Raised in Dungeon

"Allen! That was amazing! How can you be that fast?! No, it's not just that; you're so strong! I can feel it!" Sharik exclaimed, his voice brimming with genuine awe and excitement. He reached out to shake Allen's hand with his furry paw, his wagging tail showing just how interested and impressed he was by Allen's abilities. Allen, too, couldn't help but be captivated by the movement of Sharik's tail.

"Ah, sorry, I seem to have disturbed you. We Samoyeds highly value strong figures; that's why I was a little overzealous," Sharik said, releasing Allen's hand.

"Not at all, Sharik. No matter how I feel about it, I should thank you for trying to praise me; you didn't do anything wrong," Allen replied.

"Even so! As an apology or a token of our friendship, I'll definitely give you the weapons for free!" Sharik declared enthusiastically.

"Hey! Don't talk nonsense!" Mr. Adelskod shouted from the back room. "If you want free stuff, at least prepare the materials yourself!"

Sharik shrugged and turned to Allen. "Uh, sorry, he's stingy and a bit grumpy," he explained.

Allen couldn't help but show a slight smile upon hearing Adelskod's voice.

"Oh wow, you can smile too!" exclaimed Sharik in surprise.

"I wish I could do it consciously. Expressing myself is quite difficult," Allen admitted.

"If you're not doing it consciously, does that mean Dad's voice is so funny that it makes you smile?" Sharik asked.

"No, that's not it. You said Mr. Adelskold was a stingy man. But he offered us free weapons. Doesn't that mean he's so nice that he's willing to offer his services for free?"

Sharik looked at Allen silently, his admiration for Allen growing with each passing moment. "Dishonest and hot-tempered, but always caring for those around him. He reminds me of my master in my hometown."

"Allen's master... I wonder how strong he is," Sharik mused.

"He is the most powerful man in our town," Allen said, his voice filled with a mixture of respect and nostalgia.

Feeling ignored by the two of them, Felicia couldn't hold back any longer and decided to interrupt their conversation.

"Hey, if you're done talking, hurry up and do something with this stuff," Felicia urged, pointing to the pile of items she had diligently gathered on the floor. Among them were various ironware and school supplies that-maybe-they might come in handy at a later time.

"Do you really have to buy this much?" Allen questioned, his brow furrowing as he surveyed the pile.

"I think it's too much too," Sharik chimed in as he examined the assortment.

"Preparation is important! We don't know what we'll go through at the academy!" Felicia defended her decision.

"If that happens, we can always go back to the Sharik Shop and buy them later," Allen suggested as he approached the items Felicia had collected.

Felicia was exasperated. "Hey, why are you giving them back? I told you this was all important!"

"Rachel once told me that I should hold you back from this kind of extravagance. I didn't understand what she meant at first. Now I understand that you really just want to spend money on something that you won't necessarily use."

Felicia was visibly frustrated. "That's not true; these things could be useful in the future!"

"We only need two pairs; if they break, we can simply buy more here. Now, help me put this stuff back into place," Allen reasoned.

"How dare you, Rachel, you still forbid me even when you are not around," Felicia muttered under her breath.

"I'll help too," Sharik offered, his loyal nature shining through. However, just as he was about to lift the items, something caught his attention, diverting his focus.

"Wait a moment... Why is Felicia gathering things for Allen? Do you happen to know the specific items he needs?" Sharik inquired, his brow furrowing in confusion. "Doesn't each faculty have different requirements?" Sharik inquired further, seeking clarity.

Felicia's eyes widened with sudden realization. "Ha? Huh? What faculty?"

"You don't know that! How did you get in here? Every student who enters the Praeterea class will be divided into several faculties based on talent and interest," Sharik explained.

"I-I don't know about that." Felicia turned to Allen for confirmation. "Allen, have you ever heard of that?"

""Yes, the information was included in the letter that the eagle delivered this morning. Didn't you read it? It was the ornate one with the symbol," Allen inquired.

"Now that I think about it, I haven't read it. This morning, I was in such a rush that I left my dormitory without even considering it. Well, thanks to Allen, the one who caused that scene. Luckily, I brought both letters just in case," Felicia admitted.

"That's strange. If you received the letter, it means you were admitted into one of the faculties. Weren't you asked to select the faculty of your choice?" Sharik inquired.

"No, I don't remember being asked to make a choice. How did you go about it?" Felicia asked.

"I made my selection during the final exam when I was in the secunda class. By the way, which branch of the secunda class are you guys from?" Sharik questioned.

Felicia and Allen exchanged a glance and remained silent for a moment before it was Allen who finally spoke up. "We're transfer students. Felicia fell ill and couldn't attend the secunda class."

The surprising revelation once again took aback Sharik. "Eeh?! Is that even possible? I was under the impression that the school didn't accept transfer students. But it does make sense. I find it odd that I haven't heard your names until now."

Felicia hesitated to disclose the true reason behind her admission, but she slowly opened the letter, carefully reading its contents.

"The Faculty of Enchanter," Felicia finally revealed. "But what exactly does this faculty entail?"

"As the name implies, it's where students learn the art of amnis," Sharik explained. "And Allen, what does your letter say?"

"Allen is my personal knight, so naturally, he'll be in the same faculty as me," Felicia assumed.

"No, I read it this morning. I'm assigned to the Faculty of Advanced Fighter," Allen clarified.

Upon hearing this, both Sharik and Felicia displayed shocked expressions.

"I knew it!" Sharik exclaimed enthusiastically. "Given your skills, I was certain you'd be placed in the fighters' faculty! By the way, I'm in the same faculty. Let's attend the same classes!"

While Felicia spoke, her frustration was evident. "Hold on a minute! Why are you in a different faculty from me? As a knight, you should be following the same path as me. I'm not trying to belittle your talents, but there shouldn't be anything in the fighter class that you need to learn. You're already strong enough to be a Mithril dungeon explorer!"

"Mithril? You can't be serious..." Sharik interjected, clearly surprised by the mention of Mithril.

Without addressing Sharik's comment, Felicia continued to question Allen. "Why didn't you choose the same faculty as me?"

Allen responded calmly, "Even if you say that, you know we weren't given the choice. Perhaps it's because we took a different route to enter the academy, and the academy made the decision for us based on our talents demonstrated during the entrance exam."

"Ugh, that's right... Then we should request a transfer from the school later!" Felicia suggested.

Sharik interjected, "I'm not so sure about that. Our school is quite strict when it comes to the rules. I'm afraid if you make an exception like that, others might start requesting transfers as well."

"You don't need to worry about anything. I can have Reig accompany you, so even without me by your side, I can still ensure your protection. I promise I will see you after the class is over." Allen assured Felicia.

"T-thank you…" Felicia said shyly. But then, Felicia's response hinted that her concern ran deeper. "But that's not the problem..."

Observing the dynamic between Felicia and Allen, Sharik's curiosity was piqued. He mused, 'I know that Allen is Felicia's personal knight, but for some reason... their relationship seems unusual, not like the typical lady and knight relationship... maybe they are...'

As Sharik contemplated Allen and Felicia's connection, he concluded. 'Perhaps they are actually teachers and students?! Considering Allen's status as the equivalent of a Mithril dungeon explorer, it's possible that he's not really a knight but Felicia's sword instructor! He might have taken on the role of a knight to supervise Felicia's development! That must be it!' Sharik thought, convinced of his theory.

Seeing that Felicia was concerned about being apart from Allen, Sharik proceeded to explain the school's system to her.

"Even though you're in different faculties, it doesn't mean you'll be in separate classrooms every time."

Felicia sought clarification. "What do you mean?"

"Faculties and majors only determine the interests of the students. So the class division will consist of 50% general classes and 50% specialized classes. In the general class, all first-year students will be together, while the specialized classes will be for each major."

"I see," said both Felicia and Allen in unison, their comprehension of the system providing some relief.

After that, they continued to talk about the school system.