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“Well, we’re finally here…but I don’t see any entrance…?”
“Ahh, you see~ If you have the administrator’s credentials~ The entrance will reveal itself, you know~ Just watch~.”

First Professor Vilkin removed the white glove from his right hand and pressed it against the sarcophagus’s surface.

“……!”

That hand itself was unsettling. Professor Vilkin bore a strong resemblance to Abel, the Archlord of the Church’s Union, and described his own body as a High Mana Coat, akin to a young boy’s form. However, his exposed right hand was that of a grown man, noticeably larger than his other hand, creating a sense of discord.

This adult hand glowed with a dim, pale light, the same kind of light that surrounded the Ravine Stone Door, indicating the presence of Ether. This suggested the hand might once have belonged to a deity or a being akin to one, such as a Divine Knight, and seemed as if it had been severed and grafted onto the High Mana Coat.

In the present world, Inglis couldn’t sense the presence of gods or see any Divine Knights aside from herself and the Black Mask of the Ironblood Chain Brigade. Had Highland and its inhabitants caused the disappearance of gods and Divine Knights to utilize them as tools?

“Fufufu…” Inglis suppressed a smile, filled with both tranquility and fascination.

If Highland had indeed eradicated gods and Divine Knights, it implied they held the power to do so. Jeldegrīva, the Duke of War, might be capable of defeating gods and Divine Knights less powerful than Inglis herself, but it would be a challenge for him to conquer all such beings.

Considering the collective strength of gods and Divine Knights, Highland must possess a power that either matches or surpasses the Duke of War. The prospect of discovering and potentially confronting such a force filled Inglis with excitement. The world still held many marvels for her to explore and dreams to pursue.

“Hm~? What’s the matter~?”
“Ah, nothing… I was just admiring the effect there.”
“Right~? Its glow is quite beautiful, isn’t it~?”

Professor Vilkin grinned. As he touched the sarcophagus, patterns of Ether emanated like a whirlpool from his hand, eventually forming an opening in the outer wall.

“It created an opening…! Amazing…!”
“Despite appearing so solid…!”
“So, the Hyrule Menace manufacturing facility is within that…?”

The sarcophagus’s walls were thick, obscuring much of the interior. All they could glimpse were the silhouettes of several stone pillars.

“Oops, it’s just me and Eris from here on out, okay~? You all should wait here~ We wouldn’t want any mishaps, after all~ Once it’s closed, you can’t open it again from the inside. If we’re not careful, we might get stuck inside until we’ve withered away~”
“Uh…?”
“Withered…?!”

Rafinha and Leone tensed up at the thought.

“You see~ There are skeletal remains of people who got trapped and couldn’t escape, you know~?”
“Th-, that’s hardly comforting…”

Now Liselotte too was visibly concerned.

“The space inside connects to the outside world when the entrance is open~ But once it’s closed, it becomes a completely separate realm…even the flow of time differs inside~ So, if you get trapped in there~ A blink of an eye here could mean you’ve turned to bones there~”
“Eh, so if time here flows normally…then, the time inside is…”
“It means time inside flows much faster compared to here…”
“Exactly, Miss Leone.”
“Yeah, that’s what I was getting at!”

Rafinha nodded, seeming to grasp the concept.

“…Do you really understand it, Rani?”
“I-, I do get it!”

Inglis hoped earnestly that she did.

“Yep~ Working on a Hyrule Menace is a lengthy, meticulous process~ Without this sarcophagus, the lifespan of those waiting for the treatment would end first, right~ Who’d want to wait for a weapon that wouldn’t be ready even after their demise~?”
“…I see. So, it’s a magical procedure that, under normal circumstances, would be excessively time-consuming, made feasible by this sarcophagus…”

Inglis wasn’t sure about the specifics of the treatment, but employing the Ravine Stone Door in this manner seemed like a clever use. The Gods, including Goddess Alistair, envisioned the Ravine Stone Door as a training ground.

Yet, these individuals had repurposed it ingeniously. Clearly, their perspective diverged from that of the Gods.

Inglis was curious about the magical procedures that would be performed, but witnessing them firsthand was out of the question. Nonetheless, it could be valuable knowledge for her future.

“You’re right~ This sarcophagus is incredibly precious~ It’s an artifact from an ancient era, irreplaceable by our current technology~ Only the designated administrators have ever been able to access it~ The inner realm is vastly different from any subspace created by sorcery or Artifacts, unparalleled even by us Highlanders~ It’s essentially an entirely separate world inside~”

There likely existed another such sarcophagus, dubbed the Sarcophagus of Greyfriar, within the Church’s influence. If Eris was aligned with the Duke’s Party and both Ripple and Arles were associated with the Church’s Union, it suggested both factions could create Hyrule Menaces for distribution to the Midland.

“Well, that concludes our briefing~ Let’s proceed, Eris~”
“Yes… Everyone, I entrust Ripple, Arles, Raphael, and all of Charalia to your care…”

Eris addressed Inglis and the group.

“Of course, Miss Eris!”

Rafinha responded first, her voice brimming with determination.

“We’ll do everything we can…!”
“Please rest assured…!”

Leone and Liselotte confidently assured her, leaving Inglis as the one feeling most melancholic.

“Haah… I understand it’s necessary, but it feels like a significant loss not being able to spar with Miss Eris for a year or two. Ah, what a shame…”
“Honestly… That was your concern? Well, once I return, I promise to make up for the time we’ve missed in training. So, please stop looking so glum; it’s making me feel guilty.”

Eris wore a look of remorse upon seeing Inglis’ expression, still being cradled by Rafinha.

“It seems you really do have a soft spot for children. Here, take her.”

With a warm smile, Rafinha handed Inglis over.

“Considering it’ll be a year or two until your return, perhaps you’d like to give her one last hug!”
“O-, okay… thank you.”

Eris received Inglis, her smile tender.

“That’s a promise, Miss Eris…! The moment you return, we’ll train extensively to compensate for all the missed sessions, agreed…?!”
“Yes, of course. Meanwhile, why don’t you aim to further sharpen your skills? Though, I suppose that goes without saying.”

As Eris embraced her, Inglis was enveloped in a distinct, noble floral scent, unlike that of Rafinha or her mother, Selena.

“…I’m departing now. Take care, everyone.”

After a brief moment, Eris gently set Inglis down and, with a resolute turn, she and First Professor Vilkin vanished towards the Sarcophagus of Greyfriar, also known as the Stone Ravine Door.

““““Yes…!””””

With firm nods, Inglis and her three companions watched her departure, silently promising their support.