The Male Lead isn't Following the Script!
Chapter 140: Into the Ruins

Chapter 140: Into the Ruins

Dimitri blinked, processing this new information. If the Goddess truly was present, why wasn’t she assisting them? This was her ruins after all...

"If she’s there..." He ventured, "Can’t she guide us?"

Adeline snorted. "Guide us? She doesn’t even know where we are!"

Well... Wasn’t that just helpful?

Putting aside the conversation they just had, they started to descend again, this time even more careful!

It was unfortunate that the stairs didn’t have any railing making the descent even scarier than it would have been. Adeline had to force herself to not look down, if she did, she was sure she was going to feel dizzy.

They pressed onward, the air growing heavier with each step. There were different traps in place and for the most part, it was random. They had to deal with the traps as they activated, there wasn’t any other choice.

Flames shot out of the walls without warning, spikes emerged from the floor, and at one point, the staircase tilted abruptly, threatening to send them sliding into a pit of sharp stones below.

Dimitri proved invaluable, his quick reflexes saving them multiple times. She really would’ve been screwed if Dimitri hadn’t been here.

This was proving her right once again. Her holy powers were barely useful in dangerous situations! She couldn’t do anything to protect herself and had to rely on Dimitri!

The only help she did was when an arrow grazed Dimitri’s cheek, Adeline healed him. That was all she could do right now! Dimitri thanked her, he didn’t see her as a burden at all! Adeline kept scolding herself for being useless though.

With his wind magic, he could immediately turn away the arrows but if she wanted to make anything with her powers it took time and energy to manifest it into physical objects. And time is of the essence here!

"Who builds something like this?" Dimitri muttered, his voice strained as he helped Adeline over a collapsed section of stairs.

Adeline’s thoughts echoed his frustration. The deeper they went, the more it felt like a test—or a punishment.

Eventually, they reached the bottom of the staircase, their breaths ragged. Torches lined the walls of the cavernous chamber before them. They lit as if they sensed their presence... It was like they welcomed them.

"How deep underground are we?" Adeline wondered aloud, staring at the vaulted ceiling far above.

Dimitri didn’t answer. His attention was fixed on the three corridors ahead, each one identical in appearance.

This would be another trial, wouldn’t it? He sighed in dismay. Was the Goddess crazy to send a small kid here?! What if he wasn’t here?! He grew frustrated.

Adeline stared at the three paths, her frustration mounting. "Well, this is just perfect. Goddess, any idea which way to go?"

There was a long pause before the Goddess laughed nervously. Yeah, about that... I have no idea.

Adeline stomped her foot, her exasperation spilling over. "Useless! Absolutely useless!"

What should they do now?! Who knows how long these passages ran? And who knows which one would lead her to the artifact she so desperately wanted! Come on! She wasn’t asking for much.

Maybe a ring that shoots fire, or a necklace that shoots water. Something. Anything. She just needed something that allowed her to manipulate the elements!

Adeline wondered if they should split up to cover more ground.

Dimitri frowned, sensing her thoughts. "We can’t split up," He said firmly. "It’s too dangerous."

Adeline threw up her hands. "Then what do you suggest, oh wise protector?" She needs solutions, not more obstacles. A few weeks ago she was relaxing in her home doing nothing. And now look at her! Life was unfair.

"Leaving," Dimitri said bluntly. "We’ve come far enough. If the entrance was this deadly, imagine what lies deeper inside."

Adeline crossed her arms, her resolve hardening. "If you want to leave, go ahead. But I’m not turning back." She had already come this far, she was NOT about to leave, not without some kind of treasure anyway.

At this point, she will take a bracelet that created a small mound of earth. She will not be returning empty-handed, that was for sure! She will not let her efforts be in vain!

Before Dimitri could argue further, a sudden gust of wind swept through the chamber, its force so strong it shoved them into separate corridors.

"Adeline!" Dimitri shouted as the door behind him slammed shut.

Adeline spun around, panic rising as the door to her own corridor sealed with a deafening thud. She pressed her hands against it, trying to force it open, but it wouldn’t budge.

"What the hell was that?!" she demanded, her voice echoing down the hall.

The Goddess’s voice returned, uncharacteristically serious. I don’t know, but something doesn’t want you leaving this place.

Sure, why not? A mysterious force that doesn’t want her to leave. Things have always ended well for those who wound up in her situation.

"Can you sense if that ’something’ wants to kill me? Because if so, that would really suck." What else could she do except resign herself to fate? It wasn’t like everything else went according to plan.

She just had to go with the flow. But before that, "DIMITRI!!!"

She waited to see if she could hear him shout back, but nothing. Were these corridors sound-poof?? She just wanted to know if he was safe!

There was no way other than forward so Adeline started to walk. Cautiously at first, she didn’t want to accidentally set off a flame again and become child barbeque.

She was not tasty.

The corridor stretched endlessly before her, the walls adorned with more glowing runes. As she moved cautiously forward, the air grew colder. Which was weird because flame torches were lighting the place.

If anything shouldn’t she feel warmer?

At one point, the floor beneath her feet gave way, revealing a pit filled with writhing, venomous snakes. Adeline barely managed to leap to safety, her heart pounding.

"Goddess," she hissed through clenched teeth, "If you don’t start helping me, I swear—"

Relax, the Goddess interrupted. You’ve got this. You’re smart, resourceful... And maybe a little lucky.

Adeline groaned. "I don’t need a pep talk. I need a map!"

Despite her complaints, she pressed on, her determination outweighing her fear.

She faced the same trials again, a barrage of arrows... Flames suddenly shoot at her... This time she was safe. Maybe the architect didn’t account for a child entering the ruins. Most of those just flew over her head, missing her completely.

As the arrows flew by there was a gentle breeze that hit her face, "You know what, this isn’t so bad." She kept trotting forward with enthusiasm. Her height was finally useful for something.