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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Teottry
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Sunlight streamed through the branches and leaves overhead. Despite the dawn, the forest remained dim, the dense foliage only allowing slivers of sunlight to penetrate. Considering how early night fell in the forest, even this meager light would be short-lived.
Roland, sword drawn, circled the enormous tree, examining it closely. Was this what the mythical World Tree looked like? The tree was so massive that even five or six men with outstretched arms couldn’t fully encircle it.
At its base was a knot hole, large enough for a person to enter. Roland tossed a stone into the hole, which was as black as pitch, seemingly rejecting all light. The stone vanished, just like the goblin had.
As if it had never existed. It wasn’t simply hidden by darkness.
“This is unbelievable.”
Roland wore an expression of disbelief.
My expression was probably similar. There was a significant difference between knowing something and experiencing it firsthand. I quickly schooled my features. This was supposed to be my second visit.
“Do you still not believe me?”
“I’ve never doubted your word, Master Allen.”
Roland lied without batting an eye. His sudden change in attitude suggested that his suspicion had completely vanished. Or perhaps he had no time to be suspicious.
I subtly tested him.
“Let’s return to the manor and prepare for the expedition.”
“Prepare…?”
Roland’s gaze remained fixed on the knot hole, a dazed look in his eyes.
Well, with a chance to turn his life around, a chance greater than winning the lottery, right in front of him, it was understandable that he was captivated.
“Most people will dismiss the rumors of ancient ruins as nonsense, but there will always be those who act impulsively. We need to report this discovery immediately and mobilize the servants and serfs for the expedition.”
“We can’t do that. It’s too dangerous.”
Roland quickly interjected.
“Dangerous?”
I asked innocently, feigning ignorance. Roland finally turned away from the tree and looked at me, his frustration evident.
“If we mobilize the commoners, word of the discovery will spread. If a greedy noble hears about it, we won’t be able to protect the ruins. Even if we obtain the artifacts, they’ll be taken from us.”
“Are you suggesting we go in alone? We don’t know what dangers lie within the ancient ruins.”
“That’s precisely why we need to bring competent people with us. We’ll hire mercenaries from Quaran.”
I frowned and waved my hand dismissively.
“The problem is whether we can trust them. And even if we could, we don’t have the money to pay them. The family’s coffers have been empty for a while. Perhaps Mother would lend us some if we asked?”
“I have some savings. I’ll pay for the mercenaries. In return, I’d like a share of the artifacts.”
“How much do you want?”
“Since I’m investing the money and doing most of the work, I think… one-tenth would be fair.”
Roland, who usually freeloaded off me, was offering to pay out of his own pocket. However, he was only asking for one-tenth in return. If he had asked for half, or even more, I might have believed he was sincere.
“Are you trying to take advantage of me? I’ll just ask Mother. It’s a small investment compared to the value of the artifacts, so she’ll gladly agree.”
Roland fell silent, his eyes darkening like a murky swamp. His hand rested on the hilt of the sword at his waist. Silence descended, and I felt a suffocating pressure.
It was as if an invisible hand was choking me. Was this the killing intent Fiore had mentioned? Roland and I were the only ones who knew about the ancient ruins. He was planning to kill me and take it all for himself.
I couldn’t let that happen. I forced myself to speak.
“The problem is, there might not be any artifacts in the ancient ruins. If that’s the case, Mother will be furious about the wasted investment.”
The ancient ruins themselves were based on rumors. While there were stories of people obtaining artifacts, no one knew who had actually found them. The existence of the artifacts was uncertain.
What if there were no artifacts? He would become a fugitive with nothing to show for it. Anya had seen us leave together. He couldn’t kill me until he confirmed the existence of the artifacts.
I reminded him of that fact.
The oppressive atmosphere instantly dissipated. The invisible hand around my neck vanished like smoke. The sounds of the wind rustling through the leaves and the chirping of birds returned.
Roland, as if he hadn’t just threatened me, spoke casually, his hand no longer on his sword.
“Not only that, she’s a greedy woman. She’ll demand a much larger share than me. Perhaps… she’ll want it all.”
Now Roland was badmouthing his lover, Sophia. It seemed he had completely fallen for my trap. I inwardly sighed in relief, stroking my chin and nodding.
“Indeed, that’s likely.”
“Then…”
“Who else can I trust but you?”
Roland smiled, and I smiled back.
Roland immediately rode to Quaran, saying he would hire mercenaries. Meanwhile, I returned to the village. I had some preparations to make while he was away.
I had planned to use Jin or Fiore if Roland hadn’t found out about my trip, but now, going to Quaran and risking running into Roland would only rekindle his suspicion.
So, I needed someone else, and there was only one person who came to mind. Fortunately, he agreed to my request, despite its difficulty. In fact, he seemed rather pleased.
Well—
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Roland returned the next morning with five men who looked like mercenaries.
“Isn’t this overkill?”
“We don’t know what dangers lie ahead.”
All five mercenaries were wearing chainmail armor, each set worth more than ten gold coins. If they had horses, they could have passed for knights.
One of them even carried a heavy crossbow, more powerful than a regular crossbow. Judging by the windlass he carried, he was a professional crossbowman. Such mercenaries commanded double the price.
Had Roland invested all his savings? If so, it was even more dangerous. Having invested everything, he would be desperate to recoup his losses, and then some.
Sharing? Dividing the spoils? He wouldn’t even consider it. I was certain. The question was the relationship between Roland and the mercenaries. Were they truly just hired hands? Or was there something more?
The crossbowman, catching my eye, slightly lifted his helmet in greeting.
“Hendricks, at your service, My Lord.”
“I’ll be counting on you today.”
Hendricks grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth.
“You won’t be disappointed.”
I decided to observe him a bit longer. Frankly, I wasn’t too worried. This was an age of barbarism. No one could resist the lure of treasure. Not even if they had a prior relationship.
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As we entered the knot hole, we were greeted by blinding sunlight. Having come from the shadowy forest, we instinctively raised our hands to shield our eyes.
Through my fingers, I could see a sheer cliff face, covered in vines, rising endlessly. It was practically vertical, making it impossible to climb. We were in a giant pit.
Splash, splash, splash
A waterfall cascaded down one side of the cliff, creating a misty spray and a sizable lake at the bottom.
At the far end of the pit, a pyramid-like structure, carved into the cliff face like Petra, stood majestically. A single, weathered path stretched from where we stood to the structure.
The knot hole we had entered through was gone, replaced by a solid wall. The ancient ruin, or rather, the dungeon, which trapped you inside until certain conditions were met, looked exactly like it did in the game.
“What the fuck is this?”
Hendricks suddenly cursed. The other mercenaries, though silent, looked equally bewildered. They drew their swords and cautiously scanned their surroundings.
“Sir! This doesn’t look like a simple goblin nest!”
The mercenaries looked at Roland, who had entered last. He calmly surveyed the area and said,
“Does it matter? Look around. What do you think this mystical place signifies? That’s right. This is the legendary ancient ruin. Instead of cursing, you should be thanking me for this opportunity.”
Gulp.
“An ancient ruin?”
“Yes. A place where artifacts with mystical powers slumber. Treasures that could change your life are hidden here.”
The mercenaries, who had been bewildered just moments ago, now had greedy gleams in their eyes. After all, if they valued their lives, they wouldn’t have become mercenaries.
That’s why Roland had waited until they entered the ancient ruins to reveal their true mission.
Another mercenary spoke.
“By opportunity, do you mean we’ll get a share of the treasure?”
“I swear on my honor.”
“You tricked us into coming here, and now you talk about honor…”
“Don’t misunderstand. I didn’t tell you beforehand because I was worried word might spread.”
“Sure you were.”
Having been tricked into coming here, they wouldn’t trust him easily. Despite their hostility, Roland remained calm. Well, with their escape route blocked, the mercenaries had only one choice.
I stood a few steps away, avoiding unnecessary animosity from the mercenaries. Being killed by a stray arrow in the back during a fight would be a truly pointless death.
“We won’t stay silent if you break your promise.”
The mercenaries, who had been whispering amongst themselves, returned. Hendricks, their representative, spoke to Roland.
“Don’t worry. We’ll all be rich.”
No one would believe those words.
Once the situation was somewhat settled, Roland organized the group.
“Master Allen should lead the way. Sir Hendricks and I will flank him, so it will be the safest position.”
It seemed like a reasonable arrangement, if not for the fact that the path was barely wide enough for three people to walk abreast.
As the fight progressed, the formation would naturally shift into a wedge, and while those on the flanks only had to deal with enemies in front of them, the exposed leader would be surrounded.
Moreover, the others wouldn’t risk their lives to protect me, so the leading position was practically a death trap.
Roland probably wasn’t planning to have me killed by monsters. If that happened, he would be held responsible for my death. He was simply trying to secure the safest position for himself.
But what good was a safe position if you ended up dead anyway? I understood why he had taken the lead, even at the risk of antagonizing the mercenaries.
“As expected, you’re the only one who cares about me, Sir Roland.”
I didn’t refuse the leading position. Leading Roland here had been part of my plan from the beginning. Though Roland’s discovery of my outings had forced me to expedite the plan, I was well-prepared.
Roland grinned. I grinned back.
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Then,
Thump. Thump. Thump.
The sound of drums echoed through the air. The deep, rough sound, as if played on a low-quality drum, emanated from the pyramid-like structure carved into the cliff face. The sound, slow but steady, grew louder.
“What the fuck is that?”
“To your positions! Form the formation we discussed!”
After a brief moment of confusion, we quickly formed a formation. I was at the front.
The drumming grew closer, followed by the light sound of footsteps, as if barely brushing the ground. Yellow eyes began to gleam from the shadows of the cliffs and strange rock formations.
“Goblins—!”
“Holy shit! There’s more than just a few!”
“A few? Damn, there must be hundreds!”
The reason I hadn’t explored this ruin despite knowing about its existence was right in front of me.
The highlight was the goblin army marching out of the pyramid-like structure in formation. Their ranks, five goblins abreast, seemed endless. We were about to be surrounded.
“Sir Roland!”
“We’re going inside that building!”
“What? Are you crazy? Look at how many there are!”
“Do you want to just stay here and die? The cliff is too high, and the vines aren’t strong enough to support our weight! We’re trapped! Our only option is to break through the goblins and find an escape route! Everyone, prepare for battle!”
Though he was my enemy, his judgment was sound. It was worth bringing him here. Yes, I planned to use Roland to clear this dungeon, which was currently beyond my capabilities. And that wasn’t all.
“Damn it! I knew I shouldn’t have taken this job!”
“Enough talk! Wedge formation! Charge!”
I was at the forefront. I tightened my grip on my sword and charged. The enemy ranks broke, and a goblin at the front rushed towards me. The distance between us closed rapidly. Just as the goblin was about to leap at me,
“Kieeek—!”
Something unexpected happened.
The goblin, which had been aiming for me, suddenly twisted its face in a scream and flew past me.
It flew towards Roland. Roland, caught off guard, instinctively swung his sword, decapitating the goblin.
My gaze was fixed on the bottom right corner of my vision. As Roland killed the goblin, my experience points increased slightly.
‘This is what they call power leveling.’
It was even more rewarding than I had imagined.
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It seems like the MC is going to gain a lot of levels this time. Will Allen’s… ahem… manhood also grow? 😏
