Daphne returned with the key to the dungeon she reserved, so we left as soon as Rosalia was in a state to move.
While exiting the mansion we were in, I took the chance to confirm that it was the House of Valor, located on the grounds of the Vanguard Royal Academy.
To put it simply, it was a kind of dormitory where people who chose to join Rose of Valor stayed. It was a huge building with the rooms and facilities to accommodate hundreds of students. Its counterpart in the game was much smaller, which is why it didn't sound strange to have only 3 people live there. Hearing that it was the same for this mega-mansion only hammered home the idea that Rose of Valor was in decline.
That's what I thought, at least. Turns out that the situation was a little different.
"It… is currently summer season," Liliana said. "Plenty of students have to help with farm work during this time of the year, so most of ours had to head back home."
"Hmm… so Vanguard is not a nobles-only institution?" I asked.
"Y-yes. That had been the case in the past, but these days, anyone can gain admission if they show promise in either swordsmanship or magic. There are plenty of adventurers attempting the entrance exams every year, and we even have a growing beastfolk and demon population."
"Hooh…"
I was aware of those facts, since I planned for the politics of class and race to be one of the central themes of my game, with at least one main heroine from each faction. That aside, what interested me more was the timeline.
Rose of Valor, the game, starts with the entrance ceremony of a new academic year. The events that lead to the player character joining Liliana's faction happen on that same day. That meant I reincarnated at least three months before the events of the story, which meant I had a pretty good head start.
'I need to reach a level where I can pass the exam...'
"Umm… Great Spirit?"
"Hm? Yes?"
"W-well, I was just wondering if… if you're comfortable…"
"Though this might be my first time riding such a beast, I do not feel any particular discomfort."
The dungeon of our choosing was located some distance outside the academy grounds, so we were heading there on horseback. Naturally, since I don't know how to ride a horse, I had to ride with one of the girls. Daphne didn't look the least bit interested, and Rosalia almost passed out just from me praising her cooking, so the duty ultimately fell on Liliana.
To be honest, I was a little nervous at first. Both because I was going to be sitting so close to the blonde beauty, and because, as I had said before, I had never ridden a horse before. I was a city boy in my past life—I don't think I ever saw a horse with my own eyes before. That said, it didn't take me long to get used to the horse part. As for the fine lady in front of me, to my surprise, I didn't face much trouble as well.
Liliana's lush hair acted like a cape, so I couldn't see much of her back. I was holding on to her slender, delicate waist while purposefully leaving a small gap between us. I managed to keep my hungry dragon under control, somehow, so I haven't caused any indecent incidents so far. I even enjoyed the trip, taking in the vibrant scenery while savoring whiffs of a very lovely scent.
I couldn't say if Liliana was enjoying her time as much as I did, but even as she kept her gaze forward, I caught glimpses of her ears through the golden locks, and they were glowing red the whole time.
~[ ]~
The Vanguard Royal Academy had a number of dungeons under its strict control. Most were low-level areas used as grounds for practical lessons, with upper years gaining the ability to reserve them from time to time.
In the game, those dungeons were intended to be places for the player to grind exp. I planned for some of the main events to take place in those dungeons, too, but since none of the other students are around, I wasn't worried about anything happening.
'Scratch that…' I thought to myself as I helped Liliana dismount. 'I have a really bad feeling about this.'
Dungeons on the academy grounds were sealed in fenced areas surrounded by a magic barrier. That was a detail the original game lacked, and seeing as this world wasn't made of pixels, I had trouble recognizing which dungeon we were going to visit.
The entrance seemed to be a small cave in a rocky hill surrounded by trees. That narrowed down the options, but in the end, I couldn't figure it out before I was told.
"Um… this is the Mossback Den." Said Rosalia, having found the courage to approach me after hitching her horse. "The monsters inside aren't very powerful, but we should still try to be cautious."
"Indeed." Said Liliana as she walked up to us, her expression serious. "For that reason, Daphne will take the lead while Rosalia and I guard the Great Spirit. We can switch after each level."
"Understood!" The other two replied.
The mood had noticeably changed since we entered the dungeon's surroundings. Gone were the bashful girls who blushed the moment I looked at them. Just like Daphne, they all wore hardened expressions, their eyes brimming with resolve.
I guess the same went for me. The nervousness had wiped the smile off my face, and I had likely been wearing a grave expression this entire time.
"Do not be concerned, Great Spirit." Said Liliana. "I will ensure that you will not need to lift a single finger."
"I will be in your care."
Liliana's expression softened a little when I smiled at her, but she remained composed. As she had instructed, Daphne took the lead, and she followed behind her. I was next in line, and Rosalia came after me.
Mossback Den was a maze of underground tunnels and caverns. After the slope at the entrance, it flattened into a four-meter-wide passage with a three-meter-high ceiling. With everything having formed naturally, there were bound to be some uneven spots, but that was nothing to worry about. My biggest concern was light, but I soon discovered that the place was equipped with magic-fueled lanterns.
It took longer than I thought to run into an enemy. After taking a couple of turns, we spotted a creature the size of a football hopping around on all fours. It was green in color, had a round body with large, round eyes on top of its head. It had a slit like mouth, and under it was a small bulge that kept inflating every few seconds.
It was a giant toad. Giant by toad standards. Other than size, its most distinct feature was the patch of moss covering its back. That was a Mossback Toad, an early game enemy that is the equivalent of a Ratata.
CROAK…CROAK…CROAK…
We stayed a short distance away and observed it for a couple of seconds, after which Daphne stepped forward.
"I will go."
It was a simple declaration that didn't require a reply from the others. Daphne drew her weapon—an odachi with a long, dark blade. The orange light of the magic lanterns reflected on its surface, somehow turning red. Holding it at her side with both hands, Daphne lowered her stance and dashed.
She crossed the dozen meters separating her from the monster in a single second. The giant toad, having noticed her presence, leaped back and opened its mouth, its tongue shooting out like a whip.
The dark odachi flashed, deflecting the purple whip before coming down in a diagonal slash, tracing a red line in the air. The giant toad didn't get to land. Its body was split as it leaped, and two even-sized parts fell to the ground, forming a small puddle of murky crimson blood.