It was a staircase that appeared out of nowhere, but maybe it was because I saw the road open and close at will after coming down here.
I wasn’t too surprised.
However, I couldn’t not go up, so I climbed the stairs slowly, paying attention as much as possible.
After about 5 minutes passed, I reached a dead end.
To be precise, something was blocking the ceiling, and a wind mixed with the smell of grass came in through the gap.
It was probably left unattended for a long time and the vines seemed to be covering the exit.
In response, Willwright, who was in charge of the lead, slowly cut down the covered bushes with a dagger, revealing the scenery outside.
Is it because the light suddenly came on?
Or maybe it’s because of the change in consciousness that came out.
The weather felt really good.
“I like the fresh air outside.”
I looked around as I listened to Alan’s comments similar to mine.
It wasn’t the entrance I first entered, but the surrounding scenery was similar.
It didn’t seem too far from the entrance.
“What the hell was that? Labyrinth structures can be reproduced with technology, but implementing them underground… … .”
“As expected, is it difficult to make something like that underground?”
“It’s hard to say for sure because the fields are different, but I think so.”
I also silently agreed with Alan’s question.
“I don’t know what it is, but if you investigate this, you might find out.”
That was what he said when he saw the cube brought out from the altar.
I didn’t even budge when Willwright and Alan heard it, because it sounded normal when I touched it.
After getting out of the forest, I decided to go straight down from the Roman Mountains.
The investigation of the mountain range was almost done, and Willite had a lot to report to the queen.
By the time the sun went down, we were able to leave the mountains.
We decided to stay overnight at a nearby inn and return to the capital.
Willwright took a room on the first floor for escort reasons.
Alan and I took a room on the second floor, accessible only through Willwright’s room.
After getting our rooms, I went to Alan’s.
He was looking around the room curiously.
“What are you doing?”
“Ah, low. I was just curious, so I was looking around.”
“Interesting? A room at an inn?”
“I’ve only heard of a place like this, but it’s the first time I’ve used it myself.”
Come to think of it, Alan was the eldest son of a ducal family.
It was not strange, since even the sons of a decent number of aristocratic families rarely used a place like this.
“But it’s amazing that you act like you’re used to places like this, even in the mountains.”
“Does it look like that?”
“uh… … is not it?”
“I’m just pretending to be calm, I’m not used to it.”
After putting it around properly, we discussed how to move afterwards.
Even if it was said that he had moved with Alan until now, he couldn’t do that after that.
‘It draws too much attention to going to the Illami estate with Alan.’
Going to the Romont Mountains near the royal capital and Rostain for training is an act that is less likely to be seen as strange.
It’s a place where only jute comes out, and Alan and I used to be friends.
But the Illami estate is not like that.
It’s quite a distance and the transportation is inconvenient. Are you going there together?
I have no choice but to buy some attention.
“In addition, I won’t be going to Rothstein’s parents’ house until I achieve my goal in the future.”
He didn’t explain why, but Alan nodded.
No matter how close I am to him, frequent visits to the duke’s house would certainly draw attention.
“If I need to contact you, I will send someone or a letter, so let me know.”
“All right. Then, all that remains is the cube.”
Alan’s and I’s gaze turned to the cube.
Not sure what this thing was, but I could guess.
“If you look only at the appearance, it looks like a lock… … .”
Among the magical security devices installed, there were objects similar to this one.
‘If possible, I should find out what this is today.’
Willite knew about the existence of the cube obtained from the underground temple where the altar was located, so he had to report it.
It was like feeling a sense of difference, and how the Heavenly Spirit reacted.
If possible, I wanted to figure out what this was before entering the palace.
“Your Majesty, let’s try to solve it.”
“I?”
“Me and Sir Willwright couldn’t even move. Didn’t he hold it with one hand?”
“It might be worth a try.”
I immediately accepted Alan’s suggestion and tried it.
This type of lock usually works as a password, so I injected my magic into it, but there was no reaction.
Usually, when you inject something like this, it feels wrong or clogged, but this guy didn’t even feel that way.
However, that didn’t mean there was no way.
There was a way I had in mind to do it.
Tsutsutsu.
The method I thought of was the activation of the heavenly decree.
It was because I reacted to this when I first discovered the underground stairs and when I picked up the cube.
‘Probably, it’s something related to the heavenly spirit.’
I don’t know how they are related, but there are occasional artifacts that resonate with each other in this way.
There were cases where they worked only when they were gathered together, or the performance was amplified.
I believe that this is the case in the present case.
Jiying.
As if to prove my guess, the cube started to react.
Watching this, Alan swallowed and did not hide his curious eyes.
Unidentified artifact written in the burial book.
An underground cube buried in the Roman Mountains without anyone knowing.
While I was thinking that the reaction of these two to each other would not be a simple coincidence.
clap.
The cube opened as if disintegrating.
Inside was a sealed scroll.
Alan, who was staring at me carefully, gave me a look asking if I could pick it up.
“Okay, take a look.”
Alan, who slowly opened the scroll, spoke cautiously.
“this… … A blueprint?”
* * *
I woke up at dawn the next day and headed straight to the palace.
Alan went back to his home and headed to the palace of the king with Willite.
Could it be because he informed in advance of his intention to have an audience?
There were quite a few officials gathered inside.
What stands out among them is the two ministers who are prime ministers, excluding the idol and the left statue.
It was that there were quite a few vice ministers who were the top management positions in each department.
I greeted them according to the established procedure, but unexpectedly, the queen spoke first.
“You have achieved your own achievement in a period of about three weeks. It looks like a 3-star class, is that right?”
“… … Yes, Mama.”
No, how did you know this?
I went through a large-scale attack by monsters and went from intermediate to advanced, but that’s 3 stars.
In a situation where the power is not revealed, changes at such a low level are usually not noticed… … .
‘Even if it was me in my previous life, it would be hard to notice.’
With that thought in mind, I looked around a bit.
It was quite surprising that I, who had been in the lower 3-star rank just a month ago, had become a higher rank, but it wasn’t too bad.
It is said that he borrowed the power of the elixir in the middle, but he went from 1-star intermediate to 3-star in just two weeks.
The atmosphere seemed to have gotten used to my rapid growth.
“Then, tell me about what happened in the Romant Mountains.”
before i came here
Due to Willite’s report, brief information had already been circulated.
The underground facilities connected through the stairs, changes in their internal structures, and the attack of monsters, including the blue horse.
And the cube found at the altar installed at the end.
“This is what we found underground.”
After the rough explanation, he showed the locked cube.
The Queen, who confirmed it herself, threw out the word to express her opinion freely.
“Sir Willwright, could you describe the interior more clearly?”
The first to speak was Shed Solbakken, the deputy minister in charge of all kinds of technology.
In response, Willite explained the appearance and structure he saw underground in as much detail as possible.
Hearing this, Deputy Minister Shedd asked again.
“It’s hard to believe, such a change underground… … There was even a monster inside?”
“Yes that’s right.”
“What do you think of this?”
It was a different look from when he asked Willite a question.
It’s not an innocent question, it’s the unique gaze of those with ulterior motives.
“It’s a strange thing, can there be any more impressions?”
Shed Solbakken was the 1st Prince, of Morgan.
In fact, half of the officials in the royal palace belong to the first prince, so it’s a little bit difficult to classify them one by one.
Since he was the vice minister, he needed to care.
“Can I take a look at the cube you brought me?”
“However much. It’s a place made for that.”
Deputy Minister Shedd, who carefully received the cube, observed it silently for a while.
In the meantime, Chris Vieri, the deputy minister in charge of foreign affairs, said.
“I’m thinking of borrowing the power of the Lue family for the investigation of the recently discovered underground facility in the Roman Mountains. What do you think?”
The Rue family that Deputy Minister Chris spoke of was a family of counts famous for their architectural skills.
It was also a family famous for following Morgan from the past.
“Because the Lue family’s architectural skills are the best. I believe we can solve the mystery of the facility.”
In short, it was a clear push for the 1st prince.
This discovery was entirely my achievement, so I had a reason to decline the offer.
However, if that happens, it will be seen that I have a different meaning, so the other person’s vigilance will be higher.
‘Originally, the 2 princes couldn’t even dare to attack Morgan.’
It must be a proposal to clearly identify me, who has changed beyond recognition recently.
Of course, it wasn’t difficult to deal with this trend because I had already predicted it.
I didn’t open my mouth right away, I watched without a word.
“This is entirely credited to the degradation of Cruz. So, the Royal Palace and the Royal Engineers must investigate.”
It was the vice minister of the academic affairs department who was in charge of academic affairs who expressed the opposite opinion.
It was Matthias Nordel.
The reason he objected was because he was from the 3rd Prince, Hones.
If you follow the opinions of Vice Minister Shedd and Vice Minister Chris, there is a possibility that Morgan’s influence will increase.
If you discover something new while researching the underground labyrinth and cube, the ball will belong to Morgan.
In other words, Mathias came out not for me.
It was to keep Morgan in check.
“Everyone is busy with the war on the Feyer Continent, so can’t we disperse the work?”
“Deputy Minister Mathias has some truth, but I think your opinion is important.”
The eyes of the three and other officials were on me.
My answer was decided from the beginning, so I answered without difficulty.
“I will do as Deputy Minister Shedd and Deputy Secretary Chris say. Considering the efficiency of manpower, that is certainly the case.”
Mathias’ face darkened slightly at my answer.
“That’s a valid opinion, low.”
“Your judgment will be of great help to the development of the kingdom, my lord.”
There was a reason why we decided to follow the opinions of the two.
It was because he judged that there would be nothing to be gained by examining the underground maze and the cube.
‘Strictly speaking, it’s not my judgment, but Alan’s.’
Even Alan wasn’t sure about the exact identity of the scroll in the cube he found last night.
It was most likely a blueprint for an underground labyrinth.
‘I said the key is the content.’
Detailed interpretation and analysis were impossible, but Alan said that there would be little point in investigating the underground labyrinth.
The function of the underground maze is suspended at the time the cube is pulled out.
In this situation, I said that there would be nothing to be gained by exploring the place.
‘The contents of the cube belong to Alan.’
The blueprints inside were entrusted to Alan, trusting the knowledge of the Rothstein family.
In other words, there is currently nothing inside this cube.
So it meant nothing to be gained by investigating underground mazes and cubes.
“The rumors that you have changed cleverly are true. I think it is a very happy thing for the kingdom.”
“I mean.”
The reason they like it this much must mean that they were very wary of me.
I was watching to see if I had changed enough to pass the throne.
I would have come to the conclusion that it is not.
‘At this rate, even if I go to Illami’s estate, they won’t look at me strangely.’
The bureaucrats, who had roughly exchanged opinions, backed off with courtesy once again.
In response, the queen opened her mouth slowly, with her eyes unchangingly serious.
“Crus.”
“Yes, Mama.”
“I have something to say to you alone, so after the meeting, come to the inner court.”