Volume 5 Chapter 47
All dungeons in this world have a hundred floors. The front is weak, but deeper you go, stronger it gets... Recently, fewer people can reach the deep parts.
Chaos Stone Dragonstone Kingdom, Jewel City Lapis.
The hundredth hundred of the dungeon, 'Great Mine of Gold World (Kinsekai).'
There, Horace, Nousa, and Ginji stood.
"Was it more common a hundred years ago?"
"No, Horace. Still, only the top adventurers can go deep. But back then, that bastard forced all kinds of people to go. Many had talent but no fuel. Pour gasoline on that, it makes sense."
"Eudynes wrote an autobiography, 'The Book of Adventures,' right? Many read it and thought, 'I want to be like that?'"
"That's right. But even if you are strong, soldiers can't get permission from above. So, impossible. And among adventurers, those without talent quit saying, 'We live in different worlds.'"
People have different places, talents, and chances.
Even if you have ability, your chosen place can block you.
Even with passion, some lack talent and cannot choose.
That's the truth.
Now, Horace has talent and a place to challenge.
You can admire something and push forward.
"Then, big brother, you are lucky. You have something to admire and can fight for it."
"...Nousa, don't you have anything?"
"Me? Admiration? ...Not really."
"If you don't, that's fine. In this world, defeating monsters gives gold coins, so you live okay in town. Here, being normal is good."
Defeat monsters, get coins.
Go to town, many people there, pay coins, buy what you want.
With that, no one suffers.
So some say, 'Wasting life,' but mostly, life is pretty useless.
"Usually 'good stuff'... huh."
When Ginji, who holds the annoying title Order of the Sealed Dragon Under-Ops, says that, it kind of makes sense and feels sad.
"Well, normal is easy to throw away."
"When big brother says that, normal sounds priceless."
"Yeah. Normal isn't possible without peace. And no peace money can buy."
"──Yeah, I agree. Back when Demon Lords existed, no one stayed normal. It's not much different now."
Ginji said that as they reached the very back of the Hundred Floor.
"Earlier, I went from here to where Arzent is..."
Horace pulled out three fan-shaped shards.
They reacted to the door, fit into a circle, and plugged into the door's recess.
"...This time, it's the Sealing God."
Horace grabbed the door and opened it.
Before, Sid, Sora, Remi, and the 'Key of Pharos' were here.
Now...
"Finally, after the story moved, you came."
"Zulane..."
Zulane, one of Shildress's Apostles, waited reading a book.
The cover said 'Adventure Book,' published about a hundred years ago, but it looked almost new.
"Long time no see, Zulane."
"Ginji... yeah. Since about a hundred years ago, when I worked at Sevenstar Academy on a mission."
He closed the book and put it in his pocket.
"...Now, Horace, go ahead."
"...Is there something you don't want to tell me?"
"We were colleagues. Of course, there's lots I want to talk about."
"...Then, I'll go first."
"Yeah."
Horace started walking.
Zulane's words had no lie.
No point in lying.
Horace passed him and opened the back door.
The door closed. After a moment of silence...
"...Hey, Zulane."
"What?"
"A thousand years ago, it was the 'hidden blade of the Glasha family.' Why is it now one of the Apostles of the sealed god?"
"...That story needs to come from the past."
"I'll listen to everything."
"...A thousand years ago, the 4 dragons, Keystone Dragons, rampaged wildly. Hard to say how much human society broke. I fought the 'Transcendent Frost Dragon Ran Jailer' and was burned by its icy breath. Really dangerous."
Strange words about attributes, but no joke.
"I know that legend in pieces."
"That's right. Those who touch 'dangerous information' in the Order of the Sealed Dragon know. It was terrible. All were 'overcome by passion.'"
"──I know Astral Dragon Gai Gigant, Hoardspirit Dragon Zeth Halcon, and Calamityshade Dragon Terra Disas. I met some dragons. But they don't feel trapped in anger."
"You are... ah, Horace's sister. You know parts, but 'still don't know much.'"
Zulane sighed.
"Those dragons have a moment at full power, where 'output is clearly different.'"
"That's true."
"Some dragons have this, from the birth of 'Skyscraper Dragon Oboroas, Boroas.'"
As if recalling, Zulane murmured.
"Skill name: 'All-in Time.' But there is 'Bankrupt End' that activates when passion takes over. All 4 dragons activated it. Terrible. Just thinking of Ran Jailer, leader of the 4, makes everything dark."
"..."
"I stood on battlefield to buy time, but it was impossible. Laris jumped in, sealed sword, and with one strike, Ran Jailer was sealed. Laris looked terrifying after that."
"I'm also investigating. Heard stories from the old hag who saw battles, but it feels unreal."
There are many legends in the world.
Some beings become incredibly strong.
"At that time, I met Apostles of the sealing god... coincidence, but Shildress said, 'Someone weak in world, just by one trick, became stronger than Laris, among the Five Divine Gods.'"
"..."
"I got interested, promoted myself... after many turns, I became one of Shildress's Apostles. I don't know about other gods, but that being stronger than Laris is not Shildress."
"In the end, don't you know what that 'trick' is?"
"No. Shildress didn't know either. If he did, he'd be stronger than Laris now."
That was a thousand years ago.
Zulane tried to learn that 'trick.'
But he didn't understand it.
"...But whether Five Divine Gods or Laris, they are 'strong beings handling magic.' So, it makes sense 'great principle' of magic is to 'seek stability,' and 'having confidence' is needed."
"Yeah. But you don't know what to trust, right?"
"That's my conclusion."
Zulane sighed again.
"...Do you know why I became an Apostle?"
"Yeah. I understand well."
Ginji scratched his hair.
"'Apostles' as work. And being affected, 'I quit teacher job without permission,' I got that halfway. Because of that, big trouble. When I learned he was trusted sword of Glasha family, I was surprised. I wanted to ask directly, decide if forgive trouble. That's what I thought."
Zulane is Apostle of Sealing God, person on rule side.
So, even as teacher, range is broad.
He was truly talented teacher. That's sure.
If someone like him disappeared without permission, it's a problem.
At that time, Eudynes was prime, big influence at Sevenstar Academy, popular at school too.
So, "it's a problem if he quits without permission."
"...Did you forgive?"
"I stopped caring. Eudynes is too terrible."
"I always thought, 'Can't something be done about that guy?'"
"...Hah, I should've brought alcohol for this talk."
Position. Thought. Skill. Past. Thanks and debts.
None matter.
Drinking snacks and complaints are the best.
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