Became the Idiot Young Master Who Tormented the Main Character

19 – #19. Ant Cave (3)

After that, we advanced for about 30 more minutes, cutting down the bat monsters.

Because it was hot and humid and I kept swinging the knife, sweat was dripping down my neck.

I was the rear guard, but Victor and Zeke in the front did even more.

I could see sweat flowing down my body like a waterfall as I was wearing heavy armor and constantly swinging my sword.

I was just wondering if I was overdoing it if things continued like this, when Victor said.

“Now the bat demons have been dealt with half-heartedly and are not coming out! Phew… At this point, I use the presence blocking scroll and take a rest. “There’s even a small oyster next to it!”

At those words, everyone’s expressions relax, as if the fatigue that had been tense the whole time came over them.

A small oyster dug on the side. It’s just big enough for about five or six people to relax.

It was a welcome resting place for us. Monaca enters the den first and collapses.

“Haaa…. You worked hard, front line guys….”

“Monaka, you worked hard too.”

Victor, Zeke, and I also followed into the cave and sat down against the wall to rest.

“A plea to the one God, Freya… Holy light surrounds us to protect us from enemies…….”

Andrei, who was the only one standing, took out a scroll from her backpack and cast a presence blocking spell on us.

And finally, they followed and entered the cave.

“Hmm… I’m tired. “Once you enter the labyrinth, you lose the concept of time, and all you have to do is sweat and have a hard time.”

“… ….”

-Sigh.

“Huh? What is this.”

“… Write it.”

Zeek handed Monaca a handkerchief.

Then she says, pretending that Monaca is creepy.

“What…?” Do you carry something like this with you? It’s okay. “I don’t use what other people have used.”

Unsurprisingly, it was a cute handkerchief that did not match Zeke’s appearance.

“I’ve never used it before.”

“But I don’t use it.”

“… ….”

Monaka turned her head. Zeke frowned when he saw him and put his handkerchief back in his pocket.

When I saw that, I thought.

‘The handkerchief… It’s so cute. ‘Zeek, my image doesn’t match that person.’

Why do you carry something like that? It’s not particularly discriminatory, but….

I don’t think I’ve ever used it. So did you buy it to give it to someone as a gift?

‘… Huh?’

But just now, Zeke was about to give the handkerchief to Monaca.

A handkerchief you bought as a gift?

To Monaca?

Hmm….

I looked at Monaca just in case.

Monaca is trying hard not to look at Zeke while fanning herself with her hands.

When I quietly observed from the end, I noticed that I was conscious of Zeke opening my eyes and glancing to see if he was looking at me.

The questions I heard just because of that led to one thought.

‘… ‘Does Zeke like Monaca?’

That was when I thought about it.

“… “Tch.”

Zeek jumped up.

“Huh? Zeke! Wherever you go!”

“Macho.”

After showing Victor something in his hand, Zeke left the den.

“Anyway, that guy is a heavy smoker too! Did you smoke a few weeds before coming to the labyrinth? .”

… What does this mean again?

Smoking weed?

What is forage?

No way… It’s not as dangerous as I think, right?

“Mr. Victor. That… “What is macho?”

“Huh? Don’t you know macho? That’s strange. “I guess there are a lot of professors at Ariel Academy, right?”

“Ahahahaha, I don’t have any friends and I’m a freshman, so I’m in the dark about this information.”

“Ugh… Yes, you can! “Little brother Xian is so dark that he doesn’t even know the rumors about my brother Varian!”

Victor rested his hand on his chin to gather his thoughts and spoke.

“A lot of people call me ‘macho.’ The official name is mana Cho. Mix various herbs that help restore magical power according to the recipe, grind them, infuse them, then roll them in paper and burn them! “When smoked, it has the effect of temporarily recovering magic power and fatigue!”

“Oh….”

Luckily it wasn’t what I thought.

There are things in this world I don’t know… It was interesting.

“By any chance, Mr. Victor. If you smoke it… Does anything make you feel better?”

“Huh?”

Victor opened his eyes wide.

“How do you know, little brother? “Didn’t you say you don’t know macho?”

“Oh, well, I’ve heard of something similar before. “I don’t know exactly.”

“Hmm. It gets better! As your fatigue goes away, you feel better. But that’s only temporary. “If you smoke too much, it weakens your body and is poisonous.”

“Ahaa.”

While I was giving an admiring reaction, Monaca intervened and muttered.

“There are many other ways to restore magical power, so why bother smoking weed? .”

After sighing, he looked at Zeke, who was smoking weed outside, with an uneasy expression and said.

“He is especially serious. Seeing that it is smoked all the time, it seems like it is smoked for a purpose other than to restore magic power. “It looks like you have no self-control, and I don’t like it.”

I suddenly became curious and asked Monaca.

“Self-control… “Is weed addictive?”

“Yes. “People keep coming back because of that feeling of relaxation.”

I see.

In short, it’s like a cigarette that’s good for your health.

I was curious, but I had no intention of smoking it because it was addictive.

“You’re here! Anyway, he looks like a heavy smoker.”

Victor, who soon saw Zeke returning to the den, stood up and said.

“Slowly stand up. If I rest any more, I won’t be able to relax my body too much. “Because we have to keep fighting.”

“Yes.”

Everyone who was resting got up and followed Victor.

I think I rested for about 10 minutes.

We each picked up our weapons, took our stances, and made a display.

And then it started moving forward again.

*

“That’s strange….”

Victor placed his chin on his hand and tilted his head.

We arrived at a crossroads of choice.

We advanced without stopping until we reached the inside of the labyrinth.

It was smooth, and I knew it would continue to be smooth.

Until I saw a cave divided into three branches.

“According to the information, there are only two paths… ?”

Victor looked around the three caves one by one, thinking about how strange it was.

‘This…’ . Is that it?

It’s vague, but I remember.

The spawning season of Ents and Demon Beasts.

Ents and demonic beasts that live in labyrinths and burrows dig up another burrow during the spawning season.

If there are two oysters, there are three. If there are 6 oysters, there will be 7.

The reason is to provide space for laying eggs.

They lay a lot of eggs in a newly dug oyster and then move their home there.

“It’s difficult. “They said the last tunnel was the one leading to the Giant Ent, but I’m not sure if the information is accurate.”

The information is probably wrong.

As mentioned earlier, he must have moved his residence.

Therefore, you need to explore the surroundings to find out where you live.

‘… There is a high possibility that the place where there is no trace is the residence of the Giant Ent, the queen ant.’

Ents and beasts have the characteristic of hiding in places where they are often seen, but during the spawning season, they are very sensitive, so they deploy only the minimum number of troops near their shelters.

So, it means that the remaining caves are swarming with the largest number of troops.

‘Let’s move a little.’

While Victor, Andrei, Zeke, and Monaca were having a discussion, not knowing what to do, I walked in front of the entrances to the three caves.

Then, I closed my eyes, squatted down at the entrance, placed my hands on the ground, and calmly circulated my dantian.

-Shuuu….

“Huh? “What is Sian doing now?”

I was puzzled when I saw Monaca leave the ranks.

“Tsk, what can a kid do? “Let’s just keep talking.”

“Hey, why do you talk like that….”

Zeek then interrupted Monaca and resumed the meeting.

… Don’t worry about it and just focus on the cycle of Danjeon.

The traces of mana beyond the invisible cave hidden in the darkness become a thread and connect to my hand.

‘… ‘Thirty, or at least fifty.’

Many presences can be felt in the first and third caves.

The second cave seemed relatively unknown, but this alone was not enough of a clue.

I continued to feel presence. And I was conscious of that looming movement.

‘… ….’

How many minutes have passed?

I felt their presence for a while and figured out which spaces they moved to more often, which spaces they avoided, and which camps they formed.

The clue we obtained was that for some reason, a large number of demonic beasts were avoiding the second cave.

With this alone, powerful information was obtained.

But we need to be cautious.

Finally, I took turns looking around the first, second, and third entrances to check the condition of the entrances.

‘The condition of the cave floor is very irregular, probably due to a lot of demonic beasts passing through the first and third caves. As if many demonic beasts had stepped on it… Hmm.’

The second one was equally uneven, as is the nature of the cave floor, but there were fewer cracks or depressions.

… Has there been an answer?

I approached Victor and his group who were still holding a meeting.

“Well, let’s go for the second time?!”

“No, this is the third time.”

Sure enough, Victor and Zeke were arguing.

Victor argued second. Zeke insisted on the third.

“I heard there is a headwind in the first and third rounds! “If you fight in this state, you’re screwed!”

Victor said.

“No. This is definitely the third cave. The presence I feel is formidable. There must be troops gathered to protect the Giant Ent, the queen ant. “You don’t have to think any more.”

Zeke said.

Zeek’s words were also valid, but….

That was information that could have been guessed when it was not the spawning season.

Right now, I’m probably living in a place that’s the opposite of what Zeke said….

Monaka and Andrei were confused about who to listen to as the two separated.

… I can’t help it.

I burst into the circle they had formed.

“I agree with what Mr. Victor said.”

And then he hinted.

Then, upon hearing what I said, Zeke’s expression suddenly turned grim.

“… “Stay out of it, little one.”

“hahahaha! Why but Zeke? “You could have sympathized with what I said!”

Victor smiled brightly and asked me next.

“Yes! Little brother Xian! Why did my younger brother ask to go a second time?”

“There is a problem of running out of stamina and having to turn back if the correct answer is not given while continuing the battle in a place where there is a headwind, such as the first or third time. So, it would be better to conquer the second one first and then, if not, regroup and then come back to challenge the labyrinth again.”

“Little one. So you’re saying we’re retreating just because of Giant Ents? “There will be a rumor in the Adventurer’s Guild that this is a ragtag party!”

Zeek shows off his displeasure.

“I understand what Mr. Zeke said. But what if the second cave is the answer?”

“Huh? “Does Xian know where the Giant Ent lives?”

Monaka approached with curious eyes and said.

“I don’t know anything, but I have an idea. “It is the spawning season.”

“”Spawning season?””

I continued to speak to everyone who was puzzled.

“Yes. Ents and beasts dig another burrow during the spawning season and lay eggs there. “I heard that at that time, he was deploying a minimum number of soldier ants in his residence.”

“Wow… Sian is amazing. “Where did you hear that information?”

“This is information I found out by chance through an adventurer I know.”

“Awesome! So we don’t have to fight anymore?! “Xian is the best!”

Monaka crossed her arms again.

Phew, I’m used to it now.

Because she seems to be a woman with this type of personality.

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“… Or what are you going to do?”

But then.

Zeke said as he trudged towards me.

And that too with her face distorted to the fullest.

“Yes?”

“What if I go to the second cave and there are no Giant Ents?”

“…… ?”

… Are you crazy?

Zeek looks down at me and puts pressure on me.

I was just offering a valid opinion for the party.

But you’re singling out this so openly? What are we going to do?

If it comes out like this, I also have nothing to say to him.

When Zeke looked down at me harshly, I responded with a calm expression without saying a word.

Then it was that time.

“Hey, Zeke! What are you talking about to the kid?! Sian, don’t worry. “This sister will solve it.”

Monaka wrapped her arms around me and got annoyed at Zeke.

“Hey… Sorry for this atmosphere, but I also think it’s better to go to the second cave. During the trip, I was using a lot of magical power while using light magic….”

Following the mood, Andrei also showed signs of difficulty.

“Then I have no choice! Let’s do as I said and start with the second. No more fighting! “Let’s go, move forward!”

Victor, who supported his opinion, smiled brightly and shouted as if he was in a good mood.

“Yes, yes! Let’s start with the second! What’s important about party reputation? “Isn’t life important?!”

“… ….”

“… ….”

Monaka lights the last fire, and everyone who had stopped moves in silence and begins to advance toward the second cave.

But it was like that.

Paddeuk… !

From somewhere, a very small sound of teeth grinding could be heard.

Everyone else but me seemed not to have heard.

I looked to the side where the sound came from.

“… ….”

“… ….”

Then next to it.

Zeek, whose expression was more distorted than before, was still glaring at me from the corner of his eye.