Chapter 326


    Wearing a bizarre can on his head and visibly hunched, Lucas had returned nheless.


    I decided not to ask any questions for the moment. Once he was more settledor took off that canId have a detailed chat with him.


    "Today, were going for a free exploration of the dungeon!"


    I nned to go to the dungeon for a practical test of my ultimate skill, [Imperial Edict].


    To use [Imperial Edict], a gpole and a g were necessary.


    I didnt pay any attention to stats and simply picked up a standard Imperial Army gpole from the forges storage.


    Since I didnt have any spare Imperial gs, I took out a random festival banner that was stored in the warehouse.


    It was just for a skill test, so it didnt really matter what the g was.


    "Its heavy!"


    But it weighed quite a bit. I swayed when I picked it up without thinking.


    The gpolebined with the g was heavier than Id thought. The g bearers in each unit must have insane arm muscles. Ugh.


    "Ill carry it for you, My Lord."


    "Oh, thanks."


    Lucas volunteered to be the porter, so I dly delegated the task to him. What else would I use his spare Stamina and Strength stats for? Knight, carry my stuff.


    "Great, lets call the rest of the party members while were at it!"


    Evangeline could join usst since she was staying in the manor. First, lets stop by the temple and the inn to pick up Damien and Junior.


    Exiting the forge, I headed towards the temple. Damien happened to be sweeping the front yard.


    "Yo! Damien! Did you sleep well? Were gathering. Grab your gear!"


    "Ah, Your Highness! Yes!"


    When I called him, Damien looked back at me with a bright face, then his eyes widened.


    Following his gaze, I found he was looking at Lucas standing behind me.


    A towering knight with a can on his head, waving a g from a festival that had already ended... It did look a bit strange.


    "Ah! Aha!"


    Damien suddenly let out strange noises and pped his hands.


    "Got it, got it! Just a moment!"


    "Huh?"


    He dashed into the temple. What was going on?


    A momentter, Damien came running out, a mace strapped to his back and something in his handsa small g representing the Church of the Goddess.


    Damien excitedly waved the small g back and forth.


    "Lets go!"


    "...?"


    I mean, its not a g parade...


    But seeing Damiens innocent smile, I couldnt muster the courage to tell him the harsh truth.


    Reluctantly nodding, I took the lead.


    Next, we arrived at the inn.


    Sitting on the terrace, sipping coffee and jotting something down on paper, Junior saw us and furrowed her brow.


    "Your Highness? And everyone else...?"


    A knight in a can helmet lifting a festival g high, and Damien, who seemed delighted for some reason, pping a small Church g.


    Observing this scene, Junior clicked her fingers.


    "I get it!"


    Then she went into her room and came back out with... a kite shaped like an eagle. What was that about?


    "Like this, and... yup!"


    Junior tied the string of the kite to her staff and cast a wind spell, sending the kite soaring into the sky.


    The kite shot up and fluttered its long tail in the sky. It sort of resembled a g too.


    "Its a magic kite for high-altitude scouting. This should do, right?"


    "...?"


    Do what?


    Whats fine? You mean that kite works as a g?


    No, I mean, its not a g parade! How did it end up like this?


    But what could I do? Im not so tactless as to rain on the parade of my mysteriously jubnt party members.


    The four of us cheerfully headed back to the manor.


    Seeing our spectacle, the citizens of Crossroad were puzzled. Some went back into their houses, returned with whatever gs they had, and started waving them while singing marching songs. What was going on?


    "Hey! What is this? Why are you guys having fun without me?"


    As we got closer to the Lords mansion, Evangeline burst out, holding the banner of Crossroad.


    "Let me join in!"


    In front of the Lords mansion, the four members of my party wereughing and waving their own gs.


    Seeing this, I clenched my throbbing forehead. No, I mean, what the


    "...Never mind. Its fine."


    If youre happy, then so be it. Sigh.


    "Alright, guys! Enough of this! Lets get into the dungeon!"


    With the sentiment of a student teacher on a high school practicum, I spoke and my party members obediently gathered around me. At least they listen well.


    Today, I was leading only my main party of five.


    Its been a while since Ive had such a simple formation, and it felt somewhat nostalgic. Lately, Ive been leading multiple parties on expeditions.


    Damien, who was getting tired from waving the g, put it down and asked me.


    "Which dungeon are we heading to today, Your Highness? Zone 7?"


    "No. Today, for the first time in a while"


    My party members looked surprised at my next words.


    "Were going to Zone 1."


    ***


    [Now Loading...]


    [Tip - If your characters level is significantly higher than the monsters, the experience gained decreases. Farm in an appropriate level dungeon!]


    ***


    sh!


    With the brilliance of the teleport gate, we entered the safe zone. As I looked up, I saw a damp corridor with a maze of interlocking drains.


    Zone 1. The Dried Sewer.


    It was the first dungeon we entered when we first came to the Lake Kingdom.


    At the time, we had arrived at the Lake Kingdom, but the main entrance was blocked, so we had to go through this dried-up drain to enter the kingdom.


    Its been almost a year since then...


    Time really flies.


    But weve all grown so much since those early days. I briefly looked at my party members.


    Junior, who used to puke blood, had somewhat be a healthy girl.


    Evangeline, who used to bristle like a porcupine, had gotten plump like a chubby hamster (seriously, shes gained some weight).


    Damien, who always had a gloomy look, had ovee his darkness and brightened up a lot.


    And Lucas was


    ""


    "Bing a tin-can knight"


    No, everyone else evolved in a positive direction. Why do you seem to be the only one on a dark evolution path? Where did you go wrong?


    I believe Lucas will improve eventually, too.


    Anyway, we were in the dungeon now. Time to prepare for battle. Each party member began checking their equipment.


    Evangeline approached Lucas, who was adjusting his helmet, and tilted her head.


    "Why are you wearing that thing anyway?"


    "So people cant see my face."


    "...What are you talking about?"


    Tilting her head the other way, Evangeline leapt up and yfully hit Lucass helmet.


    ng!


    A refreshing sound echoed. It was like striking a gong.


    "Whoa, that sound is awesome!"


    An excited Evangeline eximed, and although we couldnt see Lucass face, he seemed annoyed as his shoulders trembled.


    But as this helmet sound(?) served as a signal for all party members to gather, he couldnt really get angry and just took deep breaths instead.


    Well done, Evangeline!


    I secretly cheered for Evangeline. Keep pestering him like that until Lucas takes off that helmet himself!


    "Alright! Were here in Zone 1 today to test out my new skill."


    I spoke as I looked over my party members, who had just finished gearing up.


    "My new skill has the potential to influence the state of the dungeon, so I deliberately chose the weakest one. Well quickly clear out the monsters and then proceed with testing my skill."


    "Got it!"


    "Alright, lets go!"


    My party members took the lead and entered the dungeon.


    We still had gs we brought from Crossroad, but, eh, its a Zone 1 dungeon.


    At our level, it wouldnt be an exaggeration to say we could clear it with our bare hands.


    "What monsters do we have this season~!"


    I eximed as I stepped out of the safe zone and into the dungeon. What kind of scum will we face this time?


    Craaack-!


    The moment we entered the dungeon room, monsters let out a grotesque scream andfeathers scattered as they fell from the sky.


    Huge bird-like bodies with faces simr to humans and thick, shovel-like beaks.


    Junior, who first noticed the type of monster, shouted.


    "Its Harpies!"


    I clicked my tongue. Well, it was about time for flying-type monsters to appear!


    Compared to other flying monsters, Harpies are pretty average, except for one extremely annoying aspect:


    Craaack-!


    Theyre loud!


    Not just that, they actually use their screams as a sonic attack.


    A wrong move and you could end up dizzy or disoriented, a real nuisance of a status inducer.


    A flock of about ten Harpies swarmed in, filling the air with a cacophony.


    Caught off guard by this attack, my head instantly felt dizzy. I covered my ears and staggered.


    "Hey! Can someone shut these birds up!"


    Before my words even finished, my party members were already sending the Harpies crashing down.


    Bang! Bang-!


    Damien casually fired his magic pistol, Cerberus, and


    Zap!


    Junior released a small chain lightning, burning the rest of the Harpies.


    In a matter of seconds, about ten Harpies fell to the ground, feathers spewing everywhere.


    Evangeline, who had been about to throw her spear, and Lucas, who had been gathering energy at the tip of his sword, awkwardly halted their attacks.


    "Having such weak monsters all of a sudden is a bit disorienting..."


    Junior muttered, looking over the Harpies he had scorched ck with his lightning.


    Fair enough. Going from high-level zones back to a beginner dungeon is like going from fighting tigers to squirrels.


    Iined as I pressed my hands against my throbbing ears.


    "Even if theyre weak, its an issue that theyre loud..."


    Heroes like us can probably withstand their sonic attacks, but regr soldiers might suffer hearing damage.


    Ill have to prepare some earplugs for this season.


    But apart from the difort in my ears, the dungeon was easily conquered.


    The monsters in Zone 1 had be so weak that they were falling to our basic attacks, so it didnt even take us 30 minutes to fully clear the dungeon.


    Once the cleanup wasplete, I received a g from Lucas.


    It was finally time to test my ultimate skill, [Imperial Edict].


    [Imperial Edict] <Special Equipment - g Required>


    - Deres a specific area as territory belonging to the users faction and exercises control.


    - Allied Units Inside Territory: Applies all beneficial effects the user possesses.


    - Enemy Units Inside Territory: Applies all harmful effects the user possesses.


    - Within the territory, the summon limit is removed.


    - If the dered area is an enemy zone, it will enter a [Conquest War], and winning will allow the capture of that zones control.


    Everything about the skills effects seemed clear, except for thest line.


    Use in hostile territory to initiate a Conquest War. Winning the battle will seize control of the area.


    So, if I use this skill in this dungeon, does it mean I can snatch it away from the monsters?


    Theres no way to know for sure except to test it out in the field. I took a deep breath and raised the g high. Alright, lets do this!


    "...?"


    I paused my g-raising, sensing something odd, and turned around.


    There, I locked eyes with my party members, each raising their own gs and banners.


    "...What are you doing?"


    "...It looked fun?"


    Evangeline answered while scratching the back of her head. I shook my head, bbergasted. Do as you please, then.


    I hoisted the g up high once more.


    "Thisnd..."


    And, chanting the ultimate skills incantation, I drove it into the ground.


    "...I dere as territory of the Empire!"


    The g was nted.


    sh!


    With a blinding burst of light, magic power flowed from my body, covering the entire areaexpanding outward in a wide circle.


    The party members who had imitated me by nting their own gs recoiled in surprise.


    Their gs couldnt stay nted in the ground; instead, they were repelled by an invisible force.


    Whoosh!


    As my far-reaching magic power settled and the atmosphere calmed down, there it was.


    "...?!"


    A fortress, constructed out of gray magic power, stood in a circle.