# Chapter 78: 78
Perhaps sensing the killing intent that Radis was emitting, Luke shouted frantically.
—We made a mistake! We won't do it again! Let's start again...!
Radis stared at Luke, who was begging that they could "be his hands and feet." Then, he looked towards the glowing egg again.
Gorz spoke.
—It hasn't been long since we got that one! We took it just because it looked interesting and I thought we'd get a good price for it, ma'am!
“So just to get money, you would go to the forbidden region, do something you shouldn't do, and even collect something like this?” Ha…
Holding her chin with one hand, Radis was deep in thought.
Gorz and Luke didn't seem to be lying.
A passageway that leads directly to the forbidden region?
I had never heard of that before.
She was proud to know every corner of Monsterwood, but she had never heard of the existence of a passage like that.
But if a passage like that didn't exist, those two brutes would have had to go the traditional way and pass through the monster forest from outside just to reach the forbidden region and bring back eggs like that. There was no way they could have done it.
Even I couldn't go to the forbidden region on my own.
Looking between the two sinners and the glowing egg, Radis finally made up his mind.
He soon spoke.
—Take me there.
───── •????️• ─────
Feeling like they were on the verge of death, Gorz and Luke headed towards the forest, which was not far from the Kingsnake Mercenary Guild base.
Of course, that forest was not the monster forest.
As they walked through the deserted forest, Radis threatened them.
—If you are just talking nonsense, I won't let you go.
—It's not nonsense! It's the truth!
Holding the torch, Luke spoke hurriedly. Meanwhile, Gorz, who was walking ahead with the egg chest, also opened his mouth.
—About ten years ago. At that time, there were low-level monsters living around here and they were common in this part of the forest. We were just hiding around here to hunt some wild animals, but at that moment we saw people in armor walking through a passage. It wasn't just one or two people, it was many!
Walking through the dense foliage, Luke pushed aside a group of vines hanging between two tall trees.
Then, a small clearing was revealed at the base of a not very high cliff.
Between the crack, a narrow cave entrance could be seen. It looked like an opening that had formed after the ground had cracked.
Gorz explained.
—Those people left their horses here and then went deeper.
—That's what we smell like money inside.
Gorz swallowed dryly.
—But the people who entered the cave did not return. Well, some did, but only two people came back. It was a man in a black cloak and a child.
—A child?
—Yes, ma'am. But the rest did not return. Out of curiosity, we also went in, and what we saw there was shocking.
Luke illuminated the cave with the torch he held.
After taking a step inside the cave, Radis could see what exactly was shocking.
To the right, rocks had fallen, so the path had been completely blocked, but the other passage leading deeper into Monsterwood was so far away that its end could not be seen.
—Does this path reach the forbidden region?
-Yeah!
—Yes, ma'am!
Then, Gorz stopped saluting and showed a obsequious smile on his lips.
—So, that's all we have to do...!
Radis quickly grabbed Luke's cloak as he attempted to escape.
"Didn't I say I won't let you go if you're just teasing me?"
With a frightened expression, Gorz shouted.
—Oh, we're not kidding anyone, ma'am! The passage is only long, but since there is only one path to get there, you just have to go straight! The end of it is the forbidden region! You don't even need a guide or anything like that!
—You are the ones who took those eggs, so isn't it fair that you put them back?
Radis took out his iron club from his belt and swung it menacingly.
—Huuk!
Luke screamed as Radis hit him with the iron club.
—Goruz! Goruz! Let's just go!
Gorz seemed to be muttering something under his breath, but he swallowed the words because he couldn't defend himself.
And so the three walked down the dark passage.
The only thing they did was walk, but it wasn't that easy.
The path itself was leveled with bricks, but the air was stagnant, musty, and so humid it stung their throats.
It wouldn't have been worse if it weren't for Luke's torch.
I can't believe there really is a passage like this.
Radis looked at the walls carefully.
Perhaps because it was made a long time ago, but there were areas where the groundwater had seeped and turned into small swamp-like puddles, and there were also some places where the roots of the protruding trees had cracked the brick walls.
However, only small parts of this passageway were damaged. Most of it was well preserved.
Radis could only think that this could be due to ancient magic.
Valiz