After resting at the inn, we dove back into the dungeon from noon the next day.
“Hah! Haaah! Deiyaa!”
On the fourth floor, even though a dozen Dragon Mimics swarmed around us while flying, this dungeon, which is three times the normal height and very spacious, made Nina’s Berserk Sword, which she always carried on her back, incredibly useful.
“Sleep Storm! … Five were put to sleep. I’ll handle these two! Ice Arrow!”
Clarice slowed down the enemies farther back while also attacking the closer ones with attack magic. A Sage can truly do it all, perfectly managing healing magic, support magic, and attack magic.
“Deles, above you!”
“Eh? Ah, yes, here!”
I quickly impaled the enemies who dropped vertically from above with my Adamantite Sword. Even if they targeted me thinking I was just a small Porter, this is what happens.
“It’s good that I have work to do… So, Anju, what are you doing?”
She was playing with the Illusionist Rod she had just received, waving it around at the enemies. She looked like she was casting magic, but Anju couldn’t actually use any magic.
“It’s fine because I have some leeway, but if things get dangerous, please hide behind me properly.”
“…Yes, Derus will surely tell me if that happens.”
“Be lenient with Derus. Even so, Anju is probably just practicing.”
Once things calmed down a bit, we began to carve out and dig up Magic Stones. Unlike real dragons, Dragon Mimic meat is unpalatable, so we left the corpses.
“Anju, are you going to help? Your sleeves will get bloody!”
“…It’s okay.”
“It’s fine to stick your arm in, but wait until my sword is pulled back first.”
(She really wants to be helpful, but…)
At around level fifty, she’s just a decorative piece until she can properly use Illusion Magic. Well, it can’t be helped. We continued to defeat the Dragon Mimics and Iron Cargo, which gave high EXP, as they appeared one after another. When everyone’s stamina and magic power were running low, we entered a resting area dug out next to the path leading to the fifth floor.
“Phew, a large group of enemies is tiring, after all.”
“Yes, Nina. Here’s some water. Clarice, Anju, please have some too.”
“Thank you.”
“…Thank you. Mmm, delicious.”
Looking around, I noticed another party resting in the back. I hadn’t realized they were there. Three Magicians and one Cleric. They probably clear enemies with magic before they get close. On one hand, they can defeat enemies efficiently and quickly. On the other hand, if they mess up and even one gets through, it could turn into a huge panic.
“It’s almost night time. Shall we eat something?”
“Yes. Most parties would be finishing up or heading back now, though.”
“Then let’s eat the bento boxes I prepared at the inn. Anju, you helped with those too, right?”
She nodded earnestly, though mostly by taste-testing. I’m quite good at cooking, probably because I was a Hero and a general errand person for the Derus Flyers.
“This is delicious. I’m sorry that I only have two boxes for myself.”
“It’s fine, Nina. You’re our ace.”
“This includes medicinal herbs that restore magic power, doesn’t it?”
“Clarice noticed! They’re delicious medicinal herbs!”
“Mmm… Derus, you could be a bride…”
She said that while looking a bit sleepy, perhaps from exhaustion. Her hood had fallen back, so I could clearly see her expression, and there was food residue on her cheek.
“Anju, it’s still too early to sleep.”
“Come to think of it, what happens to EXP while sleeping?”
“I don’t know. Should we go back to the Guild for now and dive in again later?”
If we remember our current levels and earn a lot of experience while protecting a sleeping Anju, we’ll know whether experience is gained even during sleep.
“Even if enemies cast sleep magic, those who are asleep should still gain experience.”
“What if they are asleep before combat even begins?”
“From what I’ve heard, children carried by adventurer families don’t gain experience even if they defeat monsters.”
This suggests party registration might not be properly working.
“However, I’ve heard of a four-year-old child who gained levels by continuously defeating slimes.”
“If they are old enough to understand and can defeat monsters on their own, do they gain experience?”
“We could probably find out the age standard at the Adventurer Guild, but what about sleeping?”
“…You gain experience even if you’re asleep, if you have effects that provide it.”
Anju suddenly joined the conversation, surprising me.
“Anju, what do you mean?”
“…Illusionists, from the very beginning, have an all-party effect from Level 1.”
“What kind of effect is that, Anju?”
“There’s almost none. I don’t know what it is because there’s almost nothing, but there is something faint. It envelops the entire party, so you gain experience even while sleeping, at the academy.”
“Ah, come to think of it, Anju, you had your level raised to 2 at the academy, didn’t you?”
The “even while sleeping” here might be a metaphor, but if the criterion is party participation, then as long as the all-party effect is active, it’s valid.
“Anju! It’s Anju!”
One of the party members resting in the back came over. I quickly put on my hood and entered my suspicious Illusionist Mode, but it was too late.
“Did something happen to my Anju?”
“It really is you! We were in the same year at the Magic Academy. Anju, are you okay?”
“…Leave me alone.”
Anju turned away and started eating the rest of her bento box. I sensed that she didn’t want to talk to this person.
“So, do you need something?”
“This guy’s level won’t go up. He said it went up by one just before graduation, but he’s far slower to level up than ordinary Illusionists. Some party was deceived and let him join, but they kicked him out immediately.”
“And what of it?”
Ah, Clarice’s smile is terrifying.
“This is a warning. You’ll only be a burden if you let him join.”
“No, we are not burdened. Anju is the mascot of our Nina Starlights.”
“She can’t fight! Isn’t she just dead weight? It’s pointless to raise her.”
“That’s for us to decide. Anju is a splendid asset. If she were attacked or in danger, it would mean this party is in a place unsuited for us, serving as a sign to retreat. That’s important.”
“Hmm, how strange.”
You’re the strange one for coming all this way to say something like that. She’s in the same year as Anju, so she’s probably eighteen. She probably hasn’t shaken off her academy mindset yet.
“That’s enough. Badmouthing party members makes food taste bad.”
Nina glared at them, and they sheepishly retreated without another word. Anju was also silent, likely a bit hurt. “That’s it!” I remembered a food that could cheer up a girl and took it out of my Item Box.
“Anju, this is Komomo for dessert.”
“What is this? A fruit?”
“Yes. It’s small but delicious. I’ll peel it for you.”
“Ah, so this is what Derus harvested in large quantities from the Eastern Continent.”
“It smells good, and it looks juicy.”
I offered some to Nina and Clarice as well. Mmm, it’s even more delicious when eaten after a long time! Anju leaped toward me, wanting more.
“Just one more, okay? Here, ahn.”
“What, it’s unfair that only Anju gets that.”
“Me too! Me too, let me do an ahn!”
Eh, you too?! And so, I ended up feeding the remaining two as well.
“…I’ll feed you too, Derus.”
“Eh? Ah, thank you. Here then.”
I opened my mouth wide and waited.
“…Ahn, here!”
“What? Aaaah! You ate my second one!”
“Munch munch…”
Well, it’s okay. I still have about two hundred left, after all.
“Alright, once we’re done eating, it’s time for the second half. We’ll cause some more havoc on the fifth floor. Understood?”
