It certainly wasn’t coming from the second floor where we were standing.
“It must be underground.”
With that, the Grand Duke removed his hand from my mouth.
There seemed to be no one else in the abandoned palace.
The sound of several people muttering together came from beneath the floor.
“Didn’t you say there was no one here?”
“……may not be a person.”
“…….”
Does that mean there are real evil spirits here?
Funny how I, the one who sees ghosts with my own eyes, don’t believe in such things.
The abandoned palace showed no signs of management, neither from the outside nor the inside.
‘Not even a hint of gloom.’
If the Grand Duke was right, if evil spirits were real, surely I should have felt them.
The old woman was still, and the bell was silent.
“No, no. It’s definitely human. If it were an evil spirit, I would have recognized it.”
He nodded quietly, as if agreeing with me.
If it’s not the dead, that means people have been coming and going in this place.
But who?
“Could it be some snake-worshipping priests are holding a meeting here?”
This place, the abandoned palace, was a fitting gathering place for the nefarious.
Secluded, surrounded by trees, with no one passing by, even by accident.
“Wait outside with Hardin from now on.”
“You’re not going alone, right?”
“I’ll go with Harton.”
The one who was holding my hair because he was afraid of ghosts?
“I’m the only one here who can identify the priests and get a clue.”
“That won’t be possible if it’s not just one or two people in there. Get out of here.”
“Unless you’re going to take them all out on the spot, it’s best to spy quietly and get out of here.”
If the Grand Duke is so inclined, I suppose he can defeat them all.
But leaving before we get a chance to prove their ties to the Queen will only make things worse.
“That’s where I’m most useful.”
“Ha, I didn’t realize you were so stubborn.”
He shook his head, a look of defiance on his face.
‘I just want to get this over with.’
Together, we followed the sound down the eerie stairs.
“I think the sound is getting closer.”
The damp staircase went on and on downward.
It felt like something could jump out at any moment.
“Do you need me to hold your hand again?”
As we delved deeper, my voice became softer.
The reason was the mysterious sounds growing louder.
In an attempt to ease the overwhelming tension, I whispered, jokingly, causing the Grand Duke to raise an eyebrow.
“I would appreciate it.”
He leans down slightly to whisper in my ear.
Then he holds out a large hand in front of me.
“Take it.”
It was just something I said offhandedly.
Why was he asking me to hold his hand when he wasn’t even scared?
When I gave him a suspicious look, he chided me for not taking his hand quickly.
“Really?”
“You said you’d hold my hand.”
“I was just kidding…….”
“I’m not kidding, take it.”
I could tell he was joking.
Seeing his hand still outstretched, I had no choice but to take it.
“Now, come behind me.”
I don’t know how far we went down the dark, damp stairs.
We were approaching the source of the sound.
The sound echoed from several people speaking in the large hall.
“For doing evil for good…God bowed down……death…….”
“What are they saying?”
“Sounds like a prayer.”
Finally, in the dark basement, I found a door lit by a single candle.
The light was pale, but I could see that the carvings on the door were eerie.
People writhing in agony were sprawled on the floor, and a giant snake circled above them.
‘This is really… a place of worship?’
The snake’s eyes, red rubies glowing brightly, give it away.
The bell hidden inside my robe twitches.
This is a place where snake worshipers gather.
【Aye, why did you come to such an unpleasant place?】
The old woman who appeared at that moment exclaimed as she coughed.
As if she had breathed in bad air.
She threw up her hands and made a displeased face.
‘I’m going to go in and take a look, is that okay?’
【What’s the point of looking at them? They’re not going to help us in life or death.】
【The Axis of Evil, they’ll go to hell even after they die.】
【What’s the point of worshiping a snake?】
The old woman spoke quickly, as if she had been waiting.
It’s about going to hell when all these people are dead.
While they’re alive, they’re just troublesome people, this one and that one.
“I think they’re snake-worshipping people, following the Queen, and they’re in bad shape.”
Though they possess less aura than when I met Omen and the Queen,
There was still an unpleasantness filling the basement that made me feel sick to my stomach.
“Eden will bestow upon you her unbounded glory.”
A creepy voice announced the end of the prayer.
Through the slightly open crack, I could see a dense group of people clad in black robes.
“…That many?”
They looked like a cult gathered.
They were all huddled in front of a statue of a snake with glowing red eyes.
【A very bloodthirsty man, …….】
The old woman muttered something unintelligible, and quietly walked away.
She didn’t want to look at it anymore because it made her feel bad.
“I think the prayer is over.”
“Come.”
The people, in their stuffy robes, walked in a line toward the door where we stood.
“Uh, what do we do?”
The mindless bell is on the verge of a raucous cry.
Jingle— the tiny sound is enough to make my heart drop.
“Shhh.”
I’m about to run into those damn pagans.
One second before they open the door, so close,
The Grand Duke pulls me as close as he can behind the door, hugging me hard.
Thump, thump, thump.
My heart starts beating out of control in surprise.
I can hear the Grand Duke’s breathing directly above me.
The sound of our hearts is louder than the pounding of our feet.
“Varan, wait.”
One by one, footsteps climb the stairs and exit the cellar, and then someone stops.
Right in front of the door we ducked behind.
After a few moments, the people are all up the stairs and out of the crypt.
All but two.
“What’s going on?”
If they’re going to talk, why are they doing it in front of our door?
The suspense was suffocating and I was breaking out in a cold sweat.
Standing with one hand on the wall behind me, the Grand Duke listened to their conversation with no change in expression.
‘Is this how you focus?’
I was afraid to even swallow.
I clutched the bell with both hands, hiding it in my arms in case it made a sound.
“Did you get anything from him?”
“No. ……He hasn’t said anything.”
“That’s a problem. I can’t handle it, so I’m keeping him alive, but…….”
“Don’t tell the other priests*.”
【T/N: I will be translating the cult members as priests since it’s the direct translation of this word. This term might change as we progress through the story.】
“I’m aware of the arrangement. Varan, do you think I could meet with him?”
“He’s not someone you can meet just because you want to. You have to wait for him to contact you.”
Who is this “he” they’re talking about?
【T/N: The ‘he’ here, could either be a man or a woman.】
The Prince, the Queen, both?
Or someone else below them?
‘If I do well, things will be easy.’
Such a good clue from this abandoned palace.
Even as I pondered the implications of the conversation, the young men’s voices continued.
“Soon we will be able to offer Eden the Orlan Empire, and it will be worth the wait.”
“What happened to Grand Duke Noctis?”
“I have not been able to reach him, though I am sure he did as he was told…….”
As soon as he said it, our eyes, the Grand Duke and mine, met as if we’d made a promise.
We were close enough to the priests that even the smallest sound could be heard, so I remained silent.
‘What are they talking about?’ (Flotty)
‘I don’t know.’ (Denver)
Nothing much had happened since we’d come down to the capital.
In fact, it’s been so peaceful that it’s almost strange, except for the day we went to the palace.
“You must succeed. We can’t let him down.”
“Varan, did you make that?”
“What are you talking about?”
The priest looked around a bit, his voice rising slightly.
“The potion he wanted.”
“…Of course. I have it ready to give to Him when He wants it.”
“I see.”
With a creepily sinister grin, the priest said, “I’ll see you at the next meeting, Varan.” With that, he exited the crypt.
“Wait.”
“……Why?”
The man’s steps stopped as he climbed the stairs.
Thud, thud, thud.
Exactly three steps back down.
“Varan, I keep getting this weird feeling.”
“……What are you talking about?”
“Varan.”
Bang-!
“Shit!”
Shit, shit!
I almost lost it and screamed.
If the Grand Duke hadn’t quickly clamped his hand over my mouth, I would have been caught.
The man slammed the door with all the force he could muster.
“Why do I keep sensing an aura that isn’t yours?”
The priest’s instincts about leaving were surprisingly good.
He was on the verge of noticing the hidden presence of me and Grand Duke Noctis.
“What are you talking about? Cut the crap and go back and wait for him.”
“Right, because who else is here but us?”
Ah, glory be to Eden.
Finally, one of them left.
I thought we’d been caught.
“Ha, shit.”
Now there was only one priest left in the crypt, Varan.
It wouldn’t hurt to use my powers now.
There’s only one of them.
‘Can I use my powers?’ (Flotty)
I asked, just in case, and the Grand Duke nodded silently.
I held my breath, trying to get a glimpse of the priest on the other side of the thick iron gate.
''Brew me an Elixir of Eden.''
'' How can ı .....''
''You don t believe in it with all your heart.
'' No. I have sworn allegiance to Eden.
''Then you can do it.
Good!
I was afraid he would be covered with fog, like when I used my powers on Omen and the Queen.
It was hazy, but I could see the afterimage, and I could hear the sound, though it was muffled.
‘He was ordered to brew a potion for ‘Him’.
A troubled priest, spilling wine, a saccharine snake.
Now the grayish scenes disperse like smoke.
“Shrewd bastard.”
Gritting his teeth, the priest named Varan stalked out of the crypt.
The Grand Duke and I waited with bated breath until we heard no more footsteps.