The Paramere Search Operation (6)
The Paramere Search Operation (6)
The thick black fog was dark. It was so hazy that you couldn't see an inch ahead.
Daniel's voice came through. His face wasn't visible. In the first place, the smoke was so thick that it was hard to tell an inch ahead, so no one could confirm exactly where anyone else was.
"Wizard?! Are we sure we're going in the right way?!"
"We just have to get through this part. Because the black smoke keeps trying to spread outward, the density of the black smoke right in front of the outer wall is considerable. You must not remove the cloth."
"No matter how bad it is, this is too mu—whoa?!"
Daniel's scream rang out. There was also the sound of something toppling over.
"Captain. What are you doing?"
"No, there's something here—"
The sound of a sword being drawn followed. Along with it came the dull sound of some object rolling across the floor.
"...Ha. You scared me. It's just an empty box."
"Watch it! You almost hit me!"
"Evan. Where are you?"
"Right behind you, Captain! Look ahead!"
"I can't see a damn thing!"
They're ridiculously loud. Visibility will clear up soon enough, so what's with all the racket?
"We're all going to die... we're all going to die..."
I heard muttering from beside me. Judging by the trembling voice, it was that young whelp from the Church of Lu. Pablo, was it?
I could've let it slide once, but he'd been at it since the moment we came in. Listening to the constant complaining was starting to get on my nerves.
Thwack!
I swung my hand toward the source of the sound. Pablo screamed.
"S-something hit me!"
"Must be a monster."
Not being able to see is nice.
Hudson, who had been walking at the front, spoke. The sound of his staff striking the ground rang out.
"...The view has cleared. Everyone, please come forward just a little more."
The search party scrambled forward without waiting for anyone to go first, and the first thing they encountered was enormous stagecoaches. Stagecoaches with no owners, packed full of abandoned luggage.
It stank of rot. Everywhere, without exception, was filled with the stench of decay. Pablo dry-heaved. I placed a hand on his shoulder with a pat.
"If you're going to throw up, could you do it in a corner?"
"You... you son of a..."
"Think of the people watching."
He was a walking pile of complaints about every little thing, so I hadn't liked him from the start. It'd be nice if he'd just stay out of sight. I walked past him and peered into the stagecoaches.
Just as expected. This is the same. The entrance being blocked by stagecoaches is the first thing you run into in the Paramer Search Operation.
To be precise, everything up to here is a safe zone. Once you slipped through a gap just big enough for one person to squeeze out, it was fair to call it a battlefield from then on.
"...We proceed according to plan."
Imperial knight Ian Pamel put his hand to his sword. He jerked his chin at the Blue Punk Mercenary Company.
"Move out first."
"Ha. Fuck. I was wondering when that line would come. You're saying you'll offer us up as bait because you don't know what's out there, right?"
"Is that insubordination?"
"You wanna try pulling rank here?"
The imperial knights and the mercenary company were at each other's throats over every little thing. They were snarling so much that I slipped right past them and through the gap between the stagecoaches.
"Zahard?!"
I turned my back on the call and slipped through the gap. I could see the thinning darkness and faint light wrapping around all of Paramer.
It's been a while. Paramer.
Seeing it in person like this, the feeling is quite new. I stood at the entrance and looked down below. Beneath the city's outer wall, which was set somewhat higher than the flatland, a dead city sprawled out.
Faint sunlight piercing through the black fog. A silence without a single breath of wind. Even the blackish smoke trickling down the outer walls of buildings and the faint ticking of the Clock Tower in the distance.
The streets were empty. There was no one. That made it all the more chilling. The fact that there weren't even any corpses meant that something was definitely there.
...And there's something truly nasty here.
"It's safe, so everyone come out."
It's noon anyway. Noon is the time when there are almost no monsters. They only start going batshit once it's the middle of the night. For now, it's fine.
Rosemary let out a sigh. As if she'd never screamed at all, she immediately followed me out. On the way, she shot a glare at the mercenaries and knights.
"They're more cowardly than that child. All of them."
"......."
"......."
We all stood in the entrance area. The Clock Tower in the center was visible far off in the distance. It was so faint that you could tell it was a long way away.
Ian Pamel spoke.
"We split into teams and enter immediately. Do not forget that on the seventh day, we regroup once at the Clock Tower."
The imperial knights and wizards moved first. Their target was the north. The group that began heading toward the fallen city soon disappeared from view.
"...Obnoxious bastards."
Daniel snorted and turned his head. He looked at the elves and held out his hand.
"There's clearly something here, so let's at least go together. I won't pull anything. You need a vanguard too, don't you? Right?"
"......"
The elves seemed to have already sensed an ominous presence. Even if they couldn't see through the secrets sleeping in the city, they'd at least have caught on that something was there.
The mercenary company and the elves also departed. They did glance at the church members left behind, but they didn't slow their steps.
I plopped down on the steps at the entrance. I yawned lazily.
"They really all left. They talk big, but I thought they'd at least look after us... They just ditch us because we look the weakest? What a bunch of assholes."
"...What do we do?"
"What do you mean, what do we do? Rosemary, you take command. You're experienced, aren't you? Right?"
"......"
Rosemary sat down beside me. The glare in her eyes had settled a little. She must have felt it too.
That the secret hidden by this fallen city was far more dreadful than she had thought.
"...You said it yourself. That during the Paramer Search Operation, we should follow your word. So are you not going to do anything?"
"But Rosemary, you have far more experience than I do, don't you?"
"That's true. But... this place is strange. There's not a single corpse. Everything's empty, yet the stench of rot keeps crawling up from somewhere. And on top of that, a city this quiet..."
The beastfolk's sixth sense is pretty decent too. I got up with an "up we go." I glanced around at the remaining church members.
"Brother Lucas Marcus."
"You called, little brother!"
"What is it!"
"This place is a bit dangerous, you know? But fortunately, I happen to know a fair bit about it. I'm far younger than you brothers, but could you follow my lead?"
If they said they wouldn't follow, I was going to leave them behind. I'd figured Rosemary alone would be enough anyway.
Lucas and Marcus looked at each other. Without waiting for one or the other to go first, they both flexed their muscles.
"As long as we can purify evil, the process doesn't matter!"
"We've heard Inquisitor Rosemary has much experience! If she acknowledges you, then you must be excellent!"
That's a relief, at least. Having the two of them is much better than having only Rosemary.
I glanced over at Noah. The Apostle of Isis was cautiously watching my reaction.
"I have no complaints, Brother Zahard."
Everyone agreed. But there was a hint of suspicion mixed into their eyes. They didn't say it outright because of Rosemary, but I could clearly feel the distrust.
I let it slide for now. At least they were listening to me on the surface.
"Good. Then lastly..."
Pablo. A guy who looked like a troublemaker at a glance.
He was trembling. Looking at the dead city through the faint light, he kept muttering endlessly.
"Fuck... do I look like I'm going to die here? I'm going to live... I'm going to live..."
Do I really have to drag him along?
I glanced at Rosemary. She let out a sigh and shook her head.
"We're taking him."
"That's probably right."
If we showed ourselves carelessly abandoning someone, the other church members would definitely not follow.
"Rosemary."
"...Rosemary is fine."
"Rosemary. Can you give me the map?"
I unfolded it. I swept my eyes over the southwest. The destination was already decided.
The root cause of all this was in the Clock Tower. But just going to the Clock Tower wouldn't open the path to the boss fight.
Five locations hidden in Paramer. The "something" in those locations had to be subjugated. Otherwise, even if you went to the Clock Tower, you'd have to fight a hellish boss battle.
At full power, no one can beat it. As I am now, I'm far too lacking. I have to break through all five locations and weaken Paramer's boss.
The locations are all random. I have to gather clues and confirm where the "something" is first... so let's start there. It'll be hard to resolve in a single day... so we'll pass through a safe zone along the way...
I pointed at the map roughly.
"We'll stop by the Vinsmoke tavern marked on this map, gather information, then clear out the nearest two-story house and spend the night there. After that, we'll decide when we get there. How's that?"
"Good. Let's do that."
"Excellent!"
"A fine plan!"
"I'll follow Brother Zahard no matter what."
Pablo suddenly cut in.
"Wh-why do we have to do that?"
"...Excuse me?"
"If we're going to go, wouldn't it be better to go this way? I-I think it's safest to circle around the outskirts as much as possible?"
Pablo stammered but still voiced his opinion.
"The outskirts are right up against the outer wall, so they're safe! And besides... the other teams won't expect us to accomplish anything, right?! So it's better to hide quietly in a building near the outer wall...!"
"What, so you want to hide forever?"
"Think rationally! There's nothing we can do! If we wander around recklessly, we'll die!"
"...No, then why did you come to the Paramer Search Operation at all? If you're not going to do anything?"
"I-I was just pushed into coming! I didn't want to! I don't want to wander around! L-living is the top priority, isn't it? Is finding a safe place a problem? And besides... this place is strange... it's worse than I imagined... there's something here..."
I let out a sigh. The outskirts are safe? This is why rookies are rookies.
One good hit would fix him...
"......"
...No.
Right. Let's do it your way. I need to shake off the distrust mixed in here anyway.
"If you're that confident, take the lead."
Once night falls, it's going to be a shitshow anyway. Outside the safe zones, a living hell unfolds.
It'd be good for everyone to see it at least once. What kind of place this is.
What Paramer becomes at night.
. . .
"Sir Ian. I cannot understand it. Why on earth did you split the teams so recklessly..."
"They're a bunch of rabble who won't even listen to me properly once battle begins. It may be right to use them as shields and learn at least one more thing."
How dark.
Imperial knight Ian Pamel glanced up at the sky. Blocked by the black smoke, only part of the sunlight was entering Paramer.
It was dark even in the daytime. It felt like walking into shadow. If night fell, how dark would it be?
"Wizard. You're certain this path is correct?"
"It is."
Wizard Hudson nodded. He too seemed uneasy, constantly glancing around.
The absence of sound could make people anxious. Taken too far, it was even used as torture.
It's quiet. Absurdly quiet.
The only thing ringing out was the sound of military boots.
"Halt."
Ian's task was essentially one thing. The Empire had judged that there would be no survivors. Even so, Ian had come to properly revive this city called Paramer.
Beneath Paramer lay an enormous quantity of underground minerals. The amount was so great that there were even whispers of demonic meddling, and the Empire could not ignore it.
If he could get his hands on that alone, he could build achievements that no one could dismiss. Ian wanted to rise in the world. He wanted to seize more power.
To do that, he had to obtain something. He had to uncover at least a scrap of information.
Hudson spoke uneasily.
"We should secure a place to stay before the sun sets, Sir Ian. At night, unconfirmed things roam about. It's best to be cautious."
"There's still time. This place is..."
He kicked in the rotten wooden door. Dust billowed up.
The stench of rot seeped out from inside. Ian covered his nose. It was dark. With the outside dark even in broad daylight, the inside without a single light was even darker.
"Light."
A subordinate raised a torch. Ian swept his gaze around the interior. Broken furniture and a collapsed ceiling.
There was no sound. It was quiet. Ian lightly brushed a shelf. His hand came away covered in dust.
This wasn't an ordinary home. It seemed to have been a shop that sold goods.
"Search the inside."
"Sir Ian."
"I recommend you keep quiet. Wizard. Command is mine. If you want to get out alive, follow my orders."
What Ian was looking for was a corpse. The fact that there was nothing here was strange. If he could find at least one corpse, the wizard could surely uncover something.
"Nothing here."
"Nothing here either."
There was nothing at all on the first and second floors. A bust, then. Ian turned around. But before leaving, he heard a sound.
A sound of something moving, breaking the silence. The knight stopped. The wizard on the second floor pointed below.
"It came from below."
There were no stairs leading down. Ian shoved the disheveled carpet aside. As the carelessly draped carpet was pulled back, a door leading underground revealed itself.
The sound came again. Ian signaled to the knight beside him with his eyes. The knight swallowed dryly, approached, and slowly reached out his hand.
His hand touched the door. The sound was growing louder. Ian drew his sword.
Something's there.
"...Open it."
The knight threw the door open with all his strength. Ian confirmed the source of the sound. From a mouth that had always maintained solemnity, a curse burst out in an instant.
"This is insane...!"
Hudson smelled the rot.
It was revulsion itself, rising from the pit of the stomach, the kind that would make any human being retch.