The hilltop on which the castle stands is surrounded by mountains, and the difference in elevation between it and the other surrounding peaks gives it natural shelter. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

After a long climb through the dense forest at the foot of the mountain, Ciel and Alex finally stood in front of the castle.

"If you look closely, that's too big." Alex looked up at the top of the huge castle in front of her, and the illusion of the dark walls slowly leaning towards her made her feel a certain sense of vertigo: "How the hell is this thing built here?" ”

Because of its proximity to the hills, the height of the nearby mountain is not amazing, but it is also a mountain with a height of more than 40 meters, and it is hard to imagine that anyone could build a castle in such a place. The castle also looks a little old, and the buried walls and the part bordering the ground have been obscured by some plants. The materials used are not exquisite, but the rough walls contribute to its majestic atmosphere.

It was eight o'clock in the afternoon, and the castle was blurring its outline in the darkness in the misty moonlight. The shadows of the trees in the distance, the half moon in the sky, and the occasional chirping of birds and beasts in the mountains contributed to the transformation of the castle from majestic to oppressive to gloomy.

"Hey, Ciel. This doesn't look good. As if sensing the surrounding atmosphere, Alex, who was standing in front of the gate of the castle, looked a little withdrawn: "Anyway, we already have the address here, why don't we wait until dawn to investigate?" ”

Hearing her words, Ciel, who was carefully looking at the metal door in front of him, turned his head.

"Alex, feeling scared?"

"Only, not yet!" Alex's face turned red for some reason: "It's just that it's too late now, and I don't know if there is a light source inside, so I'm worried that if I rush in, I might fall into the trap or be attacked...... That's all there is to it! ”

"It's okay."

"It's not okay, right? I think it's better to be cautious here, right? ”

"Now, there's no way back." After Ciel's words, he thought for a moment and then added, "The prisoner may escape. ”

He was right, and Alex felt unable to refute it. But-

She looked at the metal door, which had been slightly painted off, the edges of which had been eroded by rust, showing traces of blood. Looking at this scene, the content of the horror novels I had read in the past when I was in the village kept churning in my mind......

"Sure enough, you're still scared?"

"Didn't you say that you weren't afraid at all!?" Alex was so annoyed that her face turned red: "I'm a superior professional, huh?" Guardians? You're afraid that it's impossible just thinking about it, right? ”

"Really? Looks like I'm underestimating Alex, I'm sorry. ”

"If you know, it's good." Alex pretended to clasp her hands and nodded: "Don't say such uncommon sense words in the future." Really, what I just said was so outrageous that it even made me want to sue you for defamation. ”

"Alex, super brave." Ciel blinked, then reconfirmed, "There's no fear at all, is there?" ”

"So, isn't that a matter of course?" Alex shifted her gaze slightly, "I'm bothered by the fact that you keep repeating this kind of unquestionable question. ”

For Alex's unquestionable bravery and fearlessness, Hill nodded slightly in approval-

"Alex, then, is ahead of the curve."

"Huh!?" Alex had an expression like hearing the doomsday proclamation: "Wait-why?" I need a valid reason! ”

"Because, Alex is harder."

"It's all said that you can't use that kind of language for me!"

Despite this loud complaint, Alex fell silent afterwards.

As a reason, this statement is not only justified, but its correctness is even beyond words. Whether in dungeons or wildernesses, it is customary for a defensive class or a warrior class to be at the front of the adventuring party, which is not only a convention among adventurers, but can even be said to be common sense.

Alex's class is a Guardian whose defense is at the top of all classes, and not only that, but her defense has been over-strengthened due to the deviation of the Awakening Ritual, and these factors have combined to block all of Alex's retreats.

Seeing that Alex seemed to have nothing to say, Hill began to take action. Ciel, who had been rounded to his back, pushed her body towards the gate of the castle, Alex looked a little scrambling.

"Wait! Wouldn't it be too hasty to make a decision just by relying on the characteristics of the class!? In addition to these, other criteria should be taken into account—"

"For example?"

Hearing her loud complaint, Hill temporarily stopped.

"For example...... Ordinary secular values or something? Alex pressed her forehead and meditated for a moment, before finally giving an answer. After saying this, her eyes lit up, and she looked excited: "That's right, secular ideas! According to the normal concept of men and women, is it too inconsiderate to let girls go ahead? ”

She said with a reproachful look at Ciel, trying to elicit sympathy.

Met Alex's gaze, Ciel blinked expressionlessly.

"For the average girl who gets scared, maybe that's the case. However, Alex has no feelings of fear at all, does she? ”

“.…..”

The girl who blocked all her retreats because of her pretentious gesture gritted her teeth with remorse, and this encounter can be said to be self-reaping.

Alex, who was once again pushed towards the door, saw the metal door grow larger and larger, and the rusty spots on the door mixed with the plot of the horror story in her brain quickly fermented, arousing the girl's final struggle, and she hurriedly waved her hands and shouted loudly.

"Gentleman! Ciel, you're a boy! It has nothing to do with whether the woman needs to be taken care of or not, and the gentleman should act at his own pace—"

The impetus behind it disappeared, and Alex's body was only half a meter away from the gate.

Alex cautiously turned her head to see Ciel's expressionless face.

"Gentleman, should you go ahead?"

"So, do you need to talk about that?"

Could it be that this three-no-hook has been hooked? Alex thought to herself, but her illusions were shattered—

"Well, I can't do it."

"Huh!? Why!? ”

Hill's face was always expressionless, and he glanced up at the door in front of him, and then replied in an unheaving voice-

"Because, I'm scared."

"Less! Definitely a lie, okay!? Alex spat out in desperation, but Ciel had regained the strength of the hand against her back.

"Walk side by side! At least walk side by side with me—"

With this shout, Alex's hand touched the cold door.

※

"Hey, Ciel. Doesn't that look right? ”

Alex stood at the door of the castle, and the two metal gates that seemed to be quite weighty had been separated on either side, because the direction of the doors was backlit, and the scene inside was still obscured by shadows.

Alex didn't look at her rusty hands, she was staring at the metal doors with excitement.

"Why did you open it with a gentle push! Is this completely unlocked? ”

"It's bad if a thief comes, it's dangerous."

"That's not the kind of problem!"

Alex complained and looked at Ciel with suspicion: "Ciel, you shouldn't have found out a long time ago." ”

"What?"

"Don't play dumb for me! Didn't you just stare at this door for a long time with a serious face!? ”

"I know about the door."

Sure enough, it was because he saw that the door was not locked, so he didn't do the survey and pushed himself directly with his hands? Thinking like this, Alex suddenly realized something.

“…… Hey, didn't you think there might be a trap behind the door? ”

Looking at Alex's dangerous gaze, Ciel nodded quietly.

"That's why I let Alex get ahead."

"Hey!" Alex was stunned, and the shock of this amazing message left her speechless for a long time, and after a while she shouted, "At least tell me sooner, so that I can be mentally prepared!" ”

"I said it."

"Lie! I haven't even heard a word! ”

"I said it when Alex asked me to be a gentleman."

"Liar! Tell me, what exactly did you say at that time? ”

"Because, I'm scared (there will be a mechanism behind the door, in which case I might get hurt)."

"At that time, there was no parentheses in the words, right!?"

"Well, because it's too long, it's omitted."

"Don't omit this kind of life-threatening thing for me!"

"Because, I think that if the content of the speech is too long, it may not match the image of my three nothings."

"You're telling me this kind of thing at this time!? Anyway, don't you insist on claiming that you are not a three-nothing!? ”

"Hmm. That's why Alex said that, so I want to cooperate with you. ”

"Was it my fault that I took a spin!?"

At that time, the act of calling Hill Sanwu was a foreshadowing that could lead to her own death at this time, and Alex was a little stunned for a moment.

Click――

Just as the two of them were arguing in the doorway, there was a slight noise in the darkness that could not be seen from inside the door. The two who were over level 15 and were considered the best among the adventurers immediately turned their heads.

Four points of light slowly appeared in the darkness, and a dull sound rang out in this direction.

"It seems that the owner here is not completely defenseless against thieves."

Looking at the scene in front of her, Alex, who was in front of Ciel, pulled out her weapon with the corners of her mouth slightly hooked.