Chapter 32: Camelot (2)

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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Chapter 32: Camelot (2)

There is only one situation where the stage issues a warning: when it judges that the fight is not feasible, given the equipment, number, and abilities of the staff compared to the creature.

‘The majority of the staff gathered here are equivalent to rank 6 in skill.’

Even so, the fact that a level 5 warning was issued indicates just how powerful the monster in front of them truly is.

"Shall we start hunting some rats?"

Mordred walked out with a grim smile.

The people shouted upon seeing her.

"It's a creature! Everyone, charge and subdue it!"

"If we take that thing down, it's over!"

Dozens of staff rushed towards Mordred.

"There’s only one of them. Don’t be scared!"

They definitely had the advantage in numbers, and it was true that the creature had come into an environment that was favorable for them.

If Mordred was the one behind this phenomenon, then subduing her would indeed end the incident.

However, all of this was only true if...

‘We could handle a rank 3 creature…’

Mordred effortlessly swung her greatsword with one hand.

Swish.

"Argh!"

"Aaagh!"

The vanguard, who had charged in valiantly, froze in an instant.

Crack.

The staff, frozen solid, looked like artworks trapped in crystal.

‘Even though there are nearly 400 people gathered here…’

Winning was impossible.

It had been a stage set for such an outcome from the start.

I glanced at the timer in the air.

[71:57...]

‘Only a minute has passed...?’

I clicked my tongue and pulled back the staff who were preparing for battle next to me.

"We’re leaving this place."

Without even sparing a glance, I turned away, and Khan spoke up unexpectedly.

"Wouldn't it be better to fight together here?"

Fighting together was indeed the orthodox method for subduing a creature and the most stable means to do so.

‘It makes sense, but…’

Not for this stage.

I turned my head to look at Mordred's massacre.

"We can’t take that thing down right now."

At Mordred's second swing, not just the rank 6s, but even the rank 5 staff from [Diamond] were instantly turned to dust.

It was a massacre that had taken place in the blink of an eye.

"..."

Khan stared in shock at the scene that had unfolded in an instant.

Without a word, I started walking again, and the staff followed me without any further complaint.

‘A manifestation type is a stage.’

You'd be taken off the stage if you didn’t follow the predetermined script.

[(Survive) – Mordred has started a rebellion. Survive or suppress the rebellion until the main force of □□ returns.]

The script here was to avoid Mordred and survive.

Whether it was subduing her or surviving, either would only be possible after some time had passed.

‘…Are we the last ones?’

The more perceptive staff from other companies had already fled the scene.

Fortunately, Khan quickly agreed, otherwise, if there had been any disagreement due to poor staff management, we could have ended up as one of the corpses scattered around.

"Administrator, isn’t there nowhere else to go even if we escape from here?"

"…Mari’s right. It seems we’ve lost the opportunity to join forces with other companies."

Khan and Mari's doubts were reasonable, but they only knew part of the situation.

"Indeed, as you’re worried, there’s no safe place in any intact area."

Beryl, who didn’t seem to understand fully, awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

"Well, wouldn’t it be safe if we ran to the city of Camelot? We could get help there…"

I shook my head at Beryl's suggestion.

"Mordred has started a rebellion. Don’t you understand what that means?"

No matter how powerful Mordred was as a knight commander, she couldn’t start a rebellion alone.

Even if she became a one-person army through a creature's power, it was the same. She couldn’t rule a nation alone.

"There must be collaborators. It’s safer to assume that everyone inside the city of Camelot is an enemy."

It was safe to assume that all the knights still living and breathing were on Mordred's side.

That meant each one of them was an enemy, equivalent to a rank 7 knight.

‘This must be what Mari and Khan were worried about.’

If we loitered around here, Mordred would notice us.

But if we entered Camelot, the rebels would find us.

It was a catch-22.

However...

“Don’t worry. We can’t go anywhere intact, but relatively ruined places are safe.”

“There’s a safe place?”

Mari tilted her head and questioned.

I smiled and answered her doubt.

“They say the darkest place is under the lamp. We’re heading to the fortress.”

No one would be there since the fortress had burned down.

Considering the rebellion began there, it was reasonable to think no one would be there by now.

“B-but we still have to pass through the city to reach the fortress... Won’t the rebels notice us?”

‘Normally, yes.’

Mari’s concern was valid.

I promptly took a map from my chest.

“I didn’t say we’d go above ground.”

An underground passage led directly to the fortress without passing through the city of Camelot.

Khan and Mari murmured in awe as they looked at the map in my hand.

“Indeed!”

“Oh, so that’s an option?”

I compared the map with the surrounding terrain.

“We should be almost there…”

[Sixth Sense LV. 2]

I brushed off the dust from the floor, which had an unusual feeling.

Then, a wooden door revealed itself.

Creak.

As I lifted the wooden door, dust fell off, and stairs hidden inside appeared.

“Alright, let’s go in.”

Now that I had confirmed the map’s accuracy, it was time for a treasure hunt.

“…”

“…”

The staff hesitated.

The reason was simple.

“Administrator, it’s too dark…”

The passage was dark.

The stairs near the entrance were illuminated by sunlight to some extent, but as we ventured deeper, there wasn’t a single ray of light.

There wasn’t even a common torch, which suggested that it was indeed a secret passage known only to a select few.

“It’s definitely a bit dark.”

I picked up some thick branches scattered around and handed them to the staff.

“Hold on to these.”

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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[Empathy (LV. 1) - Activated]

- You can borrow a collected creature’s skill for 1 minute.

“Flame Skin.”

[Target: Branches.]

Whoosh.

The branches held by the staff burst into flames.

“Whoa.”

“Administrator, you can use magic too?”

Mari curiously stared at the fire.

I had never explained the abilities of [Foundation's Star] to the staff, so they probably assumed it was just one of my powers.

“…Um, roughly? Let’s just say that. Anyway, now that we’ve resolved the darkness, shall we head in? It wouldn’t be surprising if Mordred showed up at any moment. Let’s keep our guard up.”

As I pointed toward the passage, Beryl took the lead, and Mari and Khan descended the stairs.

I grabbed some more branches and followed the staff down the steps.

And then...

“Summon Kobold!”

[A Kobold is summoned.]

[Kobold LV. 1]

Keeek.

The Kobold appeared in front of the wooden door.

[Beastfolk language]

“Vi-ska, Vi-shouka (Close the door and cover it with dirt.)”

I didn’t forget to close the door and camouflage it.

Kerruk?

As the Kobold shut the wooden door, the sunlight that had been seeping in slowly disappeared.

Eventually...

Thud.

With that sound, only the faint light from the flames remained in the darkness.

The light emitted by the flames wasn’t very bright, but since the narrow passage was straight, there was no worry of getting lost.

[Empathy (LV. 1) - Deactivated]

[Remaining time (42s)]

I quickly deactivated the skill and proceeded down the corridor.

How long had it been?

A light became visible at the end of the passage.

Mari shouted excitedly as she saw the faint light seeping through.

"Wow! It’s the exit to the outside!"

As we climbed the stairs and approached, a metal door came into view.

Thunk.

I opened the door and stepped outside.

Emerging from the dust-filled space, I spotted a massive bookshelf.

I already knew where we were, having seen the location on the map.

‘…The library.’

The long bookshelf formed a wide corridor, lined with old books.

Here and there, small braziers or lanterns were placed, and luxurious wooden ornaments and classical furniture decorated the space.

The place combined tranquility and splendor, making it a special area even within the citadel.

However,

“It won’t last much longer than I thought.”

Now, flames were fiercely spreading along the walls, and there was no telling how long this beautiful space could hold out.

“…Uh, Administrator, the place is burning,”

Mari exclaimed, flailing her arms in panic, though I had anticipated this.

I calmly issued orders to Mari, Khan, and Beryl.

“See the books on that shelf?”

“Yes.”

“Gather them all up before they catch fire.”

“What?”

“I said, get them all before the fire spreads to the books.”

I had already known the fire wouldn’t be extinguished.

In fact, if I were planning to use this place as a hideout, I would’ve needed more time.

But I hadn’t delayed on purpose.

Quite the opposite—I had to hurry because of this.

‘We can’t loot the place if we don’t do it now.’

No matter how unreal this place seemed, it was still Knight's main base.

None of the books here would be useless.

While we were moving the books, Beryl complained…

“Ugh. We escaped from monsters only to move books in the middle of a fire!”

“Then why don’t you go back out and have a round with Mordred?”

I swiftly shut him down with a single remark, and I too began earnestly moving the books.

“This should be enough.”

Though it was regrettable that the bookshelf had already caught fire, we managed to salvage about 50 books.

“Get back to the corridor.”

The staff hurriedly descended the passage, escaping the toxic gas that had gradually spread.

I pushed anything that could be used as a barrier out of the way near the entrance, then went down the passage last and shut the door.

Thud.

A magic circle was engraved on the iron door, preventing toxic gas or flames from seeping through.

Immediately afterward, I built a makeshift bonfire and sat down.

“Alright, let’s all have some reading time now.”

Among the books we salvaged, some were about military strategy and weapons training.

They might even help the staff enhance their skills.

“Mari, you read this one. Khan, you take this 'Lower Swordsmanship IV.'”

Khan looked at me with a questioning expression.

“Is it alright for us to hide out like this?”

It seemed he had misunderstood my earlier remark.

I answered to clear up his confusion.

“No, we’re going to catch Mordred.”

If we didn’t resolve the disaster Mordred had caused, there would be no way to proceed with containment.

Failure to contain it would inevitably lead to death.

“…I don’t understand,”

Khan responded, still confused, and questioned me again.

“But you said we couldn’t catch him…”

“I said we couldn’t catch him right now. I didn’t say we could never catch him.”

There are stages like this occasionally.

The script is just a bit tricky.

Once you understand what the phenomenon is aiming for, the solution isn’t as difficult as it seems.

‘The first scenario was just an escape.’

Everything after that was up to the actors.

And more than anything else,

“Time is on our side. So there’s no need to rush.”

At least for this stage, time was on our side.

[Translator - Night]

[Proofreader - Gun]

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