Open World (5)
The Ruin Scholar's signature fire magic was as vicious as his notoriety.
Even with countless people gathered from all over the city, it was all they could do to prevent the flames from spreading further.
In the end, the fire was only extinguished after seven school masters joined forces and cast a spell.
Swaaaaaaaaa!
Rain poured down as if the sky had opened up.
“Waaaaaaaaaa!”
Some cheered as they saw the flames dying down, some sighed in relief, and some just collapsed to the ground as if they didn't even have the energy to shout.
For reference, I was the last case.
“…Damn it.”It’s finally over.
My heated body cooled down quickly, and my tension also dissipated.
I collapsed to the ground and lay down.
And I immediately regretted it.
“Ha.”
The lukewarm ground.
The ashes that had been flying all night were mixed with rainwater, making it sticky.
It was an environment that would make anyone feel uncomfortable.
But I was too tired to get up again.
After some time…
“Oh my god! I thought you were hurt!”
…I opened my eyes, and Raven was looking down at me.
“…But you’re not really hurt, right?”
“I’m just resting because I’m tired, so leave me alone.”
“If you’re going to rest, you should go back and wash up proper—”
“Later.”
“Okay. You worked hard…”
I got up after lying down for a few more minutes.
Because the water had reached my ears.
The drainage here wasn’t very good.
“…You also look like a mess.”
“You’re one to talk.”
We walked towards the undamaged part of the city, covered in black soot.
We saw people everywhere.
Some were desperately searching for someone they had lost, and some were rummaging through the debris, hoping to find survivors.
They all looked like us.
“By the way, what time is it?”
“It’s almost noon.”
Noon on June 2nd…
It was a bit funny.
Until now, only explorers would be in this state at this time.
“The rain has stopped.”
The dark clouds that had filled the sky dispersed, and warm sunlight started to shine through, as if the mages had deactivated their magic.
And at the same time…
“Bjorn!!”
…I saw Misha in the distance.
Ainar and Erwen were also next to her.
So they had also come after hearing the news last night.
Judging by their appearance, which was no different from ours, they must have also struggled to put out the fire all night.
“…Are you hurt anywhere?”
Although I was worried she might nag me, Misha didn’t say anything.
It was because of the people around us.
“Mr, Mr. Viscount Yandel…!”
The few survivors I had rescued last night.
Well, she couldn’t ask me why I did that in front of them.
“Why are you still here? Shouldn’t you be resting?”
The survivors hesitated and expressed their gratitude as I spoke as if I didn’t understand.
And then they left.
What, they waited all this time just to say that?
‘Then they shouldn’t have been so afraid of me just because I’m a noble.’
I chuckled and continued walking.
The undamaged eastern district soon appeared.
We first found a place to stay nearby.
We couldn’t take a carriage home in this state.
And in the first place, it would take several hours to get home, and I wanted to rest now.
‘I wonder how much it costs per night in Karnon…’
It was expected to be much more expensive than the commercial district, Commelby, since it was the Imperial City, but I couldn’t find out the price today.
Because it was free.
“The manager ordered us not to charge anyone today.”
All the accommodations nearby were offering rooms for free to the citizens and explorers who had come to help put out the fire.
“Please fill out this form before you go up… Viscount Bjorn Yandel?!”
“Yes.”
“I’ve heard a lot about you. They said you worked the hardest today… On behalf of the city, thank you.”
I don’t know if it was because of my noble title or my fame.
But the employee at the counter gave me the largest room they had left.
The others were sharing a room with fourteen people?
It had a living room, three bedrooms, and even two bathrooms, so it was more than enough for the five of us.
“You use one of the bathrooms, Bjorn. We’ll take turns using the other one.”
“Thank you.”
I entered the bathroom and washed up, not refusing my companions’ consideration. It took about an hour, even though I tried to wash up quickly.
‘I’ll wash the borrowed equipment and return it later…’
I just put the equipment I took off in a corner of the room and lay down on the bed, closing my eyes.
It was a soft bed, as expected of a room in Karnon, the Imperial City.
Fatigue washed over me.
‘By the way, I wonder what happened in the labyrinth? Did the army win? I’m curious…’
Well, I could find out tomorrow.
That was my last thought before sleepiness took over, and when I opened my eyes the next morning…
“…It’s the army!!”
…the royal army that went underground had returned.
My heart sank.
‘What the hell happened down there?’
I couldn’t find any traces of battle on them as they headed towards the royal palace on the road.
_____________________
A dark underground passage, devoid of light.
Tens of thousands of people were walking in a line, relying on torches.
They were all from Noark…
“This way.”
…and an unknown old man was leading the way at the forefront. The Lord of the city was following right behind him.
“Lord, we don’t even know his identity. We should head somewhere else…”
“Watch your words. He’s the only one we can trust now.”
“But he knows these hidden paths that even we don’t know. It’s too suspicious. Maybe the royal family is trying to trick—”
“Stop.”
The Lord firmly cut off his subordinate’s words.
He understood why they were suspicious of the old man.
And why they were so anxious.
But the royal family trying to trick them?
That was too much of a stretch.
They would have already been wiped out along with the city of Noark if it weren’t for that old man.
“We have no choice. Trust him.”
The Lord muttered helplessly, recalling what had happened earlier.
[Lord, the royal army has invaded!]
The army had arrived right after midnight.
It was the time when all the city’s forces were in the labyrinth.
The royal army started their advance, shattering the barrier that had been protecting the city.
[We’ll take all the citizens to the shelter.]
Although he was momentarily stunned, the Lord led everyone who remained in the city to the shelter beneath the fortress.
It was a shelter that could accommodate thousands of people, built by the royal family in the distant past.
After all, the fortress city of Noark had once been a royal palace.
Around the time when the Witch’s curse destroyed the world.
Humanity, gathered from all over the continent, built a city underground and lived there for a long time, expanding the protective barrier until they could finally go to the surface.
That’s why the labyrinth portals existed.
[Yes, they’re stationed at the plaza and aren’t moving. It seems like they’re waiting for the portal to open.]
Fortunately, or unfortunately, the royal family didn’t seem interested in them, who were hiding in the shelter.
The reason was simple.
The explorers would come out when the portal opened.
The royal family’s priority was to eliminate the explorers.
They could just destroy the shelter later.
[Contact the surface.]
The Lord eventually requested support from the surface, and the Ruin Scholar drew their attention by burning down the Imperial City.
But…
[Those bastards.]
…the army didn’t return to the city.
And even the Ruin Scholar, their last hope, had suddenly stopped responding.
Time passed…
[11:41]
…and only 20 minutes were left until the portal opened and the explorers who had been spending their time in the labyrinth returned.
[Listen to me.]
The Lord gave orders to the remaining forces, feeling desperate.
It was the best he could do at the time.
He chose the only path he judged to have even a slight chance of survival, even though he didn’t know how many would die.
[Open the gate!!]
Right before the hour hand reached noon, the Lord led the remaining forces out of the shelter. And they desperately tried to break through the army that was waiting for them and head towards the plaza.
The sight was even more despairing when he saw it with his own eyes.
[…….]
There were thousands of knights, and even more soldiers.
Mages and priests were also stationed everywhere.
But it was too late to turn back.
[The portal is opening!!]
[Get ready!!]
A blue light gathered in the center of the plaza, and the portal opened, spewing out explorers.
[What, what?!]
[It’s the royal family! The royal army!]
[Damn it! No wonder there was no one inside!]
The explorers were flustered to see the army waiting for them as soon as they returned to the city, but they quickly understood, as they had already sensed something was off in the labyrinth.
[What are you doing! Are we just going to die here?]
[Draw your swords, you bastards!]
The explorers immediately took out their weapons and got ready to fight, and the Lord also led his forces and tried to draw their attention from the outskirts.
And he only gave one order.
[Run away! To the surface!]
The best plan he could choose.
Every man for himself.
To somehow survive and fight another day.
But did that catch his eye?
[So this is the face of the leader of the rebels. I’m surprised you look so normal.]
A knight soon arrived in front of him.
The dazzling Aura emanating from his sword told him who he was.
[The Knight of Light…!]
Jerome Saintred, the captain of the 1st Royal Knight Order.
A powerful figure who held great significance in this kingdom, even having the title of ‘Protector of the Royal Family’.
[Don’t worry. You won’t die here. I’ll just cut off your limbs and take you alive, just in case.]
The Knight of Light swung his sword.
The Lord, who had only explored up to the 5th floor for a few years in his twenties, couldn’t even see it.
Whoosh!
A flash of light blinded him, following the trajectory of the sword.
But…
Flash!
…when the fleeting flash faded and he opened his eyes…
“…?”
…he was fine.
His arms moved, and his legs were still attached to his body.
What the hell happened?
That’s when, as he was wondering…
[You still have a role to fulfill.]
…the old man appeared, dozens of meters above ground.
The battle around them had stopped.
It wasn’t voluntary.
Just like how the Knight of Light was trembling, his sword pointed at the Lord’s neck, no one here could move to harm another.
As if it were a rule of this space.
[Well, now that everyone’s here, let’s go.]
A giant magic circle started glowing on the city floor as the old man gestured.
It was an overwhelming magical energy he had never felt before.
[Fortunately, this is still working.]
His vision blurred at the old man’s mutter.
And…
Flash!
…when he came to his senses, the Lord was in a dark underground passage.
And it wasn’t just him.
Everyone from Noark was there…
[Wh, what did you do?!]
[Mass Teleportation? No, there’s no way you can transport this many people…]
…and there were even a few knights who were dragged along.
[There seems to be a slight error since I transported so many people at once. Ah, I didn’t bring them on purpose, so just kill them.]
The Lord, as if possessed, followed the old man’s instructions and had his men kill the knights. And he followed the old man, who started walking with a meaningful smile, as he asked where they were.
After some time…
“Have you figured out who he is?”
…the Lord snapped out of his thoughts at a man’s voice.
Surprisingly, the captain of Orculus was speaking to the old man with respect.
“Well, there’s no answer if there’s no question.”
“So you’re saying to figure it out myself. Okay.”
The captain, who had been at odds with the Lord in many aspects, dividing Noark’s power, obediently bowed and stepped back.
Although it was a strange sight…
…the Lord’s curiosity about the old man grew even further.
‘Just who is he?’
He thought about asking the captain.
After all, he was the one who told his members to stay put and not act rashly as soon as they were teleported.
He must have known something.
But…
‘He wouldn’t tell me.’
Instead of asking the captain, the Lord approached the old man. And he actively tried to have a conversation that he couldn’t before because of a strange sense of unease.
Unexpectedly, the old man was very friendly.
“Ah, you’re talking about the teleportation? I just borrowed the power of the ancient magic circle in the city, so don’t think too much of it. It’s the same for being able to temporarily stop the battle. Noark is a well-designed city.”
“I didn’t even know something like that existed…”
“Kekeke, it’s strange that you would know. Don’t be discouraged. So is that all you’re curious about?”
The Lord asked the old man various questions, and the old man answered most of them, except for the question about their destination.
After some time…
“Well, we’re here.”
The narrow passage widened, and a sloped path appeared.
And…
“What is this place…?”
…they came out to the surface after climbing the hill.
The Lord could confidently say that it was a sight he had never seen before.
Sunlight, a forest, a flowing stream, chirping birds, and a worm wriggling on the damp ground.
And most importantly…
“There are no walls…?”
No matter where he looked, there were no walls.
In other words, it meant that they weren’t in Lafdonia, the last bastion.
“Wh, where is this…?”
The Lord muttered blankly and turned towards the old man. He could see the old man smiling beneath his hood.
“Congratulations. You’ll be recorded as the first people to leave the city in thousands of years.”
June 2nd, 154th year of the Change Era.
The era of being trapped behind walls had finally come to an end, and a new world had opened up.
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