed my face with the stream water Marmar had fetched and woke myself up. The immediate task was investigating Demon King Angmar's legacy.
To do that, head to the Aspiration Hall and look into this Adventure Club.
Surely, following its trail would reveal tremendous power and wisdom.
If I could obtain that, I wouldn't need to fear the Villain Hunter party or the forces of evil beyond the barrier.
Of course. I was Theo Angmar, writing a new ending—not the Theo Gospel who met execution.
I'd already twisted the story. The queen and her minions racing toward execution were gone.
「Calm Situation Judgment!
Gain experience from talent 《Calm Thinking》.
All job experience +5」
Good.
With my tasks clear, the anxiety from the nightmare settled completely.
* * *
The fairy forest was like a jungle. The underbrush was thick; we had to cross streams and push through terrifying thorny bushes.
“Marmar, you sure this is the way?”
“Yeah! Almost there! It's been abandoned for so long, that's why.”
The Aspiration Hall we were heading to had originally been the central hall used by students and faculty.
“But about 20 years ago, bad rumors started spreading. Ghosts or monsters popping out, birds flying into windows and dying─.”
“So they shut it down?”
Like those army outpost ghost stories.
The ones where a post was abandoned because ghosts kept appearing. Now that I thought about it, I was heading to a ruin that might have ghosts.
A bit scary.
“Marmar, you said you got furniture from there. Ever see any ghosts?”
Having just dealt with the undead incident, I really hated ghosts. Would exorcism spells work on them?
But Marmar's reaction was different.
“No ghosts. But bugs and beasts! Abandoned spaces make good nests. They might attack, so be careful.”
Marmar worried about real threats. Fair enough; no better home for abandoned critters than human buildings.
Was it risky just me and Marmar?
I considered calling someone else.
Aira, Elga, and Mirna came to mind first, but if we uncovered the truth about the Angmar family together.
Like finding a document saying, 「Angmar survivor had another child. His name is Theo. And he's half-fairy.」 first—I couldn't handle that.
So the young ladies should sit this investigation out.
Better if I got the info first, filtered it, and shared what was safe.
That left…
Just Marmar.
Why did I lack reliable companions?
I had plenty of hired help for money, but 'trustworthy' ones? Only Marmar right now.
Gorgor would've been fine, but ogres were too conspicuous.
“Hmm.”
Someone inconspicuous, competent, loyal, trustworthy. There was one who fit.
─Whiiist─.
I whistled.
A crow that had been cawing excitedly in the trees flew down to my shoulder. Marmar yelped in surprise.
“Wow, what? How'd you do that? Amazing!”
She was amazed I could handle birds.
“Whistle to call birds? Hunting must be easy! Tons of pheasants here. Can you call pheasants?”
“Pheasants, not 'pwing'?”
“Yeah! Pwing! Super tasty!”
Using bird-taming magic for hunting. Never thought of it, but it'd work. Not important now.
I tied a small scroll from my pocket to the crow's leg.
“Deliver this to the infirmary in the central student hall.”
─Caw─!
The crow soared high, as if understanding.
* * *
Rustle.
Pushing through the brush, we saw a building overgrown with vines and trees. Lime-built, about three stories tall.
The grim, weathered exterior seemed painted once, but it had long peeled away.
A literal abandoned ruin in the forest.
“That's the Aspiration Hall.”
“Looks creepy.”
Graffiti like 'So-and-so was here' peeking through vines suggested it was a hangout for delinquents or a test-of-courage spot.
Whiiist.
I whistled, calling a nearby bird. A sparrow perched on my finger; I sent it to scout inside for people.
The returning sparrow chirped at me.
─Chirp chirp.
“No one's there?”
─Chirp.
“Good. Now into the pouch.”
The sparrow obediently entered Marmar's pouch.
It'd be her meal someday. Free sparrow delighted Marmar; she hummed happily.
“Hehehum. Hmmm. Plump sparrow.”
“Alright, let's go in.”
I approached the abandoned building slowly.
Abandoned 20 years ago without demolition, it exuded an eerie, sinister vibe.
Even in bright sunlight with noisy insects, it'd be terrifying at night—I'd just shiver and do nothing.
Clunk, creeeak.
I opened the broken front door and entered. Quite chilly.
Records said the Adventure Club met in the underground guild.
“Marmar, know a way to the basement?”
“Never seen basement stairs.”
I checked the building diagram near the entrance. Faded, but usable for floors 1-3.
No basement shown.
No basement?
Unlikely.
I walked the halls looking for a way down.
Through sparse windows, abandoned offices held items left 20 years ago.
“Oh, that kettle looks usable…!”
Marmar spotted salvageables and stuffed them in her sack.
I helped, but couldn't ignore it.
“This place, looks like people dropped everything and fled.”
I thought residents had packed and moved. But seeing it, no.
Like radiation leak evacuations—grab nothing, just run. They fled something.
「Calm Situation Judgment!
Gain experience from talent 《Calm Thinking》.
All job experience +5」
What from?
“Marmar, exact date or reason it closed? Anything?”
“Dunno. Just nymph chatter. Nobody wants to talk about the Aspiration Hall.”
Like an urban legend.
Suddenly abandoned building.
Nonexistent basement.
And Angmar heir who shouldn't exist.
My sensitive fairy senses tingled that something was here.
I told Marmar, still grabbing wooden bowls.
“We gotta find the basement door. Might camp here if sun sets. Find it before dark.”
Her tail wagged side to side.
“Got it. Feels like an adventure, heart pounding. Like treasure hunting.”
“Kinda. Knock on floors too. Hollow spot means entrance.”
We split to search. No basement anywhere.
Sun setting, I grew anxious.
A bust?
Then Marmar hummed, realization dawning.
“What if the 'underground guild' we're seeking… isn't underground?”
“What do you mean?”
“Nymphs' secret mystical underground meetings? Actually on the third floor. Maybe named 'underground' but not.”
“…….”
“Nymphs love pranks. Say opposite sometimes. 'Underground guild' could mean upstairs. If nymphs in Adventure Club.”
Absurd, but.
I'd been to the absurd 'Fairies' Night' festival with her. So I checked the third floor, just in case.
And found it.
“What the hell is this building?”
In the farthest corner room on the third floor, a ladder only accessible from the top led deep down.
Third floor, second, first…
And basement level one.
To the nonexistent basement level one.