Adopting the Male Protagonist Changed the Genre - Chapter 150

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 150

Ian grabbed Asillia’s shoulders and shook her violently while shouting.

“What are we going to do now! I’m fragile and delicate like glasswork! But you dragged me into a dungeon on a day like this? Am I nothing more than baggage here!”

“Dungeon? You’re saying this is a dungeon?”

Only then did Asillia seem to realize the seriousness of the situation.

She had dreamed of exploring a dungeon someday, but she wasn’t stupid enough to not know the dangers.

Wasn’t it said that the air in dungeons was filled with magic energy and crawling with monsters?

“Are you finally understanding the situation? If you hadn’t grabbed onto me and dragged me along, I would have gone to ask the adults for help!”

Ian, who always stayed a step away from the group and cynically observed situations, couldn’t act rationally this time.

To enter a dungeon completely defenseless.

Something he had never even imagined, let alone encountered in nightmares, had become reality.

Then, Asillia frowned deeply and harshly swatted away Ian’s hand.

“You always act like everything has nothing to do with you, so how would I know if you would have really asked for help? You were the first one trying to run away.”

“Run away…? Are you done talking?”

The dissatisfaction that had been building up between them swelled like a balloon about to burst.

Just as each word thrown at the other was about to become a sharp needle piercing them.

“Hey guys, look over there.”

A weasel emitting white light ran between the two of them with quick steps.

The messenger beast that rose from Leo’s palm glowed with a faint light, illuminating the path ahead that had been buried in darkness.

Ian and Asillia forgot about growling at each other and were captivated by the scene before their eyes.

“Wow…”

The sight of narrow waterways stretching in all directions like an ant colony was overwhelming, like a forgotten ancient underground city.

Leo took both of their hands, one in each of his, and approached the ferry boat placed at the starting point of the waterway.

Though only once, he had learned many things from Cesar when entering the slime dungeon.

If you enter a dungeon, first examine what type of dungeon it is.

Whether it was naturally formed, whether special conditions are needed to clear it, and if it’s an artificially created dungeon, for what purpose it was made.

Recalling Cesar’s teachings one by one, Leo calmly explained.

“Seeing that there are artificial objects, this dungeon was probably created artificially. Maybe it was made to protect sacred objects like Asillia said? So it’s probably not dangerous enough to threaten our lives. Because…”

“Because records of the underground waterway remain.”

Ian answered, picking up on Leo’s words.

If it had been a truly dangerous dungeon, only ghost story-like rumors saying ‘no one ever returned alive’ would exist, and what lurked inside wouldn’t be known.

After all, the rumor that there was an underground waterway somewhere in the temple spreading meant someone had entered there and returned alive.

Also, this underground waterway wasn’t such a great secret that the High Priest would casually mention it to noble children as a conversation topic.

“If there were people who survived and talked about the underground waterway even though they couldn’t find the sacred object…”

“It means there’s a way to escape the dungeon without finding the sacred object.”

Asillia, who had been standing blankly between Leo and Ian as they exchanged words harmoniously, asked in a bewildered voice.

“So what exactly should we do?”

Leo and Ian’s gazes simultaneously turned toward the ferry boat.

Such a boat wouldn’t be placed in the dungeon for no reason. It was probably essential for clearing the dungeon.

“Let’s take that boat and explore the waterway to find an exit.”

Leo immediately climbed onto the ferry boat, then took Ian’s hand to help him board.

“I’ll stand at the front and light the way ahead with the messenger beast. Asillia, you take the helm at the back.”

“Then I’ll take charge of memorizing the route. I can do at least that much.”

Even while Ian and Leo were making plans together, Asillia still didn’t move.

Then she opened her mouth with an uncertain expression.

“I… don’t want to ride the boat. So I’ll swim and follow along.”

“Don’t say stupid things and just watch my back. We don’t know when monsters might appear.”

Ian spoke cynically as usual and extended his hand to Asillia.

Asillia hesitated for a long time before finally taking Ian’s hand and boarding the ferry boat.

Soon the ferry boat began moving slowly along the waterway’s current. Since it moved forward without anyone rowing, it seemed to be a boat imbued with special power.

Once everyone was in position, finally Leo’s messenger beast perched on the boat’s prow, proudly raising its upper body and illuminating the path ahead.

Though they didn’t voice it aloud, their will and hope to definitely survive and escape spread like a lantern.

However, they didn’t know.

That something that shouldn’t exist in this dungeon, a predator that had even devoured the sirens who were the dungeon’s masters, was listening to their voices from far away.

* * *

Fortunately, Giuseppe didn’t take lightly or ignore the fact that children had gone missing inside the temple.

A search party was immediately organized to find the children, and before long it was discovered that Leo’s group had fallen through a side path into an artificial dungeon beneath the temple.

“That side path requires meeting special conditions that even priests cannot pass through, so why on earth…”

Someone spoke in a questioning voice, but what was important now was finding the children.

The fortunate thing was that the ‘Underground Waterway Where Sirens’ Songs Flow’ wasn’t a dangerous dungeon.

Since it was an artificial dungeon created by the temple to protect sacred objects, the sirens that were the dungeon’s monsters only made dungeon explorers lose their way and wander with their songs.

Also, after spending five hours in the dungeon, one would be automatically ejected.

‘So let’s not be anxious and just wait five hours.’

Just as I was comforting my uneasy heart this way, Giuseppe delivered news that shattered my mental state.

“I’ll immediately organize a search party to send into the dungeon. Since we need mages to explore the labyrinth, we’ll request help from the Magic Tower and Mercenary Guild. Also, I will personally participate in this search.”

I couldn’t hide my puzzlement at Giuseppe’s seemingly quite hasty behavior.

While I was grateful that he was being so proactive in finding Leo, it seemed somewhat excessive for a High Priest to personally move to find a child who would safely return in five hours.

As if he was hiding something I didn’t know about.

Just as replies arrived from both the Magic Tower and Mercenary Guild saying they couldn’t send mages to the temple.

I learned what Giuseppe hadn’t told me.

“Say that again. What’s how?”

The high-ranking priests guarding Giuseppe glared at me fiercely for my rude attitude, but now wasn’t the time to worry about such things.

“The former High Priest imprisoned a demon beast in the temple’s dungeon. To eliminate the demon beast without any damage would require a powerful sacred barrier, but since we don’t have that level of divine power, he probably tried to cover up and hide the problem.”

My heart dropped to the floor with a thud.

If what was in the dungeon wasn’t a monster but a demon beast… we couldn’t just wait for the forced ejection after five hours.

For the children to preserve their lives while avoiding the demon beast during that time would require an enormous miracle.

I stubbornly followed behind Giuseppe and the priests heading toward the official entrance to the underground waterway, shouting.

“I’m going with you too.”

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that.”

I didn’t give up and stuck close behind him.

“Fine. Then I’ll follow behind on my own, so lead the way.”

“Marquess Blanche.”

Only then did Giuseppe stop walking and turn to look at me.

He still wore a gentle expression, but I could read the fatigue in his eyes.

“You’ll be a hindrance. What could you possibly do, Marquess?”

As if I’d be intimidated by such words.

“You said mages serve as guides in labyrinths. I can do that.”

To prove those words, I immediately summoned Cao from the shadows.

Cao could multiply infinitely in darkness, as long as my mana allowed.

Moreover, since I could share vision with Cao, there would be no one more suitable than me for exploring a labyrinth.

Only then did Giuseppe show signs of hesitation before adding words like a warning.

“I cannot guarantee your life, Marquess. Also, the priests and I will prioritize our own lives in dangerous situations. We won’t be trying to protect you.”

“That’s fortunate. There won’t be anyone getting in the way in front trying to protect me unnecessarily.”

Realizing he couldn’t break my stubbornness, Giuseppe frowned for the first time.

“Very well. Then let’s reorganize the search party. Marquess Blanche as the pathfinder, myself as the vanguard, and for the priest to create barriers to protect everyone…”

Giuseppe briefly looked around at the surrounding priests.

While he pondered whether there was a suitable candidate, someone stepped forward.

“I’ll go.”

I looked at the person who had stepped forward and closed my mouth, not knowing what expression to make.

Though she came forward with a tense expression, Ophelia continued speaking resolutely without taking a single step back.

“I’ve perfectly learned how to create barriers with divine power during this time. I’m confident in protecting everyone.”

Giuseppe didn’t immediately say no like he had with me.

This probably meant that the divine power Ophelia inherited from the White-Robed Saint was truly remarkable.

So I would be the only one who felt uneasy about her participation.

Just as Giuseppe was about to speak.

“That’s something I can join too, right?”

Terry, who hadn’t shown his face for quite a while, suddenly poked his head out from behind me and casually expressed his intention to participate.

“I trust that the High Priest has enough discernment to assess how quietly I can move. Besides, I brought some very helpful reinforcements.”

Woof! Bark! Woof!

The Cerberus responded to Terry’s words in turn.

I promised this month’s bonus to Terry, who was so admirable, and turned to look at Giuseppe.

“This should be sufficient for a search party.”

And so, a perfect search party was formed to find Leo’s group.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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