ESMLT 22

Chapter 22

“Miss Ria?”

The Crown Prince and Jaeger stopped and turned to look at me.

“What’s wrong?”

“I thought I just heard something.”

“A sound?”

None of them, including the Crown Prince, seemed to have heard it.

‘Did I imagine it?’

But there was a reason for my nerves.

When it came to the Holy District, I had researched everything—down to the smallest details—even information that never appeared in the original novel.

That included the traps that were supposedly cleared out years ago. But a month ago, I heard that monsters had appeared in the Abira Desert, one of those trap backgrounds, and the area had since been designated a restricted zone.

And since the subspace traps replicated everything down to an ant in real time…

That meant if monsters appeared in the Abira Desert, they could appear here too.

I debated whether this was common knowledge or not, and in the end, I just shook my head, brushing it off as mishearing.

We kept walking through the sweltering heat.

Eventually, a large sign came into view, practically mocking us as if saying “You’d be blind not to notice”: EXIT.

“We’re here already.”

I smiled in relief—

Rustle, rustle—sand shifted faintly underfoot.

As we tensed—

Rumble—!

The ground shook ominously.

The Crown Prince and Jaeger adjusted their grip on spear and sword, eyes sharp.

“Something’s coming.”

Shaa—!

Almost as if in answer, a sharp, red, spear-like object burst out of a dune.

The sand collapsed, and soon, a massive scorpion monster revealed itself, its red chitinous tail rising high.

It was at least three meters tall.

‘…Damn it. Figures it wouldn’t be this easy.’

I released the shrinking spell on my hammer and swung it once.

“You all know this, right? Inside a trap, you can’t release aura or mana.”

If the subspace exploded, we’d be trapped here for good.

The Crown Prince twirled his spear with a grin.

“Of course. A Red Scorpion, the desert stalker. Perfect for a warm-up.”

Jaeger stepped in front of him, drawing his sword with a cold gleam.

“Your Highness need not trouble yourself.”

“Now, now, Duke. Don’t be greedy. Good things are meant to be shared.”

I glared at the two idiots in front of me.

Here I was, half-terrified, and they were practically excited.

Urgently, I asked, “Do you know the Red Scorpion’s weakness?”

According to the monster codex, the Red Scorpion was a mid-tier beast—definitely not something to take lightly.

The Crown Prince looked puzzled.

“Weakness? I’ve always just killed them.”

You lunatic—how many times have you been dispatched as commander to subjugations? And you say that so proudly?!

Screeech—!!

The Red Scorpion charged, stirring up a sandstorm.

It slammed its pincers down toward us.

Thud—!

“Tower Master!”

I grabbed Cien, who was standing frozen, and rolled us out of the way.

Cough! Dust filled my lungs as I glanced back where we’d just stood.

“Is everyone alright?!”

No answer. My heart sank.

‘Damn it, I should’ve at least told them the weak spot…’

Then—

Beneath me, Cien coughed, grabbing my wrist. He sat up, his face pale as he looked ahead.

“Don’t worry about them. They’re… busy enjoying themselves.”

“What?”

Whoosh—!

A strong gust swept away the sand, revealing the scene.

Screeeeech—!!

Jaeger was clinging to the monster’s back, stabbing his sword into its carapace again and again.

‘Without aura, how is he piercing that armor?’

Even more shocking was behind it—

The Crown Prince was clinging to the monster’s tail, wrestling with it even as it thrashed in pain.

As the poisonous stinger darted down toward his head, he stabbed his spear straight into the tail.

Crack—! Blue blood sprayed as he yanked the spear free, then grabbed one of its legs—

And tore it clean off with his bare hands.

Splat—!

More blue blood gushed like a fountain.

He grinned wildly and ripped off every remaining leg.

Watching that, I lowered my hammer into ready position.

The once-mighty Red Scorpion was left trembling, reduced to only its pincers.

‘To think it met these lunatics… In your next life, pick your opponents more carefully.’

Thud—!

Soon, the beast convulsed and collapsed, defeated.

I approached with Cien.

“You finished it off before I even had the chance.”

“Indeed. I was hoping to see the Lady’s monster-hunting skills. Right, Duke?”

Jaeger cast me a cold glance, flicking blood from his blade. He slung his pack over his shoulder.

“This would have been the perfect chance to test her excuse for carrying a weapon.”

“…I could kill it, if I wanted.”

“Then prove it.”

He jerked his chin toward the Red Scorpion. It still twitched faintly, alive.

‘So basically, he wants me to finish it.’

I did have something to collect anyway—this worked out.

I walked over.

“Watch closely. The Red Scorpion’s weak point is its tail.”

I pulled on gloves and took out an empty vial.

Crack—!

One blow from my hammer shattered the tip of its tail. The beast gurgled froth and died instantly.

I shrugged at Jaeger with a grin.

“See? Easy.”

He scowled and looked away.

Ignoring him, I snapped off the poisoned stinger and sealed it into the vial.

The Crown Prince frowned.

“Why collect that? Poison doesn’t work on zombies.”

“Maybe not, but you never know. It could come in handy.”

“…The way you say that is unsettling. What exactly do you plan to use it for?”

I ignored him, corked the vial, and gestured toward the iron exit signpost.

“Let’s keep moving. Before another monster shows up.”

I strode ahead, leaving them behind, and soon reached the post. Beneath it yawned a dark hole—the exit, it seemed.

Ssshhk—

A sound, like sand draining away, echoed faintly.

I glanced down at my feet—nothing unusual. Tilting my head—

Suddenly, the ground swallowed one of my legs.

Huh?

Before I knew it, both legs were sinking fast.

‘No way—!’

Frantically, I looked around—only to spot, peeking from the sand in the distance, a desert mole monster.

ROOOAR!

It cried and vanished underground.

Ah, right. I’d forgotten.

The Abira Desert had more than just scorpions.

“Damn it!”

I wasn’t the only one panicking—

The others were being sucked into the sand too.

The Crown Prince braced with his spear, Jaeger dug in with his sword—but the ground only pulled them deeper.

‘Wait—where’s Cien?!’

I spun around. He was being swallowed without even resisting.

“Wow, Miss Ria. Am I just going to die like this?”

‘Why are you so calm about it?!’

I rummaged frantically through my pouch, pulling out rope.

Stretching my hammer, I hooked it onto the exit signpost.

Gripping the handle with both hands, I kicked free one leg, then the other, and hauled myself out.

Quickly, I tied the rope to the post.

“Grab this!”

I threw it to Cien first. He passed it to Jaeger, and soon even the Crown Prince had hold of it.

I braced my legs and pulled with all my strength.

‘God—damn—!’

In just seconds, veins throbbed in my face and neck as if they’d burst.

Leaning back, nearly lying flat, I finally managed to drag Cien upward.

He wrapped the rope around himself with a blanket, riding it up.

He collapsed beside me, pale and panting—but then noticed my hands.

The taut rope had skinned them raw.

“Miss Ria, your hands—blood—”

“Help me pull, not fuss!”

With his aid, it got easier, but the Crown Prince and Jaeger still refused to budge.

Then Jaeger, climbing the rope, glanced at us and lifted his sword.

“This won’t work. I’ll cut the rope. You two escape first—”

“Try cutting it and see what happens!”

The heat burned my body, my vision spun, and my hands throbbed painfully.

I was putting everything into saving them—how dare they talk about abandoning me first?!