Chapter 19 (1/2)
The Devil’s Floor
The floor was different from the get go.
First of all, it didn’t look like a labyrinth at all.
The rooms were very tall, about twenty meters. A white rock pillar supported the ceiling, giving off pale white light. Spread across the floor were rocks, looking like a wasteland.
It was a vast s.p.a.ce. From what I could see, the wall also s.h.i.+ned a dull white.
There was something like a nest in a crack on the pillar, and I caught sight of a monster in it. I also saw monsters prowling along the wall.
“There are h.e.l.lhounds…”
Carlos muttered bitterly. Though Ria did treat it like a dog, the boss on the second floor was a small fry here.
It vigorously rushed this way, but it stopped suddenly with a single glare from Ria, showing its belly in submission.
“How much does it fear you, Nee-chan…”
“Even though I love dogs~. Even keeping and feeding them, I like it.”
“Although it is possible to make it your familiar, you can’t take it out of here.”
“That’s a shame.”
As for what came next, it was a black horse with two horns on its brow.
“It’s a bi-cone. Unlike a horse, it is ferocious.”
Two headed towards them, so one was left to Carlos and Gig while Ria handled the other.
“Hmph, it’s not cute.”
Due to some sort of criteria, she gave it up and killed it with a swing.
The other one was also already defeated without any danger. Ria began to dismantle the bicorn.
“Horse meat♪ Horse meat♪”
“N-Nee-chan, don’t you like horses?”
Drawn by Serge’s question, Ria returned him a cheerful smile.
“Of course I like them. But this one isn’t cute.”
To begin with, it was different than a unicorn. Bicorns had poison in their horns. It was obviously cla.s.sified as a monster.
In conclusion, the bicorn was delicious.
By the third room’s exit, it was time for camp.
Ria dug the ground again, making an impromptu bath.
“Even so Nee-chan, your earth magic is your strong point.”
“Serge, that’s not it. Ria only learned the magic for the sake of making a bath.”
“… Well, to each their own huh.”
Basically, Ria is good at bestowal magic and reinforcement magic. After that, offensive magic to defeat enemies at long range.
Though she’s thought to be a muscle-brain that just leaves everything to her katana, she’s learned a variety of methods.
The magicians were mentally exhausted from the day and took a full rest. The two people with keen senses, Ria and Maal, split up taking watch.
While stroking the fur of Maal’s head on her lap, Ria’s senses sharpened.
(Hmph…)
Something’s watching us. No, probing us.
The presences. There wasn’t just one.
One was obviously hostile. Not to the point of killing intent, probably because it’s a distance away.
And another was curious. It was earnestly indicating its interest this way.
I felt this when we finished the first floor.
(There’s one person… can’t relax my guard…)
The hostility contained something like a pressure. That was it, not a big deal.
But that other thing, the curious presence, I couldn’t feel the bottom of it.
It had probably been watching Ria the whole time. Yet not coming into contact.
(Well, what to do?)
For now, she had no choice but to wait and see.
They reached the center of the fifth floor the next day, and Ria found the owner of the signs.
“Explorers, you did well coming this far…”
That person spoke with human words.
At a glance you’d even think him a beastkin. However, if you looked closely, you’d find it made of just a single creature.
The legs of an eagle, the body of a bear, the head of a wolf, the horns of a sheep, and wings of a bat.
“Nee-chan, that’s a devil. It can use magic at level 75 so be careful. It can blow fire.”
Serge warned her with a whisper. Of course, Ria also noticed it wasn’t the same as her opponents until now.
Devils and demons were different existences.
Summoned by some means from another world, they generally have high intelligence.
“He’s been watching us since yesterday.”
“Hmph, my lord took an interest. Of the recent explorers, there haven’t been many chewy people. Of those who could be challengers to me, there were none.”