Fenrir Translations
watercolor-painted cave, with splashes of paint falling in positions that seem random but gradually form a stunning landscape, was my first impression as I looked around inside the cave.
There was no dampness in the air, and I felt a mysterious sensation enveloping my entire body, as if this space belonged to a different dimension.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one feeling this way, as both Agartha and the Saint gazed around with pursed lips, clearly sensing the strangeness of the environment.
"I never expected such a beautiful space to be hidden within the Gardener's Garden. If that knight hadn't been so observant, we would have missed this entirely."
"Well, considering how vast the Gardener's Garden is, and the fact that Tanthan only recently explored it, it's understandable."
As I watched them chatting while walking, I began to ponder something different.
Who could have lived here?
It was hidden by a barrier, making it somewhat of a secret place, but the security wasn’t too tight. It could have been breached by the mere physical strength of a Foreign Entity without needing their full powers.
It felt as if someone wanted this place to be discovered.
So, who could have done something like that?
"Sir Tanthan! Come here!"
At that moment, the Saint called out to me in an excited voice.
In a place like this, there was only one thing that could excite the Saint.
I rushed to where the Saint was pointing, and saw writing glowing in the same colors as the light outside the cave.
"It’s the Scribe's writing. It seems they've adjusted the mental pollution level again so that even someone like me can read it."
The Saint stood beside me, and we began to read the text together.
And so, we’ll explore Easter eggs today!
However, when I finished reading, I couldn't help but feel irritated.
The text stopped abruptly after "we’ll explore Easter eggs!"
The Saint slapped his forehead and shook his head in frustration.
"Oh, Scribe, why do you torment us like this?!"
It seemed the Saint was convinced this was all there was, and he lamented loudly, his voice filled with resentment.
But I had a different thought.
That inner space.
I felt there might be more inside, something we hadn’t yet explored.
"Saint."
"Yes, Sir Tanthan. I apologize for wasting your time. Let’s head back—"
"What if we ventured deeper inside?"
I pointed toward the inner part of the cave. The Saint hesitated before shaking his head.
"I don’t think it would be wise to go any further. To be honest, the mental pollution level here is already quite high. Just look at Agartha’s face—doesn’t she seem nauseous?"
"Huh? Me? No, I’m fine."
"You look quite unwell."
"It’s just that I’m bored since you two are talking among yourselves!"
If there was a person in this era who truly knew how to enjoy life, it would be Agartha.
Even in such a potentially dangerous space, she could still claim boredom.
Well, back in the underground prison, she didn’t stop talking until the Foreign Entity finally appeared.
In a way, it was impressive how gutsy she was.
Regardless.
I felt that if we turned back now, this would be the end of it. We might leave without fully uncovering the secrets hidden here, and the place could even be sealed forever after we leave.
"If no one else is willing, I’ll go in alone."
"Sir Tanthan."
"I can’t stand not knowing."
The Saint seemed to be saying this just as a formality, as he began nervously rubbing his fingers together.
"Go ahead, then."
The hunter, who had been quiet until now, finally spoke.
"Hunter?"
"Isn’t that why we gathered here? We cleared our schedules for this. It would be odd to leave after reading just one inscription."
The hunter casually popped a piece of candy into his mouth and headed out of the cave.
"Let me know when you’ve made a decision."
It seemed like he was giving us time to think.
I was momentarily stunned by the hunter’s uncharacteristic consideration.
"Why is the hunter acting like that?"
That’s what I wanted to ask.
Still, it seemed the hunter’s words managed to sway the Saint’s mind. After some thought, the Saint nodded.
"Agartha?"
"I’m fine. I came prepared with some protective charms."
So that’s why she looked so unbothered this whole time.
Where does she even get those charms? Even the knights only get one each when dealing with Foreign Entities.
With Agartha’s approval, the Saint smiled at me.
"Alright, Sir Tanthan. I’ll follow you anywhere."
As expected.
A scholar’s obsession with the unknown never fails.
Once the hunter returned, we started heading deeper inside.
The initial inscription was only the beginning; a much larger space unfolded ahead of us, and there were already three more inscriptions glowing within it.
The Saint, excited by the sight, exhaled sharply through his nose.
And yet, he had suggested leaving earlier?
I now wondered if he had only said that as a formality and secretly hoped I would insist on staying.
"One of those inscriptions is a different color."
The Saint pointed, and indeed, one inscription glowed purple, while the others shone in greenish hues.
"Hmm. Let’s start with the green ones first."
"Alright."
We approached the first inscription.
The message was brief.
What?
Why go through the trouble of engraving a yawn?
I wondered if the Scribe specialized in finding ways to annoy people.
"A yawn, huh? Interesting. This is valuable material."
"Why?"
"It means the Scribe is capable of yawning."
This is how he interprets it?
Is this guy secretly the one who’s actually insane?
We moved on to the second inscription, and it became clear why the third one was purple.
This likely meant that the mental pollution level increased significantly beyond this point.
But why?
If the inscriptions didn’t serve any real purpose, why bother making them?
The Saint’s face filled with surprise, and after swallowing nervously, he approached the purple inscription.
"I’ll give it a try."
The Saint attempted to read the text but was suddenly flung backward as if struck by an invisible force.
"Saint!"
Agartha cried out in alarm. I rushed over to him, and the Saint, drenched in sweat, gave me a weak smile.
"Phew, I almost succumbed to the mental pollution. I can’t read any further."
The Saint raised both hands in defeat, clearly disappointed.
A scholar who had trained in esoterica for many years, yet couldn’t read beyond this point due to the overwhelming mental strain.
Why did it feel like this was meant for me?
Leaving the Saint behind, I cautiously approached the inscription, wondering if I, too, would be affected.
However, Super Coward Mode was nearly invincible.
There was no mental pollution whatsoever.
This was all about high-level inscriptions.
...It felt oddly subdued compared to the usual inscriptions.
It was clear that from this point, only those with a strong enough mind could read further, so the text was kept simple.
"Saint."
"It seems you can read it, Sir Tanthan."
The Saint looked at me with gleaming eyes, and I could sense the respect in them.
Humans tend to feel uneasy, even envious, when faced with someone superior to them, especially if they’ve spent years studying a particular field.
But not the Saint.
He was genuinely pleased that someone better had appeared.
"Let’s go further. Sir Tanthan, your adventure begins now!"
The Saint, filled with excitement, shouted loudly, his voice brimming with support. I, too, felt a chill run down my spine, as if bolstered by his unwavering encouragement.
Agartha and the hunter nodded in agreement.
Judging by the contents of the inscription, the next one inside was likely the last.
Together with Agartha, the unusually quiet hunter, and the Saint, we squeezed through a narrow passage and emerged into a small space no bigger than a single room.
There, on the wall, were two inscriptions glowing in crimson red.