One week remained until the Great Browns.
Just one more week. And yet I hadn't succeeded even once.
"Hmmm."
Hiyann crossed her arms and groaned.
The training room brightened, and I collapsed to my knees.
Day after day, night after night. I'd been taking breaks, but I'd been spending every day training.
There was absolutely no sign of progress.
For starters, what was I supposed to do about something I couldn't see—like line of sight, or field of view, or eye direction?
Just stubbornly focusing my eyes using [Still One] was completely useless.
No matter what I did, the [Banish] I fired took out the eyeball along with it.
I knew it wasn't impossible.
Alveld could do it.
Going by how he talked, it probably wasn't some dedicated Relic either.
It was entirely technique.
So it wasn't something that couldn't be done—even if it was absurdly difficult.
"Hah... hah... this isn't working... dammit..."
"Wof. I'm suspending your training for now."
"What?!"
"At this rate, no matter how many hours you spend, it's a waste. You know that better than anyone."
"......Haiyan told me......"
"Wait. What's wrong with what I said? Either way, you should rest. That's what you do in times like this."
"......Fine. I'll rest."
Honestly, I knew perfectly well that both my body and mind were in terrible shape.
But my heart raced with frustration. How infuriating. Damn it. Damn it.
I wanted to punch the training room wall, but I held myself back.
Still feeling defeated, I left the training room — and Shardina was there.
She was holding a tray with a cup on it. She looked at me.
"Water. Drink it, des."
"Oh, thanks."
I was parched, so it was a relief. The cold water sliding down my throat soothed me.
"Did you drink it, des?"
"Yeah, thanks. I feel better now."
"Good, then that's fine, des."
After that, she stared at me intently. Same as always — those challenging... blue eyes.
And the blue horns. Blue eyes. Blue... blue... blue...... blue.
"......"
"Wh-what, des?"
"Blue — ah! Ahh!!"
I remembered. I remembered! There had been a blue light in the fire dungeon!
I'd forgotten. Completely forgotten.
The blue light. Super ultra rare! How could I forget that!
"Wh-what's wrong, des?"
"Alright. Let's go!"
"Wait, where to, des!?"
I left the lab, entered my own room, and stopped in my tracks.
"Zzzzz... zzzzzz... zzzzz..."
Mineha was sleeping on my bed again, still in light clothing.
And she was in her large form, sleeping peacefully. Nearby, Dagaa was also sound asleep.
One person and one monster. They looked happy.
This was what had surprised me when I came back home.
There's no night, obviously, but during the afternoon or midday—
Even after I'd come back, she'd sometimes be sleeping in my room.
"..."
I'll just let her be. The witches aren't here today.
All of the First Tier had gathered at Hydrangea, so a one-time summons had been called.
Naturally, that included Alverd.
But even setting that aside, there would be no second attack from Alverd.
I'd known that for a long time now.
I mustn't forget. I bought a thick knife at the weapon shop along the way.
The sharpness was questionable, but the sturdiness was guaranteed.
I'd wanted a second one, but I'd hesitated.
I'd been breaking knives so frequently and at such speed that it had started to frighten even me.
So when I looked at a new knife, I couldn't help worrying I'd just break it again.
That said, knives were the one thing I could actually use with any skill.
I'd worked hard to master Knife Magic too.
So I needed to handle them more carefully than ever before.
But... I'd also more or less given up on certain aspects of that, if I was being honest.
I noticed Shaldina staring at a sword.
It was hanging on the wall. A cutlass, maybe—the kind mainly used in naval combat.
She was gazing at it intently.
"Do you want it?"
"It's calling to my heart, I think. Des."
O-oh. It was hanging on the wall, but since it was cheap, I went ahead and bought it for her.
A cutlass in a place like this. I got curious and asked the shop assistant.
Apparently, the owner had found it in an ocean dungeon back in his days as a delver.
Huh—I'd figured maybe it was an OOPArt, but Shaldina didn't say anything in particular about it.
Come to think of it, why was she even following me around?
Oh well. Let's just get moving to the fire dungeon.
After I took down a Fire Lizard on the third floor, someone called out to me.
"Lord Wof."
When I turned around, there was Land Catfish, wearing a wide straw hat and an arabesque-patterned cloak.
He was puffing on a pipe. An arabesque pattern... those exist here?
"Alexander!"
"It has been quite some time, indeed. I've been terribly remiss."
He gave a slight bow. It really had been a while.
"What's this monster, then, death?"
"Oh my, it's a maid that smells like an inorganic cow."
Shaldina and Alexander locked eyes for a split second, practically crackling with tension.
"Shaldina. This one is a former Rank I. If you're not careful, they might even be stronger than Munieka."
"The head maid... stronger... death...?"
"Probably."
"Munieka? Oh my, how curious. A maid's face. She looks just like Munieka, I must say."
"Her name is Minosdoll. She's based on Munieka."
"Minos... well, that explains it. But you've done something quite interesting, I must say."
Alexander took a puff of his pipe.
"So, Alexander, are you here to set up a teleportation circle?"
"No, no. I'm here to check on and handle the event."
"You mean the one on the thirteenth floor with the Chimera?"
"Oh? If you know about that, then you must be involved somehow, Lord Wof."
— Well, just a little. I'm heading there now.
— What a coincidence, then. Might I come along as well?
— Of course. Shardina, is that alright with you?
— If Master has decided, then that is fine, desu.
Unexpected help in hand, we made our way to the thirteenth floor.
— Come to think of it, I hear this year's "Great of Browns" is shaping up to be quite the spectacle.
— Seems that way.
— I also heard about you, Lord Wof. Not just the witch — to topple half an impregnable fortress... even I was impressed.
Alexander looked like he was enjoying himself.
Shardina nodded.
— Master, amazing. Sneaky. Womanizer, desu.
Where did she learn that word?
— Um, I didn't "topple" anything. That really wasn't my intention.
I mean, I did get on good terms with them.
Well, but... you know... when someone puts it that way, there's a certain point where you can't really argue.
— But here's the thing.
Vassal
Being nominated for the role of vassal — well, you can see how people might interpret that.
— ...But I heard that without a nomination, a Guild staff member handles it.
— That's true. But here's the thing — even if we're talking about Guild staff, that one is from the Grand Guild.
"What's different about it?"
"Grand Guild staff are the pinnacle of Guild personnel — handpicked, elite workers. Well, it depends on the circumstances, but Grand Guild staff have the authority to manage even the Guild Masters at each branch. What's more, First-Class Delvers are also Grand Guild staff. Let me warn you — they're not just ordinary Guild employees. Wof."
"That much... I see."
So it's like how head office or headquarters staff outrank branch managers.
"Also, when it comes to nominations, you'd normally pick someone close — especially family or friends — but choosing someone of the opposite sex is a whole different story."
"Is it different?"
"It is. You'll be spending your time in the same room, after all."
"Huh? The same room...?"
"Once the 'Great Ordeals' begin..."
"...the Aide..."
"...is assigned full-time to the First-Class Delver. Naturally, that means sharing the same room."
"I see..."
"You'll get a more detailed explanation later, but that's the gist of it."
Well... she's got a point there. I can see why people would think that.
"By the way, has this ever happened through a nomination before?"
"Never. It's completely unheard of. The other First-Class Delvers — especially the veterans — are probably in shock. You're guaranteed to stand out, Wof."
"Master... Standing out. Just as expected — death."
"...Ha ha ha."
A sense of resignation settles over me. How did things end up like this?
With those feelings weighing on me, I'm surrounded by a pack of Fire Wolves on the ninth floor and send them flying with a single kick.
Was it from Muneika's memory? Shaldina handled the cutlass brilliantly.
With sword techniques I'd never seen before, she toyed with the Fire Wolves and cut them to pieces.
Come to think of it, did she possess an auto-type Relic?
Alexander, as always, fought with effortless nonchalance.
I used Banish. I sent several Fire Wolves flying into oblivion.
When the battle ended, Alexander came over and spoke to me.
— "You're using it differently than before, I see, yes."
— "Actually, I've been training with it. But I can't seem to use it properly."
Maybe, as a seasoned veteran, he'd have some advice to offer.
With that thought, I laid out my situation.
— "I see, yes. You're struggling to wield it through your gaze."
— "Yes."
— "Well then, if I may be so bold as to offer some advice — I'd say your focus isn't settled."
— "...My focus?"
— "Could it be, Lord Wof, that you were only looking straight ahead, yes?"
— "W-well, more or less."
Alexander produced a pipe.
— "You look straight ahead, but you're actually surveying your surroundings all the while. A person's field of vision fans out, you see. Unless you compress it to a single point, I'd hardly say you've mastered it, yes."
— "...A single point..."
A point. A point. Come to think of it, there was something called a pointer in a game from my past life.
Um, right. The target pointer. The light point. Ah, there it was.
The light point? Ah, there is one. The light point. It's there, isn't it? Right, that's it. That's it!!
It's right there, isn't it.
I
have
a
light
point
right
here.
Don't
I
have
a
light
point
?
I can do this.
I can do it.
That's right. This is it.
"Thank you very much, Alexander. I feel like I'm starting to get a handle on something."
"Well now, that's the best news I've heard all day."
Maybe I can do this.
During training, I'd had absolutely no idea. Nothing clicked.
But now I could see it. Or at least, I thought I could.
Floor 10.
A massive serpent wreathed in flame appeared in the vast open space. The Keeper — Salamandra.
"Um, Alexander. Shardina. Could you leave this one to me?"
"Sure thing."
"Master's orders. Obeying. Death."
I faced Salamandra.
The goal was to put out the fire covering Salamandra's body.
To be blunt, I didn't think I could do it with that alone.
But I felt like I'd grasped something. And the light points — I recognized them.
I took out my knife. The thick-bladed one I'd just bought today.
I steadied myself and used my Relics.
Danger Discernment and the Still One.
Using them at the same time, I could see a red light point on Salamandra.
Yes. That's it. The light point. The white, red, and black points of light from Danger Discernment's assessment.
They were there. Points of light that only I could see.
I focused my consciousness on the red point of light with Stillness.
"SHRAAAAAAA!"
The Salamandra lunged at me, jaws wide open. I dodged and deflected with my knife.
It was burning, so it was hot.
"Master!?"
"I'm all right, y'know."
The point of light. This wasn't just the light points used by Danger Discernment for its assessments.
It was a target pointer. A lock-on.
The point of light never left the enemy. The red and black points of light from Danger Discernment never strayed.
I concentrated with Stillness. It was only now that I finally realized.
I had it. I'd had everything from the very start.
Frustrating. So frustrating. But happy. So happy.
At last, I could stand alongside them.
I focused with Stillness on the red point of light from Danger Discernment and cast without raising my hand.
"Banish."
Only the Salamandra's flames were blasted away.
In that instant, the dungeon shook and something burst open inside me.
[Deep Stillness: When you concentrate in a calm state of mind, a target pointer/light point appears and can be aligned through thought manipulation. The voice of the heart can be heard. Duration: 10 minutes. Cooldown: 3 minutes.]
Target pointer... The duration increased while the cooldown stayed the same.
Thought manipulation. So I could move the target pointer wherever I envisioned.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
[Banish].
Only the part of Salamandra's head that had the non-red light point vanished.
"Oh. Impressive."
"Master, that's amazing, amazing, death!"
Shardina laughed.
I bowed my head to Alexander.
"Thank you."
Truly, thank you.
Now, let's move on.