"A golem."
Dolores exclaimed in admiration.
Golems were ancient technology.
A forgotten technology that no one can use now.
At first glance, one might think it's simply a sculpture, but a magician who can sense the flow of mana would not think so.
Because the only thing that had a clear mana in the form of a human-shaped pile of stones was a golem.
'Looking at the runes, the ruined temple, and the golem inside, this must be a treasury for magicians.'
It was thrilling for Reed himself to see two ancient magics that were said to be hard to find.
That's when it happened.
A yellow light flashed from the golem's head, exactly from its forehead.
Koogugug-!
A rough and dull sound caused by the friction of stones.
The sound came from the golem that was in human form.
The golem had awakened.
"Who touched something!?"
"I didn't touch anything!"
It wasn't a good time to find out who made a mistake.
Since the golem had awakened, they needed to respond to it.
Adonis and his knights drew their swords, and Reed and Dolores prepared the magic spell.
The mana that was circulating through the golem's body finally settled into place.
At the same time, a voice with a resounding volume that filled the air rang out.
-Oh, welcome! Brave believers who step forward with courage!
The voice of a boisterous old man echoed.
The intense welcoming greeting was enough to momentarily bewilder those who had been on edge.
The guardian giant stroked his chin with his small left arm and raised one eyebrow.
"Hmm? Something's strange. I thought it was our believers, but why are they with outsiders?"
"Believers?"
Was there anyone in these ruins who could be called a believer?
Adonis and his knights were all from the Hupper territory, and Reed and Dolores knew where they came from since they were born into noble households.
"Could it be?"
Rosaria was the only one who didn't know where she was born.
Peeking over Reed's shoulder, Rosaria looked at the golem.
The yellow eyes shining faintly on the rock face met hers.
The guardian giant, who saw her, approached with a booming voice.
"Oh! Believers! Shouldn't you greet me if you've come?"
Thump! Thump!
As he approached with his right arm as a cane, the ground trembled.
As expected, it was a comment about Rosaria.
Hearing the golem's words, Rosaria cocked her head.
"Believers?"
"White hair and red eyes. You are undoubtedly a brave one, a warrior."
Upon hearing those words, Rosaria stepped forward confidently and spoke.
"Rosaria is not a warrior."
"Is the girl's name Rosaria!? Hm! It's too weak! Yor! How about changing it to Yor!"
"I like the name Rosaria!"
Placing both hands on her hips and looking up with a pouty face, the guardian giant chuckled.
His voice was so loud that it shook the dust off the ceiling.
"Oh, oh. I'm too excited. I didn't even properly welcome you! Welcome, outsiders!"
The laughing giant greeted them warmly.
Upon hearing the greeting, Reed felt that he could communicate with this golem.
"Where are we?"
"We're at the Umun! This is not my temple or anything!"
The voice of a cheerful middle-aged man.
Even Larksper or Rosaria could not accept those words.
The place that was supposed to be a temple had already become an ancient ruin, and it was clear that even the maintenance was not properly done as moss and weeds grew between the rocks.
"This is now a ruin. The temple collapsed a long time ago."
"How can you call it a ruin when there are plants growing and moss covering it? This is the land of life, the temple of life. As long as there is life, there will be courage. Let's move forward with courage!"
Although the perspective was different, it didn't seem much different from what others saw.
"Are you the golem that protects this temple?"
"That's right, young lady!"
"Then, your feat of neutralizing the large-scale magic that fell on the Carlton Mountains...that's your doing?"
"Neutralization on a large scale! It's a little different from that! Erasing the effect of magic that has already been activated is a very difficult task!"
"Are you saying it's not neutralization?"
Dolores became interested.
It was an interesting story that any magician would have doubts about.
'What kind of trick can make those large-scale magic disappear?'
If it's not neutralization, is it interfering with the magic itself?
The guardian giant did not answer such questions.
"My mission is to protect the temple by any means necessary until the successor appears. That is my duty!"
"Successor?"
Reed could guess that the word was important in resolving the incident with this guardian giant.
"How is the successor selected?"
"It's always simple! One who is qualified will face me. And through proof, they will be appointed as the successor of the temple!"
In other words, they have to duel.
Do they have to have a 1-on-1 battle with this golem?
It was unbelievable.
Someone approached and stood in front of the guardian giant.
"My name is Larksper. I am the son of the Cliff Rock Tribe. Do I have enough qualifications to challenge you?"
The yellow gem on the guardian giant's forehead glimmered again.
"An orc! Are you an orc? The most combative race that the creator has made! There is a soul in everything in the world. Many orcs have challenged me. But they were arrogant. They wanted to become the successor without even preparing enough. They couldn't even communicate properly. But even at a young age, you are well-trained. The soul of a warrior! Desire! And even curiosity, you have fulfilled them all!"
The guardian giant spoke in a tone close to praise, but Laxphur didn't feel flattered by those words.
The guardian giant stroked his chin and then lowered his head.
"But you are not ready. It's better to train more and come back."
"What is lacking?"
-You are still hesitating.
"It's a hesitation unrelated to battle. Larksper can fight."
-A butterfly's small wing flap can cause a storm somewhere. That hesitation will directly affect your battle! Heed this old man's advice seriously. I want to choose a successor, not kill someone.
Hearing those words, Larksper looked displeased.
-If there is someone who can fight with me...
The guardian giant raised his head and looked at Reed's party.
-That person! That person might be worth fighting with me!
The person the guardian giant pointed to was Adonis.
-An incredible strength beyond what one would expect from a human! A noble soul that refines its beliefs! A knight who has forgiven herself through tough trials!
Upon hearing those words, Adonis' chest throbbed.
It sounded vague, but it was a statement that pierced through his inner thoughts.
-How about it? Would you like to challenge as a new successor of this temple?
The guardian giant raised his right arm and suggested.
