Chapter: 75
As I watched armored orcs getting sliced apart right in front of me, I couldn’t help but frown.
So this isn’t the place either?
Not even two fully armed orcs are enough, huh?
Ahh. Damn it.
If this isn’t it either, then where else could it be?
[Hey, I can sense some life energy nearby.]
Just as I was lost in thought, the old man chimed in.
He was the same one who had pinpointed the monster’s presence precisely when we fell into Agra’s trap before.
If he sensed it, then it was definitely reliable news.
‘Where’s the location?!’
[It’s a bit far, but from here, it’s in a south-southwest direction.]
I started mapping out a plan in my head based on the old man’s words.
Far south-southwest from here.
I know where that is.
It’s a spot with a wall trap.
The moment you step on a specific part of the floor, walls appear to split the party apart.
It’s likely they want to separate Arthur’s group to give them a trial.
Now that I’ve grasped Luca’s intention, all that’s left is to run.
“Everyone!…”
“Useless ones! I found out where our poor prince is crawling around!”
With that one line, the attention of all the professors in the room turned to me.
At first, they were skeptical of my orders, but now it was different.
Seeing my commands hit the mark, they were no longer dismissing me as just a student and were actually listening.
‘The location is!…’
“The weak and pathetic prince is at…”
*
Not a word was exchanged among Arthur’s party as they advanced through the dungeon.
They had been quite cheerful when tackling the academy’s dungeon initially, but now, with Arthur’s magical item activated and leading them astray, all that remained was the sound of their breath.
Occasionally, Luca would try to lighten the mood, but only a few words came through before the atmosphere sunk again.
In the midst of all this, Arthur felt the weight of his mistakes.
He had put everyone at risk because of his miscalculation.
In his desperation not to lose to Lucy Alrn, he ended up using an item handed to him by someone untrustworthy, causing all this trouble.
How foolish.
In his desire for revenge against someone who had called him a pitiful prince, he had acted like an idiot.
Arthur remembered the monsters they had encountered in this dungeon.
He could never forget the sight of the Minotaur, wielding a massive axe taller than an adult man, snorting hot breath.
The current Arthur, Jackal, and Matthew were no match for that foe.
The overwhelming pressure emanating from that gigantic being made that fact clear to him.
Even though Luca had drawn a knife from his possession to bring the Minotaur down, no one had been seriously hurt.
However, without Luca, the three of them would have surely met a gruesome end at the hands of that monster.
The weight of the reality that his mistakes nearly cost lives weighed heavily on Arthur.
In the past, he often thought people who acted irrationally in search of revenge were foolish, yet here he was, one of those fools.
The only saving grace for Arthur was that Luca was there, giving him a chance to correct his mistakes.
Luca, who had gained his reputation at a young age and become a professor at the academy, was the real deal.
Seeing him effortlessly butcher the Minotaur, it seemed like this dungeon wasn’t dangerous for him at all.
If he was with them, they could navigate through the dungeon safely.
So, what came next?
First, Arthur needed to apologize to Jackal and Matthew.
He had already offered a verbal apology, but mere words didn’t mean much; he needed to offer them material compensation.
Afterwards, he should confront the professor who had given him the compass.
He needed to clarify the purpose behind handing him that item.
Obviously, that professor should face punishment too.
Even if the academy would take care of him, he still deserved to be reprimanded properly.
After all, it was a blatant truth that he had made a mistake.
And as for Lucy Alrn?
He would need to forgive her.
…
Whatever the outcome, a competition is still a competition.
When Arthur was conquering the sixth floor, Lucy Alrn had already soared past the 20th floor. His defeat was a foregone conclusion.
Lucy Alrn was an opponent Arthur could never defeat, no matter what tricks he tried.
So even when he called her the pitiful prince who mocked him…
Ugh. That’s tough.
Acknowledging that he had lost was incredibly difficult for him.
Is this because his heart is too small?
Clank.
In the midst of Arthur’s brooding, he heard the sound of a mechanism clicking.
Looking up, he found Luca’s left foot had pressed down on something.
“What the…”
As soon as Luca blurted out, a stone wall formed, separating him from Arthur’s group.
“No! This can’t be!”
“Everyone! Step back!”
Jackal was in a panic, trying to approach the wall when Luca called out loudly from the other side.
Upon hearing his voice, Jackal pulled away just as a tremendous sound echoed from the wall.
Luca was trying to break through from the other side.
However, the stone wall stood strong.
Even after numerous attempts from the other side, not even a scratch marred the wall. Had Luca given up?
The noise from the other side ceased.
“Everyone! Wait there! I’ll definitely come to save you!”
Just as Luca’s voice grew quieter, sounds of hurried footsteps echoed from beyond the wall.
Having realized he couldn’t break through the wall, he must’ve planned to find another route to reach them.
As the three freshmen were left behind, the first voice to speak was Arthur’s.
“We have to move.”
“W-What?”
“What do you mean, Your Highness?”
“Luca said to wait, but we can’t just sit here.”
“If we move, we might run into Luca!”
Jackal exclaimed, panic rising in his voice, but Arthur was firm.
If they started acting recklessly here, they would lose their chance to meet Luca.
Arthur wasn’t oblivious to this danger.
Yet the insistence on moving stemmed from the fact that they were cornered in a dead-end.
“Jackal. The monsters here are far too strong for us to handle. What do you think will happen if we encounter one in a dead end like this?”
There was no need to explain the outcome.
Total annihilation.
The three here would die.
A sacrifice from someone? A miracle?
None of that was in play here.
These three, guaranteed a bright future, would be killed by the dungeon’s monsters.
“But…”
“If we miss Luca, the result will be the same, won’t it?”
Matthew posed the question that left Jackal speechless, and Arthur nodded.
“Exactly. Matthew. My plan might only buy us a bit more time. But since we don’t know when Luca will arrive, it’s best to secure an exit nearby.”
Although Arthur spoke calmly, the other two looked uneasy.
They were speaking to Jackal and Matthew, who had been thrown into this situation because of his magical tool.
From their perspective, trusting Arthur’s words was difficult.
The repercussions for my mistakes have come back around so quickly.
How can I convince them?
Just as Arthur started to ponder this, heavy footsteps echoed from up ahead.
It was too heavy for a human.
While they had faced numerous monsters by now, it didn’t take much to guess who the owner of those footsteps was.
“Minotaur.”
“No, no, no!”
“Oh God.”
Suddenly blocked by a wall and faced with that massive form towering toward them, it was clear they hadn’t acted fast enough.
Arthur drew his sword from his waist and stepped to the front.
Typically, the swordmaster would be standing behind Jackal, but that wasn’t the case at the moment.
With his blunder leading to this danger, Arthur had to lead the way.
Even if it was a futile struggle, he had to make an effort to take on at least a part of the responsibility.
“Buy some time. If you see an opening, run.”
I have no idea if I’ll be able to create an opening, but it’s worth a try, right?
With my life on the line, I prepared to face the Minotaur.
At that moment, a voice that seemed out of place for such a dire situation rang out.
“Hey, you lumbering hunk of meat! ♡ Are you really a girl with that kind of appearance? ♡ Hot! It’s pretty creepy the way you come rushing at guys while drooling! ♡”
The tension of the serious life-or-death situation crumbled at the annoying voice, freezing the Minotaur in its tracks.
Arthur saw it.
A girl, who in her usual haphazard way, had her hair all messed up, rushing in desperately.
The same girl who used to make him feel a visceral hatred with just a smile.
Haha. Guess I was caught in a crowd too.
Why do I feel so relieved the moment I see that smile?
“Useless ones! Let’s charge!”
*
‘Old man! I really owe you one!’
[What are you. As a body trapped in a mace, I had to do something.]
That was close!
If it hadn’t been for the old man, I might’ve been too late searching in the wrong places.
Would I have been able to save those people?
Watching the professors casually take down the Minotaur while asking about Arthur’s group, a long sigh of relief escaped me.
Thank goodness. Really thankful.
If I hadn’t managed to save them, I would’ve been suffering alone again.
Haa. So, once I finish conquering this dungeon, that should be it.
That sounds easy.
Look at the strength of everyone here.
With this much power, Agra could try something, but we’d just crush it.
Alright. Let’s finish the dungeon with the shortest route and head back.
Getting back to the academy from here isn’t too far, so we should arrive before sunset.
Just as I was thinking this, Arthur slipped through the professors and walked toward me.
What now? What does he want?
Knowing what I did to Arthur made me anxious as he approached.
Still, I saved his life, so he shouldn’t be angry, right?
He has to be… right?
“Lucy Alrn.”
‘Y-Yes!’
“Speak, pitiful prince.”
Arthur merely raised an eyebrow slightly at being called a pitiful prince. He didn’t react further.
“First, let me express my gratitude. I heard from the professors that you played a significant role in rescuing us. If it weren’t for you, Jackal and Matthew would have been in danger because of my mistake.”
Watching Arthur bow his head left me feeling awkward.
Who would have thought a day would come where I got thanks from Arthur?
I always thought I’d live my life hated by that guy!
“And in this competition, I acknowledge my defeat. Your talent is real. You’re arrogant, but you have the right to be.”
I had no idea what to respond to Arthur’s serious words.
No matter how I tried to reply, my mesugaki skills would surely filter them into something weird.
Ugh. How can I avoid spoiling this atmosphere?
– Ding!
Just as I was thinking that, the sound of a message prompt chimed in.
What? Did it announce that I cleared a quest?
Hehe. Useless god.
Seems like you’re complimentary at moments like this.
I ponder that while checking the message.
[Agra is watching you.]
I realized, with chilling clarity, that I was in deep trouble.
A magic circle formed around Arthur and me, emanating from the floor.
“Lady!”
Before the startled Karl could react, the magic circle’s light flared up, separating us from the surroundings.
And when the light from the magic circle dimmed again, Arthur and I found ourselves thrown somewhere inside Colhiti’s old temple.
Shit.
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