Chapter 207 – 58. Midterm (2)
The difficulty of the dungeon was as expected. It wasn’t normal either.
It’s not a real monster dungeon. An artificial dungeon directly supervised by the tricky Instructor Darren.
My party and I were busily enduring the attack of a large group of monsters.
“The left side is loose!”
“Yeah! Count!”
Eric answered my cry. Eric looked very nervous.
‘However, they aren’t that strong compared to their number.’
The group of monsters surrounding the party of only three were about thirty.
High-ranking orcs, lizardmen, and even ogres. They were fairly dignified mid-level or higher monsters.
In addition, it became more ferocious under the influence of demon power. In fact, it didn’t seem too threatening to me.
I lightly swung my sword at the ogre that was frozen in front of me. All of his limbs were cut off.
‘Because I can see all the movements.’
If it’s an ogre, it’s a high-ranking species that can only be dealt with by a mana user of at least 3rd tier or higher. But it was boring.
A worldly demonic world that was teeming with not only monsters but also top-level demons. Bernige Plain. He spent two weeks in Roia’s ordeal.
Compared to the beasts and monsters there, the group of monsters surrounding the party seemed as cute as puppies.
“Eric! Change location! I will go in on the left and stand in line.”
“Yes Yes!!”
Perhaps because of that, all the monsters in front of me avoided me. Eric was struggling with the continuous attacks.
‘Maria still fights well.’
Maria. I don’t know her surname, but she was a female swordsman with short auburn hair and glasses.
Although she wasn’t a cadet who stood out in the combat world. She looks like an aristocrat rather than a commoner because of her calm and antique atmosphere. And, unexpectedly, he excelled.
‘He was hiding his skills.’
Lightly block the attack of the monster that rushes in first. Counterattack after that. She is practicing defensive swordsmanship.
A skillful gradual adjustment that would go unnoticed by an ordinary cadet. But I could figure it out.
‘Well, first of all, you are cooperative. I’ll gradually find out why he hid his skills.’
I decapitated the dark orc that had rushed in front of me. As I held out in the line, Erik assisted me with the Imperial sword technique.
“Count! I will help!”
I was embarrassed to keep calling me lord in front of Maria, so I pointed out her title. Eric followed my words faithfully, befitting a native of Essenmund, and also from the vicinity of Harsen.
Not only that, but Eric was also low-key to his classmate Maria. It was just as I had heard from Hans.
‘I have enough skills. You’re so intimidated.’
All outstanding talents in Essenmund give priority to the Knights of the Midnight Sun.
Eric, who came to Pantheon without being able to join Midnight, had no choice but to fall behind them right away.
‘But the basics are good.’
He uses the basic formula of the imperial swordsman properly.
I don’t have a flashy feeling like Lucia. Creates extremely textbook-style swords and sword strikes.
Maybe. He wielded his sword countless times. It must have been a sword made at the end of hard work.
‘But in order to go beyond the ceremony and reach the older brother. You’ll need some enlightenment.’
While appreciating Eric’s swordsmanship for a while. I unknowingly slashed the heads of the head-level monsters in the front line.
Approximately ten objects. I sorted them out like lightly slicing fruit. The monsters screamed in surprise when they saw the comrades who became corpses.
“Guwaaaaa!!”
And the men’s siege was lifted.
“…They’re running away.”
Maria said softly.
Like she said The monsters, who had grown tired of my sword attack earlier, gave up the siege and fled.
“If we were surrounded like this, we would have had to fight for a long time. Thanks to the Count, we got out of the siege easily.”
Eric and Maria. There was a look of bewilderment on both of their faces.
‘Hmm. Did I do it all by myself?’
I am the hidden intention of this evaluation. I thought about it again.
“Still, if a large amount of monsters pop out like this every time. It won’t be easy to get to the central boss area. There are limits to physical strength. You have to move as efficiently as possible in order to survive as long as you can…”
Maria was right. The evaluation method this time is Dungeon Survival.
You can get the highest evaluation score by surviving the longest in the dungeon and reaching the boss area.
‘However, the number of beasts and monsters is tens of badges in normal dungeons.’
As many cadets entered. Instructor Darren also expanded the size of the dungeon ignorantly.
Then, like Maria said, you should move as carefully as possible. And that’s not the only answer.
Wherever you go, there are guys who aim for fisherman geography while watching the season moderately.
There must be many cadets slowly entering the center, hoping that the lead platoon would draw aggro from the monsters or beasts as much as possible.
‘No. Rather. Retirement quickly is the lowest point.’
But that’s the worst If you don’t move quickly to the center of the dungeon and stay on the outskirts to kill time.
Instructor Darren, who entered the dungeon with the cadets, and his assistants raid the cadets.
‘It’s a lot easier with witches than with that instructor.’
Instructor Darren never looked down on the cadets. So moving slowly is suicidal.
But that’s not to say that he’s a cadet with excellent skills. Recklessly breaking through with only that cadet at the fore is a negative in this evaluation.
‘It means that I can’t solve everything by myself like I did a while ago.’
Instructor Darren already knows all the skills of the cadets.
So me or Lucia. The fact that cadets like Leaf and Fabian had to make a much higher contribution to the party than other cadets.
So, Darren set different evaluation standards for each cadet’s level.
The cadets with the highest level of skill. How much you can raise the level of the party. A separate score is given on whether or not one has the skills as a commander.
‘A single act of ignoring the party. The higher the cadet tier, the more points are deducted. On the other hand, there are additional points.’
In other words, to aim for the top spot in this evaluation. It means that you have to bring out the full potential of Eric and Maria, who are members of the same party.
‘Especially, Riff has a good relationship with the cadets of the combat order. I need to focus more to beat him.’
Leaf has good swordsmanship skills, but leadership is good too. But he was confident. Because he already knows all the evaluation criteria through the devil.
And this evaluation. It was a new challenge for me, who will lead the heroine’s party from now on.
“Then let’s move.”
The terrain of the dungeon is a dense forest. It is difficult to distinguish even the surrounding terrain because it is obscured by tall trees and leaves.
I moved my feet without any hesitation. Two people followed me.
***
Maria hid herself on a nearby large rock for a while with her two companions.
A dense forest where you can’t figure out where to move. In addition, the magic power of the dungeon confuses people’s concept of time and sense of direction.
But she and her party are relatively calm. I hid next to this rock and had a short break. Although she faced hordes of monsters on about three occasions.
There was no great risk. Naturally, Yulian, who was in charge of the party, had excellent swordsmanship.
What was more surprising was the insight and judgment that Yulian had as a temporary commander.
‘It’s more than I thought. Because everything is going as he directed. Even Eric and my actions.’
Julian von Reinhardt. Last year he was in first grade. The Count of Mannani, who showed utter disgrace at the end of the battle and never returned.
However, he changed in his sophomore year. Befitting the reputation the name Reinhardt has. He took away the name of the best cadet of the combat order that Leaf had at once.
‘If this is the case… I have no choice but to admit my skills. Was Lillia-sama right?’
And Maria. The owner she has served by her side for a long time. She is the third princess of the Empire. Lilia Lamir Ashterique came to her mind.
It was. Although Maria was pretending to be an ordinary cadet during the battle. She is actually Lillia’s handmaid and her faithful bodyguard, the Royal Guard.
Ever since Lilia entered Pantheon to attend the academy with her fiancé. For Lillia’s sake, Maria also enrolled here.
Of course, as a royal guard who protects the most noble lineage in the empire. Maria’s swordsmanship skills were more than enough to become a member of the Imperial Guard or famous knights rather than a mediocre cadet.
‘Still, I had no complaints. It’s my mission to protect Lilia-sama by her side.’
However, the fact that he entered the Roia sect, not Lillia’s sect, Medica. She was also puzzled by herself.
But Lilia said it was all for a reason. She kept Maria at the battle end.
‘Now I know why.’
Count Mannani became a sophomore and returned to the combat territories.
He heard that he could also participate in lectures and trainings of other sects. The place where he mainly puts his body is the combat terminal.
So, all the things Julian had been doing at Loia Hall this semester. He was able to report very vividly to Lilia.
‘Lilia-sama was very happy at that time.’
And Maria is the West Palace of the Imperial Palace. Her Lilia escorted her every night, even in her place of residence.
She is known for being benevolent and chaste like a lily, Lilia. The fact that every night she called Count Julian’s name and masturbated to her.
It was a secret only Maria knew. Although Lillia-sama has a thorough personality. Still, he was loose with Maria, who had been with her since childhood.
In particular, it was added on the day when Julian’s activity was reported. The masturbation continued all night long enough that I had to pay attention to the soundproofing of Seogung…
And to protect the honor of Lilia, who might become her next saint. Maria had always secretly removed the bed sheets that had been piled up.
‘Like that, Lillia likes the Count. I wonder if that count knows…’
And, under Lillia-sama’s order, I recently followed him. Last year, he went around like a beggar with a bongdu.
Count Julian, now a surprisingly handsome man. There were always beauties by his side. And it seemed that they also had special feelings for Count Julian.
‘Just look at Lucia of our sect. It seems like you’re already infatuated with him.’
Lucia May. Although her potential for her swordsmanship seemed excellent. She seems to have some kind of shackles in her heart, and she is also a female student who has not been able to properly demonstrate her skills.
Lucia, who became the talk of the town for her looks rather than her skills. She has changed since hanging out with that count.
‘I didn’t know what the English was or what it was about. I think I know it to some extent.’
And while Maria was lost in her thoughts. Eric, who was using a divine spell, opened his eyes.
“Bae, Count! As you said, I have grasped all the terrain in the vicinity!”
Eric, the cadet who always walked around without confidence and with his shoulders drooping. The student’s talent was now blooming under Yulian’s direction.
‘Lilia-sama has something else to be happy about.’
Although he is only a cadet after all.
Yulian wondered why the combatants’ cadets were ordained holy priests. And what kind of advantages the difference has compared to the swordsmen of the regular knights.
I was fully aware of it.
After hearing Eric’s words, Yulian answered calmly.
“Then let’s move on again. And if you pass this area, you might meet the cadets who are rivals. Will you continue to follow my instructions?”
“Yeah! Lord!!”
Eric nodded vigorously. In the meantime, the name changed again. I could feel Eric’s trust in Yulian.
‘Quick. It’s reasonable. And I’m giving only as many instructions as I can handle. I never thought he would have great virtues as a commander.’
And, in fact, Maria, whose true identity is the Royal Guard. I felt like I was obediently following Yulian’s words.
She also answered Yulian.
“Yeah. I know.”
***
The evaluation was coming to an end. I wasn’t in a hurry though. He never hesitated so as not to be attacked by Instructor Darren’s group.
And Eric is at the front of the party. Me in the middle Maria was placed in the rear. I gave instructions from the middle, and the two calmly broke through the monsters’ encirclement.
Maria, who keeps only one person’s share as instructed. Maybe that’s why Eric’s performance stood out in this evaluation.
‘He followed my instructions quite well.’
Clearly, as a talent for pure swordsmanship, it is inferior to the top cadets of the combat order.
But I already knew from Hans that Eric was a hard worker. And I, who entered the dungeon together, confirmed it with my own eyes.
You must have already felt the wall yourself. Still holding the sword Ceremony with the sword you are already familiar with. Step again and step again.
It was an act of constant proof of faith in swords and martial arts. He may have been frustrated that no one would notice his efforts.
As long as Eric had sworn allegiance to the god of battle in the name of Roia. Loia does not leave his own priest alone.
I can’t stand side by side with those geniuses. Still, the last step to catch up to that very point. Roia bestows grace upon his priest as a god.
‘That’s Roia’s Paladin.’
It was. Eric is not an ordinary knight, but a paladin of Roia.
And the son of Saint Agnes. As a priest who passed the ordeal of Roia.
I told him about the unique form of swordsmanship, no form of combat, that only holy priests and paladins could use.
‘Swordsmanship is a simple weapon. It is the eye that penetrates tactics that brings victory. That’s why the combat ends exist.’
And beyond tactics, an eye that penetrates a battlefield. A part of the vision I learned while being decapitated countless times on the plain of Bernige. I also told Eric.
I already felt Roia’s will once there. Because I quickly realized that Eric was deserving of Roia’s blessing.
‘Eric not only trained in swordsmanship. He said that he had been steadily attending the theory combat lectures of the combat sect.’
I lead Eric, and I created a moment in the right place where Eric’s efforts could definitely see the light.
At first, Eric was just following the lord’s instructions. Seeing that all my instructions worked perfectly, he became more confident.
She felt the joy that her efforts had not been in vain. And a soldier who met a commander he could trust. Surprisingly, morale boiled over.
As a result, Eric created Roia’s Phoenix. It was the divine spell that hurriedly grasped the terrain a moment ago.
The phoenix, which contained the will of God, announced the location of the enemy. It was difficult to distinguish the field of view an inch ahead, however, due to the power of magic power and densely packed trees. Eric found it.
“Lord! Leaf and the others!”
Finally found him An enemy that must be defeated in order to rank first in this evaluation.
I hurriedly gave Eric and Maria instructions.