C832
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Alice frowned and kicked the hunched middle-aged man's butt.
"Ugh!"
The man collapsed on the spot, clutching his backside. Seeing him straighten his back, it seemed like he had been pretending to be hunched over.
"Why, why did you hit me? I risked my life to bring you this information..."
"Did you already forget the trouble we went through because of that damn information?"
Alice tapped the man on his forehead and asked if he didn't remember.
"It was dirty! It was cold! It was hot! A real dungeon nightmare!"
She waved her clenched fist, saying that she had considered destroying the entire dungeon.
"If it's news about the young master..."
Raon lowered his gaze to look at the middle-aged man.
"Could it be about Sif?"
"That's right."
Alice clicked her tongue and nodded briefly.
"I told you I went to the dungeon looking for my son. This guy brought that information."
She wrinkled her nose as she looked at the hunched middle-aged man.
—L-Lord Raon, right? I'm Paras, Lady Alice's informant.
The middle-aged man introduced himself as Paras and bowed his head.
"I'm Raon Zieghart."
Since he was introduced as Alice's informant, Raon received his greeting politely.
"No need for formalities. He's a former thief."
"...A thief?"
"Yes. I met him on a mission and rehabilitated him as an informant. He used to be quite useful with his old skills, but he's not like he used to be now that he's older."
Alice shook her head, saying that she wasn't satisfied with his recent work.
"So I went to check it out again myself."
Paras knelt before Alice and looked up.
"The dungeon?"
—Yes! It was too strange for a dungeon like that to be completely empty.
"Probably someone got there first."
Alice shrugged and said that it was quite common for dungeons to be empty.
"Besides, what's in the dungeon isn't important. The question is whether my damn son was there or not, and there was no trace of him."
"But considering Sif's movements, there was nowhere else he could have gone besides that dungeon!"
Paras shook his head, insisting that Sif had definitely passed through the village of Burang.
"Sigh, then what did you expect to see when you returned to the dungeon?"
Alice tilted her chin, indicating that she would at least listen.
"First, I discovered something."
Paras raised his bright eyes.
"I spent four days in the dungeon, but when I came out, only one day had passed. I thought time was moving slower, but it seems like the opposite can happen too!"
He shook his head and said that the speed of time's passage seemed to change arbitrarily.
"Is that your discovery?"
Alice raised her fist, saying that she knew it would be something like that.
"P-Please listen to the end!"
Paras waved both hands and his chin trembled.
"Just as I was about to give up and return, I saw some strange figures heading towards the dungeon!"
"Strange figures?"
—Yes. They were covered from head to toe in dirty robes, and the aura they emanated was sinister.
He swallowed hard and said that just looking at them gave him goosebumps.
Sensing that something was happening, I followed them, and as expected, they entered the dungeon.
"Mmm..."
Alice lowered her raised fist and nodded.
"Continue."
"Ah, yes!"
Paras took a deep breath and sat up straight.
"After suppressing my presence as much as I could, I followed them. As you know, Lady Alice, that dungeon constantly changes to make one get lost, but they found the right path as if they had a map. It took them less than a few hours to reach the end of the dungeon."
He continued speaking in a low voice, as if someone could hear him.
"At the end of the dungeon where we couldn't find anything, they placed a red gem and began chanting an unknown incantation."
Paras clasped his hands together as if imitating those strange figures.
"Despite the pain in my ears, I looked down and saw black smoke rising from beneath their feet, and a completely black hole opened up. It was a path leading downwards!"
He bit his lip hard, as if he were still trembling at the memory.
"A hole?"
Alice narrowed her eyes as she looked at Paras.
"That's impossible. When I extended my aura perception, I didn't feel anything below."
She shook her head and said that it was simply ordinary earth.
—I told you, they used magic!
Paras described the actions of the shamans again, insisting that he had seen it with his own eyes.
"Mmm..."
Alice narrowed her eyes as if she were thinking deeply.
—With a mother like that, even this king would run away! Not finding him is doing him a favor!
Wrath shook his head and said to not cause Sif any more pain.
"You never know."
If Sif had really tried to escape Alice, that would be lucky, but something bad could also be happening, so finding him was the priority.
"You said there was a gem too, right?"
Alice spread her fingers as she looked at Paras.
"Huh? Yes! They each placed a gem on the ground."
"Magic alone wouldn't be enough to deceive my aura perception. But if that gem is an artifact, it's possible."
She nodded, saying that if it was a space manipulated by both an artifact and magic, even she might not be able to detect it.
"I had a similar experience recently."
Raon stepped forward and looked at Paras.
"Even though it was right in front of me, I didn't know there was a path leading underground."
Recalling the door to the underground archive in the Shadow Agents' office, he said that it was possible.
"Alright. Continue."
Alice tilted her chin, seemingly deciding to believe Paras for now.
"G-Thank you."
Paras bowed his head towards Raon and continued speaking.
"I followed those three through the dark, undulating hole. It felt like I was heading towards the Devildom, and I felt chills down my spine."
—What nonsense! The Devildom isn't such an evil place!
Wrath shouted, telling him not to talk about things he didn't understand.
"The path wasn't very long, but I could tell we had descended very deep. After further suppressing my presence, I emerged from the black hole to find a grotesque space where the ceiling, floor, and walls seemed to be made of metal."
"A space made of metal?"
"Yes. There was nowhere to hide, so while I tried to move carefully, I heard human groans coming from the metal walls and the subsoil. That's when I realized that this place was a prison."
He clutched his shoulders and said that he was still trembling at the memory.
"A prison made entirely of metal, including the walls, ceiling, and floor..."
Rimmer frowned.
"I feel like I've heard of this before."
"It's the Iron Chain that started a war a hundred years ago."
Alice lowered her eyebrows, saying that it seemed like traces of the Iron Chain.
'Iron Chain...'
Raon lowered his chin slightly.
"I haven't heard that name in a long time."
The Iron Chain was a militant group that harmonized armor and magic to create weapons and armor capable of blocking Astral Energy. They were said to be as powerful as the Five Kings and the Five Demons, but ultimately perished after waging excessive wars of conquest.
"I've never seen the Iron Chain's prison, but it was similar to what I had heard."
Paras continued speaking, exhaling a shallow sigh.
"Those shamans walked the metal path with familiar steps, but I couldn't follow them."
His lips trembled with his shoulders hunched.
"My thief's instinct warned me: if I went any further, I would die."
Paras looked up in terror and said that if he had ignored that warning, he wouldn't be here now.
-I suppose so.
Raon nodded calmly. If there really was a prison made of metal as Paras said, the security inside would be much stronger. Considering everything, it was impressive that he had returned safe and sound.
"I was about to turn back, thinking it was too dangerous to follow alone, when..."
Paras swallowed hard and raised his head.
"I heard S-Sif's scream from deep within the prison."
"Sif?"
"Yes!"
He exhaled a cloudy breath, insisting that it was definitely Sif's voice.
"Damn..."
Alice frowned as she looked at Paras.
"There's no way Sif would be captured in a place like that! Besides, there are many people with similar voices!"
She shook her head as if it were absolutely impossible, but her expression had become seriously stiff.
"You know, I've heard Young Master Sif's screams more than anyone when he was knocked down by your blows during training, Lady Alice."
Paras trembled his hand on the ground, saying that he knew it well because he had trained alongside Sif.
"Besides, as I said at the beginning, it's certain that Sif went to that dungeon. I'm worried that the shamans captured him while he was exploring the dungeon alone..."
He clutched his head and said that he was worried about Sif.
"..."
Raon looked away from Paras to look at Alice. She was biting her nails and her eyes were trembling. It was a look she hadn't shown even during the war. She was truly nervous.
"If we're going, we have to move as fast as possible."
Paras knelt and bowed his head.
"Judging by that broken voice, he might not last long."
"Lady Alice..."
Even Lawaine couldn't offer any advice and just bit his lips.
"Ugh..."
Alice ruffled her hair with cold sweat, then finally seemed to make a decision and walked towards Raon.
—Raon, I'm sorry. I think I'll have to visit Sia later.
She shook her head, seemingly deciding to find Sif first.
"I'll go too."
Raon looked up calmly at Alice, who had lowered her head.
"Why would you…?"
"I want to meet that amazing brother, and I'd also like to see the faces of those kidnappers."
Besides, he wanted to see if that peculiar dungeon could have been created by his ancestor.
"But you have to save Sia! Think about your family first!"
Alice frowned and told him to return to Zieghart and take care of the Soul Crystal first.
"Of course it's important. But..."
Raon smiled softly as he held Alice's trembling hand.
"You're my family too, Aunt."
"Alright, alright! You said it right!"
"That's right. We've always received help, so now it's our turn to help."
"Aunt..."
Martha, Burren, and Runaan nodded, seemingly sharing the same thought.
"All of you..."
Alice finally couldn't continue speaking and lowered her head.
* * *
"Mmm..."
Federick scratched the side of his head after finishing Sia's examination.
"W-What's wrong?"
Sylvia leaned so far forward that she almost fell, clasping her hands together.
"H-Has something happened to Sia?"
She showed a desperate look in her eyes, as if she would offer even her soul for Sia's sake.
"Smo..."
Edgar also called out to Federick with blue-tinged lips, seemingly tense.
"It's nothing major."
Federick shook his head slightly, saying that there was no need to be so tense.
"It seems that the interval in which Sia's soul fluctuates has become a little faster, but I'm not sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing."
He lowered his eyebrows and said that it wouldn't necessarily be bad, as it could be a stage of adaptation.
"...You should talk faster."
Glenn frowned as he looked at Federick. He also seemed tense and his complexion was pale.
"I told you, this is the first time I've had a patient like Sia! Every step feels like walking on thin ice."
Federick shook his head, wiping the sweat dripping from his forehead. He exhaled a long sigh, as if he were tired of the examination.
"Anyway, she's fine for now, right?"
Glenn asked about Sia's condition with dry lips.
"Yes. It's not a significant change. However, as I said before, we don't know what will happen in the future, so it's better to find the Soul Crystal as quickly as possible."
Federick stroked his beard and said that they should treat her quickly to reduce the variables.
"I'm sorry..."
Sylvia buried her face in the bed, stroking Sia's hand.
"..."
Edgar also held Sylvia's shoulder tightly, keeping all his words locked inside.
"...I understand."
Glenn nodded heavily and left the hospital room.
"Ugh..."
He let out a sigh that he couldn't show his daughter, his son-in-law, and his unconscious granddaughter as he breathed in the night air.
"How powerless."
It was frustrating not to be able to do anything, despite his title as the God of Lightning and his name Zieghart. He felt as if he had returned to his helpless childhood. However, he couldn't move directly either. If the information leaked and the Five Demons attacked while he was away, the damage would be on a completely different scale than before.
"How suffocating!"
Glenn squeezed his throbbing temples tightly as he looked at the night sky. Just as he was about to return to the Lord's Mansion after letting out a little irritation, he saw the leader of the Shadow Agents, Chad, running from afar.
"Head of House! Head of House!"
Chad exhaled in short bursts, unable to speak properly.
"Take it easy."
Glenn waved his hand towards Chad.
"What's wrong?"
"L-Lord Raon has sent you a letter, Head of House!"
Chad handed him a white envelope and said that it had just arrived.
Has he reached the island?
Glenn received the envelope with a slight smile. Thinking that he should at least be happy to see his grandson's neat handwriting, he unfolded the letter.
"Hmm...?"
But Glenn couldn't smile. His chin trembled as he read the contents of the letter.
"Is this real?"
"I couldn't see it because it was addressed to you personally, Head of House..."
Chad blinked and asked what was wrong.
"...It says that he found the Soul Crystal."
Glenn turned around and walked through the door of Federick's mansion.
"F-Father?"
"Father-in-law?"
Sylvia and Edgar blinked as they looked at Glenn.
"What are you doing?"
Federick twirled his finger, wondering if he had lost his mind.
"Raon has found the Soul Crystal!"
Glenn showed Raon's letter, showing a bright smile for the first time in a long time.
"R-Raon?"
"Already...?"
"My!"
Sylvia, Edgar, and Federick widened their eyes in surprise.
"Raon..."
Sylvia also shed tears that she had been holding back, seemingly moved.
"I didn't expect him to find it so quickly either. As expected of my grandson!"
Glenn let out an exclamation, saying words that he had been embarrassed to say before.
—No! He's my son before that!
Sylvia wiped the tears from her eyes and smiled.
-He's also my son... No, I'm sorry!
Edgar began to speak but quickly bowed his head after seeing Sylvia and Glenn's expressions.
"Don't I get anything? The benefactor who saves lives is too weak..."
Federick clicked his lips and rolled his eyes. A warm atmosphere enveloped Sia's hospital room for the first time in a long time.
* * *
Raon gestured towards Wrath on the deck of the Azure Wind, which was cutting through the waves.
'Wrath.'
—Why are you calling me?
Wrath rolled his eyes and slightly raised his head.
"You were looking forward to the festival. Why are you so quiet?"
-This king also knows the importance of family.
The man shook his head.
-Don't see this king as someone too cold-blooded.
'Thank you.'
—Hmph!
Wrath snorted, looking at the sea.
-And I have something to ask you.
—What is it?
'Lust.'
—Aaaargh!
Wrath collapsed into the pose he had been maintaining.
—Where is she! Where is that crazy woman!
'...'
—Huh? W-what's wrong? Didn't she show up?
"I just said Lust's name."
Raon let out a dry chuckle. He knew that Wrath was afraid of Lust, but he didn't expect it to be so terrible.
-Wrath slowly raised his body, his face red with embarrassment.
—Ahem! And what did you want to ask?
'Well, is Lust also a trustworthy Demon King?'
-Trustworthy, you say...
Wrath stroked his chin.
-You've seen it yourself, but in terms of stalking, she's not trustworthy at all. However, if you ask about basic trust, there's no demon more trustworthy than her.
The man nodded and said that she would keep her promises well, except for stalking.
"If you vouch for her, I guess I can trust her."
Raon turned around with a smile.
-It's not something you can say so easily.
Wrath shook his head, saying that he didn't know what Raon was thinking, but that he should judge carefully.
"I trust you, who trusts Lust."
-Mmm...
The man trembled and his eyelids twitched, unable to speak.
"Merlin, Lust. Come out."
Although he couldn't sense Merlin and Lust's presence, he called them, thinking that they must be there. With a whistle, a pink current rose from the air, and the sea otter he had seen before jumped onto the ship.
"It's rare that you find us first!"
Merlin smiled happily, waving a small stone used for breaking shells.
"Ugh..."
Lust was still sobbing, as if she couldn't believe she had been defeated.
—W-what?! Those crazy women were still following us?
Wrath shouted at Merlin and Lust.
—And why did you call those things!
The man shook his head and said he didn't understand.
"I have a favor to ask you."
Raon took out the Soul Crystal he had kept in his bosom.
"Please take this Soul Crystal to Zieghart."
As he said this, he handed the Soul Crystal to the two of them.
"Huh...?"
Merlin widened her eyes in surprise.
"My mother and grandfather must be worried, so I want to reassure them first."
Raon bowed his head and said: please.
"A-are you entrusting something so important to me?"
Merlin widened her eyes in disbelief.
"Mmm..."
Lust also lowered her eyebrows, seeming to understand the overall situation.
-Yes, because I trust you.
Raon nodded as he said this.
—N-No! You shouldn't say that to stalkers!
Ignoring Wrath's shout, Raon's words flowed, and Merlin and Lust's eyes burned with fierce flames.
-
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