I’m Stuck on a Remote Island With the Male Leads - Chapter 121

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 121
Light was pouring down from above, and I thought it connected to the outside. Unfortunately, it wasn’t sunlight.
The ceiling was blocked by wooden bars like a sewer grate. What I could see between the wooden bars was the flickering of torches hanging on the walls.
It seemed to be the upper floor, not the outside.
“I think I need to go up.”
There was no path forward anymore. It appeared the route I’d taken wasn’t an official corridor but a shortcut.
Even on tiptoes, I couldn’t reach the ceiling, so I had to jump lightly. But even when I pushed with all my strength, the bars wouldn’t budge. I tried jumping and climbing the walls, but lifting the bars proved difficult.
“Damn it.”
I gave up for a moment and sat down where I was.
There had to be another way to get through, which meant I’d have to retrace my steps and find a new entrance.
“….”
Since that seemed to be the only option I could think of, my mind was quite troubled. It felt like a waste of time.
Then, suddenly, a question flashed through my mind.
‘But who lit the torches on the upper floor?’
There shouldn’t be anyone here.
While thinking such thoughts, I leaned my back against the wall, and suddenly the wall behind me disappeared. As a result, I tumbled backward.
I had no idea what happened. Whether one wall had never existed from the start, or if it vanished the moment I leaned against it.
I jumped up from the ground and bolted back into the original corridor. Where I’d tried to lean against the wall, there was now a gaping hole with a new passage.
I stared intently down the newly formed path. Even with the torch lit, I couldn’t see what lay at the end of this passage.
“I’m anxious because it feels like I’m entering deeper into a maze.”
With firm resolve, I gripped the torch tightly in my hand and proceeded through the opening.
So I continued walking through yet another endless corridor.
Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet became squishy and gave way, and this time I tumbled forward. It was because I’d only barely illuminated the area ahead with the torch and couldn’t see the floor properly.
My feet kept sinking deeply into what seemed to be a Swamp or something. Hell.
I threw the bag I’d been carrying toward what looked like relatively solid ground.
Then I struggled to escape from the Swamp. But the more I did, the deeper I sank.
At that moment, several pure white bones shot up from the mud. They looked like the arms of a skeleton. They soon began groping outside the mud as if searching for something.
‘Damn it. If I get caught, I’m screwed.’
I hurriedly tried to pull myself out of the mud, but my lower body was already completely submerged.
Eun-ji, who had been wrapped around my arm, didn’t know what to do and climbed over my shoulder to above my head. It spewed Fire at the bones rising from the Swamp, but the Fire wouldn’t catch. It was clear they were imbued with Mana.
Why were these things here, and what did they want? Whatever it was, please let me go!
Then, two skeletal hands near me found me and grabbed my shoulders hard. Eun-ji above my head bounced and spewed Fire, but it was useless.
I flailed my arms, reaching toward flat ground, but it was already too late. Something beneath my feet pulled my ankles down forcefully.
I quickly threw Eun-ji, who was above my head, toward the flat ground.
“I’m sorry for throwing you, Eun-ji! You have to survive!”
With those words, my entire body sank completely into the mud.
When I thought I was going to die and prepared myself, I suddenly fell through the ground.
Startled, I lifted my head and looked up at the Ceiling. The Ceiling covered in mud spat me out, writhed for a moment, then flattened back to its original smooth form.
“What on earth is this?”
I looked around, but it was too dark to see clearly.
Something tumbled down from above with a soft thud. The creature that wriggled toward me was none other than Eun-ji.
The little beast had my bag strap clenched between its teeth. It must have chased after me the moment I sank into the mud.
“You’re all I have.”
My eyes burned with tears. I pulled Eun-ji close and sniffled quietly. As the creature rubbed its head against my cheek, it lifted its snout and surveyed the surroundings before breathing fire. The flames illuminated our immediate vicinity.
I gasped at the sight of countless skulls piled around us and fell backward. Worse still, two skeletal hands—presumably the ones that had dragged me down here—gripped my ankles.
“Ah, what a fright!”
I steadied my racing heart and shook off the skulls clutching at my feet. They dropped limply to the floor like broken toys.
I retrieved my lighter from my bag. There was still some oil left from the torches, so I ignited it. Using the small flame to pierce the darkness, I carefully examined my surroundings.
The space was remarkably confined. It resembled a tomb for these very skeletons. The only apparent exit was through the swamp-covered ceiling above.
Scattered across the floor were various objects that appeared to belong to the skeletal remains.
I picked up a pendant and a ring that caught my eye. They were a Rohade Family pendant and a Priest’s ring issued by the Papal Court. It seemed people from both the Rohade Family and the Papal Court had met their end in this place.
This confirmed my hypothesis that others besides us and Jenas had been on this Island. And it appeared many people had lived here. The problem was that they were all dead.
Why would a tomb exist in such a place? And why were these skeletons enchanted with Magic? It was as if someone had been waiting for our arrival.
Scattered in another area were garments—battle attire of Mages and Holy Knights.
The moment I saw Mage and Holy Knight battle uniforms mingled together, the God-Demon War came to mind.
The design of the uniforms was unmistakably the newly modified battle attire from this recent God-Demon War.
Had these people been kidnapped to this Island during the God-Demon War?
Rohade Family Mages, Priests, and Knights who participated in the Battle of Romalijan. These individuals must surely be connected.
“This Island was definitely created for experiments. The Papal Court bastards who experimented on me mentioned there was a list of Test Subjects. Jenas’s name was mentioned too, and it seemed he was connected to them. Same with our Family.”
I recalled what Kaiden had told me.
The Rohade Family, which served as the head of both the Papal Court and the Magic Tower, had maintained conflict for a thousand years.
But hearing about Kaiden’s past experiments, it turned out that the Papal Court and Rohade Family, despite their mutual antagonism, had actually cooperated secretly to conduct experiments and create a list of Test Subjects.
Chronologically, the God-Demon War occurred after that. Why did the two forces suddenly wage war? Had their relationship deteriorated?
But the presence of Holy Knights and Mages wearing battle uniforms from the recently conducted God-Demon War in this place meant they too had become Test Subjects.
That would mean the experiments were continuing, and the relationship between the Rohade Family and the Papal Court hadn’t actually broken down.
If they maintained a cooperative relationship, why would the two forces wage war?
“…Could it be they waged war to gather sacrifices?”
Based on our deductions so far, the sacrifices offered to this Island were people with Mana or Divine Power. And the way to extract talented individuals with Mana without drawing attention was through war.
The Papal Court and Magic Tower, facing a declining population of those with Mana or Divine Power, had initiated the God-Demon War and squandered their manpower.
Among the countless battles that occurred, the Battle of Romalijan was the most wasteful and produced the most casualties. The Magic Tower had fallen for an absurd scheme devised by the Temple.
Furthermore, it was said that after the Battle of Romalijan ended, the number of recovered remains was significantly fewer than the actual death toll and missing persons.
Could the Rohade Family have been manipulated by the Papal Court’s ridiculous scheme because it was a staged war? To bring in Test Subjects on a massive scale?
“Good heavens.”
What kind of experiment required them to go to such lengths to gather Test Subjects?
While I remained lost in thought, Eun-ji scurried about this cramped tomb, searching. It was likely looking for an exit.
But naturally, aside from the mud ceiling that had expelled us, all sides were sealed shut. It was the kind of space that would terrify anyone with claustrophobia. Especially surrounded by animated skeletons.
It was my fault for coming this far despite knowing the danger.
‘…I miss Enoch. And Kaiden too.’
I needed to share these newfound revelations with them as soon as possible.
With such thoughts, I collapsed onto the ground, and Eun-ji approached, climbing onto my lap.
I stroked the creature’s scales and hoisted the fallen bag onto my shoulder. Then I leaned against the wall and exhaled a weary sigh.
‘There seems to be no way out. I need to find a way somehow….’
* * *
Everyone had lost their senses after losing Margaret.
Enoch and Kaiden’s condition was particularly severe. It was different from when they had desperately rushed into the River. They looked like people who had lost all will, crushed beneath shock and self-loathing.
While Kaiden and Enoch went to search the surroundings to find Margaret, Archbishop Luzef tended to Diego, who had barely regained consciousness.
Though Diego’s wounds had not fully healed, he found his Sword and rose to his feet.
“You should rest more, Sir.”
“That doesn’t seem likely.”
Diego answered Luzef’s words as he watched Enoch and Kaiden appear, caked in Magical Beast blood.
Enoch and Kaiden had spent the entire afternoon tearing through the surroundings in search of Margaret, slaughtering every Magical Beast in sight.
Diego rose with his body covered in wounds, insisting he would be of help. His face was expressionless, as if he felt no pain at all.
Enoch was the same way, and Luzef found himself wondering if all Knights were so numb to suffering, letting out a sigh.
“Still, please just rest.”
Having dissuaded Diego, Luzef turned toward Enoch and Kaiden.
The two sat on the ground in a daze, their faces haggard as if the world itself had collapsed.
Luzef understood that they were whipping themselves, drowning in self-recrimination.
Since Margaret disappeared, the two had not rested, eaten, or slept.
They muttered continuously, “It’s my fault.”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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