episode_0028

[Stats]

[Strength: 11(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Health: 12(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Mana: 13(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Agility: 18(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Luck: 14(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

With force surging into the inflated bladder, my body propels forward.

Empowered by the Guardian Knight’s magic control, my body feels light as a feather.

Yet, it’s insufficient to grab Mi-jeong, who is already falling into the thorn pit.

“Reach out your hand!”

There’s no other choice.

I have to jump.

Plunging down, I accelerate towards the cliff edge.

Swiftly catching up to Mi-jeong, I grab her hand, pulling her up and wrapping my arms around her waist.

“Ugh!”

Clang.

Drawing a dagger with my left hand and thrusting it into the wall, I manage to slow down and stop.

But it was a bit too late.

Even though I tried to avoid getting pricked by the thorns by bending my leg, they still grazed my knee lightly.

“Phew. That was close.”

Looking down, the view is quite grim.

If I had been slightly later, instead of just a small hole in my knee, it could have been a serious injury.

Of course, even a single prick could be dangerous due to paralysis poison and bacterial infection, but this is a fantasy world.

A little sprinkle of cheap low-grade healing potion would quickly fix it.

“Are you hurt?”

“…No.”

I inspect Mi-jeong, who is leaning on my shoulder, carefully.

It doesn’t seem like she touched the thorns.

There are no visible wounds on her body.

Since her body doesn’t heal well when injured, I need to pay special attention.

Carrying around a child covered in wounds would tarnish my image.

I don’t want to end up in juvenile prison accused of child abuse.

“You seem fine. Let’s go up now. Climb on my back.”

“…Yujin?”

Nodding gently, Mi-jeong, who was about to move behind me, pauses.

Her gaze is fixed on my bleeding knee.

Then, in a slightly flustered voice, she calls out to me.

Her usually dry, husky voice seems to contain a hint of moisture.

“Hurry up and carry me. My arm hurts.”

“…Yujin, Yujin!”

“Why do you keep calling me? My leg… my leg!”

“I know you’re hurt. That’s why we need to go up quickly.”

Mi-jeong’s voice starts to tremble, and soon she buries her face in my neck, starting to sob.

No matter how much I say it’s nothing serious, it’s futile.

She just keeps calling my name endlessly.

It’s embarrassing.

It’s almost as if she’s worried about me.

She never showed any interest in me before.

“Yujin. If you die, don’t.”

“I won’t die.”

“I don’t want to die. I don’t want to anymore. Not as much as Yujin… I can’t…”

“Tsk.”

Mi-jeong buries her face in my chest, trembling and sobbing.

It’s a sight I’ve never seen before.

It seems like emotions are overwhelming her, making her unable to control herself.

‘This could be troublesome.’

I had thought of myself as an emotionless monster, but that might become a bit challenging in the future.

It might take some time for Mi-jeong to calm down, so I adjust my dagger in a more comfortable position.

As I turn my head, I notice something unexpected.

“Oh.”

Deep inside the thorn pit.

A suspicious-looking door is embedded in the cliff.

A dungeon within a dungeon.

I’ve succeeded in finding the rumored double dungeon.

It must be a structure that can only be understood by falling into the trap.

It’s something you’d find in a game where you can resurrect even if you die; in reality, it would have been impossible for me to find it.

I chuckle in disbelief.

“Are you feeling better?”

“…Yes.”

“If it’s not a fatal wound, why make such a fuss? Why are you so sensitive?”

“What… do you mean?”

Mi-jeong turns her head, pretending not to know.

Her usual emotionless, blunt voice and expression.

“Shichimi Ttegi.”

“Hurry up and get behind me. I need to go inside there.”

“Mm.”

Thanks to Mijeong, they discovered the hidden dungeon.

Once objects began to vaguely resemble humans, they needed to dispose of them quickly, but…

Acknowledging their contribution, they decided to keep them a little longer.

“What kind of room is this?”

The hidden dungeon they entered with Mijeong.

It made them wonder if it was even a dungeon in the first place.

With no other doors or passages, it was simply a single spacious room.

First, they sprinkled low-grade healing potion on their wounds and wrapped bandages around them while examining the room.

“This is quite painful, but it shouldn’t hinder my walking.”

It seems manageable if they take it slow.

“What are you doing?”

“…?”

Feeling the piercing gaze directed at them, they spoke.

Mijeong, who had been inspecting their knees and thighs beside them, finally turned her head.

Normally, she would just stand quietly without saying anything unless spoken to.

Something seemed off about her.

Is she malfunctioning?

It’s quite unreasonable that even if it’s a defective product, they can’t return or exchange it.

“Is this dual dungeon like a bonus reward concept?”

No other passages, just a room with a treasure chest in the middle.

It looked like a final reward room, but caution was necessary since it was their first time here.

“…?”

Without letting their guard down, they reached out to the treasure chest.

Suddenly, their legs gave out, and they collapsed, finding themselves kissing the ground.

What on earth is happening?

“Magic power depletion!”

Crazy.

Their magic power was already running low.

They had never thought their magic power was insufficient before.

“Oh. The Tei’s Magic Stone…”

Thanks to the high-quality Magic Stone, magic control had become easier.

That led to a rapid consumption of magic power.

It seems like they will need more magic power in the future.

“Glug, glug! Ugh, ack! Cough cough!”

“Are you okay?”

Due to exhaustion, they emptied all the potions into their mouth with trembling hands.

[Your Magic Stat has increased by 10.]

[Your Magic Stat has increased by 10.]

[Your Magic Stat has increased by 10.]

Great.

Since things turned out this way, they decided to go for a Magic Swordsman concept.

Why is it that as a Magic Swordsman, they can only use basic spells?

They’ll learn properly later.

In any case, that’s the plan.

“Oh. Already?”

Returning from the dungeon to the hotel, they found a note waiting at the counter.

The processing of the Magic Stone was complete, so they were asked to come and collect it.

It hadn’t even been 10 hours yet, but it was incredibly fast.

They wanted to go find it right away, but their body was a mess.

They wanted to change their dirty clothes, take a shower, and change their bandages.

Although Mijeong didn’t show it, her pace had slowed significantly, indicating she was quite tired.

They should feed Mijeong too.

So, taking a moment to rest in the room comes first.

“Thank you for taking care of the note.”

“You’re welcome.”

After giving a brief thanks to the innkeeper, they left.

“My back… it hurts.”

“Why is your back hurting?”

“······Yujin. It was too rough.”

Was it because of the shock of catching the falling object earlier?

Mi-jung walks, frowning with her hand on her waist.

However, the innkeeper’s gaze piercing my back is uncomfortably sharp.

It’s a look as if I’m some kind of bug.

I climb the stairs, puzzled, and open the door.

“Want to wash up first?”

“······Wash me.”

“Wash yourself, kid. But are you okay with the water when you wash?”

“······Dead water. It’s fine. Flowing water. Scary.”

So she says.

I never knew she was afraid of water altogether.

After ushering Mi-jung into the bathroom, I take off my sweat-soaked top.

“Status Window.”

[Stats]

[Strength: 11(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Health: 12(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Mana: 43(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Agility: 18(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

[Luck: 14(x5) *Guardian Knight effect applied]

Mana stat is a whopping 43.

Multiplying by the Guardian Knight buff gives 215.

Just looking at it makes me feel like my teeth might rot right then and there.

Of course, it’s abnormally high compared to other stats, but it’s not excessively high in reality.

The base mana stat is around 200.

Even Erena’s strength and health stats easily surpass 200.

If intelligence were displayed as a stat, Yulia would probably be around 300.

Moreover, I remember that even the henchmen of the final boss had stats exceeding 500.

I may be strong now, but I’m not overwhelmingly powerful.

“My mana has tripled, but if I use it recklessly, it’ll disappear in no time.”

Moreover, if I use mana control at maximum output, it drains rapidly like leaking water.

While my mana has increased significantly, I still need to be cautious before using it extensively.

I should start infusing mana into stat potions from now on.

“Oh.”

Turning off the status window, I pick up today’s newspaper.

A familiar face appears on the front page.

Stained with hatred and affection, she’s now someone whose emotions I can’t quite discern.

Saint, Jill Diner.

The Saint faction attempted to assassinate her, but it failed, and Jill emerged unscathed.

A sigh of relief escapes me as soon as I see it.

If Jill had died, the Papal Court would have gone crazy, making the world much more chaotic.

Good.

“What’s this?”

However, as I turn the page,

I had to doubt my eyes.

On the second page, there was a single photo.

– The ruined Hameln Cathedral. All pillars shattered and the ceiling collapsed due to an unknown explosion. The assassins all perished on the spot.

It was a picture of the cathedral’s collapsed ceiling, stuck to the ground.

It’s almost like the sight of the cathedral I destroyed in the first round.

“What the heck…”

My pupils wander aimlessly, shaken.

A sinister possibility crosses my mind.

The possibility that Jill may have regained memories from the first round…