Chapter 42. Collaborator and the One Who Burns (2)

"Try this on!"

"What?"

I looked at what she held up. It looked like a crimson robe.

"I bought it because I thought it would add a nice touch over your armor. Just hold still."

Whoosh.

Rena unfolded the fabric in her hands. What I thought was a robe with a hood turned out to be a simple crimson cape.

"Alright, hold still...."

She moved behind me.

Clink. Clink.

Without hesitation, Rena unlocked a few of the connectors on my armor and slid the crimson cape she had bought into place between them.

"...”

Wearing something extra over my armor naturally felt strange.

But still.

In my last life, she had died because of me. Although I hadn't confirmed it, there was no way she could have survived. Refusing something this small seemed difficult.

"

Hmm...

."

"Wow, it really suits you."

Rena looked pleased while I muttered a slight complaint, my last bit of resistance.

"Why did you buy something like this? I don't need a cape."

"Who said you needed it? I bought it because I wanted to see it. It's for my pleasure.”

"...”

Rena chuckled as she secured the cape deeper into my armor. I decided to determine the cape's benefits.

"With a color like this... if I get covered in blood, it won't be too noticeable."

“Ah, you're so ruthless.”

She sighed softly, standing close as she helped me don the cape. Her breath brushed against my shoulder blades.

"Isn't that why you picked it out?"

"Who buys clothes thinking like that? But speaking of which..."

Rena changed the subject.

"Go ahead."

"How did you know something would happen at the river?"

Apparently, something had happened there, which was likely something similar to last time. I responded with feigned nonchalance.

"It was an easy guess. Isn't that typical of you humans?"

She laughed, but it wasn't exaggerated, just a faint chuckle.

"In truth, I seriously considered it. I thought about running away for good, but I made up my mind. If a skeleton trusts others this much, I should stay by its side."

I looked at Rena. A status window appeared. Most of it was the same, but her Affection had risen to 21. Her feelings seemed to have shifted while she was alone at the inn.

It's past 20.

A milestone I had yet to see.

[Name: Rena

Thief Lv. 5

Health: 13

Strength: 11

Agility: 17

Wisdom: 11]

[Affection: 21

— Rena feels a sense of kinship, familiarity, and usefulness toward you.

— She wishes to grow closer to you. Her affection continues to increase.]

[Basic Skills:

Dagger Throwing Lv. 3

Trap Making Lv. 3

Strategy Lv. 2

Neck Slitting Lv. 2

Tracking Lv. 1

??? (More Affection required)]

The perks and titles were still locked. It was similar to the window I had seen when Rubia's Affection had reached 20.

"What are you thinking about so deeply?"

"Once the supplies are handled, I'll move on to the next place."

"You could stay here a bit longer... though it's nice that you're proactive."

"I'd like to finish exploring the dungeon quickly."

Rena seemed to ponder for a moment.

"Would starting with the Barren Underground Tomb be okay? It's an E-rank dungeon. Although it's close to D-rank with two added stars, it's the closest one."

"Isn't that the place with skeletons?"

She nodded. "Yes."

More of my kin, then?

Yet, I felt no hesitation.

"Alright, let's go there."

"I'll go get a map."

***

Three days passed by, and Rena quickly managed the supplies. She brought back a detailed dungeon map and various supplies with the money from her transactions. She wore a large backpack, and every pocket seemed full of something.

Probably poison, bombs, or throwing weapons.

Creak.

We opened the dungeon door and stepped outside.

I'm finally stepping out.

Memories from my last life surfaced. I had remained in the dungeon, unable to leave. I had dismissed my plans with Rena and rejected them without reason, only for her to perish while waiting.

Remaining in the dungeon felt familiar and comfortable. But as I stayed, my mind grew clouded. I lost control over myself and sunk into vague, chaotic reveries.

Thud, thud.

We walked to the dungeon's entrance.

There was a man in blue armor standing here.

I wondered who that man had been. The man with grayish-blue hair had glared at me.

He mentioned something about a wizard and royal guards.

Then he destroyed me, speaking in riddles I couldn't understand. He was a powerful human, far beyond what I had to defeat him.

Even in the wars against the Sixteen Demon Lords, I hadn't encountered such a strange human. If I continued to come back to life, perhaps I would see that man again someday.

"What are you thinking about?"

Rattle.

Rena's words snapped me out of my thoughts. She glanced at me before moving closer to speak. Together, we walked along the mountain path that lay ahead.

"It rained yesterday. Autumn rain is nice, too. I came a day later because of it. You wouldn't know since you were inside."

"Yes."

"So, how does it feel to be out?"

"It's nice."

I nodded slightly, taking in the scenery. She was right. A round of autumn rain had passed, leaving the soil spotted with raindrop patterns.

Autumn is in full swing.

I had buried Rubia last winter.

It felt like time had flown by. I had walked the autumn mountains before entering the mausoleum. The beginning and the peak felt different.

The autumn of night and the autumn of day, walking alone and walking with someone else in autumn, felt different, too.

Thud, thud.

Some autumn leaves were as red as blood from the heart. Not all the foliage was bright red, though. Many trees, still green in parts, had leaves in various shades, from crimson to light green.

Rustle, rustle!

"Oh! A badger!"

A small badger ran across our path, scurrying through the dense autumn leaves.

"Is it running away?"

"Maybe it's just going about its business. Animals know whether or not they're in danger."

"Do they?"

"Yes, they really do."

Rena's gaze softened as she watched the animal, a warm look in her eyes.

"How cute."

It was a stark contrast to how she had lured men into the dungeon and then mercilessly slit throats.

Hmm.

Is she some sort of animal-loving misanthrope?

Rena kept consulting the map as we walked.

Swoosh...

As the sky began to darken slightly, we encountered a waterfall cascading down between dozens of stone steps. The spray burst into white foam as it hit a small pool below. Under the waterfall's misty spray, Rena led me to a path.

"This way!"

The flowing water carved a hollow in the rock wall. Inside, a wide stairway continued downward.

Is this it?

Clank!

We descended the steep, wide stone steps one by one.

"

Whoop!

"

Rena kept up, gracefully dodging the spray and brushing her damp hair back as she followed me down.

Perhaps I should go alone.

This was an E-rank dungeon. Even though she was prepared, it might still be dangerous for her. Even if I shielded her, unforeseen factors could still pose a risk.

I should prevent her from entering.

However, I couldn't stop her from following me to the entrance.

Thud!

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

I leaped down the last step in full armor.

Hum...

At the center of the hollow was a large iron door encased by an arched stone frame without any engravings or designs. I stood before it.

"We got here quickly."

"Yes, it's only half a day away."

The Barren Underground Tomb was indeed close to The Ossuary of Wraiths. Though we had traveled quickly since morning, the sun had yet to set.

"It's much closer than the other dungeons. Do you think it's because they're similar?"

She was right that it was a dungeon of similar nature. Both housed skeletons. However, the level of this place was much higher than that of the mausoleum.

"I'll go in alone from here," I stated firmly.

Rena raised an eyebrow and grumbled, "Oh, come on. Isn't that line a bit cliché?"

"Are you planning to follow me?"

"Are you really going to leave me out here alone? What if some bandit kidnaps me while you're gone?"

What?"

"Who knows what kind of scoundrel might come by if you leave me here? Or if I run into someone who likes amputating limbs..."

"..."

"I'm in danger, you know. Real danger."

Rena lightly brushed the crimson cape she had helped me wear.

"Are you really going to leave me? Honestly, I can handle an E-rank dungeon. I promise not to tag along for the next one."

I had nothing to say to that. "Fine, let's at least check first."

Thud, thud.

I approached the large iron door, stopping in front of it. Nothing appeared.

"...”

"Is there something you're waiting for?"

"...Just."

I recalled the mausoleum, where the dungeon's name, rank, and recommended level had been displayed when I stood before the door. But here, there was no indication of the dungeon's name, level, or anything at all. There was no window. Though it felt strange, I didn't show it to Rena.

I guess I'll have to go inside to see.

I pushed against the iron door.

Rumble...

The door opened smoothly, with little resistance.

"..."

Clank.

The dungeon was silent.

Is no one here?

I stepped inside, and my footsteps echoed. Nothing responded. There was no presence.

"It's completely empty?"

"This doesn't make sense."

"Right? Maybe adventurers have been here? But there's no trace at all..."

Rena alternated her gaze between the dungeon map and the empty corridors ahead. The hallway was empty. The left open space where an ambush might have occurred and the small water-filled room on the right were both empty.

"Where did everyone go?"

They left.

Rena's words struck a chord. Yes, the creatures that had once occupied this tomb had gone somewhere.

Could that really happen?

The world belonged to humans, and monsters had no place to go. Usually, monsters were bound to their dungeons, waiting for adventurers to come and hunt them down. As a lowly Skeleton Soldier, I shared that fate.

I remembered my first life. I hadn't considered leaving until humans tore apart the mausoleum amidst a strange war. If humans trampled over me, I endured, breaking again and again without complaint.

Of course, comparing my small mausoleum to this sizable underground tomb might be inaccurate. The residents in this tomb might differ in strength.

There could be skeletons in the Barren Underground Tomb capable of leaving with sentient thought.

Still, this is strange.

A mass migration like this was unusual. Consumed by doubts, I trudged through the empty corridor. Unlike the natural cave-like mausoleum, the floor here was fully tiled, and the walls were neatly bricked. However, that was it.

"Even the traps marked on the map are gone. Everything's gone. This is really strange."

The dungeon felt barren. A place that should have been full of bigger, stronger, more varied skeletons, along with traps and scattered bones, was empty.

We continued deeper inside.

"All the iron bars are open, too!"

The iron bars separating different zones were all raised. This dungeon had areas divided by iron bars, yet every bar was lifted.

The large candles that should have cast a grim light on the dungeon were all extinguished. Even the candles hanging from the ceiling and those on the shelves were out.