The bonus stage, The Brothers Tomb, was a puzzle that didnt require any particular strength to clear, fitting the the.
To be precise, keen observation and mory were required. Even that could be easily done with notes.
Right oval, triangle above, the second candlestick to the left, and a trumpet below
Shiron held a pen and paper, ticulously docunting the inside of the cave as he moved forward.
The way he looked around, making sure he didnt miss anything, raised questions to anyone watching.
However, Lucia and Berta just quietly watched Shiron.
It was a good plan. Berta was very curious about the bait that Shiron ntioned, but due to Lucias icy stare, she had to keep her mouth shut.
The wound on her neck from Lucia still stung.
Shiron, having turned his back to them, chewed on the beef jerky he had brought with him.
He was worried that maybe the thieves from before might have damaged it, but fortunately, it was just a needless concern.
Artifacts were placed all around the cave, showing signs of human modification and having magical properties that made them invisible unless one focused on recognizing them.
Slowly.
Was it done?
Shiron wiped the sweat that had ford on his forehead.
Finding hidden pictures in the dark cave was harder than he thought. Having spent quite a bit of effort, when he reached the end of the cave, Shiron put a period on the paper.
He squinted his eyes and quickly skimd through the densely written notes. It was to contrast and check if there were any discrepancies from his mories.
I was a bit worried.
Contrary to his concerns, nothing was missing or added. Relieved, Shiron looked up.
He faced a pale blue stone wall.
Unlike the paths he had passed, this space had no distinct features, making it stand out and quite obvious to Shiron. He thought of it as an impurity in the ga.
In the ga, when you brought the cursor close, there was a spot that flashed.
But now, there wasnt even a mouse, let alone an interface.
He had no choice but to touch the stone wall and ticulously check for any differences.
Shiron slowly brushed over every corner of the stone wall.
He briefly considered asking for Lucia and Bertas help, but soon, he found a section that felt slightly different to the touch.
What followed was predictable.
He pushed forward with all his might. That was all.
Koo-goo-goo-gong-
Suddenly, there was a loud, earth-shaking effect.
!
Sir?!
Lucia, who had been watching, widened her eyes in shock, and Berta staggered, calling out to Shiron.
Lucia. Dont open your eyes until I say its okay. And dont move.
Understood.
Shiron turned his head to warn her, and Lucia obediently closed her eyes.
Refusing his request at this point seed foolish. She decided not to ask unnecessarily about what Shiron wanted to show her and how he knew about this place. She felt shed find out when they reached the end of the cave anyway.
Sir? What about ?
Berta found it strange that Shiron hadnt said anything to her.
Do as you please. If youre curious, keep your eyes open.
Ill Ill close them!
Once he confird that she closed her eyes tightly, Shiron lowered his outstretched hand.
And then, the wall in front of them disappeared.
The clichd event of a stone wall crumbling down to reveal a secret passage did not occur.
Instead, the scenery around them changed rapidly with every blink of an eye.
Once.
Twice.
From an endless blue adow, suddenly, it transford into a sun-beaten sandy beach. The abrupt change in environnt, even without any physical movent, disoriented their senses and induced nausea.
Even though I prepared myself, its still making dizzy.
Ugh.
While lost in such thoughts, the sound of soone retching ca from behind.
However, Shiron didnt stop altering the scenery with his blinks. Its best to get through such situations as quickly as possible.
The place changed dozens of tis. They finally reached a point where the scenery remained unchanged, no matter how much he blinked. Shiron exhaled deeply and looked back.
Were here. You can open your eyes now.
With Shirons permission, Lucia slowly opened her eyes.
Upon doing so, she saw they had arrived at a fog-covered graveyard. Just a mont ago, they were in a dark cave. Moving so suddenly to a different place, Lucia recalled a particular term in her mind.
Is this a transfer maze?
She felt a hot and dry wind, and then soon after, a cool grassy scent wafted by. Feeling not just through sight but other senses, Lucia subtly realized they were headed sowhere. And now, there was a sll of vomit.
Ugh. Bleh. Transfer you said?
I told you not to open your eyes, but you defiantly did anyway.
Im sorry.
With teary eyes, Berta apologized, and Shiron looked at her with disdain.
The source of the sll was none other than Berta.
Whatever she had thrown up had disappeared sowhere during the repeated transfers, but sadly, the rest hadnt. Lucia took two steps away from her.
How in the world did such an imbecile beco a special force inspector what happened in the last 500 years?
Lucia felt like leaving Berta sowhere completely different.
While moving through the fog-covered graveyard, it was Lucia who spoke up.
Shiron. This one here we probably need to get her changed. She slls terrible.
Perhaps.
Um Sir? I promise I wont ss up again. Please.
Berta seized the mont, speaking with desperation in her voice. She couldnt bear it any longer.
What was so unbearable for her? The situation itself was a great ordeal for her.
She was familiar with the scent of blood and filth. Even a noble lady who would never co face-to-face with a corpse in her entire life, would eventually beco indifferent to these scents, having served in the special forces.
However
Berta held the position of an inspector within the special forces. Having always been involved in high-profile tasks like VIP protection or assassination - in other words, glamorous tasks - her current situation felt deeply shaful.
She was always at the forefront, slaughtering enemies.
After sweeping away the enemies, Berta, the mad dog of the special forces, would gulp whiskey from her hip flask and light up a cigar.
She was quite pleased with her renowned nickna as it flashed before her like images from a movie.
But what on earth was her current state?
The current Berta was the complete opposite of that image.
There were stains of whatever she had vomited all over the tightly tied ropes. Even those ropes were part of her personal items that she usually carried.
To make matters worse, those who currently had her restrained were children who were not even at their pri age.
No matter how prestigious the Prient family was in the empire, being defeated by re kids and paraded in such a humiliating manner was unthinkable.
The situation was more than enough to destabilize her ntal state. It wouldnt be an exaggeration to say she felt like she had fallen into a bottomless pit.
Moreover, she was constantly ridiculed for the sll.
Tears welled up in Bertas eyes, but she desperately held back from shedding them.
Enough is enough.
Shiron, while setting up so pieces on a tombstone, looked at Berta.
Inspector Berta.
Yes.
You just lied, didnt you?
Shall we go over it again? What? Close your eyes? I clearly warned you to keep your eyes closed. But you defiantly opened them and started retching.
Im ashad.
Berta was at a loss for words. Her voice, filled with defeat, was tinged with tears.
Its fortunate that I didnt kill soone who has already lost my trust once. Regardless of it being a mistake, you aid a knife at . Consider this a punishnt.
Shiron then turned his attention back to arranging the pieces.
I might need to learn so magic. The inconvenience is not just a little bit.
From what he had seen of Lucias sword prowess earlier, he felt that knowing magic would allow various applications for his benefit. Even now, if he could use wind or water magic, he wouldnt have to listen to Bertas whining.
Shiron twisted a grave piece statue of a dolphin and an angel blowing a horn in a clockwise direction, solving the last puzzle.
A short while later
Not only the stone coffin in front of Shiron but also the nurous other coffins around him dispersed like mirages, leaving only one behind.
Shiron approached the last remaining coffin.
The coffin of the Brother.
He opened the lid, which only had a single line of pitiable writing on it.
A sword?
Lucia, who had approached him, raised an eyebrow questioningly.
Inside, there lay a lone sword with a pristine white blade.
Its not just any sword.
Shiron took out the brilliantly shining sword.
Its a Holy Sword.
Holy Sword.
At the ntion of that burdenso na, Lucias fingertips trembled.
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