Suddenly, the number of people in the chamber increased.
This meant someone had entered the temple just before the doors closed. Without my permission.
I immediately turned toward the entrance and saw the unwelcome guest. Argellio.
“You—no, Sir Freeburn. Why are you here? I don’t recall granting you access.”
I bit back the words “You, shameless bastard…” because Luciana was standing nearby. I’d recently vowed to clean up my image, and reverting to a thug wasn’t an option.
Argelio, however, grinned slyly, his usual smirk plastered across his face.
“There’s no need to be so harsh. In ruins like this, it’s better to have more people, just in case something unexpected happens—”
“Answer the question. I didn’t permit you to enter. Why are you here?”
“…”
His brow furrowed for a brief moment before he schooled his expression again.
“I wanted to see it for myself.”
“See what?”
“The sudden discovery of the ruins, and the news that Your Holiness broke the temple’s seal in only five minutes. Such intriguing claims are hard to believe without seeing firsthand.”
“So, you doubted that I could actually accomplish something useful and decided to confirm it personally?”
“I wouldn’t put it that way… but seeing it myself does provide more certainty.”
Truthfully, it wasn’t that he found the discovery unbelievable—it was that he didn’t want to believe it. After all, he had promised to cover all exploration costs, including the expedition team’s wages, if anything valuable was found in the forest. Even though the Freeburn Duchy made its fortune in trade, this would be an exorbitant expense, even for them.
To monitor me, he had spies planted nearby and relied on magic items to receive real-time updates on my progress. No wonder he had shown up so quickly.
What a slippery rat.
His distrustful and invasive behavior grated on my nerves. I even considered kicking him out the door while Luciana wasn’t looking.
Instead, I smirked. “If you’re so eager to confirm things, I’ll show you proof.”
“Thank you, Your Holiness. Shall we proceed ins—”
“No. I never said I’d let you accompany me.”
“…Pardon? What do you mean?”
“I mean that I’ll prove I gained access to the temple through my own abilities, as recognized by the ruins themselves. But that doesn’t require you to enter.”
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
Without further explanation, I raised my voice. “Guide! Summon the guide!”
Argellio and Luciana gave me puzzled looks as I called into the empty air.
That’s when it appeared.
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A crimson figure materialized, its small form resembling a red panda with fennec fox ears and three fluffy tails swaying behind it.
“Greetings, Nikellus! I am Rubin, the AI guide here to assist you with your temple visit. How may I help you today?”
Rubin was a Polydroid, an ancient AI robot designed to aid visitors in navigating temples like this one. I’d encountered Polydroids in other ancient dungeons, but for people of this era, they were mythical guardians or spirits of legend.
“I’ll prove my recognition as a temple member through Rubin,” I said, glancing at Argellio. “Guide, I understand members have the authority to forcibly remove companions from the premises. Is that correct? Also, please speak in the language I’m using now. The people behind me don’t understand ancient dialects.”
Rubin’s oversized ears drooped slightly. “Apologies, Member. I have only fully mastered one language, and my translation skill is at Level C. I can barely comprehend the language you’re using.”
“Barely comprehend? So you’re relying on the translation skill to understand me?”
“Yes. I would need to learn your language for proper communication.”
“Fine. Do you require permission to learn it?”
“Yes, Member. If you permit a language-sharing connection, I can significantly reduce the time needed for learning.”
Polydroids couldn’t harm members, so I saw no reason to hesitate. Grasping Rubin’s tiny paw, I initiated the process. Above its head, a glowing message appeared: “Acquiring new language…”
After about a minute, Rubin’s eyes sparkled with understanding. When it spoke again, its voice was crisp and fluent.
“To answer your earlier question: yes, you may expel companions using your membership authority. Simply provide their name or ID.”
I turned to Argellio, wearing the most saccharine smile I could muster. “I’d like to expel someone standing behind me. His name is Argellio von Free—”
“Wait! Please, Your Holiness!” Argellio’s panicked voice cut me off. “I brought a significant number of useful items—high-grade potions and curse-removal scrolls among them!”
“…Items?”
“Yes! All of exceptional quality. If you allow me to stay, I’ll hand over everything.”
His face reddened as he confessed, “Since childhood, I’ve been fascinated by the mysteries, beauty, and scholarly value of ancient temples. They’ve always been a dream of mine.”
I scrutinized him for signs of deceit, but his embarrassment seemed genuine. His offer was tempting, too. Luciana and I lacked healing abilities, and the potions he mentioned could be lifesavers.
“…Fine. But stay out of my way.”
----------------------------------------
Rubin led us deeper into the temple, eventually stopping in a spacious chamber.
“This is the Crescent Moon Chapel,” Rubin explained proudly. “Warriors once gathered here to pray for blessings from Nerbloca, the god of war and victory, before heading into battle. The four statues ahead represent Nerbloca’s guardians, each wielding a different weapon: a sword, shield, spear, and bow.”
I leaned closer to Rubin and whispered, “So… no guns or explosives in this era?”
“…Guns? I’m unfamiliar with that term.”
“Never mind. What about something like… falling meteors that explode on impact?”
“Are you referring to meteor-summoning magic?”
“Hmm…”
It seemed the ancient world had advanced differently from my original one. They developed AI but stuck to swords, magic, and arrows.
Turning my attention back to the statues, I inspected their weapons.
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[Nerbloca’s Bow (S)]
—A divine bow once wielded by Nerbloca’s warriors. It converts holy energy into arrows, requiring no ammunition.
* Special Effects:
1. 10% chance to immobilize targets for 3 seconds on hit.
2. Attracts the attention of spirits when wielded by a novice archer.
* Warning: A sacred relic. Mishandling may invoke the god’s curse.
----------------------------------------
I had a plan.
“Rubin,” I began, “you know the truth, don’t you? The people who built this place disappeared long ago.”
Rubin’s bright expression dimmed. “What are you saying…?”
“This temple is now a relic of the past. No one will come to pray here anymore.”
Its tails trembled slightly as it processed my words.
“You’ve been waiting for worshippers to return, haven’t you? Alone, for who knows how many centuries…”
I crouched to meet its wavering eyes.
“Come with us. You don’t have to wait here anymore.”