Toby, who had grown up in a mercenary company since birth, had a knack for intuition.
Or rather, he had no choice but to develop such a skill. He had to hone his instincts to survive; otherwise, being beaten by the senior mercenaries would’ve been a daily occurrence.
Feeling the piercing gaze of Lucy assessing him now sent a chill down his spine.
Something felt wrong.
He had touched something he shouldn’t have.
Part of him wanted to turn back immediately, but it was too late. Like a predator that had spotted its prey, Lucy wasn’t going to let go.
Once he had caught her attention, all he could do was pray that her figurative fangs wouldn’t tear into him.
"What’s the matter, dumb golem? Did you break your speech function or something?"
"...May I share my theories about the second chamber?"
"Pfft. Can’t even remember what I just said? You’re even dumber than I thought, aren’t you?"
The sound of Lucy’s mocking laughter made Toby’s veins bulge, but he forced himself to suppress his anger.
He had to endure it. Losing his temper here would only lead to disastrous consequences.
"...There are multiple reasons I concluded that the wolf in the second chamber is an illusion."
First was the strange sensation he felt when his sword connected. It wasn’t that his sword couldn’t pierce the creature—it was as if his arm itself had been paralyzed, an unnatural sensation.
From that moment, he began suspecting that the wolf was no ordinary foe.
"Then there’s the odd experience I noticed when my comrade was ejected."
"Dumb golem, haven’t you ever done a dungeon run before? When you’re in danger here, the system just kicks you out."
"That’s true if the injuries are critical, yes. But in the second chamber, it was different. My friend was expelled despite suffering a minor injury, something that shouldn’t have triggered an exit."
In mercenary teams, scouting parties often act as the vanguard.
They enter dungeons first, ascertain the characteristics, and gauge the difficulty.
Despite careful preparation, one can never guarantee safety in uncharted dungeons.
Due to his experience, Toby could distinguish between critical and non-lethal injuries. He was sure his friend’s injuries weren’t life-threatening, but he was ejected simply because he touched the wolf’s fangs.
"With these clues, I was certain the wolf wasn’t ordinary and tried to uncover its true nature."
Toby had managed to survive by uncovering various peculiarities within the dungeon, even while his friends had been devoured by the wolf.
He had found multiple magic circles hidden in the dark corners of the cave.
There were spots where the wolf, despite running at high speed, left no fur behind.
The sound of its massive paws was oddly soft for a creature of that size.
Toby had observed all these details, yet he still failed to clear the dungeon. He was caught by the wolf before he could fully decipher the clues.
"Still, my efforts weren’t in vain. I found enough clues to reach a conclusion later."
If that enormous wolf was just an illusion...
If it were simply an illusion amplified from a small wolf, then all these oddities would make sense.
His inability to move his arm, his friend’s ejection without severe injury, the mismatched traces left by the wolf’s appearance, and the multiple magic circles—all could be explained.
"Well, it seems like you’ve already convinced yourself that the cunning wolf is an illusion, huh?"
"That’s correct."
"Then why don’t you just go back in and test it? Or are you scared you’ll wet yourself when you see it again?"
"My party members refused to reenter the dungeon."
Toby wanted to confirm his theory firsthand, but he was out of options, which led him to Lucy to at least verify if he was correct.
"I don’t know when I’ll have another chance to try the dungeon again, but I wanted to at least ease my frustration of missing out on such a fascinating challenge."
"...Fascinating?"
"Yes. I’ve tackled countless dungeons, but it’s been a long time since I encountered one as thought-provoking as yours. If it were up to me, I’d be in that dungeon right now."
These words weren’t flattery; they were Toby’s sincere thoughts.
He had faced various dungeons, both naturally formed and created by professors for academy exams, and even he found Lucy’s dungeon captivating.
"I see. Alright then, pervy golem. Come to me after the exam ends. I’ll generously arrange a new party for you."
"...Excuse me? There’s no need for that—"
"Are you really refusing my kindness? You, a lowly pervy golem?"
The slight frown on Lucy’s face made Toby realize he had no choice.
Refusing here would mean offending Lady Alrn, which could make his academy life miserable and earn him a severe beating from his father during vacation.
He couldn’t let that happen.
"...No, I’ll gratefully accept."
"That’s more like it."
At this moment, Toby thought he had made the best choice in a difficult situation, but that belief would soon be shattered.
"...You want me to take this commoner with me, Lady Alrn? But I already have my own party members..."
"Oh? Looks like you’ve grown bold enough to refuse me, noble lady? Fine, if you’re going to act as you please, then I will too."
"N-No! That’s not what I meant! I understand, Lady! I’ll accept him! ...Why do I have to suffer because of this damned commoner?"
The sharp glare from Lady Rumley at his back felt like a stab through his stomach.
So now he was on Lady Alrn’s bad side, and Lady Rumley openly despised him.
With one misstep, he had earned the disfavor of both noble ladies. He could already imagine how hard academy life would be.
But even if he left and went home, he wouldn’t be safe.
If his father found out he had fallen out of favor with two noble ladies, he’d surely—
...
Should he just run away?
Arthur’s party skipped lunch to challenge the dungeon’s second chamber again, but their attempt ended in failure.
Although they weren’t as helpless as the first time they faced the wolf, they still couldn’t bypass it.
However, they had gathered a few clues. They noted that the wolf’s fur wasn’t just tough but appeared impenetrable by design. There were also magic circles placed throughout the cave.
"It would’ve been helpful if we could analyze those magic circles."
Arthur felt that he was slowly uncovering the truth behind the second chamber, but he remained unsatisfied.
That wolf was merely the barrier of the second room.
If he struggled this much here, how difficult would the third and fourth chambers be?
At this rate, he’d be lucky if he wasn’t met with Lucy Alrn’s laughter at the end of the finals.
Tsk. Perhaps it was time to take a gamble and risk analyzing the magic circles.
"Third Prince."
While Arthur was nervously chewing his nails, Faivy approached him, sensing his impatience.
"Don’t worry too much. We’re diligently moving forward, one step at a time."
"...Yes, but—"
"Sometimes, going slowly is actually the fastest way."
Hearing Faivy’s gentle voice, Arthur felt his previously heated mind calm down.
Indeed, she was the Saintess of the Church. Just hearing her reassuring words restored his composure.
Taking a deep breath, Arthur closed his eyes, organizing the scattered thoughts in his mind.
Their previous failure had provided clues; now, all he had to do was set up hypotheses and verify them.
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If they proceeded carefully, they’d eventually overcome the second chamber.
Feeling at peace, Arthur opened his eyes and nodded to Faivy.
"You’re right, Saintess. We still have plenty of time left. There’s no need to rush just yet."
"I’m glad I could help."
"Let’s rest a little, prepare thoroughly, and then we’ll return to the dungeon..."
Just as Arthur was about to suggest going back in, a commotion broke out in the distance.
Curious, Arthur turned his head and quickly realized the cause.
The wooden board in the center of the Dungeon Studies exam hall, which displayed the progress of challengers, had updated.
[Avery Rumley’s Party: Currently on the Third Floor]
"...What on earth is going on?"
It wasn’t surprising that the second chamber had been cleared. After all, a dungeon is meant to be conquered eventually.
But the name of the person who cleared the second chamber left Arthur astonished.
Avery Rumley.
The daughter of Count Rumley.
A competent noblewoman of moderate skill, certainly capable enough to be called a talented individual, as were her companions.
Her party was likely composed of members who were decent but not exceptional.
How did such a party manage to surpass the third-year elites and even himself?
As Arthur was lost in thought, Avery’s party, apparently unable to clear the third floor, appeared outside the dungeon, immediately surrounded by a crowd.
"Amazing! Lady Rumley!"
"As expected of Lady Rumley! I believed in you!"
"How did you manage to defeat the wolf?!"
"Ohoho! That’s just my skill!"
While Avery laughed amid the praises and questions, Arthur observed her party members.
Aside from Avery Rumley and the other noblewomen, there was one who stood out—a young man with a stern expression.
If he remembered correctly, that was Toby, the son of a mercenary captain and a fellow student specializing in martial arts, like Frey.
Arthur knew Toby’s capabilities, as they had sparred in class before.
He had talent, but he wasn’t on par with Frey or Lucy.
In other words...
"So, brute force isn’t necessary to clear the second chamber."
Just by observing the party that had completed the challenge, Arthur had gathered a crucial clue. He looked at Toby, who seemed deep in thought, and then turned back to his own team.
While he wanted to rush into the dungeon and explain his new insights, he had just received the Saintess’s advice not to be too hasty.
It’s fine. This is only the second chamber.
In the end, victory would go to whoever crossed the finish line last.
Don’t rush, Arthur Soladine.
"Everyone, look here. I think I understand the strategy for the second chamber. Let me explain."