After walking for a while, the path split into three directions.

Oujin pointed to the left.

"I've already checked the left path. I kept my hand on the wall and walked until I returned here, but there were no stairs leading to the upper levels."

Void gestured to the right with his thumb.

"If you're heading to the lower levels, that's the way. Not that we have any business there right now. No stairs to the upper levels either."

What reckless people. Mere students, venturing here alone. The audacity. They must have confidence in their combat skills, but what would they do if they encountered that monster?

I reconsidered after a moment. Perhaps it was precisely because that monster was prowling around. Alone, one might be able to evade it, or at least minimize casualties. If it were me, I’d do the same. Even as a student.

As I thought about this, Miku muttered in her usual tone.

"So, straight ahead it is."

"Yeah."

"Do you think there are really stairs? Hey, hey, what do you think, El-tan?"

Asking the opinion of a ten-year-old? No, she was probably trying to be considerate.

"There must be. That’s how artificial dungeons work. If someone built this facility for a purpose, there has to be a way back to the surface."

When I started walking ahead, Oujin and Void hurriedly moved in front of me. It seemed they considered me to be under their protection. Well, given the state of Eremia's body, I couldn’t entirely blame them. But as a sword saint, it was frustrating.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Although, it’s possible the path has collapsed or is buried."

"Ehh, that’d suck… That means escaping on our own would be hopeless, huh."

Her voice was completely devoid of tension. I couldn’t tell if Miku Orunkaim was incredibly brave or just a fool.

"In that case, you’d better pray for help to come from above."

"Pray? To who?"

For a moment, Lili's face flashed in my mind, but I didn’t say it aloud. A master relying on their disciple? Ridiculous.

"To a god."

"Do they even exist?"

The Kingdom of Galliant had no state religion. Those who wanted to believe in gods worshipped whatever gods they liked, but roughly seventy percent of the population was non-religious. My father, King Kilpus, intentionally maintained this neutrality. Aligning with one religion would inevitably lead to conflict. That was his reasoning, and so the Oldingham family did not pray to any god.

Incidentally, in my previous life as Blythe, I didn’t believe in gods either. The only things worth believing in were the sword and strength.

"I don’t know. But there’s nothing else to do."

Miku suddenly covered my mouth with her hand.

"Stop."

Oujin and Void stopped and turned back, but they didn’t voice their questions. Miku’s cat-like eyes widened to their limits as she stared into the darkness ahead, beyond the reach of the magic lamp's light.

"Hey, Miku. I don’t sense anything."

Oujin nodded in agreement with me. Void shrugged. It seemed none of them except Miku had detected anything.

She covered my mouth again.

"They’re a bit far, but they’re there. Hiding. Just outside the magic lamp's range. But if they’re hiding, it’s not that monster. Probably."

She had a point. That monster had no reason to hide. If that was the case...

"Are you sure they’re really there?"

"...They’re there. Watch."

Miku picked up a small stone and threw it forward.

The moment it landed in an arc on the ground, several small shadows leapt out from the gaps in the walls and rubble.

"See? Told you."

They were outside the magic lamp’s range, but I could barely make them out.

"—!"

One of them swung a stone club at where the rock had fallen, missing completely and tilting its head in confusion. When they spotted us, they ran into the light and bared their fangs, growling.

"Goblins, huh."

I sighed unconsciously.

"You sound disappointed. Did you want it to be that monster?"

"Who knows. No, probably not. I don’t think I could kill that thing in my current state."

If I were still Blythe, there would have been countless ways. We all drew our swords simultaneously. Miku glanced behind us.

"Oh. There are more coming from the back."

So that’s it. The four-way intersection earlier. Some of the goblins that had fled had hidden in the paths to the left and right, waiting for us. Or rather, luring us here. Either way, our escape route was cut off. A little careless on our part, but only a little. With no one to protect and goblins as the enemy, I didn’t even feel a sense of crisis.

Void cracked his neck side to side.

"Heh, an ambush and a pincer attack, huh? Those monkey brats really racked their brains for this."

More and more of them swarmed us. Even though we’d nearly halved their numbers back at the base, they’d replenished their ranks. Most of the goblins in the rear were injured, but those in front were unscathed. Thirty in front, around twenty behind. The ones in the rear seemed particularly bloodthirsty, likely angry over their fallen or injured comrades.

Regardless, the goblins charged at our group without giving us time to think.