Lately
Translated by GXYRU
Edited by GXYRU
The progress in conquering the highly challenging dungeon, “Fortress of the Ancient Gods,” has been slow due to time constraints. Although the pace of advancement has gradually increased, the time after school alone is not nearly enough.
During the weekends, I manage to conquer a few floors, but it seems like it will take a while before I can clear all the floors within two days.
As for my life at the academy, things are pretty much the same. There haven’t been any significant changes since the incident with Mars.
However, I’ve been getting more chances to talk with the guys I teamed up with during the joint practical magic class.
“Today, I’ll land a hit on Arius for sure! Fireball!” Barn shouted passionately as he unleashed a third-level spell. Despite his brute-like appearance, Barn is actually quite skilled in magic. But there’s really no need for him to shout every time he casts a spell.
I dodged the “Fireball” and activated “Physical Enhancement – Physical Build,” delivering a chop that scored 100 points. “Physical Enhancement” is also a form of magic, so it’s not a problem.
“Damn… I lost again!”
“A-Arius, you’re merciless. Oh… I don’t mean it in a negative way. It’s just that not slacking off and not toying with your opponent is one of your good points,” Sophia said. She has finally started calling me by my first name, but it still feels a little awkward.
“I appreciate the compliment, but I’m not doing it with the opponent in mind. If I slack off, I’ll develop bad habits,” I replied.
“Yes, let’s just leave it at that,” Sophia chuckled. It seems like she has misunderstood something on her own.
“I know I can’t win against Arius logically… But it’s not about that. I just want to win!” Barn exclaimed.
“I understand how you feel, Prince Barn. Arius always seems so capable and can do anything with a nonchalant expression. Sometimes, I can’t help but want to punch him,” Millia said, glaring at me for some reason. She’s become more straightforward and treats me somewhat poorly. Well, it’s easier to deal with this kind of attitude.
“Hey, Millia. That’s not what I meant. I just don’t want to lose to my best friend, Arius,” I clarified.
“Yes, yes. I also don’t want to lose to Arius, who has somehow become my unfortunate connection,” Millia said. She and Barn have become quite close. It seems that Barn appreciates Millia’s fearless personality.
“That’s why Millia and I are thinking completely different things, right? Arius, you understand that, don’t you, as my best friend?” Barn asked.
“I don’t really care about what Barn thinks,” I replied.
“Arius! That’s too cold-hearted towards your best friend!” Barn protested.
“Well, Arius is just like that,” Millia added. Can’t you support me a little, Millia?
“It’s still as noisy as ever… Millia, what did you mean by your previous statement? Saying that you want to punch Arius or such, isn’t that something a woman shouldn’t say?” Zeke interjected, furrowing his brows. But Millia acted as if nothing happened.
“Prince Zeke, that’s a discriminatory remark against women. Are you making fun of me just because I’m a woman?”
“N-No, it’s not like that…”
“I understand that you said it out of concern for me, Prince, but please give up. This is just my personality.”
Milia notices that Zeke doesn’t pretend to be bad when he’s with her. She feels a bit sorry because his character seems to be crumbling, but she thinks it’s better for him to remain true to himself since he’s actually a good guy.
“So… Prince Erik, I’d like to invite you all to a meal. What do you think?”
Even though Mars’ true nature has been exposed, he still persists in inviting Erik and the others to a meal. Well, since he wants support, he won’t easily give up.
“Lord Mars is still as impatient as ever. But, I’m sorry, I’m actually quite busy. I don’t think I can accept your invitation for the time being.”
However, Erik doesn’t pay much attention to Mars because he’s much better than him. I heard this information from my father, Darius. Apparently, Erik has been negotiating with Cardinal Mars, who is Mars’ father, and they have built a loose alliance. Mars himself hasn’t been informed about this, probably because if he wants to become the next Cardinal, he should build his own relationships.
“Although I’m an outsider, it seems Lord Mars prioritizes his own convenience. There’s no need for Prince Erik to accommodate him, right?”
Milia remains calm even when Mars glares at her.
“Milia, you’re very straightforward.”
“Yeah. I’m aware that I have a sharp tongue. Does that make Sophia hate me?”
“No, not at all. I like the genuine Milia.”
“Sophia, who says that, I like her too.”
They really get along well. They don’t care at all about their different social statuses.
Zeke watches the two of them with an amused smile, but his attempt to act tough ruins the character.
“By the way, this Friday is finally the dungeon practical class. I’ll make my abilities known to my best friend, Arius, this time. I’m ready to go!”
Burn is still straightforward and hot-blooded as always. Well, he’s not a bad guy, so it’s fine.
The academy has a low-level, exclusive dungeon called the “Rogue-class Dungeon.” Well, it’s not strictly exclusive since it’s also used for training soldiers in the kingdom. It’s just that it’s not open to the general adventurers.
“I think Prince Burn should showcase his skills, but since it’s his first dungeon, I think it’s better to be cautious.”
When the topic of the dungeon comes up, Erik’s expression subtly changes. It’s hard to notice if you’re not paying attention. Well, Erik also knows about the specific information.
“No, I’ve delved into dungeons many times in the Empire. I’m used to dungeons.”
“Still, it’s your first time entering this dungeon. I know about Prince Burn’s abilities, but there are other students too. We should especially protect women.”
“Yeah, you’re right. Okay, I’ll cover for them.”
Erik led the conversation skillfully. With this, Burn won’t act recklessly on his own.
“Arius, you’ll also look out for everyone in the dungeon, right?”
“Yeah, I intend to do what I can.”
He’s putting pressure on me too. Milia quietly observes the interaction between me and Erik.
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