Chapter 65

"…Someone is fighting. They seem to be having a tough time."

Currently, our party is circling the Dusk Forest for leveling up. As usual, we descended into the dungeon and were exploring the Dusk Forest when Sheila put her hand to her ear, closed her eyes, and said something like that.

"Which direction?"

"That way. Shall I lead?"

"Sure."

Following Sheila, we ran through the forest at a speed that wouldn't split up the party. There's no harm in helping other parties in the dungeon, but it would be pointless if we ended up in a double disaster.

--- The place where the fight was happening wasn't that far away.

However, the ones there were not an adventurer group but a knight's exploration team.

"Damn it! What the hell is this? This creepy voice!"

"Ku... So! My head feels fuzzy..."

"Pull yourself together! Wake up!"

While calling out to her fallen comrades, Mercodia was swinging her sword at numerous Kira Plants, fighting alone. Some of her comrades were entangled by tree roots and couldn't move. A broken lantern lay at their feet. Despite being outnumbered, Mercodia was attracting and effectively controlling the Kira Plants. She was cutting down the Kira Plants in front of her and throwing blades of fighting spirit at the Kira Plants heading towards her fallen comrades.

The fallen soldiers seemed to have been put to sleep by the Whisper Mushrooms. A red transmigration stone had been activated, and a return gate had opened, but they couldn't evacuate because they were asleep. ...Hmm. They were neatly trapped in the Dusk Forest. It's a good thing it didn't get worse. However, we can't afford to be too relaxed. The bushes in the forest were shaking... and a new group of Kira Plants was gathering.

"I'm going."

Grace, without hesitation, charged towards the Kira Plants coming from the depths of the bushes towards Mercodia.

"Ashley, take care of the sleeping ones. Sheila, support Mercodia. Ilm, cover the two of them."

"Got it!"

"Understood."

"Leave my back to you."

After giving quick instructions, they each got to work.

I will... kick away the mushrooms casting sleep spells in the bushes. If I wake them up and they put me to sleep again, that would be no good.

I lobbed a fireball into the deep bushes, and a group of Whisper Mushrooms came out in a panic, burning.

One of them, still on fire, headed towards Ashley, who was helping the soldiers, but she sent it back in the direction it came from with her long mace. It was bounced back by tree roots in mid-air and scattered around the forest, creating a rather unusual scene.

"--- Saved."

"Exactly. If you hadn't come, who knows what would have happened."

Mercodia let out a deep breath.

With our party's support and the soldiers awakened, we no longer had a numerical disadvantage.

After dealing with the Kira Plants and taking a breather, Mercodia and the soldiers thanked us.

Upon hearing their story, it turned out that a fairy light they were using for illumination was knocked down during the fight with the Kira Plants, and one of the soldiers, in a state of confusion, lit a lantern.

This caused the Kira Plants to gather while the soldiers were being restrained by tree roots... and so on.

Then, while they were struggling with the Kira Plants, the Whisper Mushrooms cast a sleep spell, and they failed to resist, one by one falling asleep, and were eventually overwhelmed by numbers.

It seems they fell into a typical trap for first-timers.

"Fairy lights should be carried in abundance."

It's best to keep spares in a bag or something.

"Thank you. I will take your advice to heart."

Mercodia nodded seriously, taking off her helmet. It seems the visor of her helmet was broken, and it was obstructing her vision.

"Is Mercodia in charge of the Dusk Forest?"

"Yes. Our assignment is training in this forest, but..."

"...Captain Mercodia."

"What is it?"

One of the soldiers timidly suggested.

"Isn't it possible to hire adventurers? Can't we get their help?"

"That's... difficult."

"Why?"

"We had a dispute with the adventurers the other day. I can't go to them now and say, 'You were in the way then, but we need your help now.' I think we should retreat and retrain on a higher floor. During this time, I will re-study this forest."

...I wish I could tell that to some Fernando.

"...Understood."

The soldiers seemed to agree with Mercodia's words.

"But, are you going to collect transmigration stones in this forest?"

"...Right. We used the red one just now."

Mercodia closed her eyes for a moment, then turned to me and bowed.

"Sir Theodor. I know this is a shameless request, but could you accompany us until we return? Of course, I will pay you a formal fee as a request."

Not for the investigation, but until the return.

It's correct not to ask us to sell red transmigration stones in the dungeon.

The reason she changed her mind is probably because, as a captain, her priority is to get everyone back safely, given the current low morale.

I looked at everyone for their opinions, and they nodded. Well, it's a matter of helping people.

"Understood. I'll take it."

From what I saw of the battle just now... once they woke up, the soldiers fought quite steadily. I think they have the ability to handle the Dusk Forest as long as they don't fall into unexpected situations.

What they need is experience, and knowledge of the dungeon.

So, I decided to show them how to navigate the Dusk Forest while we proceed.

Just paying attention to two points—regularly recasting the spell to protect against the Whisper Mushrooms' sleep spell and properly using the fairy lights—can significantly reduce the danger of the Dusk Forest.

Using fairy lights as a light source and carrying spares is good, but occasionally casting a healing spell on them can make them last longer and increase their brightness. It's not a good idea to light a magical light, thinking it's not fire, as it can easily wake up sleeping Kira Plants.

The rest is sticking to the basics. Carefully scouting and avoiding monsters, spotting camouflaged Kira Plants and taking them out one by one with preemptive attacks.

We were collecting transmigration stones while carefully navigating the dungeon in this manner... when Sheila, who was leading, stopped and stared into the depths of the bushes on the side of the path.

"Huh? Is something wrong?"

If it were an enemy, Sheila would have clearly said so.

"Something... I'm not sure."

She gave a rare, hesitant answer. I followed her gaze, but all I could see were the scattered lights of fairy lights in the dark forest.

"Over there?"

Ilm pointed to a corner of the bushes, and Sheila nodded.

I used Life Detection and saw that, indeed, something was there.

A small reaction. The glow of a warm-blooded animal. And the silhouette—was that of a human girl?

The bushes rustled, and a face appeared from above. When I returned to normal vision after canceling the spell... I met the gaze of a pair of golden eyes.

Black hair that blended into the darkness and a face that seemed to float.

"A girl?"

"Why is she here?"

The soldiers voiced their questions. It's a valid question. There are child adventurers, including myself, but a solo child in the Dusk Forest is... quite unusual. Or did she get separated from her group?

The girl stared at us for a moment, then turned and moved deeper into the forest, shaking the bushes.

"Hey, hey!"

"It's dangerous! Come back!"

The soldiers called out and rushed into the bushes after her. Well, indeed. If she's a child adventurer separated from her group, she should be protected.

"The girl just now... somewhere—"

Ilm, looking dazed, muttered.

It seems... not choosing to pursue her is not an option.

"Protection."

A defensive light magic of the 6th tier. A thin veil of light with a defense level comparable to metal armor. I cast this protective barrier and followed the girl through the bushes.

I soon noticed something strange. The speed at which she moved through the bushes was abnormally fast. It was difficult to close the distance.

I thought about going ahead alone, but if it was a strategy to split us up, it would be disastrous, so I couldn't rush ahead.

Eventually, we reached the outer edge of the Dusk Forest.

In other words, the outer wall of the dungeon that surrounds the forest. It was there, hidden between the trees.

A closed door with multiple layers of elliptical reliefs carved into it.

In front of this sealed door stood the girl in an out-of-place dress—

"What...?"

"Hey, is this a joke?"

The girl touched the door, and like water seeping in, she disappeared to the other side.

I looked at Ilm. She usually smiles, but this time her eyes were wide.

"Ilm, do you know the girl just now?"

I asked in a whisper, and she furrowed her brow.

"I don't... I think I've seen her somewhere, but I'm not sure."

Ilm's vague memory is—nothing other than from the dungeon era.

The way she disappeared, as if melting into the wall of the dungeon... and the fact that she is likely not an intruder to the dungeon.

And this door.

"A sealed door, huh?"

Should I say we found it, or that we were led here by the girl just now?

However, the design of the reliefs on this door is quite different from what I know.

These reliefs must have a meaning, based on Kei's experience. I should remember them accurately.

If I need to remember the patterns in detail, it would be best to leave it to Caduceus.