CHAPTER 9 - Campeggio of the Sleepless Night

[yumemory]

NOTE: If you haven’t already, we strongly recommend reading this chapter along with the game for a more impactful experience!

[Location: Temple]

Nero: Are these all… spiderwebs?

The spiderweb-like constructions were spread out over the entire temple.

Their size was far too big for any normal-sized spider.

No matter how much I tried to forget it, the legend about the giant spider that Murr told us last night resurfaced in my mind.

Mitile and Heathcliff: …

Akira: (Nevertheless, this place is really worn out…)

There was barely any ceiling, the walls and floor were punctured with holes, the stairs were shattered, and the remains of broken stone statues were scattered around.

Rather than collapsing over the years, all the damage looked fairly new, as if something had only just gone wild and destroyed the place.

Figaro: This place got wrecked pretty recently, huh.

It was eerily quiet inside the temple. Only the sound of our echoing footsteps could be heard.

Nero: There’s sure as hell somethin’ here. Sage, stick close to us.

Soon enough, we arrived at a spacious open space similar to a hall. Thick pillars supported the ceiling, and numerous doorways dotted the wall, leading to other rooms.

This was most likely the heart of the temple.

Heathcliff: Shino! Say something if you’re here!

Unfortunately, nobody answered Heathcliff's call.

Mitile: Is he not here...?

Just as we began to get discouraged, one of the towering pillars that supported the temple shook violently.

Akira, Mitle: …!

Rutile, Heathcliff: Master Sage!

Lennox: Mitile!

Heathcliff: « Repsevaivulp Sunos » !

Rutile: « Ortonik Setomaouge » !

Rutile built a wall of magic around us, and Heathcliff averted the course of the falling pillar, preventing it from hitting me.

Lennox instantly reached out his arm and pulled Mitile away.

The pillar then collapsed, shaking the ground with its impact. A thick cloud of dust soared up and blurred our vision.

Rutile: Cough… Master Sage, are you alright?

Akira: Cough, cough… Thank you, Rutile.

Murr: ………...

Amidst the coughing sounds, Murr stayed quiet and looked around the hall on high alert.

Murr: I feel a presence.

Mitile: Huh?

Murr: Like I thought, there’s something here, and it’s close.

Just as I was about to ask what that something was—

Beyond the storm of dust, a shadow suddenly leaped towards us.

Heathcliff: …! Master Sage, get behind me! 

Shino: ...Heath?

Heathcliff: …!?

Rutile, Mitile, Nero, Lennox: Huh?

The shadow turned out to be Shino’s. There were spiderwebs stuck to his head, and he looked at us strangely.

Akira: Shino!

Figaro: So you did come here.

Shino: Yeah. I told you guys last night that I’d protect you, didn’t I? I came to see if there are any monsters here.

Shino: Be it monsters or beasts, if I beat them ahead of time, then you guys will be able to safely explore this temple.

Nero: Then at least us know before runnin’ off. Everyone’s worried ‘cause you up and vanished on us without a word.

Shino: I was planning to do a quick check and head back, but I found a lot of spiderwebs inside the temple. I thought I should collect them while I was here, but it took more time than I expected.

Shino looked down on the collapsed pillar and scowled.

Shino: I heard a loud sound and came to see what was going on. Didn’t think one of the pillars would break.

Shino: Heath, are you okay?

Heathcliff: ...St….

Heathcliff: Stupid! That’s my line!

Heathcliff: I’m just glad nothing bad happened…

Shino: Don’t be mad. Look, I got a lot of the materials we needed. It’s enough for the dream-eating ring, right?

Chest puffed out with pride, Shino held out a cloth bag. The tension in our shoulders slipped away at his nonchalance.

Heathcliff: Sigh…

Nero: You’re unbelievable…

Mitile: But I’m glad you’re alright.

Rutile: Truly. This temple is a little frightening, I can’t imagine if something really did happen to you…

Murr: Like being eaten by the giant spider?

Shino: There’s nothing in this temple. And here I was expecting to bring a spider’s head back as a souvenir or something.

Lennox: So the giant spider is a mere legend?

Akira: But then, what was the presence that Murr sensed earlier...?

All of a sudden, Nero yelled sharply:

Nero: Everyone, get down!

Nero: « Adnodus Omnis » !

Akira: !?

Nero’s magical tool flew around wildly above me as I lay against the ground, shaken.

The slackening mood abruptly grew tense.

Akira: (S-So there’s a monster after all…!?)

However, there were no growls or thunderous noises. The deafening silence continued for a few more moments.

Curious, I looked up nervously... and what I saw caught me completely off-guard.

Bradley and Nero: ……..

Bradley’s gun against Nero’s head, and Nero’s cutlery at Bradley’s neck—each pointing directly at the other.

Bradley: ...Huh?

Nero:  ...Wha?

Both of them recognized each other and put down their magical tools in confusion.

Rutile: Mister Bradley, what are you doing here?

Bradley: I’m the one who should be asking y’all that. Did you guys get washed ashore and start livin’ in the wild, too?

Shino and Lennox: ‘Too’?

Murr: Bradley, could it be that you’ve been here for ages? 

Bradley: Hey, not that long. Damn, it’s only been a few days!

Bradley: Not that it matters. Gimme something real good to eat. I ain’t had a morsel of real food since I got here.

Nero: Y-You….... Don’t you fuckin’ mess with me!

Bradley: H-Huh, wha?

Nero: You’re out here screwin’ around like nothin’ happened! Do you have any idea how worried I was!?

Nero: I couldn’t get a wink of sleep, thinkin’ that maybe you’d fuckin’ died somewhere!? If you were alive this whole time, then ya shoulda come back sooner, dumbass!

Bradley: H-Hey, stop! Stop! That’s dangerous…!

Nero lashed out his cutlery again and sent them chasing Bradley around.

The other wizards around were dumbfounded at Nero’s sudden display of such outrage, mouths agape.

Akira: N-Nero, calm down…!

Mitile: Um, I don’t think we understand the situation here…

Shino: What’s going on? I thought Bradley was out on a solo mission?

Murr: That was just a pretense made to cover the truth!

Murr: Actually, Bradley was thrown together with a beast into a chamber of magma after Mithra goofed up!

Rutile and Mitile: Huh!?

TL: yumemory | Proofread: Alle

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