Shota's Isekai NTR Adventure Chapter 1947: Ancestral tomb (2)

The Merman Queen’s motivation for gathering everyone at this specific location quickly became apparent to me.

Her presence, along with others, was a fundamental requirement for gaining entry.

The site served as the royal ancestral tomb of the Merman Empire, a sanctum that could only be unsealed by those carrying the royal bloodline.

Initially, I assumed a significant physical sacrifice of blood was necessary for the ritual.

My brow furrowed at the thought, but they were quick to clarify that literal bloodletting wasn't the goal.

"It is a security measure established by our forebears to prevent intruders from desecrating the tomb. The gate requires the presence of at least two royal family members simultaneously to ensure no one can force entry using stolen blood or dark alchemy. The mechanism doesn't consume blood; it merely validates the resonance of two living souls from the same lineage."

Despite my lingering doubts, I kept my thoughts to myself.

This was a realm defined by magic and high fantasy, after all. It was only logical that such sophisticated arcane locks would exist here.

Hearing the explanation was peculiar, yet I felt a spark of curiosity at the prospect of witnessing such a rare magical enchantment firsthand.

Naturally, the Merman King wasn't reckless enough to make this decision in isolation, particularly given Ariel’s pregnancy. He had sought the Merman Queen’s explicit consent beforehand.

Upon our arrival at the tomb, I found myself raising an eyebrow in surprise.

The location didn't resemble a grand royal cemetery at all, let alone the final resting place for the Merman Empire's elite.

"Naturally, the site is concealed. We aren't in the habit of advertising the coordinates of our ancestors' remains to the public," the Merman King remarked, noting my skeptical expression.

He then signaled for Ariel to approach him, and together they swam toward an unremarkable stone pillar protruding from the seabed.

The pair positioned themselves around the pillar and pressed their palms against its surface. To an observer, it looked like they were touching ordinary rock, as there were no visible markings or indentations.

However, they soon proved the validity of their claims as a powerful tremor surged through the surrounding water.

The sensation was heavy, like the sound of massive boulders grinding against one another, vibrating through the depths.

These tremors were brief, subsiding just as a new path was revealed.

The shifting stone beneath the pillar gave way, uncovering a staircase that descended into the darkness. It was a strange sight; since we were underwater, the inclusion of stairs seemed entirely redundant.

Furthermore, the newly opened passage was completely flooded with water.

The merfolk could simply swim down into the depths rather than "walk" the steps.

Yet, for some reason, the architects had insisted on carving a functional staircase into the stone...

"This site wasn't originally intended to be a tomb; our ancestors discovered these unique ruins and repurposed them."

"Is the structural integrity safe?" I asked, my skepticism showing.

"Every corner has been thoroughly excavated. There is nothing left to find. The only reason it was chosen as a sepulcher is due to the lost magic infused within these walls."

Lost magic...

It had been a long time since I'd heard that phrase, though I was well aware of its significance.

It was a term I remembered vividly from the game mechanics.

In that context, it was a pivotal element of the world's power scale.

Lost magic referred to spells that transcended the standard limitations of the modern magic system. According to the lore, these were the remnants of an ancient, vanished civilization that possessed knowledge far beyond the current era.

Such spells were incredibly difficult to acquire, offering power that dwarfed conventional sorcery.

Essentially, they functioned as "EX" versions of standard spells, operating on an entirely different level of efficiency and destruction.

As expected of the Merman Empire, their hidden reserves solidified their status as a superpower.

It explained how they could provide such overwhelming support to the Tide Empire, one of the four great human nations.

As we ventured into the depths of the tomb, the interior appeared quite sparse.

While the Merman King had described the place as ruins, it was clear that they had been stripped bare over the centuries. From my perspective, the halls were completely empty.

However, I realized this was likely a superficial observation.

One doesn't leave treasures out in the open, even within a tomb protected by a hidden entrance.

Items of true value would be secured in even more secluded chambers.

The initial area resembled a vacant lobby without any visible exits. This remained true until the Merman King and Ariel approached a specific section of the wall and placed their hands upon it.

Immediately, the sound of grinding stone echoed again as a hidden door slid open.

It appeared that navigating the royal ancestral tombs required the same bloodline verification at every major junction.

While it was undoubtedly an elite security system, it certainly made traveling through the complex a tedious endeavor.