Source of Power (2)
-How much food do you have left?
– There are five days left.
-Right.
The knight nodded his head calmly, as if it were within the expected range.
But he couldn’t hide the darkening of his expression.
Several days to wander in these hellish ruins.
Perhaps, on that first day, there was more than ten days’ worth of food?
It was very funny.
– Haven’t scholars solved the riddle yet?
-That’s right.
-… … Whoa. To have such a hard time starting from the first street corner.
Eventually, the knight let out a small sigh and turned his head.
The roads that diverged into six forked paths revealed their entrances as if to mock their ignorance.
It’s like saying you can get out of this place if you stretch out your feet just a little bit.
-If scholars find a new clue, let them know right away.
-Yes, I understand.
The tired faces of the knights and scholars also grew haggard.
Should we consider it fortunate that we were able to avoid the blizzard that raged outside?
It can’t be, it was such a stupid question.
If you don’t solve this riddle in the end. Being trapped in a blizzard would be a more comfortable death.
– Is there no choice but to use that method in the end?
The knight clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
A workaround I haven’t tried yet, but I don’t want to try.
All they had left was one last resort.
* * *
Fush shush!
visor-!
I shrugged my shoulders again as I brushed away the flying objects.
It was already the forty-fourth trap. However, as if he wanted to continue to give variations, this time, something blue was applied to the tip of the arrowhead.
It’s poison, and it’s a deadly poison that can kill an ordinary person in an instant.
“It’s shooting without knowing the end.”
“The time and direction are all different. It seems that there is a purpose in itself to consume one’s strength.”
The Magic Tower Master answered.
It’s actually what it says.
The traps were vicious, but they didn’t look like they were going to annihilate them all at once.
It was a part that could be understood just by honestly presenting the problems and answers in the middle.
To be able to kill those who enter little by little, but surely.
They were so conditioned that they were slowly eaten away by fear.
If the people passing by here weren’t me and the Archmage, it wouldn’t have been possible to come here so easily and comfortably.
“This is the fourth route.”
“That’s right.”
I smiled contentedly at the crossroads in front of me.
According to the record before the return, it was most likely that this was the final gateway.
Indeed, even that appearance was different from the three crossroads I had seen so far.
“There are only two roads this time.”
The mage lord showed interest.
The crossroads I have seen so far have suggested between at least six and at most ten options.
In the meantime, the saying that there are two roads meant a lot.
“Simply finding the right path may not be the answer.”
“It is not without possibility.”
The labyrinth, which urged you to make only the right choices between life and death, this time presents only half the probability?
It was a trap in itself. It was clear that he had other intentions.
If so, the solution was simple.
“Your Highness, there is an ancient language written here as well.”
“Let me interpret it.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
I glanced at Layton.
Then, as if getting used to it, Layton took out his notebook and started writing down the words on the notebook.
A total of four hints. and four gates.
Layton has proven his usefulness in the meantime.
‘As expected, it was good to bring him.’
Of course, it wasn’t just about bringing them to the land of barbarians.
As long as he knew that there were ancient ruins here, it was inevitable.
The part I was satisfied with was bringing him to Esteban itself.
‘Thanks to that, I was able to accelerate my plan to come to this ruin.’
In order to fully accomplish the purpose of occupying the land of the barbarians, a person with ancient knowledge was needed.
That is, a person with a variety of knowledge enough to unravel the secrets of these ruins.
In fact, except for the first crossroads, which I solved only with my knowledge, his role played a big role in all of them.
It was an undeniable fact.
Conversely, what was it like before the return?
The country that discovered and explored this place could not even find a decent ancient scholar.
To make matters worse, even the information I had was uncertain… … .
That is why he made a great sacrifice in the process of exploration. And most of the victims were those who threw themselves to find the right answer.
‘Even that couldn’t cross the final gateway, so it could be called dog death.’
Eventually, after the short thought passed, Layton stood up and wiped his forehead.
“… … It’s done.”
However, his expression hardened.
Interpretation was not blocked. Because it was very simple.
However, the echo of the contents only disturbed the mind.
“Perhaps, as before, you have to interpret the contents to reveal the hint.”
He handed me his notebook and began to rhyme.
“Right.”
I checked the contents of the notebook.
[Wizards will unravel false theories and reach their long destiny.]
One previous phrase.
and.
“Therefore praise the source of magical power, the fountain of glory.”
“Fountain of Glory.”
Hearing those words, the mage lord’s expression sank low.
“… … I never thought I would hear its name here.”
Ancient wizards believed that mana was a power that came from a single being, not from nature.
And the fountain of glory they say was the suzerain of magic and the source of all mana.
“The existence of the fountain was a common myth until the theory of mana and elements was established.”
“It means faith in a primitive form.”
“That’s right. However, I know that after the theory was proved, it was immediately abandoned… … .”
But to praise such a fountain?
It was something that seemed like a joke. However, the owner of the Mage Tower knew that it was no joke.
“The wizards who created this place believed in the existence of Sam.”
“okay.”
“Then, you can guess that it is more ancient than the times we call ancient.”
According to records, the theory of mana and elements was established more than a thousand years ago. So it makes sense that this place was built in the past.
But that was just speculation.
“You might think otherwise.”
“yes?”
“Even after the theory was established, there were still people who believed in the existence of the ‘Fountain of Glory’.”
“… … !”
As if the Master of the Magic Tower hadn’t thought of that, he opened his eyes wide and was lost in thought.
okay. There was definitely a possibility. Rather, it cannot be ruled out.
“indeed… … Then, the content of solving false magic theories and the story of solving the fate of old wizards are also meaningful.”
The mage lord muttered, recalling the previous contents.
The theory of ‘element’ and ‘mana’ established by those who believed in Sam’s myth must have been the same as that of the apostles.
So they were ‘false theories’ written in the contents.
If so, last.
What is the long destiny they are talking about?
Perhaps it has something to do with the secrets of the ruins beyond here.
Even after the theory was established, those who believed in Sam’s existence tried to settle down here.
“no way… … .”
By summarizing the contents, it was easy to infer the correct answer.
The lord of the mage’s astonished gaze turned to the two roads, and I nodded my head in agreement.
“okay. It is to prove the existence of the ‘Fountain of Glory’.”
source of magical power.
By directly discovering and proving it, the theory is overturned. That was their long-time destiny.
At that moment, the eyes of the Master of the Magic Tower flashed.
“… … Then I think you understand the meaning of this problem.”
“Hoo.”
I folded my arms and stepped back. It was a gesture asking you to take care of yourself.
The magic tower owner slowly raised his arm as he approached the gap between the two roads.
Woo woo woo!
Soon after, the magic circle began to form in the hands of the owner of the mage tower.
But it was not the modern thing he had devoted his life to learning.
It was an ancient magic circle that had recently been researched and restored with Layton.
“… … The answer hint is in the sentence. The two false theories must each point to these roads.”
“Then, are both paths not correct?”
“That’s right. Only the fountain of glory they believed in was the truth, and the others would not have been dismissed as theory. So, if you erase both false paths.”
“It must mean that the true answer they thought will be revealed.”
… … And the magic circle reached between the two aisles.
The type of magic circle is a cancellation that distinguishes between truth and lies.
Then, unfortunately, as if waiting, the inside of the labyrinth began to shake slowly.
Koo Goo Goo!
“Huh!”
It was a sudden vibration.
Layton took a step without knowing why.
However, even on that shaky ground, the mage tower lord was idly operating the magic circle.
From noble mtl dot com.
“Right.”
In an instant, the corners of my lips went up.
A magic circle created by the Master of the Magic Tower. It is because a new passage was appearing where it reached.
Kugoogu Palace-
clap-
“Oh, it stopped?!”
As Layton said, the vibration stopped before he knew it. It must have been noise to create a passageway.
Like it or not, I muttered lowly as I looked at the exposed passageway.
“Clear false theories, very profound answers.”
“hahahaha. It must mean that the existence of the two theories was just as annoying.”
Of course, it wasn’t meant in a good way.
It was a trap that used that after planting the conviction that one of the two would have the right answer.
The magic tower master made the magic circle disappear and continued talking.
“Perhaps others cannot make normal judgments with the mental strength they have expended to come here.”
“Well, it was a meaningless attempt for us.”
When I said that, I smiled and shrugged my shoulders.
In any case, the door was already open. It meant that no matter what their design was, only fruit remained.
“egg plant.”
“All right.”
The Mage Tower Master and Layton also knew that this was the last time.
That would be the case, because beyond the open aisle, a surprisingly large flow of magical power could be felt.
* * *
At the end of the road was a huge workshop.
Inside, not a speck of dust, even after countless years have passed.
The magic tools that kept their place without a single damage.
It was a part that showed how much effort the wizards had put into creating this place.
“… … And white bones.”
“They are the wizards who created this place.”
The white bones scattered on the floor also maintained their shape despite the indifference of time.
But there was something else that surprised the group.
“That must have been the cause of the cold air flowing underground.”
center of the laboratory.
The huge ice that was placed there was still radiating its coolness to the surroundings as if it were freezing everywhere.
The Magic Tower Lord stroked it and nodded.
“It is a magical object.”
“Right.”
It seems that mana was being injected through a pipe connected in a mess.
So, why is this ice here?
The magic tower owner was able to find the answer right away.
“… … It was to cool it down.”
When the ice was pulled away, a huge mass of magical power hidden between them was revealed.
Incredible heat that touches the skin.
A flare that swirls as if it will burn everything around it.
And even the circular shape that leaves ripples while swimming in the air.
Woo-woo-!
Was this the existence of the ‘Fountain of Glory’ they were trying to prove?
It seemed that the wizards wanted to complete the theory by making it themselves.
“But it seems that even they couldn’t stand it and perished.”
… … artificial sun.
The formidable thing was boiling up loftily.