7After getting downstairs, Mira and others walked down a long and dark corridor while relying on lantern lights.
"It sure has gotten bright, mm."
Mira muttered while looking at the lanterns at Emera and other three's waists that lit up the surroundings. Surrounded by a metallic support there was a pale blue spherical object that released light and lit up the surroundings.
"I heard that you were prepared so I didn't go to a store with adventurer goods, but I didn't think you wouldn't even have a lantern."
Emera said appalled and stared at the ball of light floating above Mira's head. It was the light that Mira created with Abstract Magic for lighting up the surroundings.
"Spellcasters can cast a lighting spell. That's enough."
"That might be the case, but it consumes mana to light the surroundings, we don't know what's ahead of here, will you be really fine?"
Emera said and Fricca nodded in response to her words. They just entered the dungeon and from here on they would enter combat multiple times. In such cases it was unthinkable for adventurer spellcasters to use mana, also called MP, to light up their way when they could replace them with lanterns.
"The amount of mana this level of a spell consumes is insignificant. No problem."
Every time the light made with Abstract Magic disappeared, it was necessary to cast the spell again and yet did not fill the entire location with light, so there were places still dim. This was the reason why back when she was still Danbulf, she dragged Cleos around. Cleos who had the power of a Light Spirit could light the entire area up to every little corner and acted as a highly efficient lamp.
Looking ahead into a badly-lit corridor, Mira thought it would have been much simpler if she took Cleos. It was thinking that Emera and others would have even harder time understanding.
"Is...that so."
Emera did not know the details of a Summoner class, so she thought it was some kind of bonus summoners had, and was convinced as such. Fricca too, hearing Mira - who saw the traces of the spirit that she could not see - say this and was convinced that what she said was true
In fact, there was no such thing as class bonus, but Mira's mana had already completely recovered. She had trained herself with magic power stat as the foundation, so her max mana and the mana recovery speed were far beyond the common sense of ordinary adventurers.
While chatting like that they continued on, until they reached a small hall where the corridor ended.
The air touching their skin there was moist and beyond where lights reached, everything was enveloped by silent darkness. While the only things sounding were the sounds of their exhaling, their footsteps and of armor rubbing against itself, Emera spread her map and started walking towards the corridor leading to the next open hall.
("It's about time monsters started to appear.")
After walking down to the underground the went past the first hall and walked in the corridor for a little while. Ahead of them there was a large space spreading out. Mira recalled that in the ancient temple, monsters started to appear from the second hall.
【Summoning: Holy Knight】
After setting the summoning location to beside herself, Mira used Summoning to prepare for combat. Then suddenly, a shining magic circle appeared on the ground and lit up the corridor.
"What is this light?!"
"What, what is it?"
A light bright enough to drown out both lanterns and the light spell had flashed, making Emera and Asbar who walked in front turn around. What the two saw, was a pure white knight who appeared from inside the light.
"Sorry to surprise you. This guy here is my summoned spirit."
Mira explained shortly while knocking on the white knight's waist.
This knight was over two meters tall, had a shield tall enough to cover his entire body and was holding a shining silver longsword in his hand. What was the most characteristic was the armor his entire body was clad in. It was so white it shone, and behind the full-face helmet shook two red lights.
"So this is an Armament Spirit…?"
"I feel an amazing amount of power."
Emera and Fricca gasped and stared at him. What this existence held was not an overwhelmingly intimidating presence, the white knight was giving out an aura that gave a sense of security.
"That's keewl."
"So this is Summoning, huh. This sure is amazin'."
While the Holy Knight stood gallantly, Zeff looked at him from the front, the back and both sides before speaking up childishly.
As for Asbar, he stared seriously at the knight in front of him and recalled what he heard from Emera.
It was about Mira who despite being a freshly registered newcomer, was a C-rank. Hearing that, Asbar thought that Emera was joking or saw it in a dream. However, she said she is actually going into the ancient temple.
Asbar decided to go with them to confirm the truth, and if necessary bring them back even if by force. However, seeing the Holy Knight in front of himself, or rather, being shown off, he corrected his understanding. His intuition said that this knight was stronger than him.
He thought this must have been the reason for the treatment unheard of before. Seeing how unfathomable Summoners were, he felt slight fear.
Seeing the four reactions and them change their opinion of Summoning, satisfied, Mira ordered the Holy Knight to protect Takuto and eliminate all harm that could come to him from any direction.
The Holy Knight was a spirit that dwelled inside armament that was used to protect. Therefore, when it came to protecting it could even be as strong as a higher-class summon. This was also the reason she was able to bring Takuto to such a dangerous place. Right now there was no existence in the ancient temple capable of defeating the Holy Knight when he focused on protecting, aside from Mira herself.
Now that Takuto's safety was assured, the party reached the large hall. At the same time, Asbar turned his gaze toward the surroundings while on his guard, then changed the grip on his large hammer as if to confirm its state.
"Stoppi there, it feels like there's something here."
Zeff moved his gaze from the direction they were moving in to the left, then coming up to Mira and Takuto's side he poised with his two short swords. Asbar stood between Mira and the thing that appeared, and Emera quickly folded the map and stood next to him.
Before long, like a ripple spreading in the silence a sound of something behind dragged had reached them. Although slowly, the presence has been surely getting closer to them.
Asbar and Emera poised their weapons as they glared forward. Zeff prepared for a surprise attack from another direction and had been straining his eyes at the surroundings. Holding her staff, Fricca stared in the front with a calm expression.
"Oh, Ghouls, huh."
When the silhouettes appeared as multiple of them crawled towards the light source, they appeared to somewhat resemble humans.
Although Emera and Asbar showed disgust, they immediately recovered their calm and confronted them with weapons in their hands.
Zeff stood back on stand-by and the Holy Knight stood behind Takuto and had covered him with the large shield.
("Still, the visibility sure is bad.")
To Mira who got used to the fact Cleos was always there, monsters appearing from darkness was a first time in a while experience. She strained her eyes, but Asbar's back was too big and she could not see well, so she stretched and tried looking from the sides but they were still a little far and she could not grasp their entire appearance.
"Mm...what is this smell…?"
"I wonder too, it's strange smell."
The stench had gradually filled the surroundings making Mira scowl, Takuto standing beside her also could smell it and had pinched his nose before muttering.
"It's their smell, obviously."
While saying so, Zeff pointed with his gaze in front.
Yes, this smell Mira felt was the smell of something rotting. The monsters that parasitized the corpses did not give them a new life, so the corpses continued to rot. Bodies continued to rot and eventually broke apart and the monster took over the next corpse.
Understanding Zeff's words, Mira's face was filled with even more disgust. Then, she was able to see a glance of the ghoul from behind Asbar.
"Ugh…!"
It was a lump of meat that festered so much it could no longer be be called a corpse. The clouded eyes were defocused and watched the prey emptily, the mouth without lips remained open and the tongue peeked out and looked like it could be bitten off any time. They had thinned out cheeks and head with skin partially torn off, while still retaining a few hairs. Their skin was torn and maggots could be seen in some places between rotten meat.
The sight was graphic, and because they barely retained the appearance of a human, one could feel an illusion that even the air they breathed in was corrupted. This scenery filled with realism made Mira feel a violent urge to puke.
However, when she looked away and saw Takuto's appearance, possibly due to pride of a guardian who brought him here. Mira swallowed the urge to puke.
"I will start pre-emptively."
Fricca declared and took a step forward, then activated the 【Wizardry: Deep Crimson】 spell she prepared. Raising her staff she gathered magic power which sparkled for a moment, before turning into a vortex of flames that appeared in between group of Ghouls. Enveloped by the rampaging hellfire their skin was burned off and their legs burst, before long Ghouls fell over forward where flames further covered them, breaking their skin and burning them down to the entrails, spreading ash.
Soon after the cremating flames have purified the pitiful defiled corpse and burned it down along with the stench,
Once red flames lighting the surroundings calmed down, two Ghouls that were outside the spell range had resumed their movement. However, the moment Emera and Asbar saw that, they leaped forward. One of the Ghouls was cut down into small pieces, the other one had about half of his body pulverized, turning into pieces of meat and throwing around maggots as it fell on the ground. Even if they were undead monsters, they were unable to move after being damaged to that extent.
"Looks like we cleaned them up for now."
Everything took a few dozen of seconds, but Mira had once again understood the situation had changed from when it was a game.
Back when it was a game Ghouls looked very realistic so she was unable to look straight at them. However, she got used to it as she continued to play the game.
But meeting again with those things in reality, seeing how they're rotten and being able to not only see them but also feel the smell of their decomposed bodies, was something one could not get used to even if they had acquired some resistance.
Everyone had released their stances and Takuto, while holding his nose, peeked out from behind the Holy Knight's shield.
Ghouls that turned into ash were not a problem, but the remnants of Ghouls that Emera and Asbar beat were still releasing a putrid smell, Mira twisted her expression again at that.
"Takuto-kun, did you drink the medicine?"
"Yes, I did."
When Emera asked, Takuto responded with nasal voice.
"Then that should not bother you as much."
"It can't be helped, I guueeess. We might be used to it, but it's the first time for Takuto. Even if it's weakened by the medicine, it's not like it'll completely disappear right away."
Zeff said so to Emera who was wondering what's happening, then glanced at Ghoul's corpses. Hearing that, Emera said "I guess you're right". and recalled the first time she came here.
"Hey, what medicine are you talking about?"
Finding a term she got curious about in their conversation Mira asked, while feeling the urge to recur due to the smell, and had covered her mouth with the sleeve.
"Of course, I mean the Smell-Resistance Drug...can it be you did not bring it, Mirchan?!"
"Smell...Resistance Drug? First time hearing of it."
Hearing Mira's response Emera muttered "It wasn't just...the lantern…" and smiled bitterly.
"Well, simply put, it's a medicine that makes really smelly things smell a little less...I guess?"
"That's a roundabout way to put it, but yeah."
As Emera gave a rough explanation, Asbar only shrugged and agreed with her.
This drug was apparently used for twenty years already, according to Asbar's explanation.
The Smell-Resistance Drug worked on the sense of smell and temporarily paralyzed it. Although it did not shut it down completely, it helped putting an upper limit on smell and had effect of protecting the user from a certain amount of pungent odor.
It was an effect that Mira did not even think about when it was a game. However, now that this was a reality, due to the demand such drugs were developed and then became popularized.
("Thirty years, huh. Interesting. I wonder what other things are there out in the world.")
The first adventure-like adventure since coming to this world welcomed Mira with sense of reality and made her excited.
However, the problem was now. The odor continued to spread. Takuto let go of his nose and attempted to get used to it. It appeared like he managed to bear it thanks to the effect of the drug.
It's best to get used to it. The moment Mira thought so, a certain thing passed by the back of her head.
The place they were in now was the Ancient Temple Nevrapolis. The underground cemetery that was a paradise of undead. Even the early group of Ghouls caused this much problem. And yet they will continue to appear in large numbers from here on, then, Mira recalled that from the third level start appearing Giant Ghouls which were enormous decomposed bodies. The effect those things would have was immeasurable.
This instant, she gave up on having an actual adventure and moved away from the five, then extended her right hand to the side.
【Summoning Skill: Arcana Constraint Circle】
When Mira activated a skill, in the space ahead of her right hand at appeared a blue magic circle as big as a human was tall. However, Mira's actions did not stop with just that. After checking the magic circle she pointed her hand to towards the left.
Then, the second magic circle had appeared. This slowly moving magic circle was called the Arcana Constraint Circle. It was a Summoner's exclusive skill and when there was a summoned body nearby it received various benefit from it. The effect grew stronger with their number and raised the base statistics and had additional effects like decreasing the required mana to use various skills.
However, Mira's objective was not strengthening a summon. Arcana Constraint Circle was a condition for activating a different skill.
"Mirchan, what are you doing?"
"Well, just look."
Noticing the faint light of the magic circle first was Emera. After responding shortly to her question, Mira extended her hand to the magic circle.
"Now."
【Summoning Skill: Rosario Summoning Circle】
When Mira touched the magic circle, the two circles started to shine brilliantly and were overwritten in no time. Not knowing what this sight meant, Emera and others only gasped.
Once the light had settled down, a new, double-layered magic circle had appeared. These two magic-circles shining in red light were clad in powerful magic power unlike before. Feeling the presence of that power, Fricca was so enthralled she forgot her thirst.
With the preparations completed, Mira slowly opened her mouth.
『"I ask of the maiden running through the sky, what is the name of one who uses a flash of light to remove evil?"』
Mira whispered while touching one of the magic circles. It was not just Summoning but all of high-class spells that required a chant. And the words Mira had whispered were one of the chants for a high summoning.
『"The name is Alfina. The name of the sword that swore master its loyalty."』
A voice sounded from the other summoning circle. With this answer, the preparations for summoning have safely completed. And this voice had also reached the five in the back, so they started looking around, but immediately realized it came from Mira's direction and returned their gaze back towards her.
『"Come to my side."』
【Summoning: Valkyrie】
The moment Mira declared usage of the high summoning, the magic circles in her surrounding had responded to her magic power and shone.
"What's this? What is happening?"
"What amazing magic power...what is it this time?"
It was Emera who raised her hand to protect herself from the dazzle, and Fricca who squinted as she stared with deep interest. The other three lost their words at the sight they haven't seen before, just remaining spectators.
The magic circle that was by Mira's side had glittered powerfully before disappearing. Immediately after that, the other magic circle slowly floated up into the air and the inner and outer circles of it split to move up and down respectively, opening up.
"I have come answering to summons. It has been a while, my master."
From the white pillar of light that appeared like an afterimage, a single woman's figure had appeared. Her appearance was beautiful, she was wearing an azure-colored light armor, gauntlets and greaves. On her head she was wearing a circlet shining gold and her aquamarine hair flowed like wind on a plains and were tied behind her back. At her waist she had a sword sheathed inside a sheath of the same azure color as her armor, but from inside of it leaked a divine light.
A battle maiden not bringing shame to this name, had suddenly descended in front of Emera and others.
"Mm-hm, it's been a while, Alfina."
Mira said and stared intently at Alfina.
The summoned Valkyrie, Alfina, knelt in front of Mira to show her respect.
"My master, it appears you have changed completely."
Alfina said so after taking a look at Mira's appearance.
"Uh...well, a lot happened."
"Is that so."
Although Mira predicted this and was able to retain an innocuous attitude, she still smiled bitterly seeing that things came this far.
Back when this was a game, the summons that were called in through summoning spoke the minimal amount of words, only when responding to master's orders. However, the Valkyrie in front of her, Alfina, held her own will which spun her words. Hearing this, Mira was made certain.
Ever since she found out this world has become reality, she somewhat predicted this might be the case.
Among summons that Mira had contracted there were many who possessed high intelligence. Valkyrie was one of such summons. In other words, she was probably able to hold a conversation with others as well. This was good fortune for Mira who had often played solo. Even more so than surprise, she was filled with joy.
"Alfina, what did you do up until now?"
Since she was already summoned, Mira curiously decided to try a conversation.
"I mainly spent days training with my sisters. I did the best of my abilities to be ready for master's at call any time."
"Mm-hm, I see. As expected, you are very reliable."
"It is an honour to be praised like this."
With this a lone journey would not be lonely, Mira thought and her expression broke into a smiling one.
"He...hey, Mirchan. Who is this person?'
Opening her wide at the Valkyrie who was clad with an extraordinary aura, Emera took a step forward while still staring at her, and asked. Fricca was at loss for words at the amount of magic power that flowed, and as for Zeff, his gaze was glued to Alfina's beautiful appearance.
"She's Alfina, a Valkyrie."
When Mira answered simply like this, Alfina stood up and turned towards Emera.
"You are my master's comrades, yes? My name is Alfina, pleasure to make your acquaintance."
She greeted them like so. Her movement was so elegant that Emera in panic responded with a clumsy greeting "S-same here, please take care of me." .
"That's one dazzling beauty. Rather, she feels kinda different from that white knight there. She can talk, after all."
Returning to himself, Asbar stared at Alfina and muttered impressed. Asbar too, felt the completely different presence that came from Alfina and was astonished at the pressure in whole different league that surrounded her.
"Indeed, indeeed. I hope you finally changed your understanding."
Bragging a little, Mira crossed her arms and puffed her chest. For the time being, with this she was able to show off the power of Summoning, she was convinced.
"My master, your orders."
Alfina turned around and once again knelt, waiting for instructions.
Seeing that, Mira gave an order that blew away all of Emera's preparations and worries.
"Eradicate all monsters from here until the fifth level!"
As expected, Mira did not want to see any more of those grotesque Ghouls or any similar. In such case, she just had to make someone go ahead and wipe everything clean. That was the conclusion that Mira's thinking had come to.
"Your will."
Alfina pulled out her sword from the sheath and pulling a flash of light behind herself, she dived deep inside the Ancient Temple.