The Week Before the Dungeon Expedition
The Week Before the Dungeon Expedition
The dungeon expedition was set for a week later.
I wanted to go right away, of course, but—
"Is entering the dungeon truly that urgent?"
"No. Not quite that much...."
"Then we'll set out in a week. The knights will also need time to prepare."
Mother said she'd use the chance to combine it with a training exercise for the Nordkirchen Knight Order, so she'd give the knights enough time to prepare. I decided to wait quietly.
Mark of a manly man: not being stubborn about things like this.
The week flew by like an arrow.
The first day. I told my older sisters about the dungeon expedition.
"The Head of House is going with you? In that case, I doubt the knight order will be of much use no matter what. I'd probably just slow her down too."
"I knew Mother was strong, but to that extent? You've beaten a Sword Master before, Sister."
"The one I beat was an old veteran who retired ages ago. Even if ten of me rushed the Head of House, I could never win."
"Really...?"
"Yes. Haah... A dungeon expedition with the Head of House. The pressure truly is immense...."
Mar didn't even try to hide how overwhelmed she felt, and—
"A dungeon!? Yune, do you have any idea how dangerous that..."
"Mother's coming too!"
"...place is, but if the Head of House is going, I have no worries. Take care on your way!"
"Huh? You're coming too, Sister."
"What?"
Albert sighed and clutched her head.
She started crying a sob story about how she specialized in open-field combat command, and large-scale squad command inside a dungeon wasn't her field. It was so pitiful that I patted her on the shoulder—and she gave me a truly complicated and subtle look.
Then on the second day, after Mother had finished all urgent work, we tested out my various abilities together.
"Yune. Try taking out that... was it called a status window? In front of me."
"You won't be able to see it, though?"
"It's fine as long as only you can see it."
Out of nowhere, Mother told me to open my status window. I felt awkward, stuck in a situation where I had to say "that word" in front of her, but I reluctantly opened my mouth.
"...Status window."
"Hmm. It seems something really does appear."
"Wait? You can see it?"
"No. I merely observed the movement of your pupils. What is written there? Read it aloud."
"Let's see... Name, Yunes von...."
Then Mother made me read everything written on it aloud.
I read it all the way to the end without thinking much of it, and Mother nodded as if she'd grasped something.
"First, Yune. From now on, avoid taking that out and reading it in front of others."
"Huh? Why?"
"The movement of your pupils can betray the fact that you are reading something. Of course, they won't know what you're reading, but from the other person's perspective, it will look rather suspicious."
"Ah...."
Mother had pointed out something I'd never even considered. I was deeply impressed by her thinking. I'd been pulling it up to read whenever I was bored until now, but from here on, I'll only look at it when I'm alone.
After that, Mother began questioning me about all sorts of things.
"Is the language written on the status window the imperial language?"
"Huh? Ah, it's Hangul and English. They're the languages from the place Ryu Si-u lived."
"Bring me a pen and paper. Try transcribing it exactly as it appears."
She not only had me transcribe the language on the status window exactly, but also—
"Can you only see information about yourself on the status window?"
"No. I can also see information about items... objects that appeared in the game. Artifacts, elixirs, that sort of thing."
"Hm. That's good."
She asked me to what extent I could obtain information through the status window, and more.
The second day passed quickly just from answering all of Mother's questions sincerely.
On the third day, I met the head of the merchant company contracted to our family. Of course, I didn't go to meet her; the Merchant Company Head came directly to me.
Until now, when I'd pester her to procure elixirs, there were certain limitations since I had to talk around things to explain...
'I'll introduce you to the merchant company. From now on, if you think you need to purchase something, tell them directly and procure it. They're quite capable people, so they'll be able to obtain things called "items" just from the faint clues you give them.'
'Yes! I'll scrape together everything I know! I love you, Mother!'
When I consulted Mother about that inconvenience, she granted me the authority to use the family's money and simultaneously introduced me to the merchant company.
"Yunes von...."
"Call me Yune. I dislike long-winded ways of speaking."
"Understood, Lord Yune. I heard you wish to enter an exclusive contract with our Steinadler Merchant Company. What kind of contract are you looking for?"
"I plan to obtain elixirs and artifacts hidden all over the world. So I need your help."
"Pardon? We are a merchant company. For finding such items, it would be more advisable to make a request through the Adventurer's Guild."
"I'll give you the approximate locations. Along with how to get them and what form they take!"
"...!?"
The Merchant Company Head found it hard to believe, but she couldn't exactly tell the youngest son of the Grand Ducal House, "I don't believe you, show me proof." She accepted it reluctantly.
Three days later, after I'd entrusted that first round of item locations to the Merchant Company Head, the sixth day arrived—the day right before the dungeon expedition.
"Lord Yune, you're astounding. Just as you said, when we searched the forest dungeon, the object you mentioned turned up."
"Whoa, that was fast! You guys are seriously amazing! Right, you made sure to keep the adventurers quiet, didn't you?"
"Yes. We picked ones with proven credibility and skill from the start. Although it cost a fair bit of money...."
"Don't worry about money. Mother will pay for everything you spent there. In exchange, if you get caught by Mother for spending it on something shady, I take no responsibility? Our mother is incredibly scary, you know?"
"Haha. Would a merchant company dealing with the illustrious Nordkirchen Grand Ducal House ever throw away trust over mere pennies like that? Just entrust it to us with confidence, Lord Yune."
The Merchant Company Head seemed to be a fairly competent person, having procured the item I'd mentioned in just three days.
'I was hoping they could bring it by the day before tomorrow's dungeon expedition, and here it is already. It must be quite far from the Academy to here.'
'Theodore's Lamp'. In the game, it was a one-time consumable you'd occasionally come across while farming near the Imperial Academy. When used, it reduces the damage taken by party members from traps by 25% for a set duration—an item perfectly suited for tomorrow's labyrinth exploration.
The numbers were only so-so, so it wasn't an essential farming item. I'd figured that if I couldn't get it before the labyrinth expedition, I'd just go without. But luckily, it came quickly.
"How did you know such a treasure was hidden in a place like that? I, Nibuer, am deeply impressed by your insight, Lord Yune."
"...Mother told me!"
The Merchant Company Head smiled and subtly probed, asking where I got such information. I immediately pulled out the Mother Shield.
Mother had told me beforehand, "If anyone ever looks at your abilities with suspicion, bring up my name," so I had no resistance to selling Mother's name.
The name of the Northern Grand Duchess wasn't just for show, apparently. The moment I brought up Mother's name, the Merchant Company Head bowed her head deeply without further questions. I felt irrationally proud and folded my arms, letting out a huff through my nose.
And so, after a satisfying first transaction with the Merchant Company Head—who would be a huge help in scraping together elixirs and the like going forward—the next day arrived.
At last, the day to go to the dungeon with Mother and my two sisters had come.
* * * * * *
For the first time since possessing this body, I went outside the estate.
Amid the clanking of the greaves on the knights' armor, I could hear the whispering of the domain's residents.
-What's happening? Are they marching to war...?
-Ain't they going to a dungeon? The knight-lords go suffer once every year of their own accord.
-Look at the knights' eyes. They're full of fierce determination. It seems they've steeled themselves with extraordinary resolve.
'Sorry, but you're right about the dungeon.'
Just as one resident guessed, we were indeed heading for the dungeon.
...It was just that the knights and my sisters were so excessively tense that from the outside, we looked like people marching off to fight a desperate last stand.
"Little brother. We never know what might happen, so stick right next to the Head of House inside the dungeon. If you get even a single scratch on your body...."
"Okay. I got it. I said I got it. Albert has already said that a thousand times, so enough now."
The reason everyone except Mother and me was so wound up was, without a doubt, me.
Having Mother watch over them would be tense enough on its own, but on top of that, they'd been given the mission of protecting me inside the dungeon without a single scratch.
In the glances the knights kept sneaking at me, I could feel their burning sense of duty. A determination to protect me no matter what.
-The young master, he's truly adorable.
-Ha~ To fight while protecting someone like that. This is chivalry. This is romance.
-You there, keep quiet. What if he hears.
Though mixed in occasionally—no, pretty frequently—were gazes that looked at me as if I were a cute doll.
'I am a manly man! Don't look at me like that!!' I screamed inwardly, but I have a conscience too. It must've been hard on them because of me; I couldn't exactly snap at them here.
'Though honestly, there's no need to protect me.'
We continued heading for the dungeon like that... and the further we got from the domain, the closer we drew to the dungeon, the heavier the solemnity settled onto the knights' expressions.
Mar, who was holding me on top of the saddle, also began some kind of deep breathing, and Albert...
"Please, don't let anyone in the squad I'm commanding get hurt... If even one person gets hurt, I feel like the Head of House will rip me apart...."
Her face had gone pale and she started muttering something under her breath. I get that it's nerve-wracking, but to that extent?
* * * * * *
Before we knew it, we had arrived at the dungeon entrance.
Standing in front of a dungeon entrance for the first time in my life, I gaped in astonishment.
'...This thing looks way scarier than I thought!?'
The entrance was clearly man-made, yet it loomed like a predator's gaping maw, ready to swallow us all.
In the game, you could enter a dungeon just by clicking an icon once. I'd let my guard down. So this is what it actually looks like.
But I wasn't particularly scared. Part of that was because I'm a manly man, but...
"Yune. Get on my back."
"Yes!"
From the very start, Mother had declared she would protect me. No matter how scary the monsters that appear inside the dungeon might be, I knew they wouldn't even last a single punch against the Northern Grand Duchess. So why would I be scared.
Just as I'd heard beforehand, I plopped right onto Mother's back. The surrounding knights all sharply inhaled in surprise.
But Mother paid them no mind and spoke.
"From this moment on, the Nordkirchen Knight Order's regular training begins. I hope this year there will be no fools who get injured during a mere training exercise."
"H-Head of House? Why are you carrying Yune on your b—"
"I will protect Yune. Therefore, the rest of you focus solely on the dungeon conquest."