Chapter 132
21. The Poison Gas Was Poisonous
The reason I suddenly opened my eyes was because of a huge roar that shook the sky.
I was startled and opened my eyes because the ground was shaking violently.
"What's going on?"
Kaiden must have felt the same way, as he jumped up. Dumbfounded, I rubbed my face and scanned the surroundings.
The cave entrance was covered with large leaves, and the view was dark as it was still the middle of the night.
Luzef, who was sitting cramped at the entrance trying to sleep, was also looking around in a hurry with eyes that weren't fully open.
Eunji, who had been sleeping at my head, wriggled and crawled up, wrapping her arms around me and climbing onto my shoulder.
"What could that sound be?"
Instinctively, I reached for my bag, took out Flares, loaded the magazine with bullets, and asked Kaiden.
"I don't know..."
"Is it a Monster?"
Luzef frowned with a tired face and yawned. He seemed to be still half-asleep and not fully aware of the situation. Of course, I was the same.
Kaiden frowned and ruffled his hair. He removed the leaves covering the cave entrance and looked around.
"Where did the Crown Prince and the Imperial Guard Commander go?"
When he expressed his doubts, I realized that Enoch and Diego, who were supposed to be on night watch, were nowhere to be seen.
"Can you figure out what's going on with Magic? Like using Tracking Magic."
At my question, he fell silent with a thoughtful expression, then held out his hand to me.
"I'll try. Lend me your hand."
I held out my hand with the ring to him. When he took my hand, a green light Manifestation from the emerald gem set in the ring, and a bluish magic circle appeared under where he was sitting.
Soon, Kaiden's bangs fluttered in the wind. The magic circle slowly disappeared as if seeping into the cave floor.
"The Crown Prince and the Imperial Guard Commander are both nearby? Huh? But why are they apart?"
"The two of them are apart, that's ominous."
They went out on night watch together, so why are they in different places? I felt uneasy.
In response to my answer, Kaiden stared intently at the cave entrance covered with leaves.
Kiyaaaak!
At that moment, a huge roar was heard from the sky, followed by
Kooong- Kooong--!
The sound of something exploding and collapsing shook the earth.
"Shouldn't we go out?"
Luzef asked us with a nervous face.
"Hey, lackey. Let's go out together. Margaret, it's dangerous for you, so stay here."
Kaiden pushed my shoulder to make me sit down. I shook my head, holding the Flares in my hand, and slung my bag over my shoulder.
"I'm going with you."
"It's dangerous."
"Magical Artifacts are more helpful than daggers. And you'll need my Mana too."
That was true, so Kaiden probably had nothing to say. He looked at me with a face that seemed to have a lot to say for a moment, then sighed.
"Then just stay by my side."
"I'm here too."
Luzef, who was squatting at the cave entrance ready to go out, added.
"Don't be a hindrance."
Luzef shut his mouth at Kaiden's merciless attack. He had a dissatisfied look on his face, but he couldn't argue and ended up staying quiet.
We carefully pushed aside the leaves covering the cave entrance. It was dark outside the cave. Even the moonlight had disappeared into the bushes, making it feel even darker.
I looked around, watching Kaiden's back as he stood at the cave entrance, and suddenly noticed the letters engraved on the cave entrance.
Alea
Alea. This must be the letters Anata wrote. Zenas said that Anata had studied languages.
Why did he use the word Alea?
And why did he engrave the word Alea in a place like this?
Judging from the Flares, the hut, and the cliff, it seemed that the letters Alea were engraved in places that Zenas had touched.
Then, is this cave also a place where Zenas used to live? If not, is it a cave made for experiments?
At that moment, the ground shook again.
I lost my balance and almost fell, but Kaiden grabbed my waist and caught me.
"I don't know what's going on."
I couldn't hide my embarrassment and muttered as I straightened myself up. Then, I loaded the Flares and aimed it at the sky.
"I don't know where everyone is, but I need to send a signal."
"I think that's a bit dangerous."
Luzef said, looking around with an uneasy face. I calmly refuted his words.
"Our location will be exposed, but since there's a Barrier, the Monsters won't be able to see us. If no one comes even after sending a signal, then we'll have to go outside the Barrier ourselves."
Kaiden nodded in agreement.
I aimed the Flares at the sky, lowered the hammer, and pulled the trigger.
Bang!
Pshweeoo.
Red smoke rose into the sky, leaving a long tail.
Boom! Fwoom!
Soon, red flames gorgeously decorated the black sky.
But as time passed, the forest remained silent.
'Do I have no choice but to go outside the Barrier?'
I was thinking that as I carefully approached the Barrier.
There was a small amount of moonlight, so it was possible to distinguish the view to some extent, but now the surroundings had become completely dark. It felt like a shadow was cast over my head.
"XX, what is that?"
I was puzzled by Kaiden's low curse and raised my head, and my eyes met with huge, bright yellow pupils.
The head of a giant Anaconda was looming over the cave.
It was different in size from the Anacondas we had encountered on the southern island. It was about three times as big.
It was so big that it could be called a dragon instead of an Anaconda.
I was overwhelmed by it and couldn't breathe.
The bright yellow pupils were facing down the Barrier as if looking for something. Fortunately, it didn't seem to see us standing inside the Barrier.
'Is Zenas watching?'
Kaiden carefully took my hand.
"Margaret, lend me some Mana."
He whispered in a small voice, sat down, and began to draw a magic circle on the floor with a branch. It seemed to be a Magic to strengthen the Barrier, as the Barrier glowed faintly.
Kyaak!
At a strange cry heard from somewhere, the Anaconda, which had been staring intently at the Barrier, turned its head with sluggish movements.
At the end of the Anaconda's gaze was a silver snake that was insignificantly small compared to it.
"What, when did it get there...!"
I was sure it was on my shoulder! I was about to run towards Eunji when Kaiden grabbed my wrist.
"No, it's dangerous."
I looked at Kaiden once and hurriedly turned back to Eunji.
At that moment, another Anaconda was seen sticking its head out from the bushes in the distance and rising into the sky.
There were Enoch and Diego, who had been missing.
Diego, whose clothes were caught in the Anaconda's sharp teeth, was dangling, and Enoch was stepping on the Anaconda's silver scales and struggling to climb onto its body.
"What is that again, this X situation."
"Can't you do something with Magic?"
"If I use Magic to get rid of all of that, you might collapse. You've used a lot of Mana just now."
As Kaiden said, I had used a lot of Mana just now. I had created a Barrier and consumed additional Mana to maintain and strengthen it.
Koong! Koong!
Another roar was heard from somewhere.
It seemed like there were more Monsters. There was no time. I turned to Kaiden and said.
"Kaiden. Do you trust me?"
"What?"
"Stay here and maintain the Barrier and watch over the priest and Eunji. Trust me and wait."
I left those words behind and stepped out of the Barrier.
"What?! Margaret!"
Leaving behind Kaiden's scream-like shout, I stepped on the sloping ground and climbed up the cave.