Chapter 16: Return to the Base and the Magic Emperor's Summons
With Sister Lily's support, Leo arrived at the dormitory door. He released the soft mattresses, clean clothes, quilts, and toys from their seals and placed them neatly in front of the dormitory.
He said to the children, "These belong to everyone. Take good care of them."
All the children cheered in excitement. "Okay!" they shouted, before rushing toward the piles of toys, mattresses, iron bedframes, and clean clothes.
Standing behind him, Sister Lily said, "How can there be so many things? Even a month's salary wouldn't be enough to buy them." Since Asta's wages had already been sent back, but Leo's had not, she assumed he had purchased them with his pay.
It wasn't from his wages. How could a month's pay possibly buy so much?
"Oh right, Sister Lily, please take me to the kitchen. I still have some meat left," Leo said. "These children are growing, and they eat wild sweet potatoes every day—it's easy for them to become malnourished."
Sister Lily hesitated. "But… if these children don't divide things properly, they won't leave here."
Leo waved his hand. "Never mind, I'll go myself. My head's just a little dizzy, and I can't find the way."
At that moment, Nash came over. As the eldest among the children, he already carried a trace of maturity.
"I'll take Brother Leo to the kitchen," Nash said. "And next time, don't drink so much—you couldn't even find your way back."
Leo nodded with a faint smile. "Alright."
Nash helped him to the kitchen.
Leo took out several pieces of meat from the spatial book. "Let's cook these for lunch today," he said.
Then he brought out the remaining meat and used freezing magic to turn it into solid ice blocks. "These should last for quite some time if you store them properly. If you ever run out, send me a letter. I'll use spatial magic to return immediately and hunt wild boars in the forest."
Nash's eyes widened, staring in amazement at the frozen meat.
Just then, a sharp pain pierced Leo's head. He felt dizzy and weak all over. He stepped outside, summoned a bed from his spatial magic, and lay down at once to rest.
Seeing his state, Nash quickly fetched a cup of water. "Drink this. More water helps you sober up."
Leo drank a cup, but it didn't help. Once again, he silently cursed Vanessa—she had made him drink an entire bottle of white liquor, a full jin of it.
After three cups of water, Leo drifted into deep sleep.
"Brother Leo," Nash called softly. When there was no response, he stayed nearby and waited.
Near noon, when Sister Lily came to prepare lunch, she found Leo still sleeping on a bed at the cafeteria door. She didn't wake him and simply went to cook.
When lunch was ready, Nash shook him gently. "It's time to eat."
Leo stirred, rubbing his temples. "Alright." After shaking his head a few times, he felt less dizzy. On his way to the dining table, he noticed that everything had already been moved into the dormitory.
It was fast. Although there were only a dozen or so iron beds, there were also plenty of quilts and toys. To move everything so quickly—well, there were children here, the elderly priest, Sister Lily, and of course, magic. The simplest moving spell would do. Perhaps Asta had helped too, with that monstrous strength of his.
At the table, the priest wiped his tears, crying with emotion. "Leo… you've accomplished so much. By the way, where's Yuno? Why hasn't he returned?"
Asta replied, "Yuno isn't in the same Magic Knights squad as us. We haven't seen him yet."
Leo said, "Asta and I have to return to the base after this meal. We can't stay away too long."
The priest sighed. "Can't you stay just a bit longer?"
Leo shook his head. "We just joined the Magic Knights. How could we take such a long leave?"
After a short silence, Asta continued chatting cheerfully with Sister Lily. Then came his familiar words: "Sister Lily, please marry me!"
Sister Lily immediately punched him. "Water Creation Magic: Holy Water Fist!"
After a round of laughter and cheerful noise, the meal was finished, and Leo prepared to depart.
He cast Spatial Passage Magic toward the open area ahead. After thinking it over carefully, he decided to send Asta first to avoid any mishaps. Asta could return afterward to confirm whether the destination was correct.
Asta replied, "Got it!"
He stepped into the portal and vanished. Two seconds later, Asta reappeared and said, "It's fine—it's the Black Bull base."
Leo turned to the priest, Sister Lily, and the children. "See you next time. Bye-bye." He waved as he spoke.
A chorus of voices answered, "Bye-bye!" The children waved their hands excitedly.
After stepping through the spatial passage, Leo appeared at the distant Black Bull base.
The next morning, Asta's loud shouting woke him up.
Leo stepped out of his room. "What's going on?" he asked.
Asta exclaimed, "The captain's calling for us! We need to get to the hall quickly—there's a mission!"
Recalling the memory of the captain's hand crushing a man's skull with ease, Leo immediately jumped up and rushed to the hall.
As soon as he arrived, his uneasy feeling proved right—his skull was instantly caught in a massive grip. He was just about to explain himself, but knowing disobedience might lead to his head being crushed, he froze in terror.
Captain Yami said coldly, "You two idiots sure made me wait long enough."
Asta trembled and stammered, "Captain Yami, it's only been a moment…"
The captain's grip on their skulls tightened even more.
Three seconds later, Yami's expression grew serious. "Listen up, everyone. We just discovered a new magic dungeon."
The announcement drew gasps from around the room. Those who had stayed up drinking or playing late the night before lifted their heads in surprise.
Magna shouted, "No way, really?!"
Asta yelled, "Whoa! What's a magic dungeon?"
Magna glared at him. "What are you shouting for if you don't even know what it is? Listen carefully! A magic dungeon is like an ancient tomb. It's a structure where relics left behind by people from ancient times lie hidden—powerful magic, ancient spells, and valuable magic tools. It's an incredibly dangerous and amazing place!"
Asta shouted again, full of excitement.
Luck grinned. "But the ancients didn't want their powerful tools falling into the wrong hands, so they filled those dungeons with deadly magical traps. That's why it's both dangerous and fun."
Asta cried out again, unable to contain himself.
Vanessa added, "Because of how dangerous these dungeons are, they're usually explored by the Magic Knights. It's to prevent those relics from being taken by people with bad intentions."
Captain Yami said, "This time, the dungeon is special. It appeared near the border of a hostile nation. We can't let the enemy take what's inside. You're to carry out this mission thoroughly. Rumor has it that people have found magic tools inside dungeons so powerful they could even change the level of civilization—or let a person cast the strongest spells imaginable."
Asta's eyes gleamed. "Let me go!"
Yami smirked. "You're going, all right. Both of you, brats."
He paused before adding, "Because the Wizard King personally requested you."
Asta froze for a moment. "The Wizard King…?"
Magna grinned and said, "Impressive, Asta."
And so, Leo and the others set out toward the entrance of the magic dungeon.
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