Side: Grangron

"Ough!" - Grangron

"Welcome back." - Shen

"Are you...alright?" - Sei

"Bwa-haha! These are mere scratches! But I cannot fathom why they suddenly decided to interrogate us." - Grangron

"It is not that difficult to understand. They have finally caught on that Noire is still in the Gorge. The bigger question is: why did they not ask more about her?" - Shen

"Yeah, that! They asked even me about Lady Noire, but after that, they kept on blabbering about some rude dolls or whatever." - Grangron

"...Did Noire summon...the dolls?" - Sei

"It is not unlikely, but..." - Shen

"Hah! Imbeciles, all of you! You cannot comprehend the depth of your allies' abilities!" - ???

"That bastard..." - Shen

"Then excuse us for asking, our friendly neighbor, but can you explain what you mean?" - Grangron

"...Is this guy always like this?" - ???

"Yes." - Shen/Sei

"Uh... *Cough*, that girlie didn't have any puppet-related abilities before your group entered the Gorge. That much I can guess by how you three haven't seen her use it yet." - ???

"Couldn't Noire just have kept it a secret?" - Shen

"Imbeciles! If those dolls are such a threat to the enemy's operation, then it would be either that girlie's main ability or something she has cultivated for such a long time that she would not have been stingy with its usage!" - ???

"Oh! I get it now! I also don't slack off with either martial arts or my axe!" - Grangron

"See~?" - ???

"...Are you sure you are not overestimating the enemy's forces?" - Shen

"No way I am! Not after those backstabbing 'royal knights' stole my technology and did that to my poor henchmen!" - ???

"Then that means there is a new player in the Gorge!" - Grangron

"......" - Shen

"This would make things...more complicated again..." - Sei

"Whatever the case, I want out of here! I'd even settle for that stupid Darkness Champion girl's help at this point!!" - ???

---

4 days before the release of the Invidia Overlord.

Noire's PoV:

"WHERE IS THE EXIT!?" - Blaze

"Shout louder. Maybe it will come to us then." - Noire

"I know I'm not the sharpest claw on the dragon's paw, but even I am not THAT stupid!" - Blaze

The princess complained about my idea. How rude.

"Look. There it comes." - Noire

"It did!? ...Oh, I see. Ha-ha...ha? Hey, is that the key on that cow's belt!?" - Blaze

"Right you are," I replied as I knocked a golden arrow toward the cow-humanoid priestess' head.

A perfect headshot. I could have kissed this fabulous bow if I had the chance. I simply love it! Why are they calling this a "trial" again? For me, this is the jackpot to end all jackpots!

Yesterday, when we first entered these ancient-looking temple rooms decorated with golden items, I was furious when I saw that all my expensive items had been replaced with what could justly be called "rags". Even my disguise amulet is gone! This is going to be problematic when I return to Loitan...

However, while I do not know if it is to be an apology or for some other reason, it seems that we are allowed to keep the items that we are robbing..., confiscating from this golden temple.

As of now, I have found a nice dress woven from purple and black silk. It is fashioned similarly to the outfits from a region in southern Luxuria. I think they are called "ao dais". I especially love the bird design on it, and how the golden ornaments we also find here and there contrast in such a great way with the cloth. I also rewarded myself with a new bow with high specs, one that is made from a white tree that still retains a set of purple leaves on it as decorations.

Blaze is dressed in a similar outfit, but it is red and golden, and it seems more combat-designed. As she is fighting with her bare hands, she did not need any new equipment, but she did take a pair of golden handguards. Nothing too heavy, as she said "the weight throws my punches off course". I think. Listening to her babbling about martial arts can be such a bore.

To summarize, we have obtained so many "riches" that the loss of the amulet does not sadden me anymore. My, do I not know of a certain Sprite who would be happy if she could participate? Sorry for her, but I doubt a child of the slum could ever be considered to be "of noble birth". 

...It is quite strange. Why are our births playing a role in challenging the Trial? Maybe it is based on someone who was in similar circumstances? 

"These priestesses, they look like they're...filled with vitality, but they are easy to KO." - Blaze

The dragon princess poked the corpse of one of the priestesses with a golden spear while the bovine humanoid turned to golden dust, just as the other ones we encountered before did. 

"I say. Is this Trial designed to insult us?" - Noire

The bovine priestesses look like human females with golden horns and tails, bovine in nature, of course. And "tails" as in plural. At least three, at most six, from what we have encountered.

Their outfits seem more at home in a royal harem..., and it does not help that their bodies are unnaturally...top-heavy. Even for bovine creatures. Could it be that the skimpiness is because it was impossible to fashion suitable clothes rather than the desire to show more skin?

"I was trying not to think about it! Why did you have to go and ruin it!?" - Blaze

"...Well, excuse me. At least I did not attract more cows with my screaming." - Noire

"Huh? ...OH, SHIT!" - Blaze

Is that the way to demonstrate your noble birth? Anyway, time for another battle.

I fired my arrows after the priestesses, but they were able to evade my shots, block them, or simply endured the damage. These must be the "high-quality" servants. Tch, annoying. 

"My turn!" - Blaze

Seeing that my arrows didn't work, Loitan's princess went ahead with her fists ablaze. A priestess wielding a giant round shield tried to stop her, but Blaze climbed up the shield, jumped overhead the priestess, and while doing a handstand, delivered a flurry of kicks and tail slaps at the cowgirl's unguarded back. 

After finishing her breakdance routine, Blaze stood up and went after a pair of priestesses armed with spears. Meanwhile, a set of priestesses guarded by a set of shields aimed their bows at the dragonic idiot's back. They are too well-protected for arrows to strike them, so I instead chanted the spell for "Holy Pillar". The rings on my hands, magic catalysts I had picked up during our journey, shined as they shortened my chant to barely a fraction of its original length. 

"Sacred forces, assemble and make a tower! Holy Pillar!" - Noire

A pillar of sacred magic emerged from underneath the priestesses' feet. I got them good... Nope. They are just perky. The spell did knock them off their feet a little, saving Blaze from getting a round of arrows in her back.

And as expected, these cows have a much higher RES compared to VIT. Gold is supposed to be a metal related to curses, so since the cows are the "examiners" for this Trial, they must have been created to tolerate Gold-based attacks. It did not save them from physical Gold attacks such as my arrows. Speaking of which...

With the cows' formation shattered, I fired several arrows at them before they could regroup. While not many of them inflicted critical damage, mostly because I fired them so willy-nilly, most of them hit home, reducing the bow unit to half their numbers.

And right when I was aiming for the last strugglers, shivers went down my spine. [Trouble Revelation] gave me a warning, and from the shadows, a knife-wielding priestess emerged, her blade aimed at me. There are some with stealth abilities? While having those envious-!? ..., I mean, those overly exaggerated bodies.

I threw the arrow I had in my hand at the priestess, but it did no amount of damage as she simply slapped it away...with her chest. This infuriating... Keep it cool, Noire. Take your next arrow, aim, and shoot the living hell out of those monstrosities! ...And the priestess they belong to!

Alas, [Trouble Revelation] gave me more warnings, so I could not perform justice for the sake of the world (read: my pride), so I settled with knocking the arrow into the assassin priestess' throat. I turned my attention to the direction my skill warned me about and saw that the bow unit has changed its target to me. 

Hmph. As if I would lose to a bunch of cow people in archery! Your abominations are simply in your way when you try to aim anyway! ...Alright. I will be honest here. Share some of them with me!!

With tears forming in the corner of my eyes, I released my arrows of fury at the remaining excuses who are trying to act as archers. They turned to golden dust before they could knock an arrow toward me. Hmph! Good riddance! ...Why does it feel like I have won the war, but lost one of its fights badly? For once in my life, I detest my talent with the bow... 

"Guh!?" - Blaze

My "partner" seems to not have been as successful as me. She was thrown into the wall...those things can be used as blunt weapons? 

Even I have to feel pity for the foolish princess after witnessing that, so I finished off the last two priestesses before I cast a healing spell on Blaze. 

"How are you feeling?" - Noire

"...Hurting, embarrassed, and a little aroused. Did you use a weak spell just to be mean?" - Blaze

"No, but I will cast it again. That last part is undoubtedly not good for your health." - Noire

After having performed the second healing spell on Blaze, I turned around to see the spoils of our victory spread over the floor, covered in the golden dust of the fallen and disintegrated priestesses.

"This is troublesome." - Noire

"Why? We have the key from before the second batch arrived, so let's keep moving!" - Blaze

True. Each room in the shrine has corridors that lead to another room, each of them requiring a key obtained from that area. This time we won it by defeating the priestesses, sometimes we had to search for it, and another time, it was locked behind a chest with a puzzle-based lock. Just what has "nobility" to do with any of this? But I digress.

"I was thinking about all the gold." - Noire

"Oh, that's true. They dropped lots of loot this time." - Blaze

Indeed. I surely want to take the arrows with me, but all the other items can also be quite useful. In addition...

"Do you also think that the more items we bring with us, the better chance we have to clear this Trial with a high score?" - Noire

"They did only say that the score is based on the value and rarity of the items..." - Blaze

"Yes, but nothing was written about having low-quality items would reduce the score, nor are there any limitations for how many items we can bring." - Noire

"So you are saying we should pile up all the items we can get to make a mountain of valuables?" - Blaze

"In simple terms, yes. The problem is how to transport it..." - Noire

Carrying it by hand is impossible. Not when there is so much of it. And we are already at our limits with our gear and the food and water we sometimes find in the rooms that are designed after pantries or kitchens.

"That's no biggie! Leave it to me!" - Blaze

...No, just no. I cannot expect this airhead to think of anything good. There is no way she has found the solution to the problem I am struggling with...right?

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