Chương 50: Arf-thur (1)

Celestia choked on her tea.

"The what?"

"Oh, honey!" Evelyn was already reaching across the table with a cloth napkin, dabbing at the tea on Celestia's chin and the front of her dress.

"Careful, careful. That's one of the new ones we just bought." Celestia held up a hand to stop the dabbing. She set her cup down and stared at her mother.

"... What brought this on?" Evelyn withdrew the napkin and folded it neatly on the table. She glanced at Armond, who gave a slight nod. The Duchess let out a slow breath and settled her hands in her lap.

"The state of the Empire, darling," Evelyn said. Her voice had dropped the airy lightness it had carried all afternoon.

"Your father and I have been watching it deteriorate for years. The Emperor's policies have bled the outer territories dry. Tax levies have doubled multiple times in the last three years alone, and for what? The roads are worse than they were a decade ago. The garrison towns along the northern border are undermanned because the funds meant for their upkeep keep getting funneled into the capital.

The merchant guilds outside of the Emperor's immediate circle are being strangled by tariffs that only benefit the Crown's favored few.

"Among the noble houses, only a handful are thriving, and those are the ones who've aligned themselves so closely with the Imperial Family that they might as well be vassals in all but name." Evelyn's fingers tightened around the folded napkin.

"The rest are managing, and some barely. Thankfully, our House has the resources to endure, but not every family is as fortunate." Armond picked up his tea and took a quiet sip.

"We've known about the revolutionary movement for some time," Evelyn continued.

"So have most of the major houses. It isn't exactly a secret among the peerage, no matter how much the Imperial court pretends otherwise." She smoothed the napkin flat against the table.

"But the reason your father and I never lent our support was simple." She looked at Celestia.

"You were in love with Damon. If you had married into the Imperial Family..." Evelyn trailed off and lifted one hand, as if the conclusion was too obvious to say aloud.

"We couldn't risk putting you in that position. But now that you've done away with your dalliances with that prince," Evelyn said, "we can properly push forward with our support." Celestia leaned back in her chair. In the original novel, the revolutionary movement had been the central conflict of the fourth arc. A coalition of affected nobles, military veterans, and common citizens had banded together to challenge the Imperial Family's grip on power.

Their grievances were legitimate, and for a time, it looked as though they might actually succeed. Then, Arthur had been the one to stop them. Through a combination of combat prowess, political maneuvering with one of the Imperial princesses, and those insufferable speeches of his, the protagonist had dismantled the revolution. The pivotable battle had been against Jade, and after that, the movement slowly collapsed. The revolution was still well over a year away from making its move.

Celestia had been aware of it sitting on the horizon, but it was a problem she preferred not to touch. The political entanglements were too deep, the variables too many, and the outcome was too tied to Arthur's growth as a hero. And now… her parents wanted to wade into the middle of it. Even though Summit sat separate from the Empire's mainland, with several bordering nations between them, the city still fell within the Empire's sphere of influence.

If the revolution actually succeeded and destabilized the Empire, everything Celestia was building here would feel the tremors.' This could ruin everything.' Evelyn must have read something in Celestia's expression, because her voice softened.

"I can see you're worried, deary. But you don't need to concern yourself with the details. Your father and I will handle the politics. We've been navigating the imperial court since before you were born." She reached across the table and patted Celestia's hand.

"You just focus on your work here in Summit. Let us take care of the rest."' That's exactly what I'm worried about.' Celestia looked at her father. Armond sat with his arms folded, watching her. The problem was their competence. Duke Armond von Reingarde was, by every measure Celestia could account for, one of the strongest swordsmen on the continent. If the revolution came to a head and Armond stood at its front lines, there were very few people in the Empire who could challenge him.

Arthur was one of them, but that was only the case in a year's time, after the protagonist had cleared enough floors, gathered his party, and undergone the trials that the story had in store for him. Arthur would eventually be able to reach a level where fighting the revolutionary's champions after they were tired, was well within his capability. Then there was that other problem… If Armond fought Arthur, one of them had to lose, and most likely, die.

Arthur couldn't become the hero this world needed if the obstacles in his path simply stepped aside. Celestia was at an impasse. Was she to sacrifice her parents for the sake of the world? Was she to push forward with ruining the already-broken narrative even more? Or… maybe there was indeed a third option… Evelyn and Armond were both still staring at her.

Celestia looked at both of her parents, opened her mouth and— * Floor 7 was a forest with stone walls; a dense canopy above them that blocked most of the light overhead, and the undergrowth was thick enough that every step had to be relatively careful. Arthur pushed a low-hanging branch aside and held it for Liana, who ducked under it with a quiet "thank you." Behind them, Serena hacked through the foliage with her sword rather than bother with doing what the others did.

They had cleared Floor 6 hours ago, which had been a labyrinth. Though the trial's objective had been simple: reach the exit, the execution had been anything but. The problem hadn't been the monsters: undead skeletons, slimes on ceilings, goblins in packs with rusted swords. It had been Serena and Eryndis. Eryndis had been assigned to their party through the Tower's random matching.

She was a wood elf with ash-blonde hair cropped short above her shoulders and pale green eyes that looked at everything and everyone with indifference. On Floor 6, when Arthur had introduced himself and the others at the labyrinth's entrance, Eryndis had just said her name and nothing else. Within the first thirty minutes, Serena was already nagging at the elf.

"Hey," she had said.

"You're the scout, right? So scout. Tell us which way to go." Eryndis had glanced at her.

"Left or right. Pick one."

"That's not scouting! That's guessing!"

"Then guess." It had only escalated from there. By the third dead end, Serena was shouting. By the fifth, she stopped being civil.

"This is what happens when you let a tree-hugger lead," Serena had snapped after they'd doubled back for the second time, her face red.

"I've heard knife-ears couldn't find their way out of their own forests, but I thought that was just a joke." Liana's eyes widened, and Arthur had opened his mouth to intervene, but Eryndis simply turned and continued walking without responding. After that, Eryndis stopped trying entirely. She walked at the front of the group but made no effort to track passages, check for traps, or listen at intersections. When Arthur asked which corridor to take, Eryndis shrugged.

Without a functioning scout, the monsters they encountered started piling up as they walked into ambush after ambush. Goblins, slimes, and sometimes skeletons converging from two directions. And somewhere deeper in the labyrinth, they could hear the sound of heavy hooves.

"We need to move," Arthur had said.

"Eryndis, please. I know what Serena said was wrong. I'm sorry. But if we stay here, some of us might get injured." Eryndis stared into his eyes for a long moment. Then she tilted her head, listening.

"Two corridors back, there was a slight incline on the left passage." For some reason, it was enough to make Eryndis act her role. She started scouting properly, her fingers trailing along the walls, and her ears trying to track sounds that none of the others could hear. As the loud thumping footsteps grew close, they eventually started speeding up their pace. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

After a few more hours of fighting, they eventually reached a corridor that opened into a wide chamber with an arched doorway on the far side, the exit they assumed. However, Eryndis was the closest to it when the wall to her right exploded inward. The minotaur came through shoulder-first, stone and dust erupting around its massive body. Its horned head swung toward Eryndis, who was already diving to the side, but the creature's arm clipped her mid-roll and sent her tumbling across the floor.

Serena had acted before Arthur could process what was happening. She threw herself between the minotaur and the downed elf, sword raised, and caught the creature's follow-up horned attack against her blade. The impact drove her back, her boots scraping grooves into the stone floor.

"Move!" Serena shouted at Eryndis through gritted teeth. Eryndis scrambled to her feet and ran for the exit. Liana was already through. Serena disengaged with a sharp pivot, ducked under the minotaur's reaching hand, and sprinted after them. Arthur waited until he was sure Serena could safely get through, and then they crossed the exit together. [Trial 6 - Cleared.] The minotaur glared at them angrily, and then went back into the labyrinth. They sat, resting for a few minutes to catch their breath.

Then Eryndis, still sitting against the wall with her knees drawn up, had looked at Serena.

"... Thanks." Serena's head snapped toward her. For a moment, she just stared. Then her eyes narrowed.

"Huh? So tree-huggers actually know how to say thank you? Since when?" Eryndis's expression didn't change.

"Since someone with more muscle than sense decided to play shield." Liana sighed as she went to Serena, checking on her injuries. Arthur, though, laughed at their interaction, it came out abruptly before he could stop it. Serena shot him a glare and he piped down." Ahem. How's your side?" Arthur asked Eryndis. The elf rotated her torso once, testing the range.

"Fine." Liana lowered her staff and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. The green glow faded.

"That should take care of the bruises on your arm, Serena." Serena glanced at her forearm where she got bruised from the minotaur, seeing healthy skin now. Arthur stood and looked toward the black door nearby that indicated Floor 7. Since they hadn't taken any real damage, and Liana's healing had cleaned up the rest.

"I think we should keep going." Serena was already on her feet.

"Obviously." Eryndis said nothing, but she stood and checked her quiver. Liana hesitated for a moment, but also nodded. Arthur placed his hand on the door and he sunk into it. Because it acted as a portal rather than an actual door, sunlight suddenly slammed into his eyes. After the dim corridors of the labyrinth, the brightness was almost painful. Arthur shielded his eyes with one hand. The same happened with the other three girls, as they suddenly appeared next to Arthur.

They were standing on a cobblestone street. The buildings on either side were old. Wooden frames sagged under collapsed rooftops, and the walls were cracked where vines and moss had forced their way through over what looked like years of neglect. They were in an abandoned town, and there was no sound except the faint rustle of wind through the empty structures. Not knowing what to do yet, they simply walked forward as the street led them into a wide square. At the center stood a statue.

It was carved from pale stone, roughly five times Arthur's height, and depicted a woman with her hands extended outward, palms facing the sky. Her robes flowed downward in carved folds, and her face was serene, eyes half-closed, with features so finely detailed that the stone almost appeared soft. Behind the statue, the square ended at a solid wall of collapsed rubble. An entire building had caved in at some point, sealing off that side entirely.

The remaining three sides opened into streets that disappeared between the rows of ruined buildings. A system notification appeared before each of them. [Defend the Statue of the Goddess from the wave of monsters.] Arthur stepped closer to the statue and looked up at it.

"This is what the Goddess looks like?" He stared at the carved face that looked to be almost crying. Liana stood beside him. Her lips parted slightly as she looked at the statue's face. She clasped her hands together in front of her chest, respecting the holy figure.

"Are you two done staring?" Serena had already drawn her sword and was scanning the three open streets. Eryndis moved along the edge of the square, studying the layout.

"There are three approaching," She said.

"The one on the right has the largest. The one ahead has a small group. And the ones on the left feel like they're in a line." Arthur looked at the three streets, then at his party.

"Serena, take the wide one. You can handle the most if they come in numbers. Eryndis, the narrow street. You'll have a clear line from there." He gestured at a half-collapsed building near the left side whose second floor was still intact.

"Liana and I will cover the middle. Liana, stay near the statue and support whoever needs it." Serena walked toward the widest street and drew her sword. Eryndis was already moving toward the building. She tested a wooden beam, found it solid, and pulled herself up to the second floor. Liana positioned herself at the base of the statue, staff raised. Arthur faced the center street and drew his sword. Goblins. A dozen of them poured out from between the buildings, screeching, armed with crude weapons.

Arthur met the first two at the edge of the square. His sword took the lead goblin across the chest, and he kicked the second one back into the pack. Serena, on her side, carved through three in a single wide arc. Eryndis methodically shot arrows, each finding the throat. Liana stayed near the statue, casting barriers over the others when openings appeared. The goblins fell quickly. And eventually, the wave of monsters stopped, just long enough for Arthur to wipe his blade.

Then kobolds from the center street simultaneously appeared, better organized than the goblins. They carried short spears and iron shields and moved in a formation. Arthur called, "Serena, over here!" And the fiery-headed girl immediately moved to help. With both of them on just this street, they mowed down the kobolds with perfect synergy, as if they were long-time allies on the battlefield. The third wave was a mix of both, goblins and kobolds together, properly armed and moving in coordination.

The goblins served as skirmishers while the kobolds held a disciplined center line. It took the full party working together to break them: Eryndis creating openings with precise shots, Arthur and Serena exploiting them, and Liana keeping everyone on their feet with barrier magic. By the fourth wave, they were all getting tired. A kobold chieftain appeared, riding on the back of a grey wolf. The beast was the size of a horse, its fur matted and scarred.

The chieftain sat atop it in crude plate armor, a jagged halberd resting across its shoulder. The wolf lunged at Serena first. But she tanked it with her skill, the wolf biting nothing but fire, and she slashed back in retaliation, but the chieftain swung the halberd down from its mount and forced her to block instead. The impact rattled her arms. Eryndis dropped from the rooftop and let loose arrows at the wolf's legs. One struck its haunch, and the beast stumbled. Seeing this opening, Arthur closed the gap.

The chieftain swung the halberd in a wide sweep. But Arthur ducked under it, came up inside the arc, and drove his sword upward. Holy Strike; the shining blade caught the chieftain from hip to shoulder as the kobold split apart and fell from its mount in two pieces. The wolf collapsed a moment later with three of Eryndis's arrows embedded in its side. The last thing Arthur remembered was seeing the system window, indicating the completion of the floor. [Floor 7 - Complete.]..... Smack. Something hit his cheek.

His head turned sideways against the stone. Smack. Again. Harder this time.

"Wake up." Serena's voice was somewhat close to his ears. Smack. Arthur's eyes cracked open. Serena was crouched over him, her hand raised, ready for a fourth. Eryndis was kneeling on his other side, one hand gripping the back of his collar to keep his head off the ground.

"St-stop hitting me," Arthur mumbled. He tried to push himself up. His arms shook and he made it halfway before Eryndis pulled him the rest of the way into a sitting position. Liana was already beside him, the green glow of her staff washing over his chest. Arthur blinked and looked around, seeing the many goblin and kobold bodies scattered across the area. Serena had a gash along her left arm that was still bleeding, and her left shoulder sagged a bit lower than her right.

Eryndis had blood on her sleeve from a cut nobody had noticed she received, and Liana's hands were trembling around her staff, clearly exhausted from using too much mana. Arthur, instinctively, knew where the black door was and looked toward the far end of the square, where a black door stood, marking the passage to Floor 8. Then he looked back at his party.

"L-Let's… continue next weekend?" Arthur asked. He was a bit worried that Serena would continue onward, but much to his surprise, she dropped from her crouch and sat on the ground.

"Yeah," she said, while the other two didn't object at all. They made their way out of the Tower slowly. The afternoon sun was warm, and they found a patch of grass near the Tower's base. There, with the windy breeze and cloudy skies, they all properly rested. Arthur looked at Eryndis, who was cross-legged nearby and restringing her bow. She hadn't spoken much outside of combat, but even after everything Serena had said in the Labyrinth, and how much she actually helped…

"Eryndis," Arthur said. The elf glanced up from her bow.

"Do you want to keep climbing with us? As a proper party." Eryndis's hands paused on the bowstring. She looked at Arthur, then at Serena, then at Liana.

"... Same time next weekend?" she asked. Arthur grinned.

"Yeah, same time next weekend." Serena leaned back on her hands.

"Fine by me. Someone has to keep the knife-ear from wandering off." Eryndis's eyes flicked toward Serena.

"Someone has to keep the musclehead from charging into walls." Liana let out a sigh and shook her head. Eryndis returned to fixing up her bow. After a moment, the corner of her mouth curled upward. It was small, and it was gone just as quickly.