Are you guys really students?

　It was the commander of the magical unit who asked the question, his voice trembling.
　He gave us a suspicious look.

''That's right. We are students of the Adventurer's School of the Villa Amst Kingdom.''

　It was Sarasa who answered seriously.
　However, the troop leader's scepticism remained the same.
　Rather, it could be said to have deepened.

"Huh. What kind of education are you giving them? It's impossible for a student to defeat an S-ranked monster.

We're just giving him moderate exercise and a moderate diet.

　I feel like I've given the same answer before.
　Oh well.

　But he wasn't satisfied with my answer.
　The commander's face turned red and he stepped on the ground like a child.

''You've got to be kidding me!　You can't defeat an S-ranked demonic beast with that!

　The troop leader is indignant.

　Oh dear.........
　Is the troop leader-dono's eyes a knothole?
　You've actually been able to defeat both Sarasa and Mucha.
　If it's an S-ranked demonic beast of this level, Cecil and the others on the other side shouldn't have any trouble with it either.

''What in the world are you trying to say, troop leader-dono?

　Then the troop leader's eyes glowed with a guillanine.
　When he turned his gaze more strongly on the suspecting eyes, he smiled a toothy grin.

You are not going to be using the wrong kind of medicine, are you?

Bad medicine?

　Perhaps it is referring to the Demon Pill.
　Commonly known as demon pills.
　The most common ones are those that paralyze the nerves and give a sense of euphoria, but there are even some that maximize physical ability and magical power.

　I'm sure it's the latter that Lord Commander is suspecting.

''We do not rely on such things. ''Right?　Mucha-chan.

'What?　Yes........

　Mucha's answer is crisp in response to Sarasa's pretense.

　Mucha is a demon.
　I still haven't figured out how in the world a human obtains the same physical abilities as a demon beast.
　I couldn't be sure that there wasn't some kind of devil's medicine being used there, either.

　However, there's no point in worrying about what you don't know.
　I'm going to stick my chest out with Sarasa.

''Sarasa is right. We don't rely on such magic pills. This physical ability, magical power and knowledge are purely the result of hard work. We're not cheating.

Hmm. I don't know...

　The troop leader walked ahead.

　After watching his back as he walked away, Sarasa activated her magic.
　Her eyes flashed, and in that state, she exchanged a glance with Musha.

The actuality of this is that it's not a good idea. I was careless.''

　Sarasa's voice echoes in Mucha's mind.

　It's a [Gaze Conversation], a [Scholar (Professor)] magic.
　It is a magic that expands visual information and shares thoughts with each other while their eyes are crossed.
　It's a good thing that you can't have a lot of people using it because it's an advanced magic, but it's an unexpectedly useful spell and that's why I recommended it to Sarasa.

The only thing that can be done is to make sure that you have the right information. It's not something that Sarasa Sen - it wasn't, it's not something that Sarasa cares about. It's a fact that I'm a witch and not like other people.''

"Well, you don't need to worry about it, you two.

　I also speak to the thoughts of the two of them.
　Instead of Sarasa's [Visual Conversation], this one is a second magic sensory magic.

''At least when I examined you and Mattelus, there were no traces of potions. I can't discard the possibility that you're already out of it, but I'm sure your body isn't currently being ravaged by the potion.''

''Yes, sir. 'Thank you, senior Lacelle.'

"Call me Lacelle, too.

''No, that's........ Senior Lacelle is the person I admire. Let me call you senior, senior.''

　Mucha smiles.

　'I hope you've cheered up a bit.

'If you want to call me that, you can call me that.'

"Yes.

By the way....

　I unleash my sensory magic.
　At the same time, Sarasa also solved [Visual Conversation].

''You guys, after seeing the Ruby Golems earlier, have you noticed anything?''

　At my question, Sarasa nodded with a divine look on her face.

'Yeah. There was something wrong with you.'

I felt like I was running away from something.

　They both felt the same way I did.
　You have pretty good instincts.

　By nature, ruby golems don't move in packs.
　And although they are classified as S-ranked, they are very timid demonic beasts.
　They rarely attack people.

　The ruby golems we met in the underwater labyrinth looked more like they were running away from something and happened to encounter us - rather than coming to defeat the trespassers who had invaded the labyrinth.

　And that hunch was right.

　Suddenly the undersea labyrinth began to tremble.

''Kya!''
What is this...?

　Salasa and Mucha manage to hold on.
　It's huge.
　Is it an undersea volcano by the side of the undersea labyrinth?
　It was such a tremor.

''Both of you, calm down!

　I'm more worried about the magician's troops that have gone on ahead of us.
　No, I honestly don't care about them, but I can't just kill the duck and the leeks that I've been working on.

''You guys go back to the entrance for once.

If you're going, Lacelle, I'm going.

I'll go with you.

　Eventually, Sarasa and Mucha followed me.

　We proceeded to the depths of the undersea labyrinth.
　And then the members of the magic squad came running at full speed.

"Safe...

　Before you can call out to him, bam!　And then he passed by.
　He must have encountered something really horrible.
　Oh dear.....
　Because you're going to go on without us.

"Ah!　There he is!

　I heard a familiar voice.
　And then a familiar twinkling red hair came running towards us.

'Cecil?!

　At his side are Rowan and Mattelus.
　They had a wounded trooper on their back.

　We meet up with them.

"Did you get into trouble again?

　I asked Cecil.
　Then he bites me like a wildfire.

"Don't make me sound like a troublemaker. If anything, you're the one who brings the trouble, Racel.

　Cecil said, and Rowan beside him nodded yes.
　Was I that much of a troublemaker?

''This isn't the time to argue, seniors.

　Mattelus says, quite straightforwardly.

'Anyway, what happened?　Speak briefly.

Dragon.

　Cecil replied with a divine look on his face.

'A dragon?'

There's a very large dragon.

A high dragon?　Or is it the water dragon?　Is there anything unique about it?

I don't know. I've never seen a dragon like that in a picture book.... They repelled my attacks and...

　Cecil bit his lip in frustration.

　Hou.......... Playing off Cecil's attack?

　It's bad for Cecil, who is despondent, but that, on the contrary, piqued my interest.
　I'm not going to be the only one, except for me and Sheila, Cecil is the one with the most breakthrough power and attack power among my friends.

　I played back that attack.

　It's probably a pretty big one.
　Maybe it's a legendary chrome class demonic beast that I don't even know about.

　I lick my tongue involuntarily.

''Alright. You guys run away.

Lacelle, my boy!

It's all right, Sarasa. Look at that happy face. He's got a buttery grin on his face.

　Phew!
　Am I looking so tight right now?
　I'm glad Sheila isn't here.
　If you look too tight, you'll lose your brother's dignity.

"Ky, boys.... You'd better get out of here.... Lacelle, you too.........

　The only person who cared about me was the trooper who was carried on Rowan's back.

'It's okay, troopers.

'My Lasell is a fiery man the stronger the opponent is, the stronger he is.

　Mattelus and Rowan shook their heads, oh dear.

　What's your reaction?
　It's almost as if I'm the one who's been burned by a stronger opponent.

I'm staying. I want another fight.

Wow, I'm gonna...

　Cecil and Sarasa raise their hands.

"Then I'll send this trooper off too.

Then I'll pick up the troopers who ran off earlier with Matelus and escape.

"You did.

　They split up with Rowan, Mucha, and Matelus.
　Only Cecil and Sarasa remained at the side.

'All right, boys. It's not too late to run.

I'm ready for it.

For your information, that dragon is mine.

Hmm.....

　Suddenly, Sarasa started laughing.
　Seeing that, Cecil and I look at her and get a wink.

'It kind of reminds me of when we met.

Yeah, that's what I thought.

Didn't we just get squeezed out of a den of goblins, us?

　Cecil shook his head and cowered his shoulders as if to shake off the nightmare.

　Gosh!

　A tremor approaches.
　It seems that the dragon is coming out.
　Instantly, it was blown off the walls of the underwater labyrinth.

　With a cloud of dust, it appears.

''Ho........''

　I grin.

　It was a sea dragon....


　It was Leviathan.