When I was working as a civil servant, I was found out to be a muscle-brained knight by the princess knight and got sent to the front lines - Episode 106

Episode 106

Jez and René were well-prepared for the training required to obtain their explorer certification. They underwent various measurements and practical evaluations while feeling the curious gazes of those around them. The results of their assessments were moderate to above-average. Having thoroughly researched the abilities of this world’s explorers beforehand, Jez and René decided to suppress their abilities to the level of “promising rookie explorers” for the time being.

More than a week had passed since René regained consciousness in this world. When she first awoke in the mountains of Okutama and heard Jez say, “This is another world,” René had thought he might have hit his head. But after seeing this world with her own eyes and verifying the facts, she had no choice but to believe it to some extent. At the very least, this place didn’t seem to be part of the human survival zones of the Tashman Kingdom or the Azelion Continent.

In reality, René didn’t particularly care whether this was another world or simply a different part of the same world outside of the Azelion Continent. What mattered most was how to return to the Tashman Kingdom. Fortunately, Jez had already managed to contact Victor, whose efforts ensured that they could continue their activities here without major issues for the time being.

Though there were many details that could be nitpicked, rushing would do no good. On the battlefield, it’s not uncommon to be separated from your allies and left stranded in the mountains. Compared to that, this situation was far better. They had food, shelter, and most importantly, Jez—a very reliable presence. That was enough for now.

René did find it curious how Jez seemed to be overly comfortable in this world. But as Lilly once said, a good woman doesn’t pry too deeply into such matters. So, as long as there was no harm done, René decided not to interrogate Jez. According to Lilly, René should also make herself more appealing to Jez and get him to chase after her. Lilly’s advice was simple: “René, overthinking this isn’t going to work for you, so just stay natural and go with the flow.” As a result, René tried to live as naturally as possible with Jez. Although it could be said that she had little else to do.

After some days had passed and things had calmed down, they decided to go to the Shinjuku Dungeon to acquire their explorer certification.

“…Is this a dungeon quake?” 

During training, a sudden vibration surged from below, shaking the ground under René and the others. The shaking was so intense that it became difficult to remain standing. It lasted for a few seconds before coming to an abrupt stop. The way it ended was eerily unsettling.

René and Jez exchanged glances, instinctively checking each other’s expressions. The other trainees around them also looked uneasy. Almost immediately after the shaking stopped, sirens blared from the speakers installed in the dungeon. Evacuation guidance was announced over everyone’s devices.

The instructors, who were overseeing the training, quickly gathered the trainees to check if everyone was safe. As a precaution, they decided to exit the dungeon for now and assess the situation. Amidst the surrounding confusion, René turned to Jez and spoke.

“Hey, don’t you feel like the mana density is increasing?”

“Yeah, I’ve been thinking the same thing… This might be bad.”

Apparently, René and Jez were more sensitive to the flow of mana than the explorers native to this world. From the moment the dungeon quake occurred, they had sensed a sharp rise in the mana density, particularly from the lower levels. 

Typically, the higher the mana density, the stronger the monsters that appear. In general, mana concentration increases the deeper one descends into a dungeon. However, the current mana levels on the upper floors were clearly abnormal. None of the instructors had noticed the anomaly yet.

René and Jez exchanged glances, thinking it would be wise to urge a quicker evacuation before things turned dangerous. Just as they intended to do so, an indescribable sound—like the world cracking open—echoed through the air. From an empty space, a massive swarm of monsters began to pour forth.

・　・　・

Himuro Rio was a moderately popular streamer. An 18-year-old student at an explorer academy, she mainly produced content aimed at young female explorers. Her videos covered topics such as stylish explorer outfits, sweat-resistant makeup for active explorers, and glimpses into her school lectures. The academy even cooperated with her as part of their public relations efforts.

Her channel had over 100,000 subscribers, and she was fairly well-known. However, due to age restrictions, she was still just a trainee explorer attending school. As soon as she turned 18, Rio had come to the Shinjuku Dungeon to take part in the training necessary to earn her official explorer certification.

In advance, Rio had consulted with the Dungeon Bureau and obtained permission to live-stream the training. From the Bureau’s perspective, having someone with high visibility among the younger generation convey information about the explorer certification was beneficial.

As usual, Rio carried on with her live stream, calmly navigating the practical test while occasionally asking the instructors questions and conducting interviews. Over 1,000 viewers were watching her live stream. Considering it was midday on a weekday, this was a decent number.

Just as Rio was thinking about wrapping things up, a violent tremor struck the Shinjuku Dungeon. Alarms blared, and as the instructors hurriedly ushered them to evacuate the dungeon, a sound like something shattering filled the air. A massive swarm of monsters suddenly appeared on the upper levels of the Shinjuku Dungeon.

The trainees, frozen in shock, were unable to comprehend what was happening. The instructors grimaced at the sudden influx of monsters. Rio’s mind went blank, and even the viewers’ comments on her live stream came to a halt.

A moment of eerie silence that seemed to engulf the world.

“Everyone, retreat!!!”  

A desperate shout echoed through the dungeon, followed by the sudden charge of the monster horde. The trainees were now fully alert and scrambled to act. There were 50 trainees and 5 instructors. The instructors launched counterattacks, but it was like throwing stones into a flood—the sheer number of monsters overwhelmed them, advancing like a solid wall.

Some trainees were too stunned by the hopelessness of the situation. They hesitated and stopped in their tracks just as they were trying to escape.

“Don’t stop! Run!!!”  

The instructors’ shouts continued, but it was already too late. Rio, too, hesitated as she absently watched the flood of comments and increasing viewership on her stream.

When people can’t comprehend what’s happening, their minds just stop—that’s how Rio felt. It was almost like an outsider observing herself.

Suddenly, one of the trainees burst into tears, panicking. It quickly spread throughout the already disorganized group, causing them to descend into complete chaos. Even though it was clear they were too late, the trainees desperately ran towards the exit. Rio started running too, but—

The young woman running beside her tripped over something and fell. She appeared to have twisted her ankle and was left with a look of despair. Seeing this, Rio rushed to her side with a sense of desperation to help.

But—

In emergencies, every second counts. The monsters were already closing in on them. Rio realized they wouldn’t make it in time. However, determined to face her end as a proper explorer, she clung to a sliver of bravado. She hadn’t turned off the stream yet, so she forced herself to put on a brave front. She glared at the approaching enemies.

“If you’re coming, then bring it on!!!” 

She shouted with all her might, trying to leave behind at least a cool moment in her video.

But then—

“I don’t dislike that kind of resolve.” 

A handsome, blonde man in a suit leaped in front of her, wielding a massive spear. With a single swing, he obliterated the monsters and completely halted their advance.

In the confined dungeon with nowhere to run, this foreign businessman stood firm before the oncoming monsters with his suit fluttering behind him.

Rio was dumbfounded by the scene.

“Princess René! This side is clear!!!”

“Got it!!! Let’s do this, it’s been a while!”  

Responding to the blonde man was a beautiful woman in a pantsuit, her golden hair tied in a ponytail. In her hand was a flaming sword.

As she swung her blazing sword, the world around them was engulfed in a sea of crimson flames.