20. Home of Mercy (2)
“They’re blocking the dungeon!”
At those words, Mercy’s complexion immediately turned pale.
It seemed that it was a topic that the other elves did not want to bring up.
“More, a dungeon… ?”
I asked Mercy who muttered in disbelief.
“Isn’t there a dungeon here in the first place?”
“yes… . It was originally like that.”
“then… .”
While he was about to ask more, the elf’s attention was drawn to one of the bushes.
Before long, several elves hurriedly ran from there.
“It’s a Ranger!”
The elves who saw him shouted.
… Speaking of rangers, I thought of a special class with a tough image patrolling dangerous areas.
Dressed in clunky yet simple armor, half-obscured by a hat, he had a stern impression, something like that.
But, is it no different from a normal elf?
At least, it would be different if it was different from the other elves who wore fluff clothes, wearing leather clothes.
“haha… . Princess… !”
As if they were running in a hurry, the ranger elves breathed heavily.
“Come back, come back, come back, come back… !”
“First of all, please, so, guide… .”
I inspected their outfits before passing out from breathlessness.
The clothes were torn here and there, and there were several small scratches as if they had just been injured.
The other elves who saw it were surprised.
“Blossom… !”
“I’m hurt!”
“what should we do!”
Helena quickly stepped in and healed the wound.
“Oh, go, thank you… . But why are humans here… .”
The ranger’s gaze, being healed, turned to Mercy.
“Um… . They are my guests.”
“You’re a human guest… . Since you are a guest, the first thing to do is guide… .”
“for a moment.”
I interrupted and cut off my words.
“I want to see a bit about that dungeon first.”
“Yes? It’s dangerous out there! It is a place where unknown monsters pour out! You can’t send guests! Even with such methods as pouring soil into the entrance or blocking the entrance with rocks, dangerous rocks continued to come out!”
“… It seems like you have no idea what that tunnel is or how to solve it.”
Frustrating, but understandable.
If you’re new to dungeons, you might not know what to do.
“Th-uh, these guests are experts at dealing with dungeons like that?”
“… Aha! You are a princess too! You foresaw our troubles!”
“It’s not like that, but… .”
“Come this way!”
The rangers rushed into the bushes.
“… Let’s go.”
He led a group of people who were bewildered in a rather hectic situation, and followed them.
Other elves constantly came out to watch as they cleared the bush.
As if curiosity and wariness collided, it was a gesture to withdraw even as it approached.
Whether it was a small fairy or an ordinary elf, it became a spectacle for many elves.
“There are many elves who live without seeing humans for the rest of their lives, so… . Please understand.”
Mercy spoke softly from the side.
Then there was a commotion among the elves watching.
“The princess is talking to humans… !”
“why? The princess must be… .”
“Princess! You’re all right!”
… It’s upsetting.
Certainly, as Mercy said, it does not seem to correspond with the status of a princess in human society.
It’s like the daughter of a popular village chief.
“By the way, isn’t there such a thing as an elf who devoted himself to swordsmanship and magic for 300 years?”
“that is… Well. As I said, we try to stay away from conflict by nature. Elves who are imbued with human society will be different, though. Anyway, even if you study magic, it’s extremely academic, and things like swordsmanship are more than actual combat… .”
“Is it because they only focus on things like academic value?”
“Yes.”
“Then what is a Ranger?”
“yes? It’s just my turn to go out to the forest that day and bring berries or mushrooms.”
“… okay.”
That’s true, it’s too far from what I expected, but what can I do about it when the culture of the elves is like that.
“But, everyone seems to know you came without seeing you in person. Is that possible through the voice of the forest?”
“Yes. right. This place is full of life that can be heard and heard.”
Then, is this a much noisier place for Mercy now than I am?
“Why?”
“No, should I say that I personally covet it… . It means that you can communicate your thoughts even if you are far away.”
In fact, it means that it is possible for elves to send telepathy.
Of course, the environment will have to be fully prepared like here, and it won’t be as instantaneous as my Ring of Subordination.
The distance may not be unlimited, but… .
From my point of view, thinking of a scouting team, it is inevitable to imagine a scouting team made of elves.
“Hmm… .”
If there was an elf interested in human society, wouldn’t it be possible to take him with him?
By the way, thinking like that, it’s a bit strange that elves don’t know about dungeons, right?
“By the way, are there any elves who go out to human society and come back? I wouldn’t have known if I lived in this place, but I would have been able to know the basics about the dungeon even if the elves had returned from outside.”
“It’s very rare, but not nonexistent. But most of the elves who returned like that… .”
Mercy couldn’t finish talking.
Because the ranger in front of us shouted.
“We are here!”
The entrance to the dungeon was visible in a gap in the bushes in the distance, and elves were scattered around it as if they were tired.
Some of them noticed this first.
“It’s a princess!”
“Is the princess really back?”
Wherever he went, Mercy was welcomed first.
It was a part that showed how well Mercy was doing here.
“Okay, it’s been a while. How have you all been?”
“Healthy!”
“Princess, what about the human world!”
“Who are those humans?”
“First.”
I went first.
“Let’s start with the dungeon.”
I said that and looked around.
The swords and spears held by the elves are rather crude.
There were many remnants of rocks with countless scratches on the floor.
It would be a very easy dungeon if it could be blocked with only these characters and armaments.
Class F dungeon, judging from the remains, it must be a rock golem.
“Has anyone been inside?”
“I didn’t go in because it was too dark!”
“Hmm.”
I think I can attack without difficulty with my party, but I’ll have to check just in case.
This dungeon is not even in my memory.
“I’ll go in and look around, everyone wait here.”
“What? Ho, alone… ?”
“It will be fine. I will come just to see you.”
“Joe, be careful!”
I left the party’s voice behind and went straight down the dungeon.
*
The dungeon matched my expectations.
An F-class dungeon with a rock golem.
There was only one road, and only the rock golem sparsely guarded the road.
At this point, I decided to properly check Lucia’s skills.
There was still an inherent curse left, but it was weak.
With that skill I personally confirmed, I could clear an F-rank dungeon alone.
It might be impossible if I had the same physical strength as back then.
He removed all the curses and fed 1/4 of the Elixir, so he guessed that his stamina would have returned.
The remaining inherent curses are very weak.
After asking the party for their understanding and handing over all the necessary weapons to Lucia, they entered the dungeon.
It couldn’t be said to be a good weapon, but it was a basic level.
“Can we just fight?”
Entering the dungeon, Lucia warmed up and asked.
“Yes. Whatever you want to do, just win.”
Unlike Vivian and Helena, I didn’t tell them what to do.
Either dodge and hit or block and hit.
It was because he was curious about Lucia’s talent.
It is difficult to compare with Vivian and Helena’s talent, but if it is simply limited to ‘combat sense’, it is not enough to say that Lucia’s talent is innate.
She was optimized for fighting and winning.
Indeed, what kind of appearance will be shown in the first fight… .
-Kugugung… .
After a while, I had no choice but to stare blankly at the rising platform.
‘It’s too much… .’
what.
I feel complicated.
I’m depressed, but also proud… .
“Is it over?”
Asked Lucia, who trampled on the boss monster, the giant rock golem, as if playing with a toy.
She finished the dungeon without stopping, not even breaking a sweat.
On the contrary, when asked if it was the end, I even heard the misunderstanding mixed with disdain that it was only this much.
“… Yes, it is over.”
“Mmm.”
Lucia murmured as she opened and closed her hands a few times.
“It’s worth it… .”
again
Looking at Lucia reminds me of the first time I met Kylie.
I was devastated because I thought I could reach this level with just my talent.
But isn’t this a bit too much?
Kylie was originally a person who blindly believed in and pursued power.
It means that even when you met me, the experience itself was quite a lot.
But Lucia… .
‘Kylie got me in 3 months.’
How long will Lucia take?
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Just thinking about this is bizarre.
Now, to think of Lucia, who cleared the dungeon for the first time, compared to Kylie… .
“Did I do well?”
Lucia asked innocently.
“… Don’t go anywhere and ask anyone else for that.”
“yes? why?”
“I will curse you for cheating.”
“… Yes? Is that enough?”
Lucia, who was looking at the fallen rock golem, looked at me and smiled.
“Ahaha, anyway, I feel good because you seem to be doing really well. It’s been a long time since I’ve been able to move comfortably for such a long time.”
Lucia took a step closer and said.
“thanks. Thanks to Ian.”
The dejection could not last long.
I made this kind of talent on my side, and it couldn’t be better.
“In the future, I should be more grateful. More than that, the dungeon… You don’t know much about it either?”
“yes. Why did that suddenly rise?”
I briefly explained the dungeons and magic stones to Lucia.
“Ah, that is a reward. It’s funny. The winner takes it all, and the rest just have to look up.”
Apparently, Lucia will quickly adapt to this warrior environment.
Lucia came down holding the magic stone, and the platform sank.
I’m just going out… .
“ah.”
Something fell from the ceiling and fell on my head.
Looking down, it was a bracelet made of brown string.
“… What is this?”
Lucia asked.
Before answering, I looked up at the ceiling for a moment.
It’s a ridiculous hypothesis, but I wonder if an unknown person was hanging from the ceiling and threw a bracelet made of leather straps at this timing to get me into trouble.
Because that’s what I thought.
Of course it wasn’t like that.
that means soon.
“It’s an artifact.”
It meant hidden peace.
“… yes?”
And this dungeon is a place I don’t even know.
Therefore, I do not know what this artifact is.
“Is that why artifacts always fall like bat poop?”
“Did you have to call what fell on my head bat shit?”
“… Haha. The cave-like atmosphere reminded me of that.”
I have nothing to say because it’s a good reason… .
Anyway. I’ll have to check what this is.
“I will kick first.”
I didn’t know what effect it would have, so I took precedence over Lucia and put on the bracelet.
“It could be dangerous, so stay away.”
Lucia took a step back.
He poured mana into the bracelet very little.
Then, a cool breeze wrapped around my body, and I felt my whole body lighten.
I tested it by twisting my body sideways and rocking it back and forth.
It just wasn’t in the mood.
My movements have definitely become easier.
‘Am I assisting with the movement of the body with the wind?’
I once taught Sylvia a magic similar to this one and made her use it when working together.
Although slightly different, this artifact alone could produce a similar effect.
“It seems to be an artifact that helps you move faster.”
I took off the bracelet and handed it to Lucia.
No matter how you think about it, it suited Lucia the best.
“Are you giving it to me? What about the others?”
“Well… . I think other people will probably make concessions on their own, but let’s go out and ask. In my opinion, it suits Lucia the best.”
“Hmm.”
Lucia turned the bracelet around and observed.
“like. I’ll ask others first and then decide.”
***
Vivian and Helena, who remained outside, were besieged by forest elves.
In fact, rather than a siege, each of them looked at them from a certain distance, and there were so many of them that it was inevitable that they were surrounded.
Although the elves were very curious, they kept a clear distance.
There was even an adult elf who would stop when a young elf tried to approach.
Of course, not all elves were like that.
“Oh, hey, hey, hey… .”
A fairy female elf flew in and circled around Vivian, then sat down on her chest.
Even then, the naive Vivian didn’t throw her away, and now she was running around on top of it.
“Ugh… . Meh, Mercy… . help me… .”
However, Mercy was only worried with a serious face.
‘… There must have been a way to play like that. Damn it! Next time I must… !’
Only the face was serious.
“Ugh… . please stop now… .”
“Hmm. great!”
The elf stopped jumping and perched on Vivian’s shoulder.
“Human! What is your relationship with the princess?”
“Um… .”
As Vivian paused, Mercy glared.
“Ah, that’s it! Not like that! Mmm, it’s hard to organize what kind of relationship to say… .”
“Hmm?”
“Really… .”
As Vivian cried, Mercy grinned.
“I know everything, you know then! We, um, yes. You could call me a friend.”
“friend… .”
In that way, Vivian and Mercy mainly answered.
On the other hand, few approached Helena.
Because she didn’t look good.
Vivian and Mercy also noticed that Helena’s condition had not been good recently, but had nothing to say.
Because I didn’t talk about my concerns in the first place.
Vivian was disturbed as well, but for a different reason than Helena, and not as seriously as her.
Then, suddenly, there was a commotion on the other side of the bush.
Before long, a sturdy male elf appeared.
He had a well-groomed beard and was quite dignified.
Mercy immediately recognized him.
It was the male elf who opened his mouth first.
“… Mercy. It’s been a while.”
“Oh, Dad… .”
“Why didn’t you come back and find Abby first… .”
The majestic man soon lowered his eyebrows as if he had grown sullen.
“It’s not like that… .”
Mercy’s father and the king of the elven forest.
He looked at the party next to Mercy.
“You made a human friend. Did you get close enough to enter this forest… .”
“Yes… .”
“I said so… . Elves are humans… No, no. Still no men… .”
Around that time, Ian came out with Lucia from the dungeon.
“Eh.”
Of course, Ian was surprised to see that the number of elves had increased significantly compared to when he entered.
I was surprised once more by the atmosphere of a male elf facing Mercy.
Black hair and black beard. blue eyes.
The hair color is different, but the overall impression is strangely similar to Mercy.
‘He’s Mercy’s father.’
On the other hand, Ian is thinking about how to leave a good first impression because he is in the position to ask for a favor.
Mercy’s father immediately frowned.
“Mercy, I said so, but it can’t be… !”
“It’s not like that… !”
“Did you just fall in love with a human male!”
“… … .”
Ian had a hunch that something was going wrong.