232nd
Deep Valley Abyss, Erebor 232 ? Deep Valley Abyss, Erebor #2
“There is something over there.”
Hippolyte raised her finger and pointed forward.
Then, something faintly glowing in the darkness appeared there. It was a pile of stones, and anyone who saw it could tell that it was an artificial structure.
“tower…?”
Who said it?
It was probably Antiope, and as she said, it was a tower. A small stone tower.
“Be careful, you never know what might happen.”
Sling-Cheol-Keong.
We all drew our weapons and raised our alertness to the max as Hippolyte pulled a long sword from her waistband.
Even Antiope, who had been acting rough just a moment ago, lowered her posture and aimed her spears in all directions.
There is a corner of darkness where you cannot see even an inch ahead.
A corner that makes people tense and sharp.
Of course, thanks to my newfound grace of dark eyes, I was able to see farther than what the torch could illuminate.
Unlike everyone else who was on guard, all I could see was the desolate interior of the cave.
As I approached the stone tower with such caution, there was a small handkerchief tied to a tree branch and stuck at the top.
“This is Edwin’s stone tower.”
Elfriede pulls out the handkerchief stuck on the top. It is a rather expensive-looking handkerchief with a reddish tint and a rather soft appearance.
Hippolyte asks a question while looking at the scene.
“It doesn’t seem like it was just put there. It seems like it has some kind of meaning. A red handkerchief? Is it some kind of ominous sign?”
The fairy, Elfriede, answers Hippolyte’s question.
“It’s just a sign that a battle was fought here.”
“Is this a sign that a battle has been fought?”
Hippolyte scanned the floor with her gauntlet. Antiope, who was also looking around beside her, ran her palm over something that looked like a scratch on the wall.
“Sure, this is a battle scar. It’s a scratch made by a blade. A sharp sword of some kind?”
“It must be Delphina.”
“Huh, your skills don’t seem bad.”
They were talking amongst themselves, but I couldn’t understand what they were talking about. I couldn’t understand how they could make such inferences from such small clues.
But I thought it would be a bit odd to just sit there and do nothing, so I crossed my arms with a serious expression. As I was keeping silent like that, Hippolyta asked me a question.
“What do you think?”
“What do you think?”
“You are a Samaritan who is quite skilled in battle. What kind of battle do you think took place here?”
“What is that-.”
As I was trying to get into a good mood, I heard a loud laugh. I turned my head and saw Elfriede straightening her expression.
Sval.
Normally, I would have said something plausible to show off, but since Elfriede is by my side and knows full well that I am a fool, I can’t do that.
“I don’t know.”
So I just answered truthfully.
Hippolyte mumbles, “Hmm-.”
“Let’s just keep going.”
So we walked back into the dark and cold cave.
“Antiope, don’t be afraid and run. Your sister will catch you.”
“My sister still treats me like a child.”
There was a space like a cliff that suddenly dropped down in the middle, so I threw myself towards it and went down.
after-.
As I went down the stairs, the air felt heavier. It was getting harder and harder to breathe.
I thought it was just me. Hippolyte, Antiope, and Elfriede were also breathing heavily and sweating profusely.
Is it hot?
No, rather, it’s a bit cold for summer and no one looks in good condition.
So I was wondering what it was, and Hippolyta said,
“Whew, the cracks seem to be quite large. Even though it’s still the upper level, the erosion is this strong. I don’t think we’ll be able to safely rescue your party members.”
“Sister, I think I’m going to throw up….”
“Hold on. In the case of vomit, it can summon demons.”
I suddenly became worried as Hippolyte and Antiope’s complexions became increasingly gloomy. It seemed as if there was some kind of bad energy unique to other worlds that I couldn’t sense.
“Hell’s magic-. It’s terrible.”
Even Elfriede, a witch well versed in Mana, covers her nose and mouth with the red handkerchief she just obtained.
I’m not sure though.
They seemed to be taking dot damage from something terrible. Their breathing became increasingly ragged and they were continuously shedding thick beads of sweat, which was not a pleasant sight.
So I was wondering if there was anything I could do, and then I realized there was a pocket hanging on my waist.
There are acorns or lightning nuts or something in there that Luna gave me to eat. If I remember correctly, she said that it would be good to break these and eat them one by one when I was absent-minded.
So I took one of them out and held it out to Hippolyta, who was walking ahead.
“What is this? Why are you giving me this?”
However, a rather sharp reaction erupted unexpectedly. Although Hippolyta is somewhat picky, she is not this sensitive.
I wonder if this deep, dark, closed space makes people aggressive.
“Well, if you’re not feeling well, I thought you might want to try this.”
“… .”
Hippolyte silently accepts the lightning bolt from me. She puts it in her mouth with a hesitant look on her face and crunches it.
Card-.
Then a really loud noise erupted all around. I thought they were chewing on something. Can chewing on a piece of dog meat make such a sound?
But what was more surprising was Hippolyte’s reaction.
“Eww, eww, eww, eww, eww-.”
Her usual appearance of trying to maintain her dignity as a priestess was nowhere to be found, and she was vomiting in all directions as if she was about to vomit.
Of course, I wasn’t really vomiting, I was just in pain.
“What, what is this, what is this, what is this, what is this horrible thing!”
Hippolyte shouted as if she had forgotten that she had said that she must move secretly. Hippolyte’s voice reverberated through the cavern, echoing loudly.
“I thought lightning struck right before my eyes! What the hell-.”
“Is that so…?”
“My mind is flashing. My mind, my mind is really flashing. It seems like I’ve been consumed by the poison of the abyss. Make sure to give one to everyone. Huh-.”
At Hippolyte’s words, drool dripping from between her lips, I gave Antiope and Elfriede each a lightning nut. The women reluctantly bit into it.
At the same time, everyone screams loudly as if they have been stabbed by a night owl.
“Ugh, my tongue feels like it’s being raped! What is this, what is this!”
“Ugh… . Sher. It’s too much, Hassan-! Do you want to die?”
Although the reactions were different, this was better than the gloomy collapse I had just experienced. Antiope finally spat out the shell and said something.
“The venom is much stronger than I expected. If this is happening on the upper floors, what are we supposed to do on the lower floors? At this rate, we won’t be able to last even two days-. Ugh, Sher.”
Antiope’s words seemed to have some merit. So Hippolyta stopped walking, folded her arms, and spoke.
“I’m changing the schedule. One day. I think we should finish this in one day. Elf, we’ll only have one day to rescue your comrades. If it takes longer than that, I don’t think we can guarantee our safety. Do you agree?”
Swish.
Elfriede looks at the handkerchief in her hand at Hippolyte’s words.
“Okay. I can’t help it. If it takes too long, you guys will withdraw. I’ll go alone.”
“It seems like you really value your colleagues. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen someone like you.”
“Because they said they wouldn’t abandon me. Unlike others-. So, I can’t abandon them either.”
At Elfriede’s words, I suddenly felt a shiver in my lower back and started trembling.
*
*
*
Perhaps because of Hippolyte’s decision to shorten the schedule to a one-day trip, we had to practically run through the darkness.
Both Hippolyte and Antiope were experts in their own way when it came to speed, so it wasn’t easy to keep up with their pace.
Sval, I’m out of breath.
However, I couldn’t show it. So I tried to follow along as if nothing had happened, but Elfriede, who was on the right side next to me, put her hand on her knee and started breathing heavily to catch her breath.
Ssuk-.
Hippolyte’s steps stop there.
“As a wizard, aren’t you neglecting your physical strength too much?”
“…Be quiet.”
Sweat dripped from Elfriede’s forehead and ran down her chin. I almost took a handkerchief out of my pocket and offered it to him without realizing it.
It seems that people’s habits are not easily broken.
Despite chewing on several Lightning Crabs, Elfriede’s condition did not improve. Perhaps it was because of the World Tree’s mark that was deteriorating her physical condition.
Originally, Elfriede’s physical strength would have been over 10, making her a superhuman.
“Hold on a little longer. There, over there, is a gondola that goes down into the depths of the abyss. It was built by the ancient priests of Pluto.”
Where Hippolyte’s finger was pointing, there was a familiar-looking dore.
Is that the gondola I often used when I went to visit the Skeleton Knight’s cabin?
I looked at it that way, but the shape seemed a little different.
According to the Skeleton Knight, there were several paths leading down to the deep lower levels, but it seemed like the place I was heading to was different from where he was.
I was a little nervous because I knew that if this party went down and met that guy, something really annoying would happen. At least we didn’t have to meet face to face.
Knock, knock.
We all climbed onto the gondola and slowly started to operate the pulley to go down.
As I turned the handle round and round as if I were manually turning the starter motor of a cultivator, the surroundings gradually changed along with the rusty, uneasy sound.
Creak, creak-.
As you go down, the air becomes heavier.
“This line won’t break or anything, right?”
“That won’t happen.”
Hippolyta, who was spinning the wheel, answers Antiope’s question.
“It is a rope made of titan sinews, so it will never break.”
“Titan sinew? Are you using such an expensive thing to make something like this?”
“It is now considered a cult, but in the past, Pluto’s priests had a lot of money. It was even said that there was a temple made of gold underground.”
“Hey, you social bastards. You look great.”
Knock knock, knock knock.
Even as Antiope and Hippolyte chatted, the gondola continued to descend.
Last time I went down following the Skeleton Knight, there were strangely sparkling jellyfish, moss, and interesting creatures flying around, creating a beautiful sight.
Now it was just a scary descent into darkness where I couldn’t see anything.
“Haa, haa… .”
Even Elfriede continued to breathe heavily.
“Are you okay? I told you to exercise regularly.”
“… Shut up. Don’t talk to me like that. And, please stop talking to me like you’re my friend.”
Elfriede pup.
He has strong pride, so he’s a total idiot even if you worry about him.
I also felt extremely embarrassed and furrowed my brows. As expected, I shouldn’t be worried about Elfriede.
As I was awkwardly staring at the pitch-black space with that feeling,
Swish-.
moment.
A strange face appeared in front of me.
I, I got goosebumps.
A human face suddenly appears in the air.
No, can this be called a human face? The pupils of the eyes revealed on the flat face, like a mask, are all black.
If the black pupil filled the entire eye without any white part, it would look like this.
I was so shocked that I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t move a finger or even make a sound.
A face appears in the air and descends at the same speed as us. Is no one else seeing this? Am I the only one seeing this?
“excuse me-.”
When I barely opened my mouth, a smiling face appeared in the air.
Welcome.
Swish swish swish-.
“What, what!?”
The gondola, which had been heading downward at a constant speed, began to accelerate rapidly. It felt more like falling than descending.
Because of this, we had to grab onto anything we saw around us in case we were thrown out of the gondola.
At that moment, something popped out in front of me and was easy to grab, so I grabbed it hard, and then I felt something soft and heard a woman’s scream.
“Why are you grabbing my chest, you idiot!”
A slap to my face.
It seems that whatever I grabbed was Elfriede’s chest. It felt soft somehow.
“Sister, sister! What’s going on? Hurry up and fix this!”
Slurp slurp-.
In any case, no matter how you look at it, the situation where the elevator was falling as if it was broken was definitely an emergency.
Hippolyte also seems to be trying to take control of the situation with her own hands, but it is no use. So she shouts as if there is no other way.
“It’s going down! Everybody, everybody brace for impact!”
I had a picture of myself flattened against the floor in my head. I’m going to die like this, damn it. I have to stop that.
So, I held on tightly to the rope holding the gondola up, determined to do something.
Ga-ga-ga-gak-.
The Titanium Gauntlets scream and send sparks flying everywhere.
But this seemed to be quite effective, as the speed of the gondola, which had been falling rapidly, seemed to have slowed down a little.
“Lady Hippolyte! Hold on to this rope! Try slowing down!”
“Okay, I got it!”
As Hippolyte put her hand on the rope, sparks flew everywhere and a tearing sound was heard.
Kookung, kkwarung-.
The gondola was shaking so much that it felt like it was going to break.
However, the speed of the fall has clearly slowed down. Perhaps because of this, Antiope was able to maintain her posture and even clings to the rope.
“I’ll help you too, sis!”
“You’re bare-handed!”
“Does that matter now? We’re all going to die!”
So just before Antiope was about to grab the rope.
Towering-.
The gondola, which had been slowly slowing down, stops.
However, it didn’t seem like we could stop, because all we could see ahead of us was a fairly hard floor and seemingly endless darkness.
“The floor… the floor…? Are we alive?”
Antiope, who had been lying on her buttocks, stands up and speaks. However, Hippolyta, who was also maintaining her posture, speaks as if she were terrified.
“This is probably the lower level of the abyss. The lowest level.”
“The lowest level of the Abyss? This is the belly of Erebor? Damn it!”
Antiope took out her pipe from her bosom and bit into it as if she was in a panic. Her hands were trembling as she struck the flint with a knock-knock-knock sound.
Hippolyte said.
“… Now, believe nothing and listen to nothing. If you are deceived, it is the end. Erebor, the god of the abyss, feeds on people’s fears to gain strength.”
“… Sister, look at this!”
Antiope points to her wrist. There is a black band drawn on her hand. It was the same for me, Elfriede, and Hippolyte.
That moment when I wondered what this was.
Hippolyte, who was looking at her wrist, speaks in a relatively calm voice.
“I’ve seen this before. It’s probably the… mark of a sacrificial offering.”
Sacrifice?
As I was slightly taken aback by those words, I heard a woman’s scream that seemed to pierce my ears. Come to think of it, Antiope had reacted sensitively to the word sacrifice.
However, it was not Antiope but Elfriede who was curled up on the floor and shivering.
[Work Review] Sunday is over…
I live a life without days of the week, but I still feel like I can hear the screams of my readers…!!!
In that sense, Michuri, who received a bunch of coupons, reached out to dark forces…
All readers who leave comments, recommendations, and coupons will be able to sleep deeper and longer than usual tonight…!!
You will be able to get twice as much sleep even if you sleep for the same amount of time…!!!
