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Episode 80
Into the dungeon (3)
[Phew… … .]
I sighed.
A person intoxicated by the incense of confession speaks only the truth.
It was a universal truth, and Ermine, who seemed quite accustomed to such things, seemed convinced of the proposition.
But Riley was an exception.
Because she had developed a tolerance to all kinds of drugs in the Thieves’ Guild since she was young.
We wanted to use this trait to fool Ermin in reverse.
And voila.
Our plan worked perfectly.
Ermin, who had blind faith in the effectiveness of the confession, did not interrogate Riley any further.
Instead, the guy simply believed our flimsy excuses.
“… … .”
Did he feel a sense of emptiness when he found out that the person he suspected was not the culprit?
Ermin had a dejected expression.
He looked at Riley with disarmed eyes and muttered weakly.
“Well, that’s right. I don’t really intend to interfere with Raul’s eccentric hobby. That ‘breathtaking game’ you just mentioned doesn’t really harm anyone.”
“… … .”
“but…….”
Ermin paused for a moment, then slowly raised his head and continued speaking.
“Please don’t stand by and watch innocent people die because of Raul’s entertainment.”
“… … .”
“If you have the ability to save others, but you just watch them die for your own amusement, it is like deceiving life.”
He muttered in a calm voice.
“I will not interfere with Raul’s entertainment as long as you follow the rules I mentioned earlier.”
“… … .”
“Do you understand?”
Nod―.
Riley nodded at Ermin’s words.
Ermin sighed again after hearing that simple answer. His stiff expression softened.
The guy muttered to himself in a lonely voice.
“If only all wizards could communicate as well as Raoul.”
After saying those meaningful words, Ermin turned away.
Thud, thud─.
Riley spoke cautiously, watching his back as he walked further and further away.
‘Well, I think we’ve gotten through the first hurdle.’
[huh.]
Of course, that doesn’t mean you can let your guard down.
Because the priests belonging to the Inquisition were all really persistent guys.
Therefore.
We must not let go of the tension until the very end.
[At least until this appointment quest ends.]
* * *
“Hey, Raoul. Go to the captain’s barracks. He said he was looking for you.”
“… … Ah, yes.”
Two days later.
The day of the dungeon raid.
Riley, who received a call from the Furry Captain through another mercenary, went to the barracks where he was stationed.
“… … .”
[… … .]
Inside the barracks.
The captain was staring intently at the communications crystal ball on the long table.
He was so focused on the crystal ball that he didn’t even notice Riley’s arrival.
“Phew… … .”
A deep sigh escapes the captain’s mouth.
For some reason his face was filled with deep thought.
“Captain.”
“Ah, Raoul. It’s you. Come and sit down.”
Only when Riley opened her mouth did the captain offer his greetings. But his eyes were still fixed on the crystal ball.
“What’s wrong?”
“Hmm, it’s nothing special.”
The captain waved his hand and continued answering in a low voice.
“It’s just that I haven’t heard from any of the members in the dungeon.”
“……ah.”
The Blood Wolf Mercenary Group was a mid-sized mercenary group with a total of nearly 50 members.
About ten of them were currently on guard duty at the entrance to the dungeon to monitor any possible dungeon outbreaks or entry by outsiders.
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But since there has been no contact from the guards for a while, it is only natural that the captain will be worried and wonder what has happened.
Zing, ziiiing!
“… … !”
Right then.
The crystal ball glowed blue and vibrated twice.
A signal of nothingness.
After confirming the contact, the Furry Captain let out a deep sigh of relief and cleared his chest.
“Phew… … . Looks like the signalman just overslept.”
“thank god.”
“Thank goodness!!!”
BAM─!
The captain shouted and slammed the crystal ball down hard on the table.
“The kids on guard duty shouldn’t be so lax! I’ll have to go back and cause some trouble later!”
“Oh, yes… … .”
Although his tone was rough, I could see that the concern in his expression had lessened.
‘No matter what happens, he is a person who cares for his subordinates.’
[huh.]
It was when we were having that conversation.
The hairy captain continued speaking in a much calmer voice.
“Anyway, Raoul.”
“yes.”
“The reason I called you is simple.”
Knock knock―.
The captain pointed to a corner of the map with his finger.
This was the location of the dungeon we were targeting this time, and the place where the rune stone we had to secure was sleeping.
“This is to tell you what to watch out for when conquering this dungeon.”
“… … .”
“Concentrate and listen carefully. This is common sense that you must know not only for today, but also for continuing your life as a mercenary in the future.”
With those words, the hairy captain continued his explanation about the dungeon.
What preparations should I make before going on a mission?
What actions should you take inside the dungeon?
What are the most important things to keep in mind when making a strategy, etc.
“The mercenaries who have taken up positions in the front lines must prevent monsters from flowing into the rear. If even one monster were to sneak in, it would be a big problem.”
“… … .”
[… … .]
Yeah, well.
It was certainly a useful explanation.
But honestly, it wasn’t a very nutritious story for me and Riley.
That would be the case, since Riley had already learned the theoretical aspects of dungeons through Dungeon Studies, a first-year class at Rethemis.
In addition, I also gained sufficient practical experience at the historic site during the second screening test.
And I… … Honestly, I don’t know what else to say.
Having lived for tens of thousands of years, the number of dungeons I have conquered is nearly in the thousands.
Thanks to all those experiences, I had already learned everything about dungeons.
[Just nod appropriately. Let the explanation go in one ear and out the other.]
‘yes.’
And so time passed without end.
Before we knew it, Captain Furbo’s explanation was nearing its end.
“Ultimately, the key to the dungeon is finding the core.”
“… … .”
“Therefore, the most important person in conquering a dungeon is the Pathfinder.”
There is only one way to conquer a dungeon.
It was to destroy the core that maintained the labyrinth.
Typically, this core is located in the boss room where the boss monster is located.
That is why the existence of Pathfinder was almost essential for easy dungeon raiding.
If there is no Pathfinder to guide the party to the boss room, the party will have no choice but to continue wandering through the labyrinth filled with traps and monsters.
“That’s why our mercenary group hires excellent Pathfinders every time we raid a dungeon.”
The hairy captain smiled faintly.
“Well, for this attack, I brought a wizard from the most famous Pathfinder Guild in Wilhelm, ‘Pamela’s Familia’.”
[……hmm?]
It was just then.
A familiar name that came out of nowhere from the mouth of the hairy captain.
Upon hearing this, Riley asked me a question in a cautious voice.
‘What did the manager just say?’
[I think it clearly says that you hired a Pathfinder belonging to the “Pamela’s Familia” guild… … .]
Pamela’s Familia.
It was a guild name that was very familiar to us.
No, it was because the guild was headed by the wizard we encountered in the selection test, Pamela von Haselpart.
“Oh, so Pathfinder has arrived just in time.”
At that moment, the furry leader smiled and turned his gaze towards the entrance of the barracks.
Swish─.
Riley and I followed his gaze.
“… … .”
[… … .]
Thud, thud―.
A skinny young man was walking into the barracks.
The first thing that caught my eye was the guy’s fashion.
An unusually large cone-shaped hat.
A thick robe.
There was even a huge wooden staff held in his left hand.
It was an outfit that made it obvious at a glance that he was a wizard.
At that moment, the captain put his hand to Riley’s ear and began introducing himself.
“The author is a wizard named Philip Borohedor. He is a pathfinder who has been associated with our Blood Wolf Mercenary Group for five years.”
“… … Five years?”
“Yeah. That’s how skilled Philip is.”
I once looked at Philippe Borohedor.
He was a wizard who was exactly in the middle of the low ranks.
[Not bad.]
During the selection test, you may not be able to really feel it since you met so many monstrous wizards, but those who reached that level were by no means lacking in skill.
Most wizards end up dying without even getting past the low-level entry point.
He looks like he’s only in his mid-20s, but seeing him reach that level, I guess he’s quite talented.
It wasn’t for nothing that “Pamela’s Familia” accepted him as a guild member.
I think that if I train hard for another 20 to 30 years, I might be able to reach the intermediate level and be able to aim for the selection exam.
Of course, it was hard to believe that Philip had maintained a relationship with the Blood Wolf Mercenaries for five years based solely on his skills.
Five years is a very long time.
This is especially true when you consider that the person in question is a mercenary group.
There must have been another reason why the Blood Wolf Mercenaries had insisted on only one Pathfinder for so long.
“Oh, right. I forgot to explain one more thing.”
As expected.
As soon as I finished thinking these thoughts, Captain Furbo continued his explanation about Philip.
He whispered to Riley in a quiet voice.
“By the way, Philip is a wizard with a relatively good personality. Unlike other wizards who are self-righteous and stubborn, he is very communicative.”
“… … .”
“It means that there is no wizard as good as him in dungeon raiding, where teamwork is important.”
The furry captain added, winking.
“A wizard’s character should take precedence over his ability. You should remember this. One day, you may become a mercenary leader and hire wizards yourself.”
After finishing speaking, the hairy captain abruptly stood up from his seat.
“Thank you for coming such a long way, Philip!
Before we knew it, Philip had come right up to us.
The captain greeted him with a friendly smile.
“Come on, come and sit down! I’ve prepared your favorite jasmine tea!”
“Uh, uh… … .”
Philip answered in a crawling voice.
The guy sat down on the chair with a staggering gait.
[ah…….]
Only then did I understand why the Blood Wolf Mercenaries favored Philip.
[… … It was just because Philip was easy to handle.]
Shoulders hunched over.
And the anxious eyes that constantly look around.
At first glance, Philip was a wizard who was awkward in interpersonal relationships.
[He must have been a guy who usually just stayed in his room and studied magic.]
A wizard like that can’t express his opinion properly.
I’m not good at refusing requests from others.
Of course, from the employer’s point of view, there would be no one better.
Because they will follow everything you tell them to do without question, and on top of that, they won’t even have the guts to complain.
Perhaps that is why the Blood Wolf Mercenaries have maintained a relationship with Philip Borohedor for five years.
“… … ?”
That was when.
Philip, who was sipping warm tea, suddenly tilted his head.
“Uh, uhm… … .”
The guy started staring at Riley.
After a long silence, he cautiously asked a question.
“By the way, by the way, captain.”
“Why are you doing that?”
“… … Who is the wizard over there?”
When the hairy captain heard that question, his face instantly crumpled. He answered roughly as if he didn’t know what was going on.
“What kind of nonsense are you talking about all of a sudden, Philip? Are there any other wizards here besides you?”
“Ah, ah, it’s nothing… … .”
Philip answers with his head bowed.
His shoulders hunched even further, as if he was scared.
Seeing that, the hairy captain glared at Philip as if he found it pitiful and scolded him.
“Philip!!!”
“Eww! This is surprising! Why, why… … ?”
“What can you do when a man muddles his words like that! If you have something to say, you should say it clearly!”
“… … .”
“Tell me exactly what you just said! Wizard? What do you mean?”
“Ah, that, that… … .”
Philip muttered, pointing at Riley with a trembling finger.
“I felt magical power from that boy, so I naturally assumed he was a wizard… … .”
Riley pointed to herself and snapped.
“A wizard? Me?”
“… … .”
Then Philip responded with a very embarrassed expression.
“… … Aren’t you a wizard?”
“No.”
Philip’s pupils began to tremble like crazy after hearing Riley’s firm answer.
