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Episode 78
Into the dungeon (1)
A tavern in a village.
A large number of mercenaries were gathered together and chatting noisily.
“What’s the matter, Kelvin? What brings you here? I heard you made a fortune last year and are quitting being a mercenary now?”
“… … My wife suddenly became pregnant with our third child.”
“Hahaha, that’s right! Now that I have more mouths to feed, I guess I’ll have to work hard for the time being!”
Chin─!
The mercenary, laughing heartily, handed a glass to the man named Kelvin.
“Come on, let’s have a drink! Congratulations on your return!”
“… …Thank you.”
It was then that a fat man next to me joined the conversation, laughing heartily. He was probably a little drunk, as his nose was already bright red.
“Hehe, then if Kelvin dies during this mission, I’ll take his beloved sword.”
“……what?”
“Don’t worry, Kelvin! When you die, I’ll put your expensive sword to good use! Hahaha!”
“This fucking kid! Are you done talking!”
Kelvin threw his glass on the floor and swung his fist at the fat man.
Boom, boom!
The two giants tangled together and fell to the floor with a thud.
“Wow!”
“They’re fighting! Kelvin and Johnson are fighting!”
“It looks like a really spectacular comeback will unfold from day one!”
The mercenaries’ cheers began to echo throughout the tavern.
For them, their colleagues’ fights were just an interesting spectacle.
“… … .”
[… … .]
Riley just looked at the mercenaries with pitiful eyes.
It was then that a hairy man who was sipping beer next to me burst into laughter with an expression that said he couldn’t stop me.
“Haha, those authors never seem to get tired of each other. They fight again as soon as they meet.”
“… … .”
“By the way, Raoul, are you cleaning my armor well?”
Raoul.
As soon as the name came out of Furry’s mouth, Riley looked up and answered reflexively.
“Oh, yes.”
“Yeah, polish it really hard! The expedition is coming up in two days, so you need to make it shine brightly before then!”
The bearded man laughed heartily and hit Riley’s back twice with the palm of his hand.
“ha…….”
[… … .]
Riley sighs so quietly that it’s hard to hear.
She began to oil various parts of her leather armor with a displeased expression.
Crackle, crackle─.
“… … .”
[… … .]
Riley.
A week had already passed since she began living as ‘Raoul, the boy who dreams of becoming a mercenary.’
* * *
A week ago.
Isabella handed Riley a communications crystal and a piece of parchment and began explaining the first “Assignment Quest.”
“We have intelligence.”
“… …Spy?”
“Yes. We have several priests from the Great Temple who have been bribed. This is credible information from them.”
Isabella nodded toward the parchment and continued speaking.
“First, read that parchment.”
“Oh, yes.”
Chorrrrrp─.
Riley unrolled the parchment.
On the paper was written in detail the first “Assignment Quest” we had to complete.
Riley, who had been reading slowly, soon opened her mouth cautiously.
“… … The Runestone that maintains the “Great Magic Circle” has gone berserk?”
“huh.”
Great magic circle.
A gigantic ritual created by the Irantes Tower over 343 years.
This was the continental magic circle that Jan Lantes had shown us in the final exam.
“Recently, the rune stone that maintains this ‘Great Magic Circle’ has been showing signs of instability.”
“… … .”
“Of course, the “Great Magic Circle” won’t break just because that Rune Stone goes berserk. The spell isn’t so flawed that it would break just because there’s a problem with one or two points.”
Isabella paused for a moment, took a breath, and then continued speaking.
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“The problem came from an unexpected place.”
“… … An unexpected place?”
“huh.”
Isabella nodded and answered.
“This rune stone went berserk and caused an ‘abnormal magical phenomenon’ in the nearby area.”
“… … .”
“According to intelligence, a priest from the Inquisition will soon be dispatched to the scene to investigate this anomaly.”
The Inquisitor is dispatched to the scene.
From the perspective of the Irantes Tower, this must have been a very difficult situation.
That would be the case, because if the priest dispatched to the scene were to discover the runestone, the plans of the Irantes Tower would be completely ruined.
“Imagine an Inquisitor priest finding a runestone.”
“… … .”
“Then the Great Hall will realize that the Rune Stone is a device to maintain the ‘Great Magic Circle’. Naturally, they will also learn that the Lantes Tower is behind it.”
Isabella let out a deep sigh and muttered quietly.
“Then our plan will just go down the drain.”
“… … .”
“Unless they are fools, the three major powers that noticed the existence of the ‘Great Magic Circle’ would not walk into the trap on their own.”
Isabella finished explaining up to that point and muttered in a low voice.
“So, Riley, here’s what you need to do.”
“… … .”
“Just get the runestone before the Inquisitor’s priests do. Easy, right?”
After hearing that, Riley immediately asked back.
“Where is the rune stone that causes this strange phenomenon?”
“The territory of Grotes.”
Grotes.
One of the allied nations located within the Haslpart Mountains in the western part of the empire.
It was a country located on the opposite side of the continent from the Irantes Tower.
“Then, in order to secure the runestone before the Inquisitor, we must leave immediately.”
“Yeah. But there’s another problem.”
“… … .”
“The runestone is hidden in a dungeon in Grotes territory, right? But I heard that a mercenary group recently discovered the dungeon and even received permission to attack it.”
“ah.”
As long as you have permission to enter the dungeon, the entrance to the dungeon will be thoroughly guarded by mercenaries.
“So you’re saying that I have to go through that strict security and clear the dungeon alone, naked?”
“Well, that’s not it. If we do that, it could easily turn into a big fuss. The Inquisitor’s priests will be dispatched soon, so it’s not good to cause unnecessary trouble.”
“… … Then what should I do?”
Isabella answered with a smile.
“The best way is to sneak among the mercenaries and raid the dungeon.”
“… … .”
“You just need to sneak the rune stone in the gap.”
She added.
“Well, since the mercenaries and the Grand Temple don’t know about the Rune Stone anyway, the mission will be easier than you think.”
So, the “mission quest” given to us can be summarized as follows.
The summary was also helpfully written at the end of the parchment Isabella had written down.
1. Hide among the mercenaries and enter the dungeon of Grotes territory.
2. Retrieve the Rune-stone inside the dungeon.
3. Finish this task faster than the Inquisitor’s priest.
4. And above all, never let anyone know that you are a wizard belonging to the Irantes Tower while performing your mission.
“Here, take this too.”
“… … It’s a mask?”
“Yeah. It’ll be a great help in disguising myself.”
Riley accepted the mask Isabella gave her.
It was an artifact called ” Dolores’ Mask” that changed the wearer’s appearance and voice .
“Rumors about you, Riley, have already spread throughout the magical world.”
“… … .”
“If you don’t want to be discovered as a wizard belonging to the Irantes, you’ll probably have to change your appearance first.”
Isabella added, looking at Riley who was putting on her mask.
“Above all, you must hide your magical powers. If some brat reaches the intermediate level of 「Advanced」, everyone will suspect your true identity.”
“… … .”
“The best way is to learn 「Magic Concealment」, but that is a technique that takes a lot of time, umm… … .”
“ah.”
That was when.
Riley looked as if something had occurred to her.
“I think I can handle that.”
“okay?”
“yes.”
Riley pulled an item out of her subspace backpack. It was the artifact that Richie had given her when they broke up.
A ring that has the effect of preventing the wearer’s magical power from leaking out.
Isabella responded with a look of inward surprise as Riley put it on.
“Oh… … . Unless you’re a wizard with a high level of mana affinity, you’d never notice your true abilities. Where did you get something like this?”
“I received a gift.”
“Hmm, it seems like you have good friends.”
Isabella smiled with satisfaction.
“Well, then we can leave like this. Go and bring the rune stone. Good luck.”
“thank you.”
After completing her disguise, Riley joined the mercenary group a week before the dungeon raid date to make her disguise more convincing.
Riley plays Raoul, a boy with a passion for mercenaries.
By calling herself a porter, she was able to blend in naturally with the mercenaries.
* * *
“What, Raoul? Are you done with my armor maintenance yet?”
“Oh, yes.”
“Oh, really. Your armor is shining brightly. As expected, Raoul, you work very quickly. I’m sure you’ll become an excellent mercenary in the future. Hahaha!”
The furry man burst into a hearty laugh and stroked Riley’s head with a rough hand.
Although he looked like a nobody, he was actually a capable man who had secured the position of leader of a mid-level mercenary group.
The hairy captain said, handing Riley a chair.
“Come on, you’ve worked hard! Come and get some food!”
“thank you.”
Thud─.
Riley sat down on the spot, munching on some snacks and slowly looking around the inside of the tavern.
The noisy interior of the building.
The mercenaries were all laughing heartily and reminiscing amongst themselves.
Riley slowly looked around the scene and smiled faintly.
‘The atmosphere of the mercenary group is also pretty good.’
[huh.]
The camaraderie, friendship, and even warm romance that can only be shared between those who have overcome life and death together.
Although the uniquely rough atmosphere was inevitable, the mercenary group was still a place where one could feel the strong bond between the men.
In particular, Captain Furbo took special care of Riley.
It reminds me of when I was young or something.
Even now, the hairy captain was sitting next to Riley, half-exaggerating his heroic tale.
“So, I grabbed that wolf by the neck and the bastard bit my shoulder! So I… … .”
Squeak──!
Right then.
The tavern door opened roughly.
The noise of the bustling tavern suddenly stopped.
“… … .”
“… … .”
At the door stood an unfamiliar doll, silently.
He was wearing a black cloak and had a large sword hanging from his back.
At the sudden appearance of a stranger, the mercenaries all stopped chattering and began to look at him with wary eyes.
A strange silence followed.
It was then that the hairy captain cautiously opened his mouth on behalf of the mercenaries.
“… …Who are you?”
“ah.”
Swish─.
He let out a small sigh, bowed deeply, and took off his hat.
“Excuse me, brothers and sisters.”
A man with a friendly smile.
There was still a youthful look on his face.
I would say his appearance is somewhere between that of a boy and a young man.
With his beautiful features and his pure white face, he looked like a young master from a noble family.
But a rather unexpected self-introduction came out of the young man’s mouth.
“I am Ermin, a priest who is on a pilgrimage following the will of the Lord.”
“… … What? A priest?”
“yes.”
fuse.
And even this huge great sword that he carries on his back.
Even just looking at this far, Riley and I were able to roughly figure out who the young man was.
‘The Inquisitor.’
okay.
Ermin.
He was a priest of the Inquisitor’s Office who was dispatched from the Great Temple to investigate the “magic anomaly” in the Gorovis Territory.
In other words, it also meant that he was the person we had to be most wary of while carrying out this mission.
“I heard through the Adventurer Management Office that a nearby mercenary group was recruiting healers, so I came here in a hurry.”
“… … .”
“I was running out of money for the pilgrimage, so I decided to buy some more.”
After hearing that, Riley immediately spoke to me.
‘It seems like you’re trying to hide the fact that you’re an Inquisitor.’
[huh.]
The Inquisitors were the core leaders of the Great Temple.
The fact that they were dispatched directly from the Inquisition meant that there was a major problem in the area.
If this fact were to leak out, there would certainly be a big or small uproar in the surrounding area.
Naturally, this news would reach the ears of the nearby nobles.
For reference, the Grotes territory is located in the western part of the empire.
And as I said before, because the western part of the empire was constantly exposed to war with the demons, the nobles who ruled that area defended the Irantes Tower and the immortality magic they created.
Naturally, these nobles were hostile to the Grand Palace and the other three major powers.
Perhaps that is why Ermin hides his identity.
There is no need to advertise noisily, saying, ‘I am here’, in a place where enemies are everywhere.
‘aha.’
Riley nodded after hearing my explanation.
But the other mercenaries began to grumble among themselves with crumpled expressions.
Groan, groan, groan─.
Through the context, we know that he is an Inquisitor belonging to the Great Temple, but to the mercenaries who know nothing about it, Ermin will only seem like an ignorant young priest.
Because of this, a debate began among the mercenaries as to whether it was right to hire Ermin as a priest.
“Of course we need a healer, but I’m a little hesitant to accept a brat who hasn’t even dried his hair yet.”
“Well, what do you think? Raul here is also a kid, so it’s spicy.”
“The situation is different. Raul is a non-combatant. It doesn’t make sense to put him on the same level as a porter and a healer.”
“That’s true. Besides, that guy looks like a priest with no combat experience… … .”
“Rather than hiring a brat like that, wouldn’t it be better to just hire an experienced priest from a temple in a nearby village?”
“That’s too expensive. We need to consider our budget as well.”
The debate never ended.
Since this heated debate was directly related to the survival of the mercenaries, the atmosphere showed no signs of calming down any time soon.
“Hmm.”
That was when.
Ermin, who had been quietly listening to the mercenaries’ conversation, joined the argument with a look of incomprehension.
“Brothers and sisters, I don’t know why you guys are making this discussion so complicated.”
“……what?”
“Isn’t this a problem that can be solved if I just prove my own abilities?”
Sreung─!
As soon as the words were finished, a chilling sword sound resounded.
“… … .”
“… … .”
The mercenaries’ gazes were all focused on Ermin.
Before he knew it, Ermin’s greatsword was pointed at the mercenaries.
No, to be exact… … . towards the tip of the furry captain’s neck.
“No way right now… … .”
The hairy captain glared at Ermin with wary eyes. He slowly reached out for the handle of the axe hanging from his waist.
“… … Are you trying to compete with me?”
“No way.”
Ermin smiled leisurely and continued answering in a soft voice.
“As I said, I am a priest. I am a healer who heals others. There is no point in proving my skills through swordsmanship here.”
“Then why did you take out your weapon…?”
Crunch─.
Ermin swings his sword with an expressionless face.
At the same time, the hairy captain’s words were cut off.
Crunch─!
A terrible crashing sound was heard.
It was only a matter of time before blood spurted out and the tavern was covered in blood.
“Uh, uh uh… … ?”
“Whoa, whaaaaaa!”
The mercenaries’ panicked voices filled the building, and the waitress who had been serving food screamed and fell to the floor.
Stop.
Boom, boom─.
blood.
Crimson blood flowed endlessly onto the floor.
“What, what is this… … .”
The hairy captain stared blankly at the sight with trembling eyes.
It was then that Ermin answered with a gentle smile.
“Didn’t I tell you?”
“… … .”
“I will prove my skills.”
Degururur─.
A human hand rolled across the floor of the tavern and slammed helplessly into the wall.
“… … .”
[… … .]
okay.
Ermin cut off his own hand.
And that too, in one stroke, without any hesitation.
“Then now I will try to heal my own hands.”
“… … .”
“… … .”
Ermin raises his left arm, with blood flowing out of it, over his head.
A terrible silence fell inside the tavern.
The mercenaries simply looked at Ermin with astonishment.
“By the way, brother sitting there, could you please hand me my hand that’s rolling around on the floor?”
“… … .”
“I only have one hand right now so I can’t pick anything up, haha.”