Chapter 628 – Passages and Guardians

000

The walls of the dark space were made of adamantite ore, just like the outside, and the black metal protruded unevenly, so it felt a bit narrow for two people to walk side by side, to the extent that they had to worry about their clothes getting snagged and torn. .

Furthermore, without a single basic light source, the light from the light source magic floated on Cleon’s hand to provide light to the two.

First of all, with Bourbon’s proposal to secure this space from the exit, Cleon and Bourbon put their hands on the wall they thought they had passed through and examine it.

“Umm…”

A deep silence echoed from Cleon’s side.

When Cleon glanced down at the side, he saw Bourbon, who was contemplating with a hand on his chin with a serious expression on his face.

However, her seriousness seemed to be erased by her face, which only looked like a teenage girl, and her rather high-pitched voice.

Her helmet, which Bourbon had been wearing until now, dangled like a bag thanks to the fact that it could be worn behind her work clothes.

That figure, combined with her short stature, made her feel like a child, which made Cleon feel complicated inside.

Until just now, I thought that the old man with a shaggy beard and a blunt nose was hidden inside that hard helmet made of glass and metal.

There is a saying that people only look at the outside and don’t know what’s inside, but should this be called the inside or another appearance…?

By the way, the fact that the voice sounded like that of a man is said to be a function of the helmet.

“Yeah, as expected, nothing happens. Hyung, what the hell was the ring you just took out and put on?”

Bourbon chuckles and clicks her tongue as she sees no change, and then she asks Cleon about what happened just before.

When Cleon put the dragon ring on her finger, it caused a reaction in which a pattern floated on the wall of adamantite, transporting the two of them into this dark space.

“This… A ring that can sense or contain the power of dragons. It’s called the dragon’s ring…”

“Can I see you for a minute?”

As soon as Bourbon heard her Cleon’s answer, she asked that question, and Cleon thought about it for a moment, but then bent her knees and held out her hand, thinking that if it were her, she would be able to trust her.

Then Bourbon took Cleon’s hand as it was with her gloved hand and examined the beautiful ring on that finger.

“Hmmmm… I thought it was a diamond or a ruby, but it’s completely different. It has very powerful magic inside. What kind of jewel is this?”

“That…”

Cleon was conflicted for a moment about whether he should say that the jewel was originally a dragon’s horn, and that he had to break it and process it.

Wouldn’t that- maybe even break the pride of the dragons that made him break his horns? I said.

“The essence of the power of dragons… It’s like that.”

Something, just like before, it felt a little strange to call him with honorifics.

No, she must have lived twice as long as he did.

“Huh-…”

However, as if he didn’t care about that, after hearing Cleon’s hesitant reply, Bourbon reacted so briefly, then let go of Cleon’s hand and looked at him as it was while talking.

“A while ago, you said you were looking for Gaios with Herti, but I didn’t hear the reason. Could it be that this ring contains the power of Gaios?”

“No. That’s a different reason I heard that the power of Gaios is needed to purify the spirit veins in the ground.”

Of course, if Gaios was found, there was a very high possibility that the ring would come out, but it was not that important to Cleon now.

Perhaps feeling that Cleon’s words were true, he stopped looking at the wall and turned around to face the wall.

In other words, it was to look at the tunnel-like space and beyond, where you could go a little deeper.

“Then I have no choice but to go further inward. The magic of the earth felt in this space is not that dangerous. I can’t use magic or magic poetry like you do, but I can feel the magical energy from the ground more clearly than you do.”

Does it have dwarven blood? I wanted to ask, but do you think that is racial discrimination?

While Cleon thought about that, he followed her with his eyes as she walked ahead of him.

Bourbon’s footsteps were calmer than he thought, and yet they were entwined with complex emotions, as if he couldn’t hide his anticipation for something inside.

Dwarves are obviously excellent artisans and prudent miners, but at the same time, I’ve heard that they are challenging explorers who can’t abandon their curiosity and longing for the unknown, so her normally suppressed spirit of exploration must have been awakened by the incident involving Cleon.

He seemed to be in a good mood, just like when he was talking about alcohol earlier.

“By the way, the adamantite in this passage is quieter than the adamantite in the mine.”

“Is it something else? From the outside, they look the same…”

At Cleon’s words, Bourbon clicked her tongue while sharing a rhythm with ‘tsk tsk tsk’.

She extends her index finger and says this while swaying and swaying from side to side.

“It is completely different. This is why newbies.”

“…Can I ask how it’s different?”

“Oh~! Yes yes You want an explanation? Trying to learn from others is not a bad attitude.”

As she said that, she picked up what appeared to be a stone that had been rolling on the ground.

However, if you look closely, you can see that it is also an adamantite ore, just like the walls and ceilings that make up this space.

Probably, it came off somewhere.

“The components themselves are the same, but they are much more stable than the adamantites outside. It’s like… Adamantite processed by artisans.”

“Then. Does that mean it won’t suddenly explode or explode even if you accidentally give it a shock?”

When Cleon said that and touched the wall with the back of his hand, Bourbon looked back at Cleon as if he was dumbfounded.

“No, even the adamantite outside doesn’t explode with that level of impact… If that’s the case, pickaxe itself wouldn’t be possible.”

“… Was a joke.”

I thought it was a little friendly, so I tried Cleon, but it seems that it was a joke.

“Your jokes are hard to understand… But don’t joke like that at a drinking party.”

And, the harsh evaluation of Bourbon.

After hearing her words like that, Cleon didn’t show her expression, but she seemed to have lowered her shoulders a little.

“Ah- so, let’s continue the story. The adamantites outside have magical properties that seem to reject human touch.”

“Is it a story that there is a will in the ore?”

Certainly the dwarves had said they could read such things, and Lyla had occasionally overheard her talking to the jewels for her magical experiments.

[Ruby! Garnet! Today, I will process you into a prettier image!Hee hee~!! Even if you don’t like it, your body wants to get a brilliant cut right now~!]

—That is, within the workshop.

Is being able to talk with ores a characteristic of pigtails?

…Was it really a conversation?

“Okay. Adamantite is a powerful ore, but should I say that it has a strong pride? He has a tendency to hate when humans touch his body. In other words, it radiates magic in a hedgehog-like way. That’s why, when you treat these guys carelessly, their mana bursts out and causes an intense explosion.”

“Hey…”

When Cleon nodded his head, thinking that Adamantite’s explosion was caused by such a thing, Bourbon continued to explain.

“And, should I say that if a skillful artisan smelts ore in the right way, even adamantites like a noble lady would recognize that skill. The reason why processed adamantite is safer than before it is processed is because it is processed with baro and arranges the thorn-like magic power.”

“…Really like a living creature.”

If you take good care of it, your temper will die. It’s not like a puppy.

“Ah. A metal with such a clear will is only adamantite, no matter where you look, both above and below ground. It is unbelievable that such a metal exists in nature.”

Even as Bourbon says so, he carefully sets the metal he is holding onto the ground. As if you shouldn’t upset the metal by accidentally clicking or something.

…Didn’t I just say that when Cleon knocked on the wall, it wouldn’t explode that much?

“The adamantites in here are calm, as if they were processed. Even those jagged magical powers are round and round- rather like welcoming you.”

“Welcome… Maybe it’s because of the ring.”

“There is a high probability of that. If you are an existence that can change even magical power like this without processing the form of adamantite, then it is a great dragon that controls the entire magical power of the earth. It must be about Gaios.”

Bourbon gave an appropriate answer to Cleon’s guess while looking at the ring, and finally arrived at a slightly wider space at the end of the aisle than before.

“This…”

And what Cleon and Bourbon discovered was truly jaw-dropping.

A gigantic statue about twice the height of Cleon.

Its shape was an object made in the image of a sitting dragon with its legs put together.

“Dragon Gargoyle!”

If Cleon raised his voice and spoke about the identity of the figure, Bourbon would nod as well.

The last time I saw a gargoyle was when I was cleaning the mansion of the gold mine in Elessia.

While most of the guardians of the ruins left by the ancient civilizations of the primitive world are made of “Mechanical devices”, Gargoyles are also found in the ruins of the inherited world, but are considered to be difficult to reproduce in modern times. They are a type of golem.

If you slowly approach it and examine it, the shape of the strong teeth, the pieces of the horn, and the liveliness of the wings.

Previously, when I checked the video of Nachal, I could see that it was made by reducing the size of Gaios as it was.

If this was made by human hands, it could be said to be the work of a truly great master.

“Wow~ I can’t imagine seeing a gargoyle-like treasure in a place like this. Is this moving?”

Bourbon, too, seemed a bit overwhelmed by its shape, forgetting to be alert and circling around the dragon gargoyle, examining its surface.

Then, maybe it was because I couldn’t see the dark feet properly, and I tripped on the chin on the same part as a gargoyle’s claw and almost fell-

The tip of the pickaxe she was holding in her hand slammed into the gargoyle’s body.

“Ah.”

OK-

[Confirm contact with unauthorized beings-]

“! Bourbon step back!”

When Cleon hears the voice that flows from inside the gargoyle, what will happen next quickly flashes through his mind.

Bourbon, too, must have felt goosebumps running down her spine at the sound of the warning.

She immediately pulled back behind her, but as she was wearing this and that, it was natural that her body wasn’t moving as fast as she thought.

It was an instant thing.

The wings of the dragon gargoyle, which were hardened and could not be seen to move, suddenly moved, and the sharp blade-like coating was swung.

Caang! Then the pickaxe Bourbon was holding in her hand snapped! It bounces off and lands far away on the ground.

“Oh, pickaxe!”

Bourbon, who is perplexed by her pickaxe flying away, and wings swinging once again as if to pursue her.

And, it was not difficult to predict that she would hit Bourbon’s body hard from the front, whose evasion had not yet ended.

“Keuk…!”

When Bourbon closes her eyes tightly, trying to prepare for the shock that will hit her body—

Caang! With a groan, Cleon’s adamantite sword blocked the gargoyle’s wings.

“Are you okay, Bourbon?”

“Ah, ah… Yes! Are you okay. Thank you…!”

Nodding her head at Cleon’s call, she thinks that she will get in the way of Cleon’s battle, so she runs towards it to pick up the fallen pickaxe.

Then, as if the only thing the gargoyle was aiming for was Bourbon, Cleon removed her wings and tried to turn her head towards Bourbon.

“Kuh… Stop it!”

She somehow thought that she needed to stop the gargoyle, so Cleon raised the dragon ring and gave the gargoyle an order just in case.

Then, the body of the gargoyle flinched and trembled, and she stopped following Bourbon and turned her head to face Cleon.

[Confirm the presence of the sensor…]

“Yeah right! We came all the way here to find Gaios!”

[…

When Cleon’s cry resounded, just like when the dragon ring touched a wall, it emitted light by itself, and a straight beam of light extended toward the gargoyle.

It touched the jewel-like part of the gargoyle’s forehead, and there was silence between the two for a moment.

Then the next moment-

[That’s a lie…]

The gargoyle, which had been talking mechanically before, suddenly changed into a lively voice like a human, and raised both hands hidden under his wings to cover both of his faces.

Also, when Cleon was a little taken aback by the feminine attitude that didn’t suit his appearance and couldn’t say anything, the gargoyle pointed at Cleon with her finger and spoke.

[It is a lie! Could it be that the Master’s responder is from the Dark Demon clan~!!]

“…”

At the sudden discriminatory remark, Cleon is dumbfounded and stares at the gargoyle with her body and face stiffened.

“What is this gargoyle? The atmosphere is quite different from before.”

[Kyaaah! In addition, the dwarf mixed race~!!]

“Are you messing around?”

Bourbon tries to wield a pickaxe while walking on her arm, while Cleon blocks it with her patience, asking the gargoyle a question.

“…Who are you? Is the Master called Gaios?”

When Cleon asks a question so calmly, the gargoyle lowers her hand from her face and looks at Cleon to answer.

[Like you said. I am Gaios-sama’s attendant, the elemental dragon of the earth! And, at the same time as a watchman who protects his secrets and memories, he is a being who awaits the responders under his command!]

“…He’s a guy whose tension goes back and forth.”

Although he agreed with Bourbon’s sentiments, Gaius’ gargoyle ignored Bourbon and answered while showing off his face with one hand.

[You mortals! Be astonished! And look up! This body is the body of full adamantite, forged by Lord Gaios himself from the most powerful metal on earth!]

“No, more than that… The name…”

As if Cleon hadn’t asked such a thing, when he eventually couldn’t stand it and opened his mouth, the gargoyle stiffened his body.

…It’s a gargoyle, so it’s originally hard.

Putting aside such stupid thoughts, Cleon and Bourbon tilted their heads as they watched the gargoyle remain silent.

[…

“…It’s terrifyingly protracted, what a wonderful name it is.”

“…Shh. I am trying to say something.”

If Cleon blocks Bourbon’s complaint, the gargoyle will indeed mutter once before answering.

[…Doesn’t exist.]

“Under?”

[I don’t have a name, you fucking black horse clan~! Do you have no such thing as delicacy or consideration!]

Kyaaaaa! A gargoyle flapping its wings while wailing.

When a strong wind blows, Bourbon is almost pushed away from the spot, but it barely withstands the wind pressure by driving a pickaxe into the ground.

Cleon couldn’t help but let out a big sigh as he watched the rampaging gargoyle.

Somehow, this guy…

It doesn’t seem to have any useful information.

While thinking