CH 24.1

Nightime. I entered the eighth dungeon under the cover of the darkness. The dungeon had a beautiful and majestic hall, just like the ones I had seen before. The imposing decorations only lasted so long as the star fragments were in the dungeons though.

I chose a path I deemed fit, but now that I was in the eighth dungeon, the monsters that appeared were all considerably strong— A-ranks from the start. Will Luca and his party be alright? I wonder how strong they have become now. Luca and his friends were the ones who would obtain the star fragment here, so they should be able to beat the two S-ranked opponents when they defeat the boss.

After about three hours, I arrived at the save point and set up my tent. Just as I was nodding off and got under the covers, my magic communicator began buzzing. It was a call from Luca.

“Zagan, you’re already in the dungeon?”

“Yeah. I was just getting ready to go to sleep. Luca, you too?”

“That is right, but… sigh. It’s hard when you’re not by my side, Zagan. I want to hug you to sleep. I want to feel your presence.”

Hearing him say that, my cheeks turned hot. I, too, did not hate being hugged to sleep by Luca. If you asked me if it was unbearable or not, I wouldn’t know how to answer.

“We will surely meet within the next 20 days. At that time, won’t you have become stronger than now? ”

“…Yeah. That’s right, I’ll do my best. I will become strong enough to protect you.”

“I’m looking forward to that. Go to sleep now so you can fight in perfect condition tomorrow.”

“Fufu, thanks. Goodnight, Zagan”

“Goodnight, Luca.”

Hanging up the call, I closed my eyes. It took me just a little longer than usual to fall asleep.

Luca’s magic barrier was completed a few days after I entered the dungeon. Thus, I started on mine right away. However, this would be finished soon. It was a simple structure to just surround myself as I drank the MP Potions.

Both I and the opponent had the dark attribute. As a result, when the barrier was up, I could not attack.

If I stayed inside the barrier all the time, I might be safe, but the dragons could shift their target to the metropolis, and then I wouldn’t be able to protect the city. Since the barrier I had made was flat, there was nothing I could do if we were attacked from the side.

It would have been nice if I could have made a magic tool that could protect the entire city, but I am nowhere close to the level of creating such a large scale thing, that would usually take years, in just one month.

Therefore, in the battle against the Dragons I have to release the most magic I can, somehow or the other, enclose myself with the barrier, drink MP Potions to recover, and once again release magic over and over. Until Luca arrives, that is.

Although I don’t know how strong Luca will become by then. If he is no match for our dragon opponent, unfortunately I will have to battle alone.

When I felt tired from all the manufacturing, I called Luca and talked to him just a little while before going to sleep.

And thus, before Luca finished the dungeon capture, the barrier was all complete.

The 25th. As I was walking in the dungeon, I received a call from Luca. They had obtained the star fragment. To take the trouble to contact me, what an upright man he was.

Further, he even said that he would leave the dungeon at night. His reasoning was that he didn’t want me to be seen by the people from the dark organization. It seemed that the heroines had agreed to wait a few more hours.

Speaking of which, did Luca tell them that I was being targeted by the dark organization? When I was making magic tools in the villa, no one asked me what I was making or why.

I had a feeling Camilla knew. She was an extremely calm and composed woman, and I had no doubt Luca relied on her. As for Noel…she’d have said something if she knew, but I doubt it.

Well, it didn’t matter even if she knew. The question was whether or not there was the possibility of them following Luca and joining in the battle. If Luca stopped them, they would likely stay in the city, but if they still followed him, he would have to get them all inside my magic barrier.

After hanging up the call with Luca, I proceeded further in the dungeon. The magic barrier had been made. With that, all that was left was to single mindedly focus on getting stronger.

It was early afternoon the next day when I left the dungeon. As agreed on our call beforehand, I met Luca at the Adventurer’s Guild.

“Zagan!　I really wanted to see you. Sigh, it’s been half a month since I last saw you.”

Luca promptly hugged me. He hugged me with his arms around my waist and back, and put his cheek against my head, without caring about being seen by others. It was quite a task to shift to a corner so as to not get in the way of other people.

Although I could sense the occasional glance from the people around, they all seemed to be either smiling or had a dumbfounded look on their faces, so I’d like to believe that I wasn’t causing them any trouble. There were a few who looked at us and went “Ahh, I also want a handsome boyfriend like that” too. It was a little embarrassing, but…well, yeah.

After being silently wrapped up in my warmth for a while, perhaps he was satisfied, for he peered into my face. Thus, to finish the task at hand, I took out the key from my magic bag.

“Here, I’m returning this.”

It was the key I had used to lock the doors when I was the last one to leave the mansion half a month ago. Luca accepted it, albeit a little dissatisfied.

“If only we could stay together for the rest of the month too.”

“I finished making the magic tool. So all that’s left to do is keep hunting monsters to become stronger. That’s why, I plan to go diving in the dungeons here starting tomorrow, and plan on reaching the 9th city on the tenth.”

“Huh? Then we won’t be able to meet again for a long time? ”

“Yeah. I’m sorry, but I want to do everything I can. I want to make sure that I can confidently defeat them when they come to pick a fight.”

With five dark dragons as my opponents, no amount of preparation would be enough. All that was left was a month. The only way to get rid of my anxiety about whether I would win, was to keep moving my body.

“…You’re…right. I’ll also give my all into training. I’ll improve my mana manipulation abilities even more. To the point where I can even defeat you.”

“I see. Then I can let you beat me that easily.”

“Pfft. It really would have been nice if I could have gone dungeon diving with you, Zagan.”

“I want you to inform the lord of the 9th city of the dark organization. Luca, you were the one who said you’d protect me, even if it meant using your status and authority.”

“Yeah. I will surely protect you.”

Our opponents weren’t just the dragons. There were hundreds in the dark organization, and there was the possibility that they could attack the city while I was away fighting. However, if we intensify the city’s defence, they won’t be able to meddle and the damage to the Ninth City will be even less. I will also be able to fight with all my strength.

And what I was worried about was—

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“I want to know Luca’s ability at the very least, so let’s have a spar on September 10.”

“Got it. By the way, if I lose, it isn’t as if you won’t let me participate in the battle against the dark organization or something, right? ”

“No way. It depends on your ability. But won’t you be strong enough to beat me then? ”

When I deliberately provoked him with a smile, Luca was dazed for a moment and then broke into a beaming face.

“That is right. I’m happy to be relied upon by Zagan. I’ll do my best to meet your expectations.”

And then he kissed me on the cheek. We’re still inside the guild! I could hear a shrill shriek. Wasn’t it obvious that we had been seen? “Ahhhhh, I also want a boyfriendddddd!”　I could hear a lamenting voice. I’m sorry, but I don’t have any acquaintances to introduce. Please do your best and search for one yourself. {Hasr: I came here to be healed, not to be reminded of my sad single life T^T)}

“For the time being, today I want Luca to test the magic tools I made for you, just as promised. Let’s go outside.”

“In that case, I’ve reserved a room at the underground training centre here for you in the morning.”

“Is that so?”

The adventurer guild’s training centre? I had never used it before, so it had completely slipped my mind.

“It’s properly locked so that nobody will enter, and if someone wants to peek at my rendezvous with Zagan using the master key, you know what will happen, right? ”

Luca glanced at the guild staff. When he did that, they nodded like hens pecking at food. …What did he just say?

“Then Zagan, here.”