My stubbornness, which bothered even the Golden Mark demon hunter with a headache, of course, didn't accept Asbell-san and Garion-san's objections, and eventually made them accept giving up.

''........Haha, I get it.''
Shit. What the hell is this kid...?

　Luta-san rolled her eyes at the two who broke, and Solstice laughed at them.

　So, let's get going.

　After removing the barricade, we left the library and aimed at the third level.

　Asbell and Garion are in the lead.
　Solstice is next.
　The last one is me and Ryuta.

　That's how we're going to proceed.

...Hey Marle-kun?
Hmm?

　Suddenly, Ryuta-san called out to me.

''The equipment on your left arm, could it be that you have an 'Earth Spirit' in it?'''
Uh-huh.

　I pointed my silvery white cuirass at her.

I got it from an elf sister I met a while back. But I can't communicate with spirits, so I don't know how to use it.
Yeah. You're only human.

　Nodding, Ryuta touched his brown fingers to the silvery white metal.
　Hmm?

....

　Those white lips carve a strange sound.

　It's as if they're failing to whistle, but it's a very beautiful windy sound. Honestly, it's as if I can't figure out how to pronounce it.

(Maybe that's Elvish?)

　I remember what Iltimina said to me before.

　Eventually, the mysterious tone stopped and the brown fingers left the 'silvery white cuirass'. Luta-san exhaled heavily.

''Uh, Luta-san?''
I'm sorry for being so selfish. I asked you to keep Merle safe if things went wrong.

　Oh?

Are you communicating with a genie?
Yes.
'Great!　How, how?
I don't know what you think I did but I just connected and talked to you like a normal person.

　...........
　I knew I couldn't explain it, apparently. Ugh, I wonder if I can't until I find out for myself one day?

　Ryuta-san laughs at my expression.

"Even if you don't understand, there are spirits here. Take good care of them.
Uh-huh.

　Of course.
　I stroke the silvery surface, gently.

(Please, continue to do so.)

　nudging

　Of course, there is no change in the 'White Silver Armor'.
　But Ryuta-san smiled calmly and nodded at me.

(Hmm?)

　I suddenly realized that Solstice was looking at me.

''..........''

　A little grumpy?
　Before she can call out to him, she flips her purple hair and turns forward in a hurry as their gazes meet.

(?????)

　Strange Solstice.

　--After a while, a stairway to the basement appears.

　What is it?
　The lower you go, the more stagnant something (...) seems to get thicker the further you go down the hierarchy.

Let's go.

　Nodding at Asbell-san's voice, we headed to the third level.


　◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇ ◇


　The third level was different from the previous one, with a wider passage.

　A number of unlit candlesticks are lined up on either side. It's as if they are inviting you to somewhere.

"...the chapel is just ahead.

　In a subdued voice, Asbell-san said.

　I nodded and slowly pulled the Fang of Marl out of the sheath on my waist belt.

　At the end of the passage, there is a large entrance.
　The red cloth that would once have been opulent is now tattered and hides the scene beyond. Asbell-san's hand shifts it and peers inside.

''........You're here. ........There are 18 skeletons.
You want to get it, Ass?

　Garion-san put his strength into the battle axe in his hand.
　The muscles in his thick arm bulge out.

　The blue-haired boy looks at us.

The chapel is too big to fight in. "We need to lure them into this aisle first so that we don't get boxed in.
Yes.

　can-can

　Asbell-san hits the wall with the hilt of her long sword. ........But the skeletons don't respond.

''Stupid.''

　Solstice is taken aback.

'They react to the presence of the living. You have to show them, or they won't.'
Is that so?

　Mr. Asbell apparently had no idea.

(Hmmm.)

　So, then, I'm going to face the other side of the cloth.

Hey, Skelton?

　messy

　The horrible skeletons reacted in unison and turned to me.

(Wha!?!)

　I pulled back in a hurry.　

'Ha, I responded.'
All right - me and Galion will be the vanguard. Luta, take care of Marle and Sol.

　Hmm?

I'll fight you in front of it.
It's hard to work with kids who don't know their moves!　Stay back!

　............
　I see, so it's a matter of coordination.

(Party fighting, so deep.)

　Solstice laughs.

'Well, let's see what you can do, shall we?
"Hm.

　And so, the skeletons rush in front of us waiting in the passage, tearing off the cloth that blocks them. Some of the skeletons in the crowd of skeletons this time were carrying spears and shields.

　Gasshas, Gasshas, Gasshas.

Let's go, Galleon!
Oh!

　Two blue-marked adventurers take on the approaching skeleton.

　The width of the passage is lined with three people.
　Asbel and Garion are the ones who will face the three skeletons.

''Doryaaaah!''　

　Rushing forward, Garion-san swings his large battle axe with a beastly roar.

　Gashaaan.

　It snapped the sword it was trying to catch and blew the two skeletons apart. The skeletons hit the wall violently and broke apart.
　That's a hell of a lot of power.

(But it's messy!)

　I'm stunned by that move.

　It's a huge swing, and even after he finishes swinging, there's a lot of gaps - that's where he's being targeted, and Garion is getting hurt by the skeleton's attack. However, regardless of this, he also destroys the skeleton with another large swing of the battle axe.

　........It's kind of like that hobgoblin.

　But his power and attack speed were still outrageous.

(Don't think about defense, just go all out with your attacks!

　You mean like?
　Thanks to that, I've already taken down five skeletons.

(And he's smiling.)

　He must be a combat junkie, yes.

　Asbell-san, on the other hand, had a very good balance of offense and defense.

　Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

(Yes, it's beautiful.)　

　He's attacking the spear that's thrust out, carefully preventing it from being thrust out, while not missing the opening that was created.
　Steady.

　Compared to Garion-san, his annihilation speed is slower, but he's managed to defeat one skeleton properly, while remaining unharmed.

(Hmmm.... .........There's a sword like that too, right?)

　Asbell-san's fighting style is a learning experience.

　Unlike the 'caressing sword' that Kirt-san taught me, it was exactly a swordsman-like move.
　I'll make sure to keep this in my mind's eye.

　Garion-san's fighting style is good for short term battles, but I, who lack the 'power' and 'sturdiness', can't imitate it?

　And...

　clash

　A single skeleton passed between the two adventurers and ran towards us.

''Tch!''
I'm sorry, Ruta!　Please!

　The two of us were busy dealing with the skeletons in front of us.

　Ryuta-san, who was asked by the party leader, pulled out her rapier, which she said she was not good at, with a blue face, trying to protect the younger of us.
　........No, no, no, from the stance, it's not good anymore.

''I'll do it!''

　In a hurry, I attacked the skeleton first.

　Towards me, the sword swung down.
　I imitate Asbell-san's sword and carefully block it with 'Marl's Fang'.

　Gimp.

(Oh, I see.)

　The way I'm preventing this, my next attack will be connected to the next move.

　Humph.

　Hobgoblin's 'hilt strike' crushes Skelton's right knee joint. The skeleton crumpled up.

　I hold the dagger at the upper level--and drop the blade.

　Gahhhh.

　Spine severed.
　Yet, the upper and lower body of the still moving skeleton.

'Ei, ai!'

　Splash!

　I stepped on it as hard as I could again and again, crushing its neck, crushing its shoulders, crushing its ribs, crushing its femur.

　-- finally, a skeleton that stops.

　Phew, I did it.

　When I turned around, Ryuta-san was holding his rapier at the ready, and he had a surprised look on his face.
　No, when I looked closely, Solstice was also looking at me as if stunned, with her large staff pointed at me.

''........You, how is it that you're able to defeat the skeleton so easily, all by yourself?''
What?
Because you were having such a hard time with it at first.

　Oh, by the way.

'Hmm?　What is it, because I'm starting to figure out how to fight skeletons, I guess?
...Really?
"Seriously.

　Dumbfounded, Solstice.
　Luta-san mutters.

''Marle-kun ... could it be that you've gotten stronger in this short time?

　Haha, I don't know.

　In the meantime, eventually the battle with the 18 skeletons was over.

　In the end, Solstice did not use magic.

　The result of the battle was.

　Mr. Asbell, 5 units.
　Garion, 10.　
　Me, three.

　It was.


"Merle, you're a real piece of work, aren't you?

　Mr. Asbell, I'm surprised.
　Garion-san clicked his tongue, "Keke. He's covered in shallow scratches, by the way.

'Don't get cocky, kid.
'Yeah. ...But, Garion-san, why don't you fight more carefully?
Oh?

　They stare at me.
　But I say.

'Even the shallowest of wounds can be fatal if they pile up, you know?　And more defense.
You are...
'I know it's disgusting,' --but I don't want you to hate me, but I don't want Garion-san to die. And I don't want Asbell and Ryuta to be sad.
..........

　Garion-san's expression was distorted.
　Asbell-san and Ryuta-san have indescribable faces.

　Cong.

　Solstice taps me on the head with her big cane.

'You're too good-natured,'

　Really?
　She laughed at me as I nodded my head.

　And so the five of us walked into the pagan chapel.

　The room was lit up by a magical light bird.

(Whoa!)

　I swallowed back a scream.

　Several skeletons dangled from the ceiling, bound by chains. There were objects made of human bones on the pillars, and skulls lined up on stone platforms on the walls on either side, with countless empty eyes staring at us.

　In front of us was a large Buddha statue sitting on a hunchback.

　But.

You're a skeleton in the face...

　It's truly an evil religion........

　Unlike me, who was frightened by such a scene, Solstice was looking at the surroundings with a curious "Heh~".

　Asbell-san and the others went around to the back of that skeletal Buddha statue.

''Here.''

　There is a large crack in the back of the Buddha statue.　　
　When I peered through it, I saw a spiral staircase that led further down inside the Buddha statue.

''Is this the ... fourth level?''
Yeah.

　Mr. Asbell nodded and silence fell.

　We each exchanged a glance.
　Then we nodded.

''Good. Let's break the magic altar down the road and we'll all go home alive.
Yeah!
Yeah.
Yeah.
Of course.

　Determined, we all gave a small smile.

　And so we descended the stairs, step by step, into the darkness at the bottom of the room.