155 – The Witch’s Domain As we made our way through the forest, Seras seems to have noticed something . Leaning her upper body forward, Seras began observing the trunk of a tree . [This is...... a Magic Crest . ] On the lower trunk of the tree . There’s a symbolic crest carved on it . Because it’s engraved in such a low place, it’s quite difficult to see with all the weeds growing from the ground . I suppose it was made to be difficult to find on purpose . Seras looked closely at the crest, as if she’s searching for the meaning of this crest . [Is that some kind of trap that triggers when a condition has been met?] [This crest is certainly one of those, but it probably won’t be triggered because some of the formula is damaged . It looks pretty worn out . ] A really old one huh . [Actually, we may be just told to excuse ourselves since that Witch has already died long ago . ] I pass Seras a flask of water as I said that . [Ah, thank you . I’ll gratefully accept it . ] —said with gratitude . Untying the string on the flask’s opening, she began drinking water . After she swallowed the water down her throat, Seras continued . [Most of the elves aren’t good at magic . Because just as you know, our bodies aren’t suitable for refining magic energy . However, the Witch of Taboos may be an elf who is good at refining magic energy . ] Generally, Elves weren’t good at refining magic energy . They’re a race that isn’t suitable for magic . Instead, they specialize in the Spirit Contract Technique to make use of the power of the spirits . Apparently, that doesn’t change no matter which tribe you are in . [There are some exceptions huh . ] [Yes, they’re very rare though . ] First of all, we need to know whether she’s still alive or not . For instance, we may actually be having our first meeting with a dried-up mummy...... That’s not impossible . We wouldn’t know about that until we see them face-to-face . I glanced towards Seras . [......You don’t look like you’re fatigued anymore . ] [??? Y- Yes...... Thanks to Touka-dono’s ......] It’s only just a bit . It’s only just a bit but... I could see guilt on Seras’ face . I didn’t overlook those fluctuations on her expressions . The reason for that guilt is quite obvious . That thing she did to me last night . ......I see, so she remembered it huh . However, it seems that she didn’t notice that I’m aware of it . Then—- it should be enough for our situation to stay as is . There’s no need to dare mention it now . It also seems like she’s reflecting on it in her own way...... Moreover, I think that... If it’s Seras, she would eventually come clean with it . She has that kind of personality . As for me, I would just go about my business as usual and act as “her lord” . I would just wait until that right moment arrives . Until the time comes when Seras thought about this . [I somehow feel like the trees here were different . ] I wonder if it’s related to how close these trees were to the Corrupted Tree . Seras stops walking and gently strokes the branch of a tree . [It seems that trees around here have a lot of vitality . ] Apparently, she could tell the condition of these trees . As expected of someone from a forest tribe . ......It suits her image though . [I can’t feel the presence of any monster at all . ] Seras mutters to herself . [It may be the power of a barrier . ] As I thought, there would be such things like that . [Barrier is an advanced technique . There are two types of barriers, magic-based and spirit-based...... However, I can’t infer what kind of barrier this one is . ] [What in the world is that?] It was Eve who noticed “those things” first . Several stone pillars came into our sight . Those pillars look like they’re deeply pierced on the ground . Each one of them is subtly different in size from another . There are about 10 of them scattered about . I could see crests engraved on the stones . Those crests were emitting a faint light . [Those crests seem to be working . From hereafter, we should be vigilant—–] Eve’s ears twitched . [Seras...... These crests look like they’re activated already . ] Eve puts her hand on the hilt of her sword . However, by the time she did that—- I already had my arms held out towards the front . ———Crackle, crackle———- The light on the crests became weaker . The stone pillars look like they’re about to change into something . Transmutation? (T/N: Henkei 変形) Transformation? (T/N: Henshin 変身) Anyway, it must have been some kind of a countermeasure against intruders . Google seaʀᴄh Novᴇl_Fire(.)net However, it didn’t finish transforming . It has now stopped turning into something that appears to be humanoid . In theory, the one who moves first wins . [Well...... It feels like it was a golem that would intercept any intruders . ] That disguised stone statue we encountered back in the Mills Ruins . If my skill works on that one, it may also work on this one too . That’s what I thought . [It appears that it worked . ] Eve pointed at our luggage with her gaze . She’s indicating the hammer tied up on my backpack . That hammer we used to smash the Ashinto’s corpses back then . It seems that she’s asking if we should break it or not . [It can’t be helped if it forces itself to move while it’s paralyzed and ends up getting destroyed . However, I don’t want the Witch to think that we’re belligerent people that destroys everything in sight . As much as we can, we’ll go in a direction where we don’t destroy such things . ] The paralyzed stone pillar didn’t try to force itself to move . It instinctively(?) sensed that it would be dangerous for it to move . It still values its life even though it’s a golem? Or perhaps—- it’s the Witch’s order? Without knowing the strength of the stone pillar golem, we made our way through the forest . We arrived in an open area . The lake shores—- we arrived in such a place . We didn’t feel any dazzling nor anything frightening around the area . Rather than that, it would be better to say that the area’s filled with vitality . I feel like the air in this place is clearer than the other places . Oozing with interest, she exclaimed with admiration . [I can’t feel the presence of any monster at all . ] [We’ve completely entered the Witch’s domain huh . ] The edge of the lake looks nearly elliptical . Extending out her neck, Seras peeked into the lake . [The bottom of the lake is shining......] I stand next to her . [Is that light coming from magic energy?] [That could be possible . ] I could clearly see the rocks beneath the lake . There’s no fish at all . [The magic energies shining like that in the waters...] [That’s probably because of the high amount of magic energies, isn’t it? With this intensity even in that deep waters, the amount of magic energy in there must be quite considerable . ] While still leaning forward, Seras obliquely turned her head behind her . Her glance was turned towards—- the Corrupted Tree . [This abundance of magic energy and that withering giant tree...... It’s like these two places have two opposite impressions . ] [......The witch is probably using that enormous amount of magic energy on a daily basis . ] Then, she nodded her head . Standing side by side, we gazed towards one direction . A slightly elliptical shaped cabin erected on the edge of the lake . I call out to Eve and the others standing behind me . The door to the cabin erected on the lake shores . I opened up the door . Cautiously, I peeked inside . ......It’s surprisingly normal inside . It really had the appearance of what a “cabin erected on the lake shores” would look like . [Let’s look around inside . ] Eve took the initiative to ask . [Seras, keep a lookout here outside together with Liz . ] [Understood . Please be careful, Eve . ] [Umu...... Touka, could you stay on standby near the door? If something were to happen, I’ll be relying on you . ] Holding out my hand, I have an unsheathed dagger on my other hand . [If anything goes wrong, I’ll immediately make my move . ] Eve started scouring around the cabin . There was a ladder leaning against the wall of a room . Eve checked out the stability of the ladder . With that, she went up to the second floor . However, she came back before long . [It’s just an attic without anything unusual in it . ] Eve started searching around the first floor of the house again . It has two rooms, except for the attic . I cast my gaze on the areas I could see from where I stand . I could see some old furniture and furnishings . The fireplace shows no sign of having been used for a long time . There’s also dust collecting in various places...... There’s no lingering signs of anyone living here . The hut probably hasn’t been used for at least a month . [Touka, can you be quiet for a while . ] Eve strained her ears and began pounding on the walls and floor of the room with her palms . Her gaze is on the center of the room . There was a rug laid out there . With her heel, Eve pokes the carpet a few times . [There’s something down there . ] Eve then peeled off the carpet . Thereupon, there appeared a handle in a depression wide enough for a hand to fit in . Looking closely, there’s a rectangular seam in the floor . ......That means there’s something hidden under the floor . Walking into the house, I stand next to Eve . Pigimaru stretched out his protrusion . We peeped into the handle together . Eve asked me with a glance . I nodded my head in response . Looking back at the floor—– Eve pulled the handle . With a pull, the floor sprung up . And then, a staircase leading to the darkness below appeared . [Fumu... This is quite the typical way of hiding something . ] [The Witch probably isn’t that particular about hiding this......] This looks more like a doorway rather than a hidden room . At this point, it seems like there wouldn’t be any traps . Calling out Seras and Liz, I inject magic energy into my magical leather bag . The leather bag faintly shines . [From hereafter, I’ll be taking the lead on going down here . ] It had become a spiral staircase along the way . When we finally got down, I found myself in a space with a sense of freedom . The unevenness on the walls has been scraped and smoothed out . There were several candlesticks on the wall that appears to be powered with magic energy . [Is that a golem too......?] A magical creature made from earth . It’s slowly moving about with its back turned towards us . I wonder if it’s doing wall maintenance? I didn’t use my skill on it . In the first place, its attention isn’t even directed towards us . It’s just silently working on something by the wall . Seras called out my name . She’s looking ahead us . Looking at it, we found an enormous door . On that door, there’s a crystal ball inlaid on it . We then stood in front of that door . [In theory, we should be able to open it by injecting my magic energy into that crystall ball but...] Incidentally, even when we walked here, the golem was still silently working . It didn’t even look back at us . It would be good if it keeps ignoring us but—– [Pigimaru, let me know if that thing strangely moves . ] I place my palm on the crystal ball . Refining my magic energy—– I began pouring it in . My magic energy began to ripple in the crystal ball . It’s as if my magic energy is a liquid jumping in it . The volume of that liquid is slowly rising . Perhaps, there’s a mechanism in this door that opens it when it’s full . [This door... The amount of magic energy it’s eating up is extraordinary......] The amount it needed to fill up is stupidly high . The doors in the Disposal Ruins can’t even be compared with this . [If we’re talking about my MP, I’m quite confident with the amount that I have . ] I continued supplying my magic energy . The crystal ball began to be filled up in flickering faint light . [With this, it’s completely filled . ] The crystal ball that was translucently black is now completely filled with a faint light . Just like the sound of an opening lock, I heard a short click from the door . And thus, the door opened .