Chapter 35
Chapter 35
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 35
Chapter Title: Trap Hell
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Sophia looked back at me, her expression displeased.
A mere mercenary had challenged the authority of the expedition leader, so it was only natural she'd be annoyed.
But surprisingly, she calmly asked for my opinion.
"What do you mean?"
"Exactly what I said. From the start, this dungeon's barrier didn't allow more than thirty-one people through. What if that glowing door has the same function?"
I spread my hands and tilted my head.
It was a gesture meant to say, 'Don't just make a rash decision; use your head a little.'
Of course, she probably wouldn't find any specific meaning in such a common gesture.
In any case, the young marquess fell into deep thought.
It seemed she'd gotten something from my words.
"Alright. Then we'll just have to test it."
She immediately divided the expedition into two groups and lined them up in two rows in the corridor.
Come to think of it, all but one of the escort knights were with Sophia's group.
The escort knights had been with Sophia for a long time, but she'd only met the mercenaries at the interview.
Trusting them with her back was understandably a burden.
The mercenaries also accepted her decision as a matter of course.
Having built reputations in their field, they didn't think themselves inferior to the knights.
Objectively, there seemed to be little difference in skill between the two groups.
*Ah, except for me, of course.*
If I were included in the evaluation, the scales would tip heavily toward the mercenaries.
Because this body of mine is quite the big shot.
"Hmm… now I have to make a decision."
Though she'd divided the personnel, the expedition hadn't yet departed.
Sophia stared at the two glowing doors alternately, lost in thought.
She was probably weighing which side was safer.
*Ugh, they're both the same anyway. What's there to think about?*
Honestly, even I didn't know what lurked where.
But based on the current information, the outcome would likely be similar regardless of which path we took.
To help her make a decision, I took a step forward.
"I think the path on the right will be safer."
"On what grounds do you think so?"
"Just a hunch?"
"What the…"
Oh? Were you about to say something rude?
The elegant and noble young marquess, cursing?
My answer must have been so absurd that Sophia almost let a curse slip out.
But with superhuman patience, she stopped herself and glanced at her escort knights.
"What a strange fellow. Fine. Then I'll take the left. I was planning on going this way anyway."
"And your grounds for thinking so?"
"I'm lucky."
"…"
Hey, how is that any different from what I said?
Talk about double standards.
She wore a triumphant expression for a moment, then turned her head away primly.
She seemed to think she'd landed a big blow with her last comment.
In reality, it didn't affect me at all.
"You go in first."
"Pardon?"
"Let's see if there's a limit on the number of people."
Sophia ordered the mercenary team to go through the glowing door first.
I immediately stepped through the right door.
After exactly fifteen people had passed through, the door's color changed to a crimson red.
Just as I expected.
When I shrugged at the young marquess on the other side of the glowing door, her expression twisted slightly.
My 'wasn't I right?' gesture must have been a bit obnoxious.
What can you do? If you don't like it, sharpen your insight.
What appeared as soon as we passed through the glowing door was a dark corridor.
"Let's go."
"Right."
As I spoke, looking back at the group, the escort knight naturally followed behind me.
*This is the guy who was hidden by an invisibility spell during the interview. For a knight, he's quite obedient.*
There must have been a reason the young marquess sent only one escort knight to this team.
After all, her team had six mercenaries as well.
*Is he supposed to be the leader?*
Seeing how he just followed my lead, it didn't seem like it.
After passing through a short corridor, a large rectangular room appeared.
As I advanced without hesitation, the mercenaries followed with relieved expressions.
Isn't this the mark of a true leader?
Of course, I was only acting this way because I could see the energy from the glowing door extending into the corridor.
*What do the details matter?*
As long as I look cool, that's enough.
*Clank!*
But as we entered the huge rectangular room, a chilling sound reached my ears.
*So the trap was right at the entrance.*
*Swoosh!*
Detecting a strange sound cutting through the air, I quickly rolled to the side.
As a result, the mercenary who was coming through the door after me was caught in the surprise attack.
*Crunch!*
His body was sliced in two by a long blade that flew from the front.
The man died without knowing what hit him, and the blade retracted with the same incredible speed it had appeared.
"Wow… that's brutal."
*Clank!*
As the corpse fell, it must have triggered something, because a series of eerie sounds followed.
Pulling a throwing knife from my waist, I immediately unleashed a spinning throw.
*Klaaang!*
The dagger embedded itself in a groove in the ceiling, and the rushing blade stopped just short of its destination.
It was right in front of the third mercenary's nose.
"Hieeek!"
The man screamed, his eyes wide as he broke out in a cold sweat.
The realization that he didn't even have time to draw his sword to defend himself seemed to have struck terror into him.
Sensing that the situation beyond the barrier was not ordinary, the next person in line didn't move.
"Alright, alright, it's fine. I'll handle things from here on out. Come on in."
I let the expedition members know it was safe.
But it was right at that moment.
*Clank!*
I carelessly took a step to the side, and an ominous metallic sound struck my ears.
For a moment, my eyes met the mercenaries', and their gazes seemed resentful.
"It's not my fault there are so many traps, is it?"
Ah, so stepping on it was my fault?
I'll admit that.
Quickly turning, I deflected a piece of metal flying out of the darkness with my throwing knife.
*Ch-clang!*
***
I am Jules Keinman of the Pennant Knight Order.
I am a high-ranking knight who entered the dungeon in the villa district with the young marquess.
As per Lady Sophia's orders, I was supposed to guide the foolish mercenaries of the other team.
But that baby-faced treasure hunter brat was leading the team on his own.
*An interesting fellow.*
He took the initiative to pass through the barrier, and since he seemed to have some aptitude, I let him take the leader's role.
Besides, it was more convenient to step back and see what kind of person he was.
The young marquess must have also sensed that he was no ordinary man, as she ordered me to watch him.
But I had no time to observe him.
*Swoosh!*
"Oh! Damn it."
The room we entered right after passing through the glowing door was like a giant trap hell.
The slightest movement would trigger a mechanism, and death would come striding toward us.
Just now, if I hadn't deflected the spear shot from afar with my shield, my torso would have been pierced through.
*Thud! Thunk!*
"Ugh!"
The impact was so powerful that a groan escaped my lips even though I was reinforcing myself with aura.
*At this rate, we'll all die.*
If even I am in this situation, what about the others?
The lowly mercenaries would have already been turned into minced meat and scattered about.
Sure enough, when I glanced over, the nearest mercenary had fallen into a trap and met his end.
*Thwip-thwip-thwip!*
"Krrgh…!"
Under a barrage of long needles that poured from the darkness, he groaned and collapsed.
No matter how thick his armor, there was no way to withstand an attack that poured down without a single gap.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment before opening them and cautiously taking a step.
I planned to deploy my aura shield and crouch the moment I sensed anything unusual.
But then, a strange sound came from my right.
"Ah! Refreshing. Nothing beats the taste of water in a dungeon."
It was the voice of that treasure hunter, the first one to jump into this trap hell.
To my surprise, the brat was taking out a waterskin and drinking from it.
Even while all sorts of traps were being triggered from every direction.
*Clank! Fwoosh!*
In the midst of it all, someone must have triggered something else, because a terrifying sound cut through the air, accompanied by a thick killing intent.
Spotting a metal spear glinting in the darkness, I opened my mouth to warn him.
"Wa-watch out…!"
But I couldn't finish my shout.
It was already far too late.
But then, something truly unbelievable happened.
*Swoosh!*
He ducked his head to put away his waterskin, and just then, the javelin skimmed over his head.
"Ha!"
A dry laugh escaped my lips.
Amazingly, the man was advancing, avoiding every single trap that was continuously triggered.
No, it was as if all the projectiles were avoiding him on their own.
And yet, he didn't look particularly skilled, thanks to the treasure hunter's bizarre movements.
"Hiyah!"
*Twaaang!*
Deflecting the incoming spear with a strange battle cry was certainly a feat of great skill.
He had changed its direction using only the edge of a tiny throwing knife.
"Gah! One at a time! Just one at a time!"
But his subsequent actions—leaping around like a frog to avoid blades and desperately rolling on the floor to escape the barrage of needles…
...seemed far from the aura of a master.
As I stared at him with a bewildered expression, a loud noise suddenly echoed from the wall.
*Rumble!*
I was about to flinch, thinking something else was starting, when the treasure hunter's voice came from up ahead.
"What are you doing? You plan on living there?"
The brat, who had somehow made it to the other end of the room, was pulling down a large lever.
It seemed that activating that device had stopped the traps.
Then, as if he had never shown such an unsightly appearance, he put on a solemn expression.
*Truly, he's a man I can't figure out.*