The four were ordered to head toward the town field.
So they obeyed.
Along the way, they witnessed the same horrifying sights they had seen earlier between the eastern gate and the Baron's mansion.
The citizens looked famished.
Like people standing on the edge of death, waiting for the slightest push to fall.
Carl kept his gaze lowered to the ground while carrying the artifact in his right hand.
The other three, however, were visibly disturbed.
[At nearly 5:36 PM]
The sun was already nearing the horizon.
Soon, it would disappear and return again tomorrow.
Eventually, all four arrived at the town field.
And what awaited them there…
…was horrifying.
The field once used for sports, gatherings, and festivals was now completely covered in silver engravings beyond ordinary comprehension.
At the center stood a massive black platform from which every engraving originated.
Beside it stood the Advisor.
And several followers.
"WELCOME, MY ADVENTURERS!"
"Now then, don't be shy."
"Come closer."
"And give me the artifact."
Carl stepped forward while the others remained behind.
"Come… come, my dear…" the Advisor muttered.
Whether he was speaking to Carl or the artifact itself was unclear.
Carl handed him the artifact.
But the Advisor didn't touch it directly.
Instead, he gestured toward two guards.
They carefully carried the artifact onto the platform before inserting its metal pipes into the matching sockets embedded within it.
The moment the engravings on the pipes met the socket, the lines on the ground began to glow.
"Excellent!!"
"It's compatible!"
The guards immediately backed away.
The Advisor observed the glowing platform for several seconds before finally turning back toward the group.
"Once I activate the Coregnet," he said calmly, "everyone within this town will die."
"But…"
"If the four of you are willing to serve me…"
"…I will spare your lives."
"Your pathetic attempt to kill me has already failed."
"Lyra is dead."
Carl lowered his head slightly.
"…We are willing to work for you if you allow us to live."
"Good."
"But I still don't trust you."
He snapped his fingers.
Two guards stepped forward.
"You four will remain in the underground prison until the ritual is complete."
The guards approached.
But just before they could leave—
"Wait."
Everyone stopped.
The Advisor slowly turned toward the bandage-covered person.
"What happened to your ugly companion?"
"Why hasn't he spoken a single word this entire time?"
"And why is his entire body wrapped in bandages beneath that oversized coat?"
Carl answered calmly.
"He is gravely injured."
"He was the one who retrieved the artifact from the tomb."
"…Then why can't he speak?"
Carl remained silent for nearly four seconds.
Then he answered:
"Last time, monsters tried to molest him from below."
"This time…"
"…they aimed higher."
"And unfortunately, they succeeded."
.
.
.
"…You may go," the Advisor said.
The guards escorted the four toward the underground prison.
Finally.
No one would interfere anymore.
The Advisor spread his arms proudly toward his followers.
"Hahahaha!!"
At once, applause erupted across the field.
The Advisor approached the platform and began activating the artifact.
Each button press released a deep mechanical sound that echoed throughout the entire town with equal intensity.
Once the twelfth button was pressed—
Every follower instantly bowed until their foreheads touched the ground.
The silver engravings suddenly turned crimson red.
The Advisor placed both hands onto the engraved handprints beside the artifact and continued chanting as the crimson engravings glowed brighter and brighter.
Then, in the middle of the spell, he said—
"Makdéruor."
BOOM.
"Headshot!!"
I laughed as the Advisor's head exploded apart.
The shot came from behind.
That bastard didn't even see what hit him.
His followers froze in horror as chunks of their master's head scattered across the glowing platform.
"GET HIM!!"
They all screamed at once.
"COME ON THEN!!"
I raised my pistol toward them.
But then—
Its barrel suddenly went flaccid.
"…What the hell?"
"…What?"
I rubbed it.
Stroked it.
Even gave it a few desperate pumps.
Nothing.
Still flaccid.
"…This is NOT the time for performance anxiety!!"
Nope.
Absolutely not.
I immediately turned and sprinted toward the underground prison.
"CARL!! HELP!!"
"I KNOW YOU CAN HEAR M—"
Before I could finish—
Arrows suddenly rained down from nearby rooftops.
Lyra.
As I turned toward her, a powerful gust rushed past me.
Carl.
Followed by Joey and Jack.
Relief flooded my body so hard that my legs gave out beneath me.
I collapsed onto the ground.
"…I survived."
"I actually survived…"
"Thank you, Grandma."
"Your blessings even work in this hellhole."
As I lay there, I noticed the heavy barrier was gone. The entire town began to glow with a soft, golden light. It looked like millions of fireflies were rising from the streets. For the first time in months, fresh air hit the town.
I didn't know it then, but Carl later told me those "fireflies" were the spiritual energies the Advisor had stolen, finally returning to their rightful owners.
Lyra found her father in their house. He was barely alive, but he survived. Joey and Jack's families were alive, too. The town stayed gold until nearly midnight. That night, the people of Dunford cried—not in pain, but in relief. Nobody slept.
The next day, Royal Knights arrived to arrest the Advisor's followers. Among them were "Drek" (the guy who ruined my first sleep in this world) and the maid who had tricked me with those "meat" carrots.
But something was missing. The artifact the Advisor had been so desperate to use was gone. The Royal Knights and investigators searched everywhere, but they couldn't find it.
By the following morning, Dunford was the main headline of the National Newspaper.
The entire nation asked the same questions:
How could something this catastrophic happen without the outside world noticing?
How had an entire town suffered for months while the nation remained unaware?
Before long, the news spread internationally as well.
Interviews were conducted everywhere.
Lyra became the public face of Dunford, explaining everything that had happened.
And as for me?
…I couldn't even leave my bed for an entire week.
The town covered all the medical expenses, and Carl even handled the whole Adventurer Card process for me.
Which meant—
We officially became a party now.
Joey and Jack practically begged to join us, so Carl eventually allowed them to become temporary members.
Of course, he immediately added:
"We reserve the right to remove you from the party whenever we wish."
And somehow those two idiots happily agreed to that.
Meanwhile, I somehow became a national hero.
According to the public, I was:
"The brave adventurer who risked his own life to prevent an entire town from dying."
They even renamed the town field after me: "Darcy's Field." Several journalists tried to interview me, but because of my condition, Carl did it for me. The most prominent question was always: "Where did he get such an artifact? Are there others?"
Carl's answer always remained the same:
"It was discovered within an abandoned ruin."
"And it was the one and only artifact of its kind."
Then he would calmly add:
"If you doubt us…"
"…feel free to search for yourselves deep within the Forest of Broken Vows."
______
TO: All Seven Sovereign Emperors of Reya and the Autonomous Moderator of [REDACTED]
FROM: The Human Emperor
DATE: 14 Feb 1753
SUBJECT: Conclusion of the [LH] Tomb Breach Investigation