Chapter 534 – The Cursed Throne
“Could you wait for a moment? There are some people who have been waiting for the class of Paladins since early in the morning.”
After that, the soldier who seems to be in charge of the soldiers goes somewhere with a letter of introduction.
“…”
As if they are familiar with this situation, the party waits in silence without any response. Shortly thereafter, two men in robes approached Ban and the others along with the person in charge.
“Nice to meet you. Paladin Van Rashard and his colleagues.”
At the appearance of the two people who look like wizards to anyone, Bruno asks a question with a puzzled expression.
“Are you the wizards of the Mage Tower who have been commissioned by the city council?”
“Yes. That’s right.”
“…Wasn’t Verissa Collinus, a wizard and councilor, leading this expedition?”
When Verisa’s name popped out, the two wizards looked at each other’s faces for a while, as promised, then opened their mouths with puzzled expressions.
“That… Verisa passed out due to a side effect of magic regurgitation that occurred during magic training last night.”
“Eh? Wasn’t he a high-ranking wizard in his own way? She’s the kind of magic regurgitation that even novice wizards won’t do?”
“…”
When Bruno looked at the two in bewilderment and asked a question, the two wizards scratched their heads as if they were really embarrassed.
“Well… Well. Anyway, what we can tell you is that Verisa-sama will not be able to participate in this expedition, and I will urgently take over this mission.”
“Um… Anyway, I understand. I’m priest Bruno. This is Senna. Seongil.”
“Nice to meet you. My name is Lazaric Rivenus, a wizard who has reached the 6th class hierarchy. Next to me is my apprentice Edwin.”
The two groups briefly introduced each other. After the introduction, Edwin takes out a map from his pocket and hands it to Van.
“This is the first exploration map and information made by ordinary adventurers.”
“Hmm… According to the map, it’s quite spacious inside, isn’t it? It’s quite deep…”
“Yes. Apparently, there are sewers built during the Mage Empire underground, as well as ruins from ancient times.”
“…What is the relationship between the old ruins and the current ruins?”
Ban asked questions with a doubtful expression on whether he did not understand Lazaric’s words. Seeing that, Lazaric smiled, pointed out the map, and calmly explained.
“This mysterious ruin collided with several other ruins and sewers in the process of rising to the ground, and thanks to this, the road from the upper level to the lower level has collapsed.”
“That means…”
“Yes. It is impossible to enter the depths by simply entering the ruins here, and you can only enter the depths through a separate route through the underground waterway.”
“I guess controlling this place is just to stop that bizarre scam.”
“You’re right.”
After grasping the situation, Bruno murmured as if he understood, and Lazaric smiled and agreed.
“I am not a competent adventurer like Verissa-sama. Instead, I have experience in the first ruins exploration, and unlike Verissa-sama, who will participate in the adventure alone, I want to make up for the shortfall by having all of my apprentices participate in this exploration. .”
“I like it. The more wizards there are, the easier it is. However, are your apprentice’s skills good? A clumsy wizard is a burden.”
Bruno, who looks like a real man, is unexpectedly meticulous. Asking about your skills. Despite the question, which may seem rude in some ways, the wizard answers him without being offended at all.
“My apprentice, Edwin, is not actually a friend who would be on the apprentice level. He is a proud wizard who has already reached the 4th class.”
“Hehe… With 4th class, it’s a level where you can set up a workshop in a small city, but it’s amazing that you’re an apprentice.”
“Haha! Actually… Edwin is my nephew. My sister asked me to act as Edwin’s guardian, so he has been acting as my nominal apprentice until now.”
“Ah…”
Despite being an arrogant wizard, Lazaric kindly answered Senna’s questions, which made the party feel good about him.
‘He’s a pretty good friend. Wizards usually have a lot of scumbags who ate unprepared meals.’
Thanks to Lazaric’s polite attitude, the party continues their conversation in a friendly atmosphere.
“By the way… Looking at the ruins today, the atmosphere isn’t unusual. Is it okay if we enter with only 6?”
After the light briefing, Ban starts talking about raiding the ruins in earnest. At that, Lazaric smiled and nodded as if he was okay.
“The main purpose of this expedition is an in-depth exploration following the 1st expedition. Attacking the ruins is only a secondary priority.
“Is that so.”
“Yes. Exploring ruins like this tends to be less efficient when you go with a large group of people. For no reason, exploring a dungeon in a party of 6 isn’t the norm.”
Calm Lazaric’s explanation. At his words, Seong-il nodded in agreement.
‘Certainly… That’s right. A high-level searcher and a combat priest, and two avant-gardes and wizards are beyond standard, and it’s safe to say that it’s a luxurious party.’
And the words must have sounded positive to priest Bruno, who is also a seasoned explorer, and he nods his head in agreement.
“I’m sure it is. If there are two wizards, it will be easy to escape.”
“Haha! It’s good that the words went well. However, my apprentice Edwin will only play a supporting role, so please don’t expect him to fight in case you don’t know.”
“Huh? Then what is that friend doing?”
When Lazaric said that he would bring in a high-level wizard and refuse to participate in the battle, Bruno asked with an absurd expression.
“My apprentice will mainly assist the party. Drink creation, light orb, wizard’s eye auxiliary scout. It’s a situation.”
“Ah… I see what you mean. Certainly, if there is a main mage, it’s not bad to have a mage of such a secondary role.”
“Thank you. Does anyone have more questions?”
After solving Bruno’s question, Lazaric asks the rest of the party if they have any questions.
However, none of the party members objected to Lazaric’s rational remarks, and they moved to the ruins.
“Ahhh… I don’t like it… Again, the underground water…”
Senna grumbles in disgust, probably because she went around the underground waterway to kill the necromancer just a few days ago and suffered a great humiliation.
“But what can I do, kid? This is the life of an explorer.”
Bruno comforts the grumbling Senna. At first glance, it sounds like a fight, but Sena nodded her head and silently continued to search for her in front of her, perhaps because she was used to Bruno’s tone.
‘Hmm… That stealth is also really amazing. Shall we learn some mechanics later?’
Her holy day is clearly in front of her eyes, but she is interested in seeing Sena’s body blur.
“Kwuweek…!!”
“Ah~ no~ no. There’s a sewer slime in front of you. What do you want to do? Do you want to just run past it?”
“…We’re heavily armed, so it’ll be fine, but the wizards…”
Van is shown worrying about the lightly armed mage being attacked by the slime’s acid.
‘Plaguy.’
Seong-il, not wanting to waste time on such a thing, takes out a cursed sword instead of answering and rushes into a group of 10 or so slimes without saying a word.
“Die aaaaa!!”
“What are you doing with that crazy guy!! Catch him!! That bastard is fucking again!!!”
“Oh my…”
Colleagues who are embarrassed to see Sung-il’s behavior, but do not want to do it. Seeing this, Seong-il laughs inwardly and enjoys it.
‘Cuk-Cuk… Ballak of the Cursed Throne had this kind of fun. He has good abilities and is a good person, but sometimes he gets into trouble like a madman.’
Thinking so, Seong-il lightly slices the slime with a cursed sword wrapped in strong spirit.
“Huh? Kill the slime with a sword? What is that guy?”
It’s a slow and weak monster, but it’s quite tiring to catch because it has strong immunity to cutting. Because of this, adventurers used to be very annoyed with guys who didn’t make money and were annoying to catch.
However, when Seong-il easily sliced such a monster with a sword rather than a blunt weapon, Ban and the others, as well as Lazaric, were surprised.
Spark!! Awesome!!
The slimes melted when he swung a sword wrapped around him. Sensing the acidic vomit flying toward him, he deftly avoids it, and Seong-il destroys a group of slimes in the blink of an eye.
“Oh… Is it a magic sword? No matter how insignificant a slime is, it won’t be easy to catch it with a sword other than a blunt weapon.”
Haha! Not too long ago, Space Kitty-sama gave me this sword through a revelation! Isn’t it wonderful?”
“…Space what?”
When Seong-il suddenly uttered a bizarre word, Lazaric, who had approached him with interest in the magic sword, looked at him with a puzzled expression. Then Bruno sneaks up and whispers to him.
“…Hey. Do it, okay?”
“Ah…Yes…”
“But I’m sure he’s strong! I’ve been hanging out with him for over a year, so I know him well.”
“…”
Calming Lazaric, who is slightly reluctant, Bruno and the party calmly cross the underground waterway and reach their destination, near the ruins.
“…This is the space the 1st expedition team explored. It is said that the shadow demon appears from here, so we need the help of priests and paladins from here. The previous expedition team was blocked by evil spirits and had no choice but to flee.”
“Okay. I’ll prepare to cast a divine spell if it’s necessary.”
At Lazaric’s words, Van nodded and answered him.
“Umm… I think I should double the amount of torches? Because of the negative weather, the range of the torches is narrowed.”
“Oh, leave that to me.”
At Van’s words, Lazaric’s apprentice, Edwin, raised his staff.
“…My will will be the light!”
Edwin creates a strange formula by waving his wand in the air, then recites a short incantation. Then, a round light orb appears from the tip of his staff and floats on top of him, illuminating the surroundings.
“It’s good to be a wizard. In preparation for times like this, you can make such efficient lanterns.”
“Ha ha… Not necessarily.”
“Hmm…?”
Edwin, who floated a ball of light at the admiring Bruno, approaches him and denies his words.
“Originally, magicians don’t memorize spells such as light orbs and drink creation.”
“…But why are you?”
“As I said before, I’m Lazaric-sama’s assistant. If the mage were me alone, I wouldn’t have memorized the light orb. It’s a waste of a mage’s firepower to go around memorizing such a spell.”
“Aha… That’s it.”
Bruno nodded at Edwin’s convincing answer. Meanwhile, the party walks through the dark ruins.
“The ruins are quite deep, right? Fortunately, there are no traps or forks in the road, right?”
While the party is walking calmly in preparation for an unexpected attack, Sena, who was taking the lead in scouting the interior, approaches and reports the contents of the reconnaissance to the party members.
“Keuk… It makes people dirty and tired…”
“But where is there no trap? Let’s go.”
Ban comforts the tired Bruno like a leader, and walks the ruins together with Seongil.
‘Hmm? Are they enemies…?’
A bizarre movement caught in Seongil’s emotion. Seong-il naturally puts his hand on the sword at her waist as she feels her feather-light, evil power.
Gurureung…!!
“…Didn’t you hear something?”
“Hmm? What do you mean?”
“…I think I heard a beast.”
“!!”
Normally, I would have given Sena a face, but now she is in a ruin that is no different from a dungeon, and she is the party’s guide. Because of this, instead of being sarcastic, Bruno immediately takes out a weapon and is vigilant.
“Kreuk!! Kreuk!!”
Soon after, the voice of the beast spread from the depths.
“…It’s a shadow demon! Sena!! Wizard!! Fall back!!”
