Chapter 8: Future Boy Ryug

The day after our luncheon, the dungeon crawl began in earnest.

The entrance to the Drefon Great Labyrinth lay about ten kilometers north of the town of Balread. After nearly half a day of trekking through rugged mountain terrain, we finally arrived at its mouth—a massive hole carved into the side of a sheer cliff, looking for all the world like a starving maw waiting to swallow us whole.

“Alright, kids. First thing's first: let’s get this base camp set up,” Alyssa-san called out.

Following her lead, we began pitching tents and organizing supplies. Since we’d repeated this process several times during our journey, we moved like a well-oiled machine.

Our plan was to spend five days using this camp as a hub. We’d delve into the dungeon during the day and return here at night to rest. Once those five days were up, we’d head back to Balread to resupply and recover before heading back for another five-day stint.

The visit to Lucretia’s mother’s grave was scheduled for after the first dive, once we returned to town. By then, the mountain path damaged by the rains would hopefully be repaired.

And then there was Lucretia’s birthday, which fell right in the middle of this first leg of the mission.

I didn't know if we’d be deep in the tunnels or back at camp when the clock struck midnight, but as soon as the day changed, I was going to give her my present and finally confess. Alright, Hugh. You can do this!

We finished setting up camp ahead of schedule, well before the sun began its descent. Seizing the moment, Alyssa-san made a suggestion.

“Wanna take a little peek inside before we call it a day?”

While the schedule officially called for the dive to start tomorrow, getting an early look at the interior was a welcome opportunity. None of the students objected, and the veteran adventurers were all in favor.

We geared up and stepped past the threshold of the labyrinth.

Immediately, the air changed. It became cold and clinging, wrapping around my skin like a damp shroud. Lily instinctively hugged her own arms.

“It’s freezing in here...” she murmured. “Like walking into an icebox.”

“I should have brought a cloak,” Lecty added, huddling into herself and blowing onto her hands to warm them.

Her breath wasn't quite coming out in white puffs yet, but in our summer uniforms, the chill was definitely biting. It wasn't unbearable, but if I let my guard down, I’d be catching a cold in no time.

“The cold is one thing, but I’m surprised by how bright it is,” Rosalie noted, looking around with interest.

She was right. The ceiling of the cavern and the jagged rock faces were perfectly clear. We didn't even need torches to see where we were going. It was as if the dungeon itself was emitting a faint, ambient light.

“That’s due to the phosphorescent moss that grows down here,” Ryug explained, answering Rosalie’s unspoken question. He lightly brushed a finger against the rock wall and then rubbed it against his thumb, showing us his glowing fingertip.

“The walls are covered in moss that reacts to stimulation by emitting light. The brightness varies depending on the dungeon; the brighter strains are harvested and used as fuel for light-based magic tools.”

“Wait, so that light in our rooms is just moss?” I blurted out.

I’d used the lights in the dorms every day without a second thought. I’d assumed they were powered by some kind of electrical ore, but to think it was organic...

“All sorts of materials harvested from dungeons are used in magic tools,” Ryug continued, his pace quickening as he got into the subject. “For example, showers use a combination of Water-Source Stones and Heat-Storage Grass to produce hot water. Both are primarily found in the dungeons of the Dwarven Kingdom. That’s why their magic tool industry is so advanced—they have easy access to the raw materials—”

“Okay, that’s enough!” Tina interrupted, stepping in to cut him off. She put her hands on her hips and let out a weary sigh. “Big brother Ryu, you always start rambling once magic tools come up. You’re gonna weird everyone out!”

“Eh?! M-my apologies, everyone...”

“No, don't worry about it. It was interesting,” I said.

Lugue and Rosalie looked a bit bored, but personally, I would have liked to hear more.

The Dwarven Kingdom, located in the northwestern part of the Almirah continent, was famous for its cutting-edge research and development. I wondered what kind of tools they had there. Maybe they had something similar to the appliances from my old life in Japan? If I ever swapped my skill to 《Inventor》, I could probably make a fortune developing gadgets like that.

It was definitely a place I wanted to visit at least once in my life.

“You’re quite the fan of magic tools, aren't you?” Lily asked.

“Well, yes. My father had a bit of an influence on me...” Ryug replied with a bashful smile.

Wait, is this guy into Lily? I wondered, my eyes narrowing with suspicion. Sensing my gaze, Ryug shook his head frantically.

“Anyway! Monsters could appear at any moment! We need to stay sharp!”

“Big brother Ryu, don't you think shouting like that is just gonna attract them?” Tina teased.

Ryug went silent, looking embarrassed.

We walked for a while longer until the narrow passage opened up into a vast chamber—a massive cavern shaped like a fan that sloped downward into the depths. This was clearly the main artery of the Drefon Great Labyrinth.

Almost as soon as we entered the space, a series of high-pitched chirps and growls echoed from the shadows. Every creature that called a dungeon home was notoriously hostile and predatory.

“Students, please step back. We’ll handle this,” Ryug commanded.

The five adventurers stepped forward to shield us. Emerging from the gloom were creatures about two meters long from snout to tail. They looked like lizards, but their build reminded me of the Velociraptors I’d seen in textbooks in my previous life.

There were about a dozen of them.

Idiot drew his sword, and my other classmates readied their weapons. Alyssa-san, however, merely crossed her arms and watched from the sidelines. The fact that she was staying out of it even with Lugue present meant she didn't consider these things a serious threat.

I kept my sword ready, focusing my mind so I could trigger 《Pyrokinesis》 at a moment's notice, while I watched the professionals work.

As expected of veterans, the adventurers were incredibly stable. Despite being outnumbered, they used their skills and weapons to pick off the monsters one by one with clinical efficiency.

Among them, Ryug and Tina stood out.

While the other adventurers made a show of it with flaming projectiles and stone spears, those two used nothing but a sword and a bow to methodically cull the pack.

“Teena!”

“On it!”

Their coordination was flawless. Tina fired arrows to cover Ryug’s blind spots, and Ryug would occasionally act as bait to lure a monster directly into Teena’s line of sight. By the time it was over, the two of them had killed more than double the number of monsters taken by the other three combined.

B-rank adventurers, huh? And they did all that while holding back their skills.

Their movements were a masterclass in efficiency. Ryug, in particular, didn't seem to be using 《Physical Enhancement》 at all. He was fighting with pure, raw skill and a single blade. If he could do that... then surely I could too.

“Well, that’s enough of a demo for today,” Alyssa-san called out after confirming the area was clear. “Let’s head back.”

We’d only been inside for about thirty minutes, but given how quickly we’d encountered monsters, the encounter rate was clearly high. There would be no room for complacency when the real delve started tomorrow.

◇

We returned to camp and finished dinner. Once night fell, we began our watch rotation, just like we had during the trek.

We’d drawn the short straw for the second shift—ten at night until midnight. It was actually a decent draw; once we were done, we could sleep through until morning.

I spent the time before my shift lying in the tent, chatting with the other guys since it was still a bit early to sleep. When the time came, I headed out to swap with the first watch.

“Yawn...”

Lugue let out a sleepy yawn as we left the tent. This was usually the time when drowsiness really started to kick in. After a full day of mountain climbing followed by setting up camp and a dungeon probe, her fatigue had likely reached its peak.

Truth be told, I was pretty sleepy too. If I didn't stay focused, I’d be nodding off in no time.

The only ones who seemed unfazed by the hour were Idiot and Lily. Lecty and Rosalie were already swaying on their feet, looking like they could collapse at any second.

Sure enough, once we sat down around the fire, Rosalie lost her battle with the sandman within minutes. Like a domino effect, Lecty followed suit almost immediately after.

The flickering of the flames and the occasional snap-crackle of the wood were powerful sedatives. I remembered those "campfire sounds" videos being popular on the internet back in my old life for a reason...

I was starting to drift off myself when I felt a sudden weight against my side. I snapped awake to find Lugue leaning against me.

“Oh... s-sorry,” she whispered, realizing what she’d done.

“Sleepy?”

“Yeah... but I’m okay. I can do this...”

Despite her words, her eyelids were heavy, and she was bobbing her head as she struggled to stay upright. She was right at her limit.

Predictably, a few minutes later, she gave up and used my thigh as a pillow, her breathing evening out into a peaceful sleep. This meant I definitely couldn't fall asleep now, but maybe that was for the best.

That left me, Lily, and Idiot as the only ones awake. Idiot stood up and began performing some light sword drills, his expression intensely focused. I was impressed he could maintain that level of concentration at this hour.

“Hugh. Lily Puridy. My apologies, but would you mind if I left the watch to you for a moment?”

“I don't mind, but where are you going?” Lily asked.

“I’m going to check the dungeon’s perimeter. Something has been bothering me.”

With a promise to return shortly, Idiot took his sword and walked toward the labyrinth entrance. The adventurers were already taking turns watching the entrance, so they’d let us know if anything was wrong... but I didn't see any harm in letting him go. Even someone as stiff as Idiot wouldn't be reckless enough to charge into the dungeon alone.

“I wonder if he was just trying to give us some space?” Lily mused.

“I doubt it,” I replied.

I looked over at Lily. She had a thick notebook spread across her lap and a pen in her right hand. Is she seriously studying out here? No, that didn't seem right. Was it a diary?

Noticing my gaze, Lily looked up. She was wearing a pair of thin-framed glasses.

“Those look good on you. The glasses, I mean,” the compliment slipped out before I could stop it. It’s not like I had a specific thing for glasses, but there was just something about the "gap moe" of a girl who doesn't usually wear them putting them on.

The spectacles enhanced her intellectual aura, making her look elegant yet somehow fragile. Her jade eyes seemed even more beautiful behind the lenses.

“Hehe, thank you. If a man like you is offering such sincere praise, I must be truly irresistible. I suppose that’s another win for me, isn't it?”

“I feel like I’m always losing to you.”

Ever since the "contest" started when I first saw her in a dress, I don't think I’d ever managed to win. But then again, it just went to show how beautiful and charming Lily really was. I’d probably be losing to her for the rest of my life.

“By the way, are your eyes bad?”

They didn't look like fashion glasses; the lenses seemed to have a prescription. I’d never noticed her struggling with her vision before, and she didn't wear them during class.

“Yes. Though only slightly. I mostly just have trouble seeing text at night. It doesn't affect my daily life, so I only wear them when I’m writing in the evening.”

“I see.”

As long as it wasn't a major issue, I didn't need to worry... for now. Lily gave me a happy smile. Between that and the "glasses magic," she was tugging on my heartstrings more than ever.

I needed to change the subject before I did something embarrassing. I looked down at what she was writing.

“Is that a diary?”

Lily nodded and closed the notebook, showing me the cover. It was a beautiful thing, bound in pale purple with intricate gold-thread floral embroidery. It looked like it had been crafted with a great deal of care.

“It’s a lovely cover, isn't it?”

“Yeah. It matches your taste perfectly, Lily.”

“Flattery will only get you my undying affection, you know?”

“That’s more than enough.”

Everything Lily owned, from her clothes to her accessories, was stylish. I knew that if I ever needed fashion advice, she was the one to ask. Thinking back to the jade earrings I’d bought for her before we left for the exercise, I suddenly felt a pang of anxiety about whether she’d actually like them.

“Still, a diary, huh? I don't think I could last more than three days.”

“I only started about a month ago myself. But I plan to keep it up until I’m an old woman.”

“That’s a very long-term goal.”

“One day, when I’m old and grey, I want to sit down with our grandchildren and read this back to them.”

“Our grandchildren? You’ve already decided that’s the future?”

“Oh? Are you saying you’d prefer I have grandchildren with some other man?”

“...Sorry. Just the thought of that makes my brain feel like it’s rotting.”

“Hehe, I’m only joking. I have no intention of continuing my lineage with anyone but you. And I’ll love Tia and Lecty’s grandchildren just as much. Even if there are ten or twenty of them.”

“That’s... that’s a lot of grandchildren.”

Just how many kids was she planning on...? No, better not go there. That was getting into very vivid territory.

“I’m having so much fun right now, Hugh. You’re here, Lecty and Tia are here... Before I enrolled, I never would have imagined school life could be this enjoyable.”

“...Yeah. I didn't think much of it until the entrance exams either.”

In fact, I’d been so afraid of my 《Brainwashing》 skill being discovered that I’d actually considered failing the exams on purpose.

“I never want to forget this moment. I want to remember it even when I’m a grandmother. That’s why I started the diary. I’m already looking forward to reading it back while surrounded by my family.”

Lily hugged the diary to her chest and gave me a soft, radiant smile.

“So you’d better do your best, Grandfather-to-be.”

“Right... sure...”

I could only offer a wry smile in response to her expectant gaze. As of right now, I hadn't even taken the first step toward that future.

I reached down and stroked the hair of the sleeping Lugue. Her silver hair reflected the orange glow of the campfire, shimmering like spun gold.

◇

Away from the fire, Idiot Hortness made his way toward the entrance of the Drefon Great Labyrinth.

Near the mouth of the cave, the adventurers assigned to watch duty were holding a boisterous drinking session. Confirming that his target wasn't among them, Idiot asked one of the drunken men for directions and headed toward a rocky outcrop away from the main entrance.

Bypassing the large rocks until the noise of the camp faded, he found a single tent pitched in isolation. In front of it, a man was feeding twigs into a small fire.

“What brings you out so late, Master Idiot?”

Without looking back, Ryug spoke, having sensed Idiot’s approach. “Tomorrow is the first day of the delve. You should really be getting some rest.”

“There is something I wish to conclude before I rest,” Idiot replied.

“Conclude?”

“Indeed.”

Standing directly behind Ryug, Idiot drew the steel blade from his hip—

—And swung it down into Ryug’s back.

Blood sprayed, painting the ground a visceral crimson. Idiot gave his sword a sharp flick to clear the gore, the droplets tracing a dark arc in the dirt.

“...A rather ridiculous skill you have there,” Idiot spat.

What he felt through the hilt wasn't the resistance of flesh, but a void, as if he had cut through a phantom. Feeling a surge of disgust at the total lack of feedback, Idiot looked down at Ryug’s collapsed body.

“It’s quite cruel of you to cut me down without a word,” a voice said.

The body of Ryug, which hadn't moved an inch, spoke with a tone of casual exasperation, as if nothing had happened.

“What would you have done if I were the real one?”

“In that case, Teena—who is currently training her bow on me from inside that tent—would have fired a warning shot.”

“I see. So you saw through that too. Impressive as ever, Master Idiot.”

Ryug’s voice sounded almost pleased. In the next instant, the collapsed body distorted and dissolved into nothingness. Not a single drop of the blood that had supposedly sprayed the ground remained.

“As I suspected. An illusion.”

“Correct. The skill is 《Phantom》. That is the power I was granted by the gods.”

Idiot spun around to see Ryug emerge from the shadows of a nearby thicket. Whether this version was real or not, Idiot had no way of knowing. The illusions Ryug created were so perfect they could only be distinguished from reality through physical contact.

As Idiot readied his sword again, Ryug raised his hands in a gesture of surrender.

“I promise, this one is real. Though I don't know if you’ll believe me...” He let out a weary sigh. “Tina doubts me sometimes, too.”

For a moment, Idiot saw a trace of Hugh in him—the same look of a man burdened by a troublesome skill like 《Brainwashing》.

“Rest assured,” Ryug continued. “Once someone knows the nature of the 《Phantom》 skill, its effects weaken against them. You should be able to tell the difference now.”

“I am not so naive as to take your word for it,” Idiot retorted.

“...A pity. So, what is your business with me?”

“Don't play coy. You intentionally showed me your skill during our spar yesterday. You lured me here, didn't you?”

“You’re as sharp as they say.”

“Then you will answer my questions.”

“Of course. Ask away,” Ryug replied calmly. He had clearly anticipated why Idiot was here.

Feeling a twinge of resentment at being played like a fiddle, Idiot pointed the tip of his blade at Ryug and asked the question that had been eating at him.

“Was it you who kidnapped Lady Lecty?”

“...I see. So that’s what’s on your mind. Not why I didn't kill you just now.”

“You do not deny it, then.”

“No, I don't. You’re absolutely right.”

“—!”

The moment Ryug admitted it, Idiot triggered the 《Physical Enhancement》 from his 《Guardian》 skill and lunged forward. But just as he was about to bring his blade down—

“Whoa there. That’s far enough.”

—Someone intervened from the side, parrying Idiot’s strike with effortless ease.

“What...?!”

Idiot leaped back instinctively, his eyes widening in shock as he recognized the interloper.

It was a woman with purple hair tied to one side, wearing the armor of the Kingdom Knights.

Alyssa Swift rested her sword on her shoulder and let out a tired sigh.

“Your offense is still a total mess, kid. I’ve told you a million times—if you’re going for the kill, you have to be ready for the counter.”

“Instructor Alyssa?! Why are you here?!”

“What do you mean 'why'? I’ve been here the whole time. Right behind you.”

“That’s impossible... wait, unless...!”

Idiot hadn't sensed her presence for even a second until now. If she wasn't an illusion... But an illusion couldn't have parried his sword. That left only one answer.

Ryug’s 《Phantom》 had been hiding her.

“You’ve betrayed us, Alyssa Swift?!”

“Maybe we should start by defining 'betrayal,'” she said with a shrug. “I never considered myself your 'ally,' per se. I’m a knight sworn to Prince Lucas.”

“Prince Lucas?!”

“Everything we do is for His Highness. So how about we put the toothpick away and talk like adults?”

As Alyssa spoke with a patronizing tone, Idiot tightened his grip on his sword. He stole a glance behind him and saw Tina poking her head out of the tent, giving him a cheeky “Yo!” and a wave. Was she not planning to attack, or was this just another layer of Ryug’s 《Phantom》?

Sensing his heightened guard, Alyssa sighed and sheathed her sword.

“Look, we don't have any intention of hurting you. If I wanted you dead, I could have ended you at any point tonight.”

“............”

Idiot couldn't argue with that. It was a fact that he hadn't perceived her until the moment she struck his blade. If she had intended to kill him, he would have died without ever knowing what hit him.

He shifted his gaze from Alyssa back to Ryug. “Why? Why did you kidnap Lady Lecty?”

“Because it was necessary.”

“Necessary?! To harm her?!”

“...What Malicious did to her was outside of my calculations. I apologize for that. Whether you believe me or not, if Malicious had actually tried to take her life, I would have stopped him.”

“Hmph. So you claim. You were Malicious’s accomplice, were you not?”

“No. I only pretended to be. I needed to get Lady Lecty into the cathedral’s basement, so I used 《Phantom》 to blend in with his private guards. I was also the one who helped Cicely escape through the tunnels and gave her the false information that Malicious was after the 《Saint》 skill.”

Ryug spoke with a flat, clinical tone. Idiot had no way of knowing if he was telling the truth. But if it was true, then Ryug was the one who had delivered Cicely from the cathedral to the forest where the class battle was taking place.

Idiot remembered Cicely’s injuries—they had been severe. In hindsight, it made no sense. There was no way a woman with those wounds could have walked the distance from the cathedral—a trip that took over an hour by carriage—on her own.

He’d infiltrated Malicious’s ranks, saved Cicely, fed her fake info, and kidnapped Lecty. What could possibly be gained from such a convoluted plan?

“...What was the purpose of all this?” Idiot asked, his confusion mounting.

Ryug answered without hesitation. “To ensure that Hugh and Lecty would be the ones to save Saint Rosalie.”

“Lady Rosalie...?”

“Think about it. What would have happened to Saint Rosalie if Cicely hadn't reached the class battle? If Lecty hadn't been taken to the cathedral basement? What would her fate have been?”

“—!”

If Cicely hadn't reached the battle, they wouldn't have known Rosalie was in danger. If Lecty hadn't been taken, they wouldn't have stormed the basement.

In that basement, Rosalie had been forced to drink a potion that turned her into a monster. She was saved by Hugh and Lecty, but if they hadn't been there at that exact moment...

“She would have died... and we would never have known,” Idiot whispered.

The bond they now had with Rosalie only existed because she had survived that night. If she had died, she would have been nothing more to Idiot than a "missing former Saint."

Feeling a cold chill run down his spine, a new question surfaced in Idiot’s mind.

“With your skill, you could have saved Lady Rosalie much more easily. Why didn't you?”

“...It’s true. I could have rescued her myself. In fact, I was prepared to do so if Hugh hadn't made it in time. But in order to break Malicious’s madness and bring Rosalie under Prince Lucas’s protection, it had to be Hugh who saved her.”

“...So the current outcome is your 'ideal,' then?”

Rosalie was now under the protection of the Third Prince, Lucas, under the guise of being a hostage. That was largely due to Hugh’s actions. His intervention provided the opening for Lucas to interfere in the internal affairs of the Divine Grant Religion. If Ryug had been the savior, Rosalie would never have become a fellow student and friend.

“So that is why Instructor Alyssa stopped Hugh so unnaturally that day...?”

“Man, that kid is just so impulsive,” Alyssa joked with a shrug. “If he’d rushed in any faster, he would’ve bumped into Big brother Ryu here and made everything a whole lot messier. That was a real close call, I tell ya.”

She let out a playful laugh, then looked at Idiot seriously.

“You can put the sword away now. I promise they aren't enemies. My eyes tell me he’s telling the truth.”

Alyssa’s eyes glowed faintly in the darkness—a manifestation of her own skill.

“...Ryug. I still have questions.”

“Ask away.”

“Who are you, really? And how do you know Hugh’s secret?”

The actions Ryug had described only made sense if he was operating on the assumption that Hugh possessed the 《Brainwashing》 skill. Not only that, but he seemed to be anticipating events before they happened.

It was as if he knew exactly what the future held.

Ryug stepped toward Idiot, his expression grave. He walked right up to the tip of the blade until the steel was almost touching the skin of his throat. He didn't show a flicker of fear.

“There is only one answer to that. I know because I am Ryug Pnocis.”

“Ryug... Pnocis?”

“Master Idiot. I am begging you. Join us.”

He spoke with a desperate, haunting sincerity.

“I need my mentor's strength... if we’re going to change this shitty future!”