Cinderella in the Dungeon - 3
Cinderella in the Dungeon - 3
Edel couldn't breathe easily.
It was because the pungent, fishy stench that had been stinging her nose since earlier refused to stop.
A one-sided slaughter.
There was no other way to describe it.
Although the goblins charged at him while screeching, Danilu didn't step back even a single inch.
Every time the golf club swung, the sound of shattering bones echoed, and every time a kick landed, a goblin flew through the air.
Their numbers meant nothing.
Encirclement.
Surprise attacks.
Pincer attacks.
Everything was powerless before him.
"...."
In Edel's eyes, Danilu no longer looked like an ordinary human.
Pure, destructive power.
Absolute violence that overwhelmed the opponent without hesitation or mercy.
Blood splattered in all directions, staining his coat and face red.
Yet Danilu didn't care in the slightest.
As if he were thoroughly used to this sort of thing.
Rather, a faint smile even hovered at the corners of his lips.
Edel swallowed her breath unconsciously.
She froze right on the spot, forgetting even the throbbing pain from the wound on her forehead.
At first, it was a terror that made it difficult to even move her body.
However, that was only temporary.
From a certain point on, it became difficult to put a name to that emotion.
An instinctive awe felt before overwhelming power.
Having grown up in the Holy Kingdom, Edel had been taught that divine miracles and holy power were the forces that protected the world.
That was why helping people was a virtue, and bestowing grace was true strength—she had certainly received such teachings, but...
What was right before her eyes now was an entirely different kind of power.
The most primitive and certain force that subdued the opponent, requiring neither explanation nor miracles.
"Phew. Next."
After the small fry collapsed.
A massive shadow slowly walked out from over there.
Holding a club that seemed to be woven from human bones, it was the goblin leader from earlier.
After taking a single look at its subordinates sprawling on the ground, the creature looked at Danilu with a grinning face.
"So you actually have some competitive spirit in you?"
Danilu clicked his tongue in annoyance.
He lightly rolled one of the goblin corpses lying on the ground with his foot.
"A guy like that was so good at launching surprise attacks. Now you're being fickle again?"
Tuk.
The golf club dug beneath the corpse's head.
At that moment, with a heavy Kwaaang! sound, the golf club swung.
The goblin's head flew like a golf ball.
The head, flying while scattering blood, struck the leader's face head-on.
-Kiiiiiiik!!
Along with the sound of a nose bone crushing, blood splattered everywhere.
Danilu rested the golf club over his shoulder and spat.
"You guys aren't the only ones who can do surprise attacks."
The corners of Danilu's lips curled up.
"Now then, let's have a proper fight."
+++++
Ever since I possessed Danilu, I was certain of one thing.
This guy is strong.
The combat power in this world is divided from Grade 1 to Grade 9 according to the standards set by the Adventurer Guild.
Grade 1 is the absolute top.
Grade 9 is the very bottom.
At first, playing around with these grades seemed laughable, but after fighting in person, it turned out to be a surprisingly accurate standard.
Grade 9 is just a little better than an ordinary person.
Around Grade 7 to 8, one can handle most magic beasts alone.
From Grade 5 onward, they are veterans.
Those at Grade 3 or higher are skilled individuals whose names are known and managed by the state.
And Grade 1.
Monsters evaluated as being able to stop a single calamity all by themselves.
I looked down at the blood-stained floor while resting the golf club on my shoulder.
'And this guy.'
He was far more absurd than I thought.
Strength.
Speed.
Reflexes.
Not a single thing was lacking.
Even generously speaking, he was Grade 5 or higher.
It might seem low, but this level is enough for the Imperial Guards to try and recruit him.
Currently, Quixote's party as a whole is around Grade 7 to 8.
Danilu alone is Grade 5 or higher, so the difference in power was stark.
The problem was...
'Is it too late to learn martial arts now?'
Danilu isn't someone who trains; he's a thug doing field work.
Even with a strong body, he never properly learned how to fight.
Just a violent brawl pushing through with overwhelming physical abilities.
However, for now, even that was enough.
If fighting properly one-on-one, I could win against that red hobgoblin even if it proved tough.
But in the end, that would be all.
Ultimately, a person cannot live alone.
No matter how strong a guy is, the moment he faces multiple opponents simultaneously, openings are bound to appear.
There is a clear limit to becoming strong alone.
That's why I glanced back.
"...."
Edel was still standing there, completely dazed.
It must have been her first time seeing such a sight.
No matter how much of a cleric she was, there was no way she could be fine after witnessing such a slaughter.
Especially since Quixote was a guy who attached various meanings to fighting.
'I should let her pull herself together on her own.'
My ultimate goal is to make those guys my companions and have them pull their own weight.
For that, I shouldn't easily reach out my hand.
What am I supposed to do with guys who can't even overcome this?
"...."
Alright.
A little more.
I'll wait just a little longer for you.
I don't need a cleric who cannot overcome fear.
The Edel shown in the original work isn't someone who would yield here.
Someone who makes her own choices and moves forward. That's why I trusted her and went out of my way to drag her all the way here.
I threw my body toward the hobgoblin once again.
Kwang!
Its fist and my fist collided head-on.
A heavy impact echoed up my arm to my shoulder.
The hobgoblin took a step back.
I took a step back as well.
The bastard immediately swung its leg, and I twisted my body to block the kick.
Peok!
My shin throbbed.
"Not bad."
We exchanged fists once again.
One hit each, and then one hit each again.
It was a fight to see who would fall first.
As time passed, dark blue bruises spread across my arms, and dark purple marks increased one by one on the bastard's body as well.
With pure strength alone, it was almost an even match.
Wondering how long I had to continue this battle of attrition, I threw out a kick.
The next moment.
The bastard's fist and my kick extended out at the same time.
I clenched my teeth.
It seemed like we were going to clash properly.
'This is going to hurt like hell.'
Bracing for the incoming pain—
"Mm?"
It was strange.
The sensation of hitting a wall that I felt whenever we collided.
That completely vanished, replaced by the feeling of kicking through styrofoam.
The hobgoblin's massive body flew like a ball and slammed straight into the cave wall.
I slowly turned around.
"Have you finally come to your senses?"
It was Edel.
Edel was offering a prayer with her hands gathered together.
A faint golden light bloomed from her body and soon flowed into mine.
It was warm.
A sensation as if new blood were flowing throughout my entire body.
My heavy limbs became light like a lie.
Power surged from deep within my muscles.
My wounds healed, and my disarrayed breathing stabilized in an instant.
"...This is it."
This is why you bring a cleric along.
"Now then!"
Leaping forward greatly, I looked at the face of the goblin embedded in the wall.
Flustered by the sudden change, the bastard's body froze.
The kick I threw right after.
The kick landed straight on its head, shattering the bastard's head to pieces.
"...Phew."
Silence settled over the cave once more.
I pulled out a handkerchief and roughly wiped off the blood splattered on my face.
Then I walked toward Edel.
Edel also began to walk cautiously toward me.
"Danilu-ssi, I'm sorry. Because I hesitated—"
Was it because her tension dissolved all at once?
After walking a few steps, Edel's body stumbled.
"Huh?"
Teolseok.
In the end, she collapsed right onto the floor.
One of her slipped-off shoes slid across the ground, rolling away.
"...."
Without a word, I squatted down in front of her.
Edel flushed red and hurriedly reached out her hand.
"S-Sorry. I'll get up right away—"
"Stay still."
I picked up the shoe that had rolled away.
Edel looked at me with a flustered face.
"Just stay still."
I lightly supported Edel's foot.
Her leg, which had lost its strength due to battle and tension, was trembling slightly.
After dusting off her dusty sock once, I carefully put the slipped-off shoe back on her.
Tuk.
When I lightly pushed her heel in, the shoe found its place.
Edel looked back and forth between her foot and me with a blank face.
"Let's head back now."
"Yes? Yes...."
Edel, who hurriedly nodded her head, tried to stand up.
However, perhaps because strength still wouldn't enter her legs...
Having no choice, I supported her legs and lifted my body up.
It was a body far lighter than I had expected.
To the point where it was amazing that she had been roaming around dungeons with such a small body.
"Good work."
Edel, held in my arms, seemed to give up on making a retort and merely answered in a small voice.
"...Thank you."
+++++
A single bird was flying leisurely through the air.
An appearance that looked like an ordinary sparrow.
However, the scenery of the dungeon was still vividly reflected in its eyes.
Marca, who was sitting by the window, looked at that sight without a word.
An expressionless face where no emotion could be felt.
Only cold eyes moved slowly.
"...."
What was visible through the bird's field of vision was Edel piggybacked on Danilu's back.
After watching that sight for a moment, Marca opened her mouth.
"Quixote."
"Yeah?"
"Edel is having a hard time."
"...Is that true?"
"Yeah."
Marca continued in her usual flat voice.
"She was caught by Danilu and is coming out of the dungeon."
"...."
"Gather money quickly."
"...."
"The later it gets, the harder it will become."
Quixote bit his lip.
"I will definitely bring her back."
Marca didn't give much of an answer.
She wasn't particularly interested.
She just looked back at the small bird's field of vision.
'...It's getting boring.'
At first, observing Quixote was somewhat interesting.
A knight who only pursued ideals.
The process of crumbling after colliding with reality.
Such a sight was quite worth studying.
However, now she could see the pattern.
It was too simple.
On the other hand.
"...."
At the end of the bird's gaze was Danilu.
A man who swept away a horde of goblins as if slaughtering them while holding a single golf club.
A man who put Edel's shoe on her and carried her out on his back, even while calling her collateral.
Cruel yet gentle.
He was calculating, yet he also showed unexpected actions.
Isn't he quite an interesting person?
'Should I watch that man a bit more?'