Chapter: 169
“Dungeon strategy, huh? You’re planning to help the Allen Count Family?”
“Oh? Lucy Allen. I thought you were just a daughter who bothers Benedict, but you have a surprising side, don’t you?”
When I mentioned that I was going to strategize a dungeon, Phoebe chuckled softly, while Arthur looked surprised.
From the conversation, it seemed they assumed I was looking to help Benedict and gain some experience.
It wasn’t strange. Nobles usually do this.
In the context of the Soul Academy, a dungeon strategy is a noble’s duty.
Just like medieval knights protected the people from various armed groups, a noble with territory needs to defeat the threats from dungeons to protect their people.
If they fail to do this properly, they’ll face criticism from other territories, and if things get serious, they might witness their people rising in rebellion.
However, dungeon strategizing is both a duty and a right.
Because by attacking the dungeon, one can obtain various rare items.
Nobles rarely allow others to take dungeons that exist in their territory.
Knowing what kind of items can emerge from there and giving it to others? What if someone strikes it lucky and turns their life around?!
Given this situation, attacking a dungeon in another territory without permission is generally considered a huge offense.
Of course, it is technically possible to oppress with position and force, but it could easily lead to a rebellion. I learned this while studying history with Grandpa, and there are quite a few real-life cases to back it up.
Didn’t I once attack a dungeon around the Soul Academy? I didn’t get caught, did I? So it’s all good. No problem whatsoever. If they’re angry, they can attack it first.
Anyway, when a typical noble family’s child talks about attacking a dungeon, it usually means the dungeon that sprouted up in their own territory. Usually.
“No?”
“Why should I attack the dungeon in my territory? That’s something my foolish father should handle.”
But not me. There’s no way I’d get anything delicious by attacking the dungeon near the Allen territory.
I’d be training to get stronger while wandering around with Possell, but it’d be a shame to waste my vacation just on training.
Think of all the things I could gain during this period!
“…Huh? Then which dungeon are you saying you’ll attack?”
‘Menestel Dungeon.’
“I’m going to the Menestel Dungeon where the sloppy adventurers gather.”
As mentioned earlier, most dungeons can only be attacked with the permission of the nobles ruling the area.
However, not all dungeons are like that.
Remember the Evans Dungeon I attacked before?
That dungeon wasn’t like others where you defeat the boss and it disappears.
Every so often, knights needed to go in and clear out the monsters inside and then come back.
The Evans Dungeon wasn’t that big, so it was fine to handle it this way.
But what if the Evans Dungeon were larger?
If not clearing its monsters daily would turn the whole area into a riot?
Furthermore, what if the monsters emerging were far more threatening?
There are several such dungeons in the Soul Academy.
Places where if you don’t subdue monsters within, they can level the surrounding area.
Not just any noble family, but even an entire country would find it hard to manage.
Claiming rights could lead to being swept away by the dungeon’s threat and become a disaster.
This posed a threat to the people, but it was also a headache for the rulers.
There’s certainly a great value to be gained from those dungeons.
But if you try to swallow it all, you’ll burst before you can even open your mouth!
Given this situation, the solution chosen by various kings was the complete opening of dungeons.
Anyone can come, strategize this dungeon, and take the treasures inside.
But in return, you must offer a portion of what you gain to the kingdom.
The nobles with territories had no reason to pay attention.
They were too busy managing the dungeons in their territories to bother about the dungeons so far away.
But it was different for adventurers. A dungeon they could enter without any conditions was a paradise for those who had been searching for dungeons they could attack while appeasing various nobles.
The kingdom gets to solve a headache while collecting taxes—profit! The adventurers get a dungeon they can strategize whenever—also profit!
As their interests aligned, large dungeons became places anyone could strategize.
The Menestel Dungeon I’m talking about is also like that.
This dungeon exists permanently near the Magocratic Empire’s Norta territory.
Initially, the Magocratic Empire tried to resolve it themselves but eventually gave up. They opened it to adventurers and found a solution.
Naturally, it comes with the condition that anyone can strategize it. Even if they’re nobles from another country.
I plan to head there.
I’ve already mentioned it to Alsatine, and above all, Shoddy God issued a quest!
With the ominous phrase [GAME OVER] lurking around, it’s practically compulsory.
“Menestel? Are you really planning to go that far?!”
The first to react to my words was Joy.
She slammed her hand down heavily and made a loud sound, then coughed awkwardly as she noticed the stares directed at her and sat back down.
Covering her face with a fan, it seemed she was embarrassed.
“If you’re thinking of strategizing in a large dungeon, you could just go to the Seina Castle Dungeon, right?”
“I was thinking the same. Isn’t there really a need to go all the way to Menestel? If you went to the kingdom’s Seina Castle Dungeon, I’d provide you with many conveniences.”
Hmm. How should I explain this? Should I just say I’m going dungeon strategizing and leave it at that?
While I was considering calling Grandpa, Phoebe quietly spoke up.
“Both of you. Lady Allen surely has her own intentions, right? Just like she always has?”
“Y-yeah, she has, right?”
“That’s true.”
Nice! Phoebe! If I had said that, it would have felt like making excuses, but since you said it, it carries more weight! Is this the difference in usual behavior?!
Calming the two members, Phoebe turned back to me.
“So, are you going to just strategize dungeons throughout vacation?”
‘No…’
“Isn’t it ridiculous to invest my precious time in such a shoddy dungeon?”
Sure, I’m going to strategize dungeons, but that can’t be all I do. I have plenty of other things to do.
Above all, I also need to show my face to the Allen family. If they don’t see their daughter even during vacation, who knows what kind of nonsense the daughter-crazed head of the Allen family would pull!
“But why’s that?”
“Why do you ask, Sloppy Saintess?”
“I want to encourage you during vacation.”
Wondering what it was, Phoebe mentioned she wanted to repay me for the help I provided last time.
Feeling it wouldn’t be courteous to refuse after she encouraged me to this extent, I nodded, and Joy next to her cleared her throat.
What’s up with that? All of a sudden?
“Lady Allen, could you spare some time for me too? There’s a festival right before vacation ends.”
…Huh?
Are you inviting me to a festival in Partlan territory?
Really?!
‘I’ll go!’
“What? Foolish Young Lady, did you really want to play with me that much? I guess I have no choice. I’ll play with the lonely lady without friends.”
LETS GO!
Of course, I’ll go!
I’ll make time for it, even if I have to!
The cutscene of Joy I could see then was my favorite scene in the Soul Academy game!
How could I pass up the chance to witness that with my own two eyes?!
“Really?”
‘Yes! Of course!’
“Even so? Why would I even think of not going?”
“No. Then I’ll officially send a letter to the Allen family.”
Heh heh. Hehehe. To participate in an event I only saw through a monitor, to play with Joy, and even to watch that cutscene!
Awesome. I feel motivated to spend my vacation fruitfully!
I need to organize the other schedules as quickly as possible and head to Partlan territory!
“What? Joy? Aren’t you going to invite me?”
Thinking about the events with Joy, Arthur spoke up bluntly.
What’s this? Jealousy? Are you that upset about losing your friend?
What a complete petty prince!
“Really? If the prince wishes, of course, I’ll extend an invitation.”
“Joy, I want to go too.”
As soon as Joy nodded at the pressure from her status, Phoebe next to her spoke up.
“Phoebe? You’re busy because of church matters.”
“This time, something came up, so I’ve been given a break.”
That break was something I had recommended. Knowing the truth of the church, going back to the center would only eat at her heart.
It’s better to relax than to suffer physically and mentally without reason.
This worked out perfectly. If I stayed in the Academy, I’d be bored anyway.
It’d be great to come to Partlan territory, have fun, and relieve some stress.
“If that’s what Phoebe wants, I’ll definitely invite her.”
“Me too. I want to go as well.”
The last to speak up was Frey.
Just a moment ago, they were stuffing their cheeks full. Now they had swallowed all that and spoke up.
Why are you, who seemed uninterested, suddenly joining in? Were you wanting to join in like everyone else?
“Then… I’ll send an invitation to the Kent family.”
She seems like she wouldn’t shed a tear or blood, but she must be soft on the inside.
When even Frey, who is pretty close to me, expresses a desire to go, there’s no way I can refuse.
Thus, the five of us gathered here would reunite at the festival in Partlan territory.
*
“Lucy! What do you mean by that?!”
That night. I contacted Benedict to address the issue I had been deliberately putting off.
Benedict looked noticeably happy that I had reached out to him first, but when I brought up the business, his expression hardened and he raised his voice.
“You plan to leave for Menestel without even visiting the Allen family’s territory?!”
The story I mentioned was the same as what I told the others during the day.
I was going to Menestel to accumulate experience for dungeon strategizing.
“No! Absolutely not!”
Benedict screamed in vehement opposition as soon as he heard my words.
This reaction was only natural. There’s no way a daughter-crazed Benedict would allow me to head to another country to strategize a large dungeon where I wouldn’t easily receive help in case of an emergency.
Predicting his resistance, I insisted that I must go, but his opposition was far more persistent than I expected.
Even if I acted sulky. Even if I got mad. Even if I tried to fake cry just a little. Benedict maintained his stance against me going to Menestel.
Was indeed heading to a large dungeon in another country too dangerous?
“Just for the record, don’t even think of sneaking away! I’ll command my sword to intercept you!”
Guess that means even if I try to sneak away, he would come directly to apprehend me.
Ugh. Guess I have no choice.
I really didn’t want to use this, knowing how ecstatic Shoddy God would feel!
“Lucy. Answer me.”
“Is it really, really a no-no?♡ Petty Papa?♡”
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