Chapter 22: The treasury of the demon kings castle
Chapter 22: The treasury of the demon kings castle
After a while of breaking through walls, a large space opens up in front of me.
This is the hidden room that leads to the dungeons lowest layer.
Sasha’s face had an expression of surprise on it when she saw it.
“After breaking those walls a room appeared………”
“It was created using magic and was surprisingly easy. I only left the barest traces of magic to follow. A simple hidden passage that doesn’t use magic. It’s a blind spot for many people.”
The only drawback to it is every time I come here I have to use Construction Creation <Ibis> and repair the hole I make.
“But the dungeon beneath Deruzogedo is closed to the public. Only students may enter. When did you find this hidden passage?”
“What if I said I made it?”
Sasha is dissatisfied and pouts.
“Avoiding it. If you don’t want to say, that’s fine.”
It’s a fact though. Oh well, I can’t make her believe me.
“Should we go? This room leads to the lowest layer.”
A few minutes after we start walking we arrive at an especially bright room.
The ceiling is very high and though we are in a dungeon it’s overflowing with trees.
There’s a waterway running through the room causing the light to glitter and reflect off its surface.
“…….Sunlight…….” Misha mutters.
“Yeah. Sunlight during daytime and moonlight at night. It’s made to draw in the outside light.”
“……Is it…….for the activation of nature magic?”
Fusion magic which is the secret art of the Necron family uses nature magic. Sasha and Misha who both specialise in it immediately noticed that this room is a catalyst.
However, it’s a little different from 2000 years ago.
The position of the sunlight is different. Has somebody adjusted it using magic?
It wasn’t only me that used this dungeon, my subordinates did too so people would have been in here. Maybe one of them did it?
Suddenly, I look up at the ceiling but there’s nothing there.
“…….What’s wrong…..?”
“No, it’s nothing. Must have been my imagination.”
We lave the nature magic room and carry on.
On the way down a long flight of stairs, Sasha speaks to me.
“Nee, If Arnos has come here before then cant you use Transfer <Gatom>?”
“This entire dungeon has an anti-magic spell woven into it to prevent Transfer <Gatom> working correctly. You could use it but you’d have no idea where you’d end up.”
It’s easy to cancel the anti-magic but the dungeon has a system in place that would collapse it if you did.
It would have been easy to leave myself a loophole so only I could use <Gatom> in the dungeon, however, by setting it up so there were no exceptions it also made it the best way to stop intruders.
“We’ve been walking for 2 hours now. How much further is it?”
“…..Look…..”
Misha points ahead where the bottom of the stairs could be seen.
“Fumu. We’ve reached the bottom.”
“Really?”
Sasha runs ahead down the stairs but stops and stares at something in utter amazement.
Me and Misha catch up to her.
There was a pair of huge, luxurious gates that even a giant could fit through.
“It’s the gate to the altar room.”
Misha looks at the gates with her demon eyes.
“…….Anti-magic……”
“Aah. To stop people trying to break in using magic.”
Misha stares even further into the magic abyss.
“……..Even Flame Prison Annihilation Canon <Geo Greys> could not destroy it……….”
“……Haaaa!? Then how do we get in………?”
Yare yare. They still don’t understand who’s here with them.
“Use your head a bit. If you intend to break it then you will fail. If magic doesn’t work then open it without using magic.”
I calmly step forward and place my hand on the gate. Using my strength I push and with a heavy, grating noise the gate opens.
“It opened.” Misha grumbled while having a dumbfounded look on her face.
“I thought this before when you lifted my demon king castle but what’s going on with your body………….? How can you open such a stupidly large door?”
Sasha pushes on the door but of course, it doesn’t move.
I can’t say this out loud but she looks really cute trying to move it.
“I train every day.”
“In what dimension would training allow you to do this?”
Sasha starts muttering to herself.
“Does he come from a lineage with strong people in it?”
“More importantly, the thing you are after is over there.”
At the back of the room is an altar with an ominous looking staff on it.
“Is that……the Kings Scepter……..?”
If you look at it with your demon eyes you would tell straight away that it was loaded with great magic.
It’s completely different from the blunt demon sword that Zepes had. It’s a genuine item from the age of myths.
“A perfect score in the dungeon test is certain with this.”
I had wondered if somebody had removed it but I’m happy that it’s still here.
“Nee……….can I touch it……?”
Anything obtained in the dungeon is the possession of the group leader and a genuine tool from the age of myths is something rarely seen. Obviously, someone like Sasha with strong demon eyes would be interested.
“Go ahead.”
“Thank you.”
Happily running to the altar Sasha picked up the kings sceptre and stared in fascination at the mysterious magic tool.
Fumu. It’s fine I guess. She’ll be in a daze for a while now.
“Misha, over here.”
I call Misha over to a door by the side of the altar.
“……What……?”
“This is the treasury.”
I step into the room. At first glance it’s empty but when I speak a few words the magic veil is lifted and magic tools such as demon swords and magic armour start to appear one by one.
I collected all this during the age of myths.
Amongst them was the very rare thread called the demon dragon thread which was produced by dragons. A dress with moonlight sewn into it called <Moon Weaving Dress>. A robe woven with fur from the golden lion Sirius which was called the most beautiful in the world, the <Gold Lion’s Robe>. There were a lot of other pretty costumes as well.
“You can choose something that will suit Sasha.”
Misha stares at the clothes scattered around the treasury.
I know her quite well now. I know that she is not looking at the outer clothes but rather at their abyss.
Magic items made in the age of myths choose their own owners. You can’t just give someone an item as you don’t know if it will accept them or not. It’s not easy. How’s she doing?
After a while, Misha began to walk.
“This is good.”
The item she picked up was woven with feathers from the divine bird Phoenix <Phoenix’s Vestment>. On one hand it grants you the blessing of the immortal fire but on the other hand, if you are not worthy of it it will turn you into ash.
“It looks beautiful but it can be difficult to wear.”
“…….Nn…….”
Do you understand? I know she has strong demon eyes but how can she be certain that it will accept Sasha?
“You should give it to her then.”
With a happy smile on her face, Misha held <Phoenix’s Vestmant> in both hands. How she was holding it said how important it was to her.
She heads back to the door where Sasha is but on the way she was distracted by a ring placed on a pedestal.
The <Ice Lotus Leaf Ring>. It gives off a cold air and got its name after covering the seven seas with ice lotus leaves.
It’s no coincidence that Misha saw the ring. Magic items and their users are attracted to each other.
“Do you want it?”
Misha stares at the ring expressionlessly.
“It’s Misha’s birthday tomorrow as well.”
She shakes her head.
“……..It’s fine…….”
Misha leaves the treasury as if running away.
“Fumu”
There might be some circumstances. Whatever. On my way out I take the <Ice Lotus Leaf Ring> and go after Misha.
“Ah! Arnos, Misha, where’d you go? When I looked up you were gone. I was worried.”
Sasha hurries our way carrying the king’s sceptre.
“My bad. Were you lonely?”
“I already said I was……..worried.”
Why say it again if you feel embarrassed?
“Please stop looking at me with that face. It feels like you are looking down on me.”
“What are you saying. The words ‘looking down on someone’ don’t exist in my dictionary.”
“Please look in a mirror and then say that again.”
What’s she saying? I don’t understand what she’s getting at.
“Do we have any more business here?”
Suddenly turning around Sasha looks back at the altar. All that’s left is to return and complete the dungeon exam so we should finish our other business quickly.
“Are you going to give it to her?” I said to Misha who was hiding behind my back.
“….Now……?”
“Or are you going to hide it and give it her at home?”
After thinking a little Misha shakes her head and steps out from behind my back.
“Sasha.”
Sasha looks back and was surprised to see the <Phoenix’s Vestment> in Misha’s hands.
“What’s that Misha?”
“…..I found it……”
“Here?”
Misha nods.
“For you.”
“…..Eh? for me? Is that okay?……Because…..that’s……an outrageous magical tool.”
She understood the huge magical power hidden within as she stares at it with her demon eyes.
“……..Tomorrow. Because it’s your birthday…….”
Sasha smiles softly and tears come to the corner of her eyes.
“I haven’t got you anything.”
“…….I don’t need anything……”
Sasha smile was troubled.
“Thank you Misha. I’m so happy. I’ll treasure it my entire life.”
Misha smiles with joy.
“….Nn…..”
Magic circles form in her eyes as she looks at the <Phoenix’s Vestment>. <Demon Eye’s of Ruin>. There’s no need for them here so has she become emotional causing them to come out?
Somethings odd though. If it was overflowing joy then they should have come out after she was told it was for her birthday but they came out while staring at the <Phoenix’s Vestment>. Something has made her excited. What’s she come up with?
“Can I wear it?”
Misha nods and hands <Phoenix’s Vestment> over to Sasha.
She puts her hands on her uniform buttons but then looks at me as if she’s just noticed me.
“I’m changing my clothes……”
“Aah. I’ll turn around.”
“That’s no good! Please go into that room over there!!”
Good grief. She knows how to make work for people. Can’t be helped.
I listen to what she said and enter the treasury.
As I was about to close the door Misha unexpectedly appeared.
“….She was pleased…..”
“That’s good.”
“……Arnos’ help……”
“You were the one that chose it.”
Misha looks shy.
“….Today is the happiest day of my life……”
“You exaggerate.”
Misha shakes her head.
“Thank you.”
I nodded and softly closed the door.