Chapter: 19
While dungeons are generally places where battles break out at any time, Evans’ dungeon sees an even higher frequency of combat.
That’s because it’s home to goblins.
This place, with its sheer number of goblins outnumbering other monsters, required continuous skirmishes every few minutes.
Thus, an opportunity for Lucy to gain combat experience was approaching sooner than expected.
Just like before, Lucy accurately predicted the goblins’ ambush, and not long after, the battle with the goblin horde unfolded as she had said.
To the knights, goblins were a mere nuisance—one poke, and they’d croak immediately—so the fight ended in a flash.
However, this time, there was a notable difference.
They intentionally left two goblins alive.
“In a dungeon, it’s common to face many foes alone. So, let’s see how you fare against two. I believe you’ll do well,” was what was said to set them against Lucy.
Lucy clenched her shield and mace after hearing Pervi’s words.
She stood in front of the goblins, but they did not charge at her hastily.
They must have been frightened by the massacre the knights had just conducted.
If things kept going like this, Lucy wouldn’t get any real practice at all, so Ferbi whispered to Carl.
“Aren’t we making a total mess of this? Those guys won’t even get proper training by facing us.”
“You needn’t worry about that.”
“Huh?”
“Lady Lucy will take care of herself.”
It wasn’t difficult for Lucy to instill fighting spirit in her opponents.
After all, she had her blessing.
The blessing was so potent that even skilled knights like Carl and the hero known as Pervi found it hard to resist.
“What’s this? A smelly goblin♡ Are you scared of a girl? Ahaha, pathetic♡”
The moment she provoked them, the goblins’ eyes glazed over with fury.
The fear that had settled within them transformed into pure rage.
Lucy remained unfazed by the direct emotions directed at her.
Instead, she calmly raised her shield.
The weapons the goblins wielded weren’t just sticks; they were not the kind of weapons used by goblin tribes in the meadows.
The goblins in this dungeon all used iron weapons of unknown origin.
The two standing right in front of Lucy were no exception.
One was a mace the size of a goblin’s head, and the other seemed to be a spear crafted for goblins.
Either weapon could inflict devastating wounds on Lucy with just a graze.
While an ordinary person would have shrunk back at the sight of glinting steel, Lucy was different.
After enduring endless hours of combat training, she stood still, observing the goblins’ actions.
Before long, the goblin wielding the spear lunged at her.
The attack was a painfully obvious thrust.
Lucy sidestepped the jab with a swift footwork and moved forward.
Then, she smashed the goblin’s face with her shield.
For a creature with a child’s physique like the goblin, Lucy’s shield was a horrifying weapon.
The goblin struck by the shield flew back.
Seeing his companion collapse, the other goblin wielding the mace emitted his signature wail and swung his mace wildly.
However, that furious strike was easily thwarted by Lucy’s shield.
Thud!
Because it was such a power-packed attack, the recoil was tremendous.
The mace rebounded, leaving the goblin wide open, and Lucy seized the moment.
Crack!
Lucy’s bludgeon crushed the goblin’s skull.
After ending one goblin’s life, Lucy rushed toward the stumbling goblin trying to get back up.
The goblin desperately tried to retrieve his spear, but by then, Lucy’s mace was already overhead.
With no resistance remaining, the goblin was destined to fall.
And just like that, Lucy’s first real battle came to a close.
Carl, who had witnessed the entire exchange, could hardly contain his admiration.
He had believed she would perform well, but this was truly beyond his expectations!
The way she incapacitated one enemy and took down the other showcased her skill, making her already seem like a seasoned warrior.
Who would look at Lucy, engaged in combat, and think she had only just started her training this week?
Just a month ago, people would have assumed she hadn’t moved her body much at all.
If someone who didn’t know the context had said that to Carl, he would’ve dismissed them as a mere fool.
Mastering a weapon. Wielding a shield. Fighting living beings.
Those skills aren’t something that can be easily acquired.
If anyone could grow in such a manner, why would noble families spend so much to raise a standing army?
They could just conscript soldiers when needed.
Lucy’s talent was anything but ordinary.
Could it be that she genuinely inherited the bloodline of the Allen family?
Had Lady once held a weapon since her childhood, how monstrous would she be now?
If she could grow this much in merely a month, imagine if she gained experience over several years?
Carl was certain that Lucy’s name would be etched among the many promising candidates across the continent.
Wiping the blood off her palm, having finished off both goblins, Lucy took a deep breath.
One might imagine that beneath her unchanging complexion, there awaited a gentle girl who couldn’t bear to eat meat for days after killing an orc.
Observing her from behind, Carl noted the slight tremble in Lucy’s hands and approached to offer comfort.
*
After I wiped the blood smearing my face, I thought momentarily that if I relaxed, I might empty my insides.
The rage of the goblins directed at me.
The weapons that could inflict a significant wound with one mistake.
The sensations felt while smashing their heads, the miserable screams.
The rank odor of blood splattered across my face.
No matter how positively one might think, this was hardly a pleasant experience.
Even when I saw the knights handling goblins, I found it repulsive, but now having taken goblins down myself, it felt impossible to calm down.
Chomp.
It seemed like a long time would be needed to get used to harming living beings.
Time for a different thought.
If I keep dwelling on this, the situation will only worsen. Anyway, I can think about something else now.
As I took down the two goblins, I felt something flooding into my body.
It was different from the buff effect of the Mesugaki skill.
What should I say?
It felt as if something was being filled into my very soul.
I had a conjecture about it.
Level up.
If catching a monster leaves you with a sense of having grown stronger, then it could only mean leveling up.
But why have I leveled up already?
To rise from level 1 to 2, you’d have to slay around twenty goblins.
Taking down two goblins and one orc wouldn’t suffice for experience.
Could it be that I’m being treated as part of the same party as the knights?
Is that why I’m receiving the experience they gained from their hunts?
That seems likely.
It’s a possibility worth considering.
If I assume that the earlier sensation was indeed a level-up, then I can rule out any other possibilities as irrelevant.
Haha. Insane. The day would come when I’d be riding the bus at Soul Academy!
I’ve always been the one leveling NPCs, and now I’m getting fed by one—what a refreshing feeling.
Hmm. Wait a minute.
If I could level up by riding on the knights’ coattails, doesn’t that mean it’s possible to hit level 10 in this training if I play my cards right?
Possell said this training would last about a week, so let’s assume we’ll be tackling this dungeon once a day during that time.
I know the experience you get from optimizing a four-man party in Evans’ dungeon, so let’s calculate from that…
I can do it. If I conquer Ruel’s trials tomorrow to get the mace.
As I mentioned earlier, Ruel’s mace has an experience gain increase effect.
If I can snag that effect, reaching level 10 won’t be an issue.
Having experienced the feeling of leveling up, as long as I don’t get confused, I’ll be able to track my level.
In other words, it means I can control when I level up, so there’s no longer any reason to hesitate about leveling up.
Alright. While I still think repeated runs of Evans’ dungeon are the pinnacle of inefficiency, if traveling with knights is cozy, the story changes a bit.
If I can just secure level 10, I can plan a maximally efficient growth strategy for the two months leading up to the academy exam.
Though I may need to ponder on optimization, as a seasoned player of Soul Academy, it’s not remotely difficult for me.
I’m glad I decided to tag along with these knights.
“Lady.”
I was pulled from my musing by a voice calling my name.
Looking up, I saw Carl watching me with a concerned expression.
“Are you alright?”
Am I alright? I’m totally fine!
As a veteran player of Soul Academy, what could be more gratifying than this situation?
I was worried about how I’d perform in the academy entrance exam, but if things carry on like this, it’s practically a given that I’ll get special admission!
I might even be able to perfectly replicate the cliches of academy stories.
Winning against someone ridiculously strong in a duel and catching everyone’s attention.
The main characters of Soul Academy would be starting to show me interest!
Just imagining it brings me joy. Who could’ve thought I’d start looking forward to the academy exam?
“Your hands are shaking.”
At Carl’s statement, my lips tightened slightly.
So, it’s showing, huh?
My expression seems fine, right?
I’d thought I was alright since my face and actions were all receiving the Mesugaki skill’s corrections.
From past experiments, Lucy Allen’s face always had that annoying smile thanks to the Mesugaki skill.
I don’t know how I’d react if I faced an extreme situation, but right now, that’s not the case.
So I should be fine, right? Probably?
I turned my shield to clean off the congealed blood and caught a glimpse of my own face reflected back.
Lady Lucy Allen was still wearing that annoying grin.
It really is the Mesugaki skill, isn’t it?
No flaws in sight.
But if there are no flaws, couldn’t it have dampened the trembling of my hands a little too?
Look at this; with my hand shaking while grasping the shield, it appears as though Lady Allen is quaking in fear!
This is bound to raise concerns.
“Would you like to take a short break?”
On top of Carl’s worries, Pervi’s concerns piled on.
Hmm. Have they seen through me?
Then again, how many people has Pervi seen like me?
How could I deceive that seasoned man?
If that were the case, I’d be an actor instead of a gaming nerd.
Still, being cared for feels nice.
When I first possessed Lucy, I never imagined there’d come a day when I’d get someone’s concern.
“I’m okay.”
I’m genuinely saying that.
I understand why you’re all worried, but I’m the one who’s ridiculously good at whining, you know?
If I felt like I couldn’t tough it out, I would have thrown in the towel long ago.
Whether from the skills’ effects or whatever, I’m toughing it out so I’m still here.
“Really.”
So, worry not.
‘Captain…’
“Foolish Pervi. What would I do if I were another rookie knight?”
“…I’d have pushed you so hard you wouldn’t be able to think straight. Giving someone time to think just makes it harder for them.”
‘Then I’ll do just that.’
“Then I’ll do the same. Stop saying silly things, you dimwit.”
Anyway, if I want to survive in this Soul Academy world, I’ll have to get used to it.
Someday, I believe this will all become less difficult. I just have to hold out until then.
With my unyielding will, I can manage that much, right?
Pervi listened to my words and seemed to brighten up a bit before smiling and nodding.
“Understood. If that’s what you wish, my lady.”
…Oh. Hey. You’re leaving me with some breathing room, right? Right?
You’re not going to make me lose sleep like the other knights, right?
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