Ch.32Grave Robbing and Excavation (3)

“This is the person I have chosen.”

In that moment, silence fell. The ghost from ancient times, who had introduced himself as the priest of Phoibos, seemed completely unprepared for such an answer.

“Chosen? You say chosen…? What we summoned was not—”

“Priest. You have completed your task. The fate entrusted to you ends here, so return to your peaceful slumber.”

Ortes spoke as if making a declaration. The shadow twisted its form strangely, as if dancing or wailing in agony.

“Has the fate we foresaw already vanished! The future now lies in darkness, yet it is fr■e!”

A strange sound—whether laughter or sobbing, it was impossible to tell—whirled through the marble chamber. Only after a considerable time did the sound cease.

In the silence, the priest’s voice whispered with difficulty.

“Those who see far… have completed their task.”

As the voice finished the sentence, the light that had been drawn into the crystal sphere suddenly burst forth in a brilliant flash. The marble chamber, which had been filled with darkness just moments before, once again regained its white radiance.

The sacred relic of Phoibos gleamed in Ortes’s grasp.

***

What was that?

What exactly happened there?

Though Carisia looked at me with curious eyes, I had nothing more to tell her.

My life up until now had been waking up in some strange laboratory-like place and struggling to survive.

Actually, once I regained my senses, I thoroughly searched every corner of the place where I had awakened. There might have been clues about whether this was a transfer to another world or reincarnation. However, I didn’t find the clues I was hoping for, like a research journal.

All that remained were fragments of what might have been a sign with the laboratory’s name. I took the readable part and adopted it as the name I use now.

Was this body or that laboratory really connected to the ancient gods?

I decided to maintain silence rather than say anything uncertain. Carisia seemed curious but showed no signs of wariness.

If I keep my mouth shut, she’ll probably assume I have my reasons and let it go.

***

‘The person I have chosen, is it?’

Carisia turned those words over in her mind.

Even to her, who had been with Ortes longer than anyone, his inner thoughts remained unknown.

She could discern some emotions through his outward expressions, but deeper inside—the true feelings within were fortified by barriers stronger than steel.

Today, she felt as if she had glimpsed emotions from beyond that barrier.

Although it was somewhat unsatisfying not knowing exactly what Ortes meant by “chosen.”

But this much…

‘Not bad.’

Carisia smiled as she stretched. Ortes, walking behind her, couldn’t see the smile.

***

The first thing Carisia and Ortes did upon returning to Etna City was to hear a report on the status of the mission entrusted to Dimedes.

To be precise, Ortes had sent Carisia ahead while he discussed business matters with the directors.

“…What did you say?”

However, the content of the conversation was very different from what Ortes had expected.

“Dimedes hasn’t returned yet. You heard correctly.”

The speaker wore a gas mask even indoors and carried an extremely lightweight folding bow at his waist. This was Noiro, the head of Etna City’s Hunters Association.

“That bastard. He was diligently sending reports about this and that while on assignment, but his communications stopped a few days ago.”

“Oh my.”

Noiro examined Ortes’s face through the lenses of his gas mask. The emotion just revealed was a precious opportunity to gauge his temperament.

The feeling contained in “What did you say?” didn’t seem like simple bewilderment. It seemed mixed with anger toward a subordinate who had committed an inexcusable blunder.

‘He respects the position of director to some extent, but ultimately he’s confident in his superior abilities…’

If he could examine that fleeting expression again, a more definitive analysis would be possible. Noiro’s eyes gleamed as he faced perhaps the most inscrutable beast he had ever encountered.

But Ortes’s facial muscles, seemingly fixed in that subtle smile, had already returned to their normal state.

“So, according to Director Noiro’s opinion.”

Ortes rubbed his temple.

“Director Dimedes is likely to have died during the operation?”

“Yes. Though he’s naturally violent and selfish, he has the sense to obey the logic of power. He consistently filed those tedious reports during his business trip. But if reports suddenly stopped, there’s only one reason.”

This was thunderous news to Ortes, who had been expecting Dimedes to complete his work and return by now for recognition and rewards.

‘Really, these eight directors.’

Weren’t they supposed to be executives in an evil organization? Skilled enough to be mid-bosses who, while not able to interfere in the final battle between the protagonist and the White Nameless, could at least engage other protagonist party members and buy time?

And such a person took his subordinates and went missing entirely?

‘How could this happen?’

Ortes wanted to sigh. Come to think of it, their end in the original work was equally pathetic.

When the White Nameless blew up Hydra Corporation headquarters and most of Etna City with the Artificial Ten Commandments, didn’t the directors evaporate along with it?

‘But still, there should be some dignity to being a villain executive…’

After shaking his head once, Ortes decided to take the situation positively.

‘Right. Let’s think of it as happening because we’re not an evil organization. The goal was to deviate from the future of the original work anyway, right?’

If Dimedes was dead, the future from the original work essentially no longer existed. It’s just that the changed direction of the future was disadvantageous to the company where Ortes worked.

“It can’t be helped.”

“Are you planning to go alone again?”

“Ah…”

Ortes recalled the subtle antagonism between Dimedes and Noiro. Both directors had expertise in hunting, but their approaches differed.

Because of this, the two directors had been checking each other regarding the Bacchus cult hunting assignment. Ortes was well aware of this fact.

‘I see. Now that Dimedes’s downfall is almost certain, he’s trying to catch Carisia’s eye with this opportunity? Power hunger… No, there were no signs of scheming to become the Hunters Association president. It’s ambition for honor.’

Noiro might have been expecting that with his rival gone, it was finally his turn.

Anticipating the honor of achieving the first task directly related to Hydra Corporation’s founding purpose.

“Very well. Then, Director Noiro, let’s go together.”

But his ambition for honor is one thing, and the risk is another. We can’t send just one more director to a place where Dimedes and his faction might have been annihilated.

Noiro nodded. The expression behind the gas mask was somewhat disgruntled.

‘I was just asking if you were planning to go alone and sweep everything up again. What are you thinking, offering to accompany me?’

‘Hmm. Come to think of it, Dimedes received this assignment after challenging the authority of the Sacred Investigation Office Director. I see. Is it to clearly demonstrate the skill gap between a director and himself? Indeed, from his loyalty to the president, I should have known he’s sensitive to hierarchy, like a wolf.’

While Noiro, who had received the cooperation request from the Sacred Investigation Office, was gathering his equipment, Ortes prepared himself mentally to report to Carisia: “I have another business trip to make.”

He had completely forgotten that his first thought upon being appointed as the Sacred Investigation Office Director was to pass off practical work to the other directors.

***

Twelve lights flickered above the altar. It had been a very long time since lamps converting magical power into light were invented.

Anyone who saw this would have criticized it as anachronistic, or sarcastically praised such adherence to tradition.

If someone with a keen eye were present, they would have been surprised to realize that what they thought were candle flames were actually pure light itself.

Furthermore, if they had knowledge of ancient times, they would have been shocked that fanatics believing in old superstitions still existed. The intricate engravings of ancient gods on the candlesticks and altar were without a single scratch despite the ages they had witnessed.

One light began to flicker.

This was a place where no wind could blow. Besides, these weren’t flames burning on candle wicks but radiance that wouldn’t waver even in wind.

The light slowly faded.

“…”

The person praying below the altar looked up at the dissipating light.

And smiled.

So the deity has responded only now, after all this time? Or have even those who kept the prophecy decided to abandon everything and enter eternal extinction?

Either way, there is no hope.

Even if the god’s response has come now, there is no one left to hear its voice, and if the last will has decided to sleep, it means all the past years were in vain.

However.

From now on, the cult will no longer entrust hope to the gods alone.

The time has come to reclaim the hope once entrusted to the gods and to establish a stronghold.

The only cult that honors the names of all twelve Great Gods thus accepted the extinguishing of Phoibos’s radiance as an omen.

It is time to go forth into the world.