EP.47 Dungeon (3)

You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.

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Eri, Neria, and Ophelia accepted Cloud's proposal.

The reason they accepted the proposal was, of course, because he said that this dungeon would be their last time together.

Eri wanted to be recognized.

Not only by Cloud, but also by her family whom she hated and loved, and even by the whole world.

Neria wanted to be by Cloud's side.

Even though their relationship was a little awkward right now, staying by his side, she had the hope that someday they will be able to go back to the way they used to be.

Ophelia didn't want to go back to the church.

She didn't want to waste her life locked up in a closed and cramped building.

Although different, they had reasons why they didn't want to be separated from Cloud.

So they followed Cloud's plan…

– Bark! Bark!

– Barkk!

The kobolds blocking the way were barking loudly. As loud as bereaved dogs! If the girls were in their normal condition, they would have easily solved it, but unfortunately, they weren't.

The reason was simple.

It was already the eleventh time today that they were dealing with a kobold horde.

Their stamina, mana, and divine power began to trickle down to the bottom little by little.

Despite this, the kobolds kept appearing anew, and there was no path to escape.

Why? You may ask.

Because, the place they were standing at was a dead end.

Of course, it was Cloud who drove them into a dead end. It was Cloud who made them fight the kobolds without stopping.

Why the hell did they have to keep dealing with these kobolds?

These things that don't give much experience points because of their low level?

The three women could not understand what he was thinking.

They were just following what he told them to do.

However, no matter how hard they willed to, they had a limit.

"Hero, I don't have the divine power to maintain the buff anymore!"

The first one to reach her limit was Ophelia.

Having exhausted all her divine power, she was unable to maintain the buffs she gave to her party members.

"You have consumed all your divine power? Then pray."

Cloud replied as if it was a simple question, but Ophelia was terrified.

"Here?!"

They were fighting kobolds. Not to mention sword and spears, even the crossbow bolts were very deadly.

How do I pray in such a situation?!

"Why? You cannot? Even if you cannot, do it!"

Cloud didn't compromise.

"…all right."

In the end, it was Ophelia who made the compromise.

Yes, she was a member of the Hero's Party that will eventually have to defeat the Demon King.

She will surely experience the lack of divine power in a crisis someday.

So, think of it as an experience beforehand.

She would be lying if she said that she wasn't afraid, but she had teammates to trust…

Just when Ophelia closed her eyes and knelt down to say her prayers.

"Hey, Ophelia! What're you doing!"

Cloud grabbed Ophelia's wrist and lifted her up.

"Why are you sitting and resting if you have to recharge your divine power?!"

"Uh? Well, to gather divine power, you have to pray to Goddess Iris…"

"Do you have to sit and pray with your eyes closed? When everyone else is fighting to death, you're saying you'll be resting alone?"

"It's not that I want to rest…"

"Noisy. Go grab the mace! You can even pray while smashing kobold skulls!"

"Hell, how do I do that?! I'm not a paladin…"

"It's not my business, no way your faith is so cheap, to be swayed by just a posture. So hurry up and break kobold bones!"

Cloud took the mace tied to Ophelia's waist and made her hold it in her hand.

"Ah, no. Wait for a moment…"

"Trust yourself, you are strong. Charge!"

Cloud pushed Ophelia's back.

"Huh, Hero?! I really can't. I can't..!"

"Eri! What are you doing?! Don't be slow with your magic skills!"

Ophelia begged, but Cloud was not the one to accept her objection, he turned his attention to Eri.

Dodging a burning arrow that suddenly came for her, Eri was startled and started making excuses.

"I have almost ran out of mana. We don't even have a mana potion, so what should I do..!"

"That staff was given to you for what? Team up with Ophelia, get along and bash those two legged dogs!"

"W, What?! I-I'm a wizard, a magician! I am not a warrior!"

"Shut up! I have no intention of raising you as a mage. From today onwards, you are a battle mage. Understood?!"

"Wh, What!?"

"Cloud..! Come back here soon…"

"Neria, you idiot!!! Why are you looking back?! Look damn straight! Are you going to kill us all?!"

"Ah no, I didn't mean to..! I was just starting to get pushed back…"

"Aah, not again, you can say that without looking back!"

"Ah. Sorry…"

Neria swallowed her tears.

""

. . . . . . . .

"Sorry, guys. Working with adventurers has made my mouth rough. Sorry, I hope you understand."

"…"

"…yes."

"…yes."

* * *

By repetitively grinding kobolds, they renewed their fighting style. Now they were more flexible in responding to emergencies.

Due to engaging in fights for a long time, they had their fighting will polished as well.

But Cloud wasn't satisfied with that.

He wanted them to have stronger willpower.

So he mulled about what to do, and decided to cut down on their sleep.

They now slept for only 3 hours a day and explored the dungeon rest of the time.

For the three women, it felt really close to dying.

Moreover, from 15th floor onwards, the level of the monsters became similar to theirs, making the raid more difficult, yet reducing the amount of time they spent sleeping…

Physical and mental fatigue was no joke.

Once they even begged him to let them sleep only for 5 hours a day, yet…

– Nope. I have no intention of changing the decision. Go back.

They were bitterly rejected.

According to him, he had the things in perfect balance.

Eri wanted to seriously question whether he had made some great mistake in his calculations.

But she couldn't.

Because.

It was the same for Cloud, who also slept only 3 hours a day.

If she complained more than that, he would only be disappointed with her.

And that was not happening!

Eri always recalled what happened some time ago. Cloud decided to break up with them simply because they wanted to take the easier path.

It meant that Cloud had no attachment to them.

It doesn't matter to him even if they have to part.

'What actually happened in these months? People really do change, hah.'

If he hated them or resented them, she would understand…

Yet, why was it indifference?

No, reason told her, it wasn't indifference either.

"Come on, Eri. A new magic skill book I got today. Can you learn it in a few days?"

He kept picking up magic books just out of nowhere and always brought them to her.

He brought the spellbook to her wand, like a wizard who enchanted it with magic.

"…three days would be enough."

"You can't overdo it by reducing the amount of time you sleep. We have enough time."

"No. Three days are enough."

…she took it again, like always.

Cloud reassured her, but Eri, herself, was worried.

Lest he saw her as useless.

She was afraid of being abandoned, of being thought of as useless.

"Let's not trouble Eri while she is studying. Hero, let's light a bonfire and rest…"

"Ah, that's right, Ophelia, I have one for you too."

Cloud said, pulling out an old divine skill tome. Ophelia's eyes widened as she saw the tome.

"…huh? Wh, Why is something like that in a dungeon of all places…"

"No doubt. The person who made the dungeon must have been a faithful person! Come on, take it."

Cloud placed the tome on Ophelia's palm.

Ophelia looked at it, her shoulders trembled.

"Ophelia, how long do you think it will take you to learn this?"

Ophelia's ears perked up.

She might get more time than Eri if she ardently appealed she wasn't good with her head.

""

With that hope…

"Three days shall be enough for Ophelia. She is as smart as me."

Eri shattered that hope herself.

Cloud gave a slightly surprised expression.

"Really?"

"Of course. Ophelia is a saintess candidate. A nun without a good brain in her head will not be a candidate for sainthood."

"Sounds right. Then, Ophelia, you can accompany Eri for three days. Neria, let's light a bonfire and get ready to rest."

"Ah? Aaah, wait a minute..! Hero…?!"

Ophelia called out in a desperate tone, but Cloud did not look back.

She looked at Eri with a despairing expression.

"Eri… why…?"

"…sorry."

There was no way Eri would admit that she felt lonely waking up alone when everyone else was fast asleep.

* * *

[Hellfire]-!

Searing flames rose from the magic circle beneath the three gargoyles.

Two of the three gargoyles turned into ashes without being able to withstand the flames bearing the moniker of hell itself.

The remaining one was mortally wounded, but somehow flanked and tried to injure Eri with its sharp claws.

– Kang!

The gargoyle's claws were blocked by Neria's shield.

As the gargoyle was about to attack again, a thick mace slammed into its head.

– Kaaah!

The gargoyle staggered and let out a ferocious screech. Either way, the mace bashing its head didn't stop.

The mace stopped only after the gargoyle's head was crushed beyond recognition.

'Successful.'

The results of the previous training were clearly visible.

I looked at the three women with delighted expression.

"…the flames at the middle were weak. Is it mana circuit's problem? No. Maybe it's just that my concentration is messed up. Calm down, Eri. You can do it. You can do it."

Eri mumbled forlornly while training to fence with her wand.

"…"

Neria wiped her shield with an indifferent expression.

"Huhuhuhuh… It's because you don't follow Iris-sama's doctrine. Oh, it's a monster, so it probably wouldn't understand the broad meaning of Iris-sama anyway. I'm sorry… I hope you will be born as a faithful servant who can follow Iris-sama's words in your next life, amen…"

Ophelia giggled sitting next to the gargoyle's corpse.

Well. They seem to be reaching their limit.

If I did more, they would be broken.

They have polished their basics, so now I should give them a good rest.

I said to them.

"Up until now, you guys had a hard time, sleeping only three hours a day. Let's go to the last boss room. But, before we engage in the final battle, let's sleep as much as we want."

At my words, the three women stopped whatever they were doing. They calmly exchanged glances with each other…

And they… they ran like crazy.

I was stunned for a while at first… but then I came to my senses and followed after them.

"Guys! You understand what I'm saying, right?! Instead of thrashing the last boss, we are resting in front of the boss room! No, rather than that, how do you know where the boss room is!? Stop! Wait for me, guys!"

So, after many twists and turns, we were finally able to defeat the 30th floor's boss Minotaur and entered the reward room.

"The one who cleared the dungeon. Welcome~"

There was an Angel in the reward room.

It wasn't in the game.

You can read fully translated chapters, including the last chapter, for $20.

p(a)treon.com/Daoist02