Chapter 175: Moral Obligation
After noticing the bloodied bodies hung from the ceiling, the murmurs began to spread through the group almost at once.
"Gods… what could have happened here?"
"This is… beyond words."
"I can't even bring myself to look at them."
"Do any of you recognise them?"
"Of course... who doesn't know them? They were the backbone of our guild, to say the least. A distinguished elite party known as the Wild Wolves, filled with talented individual explorers who were not only specialized in combat but also highly adept in reconnaissance."
"And because of that, most of their work involved searching for missing persons within the dungeon, dealing with troublesome adventurers who violated the rules, and maintaining a stable environment where normal people could continue their work in relative safety… and above all, they were responsible for observing the dungeon's condition firsthand."
"Also… do not forget… they were the ones who determined whether a dungeon was safe to venture into or not. Also, when necessary, they mapped out the more complex floors so that the rest of us would not wander blindly into danger. But now…"
"I'm not sure... what to say. But I'm really sorry for asking... that was rude of me."
"No worries... it happens sometimes."
By then, the adventurers had moved away from the circle, some still staring at the bodies with somber expressions as though unable to pull their eyes away, while others chose to look elsewhere as if denying the sight would make it any less real, and a few attempted to comfort the shaken woman by offering her water and quiet words.
Seraphina kept her gaze fixed on the bodies hanging from the ceiling before speaking in her usual cold tone, "A group of explorers who had been dispatched into the dungeon by the guild over a month ago… tasked with studying its nature and confirming the likelihood of a Dungeon Break... but they never returned from that expedition and were eventually presumed dead."
Despite that conclusion, they had been seasoned and highly capable hunters, so there remained a considerable possibility that they were still alive somewhere within the dungeon, unable to leave due to some unknown circumstance, at least that had been the Guildmaster's assumption. Because of that, he had personally entrusted her with the task of investigating the matter further and confirming whether they had truly perished or not.
Eventually, she spoke again in that same cold tone, "But who could have imagined that their bodies would be found in such a horrific way on this day?"
Valric's expression shifted to somber upon hearing those words, although the change was so faint that it would have easily gone unnoticed by anyone who was not paying close attention to him.
Considering that the Crownbreakers were the only party that consistently ventured into unexplored floors and cleared them, it was only natural that they had become more acquainted with the Wild Wolves than most, to the point that they could be considered companions in a sense, since they walked along paths that were not entirely different from one another.
After remaining silent all this time, Valric finally let out a long and quiet sigh, his face and voice equally devoid of any emotion, "Life can be cruel sometimes..."
Valentina's expression turned heavy with grief, "But who could have done something dreadful to them? A monster? Or perhaps a human?"
Seraphina answered without hesitation, "Possibly both."
The leaders turned toward her at once, their expressions filled with visible surprise.
Valentina blinked, clearly caught off guard, "Huh?"
Aerisyl raised an eyebrow, her confusion evident, "How so?"
Seraphina allowed a moment of silence to pass, then she said with quiet certainty, "If you examine the bodies closely, you will notice that their internal organs remain unaffected, which should not be possible when their outer appearance has been fully encased in a crystal-like layer of ice. How could such a state exist?"
Valentina fell into thought as she considered those words, her gaze returning to the bodies as she examined them more closely, then she said, "Could it be that whoever did this did not freeze them entirely… but instead created a shell-like structure that perfectly encases their bodies while trapping them inside… that way, their internal organs would remain untouched by the ability?"
Seraphina gave a faint nod in acknowledgment, "Indeed."
Aerisyl, however, still appeared unconvinced, her expression remaining troubled as she tried to piece it together, though she eventually asked, "Even so... that does not confirm the involvement of both. A monster could very well possess such an ability, could it not?"
Seraphina looked at her with a neutral gaze before answering in a cold voice, "That possibility is not incorrect. However, even if a creature possesses an element similar to that of a person, it would not be capable of executing such precision in constructing a crystal-like outer shell that mirrors the victims so perfectly, to the point that even their clothing has been replicated without any visible flaw, leaving almost no difference at all."
She paused for a moment, then continued in a wistful tone, "So, gruesome as they may appear... if it weren't for those intact muscles, we might have been deceived into believing that they had all been frozen solid within ice. Such a meticulous trick could only be born from human imagination... therefore, we can safely assume that it was indeed a human who had caged them within an ice shell before suspending them from the ceiling."
Aerisyl raised her hand to cover her mouth, her expression tightening as the image settled deeper into her mind, "Ah, how terrible. But why would anyone go to such lengths? What could they possibly hope to gain from something like this?"
Valric let out a quiet breath, then answered in a detached tone, "Who can really tell what passes through a criminal's mind? Still, whoever is responsible... they likely intended to catch us off guard, or perhaps they are toying with us as part of some twisted amusement. It could even serve as a warning meant to turn us back. Whatever the reason may be... it seems their plan did not proceed as they might have wished."
He paused, his gaze drifting briefly across the suspended remains before continuing, his voice growing heavier with each word, "Which leads me to believe that the torn bodies were the doing of a creature rather than the perpetrator themselves. It would make sense, given that there are no visible remains scattered across the ground, none that I can discern at least. If we consider it hypothetically, a wandering creature driven by hunger might have taken interest in those hanging figures and assumed them to be edible. It may have attempted to devour them fully... but either the ice shell dulled its appetite, or the height proved too troublesome to overcome, which forced it to abandon its meal before finishing."
Aerisyl stared at him for a moment with a blank, almost disbelieving expression before forcing out a strained smile, "That is... quite a thorough explanation you have there. Though I must say... words like hungry, edible, appetite, and meal were really unnecessary. You nearly terrified everyone just now."
Valric glanced over his shoulder, his eyes meeting the uneasy stares of the adventurers who instinctively stepped back the moment his gaze fell on them. At that reaction, he couldn't help but tilt his head ever so slightly as if puzzled by their fear.
Left with little room to respond otherwise, he exhaled in quiet indignation, "I apologise, that was not my intention. I was merely attempting to piece everything together so that it forms a coherent understanding, nothing more."
A wave of relief passed through the group, though the unease never truly left their expressions.
Without allowing the moment to go to waste, Valric returned his attention to what had been weighing on his mind, his voice lowering as a trace of coldness settled into it, "Captain... what shall be our next course of action? Shall we continue forward and leave these bodies as they are, treating this discovery as though it holds no relevance to us? Or shall we grant them a proper burial?"
Seraphina did not respond at once.
Her brow lifted slightly beneath the visor of her helm as she considered it for a moment. In the meantime, both Valentina and Aerisyl turned their full attention toward her, waiting for the answer.
But to their surprise, instead of giving an order, she asked as though she had been finding it troubling to make a proper decision at the moment, "What do you believe we should do, Sir Valric?"
He hesitated for a moment at her response, though the surprise faded quickly as he gave a shrug of his shoulder, "In my opinion, we should proceed with the former. Granting them a burial would indeed be an act of respect, perhaps even a moral obligation that one might feel compelled to fulfill as a matter of principle. Even so, it does not offer us any tangible benefit in our current situation. If anything, it would only waste our time without achieving anything. So, it would be more practical to move on and leave this matter as it is."
Valentina reacted at once, her eyes widening, unable to hide her disbelief, "A waste of time, really? How can you reduce it to something so insignificant, Valric? Have you already forgotten the moments we shared with them, even if they were few? That still makes them our companions. As such, we should be the ones urging the Captain to grant them the dignity they deserve, but here you are suggesting that we abandon them in such a state. How can you justify that?"
Valric let out a quiet scoff, "As I stated, there is no point in doing so. The dungeon itself will eventually take care of the remains, it's only a matter of time before it restores this place to its original state. Even if we were to bury them here, such an effort would not endure in the way we might intend, since any alteration within the dungeon, whether minor or severe, would inevitably trigger its self-restoration over time."
He paused for a moment, then added with a quiet sigh as his expression gradually darkened, "So, regardless of what we choose to do... their bodies will be devoured by the dungeon in the end, or perhaps vanish completely without leaving a trace. Not to mention, we are still unaware of what kind of creature has done something like that to them. Although most of the dungeon monsters are usually not that fond of consuming human flesh, those who do are among the most terrifying of them all."
His green eyes gleamed with an unnatural light as he continued, "Moreover, we still don't know if it came from the lower floors or not. Judging by its massacre, however, perhaps it did... and if that's the case, considering how fresh the wounds still are, it could very well be somewhere near us even now. In that case, it might have noticed our presence by now, or maybe it's already coming for us... since these types of creatures tend to possess rather peculiar senses that allow them to detect humans across a wide area. So, as the leaders of this quest... we should prioritize getting rid of the creature first, or at least prepare a trap to deal with it... instead of wasting time burying some dead weights. Understand?"
Valentina clenched her fists tightly at her sides as her expression shifted into something far from calm.
When she spoke, her voice came out low, "That's enough, Val. I have no interest in listening to such petty justifications."
Valric's expression twisted ever so slightly at her words, but he clicked his tongue and forced himself to remain composed, "Excuse me? Those are perfectly valid points."
Hearing that, she reached up and touched the brim of her hat, pulling it down just enough to cast a shadow over her eyes.
After a while, she spoke again with a soft sigh that carried more weight than before, "So what? I am well aware of those possibilities myself... so you didn't have to go out of your way to remind me of them. It sounded so desperate, you know. It's as if you're trying to convince us with all your might that we shouldn't hold a burial at all... like it's some kind of sin. Why is that?"
Valric stared at her without saying anything, which suggested that he either had nothing to say or simply chose not to.
Valentina continued, her tone growing noticeably harsher as the restraint in her voice began to crack, "Now that I think about it, you've been acting this way ever since we saw those dead bodies. In fact, I noticed that their deaths seemed to leave no impression on you whatsoever, as though they meant nothing at all. In the end, all you seem to care about is running away from this place as soon as possible. You even went so far as to call them a burden. What are you so afraid of? What are you even running from? Is it the harsh reality, or responsibility... or is it about—"
Before Valentina could finish, Aerisyl suddenly stepped in and covered her mouth, pulling her into a tight embrace.
Eventually, she leaned close and whispered into her ear, her voice low, "Shut your mouth, fool. You're not in your right mind, so refrain from saying anything you would later regret. It is for the best."
Valentina hesitated for a moment within her grasp, then quietly nodded in agreement.
Aerisyl then lifted her gaze toward Valric, whose face remained as emotionless as ever, and said, "The same applies to you, leader. I have no interest in prolonging an argument such as this, but the truth is, you've really gone too far this time. I won't ask what is troubling you or why you're acting so strange all of a sudden, but if you truly felt this uncomfortable remaining here... you should have left the hall sooner instead of hurting her feelings."
Valric met her gaze for a few quiet moments before lowering his eyes. When he spoke though, his voice carried a wistful tone, "I'm sorry. That was really unprofessional of me to act like that. It won't happen again."
Aerisyl withdrew her hand, giving Valentina space as she waited patiently, perhaps expecting some kind of response from her, but Valentina chose to remain silent and turned her face away, pretending as though she had heard nothing at all.
With no other choice left, Aerisyl let out a quiet sigh before allowing a faint smile to form, "Well, as long as you recognize your mistake, I suppose it can be overlooked over time. In any case, I don't see much value in continuing this argument since the final decision regarding what should be done rests with the Captain."
At once, everyone's attention shifted toward the one who had remained silent throughout the entire exchange, observing everything without interfering. Her cloak swayed gently behind her despite the complete absence of wind.
Naturally, Seraphina had made her decision long before Valric had even thought to ask for it, but despite that, she had still chosen to seek his opinion, only because she had noticed the change in his behavior along with the way he had addressed the dead so nonchalantly, which led her to suspect that something was amiss with him, whether it be a moment of shock or something far more complicated.
As it turned out, her suspicion had not been wrong, although the truth behind it was not something she had expected, nor was it something she could understand easily. But if she wished, she could have chosen to ask him, but decided against it, as there was little to gain from pressing him.
At that moment, Valric spoke once again, his tone carrying a hint of impatience, "What do you want us to do, Captain?"
'It seems... they're so occupied in their quarrel that they haven't even realised it yet.'
Seraphina remained silent for a moment, her gaze drifting across them, before she spoke in her usual tone, "Before that, there is something I would like to ask you."
Naturally, everyone turned their attention toward her, their expressions reflecting curiosity mixed with confusion.
Valric gave a slight nod before answering, "Yes, Captain. What is it?"
Her expression turned colder in an instant as she said, "If the perpetrator's sole intention was to kill the victims before hanging them from the ceiling, then why would they go as far as wasting their time creating a shell around their bodies instead of simply freezing them outright? Does that not seem far too suspicious to be ignored?"
Valric fell silent as he considered her words, and the answer came to him almost at once. His eyes widened at once as realization struck him, "Wait... you do not mean?"
A shadow crossed her beautiful face as she said in a cold tone, "Yes, all of these victims were alive within those ice shells, until that creature finally arrived."
Both Valentina and Aerisyl looked at her in shock, unable to contain their disbelief.
"What?"
"But why?"
Ignoring their reaction, she continued, her expression darkening slightly, "The perpetrator most likely intended to play a cruel game with us, to see whether we would be capable of uncovering the truth and saving them in time or not."
Valric clenched his fists at his sides, his expression turning somber as he added, "And naturally, we would not have even considered the possibility that they were still alive, so even if we had chosen to ignore them or bury them, it would not have mattered. In the end, it would have been us who condemned them to death."
Aerisyl couldn't hold back her frustration, "How can someone resort to such a vile trick!"
Gently freeing herself from her friend's embrace, Valentina stepped forward, her expression turned serious as she said, "So, if your deduction is correct... then there is still a chance that the last person might be alive, as long as we are not too late."
Valric frowned, though he did not respond.
Seraphina answered without hesitation, "Of course, and that is precisely why we will remain here and determine what can still be done."
A faint smile touched Valentina's lips as she bowed quickly, "Thank you, Captain."
Seraphina nodded before adding, "Do not raise your hopes too high though, since his survival still depends on his endurance."
Valentina straightened her posture before replying calmly, "Understood."
Soon enough, Deron raised a tall pillar from the ground using his earth magic, shaping it carefully with a set of stairs that reached near the required height. In the meantime, several adventurers volunteered themselves to retrieve the bodies, so they were granted permission, since the task itself did not require much time, the only difficulty lying in cutting the ice hangers with enough care so that the bodies would not be damaged as they were detached from the ceiling.
Before long, everything had been brought down, and the bodies were laid side by side on the ground, while the more gruesome parts were respectfully covered with cloaks.
Seraphina stepped closer and began to examine them in silence, her gaze steady as she observed every detail.
Now that the corpses were within reach, she quickly noticed the small openings beneath their noses, which had likely allowed them just enough air to breathe and remain alive, although those openings were so subtle and hidden that they would go unnoticed unless one knew exactly where to look.
The shells surrounding their chests were highly raised due to the shape of their armor, creating just enough space to allow their hearts to continue beating, since without that, they would have succumbed to suffocation despite the presence of air.
'It seems... the culprit had taken every measure to ensure their survival.'
Seraphina touched her chin, lost in thought.
Just then, someone from the adventurers questioned her with quiet doubt, "Captain... how are we supposed to dissolve this ice?"
'That is indeed a problem. Applying heat would most likely kill the one trapped within, and excessive force carries its own risks...'
Before she could reach a conclusion, Valric walked in front of the body quietly, which made the others step aside almost instinctively, as none of them wished to interfere with whatever he intended to do.
In the next moment, he raised his greatsword high above his shoulder and brought it down in a single, controlled motion, the tip striking directly against the center of the frozen chest without seeking permission or offering an explanation.
The sound of impact rang out sharply.
Aerisyl stared at him with her mouth slightly open, "W-what... have you done?"
Valentina's teeth clenched as she lifted her hand as though to cast a spell to stop him, but it was already too late to do anything.
'Is he out of his mind?'
Crossing his arms together, Kael observed the scene in silence, showing no particular concern toward the bodies themselves, as they held no meaning to him, but his attention remained fixed on the crystal-like ice, which he had recognized the moment he laid his eyes upon them.
'That bitch Effie... there's no mistaking it, this is definitely her handiwork. But what is she doing here? Has Queen perhaps sent her to become an obstacle in this expedition? But judging by how silent everything is, that doesn't seem to be the case at all. Effie hasn't shown herself either. So, what exactly is that witch planning... if not interfering in the quest?"
While his thoughts lingered upon that question, Valric had already withdrawn his blade, and to everyone's quiet relief, there seemed to be no immediate change in the body, which allowed a brief moment of calm to settle among them.
However, that fragile calm did not last long, as countless thin cracks began to spread across the ice shell from the point of impact, each fracture extending further until the entire structure shattered all at once, revealing the person trapped within.
Aerisyl raised an eyebrow with visible surprise, "It actually worked?"
Valric shrugged, "Naturally. The body was encased within an external shell, so with sufficient force directed at a precise point, the structure will break without harming what lies within."
She tilted her head slightly and shot him an odd look, her skepticism clear, "And what if the force had been too much?"
Valric forced a smile, though it didn't reassure anyone, "He has his armor to protect him, so it would have absorbed the excess force either way. If not, then it would have been his fault for not wearing armor capable of withstanding my attack."
Aerisyl looked at him as though she could not quite decide whether to argue or simply accept the absurdity of his reasoning.
Soon after, the armor itself began to break apart as well, pieces falling away one after another, but the attention of everyone present shifted at once when several harsh coughs broke through the silence.
Someone hurried forward with a bottle of water and helped the man drink, supporting him carefully as his body struggled to respond after being trapped for so long.
Not long after, Aerisyl stepped closer and healed him with quiet efficiency, her magic restoring what it could as the color slowly returned to his pale face.
Valentina quickly moved to his side and knelt beside him, her expression tense as she looked at him closely, "Luce... it's me, Valentina. Can you hear me?"
At first, there was no response, though after a moment he turned his head slightly in her direction, his eyes still clouded.
Even so, there was a faint sign that he had regained some awareness, at least enough to react to her presence.
She let out a quiet breath and spoke gently, "It's alright, you don't need to move now, just rest for a while and we can speak later."
She was about to stand up, believing he needed time to recover, but at that moment, suddenly he grasped her hand with surprising force, his body attempting to sit up despite the weakness that made the motion falter awkwardly.
His lips parted, then closed, then parted once more as though each word demanded effort, until at last his voice emerged, strained and trembling, "N-no... time... left."
Valentina turned her head over her shoulder slightly, confusion evident in her expression, "What?"
Luce swallowed with difficulty, his entire body trembling as he forced himself to speak, "R-run away... y-you must r-run away... if you want to survive."
Valentina's brows furrowed, "What is it that you saw?"
His voice dropped, carrying a cold terror that seemed to linger beneath each broken word, "C-coming back... i-it's coming back. When it does... no one... no one will be safe. Die... everyone... will die. Run... run... run."
Seraphina studied him with a complicated expression.
Judging by his state, the man had suffered severe mental shock or trauma.
Could it be possible that he had witnessed what happened to his comrades?
But how could that be?
Just then, Valric spoke again, his tone carrying a trace of curiosity as though something else had already caught his attention, "Captain... where is Mistwalker? I haven't seen her for quite some time now?"
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(Chapter Ended)
To be continued...