Chapter 241

Chapter 241

The exploration strategy meeting ended late in the evening.

"Ugh~"

"That was a good meal."

"The lords chef really knows how to cook, doesnt he?"

Kuilan and the members of the Penal Squad returned to their military barracks, patting their full bellies.

Every time there was a strategy meeting, Ash fed them. The food provided in the barracks was of a higher quality and tasted better than their regular meals, so the Penal Squad members ate until they were full.

They returned to their quarters, relishing their satisfied stomachs.

"Welcome back, guys!"

As they entered their quarters, they were greeted by a warm food aroma... and Kureha was waiting for them.

Startled, Kuilan and the Penal Squad members flinched.

"Uh, brother? What brings you here?"

"They said I no longer needed treatment at the temple, so I was discharged."

Apart from the curse, Kurehas condition had recovered enough that he didnt need to convalesce at the temple. Though they recommended he stay, Kureha insisted on leaving to look after his younger brother.

"Do you know how worried I was thinking you guys might be eating poorly, not cleaning, and not washing your clothes?"

"Uh... well, about that..."

"As I expected, look at this place! Havent I always told you? Live like humans, behave like humans!"

Looking at Kurehas scolding, Kuilan and the Penal Squad members all thought the same thing.

Is he our grandmother...?

"Anyway, Ive cleaned, done the laundry, and everything."

Indeed, the once-dirty quarters where five men lived was now sparkling clean, and the piles of laundry were washed and neatly hung up.

Impressed by Kurehas exceptional homemaking skills, all five members of the Penal Squad clapped in admiration.

Kureha smiled warmly and gestured them inside.

"You guys must be hungry after working late, right? Ive prepared food."

...And on the dining table were meals for five.

Kuilan, pale, waved his hands frantically.

"Uh... brother, weve already eaten a lot..."

"What do you mean by a lot? At your age, you should be starving after some activity. You can eat more."

"No, we really ate a lot..."

"Besides, you have another exploration mission tomorrow, right? You need to eat well and gather strength. Come on, sit down!"

Kureha forcefully grabbed the resisting Kuilans arm.

"Look at this, look! Youve lost weight from all the hard work! Youre all skin and bones!"

Skin and bones?

Looking up at Kuilans massive physique, the rest of the Penal Squad members broke into cold sweats.

Where in the world is there such a huge skeleton?

Regardless, under Kurehas insistence, Kuilan and the Penal Squad members had no choice but to sit at the table.

"Eat, eat a lot! You need to eat more and grow, my adorable siblings!"

Kureha, with a kind grandmotherly smile, personally tore food into pieces and put it onto the plates of Kuilan and the Penal Squad members.

"Eat."

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"I said, eat."

In the end, all five members of the Penal Squad had to force down a second dinner.

As they could eat no more and began to flee with screams, Kureha managed to forcibly sit them down and ensured every last bit of food was consumed.

***

"Its good to see you healthy, brother..."

Outside the military lodgings. The relaxation area.

Kuilan, panting heavily while holding onto his distended belly due to overeating, looked with concern at the figure standing next to him.

"Isnt this too much? Right after getting discharged, youre cleaning, doing laundry, and cooking."

"..."

"You dont need to feel burdened to take care of us. Look after yourself more."

"After I got like this, Ive only been a burden to you all."

Kureha leaned on the staff he got from the temple. It was difficult for him to walk because of his mummified left leg.

Using the end of his staff, Kureha lightly tapped his left leg and muttered bitterly,

"When theres something to be done, Ill do it if I can."

"..."

Kuilan, who had been silently observing his brother, grinned.

"Once we reclaim our homeland, the curse on our bodies will be lifted. Just hold on a little longer, bro."

"...Yeah."

Kureha gazed far to the north.

"I want to go back soon... to our homeland."

After a brief silence, Kureha changed the topic.

"So, how is it, little bro? How does it feel to work and earn a salary?"

"Its not as bad as I thought."

Kuilan shrugged with a smile.

"It does feel awkward, like wearing ill-fitting clothes. But the feeling isnt too bad."

"We never had the chance to live this kind of life. Im glad you got this opportunity."

As Nameless worked the stone, producing magical sparks that flew from the blade, I remembered what Kellibey told me. I hesitated, wondering whether to ask about the true nature of that old sword.

Nameless glanced at me.

Verdandi told me. You plan to attack the inner fortress checkpoint today?

Yeah. I thought it might be time to venture deeper into the dungeon.

Hmm...

Nameless sighed deeply.

Id like to stop you if I could... but then youd never make it to the other side.

I blinked.

Want to block me? Why?

"Be careful, Ash. The deeper you go, the darker it becomes."

Nameless repeated the warning Ive heard countless times.

"Never, ever, extinguish the flame."

"..."

"May luck be with you."

For some reason, that farewell sounded more ominous today.

Nameless began tending to her sword, and leaving her behind at the base camp, my party members and I set forth.

Deep into the dungeon.

Toward the checkpoint in Zone 6.

***

After leaving Zone 5 and entering the beginning of Zone 6.

"Huh?"

"What is..."

"Whats this?"

The party members simultaneously gasped in surprise.

It was because they felt the surrounding darkness intensify all at once.

It felt as if the night sky was descending to the ground.

The high ceiling seemed to close in on us, making it hard to breathe...

Crawling, crawling.

Scratching, scratching...

The unique sound of this places darkness, like bugs nibbling, had grown significantly louder.

"From here on, its the Lake Kingdoms depths. Also known as the real dungeon."

Verdandi, who had been leading the way, turned to us with a grim expression.

"Ive seen countless adventurers die here over the centuries. Most of them lost their lives in this place."

"..."

"Many skilled and talented individuals fell, unable to overcome the challenges of these depths."

Holding her lantern higher, Verdandi once again took the lead.

"I earnestly ask of you, brace yourselves... and I hope you remain intact."

Suppressing our unease, we pushed through the jungle-like darkness.

We delved deeper into the heart of the Lake Kingdom.

Pushing through the encroaching darkness, just as we finally made our way in...

"...Ah."

We had arrived.

At the long wall, encompassed by shadows as vast as a mountain range.

So this is the inner sanctuary of the Lake Kingdom...

Then,

"...?"

Something strange caught my eye.

The state of the wall, separating the citys inner and outer sanctums... it was bizarre.

The bricks that made up the wall werent neatly stacked on the ground.

They were pulled from the ground, ignoring the laws of physics, floating in mid-air.

If it was just that, maybe I would have moved on. But,

"What..."

The problem was what was stacked between those bricks.

"What is this..."

People.

Dark, shadowy figures of people, thousands, no, tens of thousands...

Countless things in the shape of humans, stacked like bricks, floated slowly in the air.

Almost like a wall reaching the sky.

Not only Kuilan, who lacked dungeon experience, and the Penal Squad members but also Lucas, Damien, and Evangeline, who had defeated various monsters, were stunned.

Even I was.

Frozen in place by this surreal and eerie sight.

Verdandis bitter voice whispered in my stunned ears.

"This is the real hell beneath the lake..."

My head was spinning.

"Its the deep demon realm."