Dungeon Raid Partner
The dungeon numbered 181, which Irene had applied for, had appeared in a place not far from the Fortress.
It was so close that she didn’t even need to ride a horse.
From her room, she could see it with her own eyes.
“Even so, he insists we ride horses to get there.”
Thinking back, Michael had always made her ride in her previous life as well when they went to dungeons together.
“When she went alone, she would sometimes walk. It was probably because he looked out for her so she wouldn’t have to walk for so long.”
But there was one difference from the past.
“In the past, we never rode together.”
Only once, when they went to a distant dungeon, had they ridden together.
The entire journey, she could feel how much he was fidgeting behind her, clearly uncomfortable.
In the end, Irene had used the excuse of a churning stomach to get off the horse and walk.
It had been better than feeling that discomfort.
“How could he be so unwilling to touch me, yet act like this?”
Perhaps this time around, he had learned how purifiers are treated by seeing his paired knights around him.
“That’s a relief.”
Then the next person he pairs with will be much easier on them.
Whoever it might be, Irene hoped at least they would not suffer the way she had.
It was better not to have two sad people.
As the dungeon grew closer, Irene glanced back over her shoulder.
As expected, Michael had once again kept a considerable distance, as if he would never touch her even if she died.
Seeing him riding with such a stiff expression because he was unused to this position, Irene turned her head away again.
“Even though he’s this uncomfortable.”
Perhaps she had expected a little because there were a few differences from the past.
Still, seeing him refuse to touch her made Irene feel a slight sting of disappointment.
In the meantime, the dungeon had already arrived right before their eyes.
When they drew near the dungeon entrance, the guards and Kingdom Alliance supervisors welcomed them.
“Welcome, Sir Michael.”
In the lands managed by the Fortress—where most dungeons appear—the Kingdom Alliance holds absolute authority.
Because they alone manage every dungeon, monitor them, and even auction off the rewards according to the rules they set.
Having such power, their managers were naturally very arrogant.
Still, even those men bowed their heads politely to Michael.
“After all, the knight who can solo an upper-rank dungeon without any difficulty is the only one in the world.”
No matter how much they managed it, the final task was always dungeon extermination.
“If they leave the newly appeared dungeon as it is, the monsters inside will eventually crawl out, and any damage would be the Kingdom Alliance’s responsibility.”
That was why even the Kingdom Alliance could not treat a knight like Michael carelessly.
If they had, and Michael had given up on hunting the dungeon, a brand-new upper-rank dungeon like that would appear, and the ranks could never be assigned.
“There would be enormous damage.”
Of course, no such incident had ever occurred.
“Theoretically possible, but not a single one has happened in history….”
She did not know what had happened after her death, but at least for the next half year, such a thing would not appear.
“Even if it did, surely Michael or other knights would handle it themselves.”
The world was not short of strong knights; Michael was not the only one.
Right now, Sir Briton, who had paired with Princess Cecilia, could easily solo mid-rank dungeons by himself.
There were also other knights whose names she remembered.
If they moved together with Michael, there would be no problem.
After replying to the Alliance supervisor’s greeting, Michael dismounted from his horse.
When he did, Irene prepared to follow suit.
She was just standing up on the horse, turning her body to step down, when suddenly she felt herself floating into the air.
“Eh…?”
When she found nothing beneath her feet, Irene instinctively squeezed her eyes shut.
She had braced for impact, but when she opened her eyes again, her body had landed lightly on the ground.
“…?”
What in the world had happened?
While she was confused, unable to understand the situation, Michael removed his hand from her waist.
“…!”
Late in realizing the reason because of the armor she wore beneath her clothes, Irene nearly let out a scream of surprise.
“Michael… grabbed me?”
A moment ago, when they had ridden together, he had not sat down, as if he would never touch her even if she died.
Now he was grabbing her waist outright and lowering her to the ground.
Surprised by the unexpected action, Irene looked at Michael, and he bowed his head apologetically.
“Many people unaccustomed to riding fall off and injure themselves. In a hurry, I took the liberty of doing so.”
“Ah, no….”
As expected. Now that she looked, the height from the stirrup to the ground was quite high.
He turned around as if nothing had happened, greeted the guards and supervisor, and explained.
“There are no anomalies so far. The size and shape are stable, and the monsters near the entrance confirmed by the guards are exactly the same as water-attribute monsters. Shall we proceed with the first extermination of dungeon 181 as requested?”
Upon hearing his words, Michael nodded and answered.
“Michael, we will proceed with the conquest of dungeon 181.”
Hearing his response, Irene suddenly recalled a scene from her past life.
“God’s Blade, Michael. We will proceed with the dungeon conquest.”
“Irene Rodiam. We will proceed with the dungeon conquest.”
The appearance she had followed when repeating his answer.
This was the procedure one went through before entering a dungeon.
Lower-rank dungeons were usually extinguished with just the first extermination, but mid- or upper-rank dungeons almost never were.
“Usually they advance to the third round, and sometimes up to ten rounds of extermination are required depending on the dungeon.”
One person might slowly conquer a dungeon ten times, but if the original conqueror died or was injured, a new challenger could take over.
If they agreed, they could even conquer it together from the start.
“That is why, when an upper-rank dungeon appeared in the past, Princess Cecilia’s group had entered all at once.”
Those who paired with a higher-rank purifier would have priority in dungeon conquest.
Naturally, the strongest among the first ranks, Princess Cecilia, could always conquer the dungeon she wanted first, and she also chose who would enter with her.
That was why, no matter what, everyone had to crawl in front of her to enter a dungeon that offered good rewards.
Again this time, she would choose the dungeon first, ahead of everyone, and take the rewards that came out of it.
“Irene?”
“Yes? Ah, sorry. Irene Rodiam. We will proceed with the conquest of dungeon 181.”
Hearing her voice, Irene answered hurriedly.
Seeing that appearance, the Kingdom Alliance supervisor let out a short sigh.
It was a familiar expression. How on earth had Michael paired with this lowest-rank purifier?
“I never asked him to pair with me.”
Irene thought back to that moment.
What if I had been a purifier of as high a rank as Princess Cecilia?
“…This is troublesome.”
Not only was she envious, but just thinking about having to keep conquering dungeons gave her goosebumps.
Irene realized with a chill that she truly felt disillusionment with the life of a purifier, and she stepped behind Michael.
“Then please return safely.”
Leaving the greetings of the guards and supervisor behind, Michael walked toward the dungeon entrance.
Swallowing hard.
Following behind him, Irene swallowed her dry throat with tension.
At that moment, Michael turned around and said.
“If you are worried about entering the dungeon, you may wait with the others at the entrance.”
“Yes? No, it’s fine.”
Perhaps he thought she was too tense. He encouraged her once more.
“This is a lower-rank dungeon. You do not have to push yourself to follow me.”
“No, I will follow you.”
Irene also refused his offer once more.
Only together could they open the box in the reward room.
“I want to check the transparent ring as quickly as possible.”
Once I put it on, it will come out immediately.
Then I must ask the supervisor at the entrance to register it for identification and auction.
Confirming it as an artifact would take about half a day, and it would not take even a week for it to be sold and the money to arrive.
After that, I send the money to the Count, break the pair, and leave this Fortress alone.
Seeing the perfect future she had thought of countless times, Irene clenched her fist with excitement.
Perhaps he misunderstood her appearance. Michael smiled slightly and said.
“Are you eager to check your own reward personally?”
“Yes, but….”
“Do not worry.”
With a harmless and kind smile, he said.
“There is no chance I would steal your reward.”