Chapter 101

Chapter 101

Upon returning to the mansion, Evangeline and the Dion Mercenary Group, who had returned from their autonomous exploration, were waiting.

"Ah, our senior is here."

"The Prince has arrived!"

"He has arrived!"

They were all relaxing in the reception room. I sat on the sofa of the head seat to hear their report from the exploration.

"Did you all have a good trip? So, how was it?"

"Oh, please dont ask. It was our first time going to such a hair-raising place."

"It was pitch-dark everywhere, not a speck of light!"

"Moreover, monsters kept popping out from the darkness!"

"We really thought we were going to die!"

The Dion mercenaries started expressing their impressions all at once.

These newbie mercenaries. They whine so much, theyd be better off called Chick Mercenaries. (TL: Just so theres no confusion, its Chick as in Baby Chickens)

"We were all shivering in fear, but Evangeline showed no signs of fear!"

"She stood at the front with her spear, saying Follow me! and charged in!"

"Weve never seen such a splendid knight in our lives!"

Evangeline was being showered with praise from the Dion Mercenaries, and I looked at her with a furrowed brow.

Evangeline was scratching the back of her head while twisting her body.

"Oh, dont overdo it. I only acted that way because the situation was urgent."

"You were amazing! You saved us multiple times!"

"We would have been wiped out long ago if you werent there!"

"Evangeline, you are our savior!"

"Evangeline! The Spear Knight of Protection!"

"Evangeline! Evangeline! Evangeline!"

Now they are chanting her name. Its chaos.

"Hehe, oh please, enough already~"

Evangeline was blushing and twisting her body when,

"I said enough! I cant take it anymore! Stop it!"

Unable to bear the continuous praise, she yelled at the Dion Mercenaries. Her true colors showed.

The Dion Mercenaries quickly became silent and bowed their heads. Are they really chicks...

"Anyway, lets hear the report. How was the dungeon?"

"Hehe, dont be surprised when you hear!"

Evangeline stood up, arms crossed and head held high.

Look at her, all puffed up with a bit of praise.

"The dungeon itself was the same as last time. The terrain was the same. The darkness was the same. But the type of monster had changed."

Yeah. I know all about that.

I swallowed hard.

Could the type of enemy Evangeline and the Dion Mercenaries encountered...

"This time, the monster that came out, oh my! It was my first time seeing one in real life! It was a horde of ghouls!"

...be related to the bloodline?

My teeth were clenched. Ghouls.

They are low-tier monsters controlled by the bloodline...

The moment when it was confirmed that the enemy army of Stage 5 was the bloodline.

I held my throbbing forehead with my hand. Lucas, who was standing behind my sofa, asked in surprise.

"Ghouls? You mean, those ghouls?"

"Yes, those... the walking corpses. They were swarming out of the deep darkness, to be honest, it really spooked me."

Then Dion, who had been listening from behind, chimed in.

"She wasnt scared at all! She stood in front of us who were shaking with fear, and fought like a legendary hero!"

"Well, yeah, I did that! But could you stop now! Ha, really."

Evangeline shrugged her shoulders, running her index finger below her nose.

"Well, I just did what I learned at the academy. If you get injured or scratched, you can get infected, so I kept my distance and skewered them one by one with a spear."

"You also instructed us on that strategy!"

"If she hadnt, wed all be infected and groaning! No, wed be rolling around!"

"Evangeline! Evangeline! Evangeline!"

"Ah, enough! Seriously, stop!"

"..."

Usually, Id laugh and join in, but I didnt feel like it. I muttered heavily.

"...So, its true, the vampires have appeared."

At my words, Evangelines eyes widened.

"Vampires? Like the ones from old fairy tales?"

"Yeah, those damn vampires."

"Thank you!"

"Thank you-!"

The Dion Mercenary Group simultaneously bowed to me and then exited the meeting room.

Evangeline, who bowed her head to me, waved to Junior.

"Ill chat with you later, Juju sis!"

"Sounds good, Miss Evangeline. Rest well."

Finally, after nodding to Lucas, Evangeline scurried out.

Outside the reception room, there were noises of Lets go for an after-party, after-party! Oh, me too? Of course, you must go together, miss!

They grew close quickly after their initial bickering. Should I be relieved?

"There are so many adorable people. Ive only heard that the Monster Front is a vicious place, it seems a little different than expected."

Junior said with a beaming smile. I pressed my furrowed brows with the tip of my fingers.

"Even if war with monsters is hellish, its better to live brightly in normal times."

"Hmm. Indeed."

"Why? You prefer a place thats more desolate?"

"No, that wouldnt be the case."

Junior slightly lowered the brim of her large hat with a flick of her fingers, obscuring the upper half of her face.

"Just, Ive seen it a lot. Young and cute individuals gradually losing their laughter and expressions."

"..."

"War not only steals wealth and lives, but also the joys and sorrows of the survivors. Thats truly regrettable."

I could imagine it clearly.

As stages repeat, as everyone becomes exhausted from the continuous monster invasions.

Everyone in this front, who are now laughing and chattering. The sight of them becoming haggard and emotionless.

"...Jupiter Junior."

Shaking off my thoughts, I looked at Junior squarely.

"You need to explain your abilities."

Jupiter Junior is a character that doesnt appear in the game.

While I have a rough idea of her abilities through the stat window, it would be more accurate if she explained it herself.

"Id be glad to, your highness."

Junior slowly bowed to me and placed her hand on her chest.

"I am an Elementalist. I can handle most elemental properties, but I can proficiently use three."

Blue, green, and yellow magic power swirled at the tips of Juniors extended fingers.

"Water. Wind. And lightning."

Lightning.

This point is also similar to Jupiter. I nodded my head.

"Im ashamed that my mastery is still low, so all I can utilize from the elements is simply firing them."

She must be talking about her 1st skill [Elemental Burst]. So the end of the element usage is simply striking with an element?

"But with a bit more training, I think I can figure out the next usage."

"Indeed."

"Thats about it. Its a humble ability, so its embarrassing to show in front of your highness."

"Humble? Its really good."

A three-element Elementalist. Im tempted to prostrate myself.

"Then shall we negotiate your weekly wage?"

As I spoke, Junior chuckled with a smile in her eyes.

"Ive heard that you paid my grandmothers annual salary all at once. Cant I have the same?"

"Sorry, but the financial situation lately isnt so good."

I shrugged my shoulders.

"More importantly, I cant possibly evaluate your worth when you havent shown me all the cards in your deck, can I?"

"What do you mean...?"

"I know youre hiding some of your abilities, Junior."

Juniors face hardened. I couldnt help but chuckle.

One of Juniors traits was Cunning Fox. (TL Note: Changed from Fox Den, since it sounds better this way)

[Cunning Fox]

- Always prepares an escape route. To set up an unexpected trick, deceives the opponent about ones own abilities.

This trait involves lowering and hiding ones own stats.

For characters with this trait, it allows them to deceive enemies, but for players, its a headache because they cant know the exact stats.

"Go ahead and reveal all the hidden abilities you have, Junior."

I decided to play it straight with her.

"Then well be able to sit at a much better negotiation table."

"..."

Juniors face, usually so relaxed, had turned blue.