Chapter 85: Exploration Maniac
Chapter 85: Exploration Maniac
The dining hall of Odilon’s mansion.
“Everyone, have a drink—!”
The maid Charlotte poured each person seated around the dining table a mug of beer.
It was a drinking party celebrating both the completion of the [Sanctuary of Restful Purification] hidden-piece strategy and the end of the Pale Shadow agent training.
Since the young master—who fundamentally distrusted human relationships—had sent word that his schedule in District Three would be longer than expected, everyone had gathered to spend some time strengthening their camaraderie.
“Pale Shadow agents, you all get a drink toooo!”
Even the thieves formerly from the Black Sword Guild were now proudly enjoying alcohol as fully recognized agents.
“Finally, the training is over!”
The Pale Shadow agent with the most rugged face chuckled with flushed cheeks.
《Andre (Human, 33) — Former Vice Guild Master of the Black Sword Guild. His skill has improved quite a bit since last time. Despite his rough appearance, he must have trained quite diligently.》
He greedily devoured the freshly prepared snacks Charlotte had made while gulping down beer.
The other thieves who had newly become agents were also enjoying their long-awaited freedom.
“Lady Marlin, Lord Abel. Cake and juice.”
Everyone except the siblings—who were given premium snacks instead of alcohol due to being minors—were enthusiastically drinking.
Everyone except me.
“Butler, why am I the only one not allowed to drink?”
“There was a strict request from Rosalia.”
Sergius, who had been carrying Charlotte’s dishes, stopped and answered.
“She said under no circumstances should alcohol be given to Lord Kar. I’ve never seen that child insist so strongly before.”
Just what exactly happened last time?
Because of the blackout from that day, a large portion of my memory had vanished, so I had no idea why.
《That quiet, pointy-eared one made the correct decision!》
Even Truth agreed.
Did I perhaps get so drunk that I made a fool of myself—ignoring the alcohol and stuffing my face with side dishes?
If it were that level of disgrace, I could somewhat understand.
“Lord Kar, is it inconvenient without your arm?”
Sergius set down a glass of Spirit Water in front of me and glanced at my missing left arm.
He looked calm now, but he had been absolutely shocked when he first saw it.
“It is difficult because my balance is off. I’m considering cutting off the right arm as well. Perhaps the legs too. Eventually I’ll replace everything with prosthetics.”
“…Please do not joke about such things.”
“Ah… that wasn’t a joke.”
Wouldn’t replacing perfectly functional biological limbs with mechanical ones increase combat power significantly—like in cyberpunk?
Since that would not involve recklessly losing them in battle, surely the siblings would approve.
“…Kar, do you want to die?”
Apparently not.
Marlin shamelessly poked my side again from the left.
“Please eat freely while listening.”
I sipped the Spirit Water and spoke to everyone.
“I will soon participate in the guild war as a member of the Gray Wolf Guild.”
“Ah, the guild war is coming soon?”
Pendrick smiled as he stabbed a sausage with his fork.
“So we just watch?”
“Watching is fine, but train whenever you can. Our expedition team is still lacking in strength.”
— As expected, Lord Kar would never leave us alone!
Leaders who constantly push their members to work hard were usually unpopular.
But I had something to say as well.
“Did I not say it before? I intend to continue running toward my goal without stopping.”
Five years remained until the world was destroyed by the great monster of Nightmare Dungeon.
Waiting until the deadline approached and then desperately trying to catch up might also have its thrill, but I had no intention of wasting time.
Since the survival of the world was at stake, the tension had to remain in the back of my mind at all times.
“Butler, when will the newly appointed Pale Shadow agents begin field assignments?”
The Pale Shadow.
The main duty of Brites family intelligence agents was to live disguised as ordinary civilians and gather all possible information available from their positions.
“Very soon. The Pale Shadow agents will begin in the darker corners and gradually expand their influence.”
It was an extensive intelligence network with no blind spots or sacred zones.
One could say it was the signature specialty that allowed the Brites family to exist as it did today.
“Lord Kar, do you intend to directly assign information-gathering tasks through agents under your command?”
“Something like that.”
“I expected as much, so I prepared one person in advance.”
As expected of the butler.
“Please take care of me, Cultist—!!”
One of the agents who had been quietly drinking suddenly stood up and bowed at a perfect ninety-degree angle.
《Rachel (Human, 34) — A thief from the Black Sword Guild who considers stealing an art form. Extremely loyal to those in power, so she will obey your commands very well.》
“Starting tomorrow, I’ll be working as a housemaid at the Cultist’s home! Please take care of me—!”
“Yes, please take care of me.”
“Yes! May vast knowledge flow to Lidni!”
Trying to win over the Wise One as well?
This was no ordinary agent.
《The Wise One is pleased :) Though who knows how long it will last, a new believer has finally appeared!》
Watching Rachel greet Marlin cheerfully, I took another sip of Spirit Water and spoke again.
“After the guild war, the Moon Expedition will become especially busy. Before that, I’d like the members to go on vacation together—just one day to relax. What do you think?”
“A vacation?”
Bartimir, who had been silently stuffing food into his mouth until now, suddenly widened his eyes.
“Where?”
“District Five.”
“I agree.”
I had never expected our innocent-looking demon girl to oppose the idea.
“I like it too. Sounds fun.”
— Lord Kar is making a wholesome suggestion for once. I’m in.
My lover accepted it, and the siblings had already agreed, so the decision passed unanimously.
“Excellent. Then our expedition’s next schedule will be exploration of a D-rank labyrinth in District Five.”
— …Kaaaar!!
Astrimia shouted in protest, but no one present shared the beautiful Ego Sword’s opinion.
“Of course it’s exploration! Hehe, honestly I expected it this time!”
Pendrick, the embodiment of positivity and sociability, rarely voiced negative opinions.
“D-rank? A bit disappointing, but fine.”
Bartimir, a labyrinth enthusiast, would never oppose exploration.
“Kar, you finally did it again….”
“Still, it’s a good chance to show how much we’ve improved….”
The siblings, already persuaded, nodded reluctantly.
The butler and maid, who were not expedition members, simply looked away as if it had nothing to do with them.
Left alone, Astrimia struggled in her lover’s arms.
— Why am I the only one objecting?! You’ve all been hypnotized by the Exploration Maniac!
“Exploration Maniac? Thank you. That’s an excellent title.”
I liked the nickname very much.
Artea Monastery.
Workshop of a craftsman belonging to the Harmony Church.
“…Finished.”
A craftsman of the Artificer class, looking utterly exhausted, opened the lid of a box with trembling hands.
Inside lay a prosthetic arm of modest size.
“Incredible!”
After inspecting the prosthetic arm closely, Valentin burst into laughter and slapped the craftsman’s shoulder repeatedly.
The already exhausted, stiff muscular body fluttered like a flag under the Holy Knight’s rough pats.
“You truly are amazing!”
“…Even if you praise me like that, I’m never accepting a request like this again. Do you know how much trouble I went through coordinating with the enchanter dispatched from the Magic Tower?”
“Haha! Sorry, sorry!”
Even while hearing the apology, the craftsman felt no relief.
This loud Holy Knight was clearly the type who would shamelessly make another unreasonable request next time.
“Still, producing something like this in just three days… when did your skill improve so much?”
“…Good question.”
The Harmony Church craftsman scratched his head.
“Solmiran granted me inspiration as hot as molten lava. I’ve never completed work this easily before.”
“As expected, you’re the best!”
“…Enough. Just go already. I’m going to sleep.”
“Good work!”
Carrying the box in his arms, Valentin left the workshop.
Lucius, who had been waiting outside, approached.
“Brother, how is the quality?”
“Absolutely superb!”
“Honestly, I didn’t think this would work….”
“Haha! When masters reduce their sleep, producing something like this is nothing!”
If the craftsman had heard those words, he would probably have turned red with anger.
Suddenly, the Holy Knight turned his gaze toward the abbot’s residence where the archbishop lived.
News that communication with Saint Seraphina had begun had put the entire monastery into a festive atmosphere.
Only that place remained strangely quiet.
“Even revealing Arteine’s arrangement hidden in [Sanctuary of Restful Purification] was enough to successfully issue the honorary Harmony Church membership badge. The real problem begins after that.”
Lucius narrowed his eyes.
“If the archbishop learns that Lord Kar has formed a special bond with Saint Seraphina, the situation will become very difficult.”
“…Indeed. Until the justification Lord Kar mentioned appears, we must treat it as nothing more than an achievement accidentally accomplished by an ordinary expedition party.”
Fortunately, the two belonged to the same sect and were not the kind of people to casually reveal secrets.
If they had belonged to different doctrinal factions, Artea Monastery would already be consumed by endless debate rather than celebration.
“Then please keep the secret until the end.”
Just as the two prepared to part ways and return to their lodgings—
“Brothers.”
A quiet voice suddenly emerged from the shadow of a nearby giant tree.
Valentin’s expression hardened as he instantly grabbed the hilt of his sword and turned.
…I didn’t notice.
The presence had been so faint that he would not have detected it unless the person spoke.
But once he focused, he could vaguely feel it.
A sharp pressure attainable only through long training and real combat.
A master capable of dropping both Valentin and Lucius’s heads to the ground without even moving from where he stood.
“Please remain calm.”
The unexpected guest in the shadows raised both hands to show he was unarmed.
Then he continued calmly.
“Human intelligence, ideal harmony, our radiant and beautiful goddess.”
“……!”
Lucius exchanged a quick glance with Valentin before speaking.
“…Were you sent by the Saint?”
His face remained calm, but his voice did not.
Saint Ferris.
The modern representative chosen by Arteine currently resided not in Pletika but in the Grand Temple of the Harmony Church in the Northern Region of the Western Continent.
The very place where the Sanctuary of Restful Purification had once stood.
“That is correct.”
The Holy Knight bodyguard of the Saint stepped slightly out of the shadows.
Even as a fellow man, his appearance was striking enough to inspire admiration.
Proof that he truly was among the Saint’s closest attendants.
“There is little time, so I will speak directly. Several weeks ago, the one who protects all people spoke to the Saint. The cultist of the Twisted Truth, Kar. That man must be watched.”
“…Ha!”
Valentin let out a small exclamation.
He had already been under Arteine’s attention.
“However, at that time it was unclear whether we should observe him favorably or oppose him. Arteine overestimated the intellectual abilities of her humble servants and gave no explicit instruction. But recently, the Saint received a new oracle.”
The Holy Knight lowered his voice so no one would overhear.
“If we fail to protect the cultist Kar until the end—so that he does not die—the apocalypse will descend upon the world.”