30 – Preparation (2)
The lunch menu was a BLT sandwich.
Two strips of bacon mixed with fresh tomatoes, lettuce and some other vegetables.
Additionally, I added a bit of scrambled eggs to suit my taste.
The cafeteria at the academy is very accommodating to students’ personal tastes and related requests. It was a very satisfying culture.
However, my expression while eating such a sandwich in one hand is probably not that bright.
It certainly wasn’t much, but that wasn’t the problem.
In the first place, the capacity is what I chose.
To put it simply, I had no appetite.
Hey, I came here after seeing such a scene, but I wonder if I can get over it.
“I thought you were wanted.”
“There is no difference. It was just that there was no bounty.”
Beatrice answered my self-talk.
Unusually, she shrugged her shoulders a bit more, and was pushing the same type of sandwich I was eating into her mouth.
She also didn’t like her expression. Probably for the same reason as me.
“…… Ha.”
Beatrice, who had been mumbling helplessly, let out a sigh.
“I got too excited. No matter what, I shouldn’t have joined the crazy plan to rob the professor’s office.”
“There is nothing as meaningless as late regret.”
I didn’t think much of it, and Beatrice glared at me with a displeased expression.
Since I was chewing on the sandwich regardless, I immediately took my eyes off it.
There was a brief silence.
It was Beatrice who spoke first this time as well.
“Still, it’s strange.”
“What?”
I asked back, and Beatrice, resting her chin on her chin, pondered for a while before continuing her words.
“Apart from ‘I was wearing a mask,’ it didn’t seem like anything else was mentioned, right? On that wanted letter, no, on the handout.”
“…… It did.”
“Why?”
Beatrice tilted her head. It looked like he was genuinely curious, and at that point, I couldn’t help but worry.
When you think about it, it was a strange thing.
‘There must have been something more detailed.’
Arya has been with us for quite some time.
She goes beyond mere memorization of impressions, to the extent that she can describe a little more detailed features.
At least, it would have been enough to convey the divine power or the white thunderbolt.
Because it is covered by a mask, it must be much more valuable than external factors that cannot be properly informed.
Still, judging from the fact that there was no additional explanation other than ‘mask’ or ‘double-member’ in the handouts on the bulletin board, maybe… ….
“…… Are you saying Miss Arya deliberately hid it? Information about us.”
“Um.”
From noble mtl dot com
I nodded affirmatively at Beatrice’s words.
Other than that, nothing else came to mind.
I don’t know why, but apparently Arya isn’t very active in tracking us down.
There is nothing wrong with that. Rather, it was fortunate.
Still, I can’t help but feel a little uncomfortable.
I committed a crime (?) And ran away, but should I say it’s a situation where the only witness put the report in ambiguity?
First of all, it’s not the worst, it’s fortunate, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be relieved.
I crossed my arms and narrowed my forehead.
“What is the purpose?”
“I don’t know.”
“…… Threat? Ransom?”
“I bet you wouldn’t recognize me just because it’s Miss Arya, but how?”
“That’s right.”
I nodded because it was right.
I didn’t know what the intention was, but it doesn’t seem like a problem that could pose a threat right away, so it doesn’t matter if I put off my worries.
For now, there was a more important problem than that.
There is only one thing you need to pay attention to.
‘Underground.’
Two days left.
As I said, there is nothing extra to prepare. So, all that was left was the delivery of the plan.
I ate the last piece of the sandwich in one bite and took a moment to organize my thoughts.
I needed to recall my memories of the academy basement in a bit more detail.
“Hmm.”
Broadly divided, there are three elements to be careful about going down to the basement.
After briefly summarizing the relevant information, I looked up and met Beatrice’s gaze.
“…… ?”
Beatrice tilted her head as she finished the sandwich neatly even though she seemed to have an appetite. It seemed to catch his eye.
“What?”
“I will explain it briefly, so memorize it well.”
“…… What?”
She asked with a sour expression, and I immediately replied.
“How to get to the demon sword as safely as possible.”
“…… !”
Beatrice’s eyes softened.
The momentum changed in an instant.
No one was listening, but Beatrice leaned towards me with a slightly nervous expression.
With his eyes dimly shining, he has a rather determined attitude.
“I wouldn’t even be able to step out now anyway.”
I nodded calmly.
By the time I had already toured Professor Chloe’s laboratory with me, she could be said to be in the same boat with me without taking her feet off.
“…… After, fine.”
Beatrice put on the pod with a more serious attitude.
He seemed ready to listen.
“I’ll definitely listen, so let’s talk about it. That is the way.”
*****
First, you had to go through the upper floors to get down to the basement.
If it was natural, it would be natural.
Actually, this first gateway was not that difficult.
It’s been a while since I’ve already obtained a pass.
More than that, the problem was the step of approaching the passageway connected to the depths after entering the upper layer.
“Although the upper class is called a research institute, few faculty members who come and go to the research institute know that there is a lower level. Not only are they talking about the demonic sword, but most of them can’t even find a way to get to that depth.”
“You mean the road was hidden in the first place.”
“Yes.”
Beatrice took her words, and I snapped her fingers in affirmation.
“So you have to find the way first. It’s complicated, but not to the point where you can’t find it at all. After wandering around a few times, you will find the entrance in no time.”
That’s one of the ‘three things to watch out for’.
In terms of difficulty, it belonged to the simplest axis. Relatively speaking.
The remaining two elements that follow are so damn good…….
“The next step is breaking through the traps. This is a little embarrassing.”
I paused for a moment and reminisced.
In game, it wasn’t that I didn’t go underground through a playable character.
So finding the entrance will be a relatively easy task for me. Assuming that the structure of the basement has not changed from the game.
However, the traps are different.
The countless magical traps that Tsumei himself laid.
It won’t be something that can be broken through by memorizing patterns, mastering strategy, and simply using those methods.
It’s not impossible at all, but even so, I couldn’t go out in a ‘if it’s good or not’ way like when I was playing the game.
This isn’t a game, and of course my life is one.
Unless I can retry multiple times, I had to put my safety first.
I have the confidence to break through if I overdo it.
However, it is also true that I do not feel the need to go that far.
Try to pass through the traps with stupid words, and then get screwed up with just one tiny mistake.
At that time, regardless of whether it’s a sword, a dragon, or a demon, the bad ending credits will go up first.
So, in this case, it would be the right choice to rely on a little more realistic ‘strength’ instead of trusting in one strategy and not acting like a guest.
Anyway, there was a plan.
Of course, it’s not like you really thoughtlessly and recklessly went down to the depths.
I raised my gaze slightly and glanced at Beatrice.
She looked at me, who suddenly stopped her words, with a very questionable expression on her face.
‘This is the plan.’
I didn’t have the confidence to tell her what I was thinking of her right now.
‘Let’s use it as a body bread. Because I’m weak.’
I averted my eyes with the last remaining conscience.
Anyway, this is not a way to be proud.
But it’s not like there aren’t any excuses…….
‘hehehe.’
Is a saintess a saint for nothing?
A position specialized in protection and defense, healing and recovery. It wasn’t necessarily a story limited to others.
If you throw it on top of a pile of traps, it will do just fine.
It was Beatrice who blocked Arya’s sword skill yesterday.
I believed in our saintess.
“The traps, those… …. In fact, the form is all there. Typical.”
I continued my explanation with an awkward smile.
“Even if magic and spells are slightly added, the essence of the exclusion of intruders does not change. For example, thorns sprouting from the ground, or pillars of fire falling down. Sometimes rocks will roll down…….”
Beatrice’s expression rotted the more she spoke, but I tried to ignore it and finish the conversation.
“Everything is at a level you can block, so don’t worry. Do you believe me?”
“… ….”
Beatrice didn’t answer, but as expected, I wasn’t bothered by that.
“Now, then, you just need to know the second step with that feeling.”
Indeed, I decided to just ignore those eyes full of subtle and meaningful expressions.
Without Beatrice’s help for the trap part in the second stage, I really have to risk my life to move. I can’t help it either.
“Actually, the most important step is step 3.”
Afraid that I might come across something else, I quickly moved on to the next explanation.
Fortunately, Beatrice also seemed to want to hear the story to the end.
I opened my mouth slightly cautiously.
“…… It goes without saying that the last gateway is the most difficult, but you should definitely know this.”
What I am about to tell you from now on is even more important than the first and second steps.
I lowered my voice. Little bit seriously.
“Right in front of the room with the magic sword, there is a golem the dean created.”
“…… Golem, huh?”
Beatrice tilted her head, feeling that she was not coming close.
Usually, when you think of a golem, you think of a crude stone puppet that can only barely carry out a command or two. It wasn’t a strange reaction.
If it weren’t for the golem standing guarding the demonic sword, it was a product of over-technology that far exceeded the category of a normal golem.
I said firmly.
“We don’t fight that golem, we approach the demonic sword. Don’t even touch me. If you don’t want to become porridge.”
Beatrice’s expression hardened slightly.