The World Is Mine For The Taking-Chapter 580 - 91 - New Motives (6)

Raymond's words carried an air of frustration, but beneath that, there was something else—a creeping sense of desperation. What he was trying to convey was simple: they were experiencing something akin to a mid-life crisis. Even now, in our second year, we hadn't managed to break past bronze rank, let alone reach silver. The realization was gnawing at them, weighing down their every decision. A future still uncertain, aspirations slipping further away with each passing day—it was only natural that they'd start to panic.

I supposed they still didn't have enough faith in Princess Myrcella's grand ambition. Her plan to restructure the academy—allowing all three classes to graduate with equal opportunities, even the chance to become Magic Knights—was revolutionary. Yet, as it stood, tradition dictated otherwise. For decades, only gold-class cadets had been allowed the prestigious title. But Myrcella wasn't one to bow to tradition.

She was bold, some might even say reckless. To challenge a system that had stood firm for centuries required more than just determination—it required an iron will. She intended to dismantle it all within the short span of her term, and if necessary, she would seek re-election to see it through. However, if she failed to make tangible progress during her first term, she risked losing the students' support altogether.

Even I wasn't sure if she could pull it off. To be honest, I had my doubts. But this was Princess Myrcella we were talking about—cunning, calculating, a woman who could make even the impossible seem plausible. If there was anyone capable of rewriting the academy's future, it was her.

But back to the matter at hand.

I wouldn't exactly call this a mid-life crisis, not in the literal sense. They weren't middle-aged, after all. But their situation mirrored that of university students who had chosen a major only to regret it in their later years.

They were beginning to grasp the harsh reality—that they needed a safety net, a backup plan in case their dreams crumbled before they even had the chance to take flight.

A faint breeze rustled through the trees, carrying with it the scent of damp stone and lingering mana residue from the dungeon behind us. Raymond's expression looked tense, uncertain, as if he were wrestling with thoughts he couldn't quite put into words. Duncan, on the other hand, had remained silent, his eyes flickering toward the ground, deep in thought.

Then, Raymond spoke again, his voice low but sharp. "Now then, what about you, Leon?" His gaze narrowed. "What exactly are you doing here with her?"

There it was—that underlying suspicion.

I tilted my head slightly, studying him. I never would have imagined Raymond of all people being affected by a girl like her. Too bad the one who had ensnared his interest was a sly, playful manipulator who probably saw him as little more than a fleeting amusement.

I glanced at her. She was seated atop a weathered stone, her posture lazy yet poised, as if she owned the very air around her. Elbows resting on her knees, chin propped against her palm, her crimson eyes shimmered with something unreadable. Was it amusement? Calculation? I couldn't tell. She was far too skilled at masking her thoughts.

The way she watched us felt unsettling—like a cat lazily observing mice scurrying about, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

I merely shrugged. "She came with me because she's just as worried about you two as I am."

Raymond blinked, his glasses catching the faint glimmer of light. "R-Really?" His voice was unsteady, as though he wanted to believe it but couldn't quite bring himself to.

I nodded.

"She doesn't really have to… I mean, Duncan and I were planning to return today anyway." His voice wavered, uncertain.

I arched an eyebrow. "Oh? I thought you planned to stay longer."

Raymond exhaled, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "We realized we can't afford to be away from the academy for too long. Otherwise, we might end up getting expelled."

That was an exaggeration. The academy didn't enforce strict attendance policies, at least not to the extent of expelling students for absences. However, neglecting their training and studies would result in their rankings plummeting, and in a cutthroat system like ours, slipping even a single rank was as good as sealing your own fate. Prolonged absence would undoubtedly cause their rankings to plummet—something they clearly couldn't afford.

"I suppose that's good," I murmured, exhaling softly. "Honestly, I thought the two of you had gotten yourselves killed or something. I never expected you both to take up adventurer work."

Raymond let out a quiet chuckle. "Like I said, I've been reconsidering my future in case my intended path doesn't work out. Besides…" His gaze softened as he glanced at Estelle. "I want to give the woman I love the most precious things I can."

"I feel the same way," Duncan added with a firm nod. "I want to provide my girlfriend with as much as I can—be it wealth or happiness." His words, while simple, carried a rare sincerity. For a muscle-headed brute like him, this was likely the most eloquent way he could express himself. Poetic speeches weren't his strength, but the honesty in his voice made up for it.

As we spoke, a sudden shift in the air made my skin prickle. A dense, heavy sensation pressed against my chest, an unsettling pulse of mana emanating from deep within the dungeon.

I turned to them, my voice sharp. "Are you both certain that the monsters here are only Class B at best?"

Monster classifications determined their level of danger. The higher the class, the more devastating they became. A Class B monster posed a serious threat—enough to wipe out an entire village if left unchecked. However, a well-coordinated party of ten skilled adventurers could handle it with the right strategy.

But this…

What I was sensing from within the dungeon was far beyond that. The raw, suffocating aura spilling from the depths wasn't something that a mere Class B monster should be capable of producing. It gnawed at my instincts, sending an eerie unease creeping down my spine.

"Well, there are Class A monsters here too," Raymond admitted after a moment. "But since we've been working as a party, they've been manageable. Even Duncan managed to take one down."

Then what the hell was this?

The oppressive energy lingering in the dungeon's core was wrong—unnatural. It felt malicious, coiling in the air like a predator waiting in the shadows. There was no way a mere Class A creature could exude such a presence.

As I stood there, deep in thought, Estelle suddenly spoke up.

"Seniors! I want to explore deeper into the dungeon! May I?!"

Her voice was lighthearted, but her eyes flickered with an understanding that didn't match her playful tone. She had sensed it too. She was making an excuse—giving us a reason to go deeper.

"I-It's dangerous..." Duncan stammered, raising his hands as if trying to physically push away the idea. His usual bravado was nowhere to be found.

"Come on, just a little peek won't hurt, will it?" Estelle pressed, her smile unwavering.

Raymond and Duncan exchanged uncertain glances before exhaling in defeat.

"Alright," Raymond conceded. "But only within the boundaries we've already explored."

"Yay~!" Estelle chimed cheerfully.

I shot her a grateful look. I needed to see for myself what was lurking down there. The sheer magnitude of the mana presence made my gut churn. Something was terribly off, and there was no way I could ignore it.

We reentered the dungeon, the stale, earthen scent thick in the air. The torches flickered as we walked, their flames casting twisting shadows along the damp stone walls. Raymond and Duncan were dressed in proper adventurer gear this time, their hands gripping their weapons with practiced ease.

Torches crackled in their grasp, embers drifting lazily through the dim passageways. While magic could provide illumination, it drained mana over time. Torches, on the other hand, required no such cost—making them a pragmatic choice in the depths of an unknown dungeon.

"There are so many gems here," Estelle murmured, her voice tinged with wonder.

The cavern walls shimmered with embedded crystals—blue and green gemstones protruding from the rock, their faint glow pulsing like living veins within the stone. Light refracted off their smooth surfaces, casting ghostly glimmers across the tunnel. Even at a glance, it was clear that many had already been harvested, yet an abundance still remained.

Blue and green gems weren't the most valuable; red gems held far greater worth. However, the sheer abundance here was staggering. Even though these particular stones weren't the rarest, the total value of this deposit easily amounted to at least a hundred thousand gold coins—a small fortune by any standard.

"I suppose I understand now why you both came here," I murmured, my gaze sweeping across the cavern.

The sheer number of blue and green gems embedded in the walls was staggering. They gleamed under the dim torchlight, catching the flickering flames and scattering their glow in fragmented reflections. It was no exaggeration to say that the wealth contained within these walls alone was beyond imagination.

"Well, yeah," Raymond admitted, glancing at the shimmering minerals. "But there's still something deeper inside. The further down we go, the rarer the stones get." He paused, shaking his head. "Honestly, though, I don't think it's worth the risk. Mining these alone is more than enough."

So there was still more hidden in the depths? Something even greater than this vast fortune before us?

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of gems are we talking about?"

Raymond exhaled, his expression serious. "Not ordinary gems." His lips curled slightly as he uttered the word.

"Diamonds."

A heavy silence followed, as if the mere mention of them had shifted the weight of the air.

Diamonds. Of course. It made perfect sense.

A single diamond was worth a thousand gold coins. Just finding one could change someone's life forever, elevating them from an ordinary adventurer to a person of wealth. But discovering a vein of diamonds? That was an entirely different level of fortune—enough to make anyone impossibly rich for the rest of their days, with enough left over to last generations.

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And yet… if such riches lay in the deepest part of this dungeon, what kind of horrors lurked down there, guarding them?