Chapter 47. Ruins of Marsica (2)

A long time passed, and we finally arrived at our destination, the Territory of the Second Lord.

As we entered the main gate, cities began to appear one by one. The most striking among them was Steel City Karn, which could be considered the entrance to the Second Lord's Territory.

Steel City Karn was a bustling commercial city lined with ironworks and blacksmiths.

The sound of blacksmiths' hammers and the rolling of cart wheels echoed through the streets.

The smoke rising from the ironworks spoke volumes about the city's identity.

Since the sun was slowly setting, we found a nearby inn and spent the night resting to relieve our fatigue.

The damn carriages of this otherworld were so rickety that my head throbbed after just a few hours, so rest was essential.

The next day, we set out to explore the ruins in earnest.

The Ruins of Marsica were located in an abandoned mine on the northern outskirts of Karn.

Normally, finding the way would have taken a long time, but this time, I knew the route relatively accurately, so there was no hesitation.

Thus, I conveyed all the information I knew to Siron.

Siron was part of the Imperial Internal Affairs Bureau, and no one knew the geography of the continent better than the personnel of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

He stroked his chin in thought and then spoke.

"Yungcheon Mine."

“How much do you know about Yungcheon Mine?”

"There's an old mining road leading out of Karn's north gate. At first, it looks like a well-maintained highway, but as it turns towards the eastern mountain range, it gradually narrows. It's just barely wide enough for a carriage."

Siron paused for a moment, lost in thought, and then continued.

"If you follow the road, you'll come across an old miners' village. It's practically a ghost town now, but I understand a few citizens still live there. We should be able to find a guide there and continue on.”

I tilted my head unconsciously.

I knew there was a village, but at the point in the original story, that village was a deserted ghost town.

I was about to ask if it was correct that there were people there, but I stopped myself.

It wouldn't hurt to go and see for myself.

"How long will it take to get there?"

"If we depart at high noon, we should arrive at the village by sunset at the latest. However, the road is rough, so it would be best to leave the carriage in the village and continue on foot."

Siron rolled his eyes as if calculating, and then spoke.

It wasn't as short a time as he made it sound, but it wasn't as long as I had expected, so I nodded.

It’s a bit inconvenient to walk, but what can you do?

I just have to take care of business as quickly as possible and get out.

Still, compared to other ruins, the difficulty of finding this one wasn't that high.

…Or so I thought.

As soon as we entered the mining road, I realized I was completely mistaken.

"…You call this a road?"

Adina complained, twitching her ears.

The ground was covered in piles of rocks, and the potholes, deep in places, were filled with a mixture of dirt and gravel.

It seemed like the road had become a mess from the erosion caused by the rain.

"It used to be the road for transporting mining materials..."

Siron trailed off.

Further explanation was unnecessary.

We should consider ourselves lucky that a road neglected for decades was in this condition.

“Why do we always go looking for trouble…”

Adina grumbled constantly from behind.

On the other hand, Rudine was still quietly walking, watching my every move.

She would flinch and turn her head whenever our eyes met.

Suddenly, the road took a sharp turn upwards.

As the incline began, my breath hitched.

Furthermore, the path narrowed even more.

Sheer cliffs stretched on both sides, and a deep ravine was visible below.

The remnants of a collapsed mine rail were visible through the crevices of the cliff.

Rusty rails hung precariously in the air.

Of course, I was in a perpetual state of invincibility, so the rough terrain didn't bother me, but I couldn't help but be awestruck by the majestic surrounding scenery.

The road continued to worsen.

It was hardly a proper road anymore.

Only a narrow path, barely wide enough for a single person, continued along the sheer cliff.

The narrow mountain path, starting from the crevice of the cliff, descended further. Like a steep slope leading underground.

“Be careful. From now on, there will be frequent falling rocks..."

Before Siron could finish speaking, gravel poured down with a whooshing sound.

Adina screamed and stepped back.

"Scaredy-cat."

Rudine muttered softly. Even while avoiding my gaze, she didn't forget to tease Adina.

Just how many hours did we walk?

As the rugged mountain path neared its end, the faint outline of a village began to appear in the distance.

Siron, cheerfully leading the way, said,

“This place brings back memories,” I said.

"Is that the village?"

“Yes, milord. It’s called Yungcheon Village.”

While Siron continued his explanation, we descended along the valley. The distant village gradually came into clearer view.

About a dozen worn-out wooden houses were clustered together. Most of the roofs were dilapidated and slanted, and many of the windows were half-broken. Smoke curled from the chimneys of only three or four houses.

As I was blankly observing the village scenery, I sensed something approaching from afar.

“Uh, hello.”

A young boy with a flushed face approached and cautiously greeted us. His expression was filled with pure curiosity and welcome, as if he’d met a person for the first time in decades.

Momentarily taken aback by his boldness, Siron, who had been quietly watching, smiled gently and asked the boy,

“Are you a resident of this village?”

“Yes!”

“Could you guide us to the village headman? We will reward you.”

“Y-Yes.”

The boy’s face was so fresh and earnest that I couldn't help but chuckle as I watched him. After being stuck in the corner of the Magical Boundary for so long, seeing nothing but grotesque-looking monsters, encountering this innocent boy felt refreshing.

“This way.”

Following the boy, we arrived at a shabby wooden house tucked away in the corner of a barren field. An old man was standing at the entrance, smoking a cigar. He stiffened as he saw us approach.

“…Humans?”

The frail-looking old man stopped smoking his cigar and walked out. He had white hair, deep wrinkles etched on his face, and a bushy beard. After staring at me for a long moment, the old man's gaze shifted to the boy who had guided us.

“Ian, do you know them?”

“No, I’m seeing them for the first time.”

“…But you brought them here?”

Ian tilted his head innocently, as if wondering what the problem was. Seeing this, the old man let out a hearty laugh and spoke.

“Haha, well, this is something. You look like outsiders. What brings you to this abandoned, deserted village?”

“Are you the headman of this village?”

“I am.”

“We don't intend to impose on you. We simply need someone to guide us.”

At the mention of guidance, the old man narrowed his eyes.

“Where are you headed?”

“Yungcheon Mine, I believe it’s called.”

“……What business do you have in that abandoned mine?”

“We’re looking for something.”

The old man chuckled at my words and gestured for us to follow him into the house.

“Come in. We should talk.”

I nodded. Following him inside, a fragrant yet bitter herbal scent filled my nose. The house was full of signs of age, but it was well-maintained and felt more organized than messy. The old man sat at the wooden table and gestured to the seat opposite him.

“Sit here.”

I sat down across from him, and Ian, the boy who guided us, appeared with a bright smile, serving tea. The headman clicked his tongue and took a sip from the steaming teacup.

“Let me get straight to the point. Are you looking for Demon Iron in the abandoned mine?”

“No.”

“Then?”

“We’re looking for a ruin.”

“…I have a rough idea where you mean.”

I gave a short answer. The headman nodded, then spoke in a concerned voice.

"Exploration won’t be easy. The inside is like a maze, and the deeper parts are difficult to breathe in due to the unique Death Energy. Moreover, it's been an abandoned mine for decades..."

“100 gold coins. We’ll give it to you as a reward if you help us with the guidance.”

“……”

He paused for a moment, then continued.

"There are only two people in the village who know the internal structure now. Even if you go in with a plan, it will take several days.”

"That’s fine. You only need to guide us. We don't plan to go deep inside.”

The headman stroked his chin, lost in thought.

"Guiding you isn’t difficult, but as I said, exploring the Yungcheon Mine requires quite a bit of stamina. The problem is... my old body might not be of much help to you."

“Is there anyone else who knows the way?”

"There is. Ian! Come here.“

At the headman's call, the boy's eyes widened, and he hopped over like a rabbit.

“As I said, there are only two people in this village who know about that place. One is me, the village headman, and the other is this child.”

“…This child, you say?”

“Yes. This boy can be your guide.”