"What the hell is she doing, jumping in with me!?"
"I gave up on my plan to ambush you from behind and drag you off, but why are you following me!?"
"You’re supposed to be up there! Damn it!"
Nevira, who seemed to be enjoying free fall with a slight smile, was driving me crazy.
The Nevera in this city was completely different from the one I knew.
The arrogant, proud woman who enjoyed bossing people around and refused to admit her mistakes—where did she go? The Nevera in this city was now a noble who knew how to care for others.
Though I had only been watching for a day, it was clear that the person I had once sworn to defeat wasn’t who she was anymore.
So, I decided to go in alone, conquer the dungeon at full speed, and leave.
At least, that was the plan until this woman decided to follow me.
<Then isn’t it all okay? You can just follow the original plan.>
‘There’s a problem! It’s going to be hard to justify what I’m about to do!’
If it were someone I could crush without a second thought, I’d tell them, "I have no time to explain. Just lie down and stay out of my way. You’re probably more comfortable like that, seeing as nothing sticks out." But when it’s someone I need to cooperate with, it’s a different story!
How do I explain what I’m about to do without a proper explanation?
Even without the Mesugaki skill, how could I carry out such a tough task while wearing the distortion of that skill!?
Haah, the more I think about it, the more I get pissed off!
Yeah, fine! I get that you were surprised when I was falling and caught me!
But then, as a magician, you should’ve done something!
If you're an apostle of magic, surely you have some abilities like flying or short-range teleportation or something, right!?
Why are you just falling with me like this!?
Are you a suicide companion!? I’ve met some disgusting perverts in my time, but this is a first! Impressive!
As I raged inside, I soon saw the floor below us.
The imperfect dungeon, with holes scattered around, looked exactly like I remembered it.
"Underling. You know magic, don’t you?"
Instead of answering, Nevera waved a wooden stick and drew a magic circle in the air.
As gravity pulled us down, our descent slowed.
"Why didn’t you do anything when we first fell? What were you planning when we were alone?"
"It was an accident. I was trying to do something, but..."
"Hah. Transparent lie. Pathetic."
"What was I supposed to do when the magic wouldn’t work suddenly?"
I landed and looked around, grabbing my shield and mace.
I wouldn’t need them unless we’re facing a boss, but you never know.
<Lucy, no need to worry. Just do what you want.>
‘Aren’t you being too nonchalant, saying it’s not your problem!?!’
<I haven’t exactly understood your antics yet. I’m just trusting you because it’s what you’re doing.>
‘...Oh, was that it?’
<Your friends are probably the same. They trust you because it’s you. Not because they understand. They can’t even begin to understand.>
The important thing isn’t to justify my antics. It's to make them believe I’m on the right path.
I sighed deeply after hearing my grandfather’s words and grabbed Nevera by the collar, pulling her toward me.
In her eyes, glimmering with the light of spring, my face reflected back at her.
"Let me make this clear to the idiot who doesn’t understand. Don’t ask me anything, no matter what you see. I don’t want to waste time because of people like you."
"Ha! Don’t worry! I’m the apostle of magic! I’ve seen all kinds of miracles, so I’m not gonna be surprised by a little brat like you!"
She said that? She said with her own mouth that nothing would surprise her?
Well, now I’m not going to hold back. I’ll just rush ahead.
Don’t worry, you won’t die.
Though you might faint from the shock.
I grabbed Nevera’s waist, threw her over my shoulder, and jumped into the hole beside us.
In the massive room being created, a golem the size of a small mountain was waiting, big enough that I could crush it with a single finger.
"Hey?"
The golem raised its hand as soon as it spotted us.
A massive shadow cast over the room, which had been bright just moments ago.
"Shouldn’t we run!?"
It’s a shame the fairies haven’t woken up. It would have been so much more fun if I had done this from a third-person perspective.
"Seriously! If you keep doing this, I’ll—!"
"Don’t do anything. You’re probably used to being a lackey. Just watch."
I didn’t need to time this. It was a scene I had experienced over and over while speed-running for the true ending.
Time passed, and my body naturally followed the motions of past memories.
The golem was so huge, calling it a small hill might have been more fitting.
Its hand was just as massive. The size of its fingers alone could rival a typical human’s entire body, and with just a swing, it could cause a catastrophe.
And that catastrophe was heading straight toward us.
Nevira shut her eyes as the giant hand came toward us.
"If I had known this would happen, I wouldn’t have followed!"
I had honestly prepared myself for death, but I didn’t expect to die like this!
Clutching her hand tightly, Nevira trembled as she kept her eyes closed.
Then, just a moment later, a pure, ringing sound filled her ears.
She opened her eyes at the sound of a sharp, ringing tone, and saw a smirking girl, holding up her shield high, while the golem, thrown off balance, tumbled backward.
Nevira felt a jolt of electricity on her cheek as the girl’s playful smile echoed in her ears.
"Ow!"
The sharp pain reminded Nevira that all of this was very real.
"Shut your mouth. Don’t try to act cute by biting your tongue. That sound you make with that face just makes me want to gag."
"What’s wrong with me... Aghhh?!!"
Just as Nevira was about to argue, Lucy sped forward and jumped onto the golem, landing right on its head.
She dashed straight to the incomplete wall and leaped through a crack.
And once again, the fall began.
"What the hell!? What’s going on?! Why are you jumping again?! What’s happening!?"
In the confusion, Nevira didn’t know what to do, but from a distance, a light suddenly shot toward them.
"Attack! The attack is coming!"
"I have eyes, you know?"
Flames hit Lucy’s shield, exploding in a fiery blast.
Nevira felt the sting of heat on her skin, and as her heart raced, she realized that the blast had slowed their descent. Was this part of the plan?
- Hahaha! A cursed apostle of the Great God and the loser’s lackey are together! What a pair!
Before Nevira could hide her shock, a loud, obnoxious voice came from below.
"Rich. The great magician who refuses to die."
This person was no ordinary foe.
They were strong, so powerful that one couldn’t defeat them without using all their strength!
"If the Magic God is a loser, what does that make you?♡ A pathetic fool who died without achieving anything?♡ A useless moron who couldn’t even leave a name when you died?♡"
"...You bastard!"
Nevira watched as Rich began to gather magic, and she frantically shouted, asking to be let down, but Lucy ignored her cries.
"Aagh! Why is this little brat so strong!? She looks like she’s made of bones! How is she this strong!?"
"You’re going to regret mouthing off like that!"
That crazy person! Is she planning on erasing this entire room?!
As Nevira trembled in horror, a massive surge of magical energy filled the air, and Lucy smiled, jumping just a little higher.
The magic shot forward, slamming into Lucy’s shield. The two of them were thrown into the air like they were caught in a storm.
If they kept going like this, they would crash into a wall. Nevira closed her eyes in fear, but nothing happened.
There was no wall where they landed.
The fall began again.
"Lackey. Get ready."
Lucy called out through the air, her voice clear among the chaos.
"Do I have a role in this?! You’re going to do whatever you want anyway!"
"Not anymore. This shitty dungeon is coming to an end."
"End?"
After a while, Lucy landed on the ground and gently set Nevira down.
Normally, Nevira would have protested, but she couldn’t say a word now.
The presence in front of her was too overwhelming.
"What... is that?"
Before her stood something enormous. Veins popped out of the creature’s skin, looking like they were about to burst.
Its claws were like sharp daggers, and every tip of its claws had curses carved into them.
The creature’s mouth was dripping with saliva, and sharp shark-like teeth lined its jaws. Its glowing red eyes were nothing like those of a living being.
"Have you come so early?"
Unlike the eerie voice that scraped at metal, the monster spoke in a surprisingly calm tone.
This contrast made Nevira even more terrified.
"This is troublesome. The store isn’t open yet."
"Hahaha♡ After sleeping this long, you still want to be lazy?♡ Are you scared of meeting someone outside?♡"
But Nevira, standing before the tiny girl, didn’t tremble. Instead, she sneered and took a step forward.
"The one who should be afraid is you."
"What?♡ Are you saying that the ugly monster is going to crush me?♡ Pfft♡ Try it, I dare you. You don’t have the guts, monster!♡"
Grabbing the end of her tunic with a mocking grin, Nevira watched as the monster closed its mouth.
Two seconds later, the sound of a piercing cry echoed through the air as Nevira’s head flew through the air.
The monster’s claws, aimed at her, ricocheted off her white shield without leaving a mark.
"You want to see my insides?♡ How cute~♡"
This chapt𝙚r is updated by freeωebnovēl.c૦m.
Objectively speaking, the girl wasn’t particularly reliable.
Her appearance and mannerisms were more than a little unsettling.
But oddly enough, Nevira found the girl’s small back strangely reassuring. Enough to make her forget the fear that had overtaken her for a moment.
"We just need to smash it, right?!"
"Use ice magic. I want to see that disgusting monster shiver."
"Ha! Sounds fun!"