Now that everyone knew how to use mana, I thought that they would be able to defend themselves with their magic. But I was wrong.
"We don't have enough MP to cast the lowest tier magic spell." David informed me.
According to their system, the magic they have has 10 tiers. Each tier has 3 spells. Their mana was not enough to construct the magic circle and execute the lowest MP costing spell that they have unlocked. Since it couldn't be helped, we decided that it was time to leave this dungeon. We had no more food and water. We were also still inside the boss room which was not the safest place to be in.
I dropped Albert onto the floor. He will be our guide to the exit and also to the nearest town. I distributed his equipment to the others. David and Jeff each had a shortsword and the girls were using the knives.
"Ouch… Couldn't you have put me down more gently?" Albert said.
"Yes, but I didn't want to. We're leaving this dungeon. Now that they can use mana, feel free to talk to them."
"That quick?! It's only been a few hours…"
Albert seemed surprised. I wondered what the normal learning speed should be to have him so worked up. When I asked, he told me that it normally took years for someone to start utilizing mana starting from zero. Children had to start learning at the age of 5 to become proficient in mana usage by the age of 13. It seems that the imagination and creativity of the people here weren't that good.
We followed Albert as he led the way to the dungeon's exit. Along the way, my classmates kept asking him questions about this world. I learned a lot of basic knowledge by listening in. If I had a question, I would ask David to ask Albert in my place.
One day has 24 hours similar to Earth. One year has 360 days, one month has 30 days, and one week has 6 days. The six days are named after the six basic elements fire, water, earth, wind, light, and dark.
I wanted to know if David and Danae's metal and space magic were elements too but Albert didn't know. There wasn't a formal education system for magic in the Cloud Kingdom but the Beastman Kingdom to the east had a Magic Academy. I was quite interested in the Magic Academy. I might be able to find a method to return to Earth if I studied there. Unfortunately, the Beastman Kingdom and the Cloud Kingdom were separated by huge and expansive mountains called the Kairne Mountain range. It was filled with high level monsters so the only way to reach the Beastman Kingdom was by ship. This world had airships but even those can't go over the Kairne Mountain range without encountering dangerous monsters.
While we were moving towards the exit, we encountered many cockroaches. David and Jeff were left to deal with them as Danae and Fran were not good with bugs. It was a good opportunity for them to level up and for Jeff to get used to his artificial leg. We planned to get his leg fixed up in Lam City which was our current goal.
"David looks like he has a bit of a background with swordsmanship. Jeff has a good build but lacks experience. His injury is also hindering him." Albert said while evaluating the two who were fighting the cockroaches.
"You sound like a teacher. Why don't you go out there and show them how it's done?" I egged him on. If David and Jeff could learn from an actual Swordsman like Albert, their chances for survival would rise.
"Would that be considered as another of your favors?" He asked me.
"Forget it. The Adventurer's Guild will probably have trainings that they can participate in." I said while I threw a mud spear at an invisible Cockroach Charger that was about to hit Jeff.
"Thanks!" He said when he saw what I did.
"Why do you care so much for them anyways? I can see that they each have a special magic on their status despite only being Commoners, but what do you get out of helping them?" Albert seemed rather curious and suspicious of me.
"I told you already. I'm researching a subject that they might be able to help me with. How about you? Why was your squad so intent on killing them? How did you even know that they would show up here in the first place?" To stop him from asking me anymore questions that might give me away, I asked him questions too.
"We were just following orders. If anyone knew the answer to your question, it would be the Sergeant." He replied. That guy in the armor huh. He was still on the top of my hit list. I learned from Albert that William was actually his brother.
"Do you have a family, Albert Rekett?"
"… I do. My mother lives with my much younger brother in Aqua Port City. My father died on a mission for the army."
"Then they should be hearing about your death soon enough. How do you think they would feel once they hear that you followed in your father's footsteps?"
"…"
"I picture that they wouldn't be too happy unless you were an unruly child growing up."
"…Shut up. I'll go to them once you release me and clear up the misunderstanding." He said while getting emotional.
"Alright alright. It must be nice to have the chance to return to your family. I feel sorry for those kids who can't even contact theirs and with people like you coming after their lives for who knows whatever reason." I said with a hint of contempt in my voice.
"… That's just how the world works. If you are weak, you will lose your life to the strong. If it wasn't me or my squad, they would have died to the countless monsters in this world." He said.
I agreed with Albert's words. But…
"But they aren't from this world. They told me that their world was a peaceful one. It was a time with no wars or monsters. They were dragged here against their will by the machinations of someone or something that you call your superiors." I had no proof of what I said but I felt that my [Foresight] skill was telling me it was true. Logically speaking, a person who knows that you are at a certain location during a certain time and sends people to kill you there will also be partially responsible for you being at that location in the first place.
"They must have had their reason to give an order to kill such young children. You must become strong in order to survive." Albert stated.
"Is your family strong Albert?"
"No. They are normal citizens. I joined the army in order to protect them."
"Let's say your mother and your brother were one day suddenly conscripted to fight against a wave of monsters. Having no combat training or experience, how do you think they would turn out?"
Albert was speechless at my words.
"And to make matters worse, some people around them were ordered to kill them. What are their chances of survival in that certain scenario?"
He looked right at me with a gaze full of confidence when I said my words.
"The Royal Army exists in order to not let such a scenario happen. We protect the citizens with our lives on the line!"
"The Royal Army was the one who wanted to kill those citizens." I replied back.
"These kids are not citizens of our Cloud Kingdom!" Looks like Albert caught on to my train of thought.
"Does that mean it's alright for you kill them? If you were ordered to kill your mother and your brother because they were no longer considered as citizens of the Cloud Kingdom, would you do it?"
Albert looked at me with eyes full of hatred. I wanted to see how loyal he was to the kingdom. David and Jeff had finished off the cockroaches long ago and everyone was now watching me and Albert.
"… I will do it. If there ever comes a time, then there will be a good reason for the order to be given. I-"
Before Albert could continue speaking, I controlled the mud armor on him and encased him with it. I then immediately activated Dissolve. Albert was a loyalist to the kingdom. If I let him live, I had no doubt that we would report us to the army one way or another. We had gotten sufficient information from him anyways. The rest, we can learn about in Lam City.
[Skill Mana Coating acquired through Assimilation.]
A skill that lets me put a layer of mana over items. This could lead to better protection on armor, sharper blades, and might even ward off monsters.
Seeing me kill a man who was helping us a moment ago unsettled my classmates.
"Don't forget that he was sent here to kill us. Be careful of who you trust."
I was looking directly at Fran when I said these words.
"Also don't hesitate to kill. Fran and Danae, you can't stay behind David and Jeff forever. Adapt or die."
Everyone had mixed feelings towards me. Fran, Danae, and Jeff weren't looking very optimistic, but David looked at me approvingly. It wasn't looking good at all if we were to become a team later on. Disharmony within a party could lead to terrible consequences. But I don't regret saying what I did. The sooner these guys can adapt to this type of world, the better their survivability.
I walked ahead of them and used Sensing to feel the draft that was coming from the entrance of the dungeon. Finally, after getting transported to another world, I will get to see the outside.
CHAPTER END.
Name: Ruby Sen Lv. 13
Age: 17
Race: Half-Human?
Class: Half-Magical Creature
Job: - Lv. 13
HP: 10 [32%]
MP: 15 [100%]
STR: 10 (+5)
DEF: 10 (+25)
INT: 17
WILL: 15
SPD: 10
<
Assimilate
Mana Manipulation
Physical Resistance
Weaponized Limbs
Foresight
Shapeshift
Mana Absorption
<
Dissolve
Body Enhancement
Mind Enhancement
Mana Release
Sensing
Camouflage
Sculpting
Detonate
Spawn
Appraisal Analysis
Lesser Heal
Mana Coating
<
Tongue Enhancement