Chapter: 20
Ominous predictions never miss the mark.
I had briefly forgotten when I was busy handling the goblins, but Possell was someone who could literally roll people whenever he wanted.
What was I thinking? Asking someone who makes a living by rolling knights to actually roll me?!
From the moment I uttered those words, he shoved me into hell without a hint of modesty.
You think I’m exaggerating? I wish I were.
Honestly.
To get into the details of what happened, it all started when Possell canceled our initial agreement that he would only roll me up to the second floor.
Suddenly, I found myself commanding three other knights through the entire dungeon, from start to finish.
Up to this point, it was manageable.
Leading people through a dungeon is something I had done ad nauseam in games.
If it weren’t for my head nearly aching from the sudden switch from 2D on a monitor to a 4D reality, I could have held up fine.
But then, to my horror, they made me fight, too!
After catching a goblin, they had me trembling, yet they demanded I engage in combat?!
Someone should be worried about this delicate lady!
Well… yeah. I held my own, sort of.
After all, Possell only left me with a couple of goblins, maybe three at most.
That was definitely manageable.
I had a few stray thoughts buzzing around, but that was just something I needed to get used to.
But then they had me disarming various traps as well.
And to make things worse, the knights, who initially moved at a slow pace to accommodate me, suddenly kicked it up a notch, and I was scrambling to keep up.
Honestly speaking, from the middle onward, “This is hard!” was the only thought in my head.
And so I went from the second floor to the third, leaping over the fourth, fifth, and then the sixth floor, eventually arriving at the boss room.
Ugh. Finally, I can see the end.
If I can just get past here, then it’s over, right?
I’ve seriously had it rough.
You’d think after all that struggle, I’d be level 3 already!
My armor, weapons, clothes—everywhere is stained with blood.
I’ve been so preoccupied with the conquest that I’m sure I stink something awful right now.
Once I escape this dungeon, I’ll have to shower first thing.
“Wow, we’ve already reached the boss room, Captain. Isn’t this quick, even by our standards?”
“Quick. Considering you’ve been guiding the lady, that’s all the more impressive. It shows how exceptional her command must be!”
Ha! Of course! Who do you think I am?
I’ve got 13,000 hours of training in Soul Academy, you know!
Having memorized every single dungeon in the Soul Academy, how could I be slow while directing?
The effort I put into optimizing to set speedrun records in the Soul Academy? You wouldn’t believe!
“Lady Lucy.”
‘Yes?’
“What is it?”
As I basked in the compliments of the knights, Possell chimed in.
“The boss fight in the dungeon carries inherent risks, so please stay back and just observe.”
‘Understood.’
“Do as you like.”
Telling me to rest? Got it.
I’m not enthusiastic enough to decline an offer to take a break.
Sure, there’s no perilous boss in the Evans dungeon, but still, let them handle it themselves.
I’ll just chill and get the experience points while they fight, right?
As Possell opened the door to the dungeon, the waiting boss made its appearance.
It was a being devoid of its own will.
Created long ago by someone but forgotten, it had ended up lurking deep within the dungeon.
Made of rock, it did not possess a heart, thus could only follow the commands of its creator.
Golem.
Am I lucky or what?
The Golem is a rare boss that appears in Evans’ dungeon.
Although it poses a higher difficulty than your average boss, it offers correspondingly better rewards. So when adventurers seek Luel’s blunt weapon, encountering a Golem usually warrants cheers.
Back in my heyday, grinding at Soul Academy, I felt the same way.
Sure, the ride was janky, but it had speed and could break through like a champ. And then out pops a Golem?
Not everything in life is miserable, huh!
I guess getting possessed by a mesugaki while gaming for this long has already jinxed me plenty!
If there were any bad luck left, I’d find it so unfair I wouldn’t know how to cope!
“It’s been a while since I faced a Golem.”
“Captain, are you going to handle it like you always do?”
“Of course. Ferbi, draw attention!”
“Understood!”
Following Possell’s command, the bald knight dashed forward.
With every step he took, the stone floor cracked beneath his powerful footsteps, and he moved with astonishing speed.
He covered a distance of dozens of meters in an instant.
Then, sensing his opponent, the Golem raised its arm.
The Golem’s movements were alarmingly simple.
A downward smash.
Even I could anticipate the path of such a predictable attack, so the bald knight wasn’t about to go down easily.
BAM!
What the Golem struck was nothing but the bald knight’s afterimage.
As dust clouded the air, Carl and Possell dashed in simultaneously from behind the bald knight.
Despite the Golem aiming to deal with them using its remaining arm, Carl and Possell both ignored the potential for dodge.
In fact, they charged headlong at its arm.
Just as Carl and Possell appeared ready to collide with the Golem’s arm, Carl swung his sword.
When the massive fist, the size of an average adult male torso, met the slender blade, the outcome seemed overly predictable.
However, common sense doesn’t always apply in a fantasy world.
Here, the sword triumphed.
The Golem’s arm was flung upward, and its body was opened up for attack.
Possell maintained her speed and charged right into the Golem’s embrace, delivering a punishing blow filled with momentum.
BOOM!
The moment Possell’s fist connected with the Golem, the entire dungeon shook.
Perhaps because of the shock, I was struck by a falling rock from above, and while rubbing my head in pain, I barely managed to lift it.
There, in front of my eyes, was the Golem, utterly smashed by a single punch.
This one is disgustingly powerful. The Golem’s simple attack patterns don’t mean it’s a weak boss by any means.
I wonder how high Possell’s level is in game terms.
She must be at least as strong as an NPC from the latter part of the game.
“Lady, you can come in now; the area is safe.”
Yeah, I could see that without being told.
As I slowly approached Possell, the broken Golem disintegrated, revealing a door in the middle of the dungeon.
It was a door leading back to the dungeon’s entrance.
Simultaneously, a table appeared right in front of the door.
So, this is how clear rewards manifest in reality?
What could this be?
Typically, defeating a Golem leads to excellent rewards.
On the table was a brooch.
Considering the Golem of Evans’ dungeon, it must be…
The Brooch of Protection.
An item that shatters to absorb danger when its wearer is in peril.
This was something that had to be packed away as a necessity in the Soul Academy.
It typically prevents a situation that would lead to an instant game over.
I wonder if I could come up with a few tricks using this in reality.
It’s an item that’s as powerful as it is hard to obtain; who would have thought I’d see it here?
“Oh! A Brooch of Protection!”
‘Captain…’
“Foolish Possell. You know this?”
“Of course! Many owe their lives to it on the battlefield.”
Really? So it actually works properly in this reality.
It may function differently than in the game, but it seems it indeed saves its holder’s life.
Then it should be you guys who need to experience the real thing regularly.
“Why don’t you take it, Lady?”
‘Me?…’
“Why? It’s more suitable for bumbling fools like you.”
“It’s fine. I already have several similar items. Consider this a memento of my first dungeon conquest.”
With Possell’s words, the other two knights nodded in agreement.
Hmph. Well, if it’s offered, I won’t refuse.
The more Brooches of Protection, the merrier!
*
When we finally emerged from the dungeon, the sun hung high in the sky.
It was early morning when we entered, so it must have taken us around three to four hours total.
For maintaining maximum efficiency, that felt like an eternity.
When we returned to the campsite, the knights that had been resting there were still fast asleep, just as we left them.
Even if they’d had a hard time, is sleeping the only way they want to rest?
Didn’t they want to do anything other than just sleep?
Back when I used to work frequently, I found it incredibly frustrating when my rest time was squandered by sleep.
“Wake up!”
As soon as Possell bellowed this, the knights jolted upright.
Their rapid movements, reminiscent of a puppy waking to its owner’s voice, were truly pitiable.
“Did you rest enough?”
““Yes!””
“Well then, we’ll have our meal and get back to training! Prepare food as soon as you wake up!”
““Understood!””
Watching them hustle about as soon as they woke up, I made my way over to a maid who was greeting me from within one of the tents in the campsite.
Ah, that was exhausting.
Now I need to wipe the blood off my weapons and armor, wash up, and after eating, catch a bit of a break.
“Lady Lucy?”
‘What’s up?’
“What’s wrong?”
“Where are you going? We need to train!”
‘Excuse me?’
“Huh?”
“Wasn’t it you, Lady, who said you wanted to be rolled around like the other soldiers?”
Of course, I did say that.
I mean I said it inside the dungeon, right?
But now, thanks to all that rolling you gave me, I think I’ve leveled out and deserve some time to unwind.
Can’t I take a moment to breathe?
I’m truly worn out, you know.
I gazed at Possell, hoping my feelings would show, but Possell merely responded with a smile.
Is that a no? Seriously?
*
The next day, I once again entered the dungeon with Possell, Karl, and Ferbi.
If you look at the members, you’ll realize this wasn’t something I planned.
I solely wanted to come in with just Karl.
That would make it easier to locate the place where Ruel’s Trial has been set.
After coming in with Karl, I could easily pressure him into being quiet, and then I could pull off a perfect crime.
I even had a valid reason, too.
I can’t train properly with you guys around.
If I want to engage in more practical experiences, it’s necessary to have at least the minimal safety of just Karl in the dungeon.
That was the plan I had devised to get out of this situation.
However, Possell wasn’t allowing it.
As if saying it was okay when I was in a completely optimal state yesterday doesn’t count now that I’m exhausted.
Honestly speaking, I felt wronged.
Who was it that made me like this!
You’re the one who rolled me from noon to late at night yesterday!
Sure, I hadn’t had a single moment to spare for stray thoughts!
I fell asleep as soon as I laid my head on the pillow and didn’t dream a single thing!
Yeah. That’s true!
Ugh. So frustrating!
Regardless, I couldn’t convince Possell, who found it disgraceful to face Benedikt if I got hurt.
Well, it doesn’t matter. I have backup plans.
Though they might be riskier than I’d prefer to use, with the way Possell is being stubborn, what can I do?
Got it? Possell?
If anything happens to me, it’s because you didn’t permit it!
…That’s a bit of a stretch.
Anyway, what’s this plan of mine, you ask!
It turns out it’s to use the traps present in the dungeon.
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