Chapter: 295
The conversation with the Dungeon Studies professor brought a lot to me.
While it’s true that I have considerable knowledge about dungeons, it’s all from the perspective of a game user, not from the viewpoint of someone creating the game.
Because of that, there were quite a few shortcomings in the details of the dungeon I created.
For example, I just slapped together some monster patterns when I was crafting the dungeon.
I had a concept and used a corresponding combat style.
That’s not a huge issue since the behavior of monsters was still mapped out.
But it’s not perfect.
Monsters that only repeat predetermined movements are just like puppets. Initially, it seems fine, but once an opponent gets familiar with it, it doesn’t give the feeling of facing a living enemy.
The solution the Dungeon Studies professor provided for this was:
“Just collaborate with the Combat Studies professor, record their movements, and apply them directly.”
If you write down all the combat logic, it’ll take a lot of time and effort, but the end result might not be that great.
However, by recording the Combat Studies professor’s movements and applying them directly, it’d be possible to create a monster that feels alive without too much hassle.
“Usually, the Combat Studies professors are busy at this time, and it’s tough to get their cooperation. But you have someone you can utilize as you please, right?”
I promised Professor Jesel that I would send Luca and Karl his way.
I told him to use them as much as he wanted.
Besides that, I learned a lot about various spells used within the dungeon as well.
“There’s no ominous atmosphere unique to artificial dungeons. That’s because it isn’t a place made from the Evil God’s power.”
Heavy magical energy, suffocating air, sounds that seem unnaturally loud, an unsettling feeling as if something is chasing you, etc.
Those who create dungeons have pondered for a long time about the absence of these elements, ultimately succeeding in recreating that unique dungeon atmosphere using magic.
“Normally, it’s standard to save resources for considering these elements, but since this is your first time, I’ll allow you to add more resources.”
“…Wait a minute. Is it possible to add something like this with the capabilities of the dumpster academy?”
“Good point. I think it’s possible. If not, we’ll make it happen.”
In addition to that, the Dungeon Studies professor gave me advice on several detailed aspects, and based on his guidance, I added new gimmicks.
Oh, and it’s not just about learning from the Dungeon Studies professor.
Though there were various details I didn’t know, I had more knowledge regarding the foundation of the dungeon.
So, I taught the Dungeon Studies professor a thing or two.
Like how to create traps that will make players want to curse.
Or how to set up gimmicks that make you feel frustrated.
Or how to design a dungeon with such awful difficulty that you feel like you’re just one step away from victory and can’t afford to give up.
There were so many things to discuss that the Dungeon Studies professor’s class was canceled. It turned into an impromptu break for me from multiple classes, but who cares about minor details like that?
The important thing was that my dungeon became even more perfect!
…Though in the process, I ended up exceeding the designated capacity quite a bit, but since the Dungeon Studies professor vowed to make it a completed dungeon, even if he had to slap some other professors to do it, it should be fine.
Probably.
After wrapping up all those discussions, I went to dinner, feeling more satisfied than ever.
This is why it’s great to share a common hobby with someone.
Maybe when all this is over, I could become a Dungeon Studies professor.
It sounds really fun to torment students with the dungeon I created.
If the kids find it too disgusting to handle, I could provoke them with a mesugaki skill to make them face it.
“Lying around like those weak little noobs♡ Can’t even handle this much?♡ Haah♡ Well, it can’t be helped♡ Professor~ We’re just weak little noobs who can’t escape our mommy’s embrace~ Please lower the difficulty~”
Saying that would surely rile them up.
Being a professor means you have a lot of annoying things to deal with, huh?
But it’s alright. Just pass everything on to the teaching assistants.
Isn’t that what professors do?
…It was just a joking thought, but it suddenly sounds like it could be really fun. Maybe I should give it a shot someday when everything is over.
“Lucy Alrn.”
As I waited for my food, humming a little tune, I heard a voice and turned to see Arthur glaring down at me with a hot stare, though I couldn’t quite tell when he had arrived.
‘What can I do for you, Third Prince?’
“Why do you look so smug? The poor prince. I understand that you want to etch my cute and pretty visage into your memory, but it’s a bit creepy.”
“…I’m not glaring for that reason!”
I merely gave a slight smile, and Arthur’s face reddened as he raised his voice.
His voice was so loud that everyone in the cafeteria turned their attention towards us, and seeing the many gazes on him, Arthur’s face flushed even more as he quickly took a seat.
Whether it was like this, or when he was being teased by Frey, Arthur is way too easy to provoke. He was a cooler character in-game.
But hey, I find this much more entertaining, so I’m fine with it.
“Third Prince, did you sneak a drink or something? Your face is really red.”
Watching Arthur pout his lips was amusing when Joey, who was dining with some young ladies, joined us at the table.
Seeing the young ladies looking worriedly over here made me think something must have happened.
“…Shut it, Joey.”
“Not as much as the Third Prince.”
“Joey.”
“I’m sorry! Also, it’s been a while since I last saw you, Young Lady Alrn. I hear you were stuck with the Dungeon Studies professor today?”
‘How do you know that?’
“How would I know? Clueless Young Lady. Are you stalking me? As much as I like you, that’s a bit much.”
“I didn’t do any of that! I just asked the professors because you were absent.”
Joey’s worry, having been mixed up in so many incidents, made me smile without realizing it.
Hah. Honestly, it’s hard not to like Joey.
‘Thanks for worrying about me.’
“Puhuhuh, a young lady from the duke’s family getting separation anxiety? I see now~ you struggled inside without me, huh~ How can I comfort you? A hug? A cute pat?”
“…I’m not worried at all!”
By the time both Arthur and Joey’s faces were equally flushed, Frey quietly took a seat next to me, and right after, Phoebe appeared and naturally sat on my right.
After the usual members gathered in one spot, Arthur seemed to regain his composure and let out a long sigh.
“Let’s get back to the beginning. Lucy Alrn, what I want to ask is what kind of magic dungeon you’ve created.”
‘Huh? What do you mean?’
“What kind of nonsense are you talking about?”
I tilted my head, prompting Arthur, now calmer, to continue.
“It’s simple reasoning. After finishing a lengthy discussion in the professor’s office, if you’re smiling that happily, it can only mean one thing. You must have created a dungeon that satisfies you. And a dungeon that could satisfy a weirdo like you must be a magic dungeon.”
…So my delighted expression was that obvious, huh?
Arthur’s deduction is partly right. A big part of my happiness right now comes from having made a great dungeon.
But there’s one thing he got wrong!
‘It’s not a magic dungeon! Not at all!’
“What do you mean, not a magic dungeon? Are you saying I’m some kind of deranged masochist who wants to bully others? Not at all! I made a dungeon that any noob should easily be able to conquer.”
I firmly claimed my innocence, but the suspicious looks didn’t fade at all.
Seriously, how unfair!
Just because I struggled through all those troll dungeons doesn’t mean I would create a horrid place!
Of course, I intended to make it doable for any student!
I mean! If it were such a hellish area, the Dungeon Studies professor would have rejected it automatically! Right?!
Among the others, Joey was the one to counter.
“You may not know this, Young Lady Alrn, but Professor Jesel is known for his high standards. He actually designed a dungeon with a clear 0% success rate in the past.”
…Was the problem that he’d made a tough test?
Seriously?
I felt the effort to cater to first-year students echoing all around, and I realized that maybe it wasn’t so easy after all!
Shutting my lips, both Joey and Arthur sighed in unison.
“We’re in trouble.”
“If this continues, won’t everyone fail the Dungeon Studies final exam?”
“Not everyone, just this guy right in front of me.”
“…That’s true. If only I could enter with Young Lady Alrn!”
‘Uh, excuse me. But…’
“Ha, what a bunch of pathetic fools with not an ounce of pride! It’s impossible, isn’t it? I’m not taking that exam.”
“Planning to create hell and escape on your own, huh!”
“Really wicked, Young Lady Alrn.”
Is this something I should be getting scolded for?!
Common sense says that if someone who created the dungeon takes the exam with players, that’s cheating! Obviously, it’s a no-go!
“…Excuse me, Third Prince. Joey. I believe you’re all piling too much onto Young Lady Alrn.”
“Saintess, we have to do this to keep the final exam from becoming hell.”
“That’s right, Phoebe. If we don’t lower the difficulty a little, we don’t know how many people will be consumed by despair.”
Despite Phoebe trying to defend me, Arthur and Joey’s arguments were too strong, and she quietly retreated.
…Um. Yeah, I think the difficulty settings might be a bit high.
‘Um, actually…’
“Puhahha! Looks like you’re desperately trying to make it easier. But what can we do about it? It’s already out of my hands~”
The Dungeon Studies professor took the completed version away, so I couldn’t change it even if I wanted to!
Honestly, I wasn’t too interested in changing things either. It’s a flawless dungeon that doesn’t have a single flaw.
“You already finished everything? In just one day?”
“Don’t show off your genius in such trivial ways! Lucy Alrn!”
“Oh great Armadis, why would you lay such trials upon us?”
While Joey and Arthur were venting, I cast a glance at Phoebe who was despairingly clasping her hands. I felt a cold sweat break out as I desperately tried to fix the situation.
‘Uh, um! It’ll be okay! …’
“Don’t worry. I made it so you could challenge throughout the final exam, just so you noobs can have a chance.”
“…You can challenge infinitely? Wait, is that level of difficulty such that you might not even clear it after the exam?”
“Not just that. Third Prince, this level of difficulty is at such a point that sharing strategies among students won’t matter at all.”
‘And you don’t have to worry about failing! …’
“Also, that idiot professor said he’d allow for scores even if first-year noobs fail at the activities! Even if those first-year abilities are low, it’s unlikely everyone will fail, right?”
“Didn’t account for the journey to the end at all, did you?”
“…It feels like hell is looming before me.”
“Yeah. I think I’ll just take first year again.”
Why? Why is this happening?!
Every time I try to lighten the mood with a conversation, the atmosphere at our table just gets heavier!
Even the normally stoic Frey added a word to the mix, and as I looked around for hints, Phoebe shyly raised her hand.
“Young Lady.”
‘What is it now?!’
“What is it, you nooby saint?”
“If it’s that difficult, will there be some sort of reward when we reach the end?”
…Ah.
Oh no! How did I overlook this mistake?!
The final part of the dungeon should definitely have a reward worthy of the struggle! Otherwise, there will be no motivation to conquer it!
I and the Dungeon Studies professor are both the type of people who value the experience that comes from conquering the dungeon and had overlooked this!
Thank goodness I realized it in time. I need to discuss it with the Dungeon Studies professor tomorrow.
“Didn’t even think of a reward?”
“Let’s just pass and find points elsewhere.”
“That sounds good. It’s better to suffer pointlessly than die in vain.”
‘No! Please don’t just give up! I worked so hard on this dungeon; don’t just skip over it!’
“Wow. Are you scared of running away? Such noobs without a shred of pride!”
“Yeah. I’m scared! I can’t do it!”
“After putting everything into this but messing up the other exams, I’d rather just quit than risk having to do the first year again.”
No way! If I made the difficulty too high, then only you guys might fail to clear the dungeon!
So please don’t give up! Please!
I don’t want to see nobody able to succeed after sweating it out while creating this dungeon!
‘Rewards! I’ll give you rewards! If you fully conquer the dungeon, I’ll give you anything you want! So please, just conquer it!’
“Rewards are all that matter? Such shallow people. Fine. If you conquer the entire dungeon, I’ll grant you whatever you desire. However, no way would you noobs ever reach the end.”
As soon as I finished speaking, a heavy silence washed over the previously boisterous table.
“…Anything?”
“Anything?”
“Young Lady, you just said anything!”
“Lucy, you did indeed say anything.”
Arthur, Joey, Phoebe, Frey.
The four of them, who had been lamenting just moments ago, now looked ready to pounce, their expressions hardening as they glared at me.
I realized I made a verbal blunder, but I couldn’t take back the words I’d let slip.
Joking now would be like walking into a trap with a knife waiting for me.
‘Y-Yes. Yes, you are correct.’
“Ha. Go ahead; try to wriggle out of this. I’ll be surprised if these noobs can even manage anything after whining.”
Crushed by their piercing gazes, I could only nod in surrender as the four of them exchanged glances and stood up in unison.
Now I was alone, blinking at their retreating backs.
…Uh.
This seems like a big deal.
No way, right?
It’ll be fine, right?
Those four who consider me a friend wouldn’t do anything wrong.
It should be okay.
Right?
[You might be right.]
‘At times like this, just tell me it’ll be okay!’
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