Chapter 124 – Going in reverse?

“We have sent two of the adventurers along with two knights to deliver a message to the adventurer’s guild. Lady Lucille, I’ll have to ask you to remain strong!”

Roland and Robert were to the side and looking at the crystal ball. In it was Lord Percival who was now talking with Lady Lucille. Two days have passed since they had become trapped in this series of underground caverns.

They were all now before a hidden door that could lead into another trapped room. From what his mapping device told him, it looked to be quite an open space. It was even larger than what this device could show him.

From his previous experiences, it could mean a few things. One it would be similar to the Troglodyte cavern. When they entered the doors would close and monsters would start piling on top of them.

The second option was a more tame one. It could very well just be the exit into the larger volcanic dungeon. The large space that he could not map fully could be the lower dungeon. He did not believe that this was the case, as it would be far too easy.

It could also be a room filled with more traps, maybe some puzzles, and then finally the thing that he was afraid of the most, a hidden boss chamber. He only had two party members that he was not very familiar with.

They have also sheltered nobles that didn’t have experience in fighting against monsters bigger and stronger than they were. Even though Robert had trained in a similar way as he did, there was a difference in fighting goblins than large hobgoblins that out leveled a person.

“Thank you, Lord Percival, tell Charlene that I’m doing fine.”

After a bit, the magic sphere went out and the talk was over. Lucille didn’t disclose much after Roland asked her not to tell the noble commander that they were moving deeper into the dungeon.

“Are you sure it was the right thing to do, Sir. Wayland?”

“It’s better to not make them worry, they can’t really help us here and the rescue party won’t be arriving for at least a few more days…”

Lucille was not a person that liked to lie. He had to convince her that it would be unwise to make her friends worry, after this, she changed her tune. Roland felt bad about using a person that had a more rosy outlook on life like this girl but he needed to look at his own wellbeing.

“Lord Percival would have told us to return if he knew, I think you made the right decision Lady Lucille.”

It seemed that Robert on the other hand saw it his way. He wasn’t sure what his reason for it was though. More than likely he just didn’t think that sitting around and twiddling their thumbs would help with anything. He had always been quite headstrong and someone that pushed on forward even when many things got in his way.

“What do you think is past that door, Sir. Wayland?”

“It could be another trapped room…”

Roland was a bit suspicious about this place as after entering these corridors they had not come across any type of monster.

“Can your device ascertain such a thing?”

Lucille asked while glancing at Roland’s orb that she did previously get the chance to use.

“Regretfully no, but I’ve been meaning to add that function.”

This item was still a work in progress, getting it to detect monsters and other living beings was the most he could do for now. He had used part of the golem code that he had bought not that long ago.

The golems came with a function of recognizing people, animals, and monsters and that’s why his device could do it as well. To come up with a trap analyzer he would need to be a bit more original but with the help of some of these new runic books that he studied recently he had been given some new ideas.

“I won’t lie to you, I have no idea what could be behind that door, it could be a swarm of volcanic monsters, or maybe just a room filled with treasure. We won’t know until we enter it and I won’t force you to come with me.”

He wanted to move forward as waiting for other people to help him was not really his style. Depending on others was something that Roland did not enjoy. Even though there was a noble lady here that everyone wanted to save, this didn’t mean that he would be helped.

The rescue party could very well climb down and only take Lucille with them. Then Robert would be next in line while he, a regular adventurer could very well be used as an expendable resource. They could even say that he died down in the cave and not bother with him. Thus he would rather try his luck in these unknown caves. His high level and gear gave him some confidence in being able to survive.

“Sir. Robert… what do you think we should do…”

Lucille looked to her knight, if she told him to stay he would stay. It seemed that Robert did not know how to go against people in a higher position than he was. He just looked at Lucille with a confused look without knowing how to answer.

“If Lady Lucile thinks that we should wait, then I will remain with her here!”

Roland wondered if the years of subservience to his father had shaped Robert to be the perfect soldier. Which was the one that didn’t ask questions and followed orders while striving to be stronger.

The girl pouted slightly after seeing that Robert wouldn’t give her a straight answer. He was probably unsure which option was the safer one.

“Sir. Wayland, you’ll continue without us if we stay behind?”

“Yes, I think that this should lead to some kind of exit, the dungeon monsters should not pose a big threat to us.”

They were all at the tier 2 level and the lack of tier 3 monsters was well documented. Even monsters above the hundredth level were quite rare. With his prestigious class and an assortment of runic weapons, Roland did not think that he would suffer a defeat.

“I think… we should follow Sir Wayland, he seems to know this dungeon. We would have already been dead if he wasn’t here in the first place!”

The blue-haired lady proclaimed while looking at Roland with those big eyes. He was taken aback by how much faith this girl was putting in him. They met about a week ago and now he was trusting him with her life. If the roles were reversed he wasn’t sure if he could do the same.

Roland nodded while feeling a bit of pressure being put on his shoulders. This girl was putting her trust into him and even his older brother that liked to bully him in their youth was somewhat doing the same. Even though he was putting on airs, if he really didn’t trust him he would probably say it. Endangering the noble lady that he fancied would come first.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

“Okay, check your equipment before going in, there could be monsters inside, the area is suspiciously spacious.”

Roland had his arming sword on his hip and the magical rod. He also possessed various spell scrolls and his magical armor. Robert was limited to the shield that he borrowed from his younger brother and an enchanted longsword.

While they were talking yesterday, to break the silence he had asked his older brother to show him his sword. Regretfully the enchantment on it was not a runic one so he could not enhance it. It had the usual sharpening enchantment on it which would have to be enough.

Lucille only had her smaller magical rod along with some magical trinkets that enhanced her mana regeneration and spell potency. She would remain in the back with Agni as her role was backline support. Robert would be in the very front along with Roland that would also use some spells to aid him.

“Let’s go!”

The three humans nodded at each other while the only wolf in the party wiggled his tail. Robert pushed the door open and all of them glanced inside.

The cavern was large with a lot of similar rock formations everywhere. There didn’t seem to be any small openings in the walls through where the bug creatures could crawl from. There were also no lava pools through which lava-resistant ones like the volcanic salamander could go through either.

It was a wide area with quite the high ceiling, it was actually hard for them to see it.

‘Doesn’t look that anything is in here?’

Roland thought to himself while they all inched inside. He even threw a sizable rock as far as he could to see if any traps or monsters would react. There was nothing here so the party advanced while looking around.

“Look, Sir Wayland.”