Chapter 44

Chapter 44 – Defense Specialized and Ruins Exploration

The things that they got from the battle this time, first is the book which is their foremost objective.

And other than that, 3 medals.

It could be said that they were very lucky.

It is because players who have 3 medals would avoid battles with high-level players as much as possible.

They probably ran away if Sally appeared wearing her usual equipment.

The five medals which were more than the three medals that the players who lost have, it succeeded in stealing the three’s composure.

They probably could not resist the temptation of having three times the medals at once.

「The hunter, gets hunted……I guess」

After saying that, Sally took out that old book from her inventory.

「Well then, let’s read it?」

「Un! Let’s do that!」

The two girls sat on the stone bricks and took a peek at the book.

It was in tatters, and they were not able to read each page properly, but when they skimmed the pages, they found a part that they were able to read.

「【Ancient Heart】, guided by the spring water, within the faint lights, that shall appear. Oh Hero, cast out that evil, bring peace to the sea」

「What does it mean?」

「Spring water has something to do with the【Ancient Heart】… we probably can go to a dungeon if we have that? It’s like there would also be a battle」

「……since it’s saying spring water… a fountain or something?」

The two girls found four fountains as the result of exploring the ruins.

There is a huge fountain in the middle of the ruins, and small fountains a little far from there.

The top of the fountain was made out of a diamond-shaped red crystal and was very beautiful.

Although, it has withered without the sign of any water.

「For the meantime, let’s test the huge fountain in the middle」

「Un, let’s do that」

The two girls reached the huge fountain after a little walk.

And then, Sally seemed to have thought of something and stood on the basin herself.

「【Ocean】!」

Water spread from Sally’s feet.

It fills the basin.

Together with that, the fountain started to shine with a faint blue color.

「Ohh?!」

「How is it?」

However, that light gradually faded away.

The water that filled the basin also disappeared as if it was absorbed by the fountain.

They tried to listen with their ears, but there were no sounds of something activating.

「n〜… nothing happens?」

「… I guess so. But, I think there’s something in this fountain」

「Un, I also think so. Let’s test the other fountains」

The two girls tested that on the other fountains, but other than releasing a faint light, no change happened.

「Sally, we haven’t read that book till the end right? Let’s try reading it again?」

「……let’s do that. There might be other hints」

The two started to read the book once again after being stuck. They carefully looked at each page, but still, they did not find words that they could read.

And, they finally reached the chapter where they stopped reading.

「The faint light is that light of the fountain, and that was enough for the spring water…」

They were not able to think of anything new although they tried to think about it, and turned the page to leave that aside.

「Oh?!」

「This……a picture?」

The last page.

Although it was in tatters, there was a picture drawn there.

「A pot? …no, a water jar?」

Around the four fountains, people were drawn while holding a pot-like thing. Some round thing is floating on the top part of the picture. That was dyed with red.

「This is, the【Ancient Heart】?」

Maple said as she pointed at the red circle.

「……it might be so. n〜 …we need to place water jars around or something? I don’t get it…」

The two girls thought deeply while they groaned, but the information they got from the picture was too vague that they could not connect it to an idea.

「Let’s take a break. We won’t be able to think of anything if we continue like this」

「That is true」

The two girls sat in the center of the ruins and loosened up.

It is easier to relax being in a place with a clear view rather than hiding in a weird place because it is easy to notice the approaching players.

「Including today, there are only 3 days left in the event huh〜…」

Sally whispered.

The event has passed its turning point. There is only a little time remaining.

「I think that it was a very, veeery dense four days you know? It might be denser than the playstyle we did up until now!」

「Ahaha, that’s true!」

Defeating the Goblin King, spent a night in the forest where wandering ghosts appear, fought and defeat a monster bird with overwhelming strength in the snowy mountains and receive Syrup and Oboro, and after that, exploration in the bamboo forest.

There was also the fight against their imitations, and they explored the dungeon in the desert while running away from the snails together with Kasumi.

They were able to get a new connection with the encounter with Kanade at sea, and they also gained a medal.

Just like Maple has said, these two girls have spent the event with very dense contents.

「Exploring this ruins… and another dungeon should be enough」

「We’re going to use the whole fifth day at this ruins?」

「Un, let’s move with that in mind. It might take just that long」

The two girls ended their break moderately and started to explore the ruins again.

Unlike the first time, they were planning on spending time and find underground or hidden rooms.

The reason is the old picture from earlier.

The two girls guessed that the water jugs that was drawn in the picture might be somewhere in the ruins.

The water jugs are going to be needed to reproduce the situation in the picture.

They cannot tell whether that picture is absolutely right, but that is the only clue that the two girls have right now.

They continued to explore with the two of them or split from time to time, but in the end, the sun was about to set without them being able to find anything.

「Let’s stay under some roof」

「Let’s do that」

The two girls took their meal while disappointed that they were not able to get results like they expected.

「There was really nothing〜」

「……there might be a different change when the night comes, so… you want to take turns and explore?」

「Un, okay!」

The reason why the two of them are not exploring at the same time, with one of them resting, is because the exploration for tomorrow still remains.

They learned very well during the escape from the snails that they must move with leeway or else they would make mistakes.

After they had talked for a while after eating dinner, Sally went out to explore first.

「Be careful〜!」

「I’m going」

Maple called Syrup and played. There was nothing else to do.

However, resting is a proper job for certain times.

Since the two of them decided it, she cannot break their promise and go explore by herself.

After a while, Sally returned.

And from how she seemed, she did not have any result. Her expression did not look well.

And after that, Maple departed after a while.

They repeated that many times and Maple’s turn came again.

「I’ll go now okay」

「Un, I hope you find something…」

Maple explored inside the ruins.

The first place she went to is the huge fountain.

She went to the huge fountain first, every time.

And after that, she would check the smaller fountains while walking around.

Maple looked up to the sky.

「What a beautiful moon……」

The full moon in the sky showered the ground with a faint smile.

She would not be able to feel the moon shine so bright like this because the world in reality is full of the light of electricity.

Maple walked towards the passage connecting to the huge fountain.

「n?」

Maple stopped.

The huge fountain has the change that they have been waiting for.

The fountain, it faintly shines without the two girls doing anything.