Volume 3 Chapter 229

Volume 3 + Chapter 229: Archaeology

Ruins of an ancient human civilization.

A knight clad in a blue cloak stood behind a group of archaeologists. His figure was tall and robust, wearing silver armor in the style of the Temple Knights, with golden epaulettes on both shoulders that highlighted his status.

He was the Grand Knight Commander of the Temple Knights — the Fearless Knight.

For the sake of exploring these ruins of an ancient human civilization, many elite knights were dispatched to clear away the obstacles within.

Among them was the Fearless Knight.

Within the Temple Knights, the Fearless Knight was already an existence very close to the Knight King, commanding many knightly warbands and brimming with martial virtue.

Knights of such rank and status, in the current Temple Knights, numbered only four in total.

These four Grand Knight Commanders were the third line of assurance for the Temple Knights. If the Knight King and the Knight Princess were both to suffer mishap, one of the four would be chosen.

By sending a Grand Knight Commander, one could see just how seriously the Temple Knights regarded these ruins of an ancient human civilization.

“How is the progress?” the Fearless Knight inquired.

One of the white-haired archaeologists stood up, pushed up his spectacles, his hands trembling — showing just how stirred up he was.

“Lord Fearless Knight, indeed the decision of the Knight King was correct. This archaeological expedition is bound to yield major results!” the archaeologist said. “This will surely be an important step in restoring the glory of our human civilization!”

This archaeologist was named Sander. Within the field of archaeology, he was already an absolute authority, with no one whose qualifications surpassed his.

He once achieved an accomplishment without precedent and without successor, the excavation of the legendary Holy Armament — Balmung!

At the same time, he also uncovered a truth that overturned the understanding of the human world’s upper echelons.

That distant past of human civilization stretched even further back than the archaic era of the Dragon War. Since there were no written historical records, humanity’s understanding of that civilization was nearly zero, and could only be gleaned in scraps from ruins.

That era is now also called the Mythic Age.

The legendary Holy Armament Balmung was a weapon forged by humans of the Mythic Age, modeled after the Holy Sword Gram.

Therefore, when such an authoritative titan of archaeology spoke in this tone, even the Fearless Knight could not help but feel expectant.

“Mr. Sander, you mean that within these ruins of an ancient human civilization, there is also a legendary Holy Armament?”

“Yes.”

Sander nodded, giving an answer that made the Fearless Knight’s whole body tremble.

“Here exists a holy relic on the same level as the Holy Sword!”

“……!!”

The Fearless Knight was so astonished that he was rendered speechless.

He grew incomparably excited.

Many years ago, the Knight King had decided to launch deep archaeological expeditions across numerous ruins in the human world, investing massive manpower, resources, and wealth — nearly emptying out the Temple Knights.

In order to fight the monsters within the ruins, many Temple Knights had already sacrificed their lives.

This move also drew fierce opposition from many elders within the knightly order, who believed the Knight King had gone mad and had to be stopped, nearly to the point of civil strife.

But the Knight King used extreme measures, unhesitatingly carrying out a great purge within the Temple Knights, silencing all dissenting voices.

At the time, even the Fearless Knight had not understood, yet since he had already sworn to follow the Knight King, he still chose to obey loyally.

What had once seemed like the Knight King’s obstinacy in others’ eyes, as one hidden secret after another surfaced from the river of history, those voices of doubt completely vanished.

Especially when the Holy Sword Balmung was unearthed — the Knight King’s prestige reached unprecedented heights.

Now it seemed, that decision had been exceedingly correct. For the present human world’s strength was inferior to that of powerful alien races, especially the high races…

But that did not mean humans of the distant past had been weak.

Since that was the case, why not directly unearth the heritage of the forebears, to crush the current age?

Only then did people come to understand the Knight King’s vision.

Now, if another legendary Holy Relic could be unearthed…

“Mr. Sander, is there truly an existing legendary Holy Relic here?”

“Yes,” Sander nodded. “According to my judgment, it is possible that humans of the Mythic Age had already foreseen humanity’s decline, and so deliberately left behind such an inheritance within these ruins, hoping that future generations might one day revive the glory of the past…”

“And what kind of Holy Relic would that be?”

“Forgive me, Lord Fearless Knight. The information we have obtained from the surface is truly too little. This legendary Holy Armament lies in the deeper levels of the ruins. From our current research, we have only been able to confirm this much.”

At this point, Sander sighed, showing a worried expression.

“But for now, we cannot enter the deeper levels.”

For the Temple Knights’ archaeological expedition had encountered an extremely severe obstruction — on the path to the depths, they had come upon a monster that could not be slain, blocking the way.

In order to break through to the deeper levels, the Temple Knights had paid grievous casualties, yet to no avail.

At this time, someone proposed that if conventional means could not kill that monster, perhaps they could borrow other powers — for example, using lethal poisons from alchemy to erode and kill the creature from within.

Thus, during this period, the Temple Knights held the entrance to the surface, and sought aid from Rhine Alchemy. The Morrison family also agreed to this, stating they would send the strongest genius of the family to provide support.

“No matter. The aid from Rhine Alchemy will arrive very soon.”

……

……

“Ahhh~”

Xia Yi hugged her blanket, lazily yawning.

She was at Rhine Alchemy’s experimental base, arranged by the Doctor to have a room for rest.

Thankfully the Doctor had not made any strange requests — such as asking her assistant to sleep beside her or anything like that…

Now she could not return to Laurel Academy anymore, and could only stay here.

After sleeping one night, the next day when work hours arrived, Xia Yi did not much feel like getting up.

Speaking of which, this seemed to be the first proper job of her whole life.

Thinking back, it had always been things like being a student, being a gang boss, being a dragon princess, being a Sword Saint…

So this is what getting up early for work feels like — such an inhuman thing!!

Even though her consciousness was already awake, Xia Yi’s body refused to comply, and she just sprawled there in bed.

Bang!

At this moment, the door to her room was pushed open.

Xia Yi thought it was the Doctor, rubbed her eyes, wanting to mutter a few complaints — but when she opened her eyes, she was instantly shocked awake, sleepiness gone.

“Who are you people?!”