“…This is it.”
As Layla uttered those words, a mechanism activated, and with a rumbling sound like the earth groaning, stairs leading underground appeared. The condition for activation seemed to be placing a few seemingly random rocks in their designated positions according to a rule. Without the knowledge, one wouldn’t even be able to find the entrance.
Peering down the stairs, a cold air rose from the darkness. Next, the dull, bronze-colored walls, clearly unlike natural caves, came into view. It seemed this was the Sicci Ruins, where we would be exploring.
“Alright, seriously, thanks for guarding us!”
The Prince Charming, taking the first step onto the stairs, flashed a brilliant smile and called out to us.
The operation had moved to its second phase much earlier than planned, but everything else was proceeding as expected. After that, he had quickly arranged to explore the ruins with Layla, and as a bonus, he had also gotten our approval to accompany them as guards. Originally, the plan was to have a predominantly male team as escorts, to avoid any romantic entanglements with the female members that might lead to him being “stabbed,” but since one of them, Sahzan, had fled, the guard detail ended up being me, Mitsuki, and Ringo.
As for why Maki wasn’t with us –
“…Huh? I’m totally, completely fine! I mean, even if he’s my childhood friend, I’ve only gone out with Soma a few dozen times, and I don’t think I’m conceited about being cute myself… Ah, my hand slipped!”
She began a mysterious display of intimidation, slamming her mace into the ground, and since she clearly wasn’t fine at all, she was left behind.
As for Layla’s reaction, which I’d been worried about, she did furrow her brow slightly when she saw the female members, but she still didn’t show much of a reaction to my presence. Perhaps she was already so infatuated with him that other men were invisible to her.
Well, I was more concerned about exploring a Dungeon equivalent to level 130 with only five people, but that turned out to be a completely unfounded worry.
“Layla, stay behind me!”
“Y-yes!”
As a sudden appearance of purple Ogres occurred, he charged forward, his Knight’s Clothing fluttering. There were three Ogres in total. To rush into the midst of the enemy in a three-on-one situation was sheer madness.
But he didn’t hesitate. Without slowing down, he approached the three enemies and, with a casual movement, slashed at the leading Ogre’s leg. No, saying his movements were casual might be an exaggeration. It was a strike that oozed a sloppiness unbecoming of a Hero’s swordsmanship, with no discernible form. Even from my perspective, it wasn’t exactly brilliant.
However, perhaps due to its haphazardness, it was incredibly fast. By the time the enemy was ready to fight, he was already striking the second Ogre.
“Gaaargh!!”
The remaining Ogre roared and swung down its club. He dodged it as if he had predicted its trajectory. The club passed by, tracing the very edge of where he had pulled himself back, with a full beat of delay. Even though he narrowly avoided it, it was a powerful blow that made me break out in a cold sweat. However, a sweeping blow also creates a significant opening. Naturally, he unleashed a full-powered blow on the off-balance Ogre… or rather, he didn’t.
Very casually, as if he’d simply cut because the position was just right, he lightly slashed the hand gripping the club of the Ogre right in front of him. Of course, visually, it looked like it couldn’t possibly be a fatal wound. Yet, the Ogre that received that strike eventually stopped moving and dissolved into particles of light.
“So many repeated Grays…”
As I watched him return with an air of nonchalance, muttering to himself, I swallowed for what felt like the hundredth time that day.
He was strong, overwhelmingly so. His base stats were undoubtedly high, but that wasn’t all. His fighting style was honed to such a degree of practicality that it felt almost inhuman.
Watching his sword strokes, I understood. He didn’t consider things like hitting cleanly or striking with maximum momentum, which swordsmen typically would. Certainly, any attack that lands deals damage, and if the damage is great enough, the enemy can be defeated. If one has sufficient attack power, there’s no need to strike the center of the opponent’s body, and it’s enough to cut their fingertips or toes. But that was just theory. In actual combat, when one has an opening, they tend to aim for the torso or the face, and even if it’s not necessary, they might still swing their sword through. I couldn’t imagine how much real combat experience it would take to reach his level of enlightenment.
Moreover, according to him, the monster from earlier was one he’d never seen before today. Yet, he read its attacks as if he’d fought it dozens of times, countering accurately. (This is the “real deal,” huh…) I had always thought that by fighting alone in seclusion, I had already attained mastery of the sword, worthy of the title of Hero. But my training had apparently been mere child’s play. I was now clearly confronted with the arrogance that had been confined to my own small world.
(But that means I can become even stronger!!)
There was no time to feel dejected. I would seize this opportunity and, at the very least, steal a single technique from him during this exploration.
“Roik, thank you for protecting me!”
“In return, you’ve been solving the puzzles, so it’s a fair trade.”
“Th-then, we’re a really great team, aren’t we!”
I glared at the two of them, walking ahead and flirting, and made that firm resolution.
…However, unfortunately, my chance never came.
He cut down every monster that came from the front as soon as they appeared, and as for the monsters that emerged from behind, I couldn’t even spot them. Mitsuki, walking beside me, would occasionally disappear and then return a few seconds later with a casual report: “Excuse me. Two Ogres were following us, so I’ve taken care of them.” She, too, was outrageously capable. The traps that occasionally appeared in the ruins seemed complex, but Layla solved them all, leaving me with nothing to do in terms of exploration…
“This is the deepest part of the Sicci Ruins. The King’s Chamber…”
The exploration of the ruins quickly moved to its final stage.
“The King’s Chamber, huh…”
It was a room incomparably larger than any other. Over a dozen thick bronze pillars stood like guardians around the perimeter, and in the center of the room, as if watched over by them, a mound rose like a small mountain.
“Amazing…”
What drew the eye was the color of the building materials. Amidst the dull bronze of the ruins, only this area shone with the brilliance of gold. And at the summit of that golden mountain, in the center of the room, a large Treasure Chest adorned with jewels was visible. Surely, with such splendor, it was no wonder it was called the “King’s Chamber.” Gazing at the shining golden mountain, I nodded. If even I was this impressed, Layla, who had apparently been searching for this place for so long, must be ecstatic. Thinking that, I looked at her, but contrary to my expectations, her expression was downcast.
“It’s finally here.”
It wasn’t my imagination; his cheerful words made her bow her head even lower. (I see. She heard that he was leaving after the exploration of the ruins…) And this meant that her attachment to him now surpassed her lifelong interest in the ruins. As I realized this, Layla quietly asked him,
“…Is your hometown, Roik’s hometown, very far away?”
He seemed taken aback by the sudden question, but then, with a distant look in his eyes, he said,
“…Yes. My hometown is far away. Very, very far. In a place that cannot be easily reached.”
…Hey! Don’t embellish things on your own! Don’t just say “very, very far” arbitrarily! It’s just a mountain village that can be easily reached on foot!
“I-I see…”
It was likely not the answer she had hoped for. Layla lowered her bowed head even further. But Layla wasn’t the type to give up easily. She quickly looked up and asked again.
“Th-then… if I said I wanted to continue following you, would it be a bother?”
“That would be…”
Even the Prince Charming hesitated for a moment, then –
“–O.”
At that moment, our eyes met. His face twisted into a mischievous grin. Simultaneously, a chilling premonition ran down my spine. Hey, stop it! Don’t get carried away! I sent him a desperate, pleading gaze. But his grin didn’t stop. He wasn’t planning to say something reckless, thinking it was no concern of his, was he?! If he did that, I wouldn’t forgive him, no matter what!!
“…Let’s see,”
Whether he understood my intent or not, he paused dramatically and said,
“–If you swear absolute obedience to my every word, prioritize me at all times, and promise never to hurt me, then I suppose it’s fine.”
Seriously, who do you think you are? I thought, but at the same time, I breathed a sigh of relief. This impossible demand was effectively a rejection. Even he, it seemed, had no intention of readily agreeing to this. I was about to relax –
“–Understood!! I’ll, I’ll work my hardest!”
W-wait! Layla is nodding with a refreshingly bright smile, as if she’s relieved she wasn’t rejected!! Looking at him, his face visibly twitched.
“Mor-more importantly, we’re in the King’s Chamber now, right!”
He quickly and forcibly changed the subject. He was quite skilled at this, or perhaps accustomed to it.
“…Right. We can talk about it later.”
Layla followed suit, adding her own interpretation. I… I’m kind of scared of these two. But regardless of the circumstances, the exploration of the ruins had finally reached its climax. Following Mitsuki’s advice, “We’ll wait here,” we watched as the two of them ascended the golden stairs from the entrance of the room.
“If Father’s research is correct, the records of the Old Civilization, which was destroyed by an Evil God, are here…”
Joy and excitement mingled in Layla’s voice. Finally, the years of hard work by father and daughter would be rewarded. A smile appeared on Layla’s face…
“–Watch out!”
It was immediately after those urgent cries were heard.
The golden mountain exploded. Along with a deafening roar, the gold that had formed the mountain scattered into the air, struck the ceiling with a thud that vibrated in my chest. Its fragments flew towards us, and I instinctively shielded my face. Amidst the panic caused by the sudden event,
“–Soma!!!”
Ringo’s sharp scream, unlike anything I had ever heard before, pierced my eardrums. (Right! They…) Fortunately, there was no significant damage to our side. I lowered my hands from my face and frantically searched for their figures in the dust-filled room. But the center of the room had been blown completely inward, and there was nothing moving, not even anything standing.
“No way…”
As I gasped in disbelief, Mitsuki stood beside me.
“No, both of them seem unharmed.”
“Eh?”
Where Mitsuki pointed, by the right wall of the room, I saw him holding Layla, waving a hand towards us.
“…That’s a relief.”
To Ringo and us, who breathed a sigh of relief, he walked over, carrying Layla, whose eyes were still wide from the shocking experience.
“A deadly trap for first-timers. That gave me a slight chill.”
He claimed that he noticed the trap a moment before the mountain exploded and had jumped sideways with Layla in his arms. When asked how he detected the trap, he replied, “When I looked sideways, I thought I saw a slight distortion in the world, a small anomaly…” He explained in detail that “although it’s theoretically impossible in the current environment, when looking away from a large mechanism or monster moving nearby, a very small shift or delay can occur in the world.” The Master’s words were truly extraordinary.
“It looked like an obvious trap, so I’m glad I was cautious. More importantly, look, the real treasure has appeared.”
At his words, I looked towards the center of the room, where the golden mountain had once been. Upon closer inspection, I saw a large cavity, likely formed by the explosion, and a bronze Treasure Chest placed within it.
Inside the Treasure Chest were the precious documents Layla and her father had been searching for, gold and silver treasures, and, as intended, the Grimoire we were after. He kept his promise, taking only the Grimoire, and after arranging to meet Layla again the next morning, we parted ways.
“That was a close call.”
Back at our base, the Mansion, he remarked as he held the Grimoire,
“Yeah… I’m relieved thinking I can finally say goodbye to this appearance.”
He gave a wry smile as I grumbled.
“I was actually a little happy to have become such a handsome guy.”
“Don’t even start!!”
As I shouted that, the effect of the item wore off.
“Oh…!”
With a sound of surprise, the man before me began to change. His red hair and eyes turned black, and his body, facial features, and skin became distorted, returning to their original forms. Though I couldn’t see it directly, I was likely undergoing a similar transformation. And when the change subsided,
“–Thanks for today, Roik. I’m sorry for making you go through the trouble of disguising yourself and creating an alibi.”
Before me stood the “real” Hero, the “Waterlogged Prince Soma,” with black hair and black eyes.
Yesterday, using the Grimoire as leverage, this guy… this Hero named Waterlogged Prince Soma had asked me to swap appearances and create an alibi. He explained that using an item called a “Transformation Glasses” allows one to take on the appearance of another person. However, since body types don’t change, the disguise wouldn’t work well unless the person was of a similar build. That’s why I, who had a similar age and build to him, was chosen. I had some reservations about deceiving women, but I really wanted my father’s Grimoire. Moreover, having some sympathy for his situation, I ended up accepting the request. So, for today, he acted as “Roik” and befriended Layla, while I, in the form of “Soma,” stayed by “Roik’s” side, thus creating the impression that “Soma” and “Roik” were two different people. Honestly, it was a much tougher task than I had imagined.
“But well, it will all be over tomorrow morning.”
All that remained was for us to meet Layla in our original forms the next day, and if she gave me an item called the “Eye of Heaven,” the plan would be a success. Soma had told me that once the “Eye of Heaven” is given to someone, it cannot be transferred to another person. So, in the worst-case scenario, if Layla gave me the “Eye of Heaven,” he said it would be fine even if I revealed the entire plan. Of course, he also mentioned he’d prefer if I kept it a secret until the end.
Even from just one day of observation, Layla’s love was frankly too much for me. I felt bad for Soma, but I couldn’t play the “Prince Charming Roik” in front of Layla. As my final act of loyalty to Soma, I decided to return home without saying anything to Layla, and if she did visit my home, I would confess the plan. How she would react upon hearing that… I didn’t really want to think about it.
I fell asleep, half-genuinely wishing that tomorrow would never come.
And then, the next day. Mercilessly, morning arrived, and the third phase, the final stage of the plan, began.
“Ah, Roik!”
At our meeting spot with Layla. With Soma, who had returned to his original form, watching from behind, I waved to Layla with unfamiliar gestures.
“Ah, ah. Layla, good mor—”
“Roik!!”
Perhaps due to the progression of the plan, Layla now looked like a different person from when we first met. Her usually downcast face was illuminated by a radiant smile, her eyes sparkled like stars, and a trail of light seemed to follow her as she ran. Gasps of admiration escaped the townspeople who saw Layla’s appearance. But her eyes reflected no one else around her. As they got close enough to see each other clearly, Layla’s speed accelerated. Unable to wait another moment, Layla ran towards me. She ran past me, who was awkwardly smiling, trying to welcome her, and –
“Roik, I missed you!!”
–she leaped into Soma behind me.
“Huh? …Huh?”
For the first time, I saw him looking confused. I too froze, not understanding what had happened. But amidst it all, Layla, with a full smile,
“The outfit Roik is wearing now, it’s the same as when we first met! Yes! I think that one suits you better!!”
She spoke rapidly to Soma, and then,
“Ah, right! This is my family heirloom, it’s called the ‘Eye of Heaven’! It’s a very precious item, but no, it’s so precious that I’m giving it to you! Think of it as me, and keep it by your side forever, eternally, for all eternity, for all future ages!!”
She shoved the glittering jewel at him, as if to seal the deal.
“…Hah, hahaha.”
Watching from my prime seat, I had two thoughts. First, you really can’t get away with doing bad things. And second – That smooth-talking bastard, serves you right!!!!!!
…And that, was the unbelievable adventure I experienced in less than two days. Apparently, Layla had seen through Soma’s disguise from the beginning, or rather, she had only considered the disguise as a fashion statement. Naturally, the plan was a complete failure. I was honorably discharged. Although the plan failed, Soma faithfully gave me the Grimoire. Moreover, he kept insisting on giving me some additional reward, saying it wouldn’t be enough just for the Grimoire. I refused, of course, but for him to show such consideration when I was feeling down, perhaps he was surprisingly a good guy.
“Hmm.”
Reflecting now, having safely returned home, I feel a little bad for laughing so hard at his misfortune back then. Thanks to him, I felt I had glimpsed a higher peak of martial arts, and in the end, I obtained the Grimoire I had always desired…
“That’s right! The Grimoire!!”
I jumped up as if sprung by a spring and took out the scroll I had carefully stored in my bag, the Grimoire left by my father. “Heh, are you watching, Father? I’ve come this far!” All my previous struggles were for this moment. With excitement, I opened the received scroll. …It began with these words:
‘To Roik. Unfortunately, this does not contain the clear combat techniques and secret techniques you are likely seeking. However, as a parent and as a warrior, I wish to leave you something even more important.’
“Father…”
The familiar phrasing made my chest tighten. This was indeed something Father had written. And now, having seen him, I could readily accept that there was something more important than combat techniques. I admit it grudgingly, but Soma, both as an example and as a cautionary tale, taught me many things. Those two days had made me grow, even if just a little. I composed myself and continued reading, determined to absorb every word of my father’s teachings.
‘You, who have always possessed talent in martial arts and have diligently trained to master my techniques, are my pride. However, you, who have always been alone in everything you do, cannot become a true master. Therefore, I have left this Grimoire in this cave, in this cave that you absolutely cannot break through alone. That is, the “power of bonds” with the companions who entered the cave with you to obtain this Grimoire is the true secret technique—’
“UgaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRG!!!”
At that point, I couldn’t take it anymore and slammed the Grimoire onto the ground. That guy, that guy… – He’s still the worst, most despicable SOB!!! Double knockout!!
