Chapter: 251
“Did the loser who made this really think anyone would fall for such a lame trap? Is he assuming everyone is as dumb as a monkey?”
Lucy Alrn scoffed as she effortlessly leaped over the trap, but Luca couldn’t quite relate to her words.
The very faint remnants of magic coiling between the hallways were far from flimsy.
Who gets caught in traps like these? Most people do.
Even I, if Lucy Alrn hadn’t warned me, could have ended up in some serious trouble. What would happen if an ordinary adventurer stumbled upon this trap in a regular dungeon? They’d be toast.
Luca thought to himself but kept it quiet. Ever since stepping into the hidden area of the academy’s old building alongside Lucy, there had been endless surprises.
Navigating through a pitch-black maze without so much as a blink,
realizing every trap along the way.
And whenever a monster appeared, she’d swing her mace and crush its head as if she anticipated the attack. She looked less like a human and more like a seer.
Luca knew somewhat about Lucy’s abilities from watching her tackle dungeon raids, but experiencing it in person was an entirely different ball game.
So Luca marveled every time Lucy showcased her skills, only to receive teasing comments from her and pitying glances from Karl.
The former was expected, but the latter was a whole other level.
That look in Karl’s eyes, as if saying, “You’re actually surprised by this? Really shows how clueless you are,” was almost unbearable for Luca, who took pride in being a craftsman.
No matter how he thought about it, it felt unfair. Shouldn’t this be a special case for Alrn and her knight? Anyone witnessing it would be amazed!
Imagine telling that story to the nobility who value honor above all.
They’d salivate over the chance to run to the Young Lady, showering her with praise and recounting her tales regardless of her past.
These noble folks believe conquering dungeons is both their duty and their honor.
How tough of a dungeon did one conquer? How many did they raid? What kind of treasures did they seize? What dangerous situations did they survive? Those are their true badges of honor.
Even if it’s your eldest son, if he hasn’t ventured into a dungeon, you might as well just call him a sissy and disown him.
So naturally, those noble types, saturated with dungeon-drilling experience, would praise Alrn’s deeds until their mouths went dry!
Why on Earth am I the one getting these unfathomable glares for being surprised at all?!
Luca fumed internally but found no allies to share his grievances here.
To those too accustomed to the glowing glory of Lucy Alrn, shouting about the heat wouldn’t do anything but label him a drama queen.
“It’s already over. Did the poor soul who made this think it was tough? In reality, it’s just a stroll in the park for a little girl like me!”
At least for Luca, the good part was that he didn’t have to wallow in self-pity for long.
It only took two hours for the hidden dungeon within the old academy to reveal itself.
With numerous pathways stretching out and traps loaded with malice everywhere, a single mistake could lead you to wander the dungeon for eternity, but it still only took two hours.
“What do you mean, how could you not be surprised by this?” Luca checked his pocket watch and let out a bemused chuckle.
“Seriously, how long does this monkey plan to stay a silly monkey? Is it really that hard to see things from a human’s perspective?”
“Please understand, Young Lady. It’s just that their common sense is too rigid for them to see beyond it.”
Having overheard his master’s banter with Lucy, Luca gritted his teeth. He planned to challenge Karl to a sparring match later, but he wasn’t about to let that slip now.
*
[…Weird. Why do I feel a sense of déjà vu?]
The old man’s voice echoed in his head as they conquered the hidden dungeon in the academy. He said the dungeon layout seemed too familiar.
[Girl, you might not believe it, but one of my mates loved making mazes like this.]
Luca instantly recognized who the old man was talking about.
One of the front-liners who stood against the Evil God when it broke free and plunged the world into chaos.
He was a great mage who had touched almost the entire magic system in existence.
The guy who mysteriously vanished one day, spawning tales that he must still be alive somewhere.
[This creepy taste in this dungeon can only belong to him.]
The old man’s suspicions were spot on. If it weren’t for the slab, the maze created here would be impassable, built by the old man’s comrade, the great mage Erginius.
‘Really?’
Lucy knew the truth but didn’t share it with the old man.
If she told him everything, she’d have to explain the whole story, and it wasn’t exactly something he should hear.
She’d prefer not to see the old man die of a heart attack. She wasn’t sure if a skeleton had a neck for the mace to grab, anyway.
And ultimately, even if she didn’t explain, the old man would probably figure it out eventually. There was no point in wearing her mouth out over it.
[So this place is connected to him? Why?]
Ignoring the old man’s queries, she kept advancing eagerly.
Originally, the dungeon hidden in the academy’s old building was a maze that couldn’t be traversed without the guiding slab. Otherwise, you’d find yourself back at the entrance before you knew it.
But the developers dropped the ball here. The path indicated by the slab was fixed.
Sure, that path involved twists and turns so convoluted it was tough to memorize, but for Lucy, that wasn’t a problem at all.
If memorizing the path was more efficient, she’d simply memorize it like a pro!
That irritation-riddled time spent murmuring expletives as she ran into dead ends had ultimately paid off, even as the world around her changed over the years.
About two hours, I’d say.
She’d taken her time worrying about the two trailing behind her.
But, well, at least it looked like they’d return before morning.
With that thought in mind, she grabbed the door handle.
She didn’t need a break.
After a two-hour stroll, what need was there for rest?
“Intruder?”
As she pushed the heavy iron door open with ease, a voice echoed back.
It had been so long since death that all flesh and organs had decayed away,
losing its mind,
losing memories,
even its soul worn down to the bone, yet still it remembered its purpose.
No, it believed it remembered.
“Ah, never mind. Definitely not an intruder.”
[That voice!]
The one sitting on a rough stone seat turned to stare at them, pressing into his own kneecap to rise.
“…Young Lady, step back. That’s dangerous.”
In a flash, Karl drew his sword, positioning himself in front of her.
“Professor Karl is right. The current Young Lady cannot face this foe.”
Luca pulled out a dagger from within his cloak.
It wasn’t odd for Karl to overreact, but Luca was different.
If it was a run-of-the-mill threat, he’d readily push her forward to shield her, but there was one reason he was choosing to protect her now.
Facing that skeleton would yield her nothing.
The moment she stood before that skeleton, she’d meet her end.
Their judgments were spot-on.
She wasn’t capable of defeating that skeleton, not now at least.
Perhaps in six months, but not right now.
She wasn’t oblivious to that fact.
How could she not be? She must have visited this place thousands of times.
Yet, regardless of that, finding the courage to tread here came from not needing to defeat the skeleton.
This was a trial site before it was a dungeon after all.
“The monsters in this dungeon were rather pathetic. Guess I let my guard down.”
“Now isn’t the time for such remarks. We need to think about how to deal with him.”
The two skilled fighters quickly grasped the gap in strength between them and strategized their next moves.
The skeleton seated there paid them no mind.
He only stared at her. Just her. With a fixation that seemed to draw her in, as if those empty black sockets once held eyes that could swallow her whole.
“One loved by the gods.”
[…Hmm?! No, wait. That’s not him. It’s just mimicking… Oh!]
Then it spoke to her, delivering lines she’d never heard in the game.
“State your name.”
‘I’m Lucy Alrn.’
“Lucy Alrn? A certifiable nutjob of a skeleton.”
“Lucy Alrn, eh? I thank you for the proud introduction. I shall introduce myself as well: I am Garad, once a fellow of heroes.”
[Ha ha ha! Erginius! This crazed lunatic was a total mess even back then!]
As soon as the skeleton wrapped up his introduction, the old man erupted with laughter, spewing forth a string of colorful curses.
It wasn’t too shocking.
The skeleton’s identity was the homunculus Erginius had crafted in memory of his comrades.
Like the Mesugaki skill suggested, he believed himself a hero, adorned with all the ridiculous traits of an over-the-top hero.
From the old man’s perspective, it was like watching his friend’s cringe moments be preserved forever.
“…Garad?”
“Hero’s remains? Don’t joke with me.”
Ah, damn. Just because of the gap between the old man and those two next to her, she felt like bursting into laughter herself.
One was terribly tense, while the other was nearly rolling on the ground laughing!
Calm, calm. If I start laughing here, I’d just be insane.
“What brings you here?”
‘I want the shield you have.’
“Coming to retrieve a shield that’s far too valuable for a crazy skeleton.”
“Seems like it. Guess that’s the only explanation.”
[Ha ha ha!]
As the skeleton bobbed its head, the old man’s laughter grew even louder.
Ah, this is truly chaotic.
“As you’re loved by the gods, I’d like to give it to you just like that, but sadly, I lack such authority.”
‘What about then?’
“I’ve got a joyous chatting partner after so long, but could you consider my position as someone wasting time on a mad skeleton instead?”
“…Ah, my bad.”
[Ha ha ha! No matter how much of a jokester I am, in front of a lady, I can’t help it!]
Old man! Please, keep it down!
“I’m going to get straight to the point. You must pass the trial I set before you.”
Even a pathetic trial requires some focus!
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