Sousetsuka

15-13. Hero in the Labyrinth (2)

 

Satou's here. There was a movie where the characters became small and had an adventure inside someone's body. I found it absurd even with my child's mind, but nevertheless, I still remember intently watching it until the end. I've forgotten the title, but I will surely watch it if they remake the movie.


◇


"Satou, this artifact 『Demon Lord's Pointer』 is really awesome."

The hero who checked the effect of the magic tool I gave him was surprised.
Apparently the Magic Prober that the Weasel Empire loaned is merely an item that detects distribution of miasma, not an item that can directly point to the demon lord.

"Yes, I found it inside a certain ruin and thought that it would be useful for Hayato-sama, so I brought it here."

The [Demon Lord Compass] that the hero is holding looks like a three-dimensional compass. It's a diamond sphere with hollowed inside and an orichalcum needle in the center.

Of course, it goes without saying that the thing is my creation, so the story behind it is so random.

I made this item before we arrived at Dejima Island, it can receive information from my map and points at the passages that go to the demon lord.
The item receives the transmission wave from neighboring sub-space connected to it, so common magic neutralizer and magic power restriction type of traps should not be able to hinder it.

"Are these small children really stronger than us?"
"Doesn't look like it~"

Rusus and Fifi who have made a comeback at the hero party look like they don't approve of it.

"Tama strong~?"
"Pochi is also very strong nodesu."
"You two don't be conceited."
"Nn, modesty."

Liza and Mia rebuked Tama and Pochi who have been excited since yesterday.

"Is that a magic gun? Is it true that it's better than a bow?"

Miss Wiyaryi is intriguingly looking at the rifle-shaped magic gun that Lulu is holding.
Today Lulu is equipped with the lovely floating shields extend version and a magic gun.

I've told them that these floating shields are something provided by Echigoya Firm, and the support members of hero Hayato, the black knights have also been equipped with them.
Since the black knights usually suffer the greatest loss every time, Loreiya and other priests who are parts of recovery team thanked me together with the black knights.

Further, the red knights are not participating this time since they received the order left behind by the crown prince to stand by.

"Yes, probably."
"Probably?"
"I think the bow Master shoots is even stronger than this."
"Fumu, so it's like that...."

Putting aside the golden armor's options; the Floating Forts and the Accelerated Cannon, the rifle-type magic gun that Lulu holds is only 2-3 times stronger than a Fire Wand.
It's only about half as strong as the military-use Magic Cannon.

"Satou, is it really alright to give us this many 『Magic Bags』?"
"Not only that, you also gave us mid and high magic potions, and even precious Elixirs and Blood Beads."
"Yes, I've brought them for Hayato-sama's sake after all."

Lady Ringrande and Princess Maryest thanked me for the items.
Both of them look like they'd die when I reunited with them back then, but they look quite healthy now after having enough rest.

"Ain't it fine, it's a tribute from Rin's brother-in-law, no need to hesitate."
"I haven't acknowledged the marriage with Sera okay."

Lady Ringrande reacted to the scout Seina's words.
I am living with Sera, but we're not in such a relationship.

"Really?"
"Yes, it's just a misunderstanding, my relationship with your little sister Sera-sama is--right, I guess the most applicable term would be 'intimate friends'"

When I replied so, Seina put her hand on her chin and began to think about something.

"Then we have to thank you for the elixirs. I belong to hero so I can't give myself to you, but ya can snatch peerage and money from Saga Empire."

I'm intrigued by the snatching thing, but I myself am more interested in touring the Hero Summoning Magic Circle than materialistic things, so I tell them as such.

"I need not either. If I may ask the impossible, I'd be glad to be given the permission to see the Hero Summoning Magic Circle together with Earl Muno."

They'd be suspicious of me "What for", if I went by myself, but there's no doubt that they'll think of me as a young noble who likes his master if I bring up Earl Muno who's famous for liking hero into this.
Earl Muno must be happy with it too.

"I can ask that much from His Majesty the emperor."
"Are you sure Mary?"
"Yes, having been blessed by Parion-sama, Hero Summoning Magic Circle cannot be destroyed by any normal mean."

Is it like indestructible object that often appear in games?
Now that the princess has made her promise, visiting Saga Empire first might be a good idea if I can't meet the Weasel Empire's emperor after this fight is over.


◇


"Satou, don't die."
"Yes, I'll be praying for Hayato-sama's victory as well."
"Protect Princess Arisa by all cost."
"Yes, I promise."

After arriving at the place where the relay base was located at, Hero and I are going separate ways.
We're not in dispute, the hero party is going to where the demon lord is while we're going to the lowest layer to subjugate the mid-boss-like guardian.

In one of the hero's past battles, the moment they entered the room where the Dungeon Core was located, the demon lord was replaced by the guardian and the Dungeon Core was also changed into Fake Core.
It's quite an enigmatic feature, but according to Arisa, it seems to be an extremely common thing a dungeon master has in the web novel world.

We're in charge of destroying the Fake Core since it doesn't seem like they can be replaced if we destroy them all.

"Princess Arisa, once this fight is over--"
"You can't, Hero-sama."

Arisa stopped the hero who was going to raise a death flag by putting her hand on his mouth.
He seemed like he still had something to say, but it looked like he thought it'd be bad to do that so he didn't say anything more.

"Then, see ya."
"Yes, please be careful."
"Hayato-sama, may the fortune be with you."

After saying that, Arisa kissed the hero's cheek and then the hero's followers poked fun on the hero who was unusually confused. They're probably jealous.

Further, Lady Karina's anxiety was in full display, she couldn't say anything to encourage the hero no matter how hard I tried to push her.
Would have been nice if this was the driving force for her to heal her stranger's anxiety.

"Well then, shall we be going too."

We start to move to the lowest layer where the guardians are once the hero and his party disappeared from our view.

They seemed to be under the impression that there were only one Fake Core, but according to the map, there are seven fake cores and guardians.
Destroying them one by one will be troublesome, but it should be over fast if I just use Teleport Gate magic.

"Hey hey, let's quickly defeat the guardians and finish it."

Arisa talked while we were walking.

"Can we go and help defeat the demon lord?"
"Of course, that's what I'm planning to do."

I'm going to deal with the mysterious [Dungeon Master] who collaborated with the demon lord.

Moreover, if the demon lord can be reasoned with, I'll implant the [God's Fragment] to a different monster and let the hero defeat that impromptu demon lord to make him become the [True Hero].
I don't think it'll go that conveniently well though.


◇


"So there is not only one guardian."
"Master, there are nine bodies so I report."
"Hey, are they the real ones?"
"Yes, they are. That's why, don't make a move okay."

I instruct the girls to stay back, and head to where the guardians are alone.

"Good evening Liedill-sama, what a coincidence for us to meet in such a place."
"Satou, defeat me with all your might. I'll resist the control with all my power to return the last debt"

AR reading, state [Ruled: Dungeon Master] is shown beside her who's sweating a lot from her forehead.
The nine people behind her are probably her attendants.
The attendants are under Ruled state like her.

I want to know how they got under the control of the Dungeon Master, so I swiftly leap to under their busts and make them fall unconsciousness with light attacks.

"What should I say, that's a really blunt attack."
"Really?"

I lightly answered Arisa's muttering and released them from the control with [Magic Break].
It's easy compared to the demon lord's curse that isn't displayed on AR reading.

Now then, I'll check out what has happened.

Not by interrogation which is unreliable, I'm going to check the memory by using the forbidden spell of soul magic, [Soul Intrude].
I can also use the forbidden spell of mind magic, [Psycho Dive], but this one has a high probably of crippling the recipient, so I'm going with the former.
The former is a dangerous magic that can induce impairment if the user tries to read deep memory but there should be no danger of that here since I'm just going to see the recent battles. I can just cut the connection if it looks dangerous.

"Fumu, it doesn't feel that different from the advanced soul magic 『Perfect Possession』 huh."
"What a surprising magic like always."

Arisa was surprised when I talked with Lady Liedill's mouth.
I also feel odd talking with a high-pitched voice.

"Liza, restrain Arisa from playing with my body while I'm investigating."
"Yes, I understood."

After making sure that Liza is holding Arisa who was going to stealthily stretch her hands toward my body tight, I dive into Lady Liedill's consciousness.


◇


"Lady Liedill, although we have enough water and food, if we don't go back soon we'll run out of magic potion and support magic tools."
"It cannot be helped. Let's go back once we explore the next room."

I'm hauling Lady Liedill's memory with an overlooking point of view.

Apparently, Lady Liedill and her party have gone to the lowest layer.

There was a scout adventurer whom I saw in hero's party among her followers.
They were probably able to smoothly explore thanks to his guidance.

Or perhaps, they were led here by someone or something--.

"Is that the thing called guardian?"

Seeing something cowering in the corner of the room, Lady Liedill muttered so.
It seemed her mind knew that it was something different even while muttering.

I thought she had bad eyes, but apparently her [Dragon Eyes] has a power to see through the enemy's rank to an extent.

"Is that a turtlekin with purple shell?"
"No, that's not it--"

The adventurer negated with shaken voice.

"T-that's the demon lord."

Hearing the adventurer's remark, Lady Liedill was convinced, "Just as I thought."

"De-Demon lord?!"
"That's not a mere monster?"
"Looks like it's sleeping, let's escape while we can."

It seems she thinks that it's the right thing to do even while feeling disappointed with her followers' shaken and timid remarks.

"All members, retreat quietly. I forbid you to whisper hereafter."

After whispering that, there was a cliched sound of 'crack' under Lady Liedill's foot.
She stepped on and broke fragile pebbles, not a twig.

The thing reflected on the eyes of Lady Liedill who turned her head timidly is a purple shell that's standing up, and two purple embers-like things peering from its inside.

"Everyone, run with all your might!"

Whipping her body that's been withered by fear, Lady Liedill runs.
Fortunately, the demon lord hasn't stood up yet.

"There's an invisible wall on the exit!"
"Get away! Steel Cutting Flash!"

Lady Liedill shouted her technique name out loud, but that transparent barrier warded it off like bamboo against wind.

"Strange! It lets my sword pass but not my body!"

I don't know any magic like that so it's probably either the Dungeon Master's ability or the demon lord's Unique Skill.

--ＺＨＷＷＷＵＵＵＵＵＵＵＷＮ.

The demon lord's roar echoed in the room, everyone besides Lady Liedill is binded by [Fear] state.

"This much fear. Compared to the true fear, it's nothing special."

At this time, the thing that appeared in her mind was me in ratkin disguise.
That time I was just using Coercion skill a bit right.

"Lightning magic huh, that's troublesome."

Countless lightning balls that appeared beside the demon lord assault Lady Liedill and her party.

"Block them! Touya's Shield!"

Lady Liedill casted the magic tool she took out of her pouch, and then paper sheet-like thin films piled up, producing a defensive wall.

The wall blocked the demon lord's lightning balls, thunderous roar that could inflict pain on your ears and static electricity that could make your hair's end stand scattered in the surroundings.
The defensive wall was crumbling down, but it was able to block the last lightning balls somehow.

According to her memory, it seemed to be a disposable item given by the Weasel Empire's tactician.

"Touya's Key, open the door!"

She used a disposable item in the shape of a key, and then a black hole appeared on the mysterious barrier.
This is like the "Three Pieces of Charms" folklore.

Next, she sprinkled [Mad Warrior Breath] given by [Brains] on her companions to forcefully release them from their Fear state.
Quite rough, but I think it's an effective countermeasure.

"Go! Warriors, to the battlefield beyond this black hole."

Lady Liedill shouted out loud, her companions replied with a war cry and then they jumped into the hole on the barrier.
She was going to follow after the last one, but at the next moment, her view completely changed like there was a frame drop.

--It's Draw (Evil Snap).

It seems Lady Liedill cannot grasp what's happening, but this is a type of space magic that was also used by the red-body demon in my fight with the [Golden Wild Boar King].

The demon lord who got up on all four is glaring at the Lady Liedill.
Its face and and limbs were not of turtle, but rat.

"gaＲＹＵＩＥri, ＤＷＹＮi" <TLN: the raw is just as incomprehensible, that's just how this demon lord talks.>
"Demon lord's technique huh."

While venting her frustration, Lady Liedill took an [Acceleration] magic potion from her pouch and drank it.
It's a forbidden reinforcement medicine that the hero Hayato used in his fight with the yellow-body demon.

"wan, naaaa, gohooooooom."

--Wanna go home?

Roar with a meaning reached the ears of her accelerated self.

"Touya's Chain. Let me exceed the limit--<<Selflessness>>."

Along with her words, illusionary sounds of chain could be heard.

Lady Liedill executes Flickering Movement while dodging the demon lord's attacks.

Resistance, like running inside water, assaults her body, the little skin that's exposed is cut by the wind.
Her twin swords are clad in red light.

"Steel-Cutting Grass-Splitting Flash."

Slashing attack that's far faster than the one I received in the weasel empire assails the demon lord.
Its bare rat limbs are torn, purple body hair and blood splash.

The afterglow draws hexagram-like traces, the demon lord falls down in its pool of blood.

"--I did it!"

The future might have changed if only she attacked more.
However, there is no [What if] in a battle.

--ＺＨＷＵＵＵ.

Purple light shines in the pool of blood.

"What grotesque."

Lady Liedill took some distance away while muttering, and drank mid magic power potion from her pouch.
She blocks the lumps of silver shot by the demon lord with the swords in her hands.

--Rocket punch?

Wire-like things pull back the punches, they attach back to the arms of the mecha-like reinforced suit that the demon lord is wearing.
It somehow looks like a hero I watched in my childhood.

"It's my turn now--"

Lady Liedill whose magic power has recovered shouts out loud, but then she collapses as if she's lost her strength.

"--Time out already huh."

The sluggishness similar to when I collapsed from overworking in my company in the past assails Lady Liedill.
Her hands lost their strength, the sounds of the swords falling to the ground reached my ears while having no sense of touch.

"Heyaa, these natives sure are capable."

Unlike her hazy view that can't even distinguish the surrounding, her ears can still properly pick up the sounds from the surroundings.

"Yoo, you alright?"
"hu, HUNGryYY"
"Ok, ok. Mikudo Hamburger and Jukyuro Ramen, eat all you want--"

--ＭＵＥＳＨＩＭＵＥＳＨＩＨＡＹＧＵＥＥＥＥＷＮ.

Sounds of the demon lord's roar, gouged ground and small rocks hitting her armor reached my ears.

"Ueee, how gross, that'd appear in me-chan's dream."

I smelt something putrid, sounds of something devouring greedily could be vaguely heard.

"Hey now, I'll put out proper food here, so don't eat, those things."

The accuracy of information that Lady Liedill is getting is decreasing.
Looks like she's about to faint.

"Fuhn, a beauty that I-chan like, but I-chan am not into bestiality."

For some reason, only his voice can be clearly heard.

--Bestiality?

Besides her slightly longish ear, Lady Liedill who's a longearkin (Booch) looks exactly like a normal human.
The term doesn't fit.

The recollection still continues while I'm thinking.
It appears there's no stop.

"It's a shame, but guess I-chan'll use her to keep that abnormal guy away."

I relive the experience of having Lady Liedill's soul binded by something.

It feels quite disgusting. The worst, I want to hit the Dungeon Master right here and now.

"Don't think she can win at all, but buy enough time for me-chan to run 'kay."

After saying that, the Dungeon Master left.


◇


"--Fuh, that was tiring."

After severing my connection with Lady Liedill, I catch the black mist flowing into my head and tear it off.

Apparently, Lady Liedill was also used as a booby trap.
He probably tried to see if I could be [Ruled] through Lady Liedill.

"Good work! Now Liza-san! Release me already."

Arisa who's taken her shoes off and desperately stretching her toes toward me appeals to Liza in a hurry.
She probably wanted to join the girls who are snuggling on me like cats in the cats pot.

Lady Karina was also resting hear head on my lap together with Tama and Pochi, but she quickly took some distance at lightning speed the moment our eyes met.

"Master, may I?"
"Yes, you can release her."

I nod to Liza.

The released Arisa was making a jump like a certain third generation thief, but I catch her with [Magic Hand], and tell Arisa, who's fuming in the air, the information I got.

"Arisa, it seems the Dungeon Master here is either a reincarnated or a transported person."

























Previous Chapter

15-Intermission: Hero's Break

 

"N-no way! It's curry riceeeeeee!"

The moment the hero saw the curry set lined up on the table, he stood up and shouted out loud.
He vigorously turned around toward me, so I nodded and told him, "It's the real thing."

We're in the annex of the inn reserved for the hero so there's no problem, but I wish he turns down the voice a bit.

"Let's eat!"

The hero put the spoon with curry rice into his mouth while choking full with tears of gratitude.
He's too overenthusiastic I was afraid that he'd scatter the curry rice everywhere but it appears to be an imaginary fear.

"So goooooooooooooooood"

The hero shouted once and then he gulped down the curry rice sloppily.

"Curry really is a drink."
"No no, that's wrong."

I objected Arisa's remark, and offered the dishes to the hero's followers.

"The stew has some peculiar smell doesn't it?"
"It's spicy, but tasty y'know."
"I'm not good with spicy things."
"Ara? Even though it's this good."

Miss Wiyaryi the longearkin (booch) archer and Rusus the tiger ear-kin were happily eating the curry, but Fifi the wolf ear-kin sniffed the scent and backed away from the plate.
Loreiya the priestess is elegantly eating the curry while combing her hair upward.

"Give it to me if you're not eating them."

The hero moved Fifi aside and quickly snatched her plate.
Wait now, stop that, you can have seconds all you want.

"Ah, so this is the legendary curry!"
"It's the phantom dish of which the founder hero sought all his life."

Sera's big sister, Lady Ringrande the [Sky-tearing Witch] and Princess Maryest the [Witch] are trembling from being deeply moved, they don't seem to be able to put the curry on the spoon.
Come to think of it, Hikaru and Lady Karina also reacted similarly when I served them curry.

"Fifi-san, please try this one if you don't like spicy food."
"Oh, that smells nice."

When I offered her a normal omelette rice, Fifi's wolf ears twitch and then she peeks at the plate.

"Hee? An egg dish? It looks like the omelette in Saga Empire."
"Omelette! I-is this red sauce carrot?"

Seina the scout and Nono the secretary who were eating the curry behind the hero came and peered at Fifi's plate from both sides with great speed.

"T-this is mine!"

Fifi, worried about the two's enthusiasm, hides the omelette rice like she's hugging it.

"Fifi, let me have a bite."
"I want to eat it too!"

Nono and Seina pestered Fifi.

"I can't trust your 'a bite'"
"How rude! Unlike Seina, my mouthful is cute."
"Hey, mine is cute too!"

"Thank you for waiting~?"
"Additional dishes nanodesu."

I wanted to see the three's bargaining a bit more, but since Tama and Pochi showed bringing additional dishes, I decided to put an end to the dispute.

"It seems more omelette rice have come, would you two like to taste it?"
"Yay!"
"Sir Pendragon is a bully."

Seina immediately got into the omellete rice, Nono put the omellette rice into his mouth while glaring at me.

"It's not, carrot? What sauce is this?"
"Toumatoo~?"
"Kechup nanodesu!"
"Tomato kechup sauce is it?"

Nono combined Tama's strangely good pronunciation and Pochi's Japanese pronunciation together.

"The sauce is ketchup made from tomato. It's a product from Ringrande-sama's hometown, Oyugock Dukedom."

Lady Ringrande reacted to my explanation.

"Satou? I've never seen that sauce though?"
"Nn, Satou."
"Master developed it, so I refer."
"Hee, as one would expect from the 『Miracle Chef』."

Explained by Mia and Nana, Lady Ringrande called me with a nostlagic title.

Then, Lulu and Liza come into the room pushing a trolley with a big sukiyaki pot on it.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. This is Oumi beef sukiyaki."
"Sukiyaki!"

The hero who had asked for his fifth helping turned toward Lulu while having his yellowed mouth wiped by Priestess Loreiya.

"Yes, it's a dish from Hero-sama's country."

Lulu doesn't act differently even though the other party is the hero.
She probably thinks people who eat her dishes with relish are the same as our girls.

"Would you like to have raw eggs?"
"Ou, I do!"

On the contrary Liza who's acting unusually tense handed a plate with raw eggs.
I'm praying that her trembling hands aren't because of warrior's excitement.

"Me-meat."
"Meat nanodesu. But Pochi has to wait since right now it's 『Wait』 nodesu."

Tama and Pochi are staring at the beef inside sukiyaki while drooling.

--Huh? I never ordered them as such though?

"I thought of letting Hayato and the others to eat first."
"You did huh. However, there's no need to worry, I've prepared enough for us all."

It seems Arisa is the culprit.

This time, I obtained the meat by imitating Weasel Empire way to increase meat production.
Since I harvested the transformation of Oumi cow when it reached level 50, the <<Great Mad Buffalo>>, I was able to get more than 100 ton beef.

It doesn't taste as good as the highest grade Oumi beef, but it should not taste that different for the part used in Sukiyaki.

"I've also asked Lulu to make another dish, it should be here soon I think?"

As if matching Arisa's words, brownie maids open the door and carry hamburg steaks and karaage inside.

"Hamburgu~?"
"It is the time for the hamburg steak sensei to appear nanodesu!"

Tama and Pochi turn their, "Can I eat it?", faces at me so I nod to give them the permission.

"Wa~y?"
"Pochi's battle has just begun nanodesu!"

Not only Tama and Pochi, the other girls also begin to eat.

"Is that good?"
"Of coursee~?"
"Gimme one too."
"Of course nanodesu! Hamburg-sensei is big hearted nodesuyo!"

Fifi and Rusus who had finished eating omelette rice and curry joined the subjugation quest for the mountain of hamburg steaks.
It seems the yakitori battlefield which Liza is challenging are joined by Miss Wiyaryi and Miss Loreiya who has secured a bottle of Dragon Spring Liquor.

While watching the peaceful exchange of the girls and hero's followers, I accept a wine cup that Lady Ringrande offered.
It seems there's Saga Empire whiskey inside.

"Satou, thank you. I didn't think that Hayato would be able to laugh that cheerfully until we defeated the demon lord."
"Yes, the atmosphere of torment around him has disappeared neatly. You're the best reinforcement we can ever hope."

I replied Lady Ringrande and Maryest who were awfully flattering with, "It's an honor", toasted and drank the whiskey.

--Oops.

I immediately regret once I drank it.
I should have tasted it more.

"This is a nice whiskey."
"Yes, it's a special whiskey bestowed with the name 『Saga』 that can only be drunk by the imperial family."
"Is it alright to give such a precious whiskey to me?"
"Yes, it's nothing compared to the Dragon Spring Liquor which Loreiya monopolizes."

It's true that you can't get ahold of Dragon Spring Liquor no matter how much money you throw.

"I also have various others--"

Saying that, I took out three small bottles with different kinds of Dragon Spring Liquor inside.
In addition to the Ancient Dragon's and the Black Dragon's liquor, there's also one created with my Dragon Language Magic.

"I smelled some delicious liquor."

Soft mass and sexy drunk voice descend upon my back.

When I turn around, there's Miss Loreiya with flushed face at close proximity.
Her arms are reaching the liquor bottles over my shoulders so my back feels really blissful.

"Loreiya, calm down a bit."
"Look, Satou is troubled."

Princess Maryest reproved, Lady Ringrande pulled my hand to save me from Miss Loreiya's assault.

"Ara?"
"Kyaa."

Perhaps it's a blessing from Lucky Lewd God, I ended up diving into Lady Ringrande's lap together with Miss Loreiya.
Of course it was possible for me to evade it with all my might, but this time I decided to respect the god's will and enjoyed the softness. The impregnable fortress pair is busy treating the hero after all.


◇


Now then, right at this time the hero is--.

"So many loli maids?! I-Is this heaven!"

Staring at the brownie maids with the best smile he's ever had, choke full of tears of gratitude.
I think his reaction is even greater than the time with the curry, but pointing that out would be boorish of me.

"Hero-sama."
"P-Princess Arisa, this is a misunderstanding."

The hero was shaken by Arisa's word.

After this, as to what he would do after knowing that the loli maids are [Legal Loli], there is no way of knowing that for I am not a god.
I'm certain that his soul is surely the embodiment of [YES! Lolita, NO! Touch.]


◇


Thus the night grows late, and the party transitions to drinking time, I let the girls to go back to their room and switch to adult social time.

"Satou, you think we can win?"
"I have no doubt that Hayato-sama will win."

Tomorrow is going to be the end of the demon lord, so I'll make him win no matter what.

Moreover, judging from the demon lord's level, he should have been able to win easily if there was no intervention from the [Dungeon Master].

"That so! I feel like I will certainly win when you said so!"
"Yes, that's what it means to be the 『Hero of Saga Empire』."
"Yea, damn right!"

The hero's cheerful laughter echoes in the party hall, his friends who see him like that seem to have relaxed too.

Subjugating the demon lord should be easy now.
























Previous Chapter

15-12. Hero in the Labyrinth

 

Satou's here. In games, there is a technique to throw off the rhythm of players who have grown accustomed to the same enemies appearing. by revealing an unexpected enemy The super popular Zombie Hazard game uses it effectively.


◇


"Then I'll be going ahead."
"Un, say hello to Hayato for me okay."

I bring only Lady Karina with me into the labyrinth outside of the [Sub-space].

Arisa and the others are going to join us once they've fixed up their equipment.
They're probably going to rest a bit since there's a light bath set and some light meals on the table.

"Oops, enemies."

During our absence, a large amount of doppelgangers have occupied the relay base.
Thoroughly enough, they're acting as [fallen friends with serious injury] in order to lure the hero to approach them defenselessly.

"E-enemies desuno? Raka-san--"
『--Karina-dono, pay attention to the surroundings in alert. Unfortunately, my enemy search function cannot find any sign of the enemy. However, if Satou-dono has said so, then there must be enemies nearby.』

Raka advised Lady Karina who was shaken.
It'll be troublesome if we meet the hero in battle so I exterminate them all at once with Remote Arrows.

I rain down the Remote Arrows on the doppelgangers pretending to be corpses in front of us, turning them into milk-white liquid.

"--Kya"

The surprised lady Karina hugs my arm.
Seeing people and their clothes melting probably feels bad even though she's seen it before.

"It's all right Karina-sama. The enemies have all been disposed of just now."

Lady Karina looks relieved, but now her eyes are spinning after noticing the fact that she's hugging me.
The impregnable fortress pair, Arisa and Mia aren't here, so I decide to enjoy the situation for a while.


◇


"Hero-sama! The relay base has suffered great damage!"
"Look for survivors! There might be monsters lurking, so always have someone with magic probe equipment with you!"

I could hear the hero's voice on the other side of the hall, they can't see us due to an obstruction.
I pull Lady Karina by hand toward the hero and his party.

There are pillars of stones and burnt wreckages in the center of the hall so the view here is bad.

"Hero-sama! There are people on top of the cliff."
"That's, Satou?"

A knight wearing black armor pointed at us and shouted, a woman wearing silver armor muttered my name quizzically.
The girl with the silver straight hair is Lady Ringrande, the [Sky-tearing Witch], one of the hero's follower. She's the big sister of Sera the [Oracle Miko] who's in my solitary island palace, the daughter of the duke and also a bit of a siscon.

I waved my hands at her and jumped down the cliff.
Lady Karina followed while holding down her fluttering skirt.

"Why is Satou in this place...."

Wariness floated in Lady Ringrande's eyes, she puts her dominant hand on her sword's grip.
When we've come close enough to have a conversation, I open my mouth to greet them.

"Good day, Ringrande-sama, for this occasion--"
"Hero-sama, over here!"

While I was saying my condolence, a black knight appeared, together with Hero Hayato.

"Satou--"

His macho handsome face looks exhausted due to the long-term labyrinth exploration and his battles with the demon lord.
His blue armor is also dented and dirtied, the brilliance of [Hero] that I saw back then has lost its luster.

"I-it's hero Hayato-sama in flesh desuwa."
『Karina-dono, I do not mind if you are delighted, but do not let your guard down.』

Lady Karina reacts like a fangirl when she sees the hero, it's probably because the education she's gotten from Earl Muno the hero researcher since childhood.
While feeling heartwarming looking at her, I turn back to the hero.

"Hayato-sama, please excuse me for my long silence."

My eyes met the hero's while saying that with a smile.
His eyes somehow remind me of the time when I was in a development death march.

They remind me too much of eyes which resent everything in the world, wanting sleep, peace, and liberation from work.

I should have come to help him sooner.
I repent the fact that I had left the hero alone in my mind.

"--It's you this time huh."

The laugh which doesn't suit him at all bothers me.

"Hayato-sama, what's the matter?"
"Take this, Satou!"

The hero drew the holy sword Arondight and swung it.

"<<Shining Blade>>."

The hero's technique which I haven't seen for a long time is faster than before.
I evade the blue light extending from the blade.

"Kyaa, desuwa."
『Gununu, as expected of hero's technique.』

Lady Karina and Raka who seemed to have taken the after-wave of the attack screamed.

Lady Karina seems suspiciously happy about it.
It's hard to understand, but as a hero fan, is she glad for taking the attack with her body?

Still the technique's focus is worse than I expected.
The after-wave of the technique he showed me back then would have not gone toward Lady Karina.

"Shining Strike Rush."

With the help of Flickering Movement, hero Hayato appeared before me.
The holy sword Arondight in his hand releases striking blue light.

"Oops, that's dangerous."

He wasn't aiming at my heart or other vital parts, but the sword strikes were going to pierce my lung and shoulder so I inadvertently evaded.

"Hmph, evading my blow like that, you damn impostor!"
"It's the real one you know?"
"No impostor would admit being one."

--Well, that's true.

They were probably attacked by doppelgangers many times before reaching here.

I keep the hero company to release his stress for a while, and when he had begun to run out of breath, I hurled him away.
The hero fixed his posture mid-air and landed on the ground.

"You can see that I'm the real one if you just appraise me you know?"
"Guess I have to...."

I'm intrigued as to why he didn't appraise me from the beginning, but doing that should prove my innocence now at least.

"Rin, be on guard with drawn sword."
"Y-yes."

Lady Ringrande and the black knights are encircling with drawn swords, and then the other hero's followers showed up behind while being supported by the black knights.
The 21th princess of Saga Empire with luxurious blond hair, Maryest Saga the [Witch] and the big breasted heartwarming-type, Miss Loreiya, a priestess of Parion Temple.

The last one, Seina the hero's scout is in the back with serious injury.
It seems Seina is guarded by the black knights of Saga Empire and red-armored knights dispatched by the weasel crown prince.
The scout-type adventurers whom they seemed to have recruited in Dejima Island are continuing their search in the hall and the surroundings.

There's no one who looks like the engineer dispatched by Weasel Empire.
They probably only showed up in the beginning and then left the rest to the red knights, never actually entering the labyrinth.

"--He's unmistakably the real Satou Pendragon."

The hero declared so after staring at me for around 30 seconds.

"I'm sorry, Satou."

I stopped the hero who was going to apologize with dogeza and asked why he suddenly attacked without appraising first.

"We were attacked by doppelgangers who took forms of Rusus and the others before getting here."
"After we dealt with them, we saw bodies of the relay base members in the passage, and when we checked them some directional antipersonnel mines (Claymores) exploded, seriously injuring Seina and the others."
"After that the doppelgangers persistently attacked us many times by posing as our acquaintances."

I see, so Hero's suspicion was nurtured in order to set up me and hero to crush each other....

"Furthermore, I need at least 10 seconds to see through the doppelganger's identity. It picks up fake information if I only glance lightly."

I see, so there's such a trap too.
My AR reading showed both [Human] and [Doppelganger] so it didn't trouble me, but if that's the case with him then I can understand.

But then, he can just appraise for 10 seconds right?

That question was answered by what the hero says next.

"Moreover, a guy who shouldn't have been here was accompanied by a woman while not even holding a sword nor a wand, that was way too suspicious."

I forgot that I've stored the fairy sword that's usually on my waist in my storage since it was dirtied when I dealt with the vampire.
Magic and magic edge are enough to take care of common monsters after all.

"I'm sorry."

I honestly apologize to the hero.

"I came here with my companions so I had left all the battles for them to take care of."

Next, I asked Lady Karina to demonstrate her rock-crushing fist and Raka's protection.

"Both of you are level 50 huh. You really worked hard."

I felt slightly guilty to hear the hero said that, but Lady Karina behind me was overwhelmed and turned red.


◇


"Master~?"
"Pochi can smell Master's smell over there nodesu."

I could hear Tama and Pochi's voices, so I call them aloud.

I use the [Magic Hand] to receive the girls who waved and jumped down the top of cliff.
The vanguards landed on their own just fine.

"My honey!"
"Hayato-sama, excuse me for my unsightly appearance."

Arisa coped with the hero's gleeful smile with formal graceful tone and behavior.

Tama and Pochi put their hands on Arisa's forehead in panic, going, "Fever~?", "Oh no nanodesu."
Liza who's read the atmosphere picks up the two away.

"Bringing children to this place?"
"They must be disposable slaves."

I heard such conversations from the black knights.

"--Satou."

Hero nonchalantly glanced at Liza and Tama, and then opened his eyes wide.

"Don't tell me, you... used Fiend Drug?"
"No?"

What's this suddenly?
Rather, your face is too close.

"Then why are some of these girls' level at 62?"

The hero vigorously swung his arm and asked passionately.

It seems that Arisa has put the [Thief God Harness] which she always wears on Liza.
Although, in this situation, I don' think he would react differently even if he saw Pochi's and Liza's titles.

"Trained~?"
"Pochi worked really really hard nodesu!"
"It's all thanks to Master's wonderful equipment and support."

The beastkin girls answered in my behalf.

"We were just continuously battling monsters almost to the point of making them go extinct in Selbira Labyrinth and destroyed a monster domain."

I didn't say anything about the Blue Territory since Saga Empire's black knights and Weasel Empire's red knights are here.

After pondering for a while, the hero stares at me with an earnest look.

"Satou, I have a favor to ask."
"Yes, if it's within my power--"

Thus, us team [Pendragon] undertakes the duty to subjugate the demon lord together with hero Hayato's party.

Of course, I'm fully planning to do things behind-the-scenes.


























Previous Chapter

15-11. Phantasmal Labyrinth (3)

 

Satou's here. Dungeons that appear in games are generally made clearable. No matter which nightmarish difficulty you choose, someone from the development staff will always make sure to adjust it so that you can finish it until the end. However, the real life dungeon doesn't seem to be like so....


◇


"Isn't it getting hotter?"
"I can use Air Conditioner magic if you want?"
"Don't~?"
"Noticing labyrinth's abnormality would be harder so don't nanodesu."

I replied Arisa's grumble like so, but Tama and Pochi raised such objections.
Their remarks are proofs that they're more experienced in exploring labyrinths than me.

While feeling a bit proud, I pat the two heads, saying "You're right."

"Nihehe~?"
"It's been awhile since Master patted Pochi nanodesu."

Was that so?

"Master, I also wish for magic power refill later so I tell."
"Sure thing."

When I made a promise to Nana without thinking, Arisa's eyes shined.

"Sexual harassment-type of requests are forbidden."
"No way~"

Getting shot down by me prematurely, Arisa pretends to break down crying.

"Master, we arrived at an open space, so I report."
"It looks like a cylinder isn't it."
"I wonder if the red thing on the floor of this large room is lava?"

Lulu and Liza followed up after Nana.

There's a large cylindrical room with diameter of around 100 meters at the end of the passage, and there's a narrow passage along the wall that goes spiraling below.
Just as Liza's said, the floor at the bottom is filled with bubbling lava and noxious gas.

There are several tunnels along the passage, it seems they connect to the labyrinth's middle layer.
The tunnel closest to the lava is connected to the hero's relay base--the goods depot.

"Ah, he fell."

About at the same time Arisa muttered, Liza threw a steel spear.

One of adventurers had lost his footing and fell headlong toward the lava--or rather, he was going to.
He's dangling on the wall, stitched on the spear thrown by Liza.
Of course, the spear didn't pierce through his body but his study fireproof mantle.

The companions of the adventurer shouted from afar at us to thank you.

After seeing off the adventurers who went into a tunnel, we continue on the passage.
Before long we found ourselves before an impasse.

Stepping stones are floating in mid-air, you'll need to jump over them like in an action game.

"Stop!"

Tama uses this kind of tone when she finds a trap.
Tama who opens her eyes wide is staring at the floating stones seriously.

"Illusion~?"

She points at one of them with her usual tone.
Looks like she found an illusion among the stepping stones.

"That looks to be the case. And this one will rotate and drop you down below if you step on it."

Another stone with a different kind of trap is located right beside it.
The Dungeon Master of this place seems to be a nasty one.


◇


"How long till the relay base?"

I open the map to answer Arisa's question.

--This is?!

"Let's hurry! Everyone prepare to teleport!"
"Understood!"

I waited only a breath after Liza's answer before teleporting us away.
There's a clearly different kind of red flowing on the slanting passage with lava.

"Over there~?"

Faster than Tama pointing her finger, I moved with Ground Shrink to the place where there were sounds of weapons clashing.

"Damn, damn damn, why isn't the Mithril sword working!"
"Kekekekeh, although it'll be different with the lowly Blood Stalker, such attacks won't work on true vampires the followers of darkness--"

I cut the vampire who's saying some stupid thing in two with the Mithril-made Fairy Sword.

Vampire is a troublesome race that can immediately revive even after they're turned into ashes, but that's the more reason I can attack them without reservation.
I ignore the Blood Bead and Magic Cores drop item on the ground and prioritize healing the man.

"Oy, are you still alive? Drink this magic potion."
"Stop, it's already too late. My blood has been sucked by the vampire earlier. I'm already losing my self and wanting blood."

The man spun words while gasping.
According to the AR reading beside him, his statement is true.

"--Item Box, open."

A black square appeared beside him.

"There's supply for hero-sama inside....Take out as much as possible and deliver them to hero-sama...."

I'm moving my hands while hearing him.

He--no, they seem to be the transport troops tasked to carry goods to the hero's relay base.
They're not only composed of Saga Empire's people, it seems there are also adventures from Dejima Island.

"Everyone else in the hero transport troops has died. The items inside Item Box will disappear when I die. While I'm resisting the power of darkness, quickly--"
"It's alright, leave it to me."

I powerfully assure him, the man endures the pain while gritting his teeth.

Soon enough, I dispelled all the miasma, and the man's state changed to normal person after I used the highest ranked magic to recover status abnormality.
For me who is able to dispel demon lord's curse, there's no way that I cannot cancel infection from a mere vampire who isn't even a True Ancestor.

The member of transport troops who has been healed falls unconscious.
He probably has lost too much blood from getting sucked by the vampire.
I'll give him blood-forming medicine once he wakes up.

"Uwahh, there's blood all over the place..."
"Yeah, it seems a vampire appeared here."

The girls who have caught up frown at the disastrous scene.

"Tama and Pochi, gather the ashes on the ground and put it inside this jar."
"Aye, dustpan~?"
"Time to display Pochi's exquisite skill with broom nodesu!"

Rustle-rustle, the two gather the ashes that was originally a vampire into the jar.
The magic core among the ashes is needed for the vampire to revive so I'll put it in a different location than the other magic cores.

I'm going to leave the punishment of this vampire to the [True Ancestor] Ban in the labyrinth's lower layer.
He will no doubt give the appropriate punishment to a vampire.

I start the next high priority work.

"Satou?"
"Just look."

After telling Mia who looked puzzled, I concentrate on the opposite side of the space.
I thrust my hand at the slightly wavering space.

--There's a reaction.

I forcefully expanded it just like that and then the goods that were inside it fell down.

"W-wait, don't tell me."

I affirm the surprised Arisa.

I interfered with the Item Boxes whose users had died from outside and took out the contents.

"....Geez, you're absurd like always."

Arisa sighed, looking astounded.

"Arisa can do it too right?"
"It may be possible if I have several bottles of high-ranked magic recovery potion, and a mid-level space magician assistant for measuring the position of the space. "

--So it's not like she can't do it.

In my case, it's just that I don't need the prior preparation is all.


◇


Now then, next we'll be heading toward the relay base but....

"--Annihilated?"

I affirm Liza.

"Yes, they were caught in a surprise attack by some strong monsters and annihilated."

I found the survivor earlier after seeing that the relay base was annihilated and searched the circumference for any survivor.

Two monsters are lurking at the place where the relay base was, a Mimic Salamander that has [Mimic] race-specific skill, and an Illusion Golem whose race-specific ability is [Optical Camouflage].

Both of them are level 50, it seems they hide their bodies when there's no enemies.

Worse, a level 60 Lava Golem is lurking on the floor above the relay base.
Since the ceiling is thin, it's probably going to drop down when the hero is fighting against the two monsters.

"Now then, what should we do--"

I'd like to hand over the revenge battle to the hero, but it's probably going to be tough for them who have been exhausted from the battle with the demon lord to fight the three monsters.
I don't think the hero himself would lose, but his followers and fellow travelers won't get out of it without any victim.

I evacuate the sole survivor to the [Sub-space] that's been copied from the Phantasmal Labyrinth and head to the destroyed relay base.

"Over there and there, monsters~?"
"Not yet, wait a bit okay."
"Aye."

Tama was going to dispose of them quickly, but even though the two level 50 monsters are weaker than her, their HPs are too high, so I refrained her.
I think Tama can win against them alone, but it would take time and destroy the relay base further.

"First, let's bring them to a place that's easy to fight in."

I execute the second [Another World] today, and create a sub-space for battle.

"It's like the mysterious magic space that often appears in Tokusatsu isn't it?"

Without minding Arisa's remark which had various meaning mixed in, we pull the three monsters into the sub-space I've created.

--ＢＵＷＡＲＥＴＷＥＥＥＥＲＹＷＡ. <TLN: Likely from "bareteru", literally means "exposed.">
--ＭＶＡ.

The Mimic Salamander that was mimicking as a huge rock and the Illusion Golem that was being transparent showed themselves up.

"Guess I'll call the one above too."

It'll be troubling if it enters the battle later, so I destroy the ceiling with the Short Stun magic.

--MUWAGUUUUEMVA.

While roaring incomprehensibly, the level 60 Lava Golem fell down with the ceiling splinters.
It's scattering sparks around, so it looks quite showy.

"Master, your order please."

Liza who's concealing quiet fighting spirit asks.
The other girls are also waiting for my reply.

"Defeat them--you can go at full power."
"Understood."

We're in the center of the sub-space created by [Another World] so there should be no problem even if the girls go at full power. Probably.

"Mia, create the appropriate artificial spirit."
"Nn, Water Dragon (Leviathan) ■■--."

Per Liza's instruction, Mia spoke the artifical spirit's name and began to chant.

"Nana, take care of the enemy in the middle. Keep them at bay until the other vanguards join."
"In agreement with Liza's instruction, so I inform. Equipment Installation."

When Nana muttered so, the artificial magic equipment (Raka Clone) in the form of a choker opened an entrance to sub-space behind her with space magic [Garage].
Transparent [Magic Hands] that extend from it strip off Nana's equipment and install the new golden armor.

The transformation scene looks similar to the ones in various media, but the transformation time is too long compared to ones in fiction.
I won't ask for it to be one millisecond long, I just want it to be one second at least.

Nana who's been equipped with the golden armor activates the 『Castle』 mode and takes up defensive position with the great shield ready.

The girls who saw Nana's equipment change begin to change theirs similarly.
The enemies are coming to attack of course, but they're trapped in Arisa's space magic [Labyrinth] and can't get close.

"Lulu, remain on stand-by and prepare to shoot anytime. Arisa, please command the support and rearguard appropriately."
"Yes, I understand."
"Okay, leave it to me."

Behind Lulu and Arisa, Tama and Pochi are waiting Liza's instruction with impatient faces.
Liza probably leaves them for the last since no doubt these girls are going to jump out the moment they've been given the order.

"Pochi, overrun the enemy on the right. Tama, assist Pochi."
"Roger, nanodesu."
"Aye aye sir~?"

The two who took shutan pose just for having their turns took Liza's instruction.

"Physical Reinforcement."
"Magic Circulation and Accelerated Thought too naanodesu!"

Tama and Pochi activate their own support skills.
Arisa and Nana put buff-type skills on all the vanguards.

"Right on mark~?"
"Pochi wants Master's reinforcement magic too nodesu."
"Sure, 『Divine Light Blade』 and 『Divine Light Shield』."

Losing to Pochi's cute request, I used the advanced force magic I learned from Hikaru on her.
The names sound like they're of Light magic, it's confusing.

"Overflowing with power~?"
"Fully ready now nanodesu."
"Then I'll release the [Labyrinth] okay."
"Aye."
"Yes, nanodesu."

The girls replied back Arisa powerfully.

"Raka-san, we're going too!"
『Umu, I'll be supporting to the best of my ability.』

I grab the nape of Lady Karina who was going to rush out with Liza and the others.

"You can't Karina-sama. Let's watch them here with me."

It's dangerous for Lady Karina to be near Liza and the others when they're serious.
I think it should be fine with Raka's protection, but I can't guarantee her safety in case she's hit by Liza's dragon spear or Pochi's holy sword.

"I-I also want to fight together desuwa!"
"It's fine."

I'm thinking of letting her have enough battles to let the new name of her technique instilled in her heart.
We have to think the new name for the technique before that though.

"I'll let you fight all you want later."

When I tell her that with a smile, for some reason Lady Karina's face becomes blue and she begins to tremble violently.
Perhaps it's because I made her work a bit too much during the training to learn [Magic Power Operation] back then.


◇


"Labyrinth, release."
"There's no lost child~ so I coerce."
"Tou, nanodesu!"

The moment Arisa released her magic, Nana said some questionable provocative words, Pochi rushed out using Flickering Movement while drawing her sword.
The Illusion Golem intercepts Pochi by swinging its fist at her.

"Shadow Bind~?"

Tama threw kunai at the Illusion Golem's shadow, stopping its movement with Ninjutsu.

"Blue Fang Arc Moon Slash, nanodesu."

Pochi's holy swords draws an arc, cutting the Illusion Golem from below to above.

--Boom.

Pochi kicked the ground at the same time her sword touched the golem, and the golem got thrown up with enough force like it's going to be cut in two.
The holy sword drawing blue light sharply cuts the golem's body.

--Boom boom.

With the second jump, Pochi jumped up 10 meter high, and the holy sword came out of the golem's shoulder.
The golem's enormous HP has been decreased to 40%.

"Pochi, niice~?"
"Not yet, nanodesu!"

Pochi holds her knee and spins a bit.

"Blue Fang Rupturing Strike."

--Bang.

Kicking the air, Pochi pierced the golem like a cannonball.
The golem's HP decreased even further to 30%.

I'm going to overlook the fact that Pochi's body has been buried in the ground due to her over-enthusiasm.

The golem's splinters and dust are greatly scattered at the surrounding, Arisa and Mia who are hiding behind Lulu complain.
Even my Attentive Ears couldn't hear them since it was covered by the roaring sound though.

The golem raises its stout arm at Pochi who's stopped moving for revenge.
The Shadow Binding seems to have been removed by Pochi's attack earlier.

"Don't worry be happy~?"

Tama who's cloned herself before I knew it surrounds the golem with magic swords shining red.

"Crimson Fang Furious Hundred Slash, nyan."

More than a hundred slashes mercilessly assault the golem.
The golem's HP decreases slightly every time a red light flashes.

Her offensive power is lower compared to Pochi's, but the torrent of slashes that slip through the golem's defense break its hand, gouge its stomach, and drill its knee.

--ＭＶＡＭＭＭＭＶＶＶＶＡＡＡ.

Voice tinged with fear greater than when it was facing off against Pochi echoed, in the end, the golem became a mountain of crumbling wreckage.

"You did well you two. The next enemy is of equal strength. Give it your all."

Liza asked the two who had finished their battle for the last battle.

The Mimic Lizard that was fighting with Liza was quickly defeated by 16 stabs of Liza's Dragon Spear during Pochi's first attack earlier.
Please use your finisher at least.

I watched over the girls' peerlessness while thinking like that, and then we went back to the original labyrinth.

Because Hero Hayato is arriving at the relay base.




















Previous Chapter

15-10. Phantasmal Labyrinth (2)

 

Satou's here. It's said that there are three people who have the same face in the world, but looking at the likelihood of those people meeting with each other, I think accidental resemblance is more common.


◇


"U-um, this is, uh"

Lady Karina is flustered to see Lady Liedill who appeared from the opposite side of the Iron Golem.
However, there's something else that has caught my attention.

"H-hey, Master, what should we do?"
"Nothing."

I lightly cut off Arisa's worry, pats her shoulder and points at Liedill.

"--Ah"
"You understand?"
"Y-yes. Shall I do it instead?"
"No, I'm happy with just the thought."

I don't really want to do it but it'd be a mistake to let the children to.
This is something that I must do.

"Sa-Satou."
"It's alright."

After nodding at Lady Karina who looks uneasy, I step forward in front of her.

"....U-uu."

A groan came from the golem's wreckage.
Oops, I've got to deal with that one first.

I chantlessly healed the trampled adventurers who were dying and then I made them sleep with mind magic chantlessly too.
After I'm done with the emergency task, I head to Liedill.

"Oh? Perhaps you'd be the one explaining--"

Without waiting until the end, I kick Liedill's stomach, flinging it away at the line of the escort who are standing still behind.
As an insurance, I also use earth magic's [Toss Drill Stone] to skewer it and the escort together.

"M-Master?"
"Sa-Satou?"

Seeing my brutality, Liza and Lady Karina are shaken.
The other girls are also shaken with different reactions.

"Uwah, gross."
"Don't worry be happy~?"

Only Arisa and Tama are reacting differently.

However, besides the two's, the voices tapered off.

"Uhyaa, so that's what Doppelganger like."
"Nopperabou~?"
"It dissolves like, slush nodesu."
"Master, requesting provision of information."

I explain to the girls while glancing at the log.
The brief words from Arisa already explained it all though.

"The monster earlier is called Doppelganger, a monster that can steal a part of someone's memory and assume the appearance of a person."

Arisa was deceived at first, but she realized immediately once she appraised her.
In the first place, there's no way that I won't notice Lady Liedill, who has been marked, once she enters the Radar's range.

"You can't let your guard down with people you meet in the labyrinth even if you know them okay?"

The girls cheerfully replied me positively.

The reason why I'm telling the girls that is because judging from the fact that there was no one we met who warned us about the monster and that there is no other Doppelganger inside the labyrinth, that means it was probably prepared by the Dungeon Master who got flustered since some high level adventurers entered the labyrinth.
There's a room fully loaded with water and paralyze traps at the end of one of the long passages from the large room where the Doppelgangers and the Iron Golem appeared.

The Doppelgangers earlier were probably going to lead us there.

Further, there might have been a gentler way to defeat them, but I did what I did since I wanted to defeat them before my companions did.
I don't want to see the girls killing beings that look like people after all.

◇

"Putting your name in your technique's name is really not a good idea."
"--Uu."
"Why~?"
"It's cool nodesuyo?"

Lady Karina faltered with Arisa's frank advice, Tama and Pochi covered for her.

"Even after you hide your figure, if you shout a technique name like that out loud, you can end up in trouble like just now right?"
"Oo~ops~?"
"Ah, nanodesu."

Tama and Pochi who heard the explanation were surprised.
Don't tell me, they only noticed it just now?

"Recommending to change the name so I advice."
"That's right...."

Nana spoke calmly, Liza hesitated.

As for me, I don't intend to force Lady Karina to correct it since her clumsiness is within my tolerance, but it appears the other girls don't think so.

"Sa-Satou won't tell me to change it too right?"
"Yes, it's fine--"

Lady Karina looks relieved when I affirm her.

"--As long as you stay behind when we're on missions where we need to disguise ourselves that is."

Even though I followed up with a smile, Lady Karina's face looks like she's having a monologue, "I've been betrayed."

--Incomprehensible.

"Then, since Karina-sama agrees too--"

Arisa begins to take ideas for the new technique name beside the dispirited Lady Karina.

"The first meetiing~ Karina Kick new technique naame~ Naming conventioon~"

She's using some strange intonation, it must be some kind of reference.

"The safe one would be 『Oppai Kick』 I guess?"
"Arisa, take this seriously. How about 『Jump Kick』?"
"『Inazuma Fall』 is nice so I suggest."
"Mwuu, Swooping Kick Strike."

Liza reproved Arisa for her joking remark, Nana and Mia suggested some acceptable names.
And--.

"Meat Attack~?"
"Hamburg Steak sounds stronger nanodesu. Hamburg Steak Kick is good nodesu!"

--Triggered by Tama and Pochi, the suggestion for the technique names all became of dishes name, so the naming convention came to a close prematurely.


◇


"This is the place where the figurines were found?"

Arisa tilted her head at a shrine-like place inside the labyrinth.
She probably feels the gap between the anime figurine and the place.

"Nope, there's a hidden passage inside that shrine, and that place seems to be at the end of that passage."

The inside of the shrine is decorated with many stone statues.

"Uwaah, the Star Oni Girl Lovely Momo, and there's even Mecha Girl Version of the Space Warrior Random. The guy who created these must be quite an enthusiast."

Arisa voiced her admiration, but I don't know the sources for half of the statues.
I pulled the excited Arisa's hand and we entered the hidden door.

"The fog is thick. Tama, Pochi, be on the lookout."
"Aye aye sir~?"
"Roger nanodesu."

Tama puts her hands on her ears strengthening her hearing, Pochi closes her eyes and sniffs the surrounding smell.

Before long, we see the shadow of buildings beyond the fog.
This place seems to be a phantom town block filled with gray rocks.

"This looks like a gray rock street doesn't it."
"Yeah, it's like a petrified Akiba."

This place is not that large, yet there are several multi-floor buildings and asphalt-like road carved from gray rocks.
A familiar townscape with unfamiliar signboards--the one who created this real-sized models of the street is probably a reincarnated or a transported person from Japan that resembles mine.

"This upright cabinet is empty inside too."
"That seems to be the case."

Apparently there's nothing of worth here.

"Master!"
"Master, a discovery so I inform."

When I turned toward Lulu and Nana, I saw half-petrified manga books on the ground.
Many badly made figurines are piled up beside them.

It looks like they're transformed into stone from material build-up.

"Master, that!"

Arisa pointed at a scribble-like brush writing.

"『I want to go home』 huh--"

The scribble is hard to read, but that's certainly what's written in Katakana.

We didn't find a gate that connects to our world, but it's certain that a reincarnated or perhaps a teleported person had come here.
Perhaps, the demon lord in this labyrinth created weapons using the same mean.


◇


"That reminds me, is the real Kukkorosan in the labyrinth?"
"Yes, it seems they're exploring in the middle layer."

They were already there when we entered the labyrinth.

They must have gone into the labyrinth not long after their intrusion incident yesterday.
Lady Liedill's stamina gauge has decreased more than half, it seems they're forcing themselves.

"--Huh?"
"What's wrong?"

Lady Liedill's state on the map has changed to [Panic].
When I peer the room where she is with space magic [Remote View]--.

"They are in serious trouble somehow."

The scene and sound projected by Remote View magic in mind is just like pandemonium from a disaster film.

『U-uwah, there's something inside the slime.』
『Ma-magician-dono? Where are you Magician-dono!』
『Th-there's snakes inside the slime!』
『Liedill-sama, please escape alone!』
『I will not abandon you guys.』

Lady Liedill and her party are sinking into a sea of slime inside a room that's similar to the room we were going to be entrapped earlier.
Furthermore, there are tentacle-shaped monsters called [Slime Leech] that are in symbiosis with the slimes, they appear to coil around their enemies and pull them into the symbiotic slime to suffocate them to death.

Defeating the slimes is easy by using ranged attack, but unlike in the game, their bodies won't disappear even after they've died so it won't really help the situation.
It's as it were flooding by slimes.

Im addition, the slimes are called Lake Slimes, they seem to be of a different species than the common slime.

『This level of slimes, I'll just burn them down!』
『Fool! We're in underground here!』
『Suffocating to death would be better than getting eaten like this!』

This is bad.... The desperate magician has begun to chant an advanced fire magic spell.
If she used that in such a closed room, every one of them wouldn't come out of it with just major burn.

『Don't give up! We are not warriors that will fall behind this degree of enemies!』

Lady Liedill's clear voice remonstrates her companions who are consumed by despair.
Lady Liedill fills her two-handed magic sword with magic power, the red light shines on her companions.

『True Temple Knights are--』

And then, the Slime Leechs twine on her legs while her expression is still serious and pulls her into the Lake Slime in an instant.

I don't know how to react since it was too embarrassing.

『Revenge for Liedill-sama!』

The magician fires the advanced magic and shouts while crying bitter tears.

No no, she's not dead yet.


◇


"Uwah, erotic."

I put Lady Liedill and her companions I pulled here using space magic on the floor.

This is one of the room at the end of a passage from the place where we defeated the Doppelgangers earlier.
It's not the trap room one of course.

Just as Arisa said, on top of their disheveled armor and clothing, they're covered in slimy liquid, so they look like inhabitants of the 18+ world.
The slimy liquid is the remain of the slime which had undergone change after getting burned by the fire magic.

I entrust Lulu and the others to care for Lady Liedill and the female magician, while I recover the burly men with healing magic and life magic in a pack.
Half of them were charred by the advanced fire spell, but they all barely made it thanks to their levels, resistances, equipment and support magic.

I recovered the people who were drowned in the slime with my original magic [Lifesaving: Respiration].
I also have a magic to shock the heart [Lifesaving: AED] though there's no opportunity to use it now.

"T-this place is--"
"Have you awaken?"

Lady Liedill who woke up first muttered with hoarse voice.

Lulu and the others have fixed up their clothing as much as possible.
They'll get undone if they move too much, so I probably have to warn the careless Lady Liedill.

"--Did I survive."

Lady Liedill stares at the finger in front of her face, gets half of her body up painfully and looks around.
Her body seems weak, so I support her back.

"Good, everyone is alright..."

After putting her companions into her view, she breathed a sigh of relief.
I offer Lady Liedill whose voice is hoarse a cup of water.

"Ah, thank you--"

Our eyes meet as Lady Liedill inclines the cup.
Her relaxed expression changed in an instant, her eyes opening wide.

"--You're, Satou!"

While gushing water out of her mouth, Lady Liedill stepped back vigorously enough to use Flickering Movement.
As promised, her armor and clothes which were only fixed as needed couldn't endure the inertia and scattered away.

"Hyaaa--"

She covered her thin breasts in a hurry.
I hand over a cloth I took from the storage bag to Tama who was watching on the sideline.

"I'll leave it to you."
"Aye~"

Tama used Flickering Movement while crouching, moving next to Lady Liedill.
Is she mimicking Lady Liedill's movement earlier?

"Use it~?"
"M-my gratitude."

After I've made sure that she's finished wearing the cloth, I step forward while being careful not to alert her.

"It was really surprising. Just when were taking a break in this room, Liedill-sama and her companions appeared out of thin air."
"--Appeared out of thin air?"

Hearing my fabricated story supported by Deception skill, Lady Liedill's raised her eyebrows as if she couldn't believe it.

"Yes, you must have an excellent space magician."
"N-no, none of my subordinates can use space magic."
"Then it was a Weasel Empire's magic device for emergency escape wasn't it. Giving such an important item like that, His Majesty the Emperor must really cherish the Temple Knights."
"Y-yes--That's right."

I forcefully steered the talk to a good story type.
We're in the upper layer, so normally one wouldn't think that the we saved them who were in the middle layer.


◇


"Then please excuse us. The exit is nearby, but please be careful."
"Ah, you too be careful. There's something different about this labyrinth--"

Lady Liedill leads her companions who have woken up toward the exit.

"Satou, if you're interested in Temple Knights--No, you're an authority of Shiga Kingdom aren't you. Our gratitude for the support and treatment earlier. We will properly thank you later."

Lady Liedill tried to invite me, but she changed her mind and stopped in the way.
Her gaze feels like they've softened up somewhat, is it just my imagination I wonder.

"Wait now~ stop raising flags here and there please."
"Nn, affable."
"You're right, I'll be careful."

I lightly waived off Arisa and Mia's complaint, and we went back to the labyrinth exploration.
Our destination today is the hero's relay base.

While watching the girls' peerlessness, I think hard about what kind of Japanese sweets should I serve to commemorate our reunion with the hero.


























Previous Chapter

15-8. Dejima Island (2)

 

Satou's here. Talking with a friend you haven't met for a long time until you lose sense of time. When both of you laugh it off since neither remember who's the other one after talking for a long time, I wonder if that's also a form of beauty.


◇


"Tiger ears~?"
"It's the wolf ear person nanodesu!"

The ones behind us are the hero's followers, Rusus and Fifi.
Since I barely got in contact with them in the Duchy Capital, it would have been bad if I didn't have the information from AR reading.

Why are these girls who should have been in the labyrinth with Hayato here?

"Uwaa, that's some terrible injuries...."

Arisa becomes speechless after seeing the two's bodies.
Rusus has lost her knee to below and her right arm, while Fifi's right leg has disappeared to near the pelvic. Her right eye patch doesn't seem to be a fashion but something to protect the eye that has lost its eyeball.

"We made a slight blunder in our fight with the demon lord you see."
"We're hanging around here since we're useless in battle until the artificial arms and legs arrive from Saga Empire."

Rusus and Fifi ridiculed themselves with light tones.
Limb loss is not something that rare in labyrinth city Selbira, but as vanguards of the hero party, measures should have been taken by all means to recover them.

"Did something happen to Loreiya-sama?"

I uttered the name of the holy magic quiet-type big-breasted beauty in the hero party.
She should be capable to recover limb loss, but if she had died, then perhaps they're low on elixirs.

"That girl is still with Hayato."
"With Rin and Merry too."

I'm bothered that they didn't mention Miss Wiyaryi the long-earkin archer.

"You two, this is not something to talk about in this traffic."

There was a girl with short stature behind them, I didn't see her before since she was hidden by the two's heights.

According to AR reading, she's also one of the hero's followers, Nono the secretary.
I often talked with her in our telecommunications, but she feels different than during the calls.

She's unexpectedly short, her height is about between Arisa and Lulu.
Her face matches her age and her body line is undulated enough, so she's probably never mistaken for a child.

"Viscount Pendragon, please forgive our rudeness."

Nono who's more expressionless than Nana bows her head and apologizes to me.
It seems there's a custom to bow one's head when you apologize in Saga Empire.

In order to continue the talk, or rather, to hear the present situation of Hayato and the others, we went with them to the inn they're staying.

"Gi~?"
"There's Darry too nodesu."
"Nn, correct."

The children are looking at a carriage with the Pendragon House Crest.
I can't see Lulu anywhere, but according to the map, it seems she's in the rest area where the coachmen gather.

"You're right. Maybe that building is the administration office?"

I nod to Arisa's question.

"Can you tell Lulu that we're in this inn?"
"Nn, understood."

I was asking Tama, but the one answered was Mia who beat her flat chest full of confidence.
I let Mia be the messenger and ask Tama and Pochi to go with her just in case.


◇


"Demon lord's curse?"
"Yes, we were unable to lift the curse even with the 『Wish Ring』."

When I asked the reason why they couldn't recover Rusus's and Fifi's limb loss, the hero's secretary Nono told me that it was because of the [Demon Lord's Curse].
There's no [Curse] status on the girls' AR reading.

"I'll get embarrassed if you stare that much nya."
"Want to rub them?"

Rusus is embarrassed, Fifi lifts her breasts from below.
Looks like they misunderstood me staring at their chests.

Fifi seems to like to tease people younger than her.

"Y-you can't."
"That's right, you can't desuwa."

Arisa and Lady Karina catch my arms from right and left.
Leaving Arisa's side aside, I can feel blissful sensation from the arm Lady Karina caught.

"It's a misunderstanding. I'm merely intrigued by this curse."
"『Demon Lord's Curse』 is not something that can be seen. Although, the Dragon Eyes of a true dragon might be able to see through the curse...."

By Dragon Eyes, it's the thing Liedill the Temple Knight has huh--.

I tried if I could see the miasma by using the same trick I used to obtain the Spirit Seer skill.
I wasn't expecting anything, but I can see something black wriggling at the edge of my view.

>[Miasma Seer] Skill Acquired

I immediately activated the skill and saw chains of black mist-like things binding Rusus and Fifi. That's probably the miasma--[Demon Lord's Curse].

I feel that I can get rid of them if I touch them directly, but since hex-like thing are located directly on top of their hearts, it's hard to do it without telling them the reasons.
I'll consult with Arisa and the others later for the best timing.

Once they're released from the curse, Loreiya should be able to restore their limbs with holy magic.


◇


"The demon lord has joined hands with the 『Dungeon Master』?"
"Yes, we're convinced of that after the last battle with the demon lord. Before that, we thought that the demon lord himself was the Dungeon Master...."

Secretary Nono told us about the present situation of Hayato and the others.

"The rat demon lord escaped with teleportation in our first two encounters, and then we planned to seal teleportation for the third encounter and crush it to death."
"We used the 『Magic Eating Binding Chain』, an 『Artifact from the Age of Gods』, to seal his magic power, and then we just needed to defeat him but--"

Rusus and Fifi talked about their third battle with the demon lord.
Still, the demon lord here isn't a weasel but a rat huh. I was convinced that it was a weasel somehow.

"When the demon lord emitted purple light, he took out weapons from hero's country called 『Masin gan』 and 『Klaymor』 and went on a rampage."
"Really, we never thought he had such hidden tricks besides the transformation."
"I thought I'd die."
"At that time, we and Wi were seriously injured."
"We'd have died if Hayato wasn't there."

According to the two, while the [Magic Eating Binding Chain] was active, any magic, be it support magic or magic defense, were all nulled.
It seems only hero's and demon lord's Unique Skills that could be activated during that time.

It appears this [Magic Eating Binding Chain] is far more powerful than the [Magic Eater] the weaselkin used in the war with Makiwa Kingdom.
The [Magic Eater] is probably an inferior version recreated in present time.

"Nevertheless, Hayato managed to corner it to the limit, but then monsters suddenly flooded into the room from the exit and the demon lord escaped during that chance."
"Hey hey, from that story, it wouldn't be strange for the demon lord to be the Dun Mas right?" <TLN: Dungeon Master, abbr.>

Arisa asked Rusus who looked frustrated.

"The demon lord didn't touch the 『Dungeon Core』 you see."
"Your Highness Arisa, a Dungeon Master has to touch the 『Dungeon Core』 in order to manipulate the labyrinth."

The secretary Nono added Rusus's explanation.

They got the information from someone who was once a Dungeon Master.
Nono was being vague, but from the nuance, it seemed that either some past hero or their follower was a Dungeon Master.

"Shouldn't you just need to destroy the core first then?"
"That's impossible, Honey-chan."
"Right right, we'd have done it if we could."

Rusus and Fifi denied Arisa's question while smiling wryly.

"You can't interfere the Dungeon Core as long as the Dungeon Master isn't defeated."

Fumu, I've touched a Fake Core in the [Ivy Mansion] in the labyrinth city Selbira, but it appears the real Dungeon Core is something like a shadow.


◇


"In other words, from now on you need to defeat both the demon lord and the Dungeon Master right?"
"Yes, it's impossible with our current force, but we've requested reinforcements from Saga Empire."

According to secretary Nono, Dejima Island's [Phantasmal Labyrinth] greatly branches in the middle layer on top of having its layout change every time, thus finding the demon lord and the Dungeon Monster that are located in the lowest layer requires a lot of manpower.

Arisa who's sitting beside me is pulling my sleeve.
When I turn to her, Arisa's large eyes are glittering.

I nod at her.

"We will cooperate too. Our power might not be enough to defeat the demon lord, but it might be what's needed to curb the Dungeon Master of the 『Phantasmal Labyrinth』."

If the reinforcements from Saga Empire prove to be useful, we can just change with them then.
Even without them, Hayato should be able to easily defeat the demon lord as long as there's no obstacle.

After all, it looks possible for Hayato to defeat the demon lord if the Dungeon Master doesn't interfere.

"--Then let us perform that plan if Hayato-sama approves of it once he's back."
"Yes, we wish to express our gratitude for Viscount Pendragon's cooperation."

Secretary Nono worked on the details as to how we're cooperating to search for the Dungeon Master, but left the final decision to Hayato.

"Satou and Honey-chan, what are you going to do until then?"
"In order to grasp the 『Phantasmal Labyrinth』's atmosphere, we're planning to enter it lightly on a day trip."
"The maze in that labyrinth changes frequently, so be careful okay."

Rusus exchanged such talks with Arisa.

If this were a game, it'd have been the 100-floor dungeon to enjoy, but when you're actually thrust to capture it in real life, it's most troublesome.
It seems Hayato also had a hard time searching in the middle layer and beyond until the magic item, offered by the weaselkin, that could point at the direction of the demon lord came.

Rusus's and Fifi's ears are twitching.
At the same time, my Attentive Ears skill picked up the noise outside the inn.

"What's happening?"
"It sure is noisy outside."

Fifi nimbly gets up and goes to the window with a wand in hand.

"--Airships of Weasel Empire? And the three of them are of the high-speed destroyer type."

Fifi mutters while looking up at the sky, Secretary Nono who hears it stands up in surprise.
The crown prince seems to be visiting the imperial capital after all, maybe some political disturbance has happened in the Weasel Empire's Capital?

Opening the map, I see that there's a person with marker riding on that airship.
Why is she at this place... Political disturbance might be really happening in the central.

I heard noisy sounds of someone running up the stairs, and then a big-breasted woman wearing Saga Empire's civil official clothes rushed into the room without knocking.
She's never introduced her name, but it seems she's one of Saga Empire's officials who are stationed in Dejima Island working to support secretary Nono.

"Oh no, Nono-sama!"

Big-breasted aid-san hardened slightly.
She probably remembered that there were guests when she saw us.

"What is it."
"Y-yes! Actually--"

Urged by Nono, big-breasted aid-san recovered from her freeze and opened her mouth to report, but an intruder showed up faster than she could.

"P-please wait."
"You're in the way, move aside."

Someone wearing Saga Empire clothing outside the door resisted till the end, but a woman in armor forcibly pushed him away.

"Are you Saga Empire's hero? Pleased to meet you, I am one of the Temple Knights under direct control of his majesty the emperor, Liedill."

The one introducing herself while staring at me is the level 57 Temple Knight we met in Weasel Empire's Mogeiba City.
Leaving aside her incomprehensible pose, it appears she has wrongly guessed me as hero Hayato after seeing my black hair.

"Geh, it's the Kukkorosan."

Arisa muttered.
Even though Lady Liedill never uttered [Ku, Korose (Kuh, kill me)] even when she was cornered, it seems Arisa's mind has made up to give her [Kukkorosan] nickname.

"She didn't figure it out right?"
『All is fine, Karina-dono. You're heavily guarding it.』

Since Lady Karina asked Raka nervously in whisper, I stand up from the chair, and walk a step forward to hide her from Lady Liedill's line of sight.

"Nice to meet you, Liedill-sama. I'm Viscount Satou Pendragon of Shiga Kingdom."
"--Eh, Shiga Kingdom?"

I lightly cleared her misunderstanding and introduced myself.
Lady Liedill who had become aware of her misunderstanding froze in surprise.

Rusus and Fifi are openly showing their wariness as they grab the handles of largish knives behind the cushions.
Nono stands beside me with a firm manner.

"Temple Knight-dono, Hero Hayato-sama is currently inside the 『Phantasmal Labyrinth』 to defeat the demon lord. Temple Knight-dono wouldn't have wasted her time in vain if you had just informed us beforehand...."

She was saying it politely but she clearly reproved Lady Liedill's visit without an appointment.

"Is that so, then it can't be helped."

Lady Liedill muttered without even being aware that she was getting reproved.
Her glare which was pointed at the air turned to me.

"Hey, you. Have we met somewhere?"
"There is no way that I would forget an encounter with such a beauty as you, just where have we met I wonder?"

While putting both my hands on Lady Liedill's hand, I befuddled the matter with a line from some smooth talker.
I could have said, "We've never met before", since I was in ratkin costume when I met her, but since the Deception and Crisis Perception skills told me that telling a lie would be dangerous, I decided to take the question-dodging route.

"Let go, how filthy."

Lady Liedill brushed my hand away and glared at me like looking at a dirt.
Apparently, she's a clean-freak.

Arisa is wiping my hand with a handkerchief while saying, "It really is."
--Please stop provoking her.

"My Dragon Eyes tell me. I've absolutely met you guys somewhere before."
"Perhaps it was in Shiga Kingdom's Royal Capital? Sorry but we've just arrived here at Dejima Island, so we've yet to attend any ball or banquet here."

Lady Liedill said so with eyes full of conviction.
Normally you'd have resigned here, but since her eyes are relatively bad, I'll just deceive her.

Lady Karina who's sweating waterfall behind me is a reason for anxiety, but Arisa and Mia should be doing something about her.

And then, a male temple knight I saw in the Weasel Empire before rushed in.
It's the escort knight of Lady Liedill.

"Liedill-sama!"
"Oh? You're late."

Contrary to the desperate escort knight, Lady Liedill replied normally while still not letting her eyes away from me.

"It looks like the hero is not here. Rather than that, have you ever seen this black haired kid?"
"No, I haven't--"
"Is that so.... That's strange."

Losing her vigor after hearing the escort knight, Lady Liedill was dragged away by the other knights who came later.

"Everyone, you might have taken offense from Liedill-sama's impoliteness, but we beg your forgiveness."

The leader-kun of the escort knights apologized for their master, and left after saying that they would formally apologize later.

"Somehow it seems like they'll barge into the battle with the demon lord too."
"Isn't that fine, they'll be additional forces then."
"Well yeah. Let them get stylishly beaten by the demon lord and become hero's and our stepping stones."

Secretary Nono showed a dark smile and said "That would be nice" to reply Arisa's dark remark, and then both of them are laughing "Hohoho" together.
The two's eyes aren't laughing, Lady Karina and even Rusus and Fifi look scared.


◇


"Delish!"
"Amazing."

Rusus and Fifi highly praised the karage Lulu made.
After the disturbance with Lady Liedill, my companions and the house-sitting group of the hero party met up and then we had a party in a reserved room of the high-class inn.

"Of cour~se?"
"Lulu's dishes are amazingly amazing nodesu!"

Tama and Pochi who saw Rusus and Fifi praising the dishes asserted vigorously, stepping forward on top of the table.

"Un, it's really good. This red sour fruit is especially nice."
"Wi, which one do you want next?"
"Then, please get the rod-shaped vegetable with meat wrapped around it."

Miss Wiyaryi, the long ear-kin archer, enjoyed the tomato dish.
The reason secretary Nono is diligently looking after her is because she's lost her limbs in the fight with the demon lord.
There are other aids here, but it seems Nono personally takes care of her.
The two seem to be close.

"Asparagus meat roll is tasty so I tell."
"Mwu, sukiyaki."

Nana nodded with Miss Wiyaryi's choice, Mia raised an objection, telling that the sukiyaki is better.
Looks like Mia still dislikes dishes with a lot of oil even though she's able to eat meat now.

"Here comes the main!"
"Yay~"
"Nanodesu!"

Arisa and the others who saw the main dish that appeared on the door raised their voices in joy.

"Thank you for waiting."
"The main dish is a whole roast cow."

Liza and Lulu put the huge plate on the middle of table.

Even though I know that they have mighty strength due to their levels, seeing young girls carrying whole roast of a one-ton class cow, that's impossible even for men with good builds to carry, is quite an unrealistic scene.

The reason why we're serving meat even though we're in a port town is because it was the request of the hero's staff who had gotten bored of fish.
Well, my companions like meat more than fish too.

"Master, here you go."
"Thank you, Liza."

Liza put a plate with the spoil from the scramble for the whole roast front of me.

"Yup, it's good. Liza too, eat it too before it's gone."
"Yes, then I'll kindly accept--"

Liza jumps into the scramble (battlefield) with eyes of a warrior.
The whole roast's shape changed in an instant into bones so clean it probably wouldn't be sufficient to even make soup stock.

Now then, now that I'm full, I'll finish the thing I have to do before going into the labyrinth.




























Previous Chapter

15-7. Dejima Island

 

Satou's here. When I hear the words 'sailing ship', it reminds me of a great game where the actual sea chart change depending on whether you believe on the report or not. In order to prove which one was more interesting, I played the game all night with a friend who also remembered the game of the age of exploration.


◇


"Ship~?"
"Master, there's a ship in the distance nodesu."

Hearing the report from Tama and Pochi through the speaking tube, the Brownie who's steering the ship lowers the control lever of the Aerodynamic Engine.
With that, the sailing altitude of the ship got lowered and the ship landed on the water with a slight impact.

"It's been awhile isn't it~ Going with this ship."
"You're right."

This is an unfortunate ship that hadn't got its turn after the journey from Boruenan Forest to Shiga Kingdom's Trade City.
Since it's installed with an Aerodynamic Engine even though it's of low altitude model, I couldn't lend it to other people.

"I wonder if Hayato and the others are fine?"
"Oh they're fine."

I answered Arisa who seemed worried after glancing at the hero's status shown on the marker column of the map. There's no status abnormality nor extreme physical drop.

We're heading toward Dejima Island in order to meet the hero.
I was slightly worried about him after hearing from Lady Liedill the Temple Knight in Mogeiba City that he might be being used by the crown prince's plot.

We're riding on a sailing ship instead of an airship since this is not an official work of the Tourism Ministry.

We were forbidden from going to the Weasel Empire, but using, "To ensure the safety of the princess and the airship" as a pretext, I got the permission to have a vacation and do a "Hero's Symphaty Call" personally.
The wonderful thing is that Tourism Ministry personnels are still paid monthly on vacations. The fantasy world, or rather, the noble community is quite flexible.

Further, the entourage members of the Tourism Ministry are currently socializing at Pendragon Mansion at the Royal Capital in my place.
Their main purpose is to popularize shared information that are not confidential and unusual things and dishes we got in our visits in the various small kingdoms.
Since we can easily meet them if we go to the solitary island palace, it doesn't really feel like we're apart.

Zena-san stays behind to guard the princess and Sera, but Lady Karina is going with us for the purpose of her re-training.

"It's shaking once we're out on the open sea."
"Can't be helped, it's a small ship after all."

This ship's displacement is only about 100 tons.
It's probably quite small for this world's sea-faring ships.

"How long does it take until we reach Dejima Island?"
"I guess around 3 hours?"
"Ugeh, that's too long~"

Arisa grumbled while looking fed up.

"If you don't like the shaking, you should take shelter in the solitary island palace."
"Un, let me take you up on that offer."

There's no problem since the brownies are steering the ship.
Since all of them are wearing sailor uniforms and sailor hats, it feels like elementary schoolers are leading though.

"Master, is there any tuna around here?"
"Unfortunately, it seems there's none in this sea area. We can take the ship offshore later if you're worried about the tuna stock."
"Yes! Thank you very much!"

When I promise her that, Lulu shows a shining smile that won't lose to the sunshine.

"Master, I found a heap of birds at the port side."

Liza is staring at me with glistening eyes.
She must be waiting for my permission.

"You can go hunt them, but be careful not to be noticed by the ships ahead."
"Yes, I will be flying on the surface of the sea."

Liza runs on the sea surface while holding a spear.
She's carrying a harpoon for throwing since she's going in a hunt.

I saw Liza changed her flight course in the middle of the way and threw the harpoon at the birds.

Looks like she got a lot.
Since I'm planning to have our lunch on Dejima Island today, let's use those birds for dinner.


◇


"Master, the water gate is opening so I inform."

Nana is pointing at a heavy-looking stone gate which protects Dejima Island's bay opening.
According to the map's information, that stone gate appears to be a big golem.

"Something's coming~?"
"There are people riding on top of the rays nodesu!"

A herd of flying rays which look like flying fish appeared from the gap of the opened gate, flying on the surface of the sea.
There are silver screws on their heads, the same magic tools that are used to manipulate monsters I've been seeing a lot, sealkin and gillman soldiers are riding on their backs.

Looks like they belong to the administration bureau of Dejima Island.

Five of the rays go around our ship, Tama and Pochi who are sitting on top of the mast as a watch are chasing them with their eyes, going round and round happily.
One of the rays jumped onto the deck, and a strong-looking gillman soldier landed on the deck after rotating stylishly once in the air.
He's somewhat cool despite having the head of a fish.

"I'm Guzze of Dejima Island Harbor Authority. Cannons of ships entering the harbor will have to be stamped. Who's the captain here?"

This ship has no cannon, but since normally a seafaring ship has several magic cannons equipped, telling him that there's zero here will make it suspicious instead.
I extend my [Magic Hand] toward the part of the deck on his blind spot and then put two samples of magic cannon covered with cloth from my Storage.

"I'm the captain. The ship's magic cannons are over there, the two covered in cloth."
"Just two?"

I nod at the soldier who looks suspiciously.

"Because more than that is unnecessary--"

I gave a sign at Liza with a hand gesture while saying that.
Liza took the harpoon that was getting dried on the deck and lightly shot Magic Edge Cannon at the horizon beyond.

"We can repulse any monster as long as she's with us."

After seeing Liza's technique, the soldier's mouth and gills were opening and closing greatly, then after awhile he said, "I-It's fine then", stamped the two magic cannons with trembling hands, and left the deck.

--Come to think of it, it was a legendary technique or something.

We follow the soldiers and advance the ship into the bay where a lot of boats are anchored.

"Trumpet?"

Mia muttered while tilting her head.

It's true, I hear sound of a trumpet out of nowhere.
The melody sounds kind of sorrowful, but it's quite good.

It seems a fat ratkin wearing gaudy clothes is playing it on top of the lighthouse at the end of the bay.

"The small boat of the harbor staff has come. We'll enter the harbor in accordance to their flags."
"Please."

Since the harbor is crowded with big ships, I entrust it to the skillful brownie to steer the ship.

"Have we finally entered the harbor?"

Arisa who heard that we had entered the harbor came back and looked restlessly at the surrounding ships.

"Saga Empire, Holy State Parion, Garleon Alliance, there sure are a lot of ships from various countries."
"Master, does that paddle steamer belong to Weasel Empire?"

Arisa pointed at a black colored big ship and asked.

"That's a Saga Empire's magic boat. The Weasel Empire's ship is that sailing ship with the oars."
"Hee, that's unexpected."

Checking the map, it seems the oars aren't rowed by slaves but small-sized living dolls and medium-sized golems.

"Is that volcano a labyrinth?"
"That's right."

Arisa points at an islet inside the bay.
It's raising white smoke similar to the Sakurajima in peacetime that I saw when I was touring Kyushuu.

It seems there's no lodging facilities on the islet, small boats boarded by people who look like explorers are shuttling between the main Dejima Island and the islet.


◇


"Arr-riv-ved?"
"Landing nanodesu!"

Tama and Pochi who are wearing sailor uniforms like the brownies descend on the tramp with shutan poses.

"Are we going to meet Hayato first today?"
"The hero seems to be in the labyrinth still, so first I'll be going to meet the crown prince at last."

Guessing from the rotation of my regular communications with the hero so far, he's probably going to come out of Dejima Labyrinth in two to six days.

I already know from the map that the crown prince is away from Dejima Island, but if I don't at least try to do a courtesy call, they'll deem me as impolite so I can't ignore it.

The president of Norouino Firm who has promised to meet me as Kuro is still at the Imperial Capital even now, so it seems there's still some time left.
Judging from his stamina that keeps depleting, it seems he's running around everywhere to meet my demand instead of slacking off.

"Gii~?"
"Darii nanodesu."

Using the mast, a simple crane lowers our carriage, and I've asked Mia and Lulu to pull two horses down the ramp.
The simple crane is operated manually by Nana and Lady Karina's human power.

The current Nana should be able to lower the carriage with her [Magic Arm] but it seemed she wanted to imitate the simple cranes of the surrounding ships so she didn't use force art.

"Master, we've prepared the carriage."

In front of Lulu who's acting as the coach after a long while, the cart-horses, Gii and Darii, snorted.
They seem to be eager to do their long-awaited turns. It might be unexpectedly because of the fodders I made that I gave them before this--Heh, no way.

"Still, it's as lively as the trade city in Shiga Kingdom isn't it."
"Eel~?" <TLN: Utsubo.>
"Now that you've said it, that means grilled eel nanodesu." <TLN: Grilled eel= Tsuboyaki.>

Tama and Pochi said that while staring at the stalls for the port workers.
There's no such stall--Perhaps, they wanted to say "Melting pot of races"? <TLN: Jinshu no Rutsubo.>

"Master, then we will be off."
"Master, wait for good news so I tell."
"I'm counting on you, Liza, Nana."

Liza and Nana who are wearing formal dresses look fresh.
I've asked the two to send a letter asking for a meeting that I wrote to the Dejima Island's administration.

Liza and Nana ride on the carriage that Lulu operates.
Nana is at her own pace, but Liza who rarely rode a carriage looks a bit tense.

"Then, we'll be going."
"Once you're done with it, meet us at the inn with red rooftop in the square in front of the administrator bureau building, we'll be staying there."
"Yes, understood."

I told Lulu about the inn which I had checked beforehand with [Clairvoyance].
I waved my hands at the carriage that had begun to dash.


◇


"Shellfish skewers, delish~?"
"The shellfish muscle is crunchy and tasty nodesu."
"It'd have been tastier if you put soy sauce on it--too bad desuwa."

I've taken the youth troupe and lady Karina along to the wharf for the small boats of the explorers.
I just wanted to collect some information and snack a little but--.

"Mwu, gear?"
"Is that a crystal gear?"

Stalls selling junks gotten in the labyrinth are lined up here.
There's a lot of things made of crystals which piqued Mia's interest.

Since the stalls are also buying things instead of just selling, heated negotiations between explorers and shopkeepers can be seen here and there.

"Oy oy, 300 swen you said, that's too low for Iatsupista."
"The market is oversupplied since the administration bureau has decreased their spending. I'll buy it for 310 swen."
"Make it 500 swen at least. If that's no good--then I'll sell to Norouino Firm  with the other junks."
"Oy oy, don't lump me with the rip-off shop of that weasel guy."
"Aren't ya tanuki guy yourself, yer' not that different."

It seems the tanuki shopkeeper is mad at the human explorer's words, he's threatening him with bared fangs.
On the opposite side, a sealkin doctor and a lizardkin explorer is disputing about magic potions.

"Oy, doc! What the hell is this magic potion!"
"Hahn? Wasn't that the muscle reinforcement medicine I sold ya awhile ago--you heard it, right?"
"Yeah and it's way effective! My offensive power did rise greatly once I drank the magic potion!"
"Ain't that good."
"Yea it is--if only blood didn't gush out of my arms and stopped me from even holding a sword after the battle was over that is! We ran away from the labyrinth with our life on the line!"

The sealkin doctor smoothly evades the explorer who tried to grab his collar.
His gleaming body looks elastic like it's been plastered with oil.

"I did wrote the instruction right? 『It may affect the users after battle, please be advised』, there."
"Kuh, like I can read!"

A brawny tigerkin soldier who happens to pass by seems to be trying to mediate the explorer who's still trying to catch the doctor.
The merchants here somehow feel like the diminutive version of the weasel merchants I happened to see in Shiga Kingdom.

"Hey~, do you have any interesting tool?"
"Hahn? You're wearing some good clothes--You a daughter of noble?"
"Yes, that's right."

When Arisa combed her hair upward in front of a gnome's stall, the other girls imitated her and took the pose of 'combing hair upward'.
The stall keeper's eyes were deprived not by the children but by the movement of the breast of Lady Karina who took the pose too.

It's not of amorous nature, his face somehow looks like he's seen some unpleasant things.
Looks like they don't match the aesthetic sense of gnomes who have round barrel-like figures.

"Master! Look at this, look at this!"

Arisa pulled me to a stall with music boxes and spring-powered toys.
The shopkeeper said that they're magic tools, but they're all extremely common tools.

And, the thing that Arisa found was not those.

"--Figurine?"
"Yes! And it's even Yamato-kun from 『Tennis X Hero』!"

I heard that name before--right, it's the protagonist of the shounen manga that Hikaru likes.

"Can I ask you where you got this?"
"'Course it's from the 『Phantasmal Labyrinth』. Bought it from my regular customer, an adventurer. Think he said that he found it in a gray illusory town inside the labryinth."

I thought it was something sold by a teleported person of the past to raise money, that doesn't seem to be the case.

"Master, perhaps there's a place that connects that volcanic island and former world--er, somewhere in Japan."

Arisa told me while grasping her fist.
However, if such a convenient thing does exist, the hero should have said something during our regular communication.

I was going to say that to Arisa, but I lost to the homesickness in Arisa's eyes and didn't put it into words.

Instead, I speak these words.

"It's probably going to be awhile before the hero come out of the labyrinth, do you want to enter the labyrinth for a bit?"
"Yayy!"
"Wa~y?"
"Winning the case nanodesu!"
"Nn, exploration."

Following after Arisa who was pleasantly surprised, the children jumped happily, while Lady Karina who missed her chance was shifting her gaze between me and the children restlessly.

I grip a Weasel Empire's gold coin into the shopkeeper's hand, and ask about the information about the labyrinth explorer--they're called adventurers in weasel empire--who sold him the figurine.
The shopkeeper was hesitating at first, but once I asked the price of his goods, the figurines and music boxes, and bought them, he let it all out like an oiled cog.

The adventurer in question can't be found with the map search. He's probably currently exploring in another map, the [Phantasmal Labyrinth].

Some unfamiliar voices called out to me while I was writing the information I got into the Exchange Column's memo pad.

"--Huh? Satou?"
"And there's Honey-chan too."

I turn around and see people who shouldn't have been in this place.





















Previous Chapter