Volume 5 Chapter 28 Don't Worry Alone. Consult Immediately If You're Confused. This Is Important
In a classroom where the evening sun streamed in, the 4 of them stared silently at the deciphered poem.
Occasionally, the cheerful voices of students echoed from the hallway, feeling like they belonged to a distant world. The poem in front of them gave off a gloomy vibe.
"...What are we gonna do about this?"
At Catherine's words, Randy covered his face with one hand and said, "Let me think." There were just too many things on his mind.
It wasn't just about that guy, but what really caught Randy's attention was the phrase:
'The Axis of Lost Time.'
Lost time's axis. Literally, it could be called a forgotten timeline. For Randy, who had some thoughts about that timeline, this phrase was intriguing.
(Lost... an axis of time that no one can reach now. If this means that world line──)
Suddenly, he locked eyes with Liz... no, it was Ellie that he saw deep in her eyes.
Her body was probably somewhere in the [Tower of Time]. If they forced their way through the dimensional wall and turned away from the [Tower of Time], they wouldn't be able to find anything. That's why they were taking this roundabout way, but now they finally had a clue.
Though it seemed like 'extra baggage' might tag along.
Still, it was a promise to find Ellie's body. Having seen this poem, they absolutely had to investigate that door.
"Randy, what are we gonna do?"
Liz probably felt the same way. She wanted to check that door right away... but just as much, there were things Randy and Liz had to do.
"For now, let's hold off. We have Miss Catherine's presentation and tomorrow's test."
With a sigh, Randy said this, and Catherine shook her head, saying, "It's not like mine is..."
From Catherine's perspective, she didn't understand the meaning of the deciphered poem or what Randy and the others were talking about. She didn't get it, but she could tell from their vibe that it wasn't just a 'casual matter'.
And that wasn't all.
Even in the game, they never talked about the content of that mural and the 'Eclipse Altar.' The only thing she know is that the two of them are looking into it. Catherine is one of the gamers too. Plus, it's the backstory of a game she has been really into.
It's hard not to care about it.
Even for Catherine, it's something that's too intriguing to ignore. She feels bad suggesting we just chill in the kotatsu instead of diving into this. Besides, she's already got a connection with Cedric, and she's heard that he's heading north around the same time as Catherine and the others. Even without Randy and Liz, there shouldn't be any issues with the business talks.
"I'm good on my end, but you guys should focus on that──."
As Catherine started to speak, Randy quickly shook his head and said, "No way."
"It's true that I'm curious, but I don't like jumping ship once I'm on board."
Liz nodded at Randy's words and chimed in.
"Ellie also said, 'It's not a big deal if it gets pushed back a few days'."
With a smile, Liz continued, explaining that the door itself is in a site managed by the country. They don't even have a plan to check out the door without being seen, so it's tough to even think about investigating.
"That makes sense."
Catherine nodded but then asked, "But if that's the case, how do we──?" She looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression.
A site strictly managed by the country. The huge main door there is not only under investigation by research institutions but also by the Knight group for the dungeon beyond it. It's actually harder to find a time when no one is around.
"Maybe late at night or early morning... times when there aren't many people?"
Catherine and Leon exchanged glances at Liz's uncertain suggestion. They couldn't think of much else either.
But Randy was different.
"It's not like I don't have any ideas..."
With a sigh, he scratched his head, and everyone turned to him, saying, "Huh?"
"How about we intentionally feed information to the country, like we did with the ghost?"
Randy shrugged and continued, talking about how to make the country pay people. The decoded content was definitely a dangerous sealed poem, and if the country was sane, they should focus more on maintaining the seal than on investigating it.
A seal, a door to darkness. No one would willingly unleash something like that. If they gave information to the country and made them aware of the ruins' purpose, they would probably avoid touching the seal.
"Is it really gonna work that well?"
"Who knows... but I think the chances are pretty high."
Randy grinned and held up a version of the poem that was easier to read.
'Seal him in the axis of the lost time of the old king
When gold and silver are stained by black flames, the shining coordinates sink into the abyss
Those who are qualified stand in the shadow of the dark moon and gather the light of heaven
Then the door to darkness will open.'
"Did the 'old king' seal it, or was the 'old king' sealed? It could go either way."
Randy continued with the story of the royal family that Catherine talked about in that dungeon. It was about the great plague spread by a forbidden existence that they managed to drive away, that whole match-pump situation.
Even if Edgar didn't know, the current king must have heard those tales.
"So, if the disaster has been passed down in the royal family──."
"They probably think the 'old king' sealed it. That there's a disaster beyond this door..."
The stories passed down in the royal family and the decoded poem. If those 2 connected, after some confirming research, it was highly likely they'd quickly make the ruins off-limits. They could even make the whole island off-limits. If that happened, Ellie and Liz could teleport and investigate freely anytime.
Everyone nodded in agreement with Randy's idea, which was a bit of a twist.
"Plus, if we give info to the country, while they're all flustered, we can openly get help from the north... that's another advantage."
Liz raised both hands in excitement at the suggestion, while Catherine looked at him wide-eyed, saying, "You..."
"It sounds dumb, but you're not dumb, huh?"
"Shut up. When have I ever shown a dumb side?"
The 3 of them quietly averted their eyes from Randy, who frowned.
"That said... it's impossible for us to decide alone."
Randy sighed, admitting that the earlier plan was just wishful thinking.
The possibility that the royal family had passed down the tale.
The possibility that the country will react just like Randy imagined.
In the end, it's just wishful thinking, leaving it all up to others.
"In times of trouble──."
"It's Elder Brother, right?"
Randy nodded with a wry smile at Liz, who was grinning.
"Sir Cedric, I hope he's free."
Thinking about Cedric, whom he just met, Randy made a decision. For today, they would break for now and meet Cedric again after tomorrow's test.
With a plan in place, Randy urged the 3 of them and started walking out of the classroom. It was a waste of time for them to keep worrying here.
Everyone seemed to understand that, and without any new opinions, Leon, Catherine, and then Liz left the classroom, and Randy stepped out too... at that moment, something caught Randy's attention, and he turned back to look at the classroom.
The classroom, where the 4 of them had just been, was now very quiet. The only sunlight that had been pouring in from the west had already tilted significantly, making it much dimmer than when they entered.
"Randy? Let's go."
Hearing Liz's voice from the hallway, Randy replied, "Yeah. I'm coming," and quietly closed the door behind him.
After a little while... the classroom, now devoid of the western sunlight, was wrapped in a quiet darkness.
* * *
A little earlier, while Randy and the others were busy decoding in the empty classroom... Crown Prince Edgar was in the student council room at the academy, letting out a sigh.
The cause, of course, was the gap in abilities shown during that practical training. No matter how hard he tried from now on, he felt like he could never catch up. Faced with such a gap, Edgar quietly burned with jealousy inside.
"Why does that guy..."
Edgar's teeth ground together. The more he investigated, the more he heard about Randolph's excellence.
Not to mention his strength.
The new carriages, beauty products, cameras... all the various technologies that have been sweeping the continent recently originated from Randolph.
At school, there are students who just don't care. In terms of the school hierarchy, they're definitely at the bottom──just a bunch of country bumpkins. But this guy, who seems like he's got nothing, is actually better than him, the Crown Prince.
For Edgar, who's always been on top, it's a harsh reality he can't face.
And then there's the vibe between him and Elizabeth, which looks pretty cozy.
That's what really burns Edgar up inside. He knows he's the one who pushed Elizabeth away in the first place. But seeing her laugh so happily, he thinks he wouldn't have acted so foolishly. He keeps shifting the blame.
If only Elizabeth smiled more.
If only she talked to him more cheerfully.
Not being able to do that is his own failure. Even though he knows it's his fault, he can't help but think he could've tried a little harder to reach out.
"I'm (Boku)...I'm (Watashi)──."
Edgar, trying to suppress the flames of jealousy, pulled a golden orb from his magic bag. It's the medal he should've been recognized for. This orb is definitely proof that the ruins acknowledged Edgar.
"Only I, who hold this──."
Holding the mysteriously glowing orb, he talks to his reflection in it again today... but then Edgar furrows his brow and says, "Oh?"
"Is it a little... 'dull'?"
It might be a misunderstanding, but the orb seems slightly less shiny than yesterday, so Edgar leans in closer. Yet, as usual, the strange glow of the orb makes Edgar nurture the dark feelings inside him, little by little.
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