The Abandoned Saint I Picked Up is a Side Character in an Otome Game and Turns Out to Be the World's Strongest Mage. I Plan to Rescue the Heroine Who Couldn't Achieve Her Happy Ending in a Dungeon. - Chapter 19

“We must go back immediately!!”

“Wait, wait! Calm down, Roland.”

“How can you be so calm, Jail?! Your fiancée has been captured by a monster!”

“Both of you, stop it! This is no time for arguing!”

Roland’s rescue party found itself in chaos, arguing as they stood deep within the dungeon.

The root of the conflict had occurred just moments earlier.

Upon venturing into the middle levels of the dungeon, Roland and his group had encountered a formidable foe.

It was a fox monster, a creature with nine tails.

This monster possessed intelligence and combat skills far exceeding their expectations, forcing the group to make a hasty retreat.

However, during the escape, Jail’s fiancée, Curia, and the head of the Mage Corps, Mae, had been captured by the creature.

“Everyone, let’s calm down for a moment,” said a composed voice amidst the chaos.

The speaker was Eric, Mae’s younger brother.

Eric’s long violet hair and refined features made him stand out, and his mage’s robe added to his dignified presence.

“My sister is with them. I’m certain she’ll find a way to exploit the monster’s weaknesses and escape with Curia.”

“And how can you be so sure?!”

“…This entire endeavor was reckless from the start. This dungeon has numerous unexplored areas. If we were a military unit, it might have been possible, but for a small group like ours, this is the limit.”

“B-But Angelica is still—”

“Your Highness, I understand your feelings. However, we are out of potions, and both our magic and stamina have been depleted. If we press on, we’ll only end up losing our lives. Besides, we need to report that Mae and Curia have been taken.”

From the very beginning, Eric had opposed Roland’s plan.

And with good reason.

The crown prince had disregarded his house arrest and rushed to the dungeon ahead of the military.

Reckless didn’t even begin to describe his actions.

(Still, something bothers me… When the monster took my sister, she didn’t appear to resist. I doubt she’s unharmed, though. If she doesn’t return… I’ll become the next head of the family.)

Eric harbored a deep inferiority complex toward his sister, Mae, who was a talented and well-respected mage.

Though he cared for her as family, part of him saw her as an obstacle to his own ambitions.

(If I bring back the reckless crown prince and prove myself useful to the king, it will solidify my place in the kingdom. Yes… my time is coming!)

Determined to bring Roland back safely, Eric resolved to abandon the mission.

As for Jail, Eric pitied him, but Curia, his fiancée, was simply unfortunate collateral damage.

Eric’s calm yet persuasive reasoning managed to sway Roland, and the group began their retreat from the dungeon.

As they made their way out, Roland noticed something unusual.

One of his companions, Hayden, appeared pale and unsteady.

Hayden, Roland’s childhood friend and a sword enthusiast, was also the son of Christiana, the captain of the Andarencia Knights.

“Hayden, are you alright?”

“A-ah, no, I’m fine. I just can’t believe the rumors that my mother abducted Lady Angelica.”

Hayden had heard the story of Christiana attacking the royal castle alongside a mage and a witch.

At first, he had been shaken.

While his mother was a free-spirited and battle-obsessed individual who had shown little interest in him, she was not someone who would stoop to obvious evil.

Perhaps she had discovered something unknown to him and was acting according to her own sense of justice.

Hayden had joined Roland’s expedition to the dungeon with one goal: to meet his mother face-to-face and uncover her true intentions.

But the expedition ended in failure.

Not only had they failed to meet Christiana, but they had also been defeated by the monsters in the middle levels of the dungeon.

And now, fear gnawed at Hayden’s mind.

(The rumors say the mage is in the lowest level of this dungeon. That would mean they’ve already conquered this place, with its hordes of dangerous monsters. Honestly… I want to commend them. I might even admire them. But still…)

Hayden understood his mother’s personality better than anyone.

As someone who had swung a sword from a young age in a desperate attempt to earn his parents’ love, Hayden knew his mother’s character inside and out.

(Could it be… that she fell for the mage because he was strong?)

Hayden’s anxiety grew.

He had heard that the mage in question appeared to be a man in his early twenties.

Hayden, who had always aspired to master the sword, had made a decision long ago: if his parents divorced, he would follow his mother.

Not out of filial duty.

It was because he respected Christiana as his sword master.

Which meant…

(There’s no way I’m calling some guy only five or six years older than me ‘Father’!!)

Hayden’s concerns were wildly different from those of the others in the group.

Yet to him, the issue was no less serious.

With each carrying their own burdens and anxieties, the group finally managed to escape the dungeon and return to the Andarencia capital.

However, upon their return, they were met with a piece of news that left them stunned.

“W-what?! Angelica’s returned… and she’s marrying the mage?!”

Roland stood frozen in shock.

Unable to comprehend what was happening, he could only stand there, staring blankly into the distance.