Dragonslayer’s Class Regression 286

Chapter 286

“Please! Just help me once! If it’s the mages of Nirvana, this should be a simple problem!”

The Druid pushed away the golems blocking him while shouting.

But his voice only echoed emptily through the lobby.

The mages of Nirvana completely ignored anything they weren’t interested in.

The Druid collapsed to his knees in the spot and struck the lobby with his fist.

BOOM!

The entire lobby shook.

He cried out.

“How can you be so heartless?! Just one bit of help would be enough!”

Ignoring his anger, the golems tried to drag the man away, but he stuck firmly to the floor and didn’t move at all.

Zeke, who was watching from behind, tried to approach the man.

Suddenly, someone touched Zeke’s shoulder.

Turning around, he saw Zeros.

“Zeros?”

Zeros put his finger to his lips and gestured for Zeke to come outside.

Once outside, Zeros made a troubled expression and said.

“Whew. That was almost a big problem.”

“What’s going on? Why is that man acting like that?”

Zeros gestured for Zeke to lower his voice and spoke.

“Actually, that person… is a malicious customer on Nirvana’s blacklist.”

“Pardon? A malicious customer?”

“Yes. At first, he made a simple request to find a dungeon’s entrance, but after finding the entrance, he kept demanding ‘just do this one more thing’, ‘do this for me too’. Even when we told him to make a formal request, he kept causing a scene.”

Zeke was momentarily bewildered by Zeros’ explanation, which was completely different from the Druid’s image he had imagined.

‘Wasn’t he supposed to be a mysterious forest tribe?’

Zeros shook his head and continued.

“We tried to accommodate him a few times out of kindness, but his additional demands were endless, so now no one will deal with him.”

“He sounds like a troublesome person. What dungeon is he looking for?”

“It’s a bit absurd, but he claims there’s a dungeon not in a mountain, but on the outskirts of Aten city.”

Zeke was slightly surprised by those words.

‘If it’s a dungeon on the outskirts of Aten… Could he be talking about the Great Mage’s dungeon?’

Zeke knew of a hidden dungeon discovered on the outskirts of Aten in his previous life.

It was supposed to take more time to be excavated, so he was curious why the Druid was looking for a similar dungeon.

‘In my previous life, it was found by an ordinary adventurer group by chance. Did the Druid ultimately fail to excavate?’

At the time, there was a huge commotion when the hidden dungeon of the 9th Circle Great Mage was discovered near Aten, and one of Zeke’s purposes in coming to Aten was to pre-emptively secure that dungeon.

Zeke pretended to ponder and then spoke.

“A dungeon in Aten city sounds interesting.”

Zeros was shocked by Zeke’s reaction.

“Sir Zeke, that troublemaker… No, getting involved with him will only waste your time and cause you trouble.”

“I’ll just hear him out. If he becomes too annoying, I’ll show him a hot pepper taste.”

Zeros suddenly remembered he was standing before the continent’s youngest Red Knight promotee.

‘Well, he won’t be able to harm Sir Zeke Draker anyway.’

After listening to Zeke, Zeros hesitated before speaking.

“Then I’ll come along too. I’d feel bad leaving the responsibility entirely to Sir Zeke, a guest of our family.”

Zeke thought for a moment about Zeros’ sudden joining and then nodded.

“If Zeros helps, it will be a great assistance.”

For Zeke, getting closer to Zeros, a genius mage of Nirvana, could provide many benefits.

His Black Sword Knights definitely lacked magical personnel.

‘If I could just recruit Zeros, it would be like attaching wings to my back.’

Zeke approached the Druid, who was still making a scene in the lobby.

Zeke spoke to the Druid.

“I heard you’re looking for a way to conquer a dungeon.”

The Druid raised his head, thinking someone had come to help him.

Seeing Zeke dressed as a knight, he looked disappointed.

He frowned and waved his hand.

“I don’t need a knight. What I need is a mage.”

The Druid was someone who discriminated against those coming to ask for help.

Zeke transmitted his thoughts to the Druid through telepathy while clicking his tongue internally.

―Are you the Druid who received help from the Ishtar family at the border?

The Druid flinched at the sudden telepathy ringing in his head.

He quickly turned his head sideways and looked at Zeke.

The Druid finally stood up.

His body was almost as massive as a barbarian.

Looking down at Zeke, he said,

“Who are you?”

“My name is Zeke Draker. I’m known as a knight of the sea.”

The Druid was surprised and stepped back after hearing Zeke’s name.

“D-Draker. No, wait, the real knight of the sea?”

Zeros, standing behind him, spoke in a sharp voice.

“Yes, this is indeed Sir Zeke Draker, the Knight of the Sea. You’d do well to show some respect.”

The Druid flinched again under Zeros’ sharp gaze and stepped back another step.

Suddenly, he dropped to his knees and said to Zeke.

“Oh, sir knight. Please help me just once.”

The Druid changed his attitude instantly depending on the situation.

Zeke doubted whether this barbarian-like Druid was a real Druid.

‘From his behavior, he looks like a back-alley hoodlum.’

He told the Druid,

“It’s better we continue this conversation outside.”

Zeke took the Druid and Zeros to a tavern in Aten city.

As soon as the Druid sat down, he ordered beer and immediately drank from the largest mug.

“AHHH. So refreshing.”

Zeke, wiping the foam from the Druid’s mouth, asked,

“What kind of dungeon are you trying to conquer that you’d shamelessly make a scene in front of the Nirvana family?”

The Druid, ordering another beer, laughed and said,

“It’s a dungeon of a 9th Circle mage.”

Zeros, who was drinking wine, spat it out.

Coughing, he told Zeke,

“Sir Zeke, there’s no need to hear more. I thought he was just a troublemaker, but he’s a complete fraud.”

Zeke calmed Zeros and gestured for the Druid to continue.

The Druid took another big gulp of his newly arrived beer and began speaking.

The Druid explained,

“It’s not a lie. A 9th Circle mage visited our village, and my great-great-great grandfather heard that he discovered an ancient ruin and was conducting research there.”

Zeros looked utterly bewildered.

“You’ve been causing this much trouble based on a story you heard from generations ago? Unbelievable.”

However, Zeke was listening to the Druid quite seriously.

‘A 9th Circle mage would indeed have reason to seek out the Druids of the north.’

Zeke asked the Druid, “Why did this 9th Circle mage visit your village?”

The Druid scratched his head.

“I’m not sure. Perhaps he wanted to ask something of our elder. Such visits happen occasionally.”

Druids were known as wise sages of the forest, supposedly maintaining mystical domains involving forest spirits, magical beasts, and elemental beings. They were thought to have disappeared, making their occasional searches intriguing.

Though the massive Druid before Zeke showed no hint of such mystical power, the legends persisted.

Zeke probed.

“What are you trying to find in this dungeon?”.

The Druid firmly closed his mouth and shook his head. “I cannot say.”

Zeros, exasperated, tapped his chest.

“Sir Zeke, let’s just go. There’s nothing more to hear.”

Zeke then asked the Druid,

“What will you give me if I help you explore this dungeon?”

The Druid flinched under Zeke’s direct gaze, trying to avoid his piercing eyes that seemed to see right through him.

After a moment, he said shakily,

“I-I need just one item inside. You can have everything else.”

Zeke nodded. “Alright, I’ll help you explore the dungeon.”

The Druid looked at Zeke and said,

“But can a knight explore the dungeon? Perhaps the mage beside you might be able to…”

Zeros was the one who became indignant.

“What? How dare you underestimate Sir Zeke Draker, the Knight of the Sea! Don’t you know he conquered the infamous Mansion of Ghosts?”

When Zeros shouted, the Druid flinched. Zeke calmed Zeros and told the Druid,

“I’ll handle the exploration. Just tell me the location, and I’ll go there tomorrow.”

The Druid nervously pulled out a map from his pocket and handed it to Zeke.

“T-the location is here.”

“Good. What’s your name?”

“Y-you can call me Michel.”

Thinking the name Michel didn’t suit his bear-like body at all, Zeke nodded.

“Alright, Michel. Let’s meet at this location tomorrow at 7 AM.”

The Druid quickly left the tavern, shaking his massive body.

Zeros told Zeke,

“Sir Zeke, that man is definitely a fraud.”

“I’m not sure if he’s a fraud, but he’s certainly shameless.”

“Pardon?”

“He left without paying for his beer.”

Zeros frowned and shook his head.

The next day, Zeke and Zeros arrived early at the location Michel had mentioned and waited for him.

But even after 7 AM, Michel didn’t show up.

Zeros ground his teeth.

“That fraudster must have run away to avoid being caught by Sir Zeke.”

Zeke climbed a rock and surveyed the area. The location was not far from Aten city, just a hillside with a few passersby, but no sign of a dungeon.

As Zeke descended from the rock, Michel appeared, carrying a massive load.

Wiping sweat, he waved.

“S-sorry I’m late.”

Zeros was shocked by the size of Michel’s backpack.

“What is all this?”

Michel put down the backpack.

“Phew. Food for down below.”

“F-food? This is everything?”

The amount was enough to feed someone for over ten days, causing Zeros’ bewilderment.

Zeke silently opened and emptied the backpack.

No exploration equipment, just food – and mostly snacks.

“Chocolate, pie, and even honey wine?”

Michel scratched his cheek.

“I get cravings for sweet things when I exert myself.”

Zeke created a flame and burned everything Michel brought.

WHOOSH!

“Ah! No!”

Michel tried to salvage his burning snacks.

Zeke grabbed his neck.

“I’ve packed dried rations. Just guide us to the dungeon entrance.”

Michel walked dejectedly to an old well behind the hill.

He moved the wooden board blocking the well’s entrance.

“PHEW!”

He wiped his forehead and ate a candy from his pocket.

“Working up a sweat makes me crave something sweet.”

Zeke ignored Michel’s muttering and entered the well.

WHOOSH!

The well led deep underground.

Landing, Zeke surveyed the area with his dragon’s eye.

An old structure built of solid bricks.

‘A sewage system? No, more like an underground bomb shelter.’

Zeke moved deeper inside.

Soon, a massive door appeared.

Zeke was startled by the pattern carved on the door.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter! If you would like to support me or read advanced chapters, you can do so by unlocking chapters.