After Roland's simple but futile dissuasion, Griffith and the inspection team left Mingzhen in the early morning. Although the would-be knight had hesitations and doubts about this ruins inspection in his heart, there was nothing he could do.
On the one hand, the girls traveling with them are independent enough in their thinking. The remains of creepy mutant creatures placed in front of them may scare them to tears, but it will inevitably arouse their curiosity and want to explore the mutations. On the other hand, Homemonworth is the best higher school of magic in the world. Pursuing the truth among crazy and weird clues is a noble and fashionable behavior. It is impossible not to do summer homework just because of worry and fear. unable.
They left town and followed groomed waterways and lakes. The previous battles had driven the mutated creatures into distant mountains, making the road to the ruins easy and pleasant. Hills surrounded by swamps came into view in the distance, stretching to the north to the majestic snow-capped mountains.
The ruins of Bellomont are near the source of the swamp. Several expeditions have investigated it, and papers on its geological features and civilization classification have been published in prestigious journals. Sonia compiled the papers before setting off and discovered that many famous pioneers had set foot in this ruins, including the headmaster of Homemon Watts, the spellcaster Supreme Tiberion, who was still a professor at that time. However, the principal's paper that year was really not very good. He piled up some specimens and statistics, gave some meaningless analysis and ended it hastily. After reading it, several girls felt that if this was not sponsored by Homemon Watts School, academic journal, this paper cannot be published.
The ruins were originally an ancient cave under the swamp, where trolls and human pagans once settled and worshiped, building altars and holy places, until geological changes caused the underground river to change course and completely disintegrate their temples.
The group looked forward to excavating distinctive geological samples to write a report. If they could find some fragments of ancient civilizations hidden by the stagnant water and silt of the ancient swamp, it would be a worthwhile trip.
In this way, the expedition team gradually left the world inhabited by humans. The sun slowly sets in the west, and the hazy reddish sunlight pours on the water, reeds, shrubs and low hills. The red glow and the white snow on the mountain tops in the distance form a beautiful and intoxicating scene that makes people intoxicated.
To the northeast of the swamp is a towering mountain top that is inaccessible to everyone, looming in the mist. Between the sinister bulges and jagged cliffs, there is an unstoppable howling whirlwind, like a loud cry.
The windy melody is vaguely mixed with wild music, as if they come from a primitive tribe that lives in seclusion.
It evoked some subconscious touches that made Griffith's heart beat violently. He looked around and found that several girls' faces were obviously shaken and uneasy. But no one suggested turning around now.
"over there."
The guide pointed ahead. In a pool of sparkling water, there stands the ruins of a temple sunken deep into it.
Although it has been half-destroyed and tilted over the years, the thick stones, rough shapes and unrecognizable broken statues above the water still give people an indestructible solemn feeling.
“The silent swamp is boundless,
"In the lonely northland,
"Melting snow and dead vines flowed down from the distant mountains,
"In the broken ruins,
“The tidal call never ceases.”
Sonia tapped the notes in her hand and began to talk about the expedition to the Bellomont ruins in the book. The mysterious narrative style made the atmosphere among the group more solemn, and no one paid any attention to her for a while.
This was very embarrassing, and Griffiths managed to piece together a few words:
"Is this the record from when the ruins were first discovered?"
"Yes, yes," Sonia let out a small sigh of relief when someone answered. "Judging from the architectural style and materials, the ruins have been repaired and expanded many times, and civilizations from different eras have left traces."
At dusk, the boat stopped at the edge of the ruins. After letting the expedition team and supplies board the ruins, it slowly departed. The boatman's voice gradually faded away under the setting sun:
"We will be here to pick you up at this time in seven days."
The entrance to the ruins is right in front of you. Griffith glanced back at the swamp under the setting sun. The light was receding, and a heavy and depressing atmosphere had unknowingly enveloped them.
"Come on, let's go," Sonia said softly after taking a breath, "It's T-day, 6:40 pm."
…
The place to disembark is a solid and wide platform. Even the swamp and the erosion of time cannot change its stability. The architectural structure shows the civilized and superb skills of the builders. Just this platform and the inward passage make people interested in studying. There must have been rich murals and statues on the stone walls, but unfortunately they have all been lost to history.
The silent passage from the platform to the interior of the ruins is like a big mouth, deep and dark, with strange smells surging, and even unspeakable wailing and sorrowful sounds that linger and twist in the ears, lingering and lingering.
After arriving at this ruins, Griffith felt strong uneasiness and impulse. The mutated creatures and the sense of despair in the swamp became clearer in front of the ruins.
"There are many traces and thoughts left here, and it is difficult to discern the secrets through divination." Galadia also returned from listening and meditating, muttering in confusion, "Maybe it's because the ruins are too old."
At this time, experienced guides and helpers took action. There are 12 of them, carrying backpacks of various sizes. They are equipped with ropes, pickaxes, lighting fuel and clean drinking water.
Ruin exploration is indeed a very expensive activity. This exploration is expected to take seven days, plus the time to and from the swamp, each day will cost three thousand silver francs. The money covers the application for official day-rate exploration concessions, the cost of guides and hired hands, and the purchase of equipment, fuel and food.
The money is now shared between Galadia, Sonia and Fiona. For their family background, this is not an astonishing expense. It is just a necessary education expense during the growth stage. Relatively speaking, the safety and comfort of the journey are more important.
If it were those trainee spellcasters with civilian backgrounds, the nature of the summer exploration project would have changed. If they don't have the money to hire guards and helpers, they have to carry a small team of people with limited supplies deep into the dangerous ruins. When they encounter danger, the sky and the earth are really unstoppable, and many people disappear into the darkness. Can't go back.
…
After everyone briefly confirmed their location and itinerary, Sonia began to urge everyone to prepare to go deep into the ruins.
Griffith followed her, watching the girl check the map, specify the location of anchor points and ropes, and arrange the order of the team.
Different from the image in the ball and college, Sonia wore a smart and slim-fitting red hunting suit. Her light blond hair was tied behind her head, revealing her elegant swan-like neck between the collars. She doesn't have to do the work of digging and laying ropes, and she has help getting up and down cliffs and gentle slopes without getting her clothes dirty.
Sonia watched the work of the expedition team and from time to time brought up some things that everyone ignored. Her words are clear and melodious, but very accurate and concise. She can clearly point out the omissions in her work, and her tone is gentle yet dignified.
This is really an ideal candidate for a fiancée... In the poorly lit ruins, Griffith had to stay alert and couldn't do anything to help others, so he inevitably started to think wildly.
The entrance to the Bellomon ruins is a huge cave inside the temple, surrounded by rugged boulders. The temple sunk in the swamp was built on top of the cave like a lid. Not far from where everyone disembarked, you would see this dark pit, and you could go down deep into the core of the ruins.
After many explorations by other expedition teams, the road here is also very clear. After the guides and civilians fixed the ropes, they lifted the advance team, customers and supplies down one by one.
Griffith first fixed the rope for Sonia's descent, and then looked at Miss Elf not far away. Galadia looked at him seriously, pointed at Sonia and told him to pay attention to his duties.
The entrance to the ruins is stunning. Griffith had never seen anything like it. Sunlight shines into the cave through the gaps in the rocks, leaving mottled light and shadow. The towering stone walls are carved with huge human-shaped stone statues, the size of which is larger than an adult male's finger. Although the face has been destroyed, the thick, distant aura can still shock people.
"This ruins was once the holy place of an ancient sect," Sonia explained softly to Griffith beside her during the descent. "According to records, the stone statue is a statue of the prophet. As the sect declined, the kingdom investigated The members destroyed the faces of the stone statues and destroyed the believers’ documents.”
Sonia is a serious and good student, a curious scholar of occultism, history and archeology, and she is very enthusiastic about letting people around her study like her.
When she was explaining, she looked at the huge cold stone statue intently and her tone was very calm. But the hand holding the rope tightly was shaking slightly.
Griffith looked down at his feet. The first men had reached the bottom of the pit and lit bonfires there. The tiny firelight flickered in the distant darkness, making the pit even more dangerous and terrifying.
"We still need a few minutes to reach the bottom," Griffith said. "The scene here is really like a terrifying oil painting. The professors will definitely be impressed by the report attached!"
Sonia nodded immediately: "If it were me, I would draw Miss Tidwige on the attached picture of the investigation report. She is as bright and beautiful as the rising sun. This is an investigation of the social structure around the ruins, well, that is so."
"By coincidence, I have already drawn a painting like this," Griffith said as he took the notebook from his waist and handed it to Sonya. "I named this "Legendary Ranger Tidwexi in Dinefei" "!"
"This is a good name, it feels like a sociological event!" Sonia cast a lighting spell with great interest, "This is the first time I heard that you can also draw."
"I am a realist," Griffith nodded proudly. "As a staff officer, drawing is a necessary ability."
Sonia flipped through her notebook and looked at it for a while, then asked with some confusion: "I only found one painting~ Why does it look like a haystack in a knight's manor? In the far distance of the picture is the spire of the Crystal Tower of Tynyphes." ,Yeah?"
"That's right."
"This," Sonia became even more confused, "Who is this man?"
"The great Knight Roland." Griffith glanced at his notebook to confirm that he was right, and nodded seriously.
"Yeah~ Then who is this girl who is obviously not an elf?"
"The unknown manor girl."
"Why is Knight Roland hugging this little girl!" Sonia was shocked, "Where is Miss Tidwig!?"
"Tidwigi is in Tynephes."
The whispers between the two were a bit loud, and Fiona and Lana not far away were already laughing.
Sonia quickly reacted, covering the corners of her lips that were about to turn up, and gently patted Griffith's head with her notebook.
The heavy darkness in the ruins seemed to detect the light and joyful laughter, and hid deeper with an atmosphere of terror. Soon, the group arrived at the camp at the bottom. The warm firelight and solid ground made people feel at ease.
