What do you mean, Beulah? I don't know what you're talking about.

"Senior Alba, do you really think you're just in bad shape?

　Gulp, Alba moans.

I'm sure that the magic body (avatar) is a reproduction of the 'highest state' of the body. Therefore, it's impossible to be in poor physical condition. If there is, it's on the mental side, but........

　Lily said bitterly.

'It's weird that Reme is out of the picture and it's taking a huge toll on us. We asked him to stop....

　Lark agrees.
　I don't feel ill and I'm not sick to my mind.
　Then what is the cause of the 'disorder'?

''I'm more of a magic-dominated player, so I'll probably be the middle guard, but this increased role won't hinder my movements. If the previous Leme-san was incompetent, the addition of [Brave] to the same position would have resulted in pure firepower enhancement.

　I'm sure everyone was hoping for that.
　It was fulfilled in an incomplete way.
　Béla exceeded expectations, but for some reason the three of them were unable to produce the results they wanted.
　Why, that's their point of view.
　I, as well as Béla, seem to have an approximate idea of what's going on.
　Just being able to guess that black magic is the cause is a big deal, but I'm sure she was able to guess because she's not bound by the common sense of an adventurer.
　She didn't seem to be happy that she became a 【Brave Person】, and she didn't seem to have any feelings for the adventurer's business.
　Perhaps it's because she is like that, she can see things without preconceptions.

'But, Beulah, that's not true. I'm sure you'll be able to find out what's really going on. It's not a bad thing if you can't reduce your attack and defense power by 10 percent, right?　But most of them can't even get half of that down.

'Huh. So let's assume it wasn't 'most of the guys', I'm talking about.

'It's certainly been strange before. I don't think Fenix will continue to keep incompetence at his side just because he's a friend. That said, his black magic doesn't seem to be particularly good...

''No, you know what? Let's say Reme is a [Black Mage] who can raise us above our abilities, right?　So why didn't Leme tell us that once? Béla wouldn't know, but Reme sputtered no matter what was said, and didn't refute Alba's disgusting snide remarks. Isn't that because he admits he's not good enough?

Or maybe he had a reason for not revealing his abilities no matter what.

What?　What kind of stupid delusion is that?

''It's Alba-senpai's magic sword, but the accuracy of its operation hasn't decreased, but its hit rate has decreased, hasn't it?

.....

'Didn't Reme allow you to guess?

"f*ck you!　I don't see how that could be--

'Mr. Lark, you feel that the enemy's aim is more accurate than before, don't you?　That, and as if the offensive power is up.

Well..... If it was just the Demon King's Castle, I could understand why this is the highest level of difficulty, but to be honest, even in the dungeon I entered as a familiarization, I felt uncomfortable.

　Yes, when they joined Beulah, they interrupted the Demon King's Castle attack once and dove into other dungeons.
　Since it was undisclosed, the world didn't know about it, but they felt unwell at that point.

''Lily-san--''

I know. I'm not hitting any more arrows than I used to.

In addition, in the past, he's done a great job of penetrating the moving parts of his opponents, but now he's just hitting them.

　Apparently, Beulah checked the past footage in order to change her imagination into certainty.

'Ha, then what?　Are you saying we're incompetent without that bastard Leme?

''Why are you so extreme in your opinions........ You are all top-notch adventurers. Isn't it just that Reme-san had the power to raise it above what it actually is?

''So you think we should move on thinking that his excellent black magic is gone?''

　Lily managed to understand what Béla was saying.

'Yes, I do. So far the three of you have been vaguely trying to resolve your discomfort. I stood around to avoid making a big mistake by fighting under the assumption that something was wrong with me. If it was any other dungeon, but that wouldn't work in the Demon King's Castle.

　Maybe it was because she had fallen herself at the fifth level, Beira said the last part hesitantly.
　Indeed, she was right, Lark was eaten by [Sea Monster] Forneus before the floor boss battle.
　Forneus was a shark-like demon that was about the size of a large structure.
　He solved the human language and attacked us after coming forward. After Lark left, Alba wrapped her magic sword around its entire body and fished it out with the help of me and Beulah, and then skewered it with the ice stake Beulah had prepared and defeated it.

　Also, the floor boss, the [Ruler of Waters] Wepal, was extremely difficult from its discovery and proximity.
　They had to advance through the even narrower adventurer's passage while enduring the storm she had caused.
　Along the way, a mysterious fleet of ships even appeared, adding to the bombardment and fishermen's attack.
　So Lily left and by the time they found Wepal, they were down to three.
　With the floor boss fight, Beulah turned all the remaining magic power into a freeze on the surface of the sea, blocking Wepal from escaping into the water while slowing down the movement of his subordinates.
　That's where I closed the distance between us in one breath and overthrew him.

'Of course, you won't be convinced. You have to admit that many things are out of the ordinary, and there is no way you can accept that the people you just dismissed as incompetent were actually supporting you. I understand. That's why I'm assuming.

　Indeed, Beulah had said that at the beginning.
　With that kind of assumption, I was going to face the seventh layer.

So you want me to stand around with that in mind?

Yes.

'It's about correcting your self-evaluation. If you see yourself as bigger than you really are, you won't be able to perform properly.

Yeah.

''Well if this works, we've done something stupid.

''It would depend on how you look at it. I think that the three of you.......especially Alba-senpai weren't that interested in Leme's abilities, were they?　Even if it's possible to reduce your ability by more than ten percent ... twenty or thirty percent, I think he told you to get out of the party.

...but you're just a black mage, and you're all shackled up.

　That of Alba is an affirmation.

'In terms of popularity, you mean. Assuming he's an excellent 【Black Mage】--and I think he actually was--it's true that he can't contribute to raising the party's popularity at the time of 【Position (Job)】. Unless, of course, he reveals his true ability and makes it a selling point for himself, but he won't. He's the one who stubbornly stuck to his job, even though he was criticized so much by the public.

　Is it because he doesn't admire adventurers and [brave] people that Beulah can think things fairly?

'I don't get it. I understand what you're saying, Beulah. I know what you're talking about. But if it's true, then what was Reme thinking about being an adventurer?　If you've got the power, what's the point if you don't show it off?

''I can't even read his thoughts either. And if he has the power that he can't reveal to anyone, he shouldn't have been an adventurer. But considering how much he had to endure every day of being ridiculed, I'm sure he was looking for something to do.


　--'I can be the best with Reme. For the first time in one hundred and thirty years, I'll be the best with the [Fire Brave] and the strongest [Black Mage].''　


　He invited himself and he got on.
　He will not give up on his dream.
　Even without me, he will be a brave man and the best.

"Fenix you are an old friend of Reme's, aren't you? Did you know that?

　Lily asks.

'I've told you many times before. All of them are true.

''Well you know, if that's true, why is Reme hiding his powers?　It's quite something to keep quiet when you're about to be kicked out of a party.

'I'm not going to tell you what he didn't tell you, Lark.

　Originally, he should not have known about it, even to me.
　If his mentor hadn't bothered to allow it, I might have remained unaware of it.
　Sometimes I wonder if I would have been aware of Reme's power if that had been the case.

'Well, let's ignore that part of the story, as it's not necessary for this 'assumption'. Anyway, let what I just said sink in to your mind before the next attack. If you don't try to do better than you actually are, you'll be able to do reasonably well.

It's all very high and mighty.

'It's good for [the brave] to have confidence. We'll need to brace ourselves so that we don't drag the newcomers down.

'Lily's got a soft spot for Beulah, isn't she? .... but, well, if you can't raise any other alternatives, you'll just have to go with it.

　The three of us were also troubled by the unidentified discomfort - partly because it was Beulah's suggestion, not mine - and Beulah's idea was adopted.
　And so we proceeded to the seventh level.