Memorize

"It might be a good idea to change formation for a moment."

"Huh? Oh. Okay. How...?"

"Line up behind me in a single file. Each person grabs the collar of the person in front of them. Once you grab it, you must never let go."

Under normal circumstances, they might have asked why, but as soon as I finished speaking, the kids quickly moved into action. There was a brief commotion, but soon, I could feel An-Sol, who had taken her place right behind me, gripping my collar tightly with a sly grin. I think I could roughly understand why they were moving so promptly all of a sudden.

After confirming that An-Sol, Yun-Jung, and An-Hyun had lined up behind me in that order, I continued speaking in a calm tone.

"From now on, the space we're entering is called a 'Course Barrier.' If we stray even a little off course, there's a chance we could get separated from one another. That's why you must never, absolutely never, let go of the person you're holding. It's also best if you step exactly where I step. And... never mind. Let's go."

I wanted to add that no matter what happens, they shouldn't be startled. But I deliberately kept my words to myself. Even I couldn't predict how the scenery ahead might change.

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I began stepping forward, one careful step at a time.

The kids were following my instructions diligently, but occasionally, I could feel their eyes flicker with unspoken questions. For now, I maintained my Third Eye activation and moved cautiously forward.

One step. Two steps. Three steps... My gaze was fixed downward as I followed the footprints, but I could sense that I was on the right track. The grass surrounding us was regaining its original radiant glow. The occasional murmurs of admiration coming from behind also reinforced my confidence.

That didn't mean the Alchemist's dungeon appeared immediately. While the others might have been casually trailing behind me without a care, I was advancing with intense focus, meticulously tracing every single clue. Maintaining the activation of the Third Eye for such a long time was no small feat.

How much time had passed?

"Phew. You can let go now."

We had fully entered the barrier and arrived at the target location. After tracking for over 40 minutes, the alien atmosphere that had surrounded us seemed to dissipate entirely. I took a deep breath and finally noticed the hands still gripping my collar. Occasionally, the persistent tugging had been seriously annoying.

I turned my head slightly and reached for Sol's hand to make her let go. The soft, warm sensation of her hand registered through my palm. Startled, Sol looked at me with wide eyes, her face quickly turning red. I only meant to stop her because her grip was bothersome, but…

As I twisted my palm, she reflexively clung to my hand instead. I had to forcefully pry her off before signaling the rest of the group. Hyun and Yun-Jung, noticing my cue, promptly gathered beside me. They all stood silently, staring at me, so I guided them further into the area.

"Wow..."

Hyun let out a gasp as he gazed at the old marble castle standing before us. When I raised a finger to point ahead, Sol and Yun-Jung, their expressions dazed, followed his gaze to the castle as well. After being surrounded by the dark and dreary forest, the sight of the castle amidst the radiant foliage seemed to leave them speechless.

Hyun, who had been silently admiring the view for a while, finally spoke, his voice filled with awe.

"This castle is…"

"It's assumed to be the dungeon of the ancient alchemist Vivienne. Though, we won't know for sure until we go inside."

Watching the group stare in awe, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride myself. I had agonized over which unique ability to choose for a long time. Out of all the incredible abilities available, I picked the Third Eye because it seemed like the most versatile and efficient for the world of Hall Plain. Back then, finding caves or dungeons had been a grueling task even with the best efforts, but being able to discover this place with just a bit of information reassured me that I had made the right choice.

"Hyung... I didn't think you'd actually find it." Hyun said, his voice filled with admiration.

"Neither did I. I just followed the clues and my instincts… Beginner's luck, I guess." I replied humbly, meeting Hyun's gaze, which was brimming with awe.

I tried to downplay the moment. After all, if they were already this amazed, how would they react to the real challenges we'd face on future expeditions? Still, I couldn't fully bask in the triumph. While everyone was marveling at the serene and beautiful exterior, I knew better than anyone how much of a living hell awaited us inside.

"Wow, oppa! This castle is gorgeous. When I heard the word 'dungeon,' I was expecting something creepy and ominous."

That's exactly right. You'll see it when we head inside and go underground. I answered Yun-Jung's murmuring silently in my head. There was no need to spoil the mood just yet. Sol also spoke, her face full of excitement.

"It feels like looking at a fortress. Like something out of a movie…"

Sol's dreamy gaze was met with a subtle twinge of bitterness on Hyun's face. I wasn't sure why, but the word movie seemed to be the trigger.

Meanwhile, Yun-Jung looked like she was itching to go inside. She couldn't contain her excitement, bouncing on her feet and trying to nudge me forward. Just moments ago, they'd all been dragging their feet, but the change in atmosphere seemed to have lifted their spirits entirely. These kids, it seemed, were more mood-driven than I had realized.

"Oppa, you're really amazing. When we passed by earlier, there wasn't even a trace of a castle. How on earth did you find something like this?"

"Who knows? Guess I just got lucky."

"Oh, come on. I've seen you poring over records and maps all the time. It's like you plucked a star from the sky or something!"

I let out a faint chuckle at Yun-Jung's words. Suddenly, Kim Han-Byeol came to mind. I didn't know what she was up to now, but if she had come along... I shook my head. If it were just the two of us, she'd probably have endlessly questioned and nitpicked everything by now.

Either way, it wasn't the time to let my guard down just yet. No, it wasn't just premature to relax—it was safe to say that things were only beginning. As I moved toward the castle, the others scrambled to keep up behind me.

"Hold on a second."

I stopped just in front of the castle gate. There were definitely traces leading inside. That meant a caravan had already discovered this dungeon and entered ahead of us. Judging by the tracks, there had been five people. Whether the group started as five or lost a member along the way was unclear. Tilting my head slightly in thought, I carefully pushed open the door barring our path.

….

"Whew."

"Whoa…"

We finally stepped into the castle. As we entered, the others were too busy gawking at their surroundings to focus, their heads swiveling this way and that. The circular lobby of the castle could hardly be called neat. Broken chairs and shattered windows littered the area, coming into view one by one. While the place had an air of antiquity, the faintly oppressive atmosphere inside stood in contrast to its majestic exterior.

Still, the ceiling was a sight to behold. Made of white marble, it was stunning to look at. The large domed ceiling and the marble pillars supporting it bore a striking resemblance to European cathedrals.

"What's this? But there's no treasure or monsters. Did someone already loot the place?" Yun-Jung said with a note of disappointment.

"..."

Do you really think it's going to be that easy? I sighed briefly, rubbing my forehead, before lifting my arm and pointing to the center of the room.

On the floor where I pointed was a wooden hatch embedded into the ground, its surface fitted with an iron ring.

"Ah! A secret base!"

"…It's a door leading to the underground prison. How old are you to still be calling it a secret base…?"

"Tch. Same difference. Oppa's always picking on me."

It seemed like she was still giddy about discovering the castle. Just a moment ago, she'd looked as timid as a puppy with its tail between its legs, but now she was starting to act up again. For the moment, I decided to just let it slide and stepped back a bit.

The original meaning of dungeon is underground prison. The absence of monsters in the castle lobby was surprising, but not entirely inexplicable. Perhaps there were no monsters here to begin with, or the caravan that came before us had already cleared them out. Judging by the lack of bodies or signs of combat, the former seemed more likely.

"So, we just have to go in through here?"

"Exactly. After all, we can't just leave after finding this place without even taking a look."

With a slight nod, I grabbed the handle of the hatch. Though it looked heavy and sturdy, it was no match for my strength, which had nearly reached 94. With a single exertion of force, the hatch lifted with a screeching, grating noise, revealing a large square hole in the floor.

"It doesn't look too deep. I'll go in first, so follow me one at a time."

With that, I jumped down without hesitation. The faintly visible floor grew closer until—thud—I landed solidly.

Seeing that I'd descended without trouble, Hyun and Yun-Jung exchanged a quick nod before jumping in together.

Thud! Another impact stirred up a cloud of dust. Unsurprisingly, Hyun, with his high physical stats, landed without breaking a sweat, his expression calm and collected. Yun-Jung, however, knelt on one knee, clutching her foot.

Fearing the worst, I hurried over to her. Yun-Jung looked up at me, her face scrunched in pain, and spoke with teary eyes.

"Ugh… I landed wrong," Yun-Jung groaned, her face twisted in pain.

Hyun and I exchanged weary sighs as we looked at each other. Tilting my head upward, I noticed Sol hesitating at the top. She was pacing nervously, reluctant to jump, but when Hyun called out, "If you stay up there alone, the ghosts will get you," she squeezed her eyes shut and leapt down.

I guess she really didn't want to be left alone. Watching her jump so lightly, I thought—wait, did she really close her eyes?

"Catch me!"

With her eyes tightly shut, Sol screamed as she descended. Hyun and I exchanged puzzled glances, both tilting our heads slightly. Meanwhile, Yun-Jung sighed audibly, casting us an exasperated look. Really? She's the one sighing here?

Splat!

"Eek!"

A soft squishing sound was followed by Sol's sharp cry. She had unceremoniously landed straight on the ground. Rubbing her backside a few times as if trying to soothe the pain, she quickly looked up at us with a face full of betrayal. She must not have expected that no one would actually catch her.

Looking at Sol, her lips pouting in indignation, I felt a sense of unease. She'd fallen directly onto the ground, but instead of the usual thud, there had been a soft, squelching noise. That wasn't normal.

Activating my mana to sharpen my vision, I quickly surveyed the area. And then…

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