Ch.124Chapter 124

Thump, thump.

Following the guidance of a knight who told us about a strange space that had opened up, the Deputy Commander and I were walking outside of Rondan.

Normally, we might have considered bringing additional forces, but since we were attempting to move to another space, we didn’t do that.

One of Rondan’s iron rules: do not carelessly step into unknown spaces.

You might be killed by an Outer God if you enter, but more often, the space would immediately disconnect after entry.

The problem was that there was almost no way to return in such cases.

Because of these issues, it was decided that only two of us would go.

According to the knight, he discovered this space while patrolling near The Gardener’s garden.

At first, he said he felt compelled to enter the space, but quickly came to his senses and returned.

Apparently, the light flowing from inside was very mesmerizing, or something like that.

“Was there nothing unusual when you patrolled yesterday?”

“No, this space definitely wasn’t there until yesterday.”

“Are you certain?”

“Yes, absolutely!”

The Deputy Commander spoke with a slightly suspicious voice.

I can understand why she’s being so sensitive about this.

If the space had been left unchecked for days because someone failed to verify properly, something might have already emerged and infiltrated Rondan.

Of course, judging by the knight’s utterly wronged expression and excessive nodding, it didn’t seem to be the worst-case scenario.

“It’s here.”

The knight stopped walking and pointed to a cave-like structure.

From the outside, it just looked like an ordinary natural formation.

The Deputy Commander and I approached and examined the space inside the cave.

“Hmm.”

“There’s something there.”

I can see it.

That strange light.

I couldn’t see clearly, but I could tell it was connected to some kind of space.

“…Hmm.”

The Deputy Commander seemed lost in thought as she quietly observed it.

I also felt uncertain about entering an unfamiliar space with just the two of us.

But the Deputy Commander soon steeled her resolve.

Perhaps she thought there wouldn’t be much threat since the person accompanying her was immune to Outer Gods.

“Let’s go in.”

“Deputy Commander?!”

The knight called out in surprise, but the Deputy Commander turned to him with a stoic expression.

“Ask the White Mask to temporarily assist me. Now that the mask is gone, he can serve as a figurehead for a while.”

“But if you were to get hurt, Deputy Commander…”

“Would you like me to get hurt?”

“N-no… that’s not what I meant…”

The Deputy Commander gave a faint smile at the knight who had shriveled up at her joke, then placed her hand on his shoulder.

The knight looked at the Deputy Commander with a surprised expression.

“In the end, if we remain still, things will just stay as they are. To move forward, we must accumulate these kinds of challenges. Don’t you agree?”

…When I looked at the Deputy Commander with a slightly surprised expression after hearing those words, she was looking at me with an amused smile.

I scratched the back of my head, feeling awkward.

I had just said whatever came to mind.

But there are few people as rational and wise as the Deputy Commander, so perhaps she remembered it because she thought it was a good statement in her own way.

After all, famous quotes can sometimes be born from words spoken without much thought, right?

Proverbs weren’t created by someone thinking, “I’m going to make a proverb!” either.

Though she spoke like that, I could see her firm determination that she absolutely would not die.

Her sparkling eyes revealed this.

That’s right.

We must return alive.

Because we’re embarking on this journey to recover that person’s memories.

“Are you going, Deputy Commander?”

“Yes. I’m counting on you.”

“Understood! I wish you a safe return!”

With those final words, the knight quickly ran back into Rondan.

Watching him, we entered the space.

#

Marenne was speechless as she quietly looked around.

What she saw immediately upon entering the space was shocking.

Corpses.

Corpses damaged so brutally it was difficult to put into words were piled up like mountains.

They must have died recently, as the corpse they accidentally stepped on still felt alive to the touch.

So even recently, people had entered this space and suffered harm.

Marenne sighed, feeling devastated.

“…This clearly doesn’t feel like a safe space.”

“Uh, yes.”

“Hmm. Even this atmosphere doesn’t seem threatening to you.”

“Um… no. It does look like a… dangerous space.”

Tanthyn responded as if he had no particular impression, but Marenne considered his reaction natural.

For someone who could complete his tasks in The Gardener’s garden and return without even complaining of trauma, this kind of scene would be nothing.

She could sense Tanthyn’s modesty in his stammering attempt to show consideration for her belatedly.

“Let’s move forward.”

“Yes!”

Thinking that maybe it was just like this at the entrance, they moved forward, but nothing changed.

If anything, corpses crushed in even more horrific ways greeted Marenne.

Although Marenne had seen countless cruel sights, she thought it was difficult to see a space so explicitly littered with corpses.

Whoever created Rondan’s iron rules must have been someone who survived seeing such scenery.

“Tanthyn, are you alright?”

“Yes, just a bit hungry…”

To feel hunger in this situation… Marenne often felt something akin to respect for Tanthyn, but sometimes when he showed this side of himself, she felt more fear than awe.

Like a part of his moral sense was broken.

But despite that, when he wanted to protect people and became infinitely emotional, she sometimes wanted to examine the structure of his brain.

‘I should be grateful that his sense of justice is directed toward Rondan.’

Marenne handed Tanthyn a piece of bread she had packed.

“Eat this to satisfy your hunger. I regret that this is all I brought.”

“Ah, no! Then what will you eat, Deputy Commander…”

“If you don’t eat it now, it’s gone.”

“…Then I’ll gratefully accept it.”

Tanthyn quickly took the bread Marenne offered and put it in his mouth.

Watching Tanthyn eat as if it was delicious, Marenne held her forehead and shook her head.

She decided she would have to give all the snacks she brought to Tanthyn.

They looked around the fairly large space.

But nothing particularly remarkable caught Marenne’s eye.

It seemed the same for Tanthyn, who was tilting his head as if something was strange.

He probably thought they had wasted their steps because his idea was wrong.

Marenne placed her hand on Tanthyn’s shoulder.

Tanthyn looked at her.

“Don’t be too hasty. The fact that there are so many corpses surely means there’s something here.”

“Ah, corpses… Yes, I understand.”

Marenne tilted her head at his response, which suggested he hadn’t been considering the corpses at all.

Is it possible not to consider such a brutally cruel scene?

She could once again understand why the reports Muyeon had submitted to her were the way they were.

Squish, squish.

The deeper they went, the older the corpses seemed to be, as the parts where bones should be lightly sank with each of Marenne’s steps.

Every time she felt that sensation, the thought of wanting to leave this place quickly dominated Marenne.

That’s when it happened.

“Oh, Deputy Commander!”

Tanthyn pointed ahead.

She wasn’t sure what he had discovered in this field of corpses, but she looked where Tanthyn was pointing.

Tanthyn wasn’t wrong.

Where he pointed, two figures were moving erratically.

And they looked vaguely human-shaped at a glance.

“Let’s go see.”

“Yes.”

Marenne carefully moved forward with Tanthyn.

Although there were many corpses, there were still some spots of normal ground they could step on.

And finally, when they moved to a place where they could fully see them, Marenne quickly hid behind a pile of corpses and observed them carefully.

She couldn’t confirm properly because one person was showing only their back.

Was it a person?

An Outer God?

The being in front of the man whose back was turned was clearly showing signs of being an Outer God.

The skin covered in scales and the eyes glowing red were certainly not the appearance of a normal human.

“D-Deputy Commander.”

“What is it?”

But unlike her, Tanthyn seemed to have discovered something and called Marenne, then carefully pointed to the man whose back was turned.

“T-that person, isn’t that him?”

“Who?”

At his voice, which sounded both happy and confused, Marenne looked at the man whose back was turned.

With perfect timing, the two engaged in fierce combat and changed positions, and the moment she confirmed his face, Marenne’s eyes widened.

And as soon as she confirmed it, her body reacted without thinking.

Bang!

Just as the Outer God’s attack was about to wound the man whose back had been turned, Marenne’s greatsword blocked the attack and deflected it.

Marenne immediately shifted her gaze to the man.

“Huh, what?! Who is this?!”

And the moment she heard the man’s voice, Marenne was certain, and felt tears forming at the corners of her eyes.

“Isn’t that the Deputy Commander?!”

Because the man’s identity was Mushin.