In a situation where some monster from another dimension was eyeing Lee Han hungrily, Basil acting like that was not much comfort.

The misunderstood baby basilisk spun its tail like a windmill and protested.

“I didn’t think that!”

I haven’t even said what I was thinking yet.

“Those bad monsters seem to have sensed Master’s mana.”

As a monster itself, Basil accurately guessed the desires of opponents it had never even seen.

Unlike Basil, who was always wrapped around Lee Han’s arm and eating an abundance of mana, other monsters were often tormented by constant hunger.

The amount of mana they could absorb as food was always insufficient compared to what their powerful bodies demanded.

That was also why powerful monsters often had ferocious temperaments.

“If it is such a powerful monster, it would need an enormous amount of mana.”

“Indeed.”

Basil was deeply indignant about the monster coveting its master’s flesh and blood.

“No matter how hungry you are, you should eat mana politely like me!”

“Mm-hmm.”

Instead of saying anything to the still-young baby basilisk, Lee Han quickly changed the subject.

“There is no such thing!”

“No such thing? Then why have they been targeting you people since earlier?”

“We must have seemed more threatening.”

Hmm.

Kitarenannum flinched.

Earlier, that would not have been believable, but Kitarenannum had just witnessed the mage from House Pengerine block the spell with counter-magic.

Considering the size of the expedition, it was not impossible that the monster had judged them to be the greater threat.

For a monster that crossed dimensions, its strategy is too passive. No matter how strong it is, it should not be threatening enough to that mage. Is it really at the level where it would ignore one side and attack the other?

The magical criminal, who had been pondering this, shook his head.

Now was not the time to worry about that.

“Fine. How do you plan to cooperate? Are you thinking of joining up and moving together?”

“Ha. As if either side could trust the other enough for that.”

Alshicle scoffed. Neither the expedition nor the other side could possibly be thinking of doing that.

The moment they joined up, they would end up aiming at each other’s backs instead of the monster.

“Let’s divide the areas and escape. If we join up, we will only end up fighting each other anyway. Since you infiltrated this place, you must know the layout too.”

Lee Han’s proposal was reasonable.

The group was currently located roughly on the fourth underground floor.

The path up through the remaining three floors was broadly divided into two routes.

There was the relatively simple and straight western passage, and the complex, twisted eastern passage.

If both groups tried to escape through the western passage, infighting could break out, or the monsters alone could swarm them. So they would split the routes here and escape separately.

What? Is he an idiot?

Kitarenannum was puzzled.

Right now, the monsters were actively pursuing the expedition. Even if they divided the escape routes, there was a high chance the monsters would concentrate on one side.

Then the most the expedition would gain was avoiding a situation where they fought each other.

It was not merely soft. It was extraordinarily soft.

Well, then again. Even if we proposed anything more than that, they would refuse anyway. If all of us perish, they lose out too.

“Something is strange. Aren’t they plotting something? Mage. You always say that yourself.”

“...Einroguard graduates are cunning, but the situation is different now.”

Kitarenannum explained to the demon.

The cunning of Einroguard graduates was difficult even for magical criminals to keep up with, but Kitarenannum possessed a wickedness that Einroguard mages lacked.

Innate wickedness!

Whenever they met, Einroguard mages wounded Kitarenannum’s pride by saying, “Did you become twisted because Einroguard ignored you? I’ll apologize on their behalf!” but Kitarenannum took pride in that innate wickedness.

Kitarenannum had been born purely wicked, without any external tragedy, misfortune, or neglect.

Was that not the natural virtue and strength a mage ought to possess?

“They have large numbers, so they have many lives to protect. Naturally, they cannot attempt risky negotiations. That is their weakness.”

“Indeed... I understand. I’ll trust your judgment.”

A fallen great demon whining so damn much.

The magical criminal cursed the contracted demon inwardly.

“Good! But we have no intention of yielding the passage. We’ll take the west.”

Basirmac nodded approvingly from the side.

“No. We have no intention of yielding either. We will take the west.”

At Lee Han’s words, Alshicle looked at him worriedly.

“What if they refuse?”

“Don’t worry. If they are criminals, we need to come on this strongly, or they will get suspicious.”

This guy. Why does he know so much about magical criminals...

Alshicle looked at Lee Han with worried eyes.

Alshicle was not worried about the negotiation breaking down, but about the fact that Lee Han, despite being only a second-year, already understood the ecology of magical criminals.

...Could they really just trust Lord Gonadaltes?

Hmm. Lord Gonadaltes is a great mage, but all of his disciples have always been a bit...

“You know it too. The monsters are targeting us first. Give up on the idea that only your side will benefit.”

“...You’re not a complete fool. Fine. We’ll take the eastern route.”

“What? Why? Are you crazy?”

Basirmac was furious.

Why should they yield like that to the Empire’s watchdogs?

“Calm down. You don’t want us all to perish together right now.”

“Threaten them! I’m telling you to intimidate them!”

Kitarenannum stopped listening. There was no more time to waste.

“We’re going to the fork first. Follow behind us. Keep your distance.”

“Understood.”

The expedition moved first, toward the fork in the passage where the road split west and east.

Basirmac complained, but did not neglect his role.

“More of them are swarming up from below. Damn annoying bugs. How many are left after we killed so many?”

“They must have increased their numbers in the meantime. Don’t worry about it. We only need to turn east at the fork before they arrive.”

Kitarenannum stopped worrying about the spider monsters replenishing their forces and climbing up from underground.

Once the groups split at the passage, most of the monsters would target the other side anyway.

“Hey!”

“?”

The expedition, which had arrived first, suddenly called out. It seemed to be that Einroguard mage from before.

“What?”

“Basirmac! Magical criminal Kitarenannum offered ninety-nine giant hearts to contract with a great demon!”

“...”

“...”

“Well then, farewell!”

Kitarenannum felt a chill, as if ice had pierced the spine.

Beside Kitarenannum, the giant-blooded warrior Basirmac was glaring with cold eyes.

It was so different from Basirmac’s usual hot-tempered appearance that it was even more frightening.

“That’s nonsense! They’re trying to sow discord!”

“I knew you had contracted with a demon. The stench was reeking from you.”

“...!”

“Then tell me this, now that we have the chance. What did you offer as a sacrifice?”

“Kahahaha!”

The sound of the demon laughing joyfully could be heard.

The contract with this demon had a clause stating that Kitarenannum could not reveal what had been offered as a sacrifice.

The moment it was revealed, the contract would be broken, and Kitarenannum would become the other party’s eternal slave.

“That cannot be revealed due to my contract with a demon.”

“I see.”

“Don’t be fooled by them! Those cunning Einroguard people are using tricks...”

Even while speaking, Kitarenannum could not understand it at all.

The method that had bound both their feet with a single sentence was one that could never have been used without knowing their relationship well.

How could an Einroguard mage who had never even seen their faces use such a method?

“I trust you, Kitarenannum.”

“Thank you!”

And at the same time, both of them launched attacks at each other.

As magic burst from Kitarenannum’s body and aura exploded from Basirmac’s greatsword, the surrounding passage collapsed in an instant.

Spider monsters were crawling up frantically from below, but the two paid them no attention and charged at each other, aiming only for each other’s lives.

***

“Excellent. You didn’t run wild.”

Lee Han felt very conflicted about receiving praise from a worshiper of evil gods.

“...You knew cleverly how to make them fight. Is it the power of prophecy magic?”

“That’s right. It is the power granted by the great prophet.”

“Still, I did not expect them to fight so immediately. Have the giant tribes been attacked before?”

“That’s right. The Order’s warriors attacked the giant tribes under Basirmac’s command and stole ninety-nine hearts.”

“...”

“...”

No wonder the fight had broken out immediately!

Lee Han and Alshicle looked at each other with disgusted expressions. As expected, worshipers of evil gods should never be approached.

“One floor left!”

“Please use acceleration magic!”

“Is it all right if there are some side effects?”

“I’ll accept anything!”

With the exploration team members’ consent, Lee Han immediately pulled out his staff.

Originally, the enhancement magic taught by the Black Book placed strain on the body, so Lee Han would not cast it carelessly unless it was for an Einroguard student. But with consent given in this situation, matters were different.

Anyway, there was only one floor left.

“■■■■■■!”

“They’re following us!”

“Break through! We’re almost out anyway!”

The exploration team members burned with fighting spirit.

The people gathered here had not avoided fighting because they were weak. They had simply not wanted to waste time on meaningless battles in the depths.

Bang!

At that moment, the sound of space being crushed erupted.

Not from below, but from above.

“????”

“Are you all all right?!”

A familiar giant skeleton came flying in with an unusually urgent voice.

Beside the skeleton was Archmage Erindarvel, whom Lee Han had seen before. She also seemed quite flustered, her pale face covered in cold sweat.

“Lord Gonadaltes! You came to help us!”

“Even Lady Erindarvel! Did you foresee the danger of this exploration in advance?”

“Uh... yes. That’s right.”

“Y-yes, that’s right.”

The two archmages quickly checked Lee Han first. After confirming that the mage was alive and unharmed, both let out sighs of relief.

The Skull Principal glared at the archmage beside him.

This archmage occasionally made such ridiculous mistakes that they made his nonexistent heart skip a beat.

Lee Han asked in confusion.

“How did you come here? Through prophecy magic?”

“I originally suspected this exploration would be dangerous.”

“????”

It was an even more incomprehensible statement.

The Skull Principal had definitely said about this exploration, “It’s probably just an event to share artifacts.”

Lee Han asked again.

“You originally said it was about taking artifacts from a hidden underground warehouse, didn’t you?”

“Monsters are swarming.”

The Skull Principal quickly changed the subject.

“These are on a different level from ordinary monsters.”

“That’s right. It is fortunate we noticed before they got out.”

The two archmages were planning to burn away the entire eroded space.

There was no telling what would happen if monsters like that escaped outside.

“If I annihilate the space, can you handle the aftermath?”

“Yes. I will stabilize the surrounding space.”

“Good. Let’s begin immediately.”

The Skull Principal was about to cast magic at once. There was nothing good about dragging out matters like this.

At that moment, a paper bird flew to the Skull Principal’s side. As the bird chirped something, the Skull Principal’s eyes shook greatly.

“Is there some problem? Did a monster escape, perhaps?”

“...Come here for a moment.”

“???”

When the Skull Principal called him over, Lee Han grew even more worried.

What kind of situation could make the Skull Principal call Lee Han with such a serious expression?

“Professor Voladi has just arrived at <Green Pyroxene Mage Tower>.”

“Yes? Ah. Yes. He said he knows the professor.”

“...You were not here today.”

“????”