“I see.”

I understood as I looked at her status.

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

Name: Aya Ryuenji

Status: Good

Job: Artifacter【Awakened】

Skill(s): Artifact Creation Lv1

Magic Power: 325,040

Attack Power: Reflection rate▶0%=0

Defense Power: Reflection rate▶0%=0

Agility: Reflection rate▶0%=0

Intelligence: Reflection rate▶200%=650,080

Equipment:

・The Black Dragons’s Feather Robe: Defense +2000

・Crimson Eye Dragon’s Magic Stone (Incomplete)

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

She seemed to have a special profession. There was not even one Artifacter among the clearers of Avalon.

But, guessing from the name, it would be something that creates, like the profession of a weaponsmith, which exists in a certain number, and there was also one in Tanaka-san’s guild.

People with professions that can create equipment imbued with magic power.

So, what does the term “artifact” refer to?

Moreover, the profession is “awakened”? Is that something above advanced?

All these words that I don’t know at all are coming out.

I further stared at the profession of Artifacter.

I might understand something if I look at the details.

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

Type: Job

Title: Artifacter

Attainment Difficulty: S

Effect: A job with the ability to create equipment which effects magic power reflection rate

Creation Method: Cannot be displayed due to an insufficient Access Right level.

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

Type: Skill

Title: Artifact Creation Lv1

Attainment Difficulty: S

Effect: Ability to create equipment which effects magic power reflection rate. Quality is influenced by level and intelligence. Level is raised in response to the amount of items created.

−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−

“Hmm, I don’t really get it. And an intelligence of 640,000 is too monstrous, isn’t it?”

Even after reading the skill description, I still didn’t understand.

But if I read it as it is, it might mean that she can make equipment that changes the percentage of converting magic power to attack power.

As I was zoning out and considering this, looking at Aya-san, I was called by the young lady who had briskly moved ahead.

“Amachi-san, was it? Could you hurry up, please? I don’t want to waste time.”

“Ah, s-sorry.”

I bow my head and jog up to her. (She’s a scary kid… Is she really the same age as me? Really?)

The young lady, who seemed completely uninterested, immediately moved her gaze from me to the Cube.

“Ryuenji-san, this is today’s map of the Cube.”

Then Masuda-san, the leader, tried to hand over a printed paper map to the young lady.

However, with her arms crossed, Ryuenji-san refused.

“That’s fine, I’ve remembered it all.”

“All of it is quite complicated though…”

“…Please don’t make me say it twice. I’ve remembered it.”

Ryuenji-san glared back at Masuda-san, who had spoken back to her, with eyes so sharp they seemed like they could shoot beams.

Again, I thought, she’s scary.

Her cold eyes, like those of a queen, made me forget that she’s the same age as me.

“Ex, excuse me. Well then, let’s go! I will guide you, Ryuenji-sama!”

Masuda-san bowed and groveled.

He had already started calling her “Ryuzenji-sama,” he’s already been tamed huh. Amen.

Even so, it’s not that her attitude is bad, but her words are strong and scary.

Yet, there’s no awkwardness in that; she indeed has a natural queen-like demeanor.

Seeing Masuda-san looking pleased, I wonder if this is the joy of submission.

Indeed, it feels a bit naughty to be dominated by a younger beauty.

In other words, she was a high school student until last year, and it might be a crime, isn’t it, Masuda-san?

Ryuenji-san walks towards the Cube.

A pink Cube extending a C-Rank dungeon.

The so-called Sakura Cube is as beautiful as a pink diamond.

“This is a dungeon… It’s beautiful…”

Standing in front of the Cube, Ryuenji-san sighed.

Indeed, the Cube is beautiful, glittering like a gem.

Especially the cherry blossom color gives off an air of femininity, but the inside isn’t as sweet as it seems.

“Eek!?”

“Eh?”

The moment Ryuenji-san touched the Cube, it rippled like a wave spreading across the water surface with a cool sound.

A cute voice that shouldn’t have been heard came from somewhere, and everyone looked at Ryuenji-san.

Then Ryuenji-san blushed and coughed a little louder.

“Hmm!! Let’s go then. Masuda-san, give the instructions.”

“Understood! Ryuenji-sama!”

Then we headed for the dungeon. Enclosing Ryuenji-san in the center, we entered the Cube.

Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, and inside was a cave-type dungeon.

“So, this is the inside of a dungeon… It’s strange. I can’t understand it at all, the teleportation… magic too, even if I can use it, I don’t understand the principle at all.”

Ryuenji-san started walking around as if surveying the surroundings.

Touching the walls, touching the floor, it was as if she was doing research.

That reminded me, I heard Tanaka-san is a researcher who has published papers abroad.

A multilingual master, flying around the world while still a high school student.

“And then…”

Suddenly, a demon emerged from the shadows.

It seemed to be a higher species of goblin, dressed in tribal-like clothes and had a physique like a professional wrestler.

But it was killed in one shot by Masuda-san.

Even if it’s a C-Rank, it wouldn’t be a match for a B-Rank.

Ryuenji-san then touched the fallen demon.

“So, this is a monster. This is the first time I’ve touched one in a dungeon… It has the correct internal organs… and an instinct to violate women. Why? Why does it attack people?”

Suddenly, Ryuenji-san rolled up her sleeves and stuck her hand into the corpse.

“Magic stones, they’re in the same place as described in the literature… Masuda-san, I got dirty.”

“Yes! With my clothes—ahem. Excuse me. Hey, Kai-kun! Take out a towel from the luggage!”

“…Understood.”

I took a towel out of the luggage I was holding and tried to hand it to Ryuenji-san along with some water.

However, Ryuenji-san held out her white, pristine, beautiful and supple arm to me.

“?”

I tilted my head.

“Please pour it. I can’t let go of my hand right now.”

Ryuenji-san, who said so, was looking at the magic stone from various angles with interested eyes. Her concentration was so intense that she didn’t even notice me.

She took out her phone, took photos, and was desperately taking notes.

“O, okay.”

I splashed cold water and wiped the blood off with a towel.

Despite being thin, there was a softness that was unmistakably a woman’s body. The thought made my heart flutter a bit.

Next to me, Masuda-san looked envious, but I told her, “You’ve been on the verge of committing a crime for a while now.”

The dungeon exploration continued smoothly.

Although it didn’t progress as quickly as we wanted because Ryuenji-san was interested in investigating anything that came up.

“It seems like nothing will happen at this rate, good.”

The dungeon exploration went on without a hitch.

After all, it’s just a C-Rank dungeon, and we let our guard down thinking nothing would happen.

I was the same, thinking everything would end without incident.

But we didn’t yet understand the meaning of our escort mission.

We didn’t understand the real reason why Aya Ryuenji needed protection, and the fact that there are things in this world scarier than monsters.

◇ At the same time, outside

“Hah… I’m sleepy. This is boring…”

We are at the Cube of the C-Rank dungeon that we’re clearing.

The dungeon association staff on guard duty here are all D-Rank or lower. They generally handle dungeon-related tasks, but don’t do the clearing.

“Well, it can’t be helped since the young lady is clearing. It’s the chairman’s order… Although the chairman is in New York now, meeting with representatives from all over the world.”

“Hearing, ’I’m going as well!’ got annoying. He’s way too energetic for his age.”

“Haha, he could still be in his prime.”

“That’s true. The name ‘Fist God’ isn’t for nothing.”

The two guards were yawning while laughing and chatting.

Still, they were vigilant to make sure no one touched the Cube.

That’s when it happened.

“!?”

The vision of one of the guards darkened, and the light in the world disappeared momentarily.

He looked around thinking something was wrong, but in an instant, the world returned to normal.

“Wh, what? A plane? It got dark for a moment…”

“What’s wrong?”

“Well, I thought it got really dark all of a sudden… Huh? Was it just my imagination?”

“Haha, are you tired? The sky’s been clear all day.”

“Is, is that so…”

Rubbing his eyes and tilting his head, wondering if he was mistaken, he returned to his guard duty.

◇ Inside the dungeon

Something wrapped in a black robe entered the dungeon.

Cloaked in jet black, enshrouded in darkness, unnoticed by anyone.

The man began to run as soon as he entered.

Unnoticed by all the monsters.

His figure was like.

The 『darkness』 itself.