The Underground Catacombs

"Well... Gray, you can either go back or wait here."

After their conversation, Rovey and Belsack spoke at the same time.

"Leave the dangerous tasks to the adults. You can go back and get some sleep or finish your homework for today. As for the rest, if your older brother and this old man don't come back, you can just use the Holy Grail to solve everything. So there will absolutely be no breach of contract."

"That's settled then, old man, let's get going."

Before Gray could answer, Rovey casually tossed aside the Holy Grail Belsack his hand and left without looking back, leaving Gray alone with the birdcage, somewhat bewildered.

Watching the two leave, Gray blinked, then picked up the birdcage and looked at Kay. "I hope they're alright... This is the first time I've seen a master like that. They seem a little difficult to get along with Rovey."

"Heh, that old man, he's hard to get along with. But that kid is really something. Knowing the basement was dangerous, he took that old man down with him, no, he might even have gone down alone without him. And he even gave you something as important as the Holy Grail. Hehe... There are only two possibilities for this, you know, Gray."

Kay laughed.

"What?"

Gray was a little curious.

"One type is that he is a saint, like Galahad; the other type..."

What is it?

Kay whispered, "He must have a crush on you."

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Hearing that Kay still couldn't say anything nice, Gray blushed and hurriedly twirled the cage in her hand a few times until Kay begged for mercy, at which point she stopped.

"Okay, okay, I was wrong... So, Gray, should we follow them and take a look? You must be worried too, right? As long as we don't get too close, there shouldn't be any danger, right?"

"But Master said..."

"That old man said way too much, but why bother with him? Didn't we remember a single thing my father told me and Artoria?"

"Hmm..."

Listening to Kay's patient persuasion, Gray was caught in a dilemma. Rationally, she shouldn't hesitate, after all, it was her master and Rovey's order, and she should obediently go home and wait.

However, just as Kay said, she was genuinely worried about Rovey's condition. She was terrified that Rovey would encounter danger down there and never return. She still longed to live with Rovey in the future, but at the same time, her anxiety for him only intensified.

However, just as Gray was hesitating...

She glanced at the Holy Grail on the table, then shook her head, ultimately deciding not to follow.

After all, he and Rovey had made a pinky promise.

Gray believed that the magical older brother wouldn't lie to her, and that he would definitely return to her side as promised and fulfill the agreement.

"Holy mogul..."

Kay sighed, but didn't get a chance for it to speak again.

"Gray".

"Mother?"

A woman's voice suddenly came from outside the church door, and Gray put away the Holy Grail, pushed open the door, and ran out. A blonde woman appeared before her.

"Finally found you, Gray! Where have you been today?"

The blonde woman was Gray's mother, named Magdalene. Although her expression was somewhat unnatural as she looked at Gray, she was still trying to correct it. She gently placed her hand on Gray's shoulder, asked softly, and then spoke.

"Let's go home together. Mr. Belsack just told me that you don't have work tonight, so let's go home and have dinner together."

"Okay, okay..."

Looking at the blonde woman before her, and sensing that the woman was clearly trying to adapt to her, Gray lowered her head, feeling somewhat disappointed. However, remembering her master and Rovey's instructions, she nodded gently, ignoring the incessant chatter of Kay, and followed her mother home. At the same time, she silently prayed for Rovey and awaited their return.

In short, please make sure nothing happens, Rovey... and Master too.

Chapter 120 The Underground Tomb

Time has become so blurred that it's impossible to tell exactly when it happened.

The location is on the road leading to the catacombs.

The environment here is very similar to that described in some tomb raiding novels: narrow and long, with a white mist filling the air, resembling a quiet corridor. Just looking at it gives one a sense of profound depth.

—Da da da.

Soon, a series of deep footsteps echoed from the darkness.

About ten minutes later, two figures of different heights gradually emerged from the darkness. Rovey and Salbek walked one after the other through the old-fashioned underground corridor and entered this important area beneath the Gravekeeper Village.

Compared to the narrow tunnel, the environment here was undoubtedly much more open. However, the fog was also thicker and darker, obstructing their vision and making it impossible for them to see what was ahead. They could only grope their way through the darkness.

"Um..."

Seeing this, Rovey took out his yellowish magic lantern from his briefcase and illuminated the surroundings. The yellowish light flickered until it was fully lit, allowing him to barely see what was going on around him and the true nature of this so-called underground forbidden area.

The two then continued on their way.

"This is the forbidden area of your Gravekeeper clan? Not only are there no Magecraft restrictions, but there are also very few real-world mechanisms. Are you really that at ease?" Rovey asked with a somewhat puzzled expression. To this, Belsack simply shook his head slightly and then began to explain.

"No one but you Magus will try to get in. What's the point of setting up so many traps? Besides, there are many wandering spirits here. The traps could easily be corrupted by these special spirits, which would be a loss."

"You're right, setting up traps here is indeed not easy. And there are definitely more ghosts here than I expected, and some special spirits are quite concerning. However, things of this level can only cause a little trouble for intruders at best; they can't truly stop them, like this..."

As he spoke, Rovey gently twirled the lantern in his hand with his fingers, then released his magic to power it.

--raging!!

Accompanied by the sound of flames flickering and burning.

Soon, guided by special magic, the yellowish flame inside the lantern turned into a deep blue.

The next moment, the powerful magic released from the special lantern in their hands directly repelled the large wave of ghosts that were attacking, clearing a path for the two of them in the middle of the tunnel so they could continue exploring forward.

This blue lantern was rented by Rovey from the Spiritual Evocation Department in Kenneth's name and at a rental fee. Its properties are highly effective against spirit creatures; the flames burning inside are not ordinary magical flames, but Soul Flame Lantern extracted from life and soul, making them ideal for dealing with these low-level ghostly creatures. Now, it's proving very useful.

After all, when he heard about the Gravekeeper Village and the cemetery before coming here, the first things that came to mind for Rovey, besides Gray, were ghosts, ghosts, ghouls and the like.

Just as black crows and ancient cemeteries are a perfect match, ghosts and graveyards seem even more fitting, so it's perfectly reasonable to prepare some special items to deal with ghosts beforehand. And that's not all; to deal with creatures like skeletons or ghouls, his briefcase also contained many special items with holy properties, such as consecrated crosses, Holy Water, and even the Black Keys of the Executor had collected before.

Looking at Salbek behind him, although he felt that the old man was a bit underhanded and had a lot of prejudice against him, so he didn't really want to bother with him, Rovey still gave him two bottles of Holy Water in case Gray needed them, since the road ahead might not be as easy as he had imagined.

"This is..."

After receiving the Holy Water from Rovey, Belsack examined it, then his expression turned somewhat strange. He was clearly extremely surprised and astonished that Rovey, a traditional Magus, would possess Holy Water of such purity. However, he didn't refuse; he simply nodded, thanked him, and put the two items away. The two continued deeper into the cave.

Their method of advancement was that the two of them, one in front and one behind, with Rovey leading the way and Belsack following behind, constantly venturing deeper into the area.

Because it carries the flames of the Soul Flame Lantern, any undead that try to approach will be burned like by the flames, emitting shrill screams, creating an extremely terrifying atmosphere. However, the object of the terror is the undead themselves.

And so, Rovey led him closer and closer, and when they encountered ghosts or other obstacles in their way, they would dispel those they could, and send those they couldn't to Heaven with a cross. It was a smooth journey.

Upon witnessing Rovey's violent yet merciful intrusion, Belsack's eyelids twitched, and he let out a long sigh.

The special ghosts accumulated here are mostly from the past of this village, but mixed in are also many souls of others who came along the Ley Line. They are all spirits accumulated by this land, existing since over a thousand years ago. After all, the location of this village is an excellent Leyline node, a place for spirits to descend, nurture, and gather. Therefore, many souls accumulate here, allowing them to continue existing as spiritual beings.

However, after a long period of time, the consciousness of these spirits has obviously been worn away, allowing them to truly transform into evil spirits and continue to accumulate here before beginning to wander.

Although most of these spirits are naturally born and therefore not very strong, their numbers are astonishing, as they are all transformed from the dead beings who lived on this land. The sheer number accumulated over 1,500 years is unimaginable. Walking here now, facing these souls is like facing a swarm of ants; confronting them in such a narrow tunnel is undoubtedly extremely dangerous. Even the experienced Gravekeeper, Belsack, who frequently dealt with spirits, felt a chill run down his spine after witnessing the situation beneath his feet.

He hadn't expected that in just a few months since he last came to check, all the souls that had been dormant in the Leyline had awakened and even flowed out, gathering in the space beneath their feet. No wonder the Leyline were experiencing so many problems.

As Rovey had warned, the situation in the forbidden area was far from as peaceful as he had imagined.

It seems that something serious has indeed happened to that thing deep inside.

"This is never going to end... There are ghosts everywhere, and endless rows of bluestone bricks. How far did you Gravekeeper actually build this underground? You've probably hollowed out the entire village's underground space. It looks like..."

"Like the tombs of the Pharaoh?"

Rovey stroked his chin and said half-jokingly, trying to ease the tense atmosphere.

"You're right..."

However, at this moment, Belsack had no time for jokes. He simply glanced at the strange situation in front of him, then looked at Rovey in front of him, and finally nodded.

"If we have to say, this is the real Bramockya Mausoleum, an important area that began construction a thousand years ago. Rather, the entire village exists for the sake of this place."

"Yes, after all, this is the key location for resurrecting King Arthur."

Rovey nodded; he could understand the meaning behind the other person's words.

But...

"Old man, why did you insist on coming down with me? Logically speaking, it would have been a better choice for you not to come down, right? Anyway, I've already given the Holy Grail to Gray, so breaking the curse is no longer a problem. I came down for my companions, what for you? Besides, I warned you beforehand that it would probably become very dangerous down there. You're already so old, it's not worth it for you to come here and risk your life with me, is it?"

Although they walked one after the other, Belsack didn't get too close to Rovey; there was about four body lengths between them. Listening to Belsack's footsteps, Rovey walked forward and asked, "Is it because... you're worried about me?"

"Hmph, don't flatter yourself, brat. I'm just worried that King Arthur's Avalon will be lost again. As the Gravekeeper, it's my duty to retrieve the king's lost scabbard. Besides..."

Upon hearing Rovey's words, Belsack behind him let out a cold snort. Then, with a complex expression in his aged eyes, he glanced displeased at Rovey, who was walking at the front, and said in a cold voice.

"Without a suitable guide, the Gravekeeper, isolated from the world for a thousand years, would find it difficult to survive, so you can't just die in vain. Besides, Gray cares about you a lot, and I can't remain indifferent to my benefactor. Anyway, I'm just an old man, and if I can see my long-cherished wish fulfilled and the whole village regain its freedom, I've already made a fortune in this life. Even if I really die with you down there, it's not so bad. This is at least some repayment for your kindness."

"I never expected you to be such a proud and arrogant old man?"

What is... tsundere?

I have some doubts about the word "Belsack".

"Oh, this concept probably isn't popular in this day and age, and you've been living deep in the mountains, so you wouldn't understand this term." Rovey smiled. "In short, it means you're being a bit blunt."

"What a troublesome brat."

Upon hearing this, Belsack snorted coldly, his eyes becoming somewhat evasive. "By the way, kid, you said before that you met the real King Arthur during the Holy Grail War, right? Can you tell me exactly what kind of person she was?"

"Oh? You care about her a lot too?"

"Of course, after all, that's the goal we've always pursued and strived for. In short, she must be a noble and great queen, right?"

"Yes, it is indeed great, but..."

Seemingly surprised that Belsack would ask such a question, Rovey was somewhat taken aback. However, after thinking about it carefully, he found it reasonable. So, after briefly contemplating Artoria's image in his mind, he couldn't help but laugh.

"Actually, the real King Arthur is quite different from what you imagine, or rather, your idol filter is too strong."

"The real King Arthur was a very ordinary person, at least that's how I see him, like a child who never grew up. Even though he was older than me, I had to enlighten him. And not only did he eat a lot, but he was also very confused, liked to get stuck on trivial matters, and often had extremely absurd dreams, which he liked to trap himself in. It wasn't until he met me that he had a new understanding and chose a new future and life."

"Are you... very close to her?"

Hearing Rovey's tone, Belsack's expression was somewhat surprised, but he also realized that Rovey's relationship with Artoria was indeed extraordinary.

"Hmm... that's complicated. Although we were enemies at first, and I schemed against her, and my Scathach gave her a terrible beating, I always harbored the idea of killing her and her Master together, so I showed no mercy..."

"However, later, after accepting the commission from the Magus of Flowers, I truly got to know Artoria and entered her heart. Like the King of Heroes and the Chains of Heaven, we became close friends, or rather, mentors, through our initial conflict. After experiencing so much, we are now companions who can entrust each other with their lives. Even my Avalon was entrusted to me by King Arthur later. He hoped that I would carry this magical treasure, forever remember the bond we formed in the Holy Grail War, and wait for the day we meet again in the future."

He sighed softly, "Although I'll really have a lot of trouble with summoning Heroic Spirit then..."

Thinking back to his Scathach, the King of Heroes, Artoria, and the Magic King's ring on his hand, Rovey couldn't help but feel a headache coming on.

First, kick out that useless, good-for-nothing Merry. The remaining four are all top-notch.

Leaving aside Magic King Solomon, who practically guarantees victory if the opponent summons him; the relationship and bond between himself and his Scathach are self-evident—they are people who can entrust their backs to each other; and Artoria is also his close friend. As for the King of Heroes ...

He is indeed a good choice. As an enemy, he is extremely difficult and terrifying, but as a partner, Rovey is very confident that he can become friends with Gilgamesh no matter which era he faces. In short, he is also quite troubled, after all, the Sacred Relic he has are enough to organize a top-level Holy Grail War.

However, Rovey didn't realize that when he mentioned Artoria and the Holy Grail War, his tone unexpectedly became relaxed, as if he were talking about an extremely interesting memory.

"I see..."

This scene made Belsack nod slightly in approval.

"You are indeed an extraordinary person, not only King Arthur but also Merlin, and even Galahad's Holy Grail..."

"Stop. I've said it many times. The Holy Grail I gave to Gray is not the Holy Grail Galahad found, but the one I won from the Holy Grail War."

Seeing that the old man always started talking about the King Arthur legend whenever the Holy Grail was mentioned, Rovey couldn't help but remind him.

However, Belsack simply nodded, not caring what kind of Holy Grail it was. In any case, after learning about Rovey's relationship with Artoria, he had already accepted this amazing Magus.

"Are we almost at the finish line now, old man?"

"Hmm, more or less. But how did you know?"

"Number of ghosts."

Based on his findings, Rovey replied, "Because there are fewer and fewer ghosts here, right? In my opinion, they must be afraid of something, so they instinctively start to flee outwards. That's probably why we encountered so many ghosts along the way."

However, there is actually an even more important reason than that.