Not a Villainess, but a Maid chapter 26
#025 Exciting Labyrinth Exploration (2)
During the practice test, due to some abnormal phenomenon, I ended up falling in the middle of a real labyrinth.
The good news is that DIA came along, but the road ahead was very bleak at the moment.
“I finally found it, Amber!”
I was hugged by Diamond, who was relieved that she had found me, and was taken aback by the unexpected deep hug.
A fragrant scent came from Diamond’s golden hair, and two soft things clung to her body.
After about 5 seconds passed like that, I spoke carefully.
“Hey, Diamond…?”
“Yes, why are you doing that? Amber?”
“Well, it’s a little too close…”
I lowered my gaze slightly and spoke shyly.
“···I can reach it.”
“···!”
Only then did Dia slightly move his body away from me and cupped his chest.
“Oh, sorry…! I’m so happy that I can’t stop… “Did you feel bad?”
“No, not at all.”
To be honest, I almost wanted to just stay there and not say anything.
The two of us moved to a slightly safer place and discussed what to do next.
Dia, who was looking around at the golden bird statue I was carrying, spoke to me with a very serious expression.
“···It seems that the space transfer magic was applied to this relic that Amber caught.”
“Space transfer magic?”
Space transfer magic.
It was an extremely difficult spell that could only be unlocked at the very end of the game, and it was impossible to cast it alone.
Also called composite attribute magic, it was an ultimate magic that could only be activated when wizards with different five element attributes gathered together.
“It’s strange. “If there was a problem with the artifact at the academy, they would have noticed it during the preparation process…”
It was the student council and professors who prepared for this practical training.
If there was even one contact during the process of hiding the relic, there is no way that he would not have known about this fact.
Dia, who was listening to me, shook her head and said.
“I don’t know for sure. “Maybe someone among the students who took the test before us played a prank…”
I had no choice but to think that way considering the time, but there was also a bit of a problem with that.
“But wasn’t space transfer something that could only be achieved if people the size of professors got together?”
It couldn’t possibly be a surprise party prepared by professors.
“That’s not necessarily true. For example, using a spell scroll…”
‘That’s right, there was a scroll…?’
The scroll was an item made of a special material that could contain spells.
It is basically disposable and has a short expiration date, so the price varies widely depending on the type of order.
“If you can buy a space transfer magic scroll, it must have been done by someone with a lot of financial means.”
Because it was a price that was absolutely impossible for commoners to obtain without going into debt.
As I was squatting down and discussing with Diamond, terrifying cries began to come from beyond the walls of the labyrinth.
“Whatever the reason, I think the first thing to do is to think about getting out of here. “Is there any other way, Diamond?”
Unlike me, who is just an extra, Diamond is definitely the main character of this game.
I believed that at least I would not be destined to die in vain in a place like this.
“···If there are still traces of mana left in the relic, you may be able to use the same magic one more time to return to the original location.”
“I feel this again, but you really don’t know anything. Diamond…”
“Huh? Ah… I’m usually very interested in this kind of area…!”
Strangely, it seemed like she was turning her gaze away.
Suddenly, a question arose about Dia’s words.
“But is it possible for us to use such heavy magic? It would take at least five people to use the spell…”
“For now, just trust me. “I promise that I will make sure you and Amber come back alive.”
I don’t know how she did it, but I felt confident that DIA was so confident.
Dia stared at the stone statue carefully, and then he lifted it up high.
‘What are you trying to do?’
Then, he took the picture straight towards the solid stone wall.
-Jejeok.
Then, the fragile wings of the statue broke in vain and fell to the floor.
“What are you doing…!?”
It looked eye-wateringly expensive, but Diamond broke it without hesitation.
“I’m going to break it down and find traces of mana. “It will be connected to where we were.”
Dia closed his eyes and began to concentrate.
“It will take some time. Amber, please protect me in the meantime.”
‘Ask me to protect you…?’
To be honest with her, I don’t think I have the strength to protect her, but I decided to try my best for her.
While Dia worked hard to find traces, I looked around in the dark and stayed on guard.
I picked up a stick that looked useful and swung it around, looking back at Diamond once in a while to make sure she was okay.
About 10 minutes passed, but since no sound was heard, it seemed like the monsters had moved quite far away from us.
‘Luckily. ‘I don’t think there are any around here.’
That was when I thought about it and put down her stick-holding arm for a moment.
-Suddenly.
A drop of something cold fell right on top of my head.
‘···?’
I looked around to see if I had made a mistake, and another drop of water fell from above.
‘Is underground water leaking from above?’
When I looked up with anxiety, I saw something vague attached to the ceiling.
He very slowly raised his trembling hand upward and saw electricity sparkling at his fingertips.
Then the ceiling became brighter and I was able to see the identity of what was hanging above.
‘···!’
It was a very brief moment, but I saw it clearly.
The eyes glow green as they reflect light, as well as the well-developed canine jaw and large bat wings.
It was so large that it had a body that was larger than that of a person.
‘Monster…!”
If my memory serves me well, that was definitely a wolf bat.
‘The wolf bat was a monster that only appeared in the last half of the dungeon…’
This is probably a very dangerous type of underground labyrinth.
‘···It’s strange. ‘Why don’t you attack?’
It wouldn’t be surprising if it attacked us a long time ago, but the wolf bat didn’t show much activity as it just stuck to the wall.
“Jjiik…!”
“···!”
I was startled by a squeak that came from the floor out of nowhere.
‘Surprise. What you just saw was just a rat.’
When I was so relieved, a huge body came down from the ceiling and snatched the mouse away at the speed of the wind.
‘!?’
From the sound of dark red blood dripping from above and the deathly cries of a rat being heard, it was clear that the animal was already being preyed upon.
‘···Reacting to sound.’
As it is a monster with degenerated eyes, it appears to be very sensitive to sound.
It would be nice if he just ate the mouse and left satisfied, but I didn’t think he would be that satisfied with his large body.
‘Is it still a diamond?’
I glanced back at her and it seemed like it would take more time.
Still, as long as you don’t make a sound, you don’t have to worry about being caught…
At that time, the wolf bat on the ceiling started making strange noises and crying.
“Awww-“
After making a howl that sounded like a wolf’s howl, the sound of flapping wings began to be heard from far away in the labyrinth.
The sound of flapping wings got closer and closer, and now the entire surroundings were filled with the sound of flapping wings.
‘You called a colleague…!’
Unlike before, they are actively moving through the labyrinth and looking for prey.
‘It’s dangerous now, if you don’t run away…’
When I sensed her sense of crisis and tried to approach her diamond, she shouted.
“Amber, I found a trace of mana!”
“···!”
As soon as Diamond shouted, her voice spread throughout the labyrinth, and the sound of wings flapping stopped for a moment.
‘It’s ruined…!’
I ran straight to Dia and said.
“We have to go now, Diamond!”
“Yes? “Why are you doing that?”
“I don’t have time to explain. “Hurry!”
“Okay, then I’ll go right away.”
Diamond nodded her head at my words and placed the relic on the floor and began her chanting.
“Summon the spirit, Undine.”
When Diamond summoned Undine, the spirit of water and ice, her surroundings glowed brightly with its light.
Then, the numerous creatures surrounding us were clearly revealed.
-Aww. Key profit.
Eerie howling sounds coming from around you that you can’t tell if they’re wolves or bats.
We were already completely surrounded by wolf bats and were in a state of siege.
As I was clinging to Diamond, almost feeling like crying, she called me.
“Amber.”
“Yes…?”
“Please keep what you saw here today a secret from others.”
When she said something she didn’t understand, I responded by tilting her head.
“What does that mean?”
“Summon revenge spirits.”
Diamond suddenly spread both her hands in front of her, and she began chanting in earnest.
“Ifrit, Sylph, Gnome, Lioner.”
The spirits of the five elements were summoned one after another and gathered in one place.
Among them, except for Undine, the water spirit, none of them were spirits that could be summoned by Diamond.
‘How did you do it…?’
Before my doubts could be answered, Dia held up the statue with one hand and shouted.
“Space transfer. Teleportation!”
Bright light enveloped the cave, and her vision darkened once again, along with the same dizziness she felt the first time.
***
When I regained my sight, I saw the most familiar face in front of me.
Park-black hair that falls below the shoulders, cat-like red eyes.
“···.”
Ruby looked at me with an expressionless expression, and then she hugged me to her chest.
“Ah, lady…?”
She hugged me for a while, buried her face in my shoulder and said.
“···I thought I was losing Amber.’
It was a cold and heavy voice similar to usual, but it felt different somehow.
To calm her down a little, he said, gently stroking her black hair that fell below her shoulders.
“It’s okay. “I’m back.”
Amethyst and Coral also breathed a sigh of relief when they saw me and Diamond return.
Fortunately, she returned safely without any injuries, and also passed the exam with a close record.
I was scolded by Chairman Citrine for cutting the relic in half to the point that my ears were bleeding.
The academy has currently launched an investigation into the incident that occurred to us.
After her practical training was over and only Dia and her were left, I asked her.
“Dia. “How did you do that earlier?”
It was impossible for one person to handle all five elemental magic.
But what DIA showed me today was a complete denial of the knowledge I had.
Dia, who listened to me and quietly looked down at her floor, responded with an innocent expression.
“···Yes? “What do you mean?”
“I saw earlier that Lady Diamond summoned all five spirits by herself…”
“Yes? “Is there anyone who can do something like that?”
She turned her words around as if she had no such memory.
“The effect of the magic scroll still remains in the artifact, so I just activated it again.”
“···It’s strange, I’m sure I saw it.”
“Could it be that you had a dream during the transference? It’s a magic that affects your mental ability more than you think. “It’s space transfer magic.”
“Is that so? “I guess I was mistaken.”
“It’s probably because you’re tired. I think I should just go in today and take a rest. “We’ll talk again later, Amber.”
“Yes. “Please come in.”
Dia said that and turned around.
‘···No, that wasn’t a dream.’
I thought as I watched her leaving behind closely.
A diamond sleeve with a slightly burned edge.
When she summoned her fire spirit, Ifrit, she clearly remembers the sparks burning her sleeves with a flicker of flame.
If she were the one handling the ice, there would be no way for her sleeves to get burned due to her magic.
‘What on earth are you hiding, Dia?’
She no longer seemed to be the Diamond Osteon I knew.