Chapter 281: A Date? (Celestine’s Perspective) ⑤
As they descended the long staircase, they found themselves in an unexpectedly vast and spacious room. It resembled a dungeon from a game, complete with an atmosphere akin to a boss chamber. And then… to affirm that ambiance, a giant figure towering over two meters stood before them.
“Rest, what is this…?”
“Celestine, step back.”
Rest shielded Celestine with his back and stepped forward. He braced himself, yet the massive figure ahead remained motionless. Upon closer inspection, it was neither human nor monster; it was a humanoid mass of iron.
“A golem…”
It was a robot crafted through magic… a golem. Created by the advanced art of Alchemy, it was used for various tasks, from menial chores to combat. The method of its creation was highly specialized and somewhat classified, known only to a select few.
‘…………’
The golem stood in silence, unmoving. Wondering if it was broken, Rest activated Life Search, detecting a faint trace of Magical Power emanating from it.
“It’s clearly a combat-type golem. I believe it’s a defensive type that will attack if we approach,” Celestine added from behind.
“There are various types of golems, but those designed for simple tasks cost about a hundred Large Gold Coins, while combat types can exceed a thousand. Hiring human soldiers is far more efficient, so they aren’t commonly used.”
“I see. Indeed, during the war between Rodel and the Queen Dowager Faction, golems weren’t utilized.”
A thousand Large Gold Coins… that’s equivalent to a billion yen. It was more cost-effective to hire a thousand soldiers than to create a moving lump of gold.
“By the way, do you think that golem costs a thousand Large Gold Coins as well?”
“…That one looks like a high-performance model; it might even cost ten times that.”
“…………”
Ten thousand Large Gold Coins. One hundred billion yen. A moving gold lump stood before them.
“What will you do, Rest?”
“Well, I’ll take it down. I’m curious about what it’s guarding.”
The room was dimly lit, obscuring its full shape. However, the mere presence of a golem indicated that something of value was being protected here.
“Please stay back to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.”
“Do take care.”
Rest slowly approached the golem. Suddenly, the golem, which had been standing like a puppet, turned its head and faced Rest.
“Oh, it moved!”
“OOOOOOOOOOOHHH!”
With a growl, the golem raised its fist high. Its iron-like fist came crashing down toward Rest.
“OOOHH!”
“Earth Shield!”
The wall conjured by Rest intercepted the fist, but it cracked under the force of the blow. The second strike followed swiftly, shattering the wall into fragments.
“Wind Blade!”
Rest unleashed a blade of wind aimed at the golem’s legs. The precise strike hit its knee but was easily deflected.
“OOOOOOOOOOHHH!”
“Both its attack and defense are as formidable as they appear… I see.”
Upon reflection, the mere fact that a massive chunk of iron was moving was already a significant threat. It was akin to a heavy machine barreling toward them.
“Well, there are ways to handle this.”
“OOOOOOOOOOHHH!”
As Rest leaped back, the golem charged forward to pursue him.
“Mud Bullet!”
However, Rest cast a spell aimed at the golem’s feet. The mud clung to its legs, causing it to lose its balance.
“Wind Ball!”
Then, he unleashed a barrage of wind spheres at the golem’s face and torso. The golem, struck by the relentless assault, toppled backward.
“OOOHH!”
“Earth Bind!”
In that moment, Rest summoned ropes of earth to restrain the golem. It thrashed about, but Rest poured his Magical Power into the earth, reinforcing the bindings. In a war of attrition, Rest had the advantage with his Infinite Magic Power.
“OOO…”
After a brief struggle, the golem eventually ceased its movements, as if it had exhausted all its strength.