novelraw Chapter 79 : Since We’re Already Here
Chapter 79 : Since We’re Already Here
“Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?”
Rozelite tilted her head in curiosity as she looked at the girl before her, who was a little shorter than she was.
“I—I’m fine!”
Susanna hurriedly tried to hide the wound on her arm.
Of course, Rozelite’s eyes didn’t miss the gesture...
Unfortunately, she hadn’t brought any healing potions with her.
It was just a casual question anyway.
Rozelite turned her head, glancing around.
“What about your teammates? Are you the only one left?”
“Ah, n-no, um, I don’t have teammates...”
Susanna stammered, “A-anyway, thank you so much for saving me. I’ll definitely repay you...”
“That’s not necessary. I just happened to be passing through. Didn’t realize this passage was already occupied.”
Rozelite pulled her hood lower.
“Then, I’ll be on my way. Farewell.”
“Eh?”
Susanna froze.
She was just going to leave?
She had saved her life—yet she was just going to leave?
They hadn’t even exchanged names...
Instinctively, Susanna reached out toward Rozelite’s retreating figure.
“Wait, your name—”
“Hm?”
Before Susanna could finish, Rozelite suddenly stopped and turned back, studying her intently.
The instant their gazes met, Susanna’s heart trembled.
What kind of eyes were those?
Cold, distant, and carrying an overwhelming sense of separation.
Not the superiority a noble might show toward a commoner, nor the neutrality of a stranger’s gaze.
No, it was like looking at an entirely different species—eyes that did not see her as the same kind of being at all.
Even without meaning to, Rozelite’s eyes made Susanna feel it clearly.
—That was how this girl viewed her.
“You...”
Rozelite arched a brow.
“You’re not ordinary, are you? You seem pretty talented.”
“Eh?”
Susanna blinked.
【Name: Susanna】
【Race: Human】
【Level: 15】
【Status: Lightly Injured, Weakened】
【HP: 85/150】
【MP: 3/450】
【Skills: God’s Eye v5, Fire Magic Mastery lv4, Wind Magic Mastery lv4】
In this world, most people who learned magic were nobles.
It wasn’t that commoners had no talent, but most could barely read or count, let alone afford books. The cost of magical training was simply too high. That was why mages outside the nobility were so rare.
But it wasn’t impossible.
A shortcut might appear—a noble’s favor, a passing teacher willing to teach, or simply extraordinary natural talent.
So, yes, commoners could learn magic.
But that wasn’t what startled Russell.
【God’s Eye v5】
Yet another skill with no clear meaning from its name.
But since it bore the word “God,” it was unlikely to be ordinary. Perhaps it was like Winnie’s 【Sword Saint’s Blessing】—a blatant cheat.
Her panel otherwise seemed unremarkable.
“Rozelite, what’s this God’s Eye?”
Russell asked.
“Never heard of it.”
Rozelite shook her head. This was the first time she’d even encountered the term.
“Never, huh...”
Russell muttered, leaning in slightly to scrutinize the girl.
Her soft pink hair was tied in a loose ponytail, stray strands brushing her neck. Her violet eyes shone like misted amethysts.
The collar of her thin white shirt gaped slightly, revealing her delicate collarbones and slender neck. The shirt tucked neatly into high-waisted black shorts, cinched with a narrow belt that emphasized her willow-thin waist.
From beneath the shorts stretched long black stockings, clinging to her straight, slender legs and tucked into knee-high black boots that made them seem all the more delicate.
Her head was lowered slightly, a faint blush coloring her cheeks. Slender fingers twisted the hem of her shirt, or toyed with a strand of hair. Even her ponytail swayed gently with the motion, carrying a fragile, unguarded air.
“What’s she blushing for...?”
Russell withdrew his gaze. From appearances, her eyes looked ordinary enough.
“Forget it, no use overthinking.”
“Rozelle.”
Russell spoke suddenly.
“Eh?”
Susanna blinked.
“You asked my name, didn’t you? I’m Rozelle, an adventurer. And you?”
“M-my name... Susanna. Also an adventurer, for now...”
“I see. Well then, farewell. Perhaps we’ll meet again.”
Russell cast a regretful glance at the Iron Beetle corpses scattered across the ground, but he had to give up on them. He couldn’t exactly use 【Insatiable】 in front of witnesses.
Waving lightly, he walked off, leaving Susanna staring blankly after him.
She stood unmoving until Rozelite’s figure completely vanished into the tunnel’s end.
“Is that... all?”
Susanna felt a wave of discouragement. She had thought herself a genius, yet her first labyrinth exploration had ended in disaster.
If Rozelite hadn’t intervened, she would surely have...
Could she really still call herself a genius?
No—she must.
Because that girl had said so. A stranger, upon first meeting, had told her she was talented.
That girl, who seemed about her age, but possessed such overwhelming power.
Clearly, the world wasn’t as simple as she’d imagined.
Rozelite’s graceful form cutting down monsters burned itself deep into Susanna’s mind.
After the fleeting rush of excitement, Susanna forced her focus back to reality.
Feeling the faint trickle of mana restored within her, she sighed and ultimately chose to retreat.
But she would not return to the village.
This was just one failure.
To a genius, failure was nothing more than an unusual step on the staircase to success.
It would only serve her in the future.
...
Meanwhile.
Rozelite cleaved through another monster, while inwardly asking.
“Mr. Slime, was there anything special about that girl?”
“Probably something unusual about her eyes.”
Russell replied as he activated 【Insatiable】, devouring the corpses Rozelite had just felled.
【Metallization lv8 → lv9↑】
【Charge lv8 → lv9↑】
After lv8, skills grew particularly hard to raise. Many of Russell’s were stuck at lv7 or lv8, making him wonder if skills capped there.
But seeing one finally reach lv9 brought him relief.
The problem was simply the Iron Beetles’ low level.
Most were below lv10, with skills no higher than lv2. That made leveling agonizingly slow.
“Well, that’s it then. We’ve cleared the entire first floor.”
Russell sighed.
The first floor of the Undead Fortress had around fifteen passages. He and Rozelite had swept through every one, devouring every Iron Beetle corpse they found.
Perhaps a few stragglers remained, but not enough to push another level.
Still, lv9 Metallization was satisfying enough.
It would suffice for now.
“Mr. Slime, are we heading back?”
Rozelite asked.
Russell’s gaze lingered on the great door to the second floor. He hesitated.
“Well... how should I put it?”
“Since we’re already here...”