Chapter 100
–She wondered why this happened.
As Sylvia repeatedly breathed roughly, she listened to the sound of her own heart pulsating violently as if it was breaking. She was thinking why this happened, but… immediately after that, she put up a self-mockery smile. Such a thing had been decided. It was paying for her mistakes.
In the dungeon, she shouldn't inadvertently touch the things there. That was the basic of basics. It was nothing at first glance, but actually, it was a trap or a monster.
She touched it even though she knew it because she was mostly had been caught off guard. Due to the carelessness, she was going to lose her life in this dungeon. That was a commonplace.
It was because that place was a third layer. They were able to defeat monsters easily. There wasn't any other reason. Rather, it was something to be blamed for.
Although it was the third layer, it was an unknown place for them. They should be as vigilant as possible, and they had no reason not to do so.
Why they managed to defeat monsters easily? It was all thanks to her companions. To begin with, there was no reason not to be wary of traps.
After all, it went too well, and they became overconfident. If they thought that they had gained the confidence, it was actually a mere overconfidence. That didn't make Sylvia wanted to laugh at all.
"…I really can't do this." (Sylvia)
She wanted to do something for this country and for the people who called her family. Thus, she came to the Royal Academy to study magic. But when she came, there were more people who were more useful than her.
She was really—
"What am I doing–!?" (Sylvia)
In that instant, she stopped talking to herself, suppressed the breathing and presence. That was because she sense earth rumbling.
Rather, the reason why she was hiding in such a place in the first place wasn't to hide from it. She forget such an important moment because she was reflecting. That was somehow foolish.
However, even if she could afford to curse herself like that, she stopped from doing it for the time being. It was because she felt the earth tremor more than what she had experienced before.
"…Uh" (Sylvia)
She desperately suppressed her body that seemed to reflexively leak a shaky voice, and she prayed earnestly.
So that thing would be gone.
So that she wouldn't be noticed.
This couldn't be compared to the usual prayers as she was doing it from the bottom of the heart. Praying that she didn't want to die. She prayed to the G.o.d that He would help her.
The prayer might be gone through since she could feel that earth tremor went away little by little… once it had moved far enough, she let out a long exhale. Sylvia noticed that strength went away from her stiffed body, and cold sweats overflowed from the whole body at the same time.
After that, when she looked out from that hidden place in one instant, she caught the rear side of that thing going somewhere and hid again in a hurry. It was the second time that she saw that appearance. Even though she saw it twice from a distance away, it was enough for her to know what it was.
That thing was definitely an area boss or a monster equivalent to it. She felt that she would be killed instantly the moment she encountered it.
In other words, this was something she knew. She seemed to be sent way deeper in the dungeon.
Sylvia noticed that she came to this layer might be after she was sent here. When her vision recovered from darkness, it was the same scene as the one she had before that. However, she was the only person there.
In that case, it was
So, she immediately jumped into a place which was like a side street, and though it was a great success. She suppressed her breath up to the breaking point… The edge of her view, which she had when she was crouching down, had that thing went pa.s.sed her.
The total length was probably around ten meters. Although it was a humanoid type, it was certainly not a biological creature. The whole body was made of thick and s.h.i.+ny metallic matter.
It was a Golem. Furthermore, it had a metallic property.
Sylvia knew that she would die instantaneously if she fought it based on instinct and knowledge. Golems changed its properties to various kinds depending on its original material, but the worst of all was metallic property. It had all terrible properties such as strong in physics and strong against magic.
As she could see, it was huge. There was no need to imagine what would happen if it use such lump of metal for attacking.
On the other hand, the movement seemed to be dull because of its large size, but her instinct denied it. Perhaps, the golem merely walk slowly. It might move faster when it fought.
— Intermediate Rank All-Round Talent (Intermediate Rank Magic – Imitation): Seeing Through.
Hence, she left the Golem as it was… However, she couldn't continue hiding there because she somehow had a bad feeling. It was a mere bad feeling, and she didn't know the reason.
— Intermediate Rank All-Round Talent (Clairvoyance – Future Vision – Imitation): Premonition
Sylvia had been doing it unknowingly because of an extreme situation. Anyhow, the most important thing was to make a move, and she noticed that was unreasonable but compulsive idea. As a matter of course, she was trying to quietly escape from this layer when the Golem went far enough.
Perhaps, she should hide somewhere, but there was no guarantee that a rescue would come, and even if the rescue came, she might meet her end before that. If that was the case, she should try to escape first.
But then, she immediately realized that it was impossible. She couldn't find the exit to escape. She was able to find a staircase which probably connected to the upper layer relatively quick.
However, it wasn't possible to go there for some reason. It was as if she wasn't permitted to go into that that s.p.a.ce ahead. The empty s.p.a.ce had become a wall that seemed isolating her.
If that was the case, even Sylvia could understand its meaning. That she was trapped here.
Perhaps, there was only one way to escape. And that was to defeat the monster.
Unfortunately, such a thing wasn't possible. As expected, it was normal to change the strategy to wait for help. In the meantime, it was necessary to find a spot to hide. While looking at the surrounding as much as possible… she suddenly realized something.
There were no appearance of monsters in this place. Of course, that was apart from the Golem earlier.
This might bring her hope, or… perhaps, such a situation made her thought in that way. It was time to find a spot somehow hidden and hide there, but… as she forgot the situation, she began to reflect. It might be because she wasn't doing anything, she was free to do so, but that wasn't even an excuse.
…Well, whatever it was, there was nothing to be noticed. If that was the case, something that–…
"–Eh?" (Sylvia)
— All-Round Talent Intermediate Rank (Sensing Presence Intermediate Rank – Imitation): Sensing Surprise Attack.
At that moment, Sylvia's body was moving ahead of thinking about something. She instinctively understood that she would die on the spot.
Anyhow…
However, it was another story if she could something about it.
"–Aah… eh?" (Sylvia)
She didn't know what happened.
She didn't understand what was happening to her.
Why did pain came from all over her body, and why her body was being hammered into the wall of the dungeon?
She didn't understand why.
There were only two things she realized. The place where she was hiding was gone, and… in the reflective field of vision, there was a figure that emitted a dull color.
"It… can't be?" (Sylvia)
She forgot the pain on her body and everything else. There was only a mutter which she was overcome with surprise.
There was only one truth.
It was a mistake to think that she could turn around without being noticed, and she was already found by that thing.
How did that thing noticed her?
Why did it pretend to turn back?
She didn't know.
But…
"…Aah." (Sylvia)
Sylvia clearly understood that death was approaching soon.
Was it because she was aware of it? At that instant, various things pa.s.sed through her mind.
Her mother.
Her father.
Her stepmother.
Her half brothers and half sisters.
This country.
She had a complicated thought on all of them. No, actually, she was embracing it even now.
About academy.
About magic.
About teachers.
About friends.
To be honest, there were other things she wanted to do. The truth was… she didn't think about this country very much deep in her heart.
That was how it was.
She just wanted everyone to smile.
She wanted to smile with everyone.
That was all she wanted.
That was all she needed.
But, she suddenly realized this. Before she knew, she included the 'everyone' together with those who were in the academy.
The number of her friends, other than Maria, had increased. Which was why… she thought this for a moment.
Aah, she was worried about Maria. She didn't think that she could apologize properly. Then… she wondered if everyone would be sad.
While she understood the present situation, she didn't have a slightest thought to get through this because she knew it was already impossible. The only feeling appeared in her mind was to give up. Even if she thought various things, it didn't change that much.
Then, if she include a lot of things that suddenly swelled up in mind, she thought of something enormous in that instant. The last thing in Sylvia's mind was how selfish she was.
"I see… I'm going to die here. …I don't want it." (Sylvia)
As those few words leaked from the mouth–…
"–Well, you are not going to die for now, so it's fine to feel relieved." (Soma)
Immediately after, the death that should have been imminent was shattered into pieces.