The person in front of him was definitely Gwangcheon and Tang Wol-yeong.
But why were these two in a place like this?
Namgung Il was dumbfounded for a mont, but soon his eyes turned sharp and he opened his mouth as if to shoot them.
"You two, why are you here?"
Could it be that these two were also after the Blood Spot Grass?
Of course, it was an absurd speculation, but Namgung Il was in a state of confusion, unable to distinguish what the right answer was.
"I followed you because I saw you going sowhere in a hurry, Young Master."
"...?"
"You didn't answer even when I called..."
As she said, Tang Wol-yeong had just followed Namgung Il.
'The Young Master seems to like children.'
Even while working, Tang Wol-yeong had been watching what Namgung Il was doing whenever she had a chance.
In the first place, the reason Tang Wol-yeong had joined the festival preparation committee was because she wanted to be with Namgung Il even a little.
She had been secretly hovering around Namgung Il, looking for that opportunity.
Of course, she had only been looking for an opportunity and had never properly spoken to Namgung Il.
Should she say she was satisfied just by observing Namgung Il from the side?
The sight of Namgung Il talking to the child was another side of Namgung Il that Tang Wol-yeong had never seen before, so she was watching with great satisfaction.
'The Young Master's expression...'
In the midst of that, Tang Wol-yeong noticed that Namgung Il's expression had suddenly hardened.
That expression was also a side of Namgung Il that Tang Wol-yeong had never seen before.
Feeling an ominous aura, Tang Wol-yeong tried to call Namgung Il.
"Young Master Namgung Il..."
Tang Wol-yeong's call ultimately did not reach Namgung Il.
Seeing Namgung Il's back as he ran sowhere with a scary face, Tang Wol-yeong sohow couldn't just stand still, and in the end, she had followed him blindly.
"..."
Hearing Tang Wol-yeong's answer, Namgung Il looked at Gwangcheon this ti.
Why on earth are you here?
As if he had noticed the intention in Namgung Il's gaze, Gwangcheon answered calmly.
"The class president told to go, so I followed."
"...The class president? Senior Ak?"
"That's right."
"..."
He didn't know what had happened, but it seed the two had ended up here by chance.
After confirming that, Namgung Il returned the hand that had been heading for his sword to its original position.
"Both of you, go back to the tavern."
"Are you going with us, Young Master?"
"No, I still have sothing to do, so I'll go later."
"Then I'll go back with you later too."
Tang Wol-yeong still couldn't forget the expression on Namgung Il's face that she had seen before coming here.
Feeling that Namgung Il was about to get involved in sothing dangerous, Tang Wol-yeong answered with a firm voice.
"Do you know where this is? If you're caught in a restricted area, it won't end with just a suspension."
"Isn't that the sa for you, Captain?"
"...?"
"I don't know what you're trying to do here, but let's finish it quickly and get out. Just because you're the captain doesn't an you can avoid suspension."
As even Gwangcheon said that, Namgung Il couldn't say anything more.
Looking at the atmosphere, it didn't seem like they would listen even if he told them to go anymore... In the end, Namgung Il gave a final warning to the two.
"It might be dangerous if you stay here."
"I know, so let's finish it quickly."
"..."
To not even listen when a person warns them that it's dangerous.
Gwangcheon still didn't seem to have any intention of going back, and it was the sa for Tang Wol-yeong.
"...Then just stay still over there."
Namgung Il let out a small sigh and said to the two.
Wouldn't it be much faster to quickly confirm that there was nothing here and go back together, rather than bickering any longer?
Namgung Il approached the place where the trap had appeared earlier.
'For a trap to suddenly activate... was it just a malfunction?'
Namgung Il was lost in that question, looking at the blades again.
At that mont, his eyes widened slightly as if he had noticed sothing.
Namgung Il stuck his head out a little and examined the blades more carefully.
'...Sharp.'
It was natural for blades to be sharp.
But what Namgung Il found strange was that the blades in front of him were sharp, as if they had been maintained recently.
How could a device in an area that had been closed off for decades be so well-maintained? Namgung Il thought that part was strange.
Swoosh—.
Just then, Namgung Il's gaze turned to the front.
Right in front of him, he could see an entrance to a building, and the door was not locked but half-open.
"..."
Namgung Il instinctively walked closer to that place.
If the device just now was not a malfunction... wouldn't another device activate if he entered the building in front of him?
As if the device was placed to protect that place, Namgung Il avoided the raised blades and walked to the front of the door.
Creak—.
Namgung Il carefully opened the rest of the door.
His nerves were sharpened to the extre so that he could avoid it whenever and wherever a device might activate.
"..."
In the darkness, the scenery inside was faintly visible.
Just a ruin that had been left to collapse for a long ti.
Although it felt that way at first glance, Namgung Il maintained his tension and carefully entered.
Flash—.
At that mont, Namgung Il felt soone's gaze and turned his head in that direction.
'This is...'
At first, Namgung Il had thought it was an enemy, but after confirming its identity, he let out a small sigh.
Inside, there was an old statue of Buddha.
'Why is there a statue of Buddha in a place like this?'
He had that question for a mont, but for now, exploring the surroundings was the priority.
Namgung Il took his eyes off the statue of Buddha and looked around the inside of the building more.
'...It seems there's nothing.'
Although he had looked around the inside quite thoroughly, he hadn't found anything special.
In the first place, the inside was not so large as to require such a detailed investigation.
"..."
Was the device that had activated outside just a malfunction after all?
Namgung Il was conflicted about whether he should investigate this place more, or if he should judge that the contents of the letter were wrong and go back.
"Oh, is the Buddha in a place like this?"
Just then, a voice was heard from the entrance.
He was sure he had told them to stay still outside, but at so point, Gwangcheon and Tang Wol-yeong had co inside.
"Why did you co in? I told you to wait outside."
"I ca in because you were taking too long, Young Master."
"..."
"Are you finished with your business?"
Tang Wol-yeong approached Namgung Il and asked.
It seed she had been quite anxious because she couldn't see the inside properly from the outside.
Namgung Il looked at Tang Wol-yeong and was lost in thought for a mont.
'...Should I go back?'
It didn't seem like he would be able to find anything strange even if he looked around this place anymore.
Since the two had co in, Namgung Il decided to finish the investigation at this point and go back for now.
"Yes, let's go back."
As Namgung Il said that, Tang Wol-yeong's face brightened.
Looking at that reaction, it seed she had wanted to leave this place as soon as possible.
"Gwangcheon, let's go back."
"..."
"Gwangcheon?"
"Wait a mont."
Gwangcheon's voice was coming from another place, not the entrance.
Wondering what on earth he was doing, he looked closely and saw Gwangcheon standing in front of the statue of Buddha that Namgung Il had seen earlier, with his hands clasped together.
'What, is he going to bow or sothing?'
Namgung Il felt that sight was quite unfamiliar.
Of course, he knew that Gwangcheon was a disciple of Shaolin, but looking at his usual behavior, there were tis when he forgot that fact.
'Looking at him like that, he's a monk through and through.'
If he hadn't been so obsessed with won, he would have thought of him as a renowned Buddhist.
Since the usual Gwangcheon felt more familiar than that sight now, no matter how much he was bowing to the old statue of Buddha, he could only think that Gwangcheon was Gwangcheon.
Swoosh—.
Whether Namgung Il thought so or not, Gwangcheon knelt down with a disciplined motion.
A motion that flowed naturally, as if to prove that he was a disciple of Shaolin.
Although the floor was not clean, Gwangcheon bowed his head towards the statue of Buddha as if he didn't mind.
Click—.
It was then.
A strange sound was suddenly heard in Namgung Il's ear.
Even though he had been wandering around the inside until now, he hadn't found anything suspicious, so Namgung Il was caught off guard and his reaction was inevitably delayed.
"...!"
At that mont, he felt no sensation in his feet.
The floor that should have been under his feet had disappeared at so point, and it was the sa not only for Namgung Il's feet, but for the other two as well.
Swoosh—.
Without a chance to resist, the three's figures fell downwards.
If he could have seen sothing around him, he would have tried to reach out, but in the pitch-black darkness, he couldn't even confirm where he was falling.
Grip—.
In a hurry, Namgung Il pulled Tang Wol-yeong into his arms.
Because he knew that Tang Wol-yeong was right nearby before the floor suddenly collapsed.
If he had his way, he would have wanted to secure Gwangcheon as well, but since there was a distance, he couldn't do anything about that.
"Y-Young Master!"
"Hold on tight!"
"..."
As Namgung Il suddenly held her in his arms with both hands, Tang Wol-yeong couldn't help but be flustered.
But that was only for a mont. Soon, with a blush, she buried her head and hugged Namgung Il tightly.
'I wish we would fall forever.'
If there was a heaven, wouldn't it be right here?
Even in a situation of falling from a trendous height, Tang Wol-yeong was so very happy at this mont.
'How far are we falling?'
Contrary to Tang Wol-yeong, Namgung Il had no leisure to enjoy this situation.
At that mont, a faint light was seen from below.
Since only that place was shining in the darkness, Namgung Il thought that was the end point.
Thump—!
Namgung Il landed on the floor with a heavy sound.
Perhaps because he had fallen quite deep, the mont his two feet touched the floor, a shock ran up his legs as if a tremor had occurred.
"Ugh..."
"Y-Young Master, are you okay?"
"...I'm fine."
Fortunately, it was not at a level he couldn't endure.
Namgung Il put Tang Wol-yeong down on the floor and imdiately looked for Gwangcheon.
"...!"
He could see Gwangcheon a little distance away.
Could it be that... he had landed on his head?
Since Gwangcheon had collapsed in the sa posture as when he was bowing earlier, Namgung Il hurriedly approached Gwangcheon.
"Gwangcheon! Are you okay?"
"Hahaha, I almost went to paradise."
"..."
Seeing him laugh, it seed the shock was not that great.
Well, since he had been fine even after flying high into the sky and falling once before, he probably didn't have to worry so much.
Only after checking Gwangcheon's condition did Namgung Il look around.
'Was that the identity of the light I saw from above?'
Namgung Il imdiately recognized that it was a night-luminescent pearl.
An item he had seen before in the imperial treasury of the Namgung Clan.
An amount similar to what he had seen back then was now illuminating this space.
'Why on earth is there a night-luminescent pearl in a place like this...'
Also, why had they suddenly fallen?
With everything being a mystery, Namgung Il looked around more.
"...?"
Just then, an iron door ca into Namgung Il's sight.
An iron door that was clearly artificially made was visible over there.
'A door... is that the exit?'
It was a truly suspicious door.
But since there was nothing else that stood out right now, Namgung Il walked closer to that place.
"...?"
Just then, Namgung Il noticed that there was sothing else besides the iron door over there.
A stone monunt that seed to have been deliberately made, just like the artificial-feeling iron door.
As if to tell what kind of place this was, characters were engraved on the stone monunt, and Namgung Il read the characters written at the very top as if muttering.
"...The Labyrinth of Sacrifice?"
At that unpleasant na, Namgung Il's expression contorted slightly.
(End of Chapter)
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