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Canary, check
Torch, check
Water, check
Rope, check
"It's like preparing to enter a cave."
"Because you never know what's going to happen."
There's no miasma.
That doesn't mean there aren't bad kinds of stuff here.
"Lucette, I have finished giving instructions to the standby group."
"Alright. Shall we go in then?"
"I’m looking forward to it."
Oya?
Zalmbald seems happy
"Eh, you're coming too?"
"Is it bad?"
"I don't mind, but what about your soldiers?"
"I gave them proper instructions."
"Olasha, is it okay?"
"As long as he doesn't get separated, there's no problem."
Is that okay?
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When we entered the ruins, we found that the interior was quite weathered.
Although it is made of stone, its surface is quite fragile.
"It's smaller than I expected."
"How old is this?"
"Isn't it at least several hundred years old?"
The ceiling inside is so low that you have to bend.
So narrow that it can only fit in one line
There are some forks in the path, but there's only one path that's passable for a person.
"Perhaps this is not a fork, but a hole to let air in."
"Heh, they must have enough room to build something like this."
We continue along the weathered stone passageway.
After walking for a while, we came to a place where outside light could not reach us completely.
"Is the canary okay?"
"It’s quiet."
"We have plenty of torches, too, so we can continue… but, Lucette."
"Hmm?"
Olasha finds something
Is this... a metal tube?
"What's this?"
Olasha picks it up
It's about the size of my index finger.
"It’s a cartridge."
"Cartrayge?"
"Like from the Empire?"
"Well, it's still new. It was probably used to break down this wall."
There was a small crack in the wall that Olasha pointed out.
The cracks are different from other weathered walls.
The solid stone inside is exposed.
It turned out that the crack was created very recently.
"Is it some kind of switch?"
"There's another fork in the path a little further on."
However, the fork in the path is different from the previous ones.
There are two clear paths
On one side is the same weathered stone path as before.
The other side is a wall path made of metal.
"There are scratch marks on the ground."
"Is it opened?"
"Perhaps"
Without hesitation, but with great caution, we continue on.
After walking along the metal passage for a while,
"…A light?"
Does it lead to some exit?
But we keep going down
I'm sure it'll never go above ground.
"There's electricity..."
"Olasha, is it dangerous?"
"The light itself shouldn't be dangerous. Think of it as an artificial luminous stone."
Luminous stone?
Is this long thin white stick a luminous stone?
"…There’s someone!"
All three of us simultaneously gasped.
The light becomes even stronger as we proceed carefully through the passage.
What lay ahead was an incredibly vast space.
And in the center of that space was a huge ship.
"...! Who is it!"
A man in armor... or is it armor?
A man with an unknown appearance points something at us.
Is that a crossbow?
There are no strings for that
"Put what you're holding on the floor quietly. Then raise your hand."
"Lucette, Zalmbald. Please obey him."
I'm reluctant, but since Olasha says it seriously, I obeyed.
"…Are you guys adventurers?"
"Yes, we..."
Olasha's next words take me by surprise.
"This ruin belongs to him, Lucette Marguerite."
Hey, hey, hey! What are you talking about!
"There are no signs that it was used by anyone, though?"
"For hundreds of years, this place has been under the control of another country. No, even now it's a very troublesome situation."
"Hmm... are you all his vassals?"
"I am not a vassal. I am his brother, and this man is a nobleman from a friendly country."
How can you talk so much to a stranger?
"As I said earlier, this ruin is his. It is a ruin owned by the Marguerite royal family."
"Can you prove that?"
"I'm sure Boldoi, a friendly country, will prove it."
"I see…"
"Are you interested in the ship that swim in the wind?"
"Of course."
"Then how about we go outside and negotiate?"
"Well, that's fine. Is it okay if I bring my companions along as well?"
"It doesn't matter. I'm Olasha from the Kingdom of Marguerite."
"I'm Seltense Madrick. I am a bachelor in the country of the Polaris Empire on the continent north of here."
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