133 [2-67] Find the golden staircase. (1/2)

It was not the army of the Rose Princess of Hell that appeared from the depths of the narrow passageway.

It was a warrior (fighter) wearing a gold circlet and silvery white holy armor.

Underneath the armor, he was wearing some kind of ceremonial clothing, but it was torn and covered in blood. He doesn't look injured, though, so he must have healed his injuries with potions after taking damage.

”This is Erminio Drouet, the leader of the Daring Drouet.

”Good to see you, sir!

Edgar called out, but Erminio ignored him.

With a grim face, he strode toward Loretta and suddenly grabbed her as if to choke her (he might have wanted to grab her breasts, but they were exposed and full).

What?　What the ......?

Loretta, you ......!

Herminio trembled with rage and pointed in the direction of where he was coming from.

There were the remains of the magic item that Loretta had taken out of her storage spell and cut up by the spinning saw.

Why did you do that?　Do you have any idea how much that thing costs?　How many lives do you think that thing could buy?

Erminio, because I was attacked by a trap: ......

There's no such thing as a ”because”!

You'll be able to get a lot more than that.

Erminio immediately punched Loretta in the cheek. He was probably trying not to kill her, but he didn't hesitate for a second.

Fresh blood poured out of Loretta's mouth as she fell.

She must have cut her mouth open.

”......Uh......

That's what you get for betraying my trust!　You betrayed my trust, you should have carried your baggage and tried to find a way to survive until the end!　That's why women's brains are so ......!

”Goben...... Naza...... Erminio......

In a half-cry, Loretta sullenly apologizes to Erminio, who yells at her.

Loretta knows that there is no point in arguing at a time like this.

Erminio's good mood is more important than her own pride in order to win a fortune.

Besides, to Erminio, magic items are just things that he can ask his parents for.

To Erminio, the magic item is just something that he can ask his parents for. He is just angry that his face has been damaged. He'll get over it.

He'll be in a better mood soon enough. ”Hey, mister ......, this is not the time for that. We'll talk about it when you get home. ......

............ Shit. Hey, Loretta, pick that up for me.

Yes, .......

Edgar intervenes and Erminio resolves the conflict.

He's an adventurer, too, and he's not foolish enough to stand alone in the middle of hostile territory yelling at each other endlessly.

Loretta re-collected the pile of magic items (including the wreckage) into her storage spell.

'This is your fault too, Edgar. You overlooked the transference trap. This will be deducted from your reward. Remember that.

”Hey, .......

Edgar didn't talk back.

There was a good reason why he had overlooked the transfer trap.

I don't know why it was detected even though I had blocked its presence with magic items and hid myself from its surroundings by projecting a phantom image, and I don't know how or where I could have placed the trap to create a transition zone in such a place. It was an unknown technology.

I wanted to excuse myself and say that it wasn't Edgar's lack of ability, but that there was something wrong with the other party, and I wanted to find out what it was before I left if possible, but telling Erminio now would only make him angry. It would be better to wait a little while.

You didn't get caught in the transition zone, did you?　Do you know how to get here?

Of course I do. There was a hidden door or something along the way, but I put a wedge in it to keep it shut.

All right, then, let's head back that way.

The three of them move quickly.

The narrow paths in the dungeon were unlit, but thanks to the ”owl glasses,” there was no difficulty in getting around.

In addition, Edgar put on a pair of monocles, which he hooked over his glasses.

To Edgar's eyes, the walls and floors of the labyrinth seemed to be decorated with lines of blue-white light that formed geometric trails.

This pair of glasses is a magic item called the ”Craftsman's Lens,” which allows you to see the magical power flowing through an object. If you can see the magic tank inside the structure and where the magic is flowing from there, you can get a rough idea of where the trap is.

The rest is a matter of your skill as a thief.

Give me one of them.

Hey.

Edgar, who was dressed strangely, wearing a pair of dark glasses over each eye, handed one of his ”master's lenses” to Erminio.

Erminio begins to walk around, looking at his surroundings. Loretta followed behind him, looking deflated.

'Now that the trap has been activated, the enemy will be aware of it. It's too dangerous for us to be separated in this state. Let's get out of here first.

...... What about you, holy knights?

It would be best if they could join us, but they may not be alive. It's not a good idea to look for them.

It's their job to keep me safe. If I risk my life to save theirs, then we're talking at cross purposes. If I see you on the way and can help you, I'll help you.

”Yes, sir.

Erminio says as if it were obvious.

Edgar was not without his thoughts, but he did not say anything in particular.

What was important to Edgar was the reward he would receive from the Drouet family, and for that, it was important for him to return alive.

Loretta, of course, had no objection.

The three of them hurried home as if they were being pushed by eerie footsteps echoing from somewhere.

Since Edgar had already been to this place by himself, he had already found most of the traps, and the walk was so smooth that it was hard to believe that they were walking through a dungeon.

However, when they entered a small room with what looked like construction materials, Erminio stopped.

...... Edgar, what's that?　Is there anything buried under the ground?

Erminio was looking straight down.

When Edgar followed Erminio's gaze, he saw through the flow of magic that covered the floor like a net, far below.