Chapter: 540
“Are you saying the dungeon won’t disappear even if the Evil God is gone?”
“How can you be so sure? Do you have any proof?”
The eyes of the first prince and Erginius were fixed on me, piercing through me. I started sweating internally at their sharp gazes.
The only reason I knew the dungeon wouldn’t vanish was that I had seen it in the game.
Even after defeating all the Evil Gods sealed within and even Agra, who was their central figure, the Great Dungeon and other dungeons I hadn’t conquered still remained.
Why hadn’t the dungeons disappeared? What proof was there? Were there no changes? I couldn’t answer any of those questions if they came up.
No, think about it.
I’ve seen birds fly.
So I say birds can fly.
But if someone asks me how birds can fly, can I answer them?
All I can say is that I saw them flying!
[Will the dungeon really not disappear?]
‘…Maybe.’
And, honestly, in the worst-case scenario, what if all this was just something that only happens in the game, and I might never be able to conquer a dungeon again in reality!
If I guarantee that and such a thing were to happen, all the consequences would fall on me!
Ah, right! I can ask the Deducer!
If I ask if nothing will truly happen when we conquer the dungeon, there should be some answer!
“Deducer! Hey, Deducer! If I bring the Evil God here, will that dungeon be fine?”
[Just act according to what you believe.]
Wow, that’s an incredibly vague answer.
So, the dungeon won’t disappear, right?
Even if I have to take responsibility, it means I should act according to what I think is right, right? Okay?
Aagh, seriously. Whoever said this skill is given by a spoiled little brat surely cursed me with this response.
“Gentlemen, could you please trust my daughter’s words for now?”
Benedict appeared from behind, bowing his head to the two as I frowned, thinking there would be no response.
“I can’t go into details, but my daughter’s word is indeed truthful. In the worst-case scenario, our Alrn family will take responsibility, so please…”
“The Art Guild will also share the burden. I believe you’re aware of the amounts our guild has been earning lately, so you needn’t worry about it being a blank check.”
After the perverted Apostle bowed as well, the first prince hurriedly rose from his seat and bowed his head.
“No, there’s no need to go that far. I just… Ah, I understand. Let’s go along with what Great Mage Erginius wishes.”
Even the usually strong-willed first prince seemed unable to endure this situation and backed down, while the other courtiers also followed suit, bowing their heads without saying a word.
From what was outwardly visible, things seemed to be going well, but I couldn’t bring myself to smile.
With them trusting me this much, what would happen if the dungeon disappeared?
The pressure from the good side felt greater than the burden originating from evil!
I was drenched in cold sweat!
Ugh! If I had known it would come to this, I should have just kept my mouth shut. Why did I even say a word to end up like this?
[Lucy.]
‘What?’
[Since the situation has come to this, let’s stir up some trouble.]
‘Stir up trouble? What do you mean by that?’
[Let’s turn the reason we came here into the prince’s whim.]
*
After Lucy Alrn and her party left, Rene Soladin was left behind with the courtiers, leaning back in his chair, staring blankly at the ceiling.
What crossed his mind was the image of encountering the party for the first time.
More accurately, it was the hostility the mythical hero Erginius had directed at him.
Initially, Rene hadn’t intended to come here. He had been deeply engrossed in his work, completely unaware of what Lucy Alrn and her group were planning, making it impossible for him to gather any information about the matters at hand.
Rene had only come to the city with the Great Dungeon on orders from the first queen.
“Go to that place and meet Great Mage Erginius. The pretext can be… um, it should suffice to say that you’re worried about the Great Dungeon.”
The first queen’s words were shockingly unlike her.
She was someone who normally executed matters regarding the kingdom with meticulous calculations, so for her to speak so vaguely was quite unusual.
While Rene thought something was amiss, he also believed the first queen must have had something in mind when she sent him here.
What he faced instead was outright hostility.
“What’s the point of this?”
Unprepared for the visit, Rene lacked the strength to persuade his opponent.
All he had were vague worries and doubts about events that hadn’t even happened yet.
While such remarks would be fine in the common streets, Rene was the first prince, a likely candidate for the throne.
What meaning was there in pressuring someone with authority without being ready to persuade them?
Especially when the authority his opponents held was equal to or higher than his own?
“What on earth is the first queen thinking?”
Having worked under her for a long time, he still couldn’t grasp her thoughts.
“What do you think?”
“That is…”
“Perhaps it was meant to suggest building connections, even in this manner?”
“Maybe the way she chose was to participate in Great Mage Erginius’s grand endeavors…”
It seemed others were just as lost in trying to follow the first queen’s intentions.
Sigh. It was only natural. How could people less clever than me comprehend her thoughts?
It was time to let go of what had passed.
Like that poor little brother, who unconsciously stayed close to me yet never looked me in the eyes.
And likewise, concerning Lucy Alrn, who had, unlike me, come to be respected and admired by those around her.
“…Traitorous wench.”
“Huh?”
“What did you just say, first prince?”
“It’s nothing. Disregard it.”
Rene, in a chilling tone, suppressed the inquiries from his courtiers as he brushed his hair back and stood up.
“More importantly, prepare a statement. It seems I may need to act like a troublemaker.”
“Are you really thinking of following Miss Alrn’s request?”
“Is there any other option? All of a sudden, I’m going to earn the ire of a mythic hero, the kingdom’s hero, and the saint respected in the present? I can’t risk that!”
Regardless of the circumstances, Rene’s actions here were only serving to hinder their plans.
While it might seem like he was being understood in the moment, there was no telling how this would blow back on him later. Therefore, he had to clean up the current situation as requested.
So that when this matter came up in the future, he could say he did his best— even if it meant his reputation took a hit along the way.
“If I’m going to cause a ruckus, I might as well prepare a few sacrificial lambs so that no one dares to challenge the dungeon in the name of the first prince.”
*
What grandfather had asked of the first prince was to ensure that no one else could enter the dungeon.
Today was the day the royal bloodline intended to inspect the dungeon, so he was to close off the entrance.
‘Is that possible?’
[It can be done. After all, the Great Dungeon is a national asset.]
As I voiced my hesitations, the first prince chuckled lightly, then nodded.
He could easily grant that request if he desired.
The surrounding courtiers feigned discontent, as if to curse such tyrannical behavior, but the first prince effortlessly ignored their objections.
Moments after we exited the mansion, chaos ensued in the dungeon city.
“Wait! There’s an order I have to fulfill by today!”
“Ha! Is that more important than the prince’s safety?!”
“Come on! If I can’t get this done today, it’s going to be a serious problem!”
“Settle the damages and submit them to the mansion!”
“How is that any different from asking for my head to roll?!”
“Your Highness! No matter how much it’s the first prince’s order, this—”
“Please understand! He is practically the confirmed heir to the throne! We can’t defy his orders!”
“That’s right…”
The first prince was vividly demonstrating what could happen when a likely heir operated like a reckless noble in a kingdom with strong royal authority.
With the armies stationed in the territory suppressing voices, those who resisted were thrown into prison under various pretenses, smothering all acts of rebellion in the name of the prince’s safety.
As a result, our presence in the city with the Great Dungeon was pushed to the background. Any admiration for seeing familiar faces was overshadowed by the immense problems at hand.
“Ha. Giving someone a pretext to show their true nature. Truly a disgusting fellow.”
Erginius, who was observing the scene, seemed unusually irritated.
Since the moment he first met the first prince, I always wondered whether he harbored some deep resentment toward him.
I didn’t particularly like the first prince either, but it wasn’t to such an extent.
With this, it felt like he was setting himself up for animosity.
“My older brother wouldn’t do something like this without a reason,”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one thinking along those lines—Arthur couldn’t hold back any longer.
“Why do you think so?”
“Because I’ve known him my whole life.”
“Can you say that the image you hold is the only truth?”
…
Ah, did this guy catch on? The pathetic dude in front of the chicken coop is an absolute wizard immersed in self-awareness.
What a disappointment. If only he were quick enough to notice other things, I wouldn’t be living like a sympathy bum till now.
“What are you trying to imply, Great Mage Erginius?”
“What do you mean by that? ♡ Can’t you, the pathetic wizard who hasn’t even touched a woman in hundreds of years, be a little jealous because others seem to have a better chance with women? ♡”
“I’m not like that. It’s about that guy…”
“Yeeees ♡ Can’t you feel the smell of virginity every time you open your mouth, dear pathetic wizard? ♡ Just having a true hero in front makes you talk nonsense spontaneously! ♡ Wouldn’t it be so much nicer if you just kept quiet? ♡”
With his face flushed, Erginius bit his lips and swallowed his words. We received a respectful greeting from the soldiers as we stepped into the dungeon.
Phew. Great. Let’s release all this pent-up stress in the dungeon today.
With my current party now performing better than any team in the game before, we might just break the in-game records!
You may also like Mesugaki Tank Enters The Academy
