152 - - re-attempting

"What, you don't belong to our temple?

Rummella shouts in surprise at the girl sitting next to her.

More than thirty minutes have already passed since their departure from the departure and arrival point, and Thor and his friends are enjoying their flight to the fullest.

They were close to each other in age, so they probably thought they still had something in common.

The Soukei girl chose Sora, who also had a staff with a rain crystal stone attached to it, as her companion.

When she was informed that she had nothing to do with water-based magic, her voice leaked out.

"Yes, my skill tree is of the lineage of the sky god!

"Oh, you can speak in a more broken way. It's hard for you to talk.

"Well, then, ramme......mera?"

"Ram" is fine. I'll call you Sola, too.

"Yes, Mr. Ram."

Ram Merulla is nineteen years old this year, two years older than Sola.

Since Kugase, an earth user, is eighteen years old, they were called the youngest duo in the A rank.

Although they are outstanding in magic, they lack experience in actual battles, and that is why they participated in the previous power reconnaissance.

However, they had a history with Rummelera, and the dungeon with its bare soil was a good match for Kugase.

"So, why did you get the staff?"

"This?　Well, because it's convenient because it can produce a lot of water."

"Huh?"

Rummella's honest reply again made Rummella sound absurd.

Then, after making a face as if she did not understand what she was saying, she gave a questioning look to Thor.

"Well, we haven't had a chance to have a meeting yet. Let's just do a quick introduction. Thora is basically my assistant. She can use and ."

"I can turn it around and stop it with a snap!"

"Oh, yeah. That ...... is amazing."

Sola proudly displays her chest to the perplexed Rummella.

Her limbs were wrapped in brand-new protective gear: a breastplate made of black steel and a robe of swamp spiders.

They were purchased with the bounty for killing the Storm Sand Giants.

The black steel is relatively heavy, but it is made thinner for rear guard use, so it is designed to cover the chest snugly.

The robe woven with threads of marsh spider is so thin that it is transparent when exposed to the sun, but it is quite tough and comfortable to wear as well as a defensive item.

Both robes are slightly modified from existing ones, and the total cost was about two gold coins.

"That guy sitting on the bow over there is Mr. Yuril. He is an ice man and our mainstay.

"What, an ice man is your mainstay?"

Again, Rummella has a look of not knowing what he is talking about.

Yuril, who had been standing with Straccia and peering intently down into the world below, finally turned his head to look behind him, perhaps noticing Thor and the others' conversation.

His face is unusually flushed and his long ears are trembling.

Perhaps realizing that she had been overexcited, the skilled ash-eared woman coughed a little and then joined the conversation as if to make up for it.

"I'm sorry. I've never been on a ride like this before, and I'm embarrassed that I got so excited.

"Eh, it was around when I was a kid, but it's long gone. ......"

"Great, that was about 40 years ago. The flying dragon boat was opened to the public.

"Uh-hihihihihihihi!"

The voice of a rider operating a flying dragon boat came from directly above, accompanied by strange laughter.

There was no way out now that the expert in this field had assured me of it.

After looking at each other silently for a while, Yuril gave his usual exquisite smile.

"I heard that ash-eared people don't age well, but they are amazing ......."　

Rummella, who seemed to have guessed something, muttered quietly without further inquiry.

This time Yuril was dressed in black, which accentuated the lines of his body.

The tunic and trousers are woven from the body hair of a long-haired black elephant that lives in the frozen lands of the far north, and although they are one step less durable than spider silk, they are highly enduring and resistant to changes in temperature.

Newly added to these are breastplates made of silver.

It is also less hard than black steel, but is similarly resistant to change and can be used even when exposed to acid.

However, they were more expensive, and a set of forehead crown, breastplate, and shin guards cost two gold coins as well.

"There is one more girl, Mu, who is a lightning user..."

"That's the girl who touches my butt. ......"

"Kuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuhuh!"

Thor and the others looked at each other as another round of laughter echoed from above.

The capacity of a flying dragon boat is basically limited to five persons, but it is spacious enough to accommodate luggage and other items.

Naturally, a single young child can sit comfortably on the boat without having to pack it down.

However, there is no sign of Moo inside the boat.

The child of the Purple-Eyed Tribe was currently sitting on a special seat at the neck of the flying dragon that was carrying Thor and the others.

In other words, they were on the lap of the rider.

"Hmmm... It's not normal for a child to be so friendly when you first meet him..."

This was before our departure.

The flying dragon appeared from the stables, and the curious Moo surreptitiously climbed up on it from the tail.

While everyone was astonished to see the child straddling his head, the flying dragon made a happy and sweet noise, so the incident did not become a serious one.

Although she spoke carefree, the experienced rider seemed to be quite surprised.

In the end, she resisted when we ordered her to get off the horse, so we had to leave her tied to the rider's body.

"But it's a great formation, isn't it? A swordsman, two assistant magic users, and a child as a shield.

Moo-chan is a helper, just like the rest of us.

"What? Because didn't you have a shield?　See, that."

Rummella looks doubtfully at the flat silver object on the floor of the boat.

"Oh, that's a hana-maru," she said.

"Heh, a potty?"

"It's Ohanamaru, Ram-san."

"Oh, that's your name. It's got the director's coat of arms on it!

Thor explains quickly to Rummella, whose face says she doesn't understand anything anymore.

"It's a transport sled. It's a favorite of Moe's."

"A child is a sled ......?"

"Well, you'll know it when you see it in action. Now that you've had a chance to see it in action..."

Yes, sir. What's the chain of command?

"Basically I'm in charge of combat, but you're in charge of the rear guard. As for the course of action, it's mostly me, but if there are differences of opinion, we'll discuss it.

"Understood. Thor is the captain and Euril is the vice-captain, right?

"Yes, and I'd like to leave the decision on retreat to Ram.

"What, me?　Are you sure about that ......?"

The girl unconsciously bites her lower lip, perhaps remembering her previous blunder.

Thor, who scratched the bottom of her chin in response, continued to speak reassuringly.

Don't worry. I won't have to run home so easily this time.

"I'll be there soon..."

"Kihihihihihi!"

The joyful flight is over, and the group jumps over the outer wall to land at the same place as before.

After a few days of inactivity, the path leading to the basement was again blocked.

The intruders are spotted by the amber ants, who rush in one after the other.

Yuril, who was waiting for the intruders, spun a prayer.

"Sleep fast, sleep well.

In no time at all, the monsters stop moving.

However, no clay figures are able to move the debris as they bide their time.

Thor silently touches the wall of stone and dirt in front of Rammerla, who stares at him as if to ask him a question.

.

The Soukei girl's mouth dropped open as her eyes instantly opened.

As soon as everyone rushes inside, they forget to close their mouths at the pile of dirt that has been restored to its original state.

"Well, the next one will be in three days, won't it?

After confirming that the group was safely inside the entrance of the dungeon, the rider flapped his flying dragon as he mentioned the date of the next visit.

"Sola, get me a light."

"Yes, sir."

The girl holds up a magic stone lamp, and a hole in the back of the dilapidated building rises into the blackness.

After regaining their composure, Rummella casts to prevent any abnormalities, and Thor and the others, having completed their preparations, finally enter the dungeon.

Thor leads the group, followed by Straccia, Sora, Mu, and Yuril.

Rummella is in last place.

We carefully descend the slanting slope and eventually reach the first level.

The crushing darkness makes us tense, stimulating our defensive instincts.

Thor, who had been thinking about something, stopped Rummelera as she gasped for breath and tried to point out the way to go.

"Not that way. This way."

Thor indicated the ramp we had just come down.

Rummelera voiced the biggest question of the day to the captain who had suggested the fastest possible retreat.

"What?