“The Guild has contacted us.”
Sword Saint Vitalianus’s mouth opened heavily. The tension in the area thickened at his words. The expressions of everyone gathered there reflected a sense of grim determination.
“They said they sent a Vanguard and have even identified the type of raid.”
New Gates had begun appearing across the world once again. The 53rd floor had opened. The Empire, which had been waiting for this, moved immediately to take control of every Gate found, while the Possessors also moved quickly to send in a Vanguard.
The Possessors had agreed to handle the role of the Vanguard to identify the floor types. They possessed the cheat-like ability known as Logout. While the Empire would require a large-scale force and significant time to secure a retreat and divide their troops into scouting and escort units, the Possessors could simply send a few people in to identify the floor type and then Logout.
This was how they discovered the type. The message sent from the Guild was as follows.
“The Infinite Floor, or the Floor of Painstaking Effort. That is the name given to this Abyss.”
The Floor of Painstaking Effort, also known as the Infinite Floor.
“I will discuss the details once we meet again, but one thing is certain: we will need immense military force this time as well. Therefore, all Royal Knights will be deployed for this raid.”
“When you say everyone… does that include the newcomer?”
At Damon’s question, Vitalianus’s gaze turned toward Claire. Although she stood stiffly at attention, a massive flame burned even more fiercely in her red eyes than during their first meeting.
The Floor of Painstaking Effort, the Infinite Floor, the Guild, the raid—she didn’t understand what any of it meant, but she could grasp the general feeling. What else could make even the Royal Knights tense and the Sword Saint cautious?
All questions and mysteries would be there, and that place would be the source of all incidents. And if it was such a place, he would surely be there as well. Thus, Claire’s will burned away her fear and scorched her tension, growing even larger.
Seeing this, Vitalianus nodded.
“Did I not say so? All Royal Knights will be deployed for this raid.”
To make great strides, one must be prepared to take great risks. Those who had left the Royal Knights were those who were not prepared, while Claire was someone who was already ready, even if she had only joined yesterday.
“Damon, you will be responsible for informing her of the precautions. We depart tomorrow morning, so rest well until then.”
“Yes. I understand.”
That didn’t mean Claire felt no fear at all. It was just that her excitement and tension were so great that the fear was overshadowed, yet it certainly existed.
A few months ago, a horrific horde of monsters had attacked Enmenia. To think she would have to step into the very source where such things were so common they were stepped on—into the place that would be called an Abyss—and wipe them all out. How could she not be afraid?
That tension remained even after leaving Vitalianus’s office. The atmosphere of the entire Huang Palace was submerged in a heavy sense of tension. It was the kind of tension that could never be felt outside.
If she had been attending the Imperial Academy normally, she wouldn’t have even known such things were happening, but now it was different. She was right in the middle of this silence before the storm, the restless atmosphere, and the immense tension.
“When you enter an Abyss, the most important thing is to keep a firm grip on your mind.”
“A firm grip on my mind…?”
“Yes. The air flowing there is filled with the Abyssal Curse. It wasn’t that severe when we went, but you never know when or what might happen, so you must never lose your focus.”
“Yes! I understand!”
“And also…”
The more she heard from Damon about how horrific the Abyss was, the more bizarre it sounded. It was full of things that defied common sense.
He spoke of a massive castle that reached the sky, and how they fought through tens of thousands of monsters to reach the top. He said they caught a monster strong enough to face a Sword Saint at the summit to complete the raid. She couldn’t even imagine it just by listening.
“The place we’re going this time is the 53rd floor, and each floor has a different type that requires a specific method to clear. You heard earlier, right? This floor is the Floor of Painstaking Effort. That’s the method.”
“Then… does that mean this has been done fifty-two times already?”
“Well, yes.”
“Who on earth could have… Ah.”
Claire started to ask but stopped, letting out a small sigh as she realized. It was obvious who it was. There was only one name that ever came to mind.
Her goal and her idol, the one whose reasons for being so busy and the nature of his work she could never understand. He must have been the one fighting. All alone. For fifty-two times.
“Anyway, we’ll leave the minor things to the other knight orders. There is only one thing we need to do once we enter the Abyss.”
The Royal Knights, an elite group consisting of only a few members. Once they entered a floor, they were given only one mission.
“Follow Lord Vitalianus’s orders absolutely.”
Carrying out the Sword Saint’s orders with the highest priority and assisting him from his side was their mandatory duty. And aside from that, there was something else to keep in mind.
“Like I said before, no matter what happens, you have to keep your wits about you. Don’t be surprised, and stay calm.”
“Do scary things happen that often?”
“No, it’s not necessarily scary things, but… well… sometimes I get so surprised that I blank out without realizing it. What you especially need to watch out for is…”
The thing that could cause the greatest mental shock wasn’t the monsters of the Abyss or the gloomy atmosphere.
“Watch out for the Guardian Knight.”
It was the Guardian Knight of the Emperor and Magician, Hio Pavlenko.
“You never know what he’ll do next.”
A man who gets tossed in the air in celebration by a crowd of undead monsters. A man who suggests moving leisurely while riding on a monster’s back and being escorted by them. Watching the things he did could make one’s mind go numb, and if one wasn’t careful, they might even sink into the Abyssal Curse.
At Damon’s serious advice, Claire could only tilt her head in confusion once again.
—
Hio’s eyes slowly opened at the sound of clattering.
“Yawn…”
After a long yawn and a deep stretch, his mind quickly became clear.
“…I feel refreshed?”
It was surprising how refreshed his body felt. Perhaps it was because it had been a long time since he’d had a good night’s sleep. Since reaching the 5th Circle, he hadn’t really had a proper, comfortable sleep. He had mostly spent two or three days awake in the Tower of Mages before collapsing into sleep or nodding off unintentionally.
It had been a very long time since he’d come back to his room and settled down for a full night of rest. It was thanks to that level of effort and passion that he had been able to learn ‘Flare.’
Learning it didn’t just mean succeeding in casting it once; it meant he had mastered it. He had practiced the complex process until it was ingrained in his body, allowing him to use the magic whenever he needed. This was only possible because his talent as a Genius of Mana Resonance x2 was combined with his efforts.
With this, he had completed a total of six 5th Circle spells. Not counting Blink, all five were offensive spells.
He had wanted to stay cooped up in the Tower of Mages until he learned every spell since he had already started, but the reason he came out after only learning Flare was simple. It was almost time for a new Abyss to open.
The previous floor had been easily cleared since it was the Necropolis, but no one knew what would pop out this time. A Labyrinth could suddenly appear like on the 50th floor, or a variable where Logout becomes impossible could happen at any time, like on the 51st floor.
Therefore, he had to manage his condition. He couldn’t afford to be sleepy while trying to clear a floor.
Now that he was awake, his body felt surprisingly light. He couldn’t feel any of the minor pains or stiffness he usually had… It was so refreshing it felt as if he’d received a massage in his sleep.
“I guess sleeping well really is important.”
As he stepped out of the room with that thought, he was greeted by Airlights, who was wearing a neat apron, and the savory smell of food.
Airlights was surprisingly good at cooking. Even in a world without the internet, she managed to find ingredients and cook well on her own. Especially after this new Magician’s House was built, she had started babbling nonsense about becoming a full-time housewife, and her cooking skills were improving by the day as it seemingly became her hobby.
“Hehehe.”
Airlights gave Hio a suspicious smile as soon as she saw his face. Since he had long since given up on guessing what was inside that small head of hers, he just gave a casual greeting and sat at the table. She had probably secretly hung up some strange sign somewhere saying it was their “newlywed home” or something.
“Oh, this looks delicious.”
“Right!”
The source of the savory scent was meat. It was a dish with a thick, tender-looking piece of meat topped with an unknown sauce, and even decorated with flowers she must have found somewhere. It was a bit of a heavy meal to eat right after waking up.
However, Hio familiarly sliced a piece of meat and put it in his mouth. The tender texture was followed by an explosion of juice that filled his mouth.
“Is it good?”
“…It’s the best.”
He wondered if she had awakened with cooking skills. He knew she had cooked a lot for herself since she was young, but creating such a taste with different ingredients in another world was a matter of pure talent.
“Hehehehe. This is Nonom Deer meat. If you wrap it well and steam it for a long time before grilling it, the juices are preserved and it becomes incredibly tender. Then I poured a special sauce made by mixing Liver Mushrooms and Latter Sauce over it. There are rumors that eating this is good for increasing physical strength, and Nonom Deer meat is actually good for stamina…”
While Airlights chattered away and Hio enjoyed the taste while praising her cooking skills, a knock was heard. It came from the outside. There were only a few people who would go out of their way to visit this ordinary house.
A voice spoke softly through the crack of the door, as if not wanting to be heard by others.
“Is the Saint here? It’s me, Frederic.”
The Cathedral had come looking for Hio. Since the purpose was obvious, Airlights’ bright expression turned cold in an instant.
“…Hio, finish your meal. I’ll go out.”
“You should go out with a bright face. Frederic is a kind priest.”
“Okay!”
At Hio’s words, Airlights stood up with a smile on her face and headed to the front door. She unlocked all twelve locks and slowly opened the door. Right at the top of the door, a sign that said [Hio and Airlights’ Newlywed Home] was hanging in plain sight.
Frederic, who tried his best to ignore it, gave Airlights a bright smile.
“It’s been a long time, Brother Airlights.”
Airlights responded with a radiant smile of her own.
“Yes. It’s been a while. But what brings you here?”
“Ah, is the Saint inside by any chance? It’s a bit urgent…”
“Oh dear, what should we do? Hio isn’t here right now. He said it would take at least a month for him to return.”
“Pardon? But I definitely heard a voice from inside…”
“…Oh my, your ears must be failing you as you get older, Priest. If you’ve reached that point, you should just stay home and rest instead of coming all this way… How unfortunate.”
Airlights spoke with a genuinely pitying expression, lightly placing a hand over her mouth. Unfortunately, Frederic was a disciplined priest who wouldn’t be swayed by such things.
“This is a very important matter, so I’ll just check inside for a moment, Brother.”
“Brother? Why am I your brother?”
“…Don’t try to change the subject. Saint! Are you there? It’s me, Frederic!”
“Hey.”
“Yes?”
“Do you want to get hit and leave, or just leave?”
“…Excuse me?”
Airlights’ expression had turned cold at some point. A crimson light flickered in her deep, beautiful eyes.
*Flick!*
“…Ouch.”
In the end, she was flicked on the forehead by Hio, who had come out to the entrance, and she moved aside with a pout.
“Ah, Saint. You were here after all. I came in such a hurry because I had news that I absolutely had to deliver.”
The news brought by Frederic was exactly as expected.
“The next floor has opened.”
It was the news that moved Hio.
—
“Sit this raid out.”
Hio said this to Airlights, but he didn’t expect much. After all, Airlights hated being away from Hio more than anything. That’s why she had even tried to chase Frederic away with an obvious lie when he came with the news.
He naturally expected her to shake her head and insist on coming along, but…
“Okay. I understand.”
“Right, then this time you can move with the priests… Wait, you understand?”
Unexpectedly, Airlights nodded obediently. This was truly an outcome he hadn’t imagined.
“Uh… really?”
“Why? You’re disappointed now that I said I wouldn’t go, aren’t you? See? You really can’t do without me!”
“No… I’m just a bit surprised. You made a good choice. It’s not like the round-trip distance is short, so just rest at home.”
Although Hibernia and the Empire were adjacent countries, the distance between their capitals couldn’t be short. While Hio could move instantly using portals and had the Phantom Steed, it wasn’t easy for Airlights since she didn’t have such means of transport.
However, Airlights shook her head as if that wasn’t the reason.
“The distance isn’t important. It’s obvious that I won’t be of any help even if I go.”
Whether it was a few days, a few months, or how far apart they were—none of that was a problem. The real problem was her becoming increasingly left behind and eventually becoming useless. That was the biggest issue.
“I’m going to practice and train hard like you. So when you get back, teach me magic too.”
“Magic? You ran away saying you couldn’t do it last time.”
“It might be impossible or take too long to learn as deeply as Hio, but surely I can at least make one of those circles you mentioned, right?”
“…One circle. So the First Circle…”
Mana is required even when using skills. That meant skill users were already handling mana without even realizing it. While the people of this world might have lost magic forever due to a curse-like law, Airlights was a soul who had escaped such laws, so she should be able to learn magic. And she was originally quite good at handling her skills.
“That’s just a matter of getting the hang of handling mana… It shouldn’t be that hard for you.”
Airlights’ expression brightened at Hio’s answer.
“Yes! My goal is just one circle. With just one circle, I can use portals and even go to that place called the Tower of Mages with you!”
“That… wouldn’t be bad at all.”
The portals in the Tower of Mages were the exclusive property and power of magicians. Even Freya, who had created a hollow First Circle that couldn’t actually use magic, had been able to use the portals.
So if she reached the First Circle, Airlights would naturally be able to use the portals as well. That meant they would have one more way to respond flexibly to future variables. It meant there would be one more strong individual who could freely move across the vast continent.
“Alright. I’ll teach you when I return from this raid.”
With that promise, he turned his back.
He opened the door to the basement and headed deeper into the basement where the traces of the Holy Magician remained. Upon reaching the fourth floor down, a familiar portal was revealed. He placed his hand on it and infused it with Magic Power.
[Moving to Enmenia Magic University (1) – ‘Magician’s House.’]
There wasn’t a hint of hesitation in his actions.
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