Chapter 23
Two more days passed after we started going to the twelfth floor.
We took requests, ventured into the dungeon, defeated monsters, and returned.
We earned 2,200P over those two days.
【Total P Acquired: 24,200P】
【Your points: 4,490P】
We were only 510P short of Magic Control.
Then came the third day.
Felicia and I were on the twelfth floor again.
The Metal Scorpion we were targeting for today's request appeared from behind a rock.
"It's coming."
Felicia readied her staff.
"I'll handle this one."
I drew the Flamefang Sword.
The Metal Scorpion's tail shot toward me.
I dodged backward.
Then I closed in.
I activated the magic stone in the hilt.
Fwoom!
I swung the flaming blade down at a gap in its carapace.
Slash!
"Screee!"
It lost its balance.
One more strike.
The Metal Scorpion fell to the ground.
【You acquired 1,000P】
【Total P Acquired: 25,200P】
【Your points: 5,490P】
"...I've saved up enough."
"Five thousand P?"
"Yes."
I sheathed the Flamefang Sword and opened Membership right there.
"You're buying it here?"
"Since I've finally saved enough."
"You're not waiting until we get back to the inn?"
"What's the point?"
I opened the Unique Skill list.
【Magic Control: 5,000P】
【A Unique Skill that lets you control magic quickly and precisely】
I selected it.
【Purchase Magic Control?】
【Required Points: 5,000P】
I confirmed.
【You spent 5,000P】
【You acquired the Unique Skill Magic Control】
【Your points: 490P】
"It all disappeared at once again."
"I saved up so I could spend it."
I closed Membership.
I immediately noticed the difference.
"...So this is it."
"Did something change?"
"I can sense the magic inside me."
I focused on the magic within my body.
Toward my right hand.
Magic gathered there in the amount I willed.
"Whoa..."
Then I tried my left hand.
It moved the same way.
"How is it?"
"I can move exactly the amount I want to where I want."
"Can you use magic, too?"
"I'll try."
I gathered magic in my right hand and pointed it forward.
"..."
Nothing happened.
"No good."
"So being able to move magic and being able to use magic are different things, huh?"
"Seems so."
Even so, I could control magic far more precisely than before.
And that wasn't the only reason I'd bought it.
"Felicia-san."
"Yes?"
"Let's try Imbuement, too."
I opened Imbuement.
【Skill Imbuement Target】
【Shared Members】
【Felicia Roth】
"Shared Members?"
More text appeared.
【You can imbue Skills only on members registered in Share】
【If a member is removed from Share, any imbued Skills will also be removed】
"I see."
"So you can't give it to just anyone."
"That's easier to understand."
Felicia was still a member of Share.
I selected her as the target.
【Available Skills】
【Magic Control】
"It's there."
"Please."
I selected Magic Control.
【Imbuing Magic Control on Felicia Roth】
I confirmed.
"...Ah."
Felicia looked at her hand.
"Can you feel it?"
"Yes. It's completely different from before."
She pointed her staff forward.
"I'll start with an ordinary Magic Bullet."
"Go ahead."
"Magic Bullet!"
A glowing projectile shot from the tip of her staff and struck the rock wall.
Smack!
"It doesn't seem much different when I fire it normally."
"What about a high-powered shot?"
"I'll try."
Felicia readied her staff again.
Light began to gather at its tip.
"...That's fast."
It was clearly faster than before.
"I'm ready."
"Already?"
"Yes."
She pointed her staff.
"Magic Bullet!"
Boom!
The high-powered projectile struck the rock wall directly.
Small pieces of rock scattered.
Felicia looked at the tip of her staff.
"It's so much easier to gather the magic."
"What about the power?"
"I don't think it's changed much. But it's much easier to gather just the amount I need."
"So it's easier to use a high-powered shot."
"Yes."
Felicia gripped her staff, looking pleased.
"This will make a big difference in actual combat."
Five thousand P.
It was worth saving up.
◇
After finishing our exploration for the day, we returned to Belgrant.
At the Adventurers' Guild, we submitted proof that we'd defeated the Metal Scorpion.
"I've confirmed it. The request is complete."
【Request completion confirmed】
【You acquired 100P】
【Total P Acquired: 25,300P】
【Your points: 590P】
After finishing the paperwork, I stepped away from the counter.
"...What's going on?"
I looked around and noticed it.
There were clearly more people than usual.
It wasn't just around the reception desk.
Armed adventurers had gathered in the dining hall and along the walls, too.
"It's crowded today."
"Did something happen?"
I looked around.
Among them was a group of four I recognized.
"Claude-san."
It was the Silver Wolf.
Claude noticed us, too.
"Allen. Felicia's with you, too."
"Did something happen?"
"What, you haven't heard?"
"Heard what? We just got back from the dungeon."
"Then I guess you wouldn't know."
Claude looked toward the reception desk.
"The lord has issued a request."
"The lord?"
"Count Belgrant."
Felicia blinked.
"A request from the count to adventurers?"
"Yeah. And not just one or two parties."
I looked around the guild again.
"All these people?"
"That's right."
"What kind of request is it?"
"They'll explain the details at the lord's manor."
Just then, a voice rang out from the reception desk.
"Adventurers of C-Rank or higher who want to join the joint request from the count's house, please come this way!"
The adventurers began to move.
"C-Rank and above..."
We qualified, too.
We headed to the reception desk.
Our usual receptionist was busily checking some documents.
"Oh, Allen-san, Felicia-san. Good timing."
"What's the request from the count's house?"
"We haven't heard the details either."
The receptionist showed us a request form.
【Joint Request from the House of Count Belgrant】
【Eligible: C-Rank adventurers and above】
【Meeting place: Count Belgrant's Manor】
【Details: To be explained at the lord's manor】
"The reward isn't listed yet, either."
"They said you can decide whether to participate after hearing the explanation."
"I see."
I looked at Felicia.
"Shall we go?"
"Yes. I'm curious why they're gathering so many people."
"I'm curious, too, so let's go."
We wrote our names down as interested participants.
◇
Evening.
We walked through the center of Belgrant with a large group of adventurers.
Soldiers from the count's house led the way.
The Silver Wolf was there, too.
Almost all the adventurers around us were strangers.
A man with a greatsword on his back.
A woman in full armor.
A short man with several daggers at his waist.
They had a different air about them from the adventurers we'd passed in the dungeon.
As we neared the center of Belgrant, the buildings grew larger, too.
Before long, a high stone wall came into view ahead.
"Is that it?"
"That's the lord's manor."
A wide gate stood before us.
Beyond it stood a large, three-story manor.
Its design was different from the Valdis estate, but it was about the size I'd expect for a lord's manor.
"Allen-san, you're not nervous at all."
"I lived in places like this until I left home."
"Ah... that's right."
"Felicia-san, you seem surprisingly calm, too."
"Huh?"
Felicia paused for just a moment.
"D-do I seem that way?"
"Yes."
"I'm nervous."
"Are you?"
"I am!"
For some reason, she said it emphatically.
We passed through the gate.
The count's soldiers checked each participant's name and adventurer card one by one.
After they checked ours, we entered the manor.
We were shown into a large hall.
Dozens of adventurers had already gathered there.
Knights from the count's house stood in a line at the front.
Before long, the doors at the far end opened.
The chatter stopped.
A man entered.
"He's young..."
I muttered without thinking.
He looked to be in his mid-twenties.
He wore a jacket in a subdued color and was accompanied by several knights.
The man stepped before the gathered adventurers.
"Thank you for responding to this sudden summons."
His voice echoed through the hall.
"I am Count Belgrant, ――."
Then he slowly surveyed the assembled adventurers.
"There is a reason I gathered so many people."
Total P Acquired: 25,300P