Chapter 20
When I returned from the dungeon, I went to the armory to return my equipment.
"I'm Noah. I've returned."
A burly priest came out from behind the counter.
"...You're safe. Good."
He spoke in a low voice.
"I'm Baldo. I only give my name to those who've made it back alive from the dungeon."
His blunt tone carried a hint of relief.
"You knew when to call it quits, too. Not bad for your first time."
Baldo raised the lantern and quickly checked how much holy oil remained.
"Leave your equipment there. If you have any magic stones, turn them in."
"Yes. Thank you."
I lifted the leather pouch. It was packed full of magic stones.
At the sight of it, Baldo stopped moving.
"...Hey. Are those all magic stones?"
"Yes."
At my answer, Baldo let out a breath.
"I heard you were talented, but... this is too much."
We then headed to the offering hall.
I set the pouch full of magic stones on the counter.
The priest who came to serve me raised an eyebrow slightly.
But he said nothing more.
Without a word, he put the stones on the scales and weighed them.
He swiftly wrote the amount in the ledger with his quill.
Next was the dining hall.
As soon as I reached the counter, I was served soup and bread.
I sat in an empty seat, dipped the black bread into the soup in my wooden bowl, and silently ate.
The soup was salty, packed with beans, and rich with the savory flavor of dried fish.
It was simple, but filling.
It was just the sort of meal I needed after a workout.
After finishing my meal, I headed back to the armory.
"What is it, Noah? Did you forget something?"
Baldo looked down at me with an exasperated expression.
"I'm going into the dungeon. Please get my equipment."
I said it as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"Huh? You just got back."
Baldo furrowed his brow.
"I heard my training was to keep going into the dungeon and slaying monsters. It's necessary to draw closer to the light of God, isn't it?"
Baldo sighed and shrugged.
"Haa... Fine. I'll get it for you. But this is your last trip today. Go to bed when you get back. Got it?"
I took the staff and lantern, then headed back into the dungeon.
—Still, this is a fortunate setup.
I can focus entirely on ranking up.
It wouldn't have been like this if I'd become an adventurer.
After turning in another pouch full of magic stones from skeletons, I climbed the stairs to the rest area.
I lay down on the stone bed and used Heal to ease my fatigue. Unlike before, I was under no restrictions on using magic.
At this rate, I could keep going as long as I wanted, but they wouldn't let me go straight back into the dungeon.
I obediently closed my eyes and took a nap for about three hours.
When I went to the armory again, a different priest was there instead of Baldo.
—I suppose Baldo couldn't be here all day.
"I'm Noah. I'm going into the dungeon, so could I have my equipment?"
At that, the priest checked the ledger and handed me a staff and a lantern.
To my delight, the holy oil had increased to four bottles.
I returned to the dungeon once more.
As soon as I stepped into the dim corridor, the sound of a skeleton's footsteps echoed toward me.
There was only one.
I didn't light the lantern yet.
I cast 'Enhance.'
My perception accelerated.
The skeleton lunged.
Fast—but its punch was obvious.
I deliberately blocked it with my staff.
It was heavy.
To keep my staff from breaking, I jumped backward and let the impact carry me away.
This time, I attacked.
A downward swing from above.
I struck its collarbone, but a hard clank rang out and my staff bounced off.
—Its defense had increased, too.
I dodged the next punch and slipped inside its guard.
'Life Steal.'
The magic stone resisted having its life force drained more than usual—but that didn't mean the spell wouldn't work.
As soon as I stole its life, the skeleton collapsed with a rattling clatter.
—The lantern's effect is stronger than I'd expected.
Skeletons without the lantern are more of a nuisance than a threat.
I'd worried that ranking up against weakened monsters might not develop my technique, but skeletons don't have much to teach me.
On this floor, it would be more efficient to kill as many as possible and rank up quickly.
I lit the lantern and spread my mana deeper into the dungeon.
And so, despite Baldo's exasperation, I kept venturing into the dungeon.
For the first few days, Baldo would say, "You're back again?" with exasperation.
A week later, he started asking, "Do you ever actually sleep?" with concern.
Two weeks later, he gave up and said, "...Well, I suppose you'll be fine."
Then a month passed.
At last, the moment I'd been waiting for finally arrived.
The instant I defeated a skeleton, euphoria surged through my entire body.
After an ordeal that wore down body and mind to their limits, it wouldn't be surprising to mistake this feeling for God's mercy.
I checked my status.
【Name】Noah
【Rank】II
【Magic Power】S
【Skill】Appraisal Life Magic Mana Control Magic Imbuement
【Magic】Heal Cure Enhance Life Steal Resurrection Calm
My Rank had increased.
My Magic Power, which had been stagnating, had increased as well.
—And that wasn't all.
My body felt light.
My movements were sharper, and my reflexes were in a different league.
It was strength I could hardly believe came from a child's body.
I gathered the magic stones from the skeletons and left the dungeon.
I set the staff and lantern on the armory counter.
"Noah. Did you rank up?"
Baldo asked, looking at the pouch full of magic stones.
"Yes. How did you know?"
I replied with a slight smile.
"Judging by how many magic stones you've been turning in, I thought it might happen today... but I never expected it to happen in just one month."
Baldo stared at the pouch, looking half astonished and half exasperated.
"You can enter the second floor from now on."
At Baldo's words, I looked up in surprise.
"Really? I'll turn these in right away, so please leave the equipment out for me."
"Hey, hey. Take a little rest."
Baldo shrugged and spoke with exasperation.
"It's training."
With that, I hurried off to the offering hall.
After turning in the stones, I returned to Baldo and found a lantern and a white staff ready for me.
"Huh? The staff..."
"Right. Wraiths appear on the second floor. You'll need a consecrated weapon, or your attacks will pass right through them."
Baldo said this as he handed me the equipment.