Chapter Seventy-seven: Exploring the Main Sanctuary
From time to time, we were engulfed by blizzards, seeking shelter in the Camping Car, verifying our direction with the car navigation system, transferring the roasted pork fillet to a pot, taking breaks when Ms. Aria gave up, setting up rice in the rice cooker, and finally arriving at the building atop the hill.
Since Ms. Aria was struggling against the cold, Survival was really helpful along the way! While there were no actual traps due to the snow cover, we were able to avoid crevasse-like areas and snow cornices… The monsters attacking in camouflage were also spotted… Survival is seriously capable!
“The building… it has a temple-like construction, doesn’t it?”
“Yes, judging from the structure, it closely resembles an ancient civilization’s temple…”
How should I put it… It’s like an ancient Greek-esque temple just standing there on the snowy hill. It’s divided into a forecourt area lined with thick pillars and a main sanctuary area enclosed by walls. Made of transparent, smooth, marble-like white stone, it would have looked magnificent on a lush green hill overlooking the azure sea and blue sky… but in this snow, it’s just a cold, white building. Well, it’s actually not that bad since there’s no falling snow and the wind is partially blocked. It’s just… the appearance, you know!
At the entrance, four particularly massive thick pillars stand side by side, each with an elegant relief figure carved into it. Each strand of hair blowing in the wind, the hem of a wind-blown garment, the seductive outline of a body under thin clothes, and luxurious armor are depicted meticulously and boldly. From the very end, it seems to be a middle-aged man, a young woman, a plump woman, and an elderly man.
The reliefs in the temple… are they gods or something?
“Judging by the style, it appears to be an ancient Helotose temple. The man at the very end is likely Schmerzer, the god of spring and agriculture. The young woman is probably Vernetta, the goddess of summer and commerce. The plump woman is likely Fortunate, the goddess of autumn and benevolence, and the old man is Dieter, the god of winter and death.”
“Ah, so they are gods of the four seasons! But Mr. Xenon, you seem quite knowledgeable.”
“As a long-lived elf, I’m well-versed in myths and folklore. Especially being a priest of sorts, I’ve studied the mythologies of various countries quite extensively.”
“I see! That makes sense.”
Standing by me as I gazed up at the reliefs, Mr. Xenon kindly explained while pointing at each pillar.
Oh! Now that he mentions it, the vibes do seem fitting. The old man’s piercing gaze peeking out from under his deep hood totally suits him.
Ah, so the gods of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, huh? While it may be an overused trope, it’s quite common in mythology. Looking around for anything else, there don’t seem to be any other pillars with relief carvings besides these four.
And then…
“What’s that… a bird?”
Right below the pillar with the summer goddess Vernetta’s relief, a small red bird lay on the ground. I didn’t expect to see a bird here, and when I hastily picked it up to protect it, I realized it was a feather craft shaped like a small bird, made from the large feather of a waterfowl or something, and painted. The pure black eyes were beads, the beak a thinly whittled piece of wood, and the feet made of wire-like material. And it was miraculously light to be near the statue in this snow and wind-exposed place. It had a slightly tilted head, giving it a dumbfounded yet charmingly cute appearance. The vibrant red base color was quite striking and with its crested head and fluffy fanned tail feathers… Some kind of parrot, perhaps? Its fluffy, rich tail feathers were particularly beautiful.
Hmm… leaving it here, it might get blown away by the wind… There’s probably a place to put this little one inside the main sanctuary for an offering or something, right? Should I take it in?
Looking around for any others, there don’t seem to be any companions. The only other notable thing is the gaping dark entrance presumably leading to the interior main sanctuary area surrounded by the pillars.
“Looks like going inside is the only way forward.”
“Yes, with nothing else out on this snowy plain, exploring deeper into the temple seems the most promising lead.”
“Yeah. Even if this temple isn’t the core location, we might at least find a clue about where to go next, right?”
“I agree. Aimlessly wandering this snowy expanse would border on suicidal with no leads at all…”
I looked around, rubbing Ms. Aria’s hands, which seemed to have been drained of energy, even though we had somewhat escaped the biting wind and snow.
The front yard has a roof, but there are no walls, just a row of pillars. The temple is in the back, so the wind is dampened somewhat, but this place is not completely sheltered. We do have the Camping Car to hole up in, but that alone probably won’t solve things. In an ordinary world, the seasons would eventually turn to spring or summer, but being inside a dungeon, this winter is likely perpetual. This means no matter how long we hunkered down in the Camping Car, the snow wouldn’t melt here. In that case, it seems better to venture deeper into the promising temple interior. It should block out the wind completely, and Ms. Aria can recover her strength too.
So, it’s decided. Everyone gathered up and proceeded into the temple. Quickly scanning the area, there don’t seem to be any red frames, so now is as good a time as any to move.
“Aria, can you move? Are you okay?”
“Nn… yeah… thanks, Eddie.”
I was about to offer her a hand up as she staggered to her feet, but Mr. Ed had already gently lent his before I could move. And Ms. Aria, clinging to his hand, almost seemed… happy about it. Her icy blue eyes shone a bit brighter than usual.
Ah, the beauty of a relationship.
Still, I wonder what awaits us deeper inside. I have a feeling we won’t be allowed to just proceed without any trouble…
As we pass through the door leading to what seems to be the main sanctuary with Mr. Ville in the lead, it appears my suspicion was right.
“…An altar, and… doors, huh…”
In the center of the empty room, surrounded by walls, was a towering altar with statues of the gods from the previous columns. Each of the four gods stands back-to-back on a pedestal about a meter high, their faces looking in different directions. There are inscriptions on the pedestal.
The only other prominent feature is that all the gods have in their line of sight a door that must be leading to another room.
Umm… What can I say… It feels like there’s a puzzle ahead…!
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