Volume 10, Chapter 05 “The Old Castle of the Golden Hand”
Volume 10, Chapter 05 “The Old Castle of the Golden Hand”
Part 1
Royal Palace of the Horfalt Kingdom.
There, Roland was panicked when he heard the news that Erika was headed to the dungeon with Leon and his group.
“Who said Erika was allowed to go out?!”
Julius and Jake are also participating with them, but he doesn’t mention anything about his two sons.
There was a clear difference in treatment.
It shows how much Roland loves Erika.
It was Milene, who let out a small sigh of exasperation, as she reported it.
“It’s an idea offered by Erika herself. In order to get on better terms with the Duke Bartfalt, you know. That girl is working hard for her country, are you not ashamed to make a fuss for Erika?”
Roland shouts at Milene, who puts her hands on her hips.
“She’s a sickly little girl!”
For Milene, too, Erika was her daughter, and she was naturally concerned about her illness.
However, the other party is Leon.
“I have already discussed this matter with Duke Baltfalt. He will take care of the investigation and treatment of Erika’s illness.”
Milene also allowed Erika to accompany him on this trip, partly in the hope that her illness would get better.
Roland smiles for a moment, perhaps thinking of the possibility of a complete cure for Erika’s illness.
However, his expression quickly turned bitter when he remembered that the other party was Leon.
“I can’t stand the thought of that kid and Erika together! Just thinking about it makes me want to spit!”
In the end, as Roland fussed about not admitting it, Milene gave him a cold look.
.
Part 2
The Old Castle of Golden Hand.
Inside the crumbling castle, various objects were in decay.
The carpet, which must have been laid down in the past, is torn and hardly in its original state.
The armor adorning the corridors was rusted and fallen down, and the paintings were dusty and decaying.
The area around where the window once stood is littered with shards of glass, probably from window frames that have deteriorated and come off.
Looking outside, the courtyard was wide and overgrown with trees.
I let out a deep sigh as I walked down the hallway, light coming in through the windows.
“――Why are you guys following me?”
I turned around and there they were, Julius and his friends.
Julius squeezes his hands in frustration.
“Marie wouldn’t rely on us. This is because we thought we had to find the treasure and offer it to Marie to get credit.”
“That’s why you’re coming with me? Why don’t you just go on your own?”
“You are a coward, but I highly value your abilities. Besides, with Luxion with you, you’re on the same shortcut to the treasure, aren’t you?”
Luxion takes a cold attitude toward Julius, who expresses his theory with confidence.
[This time I will only provide minimal support.]
“What ?!”
[Of course. This is a game between Master and Angelica. I have also told Creare to provide minimal support. The terms are 50-50.]
Hearing this, Jilk, who was behind me, blatantly shook his head.
“What the hell. It’s just arrogance to not use the abilities you have. It’s always better to give it your all here.”
It seems he is trying to get a good ride out of me because he wants the treasure.
“No. I care about Ange more than you guys.”
As I say this and start walking away, I hear Chris and Greg talking behind me.
They both seem to be suspicious of what I say and do.
“Is it my imagination that there seem to be a lot of women around for someone who cares so much about her?”
“Don’t tell him. Leon is a man, too.”
“In the first place, when you’re engaged to several women, even you care about her, it’s”
“Absolutely”
Frustrated by their conversation, I stopped, turned around, raised my rifle, and put my finger on the trigger.
As the two of them try to distance themselves from me, I am shouting.
“Everybody get down!”
As soon as I shouted, they all quickly bent down and looked backward.
Emerging from the back of a dimly lit passageway was a skeleton dressed in rusted armor.
The main reason I didn’t take on this dungeon is that most of the monsters you encounter here are undead.
Pulling the trigger, a bullet fired from the rifle pierces the monster’s armor.
The monster didn’t seem to mind the bullets.
After all, they are undead.
As for physical attacks, they were quite resistant.
A gun is not a good match for this monster, as it will revive unless it is shattered.
But the skeleton monster is slowly crumbling from where I shot it.
It began to rattle and shake, then the skeletons in its armor crumbled into sand.
“Sacred bullets work”
Skeletons and armor vanish in a puff of smoke as it turns to sand.
Luxion also saw the situation.
[I have confirmed that the monsters have been defeated. After all, there are no monsters that pose a threat in this dungeon.]
From just the current battle, it seems that he has concluded that there are no monsters that could be a threat to us.
Brad was wiping the cold sweat off his face.
“I thought he was going to threaten Chris and Greg.”
“I wouldn’t point a gun at someone just for a joke”
As expected, I wouldn’t go that far, either.
Julius begins to think about this dungeon, staring at the place where the monsters disappeared.
“I’ve heard there are a lot of undead types, but could this castle be cursed?”
I raise my eyebrows when I hear about being cursed.
“What do you mean?”
“Haven’t you heard? They say that undead monsters tend to appear in places where grudges and resentments build up.”
Hearing that scared me.
“――Don’t talk about unpleasant things”
Jilk notices the way I quickly walk away.
“Oya? By any chance, Leon-kun, are you not good with scary stories? If so, I have a very special story to tell you. Actually――”
“Shut up and watch your surroundings, shady bastard!”
I shouted, and I heard five idiots laughing behind me.
Damn! I’m just a little bad with scary things.
.
Part 3
“It’s here~!!”
Marie kicks in the rotting wooden door and sees an undead monster in the room.
The guy had the appearance of a person, but their whole body was decomposing.
They are so-called zombies, and when they see Marie and her friends, they attack them.
As the zombie groans “ahhh” and reaches out with both hands, Marie puts her right hand out in front of her and releases her magic.
“Out of the way”
The zombies, illuminated by the sacred light, crumble into sand.
Kyle, watching the zombies get wiped out instantly, was amazed at Marie’s strength.
“Marie-sama, you’re getting stronger again.”
“I’m compatible with this dungeon. No matter what kind of enemy comes, I will protect you both, don’t worry.”
Saying so, they search the room and Kara finds something.
“Marie-sama, it’s a silver coin, a silver coin! It’s a very old item, but it will sell for a lot of money.”
Kara found an old small bag of silver coins.
There are about ten pieces inside, but Marie shakes her head.
“No. It’s not enough at all. You two, look for more. There are more treasures in this dungeon.”
As Marie expressed doubt, both Kyle and Kara tilted their heads in wonder.
Marie was trying to recall memories of her previous life while looking for other treasures in the room.
(I did visit this dungeon a few times in a previous life. But it was so long ago that I barely remember it. Remember, me! I need to get out of my brother’s financial support to show Erika how motherly I am)
.
Part 4
“Let’s gooo!!”
A two-handed axe. Oskar with a battle axe was slashing at an armor-clad skeleton.
The skeleton is cut in two by a powerful blow produced by well-trained muscles.
However――.
“Oskar-san, please move away immediately!”
―― Aare hurriedly pulls Oskar backwards.
When the skeleton was cut in two, the part that was cut in two was restored, and she slashed at it again with the sword she was holding.
Oskar is surprised by the situation.
“What a regenerative ability!!”
Jake slaps Oskar on the back of the head.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to physically attack undead monsters!”
The regenerated skeleton, but Aare immediately pulls out a dagger and takes up a ready position.
In her hand, she held a sacred silver dagger.
The dagger, engraved with a pattern, was endowed with holy power.
With such a dagger, Aare cuts the skeleton, and it crumbles into sand.
Aare sheathes the dagger, turns around and looks at Oskar――.
“You bastard! How many times do you have to make the same mistake, aah ?!”
―― In a fit of rage, Aare wrinkled her brow and shouted at Oskar in a harsh, husky voice.
She reaches out and grabs him by the chest and lifts him up and brings his face close to hers.
“Is your head a decoration? Is it just a place to put a hat?”
“N-No.”
“If not, then use your head, this muscle-brain! I told you to use magic or special bullets because your axe is not effective against the undead, didn’t I? Don’t you forget that the Duke went out of his way to give you guys a very expensive bullet for this!!”
Aare slapped Oskar repeatedly on the cheek.
Oskar was frightened.
And then there’s Jake, who was watching.
“Aare”
When Aare is called out, she hurriedly mends the situation when she remembers that Jake is there.
“Y-Your Highness”
As Aare shrank back in embarrassment, Jake approached her and took her hand.
“Sorry about my foster brother. He’s so stupid, he doesn’t get it no matter how many times I tell him.”
“N-No. I’m the one who showed you my embarrassing side.”
“I was surprised to see you have such a brave side. I’m glad to see a new side of you.”
“Your Highness”
“Stop calling me Your Highness. You’re also making the same mistake all over again.”
“Mou, you’re so mean”
Oskar watched as the two held hands and were in a good mood.
“So this is what they call love is blind. Finley-san said it.”
.
Part 5
At the same time, Ange and her party, led by Creare, had found an entrance to the basement.
The wooden door had a lock on it, but it was rusted and battered.
Ange holds up her rifle.
“Back off, both of you”
When the lock was shot, the door was opened, and the entrance to the basement was opened.
After ejecting the rifle casing with a familiar hand, Ange picks up the lantern at her waist and raises it.
Lanterns made of magic stone are smaller and brighter than ordinary ones.
When the dark passageway is illuminated, Ange is unafraid to move on.
Worried about Ange, Noel grabbed her arm and stopped her.
“Wait a minute. Aren’t we going too fast? Let’s go a little more carefully.”
Ange turned around and let out a small sigh at Noel’s attitude.
“If we take our time, Leon and the others will find the treasure first.”
“But, you know, there are monsters out there. We have to keep moving forward while being safe.”
“Creare is doing a good job of scouting the surroundings, so there’s no problem.”
When her name was called, Creare shone a light from her blue lenses, illuminating the dark passageway.
Apparently, she had grasped the structure of the underground passageway.
[I can’t confirm the presence of any threatening monsters. But structurally, it doesn’t look like the whole basement is connected.]
The underground dungeon prepared under the old castle was divided into several sections.
Ange ponders.
“If we pull the wrong one, it’s a waste of time, but we can’t afford to look anywhere else.”
When Ange is distracted, Noel asks her the reason.
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
Then Ange gave Noel a slightly squinty-eyed look.
“You don’t understand anything. Our opponent is Leon, you know.”
Noel also knows that Leon is a man who does things when he has to.
But there was still a difference in perception with Ange.
Ange asks Noel to evaluate Leon as an adventurer.
“He is the man who, at the age of fifteen, single-handedly discovered a lost item at the end of a great adventure. His age is astonishing, but he is a hero who has done a great deal all by himself.”
“I heard that. He found Luxion, didn’t he?”
“No, you don’t understand! You have no idea how great that guy is! I’ll take this opportunity to walk you through it.”
Moving on, Ange tells Noel about a hero named Leon as they walk.
Noel watched this with a wry smile as she looked at Ange’s back.
(What, it’s not like she hates him, huh? Disappointment ―― is also wrong?)
Noel was relieved to see Ange happy to talk about Leon.
She didn’t expect the two of them to continue to fight and break up, but she still thought there was a change in their relationship.
But Ange had not changed.
“To begin with, that guy is said to have miraculously pulled off a great adventure, but that’s a lie. When he was a first-year student, we had gone to the village of the elves with Leon. That’s when he found the hidden passageway in the ruins and got the treasure. “
“He~”
When she replies without concern, Ange tells the rest of the story.
She was somewhat like being proud of herself.
“He found a sapling of the sacred tree in the Republic, didn’t he? How can a coincidence last three times? That guy is a great adventurer and a great hero.”
“So you acknowledge Leon.”
“Of course. He is a man who will go down in the history of the kingdom! ――That’s why I tried so hard to be worthy of him”
Noticing Ange’s slowly becoming discouraged, Noel turned to Livia, who was hurriedly following behind them.
Since a while ago, Livia has not spoken a word.
“Hey, Livia-chan, say something.”
When she whispered to her, Livia was looking at an old castle ornament she had picked up somewhere.
Her eyes sparkled as she looked at the patterns ――.
“Noel-san, look at this! This, this pattern! This is the pattern that was used in the civilization that is said to have perished. I can’t judge the shape of it because it’s rotting away, but maybe it’s a great find”
Seeing Livia begin to talk about a piece of something of the ancient civilizations, Noel’s cheeks were pulled back.
“Livia-chan, aren’t you worried about Angelica-san’s condition?”
Are you forgetting the purpose of this event?
When she asked Livia with such anxiety, she received a surprising answer.
“It’s fine”
“Eh?”
What’s it’s fine? Livia smiled and watched Ange’s back as she walked ahead.
“Both Ange and Leon-san should have clashed more.”
“Clashed more, you said”
Would it really work? To Noel’s worried look, Livia smiled and said, “Don’t worry about it.”
But when Ange, walking ahead, inadvertently drops and destroys an ornament placed in the passageway――.
“Ange! Didn’t I tell you not to break the ornaments as much as possible, right?”
―― She started running and approached Ange.
Ange is cornered by Livia against the wall.
“Y-You’re wrong! Because I was thinking something”
Livia asks Ange, who is flustered, with a straight face.
“You promised not to destroy them, right? Right? You promised me that you would keep all of them because they are important relics, didn’t you?”
“――Livia, forgive me”
Seeing that Livia was making Ange apologize, Noel put her hand on her head.
“I knew it, making Livia-chan angry is scary.”
.
Part 6
“What’s ‘there is no problem’! There’s nothing but problems!”
We found the entrance to the basement of the old castle, and with great enthusiasm, we got in and had a terrible time.
I hide in a corner of the aisle, swearing as I load bullets into my rifle.
“You make mistakes when it really matters! Aren’t you ashamed as an Artificial Intelligence?!”
Loudly complain to Luxion.
The sound is inevitably loud because Julius and his friends are using guns around me and there is a constant sound of gunfire.
[If this level of monsters is too much for Master and them to handle, I think I must revise my assessment of you all. I thought you could do better, but I guess I overestimated it.]
Yare-yare, said Luxion, who looks as if he is shaking his head, and even Jilk is sarcastic.
“I’m glad you evaluated us, but I wish you had also correctly assessed the enemy’s strength.”
Jilk, holding the rifle, looks through the scope and pulls the trigger.
Then, the head of the skeleton was shot through in the distance.
Unlike the guys I saw upstairs, they were wearing a robe and carrying a wand made of bone, like a magician.
Undead monsters that could use magic attacked us in groups.
In front of the wizard is a line of skeletal vanguards wearing armor more heavily armored than those seen above.
They have big shields and battle axes, and ordinary bullets would be bounced off their shields.
Through the gap in their vanguard, Jilk was shooting only at the wizards.
He has a bad personality, he’s mean and dirty, but he’s a good sniper.
Greg shouts as the wizard skeletons in the rear raise their wands.
“Everybody down!”
As we bend down for cover, one after another magic shots are fired and explosions occur nearby.
The dark underground passageways were repeatedly dazzlingly illuminated by magical light and dust.
At the same time that the magic attack ceases, I give instructions to Julius and the others.
“Julius, step forward and become a wall”
“You, I’m still a prince.”
“Shut up, hold up your shields, and use your specialty shields to defend against attacks. Brad!”
I then called Brad and he looked blatantly displeased.
“You’re not going to tell me to charge in, are you?”
“I don’t expect you to fight in close quarters.”
“That’s just awful!”
“Just get ready to blow up their vanguard. Hit them with some high-powered magic.”
After watching Brad nod, I now give instructions to Jilk.
“Jilk go straight to sniping. Don’t shoot your allies from the back.”
Jilk was stunned at my order.
“I wouldn’t screw up like that.”
“I’m saying this because you seem to be going for it on your own volition, though?”
“――What do you really think I am?”
Jilk’s usual calm tone disappears, but he quickly loads bullets into his rifle and gets ready.
Lastly, Chris and Greg.
“Chris and Greg will charge in after Brad blasts them.”
Chris re-grips his sword.
“Leave it to me. So, what do you do?”
I shrug my shoulders in front of the five.
“A leader is supposed to give orders and then sit back and watch, right?”
Greg heard this and made a step back.
“You’re either a big shot or an idiot for saying that here.”
Luxion, who had been listening to Greg, quickly joins the conversation.
[You’re wrong. He’s a total idiot.]
“Shut up. I’ll use you as my shield.”
[Isn’t it a problem to say something discouraging right off the bat like that?]
“It’s okay. These guys can do it.”
These five can get through this without any problems.
Not because I played that otome game, but because I’ve seen these guys grow up, up close even if I didn’t want to see it.
And yet, Julius was laughing when he saw me.
Annoyed, I ask why.
“What?”
“No, I just thought it was a surprisingly positive assessment. Leon, you’re not being honest.”
For some reason, Julius had a smug look on his face, which pissed me off, so I kicked him.
“Go quickly”
“I-Idiot! Don’t push me!”
By appearing in front of the enemy, the skeletons reacted and were about to unleash their magic on Julius.
Julius held up the shield he was holding.
“Chi! Remember this later, Leon! ――Imperial All Guard !!”
Lights filled Julius’ shield, and a translucent shield so large that it blocked the passageway appeared.
All guard.
Thanks to Julius, who deployed a shield to protect all the party members, the oncoming magic attack could not reach us.
Immediately Brad jumps out and opens his arms, ready to release his magic.
Multiple magic circles appeared on Brad’s back and they began to spin.
“Full ―― Hellfire ―― Burst”
Bring his outstretched hands together in front of his face, and then hold his own hands.
Julius sensed that we were ready, and as soon as he relaxed his stance, the shield that had been protecting us disappeared.
At the same time, swirling flames from the magic circle floating around Brad head toward the enemy.
It engulfed the skeletons, and when they seemed to burst into flames, they exploded at the end.
Immediately after Brad released the magic, he kneeled on the spot, sweating profusely.
“Did I do it?”
He probably thought he had wiped out the enemies with his magic.
However, skeletons come from the back of the exploding, burning corridor.
Jilk immediately shoots them out with his rifle, but they appear one after another.
[It seems we’ve been making too much noise. Enemies are gathering.]
Apparently, we have succeeded in gathering the enemy.
“Great. We can take them all out. Chris, Greg, let’s get out in front.”
They were surprised to see me put down my rifle and switch to a sword.
Chris looked at me curiously.
“You said you stayed in the back?”
“I changed my mind. It looks like I can win, so I’m in.”
Greg held up his spear and laughed as he turned his gaze to the enemy.
“You are really twisted.”
“Shut up. Let’s take them down now.”
As we ran out, Chris and Jilk were the first to make contact with the enemy.
The two are usually foolish, but they are still outstanding when it comes to melee combat.
Chris quickly takes down two troublesome monsters.
“Shii!”
Swinging his sword as if it were flowing, he slays monsters one after another, turning them into smoke.
In contrast, Greg is a rough fighter.
“ORAaaa !!”
Chris and Greg’s weapons are coated with silver by Luxion, which is effective against undead monsters.
But even without that, they are both highly capable.
Greg’s spear had pierced a skeleton holding a large shield.
As it collapses and turns to smoke, Greg is immediately attacked by the next monster.
The wild and rampaging figure contrasted with Chris, but the two were in a position to move around and stay out of each other’s way.
I run through the gap with Luxion so as not to disturb them.
What I saw was a skeleton holding a bow and arrow, aiming at Greg.
“This guy”
The sword was swung up diagonally from the left and down to the right.
The tip of the sword sparks as it hits the floor, and as I swing it up, the skeleton crumples down, severed into its upper and lower halves.
I quickly shift my gaze to look for the next target, and Luxion informs me of it with a pointer through a red lens.
[Master, they are aiming at the two of them from over there]
“Well done!”
As the skeleton hides in the shadows and is about to release a bow and arrow, I drop my sword and pull a pistol from my holster and hold it ready.
A special magic bullet coated with silver, each shot is a high-grade one.
Normally, I would be cautious about where to use them, but since Luxion provided a large amount, I need not worry about it.
“It’s specially made. Take it gratefully.”
I pulled the trigger twice and both bullets had shot through the skeleton.
I can use it like an abundant item, but the problem is that I am limited in the number of bullets I can carry.
Bullets may be small, but they are still lumps of metal, and if the number of bullets increases, they are quite heavy.
As we beat the skeletons that appeared one after another, Julius joined us.
“You guys, leave some for me!”
“Prince, please stay in the ba~ck”
Apparently, Julius was pissed off too, because I said this to him after I kicked him before.
He slashed down the approaching skeleton with his sword with great force, with his face red and angry.
“You are the one who kicked me in front of the enemy!”
“Be glad you’re getting some active role. You can brag to Marie about it.”
I giggle and laugh, and Luxion, who has been watching us, mutters.
[They get along]