Chapter: 233
Is it now?
Cecil, who had been alternating between the frontlines and midlines to support his comrades, gripped his great sword tightly with both hands.
As he inhaled deeply, black magic began to seep out, and soon his sword was enveloped in dark energy.
Aura. A technique considered the domain of martial masters and a mark of a knight’s qualification.
By the time students reach their second year at the Academy, it’s common for talented individuals to awaken their aura, but he merely mimicked the concept.
The thick and powerful aura that Cecil exuded was on a completely different level.
Even seasoned knights found it hard to withstand his aura, which was practically perfected.
“Your Highness!”
Having completed his preparation for the strike, Cecil raised his sword high in response to a shout from one of his subordinates.
– Kuoohh!
The yeti, which had blocked their path as a boss after having weakened their efforts to scale the dungeon, felt threatened by Cecil’s sword but was helpless to react.
Cecil’s party members, flanking the yeti, ensured it couldn’t escape.
“I’ll go.”
Cecil’s sword wasn’t so flimsy that it couldn’t even target the head of a stationary opponent.
With a single clean stroke, his sword struck the yeti right at the center of its head, cleaving it in two.
“As expected of the Second Prince!”
“A one-hit kill!”
Thanks to the yeti’s thick hide, landing any significant damage was a formidable challenge, yet Cecil had taken it down in a single strike. It’s only natural that everyone was in awe of the Second Prince.
Yet, oddly enough, Cecil himself clicked his tongue in dissatisfaction at the lack of a thrill.
He would have preferred a tougher opponent; that way, it would greatly slow down Lucy Alrn’s progress.
“Barson, how long did it take to conquer the 10th floor?”
“35 minutes.”
35 minutes. While it was objectively a quick pace, considering the circumstances, it was somewhat unsatisfactory to Cecil.
This time, the opponent was none other than Lucy Alrn. When it came to dungeons, she was known to have knowledge that surpassed even his older brother’s.
“Everyone. No need to rest yet, right?”
“Of course not, Your Highness.”
“Compared to the dungeons outside, this is practically a walk in the park.”
“How many dungeons have we conquered for us to tire out from this?”
It was a declaration of intent to press on, and the members of the Second Prince’s party welcomed that intent with enthusiasm.
Everyone here had been conquering numerous dungeons alongside Cecil.
They were all members who had exceeded the expectations for clearing dungeons set for second-year students, and less than an hour’s movement couldn’t even be considered a warm-up for them.
“Alright. Today we’ll conquer at least more than half of the Academy dungeon.”
Lucy Alrn. I don’t know how much you and your companions have grown so far.
However, now that I possess the rumored blessing that allows me to comprehend every structure of the dungeon, I will hold the upper hand in all other aspects.
This clash will end in your utter defeat.
*
Arthur couldn’t shake off the unease he felt about Lucy Alrn’s reckless ambition.
To think she would tackle the dungeon alone, even after selecting the three finest individuals around her to join in!
Especially in a scenario where she would be competing against her little brother rather than facing a common foe—was that even rational?
Her little brother was not to be underestimated!
It’s just that he was often compared to his elder brother standing next to him.
The current commander of the knight order—a genius in his own right—and the small brother who had proven to be an overwhelming adversary since entering the Academy, having conquered many dungeons.
No matter how talented she was, Lucy Alrn was no opponent to be taken lightly, particularly against someone who would use any means necessary!
“…Hah.”
Of course, Arthur understood why Lucy had made such choices.
Despite her often rough and blunt words and actions that could make one frown, Lucy was someone who genuinely cared about those around her.
She accepted requests for help readily, would gladly accompany others when it was time to socialize, and thoughtfully offered the most appropriate assistance when asked.
Most importantly, whenever someone close to her was in danger, she’d rush in to help, putting her life on the line.
If she ever thought she’d cause trouble for someone else, she’d tackle everything alone rather than ask for help.
Look at the time she insulted her big brother. Even when she found herself in tight spots, she didn’t reach out to anyone. She tried her best to handle everything on her own.
It would likely be the same this time.
Though Lucy claimed she was tackling the dungeon solo because it was more efficient and comforting, Arthur did not believe it.
Wasn’t that rather absurd? It was clearly an excuse.
A way to avoid causing unnecessary worry for Arthur and the others.
Taking responsibility for her own actions was admirable. However, it would be nice if she acknowledged the fact that the others were concerned.
I mean, if she just didn’t create problems, wouldn’t there be less to worry about?
If she avoided trouble, she wouldn’t have to carry any burden she created herself. Why did she keep causing these issues?
Someone of her caliber must know what’s wise and how to navigate a situation that leads to a good outcome.
So why did she seem so flustered as if she were eager to cause trouble?
“Phoebe. Aren’t you worried?”
Arthur, who had been frowning deeply, lifted his head at Joy’s voice.
“Are you talking about Lady Alrn?”
“Yes. I figured you’d be quite worried for Lady Alrn, given how much you care about her, but you seem calmer than I expected.”
As Joy pointed out, it was evident that Phoebe had been devoted to Lucy Alrn lately.
She was always beside Lucy during meals, greeting her with a bright smile whenever she passed by, and striking up conversations frequently. It’s no wonder rumors circulated about Lucy being favored by the saintess.
It was only natural for someone like Phoebe to worry about Lucy, but her face looked unusually serene.
“Believe it or not, I’m worried sick inside.”
“Really? But…”
“It’s simply because I trust Lady Alrn all the more that I can remain calm. I don’t believe she would make such a decision without reason.”
As soon as Phoebe’s words registered, a thought crossed Arthur’s mind.
What if—just what if—there were unavoidable circumstances behind her need to create trouble?
What if there was a reason for her to garner others’ hatred, causing her to face backlash?
Yes, perhaps this line of thinking made more sense. It was easier to believe that a wise person like her would have her reasons for repeatedly causing problems.
“The rankings are coming in.”
Arthur’s racing thoughts were cut off by Frey’s voice.
The rankings of those tackling the Academy dungeon.
The names of those currently in the lead.
The group was observing as names steadily ascended from the bottom, yet it would take a considerable amount of time until they found the name they were seeking.
Lucy Alrn and Cecil Soladin.
The first of the two names to appear was Cecil’s.
His name atop the leaderboard revealed the state of the competition.
“As expected of the Second Prince.”
“Is this what happens when one decides to tackle the Academy dungeon earnestly?”
“He was confident enough to go solo, but there’s no sign of Lucy Alrn’s name.”
“My money! My odds!”
Current floor number: 28.
It hadn’t even been two hours since they entered the dungeon, yet they had already crossed a quarter of it.
Arthur understood why the crowd was abuzz.
That was an overwhelmingly high record. It might even be a speed that would echo through the history of the Academy.
No matter how exceptional Lucy Alrn was, there was no way she could catch up to that record on her own.
“…Huh?”
The murmurs near the dungeon entrance quickly turned to silence.
The moment the name “Cecil Soladin” dropped one rank, a new name took its place above it.
Lucy Alrn.
Current floor number: 57.
“Isn’t something off?”
“An error… perhaps?”
“Should I ask the professor in charge about this?”
Numbers that cast doubt on whether what they were witnessing was real or a trick made people question everything.
“Pu-hahaha!”
As those around him stared in astonishment, Arthur found himself bursting into laughter without even realizing it.
Amid the silence, a commotion drew the attention of everyone, but Arthur was unfazed.
Was it a misunderstanding?
Was it a miscalculation?
Perhaps she had simply gone faster alone, needing to shake off the burden of “us” to find her pace?
He could hardly imagine how confused she must have felt when they didn’t believe her!
…But still, he’d have to ask.
Why was someone so wise causing trouble? Was it merely by whim, or were there unavoidable circumstances at play?
*
[I don’t believe this is dungeon conquering.]
‘What do you mean by that suddenly, Grandpa?’
[How is this related to dungeon conquering? This is a violation of the dungeon, a disgrace to its designer!]
Had Grandpa disapproved of how I was conducting my dungeon run? Around the 50th floor mark, the old man’s voice suddenly rose.
I understood Grandpa’s perspective well enough.
Super jumps using monster attacks.
Cleaving through lava-blocked paths to carve the quickest route.
Using the rampaging patterns of enormous wolves to traverse the forest.
Utilizing boss patterns to skip defeating them and ascend to the next floor.
Taking down bosses before entering the boss room by leveraging the monsters’ behavior.
I was showcasing all those techniques I’d used in-game, so I could see how flabbergasted Grandpa would be.
Until now, I could count on one hand how many times I’d wielded a mace, yet here I was charging ahead toward the 60th floor.
It was only natural for him to question if this was truly dungeon conquering.
But there was one thing Grandpa didn’t know.
When it was a game, I could perform even more outlandish plays than this.
This world was reality, so I couldn’t replicate the bug-like plays I used to do in the game.
Like phasing through walls, teleporting several floors up in an instant, or defeating a boss with a single step.
If those were possible, I would’ve already cleared the dungeon and left.
Thinking along those lines, I entered the boss room on the 60th floor and faced the chimera—the amalgamation of many beings—and raised my shield.
‘Grandpa.’
[What is it? ]
‘I’ll show you how that guy will kill itself with its own pattern this time.’
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