Chapter 5
「Sorry, I can't walk...」
「Don't worry about it. Isn't the reason you ended up like this because you helped us?」
Carrying Sion, who couldn't walk, Mars and the others moved forward.
Since Sion didn't have legs, Mars used a specially-made baby carrier strap.
He could release both hands without any problem and still be able to fight.
Sion at the back was also in a position where she could use supportive magic to some extent.
The cave was a space created by developing the dried-up roots of the World Tree, which were as thick as a large tree, and due to the numerous branches of the roots, it had turned into a natural labyrinth.
However, Mars had the impression that it was intentionally withered.
It's hard to imagine that such conveniently connected places in the walls would wither on their own.
Lilia seemed to have pure faith in nature, but not all members of the former royal family were like that.
They must have had knowledge and techniques to utilize their faith.
Although he won't say it in front of Lilia, considering her temperament, he thinks the elves were still enemies of humans.
The military use of the World Tree was definitely considered.
Even without that, they would have maximized the authority and intimidation of the World Tree.
Judging solely from Lilia's perspective, it may seem that humans were the ones who oppressed them, but that is probably not the correct way to see it.
From the human side, it must have been a kingdom of terrifying power that held the fate of the world.
Elves live longer than humans, are smarter, and on average have higher magical abilities.
That's why they were destroyed.
That fact alone can be seen as evidence that the elves were hostile to humans.
Even among different races, the treatment of elves is significantly worse. There must be a reason for it.
If they had not been harmful and friendly, they could have avoided their impending destruction.
Only Lilia is special in that regard.
「Does it smell like dirt-nyaa?」
「Spider webs are also amazing, aren't they?... I hate it when there's a big spider, though... Seriously, spiders are the only thing I'm bad with...」
Swinging a torch, Nemu, who was in the front row, pinched her nose.
The narrow passage was covered in accumulated dust. It was clear that no one had passed through for a long time.
「Lilia, do you remember the direction to go?」
At least they could rest assured about the enemies along this path.
「No, but this path has its own order. Ah, there it is.」
Lilia pointed to a candlestick ahead.
「There are more candlesticks ahead. Can you take a good look? The frame of these candlesticks has four claws, right?」
「Yes.」
「If there are four claws, go right; if there are three, go left. That's the correct answer.」
「It's simple, but if you don't know, you can't solve it. It's easy to understand.」
With a certain amount of time and repeated verification, one would notice the pattern, but by the time they spent that time, the purpose of this labyrinth would have been achieved.
As long as they could buy time to escape, it was enough.
「From here on, you'll be constantly faced with two choices, and if you don't understand this order, you'll wander forever.」
Thinking about dying in this empty underground... It's terrifying.
Mars started feeling a bit uneasy, thinking that they might come across the bodies of stranded people.
「Nyaa, it's a dungeon-nyaa! Dark, smelly, and dirty-nyaa!」
「This isn't a dungeon yet. Be quiet, or it might be heard on the surface.」
「Don't you think it's better to have fun-nyaa?」
「Well, the content was nothing but complaints, though...!?」
It was just their high spirits. Staying here for too long would definitely be unhygienic and detrimental to their health.
「If we don't get lost, we'll arrive in less than an hour. Just endure it for a little longer.」
「U-Um!」
「What's wrong?」
Hazuki suddenly raised her voice and pointed downwards.
She probably felt the sensation of triggering a trap. Her face turned pale.
「Could it be... a trap?」
「P-Possibly...」
「This passage was meant for the royal family to escape with the people. Therefore, there shouldn't be any highly lethal traps. There's a high chance that fleeing civilians might accidentally trigger them. So it's safe to lift your feet.」
While Lilia confidently explained, Mars and Nemu remained cautious, observing their surroundings for any signs of traps.
If there were traps, arrows would come out of the walls or spears would emerge from the ground. There should be some indication.
If they could sense it in advance, Mars and the others could deal with it before it activated.
Hazuki cautiously lifted her foot, but nothing happened.
「The traps in the common areas are designed so that people won't even notice they triggered them. They are meant to stop the skilled individuals who are used to them. Those who know that they will die if they move.」
「T-That's scary!」
The trap slows down the progress of those who know the threat of traps.
The pursuers who aim at the lives of the royal family are undoubtedly skilled individuals. That's why it's effective. It is a fake trap with a clear target.
「There are no dangerous traps on the correct path. On the other hand, incorrect paths have traps that will bring death.」
「Hazuki-nyan, stay behind, okay-nyaa? If you were at the front, you'd have died dozens of times already-nyaa.」
「Y-Yes! I won't stay in front, I promise!」
Nyaaa~, Nemu laughed, taunting Hazuki, and placed her behind herself.
Even without Mars, they all remained united, each with their own roles.
They understood each other's shortcomings and compensated for them.
Small as it was, this was also a society.
In the worst-case scenario, even if Mars and the "Jet-Black" clashed, everyone would be able to survive.
This time, they also considered that possibility.
After about thirty minutes, they could faintly see light ahead.
They realized that it was the leaked light and rejoiced at the prospect of escaping this suffocating space.
They had been worried that the exit might have already been buried under a collapsed building or something.
「Where does this lead?」
「It leads to the base of the World Tree. You can think of it as being inside the forest.」
「It's still a forest now, which is fortunate... but it might turn into a battle depending on the situation. I'll go out first. Can I leave it to you, Sion-san?」(? シオンさん任せていいか？)
「Understood.」
Mars lifted the rock blocking the stairs and peeked through the gap, trying to assess the situation.
At that moment, soil flowed in from the gap.
The slightly musty smell of decaying leaves permeated his lungs.
The surroundings were a forest, without any human figures in sight.
There was no sound.
「Everything seems fine.」
「Mars-nyan, it's strangely quiet-nya. Nemu can't hear any human sounds from anywhere-nyaa.」
Indeed, it's a strange atmosphere.
Even if Mars and the others have been noticed and the defensive posture is being prepared, it's difficult to move silently in armor and sounds like conversations and breathing should undoubtedly be audible to Nemu and Lilia's ears.
Nemu under the stairs advises in a small voice.
Gogogo, Mars moves the rock, making way for everyone.
「No one's here.」
The place they emerged into was not so much a forest as a dense area with more buildings than expected.
The Elf's country is no more. It has turned into a modern city trampled upon by human civilization.
「It's not that there are no sounds... It feels like there's no presence of people.」
「Yeah... There should be a lot of people.」
Scratching his head lightly, Mars was puzzled.
If you destroy the World Tree, the world might be destroyed.
So security should be quite strict.
Even without that, there should be many people who have gathered seeking various natural blessings.
But there's no sound coming from anywhere.
「N-Nemu smells a strong scent of blood-nyaa! It's that guy-nyaa!」
Concentrating on Nemu's voice, trying to use her sense of smell, a bloody odor mixed with the scent of green came drifting in.
No, it had been there from the beginning.
They just didn't notice it. It was because it naturally surrounded the surroundings, just like the air.
They explore their surroundings while hiding in the shadows.
Suddenly, everyone's thoughts switched to alert mode.
The identity of the smell of blood was immediately clear.
People, people, people. There were countless people.
But, none of them were breathing.
Blood and entrails were scattered around the World Tree.
The corpses were in a terrible state, having been eaten by crows and insects.
It was only because Mars and the others had some resistance that they were able to endure it, but if ordinary people saw it, they would have vomited everything from their stomachs onto the ground.
The moment they saw that scene, they intuitively knew that no one in this city was alive anymore.
It was unimaginable how many people had died. It could be in the tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands.
「It's 'Jet-Black'.」
「L-Look at that...」
At the entrance to the World Tree's dungeon, a message remained written in blood.
The blood had dried and turned black.
『I took care of the bothersome bunch. Looking forward to seeing you.』
In other words, this tragedy was born out of the consideration of 'Jet-Black'.
When he came to announce that he had remodeled the World Tree's dungeon for Mars and the others, this tragedy had already occurred.
Even if it's 'Jet-Black', he couldn't easily enter the dungeon.
That's why he killed everyone.
He gave up on negotiation and persuasion from the beginning and turned everyone into silent corpses.
If he has the option to physically eliminate obstacles, life becomes smoother.
However, ordinary humans cannot execute it because they fear being eliminated themselves.
It's something that can only be done by 'Jet-Black', who fears nothing.
The 'kindness' that 'Jet-Black' gave Mars and the others, so that they would not be disturbed by anyone, is this tragedy.
There is no guilt in 'Jet-Black', and in this case, there was even goodwill.
Ants and humans are the same. From the perspective of 'Jet-Black', they hold equal value.
Beings with the spirit of gods, possessing an unwavering spirit of equality, do not differentiate humans from other creatures.
Currently, it is nothing more than a localized tragedy.
But this is the beginning of the end of this world.
If Mars loses and 'Jet-Black' becomes a god, the entire world will become like this.
Every life, without exception, will be exposed as a corpse.
Erasing all lives and starting the world anew.
That is the desire of 'Jet-Black'.
「...For now, let's bury them. Leaving them as they are would be sad. I won't force anyone to help, only those who want to. It's a bit too harsh.」
「I... would like to take a little rest.」
In the end, the only one who raised their hand to help was Hazuki.
Nemu had completely fainted due to the scent, and Sion was visibly shaken by a sight she had never seen in the deep sea.
Lilia was puzzled, though she refrained from vocalizing her concern about the changes in her birthplace.
She seemed somewhat absent-minded, her eyes vacant.
Her strangely composed reaction was also concerning.
There might be a feeling of satisfaction witnessing the death of those who took away the land of the elves.
There should also be a hint of dark emotions in her heart.
However, it's understandable that even if she would already dislike returning home after a long absence, experiencing her homeland in such a terrible state would undoubtedly cause psychological damage.
Knowing that Lilia tends to internalize her emotions in such times, she allowed her to rest in the "Treasury of Dreams."
Sometimes, it's important not to confront reality directly.
It's fine to observe vaguely through the filter of Mars.
「Hazuki-chan, are you okay?」
「W-Well, to be honest, it's a bit tough... It's in two pieces, and it's in such a terrible state... Today, I just want to quietly eat vegetables. I don't feel like eating meat or fish.」
Mars dug a hole outside the town and transported the corpses there, while Hazuki used magic to burn them.
It would be faster to burn the entire town, but they decided to do it outside the town to prevent the possibility of the World Tree catching fire.
The smell and sensation of blood had somehow become familiar deep inside his nostrils. He dislikes this side of himself.
「It's definitely not good for that guy to become a God. I now realize that the whole world would become like this.」
Hazuki, with an unusually serious expression, spoke earnestly without stammering.
Hazuki rarely gets angry, and she hardly ever maintains a serious expression.
Mars believes she is the most compassionate and kind person in their group.
She is someone who can empathize with the misfortunes of others as if they were her own.
Indeed, if it weren't for Hazuki, it would have been difficult to accept new companions, that can be asserted.
The existence of Hazuki's gentle and cheerful aura is what makes their group work.
Her depth of acceptance, without any resistance, of beings that are typically avoided as different species, is truly appreciated.
She actively takes on teasing and guides the new members on how to interact with everyone.
Mars also relies on Hazuki in such a way.
However, even such an affable person was quietly simmering with anger this time.
「I will be the one to kill 'Jet-Black.' I won't leave it to anyone else.」
For the first time since coming to this world, Mars felt the intent to kill directed towards a specific individual.
And it was the first time he had explicitly expressed it.
「When this is over, let's take a bath in Hazuki-chan's treasure vault. It wouldn't be good to be wearing this smell in front of everyone.」
「Yes, you're right...」
It's not a quantity that can be handled in a day.
No matter how much Mars use 'Body Enhancement,' it's physically too much, and there's a limit to Hazuki's magic power used for cremation.
「I'm sorry for making you help with this. It must be traumatic.」
「Oh no, it's fine! I feel like this is my specialty, you know! Besides, I've decided to do my best for Mars-san and the others. So, this is nothing. I'm really grateful that I could meet my parents again and bid them farewell. I'm truly grateful.」
With a rocket pendant containing a photo hanging from her chest, Hazuki smiled with a face that seemed on the verge of tears.
Hazuki encountered her undead parents in one of the Seven Great Dungeons, the Great Norn Tomb.
It was a sad reunion, but it was fortunate that she could properly bury her parents with her own hands.
One could say that Hazuki's life goal was accomplished at that moment.
Being a tomb guardian was not a significant mission for Hazuki.
All that's left is for her to live happily.
「Could it be that you'll come with us to the dungeon?」
「Yes. But, it's not that I dislike dungeons because they're scary, you know? In the end, I always think it was fun! All's well that ends well!」
Hazuki had decided to live with Mars, Lilia, and the others from now on.
She intended to die alongside Mars and Lilia when they conquer the World Tree Dungeon and Mars changes the world.
At that time, Mars planned to leave the choice of lifespan to each of them.
He had explicitly stated that it was fine if they chose to die within their original lifespan.
It would make them semi-immortal, an act that defies the order of the world.
Mars hadn't asked how each of them would choose.
Regardless, Hazuki had decided to live and die with Lilia and the others.
Hazuki believed that life, in the end, is the path until death.
She believed so even more after meeting Mars.
She understood Mars and Lilia's desire to aim for the desired end.
Upon hearing the discussion about manipulating lifespans, Hazuki thought.
She wanted to be there for Mars and Lilia's end.
She wanted to hold their hands as they entered eternal sleep and express her heartfelt gratitude.
If possible, she wanted to make them smile and reassure them.
As a tomb guardian, she would build a grave for the two of them. She would offer plenty of flowers every day and have many conversations.
She would continue until she became the only one who remembers them.
Even if their children were born, even if her children were born, she would continue until she died. If their descendants continued, she would continue until they died as well.
She was a tomb guardian. She would continue to protect the graves indefinitely.
And when there was no one left around her, she would welcome her own end by Mars' side.
That was Hazuki's desired end.
Although she had been released from the mission of a tomb guardian, she didn't mind continuing as a tomb guardian for the two of them forever.
「Let's do our best to save the world and prevent it from becoming a place where people die for no reason.」
「I agree.」
Mars didn't understand what Hazuki was thinking.
He couldn't grasp the meaning behind Hazuki's slightly mysterious expression.
「Is something wrong?」
「Oh, no, nothing! Maidens have their own secrets, one or two! It's a secret even from you, Mars-san!」
Even if he pressed for an answer, she wouldn't divulge anything.
Until the time comes, Hazuki will keep her feelings to herself.
She doesn't want to be opposed to this particular selfishness.
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