Published: July 3, 2025
Undead creatures like skeletons do not leave behind magic stones.
It is also unclear whether they even have any.
As a result, despite the struggle they faced against the skeleton arch, they were unable to obtain any magic stones.
“W-well, I knew it, but… it really is tough,”
“Yeah…”
When Ryo reported that no magic stones had dropped, Nils and Amon sighed in response.
“Everyone, you did well.”
Grandma, who had been watching from a distance during the battle, stepped forward accompanied by Buran.
“May I enter the shrine?”
“It seems there is nothing moving inside.”
Ryo answered Grandma’s inquiry.
Hearing this, Grandma entered the shrine with Buran following her.
Eto and Ryo followed behind.
Of course, Nils and Amon remained outside to rest.
Inside the shrine, it was about the size of a 25-meter pool commonly found in schools.
At the far end, there was something that appeared to be an altar.
Despite the decent size, the space was empty apart from that.
“Only the altar…?”
“It seems that what is generally found in a 'hidden temple' is just the altar…”
Eto whispered in response to Ryo's murmuring.
On the altar, there was a statue of a woman about a meter tall and a black orb that was cracked and partially missing, resembling a dark crystal.
(That orb…)
Ryo recalled having seen something similar.
It resembled the 'orb' that was at the stairs leading from the 40th to the 39th floor of the Dungeon of Run.
Although this one was smaller and also damaged…
“It’s chipped…”
Looking at the broken orb, Grandma murmured.
“Grandma, what exactly is this…?”
Buran asked Grandma as he looked at the orb.
“I don’t know the details myself, but I heard this from the previous Priestess. There used to be a shining orb in the shrine. However, at one point, that orb became blackened, and after a while, it shattered. This is likely the black orb in question…”
“It used to shine brightly…”
Hearing Grandma's explanation, Buran murmured as he gazed at the cracked black orb.
“The shrine will be closed as usual. There is nothing I can do about it. I will leave it to the next generation of Priestesses.”
“The next generation of Priestesses?”
Ryo turned to Grandma and asked.
“You must have met them, right? The wife of Nils' brother, Niroi, named Sana, is the top candidate. There are others around the same age who also show potential to be Priestesses. If they wish for it, this generation will be much stronger than mine, which consisted of just me.”
Grandma replied happily.
“Next, there is the cave where the goblins were. Just like the guardian beast’s cave, it may be emanating power from here.”
“I see. That’s certainly possible.”
Eto affirmed Grandma's hypothesis.
“This village has been attacked by goblins multiple times since long ago… Until now, we couldn’t find their main base, but the cave you subdued might be it. If I create a seal shrine there with my arts, it shouldn’t leak out to the surface. I’ll have Buran take me there tomorrow.”
It seemed that several unresolved issues that had weighed on Grandma for a long time were resolved today… She looked happier than ever.
Five days after leaving the City of Run, the four members of Room 10 successfully completed their request and returned to the City of Run.
There were no particular incidents on the way back…
The four entered the City of Run in the evening.
Naturally, it was a busy time at the adventurers' guild…
“This is… more crowded than usual, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, it really is…”
“This is troublesome…”
Nils, Eto, and Amon peered into the bustling guild from the door, sighing.
“Let’s go take a bath first.”
While the four were discussing that waiting would be a waste of time, Ryo made the suggestion.
“Shall we do that?”
The City of Run has a considerable number of public bathhouses.
There was also a bathhouse that the four frequently visited near the adventurers' guild.
In that large bathhouse.
“It’s about time, isn’t it…”
“Yeah, it’s about time.”