The day of the third dungeon curriculum had arrived.

Everyone in Class One had finally gotten used to the darkness of the first layer, which served as our meeting point. On the first day of the curriculum, fear had prevailed; on the second, there was an air of nervous determination. But this time, everyone wore calm expressions.

We were checking our gear, magic lamps, and the weapons and armor we received from the Juanere Trading Company, and confirming each team's roles.

By the way, all the teams except ours—Team Three—had been reorganized by the students themselves. There was no longer any distinction between nobles and commoners. The teams were now a mixed bunch.

Honestly, this surprised me. Of course, Seneca had helped, but the fact that the noble supremacist Ilga had taken the lead in organizing it was astonishing.

What’s more, he had personally gone to each of the commoner students who had taken offense and bowed his head, saying, “Please lend me your strength.” That prideful man, practically the embodiment of arrogance, had lowered his head. I heard he even approached Void and Riona.

At first, the commoner students were reluctant, but thanks to Seneca’s persuasion, the reorganization was completed without a hitch.

I think that’s a tremendous step forward.

Here’s the breakdown of the newly formed teams:

Team One, led by Ilga, consisted mostly of members of the swordsmanship club, including Monica. It was now a team specialized in close combat.

Team Two, led by Bernald, was burdened with heavy supplies. The magician Fix had joined this group, which also included shield bearers and students wielding polearms. This team was focused on defense.

Team Four, led by Seneca, consisted of students who excelled in academics. They were tasked with creating strategies and held the authority to issue operational commands to each team.

Team Five, which Letis had joined, was made up of students who weren’t good at combat. They were the intelligence and operations team. Through their club activities, they had presumably learned a decent amount of Riona’s Form-Shifting Techniques.

And as always, our Team Three’s role was reconnaissance and skirmishing.

I asked Seneca just in case, and she simply shrugged and said:

—I don’t think you all would ever make the wrong judgment, so move as you like and help everyone else.

Apparently, Team Three had no leash. I liked that. Seneca’s words reminded me of my previous life, when I was still Blythe.

Back then, we weren’t tamed horses—we were wild beasts. When we were first assigned directly under the strict knight order, we constantly clashed with the knights over operations. Until King Kilpus granted us freedom on the battlefield.

That’s when the Blythe faction flourished, and I became the Master Swordsman—the Sword Saint.

The scale may be vastly different, but the history we followed was the same. Things were starting to get interesting.

While I was lost in thought, Lili, who had been leading the way through the first layer, suddenly stopped and turned back.

Everyone halted in unison.

“……”

It was beginning—the third dungeon curriculum.

Lili opened her mouth to speak.

“It’s the third time, so I don’t have much to say. It’s the same as the previous two times. Work together, and make sure every last one of you comes back safely. If things get truly hopeless, come find me. I’ll rush to your aid. Don’t ever hesitate to call for help or to retreat. There’s no shame in that. You’re all young. As long as you stay alive, you can challenge it as many times as you need.”

Those words would be deeply moving if said by anyone else.

Blythe often said similar things: “Even if you have to drink muddy water, survive. Crawl if you must. Live, until your life is pierced by the blade.”

Lili glanced around at everyone.

“—Understood?”

Everyone responded in unison with a firm, “Yes!” Their youthful voices echoed through the vast, pitch-dark dungeon.

Lili nodded in satisfaction, raising her right hand with an open palm.

“Today’s objective is to reach and clear the seventh and eighth layers! Then, Class One of Lehan Royal Knight Academy, Year One—begin exploring the Lehan Dungeon!”

This time, loud voices shouting “Yeah!” rang out.

With that, we began moving toward the stairs leading to the second layer, with Ilga of Team One at the front. But before we got far, a large male student from Team Two caught up at a trot and placed a hand on Ilga’s shoulder.

In his usual calm and low tone, he called the name:

“Ilga.”

“Hm? What is it, Bern?”

It was Bernald.

“Wait a moment.”

Today he carried long weapons and a large load made from monster hide. Bernald reached into his pack and pulled out a long rope. No—that was a rope ladder.

He was looking at the massive hole created by the homunculus.

“We’ll shorten the route. —Letis.”

“Aye, sir! Let’s get to work, everyone~!”

At Letis’s call, everyone in Team Five began moving in a flurry. They drove stakes into the dungeon floor to anchor the ladder and swiftly secured it. Then they tied the extra rope to nearby natural stones to hold everything in place.

Ilga looked into the large hole and let out a voice of admiration.

“Oh, this is great. A shortcut to the fifth layer. Marvelous, Bern.”

“It wasn’t my idea. I just carried the supplies. It was Letis.”

Letis scratched her head shyly as all eyes turned to her.

“Hehe, I’m not much use in a fight, so I thought I could at least help with something like this.”

Seneca shone her magic lamp into the hole and spoke.

“No, don’t be modest. This is amazing. It’s a huge help for exploration.”

The bottom of the hole was already the fifth layer. We’d skipped three layers in one go. The base was a sandhill, so even if someone slipped, they wouldn’t die.

Seneca continued:

“But if we leave it as is, monsters might use it, so we should pull it back up to the first layer when we retreat. For now, with Instructor Ituka here, we can manage even if monsters use it.”

With those words, everyone turned to look toward Lili at the rear. If we had her permission, we could use the ladder freely.

Lili nodded with a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Go ahead. I’ll take care of any monsters that come out. There’s a reinforced gate, too.”

“Alright!”

Letis and her intelligence team gave each other high fives.

“Yay~!”

Immediately, Ilga led Team One down the rope ladder.

Watching silently, I murmured to Riona beside me.

“The intelligence team’s training is seriously top-notch. Despite being swamped with part-time jobs, they still managed to develop that kind of thinking.”

“Hehe. I guess everyone’s been doing the assignments I left behind for the club. But it’s kind of strange. This is a first for me. Feels weird. I think I understand a little how Lili-chan feels when she teaches us.”

“Oh?”

After Team One descended, Team Two followed.

If the rope ladder could hold Bernald’s massive frame, then the whole class could safely use it. And even if it snapped mid-descent, we’d just laugh it off.

“Watching everyone grow like this… it makes my chest kind of fluttery.”

Riona beamed with a wide grin.

Come to think of it, I, Blythe, had felt the same way. It made me happier to see Lili and my students grow and be recognized than to have my own sword praised. I had looked forward to their success.

I really did love them. I remember it now, after all this time.

A warmth filled my chest.

“Aaah~ I might’ve come down with some kind of chest illness~! El-tan, would you give my boobs a little exam?”

Clicking my tongue, I grabbed Riona’s face as she approached with her usual pouty lips.

“It’s Team Three’s turn. Stop being an idiot and get down there already.”

“Yees~!”

Riona cheerfully waved at me as she started down the rope ladder.

“Hold on with both hands! I won’t save you if you fall!”

“Ahaha, I’ll be fine at this height. Thanks for worrying about me!”

But the moment her face disappeared from view—

Shiver…

I felt a chill and turned to look. Lili, who had just been in high spirits, was now glaring at me with a cold, half-lidded stare.

“……”

“……”

And so, I hurriedly climbed down the rope ladder to escape her gaze.