Josef guided us to a hole on the other side of the cliff. It appeared to be an old tunnel, with supports erected there. However, the entrance was completely obscured by bushes.
"No, how did you find this place?" I asked.
"Ha ha! Don't I have a keen eye for detail? I saw someone going in and out of here."
"Who?"
"Just them," Josef said, pointing to the fainted soldiers.
An investigation seemed necessary, but it was actually a bit bothersome to wake them up and ask questions. It could take a long time.
'Just go in and check,' I thought.
I quickly searched the soldiers' arms and found a shining stone. The workers who went in and out of the mines wore these on their shoulders or foreheads.
"Is this what you meant to do?"
When I put the hook on my clothes, it looked pretty decent. It seemed like it would be no problem to go into the mine right away. As I was about to turn away, I suddenly felt a strange gaze. Kolund and Josef were looking at each other with mysterious expressions.
"Do we have to go in too?" Kolund asked.
"Aren't you going?" I replied.
"It seems like it breaks down quite often, but if something happens..."
"It's not like we're going to use a pickaxe right now. Besides, this is the place you discovered," I pointed out.
"You're still anxious, aren't you?" Josef said.
"Then you can wait here. Instead, next time you get caught, I won't save you."
"Yes? No, that would be a different story."
The two judges quickly picked up the shining stones. If troops from somewhere else returned, it was obvious they would be captured again. It seemed they decided it was safer to stay by my side. Soon, we walked into the dark tunnel.
"Why did those guys come and go here earlier? It seems like it's a place that hasn't been used recently," Kolund noted.
"I know, right. Plus, the atmosphere is somehow eerie."
If the tunnel was in full use, the entrance would not have been covered. They would have left tools and carts in front. However, there was no trace of work done here. It felt completely abandoned.
'There's really nothing?'
As we went deeper inside, we came to a place where the atmosphere changed rapidly. Shiny stones that had never been seen before were gathered in one place, making it very bright.
"Huh? What is this place?" Josef began to raise his voice, but I held out my arm to stop him.
It was because I sensed something strange.
"Shh."
The surroundings became quiet, accompanied by an urgent wind. Then, a strange sound was soon heard.
Crack! Kwajak!
It sounded like bones breaking. An eerie feeling seemed to pierce deep into my lungs. Suddenly, I looked back and saw that the two judges' faces had turned pale. They seemed surprised by the unexpected situation.
'You can't just say it's dangerous and not check.'
The secrets of the Erset Mine must be lurking there. I turned the corner and entered an area as bright as day. And there, I witnessed an amazing sight. A huge furry dog was eating something to its heart's content. It had deer-like horns growing on its forehead, giving it the impression of some kind of devil.
"Crazy..."
A swear word escaped my lips as the creature's head whipped around 180 degrees, like an owl. It looked even more grotesque with blood and flesh covering the corners of its mouth. Moreover, something even more surprising happened.
-Who are you guys?
A voice seemed to speak directly into my head. Since it would be impossible to speak human language with an oral structure like that, it seemed to be an ability similar to telepathy. A bloody-looking monster talking to me in my head? What kind of crazy situation was this?
Moreover, the content was also spectacular.
-If you see this body, you should kneel first. What on earth are you doing!
Coooooo! Bleep!
Tinnitus was heard along with a heavy shock wave. Some invisible force was pressing on us. As if it wasn't just a feeling of intimidation, a groan came from behind.
"Ugh!"
"Mo, my body…"
Dump!
Before I knew it, the two judges were kneeling on the floor. It seemed like the monster was up to some trick. But I only flinched slightly and wasn't much different from usual.
Tsutsutsu!
The red energy that rose softly was thanks to the heart of the beast.
'The skill was activated automatically.'
I felt like it was because my body couldn't handle it if I stayed still. In any case, a battle with it seemed inevitable. Only then would we be able to reveal the identity of the bone fragment behind it. I took out the gavel and caught my breath.
'This is my first fight with a strong opponent. Will the heart of the beast connect with that guy?'
Honestly, I was skeptical. I didn't know how strong my opponent was, nor did I know what my limits were. However, I had no intention of backing down. Hadn't it been like that since I was a police officer? There should be no compromise in confronting injustice.
But at that moment...
Ta-da-da-da-da! Dump!
"Oh, God of the Earth! Forgive my rudeness!"
Someone suddenly jumped out from behind me and immediately fell flat on his face. At first, I couldn't recognize who it was because he had his head buried deep on the floor. But soon someone's name crossed my mind.
"Viscount Erset?"
As he stood blankly with a bewildered expression, Viscount Erset slowly raised his head. Then he growled at me in a low voice.
"What are you doing? Get down right now."
"…You're crazy."
There was no other way to express it. It seemed like the entire mine, including this man, had turned upside down.
So what should I do?
"Mister, you go to hell and wake up. I have to fix this mess."
Tadat! Tooung-!
I hit the ground and rushed toward the monster. Then I swung the gavel cheerfully.