Chapter Eleven of the Basement One Plant Crack.
Well, I guess it was chapter three from my perspective, but it doesn't matter.
The clear condition of this Chapter was simple. After saving Erwen and me, we just needed to survive in the city overnight. By the way, this information was revealed to us by the Wizard Gahuin's insinuation ability.
«Being able to know that just by instinct», I asked carefully, "could you explain it in more detail?".
«Haha, I wish I could too... but I lack the words to describe it more deeply than that».
«So don't try to describe it and just answer my questions with a yes or no. Can you do it?»
«Well, we'll have to wait here until nightfall anyway. Let's try it».
«Is it something like a voice you hear inside your head?»
«Hmm, an absoluto.»
«So the information comes to you when you see something?»
«That's not it either. Every time the location changes, I immediately feel like I have to be doing something... Oh, of course, I get those feelings back every time I get a clue or new pieces of information.»
«Ya veo».
I asked the old man about twenty more questions and came to the final conclusion that this ability of his was really an instinct that the wizard possessed now.
It is as if your Sixth Sense has increased specifically to clear the crack.
That was as far as I could explain this ability to the best of my knowledge and belief.
There was no denying that it was, of course, a useful skill, but I still came to the conclusion that relying on it alone could lead to a devastating loss.
«I must say... that you have a very curious mind. I was quite surprised», said Gahuin Versilus while letting out a loud laugh.
But I knew what he meant.
Can you stop bothering me now?
I didn't know why all these nobles spoke in such an indirect way.
«One last question», yes.
«...Which one is it?»
«Do you know what will happen if we leave the city before nightfall?».
«There is no point in answering yes or no to this question. Anyway, we can't leave the city before that time».
«Can't we go out?»
«There is a high-ranking dimensional magic that cannot be taken like any ordinary barrier magic that is surrounding the entire city. Other people can come and go as they wish, but we cannot cross that limit.»
«I see... As promised, that was my last question, thank you. May you rest».
«Oh hoh...» Gahuin seemed to have been waiting for me to say that, because he didn't say anything else and went to rest alone in a corner.
I watched him grab his hip as he slowly crouched down, then I found myself slightly amused even when a different question came to mind.
Why does the old man look like that?
That's why I couldn't immerse myself in the story. Erwen played the younger sister and looked like a little girl, but the old man, who should be her older brother in the story, still looked like an old man.
Wait, how did you go to the academy looking like that?
It would have been like seeing a grandfather wearing the school uniform and teaching among the other children, how come no one thought it was strange?
I was curious, intrigued to know what Gahuin Versilus' experience in Chapter I had been like, but I decided to ask him later, when we had time again. He had a feeling he would be angry if I tried to ask him now.
Plus, he had other people he could talk to.
«Archbishop Hesteia.»
«...Yes, Lord Baron. What is it about?»
«I just want to have a talk.»
When I squatted down to sit next to the archbishop, he seemed a little evasive as he leaned a little to the side. «If it's my ability, I've already told you everything before, so there's nothing else I can...».
«Does not matter. I'm not here to ask about that».
«So...?» The archbishop looked at me with curiosity in his eyes. It seemed like he expected me to bother him just like I did Gahuin just now, but what I wanted to ask him was something completely different.
«I want to ask about the inner workings of the Church of Reatlas».
«Do you mean... the work of my church?». When I cast a subtle glance at him and caught his attention, his face immediately hardened. If before he was like a nice neighborhood grandfather, now he gave off the pressure of a businessman sitting at the table to negotiate. «Then... speak first».
It was neither a secure agreement nor a denial.
With that, I tried to test the waters first. «I'm curious about Sven Parav's position in the church», I started.
«Sir Parav's position...», was interrupted, before continuing, »I'm afraid I'm having trouble understanding. Could you tell me what your intentions are in asking that?».
His eyes were too fierce for a member of the clergy. So the archbishop had no intention of answering that bait question. I only had one method left.
«Your Excellency, it seems that all members of the clergy, including you, hate Sven Parav and harass him. So...»
«Is that what Sir Parav told you, Lord Baron?»
«He didn't tell me. That's what it seems to me».
«Hmm, is that right?» The archbishop seemed to sink into thought for a second before his eyes sharpened once more, focusing on me again. «He's wrong».
«What's wrong?»
«Sí.
«But from what I see...»
«Although it may seem that way to your eyes, it is still a misunderstanding. So I think you should focus only on what you need to do, Lord Baron.»
«Eh…»
«In any case, this is an internal matter of the church. It is not like that?»
I didn't like the way he looked at me or the way he spoke, but I didn't show any outside reaction and left with a hesitant: «Sure».
The first reason was that I got nervous. I didn't expect the archbishop to react so strongly. And the second reason...
It's even more suspicious with how angry he is.
That reaction of his was enough gain for me. If Sven was being used simply as a disposable pawn because he was an evil spirit, there would be no reason for him to go that far.
Then there must be another reason...
Hmm, so what was that reason?
As I thought about it, I noticed Gahuin looking at me as he leaned against the corner wall. It seemed like I was paying attention to my conversation with the archbishop. When I looked into his eyes, he coughed and turned around before closing his eyes.
...Let's rest too.
After that, I went to Erwen and dedicated myself to resting.
«Sir Versilus. The sun has set for a long time. How much longer do we have to wait?»
When nothing happened as night fell, we had a brief argument before deciding to leave the basement and rise to the surface, following Gahuin's hunch that we should check the outside.
«So this is where you were hiding! I had been looking for you for a long time».
A gentleman who had been walking alone through the empty house looked at us... No, to be precise, he looked at Gahuin before approaching him with open arms.
«Who are you...?»
«Hahaha! Who am I? Don't you recognize me because we haven't seen each other in a long time?». The gentleman seemed very happy to see him as he took off his helmet.
Judging by his reaction, Gahuin didn't seem to know who this person was supposed to be even with his role as older brother.
«Sir, I have met that person before. He was the imperial knight who helped me when I escaped from the village. It's that gentleman».
«Haha, it seems like the young woman hasn't grown that much since we last saw each other».
Erwen recognized the unknown gentleman.
«Yandel, you too».
Fortunately, I recognized him too.
«Escort a girl. Help her get to her destination».
Although his face was marked by the passage of time, I realized that he was the gentleman who had made the request for my escort in Chapter I.
Still, that wasn't the part that surprised me. Hide Erwen in a cave and ask me to escort her? That was plausible. And it made sense that he was friends with Gahuin, who had the role of older brother in this rift. What really surprised me was what he said next.
«Ah, there are some new faces here too. I'll introduce myself».
The gentleman gave us his name with a bright smile.
«Soy Ravigion Commelby Rafdonia».
As soon as he released the name that perplexed all the inhabitants of this world, a round of astonished responses erupted.
«Ah...»
«Uh. »
«Um…»
Was this old man the Immortal King?
***
El Rey Inmortal, Ravigion 3.
The person who had saved the territory of Rafdonia, which was but a single territory, from the End to create the final citadel of the continent.
The village chief told me that he had done it only because he had a, in his words, «good friend» and diminished his achievements, but that did not change the fact that he was a historical individual.
«You can just call me Ravigion. The enemy of my enemy is my friend. And my friend's friend is also my friend, right?».
His carefree personality made me feel even more uncomfortable. In my mind, the Immortal King was a charismatic monster that gave off an impossible level of presence and pressure.
«Okay then...»
«Wait! Could we maybe have a little discussion...? I mean, can we?» Gahuin, who had the role of «his friend», could not control his turbulent emotions and ended up stumbling over his words.
«An argument... I'll leave you alone for a moment».
«Not you...» Gahuin stammered. «No need. I can use magic».
«Do what you want. But I suggest you finish as soon as possible. We don't know when the imperial soldiers will break in».
«Don't worry… We'll be done.»
After obtaining the knight's permission, Gahuin immediately released voice control magic before rushing to say: «He is... Does everyone believe he is real? The words that man said...».
The archbishop was the first to respond. «Maybe only his name is the same. The fact that Ravigion III existed means that Ravigion II and Ravigion I also existed, correct?».
«Ah, that's right... true. That's true...»
Only then did it seem that the magician's brain was beginning to function again. Gahuin began to talk to himself as if he wanted to organize his thoughts.
«I heard that the first Castellan and the seventeenth Castellan used the name Ravigion. Since this is the bloodline prior to the creation of the final citadel, its middle name is not known... Yes, there is a possibility that it is one of the two...»
He could feel that Gahuin was doing his best to gather as much information as possible to deny his reality. But of course, the village chief cut him off mercilessly.
«Mr. Versilus, calm down. This is already the period in which the witch appeared. There is no chance that it is Ravigion I or Ravigion II».
«A-ah...»
«If you're really curious, ask him his wife's name. If that man poses as the Immortal King, none of this will matter».
«Then I will disable the voice control magic.»
With that, Gahuin turned off his magic. However, since he was shaking so much that he couldn't even look the gentleman in the eyes, I was the one who asked him the question.
«Ravigion, what's your wife's name?».
«Ah... I guess you may be suspecting that I'm someone else pretending to be me».
«Give me your answer first».
«Karnon», he responded firmly. «It's my wife's name. She is overseeing my territory while I have left her post. I carry out what you have asked of me».
«What have you been asked for...?». Gahuin tilted his head as if he had no idea what he was talking about, and the village chief coughed to give me a signal.
Oh, come to think of it, he did say that during the previous chapters there were times when things went wrong because they didn't act like their characters...
There was no need to make the Immortal King, who we suspected was a helpful NPC, feel that something was wrong.
«Anyway, take this», he said, putting something in Gahuin's hands.
«What is this...?»
«Hmm... You're pretty weird today. This is the object you asked me for. After calling me here too».
«Ah! Is-is that true...?» Gahuin looked dumbfounded as he received the black jewel.
¡Shwaaaa!
The jewel immediately began to emit a black mist. I instinctively tried to back away from the sudden phenomenon, but my body refused to move.
But what...? Is it a betrayal?
Possibility crossed my mind, but fortunately, the expression on the Immortal King's face was one of genuine concern.
«To be honest... I don't know yet». Gahuin looked at the king bewildered as he continued: «Even if that item works properly and allows you to reach the Great Demon Realm in one piece, and you encounter the evil god...»
Suddenly he started talking. Even without the magician's hinting ability, I could immediately understand what he was trying to say.
«There is no guarantee that the evil god will fulfill your wish».
This was the mission of the next Chapter.
«I'll leave before the imperial soldiers arrive. I wish you good luck».
And then, the world went black.