50. Former hero・goes underground
The pig……No, Dew…..Dea……n…..?
Summarizing the words of the viscount, it’s like this.
Presently, in this town of Iris,
there is a huge labyrinth underneath the royal school of Tristania.
In a surprising thing, there is a considerable area even just on a single floor, and somehow only up till 50 floors have been confirmed. It’s one of the renowned large scale labyrinth.
I mean, it’s too wide.
Why is there something like that?
It’s bigger than the castle of the demon king that I know of.
Legend has it that a great demon king created it.
Well, in this case, the origin or the reason of existence is not worth worrying about.
Anyway, right now, it’s positive that there’s a labyrinth.
Demons appears intermittently within the underground labyrinth, and it looks like they get stronger the further one heads underground.
Different from the demon and demon race living on ground, it seems as pseudo lifeforms, defeating the demons exhaust the magical power within them and causes them to disappear and circulate in the dungeon to become new demons again.
As there are no records about the lowest levels, it means that it’s not understood how many levels the heck there are.
The crucial marquis isn’t around is the reason, but currently, Tristania royal school is conducting its graduation examination.
This graduation examination is the exploration of the underground labyrinth by the current batch of graduates.
Cooperating with everyone, it’s an event where they have to travel to the stipulated number of storeys.
And that is the graduation exam.
Of course, there are many students who are weak in combat.
In the ma.s.s mobilization, it’s an examination to see if one can play a part and contribute to the group, searching for a role suitable for themselves.
Although there is a stipulated number of stories, something such as repeating a year from not being up to the task of traveling doesn’t happen often.
However, there seem to be a rumored rare genius magician in this year’s graduate.
Furthermore, an external student.
Those called external student are those that came from the ma.s.ses, and not from n.o.bility.
The Millis kingdom is a place that is big on the merit system.
It isn’t that one can become a n.o.ble easily because of ability, but being appointed an important post if abilities are displayed properly and so on, it seems that there are numerous situation to receive preferential treatment.
A rare genius magician in a country with such a setting.
And furthermore, an ordinary person.
Not being satisfied with just reports, Marquis Cordaru who is the feudal lord partic.i.p.ated as the examiner to see the genius with his own eyes.
I’m told that the exam stretches close to 1 month.
Is it fine that the feudal lord is absent for such a long period of time?
No, as expected, enough prior arrangements have been made huh.
Because it wasn’t revealed to others and our arrival was on the unexpected task of the king’s orders, we had missed each other.
It was a little over 2 weeks ago that they went into the labyrinth.
If I think about the return journey, it will be another week after the scheduled 2 weeks till he returns.
Will we standby till then?
Deciding to come again, we left the marquis’s residence behind.
Pig frog had insisted to take care of Rithina in the residence, but it was firmly refused.
Although he had held on obstinately, there was no room for objection if the princess herself declined.
“This is a chance.”
Rithina says.
Ha?
“What is a chance?”
I ask in return.
Rithina’s face lights up.
Or more precisely, it’s a face that is thinking of something bad.
Her expression is extremely good.
This, probably, is a face that won’t say something good.
“An appeal to the Marquis.”
“Appeal?”
That, I heard of something like that previously too.
“That’s right! Appeal!
Haruto-kun should partic.i.p.ate in the graduation exam too!
In that case, it’s a situation of the marquis with the doctrine of placing ability first.
If he accepts the ability of Haruto-kun, it becomes easy to have a talk later.”
A good idea indeed!
Rithina rattles on as if so.
No no, it’s strange right?
The graduates entered the labyrinth roughly 2 weeks ago, wouldn’t the timing be strange if I reach the stipulated floor even if it goes smoothly?
If I partic.i.p.ate from now, what should I do?
“It’s going to the floor at the standard of the school graduate.
If it’s Haruto-kun, you will be able to go and play an active role with a poof.”
Rithina replies my doubt nonchalantly.
No no no.
Certainly, although the demons might not be an issue, capturing the labyrinth and such is like going to the convenience store for a little.
Even if it was told with a feeling like this.
I mean, even if that goes well too, me going is just a nuisance to the graduation exam, isn’t it?
Let’s wait. Let’s wait, I’m telling you.
Let’s wait for him to come back patiently.
I persuade Rithina.
Rithina isn’t convinced.
But I don’t give in either.
For me, if you think that anything and everything will go as you want, it’s a big mistake.
“Haruto-kun is mean.”
What’s mean?
Even if you sulk cutely, something that is no good is no good.
You mustn’t hinder things that people are doing seriously.
But, the next morning.
The situation that is not possible occurred.
More accurately, nothing happened.
However, was it from the underground of the academy where the underground labyrinth is? I felt some kind of magical power explosion.
Only a minimal amount reached the surface, and aside from me, Laurier seemed to have felt nothing particularly, but I certainly felt it.
And, the signs felt after that.
This, is that.
The orb of the church’s bas.e.m.e.nt.
It’s the same feeling as that.
There is something similar to that orb somewhere in the underground labyrinth.
Although the surface was calm without an incident, there is something underground.
I do not know whether it’s related to the graduation exam.
There is no need to go beyond that if it’s unrelated, but concerning the feeling that is similar to the orb, I feel the need to go and examine it.
……What should I do?
Do I obtain permission to go and investigate after waiting for the exam to finish?
Looking at the timing however, it’s hard to think that it’s unrelated to the exam.
Let’s go and investigate after all.
I decided.
If I decided so, I had better act quickly.
Waking up everybody who fell asleep wearing the maid uniform last night, I informed them of the circ.u.mstances of entering the underground labyrinth.
Rithina is delighted.
It’s not that I’m following Rithina’s intention particularly, but that’s fine on this occasion I guess.
Anyway, it’s better to hurry whatever we have decided on.
Therefore, I intend to go to the underground labyrinth alone.
It’s impossible to take Mina and Rithina along.
I would be able to if we advance slowly enough when there is time, but there is no time now.
And if that’s so, it’s necessary to leave 2 people as guards.
Although I think that we will be able to descend without worrying about the speed if it’s with Laurier, I decided to leave Laurier too and go.
There isn’t a particular reason for that though, and although I think it’s all right even with Sharon as a guard alone, if Pig Frog kun tries to start something by any chance, it’s a fact that I’m uneasy about.
Therefore, I think that it would be the easiest if I go by myself.
Telling those to everyone, I started preparing.
I went out shopping for food and potion with Sharon.
The remaining 3 people headed to the school, and I had them obtain permission for me to enter the underground labyrinth and prepare a partial map.
Though originally, neither entry permission nor the map will be lent, there is the scheming 3rd princess.
I allow myself to depend on her power.
Arranging my preparations throughout the morning, we joined up at the front of the underground labyrinth.
“Okay, thank you, everyone.
Although we are separating for a while, take care.”
I say to everyone while carrying the bulging rucksack.
And after a short period of giving my farewell, I kissed everyone in turn.
Paradise.
I do not know how many days it will take, but I’m lonely because I won’t be able to enjoy this softness for the next while.
I’m lonely, but there is no choice.
Let’s switch to the serious me occasionally.
“Sharon. Laurier. I will leave the 2 of them to you.
Particularly, do not let that Pig Frog close to Rithina.”
“Un! Don’t worry about us here!
Haruto too, take care okay?”
“Leave it to me. It’s okay if it’s Haruto, isn’t it.”
“Mina, look after everyone too.
I hope there there will not be a quarrel with the viscount caused by Rithina doing strange things when I return.”
“Yes. Haruto-sama, take care too.”
“Ha, Haruto kun? Why is it only me who is not rely on, and being caution?”
Rithina gets angry.
Ask about your usual behavior from that full chest.
“Then, I’m off.”
I said so to the 4 people, and set foot into the underground labyrinth.