Chapter 394: Asley’s Records

Chapter 394: Asley’s Records

“HMPH–!!”

Bruce twisted the circular handle on the door, opening it up.

What appeared behind it was a staircase leading further down underground.

I never thought they’d built something like this right under Kugg Village.

Polco’s magic and Garm’s craftsmanship certainly could do this, but what in the world is this place even for?

“So this is like a second basement, huh?”

There’s a room at the bottom of the staircase.

And behind this room, there seems to be another, bigger room.

We headed there, and then Pochi and Lina, walking excitedly in front of the rest of us, seemed surprised... and emotionally moved, even.

“W-wow...”

“It’s amazing!”

Bruce proceeded to look into the room.

“Holy moly...”

Even Bruce is impressed — what’s going on?

Hornel, Fuyu, and I entered the room after the three others.

In an instant, our eyes were dazzled by the light.

Well, not literal light. It’s just that the room is filled with... gold.

“It’s unreal...”

“..It’s like I’m dreaming.”

Fuyu, and even a descendant of the Adams household like Hornel, seemed to be captivated by the mountain of gold before them.

“M-M-M-Master!! How much gold do you think this is!?”

“I-I don’t know! I’ve never seen a treasure trove this big before, you know!? I see... so this is why it was buried underground! This must be enough to fill the whole Kugg Village square — every square meter of it!”

“Then it’s gotta be at least... Uh, how much? I have no idea. Hahaha...”

Even a long-time adventurer like Bruce can’t comprehend how much gold this treasure trove contains.

“”Haha... ha...””

Pochi, Lina, Fuyu, Haruhana, and I also started letting out the same dry laugh he had.

In the midst of that, Hornel muttered,

“...It’s...”

“Huh? What is it, Hornel?”

Looks like she’s quite interested in Polco’s letter. She’s wagging her tail, seemingly happy about something.

After taking a closer look at the letter in my hands, Pochi said to me,

“Ah, Master! There’s something else written at the bottom!”

Is there, though? Ah, here it is.

[P.S. — Apparently, Garm has a gift for you. Try looking in the back room.]

Huh? Garm?

He’s a master at his craft, being able to build a room that lasts millennia like this... And he’s even left something else behind for me?

“Hey! There’s another door over here!”

Hearing Bruce call us, we headed in that direction.

“Asley.”

But then I was stopped by a voice from behind me — a man’s voice that isn’t Bruce’s.

He’s my classmate, and for a short while, a school bully — But all in all, Hornel Adams is a good guy.

“What’s up, Hornel?”

“Smile.”

“What?”

“Just do it! Smile!”

For a moment, I thought Hornel was saying something weird... but then I figured that I was the weird one.

Indeed, in times like this, I should smile.

But I couldn’t manage a big one — let alone a visible one at all.

I can’t just do it because Hornel told me to.

In the end, I reminded myself of the contents of the letter in my hands, and the person who had written it, I showed Hornel an awkward smile.

A smile also meant for the writer, Polco Adams.

“......Hmph, you call that a smile?”

“I thought it’d look pretty nice, though.”

“All right, let’s go.”

“Yeah.”

And so Hornel walked ahead of me, and I followed shortly after him.

The next moment, I heard a gentleman’s voice say to me,

“Thanks.”