Ch.234The Emperor and the Usurper

After defeating the Demon Trainer and Hell Hounds, the interior of the warehouse we began searching could best be described as a storage place for miscellaneous items.

Various parts and materials for repairing walls and gates, stocks of firewood and tools, waterproof covers and winter blankets, and so on.

If this had been a functional castle, these might have been considered useful—even essential—supplies to stockpile… but since its true nature was that of a dungeon, these items held no value whatsoever.

After all, would monsters created by the dungeon core feel cold?

Would they use tools for delicate repair work on equipment and facilities, or engage in flood control projects?

Would seasons change inside this dungeon, or wars break out with other countries, or refugees need shelter?

The items in this warehouse would only be useful if the castle were built outside the dungeon and governed by people. While occupied by monsters, they would never be effectively utilized.

“If we could take all this with us, some people might be happy…”

“Honestly, it’s not even worth the effort to move it outside the dungeon. We couldn’t fit it all in wagons anyway.”

With no valuable items in sight and no trace of Arcane Words, I sighed as we were about to leave the warehouse, wondering if the trainer and Hell Hounds had been guarding nothing but this junk. That’s when Mina’s sharp intuition suddenly flashed.

“Huh?”

“What is it?”

“Wait a moment.”

As if something had occurred to her just as we were about to exit, Mina paced back and forth between the entrance and the far wall two or three times before pulling out a pickaxe with a meaningful smile.

“Even accounting for wall thickness, the interior space is about three steps shorter than the outer wall. There must be a secret space somewhere.”

“Are you planning to tear down all these walls?”

“That won’t be necessary. Since dungeon walls are basically indestructible, any section that can be broken with a pickaxe would be a secret space.”

Saying this, Mina began tapping the wall with her pickaxe while moving sideways.

After moving about 10 meters to the right, there was a clang as the brick where she struck cracked slightly.

“Found it~”

“It’s not some secret mechanism, just covered with bricks?”

“Either for thorough concealment, or to ensure it can never be opened again…”

“We’ll find out when we dig. Mina, be especially careful in case monsters jump out. Everyone else, prepare for battle.”

As our armed companions surrounded the area, Mina silently destroyed the wall.

As the hole in the gray wall widened, it revealed a secret space about 1 meter wide, 1 meter long, and 2 meters high.

A highly suspicious secret space with a ladder leading downward.

“It goes down about 7-8 meters. The floor is made of the same stone as this building, and there’s nothing moving within visible range.”

After Phyllis confirmed the safety inside the hole, we tied a lantern to a rope, lowered it first, and then descended the ladder one by one, starting with Seti.

The basement, only about half the size of the warehouse, contained nothing but a large rock placed in the middle of the floor.

It was a scene anyone would find suspicious, but what was truly suspicious was the content of the Arcane Words written on the rock.

{The cunning usurper stole the throne and hid its authority in three pieces, thus ending the era of the Tyrant King.}

{If you wish for the Emperor’s return, take the crown hidden here, gather the scepter and medal, and bring them to the place where the Emperor shall reign.}

Since the content was clearly ominous, I didn’t read it aloud verbatim but explained the general meaning to my companions.

“The cunning usurper and the Tyrant King… neither title sounds benign.”

“We can predict that if we gather the crown, scepter, and medal, the Emperor will return, defeat the usurper, and reclaim the throne.”

“That’s probably right. The question is what meaning there is in doing so…”

“There are two immediate possibilities. Either returning the Emperor to defeat the usurper is a necessary condition for clearing this dungeon, or the identity of the final boss depends on whether we fulfill these conditions.”

“Considering that this hint was hidden with Arcane Words, and there was a separate mechanism to lock the inner gate… the latter is more likely to be correct.”

I think so too.

Then the remaining question is what result would come from fulfilling the conditions for the Tyrant King’s return… There are several possible patterns.

The Tyrant King might instantly defeat the cunning usurper and become this dungeon’s hard mode boss.

The Emperor and usurper might fight evenly and mutually destroy each other, or the survivor might be greatly weakened.

Or the Emperor and usurper might join forces to attack us together, or a three-way battle might ensue.

If by some chance the Emperor is pathetically defeated by the usurper, it would be the same as not bringing him back at all.

“There’s only one scenario where we benefit. Otherwise, satisfying the conditions would be meaningless or even increase the dungeon’s difficulty.”

“If that’s what you think, we could just ignore this and continue our conquest… but honestly, it feels wrong to leave an Arcane Word puzzle unsolved.”

“Since this isn’t a matter that ends with just us, it’s difficult to reach a conclusion.”

Yes, that’s the core of the problem.

While we have complete freedom to choose whether to fulfill the conditions for the Tyrant King’s return, the consequences of that choice will be borne not just by us but by all adventurers who come here.

The issue is that we’re gambling with others’ lives in making this choice.

“If you’re really worried, why don’t we just take all the treasures and leave? Let other adventurers handle the watchtower conquest or boss defeat.”

“Even so, awakening the Tyrant King and then running away…”

“No, no, think about it. It doesn’t say the Tyrant King will revive as soon as we get the crown, scepter, and medal.”

“Huh?”

Hearing Mina’s words, I read the Arcane Words on the rock once more.

Those who wish for the Emperor’s return must find not only the crown hidden here but also the scepter and medal, and take them to “the proper place.”

This means that simply finding the crown, scepter, and medal isn’t enough to bring back the Tyrant King.

And the “proper place” mentioned here likely refers to spaces permitted only to those with legitimate royal authority, such as an audience chamber or royal quarters.

“That might work. We could first find the three treasures hidden by Arcane Words, then search for clues about the Tyrant King or cunning usurper with other adventurers before making a final decision…”

“Or we could reveal that we found this secret and put it to a majority vote.”

“Hmm, that seems like a reasonable approach.”

Then what matters now is speed.

We need to find the places where the Arcane Words are hidden and obtain the crown, scepter, and medal before other adventurers arrive.

It would be best to obscure the secret of the Arcane Words by claiming the text disappeared right after we obtained the treasures, then gather opinions on what to do about the Tyrant King.

“Alright, let’s secure the crown first and then quickly search the castle for the places where the other two are hidden.”

“Okay.”

Having decided on our course of action, we moved swiftly.

We recited the Arcane Words to obtain a white silver crown studded with jewels, quickly left the warehouse, and moved to a cathedral-like building on the opposite side.

As soon as we flung open the main door, we hastily closed it and retreated from what we saw.

“What did we just see?”

“A hallucination.”

“Yes, a hallucination. We need to stay sharp.”

“Wow~ Can’t let our guard down. Hallucinations popping up even without a Durahhan around.”

The four of us—myself, Jessica, Seti, and Mina—exchanged these words with straight faces.

Phyllis looked at us, sighed lightly, and then confronted us with the harsh reality.

“I understand wanting to think it was a hallucination, but escaping reality won’t solve the problem.”

“Urgh… do we have to go in there and fight?”

“Eek~ No way! I absolutely refuse!”

“Even I might not be confident this time.”

Despite saying all this, we ultimately need to conquer this building to find the second Arcane Word.

Of course, it’s not guaranteed that an Arcane Word is hidden here, but without other clues, this place must be our top priority for searching.

“Jessica, you said the terrain inside dungeons is basically indestructible, right?”

“Yes. Except for parts where destruction itself has meaning, like secret passages or ore veins. Why do you ask?”

“For example, if a fire broke out in here and all the monsters and junk burned away, the building and Arcane Words wouldn’t be damaged, right?”

“That… seems likely…”

In the middle of her answer, Jessica caught my intention and turned her gaze toward Phyllis, who nodded solemnly in response.

“I think it’s a good idea. Going in there to fight carries too much risk in many ways.”

“If we’re willing to give up everything except the treasure, that could be one approach.”

“Then I’ll take that as agreement from both of you—”

“Wait. Let’s at least prepare attribute enchantments and an Airy Curtain before we start.”

The fire attribute Break Enchant turns our weapons red, and a curtain of wind gently wraps around our bodies.

After confirming everyone’s preparations, Seti and I nod to each other and then—

‘CRASH!’

We kick open the firmly closed wooden door and quickly dodge to the side.

The scene inside reveals a banquet hall with tables covered in ornate tablecloths and luxurious chairs.

More precisely… a place presumed to have been a banquet hall, with what were once ornate tablecloths and luxurious chairs.

“Fireball {Incendiary Grenade}!!”

“Flame Lance!”

The fireball leaving the barrel and the spear of flame fly through the wide-open main door into what was once a banquet hall.

The once-ornate tablecloths are covered in stains of indescribable colors, and instead of a feast, the tables are chaotically strewn with mold-covered plates and bowls—a twisted netherworld banquet hall.

Forearm-sized maggots crawl everywhere, large fly-like or mosquito-like creatures drip fluid as they fly around, and the upper body of a humanoid monster much larger than a Mountain Troll is nailed to the opposite wall.

I can’t see what’s below its waist… but I have no desire to look more closely.

‘WHOOSH!!’

“Flame Lance! Flame Lance! Flame Lance!!”

Jessica’s Flame Lances continue to pour into the flames of the exploding Fireball.

We have no intention of entering that horrific, filthy space to fight, but we also want to prevent whatever is in there from crawling outside the building.

With that determination, Jessica fires spears of flame until her magical energy is depleted.