Chapter 6: Exploring the Tomb

Astella didn't engage in much small talk. After handing the ring to Andrew, she gave a polite bow and left without delay.

Andrew stood there dazed for a moment until his friend came up and threw an arm around his shoulder.

"I saw that!" His friend, also a member of the school baseball team, grinned. "You're secretly meeting up with Astella, aren't you?"

Andrew laughed awkwardly, trying to dodge the question.

"You heartbreaker! Come on, tell me, which one do you really like?" His friend teased dramatically. "If I were you, I wouldn't hesitate for a second. It's all about Lena! Sure, she's a bit of a princess, but her family worships the 'Lord of Storms,' and they're filthy rich. The dowry alone would be massive!"

"For heaven's sake, that's disgusting!" Andrew shoved him away.

...

Afternoon, outskirts of Backlund City, White Cliff Town.

After a tiring journey switching from the subway to a horse-drawn carriage, Cohen led the group to a Fourth Epoch tomb. The sun hung low, with two hours left before sunset. This timing was a compromise Astella made with the others. Though Gerald had pushed for a nighttime exploration, arguing it would be more thrilling, Astella believed none of them were equipped to handle ghosts or spirits. So, to be safe, they agreed to leave the tomb before sundown.

Even though they'd checked the lunar calendar and confirmed there wouldn't be a full moon or blood moon, the blood moons in this world didn't follow any set cycle. They were as unpredictable as Backlund's weather. If they didn't make it out by sunset, and the goddess was in a bad mood that day, she figured she'd be done for.

Andrew and Lena eventually agreed with this plan. Gerald, though reluctant, grunted his approval, following the majority.

At the tomb's entrance.

Gerald smugly pulled a gleaming object from his bag. He had been secretive about it all day, and not even Lena could get him to reveal it earlier. His theatrics piqued everyone's curiosity.

Astella blinked three times and activated her "spiritual vision." She saw a golden glow in the shape of a cylindrical trophy. Then, she closed her "vision."

"Well, neither the 'Sailor' nor the 'Warrior' have spiritual vision. If Andrew belonged to a sequence with that ability, Gerald's act would've been exposed on the spot…"

Astella had noticed that while Gerald and Andrew weren't enemies, their friendship was tenuous, largely centered around Lena. According to Andrew, they had grown up in the same neighborhood, enduring each other's company for over a decade.

…

"What's that, Gerald?" Lena's eyes sparkled.

It was a golden trophy, radiating warmth and holiness. It was about the height of a soda bottle by Astella's standards, cylindrical with no real "cup" shape. It was adorned with olive leaves and spiral engravings, looking exceptionally valuable and ornate.

The group's awe satisfied Gerald greatly. He grinned. "Never seen something like this before, huh? Let me tell you, this is a real magical item!"

"A magical item?" The group crowded closer, their curiosity and fascination now fixed on the golden trophy.

Though they knew of magical items, such things were rare and expensive. Ordinary students like them had never even seen one before. Gerald's display had them staring in envy.

"It's called the 'Cup of Glory,'" Gerald declared proudly. "It can instill courage and dispel abnormal conditions within a certain range. When infused with spiritual energy, it summons a brilliant light—very effective against evil spirits and ghosts!"

He flashed a grin and handed the item to Lena with an exaggerated, dramatic tone, "Hold this, Miss Lena. But beware, sometimes it sings praises to the sun or emits blinding sunlight unexpectedly."

"Seems like a Sequence 8 item from the 'Sun' path: 'Light Prayer,'" Astella assessed silently. "If it were Sequence 7, a 'Sun Priest,' it would have more abilities like creating holy water, with stronger drawbacks. Hmm, the 'Storm' and 'Sun' paths overlap at higher sequences. This item probably came from…"

"Wow, that's incredible!" Cohen exclaimed. "Where did you get this?"

Gerald puffed out his chest. "It's a gift from the church, part of my dad's collection!"

Of course, Astella thought, rolling her eyes. 

Translation: he stole it from home.

What a reckless kid.

Astella suspected that as long as the item didn't make physical contact with someone, it wouldn't trigger any negative effects. It was likely a gift from the church to his father, a high-ranking government official with ties to the Storm Church.

Lena accepted the precious trophy, gazing at Gerald with newfound admiration. After a few attempts through meditation, she managed to summon a warm light that illuminated her already beautiful face.

"It worked!" she exclaimed, her radiant smile making the boys momentarily dazed.

In an effort to win Lena's favor, Gerald gallantly gave her control of the magical item, justifying it by saying that a lady needed protection more than anyone else. With Gerald leading the way and Andrew bringing up the rear, the five of them descended the black marble stairs toward the tomb entrance.

"These pillars seem to be carved from dolomite, and this asymmetrical style is characteristic of the Fourth Epoch," Astella explained as she surveyed the surroundings. "There are 19 pillars on the left and 23 on the right. The tomb's owner was probably a count or a high-ranking officer."

"Wow, Astella," Lena marveled. "Where did you learn all this? You know so much!"

Astella smiled. "My mother was a university lecturer. Her field of study was Fourth Epoch Tudor Empire history."

That part, at least, was true.

"Alright, enough talk," Gerald pointed to the enormous, half-opened stone door at the end of the pillars. It was dark and foreboding inside, like the maw of some great beast. "Shall we?"

Astella twirled the ring on her finger thoughtfully and nodded. The others swallowed nervously, each showing varying degrees of fear.

Astella wasn't completely fearless either. After all, this was her first time exploring something related to the occult. But she thought back to her past life and the escape room games she played with friends. She had always been the bravest and most skilled at solving puzzles.

Time travel felt unreal to her, as if it had only been yesterday when she lived in her original world. This place, by comparison, felt more like a "game." If she died, perhaps death was just the way out.

Besides, she had her mother's "gear" and "guidebook" and a teleportation ring. Even if things got bad, she had a way out.

She was about to learn the hard way that her naïveté would come at a steep price.

The only other person not showing fear was Gerald. With a grin, he turned to the girls and said, "If you're scared, feel free to grab my arm. Ladies' privilege."

Lena blushed, but instead of taking Gerald's arm, she linked her arm with Andrew's.

Gerald's smile froze on his face.

"Don't look at me," Astella teased, barely holding back laughter. "I don't need a man to protect me. Though if you're scared, Andrew, I might let you hold on to my arm."

She was, of course, joking. A boy would never let his fear show when the girl he liked was holding onto his arm, even if he was terrified.

Besides, if you cling to my arm, I could teleport us away in case of danger... But if we're all entangled, it'd be harder to escape.

With the formation settled, Cohen, carrying the lantern, led the way alongside Gerald. Lena, holding the "Cup of Glory," followed beside Andrew, while Astella took up the rear.

Lena had already released Andrew's arm. As a proud young lady, she wouldn't cling to him for long. She merely wanted to make Gerald squirm a little with her playful act. Still, she appreciated Gerald's gift of the "Cup of Glory."

With a playful smile, she sweetly said, "Storms above, Gerald, you're always so brave."

Gerald, now full of energy, snatched the lantern from Cohen and strode forward boldly.

This girl...

Watching the scene unfold, Astella shook her head.

Suddenly, her attention shifted to Cohen, who had been quiet throughout. His face was shadowed by a gloomy expression, his mood noticeably low.

...