Chapter 55
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 55
Chapter Title: The Ruined Temple
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The middle-aged woman’s promise to treat the party with the utmost sincerity was not an empty one.
Waking at dawn, she drew water from the well, boiled it for their baths, and bustled about preparing breakfast.
Thanks to her, the party, with their hungry bellies filled and their bodies freshly washed, began to prepare for their departure in high spirits.
Luon approached the woman as she began to tidy up and held out his hand.
“Here.”
“Oh, yes, yes.”
Seeing his lightly clenched fist, the woman hurriedly cupped her hands and extended them forward.
“Ah?”
The woman’s eyes widened as a considerable number of silver coins poured into her palms.
Luon spoke.
“You’ve worked hard since morning, preparing this and that. And you probably didn't sleep well last night because of us.”
Leaving the dazed woman behind, Luon stretched. Kyle and Igor, having finished their preparations, came to his side.
Slinging his shield onto his back, Kyle said.
“We can leave as soon as Strabo gets here.”
Speak of the devil. In the distance, Strabo could be seen trudging toward them with the horses, reins in hand.
“Looks like I made it just in time, eh? Let’s get going!”
As the party walked toward the playfully waving dwarf, the couple’s voices called out from behind them.
“T-Travel safely.”
“Take care of yourselves. May the gods you each believe in watch over you…”
Strabo approached Luon, who waved back without turning around, and gave him a mischievous look.
“Heard you had quite a time last night.”
He whispered, covering the side of his mouth with his hand.
“I heard everything. He was complaining endlessly about being called out in the middle of the night.”
Luon’s brow furrowed as he confirmed that Strabo’s gaze was fixed on the Nightmare. The black horse flinched and tried to look nonchalant.
“How did a cursed monster end up…”
“It was nothing.”
Cutting Strabo off with a short reply, Luon immediately mounted the Nightmare.
He roughly ruffled the mane of the black horse, which flinched as if expecting a chop to the head.
“Let’s go.”
As they rode forward, Luon felt a strange presence and turned his head.
A man was leaning against a wall, watching them intently. It was Philip.
-Thank you.
Reading the man’s parched lips, Luon gave a slight nod.
As if swept away by the wind, the dark clouds that had occupied the sky the previous night were gone, and only a clear sky looked down silently upon the departing group.
***
The journey continued smoothly.
The monotonous days piled up—departing at dawn and resting at dusk—with nothing to threaten the party.
“Another uneventful day.”
Strabo pouted at Kyle’s words as he spun a stick skewered with cheese and beef jerky over the campfire.
“Kyle, ‘uneventful’ is just another word for ‘boring.’”
As the dwarf grumbled, Igor, who had just finished his prayers, sighed and spoke.
“Why is a lack of incidents boring? It’s peaceful.”
Strabo scratched his braided beard and muttered.
“...Gossipmongers will chatter and bards will sing of our deeds, but the journey in between is just too dull.”
Kyle shook his head as he handed a roasted skewer to Luon.
“You’re really something else. Anyone would think we’d already cut off Belducias’s head. Right?”
Then, he added with a thoughtful expression.
“But who were the adventurers who’ve killed a Great Demon before? Does anyone know?”
As soon as he finished, Strabo’s eyes lit up.
“Ungrim, the former Warrior of the Forge, and his companions defeated Ferajie, who was corrupting the mines and raising a wicked army. Haven’t you heard of ‘The Song of Unbending Steel’? It’s a song honoring their deeds. Just listening to it makes your heart swell. Speaking of which…”
The dwarf began to hum a tune, and Kyle stared at him blankly before muttering.
“That was ages ago. The deeds of people from over a hundred years ago.”
Munching on his skewer, Luon voiced a question that had come to mind.
“Why don’t the Churches deal with the Great Demons directly?”
Realizing belatedly that the question was directed at him, Igor’s eyes widened.
He said, “To answer that question, I must first explain what a Great Demon is.”
At his low voice, Strabo tactfully stopped humming.
“...Great Demons weren’t always called by that title. Though their lifespans vary, they were once human, or elves, or dwarves. Of course, they might have been monsters, too.”
Is that so?
Luon lowered the skewer he was about to bring to his mouth.
He had always thought of demons as a single race, so Igor’s story was quite intriguing.
The story continued.
“The only thing these beings, who lived in different eras and led different lives, have in common is that they succeeded in looking into the Abyss.”
“...The Abyss? What’s that?”
At Strabo’s question, Igor shook his head.
“I don’t know either. I’ve only read what’s recorded in the scriptures of Tivela. But it’s likely not just a symbolic term. Otherwise, there’s no way to explain the origin of the evil beings that have constantly appeared throughout our long history.”
His throat apparently dry, he gulped down water from his canteen before looking at Luon and speaking.
“You asked why the Churches don’t act directly. I can’t fully grasp their intentions, but I believe it’s because killing a Great Demon is not a fundamental solution. The sacrifice required to defeat one doesn’t directly lead to peace.”
In other words, the return on investment is poor.
Luon nodded, recalling the names of the gods he knew.
Tivela of Mercy, Ganax of Courage, Althuin of Wisdom…
There were many churches dedicated to renowned gods, but thinking back, none of them took the lead in subjugating Great Demons.
Of course, if an unfortunate incident occurred within their sphere of influence, they would dispatch paladins and priests without delay to resolve it, but that was the extent of it.
In other words, they would punish those who crossed the line, but they wouldn’t go out of their way to uproot evil.
So they’re like weeds that are not only hard to pull but will eventually grow back anyway…
Gaining a vague understanding of why the great churches maintained a lukewarm stance, Luon narrowed his eyes.
It was hard to tell for now whether they were playing it safe or preparing for something else.
Just then, Kyle spoke up. A hesitant look, as if he were wondering if he should even bring it up, was plain on his face.
“If that’s true, then the Churches seem too… um, I mean…”
As his voice trailed off, Igor managed a faint smile and beat him to the punch.
“They don’t seem very altruistic, do they?”
“Uh, yeah? Um… a little.”
“As a priest, I’m ashamed.”
At the bitter reply, Kyle scratched his head awkwardly. The silence that fell for a moment was broken by Strabo.
“Igor, you’re trying to kill Belducias yourself, aren’t you? What do you have to be ashamed of?”
Blinking at the dwarf’s relaxed face as he picked his nose, Igor eventually let out a chuckle and replied.
“Is that so? If I kill Belducias, I could boldly demand a position from the Church without any issue, right?”
“Of course! That’s why you should push the idea of subjugating all the Great Demons!”
Kyle frowned at Strabo’s thoughtless remark.
“...What have you been listening to?”
“What? Am I wrong? If these churches that serve such great gods are holding back for some reason, someone ought to come along and shake things up! Someone who takes direct action, like Igor. Now that’s true romance!”
Luon couldn’t help but smirk at the dwarf’s simple logic, which reduced everything to romance.
He spoke.
“Let’s save that talk for after we’ve killed Belducias. Whether it’s reforming the Churches or this romance you’re always talking about. Until we kill him, it’s all just a distant dream.”
As if in agreement, Ruin began to tremble.
***
The next day, after packing up their campsite, the party once again followed the faint presence detected by Ruin.
Around the time the sun reached its zenith, they arrived at a massive ruin.
Stone foundations of houses were scattered at regular intervals across the desolate field, a sign that this place was once a village.
Beyond the piles of stone stood a huge, ancient building that bore the clear marks of time. Judging by the vertically fluted columns supporting the roof, it appeared to be a temple.
Luon, who was gripping the trembling hilt of Ruin, opened his mouth.
“It says that’s the place.”
At his words, the party dismounted without a word.
Strabo, who seemed to have built up a tolerance for motion sickness and didn’t throw up, pointed a thick finger toward the temple.
“There are a lot of people.”
As he said, quite a few people were bustling about inside the temple.
“Do you think they’re also here chasing traces of Belducias?”
Kyle dusted off the pale dirt and replied to Igor’s question.
“What kind of idiots would try to face a Great Demon with pickaxes and shovels?”
“...You’re right. Then, are they tomb raiders?”
Luon, who had been listening to their conversation in silence, said.
“Let’s go and ask.”
With that, he took the lead and approached the temple.
The first to spot the approaching party was a worker checking the ropes of a pulley. As he let out a “Huh?” and tilted his head, three or four soldiers who had been leaning against the pillars brandished their weapons. One of them shouted.
“Halt.”
Having no intention of causing unnecessary trouble, Luon casually held up his palm. The soldier cleared his throat and added.
“Ahem, what is your business? No, who are you?”
At the soldier’s somewhat clumsy questioning, Igor stepped forward.
In situations like this, no one in the party was more suitable than him, with his verified identity as a ‘Priest of Tivela.’
“Our party serves Tivela. We are on a journey to practice the Mother’s mercy firsthand. We came upon this temple by chance and have no ill intentions, so you need not be so wary.”
After Igor finished his eloquent explanation (mixed with a few appropriate lies), a faint glow emanated from his hand. One of the soldiers was seen hastily running off somewhere.
Another soldier asked.
“Are you paladins and priests?”
Noticing the suspicious gaze directed at him, Strabo thumped his chest and said.
“What? Is there a law that says dwarves have to worship Duermyure? All hail the Goddess of Mercy!”
“……”
Just then, the soldier who had run off returned and spoke to the party.
“Follow me.”
The words clearly implied he would guide them to the person in charge. Luon nodded to the others.
“Let’s go see.”
As they followed the soldier down a long corridor, Luon took in the sight of the workers bustling about inside the temple.
There had to be at least several dozen of them, all moving in a coordinated fashion. The sweat-drenched faces didn't look like those of tomb raiders.
“Here it is.”
The soldier’s finger pointed toward a makeshift tent.
Feeling no need to ask for permission, Luon unhesitatingly pushed aside the tent flap and entered.
Inside, a middle-aged man with a dark complexion, sitting in a rocking chair and stroking a cat, greeted him.
“Welcome.”
The man added.
“My name is Gulan. I am the master of a rather large merchant company. I hear you are followers of Tivela?”
Instead of answering Gulan’s question, Luon countered with one of his own.
“This temple, is it your private property? Your men seem to be turning it upside down.”
Gulan laughed out loud at the question thrown back at him.
“Haha, why? Did we look like tomb raiders who illegally occupied the temple? I’m afraid not. This is indeed my private property. I bought it at a premium. If you don’t believe me, shall I show you the deed?”
Kyle tilted his head and muttered.
“...Bought it? From whom?”
It was a quiet mumble, but Gulan somehow heard it and answered.
“Who else but His Majesty the King? All ownerless buildings within the territory of Aniara belong to him. This abandoned temple is no exception.”
Then, he added unprompted.
“Usually, you can’t buy places like these ruins even if you have the money… but with the war breaking out, the kingdom started selling them off to raise funds! And I was lucky enough to win the bid.”
Luon looked at Gulan, who was clenching his fist, and asked.
“So, why did you call us here?”
“Ah,” Gulan said, looking over the members of the party.
“I thought that if you were followers of the Goddess of Mercy, you might be of help.”
He continued speaking as he stroked the purring cat.
“I have a great interest in ruins like this. There are plenty of fools who try to get on my nerves, saying I’m wasting my money… but that’s foolish talk. There’s nothing more thrilling than discovering the legacy of a forgotten past. And who knows? If luck is on my side, I might discover a relic stored in the basement.”
Dream on.
Luon scoffed inwardly. That was like saying you hoped to find a discarded jewel in a pile of trash.
He said.
“So, have you found any great relics?”
Hearing this, Gulan’s smile vanished from his face as he replied.
“No. Instead… I found a suspicious entrance leading to the basement.”
His eyes deepened.
“I immediately sent a vanguard of my most skilled men inside. And now… only one of them has returned, barely clinging to life. Even he has lost his mind and is just spouting nonsense.”
Nonsense?
At the meaningful words, Luon’s expression hardened. Gulan might not know it, but the party knew that traces of Belducias were here.
After a moment of organizing his thoughts, Luon asked.
“Didn’t you say you were a merchant? Why are you sharing such information with us outsiders for free?”
Taking a sip of tea from his cup, Gulan’s smile returned.
“Let’s just call it a merchant’s intuition. An intuition that a party claiming to serve Tivela wouldn’t have visited this temple by mere chance.”
He added.
“...While waiting for my men who didn’t return, what do you think I was thinking? It was the conviction that there was something beyond the entrance I discovered. And just then, you all arrived. I surmise you came here knowing there was something in this temple, am I right?”
The silence was brief, but Gulan nodded as if it were answer enough.
“I knew it.”
Luon smirked and said.
“So now, you’re trying to hire us? To investigate what’s in the basement?”
Gulan nodded.
“That’s right. All I have left now are laborers and a few ragtag swordsmen. None of them will go down into the basement that swallowed my men. But warriors who serve Tivela seem much more reliable. Aren’t you wielders of the goddess’s power?”
He folded all but his index and middle fingers and continued.
“Twenty percent. That will be your share of anything you find inside. Of course, I’ll pay you a separate fee. What do you say?”
Luon silently gazed at the merchant’s curious face for a moment.
Would he be able to smile like that if he knew a Great Demon might be down there?
The temple’s basement, Gulan’s missing men, the survivor who went mad.
Luon was now certain that something was lurking inside this desolate temple. Even if this curious merchant saw it as nothing more than a game.
Well, as long as our interests align, that’s all that matters.
He nodded with a faint smile.
“Very well. But I’ll need an advance.”