Befitting a fantasy worldview, various intelligent beings exist in this game. But only four races prospered enough to form nations.
Humans, elves, demons, angels.
Humans are humans, and the other three races look similar. Long ears for elves, horns for demons, wings for angels.
'Up to here is common fantasy setting but...'
Other races are hard to find in human countries. Because they're ostracized through deep-rooted hatred and discrimination.
For similar reasons, interbreeding and love are also forbidden. Get caught doing it and even nobles face execution.
Why suddenly talk about this?
"This is an elf ruins."
"Seems that way."
The ruins' characteristics were distinct enough to know without Elise explaining. No humans in the occasionally visible murals and statues. All elves.
The interior was very dark, but vision was fine thanks to the gentle light emitted by status windows that always hovered nearby.
'The murals seem like clues to these ruins...'
I scanned the murals carved along the long corridor.
A woman wearing a crown's life story.
'Is this woman's tomb here?'
That's how it looked to me. Can't be certain since the clues are too abstract.
"Young master. To the right."
"..."
"Left ahead here."
"..."
The ruins' interior was complex like a maze, but Elise made a 3D map using seismic and electromagnetic waves for comfortable guidance.
'Is dungeon exploration supposed to be like this?'
Scientific exploration without even a speck of romance.
"We've almost caught up."
She even figured out where the grave robbers were!
"Those guys must've noticed our presence too, right?"
"Not yet. Precise detection is difficult because there's a lot of noise."
"Noise?"
"There's a chatterbox among the grave robbers."
"Unfortunate party."
Hope they're higher level than me.
"Enemy ahead."
"Already caught?"
"No. The ruins' guardian."
"My sword."
"Here it is."
I drew the golden-bladed saber from the scabbard entrusted to Elise.
Saber.
A curved single-edged sword specialized for slashing.
Sabers are designed light for cavalry holding horse reins to swing with one hand. That's why I favored it whenever playing games fighting on horseback.
Meaning it's a weapon I handle well like the katana.
'Also a keepsake.'
This saber is set as my father's keepsake. Definitely not a mistake that it looks ceremonial with uselessly many decorations.
The guardian's form started becoming visible to my eyes too.
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"An elf?"
"An automaton."
"Interesting."
An elf-looking automaton appeared because it's elf ruins.
A pointed-eared girl wearing green leather clothes shaped like a corset, gripping a pair of stilettos in both hands.
'Stilettos. Do elves like stabbing?'
Stiletto.
A dagger with a thin, pointed blade useful for penetrating armor gaps, but extremely specialized for stabbing.
In other words, just be careful of stabbing.
'Movements I know.'
Fast and flexible befitting an automaton. However, just different-shaped ears, overall performance had no difference from human automatons.
The guardian circled around me looking for a chance to stab with the stilettos.
"Just gonna keep spinning?"
"..."
The guardian whose eyes changed at my question kicked off the wall and charged.
After calmly deflecting the two stilettos aimed at my back with the saber, I quickly slashed across her waist like a sweep.
'Not yet!'
I swung it like carving through soft clay.
Added speed and power utilizing the inertia of the saber with its center of gravity near the tip.
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The guardian who urgently rolled sideways kicked off the wall and ceiling once each to create distance again.
I didn't pursue recklessly.
"You already felt it, right? You can't beat me."
"..."
"Surrender."
The guardian with lips tightly shut glared at me with fierce eyes and started circling around again. Seems she wants to repeat the same failure.
Right then, an anomaly occurred.
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"What?!"
I shouted in shock.
Even rubbing my eyes and looking again, it was the same.
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The guardian's shield fully recovered.
Elise, joining the battle by sticking next to me, explained.
"It's the ruins' blessing. You can't win unless you destroy or subdue the guardian in a short time."
"Interesting."
Ruins' blessing.
Made it impossible to conquer the ruins if attack power is insufficient from low level.
The strategy is simple. Give up defense.
"She's coming."
"Aim for the flank."
"Yes."
Plus this time I'm not alone. Elise skillfully assisted my attacks even without coordinating.
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Combat ended really instantly. The guardian's two legs were severed, unable to perfectly respond to cowardly coordinated attacks from both directions.
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But she didn't lose her life, so her shield recovered quickly.
"I'll say it one more time. Surrender."
"..."
"Unfortunate."
The guardian who lost mobility was an easy opponent.
Thunk—
She cried out like a death rattle as the saber embedded deep in her chest.
"Human! You'll definitely regret this...!"
"What regret?"
"If you go ahead, you'll definitely die!"
"Oh! I'll definitely go!"
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Even hearing the warning didn't make me tense. This is a beginner dungeon!
***
Uninvited guests had rushed to the estate as soon as they heard the unfortunate news that occurred at the Baron Marcus family.
Adventurers.
Equal parts grave robber and romantic.
Their exploration secretly infiltrating the ruins went very smoothly. Until now.
"Lucia. Really appreciate you coming."
"This is really the last time. This time is for real."
"Of course!"
Adventurer Kevin pulled his childhood friend into this adventure. Because he judged it too dangerous to carelessly charge into ruins with no information.
He felt no guilt about bringing a childhood friend who wasn't even an adventurer to a dangerous place. Couldn't have become an adventurer without being this shameless.
'Still amazing.'
Kevin was awed at childhood friend Lucia's level, reunited after 2 years.
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She was special from childhood when they played naked together. But he'd thought limits would come soon with a woman's body.
"...What?"
"Nothing."
When exactly would those limits come? The gap between them kept widening instead of narrowing.
"Kevin. Is she your girlfriend?"
"Your childhood friend's a total beauty?"
"Another beauty? Lucky bastard!"
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The adventurers gathered to loot the ruins together made playful comments one by one. Among them were remarks hard to let slide, but Lucia seemed unconcerned.
'Did she get a new boyfriend?'
Though quite past, there was a time they progressed from childhood friends to lovers. However, Kevin, embarrassed about being protected by a woman, kicked away his own fortune.
'I was crazy then.'
He wanted to reverse that past mistake with this opportunity.
"What are you looking at?"
"...I was looking at your side."
However, Lucia didn't come alone.
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She brought a noble young lady who didn't fit this shabby gathering and 2 automatons.
"Don't mind me. I just followed because I was worried about sister."
"Ah, yes."
She said don't mind her, but she was fiercely glaring at him who'd dragged Lucia into dangerous work.
Kanna Aspis.
A young lady raised preciously in the nearby Count Aspis territory. And also the daughter of the lord to whom his childhood friend pledged loyalty.
'This isn't a ballroom...!'
Kevin wanted to immediately chase away this young lady who was no help, but endured because of Lucia, strongest in this expedition.
If there was fortune in misfortune, exploration of the ruins expected to be dangerous went very smoothly.
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The ruins' guardians they'd subdued getting this far were loaded on a cart.
"..."
"..."
Thanks to the ruins' blessing, their shields were fine.
But they docilely accepted reality like corpses, unable to move with limbs separated.
'Hehe. How much is all this?'
Automatons trade more expensively the higher their level. Add rarity from being brought from elf ruins on top of that?
'This is why I can't quit adventuring!'
Though he could already live enviously compared to nobles with money saved so far, Kevin had a grand dream.
Lord.
Becoming a great noble owning his own estate.
Not an impossible delusion. Legendary adventurers all became lords in later years, and the ancestor of the Count Benator family dominating this area was also an adventurer hunting treasure.
"Kevin."
"Why?"
"Any thoughts about marriage?"
"M-marriage?!"
Kevin's heart lurched at Lucia's sudden question.
Could it be?
"...Don't misunderstand. I just want to introduce you to a decent woman."
"Don't need it."
His mood, which had risen beyond the atmosphere, came down rapidly.
Companions who noticed what misunderstanding he had giggled and laughed blatantly.
Lucia said playfully.
"You'll regret it again, you know?"
"I already have a woman in mind. Absolutely won't regret it."
The crazy act of kicking away happiness myself is enough once.
"I see. I said something pointless. Sorry."
"It's fine. What about you?"
"None. No decent partners around either."
"Then maybe..."
Right then, the automaton acting as guide at the front stopped walking and shouted.
"Ambush! Be care—"
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A guardian who severed the warning automaton's neck in one strike slowly revealed herself.
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"Level 23...?"
"Level 23? For real...?"
Despair blocked the adventurers' path.
***
I knew it!
The ruins weren't dangerous at all. Easier than the tutorial.
No traps or terrain that stole your life from one mistake. The complex maze was powerless before Elise's 3D map.
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──────────────
Achievement: Triple Kill (30 seconds)
Reward: Attack Power 40%
Description: You took down three in succession.
Rating: None.
──────────────
Guardians popping out little by little like stragglers were also good experience suppliers.
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"Elise. How about it? I was right, wasn't I?"
"The grave robbers who went ahead handled most traps and guardians. There are also problems with your combat ability being educated as an administrator, young master."
"So you're saying I was wrong?"
"...My AI can't understand. How did you know?"
"It's easier if you give up."
Fantasy is understood with the heart, not the head!
We advanced comfortably following the path the grave robbers opened.
'Combat traces are increasing.'
The ruins' resistance is intensifying. Proof we're going the right way.
Elise stubbornly walked ahead despite being lower level than me.
"Young master. The grave robbers are running this way. The expression frantically fleeing would be more appropriate."
"Of course they should."
Because gamers must conquer dungeons. Development where grave robbers lose to the dungeon boss and flee is the providence of all games.
'Still gotta collect admission fees though, right?'
They need to pay the price for entering ruins without the lord's permission. With their one and only life.
"They're coming."
"I see them too."
An automaton was running while carrying a girl of similar build under her arm.
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"Young master."
"I'll handle it."
"No. I meant it would be troublesome to handle them. It's a rescue signal."
"Ignore it."
No one will know if they die here!
"Look at her face."
"Why the face... hm?"
Kinda pretty.
"Kanna Aspis. The Count Aspis family's young lady."
"I understand."
The really pretty helper gave a hint. That she's an important character who shouldn't be killed.
"You really understand, right...?"
"Of course."
Leaving worried Elise behind, I blocked the kinda pretty rich young lady with my saber threateningly.
Hand over everything but your life!
That's what it means.