Today, everyone dive through the darkness
and enter Avalon Dungeon again.
But after entering, they found themselves in
a gray stone cave that looked somewhat different from the one they had been in
yesterday. Inside the cave, blue and purple crystals with a pale light are
growing here and there.
「This place...」
「It's a little different than it used to be」
It was Fatima who responded in an
indifferent voice.
「Probably this is because after defeating the
monster that seems to be the master of the dungeon. So, the dungeon area may
have changed accordingly」
To Fatima's guess, Fransisca nodded her head
and said, "Yes, it seems so".
**a
「If the area has been changed, we can't
predict what kind of monsters will appear. Let's be very careful」
After saying this, Fransisca turned to
Alexis.
「...well, umm」
Fransisca is about to say something, but
then she clammed up.
That's right. The guardian has to take the
lead.
But Fransisca finds it hard to give that
instruction to Alexis. Because of his shyness.
（It seems she has a problem with that）
Alexis thought so, and stepped forward
willingly.
「Okay, I'll take the lead. You guys follow me」
「「「「Yes!」」」」
* *
*
In the end, Alexis was made to act like a
leader for the rest of the day because Fransisca, who had been the leader, had given up that role.
Well, it is not wrong to do so, since Alexis
is now the captain and Fransisca is the vice-captain by the order of King
Krangal.
However, because of the different way of
giving instructions, the team was awkward all day long.
* *
*
Eventually, they returned home after
exploring halfway through the first layer.
It seems that more than half of the other
members of the team who gathered today have died.
「Sigh... I feel that we are wasting a lot of
time and money with our current methods. We should think of a way to attack it」
Alexis had told Fransisca so.
「I understand, Alexis-sama. Then...」
「Yeah, sure. Can you come by the command
center?」
「I understand」
Fransisca responded.
* *
*
Basically, only the captain usually stays in
the command center.
Therefore, when the door to the command
center is closed, Alexis and Fransisca are alone in the room.
This room, which so called command center,
is just a rather dull room with a large table surrounded by about six wooden chairs,
tactical books lined up on the shelves along the wall, a map attached to the
wall, and several kinds of weapons on the weapons stand beside it. ....
And now, Alexis and Fransisca were first
discussing their future plans in this room.
First of all, the current three teams were
dissolved.
With the constant deaths and replacements of
members, there is no way to strengthen the team.
Therefore, for the time being, only the
first team will attack the site, and the others will continue to train while
guarding the area around the darkness as before.
After that, they will select new members and
form a new team.
As for the strength itself, there is no way
to increase the number of members beyond the current number because of how
small the space is in Avalon dungeon, so they have no choice but to maintain
the current strength.
「You see, one thing has been bugging me. And
that is that sometimes there are items in the dungeon. I wonder if it is
possible to retrieve them?」
Alexis' question made Fransisca roll her
eyes.
**b
「Umm... I don't know the detail. But it is
said that Avalon is a special place that attracts the souls of the dead from
all over the world, from all eras. And the souls of the dead are given bodies
and become monster. However, although the souls of the dead may no longer have
a human spirit or form of life, and become a deformed being... The items that
have dropped from them are probably materials formed by a similar phenomenon」
「So, does this mean that the soul's item was
given a form?」
「For the details... Oh, but I read something
like this in the literature on necromancy in the castle library when the
Sagrado Kingdom was still alive and well. It said, "The dead often possess
items to which they were attached before their death..."」
「I see. In other words, are you saying that
the items possessed by the monster have been materialized?」
「Yes, I guess so...」
Fransisca nodded, while Alexis leaned
forward to speak.
「Hey, Fransisca, since we can't add more
members, what else can we do but to strengthen ourselves?」
「—eh, that's...」
「You see, training is limited. But what about
stronger weapons and armor?」
「...Eh? It might be a good way to strengthen
us」
To Fransisca, who agreed, Alexis said.
「The monster produced in Avalon are strong.
But I don't think they were that strong before they were born. In fact, it
seems to me that they are just souls with bodies. Maybe the items are the same.
I mean, the items in Avalon are probably stronger than anything we can get
there」
「Oh...」
Fransisca blinked.
「Even monsters can crawl out of the
blackness. Don't you think we can take items out?」
Alexis's suggestion was a good one.
「I-Is that so? Maybe...」
After leaning forward with a smile on her
face, Fransisca sat back in her chair with a quick flush on her cheeks.
「...I-I think your idea is very useful,
Alexis-sama」
Alexis nodded broadly at Fransisca, who
added shyly.
「Good. Then, let's start doing that tomorrow!」
「Y-yes」
Fransisca nodded.
