Episode 51.8

Once he was done reading the letter, Duo shouted out loud with his line of sight still locked at Lecan.

"Black!"

A knight who was standing nearby came to him. This man is another formidable individual.

Duo handed over the still open letter to that knight. Read, he implicitly said.

Duo wouldn't let Lecan out of his sight even while this knight named Black was reading the letter.

"Lecan-dono. I have a question."

"What is it."

"This letter from his highness and Nodlein-sama was written on the seventh of month two. Today is the 23rd. What is the meaning of this."

"I got that letter on the seventh of month two. Eda and I left Yufonia on the eighth of month two, and ran to Dungeon Yufu, arriving noon the same day. Then we ran all the way here."

"You ran? And never came across a magic beast once?" (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});

"We did engage some along the way, but we mostly ran while avoiding magic beasts. I've got an ability that allows me to detect magic beasts from afar. Isn't it written on that letter?"

Duo kept staring hard at Lecan without giving a reply to that.

Lecan wasn't perturbed even when he was on the receiving end of Duo's inquisitive gaze. Lecan looked back into Duo's eyes with a calm yet unshakable will.

"Black!"

"Commander, sir."

"The hunt is over."

"Understood. Oy! Men! Kill the magic beasts! Pick up the treasure chests! Collect the mats!"

"Black!"

This was finally when Duo turned his line of sight away from Lecan.

"Sir."

"Skip the mats. Get our men here."

"Sir. Oy! Forget collecting the mats! Retrieve what's inside the treasure chests. Gather round afterward! Make it quick!"

The knights skillfully finished off the magic beasts, grabbed potions in the treasure chests and assembled before Black. Knight Black reported to Duo once the knights were all present.

"Commander. All men are accounted for."

"Alright. Listen, men! This here is Lecan-dono of Wazrof Household! A man who has conquered Dungeon Tsubolt and Dungeon Palcimo."

A rustle broke out before quickly died down.

"Lecan-dono has! Come to deliver! A letter from Ashidgrein-sama and Nodlein-sama! During our absence! Peacekeeping Knights have attacked the Palace! And captured townlord-sama, Estfarin-dono and Saljirein-sama!"

Duo paused here for an interval, to let the knights chew on the meaning of his words.

"Ashidgrein-sama, and Rubianafale-sama! Have barricaded themselves in the Northern Tower together with Nodlein-sama and a few aides!"

Duo glared at all the knights with terrifying gazes.

"Right this instance! We're heading for Yufonia! To save our lord! And protect his highness and her ladyship!"

UWOOOOOOO, the knights bellowed.

The fighting spirit overflowing in this place would flinch any and all magic beast.

(These guys don't feel like knights.)

(I guess their life revolves around hunting dungeon magic beasts.)

(No place for etiquette or elegance.)

Dungeon Knights began their march toward the Temple.

Lecan and Eda are walking together with the commander, Duo Bahn.

Once they got near the enormous Temple's gate, Lecan asked.

"Duo. Can't we just go around the Temple and head straight to Red Sands."

"Lecan. You ain't gonna find Rend Sands even if did that."

"What?"

"One can only reach Red Sands you see on the map by passing through Temple's gate, defeating the Three Giants and then exiting through their room."

"Hou."

"Before this was discovered, us knights would turn around and go back all the way to the entrance once we got enough God Cures."

"Sounds rough."

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"Sure is."

They put large magic stones on several depressions on the Temple's stone gate.

Then the stone gate opened to the sides while making a heavy sound.

The inside was like a maze.

The passage is quite wide, ten knights could easily walk side by side there. In fact, Dungeon Knights march forward in a five-row formation. They have enough elbowroom between each of them to prepare for any unforeseen situation.

There are many big doors in random spots. Lecan could sense exceptionally powerful magic beasts beyond those doors.

The vice commander of Dungeon Knights, Black Ormoa gave directions with a Map in his hand from the second row.

Lecan was enveloped with reliable feelings as he walk on surrounded by the elites of Dungeon Knights. It hasn't been long since they met, but he could discern the strength and disposition of these Dungeon Knights.

Their strength is the real thing. Alone they're strong as is, but a hundred of them move together like a single creature. And their disposition is more akin to forthright adventurers than overbearing knights.

(Everything's fine now.)

(Nodlein predicted it would have taken me 34 days to get to this point.)

(We got here in 16.)

(Duo Bahn and the Dungeon Knights can take care of the rest.)

(We've got lots of days to spare.)

(Nothing more to worry about.)

(I've managed to protect Ruby.)

Lecan had a rush of relief and accomplishment.

"Duo."

"What's up."

"I'm told we need three days to exit the Temple. That how long it takes to get to the Three Giants?"

"Hahahaha. Lecan. This Temple is enormous yeah, with complex passages and all but we've got a map on us. Wouldn't even be a Period by the time we got to Three Giants' room."

"Hm? Then why'd Nodlein say it'd take three days?"

"That's how long it takes to fight off Three Giants."

Lecan looked at Duo with a look of surprise.

Duo grinned.

"These Three Giants are made up of one Sword Giant, one Shield Giant and one Wand Giant. Six of us knights would first enter the room and defeat the Wand Giant. Magic are bad news, y'see. This takes two days."

"Are those six gonna fight for two full days?"

"No way. One of 'em will regularly go outside and change with another knight standing by outside."

"Ah, I see."

"Once the Wand Giant's been taken care of, the rest is simple. Eight knights will go and defeat the Sword Giant. Then finally ten will beat down the Shield Giant."

"A fight that involve all 100 knights by turn huh."

"Nah. Only about 40 among us 100 are capable of squaring up against the Three Giants."

"Are six the limit for the start?"

"Putting more people than that makes it harder to move around inside. We could brute force the Three Giants with sheer number but there gonna be casualties."

"So there's no casualties if it's just six."

"Sure are when there are."

Duo shut one of his eyes in jest.

(Hm?)

(Don't think the death of elite knights is any joking matter.)

(What's with that expression?)