CH 140

“Unfortunately, there’s no spot for you, Axion.”

“So when the heck will I be getting a place? I will be included in the fight against the demon lord, right?” Axion asked jokingly. I chortled a little myself at that.

The three young ones of the special unit felt the tension of challenging a high-level dungeon for the first time. But, thanks to the composure shown by the elite members even with the upcoming dragon encounter, the kids managed to relax a little.

Axion, who was about to stop frolicking and return to his place, suddenly paused in astonishment. Wide-eyed, he muttered, “…Hang on, Jun.”

“What is it?”

As soon as I responded, he sped over to scan me up and down. “This cloak, it’s Lena’s Cloak… And aren’t these boots Sinus’ Boots? One second, your hand, please… The Ring of Blessing, The Ring of the Hawk, Lucille’s Bracelet… Crikey… Well, aren’t you wearing the best there is?”

Axion analyzed my artifacts with eyes like a falcon’s. Well, it was natural for him to recognize them. He must’ve played a part in obtaining these items, after all. Robur, on the other hand, seemed to have noticed only now. She whistled and exclaimed, “Looks like His Excellency emptied out the grand ducal treasury!”

August didn’t seem very interested, while Tragula looked like he had long known about it. Axion fixed a gaze dripping with plaintive longing on my wrist. “I’ve been aiming so long for Lucille’s Bracelet… The captain cut my request off so firmly, and yet…”

Mayer did tell me not to lend the artifacts to anyone, but he was probably saying that out of worry I might not use them. So I figured it would be fine when I wasn’t using them. I asked carefully, “…Should I lend it to you later, in secret?”

“Are you mad? Why don’t you pray to Saint Marianne to have His Excellency thrash me to death?” Axion exclaimed in alarm. He shuddered, seeming chilled by the very thought of what would happen.

August had been disinterested in the conversation so far. At Axion’s blasphemous words, he immediately flared up. “Saint Marianne does not grant such wishes. I ask that you do not use the saint’s name for such blasphemous expressions, Brother Axion.”

“I’m just saying! Such a hardhead… Anyhow, don’t think of handing that over to other people, alright? If only out of consideration for their lives.”

“O-okay.” I nodded perplexedly at his exceptionally strong warning.

He didn’t seem finished, though; Axion shook his head, sighing, and said, “Lending an artifact… I can understand the way His Excellency acts, but you, Jun… You’re a serious case. Do you even know how much those cost? They’re worth one… No, about five walking castles.”

The three young ones of the special unit, who didn’t know much about artifacts, jumped in surprise. They stared at us with eyes round and mouths gaping. Sevi, in particular, stared worriedly at the part of the artifact he had touched. The boy was probably afraid he might have left a fingerprint. But it wasn’t like I was willing to lend these out to just anyone. Smiling awkwardly, I replied, “Uh… How could I not know?”

“Wow. You can still walk around despite knowing? That’s incredible, I tell you. If it were me, I would’ve been petrified into a statue. Forget going to a dungeon, I bet I wouldn’t have moved even a single step.”

I empathized deeply with that. My skin trembled with every step I moved. My honest thought was that it would be a little more helpful to the dungeon raid if I went without these artifacts. Sighing softly, I muttered to myself, “I’ll have to be careful in their use if I’m going to return them safely…”

“I have no intention of taking them back.”

I turned around, startled by the low voice I heard right behind me. Before I realized it, Mayer had come up and was gazing intently at me up and down. Confirming I was wearing all the artifacts he had given me, a satisfied smile spread across his lips. But the smile didn’t last long. Mayer’s face abruptly hardened as he called out, “Axion.”

“…Y-yes, sir!” Axion responded, stricken with tension at his captain’s sharper than usual tone. Mayer pulled me toward him with one arm, as if splitting me apart from Axion. From my perspective, I couldn’t tell what sort of expression he was showing to the latter. Judging by Axion’s pale complexion and shaking eyes, I could roughly guess. Why was he so mad? Had he overheard me offering to lend the bracelet? But Axion had refused in the end.

While I was puzzled over the matter, Mayer said, “Jun is the vice-captain of the Dark Knights. If you, an elite member, call Jun by her name so casually, then what would become of her image?”

…Was it because of that? It wasn’t like he was a regular member. Wasn’t it fine for someone of Axion’s standing to just call me by name…? Feeling it would be troublesome if he mistakenly thought I was offended, I spoke up, bewildered, “I don’t mind, though.”