How To Live As A Writer In A Fantasy World-Chapter 451: Kingdom of Gerios (2)

While the expedition team and Siris faced King Morgan and explored the royal palace, Elena was investigating the outside as per Deimos’ suggestion.

Given that the capital was politically and practically significant, there should have been a lot to investigate… but there wasn’t.

During the Demon War, demonic magic caused sea levels to rise, sweeping away most civilizations into the ocean.

The Kingdom of Gerios was no exception.

While the palace remained intact, possibly due to sorcery, most of the other structures had been obliterated.

Occupied areas farther from the capital still had remnants here and there, but the capital itself was nearly devoid of traces.

It was inevitable, considering that the demons had first appeared there and that the sea was right at its doorstep.

“I wish at least some remains would show up. Damn ocean swept everything away, so there’s nothing left to examine.”

“The remains must have completely decomposed by now…”

Frustrated by the lack of any worthwhile finds, Elena grumbled, and Cindy’s matter-of-fact tone only made it worse.

Even under ideal conditions, bones decompose completely after 1,000 years.

Though, in rare cases, some become fossils. However, the Kingdom of Gerios had turned into a desert.

With 3,000 years having passed, not only bones but even well-preserved artifacts were difficult to find.

“I’d even settle for a skeleton popping up at this point.”

Elena kicked the dry ground in irritation.

Unlike other regions, the capital had almost no remaining buildings aside from the palace.

They had been investigating the few remnants still left, but they were of little use—whenever they tried to handle something, it crumbled into sand and was swept away by the wind.

She secretly wished a skeleton would rise from the ground.

Skeletons, unlike regular remains, could be preserved for thousands of years due to mana and lingering resentment.

Unlike treasure hunters, who only cared about valuables, explorers valued such skeletons immensely.

“Those probably got swept away too…”

“Are you really a scholar? Why are you so pessimistic?”

“I’m just stating the facts…”

Cindy, who had recently been promoted from assistant to professor, was getting on Elena’s nerves.

But since her words were factual, Elena had no argument against them.

Unlike other regions, the capital took a direct hit from the sea-level rise. Records indicate that demons only started raising sea levels during the mid-to-late stages of the war.

Elena gazed at the desolate capital with a heavy heart, then looked down at the ground.

“Well, at least the roads are still intact.”

Beneath her feet lay one of the few surviving ruins: a road.

Though slightly altered by exposure to seawater, it was still well-structured for transporting goods.

This road extended not just through the capital but also to occupied territories, likely facilitating smooth supply distribution.

Perhaps this road was why humans managed to dominate the entire western region.

‘If they hadn’t been destroyed by demons, they could have used this road to thrive even further.’

Even this road alone held immense academic value.

The fact that roads existed 3,000 years ago, and were built mostly from cut stone, was astonishing.

Though damaged by the aftermath of the Demon War, its mere existence was remarkable.

Building such a road in an era where neither magic nor mana was widespread was almost unbelievable.

‘Records say the Kingdom of Teres was established before the Demon War…’

Elena studied the precisely laid road, lost in thought.

It was common knowledge that the first civilization was Alvenheim, followed by the Kingdom of Teres.

But that was only according to recorded history.

The founding dates of other ancient civilizations, including the Kingdom of Gerios, remained unknown—all records had been lost.

Not even Alvenheim, the holy land of archives, had any information.

This was why Teres was called “the nation of culture.”

Even after being half-destroyed in the Demon War 3,000 years ago, it managed to survive and preserve its legacy.

Scholars particularly favored Teres since every excavation yielded new ruins.

In fact, there was even a joke that landowners in Teres hated archaeologists because of constant discoveries disrupting land use.

‘But why would they establish a kingdom here? It’s way too far from Alvenheim.’

If the westernmost end housed the Kingdom of Gerios, the easternmost end had Alvenheim. As a land blessed by the gods, Alvenheim lacked nothing.

Teres was founded near Alvenheim, which likely helped it endure the Demon War.

‘Back then, the sea didn’t even exist. Hm…’

Elena followed the road with her eyes, tracing it all the way to the horizon. It led straight to what was now an accursed landscape—the vast, ever-churning sea.

She wasn’t sure why this road extended toward the ocean, but it seemed worth following.

Even if it made her uneasy, the barren surroundings suggested that they might at least find something by the water.

“Cindy. And dear. We’re heading to the sea now, so get ready.”

“Understood.”

“……”

Elena’s group followed the road toward the coastline. As they neared the sea, the salty scent of the ocean drifted toward them with the wind.

Even Alvenheim, located at the easternmost end, had a sea nearby but had never built cities along its shores.

They saw no reason to risk dangerous fishing ventures, and, more importantly, they believed the ocean to be an ominous place.

Still, they did conduct research from time to time. Since it was known to be dangerous, the ocean held great investigative value.

However, the more they studied it, the more horrors they uncovered, which discouraged further exploration.

“This place is…”

“A… harbor…?”

“A harbor from 3,000 years ago…?”

As they neared the shore, Elena’s team couldn’t help but be astounded. Though the rising sea levels had submerged most buildings, key structures remained.

There were artificial waterways and buildings designed for ships to pass through.

Stone breakwaters had been erected in an attempt to block waves. And finally… even a lighthouse—though half-destroyed—stood as a remnant of the past.

Judging by its location and structure, there was no doubt that it was a lighthouse.

But a lighthouse, built with the technology of 3,000 years ago and used for nighttime navigation? That made no sense.

A thorough investigation was needed to uncover the true nature of these ruins.

If their assumptions were correct, this place was nothing short of a historical enigma.

Of course…

“What’s that over there? It’s just sitting there all alone…”

“I’m not sure.”

Given how underdeveloped modern harbors were, there was no way to determine its purpose.

Even Cindy and Elena, despite their expertise, could only stare at the ruined lighthouse in puzzlement.

The very existence of lighthouses is only possible when a harbor has developed. However, no city has ever built a lighthouse, even if harbors have advanced.

It’s not that people in this world never engage in sailing. But rather than navigating vast oceans, it’s more akin to crossing large lakes trapped between lands.

If Isaac were here, he might have noticed something, but at the moment, he is enjoying a leisurely life in the mansion.

More importantly, the real question is whether this place is truly a “harbor.”

Based on the traces left behind, there were various indications, but since it was 3,000 years ago, it was difficult to believe.

However, that doubt did not last long before turning into denial.

“No way. There was an ocean 3,000 years ago? The ocean was created when demons made it rain.”

“For something like that, there even seems to be a shipyard…”

As Elena continued to deny it while looking at the relatively well-preserved harbor, Eiker pointed in a certain direction.

Following his gesture, Elena and Cindy turned their gaze toward it—not the passage where ships passed through, nor any building, but a separately designated “shipyard” for constructing vessels.

They saw an artificially flattened surface, designed to make moving ships easier. Behind it were the ruins of what seemed to be the workplace of shipbuilders.

Although there were no actual ships left, the structure was identical to modern shipyards, showing no signs of being outdated.

“Perhaps something might still be left in that place.”

“…Let’s check it out.”

“Wow…”

Unlike Elena, who became serious the moment she realized the existence of a harbor, Cindy could only marvel in amazement.

As the two scholars moved forward, Eiker unsheathed his sword as a precaution. The sea itself was dangerous enough just by being nearby, so it was wise to be prepared.

Upon arriving at the presumed shipyard, Elena hurriedly surveyed her surroundings.

To be certain, they needed to find a “ship,” but she wasn’t even hoping for that. Unlike bones, ships were made of wood, which would naturally decay over time. There was no way one could have survived for 3,000 years.

“Let’s check the building first. There must be something there.”

“……”

Even after searching, they found nothing particularly helpful.

Without complaint, Cindy and Eiker followed Elena’s lead toward a building—not the shipyard itself, but what appeared to be the living quarters of the shipbuilders.

Unfortunately, most of the building had been destroyed, making it difficult to recognize its original form.

However, the mere fact that it had survived even through the Demon War was significant.

Moreover, it meant that the rising sea levels had not swept everything away. Elena carefully searched the interior of the building.

Rustle—

By sheer luck, she found a book lying on the ground. It seemed to have avoided being washed away despite the rising sea levels.

Elena cautiously turned the pages, even using magic to prevent further damage.

However, the book had been left abandoned for far too long. It was heavily discolored and warped from exposure to saltwater.

“Sigh…”

In the end, she gave up on reading the book. However, just the fact that it existed was valuable enough.

It was a “book” from 3,000 years ago—not even in scroll form, but something resembling modern books.

Even though printing technology hadn’t been advanced at the time, it was still an astonishing find.

“Professor…! Professor…!”

At that moment, Cindy’s frantic voice rang in Elena’s ears, making her turn her head in alarm.

When was the last time Cindy, who usually spoke sluggishly, had shouted so urgently? Other than during their adventures, almost never.

Considering the urgency in her voice, it was surely something serious.

Elena immediately shouted back.

“What is it?! Did you find something?!”

“A basement…! There’s a basement…!”

A basement.

Upon hearing those words, Elena quickly moved toward Cindy.

As she arrived at the area Cindy had been examining, she saw exactly what had been described—a passage leading underground.

It was unclear what purpose the passage had served, but given that it wasn’t hidden and was openly accessible, it seemed to have been used by the shipbuilders.

“There might be something inside, so we should be cautious. Honey? …Skeletons?”

“Hmm.”

At Elena’s call, Eiker took the lead in descending. Elena and Cindy followed him quietly.

Using magic to illuminate the underground space was easy, allowing them to clearly see their surroundings.

“It really is a basement. This hole here was probably made for ventilation.”

“But how did they think of building an underground area 3,000 years ago…?”

Cindy voiced a very natural question. The roads, the shipyard, and now this basement—

Nothing about this place seemed to align with the technological level of 3,000 years ago.

Honestly, at that time, people should have been focused solely on farming. The idea of navigating the ocean wouldn’t even have crossed their minds.

Why on earth did they establish a capital city near the sea? It was completely baffling.

And yet, the Kingdom of Gerios ruled the entire western region.

“Since nothing has been clearly revealed yet, it’s our job to investigate. That being said, this place seems to have been a personal living space.”

As Elena pointed out, the basement appeared to be a resting area for the shipbuilders. Its spacious layout and well-leveled ground supported this idea.

Additionally, a stone bed, still intact, reinforced her claim.

Since wooden beds would have decayed easily due to the salt in the air, stone beds must have been a common choice.

“There don’t seem to be any remains.”

“You’re right. Let’s check the books first.”

The shipbuilders seemed to have been well-treated—there were individual beds, and even what appeared to be personal drawers beside them.

Unfortunately, the drawers had all decomposed, likely because they were made of wood. However, books that had been stored inside them still remained.

After instructing Cindy to investigate another area, Elena picked up one of the books from the floor.

Owning a book in such an ancient time was a sign of high status.

‘This one is well-preserved.’

Being underground, it had likely avoided the rising sea levels. Elena hoped its contents were still intact.

However, the moment she opened the book, her hopes were shattered.

Just like before, the ink had bled across the pages, and the paper had deteriorated to the point where words were unrecognizable.

Just as she was about to give up in disappointment, her eyes caught sight of a particular phrase.

It was written in an ancient language different from the current one, but she could still decipher it.

She had spent centuries exploring—this was nothing for her.

“February 21, Year 841…”

That was all she could make out. The rest was too damaged to read.

But even that was enough to leave Elena utterly shocked.

Setting aside the fact that the Kingdom of Gerios used a solar calendar, what stood out the most was the year 841.

She stared at the words for a while before calling Cindy.

“…Hey, Cindy.”

“Yes…?”

“Do you know when Alvenheim was founded?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Cindy blinked. Still, she answered after a pause.

“About 3,541 years ago… according to the oldest records…”

“…Right?”

“Why do you ask…?”

But Elena couldn’t shake off her thoughts.

‘This kingdom was founded even before Alvenheim?’

It felt like history itself was twisting.

★★★★★