ebookland #126 - Open Sesame
#126 - Open Sesame
“Listen carefully, Iris, there are some things you absolutely must not say! It can inadvertently set a Flag, and then bring even bigger trouble upon yourself!”
“That's right, that's right, if you keep saying random things and they come true, you'll be blamed as a jinx! Absolutely don't say random things, okay!”
Below the cliff, Zun Zun and Chris were re-educating the princess.
“Y-yes, I understand.”
Iris nodded with some remorse. She probably didn't understand the meaning of setting a Flag or being a jinx, but the occurrence of these events and their subsequent fulfillment might have been caused by her—it seemed she was becoming aware of this.
Zun Zun and Chris exchanged glances.
Just as they were wondering if they had gone too far, they heard Iris say with excitement: “But falling from a cliff will land you in the water, the adventure stories were right after all! And then next we'll definitely encounter an even stronger… Waaah!”
“Shut up, don't say anymore!” X2
The two quickly covered her mouth.
Even if they were a trio, they weren't 《The Boy Who Lived》, there was no need for so many twists and turns.
It's decided, once they get back, they must make her memorize the Red Demon Clan's 《100 Flag Lines You Must Never Say》!
“But it's a bit cold…”
Chris shivered.
They fell from the track into the river, and were soaked to the bone. Plus, this was a cold underground, and the atmosphere was eerie and terrifying, it would be strange not to shiver.
“…I'll go find something to burn, you two rest here for a bit.”
Zun Zun got up, pretending to look for firewood or something.
Chris grabbed his arm and said, “Wait, it's best not to act alone in this situation. In adventure stories, those who act alone are usually the first to encounter danger, so…!”
“Don't you jinx me too!”
He almost couldn't hold it in.
He was just educating Iris, and she had already forgotten it.
Zun Zun wasn't scared at first, but after hearing her say that, he became a little timid. Fortunately, he didn't need to go far at all. Within their sight, they could see a wrecked and broken railcar.
“Got it, it's this!”
Zun Zun quickly stepped forward, brought it back, and then, under the confused gaze of the two, completely dismantled it.
Although the railcar was fixed with iron rods, the car basket and handlebars were made of wood. In addition, it didn't fall into the water when it fell just now, so it was good firewood.
After setting up a bonfire by the river.
“Light of Saber…”
Crackling electric arcs appeared. Under Zun Zun's precise magical manipulation, the pile of firewood was soon ignited.
“Oh, oh, oh! So amazing!”
Chris exclaimed, “That's a high-level magic, right? A high-level magic that should be powerful and uncontrollable, is being used so skillfully, Zun Zun, you're so amazing!”
“Hmph, of course, using magic in a crude and wild way can only be called barbaric. A true archmage should be elegant and gorgeous.”
Zun Zun was slightly smug.
The Red Demon Clan generally pays attention to ostentation, and believes that the bigger and stronger, the better, after all, this is the only way to give people a shocking scene when they appear.
But Zun Zun didn't think so. Making a fuss would only be regarded as a clown. He believed that acting cool should be invisible and colorless, and every move should be integrated into it.
As the light appeared.
The surrounding scenery was gradually illuminated.
The first thing Zun Zun observed wasn't whether there were any dangers around, but the blonde and blue-eyed princess sitting opposite him.
Because there was no prior preparation and it was a hasty trip, Iris was still wearing a thin white dress.
However, after falling into the water, her golden hair stuck to her slightly rosy cheeks, and her white dress clung to her budding body, making her look weak and lovable. She was especially clear and cool, like a lotus emerging from the water.
As for Chris…
She was wearing a black night suit, and falling into the water didn't show anything at all, but her flat figure, which could be mistaken for a boy's, probably wasn't worth looking at.
“Waaah, it's finally getting warmer! …Wait, Zun Zun, why are you taking off your clothes?”
“Because I'm wearing two sets of clothes.”
This guy is so flat that people don't have any improper thoughts at all, why are you so nervous?
Zun Zun didn't expect that his spare spare clothes would also be soaked. If it were that cautious hero, he would probably prepare heat-resistant and waterproof clothes. It seems that his preparations were not complete enough.
By the way, his last set was a night suit for easy movement.
The three rested here for a long time.
They didn't know what would happen next, so it was best to restore their strength and be fully prepared.
Afterwards, Zun Zun gave the dried cloak to Iris. She was the most lightly dressed of the three, and it wouldn't be good if she felt unwell.
“Iris, do you feel cold?”
“…Not at all.”
As expected of royalty, she looks weak on the outside, but her physical fitness is really something.
…
“Okay, let's go.”
After their bodies and clothes warmed up, the three prepared to continue exploring, looking for a way out.
As everyone knows, after getting lost in a dungeon, the most important thing to do is to walk with the wind and look for vents. After all, buildings like those underground will have air circulation, which means there will be contact with the outside world, which can be used to escape from here.
Zun Zun and the others went downstream.
A lit torch could illuminate the surroundings. Although the road was rugged and difficult, it was still better than encountering monsters. Soon, they climbed onto a small hill.
"Watch your step, Iris."
"O-okay."
After squeezing through the gap between two mountains, they arrived in a spacious cave.
"W-where is this...?"
Zun Zun looked around.
This place looked like a small plaza, with a flat road paved with flagstones, clearly showing signs of artificial excavation. Above were stalactites that took a long time to form, hanging down and emitting brilliant light.
"So beautiful..."
"What an amazing sight."
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Iris and Chris marveled at the place. It seemed neither of them had expected such a strange landscape to exist beneath the royal capital.
"I also think it's beautiful here, but we still need to be careful. Who knows what kind of monsters might be lurking here."
Hearing Zun Zun's words, the two nodded heavily and continued towards the end of the small plaza.
Soon, they discovered a large door. This door was about 20 meters high, made entirely of steel, and its surface was smooth and clean, without any signs of corrosion from time.
The moment they saw it, they knew someone must have been here before!
Chris first signaled for the two to wait. She cautiously stepped forward and didn't trigger any traps, suggesting the owner of this place hadn't set up such things.
"You two, come quickly!"
Hearing the call, Zun Zun immediately ran over.
He saw a stone pier outside the door, with a stone slab placed on it, with words written on it.
Gently wiping away the dust on it, Zun Zun read softly: "O you fools who sneak into the Rhine River, trying to find treasure, greed will only make you sink here. As a predecessor, I hereby advise you—never try to touch the gold at the bottom of the Rhine! But, even so, if you want to seize the gold, then be prepared to go to hell."
Good heavens, are you also a Hell Bro?
After he finished reading, Chris asked in confusion, "Zun Zun, you can understand these words?"
"Of course, what's so difficult about that...? Huh?"
Only then did he realize that these words were written in Japanese, which the people of this world couldn't understand.
Without thinking, he knew this must be the work of a reincarnator sent by Aqua.
However...
"Bottom of the Rhine River?"
Zun Zun scratched his head.
The Rhine River bottom comes from the famous play 'The Ring of the Nibelung'.
It tells the story of the Rhine maidens guarding a magic gold at the bottom of the Rhine. A ring can be cast with this magic gold, and wearing it will allow you to rule the world, but the person must abandon love.
The dwarf Alberich stole the magic gold and cast a ring, becoming the king of the world.
The story takes a turn when Wotan, the lord of the gods, plans to build Valhalla Palace for the gods to live in. Later, the hero Siegmund won the ring, but he was betrayed and met a murderous end. Siegmund's lover, Brunhilde, Wotan's daughter, brought the ring back to the Rhine.
In the end, Valhalla Palace, the dwelling place of the gods, was destroyed in a fire.
Zun Zun couldn't help but complain, "That guy wouldn't be thinking that this is Valhalla Palace, right?"
"Valhalla Palace? Valhalla Palace, the dwelling place of the gods!?!"
Iris suddenly grabbed Zun Zun's clothes and said excitedly, "This... I once heard Father and my elder brother mention it! Valhalla Palace, the dwelling place of the gods, contains something that can fulfill any wish!"
"O-oh..."
Zun Zun didn't really believe that such a thing would exist. This place was built by a Japanese reincarnator. The gods can indeed fulfill any wish, but reincarnators absolutely can't.
What to do?
Zun Zun wanted to just turn around and leave, since getting involved with a Japanese reincarnator never led to anything good, but...
Chris and Iris behind him were both looking at the door with anticipation.
"There might be treasure here! Something that can fulfill any wish..."
They said in unison, "Aren't we going to explore it?" X2
It's one thing for Iris to be like this.
Chris, why are you like this too? Aren't you a goddess? What's so good about exploring the ruins built by an ordinary Japanese reincarnator?
But Zun Zun also knew that Chris liked to explore. Otherwise, she wouldn't have teamed up with others to go to the underground city in Axel. This was probably her way of relaxing after her boring goddess work.
"...Then let's explore it."
"Yay!" X2
The two clapped their hands happily.
"The way to open the door, let me see... To open the door, shout out that phrase loudly, hint: Open sesame..."
Open sesame?
Seeing this, Zun Zun twitched the corner of his mouth.
Is there a connection between them? Are Japanese reincarnators just making things up as they go?
And "Open sesame" is an international idiom, which comes from one of the fairy tales, and is a very famous idiom that almost everyone knows.
That's right, it is—
"—Open sesame!"