120. Mine 2
Under Bin's orders, the knights of the 7th Division entered the cursed mine.
Thud. Thud...
Once they were all inside, Bin's gaze shifted downward. There lay the head of the Medusa on the ground.
Bin looked down at it, thinking, 'Medusa's head... This could be useful.'
This time, his eyes turned to Codic. Understanding instantly, Codic dropped from Bin's belt to the ground.
"Yes, my lord."
Codic was the type who got it with just a glance in moments like this.
Thump. Thump. The creature bounced along on its skull alone toward the Medusa.
Then.
"Ptoo."
It spat out a bundle from its mouth. One of the items they'd grabbed from Danel's estate.
Thump. Thump. Using its teeth, it wrapped the Medusa's head in the bundle and opened its mouth wide.
"Ahh."
Plop. And with that, it swallowed the Medusa's head in one gulp.
At that moment, the knights who had turned to stone in front of the mine entrance reverted to their original forms.
"...?"
They looked around, piecing together the situation.
"Huh? Why am I here...?"
"I remember getting hit by the Medusa..."
As they scanned their surroundings, they spotted the headless body of the Medusa sprawled on the ground. Only then did the knights grasp what had happened.
"The centurion saved us..."
Hite, the fifty-man squad leader representing the 7th Division, bowed his head to Bin.
"We have no face to show you... Centurion."
Following Hite's words, the knights bowed to Bin one after another.
"We have no face to show you."
"...?"
But Bin didn't respond. He simply walked past them toward the mine entrance.
Thud. Thud.
Hite was consumed by guilt for failing his mission when Bin passed him and said,
"If you did your best, that's enough. And take care of your body."
A heavy silence fell.
"...?"
Thud. Thud.
Bin continued toward the mine entrance, leaving Hite behind. The other knights followed Bin, but Hite couldn't move. His chest swelled with emotion.
'Cen... Centurion...'
Blood trickled from Hite's knees, marred by red abrasions. There were even marks like glancing spear wounds.
Drip.
During the fight with the Medusa, Hite had seen his legs turning to stone first and made a decision. Better to take a bold risk than go down without a fight.
And as his spear grazed his own knees...
He'd turned to stone.
Now that his superior, Bin, acknowledged that resolve, his chest burned hot.
* * *
Inside the cursed mine. The dark cave-like space was lit by torches on both sides. At one end lay countless carts, shovels, and pickaxes scattered about. The floor had '11'-shaped tracks laid out to move the carts faster.
Bin and the 7th Division knights pressed forward.
Thud. Thud.
The knights began glancing around and murmuring.
"You think there's really a gold mine here?"
"The Grander bastards probably mined it all. Not much left."
"Exactly. If there is gold, I'll eat my own hand..."
As the knights chatted, one of them trailed off, unable to close his mouth. It was because of the yellow glow at the far end of the mine.
Gold veins embedded in the cave walls like coral. Left, right. Straight ahead. Above. Below. Everywhere, countless veins glittered.
No one could tear their eyes from the demonic yellow light.
"So much gold...!"
"How much is all this worth...?"
Even Codic couldn't shut its mouth at the sparkling gold.
Crack. Its jaw dropped so wide it made a sound.
'Gold... gold... My lord led me here for my sake.'
It remembered stuffing its head with crystals from the harpy cave, eyes gleaming.
Bin's eyes narrowed at the gold veins on the walls.
'No wonder the Grander family's built on this mine. Anyway, this'll more than cover rebuilding Plentel Castle.'
A family owning such a rich gold mine gained immense capital, elevating their status. Everyone knew it, which is why wars erupted over mines.
Control the mine, sell the raw ore...
The boosted capital made construction and mercenary hires easier.
The Grander ambush had backfired spectacularly, turning into a massive boon for House Bascon.
Moments later, the 7th Division knights were already swinging pickaxes at the walls.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang...
Work that would've exhausted them before felt invigorating with gold right there.
"Ha, look at that luster."
"Pure as can be..."
Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang...
Rhythmic pickaxe strikes echoed when.
Plink. A chunk of gold ore fell at a knight's feet.
His pupils shook at the sparkle. Inner conflict raged.
He couldn't let his widowed mother starve.
'It's not wrong. For Mother...'
He glanced around furtively and bent down. His hand crept lower.
'Yeah, no one'll see...'
As he reached to pocket the gold in his clothes.
Swish. Hite appeared right behind him, eyebrows shooting up in fury.
"Is that yours? Huh? Is it?!"
His voice rose.
"...?"
Caught by his fifty-man squad leader, the knight broke into a cold sweat. The consequences loomed dark. Maybe death was better. Trembling, he forced out,
"I-I'm sor... ry."
But an apology wouldn't calm Hite.
"Sorry doesn't cut it! Gold we all share, and you're skimming?!"
As Hite continued, Bin called to him.
"Fifty-man leader. Over here a moment."
"Ah..."
Hite glanced between the knight and Bin, hesitating. But he couldn't defy his centurion.
"Yes, Centurion."
Hite turned, warning the knight.
"Consider yourself lucky."
"...?"
Bin's intervention spared punishment. He knew the knight wasn't malicious and had done it for his mother, so he'd stepped aside.
Soon after, break time came for the mining knights. They set down helmets and handled their business.
Meanwhile, the skull-headed Codic prowled the cave.
Thump. Thump...
Usually at Bin's belt, it was unusually free—drawn by the glittering gold.
Codic was mesmerized by the yellow shine.
"How radiant... And this sparkle. Just like my skull."
Enchanted, Codic channeled mana of strength. Its head began to grow.
Bigger head, bigger mouth. It gaped at the gold veins, opening and closing repeatedly.
Then it started gnawing at the gold and walls.
Munch. Munch...
"Nyaaang... Nyaaang..."
It hummed happily.
Munch. Munch...
As Codic endlessly chowed down, suddenly.
Crack! Crunch. Crunch.
By gnawing one side too much, the cave's balance collapsed. The mine began to shake.
Startled knights whipped around at the trembling ground.
Bin scanned for the cause.
Soon, he traced the sound's source. One side of the cave was hollowed out like an ant tunnel.
'What the hell...'
Bin stepped forward curiously.
Thud. Thud...
Bending down into the tunnel, he spotted Codic with its mouth stuffed full of gold ore like snacks.
"M-My lord...!"
Codic's expression froze. It awkwardly looked away, pretending nothing happened—like a kid caught red-handed.
Bin stared and said,
"What are you doing there?"
"W-Well..."
Codic bashed its head against the wall pointlessly.
Thud! Thud!
"I-It was..."
As Codic struggled, the ground shook again.
Rumble. Rumble.
A shower of gray stones fell from above Codic's head.
Trapped under the pile, Codic blinked in confusion when Bin's eyes widened.
"No way all these are... runes?"
As Bin said, the gray stones bore black runes etched on them. Over a hundred, at least.
Bin's eyes narrowed.
'They hid runes here.'
Codic, meanwhile, was buried senseless under the runes.
Realizing at Bin's words, it mumbled,
"Y-Yes, my l...ord. This spot s...eemed off so I d...ug. N-Not for the g...old, no."
Mouth full of fallen runes and gold, its words were garbled—like talking with snacks stuffed in.
"...?"
Bin was dumbfounded by the gold-blinded skull. But the runes brought a smile.
'This many runes...'
Bin was certain, staring at the pile.
'The ancient weapon's no problem now.'
His eyes lit up. Someone popped into his mind—the ones Bellatan mentioned. With the runes, a countermeasure against them dawned.
As Bin smiled, Codic—clueless why—grinned back.
Sneer.