Chapter 892 – I Can Hear Your Voice

000

The lights go out, and the group becomes unable to see an inch ahead.

Because I was wearing a helmet, the air surrounding my face was naturally humid from my own breath, or it could have felt a little damp.

Once this situation occurred, the cool sensation running up my spine made even my head feel cold, lowering the perceived temperature of the surroundings.

＂… I can’t believe it… We can’t move even one step…!”

When her Bourbon murmurs like that, Cleon clenches her fist and questions her.

“Bourbon. How come dwarves don’t have any special abilities, such as seeing brightly in the dark?”

“Ha!? Yes, dwarves can certainly see in dark places better than ordinary humans, but that only works if there is some light. There’s nothing I can do if there’s no light like this!”

Bourbon raised her voice as if she was a little taken aback by Cleon’s words.

I guess that was it too… Cleon had no choice but to agree with her words as he held her hand.

“Fizzle. If you raise your voice, the monster from before may come back.”

And, Herti spoke as if trying to calm Bourbon down.

＂Ugh…＂

Thinking that too, Herty couldn’t help but sigh and lower her voice.

＂What should I do…? It’s dangerous to move like this. If you use magical power, the adamantite will react and transform, and even if you try to ask for help from the outside…”

＂There is a petrification barrier set up by Gaius, so people who are not related cannot be summoned. Even if he came… He would be like Mr. Daza?”

In other words, it was a desperate situation in which one could neither go back nor move forward.

＂At times like this… If only Bahamut had existed… ＂

Herty also muttered in a slightly gloomy voice.

The darkness must have been familiar to Herti, who could not see, but even so, she was not omnipotent enough to walk alone in a place with nothing.

This is only possible if you can feel the sound of Bahamut’s bells, the echo of sounds around you, and the sense of the wind flowing around you.

＂… I can’t help it. Let’s create a light using magic and quickly return to the ground. I think that would be the safest.”

“But… If the vein is deformed, the road may become blocked?”

Bourbon responded as if he was worried about Cleon’s suggestion, but Cleon nodded his head at her words.

“I know. But the most important thing is to ensure safety first. Even if we move forward like this, it will only be dangerous.”

＂Uhm…＂

Is that true too? Bourbon was about to nod his head in agreement with her words.

[…

＂… Huh?＂

Herti made a sound as if he had noticed something about her, and looked around her head.

“… Herti, what’s wrong?”

When Cleon asks a question while looking at Herti, Herti doesn’t say anything for a moment, then tilts her head and speaks.

“I just… Felt like I heard someone else’s voice, not Cleon or Bourbon…”

“Voice…? Bourbon, did you hear something like that?”

“No… I didn’t hear it.”

Both Cleon and Bourbon shake their heads at Herty’s words, but Herty places his hand on the helmet he is wearing.

And, after being quiet for a moment as if concentrating-

[… Side…]

＂I can’t hear well…＂

This time, I definitely heard a voice speaking in human language, but the words were not complete, with a frustrating feeling as if something was blocking me.

Finally, as if he couldn’t bear it anymore, Herti carefully lifted his heavy helmet that was covering his neck-

＇Click＇

＂Wait…!＂

＂Herti, what are you doing!?＂

-It was taken off and placed on the ground.

Of course, the sight was not visible, but it was natural for Cleon and Bourbon to raise their voices in surprise when they heard the ‘click’ sound when taking off the helmet.

“If you take that off, you’ll absorb adamantite particles through your respiratory tract!?”

“I know, I do. But… Because of this helmet, I can’t hear my voice well.”

“Voice… What kind of voice are you hearing?”

Bourbon stuttered towards the sound of her voice and tried to put her helmet back on her.

Soon, she felt the touch of someone’s hand grasping the glove wrapped around her own hand.

＂Hi!? Wait, who is this?! Is it Cleon?”

Relatively speaking, it was she who raised her voice because she thought her Cleon, who was at a close distance to her own, was holding her own hand –

＂No… Not me.＂

“It’s me, Bourbon.”

The person who held her hand was not Cleon, but Herty, who had been standing a little distance away.

“Hey, Herty? How did you walk? Just listen to the sound…?”

＂Well… I received guidance. In the voice I heard…”

Herti herself sounded a little embarrassed, but when she followed the voice she heard, she said that she was truly able to catch Bourbon.

Then, Herti carefully walked her steps while still holding Bourbon’s hand, and this time she tried to hold Cleon’s hand.

It must have been harder than catching Bourbon, because in the middle was the corpse of Wyrmmol, whom Cleon had defeated.

In order to avoid tripping over that obstacle, it was definitely impossible to just listen to the sound of speech.

“… It seems like Herti really can hear someone’s voice.”

Cleon muttered as if he had no choice but to admit that fact, and Bourbon responded, ‘That’s ridiculous…’.

And then, Herti carefully pulls Bourbon and Cleon’s hands and makes them join hands.

Finally, he carefully held Cleon’s remaining hand.

“I think this voice is… The voice of adamantite.”

＂Adamantite… Then, is this the self we must go to meet!?’

When Cleon reacts in surprise to Herti’s words, Bourbon places his hand on his helmet as if his head hurts.

“Ha!? But you said you can’t have a conversation unless you get to the core part, right?”

“Yes… I thought so too.”

Herti said that and closed his mouth for a moment, then spoke again.

“… Excuse me! Please reply and say you can hear my voice! We came to ask you a favor!”

Herti’s voice echoed quietly through the mine passages, and a moment later, the voice once again entered Herti’s ears.

[I can’t hear well… Even closer… To where I am…]

After taking off the helmet, the voice became much more audible than before.

However, Herti did not get the answer she wanted, as she could not hear this voice well.

＂… How about it?＂

When Bourbon asked cautiously, Herti shook her head out of habit, even though she knew he couldn’t see her.

“I can’t do it. I guess this voice is hard to hear from the other party.”

“… Indeed. I think the metaphor of the giant’s voice from earlier still holds true.”

Cleon listened to Herti’s answer and concluded as if he could understand it.

“Because the giant’s body is so big, no matter where he raises his voice, the people at his feet can hear it.”

“… But still, we couldn’t reach his ear, so we can’t let you hear his voice. That’s it.”

After listening to Cleon’s explanation, Bourbon also responds as if he understands, but continues to say ‘ngh’ as ​​if he is having a hard time, and in a voice as if he is having a hard time.

“So… What are you going to do?”

“She only tells us the way inward… I think she wants to talk to the three of us.”

As Herti said that, she held Cleon’s hand a little forcefully.

＂So…＂

“… Good. Well, first, let’s move forward following the guidance of that voice. Because that also suits our purpose.”

“… What if I go deeper and can’t get out?”

If there is no lantern and the other party has dug a trap to draw them in and deal with them, the situation is quite hopeless.

It was natural for Bourbon to worry about such a situation.

＂… I will take responsibility for handling it at that time.＂

That’s why Cleon answers in a fairly firm tone, as if trying to reassure her.

＂Handling it… How?＂

“You said it before, right? … If negotiations ultimately break down, we have no choice but to use our power.”

The imprint of Cleon’s domination.

Cleon thought it was fortunate that it had already been proven that a being with a will could work on Arnia, an inanimate object.

“Whew… I can’t help it. Even if it goes back like this, it doesn’t change the fact that Asteris and the sacred tree are dangerous.”

Bourbon took off his helmet while answering Cleon’s words.

When a clicking sound was heard and Bourbon’s loud breathing sounded, both Herti and Cleon looked surprised.

“Wait a minute, did Bourbon take off his helmet too?”

＂What are you thinking?＂

“Well… Herti took off her protective helmet to guide us, right? But I can’t wear this helmet to follow him safely alone.”

＂Stop it… Bourbon! There is no need to put Bourbon in danger!”

Herti speaks as if embarrassed by Bourbon’s words.

However, Bourbon responded to her with a snort and an exclamation.

“That’s what this side has to say. Herty. Since we came here, we have to sacrifice one person to move forward. I don’t think so. Especially Herti, I can never sacrifice you.”

＂But…＂

Herti cannot speak properly in response to Bourbon’s words.

Then, a ‘click’ sound was heard again.

This time, there would be no need to think about who took off the helmet.

＂… Let’s go.＂

Since it was not blocked by glass, Cleon’s voice was heard clearly.

＂Even Cleon…＂

“It’s just like Bourbon said. If even one person falls midway, this mission will be a failure. If you’re in the same boat, it’s natural to share that fate.”

Cleon was indirectly saying that this was an expression of his resolve.

＂… Both of you… Are idiots. But, thank you.”

As Herty said this to Cleon and Bourbon, her grip on Cleon’s hand became even stronger.

“What. So let’s hurry inside. The most dangerous thing right now is Hertie, who took off her helmet first, right?”

＂… Yes!＂

Herty, who nodded loudly at Bourbon’s words, held Cleon’s hand and walked carefully yet quickly while listening to the guiding voice in her head.

001

How far did they walk? Cleon and Bourbon were walking inside the mine, feeling less out of breath than they had thought.

＂Next time… This way… ＂

And so as not to disturb Herti from hearing the voice, she simply followed behind him quietly.

Really, there was no hesitation in her steps.

Even if she was in a situation where she couldn’t see what was in front of her, she, who had been walking in a world where she couldn’t see her entire life, had no problem walking even in the dark as long as she had guidance.

If Cleon or Herti had heard that voice, it would never have been possible for her to guide her so smoothly.

So, in a way, it could be said that it was a good thing that her voice was heard.

Why couldn’t she and Bourbon hear that voice?

That was all Cleon was thinking about as he followed behind Herti.

First, the most suspicious thing was ‘magic aptitude’, but Cleon shook his head in his mind, thinking that that was a better possibility.

Aside from Bourbon being a dwarf, his magic aptitude is probably higher than that of Herti.

Comparing herself and Herty, who used her magic as if it were everyday life, it was natural.

So, what is next to be suspected – lineage or legitimacy?

Shin Mok said that Herti, the owner of the Dark Dragon Company, was needed for this matter.

Does being able to talk to adamantite mean that he is the owner of the Dark Dragon Company?

As of now, I think this is the most likely prediction.

Lastly… Although he was a little reluctant, Cleon could not open his mouth, thinking that this prediction was possible.

Perhaps it is the power of ‘Earth Dragon Gaios’ within Herti that allows her to hear Adamantite’s voice even stronger.

If that’s the case, Gaius’s power could have been stimulated by her conversation with adamantite.

That much… If you don’t stop it.

Even though they thought that, the three people continued to walk forward without stopping.

But at that time, Herti, who was looking straight ahead, cried out, ‘Oh?’.

“What’s wrong? Bourbon? “

“Excuse me! In front! I saw something, a silver light.”

When Bourbon says that, Cleon also narrows his eyes.

Then, truly, inside the dark passage, I could see a small, twinkling light in the distance.

It was like a lighthouse in the dark sea.

Of course, it was a small light that did not illuminate the entire path on the way there.

“… Adamantite’s voice is also saying that we are almost there. Perhaps, the place where that light shines is the area where the ego resides.”

“Okay… Then, we can finally convey our voice… In the end, when we arrive, we will leave the negotiations to Herty.”

“… Yes. I’ll work hard!”

Herty nodded at Bourbon’s words, then led the three people and walked a little faster.

A silver light that gets bigger as it gets closer.

It was after the three passed through the passage through which the light leaked that Cleon and Bourbon realized that the light was bigger than they thought.

＂This, this…＂

And, Cleon and Bourbon could not help but be surprised by the sight of the last room.

A wide cavity where the ceiling, floor, and walls are all made of adamantite veins.

In the center of the cavity, there was a huge, special lump of adamantite that pulsated like a heart.

Silver light was flowing from that mass.

No matter where I looked, I couldn’t help but see it as the core of the ego formed in this mineral vein.

＂…＂

Once we realized that the light was enough to go beyond the outlines of the surroundings and allow Cleon and Bourbon to see each other’s faces, there would no longer have been a need for Herti to lead them by holding their hands.

＂Herti. You can let go of his hand now.”

When Cleon said that, Herti carefully let go of Cleon’s hand and then turned his body towards where the core was.

“Answer me, Adamantite. Are you here?”

And, it seems like he was waiting for Herti’s answer.

That adamantite lump pulses loudly.

And, the voice that only Herti could still hear was conveyed.

[Finally, I was able to communicate with someone other than myself.]

With a somewhat happy voice.

He answered Herti’s words in a voice that was rich in emotion, but calm compared to any other human being.