The stone door opened wide.
However, it was distinctly different from when it opened to summon monsters. Back then, the space beyond the stone door was shrouded in darkness, and even when approached, it felt as if something invisible was blocking entry.
But…
Swoosh-!
A fierce white light, so bright it was blinding, poured out from the opened doorway.
Because of that, it was still impossible to see inside.
[Alright, follow me!]
Hamsik took the lead, so it seemed entering was possible.
“Somehow… I’m getting nervous.”
“Can we really trust that dreadful creature…”
“You’re all worrying for nothing. We have the Baron, don’t we?”
The squad members followed behind me, their eyes filled with both unease and anticipation, as they watched me follow Hamsik.
And then…
[Then I’ll go in first, see you inside!]
Hamsik stepped into the light first, and after a moment to compose myself, I quickly followed.
Swoosh-!
The light enveloped my entire body, as if I had stepped into a portal.
「The character has entered the 1st Archive.」
When I opened my eyes, I was in an unfamiliar space.
***
A circular space.
The bookshelves lining the walls were filled with books of various colors.
And…
[Be, be careful! The ceiling might break!]
First of all, the space was very small.
Even without being in [Giant Form], I had to bend my back and crane my neck uncomfortably.
It felt like entering a mini-library.
Well, it should have, but looking around, there was only one other person in an uncomfortable posture like me.
“Ugh! What is this place! It’s so cramped, I feel like I’m going to die! And it’s full of books!”
Ainar, expressing the same discomfort as me.
It’s something I’m realizing again, but why is this society so lacking in consideration for barbarians? If they just raised the average ceiling height by 30cm, the world would be a much more beautiful place.
While grumbling inwardly, I diligently scanned the surroundings.
[This is where I usually stay… You’re my first guest, what do you think?]
“It’s a nice place.”
[Re, really…?]
“Maybe.”
I gave a casual answer and glanced around, but there was only one thing that was visually apparent.
‘It’s all books.’
Books on the bookshelves. Books stacked like towers on the floor.
There were only those differences; wherever I looked, there were only books.
However, it was too early to be disappointed.
“Hamsik.”
[…U, uh?]
Ignoring Hamsik, who showed signs of unease at my call, I approached one spot.
And I took out a book hidden in a pile of books.
“What’s this book? It looks like you hastily hid it before I came in.”
[…C, can’t you tell by looking? It’s just a normal book…!]
Hey, we’re friends, stop doing this.
The gold leaf on the cover clearly showed that it was far from a normal book.
“Oh, a normal book, that’s a relief. I’ll take this as a housewarming gift.”
[A, a housewarming gift? Do you think I’m stupid! Housewarming gifts are given by the guest!]
Che, he knows that?
It was a bit annoying, but it wasn’t a big problem.
That’s because.
“Hamsik, that’s old culture.”
What can he do when I say it’s not?
[…Huh?]
“These days, it’s common sense for the guest to receive a gift… Have you been here so long that you’ve forgotten such obvious things?”
[………Ah! That’s right! I see! I was mistaken for a moment!]
“Uh…”
[It’s true! Don’t misunderstand! I just made a mistake for a moment!]
No, that’s not it.
I was actually taken aback because I didn’t expect it to work this well…
[Ahem! I, it’s true!]
Watching Hamsik’s obvious reaction, I felt a strange feeling.
“Okay, I believe you. Because we’re friends.”
[Yeah! Because we’re friends! Friends are supposed to have trust as the most important thing!]
…Why does he suddenly look cute?
He’s just a monster I need to exploit.
I tried to shake off the affection and continued the conversation.
“So, are you giving it to me? This book?”
[Th, that’s not possible! I, I’d rather give you something else!]
“Why? You said it was a normal book?”
[……]
When his own words from earlier caught him, Hamsik chose silence.
Is he the type to avoid things? He goes silent when he’s in trouble.
While I was wondering how to legally obtain this golden book.
“Baron! There’s an ancient language written here, could you come and translate it for us?”
One of the three mages from Armin’s exploration team approached me.
It seemed to be one of the books on the bookshelf…
[You impudent fools!! How dare you touch my things without permission!]
Only then did Hamsik realize the situation and burst into anger.
To be honest, it was a situation that warranted anger.
Even I thought it was a bit much.
“Everyone, check everything thoroughly!”
“Oh! Sorry! I tore a book while taking it out.”
“Forget about such trivial things, let’s push the bookshelves first! There might be something hidden behind them!”
The squad members, who had gone wild as soon as they entered, were rummaging through the entire space.
It was something I was realizing again, but explorers were a profession that could be called the embodiment of destruction and greed.
[You guys…!!!]
Hamsik burst into anger once again, but unfortunately, none of the squad members paid any attention to it.
“Hey… that monster seems angry?”
“It’s a truly dreadful roar…”
“Is it okay?”
“Hey, it’ll be fine! What are you so worried about? Didn’t you see earlier? The Baron laid him down and intimidated him, and he immediately opened the door because he couldn’t withstand the pressure?”
“Haha! Even if we go out and tell people later, no one will believe it. Such a monster being made to obey by his intimidation? This kind of thing would be criticized even in old stories!”
“Certainly, the Baron is no ordinary person…”
Ah, I guess it would look like that from their perspective.
In reality, I just took advantage of a naive hamster who didn’t know the ways of the world.
‘This… it’s better if they don’t know.’
Why were Jumong and Park Hyeokgeose born from eggs, and why do similar myths exist among ancient rulers around the world? [Jumong and Park Hyeokgeose are legendary founders of ancient Korean kingdoms, often depicted in myths as having miraculous births.]
It’s because it helps with ruling.
“Hamsik, calm down.”
[What? You want me to just watch this—!]
“Isn’t cleaning up what you’re supposed to do anyway? Or do you not like cleaning up?”
[Uh… it’s not that…]
“Then it’s fine. Everyone is helping you do what you like, so why are you angry?”
[Uh, is that… how it works…?]
Okay, that’s enough persuasion.
“Can I open it?”
[Huh? Ah, yeah… if it’s just opening it…]
Having received Hamsik’s permission, who seemed to have given up to some extent, I quickly opened the golden book.
Honestly, I was very excited.
This golden book also seemed to be part of the summoning book.
‘What kind of monster is in here?’
A rare species that could hit the jackpot like a mimic?
Or a rift guardian like Milayel?
Well, maybe it’s a type that gives unique rewards after catching the monster—.
‘Huh?’
With such expectations, I stiffened as I read the first page.
[Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a brother and sister who lived happily together.]
…What is this?
***
A story written in crooked ancient language, like a child’s diary. It was something I hadn’t expected at all, but I slowly read it.
It didn’t take long to read it all.
The book was thick, but the story was only written on the first page.
“Baron, could you tell us what it’s about?”
Even if it wasn’t the three mages who took the lead, everyone was curious, so I briefly summarized the story.
“Once upon a time, a brother and sister lived happily in a small village. But when the older brother left the village to become a mage, the younger sister was very sad.”
“And then?”
“That’s it.”
“…Huh?”
No, even if you look at me like that, that’s really all that’s written, so I don’t know what to say.
That’s why I told you without hesitation in the first place.
A short story that doesn’t even have anything to judge, let alone judge whether it’s a story worth hiding.
I flipped through the rest of the pages, but there was nothing else written.
However, that’s why.
‘It can’t be a story about nothing.’
The importance of this story increases even more.
The first basement floor, full of all sorts of mysteries and unknowns.
And the book that the unidentified monster, Hamsik, was carefully keeping in his own hideout.
There’s no way the story written in this book is trivial.
Therefore…
“Do you know who the siblings in this story are?”
It’s time to use collective intelligence.
“Hmm… if it’s siblings… first of all, the Kylaze siblings come to mind.”
The Kylaze siblings were famous explorers who were active only a few hundred years ago, so pass.
“Could it be a myth? When I was studying theology, I saw a theologian who claimed that Leatles and Heindel were born from the same parents.”
But it doesn’t seem like a story about gods either.
“Well, the Immortal King comes to my mind first. Before he ascended to the throne, he had several siblings.”
Well, it was a big family, so he probably had a younger sister…
The words ‘small village’ would be a misnomer.
Although Lapdonia was located at the edge of the continent, it was said to have made a lot of money through trade.
“Emily, what about you? Do you have anything in mind?”
“…I’m more concerned about the part where he left to learn magic than the fact that they were siblings.”
“Ah, that.”
“Is there a possibility that it’s the story of the last great sage, Gavrilius?”
Well, that’s plausible too.
The problem is that even if that guess is correct, there’s nothing we can find out.
Well… is there nothing at all?
“Hamsik, do you know whose story this is?”
[…I don’t know?]
I asked just in case, but Hamsik didn’t know anything about this story either.
“So you don’t even know whose story it is, but you were keeping it so preciously?”
When I spoke as if to say, ‘If you’re going to lie, be prepared,’ Hamsik waved his hands as if to say he was innocent.
[It’s true! I just… I just felt like I had to… So I kept it safe.]
“Hmm, is that so? Then it’s okay if I take it, right?”
[That’s…! No! It’s a book that I have to give to someone someday!]
“Give it to someone…? Who?”
[To someone who is qualified.]
“Then what is that qualification?”
[That… I don’t know… But I’ll know when I see them. No, I feel like I’ll know.]
The more I talked to him, the more curious I became about Hamsik.
Who is he?
Who made him, and why did he have to be alone in this place where no one comes for so long?
[Ah, anyway! You’re not qualified, so don’t even dream about it! Until then, I have to keep it…!]
“Hamsik, between friends, there’s no such thing as yours or mine—.”
[Beep-! Even if you say that, some things are just not possible!]
Sigh, that doesn’t work either?
I put aside my interest in the golden book for now.
It wasn’t that I gave up completely, but after seeing that there was only one line of story written, the priority fell, you could say?
“Bersil! Did anything come out?”
“Of course! Come here! There’s so much to show you!”
The golden book wasn’t the only thing in this secret room.
***
The investigation process of this secret space was very simple.
Pull out the books that are full.
Push the empty bookshelves to the side.
And then, use an axe or magic to destroy the wall that appears.
It might be a bit barbaric, but in fact, this was the standard method for explorers dealing with the unknown.
If you do this, something is bound to come out.
In fact, even I had a habit of destroying everything I saw when playing games, and that habit helped me find many hidden pieces.
[These… barbaric people…!!]
Well, it would be frustrating for the owner of the house.
Anyway, thanks to such an explorer-style investigation, I was able to know one thing for sure.
“It seems there’s nothing hidden.”
There were no hidden objects on the walls, floor, or ceiling.
[I told you! There wasn’t anything!]
Ah, I didn’t know that back then.
“If you hadn’t lied normally, I would have believed you.”
[…When did I lie!]
“Didn’t you say this room didn’t exist at first?”
[……]
Anyway, just because there was nothing hidden didn’t mean there were no gains.
“Baron! Look at this book! No matter how I look at it, it seems to be a map of the first basement floor!”
“This seems to be a summoning book, and there are more than ten mimics drawn inside the book.”
“This is a fountain pen that was on the desk, and there are uninterpretable magical movements being observed here. I’ll have to investigate further for more details…”
“This frame is an ordinary frame. It looked a bit unusual, so I inflicted physical damage on it, and it hasn’t been restored at all since then—.”
Listening to the flood of investigation results, I nodded with a satisfied smile.
Yes, this is exploration.