Chapter 230 : One Hour Before Entering the Mysterious Dungeon
Chapter 230: One Hour Before Entering the Mysterious Dungeon
One hour before entering the mysterious dungeon.
Speltz Hall, the women's dormitory of Yggdrasil Academy.
As the bell announcing ten o'clock at night rang out, a knock came from the door.
Knock, knock.
“Elza, it's time for roll call.”
A woman stood beyond the door Elza opened.
She had sharp eyes behind her glasses and gave off the impression of being somewhat strict.
She was the dorm supervisor.
However, she was not in her complete human form.
She looked like a pale, translucent afterimage, like the smoke that rises after a candle is extinguished.
It was probably a spell called 'Thought Projection.'
A type of multi-sensory sharing magic that allowed her to inspect every room in the dormitory simultaneously.
Elza thought it was quite a convenient spell.
The dorm supervisor recorded Elza's name in the ledger floating before her.
Elza's room was a private room that required a substantial donation to obtain.
Appropriately enough, one entire section of the ledger contained only her name.
“Elza.
I heard the first-years practiced Mock War under Professor Peria's guidance today.”
“Yes.
It was quite difficult, but it helped me develop my practical combat sense.”
“You must have used a great deal of Magic Power.
You should rest early.”
“I will.”
“Then, sweet dreams.”
As the dorm supervisor's silhouette dissolved into the air, Elza closed the door once again.
A short while later, hurried footsteps echoed through the hallway, and she pressed her ear against the door.
“Student Lu, you're two full minutes late.”
“I'm sorry, Dorm Supervisor! I ended up talking with Shen for too long...!”
“Quiet.
I've repeatedly warned everyone that leaving after curfew is strictly prohibited.
You will receive demerit points and spend one week cleaning the bathrooms.”
“T-The bathrooms?!
Waaah, that's too much...!
Mari!
Don't just stay inside your room—come out and say something too!
We're sisters!”
“I came back on time.
You brought this on yourself, Lu.”
“Mariii!
You traitorrr!”
A tearful voice echoed through the hallway.
Breaking the rules on only the second day after enrollment.
There was definitely a troublesome classmate among them.
...
Even afterward, the dorm supervisor's voice continued to ring out.
“Student.
Where are you going?”
“I-I'm just going to get some water.”
“T-The restroom...”
It seemed the dorm supervisor's projection was patrolling the hallway.
'She might be a bit strict.'
The women's dormitory alone seemed particularly strict with its rules.
According to rumors, the distant men's dormitory had lax supervision, allowing nobles with private rooms to come and go as if they were in their own homes.
'...I wonder what Philip is doing.
Is he spending time with his roommate?'
Philip had also moved into the dormitory.
However, he was staying in a double room.
She had offered to pay the donation so he could stay in a private room instead, but Philip refused, saying he wanted to make friends.
Elza did not press the matter further.
The moment she sensed that Philip felt burdened by her support, she realized any further kindness would only become an inconvenience.
...Yes.
Philip had always been like that.
Sitting on her soft bed, Elza took out a parchment map.
The moment she looked at it, her eyes turned cold.
She immediately initiated Magical Communication.
“Philip.
Where are you right now?”
[Ah, Elza.
I'm... in the dormitory.
It's curfew.]
...A lie.
“I see.
Is that so?”
Elza already knew Philip was wandering outside the dormitory.
A single ink dot continued moving across the parchment map.
That strange ink was a 'Tracking Mark' she had secretly placed on Philip's uniform.
On the map, Philip had already left the dormitory completely and was running somewhere in a hurry.
The corners of Elza's lips curled into a cold smile.
“Then could you please let me speak with your roommate?
It's only proper etiquette for me to thank the person looking after Philip.”
[W-What?!]
Philip's voice immediately became flustered.
[E-Elza.
That's embarrassing.
Please don't act like an overprotective parent...!]
“...What did you say?”
[Also, the dorm supervisor is calling me.
See you tomorrow!]
“Wait, Philip.
I haven't finished speaking ye—”
...Click.
The communication was cut off.
Elza calmly attempted to reconnect through Magical Communication, but Philip rejected the call.
He had never once refused her communication before.
Over the past few days, it felt as though Philip's behavior had become strange.
Had he suddenly entered adolescence?
...No.
That didn't seem to be it.
“What exactly...
are you thinking?”
Elza sighed.
Today, Philip had not only avoided her gaze but had also awkwardly avoided talking with her.
...Above all, he had stopped wearing the ring he treasured so dearly.
It wasn't just an accessory.
It was proof of their vow and trust.
Had he taken it off because he was embarrassed that the other cadets might discover he was engaged to Elza?
...Philip had always been Elza's pride.
And Elza had always been Philip's pride.
Why had Philip suddenly changed?
At that moment, a certain man flashed through her mind.
The man wearing that ridiculous mask.
“Villed...”
Elza spat out the name.
That man had to be the cause.
“To meddle in something so unnecessary.”
She had no proof, but it certainly seemed connected.
'Besides, if Philip went out just now...'
Could it have been to meet Villed?
At this hour?
Late at night?
A chill ran down Elza's spine.
What were the two of them planning to do alone...?
'Is he being threatened?
No.
I have to go too.'
Even if she had to take a risk, she had to.
She had no idea what that piece of trash might do to Philip.
Elza put on her academy uniform and coat, then pressed her face close to the door.
Using her unique skill, 'Insight,' she clearly observed the hallway.
Click.
Click...
The dorm supervisor's projection was walking down the corridor.
Although there were two projections assigned to each hallway, this dormitory was a tall building.
There were projections on every floor, so the Magic Power consumption had to be enormous.
Because of that, whenever she consumed a certain amount of Magic Power, the dorm supervisor would briefly dispel all her projections to recover.
It usually lasted around thirty seconds.
Swoosh...
Right on cue, the projection scattered into smoke and disappeared.
This was her chance.
Elza opened the door and hurried downstairs.
Her room was on the second floor, so it didn't take long.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, she successfully slipped outside unnoticed.
Following the map, Elza sprinted toward Philip's location.
Some time later, she arrived at Seventeenth Street.
Philip was pacing beneath a roadside tree, seemingly waiting for someone.
As Elza watched him from behind another tree, the masked Villed appeared and joined him.
'...I knew it.'
Philip had left the dormitory to meet Villed.
...There was also another senior student who appeared to be Villed's companion.
'Who is that?'
Villed was known for treating commoners as less than toys.
Therefore, anyone standing beside him would have to be a noble of considerable status.
Elza had met the heirs of nearly every major noble house.
...Yet she had never seen that blonde person at any social gathering.
Then perhaps they were something like Villed's servant.
That seemed likely.
Villed was infamous for his incompetence, so perhaps he had brought an escort.
After meeting, Philip and Villed stopped in front of a certain place.
A translucent black gate.
Although Elza had entered dungeons many times before, the bizarre entrance instinctively filled her with danger the moment she saw it.
'Don't tell me...
they're planning to enter that...?'
Just as Elza had expected, Villed entered first, and the other two followed behind him.
After all three entered, the dungeon gate closed and gradually became transparent.
It was already a dangerous place, and with someone like Villed accompanying him, Philip's safety could not be guaranteed.
Elza bit her lip.
She too was a promising talent selected as a Schuler candidate.
There was no reason to back down.
She squeezed her eyes shut and threw herself toward the gate.
...
After that, she concealed herself behind trees as she secretly continued following them.
Before long, astonishing sights unfolded before her one after another.
Whenever monsters blocked their path, the one cutting them down was not Philip, the talented mage.
'How is that man...?'
Villed.
With his sword enveloped in brilliant flames, he cut down monster after monster.
...Wasn't he supposed to be incompetent?
It was already common knowledge throughout noble society that Villed had no talent for magic.
Yet contrary to every rumor, he wielded fire magic with complete freedom.
'How can he use magic like that...?'
Had Villed merely cast ordinary spells, Elza would not have been surprised.
However, Villed displayed an exceptionally high level of magical mastery, and its power was overwhelming.
His swordsmanship also blended perfectly with his magic, striking the monsters' vital points with flawless precision.
To Elza, it was a side of Villed she could hardly believe.
...
As she continued tailing them, she was also able to overhear their conversation.
Completely unaware that the masked man was actually Villed, Philip spoke to him casually.
“Ugh...
It feels even harder to find because the terrain has changed.”
“Yeah.
Still can't see it.”
“Senior, what if we never find it...?”
“Don't worry too much.”
As Philip let out a deep sigh, Villed spoke as though reassuring him.
“You know what happens after a dungeon is cleared, right?”
“Yes.
This space disappears, and we're all ejected back outside.”
“The same applies to objects brought in from outside.
What you're looking for will leave together with us.”
“Oh, I see!
So once we clear the dungeon, everything will be solved!”
Philip, who had been filled with worry, immediately regained his spirits after hearing Villed's words.
Listening to their conversation, Elza finally understood why they had entered this dungeon.
'...They're searching for something?'
She recalled what had happened on the bench.
“Please...
help me find it.”
So they had made a contract to search for some object.
'What are they looking for?'
If she kept following them, she would eventually find out.
Meanwhile, ever since entering the dungeon, her head had begun throbbing and she felt dizzy.
It was the dungeon's erosion.
Having experienced it before, Elza managed to endure it.
However, the deeper they went into the forest, the more monsters appeared.
'Oh no... a monster...'
One of the monsters might notice her.
If it attacked her now, everything would fall apart.
Not only were the monsters here powerful, but Villed would also discover she had been secretly following them.
Fortunately, Villed and his companion defeated every single monster without fail, causing her worries to disappear almost immediately.
As time passed, Philip gradually became exhausted.
Villed noticed his fatigue and even lit a campfire, thoughtfully suggesting they rest.
'He's not the kind of person who would do something like that.
What exactly is he plotting by treating Philip so well?'
Although Elza felt relieved seeing Philip recover, the unfamiliar kindness Villed displayed only deepened her suspicions.
...
Eventually, they stopped at a flower garden.
The final area of the dungeon.
A beautiful place where flowers of every color bloomed beneath the moonlight.
However, the dungeon boss was hiding here.
Since I couldn't guarantee Philip's complete safety, I spoke.
“Hey.
Stay farther back.”
“O-Okay!”
After confirming Philip had retreated, I turned toward Lapin.
“Lapin.
This one will be different.”
“Okay.
I'll stay focused.”
Lapin adjusted her gloves and nodded.
Of course, it wasn't an opponent the two of us couldn't defeat.
Still, there was no harm in being cautious.
Lapin and I walked side by side through the flower field while surveying our surroundings.
'...There.'
The moment I spotted the blue flower—
The Forget-me-not—
A scene from the game flashed through my mind.
Ppoeng!
Something beneath the flower made a sound.
It was perfectly round and smaller than my fist.
...That pitch-black sphere was the dungeon boss.
If you approached too closely, the boss would inflate like a pufferfish until it became enormous.
That was why I didn't recklessly approach it.
After exchanging a glance with Lapin, I slowly stepped toward it.