TBV 12

Chapter 12

The Sacred Relic Tranquillum

“W-why… how? No, more importantly—since when has this been happening…?”

The young priest muttered in a daze.

He could already see what would happen to him next.

‘What? Another light appeared on Tranquillum? Since when? Were there any signs before it appeared?’

‘What? You don’t know? Why? You inspect it daily—how could you not know?’

‘…What did you just say? A month? You only checked it after a month? How have you been managing the sacred relic!!’

He could vividly imagine being reprimanded for dereliction of duty and dragged down into the underground prison.

Before he knew it, the priests who had gathered around him had already returned to their stations.

As if afraid the blame would splatter onto them, none of them even met his eyes.

“…Damn bastards.”

The curse slipped out of the young priest’s mouth.

It didn’t take long before the temple was thrown into chaos once again.

***

Calix Nepherto collapsed.

“…?”

I froze for a moment at the unexpected situation, but quickly regained my composure and scurried over to check his condition.

Breathing normal. Pulse normal.

Therefore, my diagnosis was simple.

Fainting due to exhaustion.

His body, pushed beyond its limits, had simply shut down and fallen asleep without consulting his consciousness.

“Chiiit. Chii-chit chit!” (I knew it! I knew this would happen!)

So what if he was once one of the strongest beings in the world—he couldn’t even manage his condition properly.

While scolding the collapsed guy, I nervously chewed my nails.

It was because of the sacred relic in the central temple—Tranquillum.

He must have already been marked on Tranquillum, too.

Even if the relic managers were negligent, the monthly inspection should be around this time.

…Which means the appearance of the 67th dungeon is only a matter of time.

I clicked my tongue and glanced at Calix.

He lay in the middle of the grass like a painting, looking absurdly peaceful.

And I’m the one getting burned alive over here!

I seriously considered abandoning him here and running away.

But I couldn’t, because of the binding mark he had forcibly engraved onto me.

…No. Even without it, I couldn’t leave him.

It wasn’t like I had any sentimental sympathy for him.

I was only looking after him because if he died, this world would end.

For the sake of all the innocent people living in this world.

Really!

Seriously!

And also because of the new main quest!

So I needed to escape with Calix Nepherto before the coalition forces arrived—but the problem was…

How am I supposed to move something that big?

Compared to my rat-sized body, Calix Nepherto was literally a mountain.

Even if I was a legendary rat who defeated a hidden dungeon boss, moving this alone was physically impossible.

Still, just in case, I tried lifting one of his arms…

“Chiiik—!” (Ghk—!)

I nearly got crushed to death.

I scrambled out from under him in a cold sweat.

Despite his appearance, his body was incredibly heavy.

He looked like a lean model type, but in reality, his entire body was packed with combat-grade muscle.

And he was unnecessarily tall too!

At this point, even if I turned human again, I still couldn’t move him…?

After reaching that conclusion, I tried waking him up again.

But no matter what I did, he didn’t wake.

I screeched in his ear, pulled his hair, even waved grass near his nose—but he only slept peacefully without a single wrinkle on his brow.

…What is this, a sleeping beauty or something?

Then a thought suddenly flashed through my mind.

I froze.

…Ah.

Well.

I mean, I hadn’t tried that method yet…

After a moment of hesitation, I quickly shook my head in disgust.

“Chit! Chii-chit!” (No! Absolutely not!)

And then—

—

“Chiiit…?” (Um… are you alright?)

I stiffened as my mind automatically translated the squeak that came from behind me.

Turning my rigid neck with difficulty, I saw an old field mouse standing there.

He smiled gently in a somewhat clumsy but kind way and squeaked again.

—We don’t know what’s going on, but… do you need help?

Although surprised, I quickly realized it wasn’t that strange.

I had already heard snakes talking in dungeons before—so it was stranger that I wouldn’t understand another mouse.

Alright. Accepted.

I tried my best to look like a proper rat and answered:

“Chit! Chii-chit!” (Yes! Please help!)

*

The field mouse who spoke to me listened to my brief explanation and let out a short, sharp squeak.

Then, large field mice began popping their heads out from all directions.

—Kids. Gather everyone.

At the old mouse’s command, the larger mice scattered instantly.

And a short while later—

Every field mouse living in this vast plain had assembled before me in formation.

For some reason, they all had rough, intimidating faces and heavily built bodies.

“….”

I slowly turned my head toward the old field mouse who had spoken to me.

He, clearly the boss of those massive guys, bowed politely toward me.

…What is this?

It felt like I had become the final boss of the underground mouse world.

But I’m just a slightly chubby, ugly rat with no special traits…?

Tilting my head, I quickly arrived at the answer.

The binding mark engraved by Calix Nepherto.

In other words, I wasn’t just a rat—I was the rat of the strongest villain in this world.

No wonder they’re being so respectful.

I nodded and discarded my ridiculous theory that uglier rats had higher ranks.

Then, using Calix Nepherto’s body as a platform, I addressed the gathered field mice.

“Chiiit! Chit chii-chit chit!” (Everyone! If things continue like this, this entire area will be destroyed!)

—W-what?!

“Chit chit! Chiiit chit!” (Because malicious forces targeting the human male under my feet will launch indiscriminate attacks here!)

—This is impossible…

—Damn it…

—How long must innocent mice suffer because of human wars?!

“Chiiit! Chiiit chit!” (So everyone! Let’s move this human away to protect your territory—your village!)

—Alright! Let’s use our strength for once!

—Let’s go!

The mice shouted with renewed energy and dug under Calix’s body.

An enormous number of field mice worked together like a single organism, sharing his weight.

Meanwhile, I moved from his chest to his forehead.

Feeling my slightly higher vantage point, I grabbed two strands of his black hair like handles.

“Chit! Chii-chit!” (Let’s move him to that forest over there!)

At my command, the “rat bus” carrying Calix began to move slowly.

As they say—many small hands make light work.

Thus, before any pursuit could begin, I successfully hid Calix deep within the forest.

***

Shortly after a new light appeared on Tranquillum, the temple urgently reorganized its dungeon expedition team.

“Sir Wayne. We’re counting on you.”

“Do not worry. I will handle it properly as before.”

Wayne answered calmly and indifferently to the high priest’s request.

Dungeon raids were something even the “fake saintess” had accomplished.

There was no way the “real” saintess, Linzia, would fail at such a trivial task.

Thinking this, he walked lightly toward the open grounds in front of the great temple.

“Ah, Wayne.”

The saintess with lustrous pink hair greeted him with a sun-like smile.

Wayne responded with a polite bow.

His cold blue eyes briefly lingered on the hand resting on Linzia’s shoulder, but he quickly looked away as if it meant nothing.

While scanning the mages preparing the large-scale teleportation magic circle, he spoke with mild surprise.

“I don’t see Noel.”

The golden-haired prince replied briefly.

“He’s tracking a fugitive traitor who escaped.”

“I see.”

Their casual exchange ended as the magic circle was completed.

With a massive flash of light, the spell activated.

Wayne pressed a hand to his forehead as dizziness surged through him from the teleportation.

He blinked a few times to shake off the unpleasant sensation, then lifted his head.

“…?”

And froze completely.