Chapter 77

A few days later, Lucius and I, under Carlos's command, left the city of Lacorina and headed for the "Hole of Dreams"... the "Grave of Lamentation."

We had mobilized twenty adventurers.

While there were some C-rank adventurers, the majority were B-rank.

"To be able to mobilize this many high-ranking adventurers, it really is different for a wealthy city, isn't it?"

"Elma, you don't have to be so dejected..."

"O-Oh, I'm not comparing Rondarm or anything...!"

Moreover, the Edvance noble family was a wealthy noble family with considerable financial resources.

...However, they didn't have as solid a collaboration with the Adventurer's Guild as the city of Lacorina did.

"Master, were these really necessary? I have my doubts. It's inevitable that there will be a few stragglers. Wouldn't it have been enough to have just a few white mages?"

"We gathered a bit more people than necessary. Since it's a bit far, it wouldn't be strange for the situation to worsen while I'm not looking."

Carlos and Hilde were walking side by side slightly ahead of us.

Carlos didn't seem to want to bring Hilde, but apparently, she had begged him and he reluctantly allowed her to join the large-scale request.

"...Why does the disciple of the 'Black Flame Blade' wield a scythe?"

"Who knows...? Maybe she acquired a scythe skill tree?"

The other adventurers were pointing at Hilde's back and whispering among themselves.

I quickly averted my gaze.

...Hilde is still equipped with the "Black Steel Scythe" and "Bear Shield."

Hilde had bowed her head to Carlos, asking to borrow any spare weapons, but he had replied, "To remind you of the reflection on your duel, keep it as it is."

While it might seem harsh to have her equipped like that for a large-scale request, the skills of a magic swordsman often have significant backlash and costs.

With that equipment, she can hardly use her magic swordsman skills.

She can only rely on her stats for combat.

Perhaps Master thought it would be less strenuous for her with her current equipment.

"Why did Carlos take on Hilde as his disciple?"

Lucius chuckled and muttered.

"I'm sorry, Hilde. I didn't mean it like that!"

Hilde had suddenly appeared in front of us.

"Ah! S-Sorry, Hilde. I-I didn't mean it like that...!"

Lucius hurriedly tried to smooth things over.

After silencing Lucius, Hilde glared at the two adventurers who had been speculating about her equipment.

They quickly quieted down.

...However, seeing Hilde intimidate them like that, I couldn't help but think of a small dog.

"I'm not doing anything as grand as being a master, you know."

Carlos was walking alongside us.

Lucius's expression visibly relaxed, as if visibly relieved by Carlos's presence.

As long as Carlos was around, Hilde would behave.

"I think magic swordsmen are a strong class. However, they have poor efficiency. Despite that, the range of monsters they can defeat is wide due to their high offensive capabilities. This often leads to a mismatch between the party's strategy and their own. If left alone, they might fail to produce results, become isolated in the guild, and as an adventurer, they might end up taking reckless actions and losing their life."

What Carlos was saying was something that often happened in "Magic World."

While they could cooperate when things were going well, once a conflict arose, they would blame each other for their shortcomings, leading to the party's collapse.

Even in the game, this was the case.

In a world where life was on the line, parties formed by people without much leeway and with personality conflicts would inevitably lead to bitter disputes.

As Carlos said, the poor efficiency of magic swordsmen and the wide range of monsters they can defeat often lead to strategic mismatches.

After all, in "Magic World," the optimal strategy for leveling up was to focus on defeating higher-level monsters rather than hunting in large numbers.

The best situation for a magic swordsman would be to have their party members clear the way and only face the main target, but such convenient arrangements were rare.

Fundamental conflicts of interest would eventually lead to discord.

Carlos had mentioned that he didn't have the best companions in the past.

He had quite a few conflicts when he was a beginner.

"Anxiety can make you lose sight of the world as others see it. I was once like that. I suffered from misunderstanding and rushed for success... I wondered why everyone only talked about their own selfishness and complained about such selfish things. I still think that if someone had calmly advised me back then, it would have been better. That's why I ended up talking to Hilde."

Carlos had gone through a lot to reach his current position.

However, Carlos was truly a great person.

It was fortunate that the first A-rank adventurer I met was a decent person.

"My master is a great, strong, and kind person! What do you think of that?"

"...It would have been better if his disciple had learned from his inner qualities."

"What did you say!?"

I sighed.

Lucius had asked why Carlos took Hilde as his disciple, and the answer was that it was clear she would end up killing herself by acting recklessly.

He couldn't leave her alone because of their shared class.

However, hearing this, I understood Hilde's personality.

The benefits of a magic swordsman often don't align with the party's interests.

For the most efficient leveling in the "Hole of Dreams," a magic swordsman would leave the scouting and cleanup to other adventurers and focus solely on defeating the main target.

On the other hand, if they gave up their benefits and remained quiet, they would be labeled as useless and a burden.

To survive as an adventurer, they might need to be a bit sharp.

"I can't imagine Carlos in a wild phase..."

After Carlos and Hilde left to lead the way, Lucius muttered.

Indeed, it was hard to imagine the mild-mannered Carlos arguing with party members or causing a fuss at the guild or blacksmith like Hilde.

"...Well, I think he was just exaggerating to protect Hilde's dignity."