Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The dead of night.

Roan got up from his bed and began to prepare to go out.

The time he had closed his eyes was only about two hours or so.

Nevertheless, his condition was at its peak without even a bit of fatigue.

‘I wondered why black mages bothered to roam around only at night…….’

Roan was certain that this lifestyle pattern was also a talent of black mages.

When playing the game, he thought it was simply to avoid the eyes of the Holy Empire.

It was simply because their condition was good at night.

Fortunately, perhaps because the False Divinity exerted some effect, he didn’t feel as dreary during the day as before.

Creak─

Roan carefully opened his room door and stepped out.

Although the light in Beanin’s room was still on.

‘It seems he is communicating with the black mages as usual.’

By now, they would be too busy exchanging greetings with each other to notice anything else.

The rest, Hector and Demona, were naturally bound to be asleep.

‘Indeed, there’s no way they would be awake at three in the morning.’

Now that he knew the power of the Blood Fragment was considerable, the only thing left was to enter the dungeon where the choir was.

Roan quickly slipped out of the dormitory just like yesterday and began to climb the mountain.

However, he had to pay a bit more attention to what lay ahead than back then.

─ Here it is, there is a holy stone here too!

─ Where, where!

It was because there were scholars who occasionally roamed the mountain to find holy stones.

‘……Are those guys black mages too?’

Seeing how they seemed to have better energy at night than during the day, and how they ran wild while ignoring Harden’s warning.

Fortunately, because they were also distracted, Roan was able to arrive at the entrance of the dungeon without much trouble.

A valley between cliffs, not too far from the place where the holy stone was found.

After parting the bushes a little, a cave that barely seemed large enough for one person to enter revealed itself.

A chilly wind blew out from inside.

‘It doesn’t seem impossible.’

Although there would be monsters that he was encountering for the first time inside the dungeon, his heart was rather light.

Just not having the two fellows who made a fuss by his side at every single moment made him feel this way……

“Roan!”

“What are you doing here!”

“????”

He was clearly supposed to enter with a light heart.

Roan’s heart began to grow heavy once again.

***

“……What are you doing without sleeping at this hour?”

Roan asked the two with a heart full of bewilderment.

The dormitory was clearly quiet as if no one was there?

“Hector said he was going to look for an egg to use in Sacred Combat. It sounded fun, so I followed him out, but then you were heading up the mountain.”

Roan felt a throbbing headache.

It wasn’t quiet as if no one was there, they just simply weren’t there.

Hector chuckled, dumbfounded, and nudged Demona.

“Do you know what this heretic said? She asked if you were a black mage because it was suspicious that you were roaming around at night without her, hahaha!”

“…….”

Roan glared at Demona.

‘Her intuition is sharper than I thought.’

“You fanatic bastard! You were the one who said Roan must have also come out to find an egg for Sacred Combat!”

A beautiful scenery of friends snitching on each other.

He briefly considered just pushing them both into the dungeon, but it felt like these fellows would somehow survive and crawl out of any dungeon.

“Anyway, you climb the mountain quite well, Roan. I didn’t expect to have to mobilize the tracking techniques I learned from my family.”

“You used what?”

Roan doubted his ears.

So, that meant he tracked him as if he were chasing a black mage……

‘I should make sure to erase my traces carefully in the future.’

Roan admitted that he had been naive.

Not even knowing that he had kept tiger cubs by his side!

No matter how much of a holy academy Acherandir was, it was a place where heretic inquisitors also roamed around quite frequently.

Roan shivered slightly.

“Wow, Roan. There’s a cave here!”

Just then, Demona made a fuss upon seeing the dungeon entrance where Roan had cleared away the bushes.

“Finding something like this right away in the night. Don’t I have a talent as an explorer? Huh? What do you think, Roan?”

“Oh, right. You have good eyes.”

Roan immediately nodded.

Rather than revealing that he had found it himself, it seemed better to let it be that Demona had found it by chance.

“……Didn’t you find it first, Roan?”

While Demona giggled and rejoiced, Hector expressed doubt.

No matter how one looked at it, the cleared bushes seemed to have been touched by someone.

However, Roan quickly shifted the topic.

“More importantly, this place looks like a dungeon. Can you guys actually enter? Monsters might appear.”

Roan casually tested the waters to send the two back.

It might be different if they knew the internal structure beforehand like Roan, but entering a dungeon without knowing anything was an easy way to get killed.

If he spoke like this, they would get scared and return, and he could slowly come back later─

“Do not worry. A fine heretic inquisitor is always prepared for battle.”

Click─

At that moment, Hector spoke confidently as he unstrapped the battle axe from his back.

He had even prepared simple healing potions, ropes, and a glowing stone used to light up the dark.

“……Didn’t you come out to find an egg?”

These bastards, did they follow me knowing I was going to a dungeon?

It was a preparation so perfect that he had no choice but to think so.

“I don’t care because I have Roan!”

……At any rate, Demona didn’t seem to have any intention of going back either.

“Fine. Let’s go in.”

Roan gritted his teeth and stepped into the cave.

***

The ‘Cave behind Panroa Hall’ dungeon where the choir lay sleeping.

In fact, the difficulty was not that high, and the pattern of the monsters that appeared was also constant.

If it had been even slightly dangerous, Roan would not have decided to clear it.

“Be careful. Fanatic Rabbits will appear here.”

“Fanatic Rabbits?”

“Yes, probably if we turn this corner, three of them……”

Squeak─!

As soon as Roan finished speaking, exactly three Fanatic Rabbits revealed themselves.

Though they had rabbit in their name, Fanatic Rabbits were strictly spirit beasts.

Their appearance was completely different from a typical cute rabbit.

Although their long ears, white fur, and eyes burning red could be said to be similar to a rabbit.

Seeing them walk upright on two legs with muscles bulging, and having sharp teeth and claws dripping with saliva, made it seem like they would prefer raw meat over carrots.

“Ugh, what on earth is wrong with that rabbit! How disgusting!”

Demona shuddered at the ferocious appearance of the Fanatic Rabbits.

On the other hand, Hector licked his lips for some reason and stepped forward.

“It’s perfect to use in Sacred Combat!”

“How is it perfect? Fanatic Rabbits cannot be tamed.”

“Hm? No. They are one of the top choices in the lightweight class.”

Roan shook his head, correcting Hector’s misunderstanding.

“That’s for those raised after being caught as babies or born in captivity. Even when raised that way they cause trouble in Sacred Combat, yet you want to use a wild one?”

Just as Hector said, Fanatic Rabbits were widely used in lightweight Sacred Combat.

However, if one used a wild one like that, they would more likely than not bite and kill every single thing in sight without distinguishing ally from foe.

One shouldn’t even look at creatures with the word ‘Fanatic’ in their name.

“……I see. You said you weren’t very interested in Sacred Combat, but you were more serious about it than anyone!”

Instead, Hector looked at Roan with a strange gleam in his eyes.

Roan tried his best to ignore his sparkling gaze.

Grrr─!!

At that moment, the Fanatic Rabbits spotted Roan’s group and began to charge.

Leaping and bounds utilizing the physical traits of a rabbit, their speed was quite fast.

‘Should I just sweep them away with Blood Fragment?’

Roan hesitated, gripping the water bottle containing blood.

Although Hector and Demona were here, their current combat strength should be around the same level as the Fanatic Rabbits.

“Haaah!”

However, Hector’s momentum as he charged forward while swinging his axe was beyond Roan’s expectations.

Whoosh─!

‘He is even using reinforcement?’

He had infused his arms and legs with the simple reinforcement holy magic he had learned on the cliff.

There should be a big difference between simply climbing a cliff and using it in actual combat.

Could the educational policy of Acherandir, which was asceticism in daily life, actually be effective?

Crunch!

The first attack missed because the Fanatic Rabbit quickly dodged, but the horizontal swing immediately following it was a direct hit.

The Fanatic Rabbit crashed into the wall while letting out a strange shriek.

‘I don’t need to worry about Hector’s side…….’

Roan also opened the lid of his water bottle to defeat the remaining two.

Since he had eyes watching, he had no intention of casting magic flashily like last time.

Limiting the output just enough to catch a holy rabbit, with only two or three fragments per rabbit.

To do so, he had to add a few strokes to the magic circle to completely lock down the power.

Hummm─!

The False Divinity vibrated powerfully, translating the black magic.

Five or six fragments of blood holding holy golden light cut through the space like a flash.

Squeak─!!

The two Fanatic Rabbits died, their vital points pierced without being able to offer any notable resistance.

Situation terminated in an instant.

“Wow! You both fight so well? Amazing!”

Clap, clap, clap, clap!

Demona clapped her hands wildly.

Roan and Hector turned to look at her with bewildered eyes.

“Heretic, why don’t you help out a bit?”

“Huh? There’s nothing I can do.”

The two were speechless.

However, Hector soon nodded in agreement.

“But Roan is…… hm. Yes, because it’s Roan.”

“Right? I am Demona.”

“I understand.”

Only Roan was dumbfounded.

‘What did you understand?’

However, there was no way he could question them thoroughly about that in a dungeon.

“……Let’s keep going in.”

Roan left the two behind and kept walking deeper into the cave.

Although Hector was the one holding the light stone, the structure was perfectly clear to Roan even without light.

“There seems to be a trap next to this rock. Be careful.”

“Huh, really?”

Boom─!

“Argh!”

“……Didn’t Roan even tell you there was a trap.”

Not to mention the crude traps installed here and there.

“A Fanatic Rabbit will pop out from the cave behind that stone pillar. Get ready, Hector.”

He warned them of all the places where the Fanatic Rabbits were ambushing without a hitch.

Since it was a dungeon he had unconditionally cleared when doing the Acherandir start, it was clear without even looking.

Although Roan spoke as if he were guessing, at this point, the people following him had no choice but to feel something was off.

“Roan, wait a moment. Have you by any chance been to this dungeon before?”

“Why do you ask?”

Of course, he had been here more than hundreds of times, but Roan played innocent.

“You know the inside of the cave too well. Isn’t that right, Heretic?”

“Huh? Isn’t it just because he is Roan?”

Demona asked back while rubbing her arm, perhaps because the area where she was hit by the trap earlier still hurt.

“Even so, it’s strange. You know it in too much detail.”

Roan stared at Hector for a moment without saying anything.

‘His intuition is indeed sharp.’

Then, letting out a soft sigh, he began the excuse he had prepared.

“Actually…… I stayed quiet because I thought you wouldn’t believe me even if I told you.”

First, he laid the groundwork by sounding even more gloomy and somber than usual.

“……?”

When a trustworthy person showed a reaction different from usual, one’s guard was bound to drop.

Here, he had to give a reason that anyone from the Holy Empire would have no choice but to believe.

“When I closed my eyes for a moment, my parents appeared in my dream. They said they would be waiting at the end of this cave……”

Moderate superstition and emotional appeal!

“Ah!”

The effect was excellent.

Hector and Demona let out a small gasp, as if they had never imagined such a thing.

However, Roan did not stop there.

“They said there would many dangers reaching there, but that I would be able to make it through. I also came here half-believing it…… but to think it was exactly as my parents told me……”

Roan trailed off and turned his back on the two.

Then he rubbed near his eyes with his forearm.

As if he were shedding tears!

Meanwhile, Demona, who had crept up behind Hector.

“Hiyah!”

She shouted as she tried to grab him by the scruff of his neck.

She seemed to be trying to take revenge for what she suffered with Trian.

“……What is it?”

However, Hector was too sturdy for Demona to knock down.

Hector turned to look at Demona with a deep frown.

“Uh…… huh?”

Demona seemed flustered, but upon seeing the axe glistening with blood in Hector’s hand, she quickly clarified her stance.

“A-Apologize quickly, you shameless bastard!”

“You are not one to talk!”

“You, are you raising your voice after doing that kind of thing to Roan? Are you me?”

“T-That’s not it!”

It was indeed a framing that drew admiration.

‘She did have self-awareness.’

Although Roan, who was watching, was merely dumbfounded.

Hector, who hurriedly denied it, approached Roan and offered a sincere apology.

“I’m sorry, Roan. I didn’t mean to disregard your parents and the honor of your family.”

“No. I should be the one to apologize. Bringing you guys to such a dangerous place because of a mere dream.”

Hector bowed his head, looking even more ashamed.

In any case, he seemed to have avoided suspicion well.

Roan inwardly offered a message of gratitude to Roan’s parents.

‘Unknown mother and father of Roan, thank you.’

I will make sure to find out your names someday.

“Thank you for believing me. Let’s head out then.”

Since it was a very simple dungeon, it was almost the end now.

After defeating a few Fanatic Rabbits and passing through some traps.

There was a single horn resting on a rock, with moonlight leaking in through a hole in the ceiling.

It wasn’t an artifact of that high a grade, but the way it scattered the moonlight was quite holy.

“Oh…….”

Hector and Demona also could not take their eyes off the horn, seemingly in admiration of the sight.

Then, looking at Roan who was standing still with them, they asked in wonder.

“What are you doing not packing it quickly?”

“Hm? Since we obtained it together, I was trying to discuss it.”

In fact, even if it wasn’t him, there was no particular problem if the two of them took it, considering the effect.

However, the two hurriedly waved their hands.

“What are you talking about! That horn is naturally yours! Isn’t that right, Heretic?”

“Of course, Fanatic! Roan, pack it quickly! It’s a gift from your parents!”

The two were in perfect harmony.

‘Aren’t the two of them actually really close?’

Thinking about it, the fact that they came out together in the middle of the night to find a holy beast was suspicious to begin with.

Roan narrowed his eyes and stared at the two for a moment, then finally picked up the horn.

At any rate, this was the Choir.

It was one of the easiest holy relics to obtain in Acherandir.

“I heard that holy relics each have unique effects.”

“Do you know what it is, Roan?”

The two naturally stared at Roan.

“? Of course I don’t.”

“Mmh. As expected.”

Of course, Roan knew the effect of the Choir very well.

When blown by someone with holy power, it raises all stats of surrounding allies by a certain amount.

Most of the time it was used for that purpose, but very rarely, there were cases where a black mage obtained and used the Choir.

‘In that case, all stats of surrounding enemies decrease.’

That was the very reason Roan aimed for the Choir first.

Since it was an artifact suitable to prepare for the event happening next week.

‘For now, next week should pass smoothly.’

When Roan tied the Choir with a string he had prepared in advance and slung it over his back.

Demona, who was looking around, pointed to a corner and called the two.

“That, what is that egg?”

“An egg, you say! Where is it!”

At the word egg, Hector rolled his eyes and rushed over.

‘At that rate, he seems more serious about Sacred Combat than heretic inquisition.’

At this rate, the future of the Pabilto family……

At any rate, Roan also walked toward where Demona was.

Although the probability was very low, Fanatic Rabbit eggs were occasionally found in this dungeon.

It was highly likely to be the case this time as well.

However, upon seeing the egg Demona had found, Roan was actually taken aback.

‘That came out?’