Chapter 7: Sensitive nose

Chapter 7: Sensitive nose

[Holy Skeleton] reached level 14

[Holy Skeleton] reached level 15

[Shenanigans] reached level 49

Nobody found the rat. As it turned out, the place was even larger than Sofia had thought, it was worthy of being called a fortress. The cloister where she was ended up being quite close to the entrance, it seemed more like an afterthought in the whole design than a place made specially for the Saintesses. There were lower levels but they were devoid of any human presence so likely no jail cells in there, weirdly enough. Maybe that was the only reason she wasnt in one. These underground levels werent fully mapped out, there had to be something dangerous in there as the rat had retreated early, but it wasnt a human.

The doors on the other side when you crossed the garden led to what was probably the maids and workers' quarters on one side, seeing how everyone slept in communal rooms, and to the paladins quarters on the other, where they had individual rooms. She couldnt tell what was in the other rooms as the rat didnt report any people in there. But it had told her where guards were posted, and it had found two exits.

One was likely the main entrance, near the banquet hall she had seen before. It was guarded by at least eight people. The other exit was a bit weirder, somewhere far away in the second floor, she had no clue what it could be. The second floor had very few people in it, barely a few duos here and there, probably guards, it was surely more lively during the day. She could already see ways she could reach that second exit at night if she was good with her timings around the patrolling guards, but it was a gamble since she didnt know what the rat had considered an exit. Maybe she wouldnt even fit through, maybe it led to a cliffside, even then she still felt she had better odds there than with the front door.

Going to the second floor in the first place was a bit tricky, the stairs from the main entrance hall led directly to the third floor so they werent an option, the only ways to the second floor were two sets of stairs, one in the center of the workers aisle and one at the end of the paladins corridors. There had to be a staircase leading up the oracle's tower somewhere that had access to all floors but the skeleton hadnt found it, maybe it was behind locked doors. There were quite a few places the rat couldnt enter.

The next morning, she was drinking her daily bowl of soup without enthusiasm when a tall man in armor entered her room, Magisterium Ovohen.

Hmm, youre wearing the saints headband, you really reached level twenty then. Good. Follow me. The man didnt even wait for an answer, he just turned around and left.

Does wearing this thing mean Im level twenty? Theres a level restriction or something like that? Its really a magic item then!

Sofia gulped down the rest of the food while leaving her room. The man marched straight down the same way leading to the kitchen, but entered the long corridor going to the right midway. They passed a few paladins walking around. Everyone stopped to greet the man when they saw him. If her understanding of the layout of this place was correct, they had passed under the main entrances stairway to the third floor. At the far end of this corridor was the entrance to the lower levels. They went through the open passage at the end, the door was made of iron bars that could be lowered with a lever system from the corridors side. Two paladins were guarding the doorway from the inside, facing the light incline going down. Theyre here to keep things from coming out? They wore golden plate armor akin to the magisteriums but much less ornate. It was a mystery how the rat managed to go in and out the previous night without getting caught by the paladins.

[You have entered the dungeon: Abyss of the damned - Lv. 100+]

A dungeon right here in the capital! I get why the church built the fort here. They can just train all of their paladins here. The damned if it ends up being full of undead weak to the holy its a walk in the park for a paladin to level up here!

That might also be an opportunity for me Im a saintomancer, right? Theres no way I dont find a way to make use of a place full of undead! Please let my next spells be good!

The duo entered what looked like an abandoned underground prison, the cell bars were rusty and broken, the whole place was littered with stone and metal debris, and thick dust permeated the air. The only light came from the magisteriums longsword he had unsheathed, it was glowing with a light blue hue.

Stay behind me. He tossed a sheathed dagger to Sofia. Use this to finish off the zombies. Any questions?

Wouldnt I get more experience if I was alone? She was actually curious as to why he would personally help her to level up. Couldnt he send just any other paladin?

Oh you would, if you didnt end up dead.

Your party has defeated [Sinner zombie - lv. 125]

Your party has defeated [Sinner zombie - lv. 98]

Your party has defeated [Sinner zombie - lv. 79]

The further they went, the larger the hordes of zombies became, but the magisterium wasnt even touched once. They were in there for ten hours straight before he had to carry her back when she fainted from exhaustion.

This wasnt all for nothing, however.

You gained a level!

You gained a level!

[Holy Skeleton] reached level 17

You gained a level!

You gained a level!

You gained a level!

You gained a level!

[Holy Skeleton] reached level 18

You gained a level!

[New Passive Skills are available!]

You gained a level!

I had never met such a vile creature, even from afar, the wet gargling sounds that it produced echoing through the vast tunnels made my stomach churn.