Chapter 106
Dungeon Crawl
Students in the Wizard Ball Club have a very busy morning. After checking the garden and finishing their Wizard Ball training, they must go to regular classes. Compared to other students, their schedule is much harder, so it’s natural for some to want to skip.
But if one person doesn’t do the job, someone else has to. If Izolde skipped practice, her friends could cover for her—but if it causes trouble for Crown Prince Rudolf, Izolde would never allow that. Her personality wouldn’t let her be a burden.
And yet, she had disappeared after breakfast.
“Did you search for her?” Rudolf asked her friends.
“Yes, we were definitely together, but…”
“There aren’t many places a student can go. Where could she have disappeared to?”
Just then, Professor Buremhyde landed from the sky.
Boom!
Though she was small, the ground shook when she landed. She clearly did it on purpose for dramatic effect.
“It’s morning practice time, everyone. Since we had a party yesterday, I’ll skip the usual scolding. Let’s just see how well you learned the repulsion magic I taught you yesterday… Hmm? Something wrong?”
“Professor, Izolde is missing.”
“Oh, already?”
“What?”
“Well, just a feeling. Maybe, as the team’s ace, she saw how little progress everyone was making and gave up, thinking, ‘Even if the world ends, this team won’t win—not even against a bunch of moles.’”
“…”
“Oh, I’m sure she thought that. Of course, I believe in all of you. I wouldn’t have made a team just to watch it lose to moles!”
To be honest, if Buremhyde could, she probably would have entered a team of literal moles into the Wizard Ball league.
“Let’s take a look.”
A strange, invisible force pulsed out from Buremhyde. Everyone felt their hearts pounding—it was a powerful magic wave.
‘That’s…’
‘She’s using magic to detect echoes… like a destroyer ship finding submarines.’
Idnia realized that Buremhyde was using magic waves, not sound or radio, to scan the area. It was something only magic could do.
‘I need to study magic more. Science won’t explain this world fully.’
Buremhyde clicked her tongue.
“…Izolde is safe. She just skipped.”
“She skipped? That can’t be… it’s not like her.”
Everyone was shocked. Izolde was known for her discipline—always reviewing and researching magic. Even though she didn’t like the Wizard Ball game itself, she loved using the extra time with Buremhyde to learn more magic.
But now she skipped?
“Well, it’s still a club activity. We can’t force her to come. We also can’t punish her. Let’s continue practice.”
To test the new repulsion spell, Buremhyde enchanted the bats so that if students just hit the ball, it would fly far. But many couldn’t even make contact.
“If you can’t hit this ball… ah, no. Never mind.”
She held back her temper.
Then—
Smack!
Idnia hit the ball with the repulsion spell. It flew far into the sky and disappeared.
“As expected of the club captain. Captain, may I speak with you?”
“Yes? What is it?”
“About Izolde. She’s in a restricted area—the ancient ruins dungeon.”
“What?!”
“I already contacted the gatekeeper Gibbles, but as the club leader, you should know. You also sneak around at night often, don’t you? But Izolde… this feels different. She didn’t even prepare. She just went straight into the dungeon.”
“Is she okay? Isn’t it dangerous?”
“She’s in the upper levels, so it’s fine for now. But if she keeps going deeper, it could become risky. Still, I respect her choice. What will you do?”
Idnia couldn’t tell what Buremhyde really wanted.
“Professor, how do I enter the ruins?”
“Second-year students get entry tickets. The method and tickets are…”
“Could you tell me how?”
“I can’t do that. That’s not the kind of deal I make. I’m not Magram.”
So he wasn’t encouraging her to go rescue Izolde either.
After Wizard Ball practice, it was time for morning class—Alchemy with Professor Naili.
Surprisingly, she brought silverwood—the material used to make the cheap Scarlet Pimpernel masks.
“Today, we’ll make mirrors from silverwood sap. If handled well, the surface becomes shiny like a real mirror, which used to require expensive silver nitrate. However, you can’t use basic extraction magic—this sap needs a separation spell. First, we’ll practice extraction until your mana burns out. Let’s see how much you’ve grown. Prince Rudolf! Lady Izolde!”
Rudolf stepped forward with an awkward look.
“Hmm, Rudolf? Where’s Izolde?”
“She’s absent.”
“As the dorm leader, did you look for her?”
“Yes… but…”
“Alright, she gets two penalty points. Now, let’s begin.”
“Understood.”
In their first class, Rudolf could only use extraction magic about seven times before getting mana burn. This time, even while distracted, he managed 11 times. He quit not because he was too tired, but because he couldn’t stop worrying about Izolde.
The other students also showed improvement.
“Next…”
Suddenly, Idnia noticed something strange—the hallway lit up briefly.
Something on fire had just walked by.
It was Professor Magram.
She quickly raised her hand.
“Professor Naili!”
“Yes, Idnia? I’m looking forward to your attempt. We have plenty of silverwood, so this time—”
“No, I mean… may I go to the bathroom?”
“What?”
Everyone was shocked. Did she just say “bathroom”?
“Yes. The bathroom.”
Cendia looked horrified.
‘Did she really say that? Usually people say they’re picking flowers or something. Or would that offend Professor Naili, since she’s a dryad?’
Everyone was stunned by Idnia’s straightforwardness, but she didn’t care. She was confident and saw no reason to be embarrassed.
Professor Naili nodded.
“Oh, of course. Humans do need to expel organic fertilizer. I’ve heard you can’t always control the timing.”
“…”
Everyone fell silent. Organic fertilizer?
“Go ahead. I’ll push back Eurus Dorm’s turn.”
“Thank you.”
Idnia ran out of the classroom and chased after Professor Magram.
“Professor Magram!”
“Oh, I thought a tiger had jumped on me. What’s the matter, Idnia? You seem desperate.”
He smiled slyly.
“I want to enter the ruins dungeon.”
“Oh? A first-year already? Hmm, not the wish I was hoping for, but that’s something money can solve.”
Apparently, he wanted a request that couldn’t be solved with money.
“500 Aca coins will get you the entry method and one ticket.”
That was a huge amount. One Aca coin equals 4 shillings. So 500 coins is 2,000 shillings—a lot even for nobles.
But Idnia pulled out exchange vouchers her father left her and handed over 500 Aca coins’ worth.
“This should be enough.”
“Ah… I was going to refuse, but now I can’t say no. Fine. I’ll teach you the entrance spell too.”
“Entrance spell?”
“Yes. After using it once, you can open a gate to the ruins from anywhere in the academy. The incantation is:
‘Dungeon_front_UI Hochuulhara!’
But you have to picture the dungeon’s entrance while saying it.”
‘Dungeon front user interface… seriously? These incantations are awful.’
Idnia was appalled by the silly chant.
“Here’s your entry pass.”
It had the principal’s seal on it.
“Whatever your reason is…”
“Thank you.”
Without waiting, Idnia raised her wand and cast the teleportation spell.
Magram warned her, “You need to visit the entrance first to—”
“Call it!”
She shouted the spell and the portal opened immediately.
“…How did you…?”
‘Easy. I saw it all the time in the game.’
She didn’t feel like explaining, so she just jumped into the portal.
The ruins under Dunaice Academy were ancient and mysterious. The entrance had carvings of the magic god Trismegistus’s staff and the North Star above it.
Students could enter by placing their ticket on the altar.
In the game, you could only get one ticket per day, or more if you paid real money.
“Whew. I really did it. A first-year entering a dungeon…”
Idnia looked at the familiar entrance and sighed. It felt strange to see it in person, after only seeing it on her computer screen.
She realized more than ever—she was caught in something big, something she couldn’t escape.
