After receiving quite the lecture regarding the Subnock incident, Rest continued through the museum, soothing Primula as they followed the designated route.
"We’re almost at the exit..."
Primula, who had been enthusiastically explaining the exhibits until now, knit her brows with regret.
This outing had made one thing clear: Primula was a total magic item otaku. Her expression had been radiant while they looked at the displays, but now that the end was in sight, she looked genuinely disappointed.
"Yeah, that was fun."
"Yes, it was wonderful."
"If there’s another event like this, shall we come together again?"
"Yes...!"
As soon as he suggested a next time, the clouds vanished from Primula’s face, replaced by a bright smile.
Good, Rest thought, breathing a sigh of relief.
"Well then, we still have some time, so how about we go grab some—"
Rest was about to offer a suggestion when something displayed in a far corner caught his eye.
"What's that?"
"Hmm? What is it?"
"Ah..."
Primula’s curiosity was piqued as well, and she pulled Rest along by the hand toward the exhibit.
Tucked away in a corner of the museum was something resembling a stone monument. An eerie monster was carved into the surface of the tablet, and the creator's name was inscribed below it.
"Could this be... the Cursed Sculpture of Austorya!?" Primula cried out in surprise.
Her eyes went wide, and her face turned pale.
"Do you know about it, Primula?"
"Yes... it’s a stone tablet said to have been carved by Austorya Zamasu, a man once hailed as a genius artist. I had heard the Royal Family was keeping it under management as a cursed magic item... but I never imagined they would put such a thing on public display."
"A cursed magic item, huh..."
"Yes. Austorya Zamasu produced numerous paintings and sculptures and was an artist who represented our nation... but in his later years, he suffered from terrible nightmares and reportedly created nothing but grotesque works. This tablet is one of them. It’s said that anyone who possesses it will suffer from strange dreams until they eventually go mad..."
"Yikes..."
Why would they exhibit such an ominous object? It seemed like the kind of thing that should be locked away forever in a place where no one could ever see it.
"It certainly is creepy... It looks like the kind of thing that would definitely show up in a nightmare."
Carved into the tablet was a misshapen monster. It looked somewhat like a dragon and somewhat like a lizard, but its overall form was profoundly eerie and blasphemous. Just looking at it filled one with a sense of dread, and yet, for some reason, it was impossible to look away... It was that sort of sculpture.
"Lord Rest, let’s go now..."
"Y-yeah, you’re right."
With Primula pulling on his arm, he was finally able to tear his eyes away. Rest linked arms with her, intending to leave the area immediately.
"Wait...?"
"Huh...?"
But when they turned around, they weren't in the museum anymore.
For some reason, a vast swamp now stretched out behind them. Thickly covered in algae, the stagnant water was so murky that it was impossible to see the bottom.
"What is this? How did we get here...?"
"L-Lord Rest..."
Primula clung to him, her face twisted in terror. Rest pulled her close to reassure her while he desperately tried to process the situation.
"We were just in the museum... Were we transported by magic?"
Teleportation magic was an incredibly high-level art that only a Sage-class mage could typically perform. It was likely impossible for Rest, or even for his father-in-law, Marquis Albert, the Court Mage Commander.
"GR-O-O-O-O-O-O-O...!"
"Kyaa!"
A low, heavy sound rumbled from deep within the earth. Ripples spread across the swamp before them, quickly growing into massive waves.
"Primula! Get back!"
"GUOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
The moment Rest shouted, the swamp water exploded upward. Muddy sludge rained down as a colossal monster emerged from the stagnant depths.
"Is that...!"
"Kyaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Rest gasped as Primula let out a scream.
The creature that appeared was the exact same monster that had been carved into the stone tablet. Only its upper half was visible above the water, yet even so, it stood over ten meters tall. Its body was covered in pale blue scales, and its insect-like compound eyes reflected countless images of Rest within them.
"GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
With a deafening roar, the monster tore its jagged maw open to its limit and lunged at Rest and Primula. Rest hurriedly focused his mana, moving to intercept the wicked, blasphemous beast.