Chapter 141
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[The Fulfillment of the Deal]
“You know, I got Tōru wrong at first. My first impression of him was that he was a weird guy, but from then on it gradually changes into a weird guy with a screw loose in his head. I mean, which sane person would do something like he just did.”
“…………” Ayako nods as if agreeing with the already well-rested Ethel’s words.
For that the be the first thing coming out of her mouth, the only thing I can say is: How would you beat it, then?
Or rather, you’ve got a huge misunderstanding if you think that I’m always fighting in this manner.
The enemies we’re facing this time are all unique monsters that can’t be found anywhere else. Some of them were originally added into the game to serve as easter eggs, whereas some others were added simply because they’d been designed and it’d be a waste to discard them.
‘Oniharukon’ is a good example. The shitty monster should have been rejected at the planning stage or at least been given experience points equivalent to the hardships you have to go through to defeat it.
Facing such troublesome monsters, you have to use unordinary means.
You’re completely out of your mind if you think I took such an extreme approach because I like it. I’m no masochist, okay? I feel so disappointed in you. Oh?
“That’s true, but… No, actually, even after taking that into account, you’re still insane, Tōru.”
As Ethel repeatedly mutters stuff about how I’ve got a screw loose in my head, Ayako nods repeatedly, agreeing with her.
Unable to accept what they are saying, I say to Ayako, “Not as much as your father,” causing her to stiffen, Ethel to shut her mouth, and the bird perching atop Ayako’s head—in other words, Joseph, to spread out his wings and fall on his back, twitching, for some reason.
I snort and turn back to the great library.
“Now what to do.”
Seeing the slimes overflowing the building, I begin to wonder how to get in.
The multiplication source, the Planarian Slime’s main body, has already been secured.
When I talked with it by using the ‘Monster Tamer’ skill, it said that the split bodies didn’t really matter to it as it ate the monster bait in Ethel’s arms by dissolving it.
And when I interviewed the split bodies overflowing the great library, they answered, “Inside, full. Jam-packed. Awful.” Apparently, the inside is packed from the floor to the ceiling, as we can see from the outside.
“Hmm. I thought if I tame the Planarian Slime with ‘Monster Tamer’ skill, I’d be able to command it to tell its split bodies to get out, but looks like that’s impossible.”
After all, they’re apparently so packed that they’ve got no room to move. Even if they’re told to get out, they won’t be able to.
In addition, since I just recently acquired the ‘Monster Tamer’ skill, its level is still pathetically low, so the chances I can tame the Planarian Slime main body is low. Even the split bodies give me a subtle reaction, indicating it’d be difficult to tame them.
In which case, we’re left with no choice but to get rid of the slimes one by one. I’m willing to do it, but it’d take too much time.
And their disappearance would likely alert the knights who are guarding the perimeter and prompt them to get in to check in on the situation.
If that happens, I, a trespasser, would have to change my opponent from the slimes to the knights. Even I know it’d be better to avoid such a situation.
If so, should I use an AoE attack to take them all out in one go?
But the owner of the AoE attack is not here, the only technique that can kill as many enemies as possible at once currently available is my ‘Flame Sword: Fire Snake’.
However, there is a high risk of the books inside getting burned if I use a fire-based attack.
Not to mention, if the building ends up catching fire, the knights would surely notice it. I don’t wanna be told to pay reparation later on. Hell, I may not even be able to afford it.
As such, though it’s not the smartest move, we’ve got no choice but to work hard to scrape out the slimes as we make our way in.
The side wall where I made a hole cannot be seen from outside the barrier, so I should be free to do whatever I please with it.
“Ayako, I’m gonna destroy the wall, so attach your chains at the spots I designate.”
“!”
“Wait a minute.”
“You against it, Ethel? But we have to do it to scrape out the slimes inside.”
“I know. Just wanted to ask, from where to where are you going to destroy it?”
“This whole wall.”
“Are you stupid???”
Given the numbers of slimes inside, wouldn’t you need a hole of equivalent size to scrape them out?
That being the case, it’d be better to break the whole wall rather than cut out a part of the wall. That way, we can get it done faster.
The building is rectangular, anyway. It can still stand strong even if one of the four sides disappears. Now, without further ado, let’s go!
“Let’s go, my foot! An actual building isn’t like toy building blocks! Or rather, for you to come up with such an idea, are you out of your mind!?”
“Ehh~, then how much can I destroy?”
You’re not gonna reject destroying the wall, are you? At my question, Ethel heaves a sigh and shows me the area of the wall that can be destroyed by tracing the air with her finger.
I knew she had a high level of education as a former saintess candidate, but it seems that she’s also well-versed in the subject of architecture.
I wonder where the saintess would put it to use, but she says it’s necessary on the occasion that the saintess visits a church on the regular local inspection. The saintess has to judge whether the construction of the church is appropriate by comparing the blueprint that has been turned in and the actual building.
“No, is that even the saintess’s work? Isn’t it something that should be handled by a specialized department like an audit department or something?”
“What a coincidence, I’ve been thinking the same for a long time now. However, the audit department has been under the direct supervision of the saintess for generations to prevent it from being incorporated into one of the denominations. As a result, handling such matters became a part of being a saintess.”
So that’s why auditing ended up becoming one of the skills mastered by the successive generations of saintesses…
The game lore depicted the successive generations of saintesses as superhumans, but only now does it dawn on me how much of a truth that is.
And at the same time, it hit me how distorted the religious organizations in this world are, and I must say, they put too much burden on the saintess’s shoulder.
But on the other hand, I get a little interested in the education which lays the foundation to give birth to the superhuman that is the saintess.
Absorbing a great deal of knowledge and nurturing the cognitive ability to put them to use—to achieve them necessitate ‘quality leveling (efficient education)’ from early childhood.
If I learn how the saintess is educated, I may find something that can be useful for my leveling. I’ll make sure to have Ethel sell it to me at another time.
I make a square-shaped cut in the area specified by Ethel—about a quarter of the wall, around the hole I made to escape—using ‘Sword Saint’s Slash’ many times over before having Ayako attach her chains at the four corners and ordering the daemon to pull the chains.
Slimes overflow at the same time as the wall falls out, and I scrape them out by thrusting my nodachi forward and having the daemon do the work.
“…How dare… how dare a mere human…” The daemon keeps moving its hands, muttering and grunting.
But I must say, I never thought having a tamed monster around would make things so convenient. At the unexpected discovery, I become a little reluctant to kill the daemon.
Then again, although it’s now obedient because its main body is in my hand, I’m sure it’ll bare its fangs at me the moment I let down my guard.
Given the danger it poses, turning it into experience points once it’s served its purpose is the only choice.
If only I can tame it, I’ll gladly take it in as a servant, but… that’s not possible because the level of my ‘Monster Tamer’ skill is low.
I can also ask Ethel or Ayako if they would like to keep it later.
Anyways, as we keep going forward while scraping out the slimes, the escape hole we made by hollowing out the ceiling of the underground archive from the inside of it a week ago slowly comes into view.
From the hole, the inside of the forbidden book section is visible, but it’s impossible to enter because its barrier has been completely restored.
But I was able to tear the barrier when I was making the hole, so it wouldn’t pose much of an obstacle to me.
Then regarding the daemon, Ethel and Ayako say they don’t need it, so I, being a fair and benevolent employer, decide to give it two choices as a reward for all the work it has done: “Would you like to obediently return to your book and be stored in the forbidden book section or be burned to cinders?”
After spending a couple of minutes weighing between the two choices, the daemon eventually chooses to get back into the book and be stored, so I tear through the barrier before going ahead and entering the forbidden book section.
According to Ethel, the bookshelves in the forbidden book section have the power of sealing. I shelve it back as promised.
I’m a little reluctant to part with the experience points, but…………………. well, a promise is a promise.
“All’s clear, come in, you two~!”
“……”
“Mm, here we go!”
Ayako and Ethel jump down from the hole in the ceiling.
Ayako may be fine, but I can’t say the same about Ethel, so I catch her.
“Huh!”
“I never asked you to catch me.”
“Mm? So what?”
“Tōru, you are considerate in weird places… Haah, never mind. Thanks.”
“—!!” Ayako prods me with her trident as Ethel and I are having that exchange.
Judging from her bloodcurdling expression, could it be she wanted me to hurry up and give her the staff?
It’s a natural demand given that is the reason why we’re here in the first place.
“!!!!!!”
“Okay, I’ve got it, the staff, right? Gimme a second.”
“Don’t worry, he just hid it under the piles of books over there in the corner, it won’t take long.”
“We’re gonna take a break here, so please fix the barrier, Ethel. Well, we’ll have to cut it open again later, but if slimes fall down while we’re resting, I will start leveling (training).”
“I’ve got… come again?”
I mean, if slimes automatically fall from above you, wouldn’t the normal thing to do be to wait for them below while practice-swinging?
I didn’t say anything strange, but Ethel has a question mark above her head.
I decide to tell her to forget about it and repair the barrier, before pushing my way through the piles of books in the corner of the room and retrieving the ‘staff’ underneath them.
The tip of the tall blue staff is tinted purple.
It must have touched Cordelia-san’s blood at some point. When this discoloration spread to the whole staff, the ‘Deadly Sins Holy Staff’ will be completed.
Ayako will definitely believe this is the real deal if she sees this discoloration. A fortunate coincidence, I’d say.
Of course, as Amanai asked me to look after Ethel, I have no intention let it be completed. Because if something happens to Cordelia-san, Ethel will be negatively affected by it.
But I have to keep my end of the deal with Ayako to get information regarding the hidden passage in the dungeon. So for the time being, I’ll let her keep the ‘staff’ until I get the information from Joseph. “Here, this is the ‘Deadly Sins Holy Staff’.”
“—!” Ayako grabs the staff presented in front of her and observes it from top to bottom, and when she notices the discoloration at the tip, she softly touches it with her fingertips as if she’s handling a priceless treasure.
Then she remains silent for a while.
Is she being deeply moved, or is she burning the desire for revenge in her heart?
Either way, she will eventually bare her fangs at Joseph, it’s a foregone conclusion.
And that’s what I’ll be taking advantage of. But first things first, I’ve gotta have Ayako’s side to uphold the end of their deal.
“Now it’s your turn. Give me the information on the dungeon passage.”
Ayako, looking up at my words, nods and pokes the little bird hanging over her head.
Then the little bird—or to be exact, Joseph on the other side—reacts. Getting up, the little bird opens its little beak.
“‘Morphing’.”
The little bird starts changing shape while making crunching sounds.
The process is grotesque to watch, to say the least. In the end, a ‘human mouth’ takes shape.
“…Ah~, ah~, ah~, okay. It seems to be working fine.”
The now wingless little bird has a human mouth from its chest to its back, looking creepy as hell.
The mouth resulting from the insane remodeling—which makes you doubt the sanity of the creator—opens and closes several times, making several vocalizations as if to confirm its function. Audible from it is Joseph’s voice.
“I see that you have received the staff, Ayako. Well then, it’s time for us to give the information.”
I spread the materials related to the remodeling work inside the academy dungeon and the drawing of the structure of the entire dungeon on the table in the middle of the forbidden book section.
Then, I ask Joseph for an explanation regarding the 8th passage that he supposedly used to use while pointing at the large stain of black paint that hides a part of the drawing.
“How nostalgic. It’s been hundreds of years now. I think you’re lucky for coming here to look for a way to solve the academy dungeon blockage. As you may have guessed, you can break into the dungeon through this 8th passage.”
“For you to know the circumstances regarding the blockage, I’ll take it that you guys are the ones behind it. I want to kill the principal offender, but am I right to assume that it’s Nanashino?”
“Well, yeah. But more importantly, let’s get back on topic, shall we? To explain… it’ll be easier to understand if the black-stained part is transcribed. Ayako, dear, would you please lend me a hand?”
Somehow, the subordinate testified against his own leader.
Considering Joseph’s slip of tongue caused the identity of the Last Boss to be revealed even in-game, the guy seems to not have any sense of loyalty to the ‘Black Sword’ to which he belongs.
Well, thanks to it, the name Nanashino has now officially entered the list of people I’m gonna beat when I get home. I turn my attention back to Joseph and Ayako.
“――――” Ayako draws on a blank sheet of paper.
Probably Joseph is sharing information and giving instructions to her through their connection.
It’s not as elaborate as the drawing I brought out, but it clearly depicts the information of the passage hidden under the black stain.
“The details and the strength of the strokes are well-balanced. You did well, Ayako.”
“…………”
“Now, let me explain. At the time, the 8thpassage was used as a transportation route to the raw material storage area, and it was positioned to connect to the space between the 27th and 28th surface floor. Oh, before I continue, you do know that the academy dungeon has 50 surface floors and 50 undersurface floors, don’t you?”
“I know. So, how do I get into this passage? Also, is it even still accessible?”
I don’t care about the details of the 8thpassage, what’s important to me is whether it can be used to get inside the dungeon. In response to my question, Joseph affirms, “It sure is,” and continues, “The raw material storage area was the first remodeling work inside a dungeon that humans have ever done. Think of it as if a small box is embedded into a human body. No matter how hard the dungeon tries to, it won’t be able to block it.”
“Still, that means people may block it from the inside, right?”
“Of course, it’s possible. If they know it exists, that is.”
Looks like this guy is the type who won’t voluntarily say something when no one asks.
I stand to gain from it, so I don’t care, but it gives me a reminder to never get into the same organization as a troublesome guy like him.
As expected of the executive who contributed to the destruction of the ‘Black Sword’ in-game, he sure is not your average joe!!
If you have this guy on your side, your days will definitely be full of thrills!!
“The entrance to the 8th passage has been filled up, but the passage itself most likely still exists. Digging it up may prove slightly difficult, but… Positionally, it should extend straight from under the academy’s equipment changing room toward the dungeon.”
Equipment changing room… oh, it’s that two-stories building that looks like a club room building a slight distance away from the dungeon.
It’s built for students who are going to challenge the dungeon to change their school uniform into full-body armor or put on protectors over their uniform.
In-game, you can quickly change your equipment on the menu screen, and here I always wear my uniform as my standard combat outfit, so I’ve never been there.
Which means it wouldn’t pose any inconvenience to me even if it’s gone. Further, we’re in an emergency, so destroying one or two buildings should be allowed.
Should I burn it down? Or should I have someone blow it up? …Hmm, I need to consider it after we get back.
I’ll just keep in mind that the best method is the one that leaves as few rubbles as possible because that way, it’ll be easier to dig it up.
After that, I also ask about the approximate location of the passage just in case, and thus end the first stage of our deal.
According to the deal, after Ayako has safely returned, I should hand over Cordelia-san to the other party, then the deal is completed. But here I’m gonna choose the eliminate the disgusting remodeled little bird and persuade Ayako to team up to kill Joseph route.
“That is all. Now, I recommend you withdraw as soon as possible. If you have further questions, it’d be better to just ask me in person than through this puppet. Plus, I can’t endure being away from Ayako for much longer—”
(Slash. No, a stab would be more suitable to get rid of the bird. Then, I’ll explain the disadvantages of the ‘Deadly Sins Holy Staff’ to Ayako and urge her to team up. Then, I’ll send a signal to Iris and—)
I take advantage of Joseph’s lapse of attention to casually adjust my posture in preparation to get rid of the little bird that is Joseph’s eyes and ears, then I quietly put my hand on my sword, when—
“……Huh?”
――Thud.
Before the suddenly collapsed Ayako and little bird, I leak out a stupid voice.
Please report us if you find any errors so we can fix it asap!
[The Fulfillment of the Deal]
“You know, I got Tōru wrong at first. My first impression of him was that he was a weird guy, but from then on it gradually changes into a weird guy with a screw loose in his head. I mean, which sane person would do something like he just did.”
“…………” Ayako nods as if agreeing with the already well-rested Ethel’s words.
For that the be the first thing coming out of her mouth, the only thing I can say is: How would you beat it, then?
Or rather, you’ve got a huge misunderstanding if you think that I’m always fighting in this manner.
The enemies we’re facing this time are all unique monsters that can’t be found anywhere else. Some of them were originally added into the game to serve as easter eggs, whereas some others were added simply because they’d been designed and it’d be a waste to discard them.
‘Oniharukon’ is a good example. The shitty monster should have been rejected at the planning stage or at least been given experience points equivalent to the hardships you have to go through to defeat it.
Facing such troublesome monsters, you have to use unordinary means.
You’re completely out of your mind if you think I took such an extreme approach because I like it. I’m no masochist, okay? I feel so disappointed in you. Oh?
“That’s true, but… No, actually, even after taking that into account, you’re still insane, Tōru.”
As Ethel repeatedly mutters stuff about how I’ve got a screw loose in my head, Ayako nods repeatedly, agreeing with her.
Unable to accept what they are saying, I say to Ayako, “Not as much as your father,” causing her to stiffen, Ethel to shut her mouth, and the bird perching atop Ayako’s head—in other words, Joseph, to spread out his wings and fall on his back, twitching, for some reason.
I snort and turn back to the great library.
“Now what to do.”
Seeing the slimes overflowing the building, I begin to wonder how to get in.
The multiplication source, the Planarian Slime’s main body, has already been secured.
When I talked with it by using the ‘Monster Tamer’ skill, it said that the split bodies didn’t really matter to it as it ate the monster bait in Ethel’s arms by dissolving it.
And when I interviewed the split bodies overflowing the great library, they answered, “Inside, full. Jam-packed. Awful.” Apparently, the inside is packed from the floor to the ceiling, as we can see from the outside.
“Hmm. I thought if I tame the Planarian Slime with ‘Monster Tamer’ skill, I’d be able to command it to tell its split bodies to get out, but looks like that’s impossible.”
After all, they’re apparently so packed that they’ve got no room to move. Even if they’re told to get out, they won’t be able to.
In addition, since I just recently acquired the ‘Monster Tamer’ skill, its level is still pathetically low, so the chances I can tame the Planarian Slime main body is low. Even the split bodies give me a subtle reaction, indicating it’d be difficult to tame them.
In which case, we’re left with no choice but to get rid of the slimes one by one. I’m willing to do it, but it’d take too much time.
And their disappearance would likely alert the knights who are guarding the perimeter and prompt them to get in to check in on the situation.
If that happens, I, a trespasser, would have to change my opponent from the slimes to the knights. Even I know it’d be better to avoid such a situation.
If so, should I use an AoE attack to take them all out in one go?
But the owner of the AoE attack is not here, the only technique that can kill as many enemies as possible at once currently available is my ‘Flame Sword: Fire Snake’.
However, there is a high risk of the books inside getting burned if I use a fire-based attack.
Not to mention, if the building ends up catching fire, the knights would surely notice it. I don’t wanna be told to pay reparation later on. Hell, I may not even be able to afford it.
As such, though it’s not the smartest move, we’ve got no choice but to work hard to scrape out the slimes as we make our way in.
The side wall where I made a hole cannot be seen from outside the barrier, so I should be free to do whatever I please with it.
“Ayako, I’m gonna destroy the wall, so attach your chains at the spots I designate.”
“!”
“Wait a minute.”
“You against it, Ethel? But we have to do it to scrape out the slimes inside.”
“I know. Just wanted to ask, from where to where are you going to destroy it?”
“This whole wall.”
“Are you stupid???”
Given the numbers of slimes inside, wouldn’t you need a hole of equivalent size to scrape them out?
That being the case, it’d be better to break the whole wall rather than cut out a part of the wall. That way, we can get it done faster.
The building is rectangular, anyway. It can still stand strong even if one of the four sides disappears. Now, without further ado, let’s go!
“Let’s go, my foot! An actual building isn’t like toy building blocks! Or rather, for you to come up with such an idea, are you out of your mind!?”
“Ehh~, then how much can I destroy?”
You’re not gonna reject destroying the wall, are you? At my question, Ethel heaves a sigh and shows me the area of the wall that can be destroyed by tracing the air with her finger.
I knew she had a high level of education as a former saintess candidate, but it seems that she’s also well-versed in the subject of architecture.
I wonder where the saintess would put it to use, but she says it’s necessary on the occasion that the saintess visits a church on the regular local inspection. The saintess has to judge whether the construction of the church is appropriate by comparing the blueprint that has been turned in and the actual building.
“No, is that even the saintess’s work? Isn’t it something that should be handled by a specialized department like an audit department or something?”
“What a coincidence, I’ve been thinking the same for a long time now. However, the audit department has been under the direct supervision of the saintess for generations to prevent it from being incorporated into one of the denominations. As a result, handling such matters became a part of being a saintess.”
So that’s why auditing ended up becoming one of the skills mastered by the successive generations of saintesses…
The game lore depicted the successive generations of saintesses as superhumans, but only now does it dawn on me how much of a truth that is.
And at the same time, it hit me how distorted the religious organizations in this world are, and I must say, they put too much burden on the saintess’s shoulder.
But on the other hand, I get a little interested in the education which lays the foundation to give birth to the superhuman that is the saintess.
Absorbing a great deal of knowledge and nurturing the cognitive ability to put them to use—to achieve them necessitate ‘quality leveling (efficient education)’ from early childhood.
If I learn how the saintess is educated, I may find something that can be useful for my leveling. I’ll make sure to have Ethel sell it to me at another time.
I make a square-shaped cut in the area specified by Ethel—about a quarter of the wall, around the hole I made to escape—using ‘Sword Saint’s Slash’ many times over before having Ayako attach her chains at the four corners and ordering the daemon to pull the chains.
Slimes overflow at the same time as the wall falls out, and I scrape them out by thrusting my nodachi forward and having the daemon do the work.
“…How dare… how dare a mere human…” The daemon keeps moving its hands, muttering and grunting.
But I must say, I never thought having a tamed monster around would make things so convenient. At the unexpected discovery, I become a little reluctant to kill the daemon.
Then again, although it’s now obedient because its main body is in my hand, I’m sure it’ll bare its fangs at me the moment I let down my guard.
Given the danger it poses, turning it into experience points once it’s served its purpose is the only choice.
If only I can tame it, I’ll gladly take it in as a servant, but… that’s not possible because the level of my ‘Monster Tamer’ skill is low.
I can also ask Ethel or Ayako if they would like to keep it later.
Anyways, as we keep going forward while scraping out the slimes, the escape hole we made by hollowing out the ceiling of the underground archive from the inside of it a week ago slowly comes into view.
From the hole, the inside of the forbidden book section is visible, but it’s impossible to enter because its barrier has been completely restored.
But I was able to tear the barrier when I was making the hole, so it wouldn’t pose much of an obstacle to me.
Then regarding the daemon, Ethel and Ayako say they don’t need it, so I, being a fair and benevolent employer, decide to give it two choices as a reward for all the work it has done: “Would you like to obediently return to your book and be stored in the forbidden book section or be burned to cinders?”
After spending a couple of minutes weighing between the two choices, the daemon eventually chooses to get back into the book and be stored, so I tear through the barrier before going ahead and entering the forbidden book section.
According to Ethel, the bookshelves in the forbidden book section have the power of sealing. I shelve it back as promised.
I’m a little reluctant to part with the experience points, but…………………. well, a promise is a promise.
“All’s clear, come in, you two~!”
“……”
“Mm, here we go!”
Ayako and Ethel jump down from the hole in the ceiling.
Ayako may be fine, but I can’t say the same about Ethel, so I catch her.
“Huh!”
“I never asked you to catch me.”
“Mm? So what?”
“Tōru, you are considerate in weird places… Haah, never mind. Thanks.”
“—!!” Ayako prods me with her trident as Ethel and I are having that exchange.
Judging from her bloodcurdling expression, could it be she wanted me to hurry up and give her the staff?
It’s a natural demand given that is the reason why we’re here in the first place.
“!!!!!!”
“Okay, I’ve got it, the staff, right? Gimme a second.”
“Don’t worry, he just hid it under the piles of books over there in the corner, it won’t take long.”
“We’re gonna take a break here, so please fix the barrier, Ethel. Well, we’ll have to cut it open again later, but if slimes fall down while we’re resting, I will start leveling (training).”
“I’ve got… come again?”
I mean, if slimes automatically fall from above you, wouldn’t the normal thing to do be to wait for them below while practice-swinging?
I didn’t say anything strange, but Ethel has a question mark above her head.
I decide to tell her to forget about it and repair the barrier, before pushing my way through the piles of books in the corner of the room and retrieving the ‘staff’ underneath them.
The tip of the tall blue staff is tinted purple.
It must have touched Cordelia-san’s blood at some point. When this discoloration spread to the whole staff, the ‘Deadly Sins Holy Staff’ will be completed.
Ayako will definitely believe this is the real deal if she sees this discoloration. A fortunate coincidence, I’d say.
Of course, as Amanai asked me to look after Ethel, I have no intention let it be completed. Because if something happens to Cordelia-san, Ethel will be negatively affected by it.
But I have to keep my end of the deal with Ayako to get information regarding the hidden passage in the dungeon. So for the time being, I’ll let her keep the ‘staff’ until I get the information from Joseph. “Here, this is the ‘Deadly Sins Holy Staff’.”
“—!” Ayako grabs the staff presented in front of her and observes it from top to bottom, and when she notices the discoloration at the tip, she softly touches it with her fingertips as if she’s handling a priceless treasure.
Then she remains silent for a while.
Is she being deeply moved, or is she burning the desire for revenge in her heart?
Either way, she will eventually bare her fangs at Joseph, it’s a foregone conclusion.
And that’s what I’ll be taking advantage of. But first things first, I’ve gotta have Ayako’s side to uphold the end of their deal.
“Now it’s your turn. Give me the information on the dungeon passage.”
Ayako, looking up at my words, nods and pokes the little bird hanging over her head.
Then the little bird—or to be exact, Joseph on the other side—reacts. Getting up, the little bird opens its little beak.
“‘Morphing’.”
The little bird starts changing shape while making crunching sounds.
The process is grotesque to watch, to say the least. In the end, a ‘human mouth’ takes shape.
“…Ah~, ah~, ah~, okay. It seems to be working fine.”
The now wingless little bird has a human mouth from its chest to its back, looking creepy as hell.
The mouth resulting from the insane remodeling—which makes you doubt the sanity of the creator—opens and closes several times, making several vocalizations as if to confirm its function. Audible from it is Joseph’s voice.
“I see that you have received the staff, Ayako. Well then, it’s time for us to give the information.”
I spread the materials related to the remodeling work inside the academy dungeon and the drawing of the structure of the entire dungeon on the table in the middle of the forbidden book section.
Then, I ask Joseph for an explanation regarding the 8th passage that he supposedly used to use while pointing at the large stain of black paint that hides a part of the drawing.
“How nostalgic. It’s been hundreds of years now. I think you’re lucky for coming here to look for a way to solve the academy dungeon blockage. As you may have guessed, you can break into the dungeon through this 8th passage.”
“For you to know the circumstances regarding the blockage, I’ll take it that you guys are the ones behind it. I want to kill the principal offender, but am I right to assume that it’s Nanashino?”
“Well, yeah. But more importantly, let’s get back on topic, shall we? To explain… it’ll be easier to understand if the black-stained part is transcribed. Ayako, dear, would you please lend me a hand?”
Somehow, the subordinate testified against his own leader.
Considering Joseph’s slip of tongue caused the identity of the Last Boss to be revealed even in-game, the guy seems to not have any sense of loyalty to the ‘Black Sword’ to which he belongs.
Well, thanks to it, the name Nanashino has now officially entered the list of people I’m gonna beat when I get home. I turn my attention back to Joseph and Ayako.
“――――” Ayako draws on a blank sheet of paper.
Probably Joseph is sharing information and giving instructions to her through their connection.
It’s not as elaborate as the drawing I brought out, but it clearly depicts the information of the passage hidden under the black stain.
“The details and the strength of the strokes are well-balanced. You did well, Ayako.”
“…………”
“Now, let me explain. At the time, the 8thpassage was used as a transportation route to the raw material storage area, and it was positioned to connect to the space between the 27th and 28th surface floor. Oh, before I continue, you do know that the academy dungeon has 50 surface floors and 50 undersurface floors, don’t you?”
“I know. So, how do I get into this passage? Also, is it even still accessible?”
I don’t care about the details of the 8thpassage, what’s important to me is whether it can be used to get inside the dungeon. In response to my question, Joseph affirms, “It sure is,” and continues, “The raw material storage area was the first remodeling work inside a dungeon that humans have ever done. Think of it as if a small box is embedded into a human body. No matter how hard the dungeon tries to, it won’t be able to block it.”
“Still, that means people may block it from the inside, right?”
“Of course, it’s possible. If they know it exists, that is.”
Looks like this guy is the type who won’t voluntarily say something when no one asks.
I stand to gain from it, so I don’t care, but it gives me a reminder to never get into the same organization as a troublesome guy like him.
As expected of the executive who contributed to the destruction of the ‘Black Sword’ in-game, he sure is not your average joe!!
If you have this guy on your side, your days will definitely be full of thrills!!
“The entrance to the 8th passage has been filled up, but the passage itself most likely still exists. Digging it up may prove slightly difficult, but… Positionally, it should extend straight from under the academy’s equipment changing room toward the dungeon.”
Equipment changing room… oh, it’s that two-stories building that looks like a club room building a slight distance away from the dungeon.
It’s built for students who are going to challenge the dungeon to change their school uniform into full-body armor or put on protectors over their uniform.
In-game, you can quickly change your equipment on the menu screen, and here I always wear my uniform as my standard combat outfit, so I’ve never been there.
Which means it wouldn’t pose any inconvenience to me even if it’s gone. Further, we’re in an emergency, so destroying one or two buildings should be allowed.
Should I burn it down? Or should I have someone blow it up? …Hmm, I need to consider it after we get back.
I’ll just keep in mind that the best method is the one that leaves as few rubbles as possible because that way, it’ll be easier to dig it up.
After that, I also ask about the approximate location of the passage just in case, and thus end the first stage of our deal.
According to the deal, after Ayako has safely returned, I should hand over Cordelia-san to the other party, then the deal is completed. But here I’m gonna choose the eliminate the disgusting remodeled little bird and persuade Ayako to team up to kill Joseph route.
“That is all. Now, I recommend you withdraw as soon as possible. If you have further questions, it’d be better to just ask me in person than through this puppet. Plus, I can’t endure being away from Ayako for much longer—”
(Slash. No, a stab would be more suitable to get rid of the bird. Then, I’ll explain the disadvantages of the ‘Deadly Sins Holy Staff’ to Ayako and urge her to team up. Then, I’ll send a signal to Iris and—)
I take advantage of Joseph’s lapse of attention to casually adjust my posture in preparation to get rid of the little bird that is Joseph’s eyes and ears, then I quietly put my hand on my sword, when—
“……Huh?”
――Thud.
Before the suddenly collapsed Ayako and little bird, I leak out a stupid voice.
The Fulfillment of the DealYou know, I got Tru wrong at first. My first impression of him was that he was a weird guy, but from then on it gradually changes into a weird guy with a screw loose in his head. I mean, which sane person would do something like he just did. Ayako nods as if agreeing with the already well-rested Ethel's words.For that the be the first thing coming out of her mouth, the only thing I can say is: How would you beat it, then?Or rather, you've got a huge misunderstanding if you think that I'm always fighting in this manner.The enemies we're facing this time are all unique monsters that can't be found anywhere else. Some of them were originally added into the game to serve as easter eggs, whereas some others were added simply because they'd been designed and it'd be a waste to discard them.Oniharukon' is a good example. The shitty monster should have been rejected at the planning stage or at least been given experience points equivalent to the hardships you have to go through to defeat it.Facing such troublesome monsters, you have to use unordinary means.You're completely out of your mind if you think I took such an extreme approach because I like it. I'm no masochist, okay? I feel so disappointed in you. Oh?That's true, but No, actually, even after taking that into account, you're still insane, Tru.As Ethel repeatedly mutters stuff about how I've got a screw loose in my head, Ayako nods repeatedly, agreeing with her.Unable to accept what they are saying, I say to Ayako, Not as much as your father, causing her to stiffen, Ethel to shut her mouth, and the bird perching atop Ayako's headin other words, Joseph, to spread out his wings and fall on his back, twitching, for some reason.I snort and turn back to the great library.Now what to do.Seeing the slimes overflowing the building, I begin to wonder how to get in.The multiplication source, the Planarian Slime's main body, has already been secured.When I talked with it by using the Monster Tamer' skill, it said that the split bodies didn't really matter to it as it ate the monster bait in Ethel's arms by dissolving it.And when I interviewed the split bodies overflowing the great library, they answered, Inside, full. Jam-packed. Awful. Apparently, the inside is packed from the floor to the ceiling, as we can see from the outside.Hmm. I thought if I tame the Planarian Slime with Monster Tamer' skill, I'd be able to command it to tell its split bodies to get out, but looks like that's impossible.After all, they're apparently so packed that they've got no room to move. Even if they're told to get out, they won't be able to.In addition, since I just recently acquired the Monster Tamer' skill, its level is still pathetically low, so the chances I can tame the Planarian Slime main body is low. Even the split bodies give me a subtle reaction, indicating it'd be difficult to tame them.In which case, we're left with no choice but to get rid of the slimes one by one. I'm willing to do it, but it'd take too much time.And their disappearance would likely alert the knights who are guarding the perimeter and prompt them to get in to check in on the situation.If that happens, I, a trespasser, would have to change my opponent from the slimes to the knights. Even I know it'd be better to avoid such a situation.If so, should I use an AoE attack to take them all out in one go?But the owner of the AoE attack is not here, the only technique that can kill as many enemies as possible at once currently available is my Flame Sword: Fire Snake'.However, there is a high risk of the books inside getting burned if I use a fire-based attack.Not to mention, if the building ends up catching fire, the knights would surely notice it. I don't wanna be told to pay reparation later on. Hell, I may not even be able to afford it.As such, though it's not the smartest move, we've got no choice but to work hard to scrape out the slimes as we make our way in.The side wall where I made a hole cannot be seen from outside the barrier, so I should be free to do whatever I please with it.Ayako, I'm gonna destroy the wall, so attach your chains at the spots I designate.!Wait a minute.You against it, Ethel? But we have to do it to scrape out the slimes inside.I know. Just wanted to ask, from where to where are you going to destroy it?This whole wall.Are you stupid???Given the numbers of slimes inside, wouldn't you need a hole of equivalent size to scrape them out?That being the case, it'd be better to break the whole wall rather than cut out a part of the wall. That way, we can get it done faster.The building is rectangular, anyway. It can still stand strong even if one of the four sides disappears. Now, without further ado, let's go!Let's go, my foot! An actual building isn't like toy building blocks! Or rather, for you to come up with such an idea, are you out of your mind!?Ehh~, then how much can I destroy?You're not gonna reject destroying the wall, are you?At my question, Ethel heaves a sigh and shows me the area of the wall that can be destroyed by tracing the air with her finger.I knew she had a high level of education as a former saintess candidate, but it seems that she's also well-versed in the subject of architecture.I wonder where the saintess would put it to use, but she says it's necessary on the occasion that the saintess visits a church on the regular local inspection. The saintess has to judge whether the construction of the church is appropriate by comparing the blueprint that has been turned in and the actual building.No, is that even the saintess's work? Isn't it something that should be handled by a specialized department like an audit department or something?What a coincidence, I've been thinking the same for a long time now. However, the audit department has been under the direct supervision of the saintess for generations to prevent it from being incorporated into one of the denominations. As a result, handling such matters became a part of being a saintess.So that's why auditing ended up becoming one of the skills mastered by the successive generations of saintessesThe game lore depicted the successive generations of saintesses as superhumans, but only now does it dawn on me how much of a truth that is.And at the same time, it hit me how distorted the religious organizations in this world are, and I must say, they put too much burden on the saintess's shoulder.But on the other hand, I get a little interested in the education which lays the foundation to give birth to the superhuman that is the saintess.Absorbing a great deal of knowledge and nurturing the cognitive ability to put them to useto achieve them necessitate quality leveling efficient education' from early childhood.If I learn how the saintess is educated, I may find something that can be useful for my leveling. I'll make sure to have Ethel sell it to me at another time.I make a square-shaped cut in the area specified by Ethelabout a quarter of the wall, around the hole I made to escapeusing Sword Saint's Slash' many times over before having Ayako attach her chains at the four corners and ordering the daemon to pull the chains.Slimes overflow at the same time as the wall falls out, and I scrape them out by thrusting my nodachi forward and having the daemon do the work.How dare how dare a mere human The daemon keeps moving its hands, muttering and grunting.But I must say, I never thought having a tamed monster around would make things so convenient. At the unexpected discovery, I become a little reluctant to kill the daemon.Then again, although it's now obedient because its main body is in my hand, I'm sure it'll bare its fangs at me the moment I let down my guard.Given the danger it poses, turning it into experience points once it's served its purpose is the only choice.If only I can tame it, I'll gladly take it in as a servant, but that's not possible because the level of my Monster Tamer' skill is low.I can also ask Ethel or Ayako if they would like to keep it later.Anyways, as we keep going forward while scraping out the slimes, the escape hole we made by hollowing out the ceiling of the underground archive from the inside of it a week ago slowly comes into view.From the hole, the inside of the forbidden book section is visible, but it's impossible to enter because its barrier has been completely restored.But I was able to tear the barrier when I was making the hole, so it wouldn't pose much of an obstacle to me.Then regarding the daemon, Ethel and Ayako say they don't need it, so I, being a fair and benevolent employer, decide to give it two choices as a reward for all the work it has done: Would you like to obediently return to your book and be stored in the forbidden book section or be burned to cinders?After spending a couple of minutes weighing between the two choices, the daemon eventually chooses to get back into the book and be stored, so I tear through the barrier before going ahead and entering the forbidden book section.According to Ethel, the bookshelves in the forbidden book section have the power of sealing. I shelve it back as promised.I'm a little reluctant to part with the experience points, but. well, a promise is a promise.All's clear, come in, you two~!Mm, here we go!Ayako and Ethel jump down from the hole in the ceiling.Ayako may be fine, but I can't say the same about Ethel, so I catch her.Huh!I never asked you to catch me.Mm? So what?Tru, you are considerate in weird places Haah, never mind. Thanks.!! Ayako prods me with her trident as Ethel and I are having that exchange.Judging from her bloodcurdling expression, could it be she wanted me to hurry up and give her the staff?It's a natural demand given that is the reason why we're here in the first place.!!!!!!Okay, I've got it, the staff, right? Gimme a second.Don't worry, he just hid it under the piles of books over there in the corner, it won't take long.We're gonna take a break here, so please fix the barrier, Ethel. Well, we'll have to cut it open again later, but if slimes fall down while we're resting, I will start leveling training.I've got come again?I mean, if slimes automatically fall from above you, wouldn't the normal thing to do be to wait for them below while practice-swinging?I didn't say anything strange, but Ethel has a question mark above her head.I decide to tell her to forget about it and repair the barrier, before pushing my way through the piles of books in the corner of the room and retrieving the staff' underneath them.The tip of the tall blue staff is tinted purple.It must have touched Cordelia-san's blood at some point. When this discoloration spread to the whole staff, the Deadly Sins Holy Staff' will be completed.Ayako will definitely believe this is the real deal if she sees this discoloration. A fortunate coincidence, I'd say.Of course, as Amanai asked me to look after Ethel, I have no intention let it be completed. Because if something happens to Cordelia-san, Ethel will be negatively affected by it.But I have to keep my end of the deal with Ayako to get information regarding the hidden passage in the dungeon. So for the time being, I'll let her keep the staff' until I get the information from Joseph. Here, this is the Deadly Sins Holy Staff'.! Ayako grabs the staff presented in front of her and observes it from top to bottom, and when she notices the discoloration at the tip, she softly touches it with her fingertips as if she's handling a priceless treasure.Then she remains silent for a while.Is she being deeply moved, or is she burning the desire for revenge in her heart?Either way, she will eventually bare her fangs at Joseph, it's a foregone conclusion.And that's what I'll be taking advantage of. But first things first, I've gotta have Ayako's side to uphold the end of their deal.Now it's your turn. Give me the information on the dungeon passage.Ayako, looking up at my words, nods and pokes the little bird hanging over her head.Then the little birdor to be exact, Joseph on the other sidereacts. Getting up, the little bird opens its little beak.Morphing'.The little bird starts changing shape while making crunching sounds.The process is grotesque to watch, to say the least. In the end, a human mouth' takes shape.Ah~, ah~, ah~, okay. It seems to be working fine.The now wingless little bird has a human mouth from its chest to its back, looking creepy as hell.The mouth resulting from the insane remodelingwhich makes you doubt the sanity of the creatoropens and closes several times, making several vocalizations as if to confirm its function. Audible from it is Joseph's voice.I see that you have received the staff, Ayako. Well then, it's time for us to give the information.I spread the materials related to the remodeling work inside the academy dungeon and the drawing of the structure of the entire dungeon on the table in the middle of the forbidden book section.Then, I ask Joseph for an explanation regarding the 8th passage that he supposedly used to use while pointing at the large stain of black paint that hides a part of the drawing.How nostalgic. It's been hundreds of years now. I think you're lucky for coming here to look for a way to solve the academy dungeon blockage. As you may have guessed, you can break into the dungeon through this 8th passage.For you to know the circumstances regarding the blockage, I'll take it that you guys are the ones behind it. I want to kill the principal offender, but am I right to assume that it's Nanashino?Well, yeah. But more importantly, let's get back on topic, shall we? To explain it'll be easier to understand if the black-stained part is transcribed. Ayako, dear, would you please lend me a hand?Somehow, the subordinate testified against his own leader.Considering Joseph's slip of tongue caused the identity of the Last Boss to be revealed even in-game, the guy seems to not have any sense of loyalty to the Black Sword' to which he belongs.Well, thanks to it, the name Nanashino has now officially entered the list of people I'm gonna beat when I get home. I turn my attention back to Joseph and Ayako. Ayako draws on a blank sheet of paper.Probably Joseph is sharing information and giving instructions to her through their connection.It's not as elaborate as the drawing I brought out, but it clearly depicts the information of the passage hidden under the black stain.The details and the strength of the strokes are well-balanced. You did well, Ayako.Now, let me explain. At the time, the 8thpassage was used as a transportation route to the raw material storage area, and it was positioned to connect to the space between the 27th and 28th surface floor. Oh, before I continue, you do know that the academy dungeon has 50 surface floors and 50 undersurface floors, don't you?I know. So, how do I get into this passage? Also, is it even still accessible?I don't care about the details of the 8thpassage, what's important to me is whether it can be used to get inside the dungeon. In response to my question, Joseph affirms, It sure is, and continues, The raw material storage area was the first remodeling work inside a dungeon that humans have ever done. Think of it as if a small box is embedded into a human body. No matter how hard the dungeon tries to, it won't be able to block it.Still, that means people may block it from the inside, right?Of course, it's possible. If they know it exists, that is.Looks like this guy is the type who won't voluntarily say something when no one asks.I stand to gain from it, so I don't care, but it gives me a reminder to never get into the same organization as a troublesome guy like him.As expected of the executive who contributed to the destruction of the Black Sword' in-game, he sure is not your average joe!!If you have this guy on your side, your days will definitely be full of thrills!!The entrance to the 8th passage has been filled up, but the passage itself most likely still exists. Digging it up may prove slightly difficult, but Positionally, it should extend straight from under the academy's equipment changing room toward the dungeon.Equipment changing room oh, it's that two-stories building that looks like a club room building a slight distance away from the dungeon.It's built for students who are going to challenge the dungeon to change their school uniform into full-body armor or put on protectors over their uniform.In-game, you can quickly change your equipment on the menu screen, and here I always wear my uniform as my standard combat outfit, so I've never been there.Which means it wouldn't pose any inconvenience to me even if it's gone. Further, we're in an emergency, so destroying one or two buildings should be allowed.Should I burn it down? Or should I have someone blow it up? Hmm, I need to consider it after we get back.I'll just keep in mind that the best method is the one that leaves as few rubbles as possible because that way, it'll be easier to dig it up.After that, I also ask about the approximate location of the passage just in case, and thus end the first stage of our deal.According to the deal, after Ayako has safely returned, I should hand over Cordelia-san to the other party, then the deal is completed. But here I'm gonna choose the eliminate the disgusting remodeled little bird and persuade Ayako to team up to kill Joseph route.That is all. Now, I recommend you withdraw as soon as possible. If you have further questions, it'd be better to just ask me in person than through this puppet. Plus, I can't endure being away from Ayako for much longerSlash. No, a stab would be more suitable to get rid of the bird. Then, I'll explain the disadvantages of the Deadly Sins Holy Staff' to Ayako and urge her to team up. Then, I'll send a signal to Iris andI take advantage of Joseph's lapse of attention to casually adjust my posture in preparation to get rid of the little bird that is Joseph's eyes and ears, then I quietly put my hand on my sword, whenHuh?Thud.Before the suddenly collapsed Ayako and little bird, I leak out a stupid voice.
