Sevens (LN) - Volume 4 - Chapter 49

Chapter 49 – Arumsaas’s Underground Dungeon
There were several reasons why Arumsaas’s underground dungeon was maintained under the city’s management.

The amount of magic stones and materials that were obtained from it were abundant.

A lot of the contents of the treasure boxes that were produced by the dungeon had utility value.

The internal structure was easy for humans to traverse.

And then above all else, the dungeon itself that wasn’t similar with any other dungeon gave it rarity value. This rarity was also a factor why scholars gathered to this place and created a city.

The first thing in my mind when I stepped inside that dungeon was──discomfort.

「What’s, this──」

Aria-san was dumbfounded. I was also the same. Sophia-san was also looking around in surprise. Novem was……looking like she wanted to say something, but she stayed silent.

Clara-san was familiar with the place and wasn’t surprised.

Miranda-san who lived in Arumsaas and had entered this dungeon several times before was similar.

Professor Damian didn’t show any particular reaction.

Miranda-san looked at us and said that at first she was also like us and started explaining.

「This is Arumsaas’s underground dungeon. You couldn’t imagine this right? I was also the same.」

Professor Damian seemed to have interest in this and started speaking talkatively.

「This dungeon is different with nature-based dungeons that often appear, it’s modeled after a man-made object. Dungeons like that will rarely appear sometimes but, what is amazing from this one is that it’s not from our era……it’s modeled after an ancient civilization that had perished I guess? This place was investigated and Arumsaas found out that this place is modeled after a building of the ancient people. What is amazing is that the technology of the ancient people was far more advanced than us. There are a lot of interesting discoveries from here.」

Arumsaas investigated and collected the technology of the ancient people like that and greatly developed using that knowledge and technology.

I looked below my feet.

The surface of the grey floor was rough, but it was flat. There wasn’t any spot that was bumpy or extremely caving in.

The walls were also the same. When I touched it with my hand, it had a smooth texture. Pillars were placed at regular intervals. The ceiling was high. On the whole the corridors were also built widely.

What was curious was the entrance into a room that was slightly ahead of us. Something like a lantern that was radiating light was attached above the entrance.

The material didn’t seem like glass. It was a rectangular box with white and green decoration applied on its surface that was shining. The pattern looked like a person entering a door……it looked like such a picture.

There were also other light sources. The long and narrow tube that was hanged from the ceiling was shining white, illuminating some parts of the corridor. It was unfortunate that it wasn’t illuminating the whole place.

I touched the wall and floor with my hand. I had never touched a texture like this before.

「This isn’t stone isn’t it?」

It’s also different from a corridor that was made from scraping out stone. I didn’t know how to describe it but, it was a really mysterious dungeon.

Clara-san touched her artificial left arm with her right hand. I heard the arm part make a brisk sound *kashun* and saw three metal sticks were inserted there.

What was that…….that was cool.

When I peered with interest, the Third was also similarly showing interest.

『That artificial arm, isn’t it amazing for some reason? It’s moving normally and it also feels like there is a secret behind it.』

The Second was also showing interest at the arm. But, it was a different kind of interest from the Third.

『If there was something like this in my time. The guys who had it hard after losing their limbs would be helped.』

Clara-san took some distance from me. That was a bit sad.

「Ple, please don’t look so much. Err……it’s troubling.」

The opened part was closed. Then Clara-san turned the artificial arm’s palm face up and used magic.

「……Light.」

Multiple light spheres were let out from Clara-san’s palm and they floated. They moved to above the party and illuminated the surrounding brightly.

Sophia-san lifted her face and saw them in open-mouthed state.

「Amazing.」

I agree. Even if I made light with magic it wouldn’t be this bright, besides I wouldn’t be able to make the light to skillfully illuminate the whole place.

Clara-san looked slightly embarrassed while talking about her artificial arm.

「Three Arts were built into my artificial arm. The Arts were carved on sticks of rare metal that were set so I can use them. The first Art is light source. The second is fire. The third is water. If it’s water that won’t be used for drinking water then I’ll be able to prepare any water from hot to cold.」

I honestly thought.

「I also want that kind of arm.」

Clara-san pushed up her glasses with her finger, and then she raised a sound argument after she fixed her glasses’ position.

「Please be glad with your flesh arm. Nothing beats that.」

I couldn’t argue against that.

Then Professor Damian looked at Clara-san and yelled from remembering something.

「Could it be that artificial hand──was my creation?」

Why was his tone questioning? Clara-san bowed her head to Professor Damian.

「Thank you very much for that time. Thanks to that I obtained a new left hand. But, you didn’t remember it at all until now?」

「Yeah. Just when I thought that hand looks cool somehow, the blueprint surfaced in my mind and the memory when I created it came back.」

Professor Damian seemed to feel refreshed from recalling that. He was looking happy. Well, that was all though. Miranda-san sighed.

「Come on, more adventurers will come from behind if we don’t move immediately. Also, doesn’t Lyle-kun have something to tell us?」

That’s right. I immediately used the Jewel’s Arts to check the surrounding map and enemy’s positions and the adventurers’ movements.

Like that I confirmed the shortest route to advance to the next floor.

「We are moving. This way. Anyway we will advance while avoiding battle right now.」

After I decided the destination, everyone started moving based on that.

The light source that was emitting light above the party followed us when we were moving and illuminated the area from above. It was really convenient. Even though the light source that I could produce with magic would only emit light at that spot without moving…….

.

We advanced while avoiding contact with monsters and adventurers working inside the dungeon, and then we arrived at floor B3.

Sophia-san went down the slope in relieve.

「I’m glad that it’s a gentle slope. If it was a stair then I would have to lift up the cart.」

Clara-san talked about the structure of the dungeon.

「There is no stair in this dungeon. All the paths are a gentle slope like this. It’s also wide and not narrow, but the problem isn’t the shape but the long distance.」

She said that it would be extremely troublesome when we wanted to carry up heavy baggage.

Aria-san understood.

「Thinking again, our baggage will be a lot more when we climb back up compared to when we go down. We will have to carry things like magic stones and materials. I see, that’s what a supporter is for.」

Manpower to carry the baggage was absolutely needed.

I searched for the nearest room after arriving at floor B3. There was no monsters or adventurers at the room.

Miranda-san looked impressed when I entered inside without being on guard at all.

「Amazing. Even though we were taught to be careful when normally entering the room, normally it’s impossible to enter carelessly like that.」

That must be an unbelievable act from the perspective of other adventurers. When Clara-san saw that everyone had entered inside, she dispelled the light source that was almost dying out and launched a new light source.

Within the illumination from above, I made a suggestion to everyone regarding the management of the baggage.

「I learned a new Art. Actually now I can store the majority of our baggage.」

Novem looked at me and her eyes opened wide for a moment, but she immediately returned to normal.

「As expected from Lyle-sama. It’s Brod-sama’s Art isn’t it?」

The topic was unrelated with the other people here so I cut the talk short.

The Seventh seemed to be slightly lonely inside the Jewel.

『Lyle, I think it’s fine even if you boast about your grandfather here. Ojii-chan is really amazing just so you know.』

It would be meaningless even if I explained so I wouldn’t.

「However, I won’t be able to use it for a while after using it once. Please remember that the deposit and withdraw of the baggage will only be possible once a day. I plan to use it again tomorrow night.」

Clara-san seemed like she wanted to say something to me after I said that, but Professor Damian was faster than her.

「……I was right when I said before that you’re the expert. No, it’s not like you are a dungeon specialist so perhaps it’s wrong? Anyway, it was the right choice to rely on you.」

After everyone decided which items would be left behind for two days supply and which items would be stored, I snapped my finger. Novem tilted her head seeing that gesture.

A magic circle formed on the ground around me, then I instructed everyone to move the items into it.

Sophia-san stepped inside the magic circle hesitantly and left the baggage along with the cart on it. Then she immediately evacuated from the magic circle. It was cute. Aria-san was laughing at Sophia-san who was like that.

「Why are you scared huh?」

「I, I’m not scared!」

After everyone left the baggage that wasn’t needed at present, I snapped my fingers once more. The baggage sunk as though they were getting absorbed by the magic circle. And then when they were gone, the magic circle also vanished.

While everyone was staring in amazement, my legs staggered and I almost fell.

「So I’m still not──used to it?」

But, there was one person who supported my body. I thought it would be Novem like usual, but unexpectedly it was Miranda-san.

「Are you okay? Somehow your face is looking completely exhausted.」

A sensation that was different from usual. And then her scent. I felt slightly embarrassed.

「We, well, this is the Art’s weakness. I won’t be able to move without resting for a while.」

Novem made a troubled face near me. When I smiled at her telling her not to worry, she nodded and began to prepare for a break.

「Aria-san and Sophia-san, can I ask you two to be on the lookout?」

「Okay.」

「Leave it to me.」

I was supported by Miranda-san while walking towards the wall. There I leaned on the wall and sat down. Professor Damian made the puppets sit and he was also taking a rest. Clara-san put her lightened rucksack on her back and rested her body. Miranda-san was talking to me.

「Lyle-kun is really amazing. But it seems even Aria and the others didn’t know about that Art though?」

I laughed and thought to dodge the question, but Miranda-san’s eyes looked quite serious so I told her the circumstance.

「Just as you can see, I have to rest after using it once. Until now I couldn’t use it even if I wanted to.」

It wasn’t a lie. Then, Miranda-san nodded several times and continued her question curiously.

「Then, do you still have other Arts that the people around you don’t know about?」

Novem came this way when she asked that with her gaze turned towards the Jewel.

「Miranda-san, more than that will be a breach of manners.」

Asking about other people’s Arts was a breach of manners. Miranda-san shrugged hearing that and apologized to Novem and me.

「I’m sorry. I tried asking because I was curious. Lyle-kun too, sorry.」

She said that and headed towards Aria-san and the others with a smile. I saw her off and then looked at Novem.

「I don’t really mind it you know?」

Novem said that it was no good even then.

「Before talking about breach of manners, Lyle-sama should be more aware of yourself. That blue Gem is the Walt House’s heirloom. The precious Arts that the ancestors manifested are preserved in it. Please don’t teach the information about it to others that easily.」

It seemed that I was scolded by Novem.

When I apologized, Novem said 「Please be careful next time」 and sighed.

Suddenly her face changed from like a mother scolding her son to a serious expression.

「Also……when Lyle-sama used Brod-sama’s Art, you snapped your fingers didn’t you? That gesture itself is meaningless. That was Brod-sama’s habit. Where did Lyle-sama see it?」

This was bad. I thought that for an instant, but I immediately recalled.

The Seventh──grandfather was lenient on his grandson. Then, it wouldn’t be strange for him to show his Art to his grandson in order to boast. I didn’t have the memory of before ten years old but, the possibility of me seeing it before should be high.

「I saw it once. Grandfather must have wished to boast to me at that time. What about it?」

Novem made a slightly troubled look while nodding, but she didn’t seem to be convinced fully.

「I guess. Brod-sama doted on Lyle-sama after all……」

Novem muttered as though to convince herself and then she sat down beside me. She recommended the sweets she brought to me.

「Lyle-sama, sweet things are good when you’re tired.」

Novem was loyally devoted like usual.

However, the Seventh muttered quizzically within the Jewel.

『……Did I once show Novem when I used my Art? I also don’t have a memory of showing it to Lyle though.』

The Third made fun of the Seventh.

『Grandpas tend to boast to their grandchildren after all. Surely you had shown it before. You know, it seems our memories become hazy after we hand over the Jewel after all. Though my memory until the end remains because I died in battle though.』

The Fourth sighed.

『Well, in the Third’s case……. But, certainly the memory after that doesn’t exist. Surely you had the chance to show it after you let go of the Jewel.』

The Seventh denied that opinion.

『That might be true in my heyday, but the abrupt use of mana in old age cannot be underestimated. Doing something like forcing myself just to boast is……』

The Sixth recalled.

『Aa, it must be that. Novem might have heard it from her father or grandfather. They also accompanied you together in battle right? They should have seen it at that time.』

The Seventh reluctantly accepted it. But, I also thought that possibility was the highest.

『Perhaps that’s the case?』

However, the Fifth said to the Seventh.

『But, after seeing how doting you are to Lyle, I can easily imagine you showing off to him even if you have to force yourself.』

Certainly. I could easily picture the figure of the Seventh forcing himself in front of his grandson.

I laughed slightly. Novem peered into my face hearing that.

「Lyle-sama?」

「Ah, no……it’s nothing.」

I smoothed over my expression and ate the sweets I received from Novem. The sweetness spread inside my mouth and it flowed into my stomach. After a while, it really felt like my feeling became slightly comforted.

.

We resumed moving after a moderately long rest.

I asked Clara-san to erase the light source and approached a group of monsters that was in the way of our path.

There was light at a crossroads. Over there were an orc that was clad in iron armor and three goblins around it.

A total of four monsters were lying in wait there for prey.

Fortunately, our location was dark so they couldn’t see us from there.

The Second laughed seeing the monsters.

『Are they planning to lie in ambush at that kind of place? It’s like they’re saying please target us.』

I told everyone to not move yet and took out a bow. I took out a single arrow from the special quiver on my waist.

Professor Damian saw the magic arrow I took out and asked with a small voice.

「That’s a failed work isn’t it? The students often failed in their side jobs and sold it on the outside. Is that usable?」

I nodded and then gave instructions to Novem and Aria-san.

「It has a lot of issues though. Novem, prepare an area magic after I fire the arrow. Aria-san, please take care of the monsters that manage to slip this way.」

Novem nodded. Aria-san also responded by gripping her spear.

The Second advised me.

『Aim slowly. You can do it.』

I listened and calmed my heart. I could hear my heartbeat louder than the surrounding’s sounds. And then, when my fingers let go, the arrow hit the head of the orc in the distance.

The head wasn’t pierced. The arrowhead that collided burst and the metal helmet dented. Blood flew out from the helmet’s gap. When the orc’s large body collapsed as though it was strongly punched, the goblins raised their weapons and looked around.

Novem lifted her silver staff and prepared her magic. The goblins found the light that was generated by magic inside the darkness and rushed this way.

I put away the bow and pulled out the saber on my waist. Novem fired her magic at that timing.

「Fire Cannon」

A large ball of fire was strongly fired out and it passed through the square corridor. It hit one goblin and burst out into flames that scattered to the surroundings.

The goblins were enveloped in flames, and then the flames vanished when they stopped moving.

I confirmed the death of the monsters and immediately checked the situation around.

「……There is an enemy that is coming by crawling on the wall. Is it an insect type?」

Clara-san immediately launched a light source and gave me advice.

「Lyle-san, it’s a troublesome enemy. Speaking of insects in this floor it will be a centipede……it has a size around an adult male and it can spit out poison. It’s a troublesome monster.」

The monster noticed the battle just now and approached this way.

The number……was three.

「There are three. They’re coming from the front. They are heading straight at us.」

Hearing that Professor Damian sent the three puppets to the front.

He slightly pushed his glasses up with his index finger, and then he said towards us.

「No, magnificent. I think I’ll also show my true ability here. Ah, I’ll leave it to you to take care of it if there is an enemy that slips through.」

The three puppets lined in a single horizontal row. Each of them was wielding a different weapon. It felt reliable looking at the backs of their figures wielding weapons while waiting for the monsters.

I confirmed the distance with the enemy and──

「They’re here!」

I could see three centipedes crawling on the wall. The armed puppets wasted no time to move forward and swung down their weapons at the centipedes.

One puppet used a spear and stabbed a centipede’s head and sewed the monster to the wall. Another one used the centipede’s momentum and bisected it vertically with an axe.

A puppet with a mace crushed a centipede’s torso. But, even after getting smashed the monster was heading this way.

When Aria-san and I were about to move, three knives shot through between us──and stabbed the centipede’s head. The monster wriggled on that spot and after a while it stopped moving.

When we looked back, it was Miranda-san who threw the knives.

「……That was surprising.」

Miranda-san shrugged and then she explained to us.

「But, you now understand my strength from the throw just now right? I can also use magic but, I can also do quite much in this way.」

Aria-san praised Miranda-san even while feeling astonished.

「That’s amazing. But, say something first when you are throwing next time.」

「I’m sorry. I’ll do that next time.」

Clara-san wore gloves while I was checking the situation of the surroundings and approached the monsters. She confirmed their deaths and began to collect their magic stones and materials.

There was no sign of enemies approaching.

The other members also stayed alert towards the surroundings. Novem was mainly looking towards the front while Miranda-san was watching the rear.

Sophia-san and Aria-san were talking about the battle just now.

「Both Professor Damian and Miranda-san are really skilled.」

「You’re right. I didn’t have any turn.」

Looking at Professor Damian, he was making a puppet to pull out the spear that was stabbed into the wall. The wall was regenerating as though time was rewinding back.

Clara-san who finished the dismantling asked for confirmation from me regarding the magic stones and materials.

「There are seven magic stones. The materials are all these. Will we leave behind the iron equipment?」

She showed me the iron equipment that the orc and goblins had. They looked heavy.

The Fourth understood Clara-san’s question.

『I see. It will be a hindrance to progress further while carrying around these things. Lyle, let’s just bring the magic stones.』

I told Clara-san that just the magic stones were alright, and then I told everyone to begin moving again.

Clara-san talked to me while walking.

「As expected from Professor Damian. It seems that his nickname of Puppet User is the real deal. Miranda-san’s movement is also not bad. I wonder from where she fostered that much skill.」

Miranda-san who was an Academy student was more skilled than expected. Even Clara-san was curious about it.

It wouldn’t be bad to ask her about it later.

Before long we found the slope that continued to the floor B5.

.

Floor B5.

What first surprised us after going down was a device that existed in this underground dungeon.

「Oh, is this the first time for Lyle and everyone? This is the device to travel between floors in Arumsaas’s underground dungeon.」

There was an iron door that was shaped like bellows. I could see wire behind it and it looked like it was moving.

Clara-san pointed at the top of such entrance.

「There is a gauge there. You can see the number right? That shows where the traveling device is located right now. You can use this device to freely travel if it’s from floor B5 until floor B25.」

Aria-san was happy hearing that.

「What. In that case we can use this thing to go down until floor B25 easily right now.」

Clara-san shook her head.

「That device can only move until a floor that everyone has reached before. In other words, people who only entered this dungeon for the first time will have to advance forward by their own feet.」

Professor Damian was also making a fed up voice.

「That’s troublesome. Well, if it’s you guys then you will be able to advance further ahead quickly.」

Aria-san’s shoulders dropped.

「It was stupid to hold expectations.」

Novem made a troubled face seeing Aria-san like that. Even so she consoled her.

「It means that it will be easier for us on the way back.」

Sophia-san was relieved hearing that. As expected, it was bothersome just imagining walking until floor B40 and then returning back again on feet while defeating monsters.

A normal party would have to travel while carrying even more supplies.

Clara-san was teaching us some snippets of knowledge. Unexpectedly she might like the act of teaching other people.

「In a large scale dungeon, this kind of device that helps with exploring the dungeon usually exists, though not all of them have the same mechanism. There is a theory that it’s in order to lure even stronger adventurers deeper into the dungeon.」

I looked at the device. I didn’t know who was using this but, the device was moving up from floor B20 right now.

Dungeon prepared convenient device in order to lure adventurers even deeper into it──it vaguely felt like it wanted to get subjugated.

The Sixth was impressed inside the Jewel.

『This is amazing. In our case we will subjugate the dungeon right away when it’s discovered, so we don’t have experience seeing something like this.』

The Walt House would be in high spirits when a dungeon was discovered and they would scramble to be the first to challenge the dungeon. Certainly, that was the correct action seeing that they didn’t have the skill necessary to manage a dungeon, but I could imagine them immediately subjugating a dungeon even if they actually had such skill.

The Fourth was feeling cheerful while making an over-optimistic calculation.

『The dungeon is this big, I wonder how much treasure we will get if it’s subjugated……I’m really curious. Just how much money it will become.』

The ancestors thoughts kept heading towards subjugation no matter what. However, the underground dungeon of Arumsaas was managed. It was forbidden to subjugate this dungeon.

Thinking that other places were also the same, almost all large scale dungeons were impossible to be subjugated due to human’s intentions.

Which was deeper I wonder, the depths of a dungeon or the greed of humans?

Novem put her hand on my shoulder.

「Lyle-sama, let’s depart.」

「Yeah, let’s go.」

.

──Night.

Shannon slipped out from her personal room in the hospital and strolled. She noticed an approaching presence and hid behind a cover while checking the presence.

The person walking this way with a lamp in hand was a nurse who was doing a night round.

「Haa, it’s spooky. Let’s finish this quickly and get back.」

Shannon felt puzzled seeing the person walking while feeling scared of the darkness. It was because darkness was something ordinary for Shannon. It was an everyday thing for her.

Even when she was using her mystic eyes, she would basically only be able to see the shining mana inside the darkness.

And then she distinguished people by mana.

(That woman! This morning she stole my snack just because I cannot see it!)

Even though her eyes couldn’t see, the sound and vibration taught Shannon of her surroundings. When she checked afterwards, her favorite snack was gone.

Shannon grinned and manipulated the fluctuation of the woman’s mana to stimulate her fear. The woman immediately started to shake in fear.

「Wha, what? A strange sound is──」

She was even hearing auditory hallucinations from too much fear. She was feeling scared even to the sounds of swaying curtains from the wind.

Shannon was having fun watching that while controlling the surrounding mana further to make her own silhouette blurred.

Then she called out to the woman from behind.

「Hey, big sister……let’s play.」

「Eh? ……No……NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!」

Then the face of the woman who turned around distorted in terror and she screamed at that place. After that she ran away in great panic. Her legs got entangled from feeling too scared and she fell. Even so her fear drove her to run away by crawling on the ground. Even Shannon who was surprised at first seeing that was laughing while holding her stomach right now.

「Ahahaha, that’s what happens if you steal my snack. Even so, I wonder how do I look like in that woman’s eyes?」

She only made it so that her figure was hazy. In addition she only stimulated the woman’s fear a bit strongly.

Surely the people of this world couldn’t see it. The satisfied Shannon returned to her room after that.

She turned her shining eyes to the ceiling of the dark corridor.

「Come to think of it……I wonder if Onee-sama is doing well. Come back quickly, Onee-sama.」

Shannon chuckled and vanished into the corridor’s darkness──

.

Floor B14.

Inside a dark room.

Reptile demi-humans──lizardmen were making fire. Their height didn’t reach three meters but, they were big enough.

If the axe in their hand was swung down, even an armored knight would be bisected into two.

They possessed hard skin and their physical strength couldn’t be compared with a human. There were five of such tough lizardman warriors wearing iron equipment.

They were drinking alcohol that seemed to be stolen from adventurers.

There was one lizardman acting as lookout at the room’s entrance. Unlike the orc and goblin we fought at the upper floor, I got the impression that this group was really clever.

Clara-san who heard the situation narrowed her sleepy looking eyes.

「It’s troublesome. This is the group of lizardmen that is rampaging near floor B15. I heard that recently this group is destroying several adventurer parties. It seems their number has increased slightly from before.」

Strong adventurers would use the device to advance to even deeper floor. Because of that the adventurers who were finally able to reach the vicinity of floor B15 would find lizardmen as their first obstacle. It seemed this monster became a wall for adventurers who reached this far for the first time.

Professor Damian slightly raised his hand.

「Should I do it? If it’s my puppets then they can be repaired right away even if they are damaged a bit.」

I pondered.

The Second seemed a bit disappointed inside the Jewel.

『What’s this, it’s just lizardmen.』

The Third was also the same.

『Come to think of it I’ve seen them several times. I think they weren’t that strong.』

The Fourth was also of the same opinion.

『Human bandits are more troublesome. This monster is just a bit tougher and cannot be defeated with low level magic, that’s all.』

The Fifth wasn’t interested.

『They aren’t cute so it doesn’t matter.』

The Sixth sounded delighted.

『Is that so? They are interesting guys when you fight them from the front. Sometimes there will also be tough guys among them.』

The Seventh was sighing.

『They aren’t any threat. You can block the entrance with puppets and then face them one by one, or you can also ask Novem to fire magic at them. You can just burn them all together with the room.』

Arumsaas’ dungeon wouldn’t burn. Because of that even if we used magic recklessly, the dungeon wouldn’t be harmed and react excessively before rampaging.

It was a dungeon where we could fire magic without worry.

However, what to do now……while I was thinking that, I recalled that I still hadn’t used my saber. It was a quality product I purchased in Centralle before coming to Arumsaas.

「……We will take care of this. Aria-san, Sophia-san, start preparing. Also, will Miranda-san participate too?」

Miranda-san answered ‘Naturally’ when I asked.

「You can make use of me more. I’m really strong even though I look like this after all.」

Aria-san nodded.

「I can go anytime.」

Sophia-san was also the same.

「I’m ready. Besides, I haven’t really done anything today. I’ll do my best here.」

I nodded, then I asked Novem and Professor Damian to guard Clara-san and watch the entrance.

Novem made a worried face towards me.

「Lyle-sama, is it really alright?」

「Yeah, I feel like we can do this.」

I muttered that and led the three towards the room with the enemies. I entrusted Aria-san to be the first attacker.

Aria-san nodded and her body shined faintly red. She rushed into the room with a speed that the eye couldn’t follow and circled behind the guard lizardman. She stabbed at his heart with her spear.

The guard lizardman raised a loud voice. The remaining five lizardmen who were relaxing reached out to their weapons and immediately stood up.

「They’re quick.」

The three of us entered inside the room. Then Sophia-san’s hand took the battle axe on her back and cut off the neck of the lizardman whose heart was stabbed by the spear.

「Splendid!」

When the five lizardmen showed movement to surround us, Miranda-san threw her knives and crushed the eyes of one lizardman. When the monster’s movement dulled, she leaped towards his neck and cut open the neck with the short sword she drew out from her waist.

The blood spurted out and the lizardman fell on his knees before collapsing.

「That’s two. Now then, next is──」

I was holding a saber in each hand with the stance of a two-sword style. One monster approached me from the front while a second one went around behind me to swing his axe horizontally.

I jumped forward to deal with the pincer attack. The lizardman in front of me opened his eyes wide.

Behind me I felt the wind from the axe that was swung horizontally while I tightly gripped my saber. I passed through beside the lizardman in front of me while dodging the axe attack behind me. At the same time I bisected its torso with my saber. When I used the falling lizardman as my foothold to jump, the lizardman behind me opened his eyes wide in surprise.

「Is it okay that you are only looking at me?」

Then a battle axe came flying while rotating towards the lizardman that was looking up at me. It pierced deeply into his stomach.

Then I swung down my saber from above towards another lizardman that wasn’t looking my way and landed. The lizardman’s head fell.

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Only one remained. The last one looked my way and opened his mouth largely as intimidation while taking a step forward. It was then a knife and a hand axe flew and stabbed him.

At the end, Aria-san jumped up and stabbed the lizardman’s head with her spear and the battle was over.

I confirmed that the six lizardmen were dead, then I called Novem and the others who were guarding the entrance.

The Third was giving applause from inside the Jewel.

『Lyle, you’re really amazing. There are some places where your inexperience showed, but you will grow even more from now on if you amass experience. You are really reliable only in battle.』

I could feel the Third’s mean mischief from the part of only in battle.

The Fifth gave me some advice after seeing the way I fought.

『You are still putting too much strength when you swing your saber. The cut was clean only because your weapon is a good one.』

No one would honestly praise me even though the battle was over. After I wiped off the blood on the saber and put it back into its sheath, Miranda-san walked toward me.

「Lyle-kun, that was really amazing. It was like watching the fight of an expert.」

I was embarrassed.

「I, is that so」

「Yep, it was amazing. You’re really……amazing. You’re strong and can be relied on. Besides you are looking at the people around you without caring whether they’re noble or not……」

Miranda-san’s atmosphere became a bit dark. I became worried and called to her.

「Miranda-san?」

「……Hey, Lyle-kun. I like Lyle-kun……will it be a bother if I tell you that?」

「Eh?」

Miranda-san forced herself to smile seeing my bewildered face. And then, she apologized to me and headed towards the lizardmen.

「Sorry, just forget it. It will be hard for Clara-san to take care of them alone, so I’ll help out with collecting the magic stones.」

I couldn’t give any answer. My heart felt painful.

If only I didn’t do something like a faked hitting on a woman and had a proper encounter with her at the beginning…….

The Sixth persuaded me with a strong tone when I was feeling regretful.

『Lyle, this is the result of your actions. You cannot erase it so that it never happened. If you feel that it’s painful then be careful from now on. Also, think of that pain as your punishment.』

I thought that nobody was asking, but I nodded slightly.

「……Yes」