Chapter 3: Mentos and Cola

Chapter 3:
Mentos and Cola

THE STONE GATE twisted and ripped to form a giant lily. That ominous black color faded, and before I knew it, the door had returned to its original color.

Nevertheless, it was in quite the sorry state. While still unnerved by the gruesome scene, I peered into the cave through the center of the hole the “lily” had created.

“Guess I’ll take a look around for a bit…”

Although it wasn’t much of a feat, I’ll be frank and say that entering such a suspicious hole was unbelievably scary. But I was certain the rust-red line I’d been following continued beyond it.

That mysterious invisible barrier released from the creepy magic circle in the field, and that mysterious rust-red line coming from it… I couldn’t explain why, but everything about those things piqued my interest. My scorching curiosity won out over my fear.

The tunnel I had first discovered on the other side of the basin was only large enough for exactly one person to walk into. By comparison, the entrance left by the disemboweled stone gate was much bigger. The original height of the gate exceeded five meters. Even the hole in the center formed from the lily’s petals was well over four meters.

Additionally, the sun was currently diagonally above this location and bathed the walls of the cave with direct light—quite unlike that dark, backlit tunnel. The inside of the cave also unexpectedly seemed to carry the light for some distance. Therefore, even without having any form of illumination on me, I would be able to properly explore the interior. In short, now was the perfect time to get nosy.

Gingerly stepping over the ruins of the door, I entered the cave.

The air inside was chilly. There was nothing near the entrance but for a long hallway that stretched further inside. The inner walls were made of sturdy stone that was clearly different from the auburn cliff outside. They were most likely fashioned from the same stone as the outside gate.

As I examined the walls, an impressive engraving caught my eye—a strange, elaborate pattern I had never seen before. It was increasingly clear that I had entered a space that was more akin to a ruin than a cave. I got the feeling this was a temple, or possibly a nobleman’s tomb.

A tomb… Seriously? Please don’t curse me.

Or rather, kind of importantly, was I still…in Japan?

The questions kept coming. If I thought rationally about it, I was pretty much tomb raiding… No, it was fine; it couldn’t be helped. I had only followed the line from the magic circle in the field. There was nothing else I could do but search for more clues to understand my current situation.

But did I really have no choice? Hmm… As I started to lose confidence in the morality of my actions, I dropped my gaze back down to the rust-red line at my feet.

Right, the line! It was the one responsible for everything. It was the line!

Unlike the tunnel on the other side of the basin, this cave didn’t appear to have a light at the end to signal an exit. That wasn’t great. If this line continued too far, I would lose the light from the entrance.

“If I at least had my smartphone with me, I could use its light…” But as you might imagine, I had gone to bed in just my pajamas. The only things on my body were said lame pajamas and my underwear. “Well, if I had such a thing on me, I wouldn’t have to investigate the insides of these ruins in the first place…”

Not only did I not have any means of contact, I also had no change of clothes or even the minimum amount of food supplies. Luckily, this place was rather warm. If I were still stuck here by nightfall, I didn’t think I would have to worry about freezing to death in my pajamas. As for food, I’d spotted trees with edible-looking fruits scattered around the meadow. If I got peckish, I could just gnaw on one to satiate myself. To be frank, things looked pretty optimistic to me.

Since the tunnel from before most likely connected to the outside, I could even pass through there, leave the basin, and find a nearby house. And once I reached that house, I could call the police or my family and leave the rest to them.

Family…

As I followed that line of thought, that word popped into my head and I felt an ache. No, it wasn’t painful, exactly. It felt more like a sharp sense of discomfort. What was this discomfort? I didn’t really understand it…

That troublesome thought stewed in the corner of my mind as I continued to silently follow the line.

The stone corridor felt cold and icy. Just when I thought it would only get darker from there on, the ruin was filled with light.

“Wha—?” This surprise made me look around in a panic. The light cleanly illuminated my surroundings. I unconsciously gasped. “This is amazing…”

It felt like when an overseas exhibit of ancient ruins is suddenly lit up. The illumination highlighted the splendor of the carvings. The symmetric beauty of the thick stone was so impressive that I wished I had a camera with me.

A vast hall opened up farther down the hallway. The rust-red line continued straight ahead into the interior. When I looked up, I noted a portion of the engravings on the ceiling were faintly glowing. So that was the light source. They didn’t look like fluorescent lights or LEDs, so their mechanics were a complete mystery to me.

“Is someone there…?” I timidly called as I headed farther in.

No answer.

“Is there a sensor or something? For somewhere that looks abandoned, this place is quite high tech…”

What exactly was going on with this place? Upon a second inspection in the better lighting, the structure itself didn’t feel old, outside of its design. To be clear, the condition of the architecture was solid, even clean.

My eyes wandered as I continued to walk through the hall. I soon arrived at the circular chamber at the end. It was rather wide. From the looks of it, it was as wide as the field I woke up in. The rust-red line at my feet continued to proceed to its center. In fact, the line connected to an equally rusty magic circle drawn on the ground ahead of me.

I see… In other words, this strange line connects the magic circle in the field to this one inside the ruins.

I had, like a genius, unmasked the endpoint of the line. However, there was a problem.

“What the heck is this…?! Give me a break already…”

As I grasped what I was looking at, the blood drained from my face. At the same time, the corner of my mouth unintentionally pulled up to form a half-smile.

On top of this magic circle at the end of the hallway stood an imposing chair. Someone was sitting in it. Despite this, there was still no sign of life in this place. Yup, the sitting person was dead.

A skeleton.

It had been years, at least, since life left the body seated on that chair. It was swathed in expensive robes, but seeing as it was just bones, I couldn’t tell the owner’s age. However, despite its seated position, the body was clearly tall. Probably male, then. He was likely someone of high standing as well, given the cascade of jeweled rings on his fingers.

But more than the rings, my attention was fixed on the outrageous cane gripped in the skeleton’s hand. Some of the jewels embedded in the cane were similar to the ones on the rings, but a number of these strange crystals were the size of a battery, and actually, there was a ridiculous quantity of those. Most seemed to be gathered at the head.

Now that would definitely ring up a high price.

No, no, no. Don’t get me wrong. I wasn’t the tomb raiding type. I didn’t have even the slightest desire to steal it. I faced the skeleton and quickly clapped my hands together. “I am just an unlucky victim. I will never rob your grave…”

Please, do not haunt me. I beg you. I beg you.

I desperately made excuses to Old Man Bones (my nickname for him), whom I believed to be the owner of these ruins.

In any case, his corpse had skeletonized quite tidily. The insides were clean, so that was visually a salvation. I was thankful that at least this wasn’t going to be the day I encountered a gruesome half-mummified corpse in a gloomy cavern.

“Well then…I can’t stay like this forever.”

After I finished my prayer, I slowly raised my head. While it was shocking to encounter a skeleton, I’m well-known for my ability to quickly change gears.

I shifted my gaze to the magic circle on the floor. “So…the sinister magic circle in the field is connected to this.”

I checked for any other sign of connection between this magic circle and that one. On inspection, the designs were similar. This magic circle, however, had less intricate patterns compared to the one in the field. Also, the one I started on was comprised of minute patterns packed densely together, but the spaces between the patterns in this one were large enough to discern.

If you were to ask me which was the main circle, it would have to be the one I was standing on in the beginning. Old Man Bones’ magic circle felt like the secondary.

“Still, I’m not exactly in the magic circle fandom… With just this to go on, I still don’t really…hm?”

At that moment, I noticed the huge stone pedestal diagonally in front of Old Man Bones. There appeared to be something placed on top of it.

“Is that…a stone…book?”

On top of the pedestal were several stone slates bound together to form a kind of book. It was a sophisticated piece of craftsmanship. Unlike a paper book, it would probably last for thousands of years, though it also looked heavy and hard to read.

But since it was in the shape of a book, I just had to open the cover to read its contents. However, it was sealed with a tough, stone binding of sorts, which also affixed it firmly to the stone pedestal. I also couldn’t help but notice the strange pattern carved into the binding.

Right, of course. It was yet another magic circle. I was getting used to this kind of pattern. At this rate, in the near future I could even become a magic circle sommelier.

This circle wasn’t of the sinister variety, but rather the geometric one—the same type as the one carved into the entrance of the ruins, which I had just released. A callback to the same type of magic circle. In that case…

“A chant could release the seal, right?”

To tell you the truth, I didn’t want to play this hand. If I succeeded, it would confirm that the true culprit behind the Case of the Barbaric Obliteration of the Stone Gate was me. On the other hand, if I purposefully tried to do it and it failed, I’d have run out of options and might start to despair.

But…

“I have no choice.” I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened my eyes, I spoke these words: “Open…Sesame.”

It happened again, and in almost exactly the same way it had the last time I chanted those words.

The binding sealing the book rapidly turned pitch black. In the next instant, it inflated like a balloon before exploding like a Mentos thrown into a bottle of cola, shooting up to the ceiling in a wild burst.

“Wha…oh? Whoaaaa!”

Countless black splinters ricocheted back down. The vibration from the explosion shook my eardrums. I was so terrified by the sudden onslaught of splinters and savage sound that I lost my balance and fell back, landing flat on my butt.

From that position, I stared up to find a shard of the stone binding lodged right into that literally rock-solid ceiling.

“I-Isn’t that a bit overboard…?!”

You gotta be kidding me! I thought my back was gonna give out!

But really, how could this be happening? Considering the evidence, I had to conclude that I had mastered the invincible destructive spell Open Sesame. Simultaneously, the case was closed. The true dastardly criminal behind the terrorist incident that destroyed the stone gate had been identified: yours truly.

I managed to gather myself before standing up and rubbing my butt.

Tentatively, I turned my attention to the stone book. Even though the binding was on the cover and it had exploded in such a grandiose manner, the book was unscathed. Even the stone pedestal beneath the book was untouched.

Come to think of it, the area around the entrance wasn’t the least bit damaged when I destroyed the gate. Open Sesame was quite efficient, wasn’t it? Though its modus operandi was in the worst taste.

With the binding blown off, the characters inscribed on the stone book’s cover were exposed.

Ack, what the heck? It was in a language I didn’t recognize. It was nothing like Japanese, and it was different from the Latin alphabet and Arabic script too. I gave up. Maybe it was an ancient language?

Despite all I’d done, all the crimes I’d committed—destruction of property (the entrance) + trespass (of ruins) + destruction of artifacts (via Mentos Geyser)—I couldn’t understand a single one of these characters… Wasn’t that a little unfair after coming so far?

My heart hurt from the guilt. I dropped my teary eyes to the stone book’s cover and stared hopelessly at the mystery language.

Summoning the Sorcerer King and the Final Theory of the Destruction of the World in Two Thousand Years

Eh…? What was this? The meaning behind the string of characters flowed into my head like water. Why was this happening? I could read. I could really read it…

I timidly turned the page and began to consume the book’s contents. Lines of characters were carved into the smooth surface. The first row read: “At the end of my life, I shall inscribe the ultimate summoning spell here. —Luvel Zairein”

I still really didn’t recognize the characters, but I could read them just like I could Japanese.

I see. It appears the author of this book is Mr. Luvel Zairein. Hmph, probably a foreigner.

I continued to move my eyes across the page.

“You, who opened this book that sleeps beside my corpse: Should a living soul set foot inside this stone chamber, it can only mean that a thousand years have passed since the spell Summon the Sorcerer King of Destruction destroyed the old world. The timer mechanism sealing the Grand Stone Gate has been released.”

My corpse… That would mean Old Man Bones over there was the author, Mr. Luvel Zairein. In that case, was this book a kind of personal testament?

Also, when I read the words “Grand Stone Gate,” the image of the stone gate at the entrance popped into my mind. He couldn’t possibly be referring to that, could he? And while I didn’t understand what he meant with that “timer mechanism” bit, said Grand Stone Gate had turned into a sloppy grotesque mess after the initial Open Sesame incident. O-Old Man Bones, I’m so sorry for betraying your expectations…

“But I wonder who this ‘Sorcerer King of Destruction’ is…?”

The book’s title also contained the words “Sorcerer King.” It sounded like an important topic for the author, so I kept reading: “The Sorcerer King of Destruction is a crazed king from another world called to bring ruin to this one. Here I shall establish and execute the summoning theory I have spent my life researching.”

Hey, wait a sec! Didn’t this “Sorcerer King of Destruction” sound like a super bad guy?

Old Man Bones, why were you summoning such a person?! You an idiot? You wanna die? Ah, right. You’re dead…

While I was irritated by Old Man Bones’ reckless pronouncements, I turned the page.

“The being known as the Sorcerer King is born into an age via the selection and summoning of a human being from another world who possesses a destructive will. There is no doubt that many of the summoned Sorcerer Kings recorded in history have arrived from another world in this manner.”

Th-there were actually people summoned as Sorcerer Kings in the past? What a bunch of lowlifes. Who had that much free time?

“However, this criteria alone was insufficient. The many Sorcerer Kings, who each failed to destroy this world and were killed, were summoned with only their destructive personality in mind. Only a small handful of them had the disposition to utilize sorcery.”

Ahh. So, the Sorcerer Kings were defeated. Well, yeah. I mean, the world didn’t seem very destroyed to me.

“However, the groundbreaking innovation of my own summoning spell is the two-stage birthing process. With this, the risk of summoning an inadequate Sorcerer King has been completely eliminated.”

A two-stage birthing process, huh? Hmm…what did that mean? To tell you the truth, I was enjoying reading this. I had always been a bookworm. Besides, I got a kick out of learning about all the many varied steps that went into devising complicated things.

From here, the book got to the real meat of the story. At that point, I was still completely mistaken about the true intentions of the man known as Luvel Zairein and the reason why I was even in his tomb.

That is, until my eyes fell upon this passage: “First, in this basin isolated by a barrier and topography, I shall summon the human from another world who will serve as the ‘vessel’ for the Sorcerer King of Destruction. This ‘vessel’ has been chosen based solely on the aggregate amount of mana in its possession. That is to say, it will be a powerful denizen of another world who lacks the destructive will necessary to become the Sorcerer King. However, with the additional elements I have woven into the spell prior to summoning, the ‘vessel’ will be compelled by intense suggestions to pass through the ‘Cave of Beginnings and Ends.’”

Hm? What was this? Wait…“Cave of Beginnings and Ends”…? Intense suggestions…to pass through the cave?

Cold sweat dripped down my back. I had a vivid flashback to the moment when I woke in the basin, and to that suspicious tunnel, and to the profound, incomprehensible urge I felt when I saw the cave in the auburn cliff face.

No way. But then again: “Unaware of its circumstances, the summoned ‘vessel’ will be shepherded by these simple impulses to enter the ‘Cave of Beginnings and Ends.’ Upon the walls of that cave has been carved the elaborate spell of my design: Soul Transcription.”

Huh? Soul Transcription? What was that…? There was something like that set up in that tunnel?

“I crafted the spell Soul Transcription to annihilate the memories and wipe the personality of the unstable ‘vessel,’ since its soul will be yet loosely tethered immediately after the summoning. Then, a destructive personality forged from my own memories shall be transcribed onto its body and soul, overwriting its ego. When it exits the ‘Cave of Beginnings and Ends’ and descends to the outside world, it will no longer be the ‘vessel.’ He will be the true reincarnation of the Sorcerer King of Destruction.”

……

“That is how he shall be born. Possessing both the ultimate mana reservoir and pure destructive will, he shall be history’s strongest Sorcerer King!”

“What the hell?!” I screamed at Zairein’s old bones.

I was in a ton of danger, wasn’t I?! If I had nonchalantly entered that tunnel, what would have happened to me?! That was horrifying!

You’ve gotta be kidding me! Think of the trouble you’re causing others, Zairein! Why don’t you just die?! Ah, right. You’re dead…

“So…this is another world, and I’m the Sorcerer King of Destruction?”

Now that I’d said that, the gross magic used to utterly destroy the Grand Stone Gate did seem fitting for a Great Demon King. As for the Mentos Geyser that became of the stone book binding… Well, rather than the work of a Great Demon King, it had felt more like a street performer’s trick.

***

“The information stops here, huh…?”

I slowly closed the book. The thin, bound slates fell closed with a thud.

This was how the testament of Luvel Zairein ended: “To my kind and noble beloved. This shall be my revenge upon our world. Even if this world will eventually be undone by the powers of its predetermined destiny, I must bring forth its destruction with my own hands.”

The last part wasn’t especially clear. I think that “beloved” referred to Luvel Zairein’s deceased fiancée. That had been revealed earlier in the book. This unnamed fiancée met her untimely end after getting involved in a terrible political dispute when Zairein was young. Apparently, this tragedy triggered his decision to destroy the world.

Also, another important fact had come to light. It appeared that to activate the spell known as Summon the Sorcerer King, the caster was required to sacrifice their own life. In other words, the person who summoned the Sorcerer King would always die afterward. This also appeared to be the cause of Luvel Zairein’s death and his transition into Old Man Bones. In short, this man had exchanged his life to summon me into this world.

What a ridiculous story. Even though I was the kidnapped victim here, for some reason, it felt like I had indirectly killed Zairein. It left a super bad aftertaste in my mouth.

Hey, you really are ridiculous, Old Man Bones…

There were a few other unsettling descriptions in the book. One was on how to complete the spell using a being possessing the “primordial ancestor’s blood” as the “galvanizing sacrifice.” I wondered who this “primordial ancestor” was and what a “galvanizing sacrifice” meant. I didn’t understand the contextual details. The problem was, this suggested someone else had been unwillingly sacrificed to summon the Sorcerer King.

To tell you the truth, when I learned this, I wanted to send Luvel Zairein’s bony corpse flying through the air with a kick. But it was pointless, seeing as the man had already died and turned into dry, old, ex-human rocks. That would literally be kicking the dead. And, as might be expected, that was a little too much to entertain for someone like me who took great pride in his cultured gentleman’s soul.

I resisted the urge to murder and thereby violate my chivalrous code.

Once I finished the book, I left the cave. By the time I exited, the sun had already set and my surroundings were dim. I hadn’t noticed because of the lighting in the cave, but I had spent quite some time immersed in reading.

Just when I was about to gaze up at the night sky, my stomach growled. With everything that had happened, I hadn’t felt the twinge until now. Thinking back, it was clear why I was hungry. Between falling asleep the previous night and that very moment, I hadn’t eaten anything for a whole day. Apparently even the Sorcerer King, destroyer of the world, could get hungry.

“Well…that’s to be expected. I’m just a normal human…”

However, the fact that I had been summoned to be an evil king in another world by the hand of an evil magician still didn’t feel real. Which is to say, all the facts presented in the book coincided exactly with everything I had experienced so far—indeed, I felt like its claims were harder to deny—but for some reason, I just couldn’t believe it. Why…?

“Ah! Right.” I figured it out. I still hadn’t found any proof that this was another world. While it was true that I was in terra incognita, that was it. Claiming this place wasn’t on planet Earth just because I didn’t recognize it was too far a leap of logic.

Granted, I had confirmed the existence of magic in this place. But that couldn’t be proof in itself that this was another world, since, I mean, people still weren’t sure if magic existed on Earth.

All right, in any case, I would investigate the next day to see if this truly was another world. All further actions and plans would be determined after that.

Just you watch, stupid Zairein.

I wouldn’t just believe it because he told me to. Being summoned to another world was the stuff of an unscientific fairy tale.

With that resolution in mind, I finally turned my eyes up to the starry night sky. There, I saw two beautiful, shining moons.

……

Okay, okay, I get it.

And that was how I came to fully accept that I had been summoned to another world.