Allen was able to meet up with Merle, so he decided to leave the imperial capital early and head for the temple in Yanpani.

　This is the second emperor that Allen and his team have refused an audience with since Sophie grudgingly turned down an invitation from the Bauchis emperor via Foreign Minister Nukakai.
　As for Allen, if there is a king or an emperor that you have to meet with, make it an event that you have to do so.

　Just because the emperor calls you, doesn't mean you can't meet him right away.
　It took Sophie 10 days to get an audience with the King of Latash.
　Emperors of great powers can wait as long as a month.
　Like the Elven Queen, you're in big trouble if you get a free pass for the duration of your stay.

　Aren and his team will ride the bird B summoner to the temple of Yampani, northeast of the imperial capital of Baucis.

　I've also briefed Foreign Minister Nukakai about the summoned beast.
　From now on, you will use the summons to move around in the Baucis Empire and conquer dungeons.

　Foreign Minister Nukakai had received little information that Allen was a summoner, and that's about all he'd heard of.

　However, I was told to refrain from showing the summons in the city, otherwise it's fine.
　I was somewhat surprised, but not as surprised as Rosenheim.

　Although I didn't show the summons on the spot, I wonder if this lack of reaction has something to do with the Baukis Empire's golem soldiers.
　It seems to be based on the idea that they don't have the power to surpass their own golem soldiers.
　Maybe it's the luxury of a country that prides itself on being the strongest in the world.

　I usually ride with Cecil on Bird B's summoner, but today I'm riding with Merle.

So you're a nobleman.

"Yeah, I tried!

　Merle, who looks like a girl but whose first name is "I," talks to me with a big smile about what happened after we parted ways with Allen and the others.

　Merle was somewhat insecure when she was at the school, but she is now full of energy, which is probably due to the fact that she was able to play a role in the war.

　It seems that Merle was made an honorary baronet for this war.
　This is the same treatment as Krsna.

　Apparently, it's customary to make an honorary nobleman out of someone with three stars' worth of talent, such as a swordsman or saint.
　Normally, a person would become an aristocrat after graduating from the school, but this time, since a large scale war took place, a person would be made an aristocrat based on the results of that war.

　I feel that this is also a measure to prevent countries from losing talented people from their countries.

Merle is a sure thing at 3 stars. But I haven't been able to complete my skills, since I sold my magic seed to the empire along the way. (The level is indeed 60).

　When Merle was running around the dungeons during his time at the school, he did not have any skill experience.
　This is because Merle can only learn skills by using golem soldiers.

　This time, I was able to gain skill experience because I served as a golem soldier in the war against the Demon King's army, but I didn't complete it.

　I'm thinking that this is because I gave the magic seed to the Baukis empire, thinking that if I used it all for myself, I'd probably be able to master the skill level.

　Name] Merle
　Age] 14
　Occupation: General of rocks
　Level] 60
　Body strength] 1677 + 900
　Magic power] 2420 + 900
　Attack Power] 782
　Endurance] 1318 + 900
　[Quickness] 782
　Intelligence] 2420 + 900
　Fortune 1503
　Skills: Demon Rock General, 4, Flying Arm, 4, Piercing Fist, 4, Halo Sword, 1, Alloys, Spearmanship, 3, Shield Art, 3
　Extra] Combination (right arm)

Skill level
　Flying arms] 4
　[Perforated fist] 4
　[Halo Sword] 4
Skills Experience
　Flying arm] 430/10,000
　Perforated fist] 550/10,000
　The lightning bolt sword 280/10,000



　And just like Krsna when she was a swordsman, Merle's status in the grimoire has increased by 900 in each of her four stats.

(Her overall status has increased considerably, but her attack power has not. Merle's fight is still predicated on getting the golem soldiers. Does the piercing fist mean the drill punch?　(It's kind of titillating)

　It turns out that if you go to an S-class dungeon, you can get a Golem soldier.
　Obviously, I'm excited about the attack-driven skills with the golem soldiers.

　In my grimoire, I record what I want to get in S-class dungeons.

Collecting parts for Merle's Golem Soldiers
Orichalcong weapons and armor
Items that increase the status by more than 1000
Useful magic tools

　In S-class dungeons, you'll find many fascinating items that you can't find in A-class dungeons or in auctions.
　You'll want to update your equipment and other items at once here.
　Helmios the Brave also said that you can get the magic tools you need for your adventures.

I see you met the hero Helmios in Rosenheim.

"Ah, Merle. The brave man was still the same. Speaking of which, after the celebration of winning the war in the Gearmut Empire, he's coming to capture the dungeon.

After receiving some advice on how to attack S-class dungeons, Helmios changed his job from hero to hero king and became level 1.
　He also said that he and his friends will attack S-class dungeons to level up.

I didn't know Helmios was coming too. I didn't know you're close to Helmios," he said.

　Merle will be impressed.

No, we don't get along.

　While talking with Merle for the first time in a while, I'm going to aim for an S-class dungeon while also taking a lunch break.

　As I was flying along after lunch, a strange feeling appeared in front of me.

　Perhaps my eyes have become stupid, or maybe my perspective is not working as well as it used to when I saw a picture, but something has been appearing in front of my eyes for a while now.

That's it.

That's right.

Isn't that something big?

　Allen said honestly what he was thinking.

Yeah, I can't see the top of the tower.

　Merle, riding in the back, says to look over Allen's shoulder.

(Well, I knew it was a dungeon in the shape of a tower, since it's called the Tower of Trials, but it's totally different from the school's dungeon?

　Allen's question seems to be right.
　I am now riding the summoned beast of bird B. I am moving with my companions a few kilometers up in the sky.
　I am traveling with my companions a few kilometers up in the sky, and not long ago we saw a tower reaching to the heavens.

　It looks completely different from the style of dungeons I used to conquer in college.

　I remember that in the academy dungeon, we moved from a room in an apartment-like building to a dungeon with many layers of space-time.
　It was a dungeon of a different dimension, so you could say that the building wasn't that big.

　I said up to the heavens, but we don't know how high it is because the tip pierces the heavens.
　It's probably tens of kilometers high, but it's even higher through the clouds so you can't see it even if you look up.

　And the tower feels wider than the imperial city of Baucis.

"Huh?　Where is the Temple of Jampani?　All I see is the Tower of Trials.

　An S-class dungeon is clearly visible in front of you.
　It is the pride of the Baukis Empire, also known as the Tower of Trials, an S-class dungeon.

　But I can't see the temple of Yanpani, which worships a dungeon master named Dighragni.

There's a temple of Yamperni on the first floor of the Tower of Trials!

　Merle believed in conquering S-class dungeons with Allen and the others when the war was over, and he collected information from his seniors and superiors on the battlefield during the war.

Seriously. The S-class dungeons and the temple of Yamperni are all in the same huge tower?

　Stretching from the desolate earth to the heavens, the S-class dungeon is dozens of times larger than the World Tree seen in Rosenheim.

　Even Allen's friends gasped at the enormity of it, wondering how it could be built.

"......

　In the meantime, only the spirit gods on Sophie's shoulders were staring at the huge tower with a stern gaze.