The monkey statue came off easily in Seol's hands.
There wasn't a single damaged spot-clean enough to show it had been crafted to stand on its own from the start.
"Where should we put the monkey?"
"Leave it anywhere and it'll get crushed..."
Seol approached the troll with the club raised over its back.
"Lady Mariju, this way."
"Oh! Yes!"
Fwoosh-
The moment she brought the flames close to the troll's back, a change began.
Ssshhhhhhhhh...
A pattern-almost identical to the one carved into the floor-etched itself onto the statue's back. "The monkey... goes here..."
Tap.
The monkey statue attached itself to the troll's back without resistance. Mariju spoke.
"Sir Zalb."
"Understood!"
Sssrrrk-
As Zalb stroked the round orb, the same blinding light burst forth again.
Fwoooooom-
Crackle-
The battle began.
Fujisk-
A pirate's blade plunged deep into the smaller troll's chest.
TAAANG!
A warrior deflected the massive troll's club.
Up to this point, everything was the same before.
Krrrk!
The monkey clinging to the troll's back severed the creature's necklace and tossed it to the ground. KRAAAAAAAH-!
The troll roared in fury.
Fwoooosh!
Fwoooosh!
A moment later, its head was engulfed in blazing fire.
Ssshhhhhhhh..
The group grimaced at the vivid smell of burning flesh.
Crackle... crack-crack...
The dwarves and the monkey returned to stone.
The trolls, however, crumbled into dust where they stood.
Clang!
"A door! It's a door!"
The sealed chamber was sealed no more-part of the outer wall had transformed into an exit.
"Do we... just walk out?"
Zalb turned to Seol.
"First of all them."
Tokotokotoko-
The statues gathered together and marched through the opened doorway
Their movement was smooth and uniform, as though rails had been laid beneath their feet.
Seol's group followed behind them.
"Is this magic? Or machinery? Fascinating."
"The Federation has Kastreng, don't they?"
"Ah, come on... Kastrengs are mostly logic-machines sprinkled with a little magic.
But this... this is like something straight out of a fairy tale."
"Fairy-tale magic, huh? Fair point."
"Oppa, why do you think these statues suddenly appeared?"
The ruin was vast, and everyone had been scattered, so they still hadn't met any of the others.
The group discussed the trial laid out by the statues.
"Maybe the ruin is testing us...
"A test? All of a sudden?"
"You remember that severed head at the auction?"
"Oh, that man! I remember. It was grotesque."
"The moment he spoke, all of this began. There has to be a connection."
"Some scoundrels must be involved. Think they know more about this ruin than we do?"
"More than us, certainly. They probably expected something like this to happen."
Mariju pressed her hand to her forehead.
"This is terrible. Escaping the ruin alone is hard enough-now there are schemers mixed in too."
Thump, thump.
Zalb pounded his chest proudly.
"Leave it to me, Lady Mariju! I'll escort you back to the estate without a single scratch!"
"My knee is already scraped, though.."
"That... that was..."
"I'm joking."
"Ahem! W-well! At the very least, we can trust each other here!"
"Uh, ahem... maybe not."
Neither Mariyu nor Seol answered.
Clack
"The stone statues stopped."
When Seol lifted his gaze to the ceiling, those same characters appeared again.
This time as well, Kangseol deciphered the sentence without much difficulty.
"The road to the destination is a succession of hardships."
Chatter-
Another stone structure rose up around them. It looked like a labyrinth.
"Only the incomprehensible will open the path."
When Seol said that, everyone nodded and added their own murmurs.
That round orb was the "incomprehensible, right?"
"So something must be hidden in there..."
Seol slowly approached the statue of the mage.
Before them, a wall of tangled vines blocked the way.
He gently brushed his hand over the round sphere.
Then-
Fwoooooong.
The orb responded.
For a brief moment, the statue regained life, just as it had earlier.
"Waaaahhhh-!"
A burst of light shot out from the blue sphere.
The vines were drenched in vibrant green light, so vivid they looked almost impossible to tear away.
Whoooooooosh...
At that moment, the wizard's orb shone directly onto the tangle of vines.
Pzzzzzzz...
"Oh my god.."
"...The vines are disappearing."
"Is... is it working?"
Seol watched the spectacle without blinking, not even for a second.
Thud...
As the vines vanished, the dwarves reverted back into stone statues.
All of them.
And just like nothing had ever happened, they once again marched forward.
"..It's strange that no one ever runs into them while they're doing this."
"More importantly, that orb... what kind of power does it hold?"
"It seems to be promoting corruption...
"That's how it looked to me as well. But perhaps it's something that drains life force."
"Ah, I see! That's another way to think about it."
Seol merely took their conjectures into account and continued pondering on his own.
Mariyju hurried to catch up with Kangseol, who was walking ahead by himself, and asked quietly,
"You're thinking of something else, aren't you?"
*...Something just came to mind."
"Could you tell us what it is?"
Seol looked around at the group before speaking.
"You both make valid points, but let's watch a little longer. The next trial might reveal the answer."
"Ah! Well, I don't really mind.."
Seol tilted his head and asked Somi,
"Somi."
"Yes? What is it?"
"Were the ruins always this big?"
"That's what I'm wondering too..."
Mariju answered in her stead.
The Star Graveyard stretches all the way underground. I think the interior must have shifted and merged with that
area.
"That's an unbelievable size."
"Right? I was thinking the same thing."
But suddenly, the dwarves ahead came to a halt.
"Huh? Why did they stop...?"
From the path on the left, another group of dwarves popped out.
It seemed others were undergoing the same trial as well.
Ziiiiing-
The dwarf on Seol's side activated the power of the orb.
Fsssss..
The dwarves on the opposite side didn't merely shatter-they crumbled down to dust, erased without a trace. And
the power contained within their orbs flowed into the orb of the dwarf who had destroyed them.
"So from here on... are we meant to go together?"
Ahead of them lay a broken stone bridge. Even as ruins, its scale was impressive. Only the skeletal frame
remained, leaving them to imagine how magnificent it must once have been.
Then it happened.
"Wait! Someone's coming!"
Ssshhhh...
A chill swept in from across the way. And soon after, a distant voice cried out.
"M-murderer!"
"The murderer is chasing us!"
A moment later, Han Somi and Mariju's expressions tightened.
Jalv asked,
"A murderer?"
"T-that man killed the people who were with him. Uwaaah! He killed them!"
Seol glanced at the so-called murderer they were pointing at and let out a faint, dry laugh.
"Ur..."
"Yeah... I caught your scent from here. Seems you've chosen the lucky path."
Ur was glad to see Seol, but the false accusation hanging over him soured the reunion.
Seol asked calmly.
"Did you kill someone?"
"Kill them? Yes, I did."
The six people who had crossed over answered first.
"He froze them solid in an instant and killed them all!"
"He murdered them without warning! He is with those bastards! The ones who ruined the auction!"
Seol raised his hand slightly, and their voices fell silent.
There was probably no one else in the world who could shut multiple mouths with such a simple gesture-but
Seol could.
Huuuung
Even from just the slight energy Seol let slip, the six intruders instinctively shrank back.
They weren't entirely wrong, of course. But since Seol had intentionally concealed the killing intent that leaked
from Ur's body, they hadn't noticed the truth.
"Why did you kill them?"
"are you investigating?" "No. I was just curious."
Ur let out a heavy sigh.
"Isn't it strange?"
"Those guys weren't at the auction. How do they even know what happened there?"
"Ah."
Ur had seen it-
the faces of everyone who had been present at the auction.
Even if they had worn masks, Ur wouldn't have been fooled. These six were definitely not among the crowd back
then.
In other words, the likelihood that they were connected to the ones who orchestrated the incident was extremely
high.
Of course, simply tracing their path wouldn't be enough to justify killing them. Something else must have
happened.
Jalv shouted,
"Just that alone isn't enough to kill-maybe someone told them about the place-*
"No. These guys appeared immediately after the incident, in the same zone as me. And my nose is extremely
sensitive. Especially to.."
Ur stepped in closer.
"To the scent
2
murder."
"The moment they realized I was alone, they released a faint killing intent. Even behind the mask, a killer's scent
cannot be hidden. Isn't that right, Seol?"
"N-no.. that's just speculation... Mariju, ma'am! Please don't trust-"
Jalv tried to defend the six intruders.
But Seol's quiet words made him flinch.
"Step back, Lady Mariju. And you too, Somi."
"Understood."
"I'll protect Lady Mariju!"
With Somi and Mariju stepping aside, Jalv could no longer cling to his original stance. He had to respect the
majority's decision.
"R-right.. yes. Lady Mariju! Things are getting messy, so please step back-"
Jalv stood back-to-back with Seol, as if trying to guard him.
Seol gave him a blank look.
"What are you doing, Jalv?"
"Th-there's many of them, we should combine forces-*
"Shouldn't you be standing over there?" "Huh?" For an instant, Jalv stiffened.
"You're not very good at hiding your killing intent."
"W-what nonsense is this? Are you suspecting me now?"
Jalv quickly raised his voice.
"Lady Mariju! This guy is acting strange! That group over there-"
Mariju stared at Jalv without a flicker of emotion.
Her cold gaze alone told him her heart had already turned.
*_Lady Mariju?"
"Sir Jalv, you've served as my escort for nearly five years now."
"Yes, that's true. But-"
"As of this moment, you are no longer a knight of the Sanchi family."
"_W-What!?"
"Seol is right. You're not very good at hiding killing intent."
Jalv took a step back, then merged with the six masked intruders.
"..Since when did you notice?"
"I had my suspicions. But I was certain right after the group changed tactics."
*_Why?"
"Because simply being isolated with me was enough for you to let killing intent leak out."
And she was correct.
That was why Seol hadn't let him come any closer than necessary.
If not for Seol and Somi beside him, Jalv would have killed Mariju on the spot.
Even in that short moment, a faint murderous aura had seeped out. Seol had sensed it, but he hadn't voiced it.
"So the two of you were pretending not to notice?"
"Among the three of us, Jalv, we couldn't be sure we could beat you. You're strong."
Seol, on the other hand, thought the opposite.
If they let Jalv go, he hoped the traitor's allies would reveal themselves-
and indeed, they had.
"Then why did your judgement change now?"
"Just a moment ago, I sensed a faint presence from Seol. I mistook that slight hint for hostility... Jalv, you were...
you were going to kill us-no, kill me."
Mariju declared firmly:
"You cannot ⭑N.o.v.e.l.i.g.h.to win against Seol."
"What?"
"Puhahaha! Now that my throat's safe, you speak boldly."
Of course it sounded absurd-
Seven people losing to one man?
If she had said even a trained group couldn't beat him, anyone would have laughed.
Srring-
"Shall we confirm it then?"
Mariju hid behind Seol.
"E-excuse me... this feels like the safest place."
2
"Turn off the light."
"What?"
"Because it'll be an unpleasant sight."
Crack..
As Marijue extinguished the flame, the world around them was swallowed
darkness.
The faint light leaking from somewhere was so weak that even the space right before her eyes was hard to make
out.
Fwoooosh-!
With a sickening squelch, she heard the sharp spray of blood. She could feel warm droplets hitting several spots on her dress.
"It's all right now."
The fire blossomed once more.
Crackle...
"..Oh My God."
The brief moment of darkness had felt agonizingly long.
Inside, she had counted to three.
And yet... the scene before her now far exceeded even her wildest imaginings.
Headless corpses stood stiff and unmoving, like abandoned dolls.
Thud-!
Thud-!
The bodies toppled backwards one by one.
"Hi... hilik.."
Only Jalv had managed to keep his head, and he stood shaking, collapsed on the floor.
"D-don't... you monster..."
What had he just witnessed?
Marijue didn't even want to imagine it further.
"You.. your imagination is worse than reality."
Kang-Seol approached Jalv, meeting his trembling eyes.
A faint crackle..
Soon, the memories Jalv possessed were transferred to Kang-Seol.
"Hm..."
"Learn anything?"
As Ur stepped closer, Seol nodded.
"This place really is the remnant of that ancient fortress that lay buried for ages."
"I figured as much."
"Those thugs who ruined the auction came here seeking treasure. They... they didn't care about the auction at all."
"Hoh... treasure? But they didn't know what the treasure even was?"
"Seems like it."
"Then why stir up trouble now?"
"Maybe the remnants needed a living sacrifice to awaken their strength again."
*So today was the day the sacrifice came walking right to them."
"_Yes."
"What about that girl?"
Ur, already aware of the situation with Somi, narrowed his eyes.
What Ur was asking was Marijue.
Marijue answered quietly.
Rustle...
She removed her mask.
Like a ruby, her red irises gleamed alongside the markings around them.
"I am Marijue of the Mountain Shrine. I apologize for the late greeting."
"If you helped me escape this place unharmed, I thought it be right to show my thanks."
"O-oppa..."
Somi looked like a puppy caught in the rain-pitiful and full of emotion.
Seol had never disliked that earnest side of her.
"Understood." "Thank you.."
Ur cleared his throat loudly.
"Ahem... anyway, Seol. That's the extent
"So? What do you know?"
"That marble."
The dwarf held a blue sphere in his hand.
what you know, right?"
It still shone faintly-one of the magical relics the ancient dwarven sorcerers had once controlled.
Following Ur's gaze, Kang-Seol nodded slightly.
"That sphere-what is it? And why did the remnant stage a trial like this..?"
"A trial? No. It's telling a story."
"A story?"
"It's showing what happened because of that sphere."
That thing caused all this?"
"..Seol, look at this."
Huuuuuum..
Ur activated the sphere.
Light spread outward like mist.
Crackle, crackle..
Every change that had taken place revealed itself in the brilliance
The massive stone structure was returning to its former shape. Kang-Seol's expression hardened.
"This.."
The sphere wasn't creating something new-
it was restoring the ruin to its original form.
Ur let out a short laugh.
"This.. is the relic of Karkon."
Karkon-the ancient kingdom forgotten by all but the dwarves who had once praised its greatness.
"A remnant of Karkon ended up in the hands of a dwarf sorcerer. That's where the story begins."
Ruuumble.
The remnant began to transform.
Far ahead, the structure shifted and molded itself into something new.
A castle-shrunken, s though formed from memory rather than stone.
Marijue narrowed her eyes.
"I've seen that castle before."
"You have?"
"There's a trace of it in the north."
She exhaled softly, almost in awe.
"It's Jatgaru's Throne. The royal seat of the ancient dwarf kingdom."