NOVEL WEB Chapter 86.1
Stage 3-20. Chris Ragnika
“Was there anyone over there!?”
“No, it looks like we missed.”
“Then let’s move on to the next one.”
“Understood…!”
Leaving the doors open, we dashed through the underground passage.
The underground facility extended even deeper from the solitary cells, with small rooms connected like a labyrinth. We were searching methodically.
There were several reasons we chose to search underground rather than above ground.
On Lambdarve Island, Frone had built a factory for the Elixir underground.
It wouldn’t be surprising if Andraus had hidden Alice in the same way.
Besides, if I were in his position, I wouldn’t leave someone as skilled as Alice in an easily escapable location above ground.
But still, leaving the underground so unguarded seems off as well.
“…Doesn’t something feel strange, Ouga-kun?”
“Yeah… not a single person around…?”
It’s possible we’ve simply hit a string of dead ends.
However, some of the rooms we’d opened showed signs of recent use.
Blankets left tossed aside as if someone had hurriedly risen, half-empty bottles of liquor on tables, photo frames displaying people in black suits, smiling.
There were clear traces of human presence until just recently, yet we hadn’t encountered a single soul.
Could such a thing even happen?
“…What do we do? We can still turn back now.”
“…No, there shouldn’t be much left to search. Let’s keep going.”
Hesitating halfway is not an option. This is the time to stick to our original plan.
From the start, I never assumed Andraus had left this place unprotected.
Knowing full well we might be walking into a trap, we chose to dive into the enemy’s lair.
Suppressing my growing anxiety, I opened the door in front of me.
Ahead, there was only one door, unlike the previous passages with multiple exits.
“This must be the last one…”
If Alice wasn’t here, our plan would end in failure.
We’d have been completely outwitted by Andraus, and Alice would fall into Frone’s hands.
Please… Be here, Alice…!
Praying, I opened the door to face my fate.
What awaited us was a massive shelter, so vast it made me question if it was really underground.
It extended downward rather than upward, creating enormous depth. We emerged onto what resembled a catwalk.
Gray, bare walls surrounded the space, evoking the image of a prison.
And at the center stood the one we’d been desperately searching for.
“Alice!”
I shouted her name, and she looked up at us.
…Thank goodness. It seemed she was conscious.
The worst-case scenario had been avoided.
Relieved, I vaulted over the railing and descended to where she stood—only for Alice’s blade to flash toward me.