Chapter 511 Charlotte is Introduced
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
(Hiroya’s POV)
”This is Ms. Charlotte Zeitz. She’s our newest researcher in magic tool development.”
”Ah, um… Nice to meet you.”
Charlotte hurriedly stood up at Kazumi’s introduction and bowed her head.
”Magic tool…”
”Development…”
Liz and Asuka muttered under their breath. Nearly all the women in the cafeteria swallowed hard.
”That’s amazing! So you invent useful magic tools, right?”
Sandra, who had no idea what adult magic tools were, looked at Charlotte with sparkling eyes.
The moment her innocent admiration filled the room, the entire cafeteria fell into an eerie silence.
”Yes, I conducted that kind of research at the Royal Capital. However, the magic tools developed at Zett Merchant Guild are adu—mmph!?”
Just as Charlotte proudly answered Sandra’s question, Kazumi hastily covered her mouth.
”H-Hey… That kind of research is classified, so you really shouldn’t be talking about it so openly…”
”S-So! Since Charlotte will be joining Gieze’s team, what kind of magic can you use?”
As Kazumi desperately tried to redirect Sandra’s curiosity, Rena smoothly changed the subject.
”U-Um… I can use basic healing magic, at least…”
Realizing this wasn’t something Sandra needed to know, Charlotte glanced at Kazumi before replying to Rena.
”I’m completely useless in combat, of course… My specialty is enchantment magic, so in terms of practical spells, that’s about all I can do…”
”Th-That’s more than enough! T-That way, I-I can focus entirely on offensive and protection magic…”
Sister Karina clasped her hands together, smiling warmly.
”I can generate and control a ‘Golem’ for a short time.”
”Well… that’s quite a handy technique.”
Violet gazed at Charlotte in admiration.
”Though, to be honest, I just prepare a pseudo magic core from a Magic Stone beforehand and take that with me.”
Charlotte scratched her head, looking somewhat shy.
”Then it’s settled. I’ll properly compensate you for your work in exploring the labyrinth… is that okay?”
At Kazumi’s question, Charlotte nodded resolutely.
* * *
(Charlotte’s POV)
(Me…? Exploring the Great Labyrinth…!?)
Well, I’m someone who aspires to the path of magic too.
I had a dream of becoming an adventurer.
However, while I didn’t lack in magical power itself, I could never train to “quickly refine my magical power” no matter how hard I tried.
I simply had “no aptitude” for it.
To cast magic, it was necessary to refine the magical power within my body.
By doing so, I could materialize the imagined magic.
To use magic in battle, I had to quickly refine this magical power.
This required an innate sense.
Whether you have this or not determines your “aptitude as a magician.”
In the end, my training as a magician only allowed me to acquire a few types of “Healing” magic that don’t require instant magical power refinement.
So… I chose to pursue the path of a researcher.
(Besides… it’s not just that anymore…!)
There’s also my research success──”the generation and control of Golems.”
(I see… I had given up, but before me…)
The path as an adventurer was already opening up.
* * *
”Additionally… I’m also interested in magic-infused spoils found within the labyrinth as a researcher. Please, let me join you!”
When Ms. Kazumi told me to “join the labyrinth exploration,” I was initially bewildered, but… I asked everyone to let me participate.
”…Charlotte, I’m counting on you. We will protect you with all our strength. So… please, join us without worry.”
The words of the woman who seemed to be the leader of the Gieze team were strong.
”Eluda is a Tank. So, it’s Eluda job to protect everyone in the rearguard. Leave it to Eluda!”
The dwarf woman with a ponytail thumped her chest.
Seeing such reassuring people, I reminisced about a dream I had given up on──exploring the labyrinth.
* * *
(Hiroya’s POV)
”Gargantua is also heading to explore the Great Labyrinth Raetia, right?”
”Yeah… since I registered as an adventurer here in Raetia.”
Gargantua and I were eyeing each other from a distance in the training ground behind the house.
”──You’ll be releasing the God of Light, Freyja, won’t you? Though I’m weak, I would like to help as well… right?”
As Gargantua swung down the tachi she had positioned at the highest stance, a ‘blade of magical power’ shot towards me from its tip.
(If she doesn’t use a setup like ‘Raijin Kizan (Thunder God Slash)’, she can fire it without any preliminary movements…!?)
But, this was likely a probe.
Without dodging, I sliced the ‘blade of magical power’ charging straight at me with a super-fast draw of my katana.
A thinly shaped mass of magical power.
The speed was different from the masses of magical power I could shoot.
Though it veered high into the sky after I deflected it with my katana, if I had taken that hit, a powerful slash would have struck me.
Gargantua approached me, positioning the tachi in a right low stance.
To counter Gargantua, I leaped back while returning the upward-slashed blade with the style of Obu Muso, Second Tachi.
* * *
(Gargantua’s POV)
”I lost in strength.”
Hiroya, who had caught my upward slash with a downward cut from above, was repelled backward by my strike, which was stronger.
He took a beautiful fall, maintaining his stance, but acknowledged his defeat and sheathed his katana.
(But… what… is this?)
The strength of Hiroya I felt the moment our blades met.
(I felt it stronger than when I was with the adult Hiroya…)
Was I unconsciously letting my guard down in front of that boy Hiroya?
After sheathing my katana, I couldn’t help but stare at my right palm.
* * *
”Gargantua, Hernando, Esperanza… and at least a magician would be nice for the group, right?”
After finishing the match, Hiroya sat down on the stairs leading to the dining hall and asked.
”I have a lead on a magician. Next, we need a Thief.”
”They’re essential for dungeon exploration. Should we recruit a new member for the guild?”
Elberhardt said that when the Great labyrinth was discovered, the adventurer training facility in the Royal Capital focused on training Thieves.
”I’ve heard there aren’t many Thieves in Raetia yet. After this, I plan to get ready for exploration… and maybe visit the guild tomorrow.”
I handed a towel to Hiroya and also opened my practice clothes to wipe off the sweat.
”G-Gargantua is a woman too… so let’s try to be a bit more modest…”
Hiroya averted his eyes, wiping the sweat from his neck, his face flushed.
”Haha, you don’t need to worry about that with me. Oni-kin women──”
”‘They’re a fighting race, so they don’t have any feminine charm,’ right?”
Still looking away, Hiroya continued my sentence.
”That’s exactly it.”
”…I feel enough… charm from you.”
He seemed to mumble something softly, but I couldn’t catch it well.
”So… how deep do you plan to go?”
After wiping off the sweat and fixing my practice clothes, Hiroya asked.
”Well… since Elberhardt is said to be on the Fourth Floor, let’s aim to at least say hello to him.”
”The floor boss on the Third Floor will probably summon monsters suited to the strength of the party, so be careful… wait…”
”?”
”I was just wondering what kind of floor boss Gargantua would summon. During our time, a ‘Minotaur’ appeared, and we struggled quite a bit.”
Monsters ranked A to S.
They are likely among the strongest humanoid melee combat monsters.
”I see… That sounds exciting.”
I unconsciously stroked the spot on my right arm where an old scar had completely lost its pain, and I couldn’t help but smile wryly at myself.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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