CHAPTER 12 — UNREASONABLE THINGS
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The chest opened on its own, its lid rising slowly, without a sound. No creak of old wood, no grating of rusted hinges—only perfect silence, as if the chest itself was holding its breath. The light from the torch and Amura's fireball reflected inside, casting a glare that was almost blinding after hours in the dungeon's darkness.
Its contents were not mere ordinary treasure.
A tall pile of gleaming Zeyn gold coins sparkled, some rolling and falling to the chest's sides with barely audible metallic clinks. Among the pile, rarer Aurex coins were scattered—bluish-silver coins with intricate engravings that emitted faint magical light. There were also several pieces of jewelry: a necklace with a fiery red gemstone, bracelets with strange symbols carved into them, and a small crown made of an unknown white metal. Raw gemstones in various colors—blue, green, purple, red—lay scattered in the chest's corners, some pulsing faintly with contained magical energy.
However, Kyoichiiro's eyes were not drawn to the wealth.
His light blue eyes—which had seen too many strange things in his short life—were fixed on something else. On the inside of the chest's lid, in a place hidden from direct view unless one happened to look up, a yellowed parchment was attached. The paper looked old—very old—with fragile edges and faded creases. A dark red wax seal, its color already faded, clung to one corner, like a seal once placed by someone who didn't want their letter read by just anyone.
Kyoichiiro: (To himself, his eyes unblinking) What's that?
Carefully, he removed the parchment from the lid. His movements were slow, unhurried, as if afraid of damaging the fragile object. The paper felt cold at his fingertips—colder than it should have been, as if it had absorbed the dungeon's chill over the years and refused to let it go.
While Amura and Aetheria were still stunned by the pile of gold—Aetheria with wide eyes and an open mouth, Amura with an expression between awe and suspicion—Kyoichiiro unfolded the parchment with careful movements.
The writing inside used an alphabet he didn't recognize. The characters were strange—neither Latin, nor Japanese, nor any script he had ever seen. Their shapes were like intricate lines and curves, almost like ancient writing from history books he had read at the manor. Some characters looked like symbols, others like small pictures.
But as his eyes swept across the first line, something strange happened.
The characters seemed to move. Not like an illusion—more like flowing water, or like mist changing shape. They trembled, curved, and transformed into letters he knew. Japanese characters. Hiragana, katakana, kanji—all appeared before him as if the writing had always been in Japanese.
His mind translated instantly, without effort, without a thinking process. Like breathing. Like a heartbeat.
Contents of the Letter (as read by Kyoichiiro in his mind):
"If there is someone who has managed to find this place: Congratulations.
"And if you have managed to defeat the 'fake monster' guarding this chest—which I actually killed and replaced with a magical puppet years ago—then congratulations once again.
"But don't be too happy just yet. You must leave. Now. Quickly leave this place and the entire dungeon before it's too late.
"As a gift, I give you 5000 Zeyn to use. Take it and go.
"The real danger is not the monsters in the corridors, but something that has awakened in the depths due to excessive magical activity on the surface. Something ancient and hungry.
"This dungeon is not for beginners. Many cunning creatures and ill intentions lurk, ready to take advantage of careless adventurers.
"Quickly. Leave. NOW."
Kyoichiiro rubbed his eyes. Once. Twice. Three times.
The writing didn't change. Still in Japanese. Still perfectly readable.
He read it again. From beginning to end. Word by word. Sentence by sentence.
Yes, no mistake. His mind was truly translating a foreign language instantly. Not just the common language of this world—which he had already mastered since birth, which he strangely also understood without learning—but also an ancient written language he had never seen before.
What the hell is this? he thought, and for the first time in a long while, he felt genuine fear. Not fear of monsters or physical danger, but fear of something deeper. Why can I read this? Is this an effect of 'reincarnation'? Or is there something else inside me? Something I don't know about? Something I'm not even aware of?
He examined the parchment carefully. The ink used was dark brown—perhaps ordinary ink, perhaps blood ink, perhaps something else. The handwriting was neat, practiced, like the writing of someone used to writing with a feather pen. No signature. No name. Only a warning.
Amura: (His voice breaking the silence, full of curiosity) "Kyoichiiro-san? What is it? What does the letter say?"
Kyoichiiro lifted his head. He saw Amura standing beside him, his red eyes—Crimson Iris—staring at him with great curiosity. Behind Amura, Aetheria was also beginning to pay attention, her face still a little pale from the earlier battle, but her eyes already refocused.
Kyoichiiro closed his eyes for a moment. He took a deep breath—the air in this room was still cold, still damp, but it felt different from before. As if something had changed. As if something had awakened.
He exhaled slowly.
Kyoichiiro: (Calm but firm voice) "A warning letter. From the person who left this chest. He said we need to leave immediately. The real danger has just awakened in the dungeon's depths."
Amura: (Frowning, his hand dropping to his sword hilt) "Do you believe an anonymous letter like that?"
Kyoichiiro didn't answer immediately. He stood, carefully folding the letter and tucking it into his jacket's inner pocket. The parchment felt cold against his chest, like a second heartbeat he hadn't asked for.
His eyes then turned to the pile of coins. The gleam of gold was so tempting, so beautiful, but in Kyoichiiro's eyes, he saw something else. A trap. A test. Or perhaps a gift that would have to be paid for with lives.
Kyoichiiro: "Believe it or not, it's better not to take the risk. But the problem is, how do we carry 5000 coins?"
Amura: (Also standing, holding his chin with his left hand—a habit Kyoichiiro had come to recognize as a sign of deep thought) "Hmm... Our bags aren't big enough for all this. And if we carry too much, we'll be slow. If we're slow, we won't be able to run if there's danger."
Kyoichiiro: (Already calculating in his mind, dividing numbers quickly) "We split evenly. I'll carry 1667 coins. Amura, you carry 1667. Aetheria, you carry 1666. Is that okay?"
Aetheria: (Nodding quickly, though her hands still trembled slightly) "It's okay! I can carry it!"
Kyoichiiro: (Looking at her skeptically—Aetheria still looked tired, still pale, and her small hands seemed too fragile to carry a heavy load) "Seriously? This is quite heavy. If you get exhausted, we'll all be slowed down."
Aetheria: (Her cheeks flushing—not from embarrassment, but from determination) "It's absolutely fine, Kyoichiiro-san! I'm stronger than I look!"
She clenched her fists, showing the small muscles in her arm that were barely visible. Kyoichiiro almost smiled—almost—but he held it back.
Amura: (Chuckling softly) "Let's hurry. The longer we stay here, the greater the chance something comes."
They quickly got to work. Efficiently, they divided the pile of coins into three parts. Kyoichiiro counted quickly—his hands moved with surprising precision for a child his age, taking coins and placing them into their respective bags. Amura worked more casually, but still efficiently. Aetheria carefully put coins into her bag, occasionally dropping one or two because her hands were still trembling, but she didn't give up.
Kyoichiiro noticed that these coins felt light—lighter than they should have been for metal of that size. Almost like pure gold reduced in density by magic, or like coins made of a material he didn't recognize. His previously half-empty bag was now full and heavy, but still manageable.
At least we have capital now, he thought. Enough to survive a few months. Enough to buy equipment. Enough to...
He didn't finish the thought. There was no time to dream.
Amura: (Lifting his bag with a smile—the bag looked heavy, but he lifted it easily as if holding a pillow) "Alright! Let's get out of here!"
Aetheria: (Also lifting her bag, slightly staggering, but managing to stand straight) "L-let's go!"
They hurried back to the hole in the wall they had entered through. Kyoichiiro jumped down first, landing flexibly in the corridor below—his knees slightly bent to absorb the impact, as he had learned from his sword training. Amura followed, with a more graceful, nearly silent landing. Aetheria, with a little concentration, used her wind magic to slow her fall—a thin wind enveloping her body, making her descend like a floating feather—and landed softly beside them.
They exchanged glances. No words were spoken. There was only understanding: we have to get out of here. Quickly.
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ESCAPE FROM THE DEPTHS
They began to run. Amura relit the fireball in his hand for illumination—a flickering orange light illuminating the damp stone corridors. Their shadows swayed on the walls like pursuing ghosts.
The corridors they now passed through felt different. Not like before. Before, these corridors were merely silent. Now, they felt... alive. As if something was breathing in those walls. As if there were eyes watching them from behind every crack.
Aetheria: (Whispering, her voice barely audible above the pounding of their footsteps) "Kyoichiiro-san... I feel something. Behind us."
Kyoichiiro: (Not turning, but his steps quickening) "Ignore it. Focus ahead."
Amura: (Beside them, his eyes moving quickly, scanning the surroundings) "She's right. Something is following us. Not a monster—but... an aura. Like an invisible presence."
Kyoichiiro: (Silent, his mind racing) If something is following us, the letter was right. The real danger has awakened. And we are the closest bait.
He didn't tell them that. There was no need.
After about ten minutes of running, Kyoichiiro suddenly stopped. His hand raised—the signal to stop. Amura and Aetheria immediately stopped behind him, their breath coming in ragged gasps.
At the end of the corridor, about fifteen meters ahead of them, a pitch-black silhouette in the shape of a large wolf stood still. But unlike an ordinary wolf—the silhouette moved unnaturally, like smoke blown by the wind, like a shadow without a source. Sometimes it appeared solid, sometimes it looked like mist about to disappear.
Kyoichiiro: (Drawing his katana, voice low) "Get ready."
However, as they approached—slowly, with careful steps—the silhouette seemed not to react. No growling. No attacking. It didn't move at all, except for the smoky motion that kept changing shape.
Quickly, Kyoichiiro threw his katana sheath at the silhouette. The leather sheath flew through the air, passing through the silhouette's body without resistance—like piercing mist—and fell to the floor with a loud clatter. The silhouette itself only trembled slightly, then vanished like a shadow scattered by light.
Kyoichiiro: (Approaching and picking up his sheath, his voice flat) "Just an illusion or residual magical energy. But—"
Suddenly, before he could finish his sentence, the dungeon shook violently. A tremor far stronger than before—not an ordinary tremor, but one that originated from the depths, from a place they couldn't see—shook the walls and floor. Cracks began to appear on the stone walls, and dust rained down from the ceiling, which began to collapse in several places.
From the unseen depths, a roaring bellow deafened their ears. Not the sound of a wild beast—too deep, too ancient, too full of fury and hunger. That sound was like the earth's angry rumble, like the rage of something that had slept for thousands of years and had just awakened.
*"ARRRGGGGHHHHHH—!!!" *
That sound echoed throughout the dungeon, making the walls vibrate, making small stones fall from the ceiling, making their hearts beat faster.
Amura: (His face pale—paler than usual, as if he had just seen something he couldn't believe) "What was that sound?! This is too dangerous! We have to get out now!"
Aetheria: (Covering her ears with both hands, her eyes glistening, her body trembling violently) "I'm scared...! I'm so scared...!"
Kyoichiiro didn't hesitate any longer. His survival instinct—which he had honed in his previous life, which had saved him countless times—screamed loudly inside his chest. He grabbed Aetheria's trembling hand, gripping it tightly.
Kyoichiiro: (Firm voice, showing no fear even though his heart was pounding) "Quickly! RUN!"
They ran as fast as they could. Kyoichiiro pulled Aetheria, almost dragging her, while Amura guarded the rear with his sword drawn. The corridor behind them began to collapse—large stones falling from the ceiling, covering the path they had just traversed. Dust filled the air, making them cough and their eyes sting.
You've got to be kidding me, Kyoichiiro thought as he ran, his small legs working as hard as possible. Our first exploration, and we get a large-scale disaster! This dungeon really doesn't mess around!
Aetheria cried—not loudly, but small sobs held back in her throat—but her legs kept running, following Kyoichiiro. She didn't stop. Didn't give up. Behind her fear, there was a determination she wasn't aware of.
Ahead, an obstacle suddenly appeared. Two Wolfmen—the same ones they had seen causing a commotion at the Guild, with pointed ears and bushy tails—stood blocking the middle of the corridor, swords drawn in their hands. Their faces were full of greed, their eyes gleaming at the sight of bags filled with gold coins.
Wolfman #1: (Grinning, showing his sharp fangs) "Stop! Hand over the treasure you got from inside! Otherwise, we'll cut you down right here!"
Wolfman #2: (Raising his sword, ready to attack) "We've been watching you since you entered! We know you found something valuable!"
Kyoichiiro didn't slow down. His light blue eyes turned cold—not cold from anger, but cold from calculation. He had no time to fight. No time to negotiate. There was only one way.
Kyoichiiro: (Cold voice, barely audible above the roar of the collapsing debris) "I don't have time for trash like you. Aetheria, wind push on our feet!"
Aetheria: (Nodding while sobbing, still trembling, but gathering all her concentration) "O-okay! Ventus Accelerare!"
Magic wind enveloped their feet, giving them an extra speed boost. Kyoichiiro and Aetheria shot forward like arrows—not past the Wolfmen, but quickly to the side, dodging the sword slashes swung at them. Amura, with astonishing agility, leaped high—like a cat jumping over a wall—planting his feet on the corridor wall, spinning over the Wolfmen's heads before landing on the other side and continuing to run.
The startled Wolfmen shouted in anger, but they were too late. The collapsing debris from the ceiling, caused by the tremors, finally fell upon them, burying them in dust and stone.
Kyoichiiro's team didn't look back. They kept running, hearts pounding, lungs burning, their feet feeling like they would fall off. After fifteen minutes of nonstop running—past more turns, more corridors, more shadows moving on the walls—they finally saw a familiar sight.
The small rest room where they had previously stopped. Where they had eaten hard bread and rested briefly. Where they had talked about trust and strategy.
That room's door was now wide open.
Kyoichiiro: (Panting, his voice hoarse) "Alright! We're close to the exit!"
They pushed themselves once more. The corridor began to slope upward—slowly, but noticeably—and in the distance, natural light began to appear. Not the greenish light of the dungeon, not the blue light of Amura's fireball, but the warm, golden light of the afternoon sun.
Amura: (Shouting, his voice full of hope) "THERE! THE EXIT!"
With a final push, they burst out of the cave mouth—their bodies nearly flying out—and collapsed onto the grassy ground outside. They lay on the damp, cool grass, gasping as they inhaled fresh air that didn't feel damp and terrifying. Air that didn't smell of blood and dust and death.
The afternoon sun still shone above them, warm on their cold skin. The wind blew gently, carrying the scent of grass and wildflowers. For the first time in hours, they felt that they were still alive.
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BACK TO THE UPPER WORLD
The scene outside was chaotic. Other adventurers who had also managed to escape looked panicked—some running aimlessly, some sitting slumped with pale faces, some shouting for help. The roar from within the dungeon could still be heard occasionally, though muffled—like thunder fading away, but still threatening.
A green-haired human adventurer with claw marks scarred across his face—perhaps from a monster attack, or perhaps from an old battle—approached them, his face full of concern.
Green-Haired Adventurer: (His voice quick, anxious) "Are you all right? You look very young… You managed to escape, huh? From inside—that roar—you heard it, right?"
Kyoichiiro: (Quickly standing up, his voice flat, not showing exhaustion even though his body felt like it would collapse) "Yes. We're fine."
He flicked Amura's arm—slightly, not too hard, but enough to get his attention—and gave a brief, serious look. Don't talk about the treasure. Don't talk about the letter. Don't talk about anything.
Amura immediately understood. He nodded slightly, then looked away.
Kyoichiiro: (To the adventurer, in an unchanged voice) "Sorry, we have urgent business to attend to."
Without waiting for a response, the three of them turned and darted into the forest beside the dungeon area. They ran through thick bushes, found a small path invisible from the main road, and finally reached a quiet dirt road.
There, they finally stopped. Bent over. Hands on knees. Taking deep breaths. It was late afternoon, the orange sun beginning to descend on the western horizon, providing calming warmth after hours of darkness.
Kyoichiiro: (Still panting, but his voice calmer) "Phew... Thank goodness we left immediately."
He looked at the sky. A blue sky, with thin clouds moving slowly. A sky without a moon. A sky that always reminded him that he was no longer in the world he knew.
This world is getting stranger and stranger, he thought. And the stranger it gets, the more I feel I never truly understand it.
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THE JOURNEY BACK
After twenty minutes of slow walking along the road—their legs had begun to recover, their breathing back to normal—the sight of the town where the Guild was located began to appear in the distance. They entered the city gate, blending in with merchants and townspeople returning home. The atmosphere inside the town seemed normal—as if no one knew about the disaster in the dungeon not too far away. Merchants still shouted their wares, children still ran around, and adventurers still went about their own business.
Kyoichiiro: (To Amura, his voice soft) "Amura, please give me some water."
Amura: "Ah, yes."
He opened his bag—carefully, because it was full of gold coins—taking out a leather water pouch and a small wooden cup, then poured and handed it to Kyoichiiro. The water was cold and fresh, feeling like a gift from the gods.
Kyoichiiro drank eagerly—unlike his usual slow and controlled manner, this time he drank like someone who had been thirsty for days. Then he returned the cup.
Kyoichiiro: (Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand) "Thank you."
They continued walking through the busy town. Kyoichiiro's thoughts spun—trying to find an explanation, trying to understand, trying to connect all the scattered dots.
An unreasonable world. A language I can magically understand. A warning letter my mind translated. An ancient danger in the dungeon. He shook his head slowly. Is there a connection to the reason I was reincarnated here? Or is this all just coincidence?
He didn't know. And for the first time, he felt that his knowledge was insufficient to answer all his questions.
After reaching the main city gate on the opposite side, they saw a merchant with a horse-drawn cart loading goods, preparing to leave. His cart was full of sacks that appeared to contain produce—vegetables, fruits, perhaps wheat as well.
Kyoichiiro: (Approaching, polite voice) "Excuse me."
Merchant: (Turning, a middle-aged man with a thick mustache and a friendly face) "Yes? What is it, kid?"
Kyoichiiro: "Could you take us to Fertile Village? Are you passing by there by any chance?"
The merchant stroked his mustache, thinking for a moment. His eyes moved from Kyoichiiro to Amura to Aetheria—three small children with dirty clothes and bags that looked heavy.
Merchant: (Finally nodding) "As it happens, I am heading there to deliver goods. You can ride along. But there's a fee, okay? Not for free."
Amura: (Immediately stepping forward, with a ready smile) "Of course. We'll pay."
They climbed onto the cart, already full of sacks. The sackcloth was rough, itching against their skin, but they were used to discomfort. The cart began to move, leaving the town behind with the rhythmic creak of wheels.
During the journey, Kyoichiiro noticed Aetheria, still silent and shivering—not from cold, but from shock that hadn't yet faded. Her face was pale, her eyes weary, and her hands still trembled slightly.
Kyoichiiro: (His voice softer than usual—just slightly, but enough to sound different) "Are you all right, Aetheria?"
Aetheria flinched, then looked at him. Her pink eyes—Scarlet Luminis—were still wet with tears she hadn't had time to wipe away.
Aetheria: (Soft voice, barely audible) "I'm fine... I just... need time to get used to it. All of that... was so scary. I've never felt anything like it before."
Kyoichiiro: (Silent for a moment, then nodding) "I understand. I'm not used to it either."
Amura: (From the side, smiling—a strange smile, between serious and joking) "None of us are used to it. But we're still alive. That's what matters."
The journey lasted about an hour. Along the way, the cart stopped briefly because a wheel got stuck in the mud—still wet from rain a few days earlier—but the merchant quickly fixed it with Amura's help. Finally, the sight of Fertile Village—a village more fertile and welcoming than Rimba—spread out before them.
They got off, and Amura immediately paid the merchant with silver coins from his pocket. After the cart left, the three of them stood at the village entrance.
Kyoichiiro observed his surroundings. This village was indeed busier than Rimba—though the day was growing dark, some merchants still had their stalls open, and some villagers still sat on their house porches. Oil lamps were being lit one by one, creating warm points of light in the midst of the night's darkness.
Kyoichiiro: (Turning to Amura) "Do you know a good inn here, Amura?"
Amura: (Smiling—a tired but genuine smile) "There is. I stopped by once before. Follow me."
He led them through the quiet village streets, past wooden houses with thatched roofs, past an elderly woman sitting on her porch with a woven basket in her lap. Finally, they stopped in front of a two-story wooden inn that looked clean and well-maintained. Above the door hung a wooden sign reading "Green Home Inn" with faded green letters. The lamps inside had already been lit, radiating warmth through the windows.
The three of them stood before the door, looking at the building. The long, dangerous day was finally nearing its end.
Kyoichiiro: (Exhaling—a breath that felt like releasing tons of burden) "Alright. Let's go in. We need proper rest."
Amura and Aetheria smiled. Their exhaustion and tension began to melt, replaced by relief at having survived—and a small achievement: they had escaped a dungeon disaster safely, and with pockets now full of gold coins enough to survive for months.
Their adventure together had just begun with a very dramatic start. And it seemed the world still held many mysteries and dangers they would have to face together.