Sepakai (GXG) (GIRLXGIRL) (GL)

73

“I’m only here right now because the Goddess told me to be. Otherwise I’d never go out to help those guys.”

But……groan. Judging by this reaction I’m guessing Lapris’s opinion on Toslin and Carol has already moved beyond zero and started digging its way into the negatives. I’d really like it if those two could make it up to her for everything they did when we first met. And the stuff they did to her when we met again. Then there was also all that other stuff……. Well, but, I mean, Lapris does hold some responsibility for that foul mouth of hers.

“But, even then, I’m still glad. Thanks Lapris.”

“…….s-sure. What the heck, honestly……..you always knock me off balance.”

“Ah, s-sorry”

“You don’t really have to apologize. Even though I was summoned, I still chose to come. Because, you and I are pals.”

Lapris’s face turned a bright red as her words overlapped with the sharp smack of Unicorn’s hooves striking the magic circle on the snow. The fact that her face was only about the size of my thumb and that she had the same brown skin tone as the Seed sisters made it difficult to notice. But between the snow and Unicorn’s shining white mane both acting as a backdrop, I was positive she had turned red.

“Iris, I believe me might be nearing the ruins.”

“Ah, right! Just a little more. Unicorn, slow down and approach as quietly as you can.”

It was about five minutes after I gave Unicorn those instructions.

Bit by bit the distance between the trees began to increase, and our thick forest turned into woods. The snow covering the ground continued to deepen as we went, but that’s not an obstacle so long as we’re riding Unicorn.

“Ah, oi look, over there!!”

Lapris climbed on top of Unicorn’s head and pointed out in front of us.

Our field of vision opened up all at once. With nothing left to block our gazes, we came face to face with a towering wall of rock that rose high into the sky.

“…..the ruin’s, entrance……right?”

And right in front of us was a mine shaft bored into that impenetrable looking wall. It looked like just an ordinary tunnel reinforced with wooden beams from where we were standing.

“This used to be a mine shaft. There’s the railway that leads inside.”

According to the books I’ve read, this was a functioning mine 300 years ago. Remnants from that time period are scattered all over the place. A wooden minecart that’s falling apart after being left to decay. Excavated stones and dirt piled along the side of the mountain. And of course the rail tracks Saluena already mentioned. I’m sure they would’ve been a polished silver color back in the day, but right now they’re so rusted and corroded that one only has to look at them to know they can’t be used anymore.

“There are traces here where the snow was pushed aside.”

There were several paths cut through the snow that start at the mouth of the mine shaft and go out radially into different portions of the woods all across the clearing.

“………Toslin and the others?”

“Most likely. I’m guessing some of them are also from the hunters who initially reported the moaning they heard as well.”

“That reported moaning which started this whole investigation was definitely made by the carbuncle then right?”

While keeping an eye on our surroundings, Unicorn slowly approached the mine shaft’s entrance.

“At first it was hypothesized that an undead was making the noise, but considering the only monsters encountered in the forest were ents, the odds of it coming from the spirit controlling them is very high.”

And so everyone entered the ruins not knowing that what was actually making the moaning was a carbuncle spirit from the time of the Primordial World.

(Everyone is just inside…….)

I want to help everyone as soon as possible, but I need to bury those feelings and proceed carefully.

“……I see. Well sure, it’s probably in there. The carbuncle. And I can tell from here just how powerful and dreadful it is. His stink is wafting out from the ruin’s entrance.”

Lapris suddenly put on a fed up face.

“But, you’re making assumptions Iris, and it looks like you’re inference missed the mark.”

And so seeing her look like that, I turned my head once again.

“Apparently the undead hate it here too.”

Lapris pointed towards the mine’s entrance just like how she did before. But this time there was a shadow that had not been there before.

“Uu……Guuuu……Guohhhhhh…….”

And my ears picked up a noise immediately afterwards. It was the sound of multiple hoarse, grating moans.