In a world where a hundred lashes await, there are natural-born instigators. The kind who, once they start speaking, naturally whip the crowd into a frenzy. With every word they utter, all eyes lock onto them.
Was Pellelian one of those? Honestly, not quite to that level.
—Begone! You will be the downfall of the kingdom!
But his proposal definitely set my heart racing. Take over the kingdom? Could I even do something like that?
There were two princes right here in the room. If I stirred up chaos on the spot and stormed the palace to capture the king...
I could truly become the King Serpent.
'Uh oh, we really shouldn't...'
—Do it!
'We really shouldn't...'
—You should!
The moment I unconsciously started manipulating my mana as Pellelian directed—
"Master—no, Professor!"
Amaen and his friends approached. Amaen glanced at me briefly before speaking to Obern.
"We can do it."
The prince behind him looked deeply uneasy, but at least Amaen and Lania's expressions were resolute.
"No, we really want to try. You don't need to step back."
"Hm."
"We'll work hard and do better than those third-years."
Good kids. That snapped me right out of it.
Come to think of it, launching some chaotic rebellion would put Amaen in a tough spot. He came to this academy to study magic diligently, and summoning monsters would get a lot of kids hurt.
The guy who had no friends finally made some—I couldn't ruin that for him.
—What a spineless weakling.
Pellelian was hopping mad. He looked like an SD character throwing a tantrum; it wasn't scary at all.
—We had at least a 50% chance of success...
'...Only?'
This traitor. He was inciting me with just a 5% success rate?
—If you can take a kingdom with a 5% shot, that's a steal. You think the world works that easily?
'Why's he flipping it on me like I'm the bad guy.'
—And even if we fail, you can slip away alone no problem. Low risk, high reward gambling.
Not wrong, but his proposal was rejected anyway.
Then Pellelian said something weird.
—Then what about this dungeon... Hmm.
This place called an Instance Dungeon was classified as a 'ruin.' A mysterious spot where you manipulated magic circles to mimic the appearance of other dungeons in the world.
—Hard to imagine...
In this era, at this level.
'You don't know either, old man?'
—How am I supposed to know from a magic circle I've never seen? There are thousands, maybe tens of thousands of dungeons out there.
That many dungeons? What kind of continent is this?
There were no dungeons back on Earth where I lived.
—But it feels a bit off. Like two settings are mixed together.
'What's weird about it?'
—Hmm...
Pellelian just groaned without answering. He'd normally ramble on without me even asking.
He really didn't know something.
"Then, let's go in."
I had Obern say that.
Let's see. Taking these young kids into a super suspicious dungeon!
* * *
The dungeon gaped open underground. We entered.
Third-years and first-years together made over twenty students—a big group.
Dungeons varied wildly in size, so a small one wouldn't have allowed this. But this one was different.
The passage was vast. Mysteriously, the entrance looked nothing like the interior.
The walls were made of yellowish sandstone bricks. The floor was laid with tougher slate slabs.
The walls were decorated with bizarre reliefs in an odd style.
Not a small dungeon. The fidelity was insane.
Obern tapped the wall with his staff tip.
Something slithered down from the ceiling brick seams. He caught it in his hand—golden sand.
"...A desert dungeon."
Obern muttered. Then Damon Richmond stepped forward.
"Stating the obvious like it's worthless. The students figured it out instantly."
I didn't know, jerk.
"Forget that—can you infer which desert?"
At some point, Obern and Damon started sniping at each other.
Guy vibes are no joke.
Obern responded coolly. "Professor Damon. If you want instruction, ask more politely."
"...Haha, just kidding."
They traded barbs whenever they could.
"That relief style is Al-Aram civilization. The three-eyed eagle makes it obvious. So which dynasty of Al-Aram?"
If this Damon guy wasn't bluffing, he was seriously smart. How does he know relief styles from a desert civilization on the opposite side of the continent?
"..."
Obern, with his more accessible knowledge, tried to ignore it coolly, but...
"No idea, huh? Nothing but your magic skills, as expected."
You punk!
Obern's magic wasn't nothing. Now he couldn't ignore it—that would mean losing.
Obern knew that, so he kept a straight face while screaming internally.
'Help me! Snake-nim!'
And I yelled too.
'Old man!'
Pellelian sighed and told me. Obern, hearing it relayed, spoke leisurely.
"Shallow insight. It's not Al-Aram to begin with."
"...You think throwing out obscure trivia the students don't know—"
"That's not an eagle. It's a black falcon. And Al-Aram eagle reliefs have wings spread on both sides. This depicts one wing only. It's Al-Ahrap civilization relief."
"Confidence doesn't make it true..."
"Professor Damon Richmond."
Obern stopped abruptly. His tall frame loomed over Damon.
"You're getting annoying."
"..."
"Enough talk. Traps ahead."
Perfect wrap-up.
Obern raised his staff. Time for my magic practice too.
And for Obern to pretend he could chantless cast freely.
I cast the spell.
⚡ SKILL ACTIVATED ⚡Intermediate Elemental Magic: Water Lv2
A massive blob of water formed in midair.
"Chantless..."
"Didn't even feel the mana flow."
The third-years, aspiring mages, gasped in admiration. Damon gritted his teeth.
I heard a message about his dignity rising. Appearances matter.
I hurled the water blob at the floor ahead.
SPLOOSH!
The water bomb exploded, soaking in instantly. What looked like solid stone sank away.
A sand trap. Sharp spears jutted below the pit.
Simple but effective. Step on it unaware, and you'd skewer yourself.
Like that ancient cockatrice!
"Sloppy finish."
Damon stepped up and chanted a spell. Considerable mana swirled from his short wand.
His mana reserves were no joke.
"Ferum in-ventum!"
With a stylish chant, a transparent blade shot from his wand toward the spears below.
CRUNCH!
The wind blade neutralized the spear trap. Falling sand buried it.
Honestly, impressive. Way more than Obern.
"Wooow!"
The first-years erupted in awe. Amaen was clapping too—I shot him a glare on reflex.
There was a reason he disarmed it.
"Three traps left."
"Four."
The professors had broken the lethal ones. The rest were for students to analyze and clear themselves.
Some remaining were dangerous, but this world tolerated that level.
"Who first? Three or so is fine."
Obern asked. A student raised his hand confidently.
"I'll do it."
Leon Adenes Solion, the second prince.
Obern had just chewed him out earlier. He should've been offended, but his smile was flawless.
"We'll assist."
"Me too."
His lackeys volunteered as expected.
Obern frowned, asking for more volunteers. No one raised a hand.
Who would, with the prince and his cronies stepping up?
So Leon, the knight commander's son, and the witch's daughter went forward.
All eyes on them.
Unlike Philly, Leon looked every inch the prince—handsome. Broad-shouldered; he'd grow into an Obern or Gunter type.
For reference, I was short in my past life. No complaints, but I wondered what it felt like looking down on people.
Then it happened. The knight commander's son suddenly handed Leon a halberd.
I got why a halberd—some traps were too risky to touch by hand.
But why a halberd of all things?
I hated halberds. Because Gunter once cleaved Medusa Mom's neck with one.
'Obern, why's that kid suddenly wielding a halberd?'
Casual question.
'Because Leon is a disciple of the Steel one.'
'What?'
I thought I'd misheard.
'Steel—Gunter?'
'Yes.'
'That bastard Gunter's disciple!'
No way. Gunter seemed famous enough as a knight... Yeah, possible.
'You know Sir Gunter?'
'Don't call that scum "sir" to my face. He's my rival and arch-nemesis.'
'...I see. Impressive.'
Pellelian snarked from the side.
—He doesn't even know you exist.
World's got one-sided rivalries too, huh. Ignored.
Right—Gunter's disciple. Let's see what he's got.
👑 Leon Adenes Solion Lv41 👑Epithet:Golden Prince
Traits:Intelligent, Cold-Blooded
His level's that high! And an epithet too. Golden Prince—cool. Cold-Blooded fit Gunter.
As expected, his skills screamed Gunter connection.
⚔ Skills ⚔Command Lv2, Valarian Halberd Art Lv13… Heavenly Thunder Command Lv1
Heavenly Thunder Command too! Can't use it in front of him.
Gunter's version differed, but still—better safe.
"Your Highness, I'll use mana detection."
The witch's daughter muttered, her eyes turning blue.
She pointed to a ceiling spot. The knight commander's son stepped up, drew a short spear, and hurled it there.
The spear flew fiercely.
BOOM!
It embedded in the ceiling. Impressive strike. The knight's son had clearly trained inner power.
Nothing happened yet. Then the second prince advanced.
'Please trip and fall.'
Simple wish for Gunter's disciple to embarrass himself.
Who knew he'd shout:
"Heavenly Thunder Command—!"
Calling out the technique name—like he was in a wuxia novel.
Underground with no sky—why thunder command? But blue lightning crackled from the halberd...
ZZZCRACK!
A roar, and electricity burst out. No lack of power compared to outdoors.
—Snake, watch closely and learn!
I was already doing that, mana detection scanning his every move.
Couldn't grasp it perfectly from watching, but one thing was clear.
—It can store charge!
Now usable at range like lightning magic.
Charge storage. Heavenly Thunder Command could accumulate and release electricity.
Worth researching.
The prince's halberd lightning seeped into the ceiling spear, wrecking the hidden mechanisms.
Shhh—
Dust and ash fell from ceiling brick seams.
The trickiest trap neutralized. Three more left, but they cleared them quick.
Leon and his crew breezed through the trap cluster.
"Haha!"
Flashing a refreshing smile and throwing up a V-sign.
"Woo! As expected of Prince Leon!"
"Amazing!"
The third-years clapped wildly. Damon grinned ear-to-ear.
"3 minutes 32 seconds. Not bad."
Not bad? His smile was pumpkin-wide.
Obern walked on stone-faced.
The next trap cluster came soon. Four left after removing lethals.
"Our turn now."
He turned to pick first-year volunteers.
Surprisingly, Prince Philly didn't raise his hand right away. He hesitated, glancing around, then raised it reluctantly—after Lania poked his side.
"I-I'll do it."
Lame compared to Gunter's disciple second prince.
Amaen and Lania naturally joined.
'Obern! Get Philly over here.'
I had Obern call the prince.
"Ear close."
As he leaned for a whisper, Damon interrupted.
"Professor Obern, giving hints?!"
"Not that. Just encouragement."
Obern glared at Damon, then whispered to Philly's ear.
Philly gulped.
'Obern, transmit word-for-word. No changes.'
Obern relayed:
"Prince, fail to finish under 3:32, and it's 100 lashes."
"...?"
Philly looked like he'd misheard. Obern squeezed his eyes shut, moved.
I wasn't done.
'Say it! Finish!'
He sighed shakily and whispered again.
"Full power, or it's 100 real ones."
"..."
Prince Philly rolled his eyes and gulped again.
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