CH 161

Radis turned around and checked the stone gate.

It was the same stone gate that she once saw before, except this time, the moss dripping with poisonous liquid that had once coated it was now gone.

Besides that, the runes that had sent her back to the marquisate were still there.

‘Yeah. Those are the runes.’

Since the deathly moss was now gone, she could finally see the whole array of runes that’s been carved into the stone gate.

Looking at the runes made her feel strange.

The ancient inscriptions on the stone gate, which were definitely hundreds of years old, felt as if they were moving. It felt as if they were alive.

Her skin started feeling prickly.

Somehow, Radis felt nauseous.

Trying to shake off this peculiar feeling, Radis pointed towards the runes and spoke.

“I saw this before, Captain. This is the right place.”

“……”

Without saying a word, Robert went on the move.

Radis hurried along to catch up to him.

After a while, Robert spoke only when the Underworld Tree came into view.

“You were right. This is the forbidden region.

“……”

Radis was utterly speechless.

It was surprising enough that the forest had completely changed in appearance, but more than that was the changes that had happened to the Underworld Tree.

The Underworld Tree had looked as if it had been dead for centuries upon centuries, but now… leaves were growing on its branches.

Every branch over Radis and Robert’s heads had little light green leaves hanging upon them.

The miasma that was flowing through this place was so overwhelming, and it was difficult to breathe. Even so, it felt different, too.

Her skin stung, but it felt rather refreshing. Instead of feeling any pain, it was like carbonated water was running down her skin.

Staring at the leaves of the Underworld Tree, Radis asked Robert.

“Captain, do you know if the Underworld Tree ever looked like this before?”

Robert shook his head.

“Not that I know of.”

“Then what… what does this mean?”

Radis crouched and examined the roots of the majestic tree.

“Captain, if you look here and there, there’s a lot of monster eggs. The parent monsters should be around to protect them, so we have to be careful.”

As Radis said this, she looked up at Robert.

With the combination of the golden mist, white roots and soft leaves, it created a mystical atmosphere that could definitely be called a mysterious land.

In the middle, Robert was looking at her with squinting, narrowed eyes.

She took out a handkerchief and handed it to him.

Robert received it blankly and, as though it was a precious treasure, he carefully put it in his inner chest pocket.

“No, Captain. You need to cover your nose and mouth.”

“Ah…”

“Why are you squinting so hard? Do your eyes sting? Would you like to wash them with water?”

Hearing the worry in her voice, Robert sighed deeply and shook his head.

“No need.”

Radis looked at the squinting Robert, who was still not using the handkerchief that she had handed to him.

It was him who said that they should not let their guard down even for one single second in this dangerous place, but that memory seemed to have been lost now after coming back to life from death.

Robert had never been younger than her, either in this life or the previous life, but right now, he felt like a younger brother to her.

Radis squared her shoulders and gave some advice to the captain, making sure that her voice sounded full.

“Captain, you must not let your guard down for even a single second in a dangerous place like this.”

Hearing this, Robert’s eyes widened.

This appearance of his right now somehow looked… cute? Radis stood upright, holding back the urge to hum.

“Then, now—”

However, something moved from between the shadows of the roots.

Robert shouted at once.

“Behind you!”

She was a little late in noticing the presence behind her, but her response was faster than the speed of light.

As soon as she pulled out her black sword, it instantly clashed against something.

And Radis was soon aghast to feel the empty sensation delivered to her hand.

“Golem!”

What Radis had cut was a golem’s head that’s made of mud. The sliced head was putting itself back together again.

As the golem’s main body expanded and shrunk little by little like a pulse, its arms reached up and headed towards Radis.

Mana was the only thing that could stop an infinitely regenerative golem from moving, and it would feel no pain at all. The only way to defeat it was to destroy its nucleus.

Radis hurriedly sidestepped it, dodging the golem’s incoming heavy hand. At the same time, she pulled up her mana and infused it into her sword.

At that moment.

A small explosion broke out from her hand.

“Ugh…!”

The unexpected rebound nearly made Radis drop her sword.

Quickly, Robert grabbed the back of her collar and pulled her. She was still reeling from the momentary shock.

At the same time as Radis was pulled away from the golem, Robert swooped in and slashed at the golem.

With the sound of the wind being sliced, the golem’s body was vertically split into two—right in the middle.

Crack!

It was the sound of the golem’s nucleus, which had been embedded in its chest, shattering.

As it now lost its nucleus, the golem’s body became nothing but a lump of mud, and it fell to the ground with a thud.