Water Magician

Undead do not leave behind magic stones.

It was not known if they even had magic stones.

Therefore, even the Arch Skeleton which gave them such a hard time did not drop a magic stone for them.

“I-I know it as a fact … but it still sucks.”

“Yeah ……”

When Ryo reported that there wasn’t a magic stone, Niels and Amon replied with their heads hanging low.

“Everyone, you did well.”

During the battle, Baba-sama watched from behind the backline and came over with Boulan.

“I wonder if I can try entering the shrine?”

“I don’t think anything still moves inside.”

Ryo answered Baba-sama’s question.

Upon hearing that, Baba-sama entered the shrine with Boulan.

Behind them, Etho and Ryo entered as well.

Niels and Amon, of course, were still resting outside.

The inside of the shrine was about the size of a 25-meter school pool.

At the end of the room directly in front of them was what seemed to be an altar.

The space was empty, despite its size.

“Just … an altar?”

“I heard that 『Hidden Temples』 only have an altar inside …”

Etho whispered to Ryo after hearing him mutter..

On the altar was a statue of a woman about a meter tall with a black crystal-like orb that was cracked and partially chipped.

(That orb …)

Ryo remembered seeing it.

It resembled the 『orb』 that they encountered at the stairs going up from the 40th floor to the 39th floor of the dungeon in Rune.

The orb was smaller here, and it was chipped too …

“There’s a chip …”

Seeing the chip on the orb, Baba-sama muttered.

“Baba-sama, what is that …”

Boulan looked at the orb and asked Baba-sama.

“I don’t know exactly … but the previous generation shrine maiden told me about it. There used to be a shining orb in the shrine, but at one point the orb turned black and broke after a while. That black orb is probably this …”

“It used to shine …”

Listening to Baba-sama’s explanation, Boulan muttered and stared at the black cracked orb.

“The shrine will be off-bounds as before. I can’t do anything with my power. I’ll entrust it to the next generation shrine maidens.”

“The next generation shrine maidens?”

Ryo turned to Baba-sama and asked.

“You’ve met her. Sana, the wife of Niels’ younger brother Niroy, is the first candidate. Others of similar age have the qualities of shrine maidens too. If they aspire to do so, they can become a much stronger generation of shrine maidens than my generation with me alone.”

Baba-sama answered happily.

“Apart from that, regarding the cave the goblins lived in. Like Guardian Beast-sama’s cave, the power from here may have seeped out there.”

“I see. That is a possibility.”

Etho agreed with Baba-sama’s reasoning.

“This village has been attacked by goblins many times since ancient times …. Until now, we couldn’t find their nest, but it may be the cave that you guys subdued. If I make a sealed shrine in the cave with my technique, the power will probably not leak to the surface anymore. I’ll have Boulan take me to the site tomorrow.”

It seemed that some of the problems that they had had for a long time were solved today … Baba-sama seemed happier than ever.

Five days after leaving the City of Rune, the four people from Room 10 successfully completed the request and returned to the City of Rune once more.

Nothing special happened on their way home …

It was evening when the four entered the City of Rune.

Naturally, it was a busy time for the adventurer’s guild …

“Isn’t this … more crowded than usual?”

“Yeah, it’s crowded …”

“This is troubling……”

Niels, Etho, and Amon sighed, looking through the door into a guild that was more crowded than usual.

“Let’s go take a bath first.”

It was a waste of time to wait, so Ryo suggested that as they were discussing.

“I guess we could?”

There were quite a few public baths in the City of Rune.

Even near the Adventurer’s Guild there was a bathhouse that could accommodate four people.

In that large communal bath.

“It’s about time …”

“Yeah, it’s about time.”

Niels and Etho were having a conversation with hidden meanings.

“I know, Niels. You’re finally going to confess to Miranda-chan on Flower Street.”

“No. Who the hell is Miranda-chan?”

Ryo’s maximum effort deduction was completely off the mark.

“We’re talking about how both Etho and I are approaching 300 days from registering as adventurers.”

They could live in the guild dormitory within 300 days of being registered as an adventurer.

But after that, they had to leave the dormitory.

“Oh … is that so?”

Ryo nodded with a small sigh.

The good times were nearing the end.

Ryo was also thinking about various matters.

(I might need to push forward my plans.)

“Hey, Ryo, Amon. Etho and I are thinking of buying or renting a house after we leave the dormitory. So … why don’t you live with us?”

Upon hearing the invitation, Amon was speechless.

Both Amon and Ryo could still live in the dormitory for more than half a year.

However, Amon was in a party with Niels and Etho, so the benefits of living together would be great.

Amon quickly came to a decision.

“Sure, I would love to.”

Amon answered without hesitation.

“Oh, that’s great!”

Niels nodded and clapped Amon’s shoulder with all his might.

Etho smiled happily.

“How about Ryo …?”

“Yeah, I’m sorry. I’ll buy another house because I need a lot of land to experiment with magic and alchemy.”

Ryo replied a little downheartedly to Niels’ question.

“Oh, I see……”

Nils replied a little dejected too, but he did not forcibly invite him many times.

He might have considered that would be the case.

Etho looked a little sad too but he smiled and said.

“But if we have a difficult request like this time, please help us.”

“Yeah, of course.”

That night, the four from Room 10 talked until late at the guild cafeteria.

About this request, about what they had done until now, and about what is to come.