Chapter 45

The cold night breeze gradually calmed me down.

If that stupid girl is still fighting the golems on the way, I could just slap her and forcibly bring her back. The problem is if she has already reached the boss.

The boss of the Prolin Dungeon, the "Mithril Golem," is famous for being a "first encounter killer."

After enduring the harsh battle with the golems, you finally reach the boss, only to find a monster that looks like an even larger golem. Everyone thinks, "Ah, this one is probably immune to physical attacks too."

But that's a big mistake. The golem is indeed difficult to damage with physical attacks. You should attack with magic or an overwhelmingly powerful physical attack. But the Mithril Golem is different. It's immune to both physical and magical attacks.

First-time players facing the Mithril Golem without prior information often think, "I'll just use magic," and casually cast something like "Fire Attribute: Third Form." Of course, it does no damage at all. Then the Mithril Golem targets the player and charges in. The player, unable to move due to the post-cast lag, is crushed and dies helplessly.

Once you cast magic, you're almost guaranteed to be killed.

So, what should you do?

It's simple. Don't enter the Prolin Dungeon until you can deal enough physical damage to the Mithril Golem.

Does Sherry have high physical attack power?

Probably not. She's an inefficient spirit mage who uses spirits to fight. In other words, she's more of a "casual player."

Even if she can defeat the golems on the way, she definitely can't defeat the Mithril Golem. As long as she remains a spirit mage, it's an unavoidable trap.

Recently, the Adventurer Guild organized a "Prolin Group Raid," but it failed. The reason is clear. There were no adventurers with physical attacks strong enough to damage the Mithril Golem. And the information that magic doesn't work on the Mithril Golem hasn't spread at all yet.

Of course, Sherry doesn't know that either.

...It's a countdown. Every second counts.

"Hurry up."

As soon as I arrived at the Prolin Dungeon, I abandoned the Seven Stay Oh and ran.

"(I'll guide you.)"

Angolmois seems to be able to track Noimedes' presence. That means Sherry is still alive.

I followed the telepathic guidance and used the "Rook Sword Technique" to cut down the golems. I tried to avoid being targeted and minimized combat, prioritizing speed.

"Hahaha, such weaklings are no match for me!"

Angolmois, perhaps excited by the one-sided battle, spoke with a pleased tone.

"It's been a long time since I've fought! This is what it means to feel the blood pumping and the flesh quivering!"

Laughing loudly, Angolmois looked like a complete evil overlord.

"I might need you to work later, so get ready."

"Understood!"

While wondering why I had to go to such lengths for that woman in the middle of the night, I buried the golems and rushed forward.

* * *

I never had friends when I was little.

I know why. It's my personality.

No one wants to get close to a countess who only says harsh things.

I can't help it. I'm the daughter of a count, and this is my personality. I don't want to change it.

But, to be honest, I was lonely.

Being alone is lonely. Even as a child, I felt this obvious fact and realized that it was due to my personality.

The reason I wanted to learn spirit magic was because of such a guilty reason.

The one and only friend. The existence that would never leave me. That was the great earth spirit, Terra.

I used spirits to fill the void of loneliness.

Looking back, I realize that was something I should never have done.

If I couldn't bear the loneliness, I might have taken someone else's hand and been happy. But I had Terra, so I endured.

Spending my childhood like that, my pride grew, and my personality became even more twisted. I became stubborn, arrogant, jealous of everything, quick to speak my mind, and made enemies, retreating into my shell... Every day, I escaped into a world of just me and Terra. It became a habit.

Now, it's too late to change, too late to fix. It's my habit.

Maybe people like me are called "social misfits"?

Well, I'm a genius spirit mage, a countess, beautiful, and an A-rank adventurer. Whether I'm a misfit or not doesn't matter. I can live alone. I've been living alone all this time.

Yes, I've been living alone.

So... I never knew such comfort.

Talking to someone who accepts my harsh personality could be so comfortable.

It's fine.

...It's fine!

I want a human friend!

After living for 16 years, I finally met someone!

I won't give up! I'll make you admit it! I'll make you acknowledge me!

"Terra! Another one from the right!"

"Yes, Master~"

Following my instructions, Terra cast an earth attribute spell. The magical rocks collided with the approaching golem, shattering its body.

As expected, my Terra. The strongest spirit.

"Well, let's hurry... Oh?"

"This is...?"

We entered a large dome-shaped cavern.

In the center, a towering, glowing white rock.

"---Master! Get back!"

Terra shouted. I froze at the urgency in her voice, which I had never heard before.

"W-What...!?"

With a thunderous roar, the giant rock began to move.

It swelled to three times its size—no, it "stood up."

"...G-Golem...!?"

So big!? I've never heard of anything like this!

"This is the boss, Master. We can't win! Let's run!"

Boss.

So, this is it.

"...Terra, let's do it."

"Master!"

If I can defeat this... I feel like I can change.

You can call me stupid. But I've made up my mind.

"Terra! Earth Attribute Magic: Fifth Form, prepare!"

"...Guh..."

I forced Terra to comply. I used the strongest magic I recently learned. It's my strongest attack right now.

"Fire!"

Terra cast "Earth Attribute Magic: Fifth Form" at the giant golem, which hadn't noticed us yet.

Immediately, a magical array amplified by the great spirit spread, and the ground split open. Mountain-sized rocks emerged from the ground, crushing the giant golem. Rocks rained down like meteorites, drawn to the center. If it takes this, even a giant golem should be finished!

"Did it work!?"

Dust flew, obscuring my vision, and I shouted.

I defeated the Prolin boss. I cleared Prolin before Second! With this, with this...

"---Eh?"

Slowly...

A giant golem emerged from the dust, walking towards us.

It was unharmed.

Terra was in post-cast lag. I was completely defenseless.

...It's so big. I'm probably not even as big as its hand.

Ah.

"Wh-Wh-What...!?"

I was kicked. Probably.

I couldn't breathe.

I couldn't hear.

I couldn't move.

It hurt so much.

...How many seconds have passed?

What did I come here for?

I opened my eyes.

The approaching giant golem.

"---! ---!"

Terra was shouting something.

Then, she stood in front of me with a sad expression.

She's... trying to protect me.

It's no use. It's unharmed. There's no way we can win. What is this?

Ah, I'm so stupid. A complete idiot. Unforgivably foolish. The worst.

...Oh, no time to be sentimental.

"(Thank you.)"

I couldn't even move my mouth properly... but I hope it gets through.

Thank you for staying with me, even though I'm such a stupid, foolish, and lonely person.

Goodbye, Terra.

"Return---"

""

---I will never forget what happened next.

A man with a seven-colored aura suddenly appeared and stopped the giant golem's arm with a single sword.

Surprisingly, he deflected the rock arm. He was overpowering the giant golem with sheer strength.

He moved so fast, leaving multiple afterimages, and approached the giant golem as if by teleportation, delivering a follow-up attack.

That's "Rook Sword Technique." I've seen a first-class swordsman use it before. But the power is off the charts. It's too strong. Why does a spirit mage know [sword technique]? And what is that ominous aura?

I forgot the pain in my body and watched the scene in front of me.

...The level is different.

He doesn't seem human.

He's overwhelming the giant golem alone, using only [sword technique].

Is he the same A-rank adventurer? It's laughable.

A genius spirit mage? A countess? ...So what?

"Master~ It's okay now. We're saved!"

Terra came to my side, tears streaming down her face. Ah, she couldn't return me.

I'm sorry, Terra. For being such a master.

...What did I want to do?

Was I the one who was overconfident?

Stupid. Stupid. I'm really stupid...

* * *

"Angolmois, let's go."

"Understood. My Second."

I allocated all the experience points from the golems I defeated to [Spirit Possession]. The rank is now 11. It's barely usable.

"Whoa, this looks bad."

Angolmois said. Sherry must be on the verge of death!

"I'll use it here! Possession!"

"Haha! As you wish!"

I used [Spirit Possession] just before reaching the boss.

Angolmois turned into a seven-colored light and merged with my body.

"---Ugh"

It's incredible.

There's no other way to describe it.

An overwhelming sense of omnipotence enveloped me.

[Spirit Possession] at rank 11 gives 120 seconds of possession time and a 440-second cooldown. The effect is a 2.5x boost to all stats. At rank 9, it's 310 seconds of possession time, 250-second cooldown, and a 4.5x boost to all stats.

...I think the effect of [Spirit Possession] in this world is not just this. In fact, the time I spent thinking about this is less than a second. What is this? It's too powerful. Is it because of Angolmois?

I reached the boss in an instant. The movement speed is incredible, more than 2.5x. It feels like time has stopped.

I found Sherry against the wall, unconscious and bleeding from the nose. She was crying, and Terra was desperately calling her name.

I can see and hear clearly. My vision and hearing have improved significantly.

100 seconds left. I leaped in front of the Mithril Golem and stopped its rock fist with [Gold General Sword Technique]. The skill effect is a ranged attack in all directions, but it's actually a skill that works in all directions. If you activate the skill at the right time, the physical attacks will cancel each other out, and the one with the higher attack power will win. [Gold General] does this in all directions, making it very versatile.

"Impossible---!?"

I heard Terra's surprised voice from behind. She must have realized it was Angolmois' possession from the murky seven-colored aura.

While thinking about unnecessary things, the Mithril Golem gradually weakened.

This thing is a "grind" if you have the necessary physical attack power. It only uses a simple attack pattern, making the Prolin boss fight a routine "task" that's very suitable for grinding.

...Ah, it's dead. Finished with 15 seconds to spare.

"Phew"

I checked the surroundings and canceled [Spirit Possession]. I can't summon Angolmois for the next 440 seconds.

Wow, it was overwhelming. It felt great. I might get addicted.

"---Second, thank you so much~"

Then, Terra spoke to me first.

"Really. What the hell? You would have died if I hadn't noticed."

I couldn't help but sound condescending. I was woken up from my sleep, so I think I'm entitled to say this, right?

Hearing my complaints, Terra bowed her head apologetically. By the way, spirits aren't returned if the master is unconscious. That's valuable information.

"Oh, right. She needs to drink this."

I remembered and forced the high-grade potion into the mouth of the unconscious, blood-covered idiot.

She didn't regain consciousness, but her eyes returned to normal, so she should be fine.

"---Well, this girl is actually a good person."

After a moment, Terra started talking about something I didn't understand.

Since there was no reason to stop her, I decided to listen.

"I know she's not a bad person. She's just a bit twisted, short-tempered, stupid, and lonely."

"Yes... That's true. She didn't have any friends besides me since she was little."

"Right."

"Probably, this girl likes you, Second. But it's her first time feeling this way, so she didn't know what to do~"

"...Wait. So, what? She did this to get my attention?"

"Yes~. There were other reasons, like getting her parents' approval~ But I think the main reason is that~"

"Ha"

"Ha~?"

"Ha! You're kidding! You should have supervised her!!"

"I'm a spirit~ I can't disobey my master~"

What a frustrating person! I couldn't help but click my tongue...

"Sorry~! Don't hate this girl~"

"No, I don't hate her. I don't hate her, but..."

It's troublesome. Very troublesome. And I kind of dislike you, Terra.

...Oh, right. Let's call the Great Teacher. [Spirit Summoning].

"(Hmm, I understand.)"

Impressive, Angolmois. You instantly grasped the situation using the sense of oneness.

"---It's been a while, Noimedes."

"......H-Huh... A"

The Spirit King suddenly appeared in front of her.

Terra's face showed fear, and she took two steps back.

...Huh? That's not what I heard...

"What's wrong? Why are you still standing?"

The moment Angolmois said that, a red-black lightning flash appeared, and Terra's hands and feet were bound to the ground, forcing her into a prostration position.

The great earth spirit, humbly prostrating herself before us. It was a shocking sight.

"Wait, that's not right. It's not like that."

"Is that so? I apologize."

Panicking, I pointed out the mistake, and Angolmois's incomprehensible subjugation magic was canceled, and Terra collapsed on the spot.

Terra looked at me with a disbelieving expression.

"Hmm? Oh, I see. Then I'll answer your question directly."

At that moment, Angolmois, sensing something through the sense of oneness, spoke.

"The spirit and its master gradually become one. The longer they live together, the more so. This daughter of Norm must have been pulled by the young master. It could be sympathy or admiration. Disobeying orders is just an excuse. The result of fleeing together and licking each other's wounds."

"......"

Terra trembled and looked down.

"You almost killed your master. That's unacceptable. You're unworthy of being a great spirit."

"Wait. If they become more one, wouldn't it make it easier to obey the master?"

"No. It shouldn't be one-sided. Becoming one means understanding each other. This one clung too much to the master."

"...That's a bit pitiful, isn't it?"

If you have a lonely child who can't make friends, it's unreasonable to tell them not to cling.

"Hmm? My Second, weren't you angry with her?"

"No, hearing that made me feel more sympathy."

"Is that so? Then I'll forgive her. Hahaha!"

What?

"Is that okay?"

"It's just exaggerating a needle into a stick. I have no interest in the master-spirit relationship of some spirit. I was just toying with her."

He laughed loudly. Wow, this guy has a really bad personality. What was that? What was the point of that?

"......Let's go."

I sighed and carried the still unconscious Sherry out of the Prolin Dungeon.

She had wet herself. I sighed deeply and messaged Sylvia to prepare for the cleanup.

When she regains consciousness, she'd better be prepared. Seriously...

Thank you for reading.