episode_0052

“I apologize. If not, this. I will kill you.”

Katy held Brian’s neck and quietly muttered.

The three people trembled in fear.

“… … .”

Archer Dominic’s knees slowly lowered against his will.

Eileen, who was in a state of panic, reflexively tried to chant.

“Green onion, fire… .”

At that moment, Kati came close and put the dagger in her mouth.

The basics of archmage tactics.

They cover their mouths to prevent them from chanting.

It was a skill that I trained with Sylvia in mind, but I had doubts about how effective it would be for her, who had mastered all kinds of casting saves and casting passes.

“Ah… Ugh, uh… .”

Eileen put the tip of the sword in her mouth and moaned.

I couldn’t move a single finger.

Kati’s sword just went into the mouth as intended.

It stayed exactly in the space inside the mouth, not touching the roof of the mouth, tongue, teeth, throat, or anywhere else.

Eileen was more afraid of life behind the blindfold than of her restrained skills.

The calmly forged anger seemed to pierce my soul.

“Sin, sorry, sorry, everything… .”

Claudia sat down and apologized while chattering her teeth.

Kati turned to her and then back to Eileen.

you?

That was the response to the question.

Kati very slowly took the dagger out of her mouth.

“Huh… .”

Immediately after the sword slipped out, Eileen fell to the floor.

It was a very brief moment.

No one was actually hurt.

However, the four just realized the power gap between Katy and themselves.

It is not simply a question of power.

That silver-haired maid gives off a cool vibe that I can’t dare to disobey.

“I’m sorry, ah, I’m sorry… .”

Eileen bowed her head alternately toward Katy and Vivian.

Vivian was honestly dumbfounded by their sudden change in attitude.

‘It’s going to be like this… .’

Brian, who came after him, also bowed his head.

He was thrown away by Katy just as Eileen was about to chant.

Brian apologized by hitting his forehead on the ground.

I was afraid that if I didn’t do that, I would die.

It felt like those cold, thin fingers were still touching my neck.

“Wrong! I’m sorry, I’m so sorry-!”

Kati’s murderousness, for which no one could easily figure out the reason, was strangling their necks.

In their terrified imagination, their heads fell off several times.

Mercy clicked her tongue as she looked at them.

“Egg, you pathetic humans… .”

Kati glanced at Vivian furtively.

It meant that now it was up to you to handle it yourself.

There was no real intention to kill from the beginning.

I wouldn’t know if Ian had ordered it.

In his absence, Carty’s role ends here.

If Vivian wants some kind of punishment, I can accommodate it here.

However, considering Vivian’s mentality, I guess she will just leave here.

After hearing this, Ian will organize it separately.

“Ha… .”

Vivian crossed her arms and sighed deeply.

These are faces I don’t want to see anymore.

“Let’s go, Kati. Helena. Mercy.”

So, I turned away without even confronting him.

They just bowed their heads to the floor even as Vivian walked away.

Even though people passing by were whispering, I couldn’t move.

This is because of the fear of death that Kathi engraved in for a brief moment.

Hot liquid flowed down the trembling lower bodies of the four kneeling people.

Vivian said as she returned to the training center.

“Kathi.”

“Yes.”

“… thank you. And Helena too.”

“As a colleague, I just did what I had to do!”

“… Thank you for that too. And thank you Mercy too.”

“Ugh? I didn’t do anything?”

“Still.”

Vivian found this situation a bit strange.

Although I was once a colleague, I met people I don’t want to remember as colleagues, which made me appreciate my current colleagues more deeply.

‘Things that look ugly can sometimes be helpful.’

*

Vivian and Helena were a little anxious.

Even though no one was hurt, they came back after starting a fight in the middle of the street.

If Ian found out, wouldn’t he be scolded?

Wouldn’t it be better to say this in advance?

Hiding it might not be a good choice, but it’s still better than telling it… .

Before entering the training center, Vivian and Helena made eye contact.

Although no words were spoken, an implicit intention was exchanged.

‘Ian, I’m sorry… .’

Cati, who realized their intentions, intervened.

“I will tell you.”

“Yes?”

“Yes?!”

“I did it, so it is my responsibility.”

“Ugh… . Kati, okay… .”

“Oh, no! I am responsible too! So me too… !”

It was a scene where solidarity was strengthened in the face of a common enemy.

Helena, who still had a hard time with Kati, was actively taking Katy’s side.

But Kati shook her head.

“It’s okay.”

It wasn’t really a reaction to push Helena away.

His attitude was that he was confident that he could persuade Ian.

“And, you must report this to your master.”

“Ah… .”

Vivian and Helena then realized what they were trying to do.

Whatever the intention, it was to deceive Ian.

“I’m sorry… .”

“Sorry… .”

Katy shook her head at the two’s apologies.

I really appreciated his sincere expression of apology.

Because he also thought of Ian.

It’s okay if we don’t do that in the future.

Mercy smiled and helped.

“Yes, yes. No matter how worried I am, I wonder if Ian doesn’t know about this. And, there is a way to talk well. I want to watch.”

“Yes… .”

“Yes… .”

*

“Good job.”

“Thank you.”

Vivian and Helena were dumbfounded when they saw Ian praising them.

No, I was more surprised by Katy and Mercy’s speaking skills and cooperation in persuading Ian.

Kati went to see Ian and reported what had happened earlier.

Instead, he exaggerated the claim that they insulted and threatened Vivian and Helena with all kinds of foul and foul language.

However, although it was an exaggeration, it was not a lie.

If you look closely, it wasn’t that much of an exaggeration.

Anyway, isn’t it true that Brian and his group immediately blocked Vivian and swore at her?

Ian, who listened calmly at first, frowned when he heard that Vivian and Helena had been insulted, but was very satisfied when he heard that Katy had punished him.

“Did you stop me from being picky in the future?”

“I think you understand.”

“Yes, it’s you, Kati. Very good job.”

“Thank you.”

Vivian and Helena suddenly found that sight funny.

I thought it was Katy who just obeyed and followed Ian, but I didn’t know she would be like this.

“Are you two okay?”

Ian asked.

After completing their persuasion, Katy and Mercy quickly turned their heads and made eye contact with Vivian and Helena.

Katy didn’t say anything, and Mercy smiled in triumph.

As much as Ian knows them both.

They both know Ian.

In this situation, there are many ways to tell the story while satisfying him.

In fact, even if it wasn’t an exaggeration, it’s not something Ian can criticize at all.

However, Kati and Mercy merely satisfied Ian a little more for the sake of Vivian and Helena, who do not yet know this fact.

An unspoken bond was formed between the four women.

“Yes, we are fine.”

“Yes! You’re safe!”

“Thank goodness. So who were they?”

“Ah… . My old colleague… That’s a bit like that. We used to be in a party together, and they are people we knew.”

“Vivian is doing well and your stomach hurts?”

“Hehe, I guess so.”

“They live tiredly… . I’d like to have a private conversation, what is their name?”

“There are four of us: Brian, Dominic, Eileen, and Claudia.”

“… ?”

Ian stroked his chin when he heard the name.

It’s a very familiar name.

Is there any other coincidence like this?

Ian, who was thinking, chuckled.

“Good.”

It was fate that we would meet each other without having to go looking for it.

“… yes? What is it?”

“There is such a thing. Oh, by the way, I found out the dungeon you two will enter today. I have completed the registration process.”

Helena’s eyes lit up with anticipation, while Vivian looked anxious.

“I can’t use magic properly yet… Is it okay?”

“It will be okay. Because there is a way.”

Vivian also felt a little less worried after hearing those words.

If Ian says yes, then yes.

“The dungeon we’re going to this time is… .”

Ian began to explain step by step to the two about the E-class dungeon they were going to conquer this time.

*

The morning before the dungeon departure.

-Knock knock knock.

Someone knocked on Ian’s door.

-Are you there?

It’s a voice I don’t know at all.

“Please come in.”

The person who opened the door and came in was a woman with black hair braided into two pigtails and wearing large glasses.

Judging by his simple, neat, and quite expensive-looking uniform, he was not an ordinary person.

Ian recognized the small but colorful badge pinned to his lapel.

‘It’s the emblem of the Imperial Wizards… .’

Overall, I felt like a model student or scholar.

“Hello! Are you Ian?”

“That’s right. Who are you?”

“I am Iris, a member of the Imperial Wizardry.”

Iris.

This was the woman who would later invent the warp portal that Ian had told the emperor about.

“… What business did a member of the Imperial Wizards have here?”

Iris took out a neat letter from her arms and showed it to her.

“This is an order written by the leader.”

Ian took it and read it.

In summary, Iris was a special researcher for the Imperial Wizarding Corps and had the authority to request cooperation from various city facilities and warrior parties.

There was also a stamp indicating that the emperor at the bottom acknowledged the authority.

“You were a very important person. It’s an honor, but wouldn’t it be better to go to a higher level party than mine?”

“That… The leader recommended Ian.”

Iris handed over another letter.

It was directly in front of Ian.

Ian laughed as he read the stiff, formal, yet careful letter.

‘Hayden this person… .’

In short, it was a request to take good care of Iris.

“Actually, I don’t know much about this… . Haha. I’ve been doing research all my life… .”

It wasn’t that there was no reason at all.

Although she is skilled enough to join the Imperial Wizardry, Iris is still young and immature.

They were worried that they might make a mistake or reveal the contents of their research.

Since Hayden knows Ian’s identity, he decided that it would be better to leave it to Ian.

“Still, I came forward because I thought it would be better to check the details of this study for myself. Oh, by the way, I can’t tell you the details of the study because it’s confidential… .”

I know it even if they don’t tell me, so I don’t feel sorry for it.

Although it was unexpected, Ian felt fortunate that it had stuck with him.

‘Because I know something about portals. ‘If you let me know, it will be helpful in furthering the research.’

If you take good care of her, Iris may be able to sneakily help Vivian with her magic training.

There will be advice that only a member of the wizarding corps who has spent his entire life doing research can give.

“Well, I understand. We will cooperate as much as possible.”

“Thank you very much!”

“You’ve arrived at the right time. Tomorrow is the day we leave for the dungeon.”

That day, I briefly introduced Iris to my colleagues.

Iris said that she had taken over a large room on the first floor of Building C of the training center, and informed them that if there was anything she could help with, just let them know at any time.

*

Ian and his party arrived at the entrance to the dungeon, a little away from Superbia.

A guide and a guard were guarding the entrance.

Vivian still hasn’t completed the coordinate point magic that Ian taught her.

Since time was running out to get help from Iris, Ian had no choice.

I was anxious, but I couldn’t just wait for it to happen.

Vivian also knew the situation well.

‘Let me do better… .’

As I was waiting, four other party members who were going to enter with me approached.

Vivian was surprised to discover them.

“Brian, Eileen… .”

They looked at each other with shocked faces, as if they didn’t know Vivian was there.

Their manager didn’t understand what was going on.

The four of them stood at a distance next to Ian Party with their eyes downcast, as if they remembered what happened last time.

Vivian calmed down when she saw them.

‘I will win no matter what… !’

I tried to do well from the beginning, but now I had to do better than that.

Helena’s enthusiasm was the same.

She still vividly remembers how they insulted Vivian.

Since this was my first time here, I promised myself to just be safe.

Ian also told me not to overdo it.

However, the desire to win was burning, even if it meant overdoing things.

After receiving comfort from Ian, his protective and healing miraculous abilities increased dramatically.

Even if you overdo it a little, you can recover right away.

The two women, feeling a competitive spirit, made eye contact and nodded solemnly.

Soon, the guide opened his mouth.

“I will begin entering the dungeon. Because the convocation of the E-class dungeon in question was completed before guild investigators were dispatched, there is insufficient information known about it. Dear warriors, please be especially careful.”

Vivian and Helena were puzzled by those words.

‘Ian knows in detail which dungeon this is?’

It actually did.

When Ian informed us that he was coming here, he gave us detailed information, from the composition of monsters to the structure of the dungeon and hidden devices.

So the two just thought it was information provided by the Manager’s Guild.

It was questionable, but I believed it was possible with Ian.

“Both parties, are you all ready?”

“It is done.”

“Hey, wait a minute… .”

Ian immediately agreed, and the party next to him was discussing something.

In the meantime, Iris showed the order to the guide and was allowed to enter.

Ian quietly approached Vivian and whispered to her.

“Vivian, aren’t you using magic properly yet?”

Vivian also whispered softly.

“Yes… .”

“Then, I don’t know how helpful it will be, but I remember back then… .”

He asked me to cast a spell while recalling a certain memory from the past, and although it was only a temporary solution, he gave me some useful tips.

“… !”

Vivian shook her head as if she had come to realization.

“I’ll try… !”

I’m not sure, but Ian’s advice was sound.

“Now it’s done.”

“I will begin my entrance.”

“Have a nice trip!”

Mercy and Katy, who had to stay outside, saw them off.

Vivian and Helena waved their hands enthusiastically, and Iris followed suit and greeted them.

Ian lightly raised his hand once.

Looking at them in a friendly manner, Brian and his group looked closely.

It was an awkward situation to go in first or wait to go in.

After saying hello, Ian and his group were about to enter the dungeon entrance.

Vivian and Helena quickly glanced at Brian and his group.

The four of them shrugged their shoulders at that firm yet harsh gaze.

“What on earth happened…? !”

Their manager, who did not know the truth, was embarrassed and scolded them, but no one gave an easy answer.

Leaving them watching to the point of obsequiousness, the four members of Ian’s party went down the dungeon first.