*Clunk.*
I operated the protrusion behind the altar exactly as written in the memo.
*Bang!*
The door to the room slammed shut.
This too matched the Great Sage's memo perfectly.
The altar split apart, separating to the left and right.
Where the altar had stood, a staircase descending downward opened its mouth.
Mist's eyes widened in surprise.
"A hidden staircase in a place like this..."
"As I said earlier, I have no intention of reporting anything about the layers ahead to the marquis. You dislike troublesome matters, so I'm sure you understand, right?"
"I swear I will not breathe a word of it."
We descended the stairs.
The staircase was wide enough for two people to walk side by side.
I held up the glowing leather pouch.
"That is quite an unusual light," she said timidly.
She seemed wary of the earlier condition and was trying not to probe too deeply into personal affairs.
"It's a rare and valuable item."
That wasn't a lie.
Mist touched the circlet on her forehead.
The circlet began to emit light, illuminating the path ahead.
"Is that a common lighting tool in this region?"
"No, I don't believe it is common at all."
So it was the so-called magical equipment type.
We reached the bottom of the stairs.
A corridor that gave off the atmosphere of ancient ruins continued onward.
It wasn't the cavern-like feel that spread through the lower levels of the abandoned ruins.
This still remained within the realm of civilization.
"So far, there don't appear to be any monsters around."
"Actually, Hati-dono――"
"Hm?"
"Ah, no... I'm sorry. It's nothing. Please don't mind me."
Whenever someone says "it's nothing" at a time like this, there is invariably something behind it.
Well, fine.
She was probably about to ask something that would step into personal territory.
We pressed forward.
"The path branches here."
It didn't quite feel like a proper labyrinth...
Still, I should memorize the route just to be safe.
We advanced further.
Pigi-maru poked my side from under my robe.
It conveyed the message without making a sound.
A monster's presence.
"GyurueaaaAA!"
A monster appeared from around the corner ahead.
It was one I had never seen before.
Its head resembled a flower bud.
Three eyeballs were attached to the outside of the bud.
All three were golden eyes.
The fact that only its body was humanoid made it look especially grotesque.
It carried a different kind of creepiness compared to the monsters on the upper levels.
*Slash*
Mist drew her sword and stepped forward to protect me.
"Please leave this to me."
The top of the monster's head split open.
*Snap!*
Just like a flower bud blooming.
Several tentacles shot out vigorously from inside.
The tentacles assaulted Mist.
*Slash! Slice! Schwing――!*
Mist precisely severed the tentacles with her blade.
She pressed forward while cutting them down.
Her footwork was elegant.
In an instant, Mist closed in on the monster.
*Crack!*
She sliced the monster cleanly in half.
"Hi, gyoeeeEEEEE――!"
After letting out its death scream, the monster fell silent.
Mist shook the blood off her blade and returned it to its sheath.
I gave a light applause.
"That was impressive."
Mist gave a small bow.
"I am honored."
Hmm.
So this is what it feels like...
Having a companion specialized in close combat during battle.
"..."
It might be good to entrust my back to her.
Right now, Pigi-maru can only serve as a lookout at best.
Its combat ability is low.
A bodyguard, perhaps.
"Then shall we proceed, Hati-dono?"
"...Yeah."
This floor was noticeably wider than the upper levels.
On the other hand, the layout seemed relatively straightforward.
There were plenty of decorative wall carvings and pillars that could serve as landmarks.
With these, the risk of getting lost seemed low.
As we walked, I spoke to Mist.
"By the way."
"Yes?"
"I'd like to ask a bit about monsters."
The difference between golden-eyed monsters and the others.
That was what I wanted to know.
Mist answered my question.
"It is said that golden-eyed monsters possess a large amount of 'experience points.' On this continent, people sometimes refer to experience points as 'soul power.'"
Mist was familiar with the concept of experience points.
Heroes from another world absorb the soul power of the monsters they defeat.
That appeared to be the common understanding among the locals.
"For heroes from another world, golden-eyed monsters seem to be recognized as ideal prey for 'leveling up'――for enhancing their divine protection. Are you familiar with tales of the otherworld heroes?"
"To some extent."
I see.
Experience points.
Leveling up.
It seemed quite a bit was known about the various aspects of otherworld heroes.
"Also, it is said that killing humans does not yield experience points. Experience points are supposedly a trait possessed only by monsters."
That group of four had looked like considerably seasoned fighters.
Yet even if I had killed those four, my level would not have increased.
In the first place, no experience points would have been gained...
Well, that makes sense.
If killing people granted experience points, murders for that purpose could easily become rampant.
For example, a renowned warrior could be offered up as a sacrifice to a hero under some pretext.
That way, the hero could level up in one fell swoop.
That shitty goddess would definitely be capable of something like that.
"So golden-eyed monsters are valuable sources of experience points."
"That is why, during a certain era, heroes hunted them to such an excessive degree that the golden-eyed monsters fled underground one after another."
From the monsters' point of view, heroes could be seen as mass murderers.
"That is why a large number of golden-eyed monsters inhabit the underground ruin complexes."
"Yes, that is the analysis. Moreover, it is said that one-third of the golden-eyed monster hordes gathered in the great ruin belt, forming what is known as the Golden Habitat Monster Zone."
The monsters retreated underground to escape the heroes of the past.
As a result, ruin dungeons were formed.
Depending on one's perspective, the heroes could appear as truly horrifying slaughterers...
"Monsters occasionally emerge from the ruins onto the surface. Therefore, each nation manages the underground ruins to the extent possible."
"Why not simply seal all the exits?"
"When sealed, they create new exits in other locations and emerge from there. However, it is said that as long as even one exit remains open, they will not come out from other places."
What about the abandoned ruins?
The entrances and exits should have been sealed.
"However――I have heard that very rarely, there are ruins where the sealing power is exceptionally strong. Thanks to the divine sealing power of a god, the monsters are unable to come out onto the surface. Such ruins require no management and are generally left alone."
Divine sealing power.
The goddess.
That shitty goddess.
I see. So that's what the abandoned ruins are.
"What about monsters without golden eyes?"
"They are simply ordinary monsters."
Even if you call them ordinary...
"There are also monsters that form friendly relationships with humans. Strong ferocity is a characteristic of golden-eyed monsters. Among those without golden eyes, there are gentle ones as well."
"In the end, what exactly are golden-eyed monsters?"
"Are you familiar with something called 'evil king essence'?"
"I've only heard the name."
The shitty goddess had explained it during the summoning.
It was the special magical essence harbored within the Great Demon Emperor, if I remember correctly.
"It is said that when a colossal evil appears, the evil king essence it emits influences the world. According to legend, monsters strongly affected by the evil king essence undergo golden-eye transformation. However, since it only liberates the instincts of monsters that already harbored ferocity, monsters that were originally gentle are said to remain unaffected. This is a theory once proposed by the Great Sage Anglin that became widely accepted."
I had expected as much.
But it seemed he was quite a prominent figure.
"It is also said that the Great Sage himself formed friendly relationships with monsters. Among them, slimes were apparently his favorites."
"..."
"Is something wrong?"
"It was an interesting story."
"?"
I see.
Cases of forming friendly relationships with monsters are fairly common.
And golden eyes come with higher experience points but also greater ferocity.
I lowered my gaze to my neck.
In that case...
It might be safe to introduce Pigi-maru to Mist.
Even so,
"..."
Golden-eyed monsters.
Gold.
The golden hero.
Kirihara Takuto.
There may be no connection.
Yet the matching symbol of gold.
To me, it felt just a little like an ominous sign.