Chapter 211 - Episode Seven
After parting with Peter, I was leaving the Palgas village with Mea and Elia, who was driving the carriage, as planned.
Of course, the destination is not the place…… of Lord Lark, but the witch’s tower where the legendary alchemist Altamir sleeps.
The witch’s tower is quite a remote area in the Fage territory, and is located along the coast.
It is located further away from the remotest Palgas village, which is the remotest part of the Fage territory, originally a rural area.
It is said that the witch’s tower is infested with deformed magic beasts and demons, and that vicious traps are set here and there as if the witches’ resentment towards the kingdom that sealed them off is embodied in the tower.
There are eight floors in total, and it is said that as the distance to the witch gets closer and the distortion of the magic field gets bigger as you go up one level, so the magical beasts that emerge become more ferocious.
At best, the average adventurer could only handle three levels, and there are only a few who have gone beyond the fourth level, and not a single one of them has ever seen the sixth level.
Some people think that they simply haven’t returned, but that’s still a horrible story.
I thought that Elia, as expected, would not like it, but after listening to the overview of the witch’s tower and thinking for a few seconds, she replied on the spot, “…… Leave it to me.”.
Surprisingly, I can’t help but feel that this person is also a bit of a challenger.
“Customer, I think it’s probably that thing,”
I rolled up the cloth and looked out of the carriage as I heard Elia’s voice coming from the direction of the carriage.
There was a huge, columnar, brick-like tower rising against the backdrop of the ocean.
It was not just earth, it seemed to be specially made bricks mixed with Mithril and other expensive magical ores.
It may serve as a medium for warding off Altamir’s seal.
The walls were carved with a number of magic circles, creating an eerie atmosphere.
It seems that he was quite morbidly obsessed with sealing off Altamir.
On the other hand, if it was such a large scale device, it would have been obvious, but I’m amazed they were able to catch her.
In fact, I wonder if they sealed her here after they caught her.
“But …… it’s certainly an unusual one to obtain. There’s quite a lot of things that would be worth looking into.”
I let the hilt of my Lapides Sword play in my hand and looked expectantly at the witch’s tower.
Mea, too, poked her head out of the gap I’d left open, spotted the tower, and squealed with glee, “Oh!”.
“So um…… how far are you going to climb it this time, Abel?”
“Huh? Oh …… Well, I’m going to climb as far as I can without getting hurt, and then I’m going to round up just fine.”
“…… What if you don’t get hurt by the end?”
“Until the end …… oh ……”
I’m not sure about the tower, but Altamir is probably sealed on the eighth level.
It is not inconceivable that once the door to the eighth floor is opened, Altamir’s seal will be broken and she will escape to the outside world.
If that happens, my achievements so far will be overturned and I will inevitably be wanted by the kingdom.
With a half-weeping Lark in tow, I could start a war against the entire Dinrat Kingdom based in the Fage territory.
As expected of me, I also know the difference between what’s right and wrong to do.
As an example, even if there is something that bothers me a little, if there is a suspicious trick, I will turn back as soon as possible.
I have the self-control to return home to the Palgas Village in the middle of the seventh level, even if you were able to move through the tower in a haphazard manner.
“Still, I’ll pull out in moderation.”
“Eh.”
Mea makes a bare voice and opens her mouth.
To be honest, I did not expect her to be so surprised.
Certainly, I’m curious about Altamir.
If you ask if I’m curious, then I say that I’m curious about what kind of power the witch who was sealed nearly a hundred years ago had, how strong she was, and what she was researching is an understatement.
If possible, I’d like to sneak them back home after a night of talking, but that would be a betrayal to Lark, and I don’t know what Altamir, who has a grudge against the kingdom, would do.
Besides, Shame has just told me not to take Mea too far into danger.
Aside from the lower levels, which used to be accessible to ordinary adventurers, there’s no way I’m going to take her to Altamir in person.
There are a few areas in Palgas village where I carelessly put Mea in harm’s way.
Marias and Negrogriff were both cunning and not unguarded.
…… I’m sure their magic skills were, well, yeah, moderate.
I’m sure he was better than most adventurers, but I’m not sure he was that good with the help of the water god Levi.
A-Anyway, there’s no guarantee that the Levi Churchers will not come in contact with us again.
I have to assume the worst and be more vigilant.
“Are you okay, Abel? Do you have a fever? Did you catch a cold?”
Mea anxiously moves her face closer to mine and puts her hand to my forehead to take measure the temperature.
“N, no, it’s not …… What? Did I say something so funny?”
“There doesn’t seem to be any fever……”
Mea exhales in relief and lets go of my face.
Then she glances at the book in my hand.
“Because Abel, you’ve been looking forward to researching the witch’s tower for a while now, and for you to simply leave halfway…… Normally, you would have said you were going to take the whole tower home with you.”
“…… I didn’t know I was thought to be like that.”
I open the book in hand with a wry smile and look down.
-
The sealed tower of the alchemist Altamir, feared as the worst witch.
Although the exterior is just a huge windowless column, the interior is distorted in space, with each level showing a completely different interior.
Even though you are just walking through the tower, the searcher will create the illusion that you are visiting various places.
However beautiful the landscape is, it is the result of the magic and obsession of Altamir.
Adventurers will find themselves getting closer and closer to the malevolence of Altamir with each floor.
(Edna Albert, “The 20 Best Dungeon Ratings in the Dinrat Kingdom”)
-
I’m borrowing some materials from the Palgas village about Altamir.
This book is one of them.
If this statement is correct, then Altamir may already be more like a demon or a spirit than a human being.
Distorting the magic field, affecting space, and creating peculiar demons is the demon’s eighteenth expertise.
If she is able to distort the magic field to create various landscapes within the tower, it is a monster that is truly worthy of being called a great demon.
“…………”
“You still want to go, don’t you? You don’t have to worry about Mea too much, you know? If I’m a hindrance…… Mea will be waiting outside with Elia-san ……”
As if she couldn’t see me being sullen, Mea called out to me.
She had a small voice that seemed to fade away from the second half, and she was in a forlorn tone.
The shoulders are hunched and prone.
“N, no, that……”
Elia is peeking at me from in front of me, staring at me with narrowed eyes as if to say, ‘Ahhhh, you made her cry”.
I quickly look away from Elia and turn fully to face Mea.
“N, no, I want Mea to come too!”
“But mea doesn’t help you anyway……”
There was a thin tear in Mea’s eye.
I was caught off guard by the stability lately, but I think Mea has a fragile side, or perhaps a wave of instability from time to time.
“Just you being there makes me feel better or something …… Well, look, I’d like to ask you to help me with my luggage too……!”
“Really? Mea can be of help to Abel?”
Finally, the light returned to Mea’s face.
I was relieved to see it for the moment.
When I glanced at Elia, she looked not at me, but at Mea, squinting, like she was saying, “You’re okay with that?”.
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