Old People Don’t Hold Hands - Chapter 148



Only Krnovel

Episode 148, The End of Hallucination (2)

“… … Hall? Are you talking about the hall I know?”

The one who reacted the most to Diana’s words was Biella.

“… … Yes, that hall.”

Even though Diana continued to explain, Biella shook her head as if she was not interested.

“Ah, even so, monsters are popping out like that… …! Is it okay for me to go?”

“I guess it’s dangerous. But… … .”

When Biella denied it, Diana smiled awkwardly and looked at me instead of answering.

As if asking what I think.

Hmm.

It’s not that I didn’t think about it either.

If it’s true as Diana said, then that’s the only area that hasn’t been properly checked until now.

And coincidentally, right in the middle of the blocked circular area, there was a hole… … .

However, there is a reason why I have not mentioned the hole yet.

Because even I hadn’t been inside the hole since the erosion occurred.

I’ve tried to enter it many times while playing EndWorld.

I have never been able to successfully enter.

In addition, whenever I failed to enter, this message always appeared.

[Space and time are distorted due to erosion, making it impossible to enter the labyrinth any longer.]

Even if you keep ignoring the warning message and try everything.

It was completely impossible to enter alone.

but…….

“There is some truth to what Ms. Diana said. That’s the only place I haven’t looked into yet.”

Strictly speaking, this was not a space where actual erosion was taking place.

After all, it is nothing more than an illusion created by the Frost Queen.

If you had to pinpoint the place most associated with hallucinations… … .

I couldn’t ignore the hole that kept spitting out monsters.

“Ugh, so we’re going back there in the end?”

Biella shuddered as if she had bad memories of this place.

“Haha, human woman! Is this all you’re scared of?”

“Who, who said they were scared?!”

In response to Inogen’s provocation, he grumbled and grabbed his bow.

I’m talking about the bow I got from hunting goblins before.

“… … But wouldn’t it be okay to explore the surroundings?”

“Yes, first of all, there is also Mr. Biella’s ability.”

I nodded to Diana’s words, who added a new opinion, and then suddenly turned my gaze.

“… … .”

There was Nowen, frowning and resting his chin on his hand, as if he was still thinking about something.

Nowen didn’t say much, except for the occasional conversation right after he woke up.

Since you didn’t ask for a separate explanation of the situation, I think you have memories of the Welcome Body…

Since you haven’t said anything, I feel uneasy for no reason.

“Mr. Nowen.”

“Uh, huh? Wh, what’s going on, Declen.”

… … What, why are you so flustered?

As if I was caught having strange thoughts.

“What do you think, Mr. Nowen?”

“What, what are you talking about?”

“… … What the heck? You weren’t listening to what we were saying?”

“I, I’m sorry, that’s… … .”

When Biella pressed him, Nowen scratched his head with an embarrassed expression.

“Mr. Nowen, is there a problem?”

“Oh, no. So what were you talking about?”

I was going to ask Nowen again directly, who smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.

It was closed within a short time.

Even if I ask more, it will just be the same awkward gesture.

Because it seemed like he wouldn’t say anything more.

… … Well, for now, getting out of this illusion is more urgent.

“I was just suggesting that we explore the hall.”

“… … Oh, now that I think about it, that place is still there. I agree.”

“… …Without even listening to the story properly?”

“Uh, well… … , there’s no other place to go.”

“yes…….”

That’s true, though.

No matter how I look at it, it seems like you weren’t concentrating.

That’s weird.

Well, anyway.

“Inogen, are you okay too?”

“… … Ha! What do you think I am, human? You can go right now!”

The expedition was decided upon based on Inogen’s boastful answer.

The method of exploration was simple.

First, approach the hole.

In this case, since we already knew where the hole was and Biella had stealth abilities, we were able to get there quickly.

And now let’s enter the hall for real!

……before.

There were several intermediate steps that had to be done.

Well, this is my first time entering an eroding hall, right?

First of all, is it safe?

No, I needed to check if I could get in there.

The method devised in this way is… … .

Height, height?

Chook!

Key, key, key, key!

… … The first thing I did was throw the goblins in there.

Let’s sneak up on them and throw the captured ones into the hole.

No particular abnormalities were observed.

Key, keyeeee… …!

Those who fell into the hall disappeared without a trace, leaving behind only a final scream.

The first goblin experiment proved one thing:

This hall is available for use.

And it leads somewhere.

Of course, I don’t know if it’s connected to the inside of the labyrinth like a normal hall.

“So, human, can I go in now?”

Inogen clapped his hands together and asked as he watched the goblin disappear.

“no.”

There was still one more thing left to check.

Well, I just confirmed that the hole is functioning normally.

No one knows if the space leading here is safe, right?

If we are connected to an unexpected place, we are the ones who will be harmed.

therefore…….

“From now on, I will check if the area connected to this hall is safe.”

“Oh, you’re checking? How?”

Well, we have a good test subject.

Key, kiruk!

… … Those monsters, you know.

***

Kieeeek, kieeeek―!

The subject decided for the second experiment is… … .

Likewise, the boss of the underground cave that has been eroded and come out.

It was the spider queen.

The Spider Queen had a rather interesting passive.

If the queen dies, all the spores here will run wild.

So, the idea was to put the Spider Queen inside the hole and see how the spores would react to it, to get a sense of whether or not it was a dangerous place.

If the spores don’t show any unusual behavior, it’ll probably be safe for us to go in.

As soon as we made the plan, we searched here and there.

We were able to find our poor victim… … no, the Spider Queen, who had been climbing up near the building.

And then, similarly, after a surprise attack using stealth.

Inogen and Nowen, who had great strength, each carried half of it.

After the Spider Queen entered the hall with her miserable last words, she looked at the spores’ reactions… … .

They were quiet as if nothing had happened.

That’s probably true.

“It must be safe, inside here too.”

I don’t know where it’s connected to, but at least it doesn’t seem dangerous.

It seems like ending the hallucination is also related to this space, so then.

“Shall we go once?”

All four of you reacted differently to what I said.

“Okay! Let’s go!”

Inogen clapped his hands together again as if now was the time to speak.

Diana nodded silently.

“Go, go, then… … !”

Biella tried hard to act as if she wasn’t scared and spoke with determination.

“… … That, that’s right!”

Nowen reacted belatedly with an awkward expression as before.

After that, all five of us, including me, held hands.

He threw himself straight into the hall.

Phew!

This feeling of falling endlessly in the darkness where you can’t see even an inch ahead.

It was a familiar feeling I had every time I entered the hall.

After falling for a long time, the place I arrived at was… … .

Whioo …

It was a space where a heavy snowstorm was raging.

Of course, the place I was just now was also experiencing a blizzard, but it was on a different level from the blizzard in the winter forest where only a little snow was piling up.

okay…….

It was a strong wind of such magnitude that it wouldn’t be strange to call it a storm.

“Eww, what is this… … !”

In the midst of the wind blowing so hard that it was difficult to even open my eyes, I barely managed to look around.

Key, key, key, key… … !

Likewise, the spider queen and goblins we had just thrown in were struggling in the blizzard.

The same was true for the colleagues gathered next to him.

What was revealed minutely before my eyes, which were filled with nothing but white scenery, was… … .

Silver hair blowing fiercely in the snowstorm.

And that incredibly long hair was fluttering before my eyes.

More precisely… … .

―You are the first to break my illusion.

As I was quietly staring at the silhouette of someone standing before my eyes, the snowstorm stopped in an instant.

As the wind stopped, a pure white space with snow piled up came into view.

And then I could finally see the woman standing in the middle.

A noble woman wearing a dress as white and blue as snow.

The hair, which had already been disheveled, hung long.

A person who wears gorgeous clothes like a queen, but does not look like a queen because her clothes are a mess… … .

A woman with a rough appearance, like a crazy woman, but who stands with her back straighter than anyone else.

… … She was the Frost Queen.

― Not only did you wake up yourself, but you woke up others too. This is also a first for you. Usually, you fall for my hallucinations… … .

– So, what’s your name?

The Frost Queen pointed with her straight, ominous finger.

I calmly knelt down on one knee and bowed.

“It’s Declen, Your Majesty.”

The Frost Queen smiled broadly as if she was satisfied with the courtesy shown.

– You already know who I am.

“I have heard many stories about Her Majesty the Queen.”

At my words, the Frost Queen smiled strangely, her lips twisting.

― How could you, a mere human, know about me, who has long since died and disappeared?

“… … .”

Let us remain silent in response to the Frost Queen’s words.

The queen also seemed to agree and put her hand on her shoulder.

– Yeah. I guess it doesn’t matter. After all, I’m already dead and gone.

“… … .”

― You are truly an extraordinary talent. If you were in my world, you might have been able to save my world.

“… … The Queen’s world still remains.”

– You’re still here? I’ve definitely confirmed the end of my world and died.

“It’s frozen, but it still remains.”

To be precise… … .

“Inside the labyrinth.”

― … … ! What absurd thing… … !

There was one thing that the Frost Queen, of course, had not revealed to anyone.

What is the ‘my world’ that the Frost Queen speaks of?

I knew exactly.

The Frost Queen loved him and brought him prosperity.

A space where the queen was unable to escape the apocalypse and ended up taking her own life.

That space was… … the frozen castle located on the 7th floor of the labyrinth.

And the Frost Queen was the sole ruler of the Frozen Citadel.