“How did we end up here…?”

It felt like all the efforts were in vain, becoming a mere waste of time. Benjamin sighed once again in frustration at this unbelievable reality. Not a single book or even a piece of paper was visible in the space. However, hoping for books to magically appear was a futile expectation.

“Could there be some kind of barrier.”

Benjamin mumbled, but his voice lacked hope or expectation. Since it wasn’t a question directed at Yurisien, she remained silent. Consequently, the cramped space, where the surroundings could be seen from all directions by merely extending one’s arm, was soon enveloped in a silence resembling the stillness of a dead mouse. Yurisien thought it sounded like the sound of despair and frustration.

After a while, with a disappointed and sorrowful heart, Benjamin finally turned to look at Yurisien.

“Shall we go up then? Mitchell and Ivan must be waiting.”

“Yes. They might be worried about us.”

Yurisien spoke with a smile, as if soothing his troubled heart. Touched by her caring nature, Benjamin regained his composure and turned towards the stairs. Yurisien, watching Benjamin ascend the stairs, turned around with a regretful gaze, checking the cramped space again. However, at that moment.

“…Your Highness, Your Highness!”

Yurisien urgently called Benjamin. Startled by the cry that seemed like he might faint right away, Benjamin quickly bowed down towards the stairs.

“Why? What’s going on?”

Was it an attack? Or was it a trap? He scrutinized the surroundings with his keen eyes. However, the cramped space remained quiet. Yurisien, standing under the dim light of the lamp, looked safe. Nevertheless, her expression was far from comfortable, and she seemed to think it sounded like the sound of despair and frustration.

After some time, with a disappointed and sorrowful heart, Benjamin finally turned back to Yurisien.

“Shall we go up then? Mitchell and Ivan must be waiting.”

“Yes. They might be worried about what happened to us.”

Yurisien smiled, trying to comfort him. Benjamin, touched by her caring heart, regained his composure and turned towards the stairs. Yurisien, watching Benjamin ascend the stairs, turned around with a regretful gaze, checking the cramped space again. However, at that moment.

“…Your Highness, Your Highness!”

Yurisien urgently called Benjamin. Startled by the cry that seemed like he might faint right away, Benjamin quickly bowed down towards the stairs.

“Why? What’s going on?”

Was it an attack? Or was it a trap? He scrutinized the surroundings with his keen eyes. However, the cramped space remained quiet. Yurisien, standing under the dim light of the lamp, looked safe. Nevertheless, her expression was far from comfortable, and she seemed to think it sounded like the sound of despair and frustration.

After some time, with a disappointed and sorrowful heart
Yurisien noticed it like a ghost and shouted, startling Benjamin.

“But I can’t leave you alone.”

“Even if it’s just for a moment, it’s better to go farther… No, Your Highness!”

Yurisien, with her hands clasped at her mouth, shouted.

“Could you temporarily eliminate your mana? The mana flowing through Your Highness’s body!”

A realization flashed in Benjamin’s green eyes, which were contemplating the meaning of these words for a moment.

“No way!”

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Benjamin, descending with an incredible speed compared to when he ascended, approached Yurisien.

“As expected…”

Yurisien murmured quietly as she stood next to Benjamin. Then, almost clinging to Benjamin, she spoke.

“It reacts to mana. If there is mana, nothing appears, but if there is no mana, things appear.”

“Yeah, just a moment.”

Benjamin, looking at the dark space, took a deep breath and closed his eyes. There was no place in his body where mana didn’t flow, like blood from head to toe.

Sensitively detecting the flow, Benjamin began to extinguish each trace. Mana continued to flow, but the goal was to eliminate the waves generated by the flow as much as possible. Like eliminating footsteps and sounds to erase any traces.

“…!”

Yurisien, a little further away, was amazed. Benjamin, who completely eliminated the mana’s traces, slowly opened his eyes. And he gasped at the sight before him.

The space, which had just been pitch black, was now shining brilliantly with a subtle turquoise light.

“This is…”

It was like a scene where thousands or tens of thousands of fireflies gathered. The only difference was that they didn’t move. Temporarily captivated by the beautiful sight, Benjamin soon realized what the light resembling fireflies was pointing to.

“That’s letters!”

At first glance, the blurred turquoise light seemed like a light cluster, but upon closer inspection, it was multiple overlapping characters.

“Could you send out a tiny bit of mana?”

“Sure.”

As Benjamin released the mana’s traces, the light clusters disappeared in an instant.

“Oh, no…”

Very delicate adjustments were needed.

“To read the proper writing, it will take quite some time.”