Chapter 70
“It’s definitely a ruin.”
Elisha examined the drawings and language on the pillars. Their origin was hard to pinpoint, but maybe 2,000 years old?
‘This could be the discovery of the century!’
Even she, a prodigy at the Imperium Academy, didn’t know this civilization. Ancient civilizations found in deserts or jungles are especially valuable, potentially revealing new magic rules or cultures.
“It’s the precursor to the Eudialyte Desert Kingdom.”
Elisha froze mid-fantasy, whipping her head to Martin.
“What did you say? You recognize this?”
Holding a torch of unknown origin, Martin brushed his hand over a mural and answered.
“It’s the symbols and language of the Eudialyte Empire, the continent’s strongest 2,000 years ago. Similar to the current Eudialyte Kingdom’s, but hard to recognize since it’s an extinct ancient civilization.”
“Uh…”
“Due to the inherent limit of a desert capital, the declining ancient Eudialyte Empire fell to the Defardly Empire, a war criminal state in the Universal Independence War, leaving these forgotten ruins.”
“….”
His rapid-fire explanation left her speechless. There was nothing to nitpick.
‘What the heck.’
Peacemaker, the Princess' Black Knight.
‘Now an archaeologist?’
Whatever. She accepted it. If Martin said so, fine.
“Thanks for the explanation. Do you know how to get out?”
Elisha pointed up. The quicksand that spat them here had completely sealed shut. Martin glanced at the closed hole, then turned to a passage leading deeper.
“We’ll have to conquer the ruin.”
Elisha let out a hollow laugh, incredulous. Did he not understand what he was saying?
“Are you sane? If, as you say, it’s an ancient empire’s ruin, how can just the two of us conquer it?”
Surely, unheard-of traps and monsters lurked. Such ruins, compared to Time Chaos Dungeons, would rank Grade 3 to 4. By international law, Grade 3 requires a raid led by a Gold Knight like Faris, and Grade 4 needs a party of Platinum Knights like Hectia.
“…Got it? We’re academy cadets, Bronze Knights by international law. I know you’re impressive, but this is absurd. Conquer it? Fine, we could try. But we should think of realistic options first… Cadet Martin?”
Mid-lecture, Elisha looked around. No one was there. Just a back heading toward the ruin’s depths.
“Hah!”
Elisha sighed heavily, complaining.
“Hey, I’m not going. I can’t. That kind of suicide mission…”
Her words caught. It was too dark. Why so dark? Come to think of it, Martin made the only torch, didn’t he? As the light faded, bugs—centipedes, insects, scorpions—began crawling out from who-knows-where.
“Eek!”
Wiping away a stray tear, Elisha sprinted to Martin’s side.
Martin drew his gun.
“Pursuers behind you?”
“No!”
Bugs. Ugh, bugs. I hate them. I hate darkness, ghosts, and bugs. My senses were still chilled.
I don’t want to be behind. I want to stand in front, where the torch shines.
“I’ll take the lead.”
The moment I said it, my nape was yanked back. I couldn’t resist the strength pulling me.
“What…!”
A crescent blade whooshed past my face. So well-maintained, my pale face reflected on its smooth surface. My heart pounded; I felt hot blood coursing through me. The blade swung side to side like a pendulum, making a menacing sound.
Martin’s voice belatedly hit my ears.
“It’s a trap. Did they teach you to act recklessly in ruins at the academy?”
At his sharp warning, Elisha rubbed her chilled nape and replied.
“…Sorry.”
Martin took the lead, disarming traps with methods I couldn’t fathom, as if he knew them all. It was pristine.
Watching, Elisha felt her strength drain.
‘…I’m just a burden.’
Hitching a ride behind Martin, getting him caught up saving people, and walking into a trap thoughtlessly, only to be saved.
It was lucky it was just a falling blade. A trap spewing flames across the passage could’ve endangered Martin too.
“….”
“….”
We moved forward in silence.
I hated this silence. I wished he’d at least yell. It’s a trap. Don’t act recklessly. That was it.
‘…So embarrassing.’
Memories of badmouthing Martin surfaced. For a moment, I felt sorry, but the old Martin definitely did wrong. Upholding justice back then wasn’t a mistake.
‘But feeling sorry means…’
My perception of him has changed.
The Martin who returned to the academy after suspension was 180 degrees different. All the criticisms since were misunderstandings.
‘He’s really changed a lot.’
I don’t know Martin’s full combat strength, but his ultra-long-range sniping and ruin exploration skills were beyond most Gold Knights.
Due to a gunslinger’s nature, he might be below Bronze Knight in close combat, but the body that carried me and navigated the battlefield nimbly seemed as sturdy as any martial cadet.
Back when he led the Violence Circle, a single kick made him vomit his guts.
“….”
That made me more curious.
Is Martin really the secret Peacemaker of the fallen Cosmos Empire?
Is he truly the Black Knight of the mad Princess Adela?
And above all, why did he fight Gilbert?
It’s a tangled mess, giving me a headache.
***
‘Was I too harsh?’
Seeing Elisha, silent and glum since earlier, my thought turned to certainty. I might’ve hurt her.
‘Ugh.’
I dislike the protagonist Gilbert. I dislike the entire protagonist party. But… that doesn’t mean I should hurt them.
‘Thinking about it, she has trauma.’
Normally buried under noble pride, Elisha has a trauma from her childhood that turned it into a nightmare. A trauma so severe she couldn’t draw her family’s prized bow, trembling.
That’s her character. A proud noble on the outside, but a fragile girl full of wounds inside. My words might’ve triggered her trauma.
Having trauma myself, I know that pain well.
‘I feel like a bad guy.’
There’s an excuse. It’s a dark ruin full of traps and monsters. I saved her from her own recklessness, so wasn’t I justified in saying that much…?
‘Haa.’
Enough dumb excuses. If there’s a sign of trauma emerging, it’s dangerous. Trauma in a perilous ruin? A recipe for disaster. If the Harmadun archer drops out for such a ridiculous reason, I’m the one in trouble.
I quietly took out a thermos. Not my coffee. One Lilac personally packed.
[Master, have a wonderful trip ♡]
I carefully tucked the enclosed note into my pocket and poured coffee into the thermos lid.
The lemon scent tickled my nose. A fatigue recovery potion, ‘Lemon Coffee,’ made with Lilac’s care for her master’s health.
“Cadet Elisha, have a cup.”
Her eyes lit up, then flinched seeing me, before slowly taking the cup.
“…? The color’s different from before.”
“It’s a different coffee.”
“Is it really drugs this time?”
“It’s coffee.”
This girl, honestly…
Elisha took a sip, her expression brightening. With a clearer face, she looked at me, then turned away primly, returning the cup.
“…Thanks.”
If that calmed her, good.
“Let’s keep moving.”
As I disabled traps and pressed forward, I couldn’t hide my growing excitement. Because of Elisha? No way. Don’t even joke about that, or I’ll put a hole in your head.
‘In the ancient ruins of the Eudialyte Desert, it’s here.’
The five treasures crafted by nature, ‘Nature Five.’ One lies beneath this desert. I’m not certain it’s this ruin, but I’m convinced in my gut.
Wild Instinct (Lv 3) senses a powerful force!
In the original story, even at the apocalypse’s end, when the Imperium Empire fell, the Nature Five owners survived. If possible, I must obtain it—one reason I accepted Elisha’s invitation.
Know-It-All (Lv 3) has successfully deciphered the murals and language of the ancient Eudialyte Empire!
Know-It-All relayed the mural’s meaning, and I shivered with certainty.
‘It’s here! As expected!’
The Desert Hierophant is in this place!
“That’s strange.”
Elisha pointed out.
“It’s full of traps, but no monsters. In a mana-isolated place abandoned for thousands of years, golems or ghosts should naturally spawn.”
I was elated. No reason I can’t answer this.
“It’s because this is a sanctuary. A place prepared as a refuge for a great being in case of emergency.”
Why are murals and inscriptions in ruins? Magic is activated through lines and text—magic circles. Modern magic is systematized, but in ancient times, they used massive murals and long texts.
“The drawings, language, numbers, even the ruin’s structure form one protective magic.”
“Even for ancient magic, the entire ruin? …You’re right. That’s why it’s so well-preserved after thousands of years.”
But there’s a flaw.
“Wait, then what was the quicksand that brought us here?”
“An entrance only the ruin’s master knows how to use.”
Someone let us in. Realizing the implication, Elisha’s expression grew grave.
“Let’s go. To meet the fallen lord of the ancient empire.”
After advancing, we saw the corridor’s end. A massive golden door, a catalyst for all magic, stood wide open, as if frequently used. Beyond, in a grand hall, a throne stood alone. A gaunt corpse sat, wearing a pointed golden crown.
‘That’s the Desert Hierophant.’
One of the Nature Five! The ultimate artifact commanding desert legions and sand!
The problem is, its owners have historically been villains. That fallen lord probably isn’t normal either.
‘I need to secure it first.’
Honestly, I’m ready to use a diamond bullet. EP4 villain Nelson? Hah, he’s just a bonus. Compared to the Desert Hierophant, he’s less than dirt under its nails. A reckless fool who’ll self-destruct without me lifting a finger.
But the Desert Hierophant is different. Alongside the Shadow Knights and the Sword Demon Savo, it’s the final piece of the trinity that made Princess Adela emperor! If not now, there’s no chance!
“Cadet Elisha.”
“Yes?”
“Prepare for battle.”
Stepping inside, the sand piled in the hall gathered, forming desert wraiths in tattered rags.
Bang!
I fired at the Hierophant. The bullet didn’t reach, blocked by rising sand. The gaunt corpse in the crown cackled mockingly.