***
Fabian rushed to the drawing room.
Fabian remembered the dungeon that the little wind wizard had mentioned.
It was an unusual dungeon because it was a dungeon with a predominantly fire attribute.
In most cases, the attributes of a dungeon are not known until you enter it, but if a particular attribute is too strong, magic power will leak from around the gate.
The attribute of this dungeon, which he learned that way, was exactly wood.
‘In the first round, they chose a unit of the Black Knights and one of the expeditions with the fire wizards.’
Of course, the Black Knights alone could have closed the dungeon, but on the grounds that it was not fair, the other expeditions were given a chance.
Flame wizards that were level 50. That was the minimum requirement.
In the first round, he tried to break the dungeon himself. However, being a flame wizard, his level was too low to join the attack.
How frustrating it was to hear that a rare artifact had been found in a dungeon he missed!
But this time was different. Fabian had raised his level enough to be ready for this time.
But it was all for nothing if he couldn’t make it to the position where the expeditions were gathered.
He would petition the emperor to join the dungeon because it was a right only an expedition leader could have.
Fabian quickened his pace.
‘How dare you lure me out at a time like this… Don’t tell me that you went out of your way to lure me to a distant place so that I wouldn’t be able to participate in this expedition?’
But then that wind wizard interrupted them and ruined their conversation.
It was a little suspicious, considering Jun’s nonchalant attitude, but he couldn’t think of any other reason.
Fabian managed to reach the reception room. Deca, who had been standing on the ground while waiting for Fabian, hurriedly caught Fabian’s arm.
“So are you, and so is April. The Imperial Palace is buzzing, where did you all go and finally come back?”
As soon as Deca’s words fell, April arrived, a step behind Fabian. April’s face was darker than ever.
“Sorry. I was a little sick.”
“The healer is sick. Phew… Are you okay? You haven’t looked happy since yesterday.”
Deca asked in a sullen voice. April gave a small shake of her head.
“I just didn’t feel well. I’m okay now.”
“Be careful. Anyway, let’s come back early and take our seats. If you’re in the middle or lower zone, you’ll miss out on a good seat if you don’t go ahead and get one. We have to sit as far forward as possible and get in the eyes of the Emperor.”
Deca hurried him on. An unnatural smile appeared on Fabian’s mouth as Deca’s hand pushed him back.
The emperor was old enough to be dead anyway, and there was no value in listening to him.
Of course, there was nothing wrong with looking good to the emperor. Because the emperor had his own stronghold.
Until now, the Black Knights had been responsible for capturing the dungeons that arose from the emperor’s base, but every once in a while, other expeditions were given the opportunity, like this dungeon.
Perhaps Deca was hoping that the emperor would take a good look at them and they would be able to take a step into that dungeon.
But even that kind of desperation felt dirty to Fabian.
As if he had to scrape every last penny out of his pocket to pay for something.
Fabian let out a small cough as he felt his throat tighten.
As if to mock him, Jun was slowly passing by, just following Meyer.
As soon as the Black Knights appeared, people split and made a way for them.
They were struggling left and right to get their own seats…
They all looked at the Black Knights with envy.
Fabian glared at Meyer’s back as he walked by Jun’s side with a blazing look in his eyes.
That position used to be my position, the one I held, the one I won, the one that was mine…
After struggling so hard to get up there, I had to crawl back up from the bottom.
At the time of the second round, he had thought he would be able to get up to his position quickly, but with Jun’s arrival, everything got complicated.
While Fabian was gnashing his teeth, people were seated at large tables. Fabian was able to find a suitable seat in time.
Shortly thereafter, the emperor appeared. Supported by his attendants, he sat on the most gorgeous throne at the round table and asked.
“Okay. What’s going on?”
The messenger who had been asked of the news opened his mouth nervously when all the eyes of the expeditions were focused on him.
“A dungeon has suddenly appeared in the Minor Forest near the Imperial Palace. It is presumed that it is at least a dungeon beyond the walls.”
“Beyond the walls?”
Everyone was buzzing. Everyone gasped at the arrival of a high-level dungeon.
No matter how many expedition members had been in dungeons, they were still afraid of dungeons. In fact, they were more afraid of them because they knew them so well.
Of course, with the Black Knights, it wouldn’t be a big deal…
“Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be over level 60.”
Only then were breathing sounds heard here and there.
“What is this doing every year during the performance briefing session?”
“Come to think of it, it was like this last year.”
“They must have picked the wrong day for the performance debriefing.”
The middle and low-level expedition members were still nervous, but those who had conquered high-level dungeons joked about it.
One of the people who had been exchanging words like that came out with dignity.
“This dungeon will be solved by my Wind Direction Expedition, Your Majesty.”
“The messenger’s report is not over yet, so I’ll decide after I finish it.”
The emperor raised his hand to interrupt the leader of the Wind Direction Expedition. At that moment, the round table finally fell silent for a while. The messenger who had breathed in for a while opened his mouth again.
“This dungeon is an attribute dungeon. According to the expedition members who checked the gate, there is a high probability that it is wood. You can enter up to two units.”
It flowed the same way as the first round. Fabian’s lips drew a small arc line.
“It’s a wood attribute dungeon with up to two units allowed to enter…”
The emperor murmured, stroking his white beard.
“There was a fire mage in the Black Knights.”
As soon as the emperor’s words fell, Meyer said as he rose from his seat.
“I am Meyer Knox. If Your Majesty commands it, I will use my Red Wolf troops to close that dungeon right now.”
“Yes, I’d feel a lot safer if your flame mage went.”
The emperor nodded encouragingly.
Fabian clucked his tongue in frustration at Meyer’s every move.
“Then I’ll leave one unit to the Black Knights, and the other unit… Wind Direction Expeditionary Force. Do you have any flame wizards among you?”
“… I’m sorry, but we don’t have a flame wizard in our expedition team, Your Majesty.”
The leader of the Wind Direction expedition lamented in a frustrated voice. The emperor looked around and asked.
“Does anyone have a flame wizard over level 50?”
With his anger towards Meyer, he couldn’t let this opportunity pass him by.
Fabian came to his senses and shouted as he quickly rose from his seat.
“I am Fabian Ignis of the Fabian Expeditionary Force, a flame mage over level 50.”
“F-Fabian.”
The Fabian expedition members, who had not yet gained enough experience in high-level dungeons, rolled their eyes anxiously.
Lack of high spirits.
But no matter how much they didn’t like it, he had to do it with them. He had relied on them so much before, and now he felt as if they were dragging him down for some reason.
Instead of reassuring the expedition members, Fabian looked only at the emperor in the distance of the round table with a firm gaze.
At that moment, his eyes met for a moment with Jun, who was standing behind the Black Knight Meyer, who sat next to the Emperor. Her face hardened. She didn’t seem to think that he had raised his level this high.
The euphoria of a small victory stung Fabian.
“Good. Then I’ll give you and your expedition a chance. You’ll close the dungeon with the Black Knights!”
The order of the emperor had come. Fabian then smiled brightly and bowed his head.
“I will obey Your Majesty’s orders!”
Fabian’s eyes lit up at the bottom of his bow.
She said she’d see him later, so they would have to face each other again.
Jun’s time of regret was not far off.
Fabian let his unrequited affection for Jun burn through his hands.
He didn’t even know that fire had spread through him, and he didn’t know that it was his mistake, to the extent of that.
CHAPTER 13. The Beginning of Ruin
Ah, I thought I was going to die from managing my facial expressions.
I slipped out of the reception room and caught my breath.
This was all Meyer’s fault. He was always telling me I can’t manage my facial expressions, and it’s been bothering me.
Fabian was fully expected to play in this dungeon.
He missed that dungeon by five levels in the first round, which was a shame to him. He was even more disappointed when he found out that the dungeon produced the Pumpkin of Fulgor.
Fulgor’s Pumpkin was a gem-shaped artifact made of hardened pine resin from a wood monster. The item was dropped by a wood monster, but it had a very rare lightning attribute.
Fulgor’s Pumpkin was an artifact that allowed anyone with magic to use the magic.
If you infuse the pumpkin with magic power, you can use the lightning inheritance magic ‘Scorpion Lightning.’
Only those with magical power could use it, but it was an item worth a thousand bucks because it could be utilized with dual attributes.
In particular, Fabian could not let go of his regret for the artifact because it was a good combination with Jeanne, the ice wizard Fabian had with him.
In the first round, of course, the Black Knights took the artifact.
‘Of course, just because it’s the second round doesn’t mean that will change. It belongs to the Black Knights again this round.’
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