I Became the Butler of the Seventh Princess, Who’s Regressing Into a Child - Episode 24

Episode 24

She came running towards me, her eyes wide and looking like she was about to burst into tears.

“R-Rondo-san! A unique monster has appeared! We have to get out of here, or we’re in trouble!”

I knew it. Every time Anfi enters a dungeon, she seems to run into unique monsters—probably just her terrible luck at work. But, hey, if we can take it down, it’d actually be lucky for us.

“What kind of unique monster is it?”

“A c-creepy one in black armor! We really should run!”

A black-armored creature… must be that one.

“If you’re going to run, mind if I take it down?”

“Wh-what? I mean… it’s fine. But it’s a really dangerous opponent, you know!? It’s all dark and terrifying!”

“Don’t worry. If it looks too tough, I’ll pull back.”

Taking down a unique monster would earn me rare items and a good amount of experience points. I wasn’t about to let this chance slip away.

As if drawn to our conversation, the monster appeared from around the corner. It was encased in black armor, with red eyes glaring from within. Wisps of dark mist seeped from the gaps in its armor, giving it the appearance of a ghost. In its hand, it held an oversized sword, radiating a sinister black miasma. The unique monster—the Knight of Curse—slowly advanced towards us, armor rattling.

I readied my sword, locking eyes with the Knight of Curse. In the next moment, it lunged. It kicked off the ground to close the distance in an instant, swinging its sword down at me. I intercepted, deflecting its blade with my own. Sparks flew from the clash.

…Heavy.

The impact felt as though I’d just blocked a boulder. But after training with Klaus-san, I didn’t feel the overwhelming difference in power that I once would have.

The Knight of Curse continued to attack, each blow large and heavy. But its strikes were wide and easily telegraphed. It gave me ample time to redirect its force. Though it was powerful, it didn’t possess Klaus-san’s level of swordsmanship.

The monster launched into another sequence of slashes, and I baited its sword just close enough before deflecting it. The creature staggered for a brief moment, off balance.

Now’s my chance.

I activated my [Enchanter] abilities. With spells of “剛力” (strength) and “加速” (acceleration) cast in rapid succession, I reinforced my body and weapon with every bit of power I could muster. Then, tapping into [Pampering], I pushed myself to my absolute limit.

“This ends now!”

I accelerated and swung my sword at the Knight of Curse, smashing through its armor and plunging the blade deep into its torso.

“Grr… Aaargh!”

It tried to counterattack, but I struck it repeatedly. I targeted key areas to stop its movements, raining down blow after blow.

Eventually, the Knight of Curse ceased moving. I took a deep breath, sheathing my sword.

…That went pretty smoothly.

As the monster’s remains dissolved, items dropped onto the ground. Reflecting on the battle, I realized that although the creature was strong, it hadn’t been able to wield its power to its full potential. Being from a lower-level dungeon, it lacked the skill to capitalize on its raw strength.

It made me think—just leveling up isn’t enough to truly get stronger.

I checked the loot and found a necklace, a mana stone, and a training stone. The training stone is used to upgrade equipment. It’s not too rare, but still useful. What interested me more was the necklace.

I picked it up. The chain was silver, with a beautiful obsidian-like stone set at its center. It exuded a mysterious gleam.

“…Hard Necklace, huh?”

This necklace is one of the recommended early-game items. It adds a +1 to +10 boost to two of your stats and even slightly reduces damage taken. In the game, I think it cuts incoming damage by around 1%. Honestly, that effect is pretty minor. But for an accessory usable at level 5, it’s exceptional. This is a nice find.

Just then, I heard footsteps approaching from behind—Anfi came running up.

“R-Rondo-san… you’re incredible! I can’t believe you took down that unique monster all by yourself… again!”

Her eyes sparkled as she looked at me. It was almost as if she was gazing at a hero. Considering the results, it seems I’ve unintentionally earned her admiration by saving her twice now.

“It was just a coincidence. But still, isn’t it pretty unlucky to be attacked twice in such a short time?”

“Mmh… yes, I guess so. I’ve always had terrible luck… maybe I’m better off staying away from dungeons.”

Honestly, that might be a good idea.

“Maybe you should try staying near the staircases if you’re going to fight.”

“…You’re right. I’ll make sure to do that from now on! Thank you so much for saving me again!”

Anfi gave a polite salute and bowed her head.

……Well, I managed to pick up some gear again. So I’ll call it a win.