Sub Quest (8)

If the first underground level had at least resembled a sewer, the second floor was more like a tunnel or a labyrinth. It was darker, and the faint light leaking through the air vents barely made any difference. Without oxygen, it felt like being buried alive.

Leonardo, who had descended first using the ladder, was waiting for me below. The ladder felt unnervingly slick, and at the bottom, it was slightly raised, forcing me to jump down when I reached the ground.

Leonardo reached out, catching me to prevent me from slipping. The slight shift in my balance as I landed was quickly stabilized by his quick reflexes, his arm wrapping around my waist, keeping me steady. Thanks to him, I managed to regain my posture without any trouble.

[Scenario weight 5.10%]

"..."

With a sense of unease, I mulled over the number that had flashed briefly in the air. In the meantime, Leonardo checked that I had safely made it down and began walking alongside me.

When I pulled up the map, I saw that the exploration progress was barely 12%. We hadn't even fully scanned the first floor. I couldn't help but wonder how far this underground network actually stretched.

The ground beneath my feet now felt more like a dry, crumbly surface than a muddy one. If it weren't for the occasional drips of water falling from the ceiling, I might have completely forgotten that a sewer flowed above us.

Leonardo glanced at the flickering torch, then picked up a new one from the wall and transferred the flame. The dim light flared brightly, casting a wider glow around the area.

"Look over there."

I spoke casually, pointing with my finger. While most of the objects were either covered in moss or corroded with age, the pickaxe and shovel lying carelessly nearby had broken handles and were left abandoned. They didn't look particularly old, though, which made them stand out.

As we walked closer, it became clear. The thin layer of dampness on the floor hadn't caused any decay, and there was no dust settled on anything. Leonardo scanned the area, his brow furrowing.

"They're not looking for a water vein, are they? Are they trying to dig something up here?"

"Seems like it…" 

In places with history, it wasn't uncommon to find people digging up relics from the dead, scavenging whatever they could to make a living, or even taking teeth and hair.

"But if it's grave robbers, there should have been signs on the first floor already, shouldn't there?"

"They might be after a specific tomb."

With those words, Leonardo and I exchanged glances. If they had come all the way to this place to search for a body… something came to mind immediately.

A recently interred notable person.

"Are you thinking of Sir Leovald?"

"…I'm not sure. The Archbishop wouldn't have left the body in the underground sewer. If proper procedures were followed, it would have been moved to the church's crypt, which is off-limits."

Leovald's monument was erected in the square, but the coffin was still in the church, after all.

"Then these people are…?"

"As ridiculous as it sounds, if they're after his tomb, they must be trying to find the passage that leads to the crypt. This place is connected to all of Sinistra, so it wouldn't be too far-fetched."

No wonder the exploration progress was advancing so slowly. The underground sewer was huge, more like a dungeon than anything. It wasn't like a piece of Swiss cheese with holes everywhere. At this rate, it wouldn't be surprising if a massive sinkhole opened up somewhere in the southern part of Sinistra one day.

"For now, let's leave it as a theory. We still don't know for sure if these people are grave robbers or if they're really after Sir Leovald's tomb."

"..."

Leonardo's expression had darkened. Well, who would feel good hearing that someone might try to rob their grave after they're dead?

As I vaguely tried to gauge his mood, I suddenly stopped in my tracks. Just before I did, Leonardo had already halted as well.

A faint vibration was in the air. Footsteps. And in the distance, the flicker of a scarlet light moving toward us, shimmering.

In a flash!

Leonardo immediately rolled the torch to the ground, extinguishing the flame. Then, grabbing my elbow, he pulled me behind a nearby pillar and pressed me close against it.

Our legs tangled, crossed together, and the sound of fabric brushing against fabric was sharp in the silence as our bodies pressed tightly.

[Scenario weight 5.11%]

At the very last moment, the torch held by the other group briefly illuminated our direction. Thanks to being hidden behind the pillar, we weren't spotted. If we had been even a second slower, we would have run straight into them. That would have been quite troublesome.

Leonardo's eyes met mine, just inches apart. A blink, and the air displaced by his eyelashes brushed against my skin. It was a strange feeling—maybe it was nothing, but we exchanged silent looks and then quietly strained our ears.

From the footsteps, it seemed like at least five or more people were approaching. With my back to the pillar and pressed against Leonardo, it was hard to see what was going on outside.

I gave him a subtle gesture to ask about the situation outside, but he only signaled me to keep my head down. The problem was that the signal came in the form of pressing even closer against me, which made things a bit… uncomfortable.

Ugh, I felt the pressure on my chest, making it hard to breathe.

Unable to breathe properly, I tapped lightly on his thigh, and Leonardo slightly opened up a small gap, just enough for me to breathe.

Then, still pressed up against me, he grabbed my hand gently, moving his fingers across my palm, writing something in soft, deliberate strokes. The sensation of his skin against mine made me reflexively flinch slightly.

Noticing my reaction, Leonardo held my hand reassuringly, pressing it flat and continuing to write.

Were they having a meal? Down here, in the underground?

Well, whether it was grave robbing or something else, they were probably eating while doing it. It's natural for people to eat and rest, but in this situation, it felt almost absurd.

Fortunately, it didn't seem like they were preparing for a full meal. I could only hear the occasional rustling of cloth as they unwrapped food and the faint clinking of items being passed around.

Amidst the muffled sounds, a voice, hoarse from dust and weariness, emerged:

"Is this really correct? We've been digging into walls filled with skeletal remains. How many days has it been? I'm starting to doubt the success of the plan."

Then someone, speaking with a particularly cold tone, cut in:

"Don't question things. We've already been paid well enough."

"We're just—why are we targeting such a dangerous person, of all people—"

"Silence. The exact number of floors is unclear, but there's definitely a path that leads to the sanctuary in the underground sewers. Your job is to find the body. Once you have the body, you can take the armour, the sword, the relics—whatever you want. Such generous terms, and still, you complain?"

After that, all fell silent. The sound of eating resumed without another word.

Leonardo wrote on my palm, quietly relaying the situation.

<7 people.>

They were armed. The hypothesis that they might be followers of Viscount Lopez gained more weight. It's unlikely that common grave robbers would be properly equipped with weapons like that.

This time, I grabbed Leonardo's hand and held it steady, then wrote on his palm with my finger. Leonardo, like me, seemed to feel a slight tickling sensation and his hand flinched slightly. Hang in there, you. I ignored it and continued writing.

Instead of responding, Leonardo firmly clasped my hand. It seemed like he was doing it to calm the lingering tickling sensation on his skin.

A moment later, Leonardo tapped twice on the back of my hand to signal. Cautiously, I leaned out and used the innkeeper's insight. The familiar script immediately appeared in my sight.

[Viewing information.]

Rank – Extra (Scenario weight 0.09%)

Role – Viscount Lopez' subordinate

Script – [Searches the underground tunnels from 8 PM to 2 PM.] [Searches for Leovald's corpse.] [Kills the grave robbers to silence them.]

Dialogue – None.[Viewing information.]

Rank – Extra (Scenario weight 0.02%)

Role – Grave robber No. 4

Script – [Searches the underground tunnels from 8 PM to 2 PM.] [Searches for Leovald's corpse.]

Dialogue – None.[Viewing information.]

Rank – Extra (Scenario weight 0.02%)

Role – Grave robber No. 6

Script – [Searches the underground tunnels from 8 PM to 2 PM.] [Searches for Leovald's corpse.]

Dialogue – None.

"..."

It really was Leovald they were after. And not just simple grave robbing, but the body itself was the primary goal.

Out of the seven, six were professional grave robbers, and the remaining one was a direct subordinate of Viscount Lopez. While the information on the grave robbers was general, the details on the subordinate were quite specific. If he could handle the other six on his own, he wasn't someone easy to deal with.

I wrote on Leonardo's palm.

<1 Leftmost. Viscount's subordinate. Caution required.>

<6 Grave robbers. No affiliation.>

After that, we fell silent, our breaths held. I could clearly hear Leonardo's heartbeat, steady and rhythmic.

He was probably listening to mine as well. We waited in silence, counting the time by the rhythm of our heartbeats, until they finished their meal.

There was a rustling sound, followed by the hurried movements of someone tidying up. It seemed like someone had picked up the torch again, and shadows flickered.

Gradually, the sound of their presence moved further away. They weren't heading deeper underground, but towards the exit. Leonardo and I waited, holding our breath until they were far enough to be out of earshot.

Thud thud thud. 

The sound of footsteps on a ladder echoed, fading as they climbed. After waiting for what felt like an eternity, the darkness around us was once again complete. I let out a deep breath, releasing all the tension that had built up inside me. 

Phew, I exhaled, savouring the sensation of my lungs expanding as I inhaled a deep breath afterward. Only then did Leonardo finally move, feeling around for the torch. 

"That's my ankle."

"Ah, my apologies."

Once he found the torch, he reignited it, the crimson light spreading and brightening the surroundings. Our gazes met at close range.

"Suspicious, isn't it?"

"Very."

Yes, the situation was indeed highly suspicious. I sighed deeply, letting out a long, drawn-out exhale.

"This is troublesome."

It seems I've accidentally found out the villain's plan in advance.

…Should I stop it or let it be?