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Chapter 112. Ancient Wall Paintings

I run forward, deflecting all the arrows flying from the darkness ahead with repulsion magic, carrying both of them with me. It’s way easier than walking and thinking about a bunch of things. Besides, there don’t seem to be any magical attacks that can’t be blocked by repulsion, so a little brute force doesn’t hurt.

In less than a few seconds of running, we reach the end of the corridor. The wall has a hole in it, and tiny magic symbols inscribed there trigger arrows in response to magic. Did the Simba Dynasty city get targeted so much that it needed such intricate traps? I have my doubts, but let’s move on quickly.

“We’re charging straight through.” 

“N-no complaints, just a bit slower, please!”

“No can do.”

Generating repulsion isn’t exactly effortless, so the shorter the time I need it, the better. Walking slowly while maintaining it would be unbearable. The corridor continues to the left, so we go that way, only to be attacked by several Naglfar creatures emerging from the shadows. Unlike the ones on the surface that relied on mobility and beams, these wield swords and charge at us.

“Elixira, cover us.” 

“Are you serious!? Do you realize how unreasonable that is!?” 

“I do.”

But if it’s Elixira, she’ll manage somehow. The repulsion prevents the Naglfar from getting too close, but... the repulsion I’m generating only blocks physical attacks, so if they start shooting beams or magical slashes, I’m in trouble. It’s convenient for blocking physical attacks, but it’s still annoying. I momentarily expand the range of the repulsion to slam the attacking Naglfar into the wall, but they’re tougher than expected, and it doesn’t stop them completely.

“[Raziel]!”

Just as three Naglfar prepare to fire beams, Elixira activates her spell, blasting them all away at once. The spell she used... it’s definitely the same repulsion magic I’ve been using.

“If I watch magic closely enough, I can use it too!” 

“No, really, when it comes to learning magic, you’re a genius. Don’t you modify spells a bit on your own?” 

“That’s something only someone like you could do easily.”

Is that so…? I think Elixira’s talent could handle it, though. The repulsion Elixira used was pretty strong, and the three Naglfar were shattered into pieces, and pinned against the wall. With the enemies gone, I start moving forward again, but then a spear suddenly flies at me. I don’t even know where the trap triggered, but it stopped just in front of my nose, countered by my repulsion... Any slip in focus and I’d be dead.

“There are more coming!” 

“Persistent, aren’t they.”

While I’m hesitating more than I expected and slowing down, three more Naglfar appear from behind. They’re different individuals from the ones Elixira just took out, but equipped similarly, each wielding a dull silver one-handed sword in their right hand.

“Take this!” 

“Whoa!?”

Elixira, held under my right arm, activates Raziel again and fires magic at the enemies behind us. The spell she releases... resembles the beams the Naglfar have been shooting. I can fire beams too, but Elixira is deploying several beams at once, forming a barrage. After confirming no traps are triggered, I launch a semi-transparent magic sword. It pierces the eye of one, stopping its movement immediately. It might be that the eye is its power source, but scholars would have figured that out if it were true, so I don’t worry much. The remaining two charge at us with their swords, but Elixira’s repulsion spell shatters them, sending them into the darkness behind.

I sprint through the corridor and reach another wall. Kicking off it, I turn right. Judging by the location where we fell into the underground, I have a general idea of where we are on the surface. We should be heading toward the ruins of the central castle.

“...What’s this?”

After turning right, there’s no trace of the Naglfar or any traps. Furthermore, the candelabras along the corridor are lit.

“This… Please, stop for a moment!” 

“Huh?” 

“These markings… they’re wall paintings!” 

“Wall paintings?”

It just looks like squiggly lines to me.

“It’s a mural of Cladius.” 

“Vanessa?”

Vanessa, who had been silent unlike Elixira, suddenly perked up. As Elixira claims it’s a wall painting, Vanessa identifies it as depicting Cladius... but is that really true?

“These scales, if you look closely, are drawn as a skull, right? Only demons depict Cladius’s scales as skulls… I don’t know what this ruin is, but this civilization must have had a connection to demons.” 

“Only demons would depict it like that, huh.”

In that case, what’s with this intense security? The combat capability of the Naglfar rivals that of our country’s magic knights, and the traps are clearly designed to kill intruders. The only ones humans would set such deadly traps for would-be demons.

“Or maybe… what if the pitfall we fell into wasn’t even a trap, just wear and tear?” 

“Elixira, are you suggesting... that the Simba Dynasty, which built this ruin, was an advanced civilization on the surface, and that this underground part was actually drawn by demons from an even earlier era?” 

“Well, that’s one possible interpretation!”

I’m not dismissing it completely, but isn’t that a bit far-fetched? It’s possible the Simba Dynasty wasn’t that advanced and just happened to use Naglfar they dug up from the underground… an unlikely but conceivable theory.

“Or they simply had some contact with demons.” 

“Hopefully, we’ll find that answer ahead.”

Whether we find an answer or not, it’s up to us.