CH 22.2

The next day, after a good nap, I set out for the ruins at night.

The place was further away in the western part of the Capital, but I marked it with [Warp] yesterday, so I could immediately jump there.

“…”

As expected, she wouldn’t be selling her pretzels every consecutive day. Somehow, I felt that my encounter with her became a personal trauma.

I greeted the guard and entered the ruins, but there were few other adventurers as expected at night. There were no demons either, but this was not a game, so it was impossible to be surrounded by demons right from the entrance.

Still, the compound was not entirely empty. As I passed by an adventurer who was finishing off a goblin-like creature, a warrior carrying a kitchen ax stepped toward me as if he wanted to say something.

“[Fire Lance].”

A [Flame Lance] was fired in a quick chant, passing by the warrior and instantly scorching the goblin thief who had been sneaking upon him.

“…”

With that shot, the warrior was stunned, as if rooted in a cold sweat, but quickly regained his composure and readied his ax.

“Damn you, you Witch, you messed with a comrade’s prey…”

“Wait! I didn’t see it either. She just saved us!”

A man who looked like a Ranger hurriedly stopped the warrior from behind him.

The warrior, still unconvinced, turned to a man who looked like a magician at a distance, but the magician looked blue and shook his head at the power of the [Flame Lance].

[Flame Lance] was a 3rd class attack magic, but even adventurers in the Royal Capital didn’t seem to have high levels with them fighting this close to the entrance.

I continue on, passing by the adventurers who silently cleared the way.

I bought a general map from the Commerce Guild, so there was no need for mapping, but it was my first proper adventure in a long time. And it was the first dungeon I had ever seen. My gamer’s blood was boiling.

[Bumooooo]

*DonDonDon!!!!

The orc-like demon that appeared at the beginning of the encounter was submerged in a sea of blood after a three-round headshot from the Break Revolver.

“…urgh.”

This was a failure. In the underground ruins, there was no wind, so the smell of blood was harsh.

I could go deeper since I would be able to return using [Space Transition] anyway. As I went on without taking any materials from the orcs to escape from the unpleasant smell of blood, I heard something like a scream from far away when the smell disappeared.

“…”

Another flag of some sort?

[Ggoooooooooooooooooo!!!]

Ah, it was surprisingly close.

It couldn’t be helped. It looks like someone was being attacked, and I still don’t feel good about abandoning them to their poor fate.

“Hiiii!”

“[Ridil] “

The big humanoid that was attacking the adventurer had its arm cut off as I drew my zanbatou and attacked it.

[Ggooooooooooooooooo!!!]

“Ah, You.”

“Stand back.”

As I made the adventurer back down, I quietly held my Ridil at the ready as the enemy swung a battleaxe with only one arm remaining, without losing its will to fight… was that a Mino-tan?

[Ggooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!]

“…Disruption.”

I spun the Ridil around my waist, dodged the huge battleaxe, and thrust the Ridil into the Minotaur’s back until it pierced through.

[gugoo…]

Zuzun…and the Minotaur crumbles to the ground. Goodbye, Mino-tan…

“…Mi, a single blow to a Minotaur?”

“More importantly, why are you alone?”

The adventurer was not like those eccentrics but an ordinary young adventurer in dingy armor.

“I’m sorry, sorry. They…Marie and Helga…used me as bait when they were about to lose…”

“Ah~…”

I could easily imagine the situation happening without being told the end of the story.

“For now, can you go back on your own?”

“Oh, yeah. I can manage. I’m sorry. I’ll be sure to thank you later.”

“No, I don’t…”

“Oh, did that girl beat that, by any chance? That’s quite a feat.”

Suddenly, a rather austere uncle with a large sword slung over his shoulder and dressed in a knight’s outfit called out to me. Who was it this time?