The Novice Alchemist’s Store

The collapse that occurred in the cave converged in a relatively short time, but from the party's point of view, it was time to feel it forever.

But a situation I would not normally experience in a lifetime.

Even after the vibrations had subsided and the rocks were no longer heard to collapse, it would be natural for Iris and the others to crouch in with their heads in their arms and be unable to move for some time.

"Oh, it fits, huh?

The fearful Iris raised his face after the ear smoke that was drifting around him subsided and the silence that hurt his ears returned.

"Mi, guys, safe?

"I'm fine. Looks like there was no collapse anywhere near here."

With the dirt and dust that had flowed, Iris and his luggage were dirty, but rocks and other things that had collapsed nearby had not rolled.

Iris nodded at Nordrad, who confirmed it and said, turning his face toward him who heard the noise.

"Did it collapse in the direction in which we came... I don't care what you think, I only have a bad feeling about it, but you should check it out."

"Right. I just don't know if it's any consolation, but you can't hear what's in Salamander's footsteps."

"I wish I'd gone back... Well, you can't even decide what to do without checking the situation, can you? Shall we go and see?"

To Nordrad, who somewhat casually says, Iris and Kate face to face, but what he says is not wrong.

In case you left your stuff on the spot to make it easier to escape, and if you started going back the way you came, before you walked so much, you could see it.

A site where ceilings and walls collapsed to completely block a passage that was relatively wide.

All I could tell was the extent to which the light would reach, but I could clearly see the magnitude of the damage.

Half as you can imagine, in a rather troubled situation, Iris and the others look around with a dark look.

"This is... pretty disintegrating"

"Mr. Nord, could you make the light stronger?

"If I get too strong, I'll consume more magic... Roger that."

Even with a little stupidity, Nordrad adjusted the light smelter (artifact) to greatly enhance the light intensity.

Illuminated by it were piles of rock and dirt sand that stacked up to the ceiling part of the cave.

The scale of that collapse was so great that there was no hope of a gap somewhere, etc.

"Again, was it completely blocked"

"Besides, it looks pretty thick, doesn't it? Is it also because of this that I can no longer hear Salamander's footsteps?

"I guess. It seems a little unrealistic to get rid of this."

Iris raises a picky brow at Nordrad's words, which sound like some other HR.

"Even your proud muscles, nothing can be done about it?

It's a rare thing to say as a refreshing personality Iris, but it won't help either.

Because the resurrection of the salamander and the collapse of the cave, whatever you think, do not seem to have anything to do with it.

But whether the irony works or not is a different matter.

"Yeah. It's fine if you just move the rock, but you can't stop it from collapsing."

Nordrad flatly returned the answer, not looking like he was aware or not at all concerned.

Upon hearing it, Iris distorted his mouth slightly, but Kate slapped him on the hip with a pong, pushing away his dissatisfaction with a sigh.

Iris had the calm to think that even if he was wrong in this situation, it would be harmless and unprofitable.

"I'm just thankful you don't seem to have to worry about Salamander coming after you, but is it hard to get out of here"

"There's gonna be a way to take the time to dig it, but I'm worried it'll collapse, so hey. Can't you guys just magically consolidate? You can use the magic of the earth system..."

Nordrad turned his slightly expected gaze to Iris and Kate, but they all shook their heads together.

Iris, who can't use magic, naturally, and Kate, who's been learning magic from Sarasa lately, can't use magic or anything useful in such situations.

What Kate is learning is certainly the magic of earthlineage, but it's the magic that helps pioneer.

The magic of digging up the ground and softening it, so it would be rather counterproductive in this situation.

If you have as long as Sarasa for magic and magic manipulation, you can do something with magic you haven't learned, but depositing your life in beginner magic like Kate is a bad idea no matter what you think.

"Getting home from here doesn't seem very realistic. Let's go back first."

"Right."

The Iris, who had returned to their original place, had taken a breath brewing warm tea to calm them down once and for all.

Fortunately in the midst of misfortune, a situation confined to a cave where there is a threat of salamander, albeit blocked by the crash site.

Compared to Iris, who looks restless somewhere while drinking tea, Nordrad is alone, not in a hurry, and even shows room to enjoy the tea slowly.

Of course it's so much better than panicking, but there's just no way the Iris and the others can feel anything unexplained about it.

"Nord, are you calm?

"When you do demonic researchers, there's so much opportunity to sweep and throw them away. I'm building muscles so I can survive in that situation. Well, it didn't help this time."

"As far as I'm concerned, I just want you to skip your own behavior before you muscle it"

This time, too, it seems an accident that would not have happened if Nordrad hadn't done a strange experiment, so Kate's point is the best.

But Nordrad laughs furiously at Kate's words, which he told him to condemn.

"Ha-ha-ha, you can't do that. Because I'm a researcher. If you lose your sense of exploration and adventure, you're not a researcher anymore."

"I just want you to be discreet, even in your adventure. You'll be gone if you help me, won't you?

"I knew it? Few people would take on a second escort, right? I don't think it's a bad reward."

- That's absolutely because I'll punish you at first sight.

Iris and Kate's mood definitely coincided, but now I can't help but say it, and they looked at each other, aligned and exhaled deeply.

"… let's think of a way to open it."

"Right. I don't think I can use the way I came, but this place is still going in the back, isn't it? Do you have any idea where this leads?

"No, the last time I came, I didn't go into any sidewalks. I'm not saying it's unlikely that it's connected somewhere, but at the same time, it seems dangerous."

Originally, the neighborhood was home to Hell Flame Grizzlies.

Iris and I don't threaten lava lizards if we just shoot them, but that's because we challenge them to fight with compatibility issues and circumstances.

Lava lizards are strong enough enemies if you fight without thinking about it, and if you are going to fight other demons of the same level, there is considerable danger involved.

Taking on this escort is also premised on the limited variety of demons encountered and the absence of salamanders.

"But we have to go further than that road can go back, right? Or is there some other way? If you have a good idea, it's not a bad idea to incorporate it, is it?

"But to us, the confidence to protect Nord..."

"If I die from it, I'm not going to blame you. 'Cause there's a better chance of being helpful than sitting here."

Stepping into a dangerous place would mean that Nordrad's own life would also be in danger, but should he still be called a researcher, as he reasonably thinks?

To the lost Iris, I turned to the luggage I had left, as Kate remembered something.

"Speaking of which, Iris, the manager gave you a resonance stone, right?

"Ugh... is that it? Do you want to use that?"

Kate leaned strangely toward Iris, who looked sinister and stuck in words, showing how lost she was.