Chapter 120: The 2nd Floor
Chapter 120: The 2nd Floor
When we arrived at the Guild, a considerable number of people were waiting for us.
The group waiting for our party was divided into three smaller groups.
First, there were the Guild employees. Each of them was laden with baggage, which I assumed were materials for the teleportation magic circle.
Hmm… I don’t see any familiar faces here.
Then again, the only people I really knew at the Guild were the receptionist and the Guild Master.
For some reason, the Guild staff seemed to be whispering as they looked our way. What was that about?
“…Guwon? What are they talking about?”
“Hm? What is it?”
“Those people are saying something strange… about how you stormed the Mage Association all by yourself?”
It seemed Sara’s sharp ears had picked up every word of their gossip.
So that’s what they were talking about.
Heh. I’m a celebrity now.
“Not exactly. I didn’t just storm in. Diana was out for a bit, and I had some business there, so I went to find her.”
“For that to be the case, their story is a little strange. They’re saying you seduced Diana with your pretty face, and then used her power to throw your weight around…”
“What?! They’re saying that?!”
As Guwon glared at them, the Guild employees must have noticed, because they quickly stopped their whispering and pretended not to know what was going on.
Me, throw my weight around with Diana’s backing? I’ll admit I went there and raised a little hell, but I didn’t have Diana backing me up—I did it all with my own skills!
Besides, does Diana look like the type to be seduced by a pretty face?
It seemed I’d have to find an opportunity to give them a taste of my Saint’s Touch.
I’ll show them exactly what I’m capable of.
Then there was the group wearing the cloaks of the Mage Association.
The moment they spotted Diana, they rushed over and surrounded her.
“Good morning, Lady Teluna.”
“Mm. A good morning to you. You came as well?”
Diana seemed to recognize one of them, and when I looked closer, I saw it was a familiar face to me, too.
She was one of the heads of the magic schools.
“Yes. With you gracing us with your personal presence, Lady Diana, we couldn’t possibly send someone of lesser standing from our school, could we?” the Headmistress said, gazing at Diana with a blissful smile.
She looked like she was about to die from happiness.
“Hmph. If you are here, then there is hardly a need for me to go, is there?”
“N-No! Of course not! The teleportation magic circle is one of the most difficult in the world. One can never be too cautious.”
“Even so, I believe it is inefficient for both of us to go together…”
“Hey, don’t be so hard on her. This is related to our clan’s income, after all.”
The Headmistress looked so pitiful trying to persuade Diana that I decided to chime in.
Of course, the fact that all the mages she’d brought with her were women played a significant role in my decision.
I had to help her out after such a commendable act.
“Hmph. Very well. Let us go.”
“Yes!”
The Headmistress gave me a subtle wink, as if to say thank you.
Hmm. She may be a bit older, but a beauty is a beauty. A wink at her age still looks like a work of art.
Finally, there was one group that belonged to neither the Guild nor the Mage Association. They were from the temple.
“Chris! Amel! Lapis!”
Leia smiled and approached one person in a priestess’s robe and two others in pure white armor.
Come to think of it, I recognized the one in the priestess’s robe.
“Ah, Chris, you’re coming too.”
“Yes. It’s a pleasure to be traveling with you.”
So Chris was among those who were skilled but lacked dungeon experience.
Sure enough, Chris’s outfit was just a simple, baggy priestess’s robe, much like Leia’s had been not long ago.
And the armor of the other two, who looked like Holy Knights, was also a bit plain.
The armor worn by adventurers who frequented the dungeon was often a little revealing and flashy, like something out of a game, but the armor these two wore looked like they were just completely wrapped up in sheets of iron.
All three of them had pretty faces; they’d be stunning if they just dressed up a little more.
Now that I thought about it, everyone from the temple was exceptionally good-looking.
I wondered if the Charm stat really did go up when your job level increased.
Of course, my angel would have been beautiful even without something like that.
After the brief introductions were over, the party entered the dungeon immediately.
With so many people, all of them skilled, I wasn’t worried about the exploration itself.
However, since this was my first time taking the official route down, I was a little excited.
It was a path that was said to take at least two days. I bet there would be plenty of monsters I’d never seen before, like that deer from last time.
To get straight to the point, there were indeed plenty of monsters Guwon had never seen before.
Starting with the wolves raised by orcs in their settlement, there were foxes, bears, tigers, and more. It seemed like every animal you could typically find in a forest was making an appearance.
At this rate, the saying that the dungeon was a world of its own seemed entirely plausible.
Every time a monster appeared, I tried to fight valiantly to clear my name.
But with so many skilled people in the group, I never got the chance.
The poor monsters of the 1st Floor were instantly killed by some projectile the moment they appeared, so I couldn’t even get close to them.
It wasn’t like I could just fire off a Saint’s Wave, either…
I could certainly kill them with the wave, but I couldn’t let anyone know it was me.
After what I’d just done to Kyle, if I revealed the Saint’s Wave skill here, Leia would figure everything out.
That perverted bastard was truly useless in life.
Thanks to him, I was stuck, unable to do anything but watch whenever a monster appeared.
Ironically, the one who was truly shining in the hunt wasn’t me, but Sara.
The monsters here were all at a level where they could be taken down in a single shot by Sara’s attacks.
Moreover, with her incredibly sharp eyesight and hearing, Sara utilized the bow’s characteristic attack speed to slaughter monsters at a rate comparable to the Guild employees and mages, who were much higher level than her.
The Guild employees seemed quite surprised and questioned Sara.
“Your party just recently started on the 2nd Floor, correct?”
“Yes. What about it?”
“Your skill is incredible. And with Lady Teluna here as well, I have to wonder why she’s in a party like this…”
“Is that any of your business?”
“Ah, no. Of course not…”
“Then stay out of it, will you?”
Go, Sara! You tell him! Give him more!
The fact that the Guild employee asking the questions was a man probably had something to do with it. Sara shot him down with the same icy tone she’d used when we first met.
Ahh. That’s my Sara, she’s got that sharp, biting charm.
Guwon decided to say a word to the flustered Guild employee.
“Khaha. Jealous? Being able to gather party members like this is all thanks to my virtue…”
“Haa… Guwon, you sound even more pathetic when you say things like that.”
Oof. Sara, you didn’t have to damage me, too…
In any case, thanks to Sara’s cold response, the Guild employee returned to his colleagues.
But he still seemed to dislike me, as he kept looking over and whispering with his friends.
“Hey. If you have something to say, say it to my face.”
Of course, our Sara wasn’t about to let that slide.
“Excuse me? What did I…”
“You just said I joined this party because I fell for Guwon’s face, didn’t you? Is it a Guild employee’s job to spread baseless rumors without knowing the facts?”
“I-I never said such a thing… It’s a misunderstanding.”
“Sorry, but my hearing is quite good. I heard everything. A moment ago, you were also saying that Diana joined the party because she fell for Guwon’s face.”
“What did you say!”
The ones who reacted violently to that were the people from the Mage Association.
“Is that true?!”
“N-No…”
“Yes. I heard it clearly.”
“Are you implying that Lady Teluna is some foolish creature who would fall for a man’s face? Should I take that as a provocation against all mages worldwide?”
At the Headmistress’s words, the Guild employee’s face turned deathly pale.
“N-Not at all! It’s a misunderstanding…”
“I’m telling you I heard it with my own ears, yet you continue to deny it.”
“Hmph. Lady Teluna’s companion would not lie. First, we’ll dispose of you here, and then we will lodge a formal protest with the Guild.”
The Headmistress uttered those terrifying words as if it were nothing.
She’s going to kill someone just for badmouthing Diana?
Of course, I didn’t like the guy either, but this fanatical woman was genuinely scary.
“H-Hieeek!”
“H-Hold on. Let’s stop there.”
Even Guwon thought killing someone over something like this was going a bit too far, so he intervened.
“It’s just some worthless nobody getting jealous of how amazing I am and talking behind my back. There’s no need to pay attention to trash like him. Right, Diana?”
“Mm. Of course. You all should stop as well.”
“Yes. If you say so, Lady Teluna. You there. Be grateful for Lady Teluna’s generous heart.”
Shouldn’t these people be in the mafia instead of the Mage Association?
“Th-Thank you!”
The man bowed a full 90 degrees.
Of course, Guwon had no intention of letting him off without any punishment.
It was just that killing him was too much.
And if there was going to be a punishment, I wanted to deliver it with my own hands.
They say revenge is a dish best served cold. Guwon decided to wait patiently for his chance.
But before that…
“Sara!”
Guwon tried to pull Sara into a tight hug. Or rather, he tried.
He failed, because Sara dodged in an instant.
“Wh-What is it? You surprised me.”
“Nothing. Just… you’re pretty.”
“I-It’s not like I did it to look pretty for you, you know?”
“I know. That’s what makes you even prettier.”
“H-Honestly, you have such a way with words!”
Sara said, her face flushing slightly in embarrassment.
One of Sara’s charms was how she tried to maintain a cool expression, but her embarrassment was still obvious.
She was still as sharp-tongued as ever, but seeing her act so differently from the icy way she’d shot down the Guild employee, the man just stared at us with a dumbfounded expression.
Heh. See that? This is the difference between you and me.
After that, the party began to advance at a rapid pace.
Monsters were dealt with the instant they appeared, so our speed was hardly different from just marching continuously.
But even so, we couldn’t reach the secret base in a single day by taking the official route.
Just as Guwon was looking at the time in the corner of his vision and thinking it was getting dark, the woman who seemed to be the leader of the Guild employees stopped.
“How about we rest here for today?”
As befitting a leader, she had clearly been well-trained, as she directed the question to Guwon.
Hmm. She knows who the leader of the clan cooperating with the Guild is. She’s pretty easy on the eyes, too. I like her.
“Let’s do that. It’s already night.”
“We will take turns standing watch. Please, get some rest.”
Hoh. Is that so?
This might just be the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.
Guwon approached Sara and brought his lips to her ear.
“Wh-What is it?”
Sara’s body tensed in surprise.
Relax. I’m not going to eat you. I’m just trying to whisper.
“Sara. Listen carefully to what they’re saying, and let me know when that idiot from before is on watch.”
“You’re planning something, aren’t you?”
“Of course. Did you think I was just going to let it go?”
“…Alright.”
That’s my Sara. So easy to talk to.
“Lady Teluna! Please, with us! Pant. Pant.”
“Leia! Let’s sleep together!”
And as we were setting up our sleeping spots, there were forces of evil trying to interfere with my harem life.
The temple girls were one thing, but you mages are a bit dangerous, aren’t you?
Is it time for me to step in again?
“Heh. Sorry, but these girls really want to sleep with me. Diana here even wants to be on my…”
“Wh-Who said that? Who! You lot. Let us sleep over there together.”
“Lady Teluna!”
Huh? It backfired?
Damn. Well, it’s not a huge problem since all those mages are women anyway…
When it was just us, there were times I felt mentally exhausted from sleeping so close together, but now that we’re sleeping apart, it feels lonely.
Still, Leia…
“Um… I’m sorry. This is probably the first time for them sleeping in the dungeon… I’m really sorry.”
It seemed even Leia was planning to sleep with the girls from the temple.
Damn it. Her kind heart was something I’d always admired, but right now, I resented it a little.
“Sara. I guess you’re the only one I have left.”
Sara looked at Guwon with a cold gaze.
“I was also going to sleep separately… j-just kidding. Don’t make that face.”
Sara tried to play hard to get for a moment, but when Guwon made a look of utter despair, she immediately changed her tune.
That’s my Sara. She’s a good kid, no matter what.
Guwon quickly laid out his bedding next to Sara and lay down.
When Sara laid her own bedding down beside him, he moved in close and whispered.
“So, when is that guy’s watch?”
“They said he has the first watch.”
Hoh. Is that so? This is working out even better than I thought.
“What are you going to do?”
“Just watch.”
Until now, the monsters had been handled by the Guild’s ranged attackers, the mages, and Sara.
That guy who was talking trash earlier seemed to be a melee specialist, so he hadn’t been in the spotlight.
But things were different when you were on night watch.
Guwon stayed awake, quietly waiting for the right moment.
And finally, the opportunity he’d been waiting for arrived.
As a few hobgoblins approached the group, the guy on watch and a few others confronted them.
Guwon observed the hobgoblins with the eyes of a hawk.
Good. There’s a female. Perfect.
Without waiting any longer, Guwon fired a Saint’s Wave at the guy who’d been running his mouth earlier.
Just as the man was about to attack the female hobgoblin, the Saint’s Wave hit him, and the strength drained from his legs.
“Kheheuk!”
He let out a bizarre moan and collapsed to the ground in a tangled heap with the hobgoblin.
“Wh-What’s wrong?!”
His colleagues sensed something was amiss, and after quickly dispatching the other hobgoblins, they rushed over to him.
“I-It’s nothing! Don’t come any closer!”
The man shouted in a panic.
But that only made things worse.
Everyone had just fallen asleep, so they weren’t in a deep slumber yet.
At the sound of his shout, people began to wake up one by one.
“What’s going on?”
The leader of the Guild employees also opened her eyes.
Excellent. All the actors are in place.
“What… What’s happening?”
Guwon stretched dramatically, pretending he had just woken up.
Then he walked over to the man tangled up with the hobgoblin.
“What’s this? Did you get hurt in a place like this? Let’s see. The kind and gracious me will heal you.”
“That’s not it! Don’t come near me!”
As I took a potion from my inventory and approached, the man shouted desperately.
“Why are you so flustered when I’m offering to heal you? Huh? Wait. What’s that smell? Sara. Do you smell something strange?”
“…He smells of semen.”
Sara looked at the Guild employee with an expression of genuine disgust, as if she were looking at trash.
Wow, that’s harsh. She could break a man’s spirit with that look alone.
“Huh? Semen? But why in a place like this… Huh? N-No way…”
Guwon began the performance of a lifetime.
He then looked down at the hobgoblin struggling beneath the man.
“Gasp! A female hobgoblin! Don’t tell me!”
“N-No! It’s not true!”
He must have realized what I was about to say. Forgetting his polite speech, the man screamed desperately.
“Y-You!”
The Guild leader also began to stare at him as if he were a piece of garbage.
“N-No! It’s true! Believe me!”
“When you were rude to Lady Teluna, we let it slide because she was merciful, but this is not an issue we can simply overlook! To harbor lust for a monster! And a Guild employee, no less! I will report this to my superiors as soon as we return!”
Wow. She just came right out and said he lusted after a monster.
The commotion had already woken up the entire party.
The man was publicly executed in front of everyone.
He’s screwed. There’s no way he can live a normal life after this.
“Noooooo!”
Only the man’s anguished cry echoed through the air.