Near the border between Latuvia and Russia.
Kancho, who had thoroughly camouflaged himself even though he was already too small to be seen, handed over the yodeling telescope.
"Take a look, Commander! There are no soldiers, but there's a research facility!"
I took the telescope and brought it to my eye.
It was so small that I had to adjust it just right to see even a little.
"Right. Maybe interest has just waned."
There were watchtowers and barbed wire for surveillance, but there were no actual guards.
The few people I could see were doing nothing more than sipping coffee.
It felt like they were just maintaining the pretense.
"They don't seem interested in the ruins at all."
"Exactly. It feels like they're just collecting research grants and drinking coffee."
"Then aren't they thieves like Momotari?!"
"'Thief' is a bit too harsh. Let's call them Lupin instead."
I stroked Kancho's perked-up ears.
Back when I was a part-timer, I'd unintentionally been a Lupin myself plenty of times when business was slow, so I wanted to avoid the word 'thief.'
"Well then, shall we go?"
"Is this an infiltration mission?! I'll find a route!"
"No. It's best to keep things as quiet as possible."
I stood up and started walking.
No infiltration.
I was going in through the front gate.
Gulp!
Yodel Ranger Kancho swallowed dryly at Jinhyuk's bold stride.
'As expected of the Commander...!'
Did he really need to infiltrate a place like this?
He was going to break through head-on! What incredible spirit.
"Sir! Yes, Sir!!"
Overwhelmed with emotion, he snapped a sharp salute.
"...?"
Hearing the sound, I turned around.
Kancho was standing at attention, his eyes even glistening.
I wasn't sure what was going on, but it seemed like there was a big misunderstanding.
Well, it's probably fine.
I took out the shabbiest, most explorer-like robe from my inventory and put it on.
While I was at it, I added sunglasses and a scarf suitable for a desert.
I just hoped they wouldn't mistake me for a terrorist.
I went to the front gate and loitered in front of the camera for a moment.
The people I'd seen through the yodeling telescope earlier walked out.
From their clothes and the fact that they were unarmed, they didn't seem like soldiers.
"Who are you?"
"Get back. This is a restricted area."
Their tone and expression were closer to annoyance than a fierce warning.
"Hello. I'm a person who values exploring ruins more than my own life. I heard there's a truly valuable site here. I'd really like to see it, just once. Is there any way that could be arranged?"
The smiles vanished from their faces.
"Didn't you hear us? This is a military restricted facility. Civilians are not allowed entry. Absolutely not."
"I hope you understood the word 'absolutely.' Now, get going..."
As they waved their hands to shoo me away, I held out an envelope to them.
I'd seen this before.
Abandoned research facilities are always short on everything.
The personnel forcibly assigned here have to make do with minimal funds to supply their own necessities.
They glanced at each other, then one man cautiously took the envelope.
Gulp! I caught him swallowing dryly.
After checking the contents, the men looked at me.
Unlike the firm attitude from moments ago, their eyes were shaking violently.
"I'll give you one more when I come out. Thirty minutes is all I need."
That would be more than enough time for Dark to copy everything.
They whispered something to each other in low voices, then nodded.
A moment later, the door that was supposedly never going to open swung wide.
Kancho, who had been following in stealth, covered his mouth.
He'd seen this on Newtube before.
There was a way to win without fighting, but it was said that only those who had reached a certain level could do it.
'As expected, the Commander is great!!'
He clapped silently like a seal.
He was just so proud to be the direct adjutant of such a great person.
Thud.
The man who had stepped aside spoke.
"Thirty minutes."
"Yep."
I gave a thumbs-up and walked into the ruins.
The facility was even more shabby and empty than I expected.
It looked like it had been truly abandoned.
The two men who had led me in walked over to chairs in front of the building and sat down.
They seemed too lazy to even keep watch for thirty minutes.
I took out Carmela's talisman from my pocket and attached it, and a translucent barrier spread out, blocking the view.
"Dark."
Dark materialized beside me and stretched languidly.
Dark, who suffered from seasickness more than anyone else in the world.
I had made him row violently through the Black Sea.
The aftermath had left him in bad shape for two whole days.
"How about some medicine? Elia's seasickness remedy."
"If I drink that, I might actually die. Immortal or not."
I closed my eyes and nodded.
I agreed to some extent.
No matter how much you drink it, you never get used to Elia's potions.
"Hey, hey. Master, what kind of reaction is that? You can't even argue that it tastes good. It tastes better than most drinks, you know? Kids these days, they just don't know good flavor."
I stared blankly at Elia, who had materialized without me noticing.
A second later, Kancho and Dark also joined in staring.
"Wh-why don't we just check out the ruins?"
Feeling outnumbered, Elia slunk away towards the ruins.
Meanwhile, Dark started drawing.
"Anyway, the management here is a complete mess. Looks like it hasn't been looked at in a long time."
"The hag's workshop is much more of a mess."
"Keep that to yourself, Satan? Sometimes it's better to ignore the truth."
Whether Kancho muttered something or not, Dark brushed it off with his brush and continued examining for a long time.
Elia let out a long hum.
"I think there's one more. A truth that might be better to ignore."
"Did you find something?"
"I haven't fully deciphered it yet. I'll need to go to Famiran and compare it with the rest of the rock wall to be sure."
Elia tapped the statue a couple of times and continued.
"That 'Lord of the Black Sea' thing... I think the Edillen family released it into the sea."
I slowly nodded.
Rick's words came to mind.
He said the contamination appeared around the same time as the Lord of the Black Sea.
It felt like everything was connected.
"I'm done drawing."
As expected of Dark.
Not only was he good at drawing, but his speed was incredible.
I took the drawing and gave him a thumbs-up.
Anyway.
Gulp!
When had she started doing that?
Seira was drawing something in Momo's sketchbook from the side.
I crept closer to see.
"Perfect timing, Master."
Seira held out the sketchbook.
"I think my drawing skills have improved a lot. What do you think, Mast..."
"What is this doodle in Momo's sketchbook?!"
A heavy silence fell between the three of us.
Seira slowly closed the sketchbook, returned it to Momo, and turned her head to look at the distant mountains.
I quietly walked over and patted her on the shoulder.
"You can go to art school later."
"Will I get better then?"
"Probably?"
"Kick! As if."
When had he gotten here?
Dark walked by, pretending to pass, a smirk on his face.
"I'll cut..."
Before Seira could even finish her sentence, he unsummoned himself.
Shudder, shudder, shudder!!
I clenched my eyes shut at the trembling I could feel through my hand.
Next time I see him, we're definitely fighting.
"Anyway, we got everything we needed."
I stretched and unsummoned my friends.
I handed over the remaining envelope and turned back.
To Famiran, the Island of No Weapons, on the 26th floor of the Tower of Myth.
---
[You have entered the 26th floor of the Tower of Myth, 'Famiran, the Island of No Weapons'!]
The number of Tower of Myth tickets I had stored dropped to zero.
As always, it takes forever to accumulate them, but they disappear in an instant.
Famiran was silent, as if it was deep in the night.
I walked to the rock wall I had left earlier and summoned Elia.
"Let's get started."
Elia put her hands on her hips.
She seemed serious this time, even summoning the assistants from her workshop who usually only cleaned.
"Arrange them so they don't get cut off. I want to see them connected."
The workshop assistants laid out Dark's drawings one by one.
"Hmm!"
After confirming they were well arranged, Elia laid out a mat.
Then she lay down, propping her head up.
Wasn't she supposed to be working?!
"That hag is hopeless. She has no sense of seriousness."
"I..."
I almost agreed for a second.
After clearing my throat a couple of times, I set some snacks next to Elia.
If I couldn't trust the Star Alchemist, who could I trust? I had to trust her unconditionally.
"I'll be going then."
"Leave this to me. I'll have it perfectly deciphered."
I gave a thumbs-up and came down from the rock wall area.
The guild master of Famiran's Work Guild, whom I had failed to meet earlier today.
This was a good time to meet him quietly.
"There's no one around."
"Right. They must have all gone to sleep."
I walked through the quiet streets towards Famiran's Work Guild.
Rustle.
A wind blew in from the coast, swept through the village, and reached me.
"...!"
The smell of blood.
It was so strong, I couldn't miss it.
I looked up and stared at the eerily silent guild building.
Last night, even though it was later, it had been brightly lit.
But today, not only were all the lights off, but there wasn't even the slightest sound.
I walked to the front door and reached out.
Whoosh!
As soon as I opened the door, a terrible stench of blood hit me.
I looked inside.
Bodies were scattered everywhere.
The walls and tables were covered in blood, showing how fierce the fight must have been.
"Guh... Guh..."
I walked towards the sound of groaning.
A man was lying there, his stomach pierced.
I leaned down towards the man, who was trying to say something.
"Edill... ren."
Thud.
The man's head dropped.
"Hmm."
I rubbed my chin, mulling over the name I had just heard.
Edillen, the master of Famiran, and the guild that handled all the work on the island.
I had naturally assumed they were like the head and limbs, but what had happened here?
"Yodel Ranger Vice-Commander Kancho reporting! They're all dead! Zero survivors!"
It seemed he had swept through all the floors.
Kancho shook his head.
Tsk.
Everyone who could have told us something was dead.
Poke, poke, poke, poke, poke!!
"Whoa!"
I flinched back at the sudden touch.
My heart nearly stopped.
As expected of the Great Mother Empress's stealthy steps.
"Grandma said to give you this!"
Chubby Momo handed me a note.
"Oh."
On it was written the reason.
The reason why Roga Du's work team should have died in the middle of the Black Sea last night.
"If the Lord of the Black Sea isn't appeased, they will swallow the island."
From the tone, it sounded like they were meant to be sacrifices.
Ding!
[A new clear condition, 'Restoration of Famiran, the Island of No Weapons,' has been updated!]
[You must break the shackles of contamination by any means necessary! If you do not break the shackles, the only predetermined outcome is destruction!]
I looked at the message that appeared and smiled.
For now, I had no idea how to escape the shackles of contamination.
So, I was going to go and ask.
Someone who would know better than anyone.
Thud.
I walked out of the building.
Let's go.
To the Edillen family.
----------
T/N:
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