The inside of the cave was a strange place.

　I was surprised when Dr. Narcissus explained to me that there were occasional large tree roots exposed, and I thought they were walls, but they were tree roots.

　I've never seen a tree root big enough to look up.

　And it's called a cave, but there is a place with an open ceiling that allows light to shine through.

　There were plants growing there, making it a good resting place.

''Well hey, there's a guy coming up behind you. He's like a hundred feet.

　Now, such is the dungeon of Arzel, but there were monsters here as well, as a matter of course.

　I turned around and held up my rifle, and Zilk also held up his.

　When Julius and Chris drew their swords and prepared for it.

　I tuck the smartphone-type device into my pocket.

　Looking through the scope of the rifle, I could see the enemy well in the dark.

　I pull the trigger and the sound of gunfire echoes through the cave, and I shoot the monster.

　The monster disappears in a puff of black smoke.

　They come out one after another, so I take my position and pull the trigger again.

　Then, Zilk also saw it and fired quickly, and three of them were shot out in the blink of an eye.

''Don't do it.''

Thank you. I'm an excellent shot.

　Once the battle is over with the rifle, I take out my terminal and conduct a perimeter search.

''It's okay. Let's proceed.

　As Julius put his sword away.

Leave me one. You guys aren't taking care of this all by yourselves, are you?　Considering the number of bullets we have, they should turn more to us.

　Chris wasn't happy about it either.

'You haven't fought a single fight since you came in.

　I'm carrying a rifle, and I'm disgusted by them.

"Shut up and conserve your strength. You're going to work for me, I'm going to make you work until you cry. Let's go.

　As we begin to resume our movement, Narcissus-sensei looks like he's already given up.

'It's the kind of place I'd challenge with more people if it were true. Are all the adventurers in Holfert radical?'

　

''In Alsel, were the two main types of adventurers, those who investigate like scholars and those who simply mine?''

'Yes. It's true that the guards also fight monsters, but I don't think there are many adventurers who are this belligerent. Most of them are after the magical stones that are unearthed in the dungeon, but there are also many adventurers who are scholarly in nature.

　I laugh.

'Adventurers in the kingdom are looters in reverse. It's in their nature to rob rather than examine.

　Dr. Narcissus was a little unhappy with that.

　For the types who like to go into dungeons and examine ruins, they probably don't like the likes of us.

　Julius draws my attention to me.

'Baltophalt, don't talk to me in a misleading way. Sensei, we do our best to avoid destroying the ruins as much as possible.

　I asked Julius as I snickered at him.

'Julius, what would you do if there was a door with a hidden treasure in it?　But that door is a door that just won't open. What would you do?

You know what to do.

　Dr. Narcissus gave Julius an expectant look.

''That's right. If there's a door like that, the first thing to do is investigate--''

Destroy!

　Dr. Narcissus was disappointed.

　I laughed at him.

'These are the adventurers of the kingdom, doctor. These guys are brainiacs, so be careful, they'll try to destroy you as soon as you leave them alone.''

　Chris looked at me suspiciously.

'Are you trying to tell me you're the brains of the operation?　I'm telling you, smart people don't go into dungeons by themselves in the first place. I heard you almost died taking on a dungeon by yourself before you came to the school.

　When I mentioned it, Dr. Narcissus showed interest.

'I'd love to hear that. 'I heard you went into an ancient ruin?　What was the place like?

　He took out his notes and we talked as we moved around.

'It was the remains of the ancients, wasn't it? There was an airship on it.

　Julius joined in the conversation.

'The dungeon in which you found Paltner, I see. It sank in a battle with the duchy, but that was a nice ship.

　Dr. Narcissus exclaimed.

'Oh, you've sunk!　I mean, you used your precious lost airship in the war for your precious lost item!

　I laughed and fooled around.

'Oops, we'll have to climb this cliff.

　As I take the tools out of my pack, Dr. Narcissus grabs my arm.

'I don't want to hear that for a minute!　Mr. Rion, why would you go to war with your ancient and precious possessions!　Treat me better than that!

　If Luxion were here, he would say, 'Yes, I know. I'm sure he'd say something like, 'You can take better care of yourself.

　I get the rope ready and Chris unloads his gear. He straps on his gear and begins to climb the cliff.

'Let's go ahead,'

　We watch Chris as he happily ascends.

Please.

　Chris is going to go up first, and he's going to help me with the scaffolding and stuff.

　We can ascend slowly afterwards.

　Seeing this, Narcissus-sensei was stunned.

I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this. I'd use magic if I were you.

　Zirk was holding his rifle and alerting his surroundings.

'This kind of thing is an essential skill. Also, please preserve your magic.''

　Inside the cave.

　At the top of the cliff, I could see a light.

　There must be a hole in the ceiling.

　I muttered as I looked at the device.

I guess we're almost to our destination.

◇

　Marie's mansion.

　When I visited, Lelia was talking to Carla, who was holding an old dog.

''I'm not here!''

　Cara, holding Noel in her arms, looks at Lelia's visit with a bit of suspicion.

'Well, I was in the garden walking this girl, or rather, distracting her.

　Lelia asked Kara, who looked annoyed, impatiently.

'Where did you go?!'

'You said you were going to a dungeon. Um ... a cave?

　Why are you heading to the dungeon instead of coming to the school?

　Lelia doesn't stop to ask questions.

'There are plenty of cave types out there. 'What dungeon?　What's your name?

　Kara's eyes narrowed.

'What are you going to do with that much of a question?'

　Lelia is inwardly impatient.

(No.) I'm too wary to listen to her. (I'd like to tell them that we're one of them, but she's not a reincarnation herself.)

　I tried to utter words that a reincarnation would have bitten off, but Kara just nodded her head.

''Well okay, I get it. When you come back, tell her I came to visit you.

　I decided to go home today.

Shit. Not good. You didn't think we were the only reincarnation...

◇

　Library of the Republic.

　Marie was frantically researching.

'd*mn!　Another unreadable sentence........Greg, please.

　It's Greg who gets tagged along.

　He may look like a delinquent on the outside, but he is still a former monk.

　He was also taught the Republican language.

'Marie, I'm not very good at this sort of thing, am I?　Err......No. It's like a technical term and I don't understand it.

　The books in the Republic's library are all written in the Republic's national language.

　Because of this, it was taking twice as long as usual to do research.

'It's an important description!'

　Why are you researching?

　That said, I wrote down what I remembered of my game knowledge.

　The only way to get any more credit for it was to find it on his own.

　Desperate not to be killed by Rion, Marie read through the books at an uncanny rate.

　That's exactly what she said: "It's wonderful that I can speak a foreign language! I'm not in a groove like that.

　Remember it or die!

　I was studying with that in mind.

　Greg worried.

'You've been in the library all this time. You need to get some rest.'

No. Even as we speak, in the dungeon...

　Greg must have thought he was worried about everyone else who headed to the dungeon.

'Well I'm not going to let Marie get the better of me either. I'll do my best too!''

　But I don't really mean it.

(If my brother comes back from the dungeon and decides he hasn't done anything, I'm stuck. My life is stuck!　(I need to look into something-- something useful.

　Marie was doing her best.

◇

　The Cave of Respinas.

　As they continued onward, their destination was slowly getting closer and closer.

　Chris swung his sword, and the monsters were being cut in both directions one after another.

　Julius raised his voice to me while protecting Narcissus-sensei.

''Hey, you're sure it's this way!

　I tuck the device into my pocket.

　I stabbed the bayonet part of the rifle into the ground and pulled out the sword from my waistband and pressed the switch.

　Pressing the switch increases the sharpness of the device.

I'm sure. It's just up ahead.

　We were forcing our way forward in front of the monsters that were appearing one after another.

　As we cut down the monsters that attacked us, Jirku was replacing the magazines of his rifle.

'There's no end to it. Shall we step back?''

No. It's just up ahead.

　The monsters gathered together as if they were protecting something.

　Narcissus-sensei-sensei seems to have noticed it too.

'This phenomenon........I think I read about it in a book. Don't tell me it's ahead?

　Once Chris stepped back, he was breathing on his shoulder.

　Most of the many monsters that were there had disappeared, and it was easy to see how unusual Chris was.

'Thanks for your help,'

　Chris, wiping sweat off his face, replies to me.

'I'm really tired, man. But it was very fulfilling. I guess it's important to train every day, but it's also important to have a real battle.

　...it was fun.

　Dr. Narcissus yelled at us.

"Attention, everyone!　If it's as good as the books say, we're going to have some nastier monsters out there!

　Chris gets fired up again, but I tap him on the shoulder and tell him to back off.

'Not yet. We'll take a break after we take care of the rest of the enemy.

　As I said this, Dr. Narcissus was alerted to me.

'Leon, do you know anything about this?'

　I take out Marie's notebook from my luggage.

　The information written in it was how to obtain the holy tree seedlings.

　I'm sure his knowledge would be useful too.

''It's a secret.

　Saying that, I pounced on the remaining monsters.

◇

　The destination was a dead end.

　However, in that large room with light coming in from the ceiling, there was a sapling that emitted a divine light.

　However........in front of it, a rather large monster existed.

　Its body is close to a bear, but its face is amazing.

　An elephant's nose.

　The monster with two horns stands up on its hind legs and threatens us in front of it.

　Dr. Narcissus was dismayed.

'Why this one?　This one is a chimera beast. It's a nasty monster with multiple characteristics. Everyone, step back--

　The sound of Zilk's rifle interrupted Dr. Narcissus' words to back off.

　He immediately readied himself and shot him in the eye.

　The chimera beast was shot through the eye, writhing and flailing in pain.

　Zilk grinned.

'Come on, folks. Leave the backup to me.''

　A happy Chris holding his sword.

'I think I'm in good hands. I--I've always wanted to fight a guy like this!

　I'm happy to slash at him.

　Julius, slow to get out, drew his sword.

Chris!　I won't let you alone stand out!

　The three of us were gleefully fighting a powerful enemy, as if we wanted to show off to Marie.

　I shake my head yare yare and shake my head.

''Totally, they're all idiots, aren't they? Sensei, please stand back. You guys!　Leave some for me!

　Putting the rifle on the ground and switching to the shotgun I brought with me, I get behind the Chimera Beast and pull the trigger.

　The Chimera Beast is struck in the back and looks back at me, but this time it shoots me in the leg.

　Surrounded by us, the Chimera Beast screams out a yell.

　Its eyes, which had been shot out by bullets, regenerated, and then it lowered its body to a quadrupedal gait and charged towards Julius.

'Your Highness!'

　Zirk quickly fired at him, but the chimeric beast ignored him and aimed at Julius.

　But.

'You chose me!　--Well done!

　Julius, holding up the shield he was carrying, prepared a magical wall and prevented the Chimera Beast from charging.

　When the assault was stopped, the chimera beast hit its head on the magic wall and was dizzy.

　That's when Chris's blow aimed at his neck came in.

''Here we go!

　Chris's slash was a magical light that made the taiji muscle look beautiful.

　As the light of the half-mooned taiji streak fizzles out, the black blood of the chimera beast spurts out.

　I drop back and pull the trigger of my shotgun as Zirk holds a grenade in his hand.

'You guys get away too!'

　A magical barrier was generated as Julius approached Chris and held up his shield.

　A grenade was thrown at the chimera beast, and as the explosion occurred, the chimera beast turned to black smoke and disappeared at the same time as the smoke was generated.

　As the smoke cleared, I saw Dr. Narcissus looking at me with his mouth open.

　I brush the dust from my clothes.

'You guys are so fancy in battle.

　When I complain, Chris argues with me.

'Baldfalt, why don't you use your sword?　You would have been able to go around my back and slash me. Then you wouldn't have needed the grenade.

I want to fight in the safe zone.

　Julius slumped his shoulders.

'd*mn!　I just ended up holding my shield at the ready.

　Zilk, who has done reasonably well, is comforting Julius.

　But he sounds a little sarcastic.

'There's a next time, Your Highness.

'You did well, that's fine, but I didn't!　Baltophart, next time. Be sure to invite me the next time.

　I don't know how many times I'm going to enter the dungeon that many times.

　Narcissus-sensei-sensei mutters.

''........Adventurers in the kingdom are so scary.''