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Chapter 156

Dran and the others entered the excavation site, each of them holding lanterns, with Edward proceeding at the front as he was the one with the map.

In order to prevent a cave in, the interior of the excavation site was being reinforced by wood and earth magic, and lanterns with light stones inside them were hung up around them. But since they were in the middle of a break, the lanterns weren’t lit, to save energy.

Since they were surrounded on all sides by earth, they should have felt a feeling of oppression, but as the four of them walked, they didn’t show any signs of being bothered by it.

Edward was even in such a good mood, he was humming a song as he walked. He was gleefully talking to Dran about the time and materials and the procurement of labor needed in order to create this excavation site, and how much effort it all took.

Although there aren’t any mines like this near Bern Village, there are some open pit mines for excavating magic crystals and spirit stones, so Dran listened intently, as the information about excavation work would be useful for expanding those mines later.

「When we decided to excavate this place, we thought we could work on it as long as we had the money for it, but doesn’t the area to the east feel more suspicious?

I don’t think it will affect Sanzania immediately when war breaks out, and I don’t think the kingdom will interfere anytime soon either, but it’s a shame that this won’t be a multi-year excavation project.

I just hope I can find it before we have to stop. Well, even if I do find it, that doesn’t mean it’s the end. Ahaha, man, my head hurts」

Edward laughed with a cheerful voice, while Dran and Diadora, who was walking with her arms folded, didn’t hide their exasperation. However, although they were sick of him, it’s not like they were repulsed by him or hated him.

「Is that really something to laugh about? Even though you’re saying your dream might end up collapsing」

「This is only one part of his dream, so even if the Professor is restricted, he is full of determination to do something about it」

「So he isn’t one to get discouraged easily. Well if he was, he wouldn’t be able to spend all year digging underground, searching for something that he doesn’t even know for sure is there or not. He seems to be getting results, so all I can say is, well, do what you want then.」

Edward is living for his dream, but there is no doubt that he is brilliant, because he had dug up exactly where Dran and Diadora were sensing where the anomaly in the earth’s lines were showing up.

Although their shoes weren’t suitable for walking on bare ground, jutting rocks, and uneven terrain, Diadora and Dran followed Edward without stumbling or wobbling even once.

Eliza seemed to have something on her mind, as she spoke up to the two of them while trailing after Edward like a shadow.

「I’ve known about Dran for a while, but Diadora is also quick on her feet. Despite your origins as a spirit of the Black Rose, I can’t help but admire you」

「Is that so? You are also quite impressive, carrying something so heavy. Do you always follow Edward wherever he goes in that outfit?」

「Yes. As the professor’s maid, and as his guard, this is my uniform」

Her pride could clearly be heard in those words, and Diadora nodded, amused.

「I can’t speak for anyone else, but if you are being true to yourself, then that’s good」

While the two women exchanged conversation and deepened their friendship, Edward continued to walk on, steadily heading downward, but when he reached a fork in the road, he paused to decide on a direction to go.

Since Eliza wasn’t showing any signs of doubt, she must have agreed with his decision.

It was silent, and there was a dimness in some parts that the light of the lanterns could not dispel, but Dran and Diadora knew that they were steadily heading toward the place from which the Leylines were being manipulated.

「Professor, there seems to be a dead end up ahead, what is your intention in coming here?」

There were no excavation tools or any building materials for preventing cave-ins anywhere in this area. This must be where the excavation work had ended, or so Dran guessed, but that caused Edward to turn to him with a satisfied smile on his face.

Seeing a light full of expectation shining in his eyes, Dran could somewhat guess what Edward’s intention was.

「Well, actually, you see. Taking into account Sanzania’s newly stockpiled materials, the information that we know up to now, and my experience with the Celestial Beings, their technology and ideology, this spot that we’ve dug up to is not bad, but I think just up ahead is the place I’m looking for.

So then, I thought about how you two can sense the flow of the Leylines. It’s a little shameful to depend so much on you, but I ask that you please help me out」

「We are taking up your precious time together, we will properly apologize to you two. So we will definitely not reveal to anyone else that you two were here in Sanzania」

Edward and Eliza both bowed their heads at the same time as they offered that, and in response, Dran and Diadora muttered in their minds that they had been right.

Since they were invited to accompany them because they could sense the Leylines, this development was within their expectations.

「I personally don’t mind, but what about you, Diadora?」

「I do not mind either. Rather, I kept silent, but I already knew that ever since we came here.

Edward, just as you estimated, there is a large flow right here, but just below this area, it branches off into a smaller flow.

I don’t know if it’s being attracted by a relic of the Celestial Beings, or if it just happens to flow over the relic by coincidence, but I am sure that something like that is definitely there. Now as for the entrance to get there, well, isn’t it right around here?」

The reason why Diadora sounded a bit dismissive was because although she understood that her time alone with Dran had been interrupted, she still hadn’t fully digested the situation yet.

If Edward and Eliza don’t prepare a reward that can recompense for that, they would have no choice but to resign to the fact that nothing except for Dran himself could fix the Black Rose Spirit’s mood.

But that is something that can’t be helped. Both Edward and Eliza were aware that they were taking advantage of Dran and Diadora’s goodwill by making this brazen request of them.

「Oh, I’m really sorry, but also thank you. So it was not a mistake to choose this Mount Terenia as the excavation site. I guess the next challenge is to find the closest place to the relic that lies down below」

「The place where the power of the Leyline is spewing out, the spiritual opening, can be felt just ahead of this dead end. Perhaps it’s an entrance that connects to a facility below, or maybe it’s something like an elevator?」

「Yes, that is what caused the land of Solania itself to move, and it performed the function of an elevator, so it could be that this entire mountain is the Celestials’ legacy, or it could be that the area we’re in right now is just camouflage to hide this place from the people from the stars」

Even if the civilization of the Celestial Beings was said to have been declining, they were still able to do things like create artificial mountains and islands.

It is unclear whether the mountain got covered up due to tectonic movement or the passage of time ever since the destruction of their civilization, or if it was built in the shape of a mountain from the beginning in order to disguise it, but they would find out the truth soon enough.

Edward and Eliza placed their lanterns on the ground, and began to thoroughly stare at the wall and ceiling at the dead end.

They’ve surely looked through this area already, but since they were told there was a spiritual opening up ahead, they must want to check for it right away.

If they don’t find it soon, they’ll be even more ashamed to keep Dran and Diadora held up any longer, even though they came all this way to show them where it was.

Dran gave a small, wry smile, put his own lantern down, and whispered softly.

「Let there be light」

It was a rudimentary magic, which generates a ball of light that serves as a light source as it hangs in the air. The light generated by Dran’s magic is just as bright as the light of day.

「Professor, you seem to be holding back, but you’ve come this far, so please feel free to ask us for help. And besides, there seems to be something that is blocking any magical or other means of exploration here in this mountain.

So the reason why your investigation until now always ended here, was probably because of that. However, if that’s the case, then it’s safe to assume that this facility, and the mechanisms that protect it, are still alive.」

Without waiting for an answer from Edward, Dran traced the tip of his finger along the wall.

The slightly damp rock wall felt so natural to the touch, it was hard to believe that it was man-made.

Furthermore, the Celestial Beings and their race itself declined and was brought to an end by their own arrogance, ending their civilization, and leaving behind only this small legacy, buried in the ground.

「Such is life, but as someone who once died, that isn’t my place to say. Will the fact that I existed remain…? 」

Birth, growth, glory, decline, death. Even my Ancient Celestial Dragon flesh and blood body was subject to those rules, and even as Dran, with a shortened lifespan, to laugh at the Celestials’ civilization is to mock himself.

A few moments after Dran began walking along the rock wall, he reached a point where an illusion had been applied, so that any clairvoyant who saw it would see a false image.

Even though the Celestial Beings boasted science and magic technology far more advanced than the civilizations on earth today, even they hadn’t reached a level where they could deceive the perception of an Ancient Celestial Dragon.

If Ryoukichi and the others were aware of this and left it alone, or if they weren’t aware and were forced to leave it alone, either way, this could be a very troublesome legacy…

「Optical camouflage, both magical and scientific, in a 3D image with substance. The cognitive inhibition that is sending information to the five senses is a bonus. Fumu, average, I guess?」

At the same time that Dran made that assessment of it, the device creating the cognitive inhibition received interference from Dran’s magic, and then stopped functioning, without making a single sound.

There were supposed to be many layers of heavy security, but Dran was capable of ignoring them, as if they weren’t even there. Well, it’s too late to point that out now, since everyone knows.

As the rock that Dran’s finger touched disappeared, that corner of the rock wall, which gave off the impression of holding overwhelmingly great mass, also disappeared, and left behind a large open passage, reminiscent of the gaping open mouth of some giant creature.

Unlike the facility in Solania or the one occupied by Gajura and the others, this one was built by digging right into the rock wall, and the inside of the room was made up of seamless building material, unique to the Celestial Beings.

「Ooh, to think the entrance was this close. No, no, it’s probably hard to find the legacy of a living Celestial Being unless you have the authorization to access it or something.

In that sense, although the harvest would be smaller, that means a dead facility should be much easier to find!」