Jeff smiled as he watched Joy surrounded by countless admirers, celebrating her achievement as the dungeon’s first conqueror.
Hiding her mouth behind a fan, Joy shrugged it off, saying it was nothing and that, as an heir of the Patran family, this was only natural. She disyed the grace expected of a duchess’s daughter, but Jeff, who had known Joy since she was very young, could guess what her face looked like behind that fan.
Being praised by those around her must make her extremely happy.
Despite everything, she was a child who lovedpliments.
Though she might find the admiring gazes ufortable, she was likely holding back a pleased smile.
Watching her fondly, Jeff felt pleased with his decision to feign ignorance of the gimmicks.
If I had foolishly informed the Second Prince about the dungeon’s gimmicks, taking away Joy''s title as the first conqueror…
She would have surely resented me.
Imagining Joy shouting, “Brother! I really hate you!” Jeff clutched his chest, feeling a pang, and praised his choice once more.
“That kid.”
Hearing a voice beside him, Jeff turned to find Cecile, his half-brother, looking at Joy with aplex expression.
The most evident emotions on Cecile’s face were jealousy and envy.
But unlike the Second Prince of the past, who would poison those around him in fits of temper, there was now an air of acknowledgment hidden beneath his gaze.
Had it been the old Second Prince, he would have raised his voice in disbelief, yet now he seemed to control his emotions.
The man I thought would never change—what triggered this transformation?
Perhaps I should reconsider my assessment of the Second Prince. I once thought he was not worth approaching, but he might have some value for use now.
Though he still seems unlikely to ever grasp the throne, leaving a minimal connection with him won’t hurt.
“Your Highness, Second Prince.”
“What is it?”
“Shall we return to the dungeon?”
Let’s begin slowly acting as though we’ve figured out the gimmicks.
“Though we’ve lost the title of first conqueror for the entire ss, there’s still glory to im.”
By offering clues one by one, I can make myself appear a useful tool while fostering a sense of indebtedness.
“No need for you to say it; I intend to keep challenging it. I’ve invested too much to quit now.”
“Haha. I apologize for the unnecessary words.”
It’s a shame I can’t continue to watch Joy unting her sess, but work calls.
Besides, soon enough, she’lle running to boast that she beat me, and that adorable sight of hers will be worth the wait… though it’s never quite enough.
Watching her cute antics can never get old!
Ah, damn it. Should I suggest we take a little more time to rest, maybe stall under the pretense of finding clues?
“No more apologies; let’s move. If I can’t be the first, I should at least be the second.”
Unfortunately, Jeff didn’t have time to idle.
Before he could say more, Cecile rose, leaving Jeff with no choice but to follow, muttering under his breath about the prince’s newfound diligence.
“Lady Patran is truly remarkable. She aplishes what we can only dream of as if it’s nothing.”
“Oh, but Lady Rumley, you almost kept pace with Lady Patran, didn’t you?”
“Yes, until halfway through, I could hardly tell what would happen next!”
“Oh hoho, it was merely luck, I assure you.”@@novelbin@@
In the middle of a garden, a gathering of nobledies exchanged superficialpliments with artificialughter.
Several steps behind, Toby watched, hesitating to step forward, letting out a sigh.
To re-enter the dungeon, he had to face Lady Rumley and persuade her.
But hecked the courage to step into that circle and face those judgmental gazes just to speak with Lady Rumley!
Should I wait for another chance?
Maybe catch her aler…
No, that won’t work.
With only a short time left until the exams are over, every second counts. If I want to confirm my thoughts about the dungeon, I need to persuade her now!
Torn between self-preservation and his desire to clear the dungeon, Toby finally steeled himself and took a step forward.
“Who… are you?”
“Ah, I remember now. Themoner who entered the dungeon with Lady Rumley, right?”
“Why is he here, piggybacking on thedy’s abilities?”
Ignoring the muttered remarks, Toby kept moving until he reached Lady Avery.
“What is it, Toby?”
“Lady Rumley, I have something I must say. May I have a moment of your time?”
“Is this about the dungeon? I believe I already made my intentions clear.”
Indeed, Avery had already informed Toby that she had no intention of delving further into the dungeon.
Her exact words were not what one would expect from a nobledy: “I’m too exhausted to keep doing this.”
“It hasn’t been that long, but you’ve forgotten already?”
“No, I haven’t forgotten.”
“Then you must know my answer remains the same.”
Just as I thought. Toby, recalling Avery’s past exasperation, had anticipated her rejection.
And naturally, he had prepared a way to turn that rejection into eptance.
“In that case, I’ll have no choice but to seek help from her again.”
“…Her?”
“Yes, you know who I mean.”
Toby, who had entered the academy as a special admit from a mercenary background, had no connections among the nobility.
Though it might be different if his father were involved, he personally knew no noble willing to assist him.
So if he confidently dered he would seek help, there could only be one person he meant.
Lucy Allen.
The eldest daughter of the Marquess of the Frontier and top freshman at Soul Academy.
A known figure within the academy and the one person Avery inexplicably couldn’t confront.
“Hah. Fine, let’s talk for a bit.”
Avery, catching his meaning, shrugged reluctantly, but her hand trembled under the table.
After the other nobledies shot Toby sharp nces and departed, Avery, left alone with him, reached the point where she was certain her father would punish her over break.
Avery, who had cast off her nobleposure, leaned her chin on her hand and gazed at Toby with cold eyes.
“You’re here to ask me to enter the dungeon with you?”
“Yes. There’s something I must confirm.”
“What curiosity you have.”
With a sarcastic tone, Avery sighed and added,
“I do appreciate your help, you know. Though we were forced together because of Lady Allen, it’s true that we reached a high point in the dungeon thanks to you.”
If not for Toby, Avery’s party wouldn’t havee close to the top, let alone reached the entry level.
With no real battle experience, Avery and her group of nobledies could hardly have reached such heights.
Avery genuinely felt gratitude on that front.
“But this is our limit. We don’t have the strength of the Third Prince’s party to go any further.”
Though sheltered nobledies, they still had ambition.
The praise from others, the admiring gazes, the glory ofpeting with prominent figures.
Avery had convinced her party to dive into the dungeon, driven by the future tales of glory they would recount in society.
But despite their efforts, they had reached their limit.
Even with Toby’s knowledge, their abilities still fell shortpared to other front-runners.
While others advanced, Avery’s party had been stalled at a wall until they finally abandoned their attempt to clear the dungeon.
“You, more than anyone, must understand. Going back in won’t change anything.”
Out of respect for Toby and his connection to Lucy, Avery had tried to persuade him to leave on friendly terms, but Toby shook his head resolutely.
“No, it will change. If I’m right, brute strength won’t be necessary to conquer this dungeon.”
“What?”
“Allow me to exin. Once you hear me out, you can decide if you want to enter the dungeon or not.”
Initially prepared to dismiss his words as nonsense, Avery’s interest piqued as Toby exined further.
By the time he finished, she was eager to head back into the dungeon immediately.
The following day, on the final morning of the academy exams, Avery’s party became the second freshmen and the third group overall, following Cecile’s, to clear the dungeon.
Seeing Arthur’s group emerge from the dungeon, I quickly went to meet them.
Punishments are scariest before they’re delivered; once they’re over, they’re nothing, right?
I wanted to get it over with and rx, but unfortunately, things didn’t go my way.
“I’ll tell you after the final exams.”
“It’s best to discuss it when you’re free.”
“I apologize, Lady. Please wait a bit.”
“I’m fine with doing it now. Oh? I get it, you want me to wait. Sure, I’ll be quiet.”
And so, I found myself waiting for the punishment that woulde after the exams.
I just hope they don’t change their minds by then and demand something outrageous.
As a day passed with these worries, noon struck on the day the academy finals ended. I went with the dungeon studies professor to the exam site.
Perhaps because the exam had just concluded, the area was chaotic.
Students clinging to assistants, begging for another chance, iming they finally understood the mechanics.
Some were near tears, convinced they’d failed.
Others were tearing at their hair, frustrated at the thought of not being able to argue their results.
Still others gazed longingly at the dungeon entrance.
The noise created by all the academy students expressing their emotions was so great that no one even noticed when I arrived.
“What a mess.”
The dungeon studies professor gave a bitter smile and moved to use amplification magic to calm everyone, but I stopped him.
“I’ll handle this.”
“Don’t interfere, you self-proimed professor with no tact.”
From this moment, this stage is mine.
I have some stress to relieve by mocking these clueless fools who couldn’t even decipher the dungeon’s gimmicks, so don’t take my spotlight.
“Very well, do as you wish.”
Confirming that the professor had taken a step back, I gathered my divine power to my throat.
A skillful application of body strengthening. I never thought I’d use this technique for taunting.
“Look here!? You idiots!?”
From now on, I’ll be exining how to clear this dungeon step by step.
Everyone, prepare to listen attentively.