Chapter 141

The Saintess and the Boss

“In the first place, this is the opposite direction that boss tried heading at the start . ”

[… That so? Good job, noticing . ]

“Yes, of course . Euma-senpai is quite the tactician, isn’t he . ”

[That so? Euma, is weak . Now, are we, going?]

While on their way back across the stepping stones, Saintess Alka was boasting .

She was also walking side-by-side with Rin without the slightest sense of unease .

Unfortunately, she couldn’t find the phoenix anywhere, so it had likely hidden itself somewhere… it was very unfortunate .

Returning from the hot floor full of magma, they came back to the stone-paved and stone-bricked dungeon .

“This was the first place that boss was going to go . ”

Using [Mapping], they headed through the dungeon while the saintess checked the map with her skill .

There should have been a wall there . However, it had disappeared because they defeated Euma .

“… I see, so Euma-senpai was the key?”

[Umu, trouble, some . ]

Then, without any traps—once again, they saw a golem sitting down in front of a wall .

It was Euma . The feeling it gave off was obviously different from other golems . It was only sitting as normal, but for some reason it felt like a human .

When Euma saw the saintess and Rin, it suddenly raised its right hand and greeted them .

[Yo . It would’ve been great if you just went back, though . ]

“Your plan was excellent . Normal adventurers probably would have been caught by it, senpai . ”

[Haah… I’ll ask again—can you not just leave?]

“I refuse . ”

[Rin, you don’t feel like stopping Alka either I take it?]

[Un? Right . I don’t . ]

[Then I’ll just crush you two . Alright? … I’ll be waiting in the room right after this . ]

[Kukuku, can, you? Good, show me!]

With a roar, Rin ate Euma . Its momentum destroyed the wall as well .

… Just beyond it was a door . It was a luxurious one, the door practically declaring itself to be a boss room’s .

“Euma-senpai talked about defeating boss, could it?”

[Kukuku, I wonder . That guy’s, even weaker, than Alka… but his head, it’s good . ]

Euma seemed to have an intelligence like that of a human—no, better than a human’s . What would stand in their way as the dungeon’s boss?

The saintess braced herself .

The door opened with a heavy, dull sound .

Inside was a statue of a dimly shining iron knight . It was a knight wearing full plate armor, riding a horse and carrying a lance . However, its face could be seen as its face guard was up… it was a face that could only be described as blank, like an egg with holes in it .

Where was Euma hiding?

The saintess advanced slowly .

Blood thirst . The saintess quickly stepped back twice . Just then, the lance pierced into the place she was just at .

It raised the lance overhead and—bang!

Rin cut in and stopped it .

It was a statue, but it moved… it was a golem . It was the first time she had seen a horse-shaped golem, but it was probably possible if it was a boss .

It was a great surprise attack . If Rin weren’t there, it might have been decided just then .

[Kukuku, Eumaaa, that you, Euma!? Now you’re, a horse! Huh!?]

Rin laughed in delight .

[… Now then, let’s do it . ]

The knight golem spoke, lowering its face guard . That was unmistakably Euma’s voice . Taking a short distance, Euma started again .

[Kukuku! Kuku kuku! I’m coming, Euma!]

Rin and Euma dashed towards each other at the same time, colliding… is what the saintess thought, but Euma quickly leapt from the horse . Only the horse shot towards Rin .

[This is, from before…—!?]

When Rin ate the horse, just after opening its mouth to an unbelievable size, the horse exploded . Something white shot out towards the inside of Rin’s throat .

[Gugee!? Guha, pe, pe—! T-this is, s-salt!!]

[There’s more where that came from, have as much as you want . ]

A door opened behind Euma . A few white horses dashed in from it . Once five of them had entered, the door slammed shut .

[W-wait, Euma!? These, are all, salt!?]

[There’s more where that came from, have as much as you want . ]

Using that same phrase, Euma spoke in a heartless fashion .

The white horses made of salt… the salt horses started relentlessly chasing after Rin .

While watching Rin take a distance from the salt golems and Euma, the saintess stopped the attack coming from behind her with her battle hammer .

“The salt makes your footsteps stand out even if you try to hide, Euma-senpai!”

[… …]

“Oh? Not talking, Euma-senpai? You could complement me, you know? Or is it that you can only speak with one of your bodies?”

It was a second knight-type golem . It was meant to be a surprise attack fully aimed at exploiting her carelessness . However, the saintess was sure that something would appear because it was Euma, so she prepared herself . Rather, she was disappointed it was only something to this extent .

[… Now then, let’s do it . ]

“Yes, let’s, senpai . ”

Speaking the exact same words as it did to Rin, the battle begun .

Euma’s swordsmanship was close to that of a knight’s . However, its capability was sloppy and was that of a C-Rank’s at most .

The saintess warded off the knight-type golem’s assault with the battle hammer held in her hands . She couldn’t expect for Rin, who was currently being chased by the salt horses, to protect her this time . However, she felt that she could straightforwardly win this battle .

“Fufufu, compared to boss… this is easy!”

The sound of metal striking metal resonated through the air . The saintess’ battle hammer was made from a mineral that was even stronger than the metal called black steel . As for Euma, its whole body was made of iron, same with its armor and weapon .

Whenever it stopped the saintess’ attacks, its sword would tremble with a jarring scream and have a mark left on it from her hammer .

“Hora hora hora! Good, there, there, and here!” [1]

The damage it was taking quickly became apparent through its movements as it gradually wore down . The saintess continued mercilessly denting Euma .

Then, Euma staggered, crouching down . Throwing away its sword, it thrust its left hand out in front of it .

“What? That’s all? Fufufu, you threw your sword away and gave up? But I can’t get to the dungeon core without defeating Euma-senpai right? So, I’ll be finishing you off!”

[… There’s more where that came from, have as much as you want . ]

Euma pointed up with its right hand . With a start, she looked up while still keeping Euma in her sight and staying wary of a possible trap . However, there was nothing there… no, when she took a better look… it was the ceiling . It was white .

Immediately after that, the ceiling collapsed . It was a massive amount of salt . Despite the salt horse and Euma—who were both golems—being entirely alright with it, Rin and the saintess were momentarily force to close their eyes .

[Mogaa!? Pe—, peh—! Disgusting! Very, disgusting! Ugeh, peh!]

Rin’s agonized voice could be heard . Apparently, it appeared to have somehow wound up being fed a salt horse when it was forced to close its eyes . Rather, was salt its weak point? No, it definitely was . That’s why, even though she didn’t know why that was the case, Euma had prepared a massive amount of salt to use .

“Kuh—!”

When she opened up her eyes while solidifying her defense with her battle hammer, Euma was standing in front of her . It didn’t have a weapon, it probably got lost during the violent falling of the salt . Approaching, Euma’s left hand was much closer to the saintess than it was before .

—In the next instant, something tiny shot out from Euma’s left hand, piercing the saintess’ heart .

“… Huh?”

She coughed .

Blood came from her mouth . It appeared to have also pierced her lung .

Despite her wearing an iron breastplate, it pierced her all the way through .

“Despite… golem, you used… magic? … When did… you chant…?”

Even if she tried using recovery magic, her enemy wouldn’t give her the chance . Blood was filling her lungs to start with, even breathing was becoming impossible . Her speech started sounding like Rin’s style as well . She knew from experience that she was about to die .

“Gofu… Fufu… I was, careless . I guess, it’s my, defeat… isn’t… it…”

[…]

Euma didn’t speak . Naturally, it wasn’t as though it needed to send her off peacefully to her next life or anything . The saintess would revive after all .

If it exposed its methods, she could take measures against them the next time . Therefore, it said nothing, nor did it answer her .

Even so, the saintess was able to make some guesses .

Her clothes were wet . Therefore, it was probably water magic . As it was able to penetrate her iron breastplate, it was probably at least an upper class magic .

Euma, rather than being a golem, was probably a subspecies of gargoyle .

She didn’t understand how it was able to use magic without using an incantation, but she definitely wouldn’t mistake what she just saw . Therefore, next time . Next time…!

… She didn’t have a next time . For some time after this, the saintess wouldn’t be able to dive into this dungeon . That was one of [Treaty]’s restrictions .

[Mu—!? O-oi, Alka! You got, killed!?]

“Gu, my apolo—gies, boss… I’ll be, back, some… time…”

Unable to oppose the darkness that slowly took over her consciousness, the saintess’ eyes gradually closed—

(… Aah, I at least wanted boss (Rin) to eat me in the end . But, it can’t because I’m covered in salt right now…)

—while thinking about such an irrelevant thing .