Deceptive Methods
“You received an area attack magic, do you believe that you can handle one on a higher floor?”
“Y-yes. I will be fine. I need to work hard in order to reach the point where I can be even slightly helpful.”
Rutina got back on her feet and acknowledged moving to a higher floor.
That’s some recovery power she had.
Quite strong.
“Seems like we still have some time too.”
“Yes. We still have a little time till noon.”
After confirming it with Roxanne, we don’t have a problem with time.
It is necessary to buy essential items for Rutina today, but it’s hot during the day.
It would be nice in the evening where it’s slightly cooler
Perhaps, the shop would be crowded if everyone is thinking the same?
Should I do it during the day under the hot weather when there is less people?
“Is it fine shopping in the evening? Or, Should we finish it early?”
“Let me see. It’s better to change our clothes early and fight diligently in the labyrinth.”
I received a Spartan answer when I consulted Roxanne.
Defeating a demon bare-handed has already been done by Roxanne and the others.
Roxanne understands it very well that I plan to let Rutina do it as well.
Is this what they call striking while the iron is hot?
The problem is, will we be able to finish shopping on time!?
Rather, isn’t it better to go when it’s sunset?
Specially for my waiting time.
Oh well, I may let them do shopping occasionally with all their hearts.
When the time is up, it is up.
“How about observing the 26th floor for a little, then head to shopping?”
“Understood.”
“Once we go to the 26th floor, a place with a lot of monsters is good.”
“Yes.”
We move to the 26th floor.
Sherry explains the Cape Carp to Rutina.
I am glad that it was Cape Carp after all.
It wasn’t necessary to explain it to Sherry.
We fight against the Cape Carp as the main monster several times.
My thunder magic played a large role in the fights.
There is no need to receive Area attack magic again, since we already received it.
It is better if the monsters stop moving by using Thunder magic.
One after the other the monsters became paralyzed.
I defeated the monsters with Thunder Magic.
Oh~ s.h.i.+t.
Rutina didn’t use magic, but the number of Thunder Magic needed to defeat monsters did not change.
It’s still the same?
With this the number didn’t change for the 23rd, 24th, 25th,and 26th floors.
Indeed, that’s unexpected.
It was thanks to the effect of Great Intelligence Increase from Jobless for the 24th and 25th floors.
For it to not increase on the 26th floor, is it thanks to Rutina’s Wizard Lv11 and my Great Hero becoming LV11?
At level 11 a little effect will appear.
It’s worth mentioning that my Great Hero and Rutina’s Wizard level is the same.
Since I spent some bonus points to decrease the necessary experience, it is fine to think that the Great Hero is harder to level than the Wizard.
I even think that Great Hero is tougher to level compared to Hero.
But there is no denying that it’s an excellent job in many ways.
Either way, it will raise smoothly til Lv30.
“How about we end it at this point?”
Luckily for me, Sherry didn’t say anything even though the number didn’t change.
Taking advantage of this, I decided to retreat.
Rutina had observed the Cape Carp enough as well.
I cast [Warp], and went home.
As I came out in the living room, I release all the tension by taking a deep breath.
“Was I able to help to some extent?”
Rutina, asked while being nervous.
Not me, but Roxanne.
“It was alright. You did plenty enough.”
“Okay. Thank you very much.”
“Let’s do our best together.”
Roxanne lead Rutina skillfully.
Rather than leading, I guess it can be called copying.
Roxanne is expecting everyone to fight.
“This party has a lot of secrets. I agree with Roxanne-ane-sama and Sherry-ane-sama, we cannot say careless things. I will be cautious as well.”
Rutina braced herself.
What did Roxanne and Sherry say to her?
Being careful is important.
After taking a little break, we go shopping.
Because walking under the sunlight is too hot.
How should I do it?
I can [Warp] to the dungeon and exit using the entrance, but I don’t really want to do that, since I’m not paying any entrance fees.
“Should we proceed to the adventurers guild and go around to the grocery store? Or do we start at the Merchant Guild and then to the clothes shop?”
“Let’s see. We better go to the clothes shop.”
Listening to Roxanne, it was unusual to go from the Merchant guild then to the clothes shop immediately.
Or rather, am I going to shop for clothes until evening when the sunlight lessens?
But Roxanne was the one who suggested that Rutina should fight.
I [Warp] to the Merchant guild, and proceed to the clothes shop.
There is no air-conditioning inside the shops in this world.
Nevertheless, it is better that there is shade.
I feel pretty cool.
“For clothes, it is important to have 3 tops and bottoms first. After that, I’ll buy one top and bottom for everybody except for Rutina.”
“Thank you very much.”
All the girls bow their heads.
Shopping just for Rutina could cause complaints.
Believing that they understood, we came to get the required items.
A problem won’t occur easily if everyone bought one piece.
Rutina bowed her head, but Quratar’s western style clothing may be a downgrade for a former Earl’s daughter.
Unless, it is tailored in the clothes shop in the Imperial Capital.
I will go to the clothes shop in the Imperial Capital later, but I need to finish this and that.
And unlike Roxanne and the other girls, Rutina may possess hostility.
“Choose whatever you like.”
At least in the clothes shop I let them choose freely.
Everyone is picking and Roxanne is in the middle.
“It is ready-made, but it is new. everyone wears nice clothes. However I a.s.sumed that I won’t be able to wear decent clothes because I turned into a slave. I will be made fun of if I wear unacceptable clothes to the Lord’s meeting. It may be fine with this.”
Seems like Rutina is quite satisfied.
She seems fine with the clothes shops in Quratar.
It appears that she’s still thinking about the Lords’ a.s.sembly.
“Master, how about this?”
Roxanne brought clothes to me.
Because I said everyone, it seems I’m the first one to choose.
“It’s not bad. I don’t have any problems in what Roxanne has selected. I am fine with this.”
“Thank you very much. We will be choosing immediately.”
I think that it took time, but it seems that Roxanne only selected clothes for me and the other girls.
“Don’t worry about time, select carefully.”
It is not like we extremely need to go to the labyrinth by all means.
I would like to let Roxanne do the shopping carefully and take her time.
Basically, I was questioning myself whether I should go or not.
“I think this matches the color of Roxanne-ane-sama’s bottom.”
“You also think so?”
“This color is effective in standing out.”
Rutina is giving a lot of advice.
I wonder if it’s a duty she had as an Earl’s daughter?
For me, I don’t really have any idea.
“Isn’t this a little childish?”
“Nope. I think it is lovely.”
“Really?”
Sherry asked for advice, I guess she’s reliable.
“Miria-ane-sama will look good with this color.”
“Onee-chan, desu.”
“I think this will be alright.”
Vesta also asked Rutina for advice.
“Possibly it’s better with this one?”
“Thank you very much.”
In the end, the sun had already begun to set by the time they finished choosing.
It’s a delicate time.
It is not as late as I thought.
There’s still time to enter the labyrinth for a moment.
Or Did Roxanne cut it closely on purpose?
The battle can wait.
After that, we return home after going to the general store.
“You can change into the clothes we bought in the room over there. I will have you fight a little in the labyrinth instead of observing. I don’t think you will face any problems since you seem able to cope properly.”
“Understood.”
“Please finish quickly.”
As we came back home, I sent Rutina to the next room.
Although I said today is observation day, but it should be fine.
Particularly, she’s not scared to fight.
“Thank you very much.”
“Onee-chan, desu.”
Rutina received the clothes from Miria, and went to the next room.
Because I didn’t go to the general store first, Rutina didn’t have a backpack.
Sherry, Miria and Vesta split Rutina’s clothes and brought them back.
Roxanne carried my clothes.
“Because we don’t have much time, she should change her clothes here.”
Roxanne said a terrible thing.
I see.
I could have used that method?
“You are right. Well that is fine for now.”
I didn’t think of that.
Because we are living under the same roof, doing that much may be fine.
Apparently, Roxanne doesn’t mind.
Is there any resistance?
Or possibly, does she think that it is natural to put my hands on Rutina since she’s a slave?
In the first place, who’s fault was it that there is no time!?
I wonder if we spent all that time for this purpose?
There is no chance.
“Thank you for waiting.”
“Oh. It suits you well.”
“Thank you very much.”
Rutina came back.
Rutina wearing pants looks beautiful.
A Beautiful girl is pretty no matter what she wears.
Her body line is neat and attractive.
From her b.u.t.t to the calf, a slender leg draws a nice curve line.
Not too thin, not too fat, legs that are shaped beautifully.
She looks like a model.
At Quratar’s labyrinth, we first fight in the 7th floor.
I killed the Slow Rabbit Roxanne found with 1 [Fire Ball].
A single blow?
After that I tried it out on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floor but only the monster on the 10th stayed alive after I shoot one.
Looks like we can beat them up till Level 9.
The power dramatically increased by having Great Hero, Jobless and Rutina joining.
Of course I killed the LV10 Escape Goat that tried to run away.
“I plan on letting Rutina fight, is the 10th floor alright?”
“As if the 10th floors monsters will be a problem.”
I asked Roxanne, and her answer gave me a peace of mind.
No need to waver.
It is possible to let her fight one or two floors lower if I removed Hero, Great Hero, and Jobless though.
And I can even go further down if used Wizard magic instead of Great Wizard magic.
I can add bonus points to increase the intellect power, but I can’t adjust it to negative to reduce the power.
There is also the problem of overcrowding if we go down in Quratar’s labyrinth.
Since we have Rutina as a Wizard, there is no problem if it is known that our party fights using magic.
If someone pa.s.sed by and observed us from behind, even if they see the afterglow of fire magic, they will probably judge that Rutina cast it.
Rutina joining us is a splendid advantage.
Perhaps Rutina didn’t notice that.
“I feel relieved because even if someone saw us by chance using magic we have Rutina, but it doesn’t particularly need to be on a lower floor?”
“You are right.”
“It is thanks to Rutina.”
I praised Rutina who showed slight self-doubt sometimes.
Rutina shows a slight wondering face.
Is it because she wasn’t recognized as a fighting force?
But she only needs to be here.
“I didn’t join the magic guild either, and I think it is better that man doesn’t know that I was able to use magic after only half a day.”
Rutina asked Sherry after pondering.
Is Sherry in charge of that part?
“You are right, regarding the guild. As for being able to use it in half a day, it is possible to interpret that it happened by chance.”
“As far as I know, he’s never come across us in the labyrinth.”
“Wouldn’t that be bad.”
I see.
Is there any suspicion from such a place?
But it will be alright if any subordinate of the Dukes doesn’t see us.
Sherry and Rutina appear to be worried about information leaking.
Sherry said something that sounded more like threatening Rutina.
Also Rutina, even though she hardly knows anything about a Labyrinth, she’s sharp in unusual matters.
“I will be careful. You did well in recognizing it.”
“Politics is entirely strategy. Strategy means information. If I can’t get hold of any information, I won’t be able to enter the Lord’s meeting.”
“R-really?”
“Scheming is the way of life for Aristocrats.”
It’s like the Art of War.
Is this what’s called Dishonest means of troops?
Is the lord’s meeting about cheating each other?
Rutina seems to be unexpectedly terrifying.