Welcome to the Impregnable Demon King Castle

205 – Retreat is Prohibited (Part 1)

I stared at them building the makeshift Safe Room as I had nothing to do.

Ex approached me from the side while I did this.

「You gave orders brilliantly once again today, Lem.」

「…Thank you very much. But…why is it that both you and Merlin sought orders from me?」

There isn’t a single doubt about Ex’s ability to command nor Merlin’s magical prowess.

Yet I feel as if both of them have been giving me a lot of opportunities to do either despite both of them being more than able to handle the situation at the time.

「That Merlin just wants to see your magic.」

「I-I see. Well, I suppose I was able to learn a lot by seeing Merlin’s magic firsthand.」

Even if I can’t cast offensive magic, there’s still a lot I can learn from watching how she controls and operates Magical Energy, the time it takes for her to flow Magical Energy into the staff, etc.

And on Merlin’s side, if there is anything that she can glean from watching my Black Magic, then I’m glad.

「As for me…I…think I would like to just focus on fighting.」

Ex’s tone became slightly gloomy there.

「…While it’s customary for a Hero to serve as the leader, it can be a big burden, right?」

One has to fully understand everything that is going on and call out suitable commands all while giving your all into your own fight.

I feel as if I understand the difficulties of serving as both a Hero and a leader.

There is supporting with Black Magic by itself, then when you add battling on top of that, it becomes more difficult. It’s probably similar.

「You’re right. I’ve found that it’s a lot easier to let someone else do the work. Well…that someone else, in this case, turns out to be you, though.」

「Ahaha. If I think of that as the price to pay to get front-row seats to watch such Adventurers fight, I’d pay twice the cost.」

「You’re pretty positive, aren’t you?」

Ex said as his eyes seemed to be fixed on something in the distance.

I recalled the talk I had with Merlin.

I think about it a little, and open my mouth.

「Perhaps I’m just afraid of looking back.」

Saying something more negative than he was expecting, he turns to look at me.

「…If you were to look back, what do you think you would see?」

I try imagining it.

「The edge of a cliff, I suppose. If I don’t keep moving forward, the ground would crumble before me.」

An Adventurer is an occupation that is heavily dependent on popularity. The fear that accompanies it is probably the same fear that follows sports athletes.

Even if you were to achieve something great and get rich from it, that is only during a very short period of time in a person’s entire lifespan.

Young and talented people keep coming all the time. Only a select few can compete with them and remain in the industry.

I wonder how many of us will be able to successfully move on with our lives after losing our place in the industry.

「Ah, that is indeed scary. All we can do to keep from falling is to keep running ahead.」

「Yes, facing forward.」

Even Monsters can’t rest easy.

Just like Milla in the past, one decision from your boss can result in you being given the cold shoulder, despite being great at your job.

You could even be on the verge of losing your job when the Dungeon is going through financial difficulties like the Elementary Level – Beginner’s Dungeon did.

Of course, you could always be fired from a Dungeon when they have judged that your abilities are lacking.

We have no choice but to continue running with all our might in order to attain our goals and not disappear into obscurity.

「I wonder if we’ll ever find solid footing.」

「At the very least, I have decided on where I’m running to.」

For me, that’s becoming the hero of the Monsters.

For Adventurers, that’s becoming 1st ranked.

After reaching that, I suppose it’s challenging the world’s strongest.

There are countless things to do.

「…Indeed.」

Before I knew it, everyone was glancing this way.

…It might have to do with my Black Magic, maybe.

「I’m just talking to myself here, but…」

Ex prefaced what he is about to say while rubbing his chin.

I bet he also noticed everyone’s attention.

「I believe Lem’s policy when he was part of the Fenix party was “I will make sure my allies achieve great things using my Black Magic”. Moreso than using his own strength to appeal to the public, he chose to take the shortest path to the top of the ranks by helping his allies achieve the best results without them knowing. Considering his goal of reaching the top, at the very least, I know that his methods did not fail.」

Although, I ended up leaving the party after that.

We entered the high ranks. We managed to get to the 4th rank.

「At the same time, being an Adventurer is not the kind of occupation that rewards those who are competent. This could be said, to some extent, about any industry, I suppose. Especially Lem, who is a Black Sorcerer. There are sadly few who would deny judging the Job, itself, as unnecessary, rather than considering the ability of the person.」

Even though I have a history of having been a member of the 4th ranked party, I couldn’t find another party.

That’s how much of a deal-breaker being a Black Sorcerer was.

「But of course, there are exceptions. There are parties that employ Black or White Sorcerers, and Lem was, in fact, invited by Aerial and the young Wraith to join their respective parties. He also formed a party together with Fenix.」

Ex was explaining all this to the Clan members, not to me.

「I’m sure the question is, if he had power comparable to Panacea, then why hide it from the start? He shouldn’t have done that. That is a very good point, but I would like you all to think about it a little. Fenix and Lem were only thirteen when they debuted. That was seven years ago. Naturally, his policy would have been determined based on his abilities at that time instead of current standards, right?」

Matching the time until Fenix graduated from the School, my training period lasted three years.

I was blessed with the best master and surpassed his hellish training, but life isn’t so easy that I can just become a first-rate Black Sorcerer in three years.

Amassing Magical Energy into the horn, developing my Magical Energy organ, increasing the effectiveness and extending the effect time of my spells, Magical Energy manipulation sense, techniques, etc were all honed when training or through battle experience after I debuted.

Of course, the plan to rush to the top three was cooked up by my thirteen-year-old self.

If I could go back in time to when I was thirteen but with the abilities and mentality that I have now, I’m sure I could have found countless other methods.

「And then, of course, Black Magic that is too strong would be perceived as Black Sorcery… The reason why is easy to imagine. My party is used to such perception, so we understand. In truth, magic and sorcery are different things. No matter how much one trains Black Magic’s Speed Down, it won’t resemble Black Sorcery’s Complete Stop. Still, popularity can easily rise and fall with a single rumor. You can’t be too cautious.」

Black Magic and Black Sorcery are different things.

Similar to how magic is a lower quality version of Spirit Magic. No matter how one trains their magic, it will never reach the level of Spirit Magic.

Even the magic, that can match the strength of Spirit Magic, by the greatest Wizard Merlin doesn’t get Esoteric attached to her spells.

She’s so close, yet so far.

Black Magic cannot reach the levels of Black Sorcery through mere training.

…Although, I was taught Black Sorcery by my master.

But anyway, it is true that Black Magic is not connected to Black Sorcery in any way.

And, like Merlin’s magic, the fact that you can use magic that is exceedingly close to the original magic itself may invite trouble.

The Ex party took a long time to overcome their predicament.

There are problems with the decision I made, but there are also reasons as to why I did so.

「Anyway, all I know is the fact that Lem has been a big help to this Original Dungeon investigation, and that’s what’s important. We have all been gathered here regardless of our Job and affiliation. Something like one’s past is all trivial.」

Ex looked around at everyone.

「It has been an honor to fight alongside all of you, even the ones who were defeated. If any of you somehow feel the same, then I’m glad.」

I’m sure that the people who were already defeated can still hear him back at camp. Since Ex casually switched the channel so that everyone could hear.

「Heh, once in a while, you give a good speech.」

Said Merlin, chuckling.

「And there’s a certain level of persuasiveness behind it all. As a party made up of “A Hero who formed a contract with the Shadow Spirit, which is outside of the Four Great Spirits”, “A Paladin who gained the divine blessing from the Light Spirit, yet another Spirit outside of the usual four, despite not even being a Hero”, “A Normal Warrior who can reproduce the characteristics of more than ten Demi-Humans due to a unique ancestry”, “A Guardian, a very minor Job that is the opposite of a Destroyer and is even rarer than that” and “An exceedingly beautiful Wizard” that managed to make it to 2nd rank.」

「…Leaving the other four aside for the time being, what the heck was up with that “Exceedingly beautiful Wizard” part? Shouldn’t it be “The abnormal Wizard who can use all four elemental magic that almost exceeds the level of Spirit Magic”?」

Corrects Arthur with a wry smile.

「Not at all, my special feature is my beauty. Wouldn’t you say, Maggie?」

「Lady Merlin is an extravagant beauty, but I can only marvel at your unparalleled magical talent.」

「No no, it is much harder to maintain these proportions. I’m sure you understand?」

…Merlin is completely in a joking mood right now.

Having sorted out her emotions, she can classify her past as something to joke about.

From his attitude, I can see that Arthur is the same.

Even Ex has a similar expression.

I can see his shoulders shake as he laughs to himself.

He was somehow able to understand that I once gave fake smiles, perhaps out of habit from getting used to giving insincere smiles.

After this and that, the temporary Safe Room was completed.

With the Teleportation Recording Stone set up, either Avatar or real bodies can instantly teleport here.

You could return, switch over to your real body and immediately teleport back to take on the Spirit’s trial.

…Not that I would do that.

「Now then, let’s head back.」

We each touched the Teleportation Recording Stone one by one and returned to camp.

The discussion that took place after that was concise in reaching its conclusion.

With the interior of the fifth stratum a mystery, it might have a forced participation mechanic, making the condition of challenging the trial with real bodies extremely dangerous.

It would be wise not to take part.

After that, the first and second investigation team patrols the entrance of the Dungeon to look out for any Imitations that might walk out of the first stratum.

The camp will remain until the Original Dungeon disappears.

There were no objections.

To be precise, there was a slight impression that people thought it was a waste of an opportunity to get their wish granted.

There was no one who expressed an intent to take the challenge.

Merlin, who wishes to meet with a Spirit, made a sour face but didn’t object.

If you think about the Imitations that have appeared up to the fourth stratum, you can imagine how dangerous it would be to take the trial in your real body.

The Spirit’s trial might not necessarily be a battle, but you can’t take that chance.

Risking one’s life to fight at a critical moment is different from being reckless.

That’s right, we are not going to be taking the Spirit’s trial.

Things changed the next day.

It was actually just after the date changed, in the middle of the night.

I could sense the unrest in the camp, so I woke up and left the tent.

Perhaps she had just been woken up by all this, Maggie, who had rare, unkempt, bed hair, was receiving a report.

「Did something happen…?」