Chapter 58: Knight in Custody
"Now!"
As Sheela shouted while leaping back, having slashed and diced the Angry Mashes with her daggers, Ashley's magic was unleashed.
"Water Cutter!"
Ashley's water blade counteracted the charging Angry Mashes, striking them diagonally. While not enough to sever them, it inflicted deep wounds upon their bodies.
In quick succession, there came a pursuit from IlmHilt. While she should have been providing cover by shooting arrows at various monsters, she had somehow switched roles with Sheela.
A powerful strike from the tail swept the legs out from under an Angry Mash. While it tumbled, Kaduceus extended from Ashley's shadow, impaling it mercilessly.
"I can't afford to lose either, can I?"
Grace battled against a massive tree - the Evil Willow. This creature, resembling a willow tree with hollows and lumps forming humanoid faces on its trunk, attacked by whipping its flexible branches. The strategy of maintaining distance wasn't viable, as it launched razor-sharp leaves like shurikens.
While preoccupied with upward attacks, it used its roots to immobilize and trip, making it quite a troublesome adversary.
However, the branch swung for an attack was severed before even touching Grace.
Her axe handling had grown even more impressive recently. She swung the heavy axe in both hands as if it were a toy, pulverizing anything it touched.
The Willow tried to resist with its branches, but it couldn't halt Grace's relentless advance. Eventually, she drove her axe imbued with fighting spirit into its face, toppling it with a single strike.
"Phew."
Grace's expression revealed her unwavering composure.
Meanwhile, I was dealing with a pack of over 20 Gray Wolves.
These wolves were intelligent beings, their danger determined by the size of the pack and the Alpha Wolf's personality and strength. However, the labyrinth wolves didn't pay much heed to the pack's losses, so one must be cautious even when inflicting injuries as they wouldn't retreat easily.
I stood on water spheres, walking on water's surface, using the spheres as platforms to adjust my combat distance flexibly. I entangled the wolves, which approached from various angles, within the rotations of my Dragon Staff, launching, sweeping, and blowing them away.
"Now—"
Having scattered the wolf pack, only the larger boss wolf remained. It growled at me, leaping side to side as it approached.
As it closed in, I scooped up a water sphere beneath my feet with my Dragon Staff and launched it towards the boss wolf. The water sphere branched into multiple smaller streams, attacking the wolf from all sides. Aqua Whip, a 5th-level water magic.
The boss wolf attempted to jump away, but I had control over the water whip. Just as it seemed to be evaded, the whip froze in my hand, extending until it reached the wolf's body. Like a glacier eating into the land, it penetrated the wolf's body without mercy.
"It's feeling quite good. Our coordination is improving."
Our understanding of each other's movements had deepened, leading us to adapt more flexibly to various situations.
But there was still much to learn. We needed more real combat experience against monsters and to build up our strength.
"Why are you guys complaining?"
Returning from the usual ritual of skinning and collecting, I found Chester berating his subordinates at the entrance plaza of the labyrinth.
"Well, you see, Lord Chester. Why the route through the sewer? The others are headed towards different areas. That... leads to the large putrid lake, right?"
One of the subordinates raised his eyes, delivering the report hesitantly to Chester.
The large putrid lake. It was understandable that the subordinates were apprehensive about going there. Even I didn't want to go there.
I couldn't help but wonder... is Chester really planning to go there?
"What is the big deal about the putrid lake? We serve a glorious kingdom. If others won't do it, then shouldn't we?"
It seemed that way. Willingly undertaking tasks that others found distasteful.
Chivalry is all well and good, but it would be wise to come up with a plan before rushing in. Those places are quite challenging to deal with through sheer determination and chivalrous spirit alone. Especially when investigating that particular area.
I assume Chester would have done some information gathering if he's contemplating going to that place...?
"What's the matter, Lord Chester? You seem quite agitated again."
Approaching Chester and the group, another knight addressed him.
"Fernando... it's just that their attitudes are lacking, that's all. It's frustrating."
It seems like an acquaintance of Chester's. The young man called Fernando had a smile on his face.
"I hear that many groups are struggling with unexplored labyrinths. Is it alright if you continue without rushing?"
"Yeah, that's right."
Chester furrowed his brow slightly.
"Rather than that, Lord Chester, Sir Greg and Princess Rosemary were worried about you. How about returning to the royal castle even now?"
"It's heartwarming that they're concerned for me, but I've realized my abilities are still lacking. I have no intention of returning to the Wyvern Squad."
When Chester firmly stated this, Fernando shrugged his shoulders.
"It seems... your determination is firm."
"A knight keeps his word. What about you, didn't you volunteer for labyrinth exploration?"
"I've been delving into the labyrinth and occasionally visiting the royal castle as well. Even if I don't return to the Wyvern Squad, I could still visit Princess Rosemary, right?"
"No, it won't work. My resolve would weaken."
"I understand."
Fernando didn't seem to have a particularly strong intention to persuade further.
"Then we will head back into the labyrinth."
"Yes, best of luck."
"And you too."
Chester led his subdued subordinates toward the labyrinth, disappearing from the stone monument.
Fernando, left behind, had a faint smile on his lips, but he too vanished toward the temple's exterior.
...Fernando, huh? He mentioned Greg and Rosemary's names, so he might be associated with that Greg. Come to think of it, considering that Greg was being considered as Chester's successor, the atmosphere and appearance match.
"...The person just now seemed quite delighted."
Ashley tilted his head in puzzlement. Hm, he's observing the right details.
While Chester himself might not be aware of his decline, to Fernando, it probably feels like his rival has fallen and an opportunity has presented itself.
"Oh, Theodore's here."
In that manner, some others approached us and called out. They were members of the Forestbird group.
"Hello."
"Yes, hello."
Lucian and Ilmhirde exchanged smiles and bows. Now that I think about it, they do have a similar vibe or compatibility. Their demeanor hadn't changed since we first met. It's comforting that they maintain a relaxed attitude.
"Is the exploration going well?"
"Yeah. Had some trouble with a Rockturtle at first, but it's not much of a problem now. When you smack it with this hammer, it gets a bit dazed, you see."
Fitz raised the hefty warhammer he was carrying on his shoulder and grinned.
A Rockturtle is a creature resembling a turtle with a rocky shell that emerges from the old mine shaft. It's not very fast, but it can camouflage itself, so you need to be cautious about surprise attacks.
Fitz used to wield a sword like Robin, but he seems to have upgraded his weapon to suit the creatures in the mine. Looking closely, his equipment appeared newer, suggesting his earnings were going well.
"We're about to have lunch. Would you like to join us?"
"Oh, but what about the labyrinth exploration?"
The Forestbird group usually went exploring after noon.
"We were in a bit of a rush due to a mining request deadline. We've been working really hard for the past few days."
It's a request posted on the Adventurer's Guild board.
"Well, since we couldn't hang out together last time, how about we make up for it and go eat somewhere?"
"Sounds good. I know a great place."
With that, Forestbird and I began ascending a spiral passage towards the upper part of the temple. Along the way, we passed a familiar face.
Oh, right. Those are the folks who had a disagreement with the Knights.
Hmm. Not only with them, but I've been seeing more familiar faces at the labyrinth entrance and the Adventurer's Guild lobby.
It seems like I've become accustomed to life in Termwills. Even so, the absence of Jasper's figure among them is somewhat bothering me.