Chapter 16

Chapter 14 The White Princess Ishkriella 1 K-tunk. K-tunk. The wheels of the carriage clattered as they traveled through the dark forest. A bearded man was holding the reins on the coachman’s platform. He looked to be around thirty years old. He was wearing leather armor under his coat and he had a greatsword at his side. A shortened cigar was protruding from his mouth. “How many times do I have to tell you—that stinks,” complained a woman sitting next to him. She also looked to be about thirty years old or slightly younger. She was wearing a hat with a visor, as well as a coat. “And as I’ve been saying, I’m almost done with it. But you know, this cigar is masking other scents. Once I finish it, you’ll get to enjoy my wonderful body odor.” “Let the boy have that pleasure. I’ll go rest inside for a while. Mini-flare!” After her incantation, three orbs of light the size of fists appeared from her chest. She had a staff at the ready under her coat. The orbs of light hit three of the five monsters jumping down at the carriage from the trees. The monsters let out short cries and fell to the ground, motionless. She had delivered accurate hits to their vital points. The other two monsters screamed and crashed to the ground as well. Each had a knife sticking out of its face. “Return,” the man ordered, and the two knives flew to his hands. He reached out to grab a leaf, wiped the blood from their blades, and placed them back into the sheaths hidden in his leather armor. “We’ve been seeing nothing but undead-type monsters here. That’s rare.” “I’ll say. I’ve seen more undead monsters in the last five days than I’ve seen in my entire life.” Monster was not a term that referred to any particular type of creature. It was just a name used by humans to refer to anything inhuman they considered a threat. Some monsters were living creatures, and some were not. The nonliving creatures were referred to as undead or demon-type monsters, among other classifications. There were some that only had the appearance of living creatures and spawned fully grown rather than being born from parents. In most cases, nonliving creatures had hideous appearances, and the strongest ones attacked with vicious magic attacks or curses. Many were also capable of poisoning their enemies. It was very rare to encounter undead-type monsters without going to specific labyrinths. Despite that, the group had been attacked incessantly by them for the last three days. Before long, they arrived at a spot suitable for making camp. “All right. It’s a little early, but let’s stop here for the night.” “Sounds good to me.” When the carriage came to a stop, a boy climbed out of it. It was Zara. He used a knife to cut down some branches that were in his way. Next, a man around fifty years old wearing weathered priest garb got out. He took a look around the area, performed some kind of incantation, and raised both hands high above his head. This was a simple barrier spell often used when making camp. It made it difficult for monsters to approach and even had a number of beneficial effects such as stamina recovery. The bearded man who was driving the carriage unfastened the horses and let them graze. The sorceress prepared a cookstove. Zara picked an even spot in the grass and laid down a pelt. “The spot is ready.” A box appeared from the carriage. It was sturdy and beautifully decorated and large enough to fit a small child. It was floating in midair as it left the carriage. A woman wearing the white garb of a shrine maiden followed the box out of the carriage, holding her hands open as if carrying it. There was some distance between her and the cargo, however, so she wasn’t carrying it directly. She was using the skill known as Invisible Hands. After quietly placing the box on the spot Zara had prepared, she let out a sigh of relief. She was the White Princess Ishkriella. She was a famous soothsayer and this adventure’s client. 2 Zara had arrived at a big town after he made it through the Great Ravine. It even had an Adventurers Guild. He’d considered taking on a request at the guild but had felt some hesitation. If he took a request, they would have to check his adventurer medal. Being an S-rank adventurer, he was worried he wouldn’t be able to avoid standing out. While he was eating at a tavern, a bearded man approached him after looking intently around the area. “Ah, you’re the one. I have words for you. Can you come to a room upstairs once you finish your meal?” When Zara arrived at the room the man had specified, he was invited inside. The bearded man was there, along with a woman in a white shrine maiden outfit, a second woman who looked like a sorceress, and another man dressed like a priest. The bearded man explained the situation. “This woman here has business with you. She is the White Princess Ishkriella. I’m sure you’ve heard the name. As for the request…” He nodded to a box that was set on the table. “…Please escort this woman and this box to the Ocean Temple. The party will be me, you, and these two. We have a carriage, so travel will be easy. Ah, are you familiar with the Ocean Temple? It’s on the edge of the peninsula directly east from here, at the very edge of the continent.” After being told the estimated number of days it would take to get there and confirming the reward, Zara accepted the request. The bearded man’s name was Borante. He used a greatsword as his main weapon, but he liked to use a variety of weapons depending on the opponent. He was also partial to projectiles such as throwing knives. The sorceress’s name was Himatra. She specialized in offensive magic. She was best at fire spells, and she could apparently also use a few binding spells. The bulky monk’s name was Gondona. He specialized in support magic. He said he lacked combat strength, but he had pride in his magic power. His rugged mace suggested he may have been stronger than he claimed, however. Zara understood just by looking at the three of them that they were elite adventurers. He was impressed such a capable party had been brought together in such a rural area. “Why did you approach me?” “Hmm? Ah. I approached you because of the White Princess’s divination. It was the same for everyone else here. She says many powerful monsters will attack on the journey, so she needs a powerful escort.” Zara doubted whether divination could be that accurate and detailed, but he had already accepted the request. “My name is Zara. My primary weapon…” He paused and tapped the hilt of the blade sheathed at his hip with his right hand. “…is the sword.” 3 Even Zara, who was a little ignorant of worldly affairs, had heard of the White Princess Ishkriella. She was a wandering shrine maiden who was called upon by royalty and wealthy merchants to perform divinations. She would predict the weather, fortunes, the outcomes of wars, the details of schemes, childbirth, one’s path through life, and just about anything else. She had apparently never once been wrong. She would occasionally refuse divination even if offered vast sums of money, and she would sometimes advise people to walk their own path instead of relying on her. When the end of the White Princess’s life drew near, she would choose a talented young girl as her successor, and then they would both hide themselves away. Years later, after the girl learned all the techniques and inherited the divine protection of the gods, a new shrine maiden would appear bearing the name of the White Princess Ishkriella. Thus, the White Princess had been traveling the world for over one thousand years while receiving divine revelations from the gods. There were many who falsely assumed the White Princess’s identity. However much they claimed to have the power of divination, though, they couldn’t pass themselves off as the real deal if they weren’t always carrying around a box. The box never left her side, not even for the smallest of movements, and it always floated next to her through the use of the Invisible Hands skill. No ordinary person could imitate that. The Invisible Hands was a rare skill, and more importantly, using it for even a small amount of time sapped the user’s magic power immensely. It was well-known that she rode in her own personal carriage and protected the box at all times, all while employing the Invisible Hands skill the entire time. If one could replicate that without any kind of trick, they could make a lot of money for themselves, whether they were the genuine article or not. The White Princess who was meditating in front of Zara was clearly the real thing. As the name suggested, her hair and skin were completely white. It wasn’t a vivid white but rather a clear, almost translucent white reminiscent of crystals or water. There was an inhuman quality to it. “Has she caught your fancy, boy?” “Yes, I’m intrigued. There’s something strange about her.” “Ah-ha-ha. Well put. But speaking of strangeness, you’re plenty strange yourself. You seem like you’re already used to setting up camp.” “I think so. But if you notice anything, please let me know.” “Wow, you’re such a well-mannered boy.” It was made clear on the first day that Zara was not used to camping in the middle of a forest, but no one in the group scorned him for his inexperience. The reason for that was what had happened on the first night. Just before they’d reached the campsite, they had been attacked by five gargoyles. When Zara saw them, he’d immediately jumped out of his seat and cut them all down in the blink of an eye. Himatra was serving as the coachman, and by the time Borante and Gondona jumped out of the carriage in response to her cry, Zara was already sheathing his sword, looking as calm as could be. In the borderlands, being able to defeat a gargoyle alone was held as proof that one was an elite knight, but there was no way a knight could actually kill a gargoyle without help. Gargoyles were undead-type monsters that were quick, cunning, and very resistant to magic. They were humanoid, but they lacked hair, grew fangs, and had bat-like wings on their backs. Their bodies were as hard and heavy as bronze, and being struck or scratched by one would result in a grievous wound. They could also fly freely with their wings. They were difficult monsters to kill. The gargoyles Zara killed had all been decapitated, demonstrating his abnormal talent. Borante had let out a gasp in admiration of the dexterous slashes Zara had inflicted upon them. He was that skilled a fighter, but he wasn’t used to camping. Zara had even stared blankly when they tried to decide the watch order. Adventurers who gathered in the countryside—and especially adventurers who took requests without going through the guild—almost always had some kind of guilty conscience. That should have been true for the boy, too, but his inexperience didn’t make any sense. Himatra thought maybe he was a noble or the pupil of a high-ranking knight, and he’d become an adventurer after his family fell to ruin. That would give him a reason to not want to show his adventurer medal. But that didn’t fit, either, because Zara’s equipment lacked the elegance of the nobility. He was also clearly accustomed to his tools. This boy could not have been new to adventuring. He was great at masking his presence, and he never seemed to let his guard down, even when relaxing. That did not suggest a lifestyle in which he had been pampered by servants. Himatra found this imbalance very odd. In truth, Zara wasn’t totally unused to camping—he had experienced more than enough camping in the labyrinth. He had just never set up a campsite. When he slept in the labyrinth, he didn’t use a blanket or anything to make himself comfortable and instead only wrapped his sword in a pillow or coat. He didn’t have to cut any weeds, and he rarely ever made a fire. If anything approached him, he had no choice but to deal with it himself. For that reason, his sleep was light and short. In other words, it was because he was used to the harshness of camping solo that he had no experience setting up a large-scale campsite, and the idea of establishing a watch order had never occurred to him. He could also just use a potion to recover his stamina when in the labyrinth. “Ha-ha-ha. Anyway, this smoked meat is delicious. I’m glad you joined us, Mr. Zara. This would go great with some wine.” “Oh, come on, Gondy. It’s your turn to be on watch tonight,” Himatra chided. Gondona was clearly the oldest in the group, but Himatra spoke to him quite casually. “Gond. You can snack all you want, but lay off the booze,” said Borante, also addressing him casually. “This meat is truly delicious. What animal is it from?” asked the White Princess, her plate bearing multiple slices of pink flesh. A moment earlier, Zara had taken a large piece of meat that looked especially well smoked and offered some center cuts to the White Princess. He had procured this meat in the Gahra Mountains, and everyone in the group ended up loving it. “It’s ettin meat.” “I see,” said the White Princess with a wide grin. Borante wore a thousand-yard stare. Himatra spat out her wine. Gondona brought out the next bottle. Adventuring with a party is really fun. Such were Zara’s thoughts. 4 It rained the next day. After a discussion, they decided they should stay put for the time being and keep an eye on the situation. The White Princess was in the carriage with her box. Zara was inside as well, acting as her guard. It was a four-person carriage, but the interior was more spacious than usual. It was likely built to allow plenty of room for the box and to make it easy to get it in and out. The box was currently seated next to the White Princess, and Zara was sitting across from her. As Zara looked at her face, he thought she seemed both youthful and mature at the same time. The rain wasn’t falling hard, but it was hitting the roof of the carriage without pause. The quiet atmosphere inside the carriage was giving Zara the sensation that he was somewhere not of this world. “You’re a strange person, Zara.” “Surely I’m not as strange as you.” “I feel the blessings of the goddess Bora from you.” “If you’re the one saying that, it’s probably true.” “Are you always alone?” “I’ve always gone into labyrinths by myself. I’ve been surrounded by teachers and guides from a young age, though, so I was never truly alone. I left to travel by myself about three months ago.” “I see. I had a companion on my travels. But they grew old, fell ill, and died in that town. Truthfully, I was probably always alone… Long enough to forget what loneliness feels like, anyway.” “When did you part from the last White Princess?” “Hmm-hmm. That is what the world says of me. I’m actually the one who spread the misconception that the name and duty of the White Princess have been passed down over generations. That has never been the case. It has always been me.” “So you’ve been the White Princess for over a thousand years?” “Yes, that’s right. But you do not seem very surprised. I was right. You are a strange person.” “Is it really okay to tell me such an important, long-kept secret?” “My duty will soon be finished. The time is nigh,” the White Princess said, looking at the box. “It’s said that this box is the source of your magic. Is it losing its power?” “No, no. Nothing of the sort. It is finally time for what is being carried inside it to complete its journey. Watching over this box until then is the role I was given by my master. It has been a very, very long time.” “Have you had multiple companions over the years?” “Yes. Humans have very short life spans. I can no longer remember how many attendants I’ve had. But they all served me well. Normally, I dismiss them once they reach a certain age and hire a new one.” “But you didn’t do that this time.” “Yes. Because the end is in sight.” Zara was going to ask the White Princess what awaited them at the Ocean Temple, but he didn’t get a chance. The party suddenly found themselves surrounded by a horde of monsters that had been gradually approaching the campsite. Zara moved to engage the enemies, but Borante stopped him before he made it out the door. “No. Gondona asked us not to help. Stay in the carriage, Zara.” Zara closed the door. These enemies were trouble. They had surrounded the camp in massive numbers, but what really bothered Zara was the way they walked and the presence he felt from them. These monsters were probably… “Turn Undead!!” Gondona’s incantation echoed through the rainy forest, and an intense light flashed through the area. The effect of the spell was severe. Turn Undead was a skill commonly possessed by clergymen, and it was capable of driving away undead-type monsters. If used unskillfully, however, it could excite the enemy and dramatically increase their attack power. It did no damage to anything other than undead monsters, but it could be used to draw attention. A certain adventurer monk said it was a skill used to lure weak enemies into one spot so they could be wiped out all at once. It was also said that as the skill increased in rank, it would become capable of inflicting major damage to nearby enemies as well. That didn’t begin to describe what had been cast a moment ago, however. Zara could see everything clearly from the small window of the carriage. The nearby ghouls were struck by bolts of lightning and evaporated. Farther away, the revenants were blasted backward and didn’t get up. They then melted into slush and were washed away by the rain. There had probably been over one hundred of those repulsive creatures, but they were eradicated with one simple incantation. “Gondy! So you can do more than just drink wine!” “Gond! Didn’t you say you couldn’t use offensive magic?” “Ha-ha-ha! That wasn’t offensive magic.” “Then what was it?” “Just the discipline of a clergyman. Shouting like that made me hungry. Mr. Zara, would you happen to have any more of that smoked meat?” 5 The downpour became a light drizzle and subsided by the next morning. The party pressed on. They hadn’t made it very far when they were attacked by a group of twenty weaker undead monsters led by one resembling a leopard. Borante engaged the boss. The leopard monster was bipedal and wielded a wide, curved sword. For a while, the beast competed evenly with Borante’s greatsword, but after he tossed a small bag into the air and cut it open, the monster’s movements grew sluggish, and Borante slayed it easily. Himatra burned the weaker undead monsters to a crisp with three Flame Bombs. “What was in that small bag?” “It was filled with wild peppers, which had been dried and crushed into powder.” “What kind of cowardly move is that? I thought you were a man.” “You shouldn’t use fireballs in the middle of a forest.” “It just rained, so it’s fine.” “Ha-ha-ha! I’m glad to see you two are becoming so close.” “Hey, Gondy! What the hell? Why are you drinking at noon?” Later in the afternoon, they were attacked by around thirty more undead monsters. Their faces were fiendish, but they were only about as tall as children. “I don’t feel much magic power coming from them, so I’ll be fine by myself. I’ll make this quick.” Gondona watched as Himatra jumped out of the passenger’s seat and then muttered to himself. “Those are zafans. They’re very strong against fire. They also attack using items, so their magic power is negligible.” Himatra let out a screech, after which Zara leaped from the carriage and beheaded the enemies in rapid succession. After returning to the carriage and discovering Gondona knew all about those monsters, she was furious with him. “Why didn’t you tell me? I had some of my hair singed off! Aaaand you’re drinking again. Didn’t I just tell you not to start drinking at noon? You drunk monk! Anyway, what the hell were those little ghosts thinking, using fire magic in the middle of a forest?!” “You’re one to talk.” They went the rest of that day without being attacked again. The following day, however, they encountered a much nastier enemy. “Is that a dullahan?” “Sure looks like it. This is my first time seeing one.” “Yep, that’s a dullahan.” The group had started moving early that morning, but now, a giant horse was blocking their path. The horse was being ridden by a headless knight in full armor. To be more precise, its head wasn’t on its shoulders. It was being cradled in its left arm. The knight held a naked longsword in its right hand. It was a weapon that would normally have been too big to wield with one hand, but the monster could swing it without issue. “This one’s mine. I’ve always wanted to fight one of these,” said Borante, and he moved forward to engage it. A duel between the dullahan with a longsword and Borante with his greatsword began. They both fought with finesse despite the weight of their blades. It was a sight to behold. “Looks like it’s my turn,” Zara said. He headed for the back of the carriage where one more dullahan had appeared. Another swordfight ensued. Both duels ended at nearly the same time, and in each, the human had emerged victorious. But that wasn’t the end of it. “Ah!” exclaimed Himatra. “Hmph. I knew it,” said Gondona. As soon as Borante defeated the dullahan, two more appeared from behind it. The same thing happened on Zara’s side, which meant the party was now being attacked by a quartet. Borante remained focused. He rushed at the two dullahans and swiftly defeated them. Zara made short work of his opponents as well. But afterward, twice as many appeared. Four were in front of Borante, and four squared off against Zara. Gondona turned to Himatra, who was about to go to Borante’s aid. “Sorry to ask this of you, Ms. Himatra, but can you please restrict the movement of the four up front? It doesn’t have to be for long. Get Borante to come back here while they’re being held back.” “What? Tch. You have some kind of plan, right?” Himatra asked, but she followed Gondona’s orders. When Borante returned to the carriage, Gondona told him to throw knives at all of the dullahans. He smeared liquid from a bottle onto each blade. “This is holy water. It should prove quite useful against our undead adversaries.” “Got it, Gond.” The plan was just as effective as Gondona had hoped. The extremely powerful dullahans vanished the moment they were pierced by the knives coated in holy water. Replacements stopped appearing as well. Gondona turned around to help Zara, but he had already finished his off. “Hooo. Impressive. You had a holy element weapon.” Zara nodded. Gondona patted him on the shoulder and motioned for him to get into the carriage. Borante and Zara climbed inside, and then Gondona took the reins and had Himatra sit in the passenger’s seat next to him. “That’s not fair! I just fought, too! …Hey, how many times do I have to tell you not to drink? Give me that.” Himatra took the bottle from Gondona, put it to her mouth, and heartily gulped down some wine. They were attacked by undead monsters every day of their journey, but thanks to the unique talents of everyone in the party, they were able to drive them all away. “Look, we’ve finally reached the edge of the forest.” “Yeah. But first we have to deal with those.” Four pitch-black clumps were squatting off in the vicinity. When the carriage approached, they stood up, each glaring at the group with three shining eyes apiece. “What are those?” “They’re bugbears.” “Ah, that’s what those look like. Hey, Himatra, what are you…?” Himatra finished an incantation and fired off a spell. “Summon Comet!” “Wha—? Don’t use that here!!!” A comet came crashing down from the sky, annihilating the four bugbears. They were unlucky to have been huddled so close together. What was formerly the edge of the forest was now a giant crater. The trees, grass, and dirt that had been kicked up rained down over the party. Luckily, the spell didn’t start a fire, and after a brief argument, the party left the forest. 6 “Ms. Himatra, please take this,” said Gondona. “Huh? What is it?” “It’s a medicinal herb that hastens the recovery of magic power. It can be boiled, and I also hear you can eat it raw. Chew it thoroughly and swallow its juice together with your saliva.” “Sounds a little weird to me, but thanks. If it can hasten my recovery even a little, I’ll gladly take it.” “It’s apparently very bitter.” Himatra tossed the herb into her mouth. A second later, she screwed up her face, but she didn’t spit it out. As soon as they left the forest, they were attacked by swarms of locust and fly monsters. It seemed the bosses of each swarm were called Adoban and Nasu, respectively. There was an impossible number of enemies. Gondona created a barrier to protect their client and her box, Himatra cast fire spells relentlessly, Borante used explosives to take out any undead monsters that approached Himatra, and Zara killed the bosses and brought the battle to an end. 7 They made it to the ocean. There was a beach, and the bright-green water stretched as far as the eye could see. The salty ocean breeze felt fresh, and their vitality seemed to improve with every breath. This was the first time Zara had ever seen the ocean, and he was deeply moved. He was excited after hearing that the island off to the right was called Yuto Island. That was the hometown of the great sorcerer Gil Linx. Zara had been hearing anecdotes about Gil Linx’s life ever since he was little, so the man’s birthplace felt like a holy land. The party continued their trip to the Ocean Temple. They weren’t attacked by undead monsters for three whole days. At one point, they saved a traveling family from a pack of goblins. They set up camp every day on a spot where they could feel the ocean breeze. The wine was delicious, and the fish were fresh. Himatra turned out to be a very good cook. From then on, they were attacked by undead monsters many times, but none were very powerful. The strength of this party had much to do with how easily they got through those fights, however. When they were about four or five days from the temple, the intensity of the attacks by undead monsters increased suddenly. They were frequently attacked while eating, and mental and physical exhaustion were beginning to set in. “Everyone, listen up.” Borante addressed the party after they finished eating dinner. “We are about two days from the temple. However, if we get moving early and really push the horses, it’s not a distance we can’t cover in one day. What do you all say to trying to reach our goal by tomorrow?” The three adventurers agreed, and the White Princess did as well. Everyone was confident this party could do it. 8 They departed well before morning. Unlike the forest, the area by the ocean didn’t get pitch-black at night. The attacks of the undead were fierce, but the party repelled them all, not letting them slow the carriage’s advance. “Damn… There’s one medium-sized monster in the middle of the road up ahead.” “I’ll take care of it! Please don’t slow the carriage.” Zara jumped out and sprinted ahead. He quickly severed the undead monster’s legs and kicked it off the road. The carriage grazed the unholy creature as it passed. Zara caught up to the carriage from behind. Gondona opened the door with excellent timing and let him in. “Nice work, boy.” Borante gave an impressed whistle from the coachman’s seat. 9 They continued their hurried advance while eating some food they’d brought with them to satisfy their hunger. A few hours past noon, Borante called out. “I see it!” Zara pushed open the door and looked ahead. The road traveling along the ocean led to a steep cape. On top of the cape was a grand building. That’s the Ocean Temple. “White Princess. We can see the temple. We’re almost there,” Zara said after shutting the door. They were close, but everyone was deeply exhausted from how hard they had been pushing themselves. Gondona was able to fix up any injuries with his formidable healing ability, but their mental and physical fatigue were high as could be. Himatra, who had been firing off long-distance attacks without pause, was especially spent. “Mr. Zara, I want to form a party,” said Gondona. Zara was puzzled. It was common to form an official party when exploring a labyrinth. It enabled experience points to be distributed evenly and made fighting easier, so it seemed like the obvious thing to do. There were many cases where life and death depended on everyone in the party knowing their proper positions and managing their stamina properly. However, forming an official party outside of labyrinths was rare. It usually held no meaning and required that everyone reveal their real name and remaining stamina. It wasn’t something Zara wanted to do. He didn’t understand why Gondona would suddenly say such a thing at that moment. However, he did as he was asked and formed a party with himself as the leader. He then bent forward into the passenger’s seat and explained what they were doing to Borante and Himatra. He touched his adventurer medal to each of theirs and brought them into the party. A thought occurred to Zara after he returned to the carriage: This monk has probably spent most of his time in labyrinths. While exploring a labyrinth, monks were in charge of managing the party’s stamina. The incredible stamina-recovery techniques used in labyrinths were impossible to execute in the outside world, however, meaning it fell to each person to manage their own. Zara’s thinking was interrupted when the carriage suddenly tilted to one side. “Shit. We were rammed. The front right wheel is gone. Sorry, guys. I’m gonna cut the horses loose,” said Borante. The carriage was carried forward by its momentum, clattering loudly as it swayed left and right. It then lurched hard to the left and flipped over multiple times before it came to a stop upside down. Zara displayed incredibly quick reflexes by grabbing the White Princess, kicking open the door, and escaping from the conveyance while it was still rolling. It looked like Borante also managed to successfully jump out of the carriage, but Himatra was thrown out, landing face-first onto the sandy beach. The White Princess had fainted in Zara’s arms out of shock. That was not surprising, as she had been using Invisible Hands throughout that entire tense situation. Himatra was groaning. Zara laid the White Princess gently down on the sand and then heard Gondona call out to him. “Mr. Zara, please hold back those monsters for a bit!” Blood was streaming from Gondona’s forehead. Zara’s attention had already been fixed on the enemies before Gondona said anything. He slayed them one after another. When he caught sight of Gondona, he saw that the monk was praying with his head down and his knees in the sand. He was holding ritual implements, or possibly sacred seals, in his hands. Borante was trying to treat Himatra when the two of them and Zara were enveloped in a gentle light. Ah, I see. This is a level-up. Zara finally realized something. Gondona was likely a clergyman with the Oath skill. That meant that if they were in the same party as him or if he had their adventurer medals, he could petition the gods to level them up. They must have earned enough experience points to gain a level during all the intense battles they had endured on their journey. Thanks to the level-up, their injuries were healed and their stamina and mental energy were restored. “Gondy, that was amazing.” “You’re a lifesaver, Gond.” Borante and Himatra quickly resumed fighting, but Zara noticed something. Gondona’s injury on his forehead was still there. He had not leveled up. How has he not leveled up after all those battles? Just who is this monk? “Where’s the box? Where’s the box?!” It was the White Princess. She had woken up. The impact from the carriage toppling over had thrown its cargo out the door. Fortunately, it had landed on the beach, so it didn’t break completely. There were, however, some cracks through which Zara could see something white. The White Princess rushed over to the box and inspected it. “It’s started. But this spot should be okay,” she said as if to herself, looking at both the box and the temple on the cape. She then called out to the party. “Everyone, the preparation of the contents inside this box will soon be complete. It cannot be moved right now. Please protect it until the task is done.” “Understood.” “Leave it to us.” “You got it.” “Ho-ho-ho. I’m ready.” Creatures that looked like mermen emerged from the water all across the shore. They then began appearing farther and farther back, emerging from the waves one after another. They were sahagins. The final battle had begun. 10 “Sanctuary!” Gondona’s voice reverberated as he cast a spell. The box and the White Princess, who was praying in front of it, were surrounded by a semitransparent protective wall. His voice is nice and deep. “Blessing!” Himatra’s eyes lit up in fury. She looked like she wanted nothing more than to hurl insults at Gondona. There was a perfectly understandable reason for her rage—he had cast Blessing on himself. Blessing was an excellent support spell that dramatically raised physical defense. Its drawback, however, was that it only lasted for a very short amount of time. Boss battles in labyrinths were one thing, but there wasn’t much point in using it during long battles against many enemies. If you were going to use it, though, it would have made sense to cast it on someone risking their neck by fighting in the vanguard or on a sorcerer with low physical defense. A monk hanging back from the front lines using it on himself appeared cowardly and selfish. It was only natural to be angry with someone for using magic power on something wasteful like that instead of on healing. Her anger, however, quickly gave way to shock. “Blessing! Blessing! Blessing!” Gondona cast Blessing four consecutive times. Borante, Zara, and Himatra were all enveloped in the blue phosphorescent light that signified the support spell. All three of them were dumbfounded. It took him no time at all to perform those incantations. He’s preparing the next incantation in his mind as he casts each spell. Zara got chills. He had heard there were sorcerers who could do that sort of thing, but this was the first time he had actually seen it. But his surprise didn’t end there. “Repel Evil! Repel Evil! Repel Evil! Repel Evil!” Starting with himself, Gondona once again cast spells on all four of them. A faint orange light appeared just outside of the blue aura already surrounding them. “What is this?” asked Zara. He was unfamiliar with this spell. “A technique to drive evil away. It provides a strong boost to physical attacks against dark- and demon-element monsters. Physical defense against dark-element attacks is also increased. You also have higher resistance to status ailments. Okay, let’s go.” “Huh?” The three of them still in shock, Gondona turned his back on his companions and rushed headlong at the sahagins, swinging a large mace as he ran. He knocked three enemies into the air, where they burst and died. The sahagins were enraged, and they surrounded Gondona. He then began to swing his mace indiscriminately, every swing sending multiple foes into the air, where they all exploded. Sahagins were enemies that not even an A-rank swordsman should have been able to defeat in a single blow. What am I witnessing right now? Now wasn’t the time for those kinds of thoughts. Zara, Borante, and Himatra were being surrounded as well. They had no chance of protecting the horses, so they struck them each on the rear to chase them away before charging into battle. Zara was surprised yet again. He was cutting through the sahagins like butter with only light swings of his sword. Because he was dealing massive damage to them without even having to aim for vital points, most died in one hit. He didn’t need any technique or strength. Just swinging his sword was enough. His defense had also been increased tremendously, to the point where a direct attack didn’t do any damage to him. In a melee like this, that was the best support one could receive. I can’t believe we’re able to fight so calmly while surrounded by this many enemies. Considering how powerful the buff was, it was amazing it was still active. Blessing, as well as the spell with the orange light, should have run out a long time ago. Just when Zara was thinking the spells were lasting impossibly long, he heard Gondona once again cast Blessing and the orange spell four consecutive times. Zara then realized why Gondona was casting the spells on himself first. When the support spells cast on himself expired, that meant the rest of the party’s support would expire, too. That gave him an easy indicator for when to recast the spells. In other words, he was using this method to ensure there would be no gaps. He probably intentionally cast the spells on himself to expire slightly before the rest of the party. Wait. Isn’t support magic supposed to be impossible to cast unless your target is right next to you? He had heard that Blessing could not be cast unless you were literally within breathing distance of the person you were casting it on. Also, even the smallest obstruction between caster and target should have rendered it impossible. How is he able to cast this support while several meters away from us, in the middle of such an intense battle? Zara didn’t really understand, but being in a party likely had something to do with it. So this is what support is capable of. The White Princess was still facing her box and praying. A faint light was flickering from within, gradually coming more quickly and becoming more intense. Zara didn’t feel like the number of enemies had decreased at all, but they were doing a good job of killing all that approached them. Eventually, they all fell into clear roles. Zara gathered enemies together with hit-and-run attacks. Borante was suppressing assailants over a wide range by using a morning star with a chain in addition to throwing weapons such as explosives and the daggers that returned to his hands after slaying his enemies. Himatra was casting long-distance magic attacks to try to hinder the enemy’s advance, and she would occasionally use a large-scale strike to clean up clusters of enemies that Zara had assembled. Gondona maintained support and protected Himatra while crushing any enemies that slipped through the party. Their defense had been raised significantly, but they still suffered some damage. Whenever injuries piled up and their movement became sluggish, Gondona would call out… “Heal!” …and they would recover. His spells were effective from a ridiculously long range. If this is the benefit of forming a party, then joining one is well worth revealing my information. The sahagins were still appearing at the same rate, but the defense had the battle under control. We can do this. Zara’s hope didn’t last for long, however, before something appeared to crush it. Far beyond the water’s edge, the ocean parted, and a giant figure rose up. It was Dagon, a creature said to be the god of the undead monsters in the ocean. Dark clouds blanketed the sky, painting the waters a dull gray. The god slowly advanced toward the shore, forcing its way through the sea and sky. Zara, Borante, and Himatra all felt despair. Gondona then called out to them in a powerful voice: “Everyone, over here!” 11 Unable to stop fighting for even a second, they shrunk their defensive perimeter to move toward Gondona and listened to his words. “That is a demon god. I know a spell I think would be very effective against it. I don’t think I can kill it, but I can probably render it immobile for a bit. The incantation takes quite a while to prepare, however. During that time, I won’t be able to use Blessing or Heal. I’ll be completely defenseless. Sanctuary will probably expire partway through. Can I count on you three to protect me?” Gondona knew a powerful spell that could turn this hopeless situation around, and he was asking them to protect him while he readied it. They wanted to do as he said, but the reason they had lasted this long was because of his powerful defensive and recovery magic. They were also on the brink of total exhaustion already. By asking them to fight without support magic, he may as well have been asking them to sacrifice a limb—or even their lives. No, wait. I can use that. “Understood. Borante, Himatra! I have a request. Can you buy me enough time to pull out an item?” They had no way of knowing what Zara was trying to do, but they answered right away. “You got it!” said Himatra. “You can count on me!” followed Borante. Borante increased his intensity and pushed back the incoming sahagins. Himatra peppered nearby enemies with small, rapid-fire spells. They wouldn’t be able to keep up that pace for very long, but they were giving Zara the time he needed. Zara opened up his Treasury. Doors made of blue light appeared opposite his open hand and then opened to the left and right. He did a quick search and pulled out a sword. Borante caught sight of his Treasury out of the corner of his eye. He had already noticed that Zara had one, but this was the first time he had been in a position where he could see the operation screen. Look at the size of that Treasury, the width of the screen, the complexity… That’s got to belong to a royal family or the head of a major noble house. Just who is this boy? Zara closed the Treasury and rushed forward, quickly wiping out the approaching sahagins. The speed at which he ran and swung his weapon made him seem like a completely different person. “I will drive back the enemies. Borante, please protect Himatra and Gondona. Himatra, please use only long-range spells!” The two of them couldn’t do anything other than stay quiet and follow orders. That was how abnormal Zara’s strength and movement were in that moment. The sword Zara was using was called Bora’s Sword, and its blessings were tremendous. Attack Power ×3 Critical-Hit Rate up 20% Movement Speed up 80% Attack Speed up 80% Health Leech up 10% Mana Regen up 20% Basic Stats up 60% Automatic Damage Recovery Every one of those blessings functioned outside of labyrinths. Zara had inherited this divine sword from his father. He had used it in the labyrinth before, but this was his first time wielding it in the outside world. Its power was too much for a human to handle, so the consequences for using it were harsh. His father had actually died from overuse of Bora’s Sword. If you filled a leather bag to one hundred times its capacity, used it up, and then filled it with the same amount again, the bag would eventually get worn out and break. For that reason, Zara had forbidden himself from using this weapon in the outside world. Right now, though, he was lifting that restriction. His speed had increased so much that the enemies may as well have not been moving at all. His strength became so great that they would go flying from a simple swing of his sword. The blade also instantly healed any injuries he sustained. Zara was laying waste to the enemy. The very small number of monsters that did manage to get past him were dealt with easily by Borante and Himatra, despite their total exhaustion. As the battle raged on, Dagon slowly but surely advanced toward the shore. Gondona was still performing his incantation. The closer Dagon got, the more apparent its humongous size became, and the more intimidating it appeared. Its force was so great that Zara wondered if he had any chance of beating it. When it was about to step onto the shore, scattering miasma as it walked, the spell they had been waiting for finally arrived. “Conviction Hammer!!!” Beams of light from high in the sky tore through the clouds and fell into the ocean. A vortex of light expanded and swallowed up the clouds, and in the center of it appeared a giant hammer, also made of light. The hammer aimed for Dagon’s head, increasing in speed and scattering rainbow-hued fragments as it fell. The hammer was larger than the beast itself. It hit Dagon square on the head, creating a visual spectacle of richly colored light and striking a harmonious note that sounded like it came from a divine organ. The adventurers forgot about the battle entirely as they watched the mythical scene play out. Dagon swayed violently, smoke rising from its body, eventually falling backward and sending up a giant splash of water. The sahagins that had covered every inch of the beach were hit with the aftermath of the light hammer’s blow and were blasted through the air, dying instantly. New sahagins stopped appearing, probably because Dagon had been defeated. We did it. Borante and Himatra collapsed, having lost power in their limbs. They had both hit their limits physically and mentally. Even Zara felt like he was going to collapse. But he didn’t. He wasn’t able to. The pain caused from the aftermath of borrowing the divine sword’s power was so great, he couldn’t even faint. In a labyrinth, he could have just used a potion to heal the pain, but that wouldn’t work now. D-did Father always endure this much pain when he used Bora’s Sword?! Gondona was facedown in the sand, having also collapsed after casting that enormous spell. Zara wondered how much the priest was going to pay for pushing himself so hard. Silence suddenly fell upon the beach. Zara heard nothing but the crashing of the waves. The sky was totally clear, as if the gray clouds had been driven away by the heavenly magic. Hints of red light signified the coming of evening. The White Princess then called out: “It’s hatching!” 12 The box burst apart and revealed a small white dragon. A dragon. Dragons were godly creatures that only appeared in tales of old. It was thought that seeing such a being in the current era was impossible (not counting the monsters in labyrinths that were referred to as dragons, which lacked even a shred of divinity). But now there was a genuine dragon right in front of them. The mysterious creature directed its innocent gaze at Zara, the blue of the sky and the red of the evening sun reflecting off its body. Its length was comparable to that of a twelve- or thirteen-year-old human child. It floated in midair, singing happily. “Kwee! Kwee-kwee!” Its head and abdomen were covered in scales that shined like pearls. Its back had bluish scales with a slightly hard texture. Its transparent wings were small, and it occasionally flapped them as if just remembering it had them. The reason it was able to fly despite being inexperienced with its wings was due to a special skill it possessed from birth. Zara heard a thud. The White Princess had collapsed. Zara ran over to her unsteadily. His body felt heavy and was wracked with pain. It was as if he were carrying a lump of metal on his back while wading through a dense swamp. The other adventurers were still unconscious. “Thank you very much. I was able to safely fulfill my duty. Please take this,” said the White Princess. Lying faceup on the ground, she presented him four jewels. This was the promised reward. The stone he’d accepted before was extremely valuable, but he couldn’t even imagine what kind of prices these jewels would fetch. This reward was what this colorful group of adventurers had put their lives on the line for. “Zara. I have something to ask of you.” “What is it, Princess?” “I would like you to name this dragon child.” “I had no idea dragons still existed in the world.” “Most dragons disappeared long ago. This child may very well be the last.” “You were entrusted with this dragon egg by the person you served, right?” “Yes. This is the first and last child of my mistress, Kaldan, and her honored husband. Lady Kaldan entrusted it to me. I am Paksalimana, a water spirit who served Lady Kaldan.” “If you served the dragon god Kaldan, that means you should know Narillia.” “Narillia! That name takes me back… She was so lovely. However did you come to hear of her?” Zara gave her the gist of what had happened. “Ah, so Narillia met someone dear to her, and they are living happily together. She is even finding joy in helping people. That is such good news. It is wonderful that I will be able to convey this news to Lady Kaldan. Thank you very much, Zara.” The White Princess did not shed a tear—her body was already made of tears. “Was the goddess Kaldan’s husband also a dragon?” “No. Her husband was a human. He was a sorcerer of rare skill and one of the best dungeon makers in history.” Zara noticed the Ocean Temple was emitting a faint illumination. It looked like the light was descending upon the newborn baby dragon. “Why is the temple shining?” Zara muttered, and the White Princess answered. “That temple is currently called the Ocean Temple, but originally, it was the Dragon Temple. The countries to which Lady Kaldan once gave her divine protection were in the vicinity of where the capital of the Gorenza Empire is today. After they were attacked by countries jealous of their prosperity, Lady Kaldan searched for a land where she could live in peace, and this is where she ended up. Eventually, people who served Lady Kaldan found their way here, and this temple was constructed.” Narillia had said the goddess Olgoria became jealous of Kaldan’s beauty and popularity, so she’d made her out to be a wicked dragon and instigated the surrounding countries to attack and ruin the places under Kaldan’s safeguard. Kaldan had apparently come here afterward. “Thanks to the deep faith of her people, this temple has a very strong protective power to this day. It is also imbued with the protection of Kaldan’s father and mother, the god of the heavens and the goddess of the earth, respectively. However, this land eventually became unsafe as well. Lady Kaldan said her child would perish along with her if they were together, so she entrusted the egg to me. She then left for the north with her husband, where their lives came to an end.” Baldemost Kingdom was founded after the killing of Kaldan. As a descendant of the nobility of that country, Zara couldn’t help but feel pain in his heart as he listened to Paksalimana’s story. “Among all the gods, Lady Kaldan subjugated the most undead monsters that brought pain and suffering to people. The malice of the undead runs deep, and Lady Kaldan’s scent coming off the egg made them consider it their sworn enemy. That is why for the last thousand years I have been continuously using magic to hide its presence. However, as time passed and the birth grew near, it became impossible for me to conceal the overflowing divine energy, and the undead began to attack. In order to drive them away, Lady Kaldan directed heroes of the modern era to my side. Even if you yourself have not noticed it, you and the others have formed a bond with Lady Kaldan.” The White Princess’s body was becoming increasingly transparent, and her voice grew faint. She was probably at the end of her life. The baby dragon watched the White Princess with its adorable round eyes, occasionally looking inquisitively at Zara. “The dragon child will be able to grow up safely in this land. Its divine spirit is already serving as a light that destroys undead monsters. As a result of its birth, the divine protection in the temple, courtesy of the god of the heavens and the goddess of the earth, has also been restored. All is well. All my promises have been fulfilled.” After delivering those final words, the White Princess’s body turned into water, which disappeared as it was absorbed into the sand. Some of the liquid touched Zara on its way down, healing all his pain. An unbearable wave of exhaustion then caused him to pass out. The baby dragon, with its body glowing red from the light of the setting sun, was left alone with the sound of the wind and the ocean waves.