After Roland's simple but futile dissuasion, Griffith and the inspection team left in the early morning to open up Ming Town. Although the prospective knight had hesitations and doubts about this ruins inspection in his heart, there was nothing he could do.
On the one hand, the girls traveling with them are independent enough in their thinking. Placing the remains of creepy mutated creatures in front of them may scare them to tears, but it will inevitably arouse their curiosity and want to explore the mutations.
On the other hand, Hometown Watts is the best college of higher magic in the world. Pursuing the truth among crazy and weird clues is a noble and fashionable behavior. It is impossible not to do summer homework just because of worry and fear.
unable.
They left the town and moved along the repaired waterways and lakes. The previous battles had driven the mutant creatures into the distant mountains, so the road to the ruins was easy and pleasant. The hills surrounded by swamps appeared in the distance.
, stretching towards the north until the majestic mountains covered with ice and snow.
The Bellomont ruins are close to the source of the swamp. Several expedition teams have investigated there and published papers on its geological features and civilization classification in well-known journals. Sonia compiled the papers before departure and found that many famous pioneers had
Those who have set foot in this ruins include the principal of Homemon Watts, the spellcaster Supreme Tiberion. He was still a professor at that time. However, the principal's papers were not very good at that time and he piled up some specimens.
and data statistics, giving some meaningless analysis and ending it hastily. After reading it, several girls felt that if this was not an academic journal sponsored by Homemonworth School, this paper would not be published.
The ruins were originally an ancient cave under the swamp, where trolls and human pagans once settled and worshiped, building altars and holy places, until geological changes caused the underground river to change course and completely disintegrate their temples.
The group is looking forward to excavating distinctive geological samples to write a report. If they can find some fragments of ancient civilization hidden by the stagnant water and silt of the ancient swamp, it will be a worthwhile trip.
In this way, the expedition team gradually left the world inhabited by humans. The sun slowly set towards the west, and the hazy reddish sunlight poured on the water, reeds, shrubs and the rolling hills, with a red glow and the white snow on the mountain tops in the distance.
The beautiful scenery that contrasts with each other is intoxicating.
To the northeast of the swamp is a towering mountain top that is inaccessible to everyone, looming in the mist. Between the sinister and jagged cliffs, there is an unstoppable howling whirlwind, like a loud cry.
The windy melodies are vaguely mixed with wild music, as if they come from a primitive tribe that lives in seclusion.
It evoked some subconscious touches and made Griffith's heart beat violently. He looked around and found that several girls had obvious shakes and uneasiness on their faces. But no one made any suggestions to turn around and go back now.
"over there."
The guide pointed ahead. In the sparkling water, there stood the ruins of a temple sunken deep into it.
Although it has been half-destroyed and tilted over the years, the thick stones, rough shapes and unrecognizable broken statues above the water still give people an indestructible solemn feeling.
“The silent swamp is boundless,
“In the desolate northland,
“Melting snow and withered vines flowed down from the distant mountains,
“In the broken ruins,
“The tidal call never ceases.”
Sonia tapped the notes in her hand and began to talk about the exploration of the Bellomont ruins in the book. The mysterious narrative style made the atmosphere of the group more solemn, and no one paid attention to her for a while.
This was embarrassing, and Griffiths managed to piece together a few words:
“Is this the record from when the ruins were first discovered?”
“Yes, yes,” Sonia breathed a small sigh of relief when someone answered, “Judging from the architectural style and materials, the ruins have been repaired and expanded many times, and civilizations from different eras have left traces.”
At dusk, the boat stopped at the edge of the ruins. After letting the expedition team and supplies board the ruins, it slowly moved away. The boatman’s voice gradually faded away under the setting sun:
“We will be here to pick you up at this time in seven days.”
The entrance to the ruins was right in front of them. Griffith glanced back at the swamp under the setting sun. The light was receding, and a heavy and depressing atmosphere had unknowingly enveloped them.
“Come on, let’s go,” Sonia said softly after taking a breath, “It’s T-day, 6:40 pm.”
…
The place where you disembark is a solid and wide platform. Even the swamps and the erosion of time have not been able to change its stability. The architectural structure shows the builder's civilized and superb skills. Just this platform and the inward passage are impressive.
I am interested in research. There must have been rich murals and statues on the stone walls, but unfortunately they have all been lost in history.
The silent passage from the platform to the interior of the ruins is like a big mouth, deep and dark, with strange smells surging, and even unspeakable wails and sorrowful sounds that linger and twist in the ears, lingering.
After arriving at this ruins, Griffith felt a strong sense of uneasiness and impulse. The mutated creatures and the sense of despair in the swamp that had no outlet became clearer in front of the ruins.
“There are many traces and thoughts left here, and it is difficult to discern the secrets through divination.” Galadia also returned from listening and meditating, muttering in confusion, “Maybe it’s because the ruins are too old.”
At this time, the experienced guides and helpers took action. There were 12 of them, carrying backpacks of various sizes, with ropes, picks, lighting, fuel and clean drinking water all available.
Exploring the ruins is really a very expensive activity. This exploration is expected to take seven days, plus the time to and from the swamp, each day will cost 3,000 silver francs. This amount includes the application for the official daily rate
Exploration concessions, guides and hired hands, as well as equipment, fuel and food purchases.
This money is now shared between Galadia, Sonia and Fiona. For their family backgrounds, this is not a shocking expense. It is just a necessary education expense during the growth stage. Relatively speaking, the safety of the journey is
, comfort is more important.
For those trainee spellcasters with civilian backgrounds, the nature of the summer exploration project has changed. If they don't have the money to hire guards and helpers, they have to carry a small team of people with limited supplies deep into dangerous ruins. When they encounter danger,
It was so frustrating that the heavens and the earth did not respond, and many people simply disappeared into the darkness and never returned.
…
After everyone briefly confirmed the location and itinerary, Sonia began to urge everyone to prepare to go deep into the ruins.
Griffith followed beside her, watching the girl check the map, designate the locations of anchor points and ropes, and arrange the order of the team.
Different from the image in the ball and college, Sonia wore a smart and slim-fitting red hunting suit, with her light blond hair tied behind her head, revealing her elegant swan-like neck between the collars. She did not need to do the work of digging and laying ropes, up and down.
There are also people to help you on the cliffs and gentle slopes, so your clothes will not be soiled.
Sonia watched the work of the expedition team, and from time to time she brought up some things that were ignored by everyone. Her words were clear and melodious, but very accurate and concise, and she could clearly point out the omissions in the work, and her tone was gentle yet dignified.
This is really an ideal candidate for a fiancée... In the poorly lit ruins, Griffiths had to stay alert and couldn't do anything to help others, so he inevitably started to think wildly.
The entrance to the Belomon ruins is a huge cave inside the temple, surrounded by rugged boulders. The temple sunken in the swamp is built on top of the cave like a lid, and you can't walk very far from where everyone disembarked.
You will see this dark pit, and you can go down deep into the core of the ruins.
After many explorations by other expedition teams, the road here is also very clear. After the guide and the civilian workers fixed the ropes, they lifted the advance team, customers and supplies down in sequence.
Griffith first fixed the rope for Sonia's descent, and then looked at the elf lady not far away. Galadia looked at him seriously, pointed at Sonia and told him to pay attention to his duties.
The entrance to the ruins is astonishing. Griffith has never seen anything like this. The sun shines through the cracks in the rocks into the cave, leaving mottled light and shadow. The towering stone walls are carved with huge human-shaped stone statues, the size of a finger.
It is already larger than an adult male. Although the face has been damaged, the thick, distant aura can still frighten people's hearts.
"This ruins was once the holy place of an ancient sect," Sonia explained softly to Griffith beside her during the descent. "According to records, the stone statue is a statue of a prophet. As the sect declined, the kingdom investigated
The members destroyed the faces of the stone statues and destroyed the believers’ documents.”
Sonia is a serious and good student, a curious scholar of occultism, history and archaeology, and she is very enthusiastic about letting people around her study like her.
While explaining, she looked at the huge cold stone statue intently, and her tone was very calm. However, the hand holding the rope tightly was trembling slightly.
Griffith looked down. The first group of people had arrived at the bottom of the pit, and a bonfire was lit there. The tiny firelight flickered in the distant darkness, making the pit even more dangerous and terrifying.
.
“We still need a few minutes to reach the bottom,” Griffith said. “The scene here is really like a terrifying oil painting. The professors will definitely be impressed by the report!”
Sonia immediately nodded: "If it were me, I would draw Miss Tidwige on the attached picture of the investigation report. She is as bright and beautiful as the rising sun. This is an investigation of the social structure around the ruins, well, that's it
so."
"By coincidence, I have already drawn a painting like this," Griffith said as he took the notebook from his waist and handed it to Sonya. "I named this "Legendary Ranger Tidwexi in Dinefei"
"!"
“This is a good name, it feels like a sociological event!” Sonia cast a lighting spell with great interest, “This is the first time I heard that you can also draw.”
“I am a realist,” Griffith nodded proudly. “As a staff officer, drawing is a necessary ability.”
Sonia flipped through her notebook and looked at it for a while, then asked with some confusion: "I only found one painting~ Why does it look like a haystack in a knight's manor? In the far distance of the picture is the spire of the Crystal Tower of Ty Nephes
,Yeah?"
“That’s right.”
“This,” Sonia said even more confused, “Who is this man?”
"The great Knight Roland." Griffith glanced at his notebook to confirm that he was right, and nodded seriously.
“Ah~who is this girl who is obviously not an elf?”
“The unknown manor girl.”
“Why is Knight Roland hugging this little girl!” Sonia was shocked, “Where is Miss Tidwig!?”
“Tidwigi is in Tynephes.”
The two people were whispering a little loudly, and Fiona and Lana not far away were already laughing.
Sonia quickly reacted, covering the corners of her lips that were about to turn up, and gently patted Griffiths on the head with her notebook.
The heavy darkness in the ruins seemed to detect the light and joyful laughter, and hid deeper into the atmosphere with an atmosphere of terror. Soon, the group arrived at the camp at the bottom, and the warm firelight and solid ground made people feel at ease.