ESMLT 36

Chapter 36

In the end, I entered the cave.

Even though I was aware that a cave not on the map was dangerous, I judged there was no place more suitable for fulfilling the Crown Prince’s investigation purpose.

‘Let’s just take a quick look around and get back to the Empire.’

That’s what I thought as I walked.

The deeper I went into the cave, the stronger the smell of the sea became.
It was damp and musty.

As I struggled to walk on the wet sand that swallowed my work boots, the Crown Prince held out his hand.

“Hold on.”

I hesitated a moment, then took his hand. First, I was surprised because his hand was warm; second, I was startled as his thick, rough fingers slid between mine, grazing the tender skin.

The Crown Prince laughed and looked back at me.
“Why are your shoulders trembling like that? Are you scared?”
“No, I’m not afraid.”

I couldn’t tell him it was because he was holding my hand in such a strange way, so I pretended not to know.

As we went deeper inside, it grew darker.

At some point, the sandy ground grew shallow, and I felt a hard, uneven surface.

“Can’t see anything.”
“Just a moment.”

I took the last remaining glowstone from my pouch.

In the pitch-black space, the brilliantly glowing light illuminated the interior brightly.

Faaah—!

That’s when it happened.

Something pitch-black flew swiftly past us. As I flinched in surprise and curled up, the Crown Prince pulled me into an embrace.

After burying my face in his chest for a moment, I cautiously raised my head.
“What was that?”
“A bat.”

The Crown Prince released my shoulder, which he had been holding, lowered his gaze, and grinned mischievously. His amber eyes, narrowed into thin slits like thread, glittered in the glowstone’s light.

“Quite the scaredy-cat.”

I shook him off as if dusting myself, then patted my shirt.

‘Who’s scared? I was just a little startled.’

But… truthfully, for someone who dislikes the occult, this eerie cave was certainly unsettling.

Going deeper, there was a stone staircase in a linear passage. It was a constructed staircase that could never have been formed solely by weathering and dissolution.

“It’s a designed cave.”
“A labyrinth, perhaps?”
“Could be. Be careful, milady.”

The Crown Prince’s hand gripped mine a little tighter.

We descended the staircase, wide enough for three people to walk abreast, together.

How far down did we go?

At a wide opening, a faint golden light poured down, illuminating a small landing.

We stepped onto the landing and stared blankly at the stone chamber pouring out golden light, then at each other.

“Stay here, milady.”

The Crown Prince blocked me with his arm once, then warily entered the stone chamber.

I stood there blankly, waiting until he gave the signal.

A short while later, having confirmed there was nothing in the stone chamber, he gestured for me to come in.

I had glimpsed the interior while standing outside, but entering inside was even more astonishing.

From ceiling to floor, it was densely covered in hieroglyphics and characters that looked like Hebrew.

The borders of the characters, incised into the stone slabs, shone so brightly with a golden light that it was almost blinding.

Opposite the entrance was a stone coffin and a rectangular table, with two silver candlesticks placed on either side.

The Crown Prince muttered as he examined everything from ceiling to floor, carefully moving his feet.
“Ancient script.”
“Can you read it?”

The Crown Prince shook his head lightly.
“With frequent campaigns, aside from essential imperial studies, I received no education in linguistics or archaeology at all.”
“Really?”

Well, it makes sense. His Highness the Crown Prince could just bring interpreters or give orders, after all.

I traced the left wall with my fingertips and said,
“It might sound strange, but I can read it.”
“You can, milady?”

The Crown Prince looked at me with surprised eyes.

I nodded nonchalantly, but I was surprised myself.

‘Being able to use this world’s language can be chalked up to the transmigration buff, but how do I know ancient script too?’

It just seemed natural to read, which was bewildering.

“Milady.”

The Crown Prince gestured with his chin, urging me to read.

I ran my skin over the incised characters one by one, then rolled my eyes and looked at the Crown Prince.

“…The same phrase is written repeatedly.”

The Crown Prince raised one eyebrow and crossed his arms, leaning on his spear. It was a signal to go on.

“Um, so…”
‘It’s written with phrases a cult might use to enchant believers, so it’s cringe-worthy to say out loud.’

I swallowed my embarrassment and mumbled quietly.

“Come, light of darkness. Awaken on the day of glory. It shall cover the light—”

That’s when it happened.

Drrrrrruk—.

The arched stone coffin door slid sideways.

‘What?’

The Crown Prince and I exchanged glances and moved away from the coffin.

I pulled out my hammer, and the Crown Prince held his spear and stepped in front of me.

Drrrrruk—!

Again, the coffin door slid sideways. This time, a bit more.

‘What, what on earth.’

My heart pounded, and my palms grew slick with sweat.

After that, the coffin door showed no more movement. Just as we were letting our guard down slightly, staring at the coffin—

Thump—!

A sudden sound from outside the stone chamber startled us, and the Crown Prince and I rushed out.

The entrance, which had shown a dot of blue sky, was completely sealed by a stone wall that had descended from the ceiling.

The Crown Prince and I looked at each other with shaken eyes.
“We’re trapped, right?”
“Definitely.”

We looked around.

Above, only about a dozen steps remained; below, a dark, curved staircase was visible.

In other words, we had no path except the descending one.

Drrrruk—! Thump—!

Then, the cave rumbled once more.

At this ominous sign, my heart thrashed like it was seizing, and my mouth went completely dry.

Just as I was about to take a slow step back into the stone chamber, readjusting my grip on the hammer—

Thump!

A foot descended from the coffin, shaking the entire interior.

Thump!

When both feet descended, small stones bounced up.

Thump!

The thing that awoke from the stone chamber rose like a mountain peak, silhouetted against the golden light.

I slowly raised my head.

A monster with a rounded rock-like body and limbs was looking at us, swaying unsteadily from side to side.

Its two arms were human-like, and its two legs were lion-like.

The rugged, rocky body that served as its torso was studded with multiple human and animal eyes and mouths.

Bloodshot, gloomy pupils in over a dozen eyes darted about incessantly.

Kik… Kikik…
From its twisted mouth, emitting a bizarre laughter, sticky green drool dripped down.

Flap—!

Under its left arm, there was also a tail—an asymmetrical, heart-shaped grey tail that was clearly from a shark. In the center of its belly, gills that looked like tender flesh had been sliced open also gaped.

‘G-gross…’

Goosebumps ran all the way up to my scalp, and I stumbled backward in a panic until my back hit the wall.

More than fear, a vague sense of discomfort and disgust was overwhelming.

Ugh. I covered my mouth with my hand, suppressing a retch.

Perhaps feeling the same, the Crown Prince’s thoroughly distorted face was filled with revulsion.

I swallowed the urge to vomit and tugged on his shirt.
“Your Highness, do such monsters exist in the Empire too?”
“A dreadful hybrid. I’m seeing such a monster for the first time as well.”

Thank goodness. This time, the Crown Prince didn’t treat me like an idiot.

Indeed, even when I studied the monster compendium until it was tattered before coming to the zombie zone, there was nothing like that.

‘What on earth is that? It’s on a completely different level from the desert scorpion monsters.’

Just as we were staring at the monster in shock—

Kueeeeeek!

A zombie, having broken through from the dark staircase below, rushed at me from behind.

Crunch—!

As the Crown Prince pulled me by the shoulder and swung his spear, the severed skull flew and hit the wall, tumbling down the stairs.

‘S-scary.’

I clutched my pounding heart and looked down the staircase, then suddenly a chill ran down my spine.

‘Don’t tell me…’

The worst-case assumption took root in my mind.

I looked back down the pitch-black staircase again.

The passage, dark as ink, was as still as the sea before a storm. From within, a cold wind mixed with a putrid smell blew, making my bangs flutter.

As if that was a signal flare, my breathing gradually grew ragged.

Just as the air felt as heavy as a lead ingot—

Tap!

A claw-like bony hand shot out from the darkness and grasped the stone wall.

‘Wah!’

The moment I was utterly startled—

Kueeeeeek!

Dozens of zombies charged up the stairs.

‘F**k! What is that!’

Crunch!
“Milady!”

While I faltered, the Crown Prince pulled me back and dispatched the zombie scrambling up the stairs.

He then killed the zombies climbing over their fallen comrades to reach the landing, grabbed my wrist, and stepped back.

Crunch! Thwack! Crunch!

“One, two, three, four… Damn it, counting is pointless.”

He, who had been counting while killing the approaching zombies, turned to look at me, who was standing there dazed, his breathing slightly ragged.
“Damn it… Milady, are you okay?”

No, I’m not okay.

I told you so! It’s against zombie apocalypse survival protocol!

Crunch—!

Finally snapping out of it, I swung my hammer and glared at the Crown Prince.

Sensing my glare, he shouted somewhat awkwardly while dealing with zombies.
“Milady, I retract that!”

Kueeeeeek!

Squelch—!

“…Ugh! Retract what!”
“‘Probably’ might not be it!”

At that moment, his voice from a few minutes ago echoed loudly in my head as if through a megaphone.

‘You won’t die. Probably.’

Kueeeeeek!

I looked ahead.

Skulls white as gravel were scrambling up the narrow path like shoppers rushing at a sale announcement, getting stuck and flailing.

I looked to the left.

Ki… Kikik! Kik!

In the stone chamber, the bizarre monster was curling multiple lips upward, mocking us.

Alternating my gaze between these dizzying sights, I squeezed my eyes shut.

“F**k…”

Someone just knock me out already.