BXBX NOVEL Chapter 11: First Dungeon
It\'s been a week since I was reborn in this world and became Zenon Baskerville, determined to surpass his father. Since then, school life has been uneventful.
Leon still gave off an aura of being difficult, but I did not intend to get actively involved in his lives. And he never spoke to me too.
The other classmates also kept a certain distance from me and gave me frightened glances. The life was the same as at the time of the entrance ceremony, lonely.
Leaving aside the main character, the classes themselves are not so difficult.
For example, mathematics classes are at the level of Japanese middle school students, and are not so difficult. I thought that memorizing subjects such as history would be a bottleneck, but strangely enough, those subjects are absorbed into my mind like a sponge soaking up water. Just as using magic is ingrained in the body, knowledge may have remained in Zenon\'s mind.
While enjoying the feeling as if I had returned to my student days, I smoothly went through the classes, and soon the time of the class I had been waiting for came. It is a practical subject at the school - [Dungeon Exploration].
Dungeons are the dens of countless monsters in this world, and are mysterious places where monsters and treasures naturally occur.
One of them exists in the grounds of the school. It is called [Sage\'s Playground], and is a dungeon that is used as a tutorial in the game.
“We will now begin the lesson of [Dungeon Exploration]. Everyone, please divide yourselves into the previously decided parties”
Wanko-sensei announced in a calm tone to the students assembled in front of the dungeon entrance.
During the orientation, we were informed in advance that we would be exploring the dungeon in class and that we should decide on our party. The maximum number of party members is four.
It has already been a week since I entered the school. And the majority of the classmates have formed a party of three or four members.
...with a few exceptions.
“Then each party will take a turn to enter the dungeon. Um, the one who is not in a party with anyone...”
Wanko-sensei glanced at me.
I was a lonely boy among my classmates, and naturally, I was the only one in the class. Well, I was not allowed to join anyone\'s party.
I could have easily made it through the tutorial dungeon by myself... but for some reason, the corner of my eyes started to burn a little.
“...I don\'t mind. I\'m alone enough”
“I don\'t have a problem with it either”
It seems that I wasn\'t the only one. Nagisa Seikai, one of the three main heroines, was also standing alone without joining any party.
Nagisa, a sword girl, came to her to study for a certain reason, but at first she distrusted people and hardly interacted with her classmates.
Later, Leon saves her life, and she becomes a friend and opens her heart to the people around her... but that is yet to come.
“...It is too risky to explore solo. It\'s your first dungeon, and if you two have extra time, why don\'t you team up?”
“No, thank you”
“It\'s not necessary”
Nagisa and I assure each other at the same time.
I want to minimize contact with Nagisa, the main heroine, so as not to disturb Leon. After all, I did not intend to raise the cuckold flag for no reason.
Wanko-sensei puts her finger on her brow as if she is trying to hold back a headache.
“Hah... I understand. There are no dangerous monsters in this dungeon... but you are on your own no matter what happens in the dungeon. The school will not take any responsibility even if you lose your life”
Wanko-sensei shook her head in exasperation and clapped her hands as if to regain her composure.
“All right, then, please begin your exploration in turn. Ten minutes after the previous party has entered, the next party will start the exploration. Make sure to bring back the collected items and materials of the monsters you found. The guild will not buy them back from you like in other dungeons, but they will be reflected in your score”
“Okay? Let\'s start with us!”
“Wait a minute, we have to go first!”
After Wanko-sensei\'s explanation, my classmates begin to argue over the order in which to enter the dungeon.
This was not the case in the game, but it seems that everyone is eager to get into the dungeon as soon as possible. The teacher should have decided the order, but Wanko-sensei, perhaps respecting the students\' autonomy, is watching the students\' argument from a little distance.
“...You\'re so casual about it, like you\'re going out to play. We\'re about to enter a dangerous place, you fool”
“Oh?”
While I was watching the argument out of the corner of my eye, for some reason, Nagisa started talking to me. I couldn\'t help but raise my eyebrows at the beautiful black-haired girl with a cool look on her face.
“...I\'m surprised. This is the first time a classmate has talked to me”
“I don\'t blame you. You\'ve got a very evil look on your face. I\'m sure everyone\'s scared of you”
“I\'m sorry to hear that... so, what can I do for you?”
I asked cautiously. Nagisa sniffs coolly.
“You seemed to be the only one who wasn\'t busy. Please tell the others. If no one decides who will go first, I, Nagisa Seikai, will take the lead”
“Oh, come on... you\'re trying to outsmart me. You have a surprisingly good personality”
“Well, then, I’m entering”
Without waiting for my reply, Nagisa turned her back on me as if she were done talking. Without hesitation, she steps into the dungeon.
The other students protest her flying out of order.
“H-Hey!? Wait a minute!”
“That\'s not fair, is it? Hey, wait for me!”
“......”
Ignoring the words of warning slammed into her back, Nagisa disappeared into the dungeon.
Apparently, there was someone in the class who was even more uncoordinated than I was. I shrugged my shoulders and raised my voice to my classmates.
“You guys are wasting my time because you won\'t make a decision, right? Just decide it now with rock-paper-scissors or whatever. It\'s getting dark!”
“Uh...”
Apparently, my villainous face has taken effect, and my classmates stop their sterile argument. After that, it became a rock-paper-scissors fight among the party representatives.
Exactly ten minutes after Nagisa began her exploration, Leon and Ciel, who had won the rock-paper-scissors, entered the dungeon.
The party that was left behind is waiting for the time to pass in frustration.
I, who did not participate in the rock-paper-scissors tournament, naturally ended up in the last row.
As I was waiting at the end of the line with my arms crossed, Wanko-sensei came up to me.
“I was surprised... you seem to have surprising leadership skills, Baskerville-kun. I\'m impressed”
“...You don\'t know me at all. Sensei”
I responded to Wanko-sensei who spoke to me with a snort.
“Hmph... it seems that everyone in the class is distancing themselves from Baskerville-kun because of your face and family background, but I guess I was the same way. As a teacher, I have to reflect on this... But more importantly, was Baskerville-kun the last one to go? It seems that you didn\'t even participate in the order?”
“The order is not important... By the way, sensei. I\'d like to confirm one thing”
“What is it?”
I asked Wanko-sensei, who tilted her head, what I needed to know.
“Items and treasures I get in the dungeon are supposed to be taxed by the government and the guilds. But are the items in this dungeon also subject to the tax?”
“No, this is just a part of the lesson, and this is a dungeon managed by the school, so there is no tax”
Wanko-sensei quickly pushes up the middle rim of her glasses with her finger and smiles coolly.
“However... the items you can get here are only worth a few bucks even if you sell them at a store, so you won\'t get any money out of them. But there are no strong monsters here, so there are few deaths”
“I am relieved to hear that. I guess I\'ll just have to work hard to find the right items”
“I appreciate your motivation, but you\'re not part of any party. If you feel you are in danger, please turn around and go back”
“...your concern. I appreciate it”
Wanko-sensei is always concerned about me, even though I\'m a person who is not well-liked.
I truly think she is a good teacher. And she\'s solid. She is not the kind of woman who would be trained in a basement and turned into a dog in a game.
Soon, the last group disappears into the dungeon.
After making sure that no one is left except myself and Wanko-sensei, I step into the stairway that leads to the labyrinth.