Chapter 113 Gaien’s Hidden Room?

It feels like the sun that floats in the almost transparent blue sky, shines especially brightly today. Despite it being early in the morning, the temperature was so high that merely standing on the training grounds caused me to sweat slightly.

This might be the hottest day we had after coming to this country. And important exams happen especially often on such days.

And so at the moment, I’m receiving an explanation of the exam from Lyrica-san. It’s not about quietly doing your thing alone, it’s a showdown with her.

It seems a lot of attention was directed at us, soldiers were all around, and among them was also General Stay. As I heard he is going to judge with this exam whether I should be entrusted with the magic bow.

I was relieved since the test contents were familiar to me. Long-distance shooting, sniping a flying ball, speed shooting.

「Don’t think you can beat me! If I were to lose… I will give you the panties I’m wearing today.」

Lyrica-san was talking like a pervert. The fact that for a moment I thought 「will my LP go up if I receive panties?」, makes me want to hit myself.

With all eyes on us, we started the contest. Although I was a little nervous, I was able to demonstrate my usual abilities in all events.

As a result, I lost. Lyrica-san’s skills were overwhelming, someone who just dabbled in archery not so long ago, cannot even dream to reach those heights. Naturally? Even with assistance from skills, our experience is too different.

Expressionless, General Stay walked up to me and said briefly.

「You pass.」

「As I thought, it’s too early for me after all… Passed?」

「Though you are no match for Lyrica, but I’ve never seen someone getting this good in just a few days. Therefore, I shall give you this magic bow. From now on you can use it in training.」

Said that the general gave me, seemingly ordinary short bow. It was made from a wood that was close to black in color and had a pretty simple look. Although it does seem easy to use, it does not look that powerful.

「It has only one skill, but it’s powerful. You surely can confirm it for yourself.」

I indeed can, so I use item appraisal. The name was Leaping Magic Bow and it had【Bow technique enhancement】on it. It allowed bow skills to exhibit greater effects upon activation.

「Bows also have various attack skills. It makes them more effective. Lyrica, give us a shot so he can see.」

「Look closely.」

Upon drawing the bow Lyrica-san stops moving for a moment and then releases the arrow at the target. Arrow perfectly hit the target, and at the same time, a huge explosion occurred that erased the target without a trace.

「It’s called explosive arrow and the effect as you can see. Noir-kun, can you do it? If you can then go ahead, he he he.」

Lyrica-san is provoking me slightly.【Explosive Arrow】could be made for 500 LP and it seems like it can make a large contribution in battle, so I had no hesitation.

I get permission for use from general and aim at the target. Of course, I use Leaping Magic Bow.

Aim, release, hit the target, explosion. The flow was the same as with Lyrica-san, however, I feel like my skill had somewhat more power.

Judging from her attitude it wasn’t my misunderstanding.

「Aaah, General Stay, I quit being an archer. Just how hard you think I had to work to learn that skill?」

「Well, calm down. Your overall ability as an archer is still higher… For now.」

「Last words killed my motivation.」

Clinging to the general’s leg, Lyrica-san is about to cry. However, there aren’t many people who would get involved this much with that general. I wonder if they become a couple in the future.

「You should also try to use it on the monsters outside of the town. Actual combat is important as well.」

「Yes, General Stay.」

「And I saw Shoen-sama a while ago, and he had a message for you. He wants you and your friends to come to his residence as soon as possible.」

It’s probably related to yesterday’s talk about Great Sage. I was told that I’m free today so I go to Emma and others.

it seems that Layla-san and Laura-san were on a training expedition with other people of short-range type. Though it’s called expedition but it’s only to the outside of the town.

So I invite Emma and Luna to Shoen-sama’s house and when we arrive there he welcomes us as if he long-awaited us.

We again were offered an expensive tea, so I drink it right away. Emma beside me looked super happy.

「The Double Door? It’s about that matter?」

「I couldn’t say yesterday, but there is actually a secret basement in this town」

A secret basement, such suspicious words. And since it was created by Gaien, I couldn’t stay uninterested.

「It is thought that it has his tool or material, or perhaps an alchemy recipe. But, we cannot open the door.」

He probably made such a door for security reasons. Shoen-sama assembled people capable of using appraisal, and after investigation, it turned out to be the double door.

「But the name was the only thing we learned, we have no idea how to open it at all. I think something usable should be inside.」

Did Gaien reveal the way to open it only to the people close to him? Or maybe it was his personal secret room?

「If I can be of service, I will cooperate.」

「So you will do it?! I will guide you right away!」

The incident with master and then the cannibal village. Since Gaien was related to both of those I was extremely curious.

Surprisingly, the place where we were taken by Shoen-sama turned out to be a church, after he said something to a clergyman we were led to a private room.

A study with bookshelves and a desk. Here, Shoen-sama tilted one of the books and a hole leading to the hidden room opened in a wall. After passing through it, this time we were in front of the stair leading to the basement.

「This church originally belonged to Gaien. Now, let’s go down.」

When we went down the stairs, we were presented with an iron door. Is this a double door?

Apparently, it’s completely unaffected by beastkin’s brute strength, and attacks with magic or weapons have no effects on it as well.

Shoen-sama says that they neglected it for many years since they had no means to open it.

「I’m with you now, so don’t worry! Use it as many times as you want.」

Emma encouraged the use of Great Sage. …Great Sage, please tell me the way to open this double door.

【The two doors are overlapping. To open the first one, place『Enhancement Stone』to the cavity on the lower right. To open the second one, likewise place『Luminous Stone』in the cavity on the lower right.】

Since I learned how to get through, I tell it to Shoen-sama.

「Enhancement stone and luminous stone… It was recorded what Gaien-sama liked stones, but nothing of that sort was found…」

Which means, that perhaps he carrying them on himself in secret. And there is also a possibility that they were created via alchemy.

…Great Sage, can the two be made with alchemy? If so, please also tell me the ingredients.

【If you have Alchemy C or higher, they are possible to manufacture.

For enhancement, stone combine stone, brick, iron. For luminous stone combine stone, light ball, black bug.】

The materials are surprisingly commonplace. Light stone is a magic tool that can be found even in our inn. it’s a bit expensive but not out of reach.

I have【Alchemy B】so if we have material I can make them. When I asked Shoen-sama to collect those materials he arranged it right away.

A few hours later his talented subordinates gathered all of the ingredients. The size of the stones is a good fit for the hollows. The bug is a rhinoceros beetle. Thank god, I was afraid they would bring a cockroach.

I immediately activate alchemy. Enhancement stone, luminous stone, both succeeded without problems. Enhancement one was a stone with a tint of brown to it, luminous one, just as the name might suggest, was slightly shining.

With them in my hands, I stand in front of the double door.

「Shoen-sama, I will try it.」

「I count on you.」

First, I place the stones to the cavity close to the ground, on the lower right. With a loud noise, a door slides open to the left and to the right and a new iron door shows itself. When I applied to it the stones in the same way, after a couple of seconds it opened by itself as well.

「So it was like this.」

Shoen-sama is astonished seeing the pathway leading into the deep. So it didn’t lead right to a room. The atmosphere a bit resembles the hidden dungeon. Though it’s a bit cramped here after all.

「It seems Gaien was pretty cautious so there is no telling what might be there. Shall we explore it first? 」

「…No, wait a minute」

Shoen-sama came back with a sword! It seems he intends to go as well.

「I might not look that way, but in my youth, I was serious about swordsmanship. I will accompany you.」

His level is not even twenty but he certainly has swordsmanship skill. Together, we proceed along the pathway. The walls are made of rock and the passageway is wide enough for three people to walk side by side.

Was this made by Gaien alone? The corridor is twisting and curving and quite elaborate.

「Uugh…. Gaaah… Uuuuu… Gaaa…」

We stop before we turn. Because a strange voice could be heard. A low groaning sound, as if perhaps from suffering, resounds in the corridor. Does it belong to a human or not?

「I will go.」

「Please.」

Luna-san brushed off her long silver hair and turned the corner. I also stay at full alert behind her.

Ahead in the corridor was a single monster. Goblin… No, his whole body was bluish-purple in color and here and there the skin was coming off revealing the flesh. His eyes and iris were completely white and it all was just too creepy.

I check him suspecting that it is a zombie and just as was expected there is【Zombification】. Zombie goblin comes at us baring his black teeth.

*Phew* Came a modest sound of the gunshot and goblin was shot in the middle of his forehead…. Luna-san, your bullets are faster than before! Most likely it was【Speed Shot】.

But, Zombie Goblin is yet to go down. From there started the demonstration of Luna-san’s real abilities as she was hitting the enemy with a continuous rapid-fire attack.

Full of holes, the monster finally stopped moving.

「A tough one. Fighting it like a normal goblin might lead to defeat.」

「If it’s a zombie wouldn’t be strange for it to live two hundred years. Was it brought here by Gaien?」

Anyway, we get moving again. This time I walk at the front in case if we were to encounter monsters again.

When we turn another corner we can see a door in the distance.

「That must be Gaien’s room.」

Getting a bit impatient I increased my speed a bit, and at that moment the floor splits open right under my feet.

「…He?」

It certainly was a trap and I could do nothing but fall.

「Grab me!」

I caught the hand that Emma immediately extended to me, and with momentum from that she slipped her feet and came down together with me.