Meanwhile, at the festival grounds, the townspeople were buzzing with excitement over the sudden appearance of the Empire's Saintess—someone they had only heard of in passing, never imagining they would see her in person.
"That's Saintess Teresa! Hurry, go take a look!"
"How rude! How dare you address the Saintess by name?!"
"She's the daughter of Duke Eudathios! If the soldiers hear you speaking so casually, you'll be in serious trouble!"
"She's so beautiful…"
"She's dazzling…"
"…"
The continuous murmurs made Teresa feel slightly embarrassed as she stood below the stage.
She took a deep breath and stepped forward. Her gaze swept across the densely packed crowd—faces filled with curiosity, reverence, and expectation.
Placing a hand gently over her chest, she bowed.
"Please, calm yourselves for a moment."
Her voice was not loud, yet it carried a strange, soothing power. The chatter gradually died down.
"I am Teresa, Saintess of the Serias Empire. It is a great honor for me to be invited here today to attend the Harvest Festival of Nessel."
She paused briefly, offering a gentle smile.
"I have heard that this festival is held to give thanks for fertile land, favorable weather, and the hard work everyone has put in throughout the past year. That is something truly worthy of respect."
Her expression softened.
"Lately, the Empire has not been at peace. Many of you may have felt anxious, weary, or unsettled. But please believe this—"
"As long as you stand together, continue to live earnestly, and protect what you hold dear, the darkness will not be able to swallow you so easily."
A faint holy radiance spread around her—not blinding, but warm, like the sunlight of early morning.
"I pray that Nessel will be blessed with abundant harvests and that its people will remain safe and unharmed. And today, I hope you may set aside your worries and fully enjoy the joy of this festival."
She bowed once more.
After a brief moment of silence, applause erupted—at first scattered, then quickly swelling into a roaring wave. Many felt their chests lighten, their spirits lifted.
As Teresa prepared to leave, her eyes were suddenly drawn to someone in the crowd. She couldn't see them clearly due to the press of people, yet that brief glance gave her an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
She stepped closer, trying to get a better look—but the gaze had already vanished. At the same time, her companions called out to her, forcing her to set the feeling aside.
"What are you doing just standing there?" Meryl asked.
"Ah, it's nothing. I thought I saw someone I knew, but then they disappeared."
"Hm? Do you have acquaintances here?"
"Maybe I've just been too tense from work lately and imagined it." Teresa said with a reassuring smile. "It's fine."
Meryl didn't press further, only reminding her to take care of her health for the journey the next day.
"You're right. Thanks for reminding me." Teresa replied.
…
"Hey, didn't the Saintess just look our way?" Liora asked excitedly. Beside her stood the clone Kalyse had left behind.
"With so many people around, how would you even know?" The clone replied lazily. "You've eaten too much—your head's starting to hallucinate."
"Mhm, I didn't eat that much."
The two continued walking and chatting. Kalyse herself paid little attention to the earlier moment—after all, she had been the one to look first. Being noticed in return was only natural.
"I hope this will be an interesting journey." She murmured.
…
Before long, the festival day came to an end. Life returned to its usual rhythm, and Teresa's group set out on their mission.
In addition to the original eight members, the viscount had assigned an extra squad of soldiers to accompany them. Though small in number, Teresa expressed sincere gratitude for the support.
Elsewhere, after working through the entire night, Kalyse finished preparing the magic matrix just in time—right before the group arrived.
"This thing really takes too much time." She complained. "I was planning to inspect the area beneath the mansion as well, but it looks like I won't make it."
Despite her grumbling, she couldn't hide the anticipation in her smile as she looked at her completed work.
"My lady, the group has arrived." Gisule reported as she appeared beside her.
"That was fast. They really don't give anyone time to rest." Kalyse muttered before instructing her, "Stay close to me later."
"Yes."
The two quickly moved aside.
Soon, the quiet forest filled with the sound of footsteps, clashing metal, and low conversation. Teresa's group emerged—led by the Saintess in her solemn armor, followed by her companions and the four members of the mercenary group Caxast. The soldiers sent by the viscount guarded the perimeter, scanning their surroundings with vigilance.
When they arrived, the group halted—reacting exactly as Gisule and Kalyse had when they first came here the day before.
"There's nothing here. Are you sure we didn't take the wrong route?" Garn, leader of the mercenaries, asked.
"According to the information I have, this is the place." Teresa replied. "The entrance may be concealed. Let's spread out and look for clues."
The others complied, but after a long search, they found nothing but trees and rocks.
"Saintess, you'd better explain this properly." Rheos stepped forward, his expression fierce, the massive blade in his hand radiating intimidation. "I'm not here to waste time playing hide-and-seek."
Before Teresa could respond, Braum stepped in front of her, his voice firm.
"Watch your attitude. Don't mistake the Saintess's kindness for weakness. You should know that disrespecting her is a grave offense."
His voice wasn't raised, but the warning was unmistakable.
"Hmph. Don't think that scares me!" Rheos shot back. "The Empire hasn't even paid us yet. If we keep wasting time, the price goes up."
The tension between the two sides escalated rapidly.
At that moment, Garn stepped in and smacked Rheos on the head. "That's enough. Show some respect."
He then turned to Teresa. "I apologize on his behalf. But we can't keep searching aimlessly. Do you have any other leads?"
Thanks to Garn, the situation eased somewhat. Teresa fell into deep thought.
None of the documents Granthor had given her mentioned an exact location or entrance. When she had asked, he only shook his head and said the information came from the Imperial Chancellor.
As Teresa pondered, a faint tremor rippled through the ground, immediately putting everyone on alert.
"A monster?" Garn asked, turning to Meria.
"I don't sense anything." Meria replied, then added, "Wait—the vibration is coming from underground."
Hearing this, Teresa gently spread her holy power, probing beneath the stone layers. In that instant, her gaze and Kalyse's—despite the distance and obstacles—seemed to meet by chance.
And just as Teresa was about to order the group to halt—
Faint patterns beneath the ground began to glow.
In the distance, Gisule stood behind Kalyse, her palm unconsciously clenching. She could feel the mana being forced downward, compressed to the brink of stillness. The moment Kalyse released her grip, this entire area would become the epicenter of a catastrophic upheaval.
Kalyse had already activated the matrix, initiating its first effects. Mana poured out like a raging torrent. Without her preparations, she would have been drained long ago.
"It's showtime!" She murmured, activating the matrix at full power.
Ancient symbols hidden from sight emerged, layers upon layers interlocking like massive gears turning in unison. The light was not blinding but deep and somber—like starlight distorted at the bottom of an abyss—spreading outward with each tremor of the earth.
The air thickened instantly. The wind stopped. Leaves froze midair as if time itself had halted. An invisible pressure bore down, making the lungs of those near the center feel unbearably heavy.
"What's happening?!" Garn roared, drawing his weapon.
"The mana… it's enormous!" Meria cried, her hands trembling as she instinctively raised a defensive barrier.
Teresa felt it most clearly. The holy power within her reacted violently, as if being forced awake by something ancient and distant. Her brow furrowed, her heartbeat quickening.
From afar, Kalyse raised her hand.
The matrix shifted into its second phase.
A deep, thunderous sound echoed—not through the air, but directly into everyone's minds. The ground cracked into fine fissures, then sealed again, as if the land itself were… convulsing.
"As expected—it's responding." Kalyse murmured, a smile forming.
She clenched her hand.
The entire matrix flared violently. Dense streams of mana shot downward like invisible spears, piercing deep into the earth. This was no longer mere shaking—it felt as though the consciousness of the land itself was being torn apart.
Far below, something massive stirred.
It had no clear form, no distinct roar—yet everyone standing above felt a creeping dread, as if a colossal, cold, distant gaze had opened and slowly swept across the world's surface.
"What… is this thing?" Rheos ground out, cold sweat trickling down his neck.
Teresa stepped back half a pace. In that moment, she sensed an ancient will surging forth—neither malicious nor benevolent, merely existing.
"There's a living being beneath us—"
Booom—!!!
That was all she managed to say before a deafening roar erupted, echoing from every direction at once, like thunder exploding from beneath the earth. The ground shattered completely, cracks racing outward like a collapsing spiderweb.
"This is bad! Fall back—!" Garn shouted.
Too late.
The central ground collapsed in an instant, forming a vast, bottomless pit. Soil, roots, and air were violently dragged downward, swallowed by an invisible maw.
"Teresa—!"
"Hold on—!"
Shouts rang out in chaos.
Teresa instinctively expanded her holy power, but the ground beneath her vanished. Gravity seized the entire group, dragging them straight into the pitch-black abyss—crashes, howling wind, and screams blending into utter pandemonium.
"We're going too." Kalyse said, her voice weary.
Her face had gone pale from controlling the matrix. Worse, she had taken a counterstrike from that will earlier—had she not prepared for every contingency, her soul would have been shattered.
Her steps faltered, and Gisule caught her just before she fell. Without a word, the two rushed toward the abyss.
After the violent reaction subsided, everything gradually returned to stillness. The dark pit began to close—
But just before it sealed completely, another creature, moving faster than the eye could follow, darted inside.