Chapter 149. The Twelve Thrones (1)
We headed toward Fidelio Island.
It was the only uninhabited island among those belonging to the Archipelago.
Seeing it in person, Talia’s solo adventure seemed incredibly risky.
“Wow! Uncle, look at this! These footprints are bigger than my head!”
Firstly, the traces of monsters were evident.
Thanks to me being an Outer God priest, they kept hidden, but it’s said that various dangerous monsters inhabited the island.
‘I might seem more monstrous right now…’
On my right shoulder was Eldritch in his small octopus form.
The island’s terrain was too rough for it to camouflage and move around.
On my left shoulder was Mary, compacted into a small slime form.
She was still in recovery, trying to maintain a minimal state that didn’t burden her too much…
‘What a sight we are.’
In front of me, Lyla wasn’t walking; instead, she floated atop her enchanted clothes.
She, too, was in recovery, but I couldn’t leave her alone, so she came along, resulting in this.
“Wow! Look at this frog! Its color is so pretty!”
“Absolutely don’t touch it.”
Only Talia was lively.
The island was filled with toxic plants and animals.
“Gimme. I want to eat it.”
“A f-frog?!”
To Mary, this seemed like her daily sustenance, as she kept consuming poisonous things.
Thankfully, most beasts fled from me, so it was never a major problem.
‘However, there are sometimes those that don’t run away. Why is that? Are they familiar with the aura of an Outer God?’
It was always wise to expect the worst and prepare accordingly.
The possibility that an Outer God’s forces had already seized the ancient temple and corrupted the island loomed.
『Gluttony. Do you sense the aura of an Outer God on this island?』
『Not at all! This island is clean!』
If Gluttony evaluated it as such, it truly wasn’t related to the Outer Gods.
『But something like a monster is approaching!』
『A monster approaching?』
『Yep!』
This was the first time since the Kraken and Leviathan, that something domesticated by the inhabitants, happened.
“Talia, a monster is-”
Swish.
Before something even showed up in the bushes, Gluttony extended a tentacle and swallowed it.
“What?”
“… There was a monster. Be careful.”
“When? I didn’t even see it.”
“To be honest, neither did I.”
After that…
“In the sky… never mind. It’s gone now.”
“Uncle, there was something moving… Gluttony ate it.”
Gluttony was unexpectedly performing marvelously.
“… What’s this? This isn’t an adventure at all.”
It was somewhat absurd.
But better safe travels than adventurous ones.
“Isn’t the temple far? We’ve walked quite a bit.”
Lyla complained.
Despite not walking herself.
“According to the map, it’s around here, but finding the entrance is tricky.”
The temple was presumably somewhere in the mountains.
Still, there wasn’t a noticeable structure.
‘Usually, there’s some sort of mechanism.’
Perhaps hidden mechanisms needed activating, or it required visiting at a specific time.
Anything to keep the temple concealed.
“Talia, did the priest mention anything else? Like legends about this island.”
“Legends? Hmm…”
It was more of a historical tale.
The island was once invaded by demonic forces, sparking intense battles.
The abundance of monsters was likely due to that.
‘No wonder the creatures wouldn’t back off and were aggressive…’
These weren’t just creatures; they were sent by demonic forces for war.
They were supposed to fight against forces like Olympus and the Outer Gods.
As their descendants, they neither feared the aura of an Outer God nor tried to hunt it.
“This place supposedly housed a Pantheon once.”
“Here?”
“Yes, this temple where the greatest warriors and priests would gather, strategize, and set directives!”
A place where heroes assembled.
This meant it had been around since the Holy War, but considering its age, I wasn’t sure how much of the temple remained intact.
‘Given the passage of time, everything might be buried underground…’
Perhaps a little excavation in this mountain would reveal the temple.
“Maybe I should just use a miracle.”
“No!”
Talia was alarmed, stopping me.
“Didn’t we hear that miracles to deter external forces still linger throughout the island?”
This was one reason for my persistent search.
Traps set during the Holy War.
For instance, should I use an Outer God’s miracle, divine relics hidden within the island might retaliate.
“It’s quite a conundrum.”
Though I was no longer weak enough to succumb to mere traps…
‘Being complacent is dangerous.’
My experiences with 「Orders」 made me careful.
There was a time when I nearly died from dismissing a dungeon trap, assuming it wouldn’t hurt much, and interrogated Dowol about it.
—Hey, how can a mere flame explosion rune take away that much health?
—Traps were made to kill strong ones like you, of course, it hurts.
Traps weren’t randomly placed for nothing.
『Gluttony, if you find any concealed relics meant for traps, stealthily consume them.』
『Really? Yay!』
Normally, such items should be returned to the temple, but a little pilfering here and there shouldn’t cause an uproar.
Not out of vengeance for Zeus’s accusation of my unworthiness.
“Hey? Uncle, look over there!”
In the meantime, Talia apparently noticed something.
What she pointed at was a lake.
“Aren’t the rocks near that lake originally architectural structures?”
『I concur with her. Additionally, beneath the pond, there are signs of man-made structures.』
Upon Eldritch’s comment, indeed, marble-like stones came into view.
Upon close inspection at the lake, subtle elements hinting at structures stood almost unnoticeable.
“How did you spot that?”
“My sight has greatly improved!”
Chalking it up to enhancement from Zeus’s blessing, perhaps an aspect of her body was strengthened.
“I also found something resembling letters!”
“Oh, impressive.”
The structures of old had crumbled and eroded.
Clearing the moss and dirt from where Talia pointed revealed engravings.
“This is the □ court of Musai. Honor it with respect □ and worship it. Sing the song of the twelve thrones □ with all your heart, and then the door shall open.□”
Though partially damaged, it suggested something like this.
“What is Musai?”
“They are the goddesses of art.”
Zeus’s daughters who oversaw the arts.
They were better known as ‘Muses’ in the former world.
From the text, it appeared a specific song was needed to open the temple’s entrance.
Why go to such lengths for a miracle?
“Twelve thrones… do you know anything about this?”
“Well, not really…”
“I know.”
Quiet up until now, Mary spoke up.
“It’s among the knowledge I’ve been made aware of.”
“Oh? Then, you can sing it.”
“I can’t sing.”
Even after trying to make her, Mary wasn’t just incapable of singing.
“St-stop. That’s enough.”
She couldn’t comprehend the act of singing, let alone mimic it.
The bigger issue was…
『I, too, struggle to produce sound for singing.』
“I got scolded by the teacher for singing. They asked what kind of singing was that.”
“I… am not confident in singing.”
How could all our team members be tone-deaf?
“It’s not about singing talent. It says to sing with your heart.”
“But Uncle, what about you?”
“Hmm?”
“Uncle, can’t you sing?”
I averted my gaze.
“No, not at all. I don’t enjoy it either.”
I had no desire to sing.
Ultimately, the task fell on Lyla and Talia.
However.
“There’s no change at all?”
“… Singing like that, I doubt the doors even realized it was a song.”
Their efforts were truly lacking.
Their tune was disastrous, and their dreadful breathing left me baffled.
Even their sense of rhythm was astonishing; it felt as if Zeus had sealed the concept of rhythm itself.
“Even with Mary making music sheets, still…”
“I can’t read sheet music.”
“I’ve spent my life on study and research; I can’t even recall the last time I heard a song!”
Out of nowhere, I missed Delion.
“Look, listen here. When it goes ‘do’ to ‘re’, you move up like this.”
“How about you do it?”
“Yes, now it’s your turn, mister.”
I paused, caught off guard at the eyes staring at me.
“It seems futile. Maybe the miracles perished long ago, rendering the song meaningless. Let’s just go back.”
“Uncle, anyone can tell you’re dodging singing, aren’t they? After criticizing us, now it’s your turn!”
Talia protested, a somewhat sassy pout in her voice.
But really…
“I really don’t want to sing ever again.”
It brought back memories I preferred to avoid.
The music competition I entered as a child.
I won, yet my mother cared only for the prize donation to the church.
‘I’m something else. Years have passed, and I’m still hung up on this.’
I knew too well how petty it was to miss the chance to solve the temple’s puzzle over such sentiments.
“Uncle, are you alright? You suddenly look pale.”
“Ah… really?”
I manipulated my body to restore my complexion.
“I’m fine. It’s nothing.”
It was a matter of the past.
For everyone, and for myself, it was time to brush off such a small scar.
Attempting to convince myself, I picked up the music sheet.
Hesitation in my heart, the song slipped from my lips at last.
“In the twilight, footsteps resound over the earth.”
The song quietly started.
Everyone began to murmur.
“What’s this? Why is he singing it well?”
“Why make us sing first then?”
『It’s the first time seeing Ethnos singing. Not even a hum before.』
Ignoring their chatter, I continued, which prompted something to arise.
Rumble-.
Lights emanated from various parts of the mountain, shifting rocks with tremors in the ground.
Piles of earth were dislodged as white structures began to gradually surface.
‘… Singing it correctly did the trick.’
Suppressing a sigh, I finished the song, maintaining composure.
“The tales of the twelve become myths, the golden age eternally remembered.”
The entrance to the colossal temple was revealed.
Even the script on the worn ruins began to glow, resonating with mysterious voices.
『Calliope, Clio, Urania, Melpomene, Talia, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia, Erato, and Euterpe. Welcome to the shrine of the twelve thrones by the will of the nine goddesses.』
Talia’s eyes sparkled.
“Wow! My name must have come from a Goddess!”
The enigmatic voice continued.
『This is a temple and a mausoleum; stand solemnly before the histories of the twelve heroes.』
『If you do, you shall grasp the treasures of heroes, drafting a new saga.』