Right after hearing the news from Raven about the surface.
The very first thought that came to mind was this.
'It's not too late, right?'
Of course, it hadn't even been three minutes since the massive tremor was heard. Still, I wasn't certain if this really was the 'golden time.'
After all, whatever their 'plan' was, the explosion I heard earlier already made it clear.
The plan had already begun.
'…Maybe.'
The 'golden time' might have meant the period before the plan started. The escape could already be underway, and by the time I got down there, there might be no one left below.
No, more likely, I might run into those coming up, which would be troublesome.
But…
Tatadatat-!
For that very reason, I was sprinting down the stairs at full speed.
Kwachijijik-!
Tearing through the thick iron doors on each floor.
'Not yet.'
Seeing the iron doors still intact raised my hope that they might still be locked up inside.
Tatadadadat-!
Basement 2, basement 3, basement 4…
I was quickly descending.
Because the possibility definitely existed, right?
I still hadn't missed the 'golden time.'
"Huff, huff…!"
While rushing down the floors so fast, a panicked voice came from far behind.
"Hey, Yandel…!! Wait…!"
Though I was supposed to run away immediately, it seemed like they were worried and following behind.
I thought about telling them to go ahead just in case, but…
'We're already all the way down.'
Now I just needed to check below.
If they were still locked up with shackles, I could just rush in and 'handle' them quickly.
If they were already free…
'Well, at least I can buy some time for this one to escape.'
Having made that decision, instead of sending Raven back, I tore open the last iron door connected to basement 5.
No matter what was beyond it.
Without hesitation, boldly like a barbarian.
Kwachijik-!
The iron door tore off like paper by my overwhelming strength.
Beyond was quiet.
"…"
The basement 5 prison arranged like a Go board.
Instead of torches requiring constant maintenance, magic tools emitting soft light were embedded in the ceiling, lighting the area.
Not very bright — just dim enough to make a person feel depressed.
Anyway, that wasn't the important part…
Left, right, straight ahead.
Right now, there were three choices.
Since I didn't know exactly where the Noark bastards were imprisoned on basement 5, I had to find them by foot—
Thunk.
Ah, no need to search.
'Damn it.'
Hearing footsteps from straight ahead, I quickly checked and saw them appearing around the corner in the distance.
Clang, clang.
Two knights from a kingdom whose name and affiliation I didn't know walked ahead making metallic sounds as if guiding.
And then.
"…As expected, I knew you'd come."
Behind them followed Maan and Banozant, as if being escorted.
"Pisit…"
And various other lackeys.
Even if things weren't going well as I hoped, I accepted and understood the situation at first sight.
Yeah, it was already too late.
'Looks like they waited ahead and released them immediately…'
But this fact wasn't completely fatal.
Because honestly, I hadn't had much hope coming here.
From experience, when you feel it's already late, it usually is…
'Still, it was good to come anyway.'
Looking back, this was a place I had to come to.
Because if those bastards get outside, something really bad will definitely happen.
If I think positively, I just missed the chance to take advantage.
Maybe I still hadn't missed the 'golden time.'
Thunk, thunk…
Luckily, the terrain wasn't bad.
Tight.
If it's now, I could block them.
So they wouldn't get up to the city and move 'according to plan.'
"…As you know, our mission ends here."
As I was mentally steeling myself, the two knights at the front spoke to the deputy captain as if guiding.
"From here on, Maan, you handle it."
From what they said, they only intended to help get them out of the prison, nothing more…
"Hah, hah… Hey, Yandel?"
At just the right moment, Raven arrived.
Well, maybe not such a good timing?
"Hah, hah… You stopped… You finally… decided to return… Hiiik!"
Seeing me standing still gave Raven a moment of hope, but then realizing the front side hidden by my large body, Raven went pale.
"Th-those people, how… how are they outside…?"
How else?
Someone with royal power deep inside must have released them, so they're outside.
'Looks like they even got their equipment back…'
No wonder they were still on basement 5 until now.
They must've taken some time fixing up wearing the recovered gear.
Thunk.
Between the two knights who stepped aside, Maan and Banozant slowly walked forward and quietly asked me.
"Are you planning to stop us? Alone?"
Well.
"What do you think?"
I smirked and asked back, and he quietly stared at me.
A disturbing cold gaze as if he didn't see me as human.
But maybe thanks to the tutoring I gave last time?
"Hmm, from what I see, you…"
This time he guessed right.
"You'll make a foolish choice again."
Well, I can't agree with the word 'foolish.'
But at least he guessed my next move.
Yeah, so…
"…"
Instead of answering, I raised the 'Aegis Barrier.'
And activated [Gigantify], blocking the only passage connected to the surface with my body.
And then…
"Yandel… This is too reckless—."
Cutting off Raven's worried words.
"You go up first. I'll hold them here. You don't need to risk yourself."
After saying that firmly, a slight pause and the reply came.
"…Ah, you really always say things that hurt my feelings? If you planned that from the start, you shouldn't have come down here."
"Uh…"
"You're planning to hold them off? So they can't go up and do something bad."
"That's…"
"I'll help. It might not help much now, but I've learned a lot of auxiliary spells while in the army."
"Hmm…"
A voice with no hesitation.
Somehow, while a feeling of warmth filled my chest, I wondered what the proper response should be in a case like this.
Should I refuse saying it's not necessary? Or promise to repay later?
My hesitation didn't last long.
"Raven."
"Yes?"
"Always… thank you."
"…"
There ★ 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ was no reply to my sincere thanks, but I didn't ask for one.
If she answered, it would just make things awkward.
Besides, the others looked at us with 'what is that?' expressions.
"…Are you done? Pisit."
Stop giggling.
Looking ahead, I saw the Noark bastards slowly approaching me.
The corpse collector.
The witch of screams.
Maan.
And others with glasses and unknown names, clearly skilled members.
'How long can I hold them off?'
That fleeting thought passed through my head but I let it go.
"Behel—raaaaaaa!!!"
Come.
Whatever you're planning, I won't let it go your way—
Kwaaang-!
At that moment, a huge roar shook the entire underground space violently from the surface side again.
Drdrdrdrdr…!
Much stronger shaking than before.
The pillar parts already damaged by previous shock became worse, on the verge of collapse…
Drdrdrdrdr…!!
The collapse could happen any moment.
"Randolf, is the multi-teleport magic ready?"
…Huh?
"Yes. As of now, the mana suppression field has been lifted, ready to activate anytime."
…What?
"Execute it."
"But if you do, the plan to free the other prisoners will be ruined."
"Wasting more time here is a strategic loss."
"Understood."
After talking smoothly between the two of them, suddenly a blue light emitted from beneath the feet of those bastards.
The situation was clear.
'So they weren't staying in basement 5 because of their equipment?'
I didn't know, but as it looked, I had no choice but to watch them escape with my eyes open.
The weakness of mass teleport is that it takes a long time to cast and is easy to interrupt…
But it seemed they were already done preparing.
Still, I couldn't give up…
Tat.
I kicked off the ground urgently and dashed forward.
Although a tank, my top-tier explorer body was enough to quickly close such a short distance.
Ah, of course, if uninterrupted.
「Roland Banozant cast [Green Mana].」
The deputy captain's iris, who was standing still as a tank-sized barbarian charged, turned green.
And at that moment…
Whoooong-!
A translucent green barrier rose between us blocking the way.
Kwang-!
Even hammer strikes didn't leave a crack.
The same even if I swapped to No.687 Siege Slayer weapon…
Kwaaaang-!
As I hammered the immovable barrier, the unstable ceiling began collapsing, showing signs of building destruction.
Regardless, I kept hammering the flail.
Shwaaaah-!
The blue glow beyond the wall grew deeper, signaling the nearing completion of magic.
Kwaaang-!
Watching me stubbornly keep hitting, Maan spoke,
Like advising a foolish youth.
"Baron Yandel, isn't this the time to stop? Don't waste strength on useless things and hurry."
Then his dull cold gaze shifted beyond me, over my shoulder.
I didn't even need to hear what he was about to say.
Because…
"You cherish your comrades deeply, don't you."
Kuuuung-!
The collapse started in earnest.
A huge shard of the ceiling struck my shoulder.
That was when I stopped swinging the flail.
I had to admit it.
I couldn't stop these bastards from escaping right now.
But…
"I don't know what you're plotting."
I had to say that much.
"It will never go the way you want."
Barbarians are a race specialized in ruining things.
"…Look forward to it."
Damn, playing it cool.
'Well, whatever.'
I had said all I needed to say anyway.
Tatat-!
As soon as my business was done, I turned and dashed back to the stairs where Raven was.
Flash-!
A strong light flickered once behind me but I didn't look back.
Because by now, no one would be left anyway.
My top priority was evacuating to the surface with Raven—
"Yandel! The stairs going up are blocked!"
"…What?"
Carrying Raven, I checked the stairs and saw that the way up was completely collapsed.
'Ha, so I have to clear this debris one by one to get up?'
I sighed as soon as I saw it but didn't give up.
There was no time to think, so I headed straight for the stairs.
Just as I was about to start clearing the rubble with my bare hands…
"Yandel, it's already too late!"
Too late…
Well, maybe it seemed that way.
"So you're saying we should just die here?"
For a K-barbarian, giving up is like giving up kimchi—
"No, I don't mean that! Let's go down! We can escape by multi-teleport magic too!"
Ah…?
That's an option?
"If you just buy time until the magic is completed!"
Why hadn't I thought of this and just started using brute force?
Somehow I felt like my brain had turned into a barbarian's, which embarrassed me, but it was definitely the best method.
Therefore…
Drdrdrdrdr-!
Running back down the collapsing stairs to enter and find a space where we could hold out.
"Over there!"
Raven pointed to the corner farthest from the entrance.
Checking it out, the thick pillars had collapsed intertwined, creating a space big enough to hide two people.
'Okay, if I just hold from below, I should be able to hold out easily until the magic completes—'
Just as I made that judgment and dashed down the corridor—
"…Huh?"
"…Ahh? Kyaaaah!!"
The floor gave way.
And…
Boom-!
When I came to, I saw an unfamiliar ceiling.
Hmm, 'came to' might be an exaggeration.
Just because the floor collapsed beneath me while running doesn't mean my barbarian body is weak enough to pass out.
My heavy foot landed on the floor.
The cracked floor broke apart.
Even while falling, I twisted my body so Raven I was holding wouldn't get hurt and landed on my back.
Like a slow-motion replay, I saw and remember every detail vividly.
The only question is…
"Where is this…?"
Even without anyone explaining, I could feel with my whole body that this place was safe.
Despite the upper floors collapsing completely, this space beneath where I fell remained still and intact.
If I had to find something that broke, it was just a small ceiling surface created when I fell.
"Basement… 6th floor…?"
The royal underground prison ended at basement 5.
It was the same in the game, and in reality, there were no stairs going down past basement 5.
I'd never heard of an extension to the royal prison.
'No, more than that…'
…Can this even be called a prison?
A huge cubic space.
No bars, no entrance even.
In the center stood a cubic structure.
Like a Russian doll with a box inside a box.
"…"
What the hell is this place?
Surely it wasn't built like this just to hide a pointless space.
"Raven, wake up. Quickly."
To get the answer, I quickly woke the mage.
Fortunately, Raven had only lost consciousness briefly after the fall, and regained awareness as soon as I shook her.
"Th-this place is…"
"After falling, this is where I ended up. Is there anything I need to know?"
Raven glanced around dazedly and fixed her gaze on the cubic structure in the center.
"Do you know what that is?"
I shook her shoulder again, and Raven answered uncertainly.
"I… I'm not really sure…"
"But?"
"I think… there's a portal inside it…?"
What is this place?
-x-X-x-
There's a saying in this world.
If you spend a long time as a prisoner, eventually prisoners start boasting about their shackles.
Whose are bigger, heavier, stronger.
How hard it is to wear them.
At first, you might think, nah, no one really brags about that, but the truth might be otherwise.
Because I'm no different myself.
Good equipment.
Status.
Money.
Skills and experience, and so on…
Feeling proud of what you've earned through sweat and blood, wanting others to recognize it, yet sometimes an emptiness sweeps through your whole body.
What use are wealth, fame, and power?
Because once you return to the real world, it all becomes meaningless hard labor.
Therefore, the man thought.
Good equipment.
Status.
Money.
Skills and experience, and so on…
No matter how much you talk about it, in the end, it's just boasting about shackles to someone else.
"Sigh, I want to eat Big Mac."
Because this world is a prison.
There was a man quietly looking into a mirror.
Thump—
His appearance was reasonably decent.
Wearing full white armor.
Thump—
The man gazed at his reflection for a long while, feeling an inexplicable awkwardness.
Ah, maybe it wasn't inexplicable?
Swoosh.
He smoothed the upper left part of his breastplate.
Where his finger touched was empty, showing only faint traces visible upon close inspection.
You know that thing?
Like when you stick a sticker for a long time and then peel it off, leaving a mark.
Thunk.
He withdrew his hand from the mark.
He was no longer a paladin belonging to the order.
Having officially left the order, he became an outsider, no longer allowed to use the title 'paladin.'
As proof, he had returned the emblem that was attached to his armor.
No longer was he obliged to attend dawn prayers, pre-meal prayers, or the midnight prayers they held every night before sleeping.
But still…
Thump—
The man knelt on the carpeted floor with eyes closed, saying a brief prayer.
It was a habit he maintained every morning even after leaving the order.
"The star that rises at twilight will guide us…"
In fact, he hated prayers.
When in the order, he internally complained about how often they prayed, sometimes even skipping with excuses.
Yet he kept up the morning prayers alone for one reason.
In a way, it was the same reason all humans pray to gods.
"I, your servant, earnestly beg you, please do not take away your power from me. Have mercy. Save me in times of crisis."
Because he was anxious.
He had built a tank character relying on holy power, and if one day his holy power vanished, he'd instantly become useless.
In reality, many who left the order lost their holy power entirely.
Honestly, prayers also gave him peace of mind.
The desire to lean on something exists even for a lump of rock.
Thump—
After a brief silent prayer, the man stood up.
Looking up at the ceiling, he said,
"…Please, I beg you. It seems the goddess cares for the baron, so I will continue to serve faithfully by his side. Okay?"
Though the tone was far from reverent for a prayer, it was not unfamiliar to him.
Even during his time in the order, though his lips uttered solemn prayers, his mind spoke like this—and yet his holy power grew steadily.
Maybe the goddess preferred this relaxed relationship.
…Or maybe not.
Knock, knock.
Just as he was about to leave, a knock came at the door.
"Parab, are you in there?"
A familiar woman waited at the door.
Small build.
Round eyes.
Overall gentle impression, but somehow gave off an aura of stubbornness and justice.
"Marone? What brings you here? There's still time before assembly…"
"Just thought big armor is hard to put on alone… Maybe you need help? But looks like you got it all on already!"
"Hahaha… At first, it was hard for me alone too, but I got the hang of it eventually. Thanks for the concern."
"Finished? Want to go together? Assembly time is near."
"Ah, sure."
They left the room together for the meeting.
Several were already gathered, including a seriously-faced deputy captain.
Bersil Gowlund.
Another prisoner with proud shackles in this vast prison.
By the way, she recently got new shackles.
"At first, I didn't realize, but lately I feel Yandel's absence a lot. Gowlund must be having a hard time too…"
"Hahaha… That's probably true…"
Parab smiled awkwardly and tried to catch her breath.
Thump!
Even without heavy exercise, his heart throbbed fiercely since he woke up.
A symptom started the day he returned to this city.
Several days had passed, but it still didn't get easier.
This thing just wouldn't get familiar.
Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump!
Still anxious to the point of madness, sometimes panic attacks made it hard to breathe.
Because of that instinct—whether blessing or curse.
'Please, let today pass safely.'
Suddenly feeling worse, he closed his eyes and prayed again to the goddess of this world.
At that moment—
Pshuuuuuuuuung-!
The sound of a fighter jet taking off hit his eardrums.
All the clan members gathered in the clearing looked up in shock.
"Huh?"
Something shot into the sky like a rocket, arcing towards the city center.
Slow yet incredibly fast.
Leaving a clear trail in the sky, something shining was launched.
And then…
Daeang! Daeang! Daeang! Daeang-!
The city wall alarm bells rang in unison.
Kwaaaaaaaang-!!!
Soon, the entire city shook.
Drdrdrdrdr-!
A faint tremor was felt on basement 6.
I looked at Raven and quietly organized my thoughts.
"A portal, huh…"
Barbarians don't dismiss absurd claims; they don't limit their imagination.
Though the mage seemed unsure.
"I… well, maybe not. I just faintly felt the typical magical wave of a portal beyond…"
Even if not a 'guide' who instinctively senses portals from afar, she was the most sensitive to mana.
So, there really was a portal beyond.
Moreover… I'd heard rumors about this once before.
Thunk, thunk…
Twenty years ago, at the round table.
No, now that much time had passed, it was more like twenty-something years ago.
There, a fiend named 'Kagureas' from another world said.
[There is a portal underground in the royal palace.]
Besides the dimensional square, somewhere beneath the palace there's a portal.
Maybe this was it.
"Hopefully it's not the portal connected to the labyrinth…?"
Well, we'll have to check, but probably not connected to the labyrinth.
Because 'Kagureas' also said:
[I only learned by chance, but it seems not connected to the labyrinth.]
Well, it was just hearsay.
But since the first discoverer said so, it had some credibility.
"Anything else besides the portal?"
"That needs a closer look…"
"Hurry up. Maybe we've made an incredible discovery."
Did she like the phrase 'incredible discovery'?
Raven enthusiastically investigated the box (?) where the portal was suspected.
She circled around once.
Carefully checking for grooves, circled again, floated up with levitation magic to see the top.
Kwaang-!
Tapping the walls with the flail, even instructed me to dig if I had a shovel…
After trying everything, only one thing was certain.
We couldn't find anything besides the portal's existence.
Ah, is there one more thing?
Well, not learned from investigation.
"Hey, Yandel! Look! The ceiling we fell through is restored!"
The floor °• N 𝑜 v l i g h t •° of basement 5 that caused us to fall had been neatly repaired.
Because of that, even the faint tremors stopped.
It felt like we were completely cut off from the outside now, and panic welled up.
"Can we use teleport? We can still use teleport, right?"
"Huh? Ah… wait a moment!"
Finally, Raven seemed to get scared that we might be trapped here forever and quickly drew a magic circle on the ground and did some tests.
And…
"Yandel…?"
"Speak quickly."
"There's… bad news and good news—"
"Bad news first."
"I don't think we can use multi-teleport magic here… The mana keeps scattering…"
Damn, so we're really trapped here?
Sounds crazy, but I kept calm.
"Then the good news?"
"Though invisible to the naked eye, a spatial transfer magic circle is buried beneath this floor. It seems to cause the mana scattering, but if we activate it—"
"Briefly."
"We can escape, but we don't know where we'll end up."
…So no need to worry about being trapped forever.
That was reassuring.
"You know military magic circles, right? This is almost the same. You create a magic circle at a designated coordinate, then consume mana to travel back and forth easily…"
"Main point."
"This magic circle has one circuit. Only two-way travel is possible. So what will you do?"
No need to think.
"Are you sure there's nothing more we can find here?"
"Yes. If there were research facilities, maybe, but with bare hands, this is it."
"Got it. Then activate the magic circle immediately."
"Yes."
Knowing I'd choose this, Raven started the activation without hesitation.
"It'll probably take some time. I'll check if there's anything dangerous. I'll tell you when it's done, so rest."
Since it would take some time, I approached the cubic structure in the center.
A gray structure, neither black nor white.
Its surface was soft enough to leave a mark if touched, yet so durable that dozens of strikes with a flail left no scratch.
'If there really is a portal inside, there must be a way to enter…'
Hmm, maybe magic or a card key would open the entrance?
But if it were magic, Raven would've noticed something…
Lost in thought, I considered something else not to waste time.
'Noark.'
Maybe a far more important matter than that mysterious box. Who had those bastards allied with, and what were they trying to accomplish?
Just wanting to overthrow the royal family didn't quite add up.
'…Zone 7.'
And what about zone 7?
Judging from the situation, it seemed 'Thunder' had exploded there once more, just before the collapse…
Hopefully, it's safe—
"…Huh?"
Just as the incident reached that point, I flinched and stepped back from the box (?).
There was no choice.
There were what looked like human handprints from below the wall I'd been touching earlier.
Sssuuk.
Slowly putting my hand to the handprints, a mirrored handprint on the opposite side twitched.
And faintly, a voice was heard.
[Let me out.]
The unexpected chill sent shivers down my spine, but thanks to that, I learned the box's true nature.
[Please.]
This box was a prison.
-x-X-x-
The royal prison's basement 6th floor had no other access except through teleportation magic circles.
And…
'She's young.'
The voice presumed to belong to a 'young girl' trapped there.
Looking again at the palm prints, I realized their position was quite low.
About the height a ten-year-old kid would reach standing.
'Wait a minute.'
Like a philosopher crouched in a bathtub, a lightning bolt struck my head.
'The Witch of the Land…?'
The Witch of the Land.
The main villain who drove this world to ruin, the cause of the grotesque city called Laphdonia—the last stronghold.
But connecting the mysterious girl (?) trapped inside the box with the witch didn't seem like an absurd leap.
After all, this was the 'royal palace' basement.
Considering the royal family's countless secrets, it wouldn't be strange if not the witch, but her grandfather were hidden here.
More importantly…
—Is the Witch of the Land really dead?
When I once asked Auril Gavis this, he answered clearly:
—She is alive.
The Witch of the Land lives.
It might be hallucination, but I've met a girl inside the labyrinth several times who called herself 'Alice Groundia.'
So far, I thought the witch might be hiding and living inside the labyrinth.
Well, that's not the priority now.
Bang bang bang!
Knocking on the wall with fists the size of watermelons, trying to communicate.
"Who are you in there? Say something. Are you really trapped inside? Huh? Say it! Asking to be saved?"
But for some reason, no reply came.
I even touched the wall, thinking maybe the voice wouldn't carry through, but no response.
Even the handprint that was once there inside disappeared without a trace.
"Yandel, is there someone there?"
"Well… that is…"
After a moment's hesitation, I simply asked Raven.
"Raven, can you check if there's a person inside?"
"Hmm… I don't think so."
"…Without even trying?"
"Why try? Judging by the mana amount, the volume of the portal inside won't be much different from that cubic structure."
"…"
"In simpler terms, physically no living being could stand inside! Unless they're crouching in a corner, they would've been sucked into the portal long ago!"
Oh, I see.
Raven's logical words made me wonder briefly if I had hallucinated, but the doubt quickly /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ vanished.
After all, this is not the modern world but a fantasy one.
With magic, psychic powers, holy power — a world with mysteries that can't be explained by coordinate systems.
"So what will you do? The magic circle can be activated anytime now."
Raven's words made me ponder.
What should I do?
Should I investigate the box further here?
"Yandel, you always told us one thing, right?"
"…Yeah?"
"Prioritize. What comes first? Curiosity? Or something else?"
That stopped me cold.
'Curiosity…'
Not wrong, but strictly speaking, it wasn't only curiosity.
The moment I heard the voice from the box, I felt some inexplicable fate.
As if someone trapped inside was calling me here.
"Raven, what are the odds the floor would collapse while running along basement 5's corridor and I'd fall down?"
"Extremely low. If it weren't for two consecutive 'Thunder' explosions causing the underground prison collapse."
Hey, no need to be sarcastic.
You probably knew what I was implying.
Slowly, I looked up at the ceiling.
There had originally been a hole there where we fell.
Everything else was intact, but exactly where we were running, a hole appeared.
That hole was restored in less than a few minutes.
Since then, no more falling rubble, and the place didn't shake — like a scientific bed.
"Raven, I get what you're saying. I'm not trying to stop whatever you plan, but shouldn't we decide quickly?"
Prompted again by Raven, I asked one last thing.
"This… is a two-way magic circle, right?"
"Yes. Wherever we arrive, there should be the same magic circle there. Probably can return if desired."
Right, that makes things easier.
"Activate the magic circle."
No doubt something huge was hidden here.
But now was not the time to investigate.
I'd be satisfied for now to find the way and come back well-prepared to investigate.
As Raven said, everything has priorities.
More important than investigations is how safely my comrades and I can get through this.
Therefore…
"Shall I proceed?"
I nodded to Raven's last question.
Soon, the magic circle activated.
Flash!
A blinding light filled my vision.
Then the light slowly faded and vision returned.
"This place…"
White walls, white ceiling.
A sealed chamber brightly lit like with daylight lamps.
Raven looked around anxiously and pointed at one wall.
"Why is only this wall metallic?"
"…"
"Hey, there seems to be a narrow gap between the metal plates. Looks like it opens sideways…"
"…"
"Yandel? Yandel? Can you hear me?"
"…I'm listening."
I was momentarily dazed, but my senses were fine.
Step, step.
I finally approached the metallic wall that I assumed was a door.
Raven muttered her guesses.
"Maybe it needs magic? But I don't feel mana, though…"
Magic, mana…
The first guess a mage would have when seeing a 'door' without a handle.
Usually, mages' guesses are pretty accurate.
But…
"Step aside."
"…Huh? If you mean to open it by force—"
"Don't worry, it's not that."
I slowly reached out my hand.
I still had no clue why 'this' existed in this world.
But I knew how to use it.
Click.
So I pressed a button with my index finger, about the size of a German sausage.
Soon after—
Ding!
A surprisingly cheerful sound for this world.
Drerruk.
The elevator door opened.
Raven didn't think much about how this 'mechanical device' worked.
She was only amazed by two things.
The shabby security of a door opening just by pressing a button.
And the absence of mana.
Other than that, no reaction.
"Oh, now I see. It's like the mana elevator. We have something similar in our mage tower."
Hearing that, I was sure.
This 'device' didn't work by mana.
Though Raven still believed a subtle mana circuit existed…
'No way.'
Even without the mage tower, I'd ridden mana elevators a few times.
But they were completely different from this.
They were barely safer than a cage, moved by mana-driven pulleys.
But this…
"…Yandel?"
Whether it was stamina or mana, I couldn't tell from outside.
No, wait, could you tell?
'Damn, why is this here…?'
Even from the design it was obviously different.
So elegant it wouldn't look out of place in a million-won-a-night hotel…
Drerruk.
Very modern.
The ceiling lights, the button beside the door, even the mirror on the wall.
Beyond the mirror stood the barbarian and mage fully geared, yet inside this elevator I almost forgot this was fantasy and not modern.
"But how do you operate elevators like this? Usually you ask a manager by voice…"
Listening to Raven's question, I naturally pressed a button.
It was the only button besides open/close.
"Oh! It's moving!"
Pressing the floor button, the elevator started.
It felt like it was going up, not down…
"…Hey, Yandel, say something. You're scaring me."
"…"
"What if it stops and opens, and something comes out…"
Sure… that scared me too.
What could be beyond that door?
I couldn't imagine at all.
Whoooosh…
So I just waited quietly.
Ready to swing my weapon at any time, but not overly tense.
One second, two seconds, three seconds…
Counting quietly, calming my breath.
And then…
'Fifty seconds.'
After about 50 seconds passed.
Whoooong…
The rising slowed and stopped smoothly.
The door slowly opened, revealing the long-awaited sight beyond.
At first glance—
It looked like a hotel lobby.
A chandelier in the center, a small fountain.
Polished marble floors.
And…
Step.
A knight standing there.
"…"
The knight looked at us without surprise.
As if he knew we would come.
Standing in front like a royal guard on duty, asking nothing.
'…Why is the dungeon's first boss waiting at the entrance?'
It felt like a miniboss appeared immediately upon entering the dungeon.
I knew at a glance.
This guy was no pushover.
'Well, if he's guarding a place like this, that says it all.'
But I wasn't intimidated.
Because who am I?
A top-tier barbarian confident he'd never lose to someone who uses aura.
That was me.
The only question was whether I could protect Raven behind me…
Swoosh.
Thinking that, I stepped back to a better position to guard Raven.
Then the knight calmly drew his sword and aimed at me.
And…
'…Huh?'
That was it.
Swoosh—!
When I came to, a thin line was drawn on my cheek.
Drip drip.
A sharp sting accompanied by a drop of blood.
'Cut…?'
It was absurd.
Of course, this knight might be a master of the quick blade, capable of cutting me without me noticing.
And the distance between him and me was more than twenty paces, which was not impossible in this world.
But…
"…Interesting."
If such a blow had pierced my physical resistance and made me bleed, that would be a different story.
Moreover, he didn't even use aura just now.
'If not aura…'
Ignoring the cut, I stared calmly at him.
More precisely, at the sword he held.
'Maybe it's the sword…?'
There was a high chance the secret of the blow lay in that sword.
Oh, of course, I'd never seen that sword before.
Even my mental database contained no such numbered item.
But otherwise it made no sense.
Therefore…
'I have to somehow take that sword away or stop him from using it to lead the fight—.'
Just as I was forming a plan in my head.
Clack.
Like to assert dominance, the knight suddenly sheathed his sword and turned his back.
And…
"Follow me."
He started walking on the marble floor, turning his back with clacking footsteps.
Raven peeked out cautiously and asked.
"Uh, where are you taking us…?"
A voice like a terrified prey animal.
The knight, unguarded with his back turned, answered.
"To the audience chamber."
"…What?"
That was totally unexpected.
"The king has granted you an audience."
…I never imagined I'd get a chance to meet the king like this.
-x-X-x-
There's a saying among people in this world when dealing with barbarians: it's like talking to a wall.
No matter how calmly and logically you explain, they just don't understand—that's why people use that expression…
But from my perspective, that phrase suits this knight more than the barbarian.
Because it really felt like I was talking to a wall.
"Knight, what's your name? I've never heard of anyone like you."
"..."
"If I follow you, will I really meet the King of Ruin?"
"..."
"I've heard rumors that he's bedridden because he's ill? But he seems to be in good health, huh?"
"..."
Tch, trying to act all serious just because he's a knight.
Earlier, when Raven asked where we were going, he answered properly.
I even told Raven to talk to him, thinking maybe he'd open up, but sadly, the result was the same.
"Um… forgive me, but is His Majesty the King truly in good health…? Ah! I don't mean to be disrespectful… I apologize."
"..."
"See? I told you, no good… Don't make me ask again."
After that, the knight kept walking ahead without a word, and we quietly followed.
Of course, though silent, my mind was loudly working.
'No windows, so it's underground, at least.'
He said "audience chamber," so the place was probably the "Immortal Palace" among the famous twelve palaces known to be where the king resides.
The heart of the city Karnon.
The royal castle at Karnon's center.
And among the twelve palaces within the castle, the very central one — the Immortal Palace.
Ah, they now call it the Palace of Ruin?
'I didn't know such a place existed underground…'
Following the knight, I carefully observed my surroundings.
I tried to memorize the route and look for escape paths just in case, but found nothing.
Nothing at all.
Step, step.
We walked along an empty corridor.
But in the process, I learned a few things.
'It's a spiral structure.'
At first I didn't notice, but we weren't walking straight. The corridor curved subtly and formed a circle.
In other words, it was like climbing a spiral staircase…
"At this length, wouldn't it be better to just have an elevator? I saw a pretty good elevator earlier."
"..."
Secondly, there was no elevator here.
Meaning, to get to the place with that elevator we used earlier, we had no choice but to walk this long corridor.
Why design it so inconveniently?
Surely the royal family isn't short on money.
If anything, putting in one more elevator would've been economically wiser.
After a moment's thought, the answer came.
'…It's for defense.'
If someone from outside were to invade, this long corridor would be better than any trap or obstacle to buy time.
Sometimes the primitive way is the safest.
"..."
After walking the corridor for over three hours without a single word, the long spiral passage ended at a large cavern.
"This is…"
Raven raised her head, dazed.
The space itself was unremarkable, but one structure at its center ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) caught our attention.
A test tube.
A transparent test tube very similar in shape to those I'd seen at the Pantelion Research Lab on basement 1.
The difference from the lab's tubes was just one thing.
Its overwhelming size far beyond that of any layer lord.
Otherwise, it was mostly similar.
Hundreds of wires connected to the tube's base, and the tube filled with a mysterious liquid.
"Follow me."
The knight, who had been silent for so long, finally spoke.
"The King awaits."
Though his words implied not to waste time on trivial things.
So, pointless questions like "What is this?" were skipped.
Ding-!
Following him, we found an elevator on the opposite cavern wall and rode it upward.
And…
Ding-!
When the elevator doors opened again,
I finally realized we had arrived.
"…I, your humble servant, come before the new era's ruler."
The very 'audience chamber' I'd tried thousands of times to reach but never set foot in.
A throne placed on a raised platform.
Looking at the throne gave me a strange feeling.
"..."
"..."
Despite having participated in many ceremonies like title grants and promotions, I'd always only seen the throne empty.
Even the chancellor, the kingdom's second-in-command who represented the king and governed the country, never dared to sit on it.
But now, for the first time, someone was seated there.
Maybe that's why—
Thump!
My battle-hardened heart tightened with tension upon seeing that figure.
Though nothing compared to Raven's reaction beside me.
"Y-Your Majesty…!"
Raven immediately prostrated flat on the carpeted floor as soon as she saw 'someone' sitting on the throne.
Though her stomach faced the ground, it was no different than a dog lying on its back showing its belly.
A gesture clearly expressing: I have no intention to defy you; I submit.
"Hey, Yandel…! What are you doing…!"
Raven's small reprimand pressed me as she kept her forehead on the floor.
Only then did I realize my 'rudeness.'
Until now, I'd never experienced such situations because I always started as a barbarian…
Swoosh.
The only reason barbarians can speak informally and break protocol and still be forgiven
Is because their ancestors accomplished great deeds and earned permission
From the very king sitting on that throne.
"Ah, please!"
Obviously, speaking informally to the king means even barbarians die.
So…
"…I, your humble servant, come before His Majesty the King."
Reciting the ceremony I'd seen countless times but never performed, I knelt and bowed my head.
Because I'm a titled noble.
Unlike Raven, I don't have to prostrate fully…
Thanks to my higher vantage point, I could sneak a sideways glance to survey the audience chamber's interior.
Heavy silk curtains hung around the throne, hiding the king's face.
Possibly out of fear of assassination or outside observation, there were no windows, and except for the elevator we came in on, only one entrance existed.
Two knights stood guard in front.
Unlike the unnamed knight who guided us here, these were identifiable by armor insignias.
'The Guardian Knights.'
An elite armed force, each individual possessing combat power exceeding at least a rank 3 monster, visible only inside the Immortal Palace.
Maybe because the full throne looked so unreal,
Seeing the Guardian Knights made me fully realize,
'Yeah, we really came to the Immortal Palace…'
The first thing I did after realizing this
Was to lower all plans involving combat or violent escape to the lowest priority.
If this truly was inside the Immortal Palace, using force had to be saved as the absolute last resort.
Because when playing [Dungeon & Stone], many enemies entered the Immortal Palace.
Ninety-nine percent of my experience was during rebellion routes.
'But still, I never got to see the king's face…'
Setting aside the insane specs of the Guardian Knights, the Immortal Palace contained countless gimmicks designed to fight invaders, and when fully activated, it meant game over.
Even with better specs and many allies, no one escaped without total defeat here.
In some respects, this place was harder than the 10th layer.
Especially since no matter what we did, we never cleared it.
Of course, with the king nearby, maybe taking him hostage would open a path…
But then a phrase left by the former tribe chief echoed in my mind.
[Who in this world would not fear that man? If the day comes that you meet him, you will understand me.]
Taking the king hostage probably wouldn't be easy.
No wonder the knight who guided us was standing guard before the king now.
"Speak."
Breaking the tense silence, the king's voice sounded.
A somewhat unexpected voice.
[…I don't remember. The age, male or female, even the voice that pierced my ears…]
The former tribe chief must have said that.
"Why were you able to enter the forbidden chamber?"
What came was a clear young male voice.
No hint of age, illness, or weakness.
"Tell me everything, my subjects."
A ruler's voice commanding obedience, leaving no room for other thoughts.
Raven quickly replied.
"We did not know it was a forbidden chamber, nor did we enter with malicious intent. The circumstances that led us there are…"
Raven's explanation was long and elaborate but captured the main point.
Upon sensing the attack on the Ecliptic, we headed to basement 5 to catch the unprincipled Noark bastards. They fled and got swept into the 'forbidden chamber' by the collapse.
Her explanation excessively emphasized how dutiful we were.
Though to me it seemed pointless.
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence followed Raven's words.
After a while, the King of Ruin's voice resumed.
"My vassal, Bjorn Yandel, junior baron."
…Junior baron? I'm just a baron, but I didn't bother correcting him and listened silently.
Even a barbarian can read the atmosphere.
"As your king, I command you."
…Huh?
"Kill the woman beside you."
…What?
The king's sudden order.
Naturally, I would not obey.
Even knowing he was capable of taking all my titles, achievements, and comrades from me.
"..."
No way.
I just looked around, clueless.
But was that enough for the king?
"Take the woman away."
At that word, the Guardian Knights near the entrance approached us.
As I stood reflexively, a knight in front of the king gave a brief warning.
"Stay still. His Majesty only wishes a private audience with you."
Glancing at Raven, she nodded frantically.
A desperate plea: "I'm fine. Don't cause trouble."
"..."
Eventually, standing awkwardly, two knights led Raven outside the audience chamber, and finally the private meeting with the king began.
Ah, of course the guard knight stayed.
But he was like a wall anyway.
That was enough to consider it a private meeting.
Thump, thump, thump, thump.
Though the king said nothing, just stared at me beyond the curtains, my whole body was overwhelmed by the feeling something bad was coming.
'…Hah, should I have just obeyed the order? Now it feels like it was a test.'
Regret flooded my mind.
"Ha ha, don't be so scared."
The king spoke again, and my head went blank.
"You were chosen by her. If I kill you, she'd be angry. How could I do that?"
Unlike earlier, his tone was relaxed.
And the meaningful words 'her' and 'chosen'…
I didn't care.
"Bjorn, son of Yandel."
It was the 'language' itself.
"Since we've met, let's just talk frankly."
The King of Ruin was speaking Korean.
-x-X-x-
At first, I couldn't believe my ears.
Did I really hear that right?
Frozen in shock, unable to control my expression, I then wondered:
"How does the King of Ruin know Korean?"
I racked my brain for an answer, but shock clouded my thoughts.
Even if dozens of ninjas had suddenly appeared from the ceiling and walls, it wouldn't have been this overwhelming…
"Get a grip."
Pulling myself together, I focused on the situation.
The first possibility that came to mind was this:
The King of Ruin is a Korean-born evil spirit.
Of course, that was just the first thought that flashed through my head — quickly disproven by what the King said next.
"What are you so stiff about?"
Hearing it again, his Korean was awkward, almost like a white man fumbling for paper towels in a bathroom.
Thanks to that, a more plausible second theory formed:
The King of Ruin is neither Korean nor an evil spirit.
He just learned Korean and can speak it.
Maybe some 'someone' pulled into this world from a game taught him.
At that moment, I could accept the idea of the elevator too.
Or rather…
"Hm, I thought you'd have guessed this by now."
It was as if he understood how such things came to be in this world.
The King of Ruin dropped the awkward Korean accent and spoke in his native tongue.
"You seem more naïve than I expected. But that's natural. Why do you treat corporations that develop advanced technology like aliens to be tortured?"
"..."
"We were just the same."
Maybe he was right; I had been naïve.
Not everyone in this barbaric world is unintelligent.
They wouldn't burn a witch or execute an evil spirit from another dimension without cause.
That wouldn't be rational.
"There's much more than meets the eye."
The evil spirit community, the Ghost Busters.
Not all evil spirits belong to them.
As the first line of a letter I received said:
[This letter is sent randomly to an explorer presumed to be a player.]
These spirits survived in this world, excelled in their fields, and got invitations to join the community — a rare few.
Like the tip of an iceberg.
Many more modern humans were pulled here than I know, including those with expert knowledge.
Among them were those who could build machines powered by electricity or steam.
Though they couldn't risk revealing those secrets.
"They're different."
The royal family, with its secret police, caught and researched these spirits for decades.
How much knowledge could they have gained? How far could they have advanced those technologies?
I saw the fruits of that firsthand.
Click.
As the King of Ruin seated on the throne pressed a button, a familiar melody played.
Though the instrumental differed slightly from what I knew, it was recognizable.
A famous British band's song wishing for all to proceed as destined.
"…!"
Noticing the song came from a 'speaker' in the audience chamber's corner, I froze.
Seeing my expression, the King of Ruin asked calmly,
"Why that face?"
"As if you've seen some magic."
Damn it.
My head was numb.
That phrase couldn't capture my state.
It was like watching proof that your loved one cheated.
A trust betrayed.
'…How can science exist in fantasy?'
Especially in the world of [Dungeon & Stone], which I've enjoyed for ten years.
"You know this song?"
"..."
"An American sang and recorded it. So it feels different from the original. But what can you do? Those who heard say it captures the original's spirit well."
After a pause, as the King of Ruin said, I just asked bluntly.
"…What happened to that American?"
No point pretending to be barbaric now.
He already knew I was not just an evil spirit but a Korean.
"Your tone got shorter."
"Weren't you the one wanting frank talk?"
"Hahaha! Looks like your brain really did turn barbarian."
"Answer me…"
"Hmm… let me see…"
Trailing off, the guard beside him answered instead.
"The Dimension Technology Department reported no useful information remaining on the subject and disposed of it immediately."
"Oh, so that's what happened."
Hearing that indifferent mutter, I realized something.
In other media—novels, comics—modern humans summoned here are main characters.
Natives only play side roles.
But reality is different.
The true protagonists are those spirits.
Compared to them, we're just a small part of the world, a mere 'event.'
Today, I painfully grasped that.
"…Is that why you exterminate evil spirits? To capture and steal their technology?"
I gritted my teeth asking.
A small laugh came from behind the silk curtain.
"Of course not. Evil spirits must vanish from this world—that's an unchanging truth. We just took some incidental benefits during that process."
"..."
"Of course, the fox riding the tiger is also angry about the 'evil spirits.'"
Fox riding a tiger?
I frowned at the vague reference.
"Oh? You don't know about that yet?"
"..."
"Then I can't tell you here. Stories are most enjoyable when heard firsthand."
So no intention to explain.
Judging from context, the 'fox' probably means the prime minister.
But that's not the point now.
Instead of asking about the fox, I brought up something else.
"When you said 'her' earlier, did you mean the witch?"
"Correct."
"What does 'chosen' mean?"
"Wrong."
"…?"
"No reason to answer, so wrong, barbarian."
"You were the one who wanted frank talk."
"Aren't I being frank? I'm the king, after all."
"..."
The King of Ruin was far different from how I imagined.
I never expected a king to be this casual.
Well, better than being arrogant and condescending.
'Maybe, like Ibaekho, he just tries to lower his opponent's guard.'
Anyway, no matter the tone, he was still a 'king.'
A being who could erase everything I had with a single gesture.
But I knew this.
Sometimes crisis is opportunity.
'Maybe…'
Today I might step closer to the secret of this world I've been chasing.
[You were chosen by her. If I kill you, she'd be angry. How could I do that?]
If what he said was true, my safety was guaranteed.
So I decided to take a more active stance.
"Why have you been hiding behind illness all this time?"
I'd use this chance to keep questioning.
No harm if no answers, but even one clue would be a gain.
"Huh? I'm not hiding. I just sleep a lot and haven't gone out."
"Sleep…?"
"Yeah."
The King of Ruin replied like it was a bother, not a secret.
I didn't push further.
But one thing caught my attention.
He called me "Bjorn Yandel, junior baron."
Not baron, junior baron.
If that wasn't just a slip or memory lapse…
What if he really had only known my past because he had been sleeping?
'…Maybe there are still restrictions even when awake.'
Though speculation, given who he was, the info was precious.
"Why did you call me here?"
"Strange question. Do thieves entering through the back door usually ask that?"
"But you're the one who summoned me to the audience chamber."
"Ah? True. But I'm curious how you got out of there."
"No other intentions?"
"There was one thing I wanted to check, but it's done."
"..."
"So you have no more business here?"
"No, not exactly."
"…Then tell me."
"Later. You know, the best part of a meal is saved for last."
I don't agree; I always eat the best part first.
Because it might not be there later.
Anyway, enough of that.
"Are you behind this war?"
"No, I'm a victim. I didn't know everything, but I definitely didn't lead it. Satisfied?"
"Then who's behind it?"
"That's related to the best part, so later."
Answering my bombardment quickly, the King suddenly cut me off.
"Aren't you asking too many questions? I'll answer just one last one. But I won't answer any that betray too much conscience."
Last question…
Judging by the tone, the important stuff won't be revealed.
Then, what's a reasonable last question, staying within bounds?
After brief thought, I spoke.
"Why do you answer each of my questions?"
About the witch, the war.
Maybe questions more valuable than distant lands' stories.
"Oh, that?"
The King of Ruin answered from behind the silk.
With an extremely casual tone.
"It's better to persuade than threaten, isn't it?"
I expected it, but this king was definitely a loose screw.
"So I'm trying persuasion first."
"..."
"Before telling you I'll dispose of everyone you know if you don't obey."
Smiling while threatening is still threatening.
-x-X-x-
The time I spent talking with the King of Apocalypse wasn't very long, but somehow I kept feeling strangely familiar with him.
I thought about why that was, and the answer came to me quickly.
"Something about the way he talks is like Ibaekho."
It's hard to put into words exactly, but the two were alike.
Not just because of their rude and frivolous way of speaking, but because of that unique gaze, as if they didn't see people as people.
Maybe that kind of gaze is what a person with a clear "goal" has.
Just like the expression I was making looking at the King of Apocalypse now.
"Should I interpret that insolent look as your answer?"
At those words, I forced myself to lower my head and avoid his gaze.
The truth that to not lose something you have to fight back still carved itself into my heart, but unfortunately, this time I couldn't go at it as fiercely as with Ibaekho.
Because I didn't know what this bastard's "purpose" was.
A battle of wills can only be fought once you know each other's cards.
Yeah, so…
"…What do you want from me?"
I decided to listen first.
To get even a little hint of this guy's "purpose" and what cards he held.
"Boring."
Maybe he secretly expected me to come out rebellious?
When I took a step back and showed him that I was backing down, the figure beyond the silk lightly tapped the throne.
"Well, fine. I don't dislike smart guys either."
No matter how I looked at it, that tone never felt natural.
He sounded less like the king of a country and more like some back-alley thug.
Of course, that wasn't really important right now.
"So what should I do? Should I just not open the 'Abyssal Gate'?"
I threw out the question casually.
After all, I had a rough idea of the king's purpose.
I meant to test the waters, but…
"What? Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
What the hell was this?
I didn't expect him to laugh out loud like that right in front of me.
"..."
When I glared seriously beyond the silk, the King of Apocalypse offered an apology with no sincerity at all.
"Ah, sorry, sorry. It was just too funny how you, knowing nothing, talk as if you know everything. But now that I think about it, you probably have always been like this."
"..."
"You know nothing. You probably took cautious steps rolling your eyes like that to survive. Sometimes you must've made mistakes and lost something. And before you knew it, you developed an obsession with what you don't know."
That was something I could agree with, to some extent.
It was annoying how he spoke like he knew everything.
Ah, I wonder if this bastard King of Apocalypse felt the same way?
Hmm… judging from that laugh, he didn't seem annoyed.
'Enough, get to the point.'
I wanted to say that more desperately than ever but barely held it in.
It looked like this guy talked a lot.
Either that, or he was just unusually high-energy today.
Either way, I didn't need to interrupt and risk offending him.
"Bjorn Yandel. You know nothing. How this world survives. And how much sacrifice I make for such a world."
I just listened and quietly built a character info window in my mind about the King of Apocalypse.
'Okay, Recognition Desire +7.'
At first, I wanted to give him +6, but considering he said that to a stranger, I gave +7.
And then…
"…What exactly does sacrifice mean?"
At that point, I asked, trying to signal that I was listening by playing along.
Honestly, I was too curious not to ask, but unfortunately, he cut it off sharply.
"No matter how delicious the food is, there's always a part you can't eat."
Yeah… that's the mysticism talk, huh?
I didn't ask further and quietly added another stat to the info window.
[King of Apocalypse]
Recognition Desire +7, Middle School Syndrome +4
Hmm, somehow the aura of crappy essence was already creeping in, but it must just be my imagination.
After all, the final boss's essence can't be shitty, right?
"…Somehow that look in your eyes is unpleasant."
Whoa, suddenly the tone got lower.
Anyway, this calls for +3 to Perception…
"I didn't think anything!"
While quickly dispelling the King of Apocalypse's suspicion, I thought to myself.
What if he found out about the info window I'm using?
'…That would be a death sentence.'
Yeah, no need to see more—death sentence for sure.
Usually, people with cool-guy syndrome freak out over this.
[King of Apocalypse]
Recognition Desire +7, Middle School Syndrome +4, Cool-guy Syndrome +4
Okay, so three stats already checked…
"Well, whatever… It's not something impossible to understand. From your perspective, I must look like the mastermind behind everything."
"…You mean that's not true?"
"That's a meaningless question. If I say no, will you believe me?"
That was a strangely self-deprecating remark.
So I fired back according to the stats I'd created so far.
"Of course, I won't believe you right away. But… if you really are sacrificing for this world…"
"…Sacrificing?"
"That… is something remarkable."
"..."
"Before debating right or wrong, it's not something just anyone can do."
A line that would stimulate Recognition Desire +7.
After a brief pause, he responded.
"…Tch, I didn't do it to be recognized by anyone."
Yeah, no doubt he was pleased.
'Should I have given +8 instead of +7…?'
While pondering that, the King of Apocalypse spoke again.
"The conversation drifted a bit."
Apparently, he noticed the talk was going off track.
"You can lead a horse to water, but whether it drinks is up to the horse."
"..."
"Bjorn, son of Yandel. I have a proposal for you."
Why does he keep pausing after every sentence?
Can't he just speak straight through?
"I'm listening."
As I answered, the figure beyond the silk moved and opened a palm.
"Five times."
"..."
"If you just fulfill my 'requests' five times, I won't interfere with whatever you do."
Huh…
'Five times, huh…'
Well, that's way more motivating than being a slave forever…
Thump!
Clearly a poisoned chalice.
The dice I rolled carefully tumbled on the board.
Not figuratively.
Rattle-rattle-rattle—
The total of the two stopped dice was 12.
Seeing this, the King of Apocalypse beyond the silk didn't get excited at all and muttered slowly.
"A double."
"…Again?"
Is this rigged or something?
"Move the horse."
"Yes."
At the King of Apocalypse's urging, the knight sitting across from me cautiously moved the horse.
"With this, we've reached my territory again. I'll build a hotel. And since it's a double, it's my turn again."
Then the King of Apocalypse had the knight throw the dice again on the floor, and the total was 7, arriving in Seoul.
My hometown, full of hotels where I was born and raised.
"Let's see, the toll is…"
"I will use the privilege card."
"Ah…"
This bastard really plays this game like crap.
'A privilege card comes out here?'
Feeling unjust without realizing it, but at the same time, a moment of clarity struck me.
'What the hell am I doing right now…?'
Honestly, it's not that I really don't know.
Right now, I'm playing a board game with the King of Apocalypse.
Because there was no other choice but to drink the poisoned chalice.
[If you fulfill my 'requests' five times, I won't interfere with whatever you do.]
That day, the King of Apocalypse made me that offer, and I accepted it.
Since he wouldn't make all five requests at once anyway, I figured I could pretend to agree and then betray him later.
Unfortunately, the King of Apocalypse made his first "request" right after finishing his words.
[Then stay here for a week and keep me company.]
The first day was really just keeping company.
The King of Apocalypse showed strong interest in my otherworld exploration stories, and I told him suitably edited versions.
But did he soon lose interest?
The King of Apocalypse said the story was boring and brought out a board game from somewhere.
It looked like a modern item created by torturing evil spirits dragged here…
"This is getting boring too. Bring that here."
"Is there a booklet you prefer?"
"I don't know what the guest likes, so bring them all."
On the third day, the King of Apocalypse put away the board games and brought out 'comics'.
Just by looking, it seemed to be modern items made by tormenting modern people as well, and judging by how many, it was at least several hundred volumes.
'But somehow the contents are subtly different.'
Among them were some comics I'd never seen before and some I knew.
For the latter, the art was sloppy and the story was just a rough copy of the original setting.
Apparently, a captured aspiring manga artist had crudely copied famous comics here.
Up to that point, I could overlook it, even if it was sad.
The real problem was when I found 'that' among the hundreds of comic books.
"This art style is…"
So familiar.
It was hard to believe it was a copy.
Even the title and story perfectly matched ★ 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ the manga I knew.
"Oh? You recognize it? I heard from other evil spirits that it was a very famous manga."
"Goddamn…!!!"
This time I couldn't hold it in.
"What happened to the person who drew this?"
Hiding the anger boiling from my solar plexus, I asked, but the King of Apocalypse beyond the silk just picked his nose and answered nonchalantly.
"The protagonist saw a man he considered a brother forcibly rape the woman he loved and tore him apart on the spot, didn't he?"
Ah… that part…
Honestly, I admit I'm pissed about it…
Hah, how did that author get involved in this kind of game.
'If I return to Earth, I won't be able to see the ending.'
Anyway, I spent the third day watching comics all day, and when hungry, I ordered food through the knight.
"I'm getting hungry."
"I'll bring the table."
"Two bowls of somyeon, one yuxiang rousi, and liquor, jukyeopcheong."
"Yes."
I don't know well, but maybe fans of martial arts cried out 'gal' (empty bowl) like this when the master chef brought out carbonara or the elder jumped in.
'Jukyeopcheong in a fantasy…'
Hah, this isn't the Dungeon & Stone I know.
Whatever.
I rode the elevator up and played board games, but I don't want to stress about this problem anymore.
It's not even something to worry about now.
"After laughing and chatting all day, I'm tired. See you tomorrow."
When the third day ended like that, the King of Apocalypse also went to sleep and left, leaving me alone in that room.
Day 1: conversation.
Day 2: board games.
Day 3: comics.
At first glance, the King of Apocalypse's behavior seemed incomprehensible, but honestly, reading between the lines wasn't difficult.
'…The important thing is time.'
Keeping company was just a pretext.
Surely the King of Apocalypse's real purpose was to keep me here and waste time.
There's only one point here.
Why was the King of Apocalypse trying to waste time?
The answer to that question came the next day.
"Well, it's already day 4."
While eating a muffin with bacon, egg, and tomato for breakfast, the King of Apocalypse said.
"I'm bored. Let's watch some TV today."
No sooner had he said that than knights swarmed in and unfolded a huge screen on one wall.
Beep!
The King of Apocalypse pressed a button on the remote, and light filled the screen as a video started playing.
Kraaaang-!
A ruined city with blood flowing like a river.
Countless people swinging swords, shooting arrows and magic, fighting in a battlefield.
[Ahhhhhhh!]
[Pl-please… save me…]
Amidst that chaotic roar,
[Get a hold of yourself, Gowland! If you keep this up, everyone's going to die!!]
I saw my comrades.
-x-X-x-
The question of who I am—a cliché so tired it's almost stale.
Recently, Bersil Gowland often found herself asking that very question.
Because honestly, she was truly confused.
"I am…"
Who?
When she was first dragged here, it was a question so easy to answer that she didn't even need to ask herself.
But now, after carrying this name for well over ten years, she couldn't answer it easily at all.
"I am…"
Is she the white woman who worked in New York's financial district?
Or is she the mage living in the labyrinth city?
"…I don't know."
To be honest, she really didn't know.
So she used elimination.
If she were the former, there were many things that wouldn't add up.
After all, no matter how many NPCs lost their lives in Ice Rock, that woman from the financial district would never be angry…
Just look now.
That selfish woman who only cared about herself wouldn't have worried this desperately.
For the survival of "us," not just "me."
"…What should I do?"
Gowland's gaze habitually drifted to one spot.
But all she could confirm was the presence of an empty seat that had remained unchanged for days.
The one who seemed like he could always find a clear path in any situation was not here.
But perhaps because of that…
"Get a hold of yourself, Gowland! If you keep this up, we're all going to die!!"
She cleared her mind, as if expelling the overwhelming chaos swirling in her head.
"If you can't, I'll take command—"
"Don't worry."
"…Huh?"
"Because I'm awake now."
In a way, the situation wasn't so complicated.
During the war, the main force retreated, abandoning the explorers on the frontlines, leaving them stranded deep inside enemy territory.
"The deserters?"
"Sven Parab, Lilis Marone, Auyen Lokrov, Emily Raines… so far, there are four."
Though wildly worried about the safety of comrades lost in the chaotic battle, to be frank, there was no energy to care about them right now.
Therefore…
'I can only hope they survive…'
Bersil Gowland steeled her resolve.
"Ahhhhh…! Pl-please save me…!!"
"The front is retreating! We won't hold out much longer!"
"Any reinforcements? Are # Nоvеlight # there really no reinforcements?"
"Fools! Don't run away! Fight to the end!!"
The explorer clans drafted to the front were standing back to back, holding the line, but it was clear they would collapse if things continued like this.
Yeah, so…
"Kaislan, call the clan masters—or if not masters, whoever holds decision-making power—who are still resisting around here."
"What do you intend?"
"Just once… I want us all to join forces to open a path out."
She knew full well that many sacrifices would come with this.
But what else was there to do?
If they stayed like this, they'd all die.
"Very well…"
Kaislan nodded sharply in agreement and raised a pointed question.
"But will they really listen to us?"
This was something she also worried about.
Yet surprisingly, the answer was easy to find.
Because that barbarian would surely act like this.
"Tell them that our Anavada clan will lead the charge. And if they still refuse to join, tell them we'll leave them behind."
At those words, Kaislan paused as if recalling someone, then asked one more question.
"So your goal is to break the siege and head toward the Ecliptic?"
Not so much an ignorant question as a last confirmation.
Because the king was in the Ecliptic.
Naturally, the Ecliptic was the safest place even during wartime.
But…
"No. We won't head to the Ecliptic."
Bersil shook her head firmly and continued.
"We're heading to the sanctuary."
"…The sanctuary?"
Kaislan's expression showed surprise, but she didn't oppose it.
On the contrary, she smiled wryly, as if convinced.
"Now I see why Yandel made you deputy commander."
"Is that… a compliment?"
"Of course."
With that, Kaislan ran across the battlefield delivering the message to the clans, and Bersil watched from afar, reaffirming her resolve one last time.
She found it somewhat unfamiliar—did she really have this passionate side?
'…I will definitely.'
She would return alive.
Saving as many as possible.
The screen filled the entire wall.
The sound system was flawless.
The vivid video made her palms sweat just from watching.
If only there were popcorn, it would be perfect.
If only her comrades weren't in the footage.
Beep!
Just as Bersil and Kaislan were having an awkward conversation, the King of Apocalypse paused the video.
And then…
"Seems your subordinates think highly of you?"
Subordinates…
She wanted to add something but held back, and the King of Apocalypse chuckled at her expression.
"You look like you have a lot you want to say."
She couldn't deny it.
Why he showed the video.
Why he stopped it now.
How on earth they filmed such footage.
There were so many questions she wanted to ask.
But among all the countless mysteries, one was most important…
"This is…"
Yeah, this one.
"…Is it live?"
Is the footage real-time or recorded long ago?
Arguably, the most critical point at present.
"A sharp question. Excellent."
The King of Apocalypse praised with a satisfied voice.
But praise was praise, and this was another matter.
"But it wouldn't be fun to tell you now."
That damn hedonist.
As she internally cursed the king, he casually asked.
"Which do you think it is?"
Uh…
"No, I should rephrase that. Which do you want it to be?"
Honestly, she wanted it to be live.
Answering honestly, the King of Apocalypse laughed again with a faint sneer.
"Hahaha! The past can't be changed, after all."
"…Yeah."
After a brief pause, he suddenly burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Hahahahaha!"
That wasn't just a sneer—it was uproarious laughter.
Being laughed at like that right in front of her was disgusting, but…
What could she do?
Creak…
As a complete subordinate, she had to endure it.
"…Ahaha. Sorry for the rudeness. It's been so long since I heard something that funny."
Fortunately, the laughter didn't last long.
Soon, the King of Apocalypse composed himself and said to her.
"So, what now… You made me laugh sincerely after a long time, so I can't just let this go. Ah, shall I repay you by giving the correct answer?"
Uh…
'Really?'
As she unconsciously looked at the figure beyond the silk with expectation,
He revealed the 'answer' casually.
"The footage I just showed you was recorded."
"When was it…?"
"Well… when was it?"
The King of Apocalypse muttered, and the knight standing nearby politely answered.
"It was when Your Majesty was enjoying 'board games' with Baron Yandel."
"Oh, was it?"
"…"
While she was goofing around with that bastard, her comrades were fighting desperately on the frontlines.
Her heart grew heavy, but she quickly calculated the dates.
"They played board games on day two, and now it's day four…"
The footage was filmed two days ago.
Simply put, no matter who dies in that video, she couldn't intervene.
"You look disappointed and frustrated."
"…"
"To comfort you a bit, even if the footage wasn't recorded, it wouldn't have made much difference."
"…What?"
"You wouldn't have been able to change anything anyway."
When she gave no answer, the King of Apocalypse tilted his head.
"Ah, was that too blunt to be called comfort? Haha, I'm a type T."
Her blood boiled.
Starting with the brazenness of naturally discussing personality types despite being from another world.
But today, he was an opponent she couldn't just attack while possessed by a barbarian spirit.
So she kept quiet.
Bored, the King of Apocalypse resumed the video.
Beep!
The figures in the previously paused footage began moving frantically again, struggling with sweat and blood to survive.
Watching that, her heart pounded.
No, actually, it had been pounding from before.
Thump!
Would blind arrows or magic fly toward her comrades in the video?
Would the front collapse suddenly, leading to the worst outcome?
Would someone breaking through at the front get hurt or die?
And…
"Sven Parab, Lilis Marone, Auyen Lokrov, Emily Raines… so far, there are four."
Were those four lost in the chaos safe?
Clenching her fists tighter and tighter, she could only think of that.
Because that was all she could do.
So she kept thinking in the part she could influence.
"Well, now it's day four… just three more days to go."
Only three days until the promised week.
The remaining time didn't matter.
Why had the King of Apocalypse asked her to keep him company for a whole week, making all five 'requests'?
Did he just want to keep her tied down and see her suffer?
Tap, tap…
Well, maybe.
But from the personality she'd experienced, he wouldn't do that.
There had to be another reason.
If so, what was it?
Tap, tap…
Thinking from the King of Apocalypse's perspective, a plausible hypothesis came to mind.
"You seem distracted? Ah, is it because this part isn't interesting?"
He operated the remote and paused the video again.
"If you don't want to see it, say so now. I don't mind chatting or playing games."
She slowly shook her head and asked bluntly.
"Have any of my comrades died so far?"
"If you're curious, why don't you just watch?"
"Please answer."
When she pressed him more firmly, the King of Apocalypse was silent for a moment.
Since only his silhouette was visible beyond the silk, she couldn't read his expression.
But it wasn't hard to guess he was satisfied.
And the guess was correct.
"Your questions… have become a bit longer than before?"
His voice suggested he was surprised but not displeased, confirming her hypothesis.
"Has anyone died so far?"
"…No. Not yet."
It was a kind of taming.
What this guy was doing to her right now.
"So it is?"
"So it is."
As the King of Apocalypse seemed to enjoy this situation, she quietly nodded.
Then she stooped low like a hunchback and raised her head, as if looking up.
And bluntly asked once more.
"Your Majesty, then how can I reach my comrades?"
A line theatrical enough she never spoke before—neither in life nor as a barbarian.
"..."
"..."
His answer came after a brief silence.
"Hmm, I expected day five."
Even she didn't understand herself.
His tone hadn't changed much, nor had anything else around him.
"This… you're quite the clever one, huh…?"
Why did a chill run down her spine the moment she heard that?
Swoosh.
For some reason, the silk curtain that hadn't moved once in four days slid aside.
And…
Step, step.
The King of Apocalypse walked down the stairs between the silk curtains.
He stretched his arms as if his shoulders were stiff and headed toward the doorway.
"Huh… being stuck inside the room keeps getting suffocating. What, aren't you coming?"
"Uh…"
"Let's walk for a bit and talk. There's something I want to show you."
"Ah, ah… yes…"
Still dazed and barely aware of what she was saying, she followed behind him.
Because she had no choice.
'This is… the King of Apocalypse…?'
He was so much like
someone she knew.