Chapter 118: People of the Sword Saint Family (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 118: People of the Sword Saint Family (1)
In cases like this, the line between good luck and bad is blurry.
Our primary goals were clearly different. Abel wanted to find her missing parents' bodies, while I wanted to secure magic stones.
Our intentions differed, but our destination was the same. That was enough.
‘The Undead Dungeon.’
Since we shared a destination, I actively agreed with Abel.
She stared at me with a dazed expression before nodding.
We kept talking for quite a while even after finishing our meal. The conversation mostly revolved around coordinating schedules and exchanging information.
Abel pulled her chair right up next to mine. The distance between us was barely a span of a hand.
It was incredibly close, but Abel didn't seem to mind as she began her explanation, showing me a map on her smartphone.
"The Undead Dungeon is located right on the border between Switzerland and France. Normally, dungeon ownership would be a headache, but this place is unpopular. There shouldn't be any procedural issues."
Whenever she reached an important point, Abel tapped the screen with her fingernail.
She must have been preparing for this for a long time, as her GPS app was littered with custom markers.
"And since it's such a remote dungeon, there isn't even a checkpoint employee stationed there. However, we do have to write down the names of at least three people—the minimum entry requirement—on the register before entering. Otherwise, it's a violation of international hero law."
Her clean, concise explanation made perfect sense. I was secretly impressed.
I wasn't originally born in this world. Consequently, my common sense and general knowledge were shallow.
So, whenever I made a plan, I researched data through various media. But there was a clear limit to gathering information just by reading.
That was also why I wanted to tackle dungeons with my club members.
To put it bluntly, I had been relying on them for almost all my general knowledge.
While I was quick-witted and good at scheming, cramming actual information into my head felt foreign to me.
'Honestly, it would have been really awkward to raid the Undead Dungeon without them.'
On the surface, it was a D-rank dungeon, the lowest tier. But sealed inside was an S-rank magical beast, the highest tier.
Specifically, a Draugr, which was notorious for being the most difficult to clear. I had devised a countermeasure, but the path to executing it had been blocked.
Yet here was Abel, knowing the ins and outs of it so perfectly. Thanks to this unexpected stroke of good luck, the dungeon raid looked like it would be smooth sailing.
"Did you understand everything I said?"
As I lost myself in thought for a moment, Abel asked to confirm.
"Yeah, pretty much. You've prepared a lot on your own."
"...Yeah."
A sheepish reply came back. Only then did Abel seem to realize how close she had gotten, and her face flushed red.
It had been nearly four months since I started academy life.
At this point, the cliché would be for her to get embarrassed and suddenly pull away—
"Hup."
—but Abel merely swallowed a sharp breath. Instead, she cleared her throat and actually closed the distance even more. A faint, fruity scent brushed past the tip of my nose.
"Focus. The important part starts now. First, I've mapped out the procedures, geography, and the interior of the dungeon in my spare time..."
Abel swept her hair back and continued her explanation. Through a few stray strands of hair, I could see her blushing cheeks.
'She's incredibly serious about this.'
It made sense. It was about her family, after all.
Serious enough to easily ignore being pressed so close together. Her flushed cheeks were probably just because it was warm.
Abel glanced at me, shifting only her eyes.
"If you have any questions, ask. Shail will be here to pick us up in about thirty minutes. Once we go back to the castle, we won't have time to talk in private until the day of our promise."
"Can't we just text or call for anything else?"
"...What? You didn't know? Castle Sigurd is out of range. It's a dead zone."
Ah, right. Her house was deep in the Alps.
I hadn't noticed because I rarely got calls or messages anyway.
When I gave her a pitying look, the corner of Abel's mouth twitched. She immediately protested.
"Geomma, you're thinking it's because my house is in the mountains, aren't you?! It's not for the reason you think, it's because of the security of the Nibelung estate!"
Is mind-reading a passive skill for all the women in this world?
Medea, Ryozo, and now Abel.
The moment I think of something, they drag it right out.
If such an ability actually existed, it would be terrifying.
...But if they could, they would have realized how alien my existence is. It's a secret I've never shared with anyone, one that belongs solely to me.
Someone knowing that I'm not from this world... That's an unexpected hypothesis. If such a person existed, how would they affect me?
It would be great if they were an ally, but troublesome if they were an enemy.
'Well, there's no way.'
I chuckled inwardly and spoke.
"It seems like you've got the route and everything else figured out. But isn't the most important thing the remaining party member? It's just the two of us, you and me. We're short one person."
"Huh? Why are we short one person?"
Abel asked back with a look that said, What is he talking about?
"We have Shail."
"Huh?"
"Shail is also an alumnus of Joaquin Academy. What's more, she's a Senior Hero affiliated with the Association."
...What on earth was she talking about?
* * *
On the way back to Castle Sigurd. We were climbing a steep slope. Perhaps because she was exhausted, Abel fell fast asleep in the back seat the moment she got into the car.
'Well, she explained everything so passionately, it's no wonder she's tired.'
I sat in the passenger seat so Abel could sleep comfortably. Then, I gripped my seatbelt tightly, checking to make sure it was functioning properly.
This strap would be my lifeline for the next thirty minutes.
—Vrooooom.
Shail gripped the steering wheel tightly. Keeping her sharp eyes fixed on the road ahead, she slammed on the accelerator.
A corner that looked like a 270-degree hairpin turn loomed ahead.
The corner of Shail's mouth twitched as she spun the steering wheel with one hand.
My pupils spun like whirlpools as they tracked the steering wheel. My life was in the hands of this maid, damn it.
Swoosh.
Violent yet expert handling. Shail accelerated again with a satisfied smile.
Witnessing the whole sequence firsthand, a groan escaped my lips.
'This reckless-driving maid is a Senior Hero?'
In the world of Miracle Blessing M, the Association was the governing body for heroes.
Under the pretext of more efficient management, the Association categorized heroes.
It was a classification system similar to the tier system of a certain famous game.
However, there were only three tiers.
From bottom to top, they were <Junior>, <Senior>, and <Warrior>.
The Association evaluated and calculated a hero's achievements to assign them a score.
Of course, academy cadets were excluded. Apparently, a cadet's primary duty was studying. A world that respected human rights in the strangest of places.
'Maybe it's not so bad?'
For reference, while the scores themselves were confidential, a hero's tier was public knowledge, and it was determined by Hero Points, or 【HP】 for short.
When you hear 【HP】, you probably think of a green health bar. However, in Miracle Blessing M, there was no such stat as a "Health Point" bar.
Well, to be honest, the concept of a "health bar" didn't really resonate with me after falling into this world anyway.
If anything, I would have welcomed it if there were health bars and potions.
But the world of Miracle Blessing M was a harsh reality for me.
One wrong move and limbs would fly off, and I was constantly getting hospitalized. What health bar?
'Looking back, it's kind of funny...'
The most basic stat systems were missing.
A mobile game that lacked not only health but also mana, experience points, and even levels...
Of course, many gamers were charmed by this unique aspect, but some complained that it was just inconvenient.
In a gaming landscape where numbers were taken for granted, a starkly minimalist interface was all that remained.
Yet, in this highly controversial game, "Hero Points"—which were similar to a rating system—did exist. It was a strange world where unfamiliarity and familiarity coexisted.
—Anyway.
You could think of Bronze to Platinum as <Junior>, Diamond to Master as <Senior>, and Grandmaster and above as <Warrior>.
The number of members in each tier varied drastically.
Ninety percent of heroes belonged to Junior, while the remaining top ten percent was split roughly eight-to-two between Senior and Warrior.
The point was this.
The beautiful maid driving recklessly next to me.
The fact that Shail was a hero in the top ten percent was mind-blowing.
I had figured she was no ordinary maid, but...
To think she was a Senior Hero, and an alumnus of Joaquin Academy—the cradle of future heroes—to boot.
Now I finally understood why security and crime prevention were included in Shail's duties. There was hardly any security system better than her.
"Geomma-nim, is there something you'd like to say?"
Shail asked, her eyes still fixed on the windshield.
She must have felt my gaze even in the midst of all this.
I chose my words carefully. My hesitation was brief.
In the end, I had to go to the Undead Dungeon with Shail.
Besides, given her status, she would likely be the escort/guide for Abel and me.
At this point, I leaned toward speaking openly.
"I heard from Abel earlier. You're also accompanying us to the 'Undead Dungeon,' Shail-ssi..."
"Yes. Though my skills are lacking, I will do my utmost not to be a burden to the young lady and Geomma-nim."
Excessive modesty can sound like a joke.
A Senior Hero, who was on par with or above an instructor, saying she wouldn't "be a burden." Anyone else hearing this would find it absurd.
"I'm only saying this now, but I am truly grateful to you, Geomma-nim."
"...Pardon?"
Shail glanced at Abel reflected in the rearview mirror. Abel was sleeping soundly, breathing softly. Shail smiled warmly at the sight.
"Before entering the academy, Lady Abel was always lonely. There were no peers her age on the Nibelung estate besides me, and given her personality, she didn't actively try to make friends."
I was slightly surprised.
Shail, who usually did nothing but knock silently, was speaking so fluidly. Her pronunciation and voice were as clear as an announcer's.
"I don't know if you heard from the young lady, but I graduated from Joaquin Academy."
Shail spun the steering wheel half a turn with one hand. With her skillful movement, the scenery outside the window shifted like a film reel.
"The only reason I was able to attend the academy, and the only reason I'm even alive today, is all thanks to the Nibelungs."
Shail's honest story continued. Her expression was calm, but the content of her words was far from dry.
"Ten years ago, I was taken in by the young lady's parents, who are no longer with us. Until then, I was in a center—an orphanage, that is."
"I see..."
Shail chuckled softly at my response.
As if trying to lighten the heavy atmosphere.
"Everyone has a story. I was one of the lucky ones. There are so many corrupt nobles out there, yet I was employed by the Nibelung family."
That made sense. In a noble society rife with trash, there were few families as clean and honorable as the Nibelungs.
"Furthermore, I am forever grateful to the young lady's family for sending me, a mere maid, to the academy just because they saw potential in me."
"You're amazing too, Shail-ssi. A Senior-tier at twenty-one. You must have incredible talent."
"I owe a great debt of gratitude to the Nibelungs. The only way I could repay it was to work hard. I won't say I have no talent, but compared to you, Geomma-nim, I'm just ordinary."
Inside the car speeding at 200 km/h, Shail's tone carried a quiet regret. The contrast created a massive sense of incongruity.
"Anyway, accompanying you to the dungeon despite my lack of skill was entirely my own request."
"Your request?"
Shail nodded.
"It's about finding the young lady's parents, who gave value to my life. I was actually the one who brought it up to her first."
"Ah."
Shail turned her head slightly toward me. Her eyes curved into beautiful crescents. It was the eye-smile of an older woman.
'Is this the charm of an adult...?'
I cleared my throat and changed the subject.
"By the way, what did you mean when you said you were grateful to me?"
"...Mmm."
Suddenly, the sound of Abel stirring from her sleep came from the back.
At that, Shail smiled faintly and spoke, only moving her lips.
‘I was also a Special Admission Student, you see. Maybe that's why I feel so refreshed whenever I see articles about Geomma-nim teaching those snobs a lesson.’
"...Ah."
‘By the way—’
Immediately after, her gaze locked onto me. Taking her eyes off the road while driving at such a terrifying speed... A scream rushed to the back of my throat.
Shail giggled quietly and spoke playfully.
‘—Isn't wearing a tracksuit for a date a bit much? Lady Abel must have been very upset~’
"......"
I was about to say something, but stopped. Because this speed-demon maid was the one holding the steering wheel.
Before long, the silhouette of Castle Sigurd appeared beyond the windshield. Shail followed up with a dazzling snap of the gear shift.
—Vrooooooom.