We immediately jumped into the house (a two-story house that would have been a private house five hundred years ago, to be exact).
　And guess what?
　The four-body Silver Golem didn't chase it any further. All it did was hang around in front of the private house, and if it felt like it, it could smash it down, or stick its hand through the front door, or any number of other things, but it didn't do that. It's as if they can't touch the house at all.
　He looked at us for a while as we ran inside, but when he saw that we weren't going to leave at all, he left as if he'd given up.

Did we get saved, did we...?
I can't believe I'm doing this...
Thanks to that old man.

　The triplets pat themselves on the chest and look up the stairs to the second floor by the front door.
　With the sound of footsteps, an old man comes down from there.
　He is a harmless-looking old man with a people-oriented smile on his face.
　Contrary to Krim, he has a posture that emphasizes his crooked back, making his short back look even shorter.
　But he can't be just anyone. After all, he has passed through the dangerous seventh level and reached the eighth level solo.
　This old man is the legendary adventurer I've been looking for to guide me through the ruins.
　This was Ramsey the man I had asked to be my guide to explore the ruins.

"That was a close call, boys.
Thank you for your help, Grandpa. Thank you.
How come we're not dead?
It's funny how that slayer just gave up.
There are some magical creatures (guardians) that are ordered to fight even if they ignore the damage around them and others that are ordered to 'not touch the surrounding buildings with a single finger'. The Silver Golem of the moment is the latter.

　The triplets snorted in admiration at Ramsey's explanation.

　Incidentally, the law is lightly mentioned in the "Strategy Book" as an outline of the ancient ruins of Alabana. However, it doesn't say which guardians are the former and which are the latter. In fact, there are countless times when the same Iron Golem is present, but there's no end to the things that can be said about it, such as "this one is the former" and "this one is the latter".

　We introduced ourselves lightly to each other first. Crim and Ramsey got to know each other.
　Then I asked him.

We're not going to be able to get a good look at it.
It's true, I know that man very well. But I didn't go through the whole thing.
Really? How did you know?
Honestly, it's all in the gut. When you've been hiding in the ruins for as long as I have, you learn to recognize a guardian at first sight.
Great.

　I couldn't help but groan too.
　The old man laughed with an embarrassed smile.

More importantly, aren't you hungry?　It's almost lunchtime. Would you like to join us?

　He led us into the kitchen as if it were his own home.

　I, on the other hand, was already in for a series of surprises.
　I was certainly hungry, but there was no way to know if it was really lunchtime or not in these ruins, where we couldn't even see the sun. He had long lost his sense of time.
　Nevertheless, this old man said he could tell the time. What's more, he visited the ruins of Tabla three days before us and went straight under.

　Next, Ramsey began to freely use the magical cooking equipment in the kitchen.
　He casually chanted simple spells, not unlike our magic system, and, being a non-wizard, he built a fire and heated a pot without any fuel.
　The food itself seems to have been brought in by Ramsey, but he serves us all a stew. The triplets were delighted at the prospect of eating hot food in the midst of ancient ruins.

　As expected of a "strategy book" this kind of information is not covered.
　This is because the information is too trivial to be relevant to the Demon Lord's strategy.
　And that's why Ramsey's experience as an adventurer, who has been on the front lines for many years, is so remarkable.
　The same is true of the 'I can tell the nature of a Guardian with just a glance' intuition mentioned earlier.
　This old man is truly a living example of the ancient ruins.
　It's wonderful.
　I'll say it again. Wonderful!
　That's exactly what I was looking for.

　In return for the stew, I frankly offered a lunchbox that the old man at the "Gold Coin Spilling from the Palm" pavilion had given me in return for the stew.

I'm on a journey to kill the Demon King. I'm going to explore the ancient ruins as part of my journey to defeat the Demon King. Ramsey-dono. What do you think?　Can you lend me your experience and skills?
Hmm....

　Ramsey sipped the stew with a spoon and kept his mouth shut for the rest of the day. He was clearly not in the mood for it.
　Well, I've decided to retire once.....
　Then, how should I persuade him to do so?
　As I was searching for clues in my head, Crim interrupted me from the side.

'Ramsey. Did you accomplish your goal?
Well then, I won't stay here alone in this depressing place forever.

　The wrinkles on Ramsey's face have suddenly thickened. Wrinkles of anguish.

　I decided to watch their exchange in silence. Because I realized that this topic Krim had brought up was that "clue" that I had been searching for. I realized that she was going to follow up with me.

Hey, boys. Do you know what this old man is called around here?
"Returners."

　It was Ted who answered immediately.
　Ramsey had always returned alive every time he tried, no matter how difficult the ancient ruins were, no matter how difficult the ancient ruins were, no matter how deep the depths no one had yet to reach.
　Moreover, the members of his party have also made it back alive.
　That's why he was nicknamed "The Legend". That's why he's a legendary adventurer.

It's true that the old man himself is alive. Otherwise, this old man here could be a ghost.

　Krim once joked.

So do you think it's true that your party members always make it out alive?

　For a change, he cast a serious look at Ramsey.
　It was Ramsey himself who answered the brutal question.

"There's no such thing as a good story in the world,

　His voice sounded like he was squeezing bitter and astringent emotions out of his throat and soul.

I'm sure you have a good chance of survival when you work with this old man. But you can't be absolutely safe," he said, "because as far as I know, this old man has a high survival rate. I know that this old man has lost seven of his friends in his nearly forty years of adventure.
..........

　Ramsey was stifled while Krim spoke.
　Just as he mourned their mourning.

'Even here at the tabla, Ramsey mourned his own people. The seventh - and final - casualty. And this old man has decided to retire.
"....Cain was still young. He was a young guy....

　Ramsey recounted his painful memories as if he were repenting before a female monk.

But back then, I was mistaken. Cain was so talented that I forgot that he was still a teenager. I would nurture him with my own two hands and turn him into my successor, a legendary adventurer, and all I could think about was myself, and I was so focused on myself that I couldn't see anything else about the boy. So we set out to explore these ruins. The tabla is one of the hardest parts, and even the seventh level is not yet a safe zone (clear). But we were in good shape and we got really carried away and made it all the way down to the 8th level. Cain was still young. It was only natural for him to get carried away. We elders had to admonish him. But the silly eagles got carried away with it. And then we stumbled upon this Silver Golem.

　The Silver Golem in its four bodies is even described in detail in the Strategy Book.
　It was the floor boss of this eight level.
　Normally, this is a powerful enemy that must be surrounded by dozens of elite men to kill it.
　No matter how many legendary adventurers and their party, there was no way they could win with just one party.

It's a good thing that you're not the only one who can do this," he said, "I could tell right away that the golem didn't follow them into the building. I called out to everyone right away, and everyone was used to a quick tonsure on the spur of the moment. That's what I thought. When I ran into the building and patted my chest, I found that Cain was the only one who was not there. Only that young girl, still young, was panicked by the power of the Silver Golem and how creepy it was.

　Once there, Ramsey clenched his teeth.
　He held back the tears that threatened to spill over.
　It was the face of an old man who still blames himself for not being able to save Cain, saying he had no right to cry.

I went to apologize to the boy's mother right away. I was going to take any abuse I could get my hands on, but that didn't happen. But it was not to be. She told me that she had decided on her own that she wanted to have adventures with Ramsey and become a legendary adventurer one day. It's not my fault. To be honest, that was harder for me than any other accusation.

　Ramsey speaks incisively.
　The triplets have a look on their faces as their chests tighten.
　Krim closes his eyes and is in pain. He just says it's hard no matter how many times he hears it.
　What do I look like now?　I don't know.

'The last thing Cain's mother said to me was. "Could you at least have some of his stuff? You know. We don't have any answers. We were afraid of the Silver Golem, so we fled in a hurry. There was no way we could have recovered it. Anyway, I'm sorry. I feel so sorry. It's so frustrating...!

　So Ramsey quit being an adventurer.
　He had learned his lesson, never to explore the ruins again.

''Nevertheless, the reason you're visiting here again is...''
Oh yes, Master Magnus. Every year I come to see if some great adventurer has defeated the Silver Golem. Then I can rest assured that I will be able to retrieve Cain's bones and belongings. I will be able to mourn him properly. And I can at least give her mother a proper look.
But it looks like you're not down yet.
Oh, it's Krim. That's why this tabla is such a challenge. That's what makes this golem such a horrible monster.

　Ramsey said regretfully, and then stopped talking.
　A heavy silence hangs in the air.
　To ease the air, Rudd tries to say something light, but ends up repeating the thought.
　Crim remains miffed and keeps his eyes closed.
　But I--

I see. I understand, Lord Ramsey.

　He stood up to break such a heavy atmosphere.
　He flipped the hem of his long coat.
　Then he declared to everyone.

''Then--we will defeat that golem.