Shini Yasui Kōshaku Reijō to Shichi-nin no Kikōshi

Chapter 37: Burial Chamber of Angels (part three)

“Tir, Auguste is here, isn’t he?”

『Umu. That’s right. It seems that while I had my back turned, those guys had gathered.』

I looked up at the aforementioned place from on top of the rooftop of a building.

Before our eyes, the majestic appearance of the cathedral which touches the sky was towering above us.

Today, there are many dragons around the cathedral.

The winged dragons are flying around the cathedral or perching on the steeple.

Dragons without wings are also crowding tightly in the square in front of the cathedral.

Compared to the dragons surrounding Auguste at the beginning of the mental interference, they have a somewhat empty look.

When I looked closely, I could see dragons that have fainted.

『If that blonde prince is causing this situation, that guy seems to possess a power that exceeds human domain.』

Admiring words spilled from Tirnanog’s mouth in amazement.

“By the way Tir, if you also receive such strong mental interference, won’t it be terrible?”

『That’s a foolish question. I am not as insensitive as you are, but I am also from Aurelia. It is easy to block the mental interference.』

“What a relief.”

We got off on the square and approached the cathedral.

If it looked dangerous, we intended to return to a higher place using Leap once more.

However, the movements of the dragons that were trying to block our path were somewhat slow and easy to avoid.

The closer we got to the cathedral, dragons who fainted and dragons with sluggish movements were increasing.

Without much difficulty, we got into the cathedral.

“I thought for sure that we would get much more intense disturbance.”

『Perhaps the prince actually wants to be rescued……or, even dragons’ heart cannot tolerate this strong mental interference for a long time.』

“Then, we have to find him before it’s too late.”

『Umu. That’s right. Let’s hurry. The suspicious presence is gradually getting stronger. I can smell the pungent stench of the beast.』

Tirnanog led me through the inside of the cathedral.

Small dragons were entering the building, but all of them fainted and fell down.

It saved me some trouble, but I became worried about Auguste and the dragons.

If the dragons can’t enter, then won’t he be alone right now?

As we were getting closer to Auguste, the interiors and the exhibits of the cathedral were becoming more and more eerie.

It was a dreadful picture of Hell as if implying what was going to happen.

Originally this was a locked route, but all the doors were unlocked by Auguste who came in here first.

I know this route as well.

I subconsciously touched my wand holder and the alchemists’ silk gloves to confirm their existences.

How am I going to deal with this unexpected situation with my prepared supplies?

Right now, I am lamenting my preparation internally with thoughts like, ‘I wish I had kept it like that at that time’, or ‘I should have prepared that too.’

『Do not be afraid. I will be there for when you can’t get through this.』

“Yes, I’m counting on you, Tir.”

And then, we opened the last door.

There, it was the only mural painting depicting God’s figure in this cathedral.

To the illusion as if I was being glared at by the grotesque-looking sun, cold chills ran down my spine.

There was only Goldberry in the center of the God’s mural painting room.

She fainted while being wrapped in a black riding jacket that Auguste was wearing when I parted with him.

I hurriedly rushed over to check on her, but to my relief she was still breathing.

Goldberry seemed to have just fallen into a deep sleep.

But, there was no Auguste.

From the presence of Goldberry and the jacket, there was no doubt that he came here once.

Where did he go?

Why did he have to go through this mural painting room, which is a dead end?

『Erica, the smell of the prince is cut off in this room……because the stench of the beast is too strong, I do not know his exact location.』

“No, that information is more than enough.”

I thought that it might be unnecessary, but I also brought the wands for exploring the ruins as a precaution.

I opened my bag and took out the Wand of Glam Sight.

First of all, the standard routine in case of trouble.

I waved the Wand of Glam Sight and a sparkling magic circle converged on my eyes.

In the field of vision through the magical sight used to see traces of magical power, no evidence of dubious magic was found.

『It seems that it isn’t a magical gimmick.』

“It would have been better if I had Urd Sight……”

Urd Sight is a joint development product with a mage who can use space manipulation magic.

For that reason, it is a pretty rare item and the price is high.

Even though my older brother could pay for it, I had to give up because I felt daunted by the expensive price.

Since it can’t be helped, I have to think of something else.

This is also the basic rule of alchemists.

I took out another wand from my bag.

This wand is a set with a scroll.

The scroll was made of parchment on which the grid was burned.

On the stick head was a magnetite in which a compass relief was engraved.

The material of the shaft was the keel of a ship which had sailed without sinking for more than ten years, and the one used for the core material was a star crystal which was carved into the figure of a sextant.

At the butt end of the wand hung a miniature anchor which was made by melting an actual anchor.

It is the Wand of Magic Mapping.

It is a relatively new kind of wand made by combining Auto Scribing for manuscripts with Siren’s Echo which is produced by people of Aurelia who are voyagers to sense reefs.

This wand has the power to pass through obstacles to some extent and reveal the structure of the building.

“Light of the star, light up my destination.”

I waved the Wand of Magic Mapping.

Pale yellow light was lit on the head of the wand, and a magic circle of the same color expanded in a circular form.

When the magic circle was able to spread to a radius of about 5 meters, the magic characters composing the magic circle broke, took the shape of an anchor and splashed all over the room.

The pale light that was lit on the head of the wand became soaked with ink, and I pressed it on the scroll.

When the shape of the compass was pressed against the scroll like a stamp, the light of the wand moved to the sign of the compass.

The light spreading in the room converged on the scroll’s compass and burst in a flash of light like a lightning.

The ink automatically ran over the parchment from the compass sign, and the structure of this building was drawn out by magic.

“I found it! Below, there is a hidden space!”

『So it is not magic, it was hidden by a mechanical trick.』

The place where there should be a hidden space seems to be just under the mural painting of God.

—The contract beast sleeps under the sun.

Auguste said that there was such an old poem.

Ignitia’s only god is the God of Sun.

“Below, there is the contract beast……but, how did Auguste go under this……”

Should I have bought Urd Sight even if it is somewhat expensive?

This is the time when that magic becomes convenient.

While I held my head in regret, Tirnanog came forward to the mural painting.

『I am here for moments like this.』

“I see. That’s right. Since it would be bad if we destroy the mural painting, please destroy the floor.”

『Leave it to me. Erica, release my limiter.』

I nodded and cast a command word to control the star steel armor.

“Listen Cage! Shackles! Chains!

Undo your guard for a time, and awaken those memories sealed by black steel!

Armour, you who cover the arms of my friend, display the gallant figure embedded in his body!”

Responding to my words, the armor covering Tirnanog’s arms began to emit light.

Tirnanog, who was wearing a star steel armor that can expand infinitely by absorbing magical power—changed his appearance to the shape set by my chant through the magical power of the Philosopher’s Stone.

When the light went out, both arms of Tirnanog became bigger and his nails were sharper and longer.

『I’m ready.』

“Alright, go ahead and do it!”

『Roger!』

Tirnanog’s arms flashed like a black gale.

Every time he swung his arms, the stone floor was torn apart and sent flying.

In ten seconds, there was a hole for people to pass through and I could see a staircase hidden inside.

“You did great, Tir!”

『Umu. This armor, it’s pretty comfortable……now then, Erica. It looks like this is it. Not only the stench of the beast, but I also feel a devastating magical power.』

“Yes……I could barely see it.”

Through the Glam Sight, I could perceive the magical shining like a drifting red mist.

It seems to be a high-concentration of pure magical power which can’t be analyzed for detailed information.

I took out a star crystal lamp that doesn’t radiate heat, put it on my belt and put the Wand of Feather Falling and Levitation in the wand holder as precaution.

Then, Tirnanog and I went down the steep and dark staircase.

Next to the spiral staircase, coffins with several lids opened were placed.

I froze for a moment because the inside of those coffins seemed to be visible.

However, the coffins weren’t stuffed with dead bodies and were stuffed with white flowers instead.

The empty coffins were carved with names.

Some of them were names that I knew of.

Founder King Guillaume, Severe King Jean……both of them were the Kings of Ignitia who were praised as gods.

『It seems that this cathedral was once the royal castle, is this the Kings’ Tomb?』

“No. Ignitia’s dragon knight Kings do not sleep under the ground. When they die, they are sent back to the sky.”

According to the knowledge I got during my preparation, there is no tomb for the Kings of Ignitia.

The prideful Ignitia’s dragon knights are buried by dragon burial.

Their dead bodies are eaten by the dragons they used to ride and their souls become one with the dragons.

The dragon who eats the King becomes the grave in the sky for the King who they loved.

They are referred as Throne.

As long as they are still alive, there would be a Sky Throne to protect the soul of the King in Heaven.

The Throne of the Founder King is still flying through Ignitia’s sky.

Therefore, it is not necessary for Ignitia to have an underground tomb for their Kings.

The stairs were over and we reached the bottom of the cathedral.

A coffin was also placed in front of the door where the contract beast was supposed to be.

The coffin that seemed newer than the other coffins was not yet filled with flowers.

Looking at the name engraved on the new coffin, I felt blood drain from my face.

—Auguste Ignitia.

The name of the boy I was looking for was engraved there.

☆

I hid myself halfway behind the wall while holding a wand and Tirnanog opened the door.

It was a room which was slightly narrower than the mural’s room, it was roughly shaped like a cube.

On the walls, ceilings, and the floors, grooves imitating sketches of eyes and eyelids were carved.

Somehow, the grooves were faintly radiating lights.

Apart from the grooves carved on the surface, there was no other feature in the room, no statue nor painting.

In the center of the room, there was Auguste who was standing with his back facing me.