I love time travel the most!

"……What did you say."

Charlotte's pupils dilated, seemingly not expecting to hear this answer.

The butler immediately understood what his master meant.

Is the intention to use him to exert pressure, to manipulate and coerce Charlotte at will?

What a perverse owner.

Singh couldn't help but feel a little scared, but he also looked on with fascination at his master's wicked smile.

the other side.

Kobayashi, who had fallen into the hole, felt a sharp pain in his back. In order to prevent the frail girl Anriette from getting hurt, he offered himself as a human cushion for her.

Open your eyes.

What I saw before me was a world shrouded in black mist, and in the center of that vision, I saw a giant sun.

...No, what's above is a hole. It's just that it's too bright and too high, which caused Xiaolin to misunderstand.

It seems they've fallen into a rather deep place.

At the same time, I felt something soft on the back of my neck, and after moving slightly, I heard a reassuring voice asking me something.

"Lord Kobayashi, are you awake?"

"...Did you save us, Ryuu-zu?"

"After all, Lord Kobayashi is so delicate. If you fall into such a deep pit, you could easily be smashed to pieces. As your servant, I can only lend a little help."

"Thank you, Liu Zi."

Yes. You're welcome.

Kobayashi's thanks made Ryuu's cheeks blush slightly. It was always so direct; the sharp-tongued girl was a little shy.

Although I'd love to enjoy it a little longer, now isn't the time.

He got up from the ground, lit an oil lamp for light, and asked Liu Zi, "Where is Anriette? Is she alright?"

"Yes, because you were there as a human cushion, she wasn't hurt." Liu Zi pointed to the girl on the other side who was being shielded by her body.

Anriette, fast asleep, frowned slightly, as if she were having a bad dream.

It seems she's alright.

Kobayashi walked over, squatted down, shook her body, and whispered in her ear, "Wake up. Henrietta, wake up."

After calling out a few times, the sleeping girl finally opened her eyes.

"Are you alright? Is anything bothering you?"

"No! It's a man!"

Anriette picked up the sand from the ground and threw it haphazardly at Kobayashi.

It doesn't hurt, but it doesn't taste good either. Since you seem so energetic, there shouldn't be any problems.

"Hey, stop! Henrietta, stop right now! It's me! Kobayashi!"

"I'm so sorry, I ...!"

Once she came to her senses, she quickly apologized in a low voice after seeing that it was Kobayashi.

"Shh-"

He covered her mouth and said to her, "Don't be loud, be quiet."

"Well……"

The girl immediately fell silent.

Kobayashi nodded in satisfaction, stood up, and said to her, "Let's go, we need to find the exit."

"Huh? The exit?"

"Have you forgotten? You fell down from there with me."

Xiaolin pointed to the hole above his head.

Anliat then remembered that the other person had fallen while trying to save her.

"There is still a risk of a second collapse. We can't stay here any longer. Let's find another exit."

"But even if you say you want to find a way out..."

"There will be an exit. Under normal circumstances, such a huge space will definitely have an exit."

Anriette stared intently at Kobayashi, her gaze inexplicably revealing admiration.

But that doesn't mean they'll obey.

"Please don't interfere in my affairs. If you want to leave, please do so."

Then he plopped down on the earthen slope and wouldn't move.

That's quite a capricious answer.

pity--

"No, I have to take you with me. It's not just because you're Charlotte's sister, but more importantly... if we stay here, we might get killed."

"Kill, kill? What do you mean?"

Anriette looked at Kobayashi with fear in her eyes.

Seeing the girl frightened, Kobayashi's lips curled into a wicked smile, which was quite frightening in the dark underground cavern.

"You may not know this, but this is actually an experimental field."

"...Experimental field?"

"That's right, it's a place called the Temple of the Fools."

It is a massive magical facility, a large magical artifact in itself, designed to research and create sacred machines. Countless people in the world aspire to create sacred machines, employing various methods, but... the methods here are exceptionally cruel and inhumane.

For example: Thousands of people were buried alive, and those left in the caves hunted each other to survive. They skinned each other, tore apart bodies, gnawed on bones, and sucked blood until only one person remained—these were the best material for forbidden dolls.

"..."

The girl's throat bobbed, and her fingers, which were wrapped around her knees, began to tighten unnaturally.

The fear intensified.

Clearly, she was also aware of the despicable acts of those madmen who sought to create sacred machines.

"Listen...it's the voice of the dead."

The flame of the oil lamp suddenly flickered.

As Kobayashi's deliberately low and hoarse voice created the atmosphere, a chilling aura emanated from the depths.

"Ewhhhhh!!!"

Anriette was terrified.

"Did you hear that? The sound."

"Eh... wait, wait... no... please don't say it..."

"Hey, there really is a sound... Help me!"

"Eeya-ya-ya!!!"

Anliat couldn't help but scream, clutching her head with both hands, and whispering "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry" in a tearful voice, seemingly apologizing to someone.

That's it?

The intimidation he just used was nothing more than a crude and rudimentary tactic, and that was before he even used the enhanced version with the ability to see through visions.

The girl was trembling with fear; it seemed she wouldn't contradict him anymore.

Since that's the case, we should comfort her.

"Don't be afraid, it was just a joke, it was just a joke."

"Are you... joking?"

"Yeah, just kidding."

"That's so...so outrageous! That's so shameless! You almost made me pee my pants!"

"You're supposed to be a young lady from a wealthy family, don't say such vulgar things."

Xiaolin shook his head helplessly.

Was he joking? Was he really joking? How much of what he said was true or false, we have no way of knowing.

"Alright, it's really dangerous to stay any longer. Let's go."

Kobayashi reached out his hand.

Henrietta hesitated, but perhaps the current situation was more terrifying to her than her fear of men?

So she cautiously placed her hand on Kobayashi's hand, as if reaching out to a fierce dog.

Then grip it with your large hand in reverse.

Before she could excitedly break free, a calm and tolerant aura flowed into her body from her palm, and an inexplicable sense of security made her relax.

it's wired……

Following Xiaolin's footsteps, she looked at the profile of the man holding her hand.

Does it seem like...I'm not so scared anymore?

Kobayashi, who was walking ahead, did not notice anything unusual about Henrietta; he was looking for a way down.

That's right, it's not the way out, but the way deep underground.

He was also very interested in the Fool's Sanctuary, which was one of the reasons he had taken the risk. He could take this opportunity to see the sacred and ingenious path that the headmaster had followed, and it would be even better if it could bring him some inspiration.

The two walked down by the light of the kerosene lamp.

The area illuminated by the light was very narrow, and the gravel made it difficult to move. It took thirty minutes to finally walk down the slope and reach a flat area.

The floor beneath my feet was hard, made of rock.