Chapter 98: Unholywood

Chapter 98: Unholywood

Translator: Tyo Mochi, Cnine

Editor: akshaythedon

“Our deepest gratitude for what you performed during this perilous event!”

“Thank you very much!”

I am standing in front of the best classroom of the magic academy as its trial student.

No, it’s not because I did something bad in the academy. I’m here to receive their thank you letter for my role during the academy invasion incident a few days ago. The teacher of trial students class, several members of the academy staff, and students of both advanced class and trial class are bowing their heads respectfully toward me.

“I-It’s nothing. Please don’t mention it. Yes?”

Their expressions of gratitude are being portrayed in such a grandiose manner.

Rather than conveying their gratitude, I wanted them to listen to a wish of mine, but it seems that my wish is impossible even with all the accumulated gratitude. Cruel reality, huh.

“We never thought that we’ll be saved by the students of trial period class.”

No, I think you would’ve been okay since they were not that fiendish, is what I want to say, but I’m going to listen in silence since I can read the air.

Students and staff continue rambling things like “If you want to enroll, you can definitely enroll as a scholarship student”, “Why did you enroll as a trial student despite being so powerful?”, or “Amazing~”.

I hear voices tinged with gratefulness from the teachers while ignoring such mutters.

“Ah, so are you really going to quit?”

“I have no other choice.”

As a result, I decided not to enter the academy.

Naturally, I do enjoy visiting the academy to learn, but doing so permanently would end up becoming quite troublesome. I like to live my life without being bothered by such matters.

Though the teacher in charge of trial class, the one who invited me in the first place, is trying his best to persuade me to stay till the end, I can’t do that, unfortunately.

I convey my gratitude while looking at the academy’s premises once again before leaving the academy after the last lesson.

​

Talc, the fervent youth brimming with desire to enter the academy and my trigger to enter this academy, seems to often come to the library to study magic and various other related things.

He was in high spirits even during the exam season.

I hardly did anything for him, but I guess he became an optimistic person.

Recently, I’ve been visiting the library frequently. I have learned new knowledge about Hana’s variation and summoned beasts, magic craft skills, and also about how to acquire a new skill without having a particular class.

I bought a few magic tools and books for the aforementioned reason. Fortunately, I’ve been granted permission to use the library as a sign of gratitude for my help in solving the invasion incident.

Due to this reason, I can read books that can’t be obtained by normal means anytime.

Now then, let’s learn various magic skills and other things by making use of this advantage.

Thus, my life as a magic academy student has reached a conclusion for the time being.

I’ve been collecting a vast amount of information about that place after finishing my trial period, but it seems that place is a dungeon located to the northeast of this city.

Editor: The place that the invader mentioned.

It’s a gigantic dungeon that can’t be compared to a small dungeon like the one at Paienne, and it is a place that overflows with undead.

Naturally, this place seems to be filled with treasures. It is also the place where certain high-level adventurers venture into.

Unfortunately, there are powerful monsters that attack right from the get go of the dungeon exploration. Thus, the number of people entering here is less than Paienne dungeon.

Especially, in the depths of the dungeon, powerful monsters such as dullahans, liches, and dragon zombies, possessing powers beyond human reach, loiter around, so it’s definitely not the kind of place you want to go to.

“Let’s try to go there, then.”

It’s been a while since I entered any labyrinth.

The Paienne dungeon where I previously went to was a shallow dungeon, and despite having arrived in a world filled with dungeons, I hardly have any experience with dungeon expedition.

Just in case, I might need a proper capture strategy for this dungeon.

Moreover, I realized during the fiasco with Epi that those undead could unexpectedly speak. Maybe I can become their friend and treat them differently from a monster.

At any rate, I won’t know until I go there, and it does not seem to be a bad idea, either. I wake up from my bed at once and leave the room.

“Interesting. Let’s go then, Eiji. It’ll also become a good practice ground.”

Suu also seems to have agreed to my idea.

“That sound good to me. I want to try the power of my magic spear, too.”

Jackrosa chimes in.

“I won’t participate. Though it doesn’t mean that I don’t want to become a fighter, for what reason are we going to a dungeon in the first place?”

Minan disagrees with this idea.

Suu is surprised on hearing that.

“Eh, you don’t want to go there? It’s a dungeon, you know? Moreover, it might have something to do with the previous monster disturbance!”

“That’s why I am asking “WHY”?”

“Uhm, that is…”

Suu is unable to answer Minan’s question.

“My goal is to research about magic in general and not how to battle using magic. Doing something like going to a dungeon is too much for me. Don’t you think so, Suu?”

“That’s right, but still, aren’t you curious about it?”

“Nope.” Minan replies with an indifferent expression.

Suu smiles wryly and then glances at me.

I can’t do anything even if you look at me, you know.

“Is that so, that’s unfortunate. As for me, I’m interested in it. That why I’ll go, Minan.”

“Going at your own convenience. Men are such creatures, after all.”

“I think Minan just hates doing unnecessary things.”

“That’s trivial.”

I don’t know very well about those two since I’m not that close to them, but after the discussion, the three of us – me, Jackrosa, and Suu – decided to head toward the Unholywoods.

Editor: According to the translator, he wants the name of the forest to remain as such as it is named as such in Japanese. So, we will be sticking to this name in all further translations.

I tried to invite Risaharuna and Ruu, but it seems they’ll pass on this one.

It seems they are doing some sort of shopping today.

When I said “That’s unexpected of you people. I thought you don’t have that kind of interest,” they retorted in anger with “Are you making fun of us!” It seems the reason is along the lines of “I’m starving for fashionable attire after wearing god attire for few hundred years altogether!”.

After listening to such a bizarre reason, we departed toward the Unholywood dungeon. After walking across the grasslands outside Prowkai for a while, the grasses on our surrounding gradually become dry and wilted.

Around two hours after leaving the city, we arrive at the entrance of Unholywoods.

“This scenery, it is amazing!”

I gasp due to the scenery inside.

The spectacular landscape made up of large amount of white-colored tree trunks standing in lines instills a sense of beauty while giving a strong sense of impending death – truly a fantastic scenery. The numerous dead-looking black leaves hanging on the branches of those trees are dark to the point of being invisible.

“Yeah. Even I was surprised when I first came here. Moreover, the entrance is the most terrifying place.”

“Is that so? The entrance doesn’t seem to be—– Ah, you’re right.”

There are so many places where the roots of the trees are intertwined and the branches are twisted. It is as if they are as such to prevent humans from entering via the gaps between the trees and force them to enter via the dungeon entrance. It seems that we are left with no choice but to enter the dungeon through the entrance.

“My information is not reliable, but it seems this dungeon contains several other routes apart from this one.”

“I see. Then let’s use that as a reference. I’m glad to have you come along with us, Jackrosa.”

“Yeah, it’s reassuring to have an experienced person to travel along for this dungeon.”

“And I’m reassured to have Eiji with us. Let’s go.”

We follow Jackrosa and enter Unholywood forest.