Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Shadow Cloak (3)
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Gern was a rugged mountain valley region.
Our destination lay deep within the densest part of its forest.
“This is as far as the carriage can go.”
With the coachman’s words, the carriage finally came to a stop.
I barely managed to climb down from it.
Even after my feet touched the ground, the world kept spinning.
“...A-Are you okay, Junior? L-Let me help you!”
Lily rushed over to support me but hesitated, unable to bring herself to touch me, fidgeting anxiously.
“B-But... c-can I really touch Junior Jeron’s body...?”
‘...I feel like I’m gonna die from dizziness.’
Fed up, I leaned my head on her shoulder first.
“Eek!”
Unaccustomed to physical contact, her body stiffened, and a short scream escaped her.
“...Just let me lean on you for a bit, Senior.”
“Y-Yes... s-sure...”
But I didn’t have the luxury to worry about that right now.
I really felt like I was dying.
[This is slothful behavior!]
[Slothfulness +10!]
...What the hell. Why did this go up?
Anyway, after walking a short distance with Lily’s support, the nausea in my stomach gradually subsided.
As I started feeling better, a rotten thought crossed my mind: why not ask her to carry me piggyback for ultimate comfort and rack up some more sloth points?
But considering Lily’s traits, I judged that would be too much for now.
There was no one around but us, so it’d be hard to build dramatic appeal points like at school.
So I settled for just being supported as we went.
“According to the map... there’s supposed to be an entrance to the ruins somewhere in this forest.”
Lily pulled a map from her backpack and began comparing it to the surrounding terrain to pinpoint our location.
‘The game map and reality are definitely different.’
Unlike the clearly divided districts of Ether City.
Even if I knew the place from the game, it was hard to get your bearings in a forest blanketed by trees and underbrush on all sides.
So I quietly followed Lily’s lead.
“...This way, I think.”
She skillfully navigated by cross-referencing the map with our current position.
‘Genius really is on another level.’
I couldn’t make heads or tails of the map, but she deduced the path with ease.
Thanks to her, I could relax completely, doing nothing but leaning on her as we ventured deep into the forest.
I was literally leaning on her...
“We’re getting close.... It should be around here...”
Finally, Lily stopped in an ordinary forest clearing with a bit of open space.
But nothing particularly noteworthy was visible there.
“Hmm, that’s weird.... It should be right here...”
Lily tilted her head, then set down her backpack and began pulling out various black magic tools.
“Just in case something’s hidden, I’ll check it out.”
From mana detectors to crystal orbs that sensed soul wavelengths.
She was gearing up for a full investigation.
But I smirked to myself.
Finally, a place I recognized had appeared.
‘Time to skip the boring process.’
While Lily busied herself, I approached the rocks scattered around.
Then I plopped down on the first one.
“Hmm...”
Shaking my head as if it didn’t suit me, I stood and sat on another nearby rock.
“Not this one either.”
My bizarre behavior of sitting on rock after rock finally drew a puzzled question from Lily.
“Um... Junior...? Sorry, but what are you...?”
I answered with a serious expression.
“Oh, I was looking for the comfiest rock to lie on. I get my best ideas when I’m lying down thinking.”
“...Ah, a-ah?”
[This is a slothful remark!]
[Slothfulness +5!]
Savoring the system notification pleasantly, I finally lay back comfortably on the largest rock.
“This is it.”
The moment I said that with satisfaction.
Rumble—!
A loud noise shook the ground.
The central earth of the clearing split open, revealing stairs leading underground.
“...Huh?”
Lily stared at the scene with a blank expression.
“Looks like we found it.”
I laced my hands behind my head and spoke leisurely.
***
“Wh-Why...? D-Don’t tell me these rocks are the key...? Touching them in order was the trigger?”
Correct.
But I shrugged as if clueless.
“Lucky guess.”
“...Y-Yeah.”
We cautiously approached the stairs.
Lily fiddled with a strange magic tool from her pocket, carefully verifying the ruins.
“From the mana wavelength... this doesn’t seem like a naturally formed dungeon. It looks like an artificial one made with intent.”
“The ruins left by the Demon of Sloth?”
“Not certain, but... it’s an astonishing result.”
Lily still looked dazed.
She glanced at me and muttered.
“T-To find a place like this on the first try.... Does incredible luck follow you, Junior...?”
‘It’s not luck; it’s veteran knowledge.’
I kept that thought internal and didn’t voice it.
Instead, I pointed to the stairs.
“Shall we go in? If we find the relic here, isn’t that it?”
“Y-Yes, but...”
A flicker of fear crossed Lily’s face.
But she glanced at me, then nodded as if resolved. She seemed to draw courage from me.
“Yeah...! Let’s go.”
And so we descended the stairs to the underground.
Walking along the passage, a massive door blocked our path.
Before it stood a giant statue, spear in hand, frozen in place.
Thud!
As we approached, stone dust crumbled from it, and it began to move.
“Eek!”
Lily let out a sharp scream in surprise, but I stayed calm. I’d expected this event anyway.
The statue didn’t attack us.
Instead, it spoke in a deep, resonating voice.
“Those who seek the great relic, prove your worth through trials.”
“Tr-Trials...?”
“Indeed. Only one may undertake the trials.”
“What do we do, Junior.... I think we should prepare more thoroughly or get help from a professor...”
Lily whispered in panic, but the statue added.
“However, the opportunity is now. Fail to challenge now, and the door shall never open again. This place will vanish like a mirage.”
“N-No way...”
Lily’s face went pale.
If no one took the trial right now, her achievement would fly out the window.
‘Guess I’ll do it.’
As I naturally stepped forward.
She clenched her fists, trembling, but spoke up.
“I-I’ll do the trial.... This is my responsibility anyway...”
‘...Huh?’
I paused.
In the game, Lily never chose this.
Normally, she’d just cower behind my character out of fear.
Why was she suddenly volunteering now?
Caught off guard by the unexpected variable, I still knew I had to take this trial.
“No. I’ll do it.”
I immediately blocked the trembling girl and stepped forward.
“J-Junior...?”
“If you get hurt, it’ll be a hassle.”
While putting on an absurd dark knight act.
Of course, my real thoughts were different.
‘I absolutely need that Shadow Cloak.’
I could only get the Shadow Cloak by perfectly clearing this trial.
Without hesitation, I walked through the trial door.
The door closed, trapping me in pitch darkness.
Clang—!
Moments later, torches flared to life around me, revealing a long passage.
Familiar territory.
‘Here we go.’
I reached into my subspace pocket.
And pulled out “that item” I’d borrowed from Lily before setting out.
***
Boom—!
The massive stone door sealed shut.
With Jeron vanishing beyond the completely closed door, Lily anxiously stared at it.
Just moments ago.
His back blocking her path lingered in her mind.
“I’ll do it. If you get hurt, it’ll be a hassle.”
‘Junior Jeron...’
Did he know how deeply those casually tossed words shook her heart?
They were so resolute she couldn’t even grab him.
Overwhelmed by emotion at his willingness to face danger for her sake, but now that emotion had turned entirely to worry.
‘Because of me, Junior Jeron’s in a dangerous place...’
Her hands slick with cold sweat, she fretted helplessly, staring only at the sealed door.
‘...Please come back safe, Junior.’
Lily clasped her hands and prayed fervently.
Her heart pounded, not knowing what trial awaited him.
Then, the guarding statue spoke once more.
“To you is granted the right to witness the challenger’s trial.”
“Huh? R-Really?!”
“Will you watch?”
Lily nodded immediately.
Her vision rippled in the air, and the scene inside the door projected like an illusion spell.
It showed Jeron standing alone in the torch-lit wide passage.
But the moment he entered, he reached into his subspace pocket and pulled something out.
It was a book.
The novel she’d lent him not long ago.
Jeron opened the book and began strolling down the passage, casually flipping pages.
“...Huh?”
Reading a novel here?
In a situation where some terrifying trial might await...?
Lily’s train of thought ground to a halt.