[138] Time and space of the maze (2)
However, the leader was also not an easy opponent.
“I came to meet the natives. okay?”
“That could be an answer, but you have to explain. It’s a breach of contract. If it’s like this, I won’t ask anymore.”
The leader wanted to ache. It was as if he had only thought about raising Sirone, but had closed the business too early.
The quick-witted sorceress explained further.
“We don’t know anything other than that. Because I really came to see the natives.”
“okay.”
Sirone looked back at his friends and nodded. If they didn’t know what was underground, the danger of falling into a trap was gone.
Thinking it was a decent business, Sirone took out 1 more gold.
“Why did you come to meet the natives? 1 gold here.”
The archer who received the money smacked his lips as if in conflict. To be honest, it was embarrassing to tell others.
“To save Loop. It is also distributed in the market, but you can buy it in bulk here at a much cheaper price. I’m thinking of selling it to fund my adventure. So, is this the answer?”
Sirone was shocked for a moment. It was a place of loop trafficking that had nothing to do with the secrets of the ruins.
However, the mercenaries also found this place with only fragmentary information, so it was too early to conclude.
‘How did this happen? Is it completely different from what I expected? A place that sells drugs? No, you can’t think like that. It is a drug to the common people, but a ritual tool to the natives. Therefore, it must be a sacred object. That’s what it means…’
Sirone finished her thoughts and asked.
“Isn’t this the passage connecting the Aboriginal Autonomous District?”
“what? How did you… Oops!”
Realizing his mistake, the archer frowned. I answered without taking any money.
Then Sirone rummaged through his pocket and pulled out 1 gold. I was in a hurry to ask, but I had no intention of cheating.
“Ah, 1 gold here. Sorry for asking first.”
The archer stared at Sirone’s outstretched hand.
Of course, 1 gold was not easy to earn, but it was not an amount that would terrify a mercenary with a career of his own.
“Sheesh! it’s okay. Because I made a mistake.”
“It is not a mistake. That’s what a contract is.”
“know! It’s just that I can’t accept it because my pride is hurt. Damn I made this mistake. Because I am still far away.”
“Then I’ll assume the last question was service.”
Sirone inserted the gold coin without hesitation. If you don’t want to accept it, but you don’t want to waste it, it’s not the attitude of a sound student.
The archer was in trouble for no reason. At some point, I felt that I was being swayed by a child the size of a chestnut tree.
“Instead, let me ask you something. how did you find out In fact, its content is top secret.”
“Because loops are sacred to the natives. Besides, if the margin is huge enough to raise a lot of money by selling loops, it won’t be loosely released. In the end, even among the natives, permission from someone with authority is required, and if there is such a person, there is of course only an autonomous district.”
The archer had nothing to say. While wondering if there was anything worthwhile to do with money, what I found was the Kergo Ruins.
Sirone’s short words contained all the conclusions he had reached after spending several days and nights researching loops and searching the information market.
“Sheesh! One hair is amazing. Any more questions?”
“No, no. Now let’s go down and check.”
The archer smiled bitterly. I guessed why Sirone didn’t ask questions. Perhaps it was because he realized that no matter what he asked, he had nothing more to say.
Sirone and the others went down for 20 minutes. Although it spiraled, it was still of great depth.
When we reached the end of the stairs, a single corridor continued. Two natives were standing at the iron gate installed 10 meters in front.
Unlike the natives outside, the upper body was exposed, and bare feet were visible under the pants.
The tattoo, which started at the navel, branched and continued up to the face, and it was frightening to see from a distance.
Sirone thought that this place would not be an autonomous district. You’ll have to walk at least a few kilometers to get into the Toa Mountain jungle.
The mercenaries were also nervous. The interpreter, the archer, took a seat next to the leader.
After exchanging a few words of code in the Kergo language, the native flipped the switch.
As the wheel made of iron turned, the door opened to the left and right.
“Wow…”
Sirone’s eyes lit up as if he had landed in an unfamiliar world.
It was an octagonal room with stone walls. On the other side of the entrance, you can see an iron gate, and three men are guarding it.
In the center was an octagonal altar, identical to the shape of the room, laid flat, with spheres about 30 cm in diameter floating above the eight corners.
Sirone recalled the memory. It was a sphere that I had definitely seen before.
“What is that?”
The archer looked back at Sirone as if wondering. I didn’t even know what it was until I came here, and the odds of something familiar were extremely slim.
“what’s the matter? Do you know what that is?”
“That must be a labyrinth…”
The leader pursed his lips.
“Hey, what are you pretending to know? Why did you even think of the double bell hanging from your lower leg?”
The leader didn’t like Sirone from the bar. He hated people who didn’t have the courage to fight, but walked around giving strength to their necks in front of women. Because he had no woman to support his neck.
“maze? Did you just say maze?”
A native guarding the entrance asked. Even Sirone, who did not know the language, could understand the word Miro.
The archer, who was curious about the situation, added an interpreter as if patronizing.
“You ask if you know the maze?”
“yes. I have met you once.”
When the archer said yes, the native’s eyes twisted. As the tattoo bent, it was like seeing a goblin from a legend.
“You met? There can be no such thing. That is a lie.”
“no. I met you for real.”
The native is deep in thought. However, as if he came to a simple conclusion, he quickly returned to a relaxed expression.
“I don’t judge anything. Only the eyes of an angel will watch over you.”
After leaving behind incomprehensible words and closing the iron door, Sirone put aside her regret and turned around. I thought it was a start anyway.
As the mercenaries walked to the center, a native came from the other side of the iron gate.
Apparently, two of the three natives were gatekeepers, and only the man approaching seemed to have a different role.
You could tell just by looking at the color of the tattoo. While normal Kergoins have red tattoos, this man’s tattoos were white.
“This is a room of achievement and sacrifice. The eight eyes of an angel will judge you. To enter Kergo, you must pass through the time-space of the labyrinth.”
Upon hearing the word maze, Sirone hurriedly turned her head. But the archer kept his mouth shut, as if he had no intention of interpreting any more.
“maze? You just said it was a maze, right? What is that person saying?”
“Hey, don’t get me wrong. I’m not your interpreter, so why do I have to teach you?”
“You’re going to tell your colleagues anyway. tell me quickly.”
“no. Let’s not worry about each other from now on. We are here because we have work to do.”
The man with the white tattoo crossed his arms and stared at them. It was clear that Sirone was asking for an interpreter just by his hand gestures.
“Have any of you learned the ancient language?”
“Oh, I can do a little bit.”
“Then translate. Opportunities are equal for all. The eyes of an angel watch over everything in the labyrinth of time and space.”
“Why should I? These are not our group. I don’t know what you’re judging, but please separate them.”
“no. From the moment you enter the room of achievement and sacrifice, you are one. Will you achieve or sacrifice? That’s all you have a choice.”
“shit! I was caught unlucky. What are you going to do with these kids?”
As the conversation got longer, the wizard pressed on.
“What are you talking about? Please speak quickly.”
Unable to do anything, the archer relayed the story he had heard so far.
The mercenaries who heard everything were irritated. Had I known this was going to happen, I should have somehow left Sirone and the others behind.
“The eyes of an angel judge? Do you mean to evaluate your skills? Wrap it up and go with those kids? Isn’t this too disadvantageous for us?”
When the wizard complained, Amy’s eyes narrowed.
“Hey, they keep calling me kids, but how do you know if we have any skills or not?”
“Ho-ho-ho! Oh so? Aren’t you thinking of blaming us because you didn’t get a free ride? To be clear, if you mess things up because of you, you better be prepared.”
“joy! Do whatever you want. Because I have no intention of being with you anyway.”
The wizard smiled coldly. Who are you? He was one of the rookies in the limelight as budding wizards in the mercenary world.
He didn’t get along with inferior mercenaries at all, so his colleagues were only made up of people of similar age and level.
On the other hand, it was clear that those ignorant children were students who learned swordsmanship and magic somewhere.
There was a huge difference between what I learned in school and what I practiced. Among the mercenaries who had to throw their lives easily, if they were evaluated as newcomers, they could be confident that they would not be pushed back even when compared to certified wizards.
‘Let’s wait and see, kids. If you get past this, I’ll make you cry while praying.’
Anyway, thanks to the women’s spirit fight, I was able to bury the minor emotions.
As the eight of them looked back while waiting for the next one, the man with the white tattoo began to explain.
“There are two conditions for crossing the gate. You can prove your ability or send one person through the sacrifice of one person.”
As soon as he heard the interpretation, Sirone asked a question.
“What do you mean prove? What specifically do you prove?”
“hey! Don’t keep interfering! They don’t translate!”
“They say we have to do it together. Just ask me quickly.”
The archer, who had nothing to say, gnashed his teeth and translated. The man in white nodded and spoke further.
“Descendant of the warrior, go up to the altar of judgment and play your chess on one of the eight marbles. God’s language will answer. Fail if red light flashes. If you see a white light, you have passed.”
Sirone continued to ask questions. It seemed that he had hired Archer as his personal interpreter.
“Is there a limit on the number of entries? For example, how many times can one person try?”
“It doesn’t matter until you run out of strength. If a passer comes out, everyone can go to Kergo. If no one passes, you have to go back. This is the will of the labyrinth and the mission of Kergoin.”
“You said achievement and sacrifice. So what is sacrifice?”
“One person can pass through with one person’s blood.”
“You mean you have to die?”
“Yes.”
After hearing that, Sirone was lost in thought. You can take on any number of challenges, and even if only one person succeeds, everyone can pass.
But what if no successful applicants come out? I had no choice but to pass through the door at the sacrifice of my colleagues. It was one for each person’s life.
‘Something is strange. Was it necessary to go to Kergo with such cruelty? It doesn’t make sense to kill a comrade simply to save Loop. There’s something more to Kergo. After all, the mercenaries also came here without knowing the real secret of this underground.’
Sirone beckoned to translate again. The information collected so far was useful, so the archer agreed without a word.
“Are there limits to sacrifice? So either bring in someone else from outside or use the body of someone who has already died.”
“no. The moment you enter the room, you are one. The door never opens until everyone agrees. Therefore, such questions are meaningless.”
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