Chapter 941 – The Underground Labyrinth and the Suspicious Fairy King’s Smile

000

＂Wow!＂

Cleon was screaming.

It was a high-pitched, ungainly scream that even made me feel that I had never screamed this loud before.

There is only one reason.

It was because of the group of huge stones running after him.

They were filling the passageway, shaking the ground, so it was clear that if even one of them touched the body, they would be crushed from there and instantly crushed by the stone and turned into a bowl of ink.

＂What is this secret training ground for kings! It’s completely a dungeon for torture!!”

After the scream, there is a complaint.

I was deceived.

Cleon thought it was too late when he realized he had been tricked by Vivian.

001

Cleon, who had finished preparing his equipment before going to the training ground, ran into the other party members waiting in front of him when he left.

Then, Lila will place her hands on her waist and ask Cleon, leaning forward slightly as if questioning him.

“You’re fully armed! Are you really planning on going into a training center or something, Cleon?”

As Lila said, Cleon was wearing all the weapons he usually wears when going out on a quest.

In addition, three swords were returned.

It is quite heavy, but if you think about it for training purposes, this weight may be just right.

“Ah. Of course. The fight against the Exiled Church is in full swing, so shouldn’t you improve your skills even a little?”

When Cleon nodded his head in a questioning manner, Lila responded by placing her hand on her forehead.

“You speak well. “That’s not your true intention, is it?”

＂Nothing, on what basis…＂

However, Lila seems to be able to see through Cleon’s thoughts, and she speaks while looking at Cleon with her half-open eyes.

“It’s written all over her face that she’s excited about ‘Lecia’ being the place where she trained and that it’s a ‘secret training ground.’ Right, Kuon?”

＂Ahaha…＂

When Lila scratched her cheek as if she couldn’t deny her words, Cleon responded with an ‘Ugh’ and stepped back slightly.

“Ha, but, Lila. Wouldn’t it be a lie if I said I didn’t care? Considering Hero Lesia’s strength, training here might really be incredibly effective?”

“Well… That could be possible. Time goes by slowly for the fairy scent, but once you start putting your hands on all sorts of things, there is no end to it. I don’t want to get too caught up in training and delay returning to the original world. “You know, right?”

“Of course. … Now that I think about it, what are you going to do?”

Cleon, trying to reassure Lila by replying that she knows well, looks back at her group.

Cleon was about to enter the training center under Vivian’s guidance, but what will the others be doing with their time?

“Of course, I study magic. “I will read as many books as I can until you return.”

As Lila said that, she took a peek and looked down at her side.

Then, before I knew it, there were several thick books piled up there.

“Vivian says it’s a training ground that won’t even take a day if you break through quickly… Is it okay to do it in one day?”

“What. Just use the magic of speed reading.”

In response to Cleon’s concerns, Lila nods her head as if there is no problem.

Then Kuon will slightly raise his hand and speak.

“I’m planning to go with Cleon…”

＂Eh? Kuon?

Lila reacted in surprise and confusion to Kuon’s words.

“Yeah… I thought if I had been able to swing the sword better in the last fight, I could have won more easily… At best, Galatin lent his power, but I felt that if I couldn’t handle that power properly, it wouldn’t work out.”

＂Well, I see…＂

Laila nods her head as if she understands what Kuon said.

Certainly, Galatin was Kuon’s secret weapon, but the power of the Holy Sword of the Sun itself was powerful and useful.

This time, the proportion of close combat was relatively not that high, and since it was a group battle with all colleagues fighting together, it may not have been that much of a problem –

If Kuon becomes isolated, it will be necessary to train Galatin’s strength and sword handling skills.

Cleon, who could see Cuon’s determination, nodded his head.

“Good idea, Kuon. Even after I return from Fairy Village, I will help you with your training if you wish.”

“Yeah… I never thought I would take swordsmanship lessons from Cleon…”

＂So, will Kuon and I be friends with your sister-in-law?＂

“Ahaha, is that going to happen?”

When Sasha tilted her head like that, Kuon smiled and nodded.

＂Huh…? If Kuon goes towards Cleon, I…”

And Nagi, who was quietly listening to the story, looks a little surprised.

“Ah, that’s right… The only people who know Nagi are me and Cleon.”

Now that Kuon thought about it, when he realized that Nagi was temporarily in the group, he had an ‘oops’ look on his face.

Staying with people you don’t know isn’t really a problem, but it might be a little uncomfortable in an unfamiliar place.

Coming back is something you never know when…

＂What goes back to the original world first?＂

At Cleon’s words, Nagi shook his head while wearing a mask.

Well, you may not feel like saying, ‘I was saved, but Cleon and the others have other work to do, so it will take a little longer.’

＂…＂

Nagi then seemed to think about it for a moment, holding on to the bottom of his shirt a little and then-

“Me too. Is it okay if I go to train with Cleon?”

＂Nagido?＂

“Yes. … What happened during the Five Elements Festival… We, the ordinary shrine maidens, were concerned that the great shrine maidens, Tokoyo and Kuon, were not able to properly support us…”

As mentioned before, it seems like they were still concerned about the fact that the burden on the two of them was too great during the battle of the Five Elements Emperor.

It seemed like her desire to become even a little stronger still hadn’t changed.

“Okay. Then, Kuon, act together with Nagi.”

“Huh. As for her career as a shrine maiden, although Nagi is a bit more senior…”

＂Uh, like that! Kuon, you trained as a shaman where you originally lived, right? But I’m a senior…”

Nagi spoke as if it was impossible for her to be called a senior by Kuon, creating a heart-warming scene in which the shrine maidens praised each other.

Then, Cleon’s attention will shift towards the remaining two people – Amelia and Sasha.

The two made eye contact with Cleon-

“Of course we will go with Cleon.”

“Yes! The training the hero party received, I’m worried!”

Amelia and Sasha answered as if it was obvious even without being asked, and Cleon nodded in agreement, but-

“Now, wait a minute! Then, everyone but me is going to train!?”

Lila was quite embarrassed by the others’ answers and looked back at the entire group.

“What. That will happen.”

＂Sorry Lila!＂

Cleon answered calmly and Cuon responded with her regrets, and Lila looked back at her group with her fist clenched, saying, “That’s right.”

＂… Laila, if you are lonely, take this doll… ＂

When Sasha said that and took out a small rabbit doll from her bag and tried to hand it to her, Lila made a startled noise.

“No! I’m not lonely…! If you all go in…! Should I say the same thing about being left alone…!”

‘It’s lonely after all.’

Cleon heard Lila stuttering, and she put her hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t say that, can we just go in together? If you look at what is called the Fairy King’s training, you can definitely train in magic.”

“That’s right. Vivian also used magic rather than martial arts, so it must be meaningful.”

When Amelia nodded her head in agreement with Cleon’s opinion, Lila also closed her mouth once.

‘I think it will come over if I push a little harder.’

‘It’s just one step.’

When talking to Amelia while looking at her, Cleon nods her head once.

“Ah, now that I think about it, since it’s a place like this, it seems like there are a lot of mysterious things in Fairy Village’s training center… It would be incredibly reassuring if someone who knows a lot about magic comes along.”

“That’s right. Besides, you need to be a little careful about time. If only there was someone who was good at managing schedules…”

＂~~~! Okay, okay! We can go together! If you say it that way, it can’t be helped…! Really.”

In response to Cleon and Amelia’s intentionally similar words, Lila puffed out her cheeks and said that she would accompany her even though she was angry.

Then, Cleon and Amelia smiled and lightly touched hands.

“Okay then, let’s go to Vivian. They’ll be waiting for us to arrive.”

In the end, the entire group headed to the secret training ground – but Laila later regretted that she should have stayed here, even if it meant pretending to be a little stronger.

002

＂Indeed… So, all of you are going to enter this place?＂

When we return to Vivian, who was waiting in the council room – no, the throne room, the party moves through the castle under her guidance.

Even though she went from being a maid to becoming a king, there were places that only she could go, so in the end she had no choice but to continue guiding her guests.

After passing through various parts of the maze-like castle, the party headed to the basement of the castle.

＂… Underground?＂

“Yes. Basement.”

When Cleon stopped in front of the stairs leading down to the basement and asked Vivian, Vivian nodded her head and looked back at Cleon.

＂Why are you doing this?＂

“No… This castle was definitely floating upside down on the lake, right?”

“Yes. That’s right.”

After hearing Cleon’s words, Vivian nods her head and confirms Cleon’s question, but of course, if that happens-

The bottom of this castle faces the sky, so strictly speaking, to go underground, you would have to go through the top floor.

Well, that was impossible since it was floating on the lake and not in contact with the ground.

After all, common sense doesn’t apply in Fairy Village.

“Okay, then let’s go down.”

When Vivian didn’t hear Cleon’s question, she started walking down the stairs.

“… Can I say that I want to go back even now? Cleon.”

“Ha, haha… That can’t be possible.”

When Lila whispered teasingly, Cleon took the lead and went down the stairs.

Then, surprisingly, the stairs continued all the way down there, with no end in sight.

＂Hehe…＂

Upon seeing the stairs, Kuon suddenly lost his motivation and made a gasping voice.

Going down and going up the stairs were hardships themselves for Kuon.

＂By any chance, does it feel like the practice has already begun? ＂

Amelia, too, will talk as if she has never seen stairs this long.

Then, Vivian glanced back at Amelia and then-

“Yes? Ah-…”

And, after being quiet for a moment-

“Yes! Let’s leave it at that!”

While giving an appropriate answer, he started walking down the stairs at a quick pace.

It was quite difficult for the group just to follow her light footsteps.

How many minutes did it take to go down like that?

Finally, when the group was greeted by a flat floor instead of stairs-

＂Hehe… Hehe… ＂

She was about to say that she was exhausted and could no longer walk.

Kuon sits down on the stairs, bending her knees while placing her hands on the wall.

“I’m sorry… I think I need to rest a little…”

＂Are you okay? Kuon…”

＂It’s okay…＂

Nagi couldn’t leave her side as if she was worried about Kuon, and Kuon told Nagi that she was fine, but no matter how she looked, she didn’t look fine.

And- this time, what stood in front of the group was an old stone gate.

The huge door, like the entrance to a temple, had a mural carved that seemed to commemorate the history of Fairy Village.

＇…＇

A huge comet falling from the sky.

And, the burning earth.

The appearance of a girl with wings looking sad at that scene.

When the dragons take flight and humans begin to roam the earth again-

Girls with wings created beings that looked like fairies and divided the world of humans and the world of fairies.

The group was looking into interesting historical information, but Vivian cleared her throat with a ‘hmph’ and-

＂Door lock!＂

Then, inside the mural that was a sculpture, the face of an old man appeared.

Could he be a relative of Doorwood?

But unlike Doorwood, he didn’t say a word, but then he checked Vivian’s face and-

The door began to open by itself, making a coo coo sound.

“… He doesn’t say anything.”

“Door locks can’t talk. Unlike wood, stones are hard, so the lips do not move.”

＂… Such a problem?＂

In response to Vivian’s answer, Lila spoke as if she was dumbfounded, and her group tried to move after her, but Vivian just stared at her group.

＂This inside is directly connected to the training room. The Fairy King’s training ground is a kind of labyrinth… Once you go inside, you can’t get out until you find the exit.”

“Is it that kind? “You mean it’s a dungeon?”

Cleon nodded his head as if he had expected it to some extent.

“Yes. So… I want you to be in perfect condition.”

She speaks while looking at Kuon.

＂If your physical strength is limited, how about resting here for a bit and then coming back later? ＂

＂… But.＂

Cleon looked at Cuon as if she was worried, and Cuon nodded, leaning her head against the wall.

＂I-I’m fine… You can go in first… I’ll catch up with you soon after I rest…”

＂I will also protect Kuon’s side.＂

If Nagi said that, Cleon couldn’t help but nod.

In the end, Cleon and his group disappear beyond the passage through the stone gate, leaving Kuon and Nagi behind.

The stone gate closes once again, making a vibrating sound.

At that time, Nagi was worried that she had seen something wrong.

Vivian’s face, covering her mouth and smiling, saying ‘Kishishit’.

It was clearly the face of a bad boy who was up to something.

＇No way…＇

No, I must have seen something wrong.

There is no way someone like the Fairy King would pull such a serious prank –

＂…＂

He couldn’t say that with confidence.

＂… It’ll be okay, right?＂

＂Hehe… Hehe… Ugh…? What, what…?”

“Oh, no. It’s nothing. Ku, Kuon, please at least drink some water!!”

Nagi had no choice but to focus his attention again on Kuon, who looked like he was about to die.