Chapter 13

Takano Miu, 9 years old. I have turned 9. I have evolved from a cute little girl into a cute young girl.

Her hair, as beautiful and smooth as silver, still reaches her back. Her sapphire-like ice-blue eyes, cute little nose, and small mouth make her petite face one that passersby can't help but turn to admire.

She is still a Level 1, Proficiency 1 Priest I, though. She hasn't grown at all since she was 6. Her stats have all become 4, apparently because the normal growth has been added.

After all, there were no battles with monsters. To level up or increase proficiency, you have to kill monsters. I later realized that in "Magical Night," it says "killed" rather than "defeated."

This unusual expression is what's holding back her growth.

Can a 6-year-old girl enter a dungeon? In a medieval fantasy setting, she might sneak in, but this world has strict checkpoints. The little girl couldn't enter. If she had skills from other jobs, it might have been possible, but for that, she would have had to defeat monsters.

It's a chicken and egg problem. Damn it.

"Is this the dungeon?"

"Yes, this is what a dungeon is."

Tilting her head, she gripped her mace tightly and asked. Yami, standing next to her, nodded and drew a black-bladed sword from her waist.

Before my eyes lay a desolate land. The sky was a dimly glowing ceiling of earth. It was quite wide, and in the distance, a canyon-like path narrowed the way. Passing through that canyon would lead to the next area. Behind us, the entrance we came through was wide open.

It's a few kilometers away. In the game, it seemed narrow, but indeed, when you fight enemies, it becomes this wide. The scale changes dramatically. This is different from the game.

"Are you nervous, Miu-sama?"

"Of course, I'm nervous! Undead are scary, you know."

Shaking her wet-black hair in a ponytail, Yami smiled softly. Even though she's only 9, she's a girl who will definitely grow up to be a beautiful woman. She's still young, so she's cute, but she already gives off a beautiful aura.

"Don't worry, Miu-sama. We have our guards, and if anything happens, I'll protect you!"

Sniffing, Yami puffed out her chest. Her still-flat chest made me chuckle. She pouted, looking displeased, and complained.

"Geez, you don't trust me. That's mean."

"Sorry, sorry. I do trust you, Yami-chan."

Sticking out her tongue playfully, she replied, and Yami relaxed, smiling. It was a playful conversation between close friends.

"Miss Yami, Miss Miu. The enemies might attack soon. Please be careful."

The teacher who taught me magic and combat over the past three years warned us. He's a former B-rank adventurer, a magic swordsman skilled in both sword and magic. His hair and eyes are still black because he has no elemental affinity. He's a middle-aged man rumored to be a skilled instructor in a marquis family.

"Understood. Then, 'Activate.'"

Yami wrapped her body in mana and sent power to her tight, leotard-like outfit. She wore shoulder guards, chest guards, gauntlets, and greaves, but the rest was a tight leotard.

Covered in the faint light of mana, a magical barrier spread over her entire body, forming a defensive wall. The magic arrays embedded in her shoulder guards and chest guards activated, protecting her body in a mysterious way.

With a metallic sound, lines of light ran over her armor, and it slightly transformed, indicating that it was fully activated.

This is the erotic "Magical Armor" from "Magical Night." The female version is the same for all. This erotic armor is one of the reasons "Magical Night" became popular. It's easy to understand, and it's a necessary condition to attract adult fans.

Incidentally, the male version gradually becomes heavy armor. It's just a theory, but the residents of this world don't seem to question it. There was some reason, like it being easier for women to use magic, but I can't remember it clearly.

The problem is me.

"Activate, activate!"

No matter how hard I try, the armor doesn't light up. Another failed activation today.

"It's no good again."

The gray-haired beauty pouts.

"Miu-sama is different, isn't she?"

"Hmm, Miu-sama seems to have trouble switching."

Yami frowned, and the teacher looked concerned. Miu's face fell.

I can't activate the magical armor. To be precise, I can activate it, but I can't. This isn't a riddle.

Yami, me, the teacher, and nine guards. A party of 12, but only I can't activate. But even if I show a troubled expression, some of the guards, who are also adventurers, spread out around me. They start the battle even if I can't activate. It's not that they're cold; it's because there's no problem.

The wasteland has hills and withered trees, so it's not flat. In the game, you could jump a few times to reach the top of a hill, but in reality, it's quite high.

The adventurers, with their glowing magical armor, act as scouts. One of them soon put a hand to his ear to communicate. The teacher nodded and turned to us.

"Eight skeletons have been spotted. Three at 10 o'clock, five at 2 o'clock."

They're communicating via a magical communication device, different from the intercoms of my previous life. The teacher's eyes should be showing the holographic image of the other person. I know this because I've tried it.

To be honest, I think it looks cool to see the other person's face during communication.

In any case, they've confirmed the enemies. We've trained a lot, but at 9 years old, it's still like a game. My heart is pounding. It's not love, though.

Over the hill, the skeletons appeared, rattling their bones. The skeletal corpses approached, rattling, but they weren't very scary. Maybe I'm too used to them from movies. They have clubs, and getting hit would hurt, but it wouldn't be just a little.

"I'm going!"

Kicking off the ground, Yami ran at an incredible speed for a 9-year-old toward the skeletons. That's right. With the physical enhancements from the magical armor and magic, she's faster than a moped.

"Ha!"

Pulling her small body to the limit, Yami entered the skeleton's guard and swung her dark-light sword horizontally.

With a swish, the skeleton's torso split in two. The other skeletons raised their clubs, but she easily dodged and entered the guard of the skeleton raising its club, kicking its bony legs. With a crack, the skeleton's legs broke, and she smashed its head with the hilt as it lost balance, then spun and cut down the other skeletons.

Running in a zigzag, she cut down the remaining two with sharp sword strikes. Her ponytail swayed, and her sharp, determined expression was beautiful.

Wait, she's 9 years old? She looks like a seasoned warrior. The magic users of a marquis family are strong.

Without me doing anything, five skeletons were defeated. But three more appeared from the opposite side.

"Leave it to me, Yami-chan!"

If Yami kills them, I won't get any experience points or count it as a battle. I can guess why. Probably because I'm treated as an NPC, not a party member. The members you can add to your party come from the adventurer guild's bar.

It would be suspicious to say "Yami-chan" when asked who to add as a companion at the bar counter. It's confirmed that you can't form a party until you're an adult. The barkeep probably wouldn't have such a conversation either.

The three skeletal corpses appeared, rattling. I narrowed my eyes and used the controller in my head.

"Inspect"

Skeleton Level 1

The enemy's level is displayed. I can't analyze its weakness, but I already know it. It's weak to blunt, fire, and holy attributes.

"Fight"

"Run"

Two options appear. This is my weakness. The game-like system that confuses me.

"Fight"

As soon as I chose that option, the white leotard and priest robe I was wearing fused and glowed, and the armor deployed with a clank.

Miu, the beautiful young girl, is in battle mode. Her young appearance has a slightly taboo eroticism. Gentlemen, touching, looking, or photographing is strictly forbidden.

Yes, I activated the "Magical Armor." I could activate it because I chose "Fight."

"Ta!"

With a cute voice, I attacked the approaching skeleton with my mace. The skeleton raised its club, but when the mace hit its shoulder, it cracked and shattered.

The remaining two skeletons approached, but I stepped back and spread my hands.

"Turn Undead!"

Holy light radiated from the priest girl, and the skeletons, bathed in the sacred light, were paralyzed with "Fear."

"Gotcha, gotcha!"

Miu swung her mace and shattered the paralyzed skeletons into pieces. Bones scattered, and the status board displayed the results.

"Killed a group of monsters. Gained 3 experience points. Obtained 3 F-grade magic stones."

The battle ended, and my "Magical Armor" lost its glow and returned to its original state.

"Miss Miu, always circulate mana in your body. I've told you many times, but it's not enough to do it only during battles."

"Yes, teacher."

I answered energetically, but no matter how much I practice, I can't do it. I know the reason. In the game, the magical armor effect was activated every time I fought, and it retracted when the battle ended. I now think it's an unnecessary effect.

So, I can't use my power unless I choose the "Fight" command in battle. I thought the game system was invincible, but it has an unexpected weakness.

I didn't realize this because I could use healing magic and "Turn Undead" for events without choosing the "Fight" command to help the possessed Yami. It's a problem, this is.

So, I can't use life magic either. It didn't exist in the game. Also, this "Fight" command... I can't hold back. If I try to stop or hold back, I unconsciously go all out because the game didn't have such options. My stamina also seems to decrease less. I can't move when I'm tired, but that's after the battle ends.

If I don't use the "Fight" command, I can hold back, but I can't use mana, so my physical abilities are average for a 9-year-old. It's a problem. My defense is the same. In the game, I sometimes get ambushed, and in those cases, the "Magical Armor" activates automatically. The power only applies when I choose the "Fight" command.

I need to find a way to use mana without the "Fight" command.

"More skeletons have been spotted! Four of them!"

"Yami-chan, let me defeat them! I want to use mana better!"

In response to the scout's words, I made a request. I want to increase my proficiency and level. It doesn't change for everyone else, but it's necessary for me. Even fighting snacks didn't give me experience points or proficiency. The snacks were delicious, though.

"Understood!"

Skeletons are easy prey for a priest.

"Quack quack"

With a cute cry, Miu raised her mace and prepared to fight.