Past the Teleportation Gate lay a massive underground cavern.
Shining Stones lined the walls, floor, and ceiling, banishing any hint of darkness. If anything, it was almost too bright, a brilliance that only served to emphasize the cavern’s sheer scale. The ceiling sat about fifty meters high, and the width—even at its narrowest point—looked to be at least eight hundred meters.
I couldn't even guess at its depth, because a luxurious Western-style mansion dominated the space, looking as though it found even this massive cave a tight fit.
I was stunned. It was even larger than my own home back in the village. As I stood before the gates of the perimeter wall, I couldn't see where the structure ended on either side.
However, the mansion felt slightly unnatural. There were very few windows, and upon closer inspection, it was clear the building had undergone repeated expansions. Despite that, its sense of luxury remained intact. Perhaps it was the gold and silver craftsmanship adorning every surface. Normally, using that much precious metal would look gaudy, but here, it managed to avoid being tacky.
I felt a bit overwhelmed by it all.
"Progenitor-san, do you remember anything?"
He shook his head, but there was no need for him to apologize. He had been trying his best to recall something throughout our entire journey through the dungeon. Even if he had used magic to erase his memories, it didn't mean his mind was a complete blank. He had simply sealed away unnecessary information to prevent himself from recalling it; apparently, a sufficiently strong trigger could bring it all back.
I wanted him to succeed, but I didn't want him to push himself too hard. Lu looked worried about him as well.
Since nothing happened while we waited in front of the gate, we had no choice but to enter. Fortunately, it wasn't locked. I offered a polite greeting to the empty air as we stepped onto the property. After passing through a moderately sized garden, we reached the front door.
Lu took the knocker and struck it three times.
We waited. And waited.
There was no response. Was no one home? Or was the place abandoned? I’d heard the Sea Race had taken over management of the Coastal Dungeon some three thousand years ago...
I really hoped we wouldn't stumble upon a corpse inside. I suppose it was for the best that we hadn't brought the children.
Lu called out again. "Excuse me. I have brought those who have cleared the trials of the dungeon."
Still nothing. Lu reached out and pushed the door open. This wasn't locked either.
Kuro’s children and Zabuton’s children entered first to scout. Judging by the way the wolves barked, the coast was clear.
The interior opened into a vast entrance hall, its floor covered in a plush, thick carpet. Magic lights flickered to life the moment the wolves stepped inside. The way they illuminated the space clearly designated a specific path for us to follow.
Despite how obvious it was, Lu—who was in the lead—immediately tried to go in a different direction.
"This is a trap. I'm sure of it."
She had grown deeply suspicious during our trek through the Coastal Dungeon. I couldn't exactly blame her, but technically, we were trespassing. I figured it was better to be polite and follow the rules of the house.
After I persuaded her, we moved along the path indicated by the magic lights. Likely due to the many additions to the building, there were almost no straight corridors. We were forced to turn left and right so often that I started to lose my sense of direction. Perhaps the lack of windows was intentional, meant to disorient intruders.
If Lu’s suspicions were right and this was a trap, I didn't have much confidence in my ability to find my way back if the lights went out. Just as I started to feel anxious, one of Zabuton’s children signaled to me that they were trailing a line of silk from the entrance.
As expected of them. Kuro’s children also seemed confident they could track our scent back.
Good, good. My worries were for nothing. Without the lights ever failing, we eventually arrived before a large, ornate door.
Was someone actually in there? I hoped so. Or, failing that, I hoped the room was empty. I really wanted to avoid seeing a body.
Lu knocked three times, waited for a reply, and then eased the door open. The wolves and spiders slipped inside first.
One of Kuro's children trotted back out and looked up at me with a distinctly troubled expression. I wondered what could have caused that.
The room inside was, frankly, a cluttered mess that resembled a storehouse more than a living space. It was a massive room, but it was crammed wall-to-wall with books. I could see the faint outlines of bookshelves buried behind the stacks; the owner clearly had a hobby for collecting literature.
That said, the organization was terrible. Was she the type to just toss a book aside once she’d read it?
Following the lead wolf to the back of the room, we found a desk that looked like a proper study. A woman sat there, busy writing.
She was a beauty, appearing to be in her thirties... I think. I was only unsure because her appearance was so incredibly casual. She was wearing what looked like simple pajamas under a padded housecoat, with her long hair bundled up haphazardly in a towel. She looked completely off-duty.
The woman was so focused on her writing that she completely ignored the wolves barking right next to her.
"Progenitor-san, do you recognize her?"
"No, not at all."
No luck there. I wanted to talk to her, but I wasn't sure how to get her attention. Lu tried calling out to her, but was ignored. I thought about giving her shoulder a shake, but my hand stopped as if it had hit an invisible barrier. Even when Progenitor-san used voice-amplifying magic to shout, she didn't flinch.
If the wolves' barking hadn't done the trick, we were in trouble.
As we stood there wondering what to do, another door on the side of the room opened.
I tensed, wondering who it was, only to see a petite woman enter. Judging by her clothes, she was a maid. She didn't notice us at first, muttering something to herself as she walked into the room, but she froze the moment her eyes landed on us.
"Um..."
The maid suddenly hurried over to the woman at the desk. She grabbed a cup sitting on the sideboard and poured the contents directly onto the woman's head.
"Hot! Hot, hot, hooottt!!"
The cup had apparently been full of scalding tea. The woman tumbled out of her chair and started thrashing about on the floor. The tea had soaked into the towel wrapped around her head, making it difficult for her to escape the heat.
When she finally managed to unwrap the towel, she scrambled up and grabbed the maid by the collar.
"How many times do I have to tell you to stop using that method?! If you don't quit it, I'll kill you!"
"I'm sorry, mistress. But, um... it seems we have guests..."
"Guests?"
The woman finally seemed to notice us. And then, she noticed what she was wearing.
She gave us a strained, polite smile and bolted from the room. The maid asked us to wait just a moment longer and chased after her.
"To think there would be those capable of overcoming those trials and reaching this place! You have my praise!"
A stunning woman in a black dress stood before us, looking like a completely different person. The beauty who had looked to be in her thirties now appeared to be in her early twenties. It really is true that women can transform themselves.
Though, she hadn't quite achieved perfection—her hair still had some noticeable cowlicks. The maid was frantically trying to brush them out from behind her.
I figured someone needed to speak up, and it looked like the job fell to me.
"We have come from the Village of the Great Tree. I am the Village Head, Hiraku. These people are... residents of the village."
Technically, Progenitor-san wasn't a resident, but I decided to skip the fine details for now.
"We only challenged the dungeon because we heard it was unexplored. We don't actually know who you are. Could you tell us why that dungeon exists, and identify yourself?"
"Hmm. I see. Indeed, the last time that gate was used was, let's see... about three thousand years ago?"
The woman looked back at her maid for confirmation, but the maid shook her head.
"I have only been in your service for two thousand years, mistress."
The scale of this conversation was getting out of hand.
"Was that so? Then, let me introduce myself. My name is Versa. One of the thirty-seven Legion Commanders serving the God of Magic, Raigiel. I am Versa Mira Transylva of the Devil Race. And I am the wife of Lumani, who stands right there."
Lumani, who stands right there?
Who?
Versa's gaze was fixed squarely on... Progenitor-san.
Come to think of it, the signature on the base of the gargoyle statue had been 'Lumani Bran Transylva.' One of Progenitor-san's many, many names.
Wait. He had a wife?
We all turned to Progenitor-san in shock, but he merely tilted his head in confusion.
"I don't remember."
"I thought as much!!!"
Versa's High-speed Dropkick caught Progenitor-san squarely in the face. The maid’s defensive maneuver—ensuring the hem of her master's dress didn't fly up during the kick—was truly magnificent.