Seiju no Kuni no Kinju Tsukai Chapter 34

Chapter 34 (Sacred Ruin)

There's a lot of students in the open s.p.a.ce in front of the entrance of sacred ruin.

In this open s.p.a.ce, there is three story building called sacred ruin a.s.sembly hall.

Regarding the sacred ruin a.s.sembly hall, instructor Joseph had given us explanation right after magic art lesson.

Sacred ruin a.s.sembly hall is a place where students prepare when they are about to enter the sacred ruin and also a place where they get support.

More or less, it is a place where one can borrow a room within the a.s.sembly hall and have a discussion about the plan when they are about to enter sacred ruin and their support is also very substantial.

From renting a weapon and armor, they also sell preserved food and useful tool, in the case of long term of exploration they also help handle the procedure for cla.s.s exemption, they also will buy the crystal we obtain from inside the sacred ruin, they cover all kind of support that involved with sacred ruin.

By the way, they also don't mind if the students want to prepare their own weapon, tools, and other stuff by themselves.

I look at the open s.p.a.ce briefly.

Everywhere, there are students who sit on the tables and talks about various things.

In this open s.p.a.ce, there's also a crystal lamp, thus even though the sky already got dark, there's never a time when this place being swallowed by darkness...

I feel like there are a lot of new students.

Well, that is natural I guess, since today is the day where the ban to enter the sacred ruin by new students is being lifted.

And there are also a lot of supper-cla.s.sman who comes to take a look at the rookie for fun.

when I was chasing after Kyurie-san, I didn't see a lot of students around, it might be because they gathered in this place.

"Nn ?"

That is... Aira-san.

Err, the people who're together with her are... the upper-cla.s.smen which sits at the same table as her at the time of lunch break, I guess ?

Those girls, are they going to enter the sacred ruin now ?

Everyone didn't wear their uniform, instead, they are wearing armor and mantle, they are indeed going to enter the dungeon huh...

On the waist of Aira-san hangs a saber.

I guess it's because she tried to emphasize mobility, she only wears a light armor.

Though generally it has a stylish atmosphere around her.

... Aira-san looks really beautiful.

I look at the surrounding restlessly.

I didn't see Cecil-san and Maro figure.

Since I didn't see them here, did they already go dive the underground ?

"......................"

Now then...

What should I do...

For now the purpose of me by coming here is to see only the first layer of sacred ruin, and comes back immediately.

And makes a plan for me to do exploration alone, I need to be careful.

And then at that timeー,

At one side of the open s.p.a.ceー, there's an iron fence similar to a cage surrounding a place similar to a stage which shone a blueish light.

And at the four corner of the open s.p.a.ce, there are pillars with crystals that shed strong light...

"Oh they've arrived huh"

Several guard who sat down on chairs nearby begins standing up and took out their swords from the sheaths.

In a matter of seconds, 5 armed students appeared at the stage.

And with the exception of those 5 people, one isー

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa !"

The one appeared together with the students is a white demon with wingsー a gargoyle.

Since the academy had distributed a picture book regarding demon that existed until the fifth layer of the sacred ruin, I'm able to recognize it immediately.

...this one is also an RPG standard monster huh.

And then a student who saw the scene speak with excitement...

"Gargoyle huh ? that's mean they are able to go until the fourth layer ?"

After the gargoyle appeared, just like the one eyedー Cyclops, its body begun dissolved.

While chasing after the 5 students, and releasing a shrieking voice the gargoyle b.u.mps against the iron fence ceiling many times.

However, one student finally able to bring it down, and its body dissolved completely.

After the other students who watching ascertained that nothing happen and the gargoyle has completely disappeared, they returned to their seat and continue their discussion.

The students that had appeared together with the gargoyle, while releasing relieved breath walk toward the iron fence door and come out from the cage.

They are the students who use the device inside the sacred ruin to transfer back.

The design of the sacred ruin is kind of gentle since there's exist a transfer device to above ground in every layer.

However, the setup until the transfer required a lot of times.

Furthermore, after the activation of the device, there would be a lot of monsters comes approaching.

As a result, there's a time when monsters also being teleported to above ground.

Though because the monster that appeared on above ground will be dissolved and disappear, thus it's not being regarded as dangerous, even so the academy decided to put a cage surrounding the transfer device where the students appeared, and deploy guard in case the students need to be rescued.

More or less the staff at the a.s.sembly hall are sacred tree knight who already retired.

Perhaps being a sacred tree knight one will not worried about workplace even after they retired.

Hmm, still... a transfer device eh ?

Indeed, it is such a convenient device, howeverー

".........................."

Err... right, because I'm unarmed, should I go check the a.s.sembly hall first ?

Thus, I began walking toward the a.s.sembly hall.

"A long sword, leather armor, and also an exploration uniform, is that all ?"

"Yes...

The person in charge of the counter seems to be already used with their work, they fill the form readily.

From the a.s.sembly hall I've borrowed  a long sword (without the scabbard), leather armor, and exploration uniform, the exploration uniform is a clothes the students wear when they are about to go dive the sacred ruin (exploration uniform is not really required, but since many students got their academy uniform ripped, damaged, and dirtied, thus they find it annoying everytime... thus the academy supply this exploration uniform, so that the students not worried about their academy uniform)

And the academy side lends minimum equipment to the students who don't have money to prepare their won equipment in this way.

For me, this kind of system is the one that I'm very thankful for.

Inside the a.s.sembly hall, there's a storage where they put the things that can be borrowed, and the students  themselves can go inside and pick the things that they want to borrow.

These are the standards, and if the equipment got damaged there is no obligation to reimburse it either.

The reason for that is because the item that the a.s.sembly hall lends to the students are mostly come from donation by the graduates, is what I was told (by the way, the exploration uniform is the only thing that purely being supplied by the academy)

I changed the uniform and wear the item that I've borrowed, then come back to the counter.

"Emm... well this, can you keep it ? First-year lion cla.s.s, Sagara Kurohiko."

"First-year lion cla.s.s, Sagara Kurohiko... alright, I understand"

After writing the name, cla.s.s and school year, the person in charge then attaches a name card to the uniform that the person in charge received from me.

"Are you not going to need food or cla.s.s exemption application ?"

"Yes, since I'm only going to see the first layer, and then comes back immediately"

"Perhaps... are you going alone ?"

"Yes, I'll be going alone"

"Is that so... well since it is only the first layer, it's should be fine... uhuh, it would be good if you got yourself at least one crystal, because if you do that, you will be able to buy a new and better equipment."

"Hahaha... I hope I can get one then"

"And 『Do not make light』of the sacred ruins, and be careful"

"Understood, I'll be careful"

After finished the talks, I go out from the a.s.sembly hall.

There are still a lot of students on the open s.p.a.ce, however, it seems to be decreased a little bit than earlier.

I' then walk toward the gate with a complex pattern carved in it.

That is the gate to the sacred ruin.

When walk pa.s.ses the gate, the guard and senpais stand in front of the gate gives encouragement words.

Among them, there's also those who said 『Ooh aren't you the forbidden spell user ! are you going for the exploration alone ? well, do your best !』 to me.

"Haha... I-I'll do my best..."

While feeling grateful, I've pa.s.sed the gate.

".........................."

My heart throbbed a lot.

Then I took a deep breath.

Alright...

I can feel my fighting spirit again, then I continue walking.

The stairs weren't pitch black.

I can see normally thanks to the blue-ish light that illuminated the place.

Instructor Joseph said inside the sacred ruin, it's filled with magic power.

And the small crystal that being buried on the wall react to the magic power and then radiate light like this.

Thank to this, one don't need to bring a torch or lantern together when one going inside the sacred ruin.

After finished walking the stairs, I've arrived in a rather wide room.

In there, there's one guard.

In order to open the stone double door leading toward the inner palace.

"Nn ? you, don't tell me, alone ?"

"Yes..."

"... You also seem like dressed lightly, will you be okay ?"

Toward the guard who ask such question, I' answer it with the same answer as the one I used at the a.s.sembly hall.

"I see...then, it should be fine, however, 『don't make light』 of sacred ruin, and be careful understand ?"

I answer him with nodding and walks down the stairs beyond the door.

ーーMake light sacred ruin.

I don't know if this is just some kind of special characteristic of the sacred ruin, however, it seems like there are a lot of students who being careless because 『it is just the first layer』 and make mistakes.

That's why the people said 『don't make light of sacred ruin』.

... well to me who have experience with a game with dungeon system, I can understand such thought.

While thinking of such thing, I've finally arrived at the first layer.

"Hooー... so this is the first layer of sacred ruin huh ?"

The pa.s.sage width, even with two people with a sword fight in line, there's some s.p.a.ce left.

"... Alright."

I turn my long sword toward the ceiling.

Fumu...

The height is also quite high, since the point of the swords didn't reach the ceiling.

At that time *Bang Bang*, the sounds of something crashed against something resounded.

Perhaps, is it the sounds of the sacred ruin internal structure change ?

I heard the sacred ruin is kind of like a living creature, the inner structure will change from time to times.

Because of that, it is impossible to make a map.

I also heard that building cannot be built inside the sacred ruin.

I look around carefully

I didn't see any students figure.

Other theory such as the sacred ruin tried to divide party who is about to encounter each other and divide its pa.s.sage, is also being said.

On the other hand, there's also an opinion that the rate of encounters with other parties seems to be high when at the wide room.

Unn...

In other words, the chance one will meet other students inside sacred ruin pa.s.sage is low huh ?

When I thought of such thing, I can see flame blaze in the darkness up ahead.

... I-Is it someone fighting ?

Or rather, even in the first layer, a monster will appear huh ? ーno, I guess that is pretty obvious though...

I drop my line of sight at the bracelet on my right hand

This one is, I'd received it at the a.s.sembly hall when borrowing a weapon and protective gear.

There's a black crystal installed on the bracelet.

It seems like the more I go down deeper, the color of this crystal will change to more transparent(white)

In other words, this is for the academy side being able to know until what layer the wearer is able to go.

No one really knows how the academy able to make judgment out of it, but it seems like those who attempt to do something unfair being found out with this crystal.

Well,ーthough there is the wearer name engraved on the bracelet,and if there's someone who stole the bracelet of another and changes the name into their ownーI wonder, if some people had thought of such method.

... Well, it's not like I have the intention to do it either.

Now then...

I look at the pa.s.sage that split into right and left.

I guess, I'll just pick whichever direction huh ?

Sometimes, I see a door which differs than the one with the bluish light.

Behind this door, there is a room containing a monster, or stairs leading to the upper layer or bottom layer of the sacred ruin.

And then...

*Gurururu*

My stomach rumbled

".........................."

Fumu...

My stomach is empty...

I also want to take a bath.

I guess, it's about time I search the stairs leading upward and return back ?

To be honest, I want to meet a monster and fight it with the forbidden spell for a bit butー

It was when I think of such thing.

*Boko* Appeared, a half circle hole on the ground wall.

"...He ?"

And then, from that hole, appeared, with height as height as my chest and a white skinーー a goblin.

"Uwaah, I-It come out !"

I took a stance with the sword in my hand reflectively.
 

Personal Opinion : Ugh, this chapter is so hard to work with, too many roundabout sentence, and confusing kanji's...