Chapter 13

Jin probably hopes we'll stay here. It's like Mia's basic instinct.

But Saebel and I were walking diligently.

Saebel looked around with anxious eyes. In fact, she was mostly looking at me.

'Sure enough, separating from the group was the right answer.'

I deliberately triggered the trap to leave Saebel and me here.

There are a few reasons for this.

One is Quinie's quick insight.

I've done this dungeon several times, so I remember almost all the trap locations.

Without realizing it, I had briefly glanced at one of those locations, and she noticed.

At the very least, it's better to be away from Quinie inside this dungeon.

Another reason is Saebel.

Saebel's fate is manipulated according to her desires.

The dungeon exploration so far, even if we put it nicely, was not the situation she wanted.

She is interested in Aster. She wants to see Aster's prowess and hopes to make progress in their relationship.

But that's not a pleasant thing for me. I know Saebel is the villain.

Of course, this world's Saebel might be a bit different.

However, during the countless times I've played, Saebel hasn't changed. I don't have the confidence to change her now.

So, it's better for Aster and Saebel to stay apart.

The problem is that damn fate manipulation.

If Saebel's desires are not fulfilled, some unpredictable variable might hit us.

Even in this low-level dungeon, a monster from the 'outside' that doesn't fit here could appear, especially for Saebel.

So, before that happens.

I will participate in her fate manipulation.

"Stay away from me."

As soon as we were alone, Saebel's guard was at its maximum.

This is probably her real perception of me. Her disgust, and a fear similar to that.

Seeing Saebel's unfeigned face was quite refreshing. I doubt many people have seen it.

However, a low-level dungeon is a dangerous place for two first-year students.

Even if Saebel doesn't like it, staying apart from me is dangerous.

Monsters can be dealt with, but traps are something first-year students usually can't detect.

But I know all the traps.

Incidentally, I store them in the 'workshop' whenever I find them.

Now, then.

Let's try to change Saebel's 'desires.'

Click.

I stepped on a stone that protruded unnaturally.

Swoosh!

The same arrow trap as before.

This time, the arrows flew straight at us from the front.

"Ah!"

Knowing where they would fire, I pretended to be surprised.

Saebel was right next to the arrow's trajectory.

"Ah, ah...!"

Saebel trembled, staring at the arrow's tip.

It would have missed anyway. Even if it didn't, Saebel's reaction time would have allowed her to dodge.

Not just Saebel, but most of Constel's combat students would have narrowly reacted. Even if they didn't, her unique luck would have somehow saved her.

But since I blocked it, there was no need for her luck to kick in.

Since luck wasn't needed, it didn't work.

"Sorry, I stepped on a trap."

"You, you...!"

Saebel was already on the verge of tears.

She probably wants to blame me, but with no knowledge of traps, she might not realize I did it on purpose.

Saebel, despite her tears, slowly drew her weapon.

Her sword, thinner than her arm, has a hilt with a guard to protect her hand.

It's a rapier.

I also drew the dagger from my pocket. Originally, it's needed to capture monsters, but it's the only weapon I have. Actually, I don't really need it.

Still, I need to pretend to be tense so Saebel will be too.

"Let's go."

"O-Okay."

Saebel became a bit more compliant. But the distance between us didn't close much.

Hmm.

She's still not fully composed.

- Squeak!

- Ahhh!

- Mommy!

While walking, I deliberately triggered traps and dealt with the incoming attacks myself. Each time, Saebel was startled.

Of course, I don't trigger all the traps. I mostly tell Saebel about their locations and instruct her to avoid them, and I disable the ones I can.

When Saebel's trust in me builds and she gradually feels at ease,

Once in a while.

"Ahhhh! Ahh!!"

This time, it was a trap where the floor collapses.

I grabbed her hand as she almost fell off the edge.

Saebel's body was leaning dangerously towards the cliff.

Her entire body relied solely on my hand for balance. If I let go, she would fall.

"Phew, that was close."

"Save me, save me, save meee!!"

"Since you're saved, calm down."

I pulled her hand. Saebel's body fell into my arms.

Regaining her balance, she trembled, looking at the collapsed floor.

The end of the floor is not visible to the naked eye. Not knowing what's below must be terrifying for Saebel.

But actually, there's nothing. Just a flat surface.

If she falls, she can land calmly without any issues.

"Huh, huh...!"

Saebel clung to me, her suspicion and wariness of me gone.

Of course. Saebel has a strong intuition that her fate is tailored to her, but she doesn't fully realize how powerful it is.

Her good luck isn't something humorous, like dodging an arrow with a sneeze.

In the first place, there's no reason for an arrow to fly at her. She's not put in such situations.

Therefore, Saebel has almost never experienced a situation where an arrow is actually aimed at her.

Not a clumsy luck that overcomes danger, but a powerful luck that eliminates danger itself.

Such powerful luck ironically causes confusion when she truly faces a real crisis.

"Pr-Prondier..."

She's already sobbing, even though she's not hurt.

If she were alone in this situation, she would have felt relieved.

Most traps she wouldn't even know about and would avoid, and if she did step on one, it would fail or be something trivial, which would actually reassure her.

But I step on the traps myself and deal with them. I keep putting her in danger and then removing it.

Since I do what her luck would do, her luck doesn't activate.

In other words, my existence itself is actually Saebel's 'luck.'

But Saebel must be incredibly confused. From her perspective, I also seem to be in danger.

Since it looks like I barely avoid the traps, she doesn't feel the effect of her luck.

'I hope Saebel's desires change this way.'

If her interest in Aster diminishes and she develops a desire to leave this place, I can help her with that.

I know this dungeon.

The path Saebel and I are taking has more traps, but it's actually a shorter route to the 'sanctum.'

The sanctum is the final location of the dungeon, so reaching it means we're almost at the exit.

However, Aster will still reach the sanctum faster.

Aster, burning with a sense of justice, will use his divine power without hesitation to clear the way.

Even if we shorten the distance, we can't catch up to his speed.

"The space is wider here."

While walking, I checked the surroundings. We had entered a much wider area than before.

"Does it matter if it's wider?"

Saebel, who had been closely following me, asked in a frightened voice.

"Traps will be fewer."

"Really?"

This is true. Traps are not usually set in areas with a lot of space to avoid.

Unless the entire area is a trap.

"Where did you learn all this?"

Saebel asked suspiciously.

"From classes."

"From what I know, you always sleep in class."

"Didn't you hear I've been pulling myself together lately?"

It feels strange to talk about myself as if I'm someone else.

Actually, I'm not the real Prondier, so I am someone else.

"Then, if it's not a trap, what else could it be?"

"What else?"

After walking a bit, a group of beasts could be seen in the distance.

Gray fur, red eyes, a hunched back, but they walk on two legs, and their faces resemble rats.

Ratmen.

"There are things like that."

"Ah, I see."

Saebel seemed a bit calmer and lightly swung her rapier.

I also gripped my dagger again.

"Better than traps, right?"

"A hundred, a thousand times better."

The group of ratmen charged at us.

About ten of them.

If they all came at once, it would have been annoying, but seeing them come one by one, it's clearly the intelligence of rats.

Saebel took down the approaching enemies one by one.

Saebel's sword skills have a unique quality. With a rapier, she would mainly use thrusts, but Saebel fights primarily with slashes using that thin blade.

After mastering Aura, she does this even more frequently.

The blade wrapped in Aura doesn't break easily, so it's natural.

"Hey! You! Aren't you going to fight?!"

Saebel, while fighting hard, pressed me.

I shrugged.

"Sorry, I can't fight."

Saebel's face was filled with disbelief.

"Is someone like you a Constel student...?"