Chapter 14 - Even So, I’ll Walk Together with the Blessings of this Unwanted Power

…We kept on clearing out the monsters of the dungeon after that. I haven't opened my mouth since then and I can feel that Sybilla has become a bit uncomfortable. Even if that's the case, she's still trying to indifferently clear the monsters. I guess Sybilla has lots of mana on her own too as it looks like she won't be running out anytime soon. We now memorize the pathways of the first floor and continue our search for remaining monsters. [….ah.] [Wu-what happened?] After I said something after a long while since then, Sybilla reacted exaggeratedly. I stepped on the rolling goblin's head and talked about what happened after sighing. [I'm level 8. And I learned it.] [Eh?] [] Our bodies emitted a faint light and it felt like a slight breeze came over. Ofcourse, nothing happened. It's because we haven't had any injuries or poison since earlier. So, there was nothing to cure in our bodies at all. [Really… This is just too dull after all.] […] Sybilla started pointing her fingers at me again with her mouth opening and closing repeatedly. Well, I know how surprised you are but… [I—I can't believe it… For that magic to really exist–!] [You've already talked about it, right? If Extra Heals can have a link magic, then shouldn't it be obvious for cure as well which is a lower magic?] [EXCUSE ME!? A mass healing magic for treating physical injury and a mass cure magic to restore everyone's status from abnormal conditions are on totally different levels! If the highest form of recovery magic for abnormal conditions, a pure , can be casted to everyone, then wouldn't that completely change the tides of a battle!?] Hm? There's something in Sybilla's answer that I am curious about. [What do you mean by a pure ?] [You see, priests learn different forms of . There's Paralysis Cure for shock or state of paralysis, Hypnosis Cure for state of confusion or hypnotism, or Poison Cure for state of intoxication. And encompassing all of those is the pure Cure. This is the only wall for the recovery mages at level 10. At the same time, if a person learns it, he can live just by relying on donations and grants alone.] As I listen to what Sybilla is talking about, I recall the several magics that she asked about earlier. […Then, the magic that you're asking me earlier that I don't have…] [I thought it was for obvious reasons why you don't have it. Since you have cure then that's the only thing you needed. ] [Then, what about the you talked about?] [All of those are included already in your cure, or heal maybe? Just think about it. How could it be possible for a mage like me to walk all this time in an uneven solid ground of the dungeon with a pair of slim and slender feet?] Now that she mentions it, my fatigue goes off whenever I cast heal. [In a way, it is much more useful the enchantment magic. It's the ability to be able to move forward without getting tired for a very long time.] [Is that so…] [Your previous party, including you, have failed to notice it, no?] As I am trying to figure out what to feel with this sudden realization of the strength of my abilities, I noticed that Sybilla moved closer to me. She looks pretty serious. When she arrived on my side, she pulled her right arm behind and gave my back a huge slap. It felt like my body got a little shock and I can't help but groan a bit. Just as what is this girl trying to do!? When I was about to ask, her next words numb the irritation I felt inside. [I don't have any idea how you feel or what you really wanted to be but for me, I would like you to know that you are more than powerful and your strength is something you can be proud of.] […] [You see, Link magic can be casted on all people you recognize as your ally. Sure, it must be hard to cast magic for someone you can't see, but it is possible to cast it on them no matter where they are.] [No matter where they are? What does that mean?] [The most extreme example could be 'A castle town being plagued by a deadly disease' or something like that. As long as you have enough mana, such a thing a kingdom recognizes as a disaster, can be dispelled with just a single magic if it's you.] [That's…] [Oh, I just realized something else too. This is about a legend of a village probably being saved by that magic. 'The Legends of the Holy Maiden, the Goddess' Prayer'. Now I think I know the trick behind it.] The Legends of the Holy Maiden, the Goddess' Prayer. It is a story of the benevolent Holy Maiden's act of love and compassion as she offered prayers to the Goddess to help a village being surrounded by a miasma of curse and successfully driving it away all by herself. In response to the Holy Maiden's loving and heartfelt prayer, the Goddess has mercifully removed the miasma surrounding the village and cured everyone in the village from their curse at the very same day. However, in exchange for that miracle, the Holy Maiden was forced to fall asleep for several days. [–Or so they said but it's not~ she just secretly used Cure Link to everyone surrounding the village and fell asleep due to mana exhaustion. What goddess' mercy, so stupid. That Holy Maiden sure is an unbelievable girl keeping it down while getting everyone to praise her in awe and honor in their heads.] Ah… I see. Since I learned it at level 8, the Holy Maiden whose level is higher than me at that time, can naturally cast cure link without chanting. And that Holy Maiden didn't say that she used recovery magic and kept it a secret. …How could this be… Once this fact is known, won't the very foundation of the image of the legendary Holy Maiden crumble? [So? How was it? To finally realize that you hold the very same power of the people in the legends? Still going to sulk for those magic?] [….No..] I'm not that stupid to still complain about my abilities after hearing all of that. Even I can understand now after Sybilla explained how amazing my powers could be if properly used. As an adventurer, these abilities might not be able to be really useful in dungeon crawls. However, for me to be able to create a legend with just a single magic, I can't just say anymore that it is just too dull. This magic is the undeniable proof that I am the same with people who once were legendary existences. I've been really taking my abilities too lightly, and if this girl hasn't said anything, I might have continued to underestimate it. I then look to Sybilla. [Hey. Thank you. For lots of things.] [Oh~ my little tsundere has finally gotten honest with his feelings. You've fallen already to this wonderful lady, no?] This girl has gotten carried away right off the bat so I decided to give her head a light chop. [Aww!] [That could have happened if you didn't say any of that. So maybe I won't be falling for you for a while longer.] [Ugh…] Looking at the cheeky mage's dejected face that looked like a kid that just ate something bitter, I can feel my lips loosening to a bit of a smile. …Ah really. This girl helps me feel at ease without me knowing. [We'll keep this pace up and wipe all the monsters here on the first floor. Can your mana hold on?] [Fufufu, so easy. I can see your mana drying up before me.] [We'll see.] And so we resumed the dungeon crawl once again. . After exploring for a little more while, we were now able to get familiarized with the whole first floor while walking. There is a stair heading down below in front of us. I still find it hard to believe how we were able to clear everything in the first floor by ourselves before heading down to the next floor. [We were able to kill four dungeon scarlet bats. If we include the other one outside, there's a total of five. It's amazing how the village is still fine until now.] [So there's that much huh. No wonder one has gotten out of the dungeon. Well, it's good that the gates in the village are closed and held curfews early.] [But with this, the kids don't have to worry about playing in the garden even until the evening.] Upon hearing my words, Sybilla looked at me with her lips curling up into a smile. [Aren't you really kind to children?] [I'm kind not just to kids though.] [Wouldn't it be nice if you're kind to me too?] [I'm kind enough to you already though] [I wonder if those words really came from your mouth.] I decided to ignore Sybilla and cut the conversation from there and started to get down the stairs. It's finally the second floor. There are five floors which compose the upper levels. Let's see how will things work out. When we arrived at the end of the stairs, the ground on the second floor is… Purple. Even the walls are strangely arranged somehow. And in front of us is a very wide space in darkness. [What's this place?] The dungeon has a normal rock surface from the first layer to the fifth floors. Then starting on the sixth floor, it becomes blue. That place is where the middle level starts. It is the place where the dungeon's adventurers face real danger as it's the birthplace of very strong monsters. [How….how could this be possible…] [Sybilla? Shouldn't we still be in the upper levels?] I look at Sybilla who looks full of cold sweat as she stares in front without even glancing at me. I look in front too but I can't see anything beyond the darkness of the dungeon. I wonder what she is looking at. [Oi, Sybilla!] I decided to call out to her stronger this time for her to respond. However, she still didn't give me a look and just kept on staring there. [Dungeons are divided into upper, middle, and deeper levels. That should have been the case, normally.] [Normally?] Sybilla started to explain as she tried to squeeze out words while keeping her eyes in front. [The middle level's surface is blue, the deeper level's is red. And the purple is –] [Purple is?] [The bottom level… Or also called [Hell]] And then Sybilla raised her shield returning her full attention to the darkness in front. –kts kts I can hear footsteps. When I took a look… There's a person's silhouette now in there whose body is all colored in black while its eyes are nothing but red and are really creepy to look at. Are there any monsters like that? No… In the first place, is that even a monster? [The first floor was full of black goblins and the second floor is already the bottom level. How could this dungeon be so absurd!?] [Sybilla, what's with that guy!?] Who would have thought that the one to answer my panic stricken question was the dark shadow itself. [Fumu, are you talking about me?] The creepy silhouette speaks like a man with a murky voice that is hard to listen to. [Iyaa, it sure took a lot of time for me to make the first floor more difficult. I haven't even made the third floor and before I could make my own room there are guests that have already arrived. Quite excellent, indeed.] [Seriously, who the heck are you!?] The mysterious shadow's out of place calm self talk and creepiness made me throw the question in a rather strong tone. The shadow responded an 'ah' and then clapped its hands. [Welcome. I am the Adoria Dungeon's Dungeon Maker] [Dungeon Maker?] The one who responded to my mumble is Sybilla. [Well, I don't really have much idea on Dungeon Makers.] [You don't have much idea?] She gave me a little gaze for a moment and nodded her head before looking back in front. [While the bottom level is also called Hell, the Dungeon Maker's are also known in another name –] And then, I heard her say a rather really familiar name [— Demon Lord.]