Chapter 225: Scenario Dungeon
Chapter 225: Scenario Dungeon
We returned to the Great Temple, everyone’s skin a shade darker. Judging by the strange looks of envy from those around us, it seemed what Helena told me before was true.
Since they worship the God of Light, they even admire skin tanned by the sun...
My image at the Academy had been poor in many ways, so receiving such favorable gazes felt a bit awkward.
Iona, however, seemed slightly elated and began walking with an unexpected model-like strut. ...It was a little embarrassing.
Anyway, we’d had a good day of fun and were about to get some rest.
That was when my eyes met Helena’s as she paced in front of the VIP room. What’s this? Why is she acting like this here?
A look of delight flickered in Helena’s wide golden eyes, and she came scurrying over to us.
“Brother Yandel!”
“Oh, hello. Is something the matter, Lady Helena?”
“First of all, all the meetings I had to attend are over. I’ll have to stand before the believers later to announce the existence of the Saintess, but that is literally for later.”
“Oh... then you’ll have some time left? It felt a bit bad playing among ourselves without you, Lady Helena.”
“Yes. And I have one more piece of even more important news.”
Saying so, she gripped the medallion at her chest and closed her eyes. It looked as if she were offering a light prayer.
“Righteous Light has awakened, Brother Yandel.”
Suddenly, lion ears made of light sprouted from Helena’s head.
“Uh?”
They looked exactly like the ones on Righteous Light when she had transformed into her human form. Helena’s aura had changed slightly as well.
It was a heavier feeling, the kind that made one instinctively want to look up in reverence.
Helena, now shrouded in an atmosphere often described as pious or holy, slowly opened her eyes.
The moment I saw her golden eyes emitting a faint glow of their own, I realized it. The person in front of me was Helena... but there was something else inside her.
Well, it was probably Righteous Light.
I stared into Helena’s eyes and gave an awkward wave.
“Righteous Light?”
“Ahem. She... she says she is glad to see you again, Brother.”
“Ah, so you’re relaying the message for her, Lady Helena?”
“That is the case for now. Once I grow a bit more as a Saintess, it will be possible for you to speak with her directly.”
Helena puffed out her chest slightly, looking proud. So it’ll be possible later.
“Ah, perhaps Spirit Mediumship...?”
“Correct. Once I succeed in Spirit Mediumship, Righteous Light will be able to fully occupy my body and speak to you herself. There probably won’t be any need for a translator then.”
Spirit Mediumship.
It was an Apostle’s primary skill. It was a technique that brought the consciousness of the god residing within the body to the surface, allowing them to fight together.
In the game, the description was written that way, but it was implemented simply as an effect that significantly increased all stats and Divine Art proficiency for a certain period.
“It won’t take long, then.”
“I certainly hope so.”
“I’m sure you will.”
Since Spirit Mediumship is a primary skill, it’s a technique learned relatively early on. And in terms of pure talent, Helena was considered the best among all the Saintess candidates.
As I nodded, Helena asked with an expectant expression.
“So, when are we going to the dungeon?”
“Ah.”
Come to think of it, I had promised to take Helena to a dungeon.
It was perfect timing, as I needed to build rapport with the other women as well.
Did she have fond memories of the last time we smashed through a swarm of slimes and cleared a dungeon together?
I gave a small smirk and nodded at Helena, who was already looking excited.
“Well, since you said you don’t have work for a while... shall we go tomorrow?”
“Tomorrow... you say?”
“Yes. It’s better to go as soon as possible for things like this. Oh, I’m thinking of going to that dungeon I mentioned last time tomorrow. Is everyone okay with that? Except for Senior Fay.”
“Why me?!”
“Because you’re a non-combatant, Senior...”
“You’ve been taking me along just fine until now!”
“This dungeon is a bit different from the ones we’ve been to.”
“...Right. You mentioned it was a Scenario Dungeon last time, didn’t you, Junior?”
A Scenario Dungeon is a place where the distortion of time and space—one of the characteristics of dungeons—is manifested most strongly.
Beyond the simple infinite respawning of monsters, it is a dungeon that infinitely repeats a specific point in time.
This happens during the dungeon’s creation process when the distortion is intensified by someone’s powerful will.
You could say the will remaining in that area acts as a tether, holding onto a dungeon that was about to fly off to the other side of the dimensions.
Because of this, the method for clearing it is also slightly different from conventional dungeons.
The monsters you see inside the dungeon are all real, but everything else besides the monsters is a recreation of 300 years ago.
However, you must produce a different result than what happened 300 years ago.
To put it more simply, it means you have to intervene in an event that happened in the past and change its conclusion.
It’s because you can only clear it by resolving the lingering regrets held by the owner of that will, almost like performing an exorcism.
Naturally, the difficulty is high. It’s like having to turn the impossible into the possible.
That’s why I didn't have the luxury of bringing Fay, a non-combatant, this time.
Well, even if we clear it that hard, the past doesn't actually change. In the end, everything that happens inside a Scenario Dungeon is just an illusion.
However, the rewards are much better than other dungeons.
A Scenario Dungeon is a dungeon that would have normally been bounced out to the outer dimensions. Someone’s lingering regret is what forcibly held it back.
Because of that, the powers of the Good Gods and Evil Gods inside the dungeon don't clash and wear each other down, so the amount of power recovered upon clearing is much higher.
The fact that the rewards falling to us also increase is a bonus.
Helena, who had been listening to the conversation between Fay and me, smiled brightly and clapped her hands.
“A Scenario Dungeon? Then it would be better to just go secretly rather than trying to persuade His Holiness the Pope!”
“...Wait a minute, Lady Helena. Secretly? What do you mean by that?”
“Actually, His Holiness said that since I am now the Saintess, I must be accompanied by guards whenever I go to dangerous places for the time being.”
“......”
“But since it’s you, Brother, you must have suggested going because you’re confident we can clear it ourselves, right?”
“That is true, but...”
I pondered for a moment and let out a deep sigh.
“I’ll do the persuading, so let’s give up on going secretly.”
“If you say so, Brother Yandel...”
Helena nodded, looking somewhat disappointed for some reason.
Why are you disappointed?
*
“Absolutely not.”
Albaor refused flatly as soon as I said I would take Helena into the dungeon.
“It is too dangerous. I am well aware that you and your party are strong, Brother. But that does not guarantee the Saintess’s safety, does it?”
“I have already finished investigating the interior of the dungeon. Since it’s a Scenario Dungeon, there’s no chance of unexpected variables occurring.”
“Please do not look at me like that. I am not opposing this blindly.”
“Then...”
“I mean that I will agree once the Saintess is able to manifest her power as a Saintess in battle, and on the condition that she goes with Cardinal Gilbert.”
“Hmm.”
I could understand Albaor’s position.
The risk of being ambushed on the way didn't matter since we’d be using Iona’s teleportation.
But even so, we were going to a Scenario-type dungeon, which is generally more difficult than other dungeons.
He would naturally be worried about sending Helena, who had only just awakened as a Saintess.
He would only be able to rest easy after she at least learned how to use the Saintess’s power and had a guard attached just in case.
“That’s reasonable. Lady Helena? What do you think?”
“I...”
Helena, who had been agonizing for a long time, slowly nodded her head.
“I understand. I think I was being too hasty. As His Holiness said, I will go with Uncle Gilbert after I get a bit more used to this.”
“A wise decision, Saintess. Then, starting today, I will personally take charge of your lessons. I may look like this now, but I made quite a name for myself as a Battle Priest in my younger days, so do not worry.”
Albaor chuckled, saying that the reason he had maintained the now-elected position of Pope for 40 years was that no Cardinal stronger than him had appeared during that time.
Wait, they pick the Pope based on combat power?
It was a reason very fitting for the Church of Light, which considers hunting down cultists and monsters its ultimate mission, but still...
I belatedly pulled myself together after being dazed by the completely unexpected backstory and spoke up.
“Wait a moment.”
“Hmm? What is it, Brother Yandel?”
Helena, who had been clenching her fists with determination, tilted her head.
As I thought. She probably doesn't know it herself yet.
“I’m sure His Holiness’s skills are indeed great. But, Lady Helena.”
“Yes?”
“A mace suits you better than Divine Arts.”
“...?”
Helena tilted her head again, seemingly not quite understanding yet. So I spoke more clearly.
“I mean that you have more talent as a Holy Knight than a Battle Priest. So it would be better to take lessons from Lord Gilbert.”
“But...”
Being a Saintess doesn't mean you always have to provide support from the rear. Why else would the symbol of a Saintess be the Holy Armor, of all things?
It was because there were actually many Saintesses in the Church of Righteous Light who fought at the front lines.
But for Helena, even knowing this, it must have felt quite uncomfortable.
She had spent her whole life trying to control her habit of charging in whenever she got excited.
“You shouldn't just suppress it. If you can properly utilize your impulses, they will become a weapon more powerful than anything else.”
“......”
Even after I said all this, Helena couldn't easily answer.
I shrugged my shoulders at her and added.
“If you’re not sure, why don't you ask Righteous Light? You can do that now, can’t you?”
“Ah!”
With an expression as if she had realized something, Helena clasped her hands together as if in prayer.
Glowing lion ears and a tail popped out, and Helena’s lips began to move silently.
Twitch, twitch.
Swish, swish.
The ears and tail swayed back and forth as if responding to the prayer.
Before long, Helena opened her eyes and gave a soft smile.
“Righteous Light said that a mace has a better feel to it, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to give it a try!”
“Uh, um.”
A better feel?
This was resolved properly, right...?