Scott could have sworn he felt something...... But he didn't see anything.

In this labyrinth, most of the dangers are invisible. He looked back at it with trepidation, making sure he wasn't on the wrong path. But who knows? Maybe something has changed here in the midst of the tremors.

“...... Don't turn around so suddenly as if you see something, it's scary, okay?" Tates looked back in the same direction with alarm, grumbling dissatisfied.

Scott smiled wryly and said, "Anytime you want to get out of here......"

"Oh, don't even think about it. Tess scoffed at his yet another attempt to convince her to turn around and flee, "Do you know what could be more cruel than letting a thief open the door and not going in?"

“...... Tess, you can't take anything from here. Norway admonished her severely.

“...... It's always okay to take a look?!" Tess tilted the corners of her mouth down aggrievedly.

"Then don't let me hear it, 'It is the cruelest thing to let a thief see something and not let her take it.'" Or something like that. Nori replied calmly.

Tess turned her head and grimaced at Mochi unhappily, but the little mongoose, who was so frightened by Xiaobai that she lay motionless on her shoulder, was in no mood to pay attention to her.

"I gotta say, Scott, your ancestors were bold enough. Deeply bored, Tess digressed without saying a word, "They dug the ground like a dwarven pit, and how dare they build such a big castle on it!

Scott smiled wryly and didn't answer.

It's not the first time he's been here. But you will still be amazed by the grandeur and complexity of this underground labyrinth. The thought that his ancestors built all this always makes him feel a slight sense of pride from the bottom of his heart.

But if something hidden deep in the labyrinth is destroyed...... Things can get pretty bad.

His father had told him more than once that the labyrinth protected an artifact. He also protected Kriesburg, but he never really believed it. The old castle overhead was occupied more than once, destroyed...... But this labyrinth really seems to have never been broken into, and no one can destroy it. Even Nia has lost its way here.

Chrysersburg is built on top of a cliff that spreads out slowly on one side. Calm forests and idyllic fields, on the other side are the rushing river under the cliffs. Here the river Vinez makes a sharp bend, and the course is narrow and treacherous. It is impossible to sail at all, and it is a natural barrier for Kriesburg.

No matter which way you look at it, the rocky mountain beneath the castle doesn't look like it can hold such a huge labyrinth...... Sometimes Scott even doubted the moment they stepped through the door of the labyrinth. In fact, they have already entered another world.

But here's what happened. It did affect the castle on the ground.

Measured by the distance they have traveled, they have gone deep into the ground. As Tess said, it's a bit like a mine dug by the dwarves, their majestic underground kingdom. Countless passages lead in all directions, crisscrossing each other, and they all look exactly the same...... Except for the top part.

Perhaps out of human vanity, the ancestors of the Chrissians family carved various legendary stories on both sides of the passages on the top two or three floors of the labyrinth, most of which were related to the history of the family. But there are many that no one remembers. After all, even the labyrinth itself has been lost in the long history...... Except for the heirs of the Chrysers family. Few people know it exists.

The largest relief is about a war...... A battle between humans, elves and dwarves side by side against dragons, the vivid images made Norway stop for a long time.

"Oh, Iss won't be happy to see this. This was Tess's only assessment.

"In fact, he probably saw ......," Scott told her, "when Nia snuck in with him." But at that time he didn't know he was a dragon. And now...... He probably knew better than any of us what was going on, after all, one of his ancestors might have been one of the ice dragons in the painting. ”

“...... It's a bit weird to hear. Tess said.

"Does that look like the Staff of Eternity?" Noway pointed to a sideways figure on the wall that was two or three times larger than most others.

In his right hand the figure holds a slender cane that rises much above its head. Not far from him, there were two men of the same size, one holding a sword, the other with his hands raised in the air.

"Three Sages. Norway whispered, "...... But in the legend of the elves, the sage chosen by the god of water at that time should be a female elf. ”

And the picture carved is clearly a human male.

Scott shrugged: "'There are countless faces to the truth'. ”

They looked at each other and smiled wryly as they moved on. After passing through the over-decorated floors, the passage below takes on an ancient earthiness and roughness...... But it's even more dangerous.

Scott no longer allowed Tess to get out of the way, laughing at the useless traps that had been over-decorated, and the bones that had died under that stupid trap and had been lying here for an unknown amount of time.

In fact, Tess wisely stopped scurrying around. Simple runes were hidden among the mottled rocks, and the smell of magic was so thick that even the less sensitive ones stood on end. She has the confidence to deal with all kinds of traps...... But the trap set with magic is beyond her abilities.

The occasional visible bones of the losers in the upper layers are no longer even visible here, but that only makes it seem more dangerous.

Scott's steps slowed cautiously, and the words were occasionally muttered in his mouth.

“...... What are you chanting? Mantra?"

Although she knew that she shouldn't distract him, Tess couldn't help but ask.

"No, it's ...... A poem. Scott sighed, "The ancestors of the Chrysers family hid their way into the labyrinth in a poem—a long, long, and boring poem. ”

"The spirits of your ancestors may be listening to you complain. Tess said, and then gloated at Scott's face slightly white.

Even if it's a powerful priest. The souls of their ancestors can probably only be respected.

"If they were here, I'd like someone to tell me the last part of the poem. Scott glanced back thoughtfully. He could always feel something behind him...... But that doesn't seem to be malicious.

“...... Sounds a little bad. Tess's eyes lit up with excitement, "You forgot the back?"

"I didn't have a chance to finish it...... It is transmitted only by word of mouth. And my father died before he could teach me all. Scott replied lightly.

“...... I'm sorry. Tess whispered.

Scott smiled at her.

"But I'm not going to leave obediently because I'm sorry!" Tess immediately added, "If you don't know how to go next, you'll definitely need the instincts of a good thief!"

She pointed to her nose with a serious expression, and Scott could only smile and shake her head and move on.

At a three-way intersection that was indistinguishable from the many three-way intersections ahead, Scott stopped.

"This is it. He sighed. "The only way I know of a safe way to pass is here. ”

“...... What happens if you go the wrong way?" Tess asked knowingly, "We still have you!"

Scott spread his hands helplessly: "I didn't think you'd come with me...... Even I may no longer be able to guarantee your safety. ”

He looked at Norway and Tess. One last temptation to persuade: "I think you'd better ......"

"Go over there!" Tai pointed to the road to the left without hesitation, looking like he was in his chest.

Scott was stunned for a moment before asking, "Does your intuition tell you that?"

It sounds like he doesn't have much faith in "the instincts of a good thief".

"Oh, it told me. Tess smugly pointed to Xiaobai, who had run back to them and yelled at them a few times.

"Beast intuition!" Tess narrowed her eyes with a smile. "And Xiaobai is not just a beast...... Isn't it?"

Scott hesitated.

"It's not just a beast," Xiaobai shouted even louder. It seems that they are very dissatisfied with their hesitation. Mochi shuddered at the milky scream and swooped into Tess's arms.

The white panther turned around and ran into the aisle on the left again, its little black and white tail dangling behind it like a small flag.

This time Tay didn't hesitate to follow, and Scott exchanged a look with the elf and followed.

Whether it is called "intuition" or "instinct", Xiaobai is full of confidence in the path he has chosen, and he does not hesitate at every turn - and indeed they do not touch half of the trap.

According to Tess's calculations. They probably went down two more floors. When they heard the rumbling sound of running water coming from the end of the passage, everyone involuntarily quickened their pace.

Suddenly the eyes are bright. The road broke in front of them, and on the other side it was no longer a passage in either direction, but a gap almost half the size of the gate, through which the murky river was pouring in, disappearing into the crack in front of them.

Xiaobai jumped around them excitedly, raising his head high, as if expecting their compliments.

"Oh, little white, little white, you're a proud and fierce big cat - not big enough, and even then, you can't take credit like those stupid dogs!" Tess shook her finger at it, poking her head out and glancing down cautiously, "I see a path, maybe it's too late to hang it with a rope now...... But I think I've been soaked in water once, and I don't really want to come a second time. ”

The ground shook slightly, and Norway immediately reached out and pulled her back, but he took two steps forward and looked down.

"It looks like it just broke. He turned back and told Scott, "There's no sign of a long-term wash here...... I think it was probably the first shaking that shook the rocks, let the water in, and then touched some of the traps. ”

Scott didn't say anything.

The elf's speculation sounded reasonable, but he always felt that something was wrong.

He looked at the crack and closed his eyes again, but the aura around him was chaotic, and he couldn't feel anything, only the water flowing in without stopping, and the water in the crack was getting higher and higher, and it seemed to be overflowing to their feet.

“...... Let's go back to the ground first. Scott had no choice but to decide, "I'll wait until it's calm here...... If the castle hadn't been completely underground. ”

With the water in the way, it would be more difficult and dangerous to find anything, and Norway and Tess clearly didn't intend to leave him alone to continue.

As he left, he couldn't help but look back, and suddenly remembered that it seemed that a long time ago, water, not fire, was the strength he trusted and relied on.

(To be continued......)