Chapter 26

Chapter 26 – Yesterday’s Enemy (5)

The sun brightened the morning.  Artpe caught several fishes from the ravine, and he used the Mana String to clean them.  This magic wasn’t meant to be used this way, but he didn’t care. He was killing two birds with one stone by leveling up his Spell Level.

Maybe.

“Wow.  Artpe’s hand movements are exquisite.”

“I’m not trying to boast, but I have a knack for useless talents.”

“Leseti, are all magicians able to use such an odd spell?”

“This is the first time I’ve seen such a spell.  It seems he is more special since he is a hero.”

Silpennon and Leseti was also watching this sight.

If spoken bluntly, they had lost their positions and their escort guards.  They were beggars now.  Artpe felt a little bit bad for just sending them away, so he decided to send them off after a meal.

“So you guys didn’t bring any foods you can eat?”

“We did bring a lot of money.  Our kingdom specializes in manufacturing Dimensional Pouches.”

“I’m sure you know this, but I’ll say it just in case.  Don’t spend large sums of money in any old place.”

“Why not?”

“Hah.”

Artpe looked away from Silpennon.  He looked at Leseti with sympathy in his eyes.  He could clearly see the difficulty she would have to endure in the future.

“······hoong.”

“Eh-eet.”

However, Leseti avoided his gaze as her cheeks reddened.

In her stead, Maetel pinched Artpe’s thigh.

“Huh?”

What the hell?  Why were their reactions switched?

Artpe was bewildered as he rubbed at his thigh.  At that moment, the crown prince added a supplementary explanation.

“For the past 20 years of her life, Leseti only focused on self-training and protecting me.  She is a poor woman, who has yet to date a man.  Even if you are young, she is accepting you in that fashion, because she is very thirsty.”

“Your highness, it has been an honor to be able to serve you until now.  Please be happy in your future endeavors.”

“Why are you unsheathing your sword!  I always trusted you to be by my side!”

“You revealed the reason why!”

“You aren’t using honorifics!?”

Such a simple method was able to eliminate her sense of loyalty.  He had a better idea now on why the Diaz Kingdom were overrun by the rebels.

He finished cleaning the fishes.

Artpe kept a small steel pot alongside his money inside the Dimensional Pouch.  Maetel brought over edible plants, and he put in spices(50 bronze) he bought from the merchant.  When the water came to a boil, he put the fishes in.  Soon, a very pleasant smell started to emanate from it.

“It seems you are very experienced at doing all of this.”

“If you fight and live in the mountains and fields, this type of skills becomes second nature to you.”

The four people ate the finished fish soup.  The rations supplemented the meal.  The food was eaten in a blink of an eye.  Maetel alway ate whatever Artpe made as if it was delicious.  He could give her a ball of dirt, and she would say it was delicious.  However, he had thought Silpennon would have a picky palate, since he was the crown prince.  He ate it without complaining, and he even gave Artpe a compliment.

“Thank you.  I enjoyed it very much.”

“How should I say this?  You are so polite that it is annoying.”

“Mmm.  His competency for household chores are great….”

He decided not to ask Leseti about what she was checking.  Artpe finished washing the dishes.  He stood up after he put away the pot into the Dimensional Pouch.

“Let’s go our own way from here on out.”

“Is there any way we can go with you guys?  I guess this is to be expected.  My ability is pitiful compared to you guys……”

Silpennon was in low spirits.  He lowered his head as he mumbled those words.  This was the first time he had escaped the mantle of his position as the crown prince.  It was at this moment that he realized how powerless he was for the first time in his life.  His direction in life going forward would be determined on how he remedied that fact.

Artpe had a bitter expression on his face, and he asked Silpennon a question as if he was asking it in passing.

“So what do you plan on doing from here on out?”

“I planned on finding the heroes.  Then I wanted to achieve the merit of defeating the Demon King.  However, that plan fell into pieces, so I don’t know what…..   I can’t go back to the castle.  In truth,  I’m at a dead end.”

“Leseti, do you have any other plans?”

“He is an annoying human being, but he is my lord.  I will protect him until I’m able to.  That is it.”

“Basically, you don’t have any other plans.”

“Koohk.”

He had expected her to be a little bit smarter than Silpennon, but it seemed Leseti also didn’t know much about the world.

If he let them go like this, they would die somewhere without anyone knowing about it.  He could only see a miserable death for them in the future.

“······ssp. I guess it can’t be helped. ”

Artpe let out a sigh as he gave them a proposal.

“Let’s form a temporary party.”

“Are you….letting us into your party!?”

Silpennon’s eyes shone, and even Leseti had a healthy glow when she heard the news.  Maetel looked as if she was unsatisfied with something.

“I like being with Artpe.  Just the two of us….”

“This is temporary.  We’ll do this until we clear one Dungeon.  If I let this guy leave, he’ll suffer a rough fate.  I’ll give him some basic lessons.  I’ll let him become indebted to me, and I’m sure he’ll bring something back to me in the future.”

“Are you supposed to say that in front of the person you are talking about?”

Silpennon spoke as he was dumbfounded, but his face remained bright.  He now knew that Artpe cared about them.

When he saw Artpe ruthlessly kill the knights, he had doubts as to whether he was a hero.  As expected, he was good at a fundamental level!

Of course, Artpe’s intention was entirely different from what Silpennon had attributed to him.

‘Even if he was the crown prince, they don’t let anyone join the hero’s party.  One has to be excellent and skilled at a very basic level.  That is why the party members are able to stick around the hero without dying.’

The crown prince had the talent to become a thief. He was very remarkable.

If he was trained properly, he’ll be able to gain fame within the kingdom within couple years.  No, his name would spread throughout the continent.  Of course, in his past life, Silpennon was locked away inside the palace for five years alongside Maetel, and the rest was history.

‘If I expend a little bit of my time here, I can create a foundation he can build on.  I would be making a powerful card that I can use later against the Demon King’s army.  Moreover, he seems to have a personality of wanting to repay his debts.  In light of that fact, there isn’t much downside in doing this.’

If one received a favor, it had to be paid pack.

It was a reasonable sentiment. It was also true that it was hard to make good on such sentiments.  However, the crown prince in front of him might have that great quality where he would keep true to his duties.

“I have a question.”

Silpennon hadn’t opened his mouth.  It was Leseti.

“You just said a Dungeon.  You speak so lightly about it….  Do you realize it is very hard to find a Dungeon?  At this moment, countless adventurers are looking a Dungeon in an attempt to strike it rich.  They roam the land, but they are barely able to find one after they fruitlessly search for several years.  Even if they do find one, they just suffer a dog’s death.”

“I’m already well aware of that fact.”

“If we want to clear a decent Dungeon, we’ll have to stay together for couple years.  Is this a roundabout way of accepting us into your party?”

Maybe Leseti was hoping her words were true.  She had come here based on the idea that she had to save the crown prince.  However, she wasn’t talented at anything except fighting and protecting someone.

He was young, yet he had ridiculous amount of power.  Moreover, he was talented in many facets.  If they were able to join Artpe’s party, she would be able to just focus on fighting and guarding the crown prince.

On top of that, if the crown prince was able to grow up splendidly and play a support role in defeating the Demon King, he would be able to return triumphantly as the scion of the Diaz family.

“Well, aren’t I right?”

She was 20 years old, but from Artpe’s perspective, she still looked like a brat to him.  She was trying hard to appear as if she was calm.  However, there was a catch and a slight tremor in her voice that betrayed the desperation she was feeling.  Artpe let out a laugh.

“You’ll see.”

Two days had passed.  The party stood in front of an old tree that was rotting away.

What was hiding there?

It was none other than an entrance to the Dungeon.  Artpe merely extended his Mana, and the hollow portion of the tree expanded.  It was readied itself to accept the adventurers.

“No way……”

“This is impossible!”

Leseti had an agitated expression on her face.  Silpennon was shocked as he turned to look at Artpe.

“How were you able to find it so quickly…..?”

“Accidents and events have a way of finding heroes even if they stay put, yet we are actively searching for a Dungeon right now.  Of course, one or two Dungeons would show up.”

“Heroes are truly amazing!”

“That’s right.  Artpe is truly amazing!”

This is why it is convenient to have idiots around!

“The magical energy I sense isn’t high or dense.  The monsters inside will be of the common variety.  Let’s go.”

It wasn’t as if this was an insignificant Dungeon.  However, it couldn’t be disputed that it was a lousy Dungeon crawling with low level Slimes.  Even if it was a lousy Dungeon, it was a very large one.  This was why no adventurer was able to completely conquer this Dungeon in his past life!  This was true even at the time of his death!

“Here.  You should arm yourself with this.”

“Ooh-mmmmm.”

Artpe tossed a crappy equipment that Silpennon could arm himself with.  Silpennon took the dagger, and he spoke with an uncertain voice.

“Do….do you think I can do this?”

“Who wanted an active role inside the hero’s party?”

“……I did.”

At Artpe’s light provocation, Silpennon answered back with a firm voice.  He nodded his head several times as if he was making a resolve.  He gripped the dagger so hard that veins started to pop out on the back of his hand.

“All right.  Since the hero plans on guiding me, I can’t turn that opportunity down.  I’ll do it.”

“You are no longer in the position of being the crown prince.  From now on, I want you to think about what position you want, and what kind of fighting style you want to fight with.  You should battle with those points in your mind.”

“Understood.”

He started fidgeting with the short sword in one hand.  He asked a question.  It seemed his other hand was feeling empty.

“Do you have another one that is similar to this?”

“Hmmm.”

The act of using weapons with both hands sounded easy, but it wasn’t something he would recommend…..  Well, it would be helpful if he experienced this fact.  At his request, Artpe took out another short sword.

“All right.  The balance finally feels right. In truth, when I was bored within the palace, I used to busy my hands like this.”

“It must have been great.  It seem being the crown prince was a job of leisure.”

Silpennon was finally satisfied after he alternately swung his daggers in each hand.  At that moment, his information was updated.

[Silpennon Le Diaz]

[Level : 7]

[Dual Wielding Lv1]

“Ah.”

That’s right.  If seen in certain light, this guy would be considered to be a genius.  Artpe was dumbfounded as he let out a bitter laugh.

Anyways, Silpennon was now ready for battle.

Leseti looked a bit disappointed.

Maetel had spend a year in a Dungeon, yet it seemed she was eager to go into another one.  She was excited.

“We are doing this Dungeon exploration to grow Silpennon’s ability.  If possible, we should stay out of his way.  Even if there are traps, we won’t be telling you about it, so you should firm your resolve.  Is that clear?”

“…. all right.”

Silpennon gulped as he nodded his head.

The party members entered the Dungeon side by side.

The first one to speak inside the Dungeon was Maetel.

“Artpe, there are a lot of something here.”

“A lot?  It should be.  This Dungeon has a pretty high monster regeneration, but it is frequented by….  Huh.”

As soon as he entered the Dungeon, Artpe sensed an unusual amount of signatures.  He activated his Read All Creation ability, and he was able to see that the numerous monsters were all Slimes.

A thought came to him at the same time.

‘When was this Dungeon became known to the humans?’

He was easily able to find the answer.  In his past life, the Dungeon was first found by the hero’s party when they exited the palace.  This Dungeon was revealed to the other adventurers after it was found by them.  Of course, no one in this world knew about this place at this point in time!

“Ah.  It seems we are the discoverers.”

“Discoverer? Is it something good?”

“Of course, it is good.  No one has touched this place, so the rewards will be great.  Since the traps are brand new, it’ll be hidden completely, so it’ll be thrilling to go through this place.  You’ll also be able to experience monsters collapsing towards you…..”

“It sounds as if the negative outweighs the good!?”

Artpe looked down towards the end of the dark and damp corridor made out of wood.  An incredibly large army of Slimes were coming towards them.  Silpennon had also caught sight of them, and his face turned pale.  Artpe let out a kind smile towards him.

“Cheer up.  You can do this.”

“Wait a moment.  This is a bit different from what we’ve talked about…  Goo-ahk!?”

The Slimes knew that the intruders were ridiculously strong by instinct.  This was why they immediately focused on Silpennon, who was the only one they had a shot of winning against.

Silpennon turned pale as he was about to encounter the Slimes.  However, no one stepped forward to help him.  In the end, he was instantly buried by the group of Slimes.

Artpe’s apathetic gaze turned towards Leseti.  He asked her a question.

“Hey, guardian knight.  What are you doing?”

“I trust in his highness.  Well, if he dies, it can’t be help.   By the way, Artpe, would you accept me into your party if I’m alone?”

“You are very forthright.”

“Ooh-ah-roo-koo-ahh-gyah-gyah-gyahk!”

It seemed Leseti’s way of thinking reached a turning point on her 20th year in life.  Silpennon was buried by the Slimes, so it was hard to tell what he was yelling.

“Your highness, I have faith in in you!  Still, just to safe, you should tell me what kind of funeral you want!  You should have told me beforehand!”

“Ooh-gahh-gyahhhhhhhhk!”

After 45 minutes, Silpennon used his Dual Wielding style to kill all the Slimes.  The three people smiled at him as if they knew he would have succeeded.  He had no words for them.  He just clenched his two fists, and he made a resolve!

“I’ll become stronger…  I will become stronger at all cost!”

“Yes, that’s the spirit!”

“Ooh-ahhhhhhhhhh!”

This was how the hero’s party started their second Dungeon exploration.