Sevens Volume 9 Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Beim’s Dungeon

.

──Erhart’s group had finished with cleaning the highway and sat down tiredly in front of the gate that was an entrance to Beim.

Erhart watched the setting sun while thinking about what had happened so far.

(Three months passed in the blink of eye since we came to Beim.)

They came here with hope filling their chest, but in the end they were shown the difference between dream and reality.

They couldn’t do anything spectacular as adventurer and spent their days driven to clean the highway.

Marianne said that she would give them a better quest if they worked  seriously, so Erhart also worked hard but──he was dissatisfied at the  inside.

Erhart’s group was sitting on the ground tiredly being dirty all over  their body. People were passing in front of them to enter Beim.

The young and dressed up girls were the city girls that Erhart and his friends longed for.

It seemed they were on the way home to Beim.

「Eew. It’s smelly.」

「Cleaning highway is the work for the adventurers at rock bottom isn’t it?」

「Let’s get in quickly.」

The girls laughed scornfully at them and left. Erhart saw them getting further away and clicked his tongue.

「Tsk, so this place is also the same with our village.」

Those girls were the same with the villagers who looked at them with contempt.

Erhart thought that even the city women that he dreamed of wasn’t any  different from the village girl when their veneer was taken off.

(But, Marianne-san is wonderful.)

Compared to the girls that had just passed through, Marianne was very  wonderful woman. Erhart affirmed that fact once more after seeing those  girls.

They borrowed water outside the gate to wash off the dirt on them. It was then Lyle and his group came nearby.

Today he was taking Shannon and May with him too.

They started washing their hands and feet near Erhart’s group with the water inside the bucket.

「Today is tiring too.」

Lyle talked to Shannon and May.

「May, don’t splash the water like that!」

「Shannon did it first!」

The two little girls were lively even while using water. They should  be still playing around at that age, and yet Lyle was making them work.

It was something unforgivable from Erhart’s point of view.

(This bastard is making children work even though he is a man)

The rumors about Lyle were also spreading throughout Beim.

He came to Beim with a harem party, and yet he didn’t even take the  test and only cleaned the highway. Because of that he was standing out.

The gossipy adventurers were spreading rumors that Lyle was a 「gigolo」 who made women supporting him.

In fact her party members were seen working almost every day, so it couldn’t be helped that such rumors were spreading.

(What is so good from this kind of man?)

Erhart was unable to understand why Lyle’s party members would follow someone like this.

A girl came out from the gate while Lyle was helping Shannon and May washing their hands and feet.

She was carrying a basket in her hand.

The one who came with her side pontail fluttering in the wind was Novem.

The adventurers who had finished working began restlessly whisper to each other when Novem came.

Erhart’s friends cursed.

「Shit. Damn showoff」

Novem jogged until where Lyle was and began to take out something from the basked excitedly.

She took out various things like water bottles, snacks, etc.

「Thank you for your hard work today, Lyle-sama!」

However Lyle seemed dispirited when he saw Novem.

「No, I’m happy that you come to pick us up. But we’re still dirty, so we’ll head to the bathhouse after this.」

His attitude like Novem’s arrival here was a nuisance also rubbed Erhart and others the wrong way.

(This bastard! What’s with that attitude, even though a kind girl is coming here bringing a lot of things for you)

The water bottles and snacks that Novem brought got snatched by Shannon and May.

「Thank you Novem. Right just when I’m feeling thirsty.」

「I’m hungry~」

Novem got panicked.

「Both of you, please leave some for Lyle-sama!」

Lyle laughed seeing Novem so flustered.

「It’s fine. It’ll be dinner when we get back anyway. More importantly, we’re dirty right now so you shouldn’t touch us.」

Novem grabbed Lyle’s hand even after he said that.

「No, it’s fine. Even though it’s dirty, this hand is dirty from hard work. It’s not filthy at all.」

It was completely different from the girls before this.

Erhart felt extremely jealous.

(Dammit! Why is a girl this nice with this kind of guy!?)

Lyle and the two girls finished washing themselves and then walked to go inside.

And then Erhart heard this conversation while they were walking.

「Lyle-sama, there was a call from the guild.」

「From the guild?」

「Yes. It’ll be three months soon after all.」

He wondered just what it was about.

Erhart was curious, but he immediately lost interest because it was unrelated with them.

(Forget it, I’ll go to Marianne-san’s place tomorrow. It’ll be great if I can bring her some kind of present.)

Erhart greatly looked forward to tomorrow──.

.

I was called to the guild and a staff talked to me about from here on.

「Beim’s adventurer guild appreciate how hard all of you have worked.」

This staff with moustache seemed to be in higher position that the other staffs.

I was shown in to an office that had sofa in it, not the usual receptionist counter.

The staff continued to talk happily.

「Recently many adventurers are hopeless. They’re always picky with  the quest they received. But your party always works diligently no  matter what is the job. It’s clear that your party can be sufficiently  trusted after seeing the diligence in their work. And so this time we  wish to ascertain your party’s capability.」

I didn’t think that we would be able to obtain the guild’s trust with  just three months, but it seemed they would acknowledge adventurer who  worked diligently.

「Our capability?」

The staff looked at me and smiled.

「This too is the way of Beim. We believe that you and your party are more capable than the average adventurers.」

「What should we do?」

When I asked, the staff started talking about a plan of dungeon expedition.

「We ask that your party start from the surface and go down until floor B20.」

The request was the same with the expedition that was carried out when we just arrived at Beim.

「There was also something like that three months ago wasn’t it?」

「This kind of expedition is routinely held here. The objective is to  cull the monsters. If they’re left alone the monster’s number will  quickly increase. That will be troubling.」

「And what will be our role?」

「First your party will be stationed at the center. From there it will  depend on the judgment of the person in charge at the site.」

When entering dungeon, the non-combatants would be gathered at the center of the formation.

Adventurers who could fight would be placed at the front and rear to protect the center.

There would be few chance to play an active role if we got placed at the center.

The staff was looking at me with a testing gaze.

「How about it?」

「I accept.」

The staff looked at me in amusement when I instantly answered like that.

「You’re still young and yet you don’t look hot-blooded at all. Like  this it looks like you’re someone who is overly careful, but the  impression you give is more favorable compared to adventurers who can  only talk big.」

The Sixth who was listening to this conversation sounded fed-up.

『This guy, he is testing Lyle.』

Testing──the Sixth referred to our stationing at the place where there would be few chance to play an active role.

If I showed dislike and asked to be placed at the front or rear, he surely would grant it.

He was watching how I would react.

In other words, the test to ascertain my capability was already starting.

「After adventurer’s job isn’t only fighting.」

The staff nodded slightly at my answer.

「It seems you really understand.」

「We have investigated about the test from the reference room after all.」

The staff’s expression loosened in delight when he heard that.

Beim’s adventurer guild was watching how we were acting in this test.

Would we move as ordered? Did we have the capability?

Were we cooperative?

They would judge all those aspects comprehensively to decide we passed or failed.

Even if we were lacking strength, if we moved as ordered and worked well with other people then we would pass.

Conversely even if we ignored order and also didn’t work well with the surrounding, we would still pass if we were strong.

The important thing was whether we would be useful for Beim’s adventurer guild or not.

「How reliable. I have great expectation on you.」

The staff said that and stood up from the sofa.

.

I returned to the inn and gathered my companions to talk about our plan going forward.

「Looks like the guild want to see our strength.」

Aria and Sophia were looking happy with sparkling eyes, but their reason for that was horrible.

「So we’ll be freed from writing with this then!」

「I’m glad. These three months were really long!」

It seemed that work wasn’t suited for them.

Novem was exasperated.

「For the two of you, this will be the main event isn’t it?」

Both Aria and Sophia were vigorous frontline fighters.

Swinging around weapon was easier for them compared to writing letter.

May was tilting her head.

「Human is amazing. To make use of the dungeon like this. As for us  qilin we want to defeat dungeon as soon as they appear, but Beim’s  dungeon is a bit impossible I think. It has become too big.」

It seemed that destroying Beim’s dungeon that was said to have 100  underground floors by herself was impossible even for the qilin May.

Shannon was making a gloomy expression.

「D-dungeon again? I don’t want spending one month in a dark place.」

In her case she just didn’t want to work.

Clara told Shannon.

「Sunlight is shining into Beim’s dungeon from the ceiling. The  place’s lighting will be dim, but there’ll still be a bit of sunlight  there. I also heard that at night the torches inside the dungeon will  lit with bluish white flame.」

「Eh? Then it won’t be dark?」

「──The number of the torches will be few, so it’ll be dark at night.」

「That’s no good!」

I got irritated with Shannon who complained a lot, so I also joined the talk.

「You were alright with dark place weren’t you?」

「A place that is swarmed with monsters is scary! I’m just a weak girl.」

「Weak? You are?」

Shannon got angry when ridiculed her with a frivolous laugh. She kicked at me.

Eva clapped her hands when I dodged it.

「Yes, enough already. Let’s return to the topic. Lyle, we’re going to prepare for this right?」

There was no problem with the preparation itself.

We would be able to obtain things like food or weapon easily in Beim.

The problem was the number of people.

We had ten people including me, but this number wasn’t a lot from adventurer’s perspective.

We couldn’t bring Damian and Lily-san with us, or rather it would be troublesome if we brought them so they would stay behind.

In the first place they wouldn’t want to participate.

「The only problem is our number.」

Monica put her hands on her waist and acted big.

「With this Monica at your side, it’ll be like you have the strength of a hundred people at your disposal.」

This fellow’s work really worth that much, but it was still not enough if we only relied on her alone.

「It’ll be great if we can form acquaintances through the quest this time.」

Naturally I also considered hiring people.

I also fixed my eyes on skilled adventurers based on the information that Miranda and Eva gathered.

But, currently we didn’t have any achievement in Beim.

If we hired people in this situation and succeeded in the expedition  like that, other people would only think that it was thanks to the  skilled adventurers that we hired.

That was why we had to take up the challenge with only our own strength.

「We will still keep being unknown in Beim for a while like this.」

Novem nodded.

「Yes Lyle-sama.」

Now then, let’s began preparing to challenge Beim’s dungeon.

.

──At Beim’s adventurer guild.

Marianne had prepared a quest with good reward for Erhart.

「Helping out with dungeon expedition? Could it be we have also been recognized as fully fledged adventurer!?」

Marianne poured cold water at Erhart’s happiness.

「Read the detail carefully. It’s written there that you will be  helper only. Your party will mainly carry the luggage or set up the  campsite. Don’t try to fight monster no matter what okay? This is not a  test like before.」

「B-but」

He thought that it was an adventurer-like work, but then he was  depressed because he was immediately told that they wouldn’t be counted  as fighting power.

Marianne showed a serious expression.

「Erhart-kun──have you forgotten how you almost died in dungeon?」

「I-I haven’t.」

「Then work seriously this time. The adventurers around you will  protect you. If you complete this quest successfully, you will be able  to gather cheap equipments for your party.」

They could expect quite the amount from the quest this time.

After all they would be heading to a dangerous place.

Even though they would only be helper, the money they could obtain in one day would be double the pay from cleaning the highway.

Marianne suggested to Erhart to use the money to gather proper equipments.

「Erhart-kun, first you should gather equipments. You absolutely must  prepare weapons and armors that would be the tools of your trade in the  future. Do you understand?」

「O-ou!」

Erhart was filled with gratitude to Marianne who was worrying for them.

「After you have gathered proper equipments, you’ll be able to go  outside and defeat monster. When your earning increase, you’ll also be  able to learn various things in Beim’s dojo or private school.」

「Dojo? Marianne-san, I can teach myself. After all I have three Arts──」

「Erhart-kun.」

Erhart corrected himself when Marianne called his name with a low voice.

「E-err, I can use my Arts until the third stage.」

「Very good. You mustn’t say that you have three Arts even by mistake.  Because people will think that you have magic tools on you like that.」

Marianne also corrected Erhart’s misunderstanding with perseverance.

Erhart’s looked at Marianne and his cheeks reddened.

「S-say, Marianne-san. Do you, have someone you like?」

Erhart mustered his courage and tried asking. Then Marianne smiled suggestively and──.

「Now, I wonder about that?」

.

At the plaza in front of Beim’s dungeon.

This place was quiet when I tried coming here several times before  for preliminary investigation, but today it had a lot of adventurers  gathering here.

Everyone’s equipment was all over the place. There wasn’t any sense of unity at all in this gathering.

But even among this gathering──we were still standing out as expected.

「What the hell is that!?」

「A carriage that move without horse!!」

Albano and Creit were observing from nearby.

Both of them were at the middle of their twenty, but they were leader leading their own party.

Right now they were looking very interested in front of Porter.

Their personality and appearance were the complete opposite from each  other, but both of them were adventurers who caught Miranda’s eye.

The party that Albano led was the stereotype adventurers.

They preferred light equipment that was easy to move in and brought a  set of equipments so they could play an active role in any kind of  situation.

In contrast Creit was leading a group that was wearing full plate──full body armor.

They even brought horses with them. It looked like they had strong longing toward knight.

They specialized in battle, so their group was thought as not really useful for other things.

Both of them were born and raised as commoner. None of them was formerly knight or noble.

It was interesting that these two were leading a party with completely different style despite that.

I talked to the two.

「It’s a vehicle that was developed in Arumsaas. I think that it won’t be long before it also spread into Beim.」

I was the one who developed it, but it would be troublesome if I mentioned it so I kept it quiet.

Albano knocked the armor plate to check the thickness.

「Arrow won’t do anything to this. If we use gun──it’ll be useless too I guess.」

It looked like he was thinking of how to deal with it.

Creit warned him.

「Albano! Don’t think about how to defeat an ally!」

「We don’t know when we’re going to become ally or enemy. Even so, this thing looks convenient.」

The person in charge came while I was calming down the two.

「It’s noisy here.」

Even the two became quiet when that person came.

This person was also mentioned in Miranda’s information.

「Good morning. You’re Neu Neumann-san correct?」

He looked at me and smiled when I greeted him.

「How polite. I hope we can work together well.」

This person was an adventurer now, but he was previously a knight.

He lost his employer and drifted to Beim with his family and became an adventurer──that was written in the document.

He had lived long as adventurer, but he had a bit of hang up to the time when he was a knight.

He was a polite and diligent person.

Albano asked Neu-san.

「Big sis Annette(アネット) isn’t participating?」

「She is going home to her birthplace. Her knight order is also in the middle of holiday.」

「I thought it’s strange that I’m not seeing her recently, so she is actually going home.」

Creit talked to me while those two were chatting.

「Even so, your party, they are really──showy huh.」

Pointing out that there was only girls in my party in a roundabout way like that must be this person’s kindness.

「I wasn’t planning to gather only girls but, it already became like this when I noticed.」

「I-I see. But, if that’s the case than you better be careful. A party  like yours can easily gather resentment from males.  Also──that──there’ll be a lot of bloodbath among your companions.」

Yeah, it was really dangerous.

There were a lot of dangers whether from inside or outside.

「I’ll be careful.」

Neu-san then spoke to me while we were talking.

「Time to depart.」

.

──Erhart who was participating in the expedition for the second time caught sight of Lyle at the center of the formation.

「That guy is also participating?」

Erhart’s group was carrying luggage on their backs while walking beside the wagons.

In contrast Lyle’s party was riding a large vehicle that looked like a metal box with wheels attached.

They were sitting on a moving box that was moving without horse pulling it while watching the surrounding alertly.

There was a beautiful elf with pretty pink hair beside Lyle.

She had a bow on her back and alertly watching the surrounding together with Lyle.

The two of them were talking, but he couldn’t hear what they were talking about.

Erhart cursed seeing that.

「Keh! That bastard is flirting with woman. He thinks this place is a playing ground.」

To Erhart, Lyle’s party looked like they were lacking resolve──.

.

We were participating in dungeon expedition, but bluntly speaking there was nothing to do.

I was sitting on the ceiling of Porter that was moving slowly and  watching the surrounding in alert but──there was nothing happening.

To begin with the front and the rear was protecting this center.

It was rare for danger to reach the center.

「Nothing to do.」

The scenery along the way all looked the same. Eva who was on watch together with me was also bored.

「It’ll be time for the next shift soon, so endure it until then.」

「There isn’t any monster coming out, the traveling speed is also slow, it’s really boring.」

Eva was complaining a lot, but her eyes didn’t let their guard down even then.

Even so, this dungeon was really strange.

There was really a large hole opened up in the ground. Then there was a spiraling path along the wall.

Dilapidated houses were lined up on the path. This place looked like a destroyed city.

We were going down the path slowly, but it only looked like we were walking on the same path.

Light was shining in from the ceiling──the surface, but just how did that work? The slant of the path was also gentle.

The Third spoke his opinion leisurely from inside the Jewel.

『It’ll also be nice if we can be led until floor B20 without anything  happening like this though. After all you will be able to start from  there the next time you come here.』

An expedition party was dispatched routinely in order to decrease the increasing number of monster.

After we advanced until floor B20, next time we would be able to  start exploring the dungeon from there but──it would be pointless if we  didn’t receive the permission to enter the dungeon.

「It will be best if things continue peacefully like this and we pass the test.」

Eva disliked my statement.

「I think more surprise and drama are needed in life. I hope there’ll be some kind of serious incident happen.」

「I’d prefer it if nothing happen though.」

The expedition party slowly advanced like that and the sunlight was  gradually weakening. When it became dark, the torches at the dilapidated  houses were lit with bluish white fire.

Neu-san who was riding a horse came nearby and raised his voice to the surrounding.

「We’ll stop here today! Start preparing the campsite!」

.

The activity of the expedition party was plain.

There were also adventurers who were playing active role  spectacularly at the front and rear, but we at the center also had a lot  of plain works to do in order to support them.

「Shannon, I said more to the right. That’s left.」

「Haa? This is the right from your position!」

I and Shannon was preparing food──not, instead we were lining up simple tables and benches.

A lot of benches were needed with how many people here.

The food had to be prepared before the adventurers gathered here.

Well, we wouldn’t be the one cooking, so we were only helping out the surrounding.

After we finished lining up the tables and benches, Shannon made a tired face.

「We’re only doing this kind of thing for two hours already. I have enough. I want to go home~」

I flicked Shannon’s forehead because she was complaining.

「There are still two more weeks. Just be patient for a bit more.」

「There is nothing to do for us here mon. Let’s just go down quickly to the floor B20.」

「If only we can do that──hm?」

While we were making stupid talk, I saw adventurers running to the campsite in panic.

「T-trouble! A subspecies came out!」

An adventurer who was running out of breath and drenched in sweat  went around telling the noncombatants to run from the campsite.

「My comrades are holding it back. Run away quickly while you can!」

The expedition party fell into chaos when they heard a subspecies appeared near the campsite.

Shannon hid behind me while clutching my clothes.

「W-what!? What is this subspecies thing!?」

A subspecies was a monster that had experienced “Growth” and became strong.

Growth was the blessing of goddess. Because of that people thought that monster wouldn’t be given that blessing.

And so no one was openly saying that monster could also go through Growth.

That was why they were called subspecies.

「A subspecies is a normal monster that grow stronger. It’s  troublesome because the way it grow strong is random so we won’t be able  to prepare any countermeasure beforehand I guess?」

「That’s dangerous isn’t it!? Then why are you that carefree!? Or rather, are you looking happy!?」

When the ancestors taught me about the subspecies, all seven of them were still in the Jewel.

The annoying First and the diligent Second were also there at that  time. I remembered that the atmosphere was even livelier than now.

Looked like my feeling came out on my face when I recalled that time.

「No, I’m just getting nostalgic remembering when I also didn’t know like you and got told about it.」

I didn’t know how strong the monster had become, so I wouldn’t be able to prepare before challenging the subspecies.

I wanted to watch how the adventurers of Beim would act, but on the  other hand I was also rejoicing inside because a chance had come.

I looked toward the direction of the commotion and lightly tapped Shannon’s back.

「The commotion is over there. You head to Porter right away. Gather everyone.」

Shannon looked at me with an uneasy expression.

「Haa!? You’re going to remain here alone!?」

「It’s fine just go.」

I forcefully pushed Shannon’s back and she ran to where Porter was parked.

I walked among the helpers who were running around in confusion.

I intentionally walked against the flow of people and clenched the Jewel with my right hand.

The map of the surrounding clearly formed inside my head. It showed the adventurers who were fighting the monster as light dots.

It looked like they were surrounding the monster and fighting it as group.

「They have nice movement.」

This party was different from all other party I had seen until now.  It was a gathering of skilled people and the damage they received was  little.

But, the subspecies was also leading a swarm of monster. It seemed the party was in a hard fight against them.

The ancestors inside the Jewel were rejoicing.

『Oh? A bigger chance than I expected is here. Even though I thought  that at most Lyle will only get a chance to do anything at the latter  half.』

The Third was easygoing.

The Fourth was exasperated by such Third, but he was also thinking that this was a chance.

『It’s too bad that it caused a great commotion though. But, it’s not so bad if we think of it as a chance for Lyle to shine.』

The Fifth was apparently observing the people who were running away in panic.

『It helps that they’re running away quickly.』

It would be hard to fight while protecting them, so it helped that they were running away.

The adventurers were guiding the people who were escaping. They had  no leeway to pay attention to me who was going against the flow of crowd  alone.

The Sixth confirmed the position of the enemy with the map I was using while thinking of how I should act.

『Fumu, first I want to see the enemy’s appearance. Lyle, let’s observe the enemy from the rooftop.』

The Seventh was worried about something.

It seemed it wasn’t me that he was worried about.

『The achievement will be stolen if Lyle don’t defeat the monster quickly. Lyle, hurry.』

The flow of people was endless. I couldn’t see the front at all, so I started running and looked at the nearby rooftop.

I used a crumbling fence as foothold and leaped up. I sprinted and  leaped from rooftop to rooftop while heading to where the enemy was.

Many of the buildings were one-story house, but there were also two-storied and three-storied buildings.

I ran up the nearby tallest building and looked at the place where the enemy was from there.

It seemed they had a flashy battle there. Smokes were raising from that place.

I could see the figure of monster advancing while destroying building.

Its upper body was similar to human. It had pale skin and bald head. Its red eyes were opened wide.

「Is that Centaur?」

It was bigger than a one-story house. Its lower body that I caught glimpses of from the gaps of buildings was a cow or──a horse.

The adventurers were climbing on the rooftop and attacked from distance against such monster.

They were forced into a hard fight against the huge monster, even so they were fighting well.

It would take time but, it looked like there wouldn’t be any problem even if I left them alone.

『Hmph! ──Not bad.』

The Seventh muttered in annoyance. It was because he hated adventurer.

However, he had to recognize them if they were capable.

He was irritated because of that.

「It looks like there won’t be any problem even if we just watch like this. Well, the problem is behind that thing I guess?」

I was only watching the huge subspecies monster, but the swarm of monsters that thing was leading was also troublesome.

Its number was many and the adventurers had a hard time defeating them.

There was a magic casted. Flame pillar appeared from some distance away, and then there was explosion right away.

「They’re flashy.」

I unconsciously let my impression slipped out.

Miranda arrived while I was watching the situation.

Miranda was riding on the back of a golem that she created from soil. Aria and Sophia were riding behind Miranda.

Aria and Sophia got down from the golem and asked me about the situation.

「How’s it going!?」

Sophia chided the excited Aria.

「Please calm down Aria! Lyle-dono, how is the damage?」

Miranda was watching the battle silently, but she looked like she was listening carefully to me.

I explained the situation to the three.

「A troublesome subspecies came out but, the problem is the enemies’  number. At this rate the swarm of monster will penetrate until the  campsite.」

Aria reassured me with her spear leaning on her shoulder.

「There is no problem with the campsite. Because almost everyone has run away.」

「The people that is. But it’ll still be a bit troubling.」

People had already escaped──but the campsite had the important supply of the expedition party.

If it was ransacked then this expedition would end in failure.

We would have no choice but return to the surface.

I didn’t know what kind of decision the guild would make, but I wanted to avoid such result.

Miranda turned her gaze to me.

「──And, what’re we going to do?」

I looked at the fighting adventurers while folding my arms and thought.

If we joined the fight here without permission, there would also be some people who wouldn’t be amused.

But, this was the best chance to promote our strength.

I clutched the Jewel once. The Third told me with his usual tone.

『Do as you like. Lyle is free to do anything.』

I let go of the Jewel and told the three.

「I want to join the battle flashily if possible, so you three fight  as conspicuously as you can. As for me──I’ll defeat the troublesome  subspecies first I guess.」

The control would be difficult, but if I aimed well then even a subspecies would only take one hit to defeat.

This was a rare chance.

Let’s do it flashily.