The Spearmaster and the Black Cat

Chapter 205: Vanilla x Training x 20th Floor

Rollodeen in the form close to a horse was fast. She snapped at a cloud as if eating it, just to cat punch, err, horse kick another cloud―

My partner and I have been enjoying a sightseeing flight above the great prairie spreading out in the west of Labyrinth City Pelneet.

Wahooo―

“Nyanooo～”

The voice of a huge divine beast that seemed to cause a gale.

Hahaha, my lovely partner, how fun!

“Nyaaaa.”

With that my partner daringly somersaulted in succession ― and I reflexively clung to her back.

Her bushy fur is really nice～

I relaxed at once. My partner, who understood my feelings, eased up on her maneuvers, seemingly relaxing as well.

At that point I looked at the prairie below. Adventurers fighting against monsters were dots―

Excellent adventurers sensing us during our flight…there were several of them. They were bothered, but didn’t show any signs of attacking us.

Without minding that ― flying―

Thereupon I saw a transport vehicle escorting slaves or prisoners. A soldier wearing blue armor led the vehicle.

Is there a prison outside the city? Or are they in the middle of escorting battle slaves?

I got slightly curious about the destination of that transport. However, I won’t chase them.

――Lower the altitude while speeding up.

Rollodeen tilted her big, black wings, made a turn and returned towards the labyrinth city, swiftly heading for our home in the Martial Arts District.

In the blink of an eye we arrived at the front gate of my place. Rollodeen landed on top of the gate’s roof.

As if performing a finishing technique in a pommel horse tournament, I got down on the roof while lifting one leg. As I adopted such a pose, my partner ruffled up the hair on my head with her tentacle.

Having pulled a little prank, Rollodeen transformed from a form close to a horse and lion to her small cat size in an instant. The small Rollo jumped off the roof in order to head for the servants working in the courtyard. It was a jump that showed off her cute belly. She affixed her flight trajectory by stabbing tentacles thrust out of her neck into the stone paving. While reeling in the tentacles, she performed a gentle landing after killing her momentum.

Rollodeen rushed over to the courtyard with Balmint’s new wood house. The sound of Balmint, who we decided to keep in the courtyard, reverberated. It appeared that he had noticed Rollo’s return.

He was loudly roaring, apparently happy.

“Nyao.”

“Gaooo.”

Balmint stuck out his big tongue as if fawning over his mother. He frantically licked Rollo’s face.

It’s a pleasant scene, but one that’s full of saliva…

“Nyaoo.”

Seemingly tired of Balmint’s licking attack, Rollo jumped on top of Balmint’s back. Once she sat down on the back of Bal’s head, she started giving instructions and pointing in a direction with her tentacle while meowing.

Haha, that’s sure a nostalgic sight.

It reminded me of Popobumu.

“Gaooooo.”

Balmint cried as if saying, “How fun ~o!”, and noisily ran around the courtyard with Rollo on his head.

Moreover he was mischievous by nudging the frilly skirts of the servants with his snout, or crawling beneath their skirts, carrying out an outrageous play as if he wanted me to join in as well.

While watching that pleasant spectacle, I had a light chat with the servants, who were drying the laundry on the courtyard, about everything under the sun, and then returned to the main building, just to enjoy some free time for a while.

Because I had too much spare time…while chatting which also served as communication whether I should make the ice from the other day, the topic shifted to martial arts before I realized, and I requested swordsmanship training from Viine, Yui, and Kaldo.

Thus I returned to the courtyard once again, and we started the practice session.

“Master, focusing more on a Cutting Reverse Mizuguruma1 at that point leaves no openings.” Viine advised me.

I swung Magic Sword Beet diagonally downwards, and after hurriedly making it rotate once as if lifting it up, I swung it downwards once more.

“――Like this? Once more.” I focus on swinging the sword around smoothly, leaving a crimson trace in midair.

“Yes, magnificent.” My swordsmanship teacher, Viine, praised me.

“Next turn the sword to the right side while stepping forward with your left forefoot. It’s a training to parry an opponent’s slash coming from the right. You have to learn it since it’s one of the basic methods of how you walk.” Yui also hurled instructions at me.

“Milord, here I come.”

While transitioning from a Cutting Reverse Mizuguruma to a Meandering Sword Technique, I repelled the sword flash approaching from Kaldo’s lower left side as I took a step forward with my left forefoot. And then I cut down from the upper left to the lower right in a single flow.

“Yeah, it’s still slow, but let’s continue training this series of basic movements.” I received coaching from Yui-sensei as well, but…it didn’t proceed as it did with the spearmanship taught to me by Master Achilles.

The training continued for a few hours, but…in the end I didn’t obtain any skills on that day.

◇◇◇◇

Next day, Yui and Kaldo had no work for the dark guild, so they took a breather without doing any training. Rollo stayed home as well. I came to the free market while taking Viine along.

Something like a date, huh?

We checked out the butchers selling wild birds, processed meat, finished goods, and monster meat.

Meat is meat, but there are various types.

This market had a larger scale than the shopping district located at the Second Ring Road. However, I suppose that was owed to its structure where shops crowded a small area…it gave one the impression that there were plenty of goods.

I peeked at the merchandise of a shop selling peanuts with the name Pesoto nuts, but they didn’t have the product I wanted to buy. Although I believed they would, seeing as it was a type of plant.

While holding hands with Viine like lovers, we hurriedly moved to a place selling alcohol on the opposite side――

Seeing Viine’s happy face made me happy as well.

At that store we bought several bottles of vodka with a high alcohol content. We left the alcohol seller, passed in front of the butchers, and arrived at the place where spices were sold.

――What a nice aroma.

I sniffed with my nose like my partner, and was lured by the scent.

While rubbing my nose with my fingers, we started to inspect the shops that set those nice aromas adrift. Cuttlefish like dried goods were hanging down on strings from the tents’ ceilings. Below those, various grains and powders could be seen in open jute bags.

I might be able to buy what I want here. Fragrant wood similar to vanilla beans is…

I smell the contents of the bags――

Man, nothing although I’m looking for it. The ones here are cinnamon and cumin, I guess. Cumin can be used for curry rice. I might be able to teach Dee-san a curry recipe as well.

However, spices being sold here meant there was demand. There might be some restaurant making delicious curry rice somewhere in Pelneet.

For such information to not spread on the market much is probably because there’s no Internet, TV, magazines, and newspapers. Even if it spreads from mouth to mouth, there’s likely only a handful prosperous people, who are fond of gourmet food, in this world. On a certain scale, they might gather. The scattering of information that would sweep across this continent, which glorifies monsters, robbers, and murderers, is fairly difficult to anticipate.

However, I recall there was an organization called Royal Gourmet Food Association among the adventurer requests. It might be possible that various gourmet information was circulating in parts of the society’s upper echelons which was simply unknown to me.

If I think about it…that Kazane hag having discovered and spread dried plum in the past might have yielded her decent exploits.

While contemplating such things, we passed through the spice sellers.

“…Master, previously you had talked about making the ingredient of ice, but is it a plant?” Viine asked.

“That’s right. It might be unexpected but I was wondering whether I should make the one using that ingredient, the ice from the other day, once, but it will take time.” I answered.

Even after hearing my words, Viine’s curiosity didn’t disappear from her face. I understood her feelings after having lived underground.

It also used alcohol, but…I guess she couldn’t imagine that a plant is used in that cold milk product. Speaking of the details, I’m planning to create the aroma of vanilla essence using a smell remover. Given that ingredients made out of plants were common in the magul society, I don’t think that she’s considering plants themselves to be strange.

The target product should be available at the lumber from the other day, or a shop selling magic tobacco.

Even without deliberately creating a vanilla aroma, I think there are liquors that can substitute for it, but I pretty much promised Eva to teach her. I will get the preliminary preparations of the ingredient that can be used several months later ready.

Just when I thought that I would find it at the magic tobacco seller because it’s a climbing plant, they didn’t have it. Leaving the magic tobacco seller, we headed to the lumber with the tiger beastman owner.

The lumber hadn’t changed from before. He was selling various wood types and idol-like statues.

“Oh, aren’t ya the two of Donarque & Sieglan? Welcome!”

I wondered about it before a bit as well, but, what’s that Donarque & Sieglan?

Is it Bonnie & Clyde after all…?

“…Thanks. I see, you remembered us.” I said.

“Well of course. It ain’t often for a black-haired man with a rare, silver-haired dark elf babe, to come around. You don’t feel bothered by the looks of the men on the street?” The tiger beastman, who wore an Asia-styled outfit, asked something so trivial with his long whiskers moving up and down.

The size of the pores at those realistic tiger whiskers always pique my interest.

“…It’s because I got no interest in the looks of men.” I answered.

“Hahaha! I see, you’re an honest and lively guy.”

The smile on the tiger face might be a bit cute.

If Rollo had been here, she would have definitely reacted to it. But putting that aside, let’s ask about that Donarque & Sieglan thing, huh?

“…I heard it a little while ago as well, but who are Donarque & Sieglan?” I inquired.

The tiger beastman moved the mimetic muscles on his face slightly. It’s also related to the dense amount of fur, but since I think the number of his face muscles is different from a human, I can’t read the subtle signs of emotions from his expression.

“…You don’t know? In the Fujique Alliance they are tragic heroes who were defeated although they crushed one of the seven arms of Seven-Armed Invasion King Kai, heroes who stood up in order to allow us to run away.”

I feel sorry, but I just heard a little bit about it.

“…I don’t know the details.”

“Kai, who killed the heroes, is now being called Six-Armed Invasion King Kai after having his arm crushed, but both, the Fujique Alliance and the Gourdon Empire…are distant countries if seen from here. I guess it’s only natural for you to not know at all. The tragic heroes are said to have been a black-haired man, Donarque, and a silver-haired woman, Sieglan. Those two clashed against Invasion King Kai on many occasions while leading the troops. It seems the two were killed at the moment when they crushed one of Kai’s arms. However, because of their efforts, many brethren of my race managed to escape to the west, saving their lives.”

I see. The Gourdon War Mamani and Bia mentioned before, eh?

In a distant future…I might clash with that Kai, if he’s still alive then, after he advanced east of the Fujique Alliance.

“…Now I understand.” I replied.

“Aye. So, are you looking for wand materials again?”

“No, today it’s something else. I’m searching for a climbing plant based on its aroma.” I explained in a few words.

“Oh, you’re looking for such a maniac item? In that case, I have something I obtained through the southern Sevenphoria and the Gomock Merchant Group from the eastern Zamalia. It’s a black shell of beans.”

Oh, yes! I found it.

“Okay, please give me that.” I promptly said.

“Ayes. Wait a mom…if I remember correctly, it was in here…ah, there it is, found it.”

Ohh, bingo!

What the shop owner took out were truly vanilla beans.

“Please give me a big amount of those.” I quickly ordered.

“Okay. I’d like to say it costs 10 silver coins, but it’s not selling at all, so 1 silver will do.”

“Thanks, I will gladly take it.” I happily closed the deal.

Afterwards I returned home together with Viine, cut the vanilla beans, put them into jars that I had bought before, poured the vodka on them, and sealed the jars.

It’s ten jars, but I think it’s fine to go with this many for starters. I will store them in a corner of a room.

“Those will be used for cooking, right?” Viine observed.

“Yeah, we need to wait several months for it to ripen. Viine, you know any magic jars that stimulate ripening?” I asked.

“I have heard about them from merchants. They don’t appear on the market often as they seem to be ancient magic tools.” Viine answered.

…It might be faster to obtain those.

“I see. It hasn’t to be right away, but buy those ancient magic tools if you find them.” I told her.

“Okay. I will keep looking for them when doing my market research.” Viine confirmed.

Oh well, I just got to transfer the vanilla-alcohol combination over once we obtain those magic tools. If not, I will just preserve them like this.

“Okay, let’s train the sword and spear then.” I said.

“Understood.”

On that day I worked diligently on my swordsmanship while having Viine coach me.

My sword slashes steadily became sharper.

◇◇◇◇

Today I had Yui, Viine and Kaldo teach me sword techniques again. However, I didn’t manage to acquire a skill.

I wonder, is my talent in swordsmanship inferior to that in spearmanship?

The instant I cut through empty air while swinging my magic sword, I experienced a different sensation in the swordsmanship’s quality. The magic sword’s trajectory and the swinging of my arm were smooth, I felt that the full swings were sharp.

※Piiing※<Water Wheel Sword Technique>※Skill acquired※2

“――Yahooo! I acquired the <Water Wheel Sword Technique>.” I cheered.

“Your Excellency, way to go!” Helme praised me as she was watering the plants nearby.

“Master, you finally learned it!?” Viine, who had been swinging the sword together with me, stopped moving and smiled.

“Shuuya, congrats. It’s a great, basic skill that is commonly used by one-handed and two-handed sword users. Since your physical abilities are nowhere near normal, it should become a powerful skill.” Yui rejoiced.

“For me to watch milord’s grow with these eyes, I’m very happy as one of your <Servant Leaders>!” Kaldo fervently stated.

“Dad…being happy is nice and all, but that’s a bit too zealous.” Yui scolded her father.

Yui, Viine, and Kaldo acted as usual, but it was thanks to them.

I got to express my gratitude, “…Thank you guys for teaching me. With this the uncomfortable feeling will disappear even if I mix it with spear techniques a bit.”

Recalling Master, I placed a fist on top of a palm in front of my chest, and bowed my head while putting my feelings of gratitude into it.

“Yes! Finally the day to found the Lucival’s Spearmanship and Swordsmanship School has…” Viine announced excitedly.

“Viine, although you might call it School, it’s extremely unlikely for anyone to be able to learn it.” Yui interrupted Viine.

Certainly…I guess Master would be the only one? After all there are no other training freaks who are trying to learn swordsmanship as a spear maniac like me.

“…Yes, you’re correct…there’s no one who could possibly imitate his level of spearmanship.” Viine admitted.

“Yeah. Moreover, he’s going to intensely train the spearmanship, which follows the teachings of his Master, for a long time to come yet in order to expand it even further…he’s even trying to greedily learn swordsmanship. Really, he’s a true training freak, but that’s a part I can respect.” Yui explained.

“Yes. His attitude of always putting in great efforts to refine his martial arts is the true proof of him being a great male. At the same time, it makes me believe that I, as his <Head Servant Leader>, mustn’t be negligent in studying archery, swordsmanship, magic, and other things.” Viine said with great conviction.

“That’s absolutely right. Thanks to milord, I was also able to return to the basics. I feel like my up and down slashes became sharper.” Kaldo reported.

“…Certainly― it might be as you say, Dad.” Yui swung her magic katana, checking her basic slashing techniques.

At that point I put away the magic sword, “With this I have reached a point where I can likely use the magic sword quite well when manipulating it with <Magic Hand guided by Thought>. Since I have the mana hand hold a spear most recently, I might not put it to use, though.”

“Is the swordsmanship training over?” Viine looked disappointed.

“Yeah. I might do it again, but in the end spears are my main weapons.” I replied.

“Okay.” Viine affirmed.

At that point I shifted my eyes to Helme, “――Clean me up please, Helme.”

“Yes!” Helme liquefied from her human shape.

In the blink of an eye she covered my body as liquid. The sensation of being wrapped up by this water membrane feels slightly nice…

…I wonder what it is? Affectionate love, no, Shangri-La, Boobs Kingdom.

As I was imagining such an illusionary country, the liquid’s drops, which had engulfed my whole body, separated, apparently having finished the cleaning. They gathered in one place in the air, turning into a liquid sphere. While shifting its shape with wet sounds, Helme returned to her original, pretty body.

“――Your Excellency, I’m done.” She reported.

“Thanks. Well then, I think I will take a break and drink some tea.” I announced.

“Okay, I will accompany you.” Helme said.

“Master, I will come with you as well.” Viine joined in.

“Let’s see. The training has finished. I guess I will take it easy as well.” Yui said.

“I shall follow you, milord.” Kaldo chipped in.

All of us entered the main building. Helme moved to her meditation zone and went into her training mode. We drank tea and had a light meal in the living room, relaxing a bit.

Once Rollo came back from playing with Balmint, she sat down in a cat loaf pose atop the table. We exchanged messages to relax by opening and closing our eyes. Eventually I couldn’t endure Rollo’s cuteness, and brushed her gently from her head to her back. She replied with a deep purring.

When I played around by turning around my fingers on the fur of her back, the shape of her fur looked like a map’s coding. At that moment I suddenly remembered the magic treasure map.

Come to think of it, there was the map of the 20th floor that had been appraised by Hannibal…

After waiting for all my chosen bloodkin to gather at my mansion, I talked about the map.

“Going there is only natural. I fully support it. In short, us Innocent Arms will surpass the Blue-armed Treasure Party, right?” Rebecca stated delightfully. She was probably deeply moved as she had stared at the Blue-armed Treasure Party in admiration when she guided me into the labyrinth.

“Nn, it means that we will become the ones having traveled the deepest floor in Pelneet.” Eva supplemented.

“I guess that’s how it will pan out. We will use a special crystal, though.” I said.

“Minor details don’t matter here. Us reaching the 20th floor is what matters.” Rebecca rebutted.

“Nn, Rebecca, your face is brimming with confidence since you’re going to surpass your idolized Blue-armed Treasure Party.” Eva pointed out to Rebecca while smiling.

“It’s that excellent clan with whom we worked on a request the other day, right? The leader of the Blue-armed Treasure Party was an amazing katana user. His katana is definitely a named sword.” Yui observed.

“Yeah, he was the guy dancing around. Probably his magic katana came out of a gold, silver, or rainbow treasure chest. That’s why the treasure chest appearing from this time’s map might be a gold or rainbow one～” Rebecca said happily.

“Nn, I got thrilled after seeing Rebecca’s face.” Eva said excitedly.

“Me too. Master, I’m looking forward to it.” Viine chipped in.

Rebecca’s greed for treasures apparently infected Eva and Viine.

“Yeah, sure.” I took the safe approach and went along with it.

“…Let’s get more maps finished.” Rebecca said while shifting her golden eyebrows unnaturally.

“What’s it all of a sudden?” I asked.

“Actually…I bought a few dead maps.” Rebecca confessed.

…How very typical of her.

“What’s the floors of those maps?”

“21st, 30th and 32nd floor.” Rebecca answered honestly.

“You bought three at once?”

“Yeah…I mean, they were cheap.” Rebecca admitted.

Though it’s unclear when we’re going to complete those maps.

“Well, we might deal with them some day. It’s a talk after we investigated the 20th floor properly to find out what kind of place it is. Well then, are there any matters to talk about apart from digging out the magic treasure map?” I asked.

“Nn, Shuuya, you’ve been only training. Have you forgotten about the sweets?” Eva inquired with her violet eyes unusually trembling and her putting strength into the end of her remark.

Now that she mentioned it, I had casually promised her to do so. To make ice…

However, her narrowing her eyebrows is nice, and her angry state is also cute and sweet…what a wonderful woman.

“…Sorry. It’s not that I forgot, but there’s the preparation of the ingredients. Since I can make it without them as well, I will do so after we finish this map.” I apologized.

“Nn, I see. I didn’t know that you had been preparing. Sorry.” Eva apologized with an angelic smile.

“It was my bad as well. I didn’t tell you the details. After all, you had been going back to the restaurant, too.”

I think I will make various sweets other than ice as an apology. Since sweetened buns are already being sold, it might be a good idea to go with things such as pudding, pound cake, castella, madeleine, egg tart, and rice cake stuffed with strawberry jam. However, I recall actually having eaten something like madeleine in this world…

Her restaurant has to change its name into Cafe Dee so as to not lose against the ice of that Cafe Tanaka. I guess I will urge Dee-san to name the restaurant with the goal of a countrywide chain expansion, and a restyling away from a fish specialty restaurant…or something along those lines.

…Now then, let’s stop the sweets dreams around here.

“It will be the labyrinth’s 20th floor. We should first discuss the strategic matters.” I stated.

“True. We have experience, but it’s important to review.” Rebecca swiftly answered.

“Nn, I can also work as a vanguard, but I will support you from the rear. I want to use my tonfa as well, but I will endure.” Eva commented.

“If it’s golem punches, leave it to me. The golem can also be used as a wall.” Mysty added.

“Let’s see. Since I want to be in charge of a part of the vanguard with Yui, the timing for magic…” Viine joined the discussion.

After chatting with everyone about matters related from strategies to the labyrinth itself, we consolidated our views at once, aiming for the magic treasure map on the 20th floor.

“Everyone, get your preparations in order and gather in the courtyard. Helme, let’s go――” I ordered.

“Yes――” Helme turned into her liquefied state and returned into my left eye.

Capitalizing on the physical abilities, everyone returned to their respective rooms swiftly. I also shifted my eyes to the overcloak and Baldok’s violet armor hanging on a nearby mannequin. But, since those items were still damaged, I didn’t equip them. I limited it to putting on the same old leather tunic and my chest strap.

Below I put on boots with leather straps for easy movement.

The defense power has fallen, but well, whatever.

I went out on the courtyard after finishing my preparations.

“Gaoo.” Balmint’s voice echoed across the courtyard.

He still looked like a child, but he had definitely been getting closer to the appearance of the dragon which the wild god Cazdolo rode. He was apparently happy about everyone gathering. He roared a lot louder than at the time when I had continued my swordsmanship training.

“Bal-chan, behave obediently.” Rebecca cautioned him.

“Gaooon.” Balmint tried to bite Rebecca’s Magic Gulphon Wand.

“Ah~, I told you that’s not allowed!” Rebecca freaked out when her wand was bitten.

“Nn, Balmint became big.” Eva commented.

“Bal-chan is flapping his wings, how cuuute~” Yui swooned over Balmint.

Eva and Yui, who had finished their preparations, approached Rebecca who was messing around with Balmint.

“Haha, because of your height, it looks like he can reach you easily, Rebecca.” Yui laughed while looking at Rebecca’s face being licked by Balmint.

“Yui, you’re as tall as I am, no~?” Rebecca objected.

I feel like Yui’s a bit taller than Rebecca, but I won’t point that out.

Mysty, Kaldo, and Viine assembled as well.

“Okay, everyone get close, we’re going to the labyrinth.” I instructed them.

“Master, what magic spear are you going to use today?” Viine asked curiously after coming next to me.

“I think the usual Magic Halberd.” I answered.

In the recent training sessions I had used Gudorl with its orange blade and the lightning-patterned short spear La Dohla.

“The one with the red spear and the red ax blade, right?” Viine confirmed.

“Yeah, that one. I’m going to use the gate.” I announced.

“Nyaon.” Rollo tapped my shoulder on her usual place while meowing.

“Yes.”

“Sure. Directly to the fifth floor, it is.” Rebecca said.

The moment I heard her voice, I traced the mysterious symbol on the 16th facet. The shining gate was invoked, reflecting a mirror’s image.

No different from before, only bluish white mist was wafting across the floor. After we nodded at each other, we passed through the gate. Leaving through the gate, all of us arrived on the 5th floor.

The atmosphere didn’t change from before. A slightly dry air and a bluish white mist that seemed to have been created by melting blue dry ice at our feet.

“Next we will head directly to the 20th floor with the crystal over there.” I said.

“Nn, surpassing the Blue-armed Treasure Party.” Eva answered.

“Yeah, I’m totally hyped. Shuuya, let’s hurry～” Rebecca strongly declared with blue flames dwelling in her eyes, and walked ahead.

“However, we got to be cautious just in case. According to Shuuya, the evil tiger god had been in the room on the 10th floor, right? He might be present on the 20th floor as well.” Yui warned.

“Uh, that might be scary.” Rebecca abruptly stopped.

As I watched her speech and conduct, “Even if we are suddenly attacked by that evil tiger god, I think master will somehow deal with him, don’t you think?” Mysty addressed me while tilting her head diagonally in anxiety.

“It’s fine, I think. But, let’s get ready for combat just in case.” I said.

“Got it.” Rebecca confirmed.

“Nn, will do my best.” Eva replied.

“I will only draw Azelos. It’s the same as with my dark jobs. I won’t be negligent on my cautiousness.” Yui stated resolutely.

“…Uh huh, that’s a good look, Yui. I will also draw my Magic Sword Hyuzoi.” Kaldo said.

All of us approached the distorted crystal allowing us to warp to the 20th floor. Everyone touched it, and I said as the representative, “20th floor.”

After warping, a room wider than the one on the 10th floor awaited us. Just like before, bluish white mist was drifting at our feet, and the distorted crystal was the only thing inside the room.

『Helme, lend me your sight.』

『Ahn!』

I ignored Helme’s heavy gasping, and watched the surroundings with Spirit Sight, Grasping Perception, and Magic Observation, but there was no sign of the evil tiger god.

“There’s nothing here?” Rebecca asked.

“Nope.” Viine replied.

“I can’t sense anything in particular.” Kaldo added.

Viine and Kaldo walked through the mist while answering Rebecca.

“…I think there’s nothing here, but…” Yui walked behind her father while holding her katana.

“I don’t sense anything at present.” I announced.

Viine placed the arm on the sword belt hanging down from her waist to her thighs so as to be ready to unleash an iai-like technique at any time while walking. Kaldo looked grim as he held Hyuzoi that simply looked like a katana despite being called a magic sword while advancing with the walking way of a swordsman. Yui with her beautiful black hair, which was similar to disheveled bobbed hair, didn’t drop her guard as she said, and kept a stance allowing her to perform a diagonal slash with her magic katana at any time.

“…I see, that’s great.” Rebecca said.

“Nn, Rebecca’s relieved look, cute.” Eva teased Rebecca.

“Jeez, don’t look at it. It’s embarrassing~!” Rebecca replied.

The two went back to their usual bantering.

“So this is a space of evil gods…” Mysty took notes in her sketchbook.

We all headed to the place with the entrance. At the end of the space, which was gradually narrowing down, a golden door with a protruding shape similar to a small cup came in sight. The shape was the same as on the 5th and 10th floor.

Thus I put the ten heavenly evil statue key into the keyhole and turned it around.

Gogagogogogooooooooo――

A short shrill tone, and then a heavy bass sound.

“Auu.”

Some of our group were surprised.

Since Rollo had experienced it before, she silently stared at the door opening without being surprised. I removed the key from the keyhole and put it into a pocket of my bandolier.

After the door had opened accompanied by those sounds, all of us went outside. It was a historic ruin with huge evil god statues being lined up, just like on the 10th floor.

I look up…to a huge statue. A goddess statue with long, pretty, violet hair who has big boobs. Realistic. Her hammer is realistic as well, but in the end I cannot help to turn my attention to that detail as chairman of the Boob Research Society. It’s not just my imagination that they are more elaborate than the shape of the ten huge evil god statues, is it?

“Gigantic historic ruins, eh…?” Rebecca said.

“It’s the same on the 10th floor as well, but the statues here are clearly bigger.” I explained.

“Nn, very big…” Eva muttered with a voice that sounded troubled.

Given that she was talking while staring at something growing out of the area around the privates of male god wearing armor that had several faces with four horns inlaid, I ended up grasping the threefold meaning, but I definitely didn’t voice it out.

“…It looks like they had been created elaborately while making them bigger with each floor.”

“It appears there are no enemies here.” Viine said while lowering her bow, seemingly having switched from the sword to her Jade Snake Bow.

“Seems so. Let’s go this way. It’s further than on the 5th floor, but if it’s the same layout, the stairs should be over there.”

“Before that, I will call the burning knights in advance.” I said.

“Nya.”

“Nn, Rollo-chan reacted. You like those skeletons, the burning knights with the bursting smoke?” Eva asked Rollo from next to my right shoulder while sitting on her magic wheelchair.

“Nyaon――”

Rollo apparently misunderstood that she had been called over by Eva, and jumped on her thighs. Revealing a spoiled expression as she cheekily sat on her thighs, she rubbed her head against Eva’s long dress.

“Fufu, let’s do our best together, Rollo-chan.” Eva smiled like an angel.

“Nyao.” Rollo answered with her round and cute, red eyes.

Shit, she’s adorable. I feel like I wanna watch that scene forever…but I guess it’s just me.

It’s too charming.

“How nice, Eva~~” Rebecca exclaimed.

“Eva’s lap seems to be Rollo-sama’s favorite spot.” Viine commented.

I remembered how I talked with her about a lap pillow in the past.

…While thinking that it’s really nice, I have to shape up here as a leader.

“…Everybody, it’s about time to get a bit motivated from here on.” I urged everyone to brace themselves.

“Yes, Master.” Viine replied.

“Oki.” Rebecca affirmed.

“Nn, understood.” Eva confirmed.

“Nyaa.”

『Your Excellency, it appears everyone is showing some fighting spirit.』

『Aye.』

While everyone is answering in high spirits ― I touched the Darkness Jail Bone Knights ring, summoning the burning knights.

Two thin mana lines were generated from the ring. Those mana lines, which looked like strings, drew an arc through the air and clung to the ground. With a seething sound as if the ground was shaking, steam rose up. The two burning knights appeared while absorbing the steam into their bodies. The absorption of the steam lasted only an instant.

“Your Excellency, Black Burning Knight Zemetas is now here!”

“Your Excellency, Red Burning Knight Adomos, at your service!”

The two bowed while genuflecting.

“Yo, burning knights. As usual you will be vanguards, but guard and assist my friends. Well, play it by ear.” I ordered them.

“Certainly!”

“Yes, leave it to me.”

The burning knights readied their shields and began to advance.

“Nyaon.”

Rollo immediately chased after the burning knights while turning big with her black panther mode.

“Ah, I will have my golem move ahead, too.” Mysty announced.

Mysty’s simple golem trailed behind the burning knights and RollodeenBlack Panther with a heavy and clumsy gait. We also started to quickly proceed through the area with the ten heavenly evil statues.

Vanguards: Zemetas, Adomos, Rollodeen, and the golem.

Assault vanguards: Yui, Kaldo, and Viine.

Middle guards: Me (with Helme in my left eye) and Eva.

Rear guards: Mysty and Rebecca

We advanced with such a formation, but no enemy appeared at the stairs. Because the stairway was narrow, we climbed it in a loose, scattered formation.

Oh, at once there are magic source responses.

“Several magic source responses ahead of the stairway’s end. Be careful.” I warned everyone.

“Yes.”

“Roger, Your Excellency.”

“Nyao.”

Even after hearing my words, Rollodeen quickly ascended the stairs while running. It looked like she came out of the ruins before the burning knights.

Good grief, she’s really incorrigible.

Since I was worried, I hurried. Once I got outside after reaching the end of the stairs at the same time as the burning knights, a battle zone was reflected in my eyes…what the hell?

It looks like a great number of forces, not Rollodeen, have been waging war while jumbled together…

It was slightly chaotic, but I judged that it was the same field-shaped area as on the 5th floor.

The place where we came out was high on a hill. A war was taking place in the prairie area spreading out below. On the left troops that seemed to be demons, on the right troops that seemed to be demons. There was a castle-like building in the far center. Even over there troops that seemed from different races were fighting.

“What, here…soldiers of the evil gods or demons?” Yui was confused.

“…Hmm. The armies seem to be composed of monster soldiers with three and four eyes…” Kaldo responded to his daughter, and stared at the distant battlefield while shading his eyes.

However, searching the location of the treasure from the map in this place…?

Fortunately the troops aren’t coming here, so it’s fine, but…

I took out the magic treasure map from my item box, and checked it.

…According to the map, always left from this spot, eh?

“…Hey, this is the 20th underground floor, right?” Rebecca mumbled.

“…Sky? Bright. Prairie? This place doesn’t look like any underground.” Eva muttered.

Certainly, there was no sun, but it had no resemblance with the underground either. It might be the same world-type floor as the fifth floor.

Eva and Rebecca dumbfoundedly gazed from the sky to the prairie after climbing the stairs.

“Master, the treasure’s location is far to the left.” Viine pointed out while looking at the map.

“Looks like it. I think it’s the depressed area that way.”

“Master, please let me have a look on the map.” Mysty requested.

“Sure.”

Mysty grabbed the magic treasure map, and swiftly sketched on a parchment. It was a diary-like way of writing, but at a terrifying speed. Since some splashes of ink stuck to her face, I wiped them away with a finger.

“T-Thanks…it’s a simple map.” She gave me back the map while blushing.

“However…this place is…” Mysty reluctantly looked at the battlefield.

That’s how it is. It won’t work unless we pass through the battlefield.

“…Seeing that melee combat, it doesn’t look like the other side will be up for discussion. For starters I will try to barge in to drive a wedge in-between those armies. If I’m attacked, I will clear a path by mowing them down without any questions asked. All of you should just descend slowly while ready for the follow-up battles. Annihilate only the enemies attacking you. Rollo!” I instructed my party.

“Nyaa.”

I called Rollodeen. She instantly transformed into a Horse Lion and ran up next to me. I jumped on her back, straddling on her huge black fur and tightening my hold with my legs. A tentacle extending from the back of her head tightly clung to my neck.

I grasped that tentacle like the rein of a horse. I made use of the shared sensation with my partner through <Divine Beast Serene Mind ? Soaring>, which surpassed any unity of rider and mount.

While picturing the cliff descent of Minamoto no Yoshitsune, we went down the hill in one go.

“――It’s milord’s first battle!” Kaldo yelled.

“A little bit fast――” Rebecca commented.

『It looks like they will be able to personally experience Your Excellence peerless spearmanship!』

First battle?

I felt like it was slightly different, but I heard Kaldo’s rousing, joyful voice and Rebecca’s voice from behind.

『Only if the other party confronts me.』

I telepathically answered the excited S spirit dwelling in my left eye.

While holding the rein tentacle in one hand, I summoned Magic Halberd Baldok in my right palm that I had stretched out towards diagonally below.

Can I call it a weapon buddy? The weight of this Magic Halberd feels really nice.

And then ― I grasped the state of the ferocious army vs. army melee with numbers exceeding a thousand in my visual field. While galloping down, I adjusted my gripping position on the halberd’s handle.

Because of the trembling of the red ax blade at the tip of the halberd, it felt as if the red ax blade monster dwelling in the halberd laughed while lusting for the lifeblood of those troops.