Soul Nexus. Volume 2: The beginning of the forced adventurer

29

Immersed in the darkness of the deep, unknown cavern into which we had fallen, we ventured along a path that seemed to have no end or direction, all in search of a suitable place to detonate the bomb and finally escape the mine.

The blue light from Jean's index finger was the only thing guiding our steps, helping us avoid another mishap like the one we had experienced recently. Hector examined the map of all the mine's routes, trying to figure out where we were, using a pocket compass, but it spun its needle wildly in all directions.

Hector: 『 Tsk! Come on! 』

Cmdr. Rask: 『 Problems with that? 』

Hector: 『 I don't know what's going on, sir. This thing can't seem to figure out which way is North. So, I can't tell which direction we're heading. 』

We walked blindly through the gloomy passage, which only descended further. However, Hector speculated that this would likely lead us to some tunnel adjacent to the massive pit of the mega-cavern. So, there was still a chance of getting out.

Honestly, I wasn't too sure about that. Ahead, you couldn't see a damn thing, just more and more rocks piled up, and the occasional crystalline mineral that, I imagine, were more of those diamonds we had seen, only much smaller, so tiny you'd almost miss them if it weren't for the glint they gave off when there was light.

Roef: 『 I hope you're not thinking of pulling another stunt, Laurent. 』

Laurent: 『 I know, idiot! I know! You don't have to tell me twice. 』

Hector: 『 Good to know, Laurent. 』

Laurent: 『 You too, Hector?! Such little trust you have in me? 』

Laurent may be strong and skilled in battle, but he's the lazy one of the crew. Never was he known for being very careful or responsible when it comes to tasks, making him seem quite clumsy and lazy since our days in the academy. I still remember all the silly things he's done, like the time he broke the chandelier at the Ascord orphanage he promised to hang or the time he tried to milk a cow and it turned out to be a bull.

Every time I recall those moments, I have less doubt he's a complete nincompoop, just another one among this team of clowns we are, except Hector; he's the most normal lad among us, and whom I trust the most, even more than Commander Rask himself. Hector is a very calm and studious fellow, always trying to keep his cool, a great analyst who always gets us out of all sorts of trouble, even when the situation changes completely, like now.

Don't know what we'd do without him. Though he is the youngest member of the team, we rely heavily on him, so much so that he's the only one of us who knows how to cook; in fact, he's so good at it that he once won a cook-off against one of the capital's finest chefs who only serves the high society, including the king.

Just the thought of those delicacies he prepared back then made my stomach roar in agony. Perhaps for a soldier like me, it was utterly shameless to show hunger, but we had been walking for so long that it wasn't surprising to see more than one of us looking tired. Still, I wouldn't be the one to speak up first and start complaining. Laurent's pace became extremely slow, falling behind. Without permission, he took off the bomb from his back and came to a complete stop.

Laurent: 『 Aaah!! I can't go on anymore! 』

Cmdr. Rask: 『 What in the devil do you think you're doing, Laurent?! Pick that up and let's go. 』

Laurent: 『 I'm sorry, sir. But I refuse to keep carrying that thing. We've been down here for an eternity, and I've been the only one enduring it. So, I demand a well-deserved break! 』