The members and the search route for Harold's search party were finalized on the very day Erika’s group arrived, and the search itself began in earnest the following day.
However, the collapse Harold was said to have been caught in was massive; the crater alone spanned dozens of meters in diameter and reached depths exceeding a hundred meters. In several spots, houses continued to burn, making a direct vertical descent to the bottom far too dangerous to attempt.
With their options limited, they chose to descend through a mine shaft that had suffered relatively little damage from the collapse.
The search party proceeded cautiously through the still-functional tunnels. According to reports from the Knight Order members who had conducted the preliminary survey, this route would lead them roughly halfway down to the deepest part of the collapse site.
While it was a perilous operation—there was no guarantee the mine shaft wouldn't cave in at any moment due to the aftereffects of the disaster—they had no other choice and could not afford to hesitate. Lanterns had been placed at regular intervals by the advance team, ensuring clear visibility as they advanced without encountering any stray monsters.
After several hours, the search party finally reached the interior of the collapse.
"Lord Harold must be here somewhere..."
Suppressing her racing heart as best she could, Erika took a step forward. Compared to the upper sections of the crater, the slope here was gentler, providing enough stable ground for them to find their footing.
Even so, locating a single person within such a vast expanse of wreckage promised to be an immense challenge.
"Now then, we shall split into two groups as planned. Remain vigilant for falling debris from above, unstable ground beneath your feet... and potential ambushes."
Vincent’s warning was firm, rooted in the information he had shared the previous night.
Under normal circumstances, Cody was supposed to have been dispatched here to Burston as well. However, he was missing, and his whereabouts remained unknown.
Furthermore, it had been confirmed that nearly ten other Knight Order members besides Cody were also missing.
While the implications of this were still unclear, Vincent had sensed something sinister and determined that they had to be prepared for outside interference.
The disappearance of his friend Cody surely left Vincent on edge, yet he displayed no sign of it as he led the group. Erika found herself admiring his professionalism; his stoic resolve was truly commendable.
Despite their determination, the search for Harold did not progress easily. The ground was treacherous, forcing them to inspect every step while moving in a tight formation to guard against surprise attacks. Their efficiency was far from ideal.
Nevertheless, the search itself was a race against time, and they could not afford to compromise their safety further.
While initial reports claimed Harold was the only human caught in the collapse...
"C-Commander! Monsters!"
It wasn't as if the area was entirely clear of the monster remnants that had supposedly poured out of the mine shafts in droves.
From one of the countless shafts connecting to the crater, three monsters lunged at the group—only to be struck down by arrows of water before they could even get close.
The attack was the "Aqua Soaring Fan," a bow technique that Erika excelled in.
The three water arrows, fired in a wide arc, each struck a vital point with unerring accuracy. Only a few seconds had passed between the initial sighting and the monsters' extermination.
"No way..."
Irene and the others who were unfamiliar with Erika’s capabilities stared in wide-eyed shock. Despite having been briefed, they likely hadn't expected such prowess from a woman who looked like a picture-perfect noble lady.
While magic was her strongest suit, Erika’s skill with a bow was equally formidable.
"Superb archery," Vincent praised.
"Thank you," Erika replied curtly.
Her expression remained tense. She showed no joy at the compliment, nor did she relax after the kill. To anyone who knew the usually gentle Erika, it was painfully clear how much the situation was weighing on her.
Erika was conscious of her own state, but no matter how hard she tried to suppress her agitation, she could no longer maintain a facade of perfect composure. The thought that Harold might be here, perhaps waiting for rescue in a situation where every second counted, caused her anxiety to swell.
Even so, Erika did not act impulsively. She kept pace with the group, remained alert for enemies, and continued the cautious search while considering the possibility that people other than Harold might be trapped as well.
The search continued for nearly two hours. Then, suddenly, "it" appeared before them.
"C-Commander! There is a door here!" Sid called out.
Hidden behind the wreckage of a collapsed house was a door that clearly did not belong on the surface—it looked like it led into the depths of the mine. It appeared ordinary enough, which only made it feel like a foreign object in such a setting.
"What on earth is this...?"
Where did it lead? There was no way to know without entering, but they all hesitated to open a door that was so blatantly out of place.
Everyone held their breath as they stood before the door.
Still, they couldn't ignore it. Vincent slowly reached out and grasped the handle. When he gave it a light twist, the knob turned easily, contrary to their expectations.
"...It is unlocked."
Vincent signaled to his men with a glance. He was likely preparing them for an ambush or traps the moment the door was opened. Erika heightened her concentration, ready for anything.
After a momentary pause, the door swung open. Beyond it lay a corridor constructed of materials that were unmistakably artificial, bearing no resemblance to a mine shaft.
There were no lights on the walls or ceiling, and being deep underground, there were no windows. Yet, visibility was maintained deep into the corridor because parts of the building materials in the walls and floor were faintly luminescent.
"Is this... Light Stone?" Rainer asked, naming the naturally glowing stones they had encountered in caves and ruins during their journey. Erika recalled seeing Light Stones that gave off a similar glow.
"It doesn't really feel like stone, though..." Sid muttered, tapping the glowing wall.
It was a luminescent material of some kind, distinct from Light Stone. Whether it was something entirely unknown or simply rare, it didn't matter. What mattered was what it implied.
"What are your orders, Commander Vincent?"
Should they proceed down the corridor or continue searching the collapse site? Or split up? Every option carried risks, making the decision difficult.
"May I speak?"
Before Vincent could voice his thoughts, Ventus spoke up. He prefaced his statement by saying he didn't know if it would help their decision.
"I remember seeing something similar in his Research Institute."
"By 'his,' do you mean...?"
"Yes, Dr. Justus. This looks identical to the materials used in the facility where we were managed."
Lilium nodded vigorously beside him, confirming his words.
"In other words, there is a high probability that this is a facility related to Dr. Justus," Erika said.
The emotion rising in her chest wasn't surprise, but a grim sense of conviction. Whatever his goal, the circumstantial evidence suggested that the monster attack and the massive collapse were almost certainly Justus's doing.
Was his aim to kill Harold, or did he have something else in mind?
Then, Ventus's words about being "managed" in a lab resonated in her mind.
If this collapse had been orchestrated to target Harold, and if the goal was to subject him to experiments or modifications like the Stella Tribe... If Justus had the means, it would be far more practical to keep Harold as a useful pawn rather than simply killing him.
That meant Harold might be subjected to the same horrific acts Ventus and Lilium had described.
(I mustn't rush. Precisely because this is an emergency, I must stay calm.)
Erika exhaled a long breath, purging the panic from her heart. She had felt this way once before—when Harold was facing execution for the incident in the Bertis Forest. Back then, she had been desperate to do anything to save him. She hadn't been able to do much then, but thanks to Cody’s advice, she hadn't let her anxiety swallow her.
The fact that she could remain somewhat rational now was thanks to that experience.
"...We shall split up. It is a risk, but we must treat this as a situation where every second counts."
"In that case, I will go into the facility," Erika declared.
"I would prefer to keep anyone not in the Knight Order out of an unknown facility with unknown dangers, but..."
"We don't have the time to send an advance team. Sending a small elite group is the most logical choice," Erika pressed.
"Yes, you're right."
Erika understood Vincent's position. Given her status as the only daughter of a noble house, he clearly didn't want to bring her. However, since they lacked the luxury of time, it was rational to proceed with the members who had the highest chance of survival.
Though she had been somewhat forceful, it was decided that Erika, Vincent, and Rainer would enter the facility.
The remaining members would continue the search in the collapse site. If they found anything, they were to report it immediately—though if it came to that, they too would have to step into danger. Everyone was putting their lives on the line.
"Let's go."
With firm resolve, they stepped inside.
The footsteps of the three echoed through the dim corridor. Most of the walls and floors were stone, but the luminescent sections were indeed made of a material different from Light Stone, just as Sid had noted.
"I wonder what kind of facility this is, anyway?" Rainer mused as they moved cautiously.
"If the doctor is involved, it might be some kind of research facility," Vincent replied.
"Research in a creepy place like this... I bet it's nothing good," Rainer muttered.
"We must be prepared for anything, no matter how shocking," Erika added.
Because their opponent was Justus, it wouldn't be surprising if something completely beyond their imagination appeared. The unknown was terrifying in itself.
Consequently, their progress was slow, taking considerable time to cover even a few dozen meters. Eventually, however, they saw the end of the corridor.
Ahead of them was a staircase descending further down. It was narrow, barely wide enough for one person, and a light different from the corridor’s glow emanated from below.
Something was definitely down there.
Holding their breath, they descended one step at a time, making as little noise as possible. When they reached the bottom, they found themselves in an alabaster chamber that defied belief. The floor, the walls, and the towering pillars—everything shone with a pure, white light.
The atmosphere was completely different from the dim passage; the beauty of the room felt almost surreal.
The alabaster space was circular and easily spanned dozens of meters. On the wall opposite the stairs stood a heavy, imposing door, and looking up at the domed ceiling, they saw a massive cluster of crystals sparkling like a chandelier.
"Whoa..." Rainer breathed in wonder.
But Erika was reminded of a passage from a book—one concerning ruins left behind by an Ancient Civilization.
In the deepest reaches of certain ruins, there were spaces filled with pure white Light Stones. While such ruins were rare, this place clearly fit the description. And, most importantly, the book had mentioned that such beautiful spaces were always home to a guardian meant to eliminate intruders.
"Rainer, get back!"
Just as Erika called out, a low, rumbling tremor began to echo through the alabaster chamber.
Following the tremor came the ominous sound of something cracking. The source was directly above them.
"Look up! Something's falling!"
"Waaaah!?"
Rainer, who had been wandering toward the center, scrambled backward. Thanks to Erika's warning, everyone escaped harm, but it wasn't just crystals that had fallen.
With a thunderous roar and a massive impact, a metallic sphere about three meters in diameter crashed down from within the shattered crystal cluster.
The sphere began to transform with a series of mechanical clanks. Two arms and eight legs unfolded from within the chassis. It was not a creature of nature, but a monster that had clearly been artificially constructed.
"Wait, I know this guy! Is this the one Hugo said he fought in some ruins!?"
Hugo had been an adventurer before joining Rainer's group. It was entirely possible he had encountered such a thing before.
"Ruins... I see. This must be a Clust Orb," Vincent said.
"You know of it?"
"I've heard stories. That in the deepest parts of certain ruins, there are monsters tasked with guarding them."
That sphere-shaped monster was the guardian. Erika hadn't heard the name Clust Orb before, but despite its artificial appearance, she could feel a distinct hostility radiating from its red eyes.
"So we have to take this guy down to move forward!"
"It would be the fastest way," Vincent agreed.
Rainer and Vincent drew their swords, and Erika pulled her bow taut.
"I'll leave the tactical commands to you, Commander Vincent."
Vincent’s eyes widened slightly in surprise at her words.
To Erika, he was the strongest person present and the one best suited to make tactical judgments in the heat of battle. After a moment's hesitation, Vincent’s expression shifted back to that of a Knight Order Commander as he understood her intent.
"Understood. Then—let us force our way through, shall we?"