Old People Don’t Hold Hands - Chapter 172



Only Krnovel

Episode 172, The Puppet Show of the Dead (1)

I’m not sure about the 5th floor, but on the floors before that.

… … Especially the 4th floor.

Among them, the fact that there were monsters that could be talked to in the Flame Labyrinth was information that even I did not know.

No, if you look at it as a whole, you should consider the 5th and 7th floors, where conversation is possible, as special world lines.

… … Unlike other floors, the 5th floor has intelligence similar to humans.

There was also a monster living there that could be talked to.

To be exact, it was not originally the same language used by the inhabitants of EndWorld.

If you look at the ‘first record remaining on the 5th floor’ recorded in EndWorld, it was written like this.

[As we entered the portal with fear, what we saw was a jungle.]

[This place was so powerful that it was thought to have near-infinite vitality.]

[Soon after, we discovered a bipedal creature, similar to a human, wearing leather clothing and carrying weapons.]

[They looked more like lizards than humans, but they didn’t look any more like beasts than the Prokmen.]

[They had two eyes that were slit horizontally like lizards and had blunt tails. They looked at us and started talking to each other.]

[It was soon discovered that, unlike regular monsters, they communicated with each other in a form similar to language.]

[This was strongly argued by linguist Jacques Mole, who had also come up to the 5th floor.]

[After hearing Jacques Mole’s story, we continued to use gestures to show them that we were not harming them.]

[It wasn’t long before they also seemed to understand our intentions.]

[As our friendly relations continued, we tried to talk to each other.]

[Not long afterwards, a young lizard-man (perhaps one of the village chief’s sons) who was particularly intelligent, learned our language and uttered his first words.]

[Who are you?]

[That was the first Kargon language the monster spoke.]

… … As the records state, there is definitely intelligence on the 5th floor.

There was a being that had a friendly relationship with humans.

So, the 5th floor of the labyrinth was not usually played by hunting and killing monsters and bosses.

If we make some kind of agreement with them, they’ll solve some small problems for us.

Similar to the 3rd floor, the structure was such that permission was granted from that side so that one could use the portal that was already open.

So, it seems like completing a kind of friendly quest will allow you to use the portal.

I’m also on the 5th floor, and even the 7th floor, which has a human-like appearance.

I’ve been to the frozen citadel countless times… … .

I had no idea that it would be possible to talk to the boss of the Flame Labyrinth.

Besides, if it’s true as he said, then the position of God in Libero was originally his.

We should see that the current Rebelo has usurped the position of God along with his name.

By the time I started EndWorld.

So, from a very distant past, when the frozen citadel was a sight of a normal world.

The Rebelo I know today was the Rebelo.

The situation is not that simple… … .

I shook my head, as if trying to shake off the thoughts.

Anyway, even if I worry about it by myself now, nothing will be solved.

There wasn’t enough information for me to guess on my own.

Above all, it was impossible to know whether the words left behind by the Great Wizard of Calamity were true.

… … Well, if you eat the branch of the bastard while holding the power of Revalo, you can get a special effect.

I don’t think that’s entirely wrong.

Anyway, after trying hard to shake off the thoughts that seemed to become more complicated and tangled the more I thought about them, rather than being organized.

I closed my eyes to fall asleep right away.

Our plan is to finally arrive at the Doomsday Crusade.

Wasn’t it about gathering strength?

So, to get there, you had to defeat three bosses in total.

… … After that, I don’t know what world I’ll be transported to and what I’ll experience.

Now that I had the chance to rest, I had to rest as much as possible.

That’s why I closed my eyes.

To fall asleep, I tried to shut off my noisy head.

“… … .”

Everyone around me seemed to be thinking similar thoughts, just quietly breathing.

Except for Inogen, who fell asleep right away and was snoring.

Normal monsters cannot approach the inside of the boss room.

Close your eyes comfortably with minimal night watch.

Not long after, someone shook me awake.

When I opened my eyes, all I saw was Diana.

… … Above Diana’s head, dimly in the sky.

Signs of upheaval were emerging.

The ceiling began to distort as if a cataclysm was approaching.

We quickly unpacked our bags.

After we finished cleaning up, we all immediately held hands.

Not long after that, my vision went dark.

I was immediately transported to another world.

Even though we were out of sight of the darkened world once again, the world line we were in was still dark.

“ignition.”

Even with the ignition turned on, I still saw that my vision was blocked.

I thought it was the world line we arrived at before.

Knock, knock, knock, knock!

Soon, as if lights were turning on, the map began to brighten up.

The lights that illuminate the map are not the ones you see everywhere in EndWorld.

It was a rainbow of colorful lights.

As if it only started when the lights came on.

Objects all around us emit strange tones.

It started spinning around and around like a wind-up doll.

As if we were in a circus, the sculptures all rotated in unison, flashing brilliant lights.

All over the sculpture, it looks like it has been roughly sewn together with thread.

Each of the oddly shaped dolls was playing a musical instrument.

Pooh, pooh, beep… … .

A monkey-shaped doll with half-bulged eyes plays a trumpet.

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!

A bear-shaped doll with bloody teeth growing out of it is holding a drum.

La, la-la, lal-la-la, ahhh… … .

A girl doll with one eye closed as if broken sang in a strangely choppy voice.

“What is this… … .”

Diana and Viella became wary of the dolls due to the sudden change.

Nothing much trouble happened with them.

No, there probably won’t be any in the future either.

The name of this worldline is Puppet Show of the Dead.

So, it was a world line with the concept that the dead who died in the labyrinth gathered and took possession of dolls.

And the main characteristic of the puppet show of the dead is.

Common monsters, corpse dolls are visitors.

… … That is, they do not make any hostile gestures towards adventurers who visit this place.

It simply repeats the song as it is entered and welcomes new visitors.

… … just like an NPC in a game.

Plus, while playing EndWorld, I’m interested in guys who don’t attack adventurers at all costs.

There was even a time when they deliberately attacked and massacred dolls as an experiment.

Even then, they just took advantage of me unilaterally.

They never fought back against us.

After figuring out their nature like that.

I have established one and only one way to conquer the puppet show of the dead.

All you have to do is successfully complete the four plays performed at the Puppet Show of the Dead.

Here, the owner of the puppet theater is the boss.

There are four scenarios that the guy wants to see.

If you successfully complete all four scenarios.

Even if you don’t harm regular monsters, the entrance to the boss room opens to allow you to go to him.

Lala, lalala, dong, dong!

Phew, phew… … .

Pass by a spinning doll that plays a crude instrument with all its might.

Let’s continue forward along the path where the lights keep flashing.

Soon, the area around it was covered with red curtains, similar to a theater.

A circular space appeared.

And this was the stage where the first play would be performed.

As everyone stood together in the center of the stage, the red curtains covering the surrounding area rose simultaneously.

Waaaaah, keehihihi!

In the place where the curtain was hidden.

The dolls sitting on the numerous seats there appeared.

Some of them even held opera glasses and watched us closely.

The dolls that were thought to be actors gathered in the audience all at once.

When the adventurers, who were thought to be guests or audience members, stood on the stage.

After some cheering, as if they had been waiting.

A white rabbit doll wearing a hat and a suit appeared.

The rabbit doll struggled to drag a roulette wheel larger than its body.

After setting up the roulette right in front of us, boldly.

Started turning it.

Ddddd, dddddd, dddddd… … .

Naturally, the roulette wheel spins, producing a strange trembling sound.

There were various genres and themes of the plays written down.

After all the fuss, at the point where the roulette stopped.

… … Romeo and Juliet were written.

When the topic was chosen, the white rabbit who spun the roulette cheered and clapped.

As soon as the rabbit cheered, the dolls sitting in the audience also cheered.

There was applause, and sometimes booing.

It’s like I’m literally enjoying this play.

“What, what… … !”

While Biella was bewildered by the dolls’ sudden reaction.

The point where the roulette stops spinning after the dolls’ cheers end.

So, the light came on in the part where ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was written.

The light was transmitted straight to us, and changed all of our clothes.

To be exact, Diana and I were dressed in pitch-black clothing, as if we didn’t need to participate.

Inogen is given sacred clothing similar to that of the Pope.

To Nowen and Biella, they seem to be Romeo and Juliet respectively.

It was a situation where the splendid and noble clothing was worn over it.

But if there’s a problem… … .

It’s not that Nowen is Romeo and Viella is Juliet.

On the contrary, Nowen is Juliet and Biella is Juliet.

“What, what is this… … ?!”

“I, I have something to say! Why am I wearing these clothes… …!”

“Hmm, is this a priest’s garment? Not bad!”

Unlike Inogen, who surprisingly enjoys it.

While Biella and Nowen are confused.

“… … .”

The dolls stood still as if waiting for something.

He just looked at all of us.

I clapped my hands once to clear the air on the spot.

“Mr. Nowen, Mr. Nowen, have you been here before?”

“Well, of course I know. But I’ve never worn clothes like this… … .”

“The clothes are unique, but there’s nothing you can’t do. Mr. Biella, listen carefully.”

“… … Ah, I see.”

After that, I briefly explained the basic plot of Romeo and Juliet, which Nowen and Biella might not know.

Of course, I also gave a brief explanation of the plot to Inogen, who had to participate as an extra, unlike me and Diana.

“… … How do you know this story, sir?”

“That’s right. I’ve explored many places, but I never knew about stories like this.”

“… … That’s all I heard.”

“Oh, I see! That’s a great source of information!”

… … Anyway, let’s talk about Romeo and Juliet like this.

I clapped my hands again.

Okay, now that you know the story,

“Shall we perform a play?”