chapter 125
* * *
bet. and gambling.
In fact, very few people genuinely dislike them.
Parents tell their children Gambling and betting are bad things. But few of them did not play cards in a bar on a weekend afternoon.
A thrilling match enjoyed with cold beer and greasy sausages. In a world where commoners had few entertainments to enjoy as hobbies, there were few ways to spend a weekend as well as this one.
On days when even a game with a lot of money is held, the village bar is filled with onlookers.
Philip, who was invited to the capital’s entertainment district, the ‘Baldteen Tavern’, watched the situation return to the mindset of the onlooker.
“Since I’ve lived a long time, there are all sorts of special things. The famous Auror Master visiting my bar.”
Baldwin’s godfather, Laughing Jack, looked at the Earl of Denbrough across from him with genuine surprise.
“My granddaughter has troubled you by being disobedient. I am sorry.”
The Earl of Denbrough handed over the apple first. The apology was a bit short, but considering his position, it was appropriate.
“It was a really different experience. When I was young, even when I was active as a petty thief, I had never been arrested, but the hands of a girl who was only 17 were handcuffed. Even if this is a rumor, you won’t be able to carry your face around.”
Hearing Jack’s smile, the Earl of Denbrough let out a small sigh.
“The child is still young and can’t choose between fire and water. I hope you will forgive me with a generous heart.”
“I’m sure you don’t know that I’ve shown you a lot of mercy by not tearing your granddaughter to death on the spot.”
What Laughing Jack said was true. He didn’t have to be afraid of the Royal Knights, and he didn’t have to be afraid of them, so he didn’t have to choose his horse.
―The old man has quite a temper.
As observers, Philip and Privia were sitting in a special room at the ‘Baldteen Tavern’. Laughing Jack didn’t seem too upset when Philip brought Privia without a word.
Philip answered with a mouthful, and then looked at the Earl of Denbrough’s reaction.
The count nodded with a heavy expression.
“… good bye Of course, if you really did, you would have avenged yourself no matter what.”
“Anyway, this wouldn’t have happened if the academy instructor sitting over there hadn’t asked me. knight commander. I will never forgive him with my bare mouth, so if you want this to work out, you’d better come up with a suitable suggestion.”
“Any suggestions?”
“Backstreet life like us tends to toss a coin when opinions differ. But you wouldn’t be willing to risk your precious granddaughter’s life on just a coin, so let’s do this. Do you want to come in?”
Laughing Jack snapped his fingers. Then the door to the suite opened, and a woman dressed as a barmaid came in carrying a large sack.
“… godfather It is too heavy.”
The woman grunted in a voice mixed with charm, and the smiling Jack soothed her with a smile.
“Instead, I’ll let you have a fun viewing. baby Do you want to open the sack?”
When the woman opened the sack, it contained Aileen, who was tied up tightly. The Earl of Denbrough, startled, widened his eyes in disbelief.
“Eight royal knights were guarding it?”
When the granddaughter, entrusted to the eight most skilled knights of the Royal Knights, was dragged along like a captured wild animal, the Earl of Denbrough hurriedly tried to head for her.
“Calm down. I’m not hurt. You could have kidnapped it within three days, even if you, Count, were guarding it yourself. It’s because my kids are a bit capable. Anyway, now that I’ve caught it twice, if I catch it one more time, that child will be in great trouble… .”
Laughing Jack stretched out his hand, and the Count stood there helplessly. No matter how much he is an Auror Master, if he didn’t intend to draw his sword and kill everyone, he had to act carefully.
If a show of force failed to kill Laughing Jack, Eileen would be as good as dead.
He was definitely a superman, but the family members and granddaughter weren’t superhuman either.
Jack smiled and opened his mouth, pointing to Eileen who was wriggling like a live fish.
“There is a strange dungeon in my land. Quite talented guys left to take care of it, but none of them came back. There is one of them that I cherished quite a bit, so I want to find the belongings and hold a funeral… .”
“I will.”
The Earl of Denbrough agreed without hesitation. Attacking dungeons was too pitiful for a royal knight commander to do.
It was something only adventurers seeking to make a fortune, and it was something only knights in rural areas would do.
However, he was determined to throw away his pride for the sake of his granddaughter and for the sake of the king and kingdom of Calaria.
-That old man is amazing. It wouldn’t be easy for humans to act like that. How did that girl grow up to be such an immature child under such a human being?
Freevia admired. Philip also opened his mouth and nodded. He also did not know that the Earl of Denbrough would come out with such a low profile. Of course, Laughing Jack behaved like a gentleman in his own way, but the Earl of Denbrough’s responsibility was heavier than expected.
Laughing Jack also couldn’t hide his admiration, probably feeling the same way as Philip.
“Count, you are such a wonderful person. Of course, I had no intention of asking someone your level to go in alone. Go with those young men.”
Philip, startled, pointed at himself.
“… yes, us? why?”
“It’s because I hate the way you bring your lover and sit there like a spectator. young people. It seems you were a hero who saved the continent in your previous life. Such a pretty lady is the first time this old man has ever seen in his life.”
“Why do I… .”
“When you asked to have mercy on that girl, I listened. Now it’s your turn.”
To sum it up, it was because my girlfriend was pretty.
Of course, Pribia was not Philip’s lover, and Philip was quite unfair, but he had no choice but to keep his mouth shut because he had nothing to say.
When Philip, who was about to enter the dungeon out of nowhere, looked at Count Denbrough, Count Denbrough sighed and opened his mouth.
“I am enough alone.”
But Jack, laughing, shook his head.
“I am not good enough. I have to see that young man suffer, so if you don’t want to take him in, just leave. Hmm, if you’re an Auror Master level person, you won’t die in it, and if you fail and just return, your granddaughter will be in a very bad situation.”
At Jack’s words, which seemed to have a twisted smile, the Earl of Denbrough looked at Philip with an expression that he wanted to say something.
‘… I really hate it.’
* * *
The old mansion was hideous, and also dreary. Rather than saying that ghosts were likely to appear, a bleak atmosphere flowed that made it strange that no ghosts appeared.
The Earl of Denbrough, Philip, and Privia opened the old barred door. It made a loud noise, probably because the hinges were rusted.
Philip took the lead with a torch in his hand with a sullen look on his face.
The dungeon that Laughing Jack had mentioned was right in front of you.
This is an abandoned mansion located in the suburbs a little far from the capital.
According to Laughing Jack, this was the land he originally intended to use as a safe house, but the dungeon was discovered and it is no longer in use.
Philip already knew what hardships and adversity awaited him in that dungeon.
‘That’s a puzzle dungeon.’
It was one of the most famously difficult dungeons in the original game. It was a dungeon that was called a ‘ability test’ among users, and the content was a random puzzle.
It was a dungeon that even Philip could fail if he had no luck with the puzzle.
“Why are you so horny?”
“This is all because of Privia-sama.”
To Privia’s question, Philip answered with a smirk.
“Why is this my fault? Wasn’t it you who asked me to go with you first?”
Of course, Freevia was not to blame. The whole time she kept her mouth shut, she just needed someone to blame. Besides, when Philip showed signs of disliking it, Freebia said that she would follow him all the way to the dungeon as if she couldn’t help it.
“You’re pretty enough, aren’t you? Isn’t that old man dragging me in because he has a big stomach?”
Freevia laughed at Phillip’s compulsion.
“You’ve been doing it and now you’re even annoyed with me. Have you really gone out of your mind?”
She said that, but the corners of her mouth were slightly raised. It was said that it was because of her gruff tone, but if you look at the content, it was because she was too pretty.
Of course, Philip had a different idea.
‘I’m going to transform into something moderately normal. Why did he transform into such a young and pretty figure when he was old enough? .’
“Instructor Oswald. I’m sorry I got involved with you. But I’m going to go in now.”
The Earl of Denbrough watched as Philip and Privia quarreled and spat out a heavy word. An embarrassed Phillip nodded.
“ah… yes.”
As I entered the abandoned mansion, I heard an uneasy sound from the wooden floor. With every step I took, I could feel the nails bending and the damp flooring crushing.
When I went down to the basement, which was originally used as a planting warehouse, I saw a carpet that covered the entrance to the dungeon. When it was removed, a square wooden door was revealed.
‘How smart are talented people who can become Auror Masters?’
Philip decided to think that he had intuition that this had happened. He didn’t intend to come out anytime soon.
‘I wonder if swordsmanship talent and intelligence are proportional. I wonder if a dragon can solve a puzzle made with far future knowledge.’
With that thought, the irritation disappeared and only anticipation and curiosity remained.
“Then I will open it.”
‘If you’re an Auror Master, you’re a super elite in the top 0.001%, so I’m not going to step out. It’s not a very difficult puzzle, is it? I have to secretly get a secret reward.’
After making up his mind, Philip opened the dungeon entrance with all his might.
* * *
After a few minutes down through the dark and damp passages, an underground dungeon greeted the group.
“I don’t see anything like a monster.”
The Earl of Denbrough, whose self-esteem had fallen, muttered in a weak voice. As an Auror Master, he wasn’t the type to be in a dungeon like this.
‘That nobleman also suffers a lot because of his granddaughter.’
Philip sympathized with the Earl of Denbrough. If I had to use an analogy, it was like a person about the size of a police chief running on his feet to catch a pickpocket because of an accident his granddaughter had.
As it is a puzzle dungeon, the structure is different from that of normal dungeons. Unlike other dungeons connected by corridors, there were only doors that could not be opened between rooms.
One might say that it is not enough just to break the door, but in the case of dungeons designed with a purpose, if you try to pass through them, there are many cases that will collapse at all, so Count Denbrough did not act rashly.
When I opened the door and entered the first room, a bulkhead made of fairly thick steel came down with a thud.
In an instant, the way back was blocked.
“… There are dead bodies.”
In front of the door leading to the next room, there were several long-dead corpses. All of the corpses seemed to have died writhing in pain.
Next, the west wall, built of brick, split in two with a loud noise. And what turned out to be a puzzle that was quite familiar to Philip.
It was a mixed picture, divided into five columns up and down and five columns left and right, but only one piece was missing.
‘It’s a 5X5 sliding puzzle.’
A classic puzzle in which you move pieces using blanks to complete a picture. Among the puzzles in this dungeon, it was the least difficult.
Freevia, who had been looking around for a moment, opened her mouth.
“Looks like the door will open only when I finish that painting.”
The Earl of Denbrough knew Pribia as a wizard who was somewhat friendly with Philip. In order to maintain that concept, Privia used honorifics for the Count. At her words, Count Denbrough stroked her beard.
“I think the lady is right… … Hmm, it doesn’t look that difficult. Laughing Jack, he seems to be taking care of me.”
‘If you can’t solve this within the time limit, poison gas will come out.’
Of course, as long as Freevia was there, they wouldn’t be exposed to poison gas. Even Denbrough, the Aura Master, would do something as simple as holding his breath for a few minutes and destroying that steel wall.
However, Philip stared at the Earl of Denbrough as he approached the puzzle with an uneasy expression.
‘Why do my eyes go round and round when I say it’s easy?’