[It is the correct answer.]
In the voice that grazed her mind like a lick, Elpheira finally faced the truth.
What she considered treasures were the dry skeletons of once-valued humans, and the elixir she deemed a gem was a sword piercing the chest of a stone statue.
“Uh… Ugh…!”
She covered her mouth and stepped back. The shock of seeing the statue twisted her insides.
Her heart pounded, and her limbs trembled as she unconsciously moved forward. She wanted to grasp it, catch it, possess it.
An unprecedented temptation, a dreadful desire veiled behind a curtain of deception, was gripping her heart.
But, it couldn’t be.
She was an elf, the noblest race under the sky. Surrendering to the tempting allure above an human corpse was too, too beneath her.
She was a sorceress, the most rational among all professions in the world. Acting impulsively and getting lost in emotions were disgraceful for a sorceress.
So, she must…
[I have many names, but you may call me Salvation. I know the hope you cradle. Ask, and it shall be granted.]
No, you are not my deity.
Elpheira unintentionally took a step forward, but stopped abruptly, startled by the sensation of bones crumbling beneath her feet.
[Draw it. You shall obtain by pulling. I say, and you shall receive what you’ve yearned for all your life. Raise your hand and draw.]
The voice of the statue carried a sense of holiness, a kind not easily resisted by mortal spirits.
Perhaps it was unavoidable. Resisting such a thing might be a meaningless endeavor in itself.
Elpheira couldn’t distinguish whether her surrender was a resignation to temptation or if the temptation itself was whispering through her voice.
As she took one more step forward, a chilling voice penetrated her ears.
Yes, her ears.
“Your words are lies.” (Ivan)
Cool, chilling to cool her feverish head.
Low and resonant, cold. Carrying a prelude, growling like a fierce beast.
In stark contrast to the gentle and sweet voice of the statue resonating in her mind, this voice was clear in her ears.
Yet, because of that, it felt realistic—a voice of a ‘human.’ Crossing the boundary between myth and fantasy, the voice of a mortal descending. Thus, more distinct, reassuring…
“You are sealed by human hands.” (Ivan)
With a dry tone, calmly stating that humans had already defeated it in ancient times.
[Hear my words!!]
“No.” (Ivan)
A visible sanctity darkening the surroundings,
Even though the sword embedded in the statue’s chest seemed to struggle to pull itself out.
The hand holding the hilt, heavy despite being entangled in sacred chains, moved slowly. But with a firm belief.
Detaching each finger, one by one.
[Stop, stop!! You cannot kill me! I am your god!!]
Ignoring the statue’s scream. Unwavering in the dreadful temptation felt just by looking at it.
How could it be possible? If she were in that position, she might have given up.
Facing the majority of pouring malevolence head-on, despite only a single thread of sanctity flowing beyond the broad shoulders, she is now in such agony.
In the low voice heard when Elpheira was trembling, her tremors gradually subsided.
“I’ve encountered those who believe themselves to be gods.” (Ivan)
Crack, crunch. The sound of rocks breaking is heard as sanctity scatters wildly in all directions.
Though not visible beyond the man’s shoulders, some things can be known without seeing.
The man is now killing a god.
“They died.” (Ivan)
No excitement or passion, no sense of honor for the self-imposed task, no satisfaction in achievement—a dry voice that doesn’t convey any of those feelings.
Simply, calmly, as if recounting a past experience, he dryly whispers.
-Crack!!
With a firm grip, he crushed the statue’s head.
“Ah…”
Sacredness bursts out from within the seal, pouring down on this hill with an intense presence that distorts the world.
At every end of the ancient god.
It’s the screams of the immortal, mingled with cries and anguish.
Merely listening to it is the lamentation of the impious, causing deafness and soul contamination.
Elpheira managed to open her mouth and shouted with a cracked voice, “Blood… run! Escape!! That… that…!” (Elpheira)
How to explain? To persuade that man to step back…
If she were there, no, if she were in this room, she could turn its curse upside down.
Struggling in the swirling wind, Elpheira finally chose the most appropriate words, ones understandable even to human intelligence!
“It’s going to explode!” (Elpheira)
“Hmm.” (Ivan)
Ivan’s gaze fell on Elpheira. He nodded briefly and disappeared from her sight in an instant.
“Eh…?!” (Elpheira)
“Good thing I brought you here.” (Ivan)
Suddenly appearing in front of Elpheira, Ivan wrapped his arms around her waist and turned her back. Just as they were about to leave the room, a click sound reached her ears.
“Hmm.” (Ivan)
Ivan’s body abruptly stopped. Chains encircled his ankles. When he turned his gaze, black sanctity emanating from the shattered statue was gripping him.
“What’s the blast radius?” (Ivan)
“W-well, explosion is just a term… more precisely, it’s the reversal of… ” (Elpheira)
“Summary.”
“I don’t know! But looking at the seal structure… considering the range of its power… inside this room, definitely…!” (Elpheira)
“Close the door and wait.” (Ivan)
Huh…?!
In her disoriented view, Elpheira felt an intense sense of buoyancy. When she regained her senses from the thud of impact and the tingling pain in her buttocks, she realized she had been thrown out of the room, sprawled on the floor.
“What about… there?! It’s dangerous!”
“It’s fine.”
Her body trembled at his low voice.
In the dense atmosphere, she raised her trembling eyes to Ivan’s face.
An indifferent face, barely retaining features from twelve years ago. Only the gaze remained from that time…
“I anticipated Phase 2.”
Ivan, being a sensible person, naturally knew about the composition of boss battles.
Many have 5 phases, at least 2 phases.
If Phase 1 was a gimmick, Phase 2 would involve physical challenges. Fortunately, he was confident in that aspect.
“Oh, no, what are you talking about…?”
Ivan didn’t respond to her words and turned away.
With a thud, the door closed in front of her.
Just like when she first faced this door, not a trace of magic or sanctity could be felt.
She crawled awkwardly towards the door, moving her freed legs, briefly brushing the tightly closed gap with her fingertips.
Hugging her knees, she bowed her head, trembling.
Human years are too short.
That human will also crumble in an instant.
Yet, like an elf’s soul, despite the brief life, standing unwavering…
“Come back…”
Elpheira closed her eyes, trembling.
*
Ivan turned his back and ascended the hazardous hill once more.
[You alone—]
“What can you do? Show me.”
[You’re just—]
“Merely a human. That’s correct.”
No more temptations. Just a lost rage.
In the overflowing malevolence from the shattered statue’s head, only one emotion glowed.
Slowly, the black darkness seeping from the statue took form. A giant with five heads.
Ivan walked straight up to the statue.
This creature had been sealed for the past 2,000 years,
Defeated by human hands 2,000 years ago,
During that time, it had struggled desperately, digging traps somehow, and trying to widen the gap of the seal.
Naturally, its power wouldn’t be that of its prime.
Fortunately, Ivan’s power still surpassed its prime.
To add one more note.
“The ultimate fate of the one who tempted with happiness seems to be a rather pitiful demise. Aren’t you happy now?”
[You…!!]
“Finish it quickly. I have much to do.”
Ivan clenched the sword embedded in the statue’s chest once again.
No more temptations could be felt.
This means that the sword no longer serves as the seal for that entity.
One more thing.
If, once upon a time, it was a catalyst used to seal that entity, now it’s a weapon capable of striking its essence.
The existence of gimmicks in every boss battle is a natural ‘common sense’ that anyone from the 21st century Earth wouldn’t be unfamiliar with.
-Slurp.
With the sound of an unsheathing iron sword, devoid of any embellishments, smoothly and frictionlessly, it was pulled out from the marble statue’s chest.
Ivan casually flicked his wrist, gauging the weight, then stood it upright.
A well-crafted weapon. Whether it’s a magic item for a sorcerer or a warrior’s equipment used to seal a malevolent spirit, who would benefit most once returned to the surface?
Contemplating such thoughts.
*
Elpheira, leaning against the door, lost her balance and crumbled as the door silently opened.
“Ah?!”
“Were you sleeping?”
Warm body heat enveloped her lower back. As Elpheira looked up with trembling eyes, the man with the same expression as when she first entered that room stood before her.
“You-you, are you okay…”
“It’s fine.”
Ivan briskly supported Elpheira and changed his steps.
In a half-embrace, Elpheira opened her mouth.
“What, what happened in there…”
“Nothing happened.”
“Well… well… that’s not possible.”
“That’s what happened.”
“If you don’t want to talk about it, then don’t.”
“Sure.”
“Ugh… seriously. Humans…!! They incessantly create problems, perpetually causing me constant concern!”
Ignoring Elpheira’s outburst, Ivan, who had been standing at the end of the ruins, suddenly looked up.
In the deep underground where the veil of magic was lifted, a faint glimmer was visible far above.
“Can you use levitation spells?”
“Of course, I can.”
“Bringing you here was indeed a good decision.”
“…..”
She lowered her head in Ivan’s embrace, hesitated, then grinned.
Suddenly, a thought occurred to her.
Why is it so… ‘warm’? No, this is exactly…?
She cautiously placed her hand on his chest and was startled.
“Why is your body so hot! What did you do in there!”
“Hmm.”
“Not ‘hmm’! Seriously! Is your conversation skill worse because you’re human?”
“It’s okay.”
“Aaah!! Stop saying that!! What’s okay about it!! Did we bet on whose insides would explode first, mine or yours?!”
Elpheira yelled and completed the spell.
Slowly, her body floated.
Ivan glanced once more at the ruins and then lifted his gaze.
The underground river was nearby. If they went to the entrance of the underground river, Elizaveta’s forces might be there. Even if not, the straight path from the river to the university was short.
They had reached a secure area.
“You did well.”
“…More like you did. I didn’t really do anything properly.”
“No. You fulfilled your role.”
Finding the seal and interpreting the ancient language – just that. He never asked for more.
So, precisely what needed to be done was accomplished.
Everything else, such as the safety of this little one, subduing the sealed entity, understanding and dealing with the situation, reconnaissance – all of those were his responsibilities.
Ivan slowly closed his eyes as his vision blurred.
In response to Ivan’s words, Elpheira lowered her head again, hesitated, and then spoke.
“Um, about that. Twelve years ago. That, um. Back then.”
“….”
“Do you remember… if I did something to you back then?”
“….”
“Hello?”
When Elpheira lifted her head, she saw Ivan with closed eyes.
Listening to his regular breathing, she reached up and gently stroked Ivan’s cheek with her hand.
“I was sorry for not being able to say thank you. From today and everything combined, thank you.”
Floating in the underground river, she slowly, still embraced by Ivan, floated across the water without dispelling the levitation spell.
“Thank you for your hard work. Sleep well.”
*
Ivan grasped his head and opened his eyes.
A throbbing headache accompanied a foggy consciousness that arose.
It felt like the hangover after a heavy drinking session, but surprisingly, Ivan is someone who rarely drinks in this era. Therefore, he doesn’t experience hangovers.
He rose from the bed, pushing aside the soft velvet blanket.
“What…?”
Velvet blanket? Bed?
Ivan’s thoughts sank rapidly.
A floor covered with a red plush carpet and a velvet blanket gently draped over the bed.
And at the end, a silhouette lying down.
A woman.
“Hmm.”