Chapter 122

Once the safety of the area near the dungeon entrance was secured, the follow-up forces were immediately deployed.

Specialists in earth magic split up the work to install heavy, reinforced doors, while temple officials and barrier experts layered defensive spells one over the other.

The Knights Templar and the Royal Guards watched over them, keeping guard even while openly antagonistic toward each other.

We were tasked with exploring the dungeon to handle both scouting and monster extermination.

Using my Shikigami skill, I called forth the Fire Rat and sent it ahead to scout.

The Fire Rat’s flames lit up the inside of the dungeon with a bright, orange glow.

Gary, possessing the highest defensive stats, walked at the very front, followed by Rosetta, then Ria and Yoshioka, and myself, with Lady Clara bringing up the rear to guard our flank.

While everyone else kept an eye out for enemy ambushes, I was the only one walking around with my smartphone, using a pedometer app to sketch a rough map of the layout.

“Discovered a door on the right. We’re investigating.”

Gary’s voice came through the helmet covering my head.

Gary’s Magical Communication was a convenient original skill that allowed him to turn any physical substance into a communication device.

Thanks to this, we were able to maintain crystal-clear coordination.

“Gary, there might be traps, so leave it to me.”

Using my Dummy skill, I created a clone of myself and had it open the door.

Instantly, four arrows flew out from inside and pierced the dummy’s chest, causing it to dissipate into mist.

Immediately afterward, eight skeletons clad in armor rushed out to attack, but Gary’s sword effortlessly smashed them to pieces without a hitch.

“It’s finally starting to feel like a real dungeon.”

“I’ve been yearning for something like this my entire life!”

Gary and Yoshioka were casually fooling around.

Because these two were so absurdly strong, they probably treated it like a video game.

Meanwhile, I had been a nervous wreck from the very beginning.

A tiny, gemstone-like fragment was attached to the forehead of one of the immobilized skeletons.

This was a magic stone.

“Ria, how do we harvest magic stones?”

“Once the monster dies, they peel off automatically, so you just pick them up.”

True to Ria’s words, after a brief moment, the magic stones detached themselves from the monsters.

They were just eight small magic stones, but apparently, even these would fetch around four thousand marques.

No wonder people actively sought out professions like adventurers or magic stone harvesters despite the clear danger.

That being said, an ordinary harvester wouldn’t be able to get their hands on magic stones this easily.

This was only possible because of Gary’s raw combat power; under normal circumstances, a battle wouldn’t conclude in such a short window of time.

After gathering the magic stones, I took another look around, finding that the area was a room enclosed by walls on all four sides.

As the Fire Rat illuminated the interior, a treasure chest could be seen sitting right in the center of the room.

Maintaining a short distance, I tried issuing commands to have the dummy open the treasure chest, but the lid wouldn’t budge.

It was locked.

“I’ll open the lock.”

I used my Unlock skill to disengage the mechanism.

“Between the Fire Rat and your Unlock skill, you truly are multi-talented, Mr. Hinoharu.”

Rosetta praised me with an impressed look.

While some of them are rather plain, I do possess a large number of skills. I’m still growing, after all.

Having the dummy lift the lid once more, an ornate dagger emerged from within.

Both the hilt and the sheath were embedded with multicolored jewels, making it look exceedingly valuable.

If items like this were lying around all over the place, it was no wonder everyone wanted to explore these labyrinths.

“Lady Clara, do treasures typically lie around like this in labyrinths?”

“I hear that can be the case in newly formed labyrinths. Because of that, it is general practice to bar adventurers from exploring initially. The national army or nobles will dispatch their own retainers to sweep up the majority of the treasure before finally opening the dungeon to regular adventurers.”

So the wealthy get to eat the best parts first, huh?

“Nobles can dispatch exploration teams? Does that mean you can too, Lady Clara?!”

Yoshioka practically bit into the conversation.

“Calm down, Akito. It is still unclear how this specific dungeon will be handled. However, in most cases, one secures entry rights by paying a security deposit.”

Apparently, only nobles holding the rank of Baron or higher, or high-ranking clergy holding the rank of Bishop or above from the temple, were permitted to participate.

That is how the rich generate even more wealth.

“How much is the security deposit?” Yoshioka asked Lady Clara with an excited expression.

“I believe it is roughly twenty million marques, but—”

“I’ll pay it myself! Please let me explore the labyrinth!”

Since Lady Clara was scheduled to be invested as a Baron soon, there wouldn’t be any issue regarding status, but Yoshioka’s enthusiasm was staggering.

“N-No, if you possess that much passion, Akito, I would like to let you explore, but…”

“Is there some kind of problem? I’ll prepare the deposit myself, so please let me do it. To me, a dungeon isn’t a matter of money; it’s a matter of romance!”

Gary nodded along to Yoshioka’s declaration.

These guys… were idiots.

Willing to drop tens of millions of marques just to play adventurer was complete madness.

Then again, I didn’t exactly dislike idiots like them.

“Very well, do as you please, Akito. I have given you nothing but hardships up until now without rewarding you in the slightest. Consider the security deposit taken care of by me.”

Lady Clara offered that reply with a wry smile.

However, things were progressing in a direction that suggested Yoshioka’s wish wouldn’t be granted so easily.

Following our return from the labyrinth, due to the reports submitted by Gary and Rosetta, the three of us—myself, Yoshioka, and Ria—were recognized for our achievements in the dungeon containment operation and were slated to be invested as Knight Bachelors.

If we became Knight Bachelors, we could no longer remain as Lady Clara’s retainers.

On the flip side, in order to secure entry rights independently, a title of Baron or higher was required.

“Gary, isn’t there something you can do? I absolutely need to go to that dungeon.”

Yoshioka practically wept to Gary.

“Then you should just join the hero’s party, Akito. Besides, Ria already received an oracle telling her to participate in the hero’s party, right? If that’s the case, there’s absolutely no issue with Akito, who is Ria’s summoned beast, being in the party as well!”

It was flawless logic.

And so, Yoshioka and Ria were placed under the direct authority of the royal palace as landless Knight Bachelors, successfully clearing the path for them to explore the labyrinth.

And then, there was the matter of myself.

I, too, was finally scheduled to be invested as a Knight Bachelor.

Just like Yoshioka and the others, my position was finalized as a landless Knight Bachelor, receiving an annual stipend of two million marques.

But the money didn’t matter.

What was truly important was my status as a Knight Bachelor.

With this, I could finally stand on the exact same footing as Lady Clara.

“Congratulations, Lord Hinoharu.”

Lady Clara offered her blessings using formal, polite language…

“…”

“What is the matter?”

…Something felt off.

“Are you no longer going to call me Kota, like you used to?”

My submissive traits were on full display.

“But, Lord Hinoharu, you are no longer my retainer. You are becoming a Knight Bachelor. Furthermore, you are older than me…”

“But I am your summoned beast, Lady Clara.”

“Ugh… P-Please do not tease me so much…”

Lady Clara stared at me with a thoroughly troubled face.

Oh boy…

I might actually awaken to a dominant streak at this rate.

Lady Clara’s flustered expressions were just too adorable.

Still, I ultimately wanted Lady Clara to treat me the same way she always had.

“Lady Clara, please call me Kota, just like before.”

“Ugh, I underst—I mean, got it. In exchange, I want you to drop the honorifics and just call me Clara.”

“Why? Things were perfectly fine the way they were.”

“I-It is bizarre for a future husband to address me with ‘Lady’!”

Shouting that out, Clara’s face flushed bright red, and she cast her gaze downward.

I suppose I teased her a bit too much.

“Clara. Is this fine?”

“Y-Yeah. That is… fine.”

Our conversation was incredibly awkward.

Yet, even that awkwardness felt entirely fresh.

My relationship with Clara had only just begun.

Fumbling through the dark to solidify our bond might just be the happiest time of all.

That was what crossed my mind.