Chapter 36. True Repentance (1)
“Lloyd-sama, do you still intend to enter that dungeon?”
“of course.”
Lloyd looked up at the sky as he answered.
It was a blue sky without a single cloud.
Therefore, originally, the scorching sun should be beating down on all sides.
But now, where he and the others were, there was no sunlight to be found.
All around was enveloped in gloomy shadows.
‘It’s a gloomy place.’
Lloyd unknowingly shrugged his shoulders.
The Phlogia Gorge here was much narrower and deeper than I thought.
Thanks to that, there was no sunlight at the bottom of the valley where he was now.
No, it didn’t seem like it was just now.
‘It seems that the sunlight hasn’t been seen for at least tens of thousands of years.’
There was no grass, and everywhere was covered with damp moss and unknown mushrooms.
This was especially true of the dark dungeon entrance his eyes were facing.
“But it is dangerous. Just like I’ve been saying over the past few days.”
Xaviel’s unique cold, dry voice pricked the lobe of his ear from behind.
“Lord Lloyd, it’s not too late. Your opponent is a wizard.”
“….”
“It would be better to go back to the manor and come back properly prepared to face the wizard.”
“….”
“Mr. Lloyd?”
“uh.”
“Are you listening to me?”
“no. It’s dripping through my ears.”
“….”
Lloyd said, still staring at the entrance to the dungeon.
“Are you a parrot? Why do you seem to be repeating the same thing over and over again since you left the orc colony?”
“When I….”
“Sometimes a bitch. Keep doing it. Keep doing it. Lloyd is dangerous. Lloyd is reckless. Lloyd’s bunch. Mr. Lloyd, take up the blue flag and lower the white flag. um this isn’t it Anyway-”
Lloyd wrinkled his nose.
“I don’t like your opinion.”
“Why?”
Xaviel’s question came right away.
Lloyd immediately responded.
“Because you’re trying hard to hide an uncomfortable truth.”
“yes?”
“You can’t deny what I said.”
Lloyd was looking back.
Xaviel unconsciously stopped at the look in his eyes.
“Haviel? No, Lord Asrahan. Let’s ask one thing. Hit me if I follow your opinion. So, let’s say I go back to the manor to properly prepare and then come back here.”
“yes.”
“In the meantime, all the soldiers caught inside will die, right?”
“that….”
“Right?”
“…Yes, probably.”
Xaviel couldn’t help but nodded.
A bitter smile bloomed on Lloyd’s lips.
“okay. The truth is an uncomfortable truth that you know and I know. But you’ve made up your mind You shouldn’t endanger the heir of the territory to save some soldiers. that’s right?”
“Lord Lloyd, I….”
“It’s done. I admit that your judgment is reasonable. It’s only when you’re in a situation where you don’t know how to break through the dungeon’s defensive trap magic circle.”
“yes?”
What does that sound like?
Xaviel’s eyes narrowed.
“Do you have any breakthrough methods in mind?”
“uh. I think I can apply the dark simbeop.”
“You mean the simbeop?”
“uh.”
Lloyd nodded.
Suddenly, the contents of the novel Iron Blooded Knight came to his mind.
‘okay. I applied the simbeop. You who became a sword master a few years later.’
The future Xaviel who will attack this dungeon in the novel.
He had a lot more experience than he does now.
Utilizing that experience, he devised an efficient way to break through the magic circle.
It was to use the mana absorption ability of the dark simbeop.
As such, Lloyd spoke of the breakthrough method devised by Xaviel from the future point of view in the book.
“Have you tried munching the mana in the air with your sly mind?”
“You mean clumsy?”
“absorption.”
“Yes, of course.”
Xaviel answered.
“I do that from time to time.”
“I guess so. so do i. Because you can do it anytime, anywhere, it’s a good training for your simbeop.”
It was true.
For that reason, Lloyd also often used a shrewd mind whenever he had a chance.
Absorbed natural mana spread in the air.
It was slightly amplified so that it was not noticeable.
It was a pretty good exercise.
“How does it feel when you absorb mana in the air like that?”
“Yeah sure-”
Xaviel thought for a moment before saying.
“It gives me a sense of calm.”
“tranquility? why?”
“Maybe it’s because the mana in the air is always constant.”
“yes?”
“yes.”
That too was true.
The mana spread in the air was always uniform.
There was very little that they were clustered together in one place or that there was an empty space.
So, when mana was absorbed from the air, the amount of mana flowing into the circle was always constant.
“yes. Always constant, just like breathing air. By the way. How would it feel if you operated your simbeop around a magic circle hidden from view and absorbed mana?”
“yes? Of course that…ah.”
Xaviel’s expression changed.
I looked at Lloyd with new eyes.
“The mana that was abnormally concentrated due to the magic circle is coming in at once in clumps.”
“okay. Do you see what I mean?”
“yes.”
Lloyd grinned.
Xaviel swallowed the admiration in his heart.
It was a fairly simple idea, but one I hadn’t thought of before.
‘Lloyd-sama is right. Originally, the magic circle is a device that artificially attracts mana that is widely spread in nature and changes the arrangement to cause magical action. So, of course, there must be an abnormal gathering of mana around it.’
Then how to find the magic circle?
Absorbs the mana around it by using the dark simbeop.
Walk slowly while remaining absorbed.
Then, the mana gathered in one place by the magic circle will be absorbed in lumps.
‘Then you can measure the direction and distance the mana mass came in. Even if the magic circle is hidden and invisible, you can find it with your senses.’
Xaviel’s gaze turned to Lloyd.
“Mrs. Lloyd.”
“uh?”
“Perhaps it is possible.”
“yes?”
“yes.”
Xaviel nodded.
Lloyd grinned.
“So, are you ready to charge into the dungeon now?”
“yes. Then Lloyd-sama is waiting for you here. I will go alone.”
“You don’t like that?”
“Why? It’s dangerous inside.”
“I know.”
Lloyd glanced around.
“By the way, would you be relieved if you left me here and went inside by myself?”
“yes?”
“Are you sure you’ll be safe here?”
“that….”
“Isn’t it?”
“….”
Xaviel was silent.
After hearing it, Lloyd was right.
It was impossible to conclude that the only danger at the bottom of this gorge would be a warlock.
But what if I left Lloyd here and went into the dungeon alone?
What if Lloyd, who was left behind like that, fell into sudden danger?
won’t be able to keep
Xaviel let out a small sigh.
“All right. Then let’s go in together. There is but one condition.”
“condition? say it.”
“If the situation becomes dangerous at any time, please promise me that you will immediately run away without hesitation.”
“What if the situation becomes dangerous?”
“That’s right. I know very well how Lloyd wants to save the soldiers inside. But the most important thing is Lloyd’s safety. So-”
Xaviel’s eyes and expression became solemn.
“Anytime the situation becomes dangerous, run away immediately. Even if it means abandoning me.”
“huh? Isn’t that obvious?”
“….”
“If I’m about to die, of course I should throw you away and run away. Something like that is new.”
“….”
“Are you sad? Are you mad?”
“no.”
“No. Do you know what kind of look you are looking at?”
“I do not know. I don’t even want to know.”
“Look at that. You’re right.”
“….”
One of Xaviel’s eyebrows twitched.
Lloyd whirled and picked up the shovel.
Suddenly, the two of them were approaching the dungeon entrance.
It naturally tensed the body and raised the senses.
Xaviel took a step forward.
“From here on, I’ll go first.”
“Yes, go. robotic vacuum.”
“…What is a robot vacuum cleaner?”
“There is such a thing. It should be called pretty.”
“I am not very pretty.”
“I know. let’s focus Is this the time to joke?”
“The joke is, Lloyd-sama came first…Whoops.”
Xaviel’s expression grew cold.
It seemed to increase my concentration.
His steps became cautious and slow.
So, little by little, we moved forward.
Literally like a robot vacuum cleaner sweeping the floor.
He began to sense the space while gradually absorbing mana around him.
Swish Swish.
The entrance to a cave at the bottom of a canyon where no wind blows.
Only the sound of Xaviel’s footsteps echoed there.
How far did you advance?
Xaviel stopped walking.
“here. It’s three steps ahead.”
“Don’t be so vague, be more specific. Have you ever seen a pocket watch?”
“yes.”
“Use the time displayed on the watch as your direction. 12 o’clock on the front. 6 o’clock in the back. Like this.”
I have to say that now.
If you just vaguely say the direction to the front and right like this, a catastrophe can happen. Since the signs do not match, it is possible to step on the magic circle with a difference of several centimeters.
Did Xaviel also understand the meaning of this side?
He immediately changed his words.
“It’s three steps from one o’clock.”
“okay.”
Swish Swish.
movement continued.
Xaviel’s detection continued.
“Two o’clock. It’s two steps away.”
“Then at 11 o’clock?”
“Nothing.”
“Then let’s move two steps toward 11 o’clock.”
“All right.”
“Is anything detected?”
“It’s at 9 o’clock. The front is clean.”
“okay. forward again.”
Movement and detection continued after that.
Of course, there were also dangerous moments.
It was because traps weren’t just magic circles.
Cheekyuk netaeaeju!
A faint sound came from the floor.
At the same time, arrows flew from the wall.
An arrowhead that glows green.
It was a poisoned arrow.
“Where!”
Caang!
The arrow that was flying towards Xaviel’s chest was blocked by Lloyd’s shovel head.
“Whoa, thank you.”
“It’s done. Detect as you move forward. You detect the magic circle and I block the physical trap. okay?”
“All right. but….”
“but?”
“Don’t overdo it.”
“aha. Does that mean you shouldn’t get hurt trying to stop something like an arrow?”
“You are correct. If Lloyd-sama is going to get hurt, you can use me as a shield.”
“Did you mean that from the beginning?”
“….”
“It’s been natural since before.”
“….”
“Pissing again. let’s go.”
So the two moved on.
Xaviel detected the magic circle and Lloyd defended the physical trap device.
‘Of course, Xaviel in the novel did all of this by himself.’
That’s the story of a few years later when he became a sword master.
On the other hand, Xaviel was only an advanced sword expert.
Detecting mana and preparing physical traps all at once was impossible for him now.
No matter how much mana he absorbed and sensed, it was because the amount was very minute.
‘The horse said that mana came in in chunks, but in reality, um…One shot of 1 liter of ramen soup, but the only thing mixed in it is about a piece of green onion soup. No, I think it will be much finer than that.’
It was such a delicate feeling.
I had to help Xaviel concentrate fully.
“Come on, let’s keep going. slowly. Don’t rush.”
The two moved slowly.
Suddenly, the surroundings got darker.
The light coming from outside disappeared.
From then on, I relied on torch light.
Even so, he kept moving forward.
30 minutes, 1 hour, and 2 hours before I knew it, I had detected numerous magic circles and avoided traps.
In the meantime, Lloyd constantly ruminated and recalled the contents of the novel Iron Blooded Knight.
The end of this long trap area.
It was because he knew that there was a type of trap that could never be avoided.
‘According to the description in the novel, it’s roughly like this.’
A passage that curves sharply to the right.
Then the aisle widened considerably.
On the other side of the widened aisle, I saw an open space in the distance.
The deepest part of the dungeon.
It was the black magician’s laboratory.
‘found.’
laboratory in the distance.
I saw the black magician sitting at the table in the middle jump up.
The black magician was also seen gesturing toward this direction.
It was the moment when an unavoidable trap was activated.
The trap came down from the ceiling.
Kki-rik-kik-kwa-aang-!
A thick steel barrier fell.
The entire front aisle was completely blocked.
It was the same at the back.
Another steel wall fell.
Kwaaang-!
As a result, the two were completely trapped in the middle of the aisle.
The situation did not end there.
Push from the ceiling! I heard a voice saying
Soon, a sweet and fragrant smell spread through the sealed passage.
It was a powerful aroma gas that induces sleep.
However, Lloyd was not at all embarrassed.
It was the same with Xaviel.
At this point, not even the eyelashes, not even the duodenal villi, flinched.
“Hey, isn’t this a familiar situation?”
“I see what I heard.”
dark aisle.
confined space.
situation in isolation.
Somehow, it reminded me of the ant nest I had overcome before.
Under these friendly (?) conditions, the two stopped laughing.
And I started to deal with this situation so calmly.
Thanks in a while.
The warlock’s mentality, which was relieved that he had imprisoned the two, evaporated while performing the lamprey ascension dance.
