episode_0191

The Empire’s largest underground city, the Kingdom.

A domain once ruled by the Monarch, who was called the peak of the underworld.

The Kingdom boasted an enormous scale, befitting its name.

It was comparable to any major city… and such a city lay deep underground.

According to the original setting, the imperial capital was located nearby in the past.

It must have served as both a tourist destination and a shelter.

But.

More than a century ago.

A massive earthquake struck the region, causing widespread damage to the entire capital.

The ground became unstable, and the underground city was left in danger of collapsing at any moment.

Because of these problems, people began to leave the area one by one.

The Emperor of that era also chose to relocate the capital.

And so, the city became deserted.

The bottom attracts the bottom.

The city rapidly turned into a slum.

The anxiety of the ceiling potentially collapsing at any moment.

Because of this, the wealthy left, and only the poor remained.

Moreover, even the Imperial Family abandoned the region.

Rotten water pooled in the lightless underground.

Landfill.

Normally, where eyes cannot reach, vermin swarm.

Public order plummeted, and crime festered like everyday life.

A city where not even hope remained.

Scraps gathered, forming a landfill.

Afterward.

A man took control of the chaotic city and began to reign over the bottom.

It was the ‘Monarch,’ who was called the peak of the underworld at the time, who stepped forward.

He made the city his base and named it his Kingdom.

They say the bottom attracts the bottom.

The city was further stained black.

So much so that not even a sliver of sunlight remained.

“Still… I don’t remember it being this messy.”

I mumbled, surveying my surroundings.

The streets were covered in thick darkness.

My indifferent steps trod upon the entrance of the underground city.

The scenery of the Kingdom, which I was visiting for the first time in several months, had a distinctly different atmosphere from before.

People sprawled on the streets, a sight devoid of any light, the smell of blood pricking my nose…

“Strange.”

Was it because of the unfamiliarity?

I couldn’t help but furrow my brow quietly.

A heavy silence hung over the city.

“Neria.”

“Master.”

“It’s been like this all along. A quiet scene… without a single sign of life.”

“It’s as if the entire city has fallen asleep. The homeless people around here are all unconscious as well.”

“It’s not really the time to be asleep, though. Outside, it’s still broad daylight.”

“Even if it’s an underground city, there’s no reason for it to be this quiet during the day…”

“It seems there’s a reason the Monarch requested aid.”

“Yes… the atmosphere is unusual.”

The eerie air grew heavier.

Figures sprawled all over the streets.

They lay fallen without the slightest movement.

I wondered if they were corpses, but upon closer inspection, they were breathing normally.

It was just that their consciousness was absent, as if they had fallen asleep.

It was truly a bizarre sight.

“……It’s quiet.”

As we drew closer to the city’s center, the number of people on the streets increased.

Thugs, beggars, merchants… all of them lay unconscious.

There were now enough people to completely fill an entire alleyway.

I chewed on a faint sense of unease.

Just as Neria said, it was as if the entire city had fallen asleep.

The occasional scent of blood added to the unsettling nature of the scene.

Our gaze fixed on a certain point.

“Master, that’s…”

“Horrifying.”

A body shoved into a corner alleyway.

It was a corpse drenched in blood.

While most were unharmed, that didn’t mean all were.

Occasionally, among the sleeping people, a corpse like this would lie around.

The corpses all shared a consistent appearance.

“Hmm.”

What had been done to it?

Its appearance was mangled, as if something had gnawed on it.

Limbs were torn, and spilled intestines stained the ground.

And that wasn’t all; its head was an even worse sight.

“At least we know the perpetrator is violent.”

A clean hole was punched through its forehead.

It looked as if its brain had been completely devoured.

I clicked my tongue softly.

……Has the situation I feared come to pass?

The Kingdom.

The bottom of the continent.

It seemed the seeds of disaster were sprouting here as well.

No… perhaps the roots had already taken hold long ago.

I subtly expanded my senses, covering my actions.

Just as I was traversing the city.

“I should contact headquarters.”

“Understood, right away…”

Screeeech!

A scream echoed from somewhere.

It wasn’t human.

No mere human vocal cords could produce such a demonic sound.

We turned around, following the source of the piercing noise.

Only a faint shadow was visible in our sight.

“What’s that…?”

A specter covered in blood-red hues.

At first glance, it resembled a wild beast; upon closer inspection, it looked like an aquatic creature.

The demonic energy flashing in the pitch-black darkness was truly grotesque.

It was charging towards us with fierce momentum.

Between its teeth, a half-chewed skull fragment was lodged.

“Master…!”

Neria quickly stepped forward.

In her hand, clutching a dagger, a faint light shimmered.

However, despite facing the specter, I didn’t even flinch.

I merely looked up at its massive form with an indifferent gaze.

Because I was certain.

“Too late.”

Certain that those heinous fangs would not reach us.

I murmured at the faint presence I felt.

Following that, a decrepit voice spoke.

“You’re still so cold-hearted.”

The next moment.

A dazzling flash of light bathed the alleyway.

The specter was powerlessly torn apart, without even a chance to resist.

Standing in front of this scene was a white-haired elder.

A dense killing intent swirled around him.

“It’s been quite a long time since we last met, too.”

The Monarch.

The one-armed elder stood, looking at us.

His dark suit flapped in the backdraft.

His distinctive golden eyes glinted.

“First, thank you for responding to my request for aid, Leader of the Stars.”

“I came in a hurry, but… the state of the city is terrible.”

“Let’s move for now. We don’t know when the chaos will start again.”

“Chaos…?”

The elder moved forward.

He spoke without even turning to look at us.

“Hurry. It seems the night has already begun.”

It was a meaningful remark.

***

The central area where people lay sprawled.

We exited that place and walked along a secluded alleyway.

Occasionally tearing apart the specters that sprang out.

“I’m ashamed. The situation isn’t good for welcoming guests.”

“It certainly looks that way. What exactly happened?”

“Well… it’s the usual situation at the bottom.”

On the way to somewhere.

We listened to the Monarch’s story of the Kingdom.

The topic that emerged from his old lips was quite unexpected.

His suit, with one sleeve empty, flapped in the wind.

“Have you perhaps… heard of Koschma?”

“Koschma, you mean, the drug.”

“Yes, a new type of drug. It’s been a craze at the bottom for the past few months.”

“I heard it’s a highly addictive, cheap drug. And they say it has almost no side effects. Our city doesn’t deal with drugs, so I don’t know the exact details, but…”

“You know it accurately. It was truly a revolutionary item. A strong, safe, and cheap drug… wasn’t it practically made for those at the bottom of society? The response in the Kingdom was enthusiastic.”

“Isn’t it quite common in this line of work for new drugs to cause a craze?”

“Yes, it happens all the time.”

“Then?”

“The problem is that some individuals exploited that everyday occurrence and dug their way in.”

“……It seems someone tampered with the drug called Koschma.”

“More precisely, the drug itself was the bait.”

We heard the explanation.

Koschma (cauchemar).

A new drug that had recently caused a boom in the Kingdom.

It was a substance whose source, ingredients, and production site were unknown.

The Monarch mumbled, tearing apart yet another specter.

“I was careless. Even a detailed analysis didn’t find any suspicious parts. In the end, this disaster happened.”

“What exactly occurred?”

“Haven’t you seen the people sprawled on the ground so far?”

“There were too many to count. They looked as if they were taking a collective nap.”

“It happened exactly two days ago. Everyone lost consciousness as if on cue.”

“The Kingdom’s citizens… almost all 300,000 of them?”

“It seems anyone who has consumed Koschma even once ends up like that.”

“I heard it’s been popular for the past few months, so the number wouldn’t have been small.”

“Indeed, this is why ‘Sleeping Beauties’ are lying around everywhere.”

“In my opinion, it’s neither a forest nor beauties.”

“I don’t think that part is particularly important.”

A trivial joke in response.

Regardless of such conversation, the situation was extremely severe.

The Kingdom was fundamentally a city for criminals, cartels, and drug addicts.

In other words, the number of people who didn’t touch drugs was remarkably low.

Even a rough calculation showed it was over 70%.

I scanned my surroundings while also asking a question.

“Our opponents are no ordinary folk. Do you have anyone in mind?”

“No doubt, it must be those cultists. The specters earlier, too, I felt a disgusting demonic aura from them.”

“In addition to them… it seems former businessmen or external cartel forces have also lent their strength.”

“Who knew the Kingdom had so many enemies.”

“A reason for the cultists to strike the Kingdom…”

“There would be plenty, wouldn’t there?”

The Monarch chuckled, as if asking why I would even ask.