Chapter 49: The Twisted One (4)
A dungeon where space and time are twisted.
It’s a dungeon I’ve attempted to clear several times in-game.
‘This is the first time I’ve seen someone who looks exactly like Geol Baeg.’
Now that I’ve learned there’s a dungeon beneath the kingdom, there’s not much I can do about it.
Why didn’t the game reveal this kind of information?
‘And is this man the boss?’
Yujin scanned the man who looked exactly like Geol Baeg.
From his facial features to his build and aura, everything was identical.
Perhaps he appears slightly dirtier because of the black fluid on him?
‘…It seems to be correct.’
The approximate information displayed in [Analysis Mode] gives a rough idea.
He’s unbelievably strong and not human, just in appearance.
‘The dungeon is somehow connected.’
Then what about the monster from the other side that Geol Baeg mentioned? Where did it go?
“Thou…”
The man who looks like Geol Baeg stared at him.
“…Thou art my descendant.”
“…My ancestor. Do you remember our previous meeting?”
“Previous?”
The ancestor slightly furrowed his brow.
“Have you met my past self? Was it before I was trapped here, or after?”
“After.”
“Ah, then I wouldn’t know. I am eventually part of this dungeon, after all… I have no memory. Unfortunately.”
The ancestor calmly spoke.
“Descendant who is unknown to me. Thou art strikingly similar. Art thou the direct successor?”
“I know not. My father was a slave.”
“Then, is it fate?”
The ancestor grinned, showing his teeth.
“I know not how the bloodline of my family fell, but if thou, as my descendant, has become a king… Is this how it was meant to be? Well done, descendant.”
“…”
Geol Baeg showed no reaction, as if he had heard this before.
Come to think of it, Geol Baeg is the one who cut down the fallen dynasty and ascended the throne himself. Like the Demesia Kingdom, his claim wasn’t legitimate.
But if the ancestor was the king?
Is this his hidden origin?
“…King of the ancestors. I have a question.”
“Oh, thou…”
The ancestor turned his head toward the Priestess.
“Art thou one gifted with the ability to read the stars?”
“…Yes, though imperfectly.”
“This must be truly stifling for thee. What is the purpose of thy visit? It would be best to wrap it up within the day if possible. We only have about 12 hours left… everything will revert afterward.”
Everything will revert in 12 hours. I need to resolve everything within that time. If not, there’s a risk of being reset.
“…We are searching for a missing person. They likely fell somewhere in this dungeon. Do you have any information?”
“A missing person?”
The ancestor scanned the village.
“When did they disappear?”
“Based on my guess, about two weeks ago.”
“In that case, they might have already become part of this dungeon. Or perhaps froze to d*ath. This dungeon encompasses all, after all.”
The Priestess bit her lip.
“…Is that really so? By any chance, could it be the creature from the other side that captured them?”
“The creature from the other side?”
The ancestor tilted his head for a moment, then slightly opened his mouth as if understanding and nodded.
“Ah. You mean the creature that lives underground.”
“Yes. Do you know where it might be…?”
“I killed it.”
“!!!”
The Priestess widened her eyes in shock, her expression one of disbelief.
Others felt the same way.
“There is no further danger in this kingdom now. But… I couldn’t save my people.”
The ancestor tightly closed his eyes.
“Thus, if you find the core of this dungeon, it would refer to me. To end this endless cycle, you must k*ll me.”
To k*ll the ancestor…
‘Would it even be possible?’
The aura emanating from him feels on par with the strongest version of Geol Baeg. He looks slightly weakened, as though he’s exhausted, but if he struggles to survive, what then?
Would it be safe for everyone?
‘It doesn’t seem feasible.’
“…Core.”
Geol Baeg muttered under his breath.
“Ancestor, didst thou eliminate the creature from the other side to protect the people here in this endless loop?”
“…I failed to fulfill my duties as a king.”
Though his eyes remained closed, a deep sense of guilt could be felt.
“Not being able to stop the awakening of the creature… my people were engulfed in chaos. They all died in a terrible manner.”
Perhaps worse than the present state. The ancestor’s guilty gaze was towards his people.
The people who survived against all odds were struggling and smiling as if living itself was a sin.
Such a king seeing guilt in his subjects…
“Thou.”
Geol Baeg softly muttered.
“Art a great king.”
His muttering seemed to have various meanings.
Could it possibly be jealousy?
Come on, it’s not like Geol Baeg’s a pretty boy or anything.
Besides, he’s a knight with a strong set of beliefs.
‘We need to use this to our advantage.’
Through the conversation, he seems somewhat kind.
It might be worth approaching him with a conversation.
Though he’s a little scary.
‘I’m not a pretty boy anymore!’
Even a tough guy knows when to step up when necessary.
Evan swallowed his dry throat and spoke.
“Your Majesty.”
“…Thou…”
The ancestor tilted his head.
“Who art thou? I’ve never seen thy face before.”
“I am Evan Alkarte of the Alkart family.”
“Alkarte… Could it have some connection with the War God?”
“…There is none.”
“It must be a misunderstanding. The name just sounds similar.”
In any case.
“We’ve come here searching for the missing person. Also, we aim to clear this dungeon since we don’t know when the next victim might appear.”
My mouth was dry.
Partly due to the cold, too.
Worried that he might misinterpret Evan’s words.
“Wouldst thou… help us? There might be a chance to free you and thy people from this time loop.”
“…”
The ancestor fell silent at Evan’s words and appeared to be pondering, then slowly turned his body.
“…Everything will reset in 12 hours.”
The ancestor slowly started walking.
“If we don’t find a solution by then, come find me. I will assist.”
“…”
“…”
The ancestor departed gracefully.
Did he really mean he’d help?
‘He must have.’
Should we ask for help right away?
But would that look too desperate?
Evan turned his body.
The Priestess had her eyes closed, trying to use as little starlight as possible while gathering her strength.
Felix was fidgeting with the handle of his sword.
He seemed to instinctively recognize that the ancestor was a strong knight.
Is was observing the ancestor’s back with a complex look.
“…Meeting so many kings…”
Between those moments, Lapis had stopped by a few houses and suddenly pulled out some vegetables.
“Evan! These vegetables taste awful!”
“…Do not eat strange things.”
Otherwise, you might get indigestion.
While patting his back, Evan spoke to the group.
“First, let’s look around the village. The missing person might be here. I will…”
Evan looked at the largest mansion.
Warm enough to feel a gentle warmth, letting out a faint heat.
“I will move these people here.”
Let’s warm them up a bit.
Also, to make sure these people don’t freeze to d*ath.
Absolutely not because I’m cold or anything.
*
“Couldn’t find them.”
We scouted the village for 2 hours.
No one found the missing person.
And comparing faces didn’t help either.
‘We lack way too much information.’
There are no photos in this world.
There are similar magic methods, but they’re too expensive, used only by the nobility. The best we can do is note physical features.
None of the villagers matched any features of the missing people.
The Priestess was gradually overcoming her gloom.
The problem hasn’t been resolved.
Rather, her sadness has evolved into a mystery.
“…I didn’t expect there to be not a single trace of the missing person. As if they never came here in the first place.”
Is nodded in agreement with her statement. Both their gazes turned to Geol Baeg.
“Geol Baeg.”
“There’s still one house left unchecked.”
Geol Baeg turned around.
“Let’s inspect that place, and then we’ll conclude.”
The last house stood near, almost buried halfway underground, looking more like a ruin.
However, it definitely radiated life force. There were also measures in place to block out the cold.
There must be someone here.
“Number 5.”
Evan sent in Number 5 first.
Resized to human size, Number 5 burst open the door and entered.
It was quite warm inside.
Warm enough to drive out the cold that had seeped into the bones in a short time.
The inside of the room was neat.
Immaculately organized, with nothing to criticize. The bed looked like it hadn’t been used for a long time, covered in dust, but the research equipment was all tidy.
“Ah.”
That’s when a voice came from where the research equipment was stacked.
Growl…
Hati and Skoll, cuddled in his arms, showed their fangs.
The place they were looking at?
There was a brain in a flask.
“Ah, visitors. How long has it been…? By our time, it hasn’t even been 24 hours, but by the world’s time… it’s been several hundred years.”
‘No, this is insane!’
Evan suppressed a scream in his mind.
The brain was talking!
“This is….”
Even Ises, who couldn’t have imagined this scenario, trembled her eyebrows.
“Welcome.”
The brain slightly moved its body towards us.
“The only alchemist of Demesia Republic, I am called Hargen.”
A real-life brain in a jar was speaking to us!
Evan discreetly averted his eyes.
Even for a real tough guy, this was too much.
There’s something called an instinctive repulsion.
“Wow… the brain talks.”
Lapis, finding it fascinating, chewed on her cactus.
Ises was staring at the brain, shocked as an alchemist who knew this was an absurd scene.
“Why are you surprised?”
The brain seemed to enjoy such reactions, clinking slightly.
“When you become proficient in alchemy, this is basic.”
“…How do you handle other biological reactions?”
“You can handle it once you’ve mastered alchemy. Supply necessary nutrients and materials. Better than creating a human body and transferring into it, wouldn’t you say?”
“But…”
“Of course, there is a definite cost. My lifespan has drastically shortened… maybe 2…”
“2 years?”
“…2 hours?”
“…”
An icy silence suddenly filled the room.
Even the silence seemed enjoyable to the brain, or rather Hargen.
He continued enthusiastically.
“Equivalent exchange, you know. There’s a great price to pay for defying the natural order, isn’t there?”
The tip of the brain was slightly dark, noticeable.
Is that the problem?
Could we just cut that part off?
Would that even be possible?
“Just in time, I thought I’d meet my end without seeing any visitors.”
“…You remember everything, don’t you?”
The Priestess muttered.
“Ah, yes. Lovely lady. If you’re dying due to your lifespan expiring or just leave behind a brain, you retain all memories.”
The brain swayed a bit as if humming.
“Thanks to that, I’ve been aware of this monotonous time.”
“…Impressive that you haven’t gone mad.”
“Mad? Hahahaha! Have you ever met a sane person who’s reached the pinnacle? Some people’s brains seem to have issues anyway.”
The brain turned its body.
Though it didn’t have eyes, it felt as if it was looking straight at Evan.
“Hey, kid.”
The brain speaks like a person…!
Evan forcibly suppressed the creeping discomfort that arose instinctively.
“How old are you this year?”
“…I will be 16 this year.”
“16?! You don’t look that old. You’re in your prime. Are you interested in alchemy?”
“I am a little.”
“Ah. A golem. You seem quite talented?”
The brain briefly sparkled. A soft doll-arm appeared, pulled out two books from the bookshelf, and tossed them to Evan.
“Take these.”
“…What are these?”
“Alchemy decoding manuals. A little outdated, but I tried to document it thoroughly. Fill in the gaps yourself.”
…In detail?
Evan casually flipped through the pages.
Hmm, as expected. There was no need to read it in detail.
Pretending to read, he closed the book and asked as calmly as possible.
“…Why are you giving these to me?”
“Why not? A rare junior has visited, it’s only natural to give something.”
At that moment, an eerie energy swirled nearby.
A sudden silence filled the air.
Silencing magic?
Recreated through alchemy?
The brain looked at Evan and said,
“You look unwell?”
“Eh?”
“Don’t deny it! I, too, had a weak body from birth and decided to discard it. Judging from your appearance, you seem similar. You even brought alchemy books, didn’t you?”
Alchemy books?
Ah.
Evan pulled out the alchemy book from subspace.
How did he notice?
“Haha. Good. You’re well-prepared. I must reward such a student. And I’ll also teach you how to improve your body!”
The brain’s voice grew louder.
“What?”
Suddenly,
“Bang!”
“Bang! Open the book you brought! I’ll give you a beginner-friendly lecture!”
A stack of books piled up right in front of Evan’s eyes.
…He’s not stealing my body, but he’s lecturing me?
What is this?
Why is he being so kind?
“What’s wrong? That face?”
The brain misinterpreted Evan’s awkward expression and burst out laughing.
“Don’t tell me, you thought I was going to steal your body?”
Yes…
Saying that probably wouldn’t be good, right?
