Instead of climbing the ladder, Reiko simply jumped down the vertical shaft. After she guaranteed it was safe, Jin and the others followed her down.
Hanna, Saki, Sion, and Marikka were all dressed in trousers, so they had no trouble descending the ladder and emerging into what looked like an underground lobby.
Another researcher, Tonelius of the All-Creation clan, was waiting for them there.
Tonelius possessed the silver hair and light blue eyes characteristic of the All-Creation. Being the younger brother of Reconaus, their facial features were remarkably similar.
"Well, that makes everyone," Reconaus said, taking charge as the leader of the investigation team.
There had been talk of Jin leading the team, but since they were in the Nord Federation, Jin had preferred to let the All-Creation clan handle it.
"Jin-dono, I'd like to proceed further, but what are your thoughts?"
"Let’s see..."
Jin took another look around their current location.
Confirming his initial suspicion that this was an emergency exit, Jin decided to start by checking the material of the walls. Everyone watched with keen interest to see what he would do.
"『Analyze』... I see."
Jin turned back to the group. "Based on the wall material, I believe this is definitely a Progenitor site."
The materials used and their molecular structure possessed a certain "habit" unique to their magi-craft.
"As I thought," Reconaus nodded, resting his chin on his hand as he pondered.
"As expected of Jin-dono!" Tonelius exclaimed, impressed. He then looked ahead thoughtfully. "If that's the case, then everything beyond this point is a full-scale ruin. I wonder if there are any dangers..."
Safety was a significant concern, but since Jin was part of the expedition, Laojun had already surveyed the area using a Peeping Telescope (Peeper) and confirmed there was no immediate threat.
This was a duty Jin felt he owed to himself as a husband and a father of two children. However, he hadn't asked for any further details, as knowing too much would ruin the excitement of the discovery.
"At the very least, there are no signs of life, nor do there seem to be any active magi-devices or Magi Machines," Reiko announced. Hearing that, everyone seemed to relax.
"Alright, let's open it up."
"Agreed."
The brothers, Reconaus and Tonelius, were of one mind.
"As for how to open it..."
"Ah, you do it like this. Reiko, if you would."
"Yes, Father."
Thanks to his earlier 『Analyze』, Jin knew exactly how the mechanism worked. Following his instructions, Reiko turned a small handle next to the door.
The door slowly ground open.
"Oh!"
"As expected of Jin-sama mashu!"
Once the internal structure was understood, even manual mechanisms like this became clear. Compared to previous ruins, this place shared some common design elements while also possessing unique characteristics.
"It's pitch black inside."
Since the power source was completely dead, the interior was shrouded in total darkness. The Ether Lights had apparently deteriorated over time, as not even a faint glow remained.
"『Light』."
Once the door was a third of the way open, Jin tossed a Light inside.
"Ah, that’s better."
Knowing the interior was safe allowed them to illuminate the space without hesitation.
"Kufu, I'm getting excited," Saki said. She had been silently observing her surroundings until now, but her excitement was finally bubbling over.
Goose was the same; he was so restless that it was obvious he was dying to get past the door. Hanna stood next to Reiko, her eyes wide with curiosity. Meanwhile, Sion and Marikka seemed relatively relaxed.
Finally, the door was fully open.
"Let’s go. But stay alert," Reconaus said, stepping through the doorway first as the leader.
"Oh."
"...Hmm."
"Heh..."
A chorus of soft exclamations followed as they took in the sight.
The area beyond the door was a vast hall decorated with various ornate features.
"Judging by this, I'd say this hall was an auditorium or some kind of assembly space."
The door they had entered through was, in every sense of the word, an emergency exit.
"It looks to be about twenty meters square."
"The ceiling is about five meters high. That’s quite spacious for an underground facility," the brothers noted, quickly assessing the room's dimensions.
"That mural... maybe? It’s definitely Progenitor work."
"Yeah. And look at the ceiling... is that a celestial sphere?"
Saki and Goose were immediately drawn to the artwork.
"...Yes, the starry sky is almost identical to the one seen from Ars. These must be the constellations as seen from Hale," Hanna added, her observation helping to provide context.
"Hmm, the magi-circuits here are completely dead..."
Jin, meanwhile, began his investigation from a magi-craft perspective.
"There's something unusual over here," Sion noted.
"Sion-san, that's likely a terminal of some kind. Probably for the lighting above the stage," Marikka suggested as the two of them walked around, taking in the overall view.
"There's no doubt about it. This is a hall for gatherings."
After fifteen minutes, that was their conclusion.
"Let's move on. Jin-dono, which way do you think we should go?"
There were three doors at the back of the hall, none of which appeared to be emergency exits.
"I think the one on the far right is the best choice. It has the highest concentration of connected magi-circuits."
Jin suspected that something significant—some important magi-device—lay in that direction.
"Understood. Let's head that way."
The door wasn't locked, but since all power was out, it had to be opened manually.
"Reiko, do the honors."
"Yes, Father."
Reiko took hold of the door and slid it open as effortlessly as if it were made of paper.
Beyond lay a corridor. The walls, ceiling, and floor were all made of metal. While the floor featured an embossed non-slip texture, the other surfaces were smooth and matte.
"This isn't a stainless steel alloy. It's 64 light silver."
In the world of Ars, 64 light silver was the term for titanium. It was likely chosen for its lightweight properties and its resistance to corrosion.
There were several rooms lining the corridor, but all of them were empty. Ultimately, they found nothing of note left behind on the level containing the assembly hall.
The group eventually reached a set of stairs leading further down. There was an elevator-like Magi Machine nearby, but it was useless without power.
"There doesn't seem to be any magical activity on the lower level either," Jin reported after another quick scan.
"Understood. Let's proceed," Reconaus said, leading the way onto the emergency stairs.