Underground waterway #3

 

Magic Arrow is the most basic attack magic.

However, depending on how you use it, it is a weapon that can be of great help until the end of the game.

I hope Flora sees this and realizes it too.

Even with the same magic, its power changes depending on how it is used.

How vast and profound the world of magic is.

Dismissal—

If Flora’s magic arrow was a dull dodgeball,

My magic arrow is a single laser beam that shoots from my fingertips.

Landed immediately after launch.

I can’t even see the flight trajectory.

The giant rat, hit in the head with a magic arrow, died in one blow.

The large hole in its head clearly shows its destructive power.

“Ms. Estelle, what just happened⋯?”

Flora muttered, lost in thought.

“I’ve never seen anyone use magic arrows like this in the Magic Tower… How on earth…?”

“Thanks to you, senior.”

“Huh? Me, me?”

“My senior taught me so well that I quickly picked up the hang of it. I’m pretty good at applying it myself, but it took me a while to learn it at first. Thank you for helping me.”

“Ah- I see! Did I help? That’s good.”

Flora nods, then smiles triumphantly.

⋯She’s a really easy girl to deal with.

On the other hand, I’m secretly worried.

If someone just sweet-talks you with a little bit of sweet talk, wouldn’t you be completely fooled without even suspecting anything?

After breaking up with him, you might feel like you’ve left a child at the water’s edge.

‘By the way, there’s still a long way to go.’

It was good that he improved his magic by using the knowledge he had.

However, with just one magic arrow, my magic power was instantly depleted.

Did I push myself too hard to show off in front of Flora?

If I summon the powers stored in the reliquary, I might be able to use one or two more shots…

Even so, the absolute amount of my magical power is still extremely insufficient.

‘Using technique isn’t always the right answer.’

The “Estelle style” modification, which allows for precise firing like a pistol, consumes additional magical power.

The same goes for granting cold properties.

As the power increases, the amount of magic consumed also jumps.

After resting for a while and recovering some of my magical power, I decided to try my next spell.

The second magic learned in “The Classic of Magic”.

As he concentrated his magic power on the dagger, the blade turned blue and white steam began to flow out.

“Frost Sword” is the basic attack magic of the “Cold School”.

Although the Frost Sword is less destructive than the Magic Arrow, it is far superior in efficiency.

Once used, it lasts for a certain amount of time, and when used with a dagger like now, the magic power consumed is also greatly reduced.

“Senior, I’ll scold you.”

“Okay-”

When I pointed at the giant rat, Flora briskly fired a magic arrow.

Even if I can’t kill it all at once, I’ll finish off the giant rat that’s on the verge of death with my frost sword.

This strategy allows you to hunt monsters with minimal magical power consumption.

‘That’s easy.’

The real enemy in the underground sewer hasn’t appeared yet, but so far the hunt is going smoothly as planned.

I felt satisfied as I slaughtered the carcass of the giant rat I had hunted.

First, pluck out the beard that is full of magic.

Next, cut off the thick tail.

“Uh- Do I really have to bring that?”

Flora said, frowning.

He keeps his distance by standing far behind, as if he doesn’t even want people to come near him.

“Well then. This is all money. I should take all I can.”

“Ugh⋯.”

“Senior, come here. Open your bag.”

“Huh? My, my bag?”

“Then you carry it in your hand?”

Flora looked very reluctant to have to carry rat byproducts in her bag.

What can I do? I have to get used to it.

I don’t want to do it either.

Who likes to twiddle rat whiskers and tails?

But, just catching a monster and taking the magic stone is not worth it.

It might be different for knights who are heavily supported by nobles, but adventurers would have a hard time lasting long if they didn’t hoard everything that could be of value whenever they had the chance.

“Ugh⋯.”

Flora almost closed her eyes, as if she couldn’t bear to look.

He stands in an awkward position with his arms outstretched and his bag held as far away from his body as possible.

Somehow, looking at that sight, I felt a sense of playfulness.

wiggle—

When you rub the base of a rat’s tail with your hand, the tail wiggles as if it were alive.

“Wow, what the heck? Senior, this thing’s moving! Watch out-“

“Whoa-!”

Flora jumped more than a meter from her spot, then backed away in panic.

⋯That’s too much of a reaction.

“Senior, behind you for a moment-”

with a plop-

Flora misstepped and fell on her butt in the middle of the water flowing in the canal.

Oh my.

“Are you okay? Are you hurt anywhere?”

“⋯.”

ah.

He was speechless. His expression was stiff.

Was this a bit of a joke?

“Sorry… I was just joking.”

“⋯.”

“Senior, your pants are going to get wet. Get up. Hurry up, kid—don’t make that face. Come on, take my hand.”

Flora turned her head sharply.

Oh my. It looks like you’re really upset.

“⋯This is too much.”

“I’m really sorry. I won’t do it again.”

Let me take a step closer⋯

with a splash-

“Whoa!”

“Ahahaha – I got fooled, right?”

Flora pours water on me as if she had been waiting for this moment.

“Oh my gosh- shit water-”

“It’s revenge! I can’t be the only one soaking wet, Estelle.”

“Ouch, shoo- it went into my mouth⋯.”

Flora got soaking wet up to her buttocks and started laughing as if she found something so funny.

***

As we progressed through the underground passage, we became more and more accustomed to hunting.

As time goes by, the number of monsters increases, and now three giant rats appear at the same time.

“Senior Shield.”

“I just wrote it-”

Flora also skillfully used her magic shield before I could finish speaking.

After blocking half of the passage in the narrow waterway with a magic shield.

—Tick tick-

“Let’s go!”

Kwajik!

Immediately shoot down the giant rat that crawls out through the gap that was intentionally left empty with a magic arrow.

Flora, who has much more magical power than me, is supporting me from behind.

I also swung my dagger at the giant rat without hesitation.

—Kyaak.

The blade, imbued with the cold attribute, tore at the rat’s neck like a steak.

As he steps over his comrade’s corpse, the giant rat behind him pokes its head in again, but the same thing happens again.

That’s right, good. Let’s stick our heads out one by one.

“It was a good decision to bring Flora with me. She hunts much faster than I could alone.”

It took less than two minutes to catch three giant rats.

“Now I can easily handle five at once.”

“I think so too. Estelle, I understand now. How to use magic.”

It’s not that I don’t think so, but Flora’s magical proficiency is by far the best in my opinion.

As expected, there is no better teacher than practice.

By the time Flora’s bag became heavy after catching a lot of giant rats.

The narrow, open path of the canal ended, and a wide, round space appeared.

The road ahead forked into two.

One is a large, wide road, and the other is a narrow road that can barely accommodate one person.

“Shall we explore that narrow road first?”

Flora said, her eyes sparkling with adventurous spirit.

I guess he thought that a more exciting adventure awaited him on the narrow and dark road.

“for a moment.”

I grabbed Flora’s shoulder.

“Senior, I have a bad feeling about this. Let’s put that path on hold for now.”

“Is that so⋯? I’m not sure⋯.”

“It smells weird.”

Flora sniffed, then tilted her head.

But I don’t know what you mean.

Actually, I feel the same way.

I don’t really know what the smell is or whatnot.

My sense of smell has long since been numbed by wandering the foul-smelling waterways all day.

The reason I dissuaded him was because I already knew what was waiting for him.

‘Sub-dungeon of the underground waterway, a contaminated sedimentation area.’

The rewards are quite generous, but the risks are equally high.

At least, it is not a level of difficulty that we can easily challenge now.

I marked the location of the sub-dungeon on the map.

‘I’ll have to come back here later and clean it up.’

At first it was a blank sheet of paper, but as you explore the waterways, the map gradually becomes filled with information.

Of course, I’m not making this for fun.

It will be helpful when you raid the underground waterways, and you can sell it for a profit later when you leave the colony.

Adventurers should be able to generate extra income anytime, anywhere.

If you just sit still, no one will give you money.

As I was crouching down and drawing a map, Flora came over, perhaps out of curiosity.

“What are you doing, Estelle?”

Flora looked at the map and chuckled.

“Ah- You were taking a break while drawing. Hehe… You’re so cute.”

“⋯I’m not playing.”

I was so dumbfounded that I just opened my eyes wide and looked at him.

It looks like you’re playing with pictures?

Who knows who is a real child?

But, after hearing Flora’s words and looking at the map again…

‘Your drawing skills are a bit lacking.’

I was not happy with the lines and letters drawn with colored pencils.

If you don’t explain it in advance, it might look like a child’s scribble.

There’s nothing I can do.

I guess it’s because I lack the “Map Making” skill. I don’t have the “Drawing” skill either.

It’s not that I’m petty and draw like a child.

“Senior, go to sleep first.”

“I’m fine… I’m still feeling better.”

“You’ve been yawning for a while now. It’s safe here, so you can sleep soundly and wake up.”

The underground sewer is an early dungeon, so you don’t have to worry about surprise attacks at night.

Even the giant rats and the ratmen who appear in earnest from this next section only protect their own territory and do not actively patrol.

The point where we are currently located is a mid-point checkpoint and rest area.

“Rest when you can. Tomorrow won’t be as easy as today.”

There is no answer.

When I looked back, Flora was already asleep.

Looks like you were quite tired…

Even so, don’t you usually have trouble sleeping in such a disgusting place?

As soon as I laid my head on the floor, I fell asleep in an instant.

If it’s talent, then it’s talent. To the point where I’m a little envious.

I stared at Flora’s sleeping face for a moment, dumbfounded, and then covered her stomach with a blanket.

Have a nice dream.

Well, now I have things to do on my own.

I took out the necessary items from my bag.

The molars of a giant rat.

And just in case, an antidote.

‘Honestly, I don’t feel like it.’

If it were a game, it wouldn’t be a problem, but I hesitate to try it on my own body.

However, it’s something I need to check once. If possible, when I have some free time like now.

‘If my hypothesis is correct, there will be a cataclysmic shift in the future direction of education.’

I was curious.

What is the potential of the “immortality” trait?

Even I, a veteran, don’t know this much.

In the game, “immortality” was a trait that players could not possess.

To find out the detailed information, you have to die and gather information yourself.

after.

When I actually try to do it, I hesitate a little.

“One, two… sob-“

After taking a deep breath.

I sank the giant rat’s fangs deep into my wrist.