Your Majesty, Dinner Is Ready. Chapter 62 - D-Rank Labyrinth – Library of Sin (5)

Chapter 62: D-Rank Labyrinth – Library of Sin (5)

 

The Library Guardian calling me an arsonist wasn’t exactly inaccurate.

At the moment, I had become a living half-elf flamethrower, continuously spewing fire.

Kiiirururuk!

The swarm of Small Grimoires had grown so accustomed to fire attacks that they were now evading them with acrobatic aerial maneuvers.

A battle in which both sides were thoroughly sick of each other.

It was around the time [Ember of Glory] had become completely overheated from excessive use.

“Hello there.”

With a lively greeting, a tall swordsman wielding a turquoise sword ran toward me and cleaved a Grimoire in half.

“Need a hand?”

“So you’ve arrived, Sir Pendrick.”

Wrapping Astrimia in a starlit aura, Pendrick repeatedly activated [Powerful Slash], splitting apart every Small Grimoire in sight.

His movements were still comical and full of openings.

But the power behind them was unquestionably outstanding.

“It’s reassuring even though you’re the enemy. How did you get here?”

“Well…”

Crunch!

Smashing a Grimoire apart with his unbandaged fist, Bartimir stepped in front of me.

“Our investigations showed that Grimoires move more slowly in snowy terrain. So we kept searching for snowfield areas.”

“An excellent judgment.”

“I know.”

‘Crackle.’

[Warning: Roll to the side!]

A simultaneous warning from [Insight That Foresees Chaos] and [Eye That Perceives Truth].

I immediately threw myself aside.

The demon dark mage’s fist tore through the air where I’d been standing only a moment earlier.

“Too bad.”

Bartimir smiled and thrust out his arm again.

But thanks to my Mysteries warning me, I dodged once more.

“What are you doing?”

“Hold still. I’m only going to knock you unconscious–”

Before he could finish speaking, I transformed my hand into lightning and grabbed Bartimir’s shoulder.

“Ggh…!”

As the electrocuted demon staggered, I immediately turned and fled without hesitation.

Pendrick rushed at me as well.

“It might hurt a little, Sir Kar!”

“Watch out!”

The flat of his blade came crashing down toward my head.

I sacrificed my right arm to block it while simultaneously releasing flames.

“Ah!”

“No!”

Astrimia hurriedly moved her blade to intercept the fire in place of the startled Pendrick.

The flames split into two streams, narrowly passing by either side of the genius swordsman’s face.

“Where do you think you’re going?!”

While the lover had been keeping me occupied, Bartimir had already recovered and closed the distance in an instant.

Pendrick was also charging over with a smile.

“How can the two of you gang up on such a delicate cultist like myself?”

“You’re the one carrying around all kinds of mysterious knowledge, right? Then all we have to do is tie you up! Red can easily deal with the kids!”

“Do you really think so?”

I trusted the siblings.

I knew they could do it.

“Sir Bartimir, please stop for a moment. I have something to tell you.”

“What?”

The law-abiding demon actually paused his punches for a moment.

I solemnly declared,

“I am your father.”

“……”

I’d worked up my courage to reveal the truth.

But Bartimir merely frowned.

“How are ‘you’ my dad? The old butler said we’re the same age.”

“…No, you just blurted out random nonsense to stall for time! Don’t take something like that seriously!”

“Something like that? Lady Astrimia, I’m disappointed.”

Since my pitiful trick had been exposed, I activated [Ghoul’s Mobility] and beckoned with one hand.

“Come then. I’ll face you seriously.”

“You’re going to regret this!”

“Please forgive me if it hurts a little!”

Transforming my body into black lightning, I welcomed the simultaneously charging Pendrick and Bartimir.

A smile naturally spread across my face.

‘…This is what exploration is all about.’

What could be more enjoyable than an intense competition founded on mutual goodwill?

This friendly exploration match was proving to be wonderfully refreshing.

Unfortunately…

With my mental energy nearly exhausted after such a long expedition, there was no way I could beat two opponents at once.

“Stop running!”

Finding an opening, I electrocuted both of them simultaneously before fleeing.

But Bartimir caught up almost immediately.

Demons were a race that grew stronger the more negative concepts they consumed.

As a result, inside this library overflowing with malice, his physical abilities had increased severalfold, allowing him to move at such astonishing speed.

“Finally caught you!”

Bartimir ultimately tackled me to the ground and climbed on top in a full mount position, pinning both of my arms beneath his hands.

The position was so embarrassingly compromising that my face naturally grew hot.

“This is rather embarrassing. But if it’s what you desire, Sir Bartimir, I am perfectly willing to offer you my purity.”

“Shut up!”

The demon shouted before stuffing one of his petrified hands into my mouth.

No matter how hard a frail half-elf’s bite force was, there was no way I could crush a stone finger.

So I retaliated with my secret technique… Licking.

Bartimir’s face immediately twisted.

“…You’re seriously persistent!”

“I can keep this up all day.”

Of course…

I still hadn’t grown strong enough to fight forever.

 

[Remaining Vitality: 80/100]

[Remaining Mental Strength: 3/100]

 

I’d been drinking stamina recovery potions like water, so my vitality was still plentiful.

But my mental strength was almost completely depleted.

Continuing the fight any longer would become problematic.

Fortunately… I’d already held out long enough.

It should be about time.

“Intruders…!”

Bartimir was still covering my face with his petrified hand.

A snow-white Library Guardian emerged from the ground and pointed its book sword toward us.

“Leave the library!”

“Again?”

The demon shook his head in exasperation.

Still keeping one foot planted on my body, he stood shoulder to shoulder with Pendrick.

“Leave, or only death awaits you!”

Perhaps because this was snowy terrain, the book knight glided across the ground as it swung its sword horizontally.

Pendrick blocked it with Astrimia, immediately grimacing.

“I can’t hold it back for more than three seconds!”

That was plenty.

Bartimir pulled out a Mystery Tome radiating suspicious energy from his robes, held it up to his face, and took a deep sniff.

Then he sprinted forward and launched a flying dropkick at the Guardian.

Ordinarily… It shouldn’t have budged at all.

But thanks to the miasma contained within the Mystery Tome temporarily skyrocketing his Strength and Agility, the demon’s dropkick was effective enough to slightly stagger even a Level 7 monster.

“How dare…!”

He hadn’t dealt any actual damage. But he’d unquestionably bought us time.

“Let’s get out of here first!”

“Yes!”

Pendrick slung me over his shoulder.

Together with Bartimir, he sprinted away without looking back.

As I obediently rode on his shoulder, I suddenly spoke.

“I’m sorry.”

Crackle!

Lightning surged into their backs.

Both of them instantly lost their footing and stumbled forward.

Bartimir immediately jumped back up and shouted,

“What are you doing?!”

“Participating in our sacred exploration competition.”

“I understand what you mean, but shouldn’t we survive first?!”

“Survive what? The Guardian is already gone.”

“…Huh?”

I silently looked past the demon’s back.

Bartimir widened his eyes before quickly turning around.

“Intruder!”

The Library Guardian was still faithfully chasing after us.

“…What the hell?!”

He immediately turned back toward me.

But the crafty cultist had already put a considerable distance between himself and the innocent demon.

“Intruder!”

The Library Guardian began attacking Bartimir and Pendrick instead.

“Hey!”

“I’m sorry.”

Even if it was merely a friendly match…

An exploration competition still had to be fought with one’s life on the line.

The moment Bartimir started worrying about his opponent’s safety…

He had already lost.

“You’re as underhanded as that damn God of Nature!!”

That was high praise.

 

***

 

Marlin was searching while climbing a pile of white bookshelves shaped like a snow-covered mountain.

“Big Sis!”

Abel continued dealing with the endless waves of Small Grimoires flying toward them.

However…

His movements were becoming slower and slower.

It seemed he was finally reaching his limit.

“Abel, don’t push yourself too hard!”

“Just hurry up and find it!”

“Why are you yelling? Want me to scold you?”

“Because we’re in a hurry!”

Even now, they continued bickering as they climbed halfway up the bookshelf mountain.

Then…

“…There!”

Halfway up the snowy ridge.

She spotted a bookshelf with exactly enough empty space to fit a single book.

She was just about to run toward it… When a sudden chill ran down her spine.

Marlin immediately grabbed Abel and pulled him flat to the ground.

‘Whoosh!’

Yellow powder scattered through the air above the siblings.

“……”

Rosalia appeared silently.

Red flowers had bloomed across her body.

“…Abel, run!”

As Abel received the book and sprinted away on all fours… Marlin stepped in front of the red-haired assassin.

Not confidently.

“S-Surely… you’re not actually going to swing your dagger at us…?”

“……”

If they fought head-on…

The siblings would lose their heads within three seconds.

But this was a friendly competition.

That made things slightly disadvantageous for an assassin whose every Mystery and technique had been designed solely for killing.

As Rosalia briefly hesitated, wondering how she should subdue the novice thief standing before her…

‘Hug.’

“Big Sis!”

Marlin moved first.

Without the slightest fear, she wrapped the assassin in a hug.

Rosalia instinctively began reaching out.

Then her eyes met the clear gaze of the tiger beastkin girl embracing her tightly.

She hurriedly stopped the fingers that had been heading toward Marlin’s vital points.

“Hehe… Hug me.”

She hadn’t realized it at first because Rosalia spoke so little.

But Marlin knew now.

This cold-looking assassin… was actually quite soft-hearted.

“Big Sis? You can use all your strength to pull me off if you want. But if you do… I might sulk for a few days, so keep that in mind!”

“……”

The red-haired elf squeezed her eyes shut.

Rosalia was an exceptional assassin.

Whenever unexpected situations made the original mission impossible, she could instantly devise an entirely different strategy on the spot… and execute it perfectly.

The result of the brutal training she’d undergone since childhood.

True, she’d focused so exclusively on assassination that she was terrible at virtually everything else.

But when it came to her specialty…

She had never once been outmatched.

“…!”

Rosalia hesitated for only a moment before embracing Marlin tightly in return and lifting her into the air.

Capturing targets alive instead of killing them outright… was also one of an assassin’s traditional duties.

She’d already experienced dozens of situations requiring her to subdue enemies who had gotten this close.

“Waaaah, Big Sis!”

“……”

Hoisting the struggling Marlin over her shoulder, Rosalia rapidly gave chase.

Even though the tiger girl’s long tail had fallen across her eyes, obscuring her vision…

The red-haired elf closed the distance to Abel almost instantly.

“Just a little faster!”

Having gone without sleep while constantly moving…

Abel’s stamina had already completely run dry.

His breathing was ragged. His legs trembled.

Even so… He refused to give up.

Summoning every last ounce of strength, he continued running.

The bookshelf was right in front of him.

‘We’ve won!’

Without realizing it, Abel dropped to one knee.

He pulled out the book that perfectly matched the Young Master’s tastes.

Just as he was about to insert it into the empty space…

“Huh…?”

Rosalia suddenly arrived.

Grabbing Abel by the clothes, she threw him backward.

Despite her vision still being blocked, her movements were astonishingly precise.

“…Sorry.”

Using her full strength against a child…

Feeling guilty, Rosalia apologized quietly before placing the book into the shelf.

No… She tried to place it into the shelf.

Caw!

The Blind Crow cried out once more.

Rosalia flinched.

In that instant…

Abel quietly crept forward and reached out.

Caw!

He smacked the incoming crow out of the air with the back of his hand, knocking it aside…

Then inserted the book into the empty slot.

Only afterward did Rosalia brush away the tail covering her eyes and widen them in surprise.

“Hehe!”

Abel was gripping the bottom of the book that Rosalia had been trying to insert.

“I covered your eyes for this exact moment! I did it, Big Sis.”

“Well done!”

“……”

Rosalia squeezed her eyes shut yet again.

“But… what happens now?”

Marlin soon received the answer to the question she’d just asked.

‘Kiiiiik…’

Two sheets of paper emerged from thin air and fluttered gently down.

 

[Donation Points: ■■■]

—Special benefits will now be granted to those who have donated three books!

 

“So… both sides succeeded?”

A moment later…

The bookshelf beneath their feet rose upward… transforming into a single door.

[Archive of Ancient Documents]

At a glance, it was an old, worn-out door bearing the unmistakable weight of countless years.