Hearts of Iron 4 Player's Guide to Save the Isekai World

Miasma has a boiling point?

Underground Wine Cellar, Laurentine Palace

"The entrance is here?"

"After the Instruments of Summoning were stolen we renovated the palace and hid the entrance to the Hero's Vault."

"Behind a couple of dusty planks and barrels between racks?"

Charles held himself from glowering. That couple of dusty planks and barrels between racks was the start of twenty years of pain and humiliation if it wasn't for the cellar's caretaker.

"We don't have the luxury to parade our sacred artifacts the same as putting a library's worth of research on exhibit for it to be stolen."

Professor Hemmel swallowed his retort with a dying squirm that is his snobbery. The professor knew about the incident ten years ago within the Belosean Capital of Dinoure well. After all, he was the Dean back then.

The knights cleared the gap, and a ball of light illuminated an elaborate pattern running around a wide rectangle the shape of a door centered around a dark hole. Charles' right hand twitched, now hiding a grimace. The Belosean researchers muttered to themselves, comparing patterns the Court Mage gave. The man in question, his friend Lorghan, came into view as he stepped in front of the hole.

"My King, it has been my honor to serve you."

Charles gaped at the sight. The mana bursting out of Lorghan's body while screaming his throat out, the pressure, the blue hue around a bright white light; the Salaian King gripped his right hand as memories of the pain resurfaced.

"His mana! It's fading!"

"It's being sucked!"

The researchers stared in horror at the mana-destroying key. The ancient patterns around the hole seeped with a glowing blue light showing intricate lines and shapes until they diminished together with his aura. His friend released his hand, wobbling like the grass against the wind, and caught him. Charles' heart constricted, holding himself from shaking as he lowered the man to get one final look at his dear friend's pale face.

"The honor was all mine, old friend."

The rumbling sound from the walls made the tragedy short-lived, and the stone wall lowered for an array of lamps on both sides to lit the metallic stairway; The precursors' work. They made their descent and slowly felt something dreadful. The knight in front stopped, his shaking visible. Charles gulped, and they continued slower than before.

When they passed the last torch, one of the researchers gagged. Even the professor's face paled and broke a sweat. A mage managed to cast a stronger illumination spell, lighting the tall ceilings and wide open spaces fit for giants to flash stone statues of the first heroes that towered over Laurentine's walls. Their eyes seemed to look down on them, shunning their attempts to play God.

The Salaian King's legs trembled, yet he trod forward to the massive gates no cathedral nor palace can replicate. His action commanded the rest to follow as expected and stopped as the wind whistled to a black mist appearing, manifesting into a young boy with dark brown hair, dark eyes, and a chiseled jaw.

"So that's what Hero Erich Kasper looks like," the researcher added the sighting to his notes.

"Gatekeeper, we beseech for your understanding to let us enter!"

The manifestation of the Hero snickered. An overbearing aura emanated as the gatekeeper's eyes turned black with a squint. The knights covered Charles, their halberds and swords readied. The entity matched the Heroes' true selves, so for someone rumored to have the power of intellect, curiosity will be his undoing.