Volume Four, Chapter Four
“Still… a hidden dungeon, huh…”
“Who would’ve thought you’d need an ‘otherworlder’ class to unlock the final mechanism…”
“So… Rin being with us was… fate?”
After leaving the Highway, my Camping Car rattles along a rough trail.
After escaping that chaotic audience, I consulted with Mr. Ville and everyone else, and we unanimously agreed that we should go immediately. Thankfully, the fridge was fully stocked and the party’s members were still full of energy, so we decided I could dive straight into the dungeon without any issues.
After driving the Camping Car for about two hours, we arrive at the dungeon, located in a forest-like area at the foot of a mountain.
“Hmm, the atmosphere is quite… intense…”
“Yeah, it certainly looks like a place where a hidden dungeon would be…”
“Ville, you didn’t know about this dungeon either, right?”
“No. This is the first I’ve heard of it. To think there was such a dungeon near the royal capital…”
Everyone in the party sighs while observing the crumbling shrine at the base of a giant tree. Well, even if someone tells me this is the dungeon entrance, it’s hard to believe. The shrine is barely big enough for a person to crawl into—honestly, it looks more like a tiny internet café booth—and it is entirely overgrown with moss, giving it a greenish hue. It is made of stone, and the grimy patches of gray peeking through here and there only add to its creepy vibe…
‘This me, like tight spaces—‘
“Yeah, yeah. You’re a cat, after all… Liking tight spaces is just a feline trait.”
Gomamiso jumps onto my shoulder and gazes at the shrine with eyes full of expectation. I suddenly realize how the wings and tail that I hardly noticed before now keep hitting my face… The cat has really grown. When I reach out to stroke under its chin, it starts purring contentedly. This is the cute part, I think.
“…Oh right, Rin, you heard about this dungeon from my brother, right? Any useful information for clearing it?”
“Eh, ah… let’s see… He said the floors aren’t that wide, but it’s really deep. There are quite a few monsters, so we need to be careful both going in and coming out.”
As Mr. Ville examines the entrance, I move over to him while holding Gomamiso. His strawberry-colored eyes, now tinged with a slightly sharp glint, look at me, making me straighten up.
“Well… some of the advance teams apparently had to retreat after being worn down and running out of resources, so we should keep that in mind during our battles…”
“Indeed, from the reports I read, many teams withdrew halfway through…”
Mr. Ville’s eyebrows furrow more and more as he listens to me.
But apparently, according to Mr. Noah, in the game this dungeon had a long path to the boss and a high encounter rate, so it was intentionally designed to wear players down. I think we’ll be fine since I got a vote of confidence from the game developer: “With your skills, you’ll be alright, Ms. Rin!”
“In that case, let’s move forward carefully, taking frequent breaks as needed.”
“I think that’s a good idea. Since it’s a dungeon, I should be able to deploy the Camping Car.”
We quietly align our strategies so as not to disturb Ms. Aria, who’s checking for traps and monster presences before we enter.
…That said, Mr. Noah gave us a fair amount of information, and we also have the advance teams’ reports. Now it’s just a matter of figuring out how frequently we should take breaks based on the actual monster appearance rate.
While I’m thinking hard and Mr. Ville is talking, Gomamiso seems to have read the room. Though obviously interested in the dungeon, it’s staying quietly in my arms.
Ms. Aria, who had been fully focused on detection, seems to have finally completed her assessment. As she exhales softly, I feel the slightly tense atmosphere relaxing.
“It’s not… particularly spacious… but I do sense a lot of strange presences around…”
“Hmm… so it’s true, then—there really are a decent number of monsters here…”
Upon hearing Ms. Aria’s words as she turned back to us with furrowed brows, Mr. Ville also frowned and crossed his arms.
“They’re just small fry, right? Should I blast them with my magic or should Aria slice them up with her threads?”
“No. There are quite a few floors before we reach our destination at the bottom level. Since we don’t know exactly how many monsters we’ll encounter, I want to conserve our strength.”
As Mr. Ed peeked out from behind Mr. Ville, clenching and unclenching his fists with a bright smile, Mr. Ville maintained his serious expression and stopped him. Beside them, Mr. Xenon had his hand on his chin, appearing deep in thought.
“The fact that some survey teams had to retreat halfway says a lot. It seems there are quite a few traps set as well.”
“Rin. For this dungeon, I believe we’ll have to rely on your skills. I’m sorry, but…”
“Please don’t say that! I’m incredibly happy that I can be of help to everyone!”
Seeing me mumbling hesitantly, Mr. Ville must have thought I was scared and called out to me with concern.
Ahhh… no… that’s not it…! It’s not that I’m anxious about entering this dungeon; I’m just dying to spill the beans…!
“If it’s deep and seems tiring, then all the more reason I should come along, right? Leave the food and bedding to me!”
Yes! That’s exactly it!
I think the reason the Gourmands were wiped out in the game was probably due to poor judgment from accumulated fatigue, or losing battles because of decreased physical performance… things like that. After all, with members who are all terrible at cooking, they probably weren’t eating well… and they couldn’t rest properly in a place crawling with enemies… no matter how strong everyone is, if fatigue keeps building up, they definitely can’t perform at their best!
But now… in the real world, I’m here with my Camping Car! I can provide warm meals and more comfortable bedding than the bare ground! I have no intention of letting everyone meet the same fate as in the game, and I’ll do everything in my power to prevent that!
“R-Right… That would be most welcome… but aren’t you afraid of entering a dungeon where we can’t see what’s ahead?”
“With everyone here, I’m not scared at all! Besides, I have Gomamiso if things get tough…”
‘Mufu! This royal me is strong! This me will go swoosh-swoosh and take care of everything!’
Mr. Ville seems a little taken aback by my enthusiasm, but even so, my resolve is firm!
I’m going with them no matter what!
Besides, if I can go together with everyone, there’s nothing more reassuring than that… Honestly, being left behind would make me feel so anxious and lonely, I might cry!
Mr. Ville’s face softens as he watches Gomamiso practicing swings with its front paws and me clenching my fist with determination.
“I understand your spirit very well, Rin. Well then, let’s go together this time as well.”
“Understood! I’ll do my best in every way I can!”
With renewed resolve, I stand before the shrine. With a deep rumble like an earthquake, the doors gradually open. What appears from there is the vortex of light I had seen several times deep in dungeons before.
Once we jump in, there’s no coming back until we defeat the boss…!
…Well, there are supposedly items for escaping midway, but whether we actually have one… yup, I’m not too sure. It’s not like Mr. Noah handed anything out.
…Anyway, I want to believe that he judged our party could overcome this with me present!
“Come on, Rin. Let’s go.”
“Understood, I’m coming now!”
Mr. Ville, with half his body already engulfed by the light vortex, stretches out his arm to me. I firmly grasp it in return. His slightly warm body temperature gradually transfers to me.
I’m determined to protect this warmth in whatever way I can. I absolutely won’t let them become cold corpses…!
Lead by that large hand that squeezed mine in return, I leap into the vortex of light.
I open my previously shut eyes and find myself in a place that more closely resembles a small room rather than a dungeon. The floor is made of well-polished stone, with walls of the same material. The room looks empty at first glance… but suddenly, something like black smoke appears out of nowhere.
Almost simultaneously, Gomamiso leaps from my arm, and plants all four limbs firmly in front of me with its fur standing on end, as the previously hazy black smoke begins to condense rapidly. Before I can even react, the darkening, writhing smoke starts taking some kind of form.
“I see…! That’s quite the rough welcome!”
“Mm. More might still be coming out…!”
Mr. Ville swiftly draws his greatsword, while Ms. Aria begins spinning out the thread—they are both ready for battle. As Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ed move closer to cover me, the black smoke has completely transformed into monsters.
Bushy foliage and two roots that resembled human limbs.
…Could this possibly be…!
[Mandragora (Edible)
A magical plant used as material for various medicines and alchemy. Those buried in the ground are juvenile specimens, and they emit an unpleasant scream when pulled out.
Mature specimens crawl out from the ground and begin to wander the surface in search of partners to produce seeds. When their bodies are damaged, they let out screams far more massive and hideous than in their juvenile stage, causing listeners to faint.
Both juvenile and mature specimens are traded as materials, but since mature individuals yield superior effects, they’re traded at higher prices. It’s more of a medicinal food than a common ingredient, often consumed as a decoction or stewed in dishes.]
I knew it! Isn’t this the mandragora that’s common in fantasy? Since it’s walking around, does that mean it’s an adult? And of course, its scream spells serious trouble…
While various thoughts are running through my head, a gentle pale green light softly envelops me. Coming back to my senses and looking around, I see the same green light showering down on Mr. Ville and Ms. Aria as well.
“It’s a simple sound-blocking barrier. Mandragoras aren’t much of a threat as long as you don’t hear their screams.”
Smiling gently, Mr. Xenon waves his staff through the air, leaving a trail of light that forms a magic circle floating in midair. Apparently, it has a sound-dampening effect.
I see. Indeed, I cannot hear anything at all. This should prevent us from hearing the mandragora’s screams!
While I have been impressed by this, Mr. Ville’s sword slices through one of them, and at the same time, Ms. Aria’s hardened threads wrap around another, tearing it apart. The two monsters born from the black smoke disappear into a black haze in an instant, leaving behind what looks like carrots at their feet.
With a snap, the green light bursts, and the sound returns. As I stand there, overwhelmed by the flood of sounds rushing back into my head, Mr. Ville picks up the carrot-like objects.
…Ah… could that be…
“…Hey, Rin. Can we eat this?”
“Hmm… it’s not inedible, but it isn’t particularly tasty.”
Mr. Ville, sounding a bit dubious, held out an orange object toward me.
Ah, that’s definitely the root part of a mandragora!
When I checked what looked like a carrot cut in half vertically with Survival, it was labeled "Mandragora (Adult).”
Yes, this is the kind that trades for a high price! But the edibility indicator hasn’t changed, so it seems it’s not tasty even as an ingredient. If you were to eat it, I think it would be used by simmering it with other ingredients, like in a ginseng chicken soup.
When I told him this, Mr. Ville’s face showed just a hint of disappointment.
…Ahhh… I understand… it’s sad when you defeat something and it drops something that’s not delicious…
“…! Still more! Coming!”
Suddenly, Ms. Aria’s tense voice rang out.
Sure enough, more black smokes begin to appear around the room—where it has just cleared—and one by one, they seem to be taking physical form.
Ahhh!
This must be the infinite spawning Mr. Noah mentioned!
“Tch! It’ll be a pain if we’re surrounded…! Aria, where’s the entrance to the next floor?”
“Mm, I need to search for it first. Impossible right now!”
“Then we’ll cover you! Aria, search for it in the meantime!”
A horde of monsters come at us with unsettling howls—some look like goblins, others like those flower-lizard creatures we saw in the previous dungeon… A whole mess of monsters with no clear pattern.
…Well, they’re too inconsistent to be called a horde… at best, they’re like a ragtag group of monsters. Each one doesn’t seem particularly strong, but their sheer number is troublesome. This is just brute force by numbers!
However, neither Mr. Ville nor Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria look fazed. Mr. Xenon, who stays by my side, watches everyone confronting the enemy also without any trace of panic.
“Hehe… are you worried, Rin?”
“Well, yes. I know how strong everyone is, but there are so many enemies…”
“True, there are many… but enemies of that level aren’t difficult to handle.”
Ms. Xenon smiles more deeply and gestures towards Mr. Ed, who is engulfing entire clusters of monsters in flames, and Mr. Ville, who is slicing through anything in range without pause. It feels like total annihilation…
…Ah! That’s it!
“Mr. Xenon. I’m going to bring out the Camping Car, so please step back a bit.”
“Oh? Do you have something in mind?”
“Well, it seems like monsters will keep appearing no matter how many we defeat, so I think once Ms. Aria finds the entrance and Ms. Ville and Mr. Ed finish off the monsters, we should just dash straight through.”
Mr. Xenon tilts his head quizzically but seems to accept my suggestion and obediently steps back. I pick up Gomamiso, who is still puffed up and growling, and summon the Camping Car.
With a heavy thud and a slight tremor, the Camping Car appears. Yes! I thought it would be fine since we’re in a dungeon, but I’m grateful it came out safely!
“Ms. Aria, please let me know when you find the entrance to the next floor!”
“Mm! I heard you, Rin! Got it!”
When I called out to Ms. Aria who was scouting, she gave me a thumbs-up without turning her gaze.
I got into the driver’s seat and tossed Miso onto the passenger seat.
“Miso, be a good kitty and stay there, okay?”
‘This me is always well-behaved!’
As Gomamiso taps the seat with its front paws and growls irritably, apparently slightly offended, Mr. Xenon climbs into the cabin. The commotion of battle can be heard vividly, probably because the door was left open.
The battle situation, as seen through the windshield, is overwhelmingly in our favor.
…This is fine because everyone’s still energetic, but… if all these monsters appear when we are tired, it can be fatal… This dungeon has an extremely nasty setup…!
A chill runs down my spine, and goosebumps rise all over.
“Rin, the next location is over there! On the far right!”
“Got it! The battle’s almost done, so please get in, Ms. Aria!”
I raised my voice toward Ms. Aria who was pointing out where to go.
Just as Ms. Aria nods and runs toward me, hopping into the vehicle, Mr. Ville’s sword slashes through the last monster.
As the creature dissolves into mist, new black smoke appears all across the room.
Hey! It really is infinite spawning!
“Both of you, hold on tight!”
I briefly called out to the two in the cabin and pressed down hard on the accelerator. We need to get to the others before those shadows materialize…! The vehicle shakes from the sudden acceleration, but now I can only trust everyone’s reflexes. Glancing briefly, I see Gomamiso clinging firmly to the seat to avoid falling off.
Just as the smoke starts to take shape, I pull up right next to the two of them. The brakes squeal sharply as I hit them.
“Mr. Ville, Mr. Ed! We’re charging straight to the entrance!”
“Understood!”
“Right on time, Rin!”
Without me having to tell them to get in, both seem to understand. With their weapons still in hand, they dive into the car in a rolling motion. At the same time, Mr. Xenon closes the door, so I press down on the accelerator again with all my might.
“Ms. Aria, I’ll line up to that wall.”
“Mm! Leave the rest to me!”
I spin the wheel sharply, bringing the Camping Car to a stop parallel to the target wall. Of course, with the cabin door facing the wall.
The moment we stop, Ms. Aria jumps out of the car, quickly scans the wall… and firmly pushes in a wall stone that is just slightly different in color. Immediately, the floor nearby shifts with a grinding sound, and a hole that presumably led to the next floor opens up.
“Alright, now’s our chance. Let’s go!”
The monsters that have finally materialized are heading toward us, but fortunately, there is still time before their attacks can reach us.
I deactivate the Camping Car and jump into the hole, following everyone else who has already leaped in.
There is a momentary sensation like dizziness as everything spins before my eyes, and then I find myself looking at a scene very similar to the room we have just left.
◆◇◆
We kept using the same strategy to make our way through the dungeon, but the fatigue was finally starting to show. Fortunately, the Camping Car has a concealment effect, so right now we’re taking a break without going outside. As long as we don’t get spotted during that black smoke phase, the monsters apparently can’t detect us after they form.
“This dungeon is just… brutal, isn’t it?”
“I shudder to think what would have happened without this car…”
Mr. Xenon gulped down a cup of barley tea filled to the brim and sighed these words, while Mr. Ville exhaled without bothering to wipe the sweat from his forehead.
“Being able to rest like this without enemies finding us is seriously THE BEST!”
“Mm. Your skill… amazing, Rin! Thank you!”
Mr. Ed is sprawled out on the sofa, completely drained, while Ms. Aria laughs as she pours more barley tea from the pitcher.
Everyone seems pretty exhausted… Well, we had battle after battle, there were plenty of situations that required layering support magic, and we didn’t even have time to pick up drop items… They look worn out both physically and mentally.
Still, my honest assessment is that this doesn’t seem like an unconquerable dungeon. Even with the endless spawns, there seems to be a limit to how many can materialize at once… As long as we establish a reliable way to rest, conquering it shouldn’t be too difficult.
“But you know… this dungeon seems to have way more monsters with status attacks than the advance team reported.”
“…Indeed… Mandragoras, Poison Toads, Petit Harpyias, Pyorics, Tumble Fungi…”
“Stun, toxin, forced sleep, poisoning and petrification, confusion… Now that you mention it, it’s a parade of status effects.”
Mr. Ville counted the monster names on his fingers at my words, and Mr. Xenon helpfully listed the status effects they cause.
Wow… Endless spawns plus status effects—this dungeon is absolutely trying to kill us!
“We’re really fortunate to have you with us, Rin…”
“Yeah. If we’d tried this without you, things would’ve gotten seriously dangerous…”
Everyone shudders as they seem to fully realize how terrifying this dungeon truly is.
Yup. From the bottom of my heart, I’m glad I came along too!
I’m genuinely grateful that the skill I received when summoned to this world was this one.
“Well then, shall we have a meal while we rest? …Though it’ll just be something simple.”
“Food! Yay!”
“Being able to eat at a time like this is extremely welcome… Thank you, Rin.”
I’m so glad I started cooking rice in quick-cook mode as soon as we began our break…! It should be done right around the time I finish making the side dishes.
In the fridge, there’s a bit of Fungbird meat from before, and some Fungbird eggs that are smaller than chicken eggs. Plus I have some onions left… This is practically screaming to make oyakodon—a bowl of rice topped with chicken and egg! But that might be a bit too light, so maybe I’ll also make a pork soup using the leftover Forest Boar meat!
“Alright, let’s start with the prep work!”
…Though really, all I need to do is chop onions, cut carrots, split the mushrooms that Ms. Aria, Mr. Ed, and Mr. Xenon gathered earlier, slice the meat, and that’s pretty much it!
After that, I just need to simmer everything!
I put a pot on one burner and a deep frying pan on the other. In the pot, I added some water and a splash of white dashi. In the pan, I mixed white dashi, soy sauce, and sugar to make a simple noodle broth.
“For the soup, I’ll skip the sautéing step and just simmer everything.”
I know pork soup would taste better if I properly sautéed the ingredients before simmering them, but right now speed is the priority! Just simmering can make plenty of delicious soup too!
I put carrots in the pot to boil and am about to wash dishes when I notice Mr. Ville has already cast a cleaning spell on them.
“I really appreciate it, but you shouldn’t be using magic when you’re tired!”
“This hardly counts as using magic. Besides, aren’t you the one working without breaks?”
“I’m a non-combatant, so I’m fine!”
After some back and forth, I somehow managed to convince the worried Mr. Ville to rest on the sofa! Geez! He has so many responsibilities like combat and party leadership, so I really want him to rest properly when he can!
While all that was happening, the water in the pot started boiling. I add thinly sliced Forest Boar belly meat, onions, and mushrooms to simmer until cooked. I’ll need to skim off the foam occasionally, but once everything’s cooked, I just add miso.
“The rice is almost done too, so I’ll start making the toppings for the rice bowls!”
Oyakodon isn’t difficult to make once the ingredients are prepared. After the broth comes to a boil, I just add onions and Fungbird meat and let it simmer until cooked!
According to Survival, Fungbird eggs are technically safe to eat raw, but we are in a dungeon… I’m concerned about serving them soft-boiled in case something goes wrong, so I’ll cook them thoroughly…
I tap a small, fresh egg from the fridge against the edge of the sink. Despite its small size, it seems quite hard, and it takes several taps before the shell finally cracks.
“Wow! What a beautiful color!”
The yolk that emerges from the cracked shell is a vibrant orange that makes my eyes pop. It’s quite resilient and doesn’t mix easily when I try to stir it with chopsticks.
After finally managing to mix it, the color faded a bit, but it still has that beautiful orange hue.
“Fungbird… egg? Pretty…”
I hadn’t sensed anyone approaching, but suddenly there was a voice behind me. I nearly dropped the bowl I was holding, I was so startled!
A voice that is soft and bell-like—no need to turn around to know who it is.
“Ms. Aria… are you sure you shouldn’t be resting?”
“Mm! Smells so good… can’t help… watching!”
As I carefully pour the egg mixture into the frying pan, a beautiful ice-blue figure appears beside me. With her well-shaped nose twitching, her gaze fixed on the pot and frying pan.
Normally, I’d invite her to taste-test, but right now, it’s better to finish cooking quickly rather than take time for that…
“It’s almost ready, so please wait just a little longer!”
“Mm. Your food is delicious… I’ll wait…!”
While the pan contents steam under the lid, I dissolve miso into the soup pot.
Watching Ms. Aria’s eyes sparkle even at such a mundane task makes her look so adorable, and knowing she’s looking forward to my cooking makes my heart warm. Being relied on really motivates me, and makes me want to try even harder…!
As I renew my determination, the rice cooker plays its melody signaling the rice is done.
The timing is perfect…!
The miso soup with pork is ready, and so is the oyakodon topping…!
“Alright! Now I just need to plate everything and we can eat!”
“Yay!”
Ms. Aria, who has somehow brought out the rice bowls, jumps with joy at my announcement, expressing her happiness with her whole body. The men are helping too, bringing cutlery and soup bowls… everyone is preparing for a smooth serving.
…Ahhh… I’m truly grateful…!
“Well then, let me serve everyone.”
When I lift the lid off the steaming frying pan, the perfectly cooked oyakodon topping appears. Even after heating, that vibrant color remains. Though slightly lighter, it’s still quite orange. A sweet aroma wafts up, perhaps from the sugar in the broth or the abundant onions…
I scoop up the quivering mixture with a ladle and place it, along with the broth, over the bowl of steaming rice. The pure white rice gradually absorbs the broth’s color, and then the meat and eggs pile on top…!
Ideally, some mitsuba herb would enhance the fragrance, but I couldn’t find any. Can’t be helped!
Though it feels a bit strange to me, I ladle the miso soup into Western-style soup bowls and carry everything to the table.
“Here’s Fungbird oyakodon, hearty miso soup… and there’s plenty for seconds, so please enjoy!”
“Oyakodon… it’s Fungbird meat and eggs?”
“Hehehe… I do feel a little guilty, but who could resist this smell?”
After everyone completes their pre-meal rituals—clasping hands, saying prayers—we all pick up our spoons at once.
I believe rice bowls are best enjoyed while it’s hot!
“Itadakimasu!”
I clap my hands energetically and, with barely a moment’s pause, pick up the steaming bowl. This satisfying weight and the heat transmitted through the thick ceramic is irresistible…! The sweet aroma of broth tickles my nose, inevitably stimulating my appetite.
I pile my spoon high with egg, meat, onion, and rice… blow on it until it cools a bit, then take a big bite. Even after cooling it, the inside is still hot enough to burn my tongue. But right now, even that heat is part of the feast!
“Ahh, hot, hot! Oh, so delicious!”
“The egg is smoother than I expected…! Fluffy and jiggly… I could just drink this down…!”
Just as I finally swallow and exclaim in delight, Mr. Ville joins in with praise from beside me. Well, yes. I understand. Curry is a beverage, and oyakodon is definitely a beverage too. But this Fungbird oyakodon is too good to just gulp down like a drink.
“The egg flavor is very rich…! But the meat is light, so it doesn’t become overwhelming.”
“The broth it simmered in is so gentle in flavor—makes you want to eat more! And the rice that soaked it up is fluffy and delicious!”
“Mm! Egg and meat together… even more delicious!”
Oh. All the things I wanted to say have already been said by these food review experts…!
But really, it’s exactly right!
The Fungbird egg tastes just as rich as it looks—thick and creamy. It might become too heavy on its own, but when combined with the light meat and sweet onions, that richness gets balanced out… The meat, though mild, releases more umami the more you chew, which pairs perfectly with the fluffy egg soaked in broth! And finally, the substantial rice captures all those flavors, elevating everything to an even higher dimension…
I’m glad I cooked the rice a bit firmer than usual! It’s absorbed all the umami-packed broth and reached a new level of deliciousness!
“This soup is delicious too! Since the oyakodon is light, the richness of the Forest Boar is absolutely amazing…!”
“Ah. If you like, please sprinkle this shichimi… this spicy seasoning. It changes the flavor completely.”
I recommended the locally-produced shichimi pepper to Mr. Ed, who’s started on his miso soup with an expression of pure bliss. It’s a shichimi with a clean, sharp spiciness and refreshing aroma that makes it special.
…Honestly, this stuff deserves to be more famous… though, if it gets too popular and sells out, that’d be a nightmare… Torn between local pride and personal greed, I finally dip into the pork-style miso soup myself. It has too few ingredients to be called traditional pork soup, but too many to be just miso soup, but I’m not going to worry about the details!
“The Forest Boar fat pairs excellently with the miso flavor. Rich but not overwhelming.”
“When I add this shichimi stuff, it really brings everything together… delicious!”
The mellow saltiness had a hint of sweetness, which paired perfectly with the rich fat. Combined with the sweetness of onions and carrots, it gives the impression that I could keep eating forever. And when you add that sharp spiciness that bites the tongue, I think it becomes simply unbeatable.
The pure white fatty parts sunk in the brown broth, the translucent onions, orange carrots, and red pepper flakes that seem to have gradually dissolved into the oil. Beside it sits a bowl of white rice, topped with vibrant ingredients that look like sunflowers.
It’s a joy to look at and a delight to eat.
Since the oyakodon is generally light, the rich pork miso soup with golden fat floating on the surface compensates for what might be missing. Today I managed to prepare a great combination of dishes!
Everyone finished eating in no time and seemed to be skillfully dividing seconds while chatting about this and that.
‘Meow… where’s my food?’
“Ah!”
With that grumpy voice comes a sharp pain in my shin.
Oh no… I prioritized filling everyone else’s stomachs and completely forgot about Miso!
Just as I let out a groan, I get hit again as if to finish me off. This… this actually hurts… I get it, I’m sorry!
“…Ah, I forgot! Sorry, Gomamiso!”
‘Sorryyy isn’t going to cut it! Bow down and apologize properly to this royal me!’
I rummage through the fridge for any leftovers for the kitten who’s tapping impatiently on the floor.
…I’m sure there was something around here…
“Ah! I found some leftover Fungbird meat!”
I put the meat I had set aside for Gomamiso on a plate and offered it to the cat. I actually remembered to save this meat specifically for Gomamiso’s meal… but completely forgot about it when it was time to serve. Once the cooking was done, it completely slipped my mind!
I breathe a sigh of relief as Gomamiso pounces on the food, its previous grumpiness vanishing without a trace. I finally look over at the now-settled battle for seconds. It really is nice when people enjoy the food I’ve made.
As I pet Gomamiso’s head while it happily devours its chunk of meat, I savor the happiness welling up inside me.
The road ahead is still long, but I think we can manage somehow… For now, when we go outside again, I’ll stay alert in my own way and try not to be a burden…!
Looking at the dishes being cleaned with washing magic as soon as people finish eating, I quietly renew my determination.
“Alright… let’s move on to the next floor!”
“Understood! I’ll get ready.”
At the party leader’s command, everyone starts moving at once. The lower floor we descend to has a different atmosphere from the stone rooms we were exploring earlier. It’s a bit dimmer than the previous room, and the floor and walls seem somewhat rougher… It’s not exactly deterioration from age, but it gives the impression of a building that’s been abandoned for a little while…
“…Looks like a whole new environment…”
“We’re on the sixth floor now, I think… Does it change every five floors?”
It’s not like my very first dungeon where the scenery changed with every step, but this one seems to shift its look after a certain distance.
Wait, I don’t remember Mr. Noah mentioning anything about this… Could it be that because I was summoned irregularly, some kind of bug is occurring? Or did I forget this detail because of information overload? Or maybe Mr. Noah simply forgot to mention it? Well, right now moving forward takes priority over thinking about such things.
“Rin. I want to proceed using the same method as before… are you okay with that?”
“Yes, of course! I’m fully prepared!”
I respond to Mr. Ville, who turned to me without dropping his guard, with a thumbs up.
I think I’m getting the hang of things, and our coordination is improving bit by bit… For now, this strategy seems to be working!
Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed are eliminating enemies, Ms. Aria is detecting traps and scouting for the next entrance, and Mr. Xenon is protecting Ms. Aria while buffing Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed and debuffing enemies… Meanwhile, my job is to wait in the Camping Car with Gomamiso, watching for the right timing. Once Ms. Aria finds the entrance to the next floor, I pick everyone up and head straight for it. That’s the plan we’ve been following.
Once we take down enough enemies, patches of black smoke appear throughout the room—kind of like a signal that more monsters are waiting. But their movements are slow, so once we’ve eliminated enough of them, we can get in the car and pass through without any issues.
“There are still many monsters that cause status ailments… Mr. Xenon, are you alright?”
“Yes. Since I can rest like this, there’s no problem. In this situation where letting our guard down could put us at a disadvantage, having a safe place to rest is truly a blessing.”
Mr. Xenon, who just earlier had cast anti-petrification buffs on everyone as a countermeasure against Small Medusas and cast defense-lowering magic on all enemies, exhaled with a somewhat exhausted look. Constantly applying buffs and debuffs would tire anyone out… Plus, having to instantly judge which enemy causes what status ailment and use the appropriate magic requires tremendous concentration…
This dungeon’s design is seriously nasty…
“Let’s take another short break when we get to the next floor… It’s hard to maintain concentration with so many chaotic battles in a row…”
“Agreed… Thinking about routes while clearing a path is pretty tiring.”
Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed, who just jumped into the car, are taking deep breaths while breathing heavily. These two, the active combat team, are definitely the most tired…
“Rin, it’s about to open…!”
“Understood! The remaining monsters seem to have noticed us too, so we’ll start with Mr. Ed and Mr. Ville at… Ah!
Just as I was responding to Ms. Aria’s voice as she was disabling the mechanism to open the entrance, something flickered at the edge of my vision. Before I could react, an explosion sound pierced my ears, and the car body shook violently.
Someone must’ve fired a long-range spell at us…!
While I have that thought, Mr. Ed leaps out of the car and unleashes a massive spell toward the group of monsters and black smoke.
“Don’t you dare touch my Aria, take this!”
“…Oof… When Mr. Ed gets angry…”
Fortunately, the impact point was off, so neither Ms. Aria nor the Camping Car was damaged, but Mr. Ed’s anger wouldn’t subside. He continues casting spells with a demonic expression while tightly hugging Ms. Aria.
Mr. Ed, now restrained by Mr. Ville’s hand on his shoulder, continues to stamp his feet like a petulant child. He really can’t calm down.
“Hey, Ed! Aria! We need to hurry forward…! This isn’t the time for revenge, is it?”
“But Ville! Aria was—!”
“I’m fine! Let’s go ahead, okay?”
Ms. Aria, still in Mr. Ed’s arms, is trying to pacify him with slightly flushed cheeks, but Mr. Ed still seems somewhat dissatisfied.
Well, I guess that’s how anyone would react when their wife is put in danger. That magic was probably targeting Ms. Aria since she was visible… When I think about it, I’m glad the enemy’s magical control was sloppy…
“But, Aria…”
“I was… happy… that you got angry for me, Eddie… so… that’s enough.”
Amid the death throes of monsters echoing around us, Ms. Aria smiles shyly with slightly flushed cheeks, which finally calms Mr. Ed down. Still slightly dissatisfied, he pouts but stops his magic for now.
What remains are several wisps of black smoke that haven’t fully materialized yet, and more smoke appearing at the back of the room that will soon take form. All the monsters that had already materialized have been turned to ash by Mr. Ed’s magic without exception.
“…He still loses all sense of restraint when he gets angry…”
“Indeed… especially since Ms. Aria was the target this time, don’t you think?”
Seizing the opportunity to move forward, Mr. Ville mutters behind me.
…Yup. I agree with that. Mr. Ed truly is a monster husband… Well, he’s cuddling with Ms. Aria now, and his aim won’t be directed at us anyway, so I guess there’s nothing to worry about.
Still, we have a long way to go, and now we’re facing enemies that use long-range magic… the difficulty seems to be ramping up quite a bit. At this rate, I wonder what the remaining floors will be like… I’m starting to get a bit worried…
What’s going to happen to us from here on out?
‘Don’t worry! This me’ll take care of everything with a swish-swish!’
“Yes. I’m counting on you, Gomamiso…”
I gently stroke the kitten’s head as it laughs with a "nyaha." In truth, Gomamiso is both my shield and my trump card.
Hoping I wouldn’t have to use that trump card, I dash down the dim passage.
Is it just me, or are the walls and floors getting increasingly dirty and deteriorated? Feeling uneasy, I jump to the next floor and immediately summon the Camping Car.
The brightness inside the car makes me feel unexpectedly relieved? I didn’t notice it much when we first entered the dungeon, but now I’m really feeling the difference in light… I guess I’ve finally realized that our surroundings are actually getting darker…
“…It seems to be getting dimmer the further we go, doesn’t it?”
“Mm… visibility’s worse… and so is the footing. There don’t seem to be any traps… but watch out for rubble.”
Ms. Aria, who hurriedly got into the car before the smoke could materialize, nodded slightly in agreement. …And she actually agreed, huh… I really didn’t want this premonition to come true…!
Sure, I knew it was going to get darker eventually, but I never imagined it would happen so soon! And if it keeps getting darker, that means fighting will become increasingly difficult from here on! Plus, if we believe what Mr. Noah said, there might even be traps on the floors ahead…
“Once it gets a bit darker, do you think we’ll need those fire orbs again, like before?”
“Yeah, we’ll need them. Even though we can see somewhat in the dark, without a proper light source it’ll be tough to move.”
When I asked Mr. Ville, who had followed me into the car, he promptly confirmed.
“That said, having a light also means they can easily spot our position, so it’s a double-edged sword…”
“But we can’t proceed or even move if we can’t see anything…”
I nod back at Mr. Ville, who shrugs slightly and glance out the cabin window. It’s not pitch black yet, but if we keep going, we’ll definitely be enveloped in darkness.
I know everyone has fairly good night vision, but I only have ordinary eyes… If anyone’s a burden here, I guess… it would be me.
“Anyway, we’ve covered about ten floors so far, right?”
“Yeah, that’s about right. There’s still a long way to go, so let’s rest for today… At this rate, the difficulty will increase.”
Following Mr. Ville’s gaze toward the dimly lit window, I also look outside. The black smoke floating around the room writhes eerily but is still formless. Thanks to the Camping Car’s concealment effect, they haven’t found us yet.
…This dungeon really makes me grateful for the Camping Car skill…!
“Yes. Resting when we can and conserving energy is important.”
“And you make sure to rest properly too, Rin. Your skill is essential to our strategy.”
From behind me, I hear a slightly concerned voice as I clench my fist. Even without turning around, I recognize that quiet, gentle voice that also carries an undeniable force.
“I’m well aware of that! After I make everyone’s night snack, I’ll cuddle Gomamiso and go straight to sleep!”
‘Ehh? You’re going to cuddle me? I’m not that cheap, you know!’
“Night snack…! What are you making!?”
Just as a furball crashes into my legs, another excited voice rings out behind me. Ah… this liveliness…! Even though we’re in a dungeon, it feels like "everyday life," and I love it. This feeling of everyone chatting energetically together is so homey… and so comfortable.
“The Camping Car is supposed to have a concealment effect… but we’re still taking turns keeping watch, right?”
“Yes. We never know what might happen. As a precaution, someone should stay awake.”
“Then I’ll prepare something to accompany whoever’s on watch duty.”
Mr. Ville furrows his brow with concern as he looks at me, but I don’t think making something would hurt. If there are leftovers, we can have them for breakfast tomorrow. Besides, from an amateur’s perspective, I think it must be a bit pressuring to stay awake and alert while everyone else is asleep. Having something to sip on might help them take a breather, I think.
“Well, it’ll be something very light so you won’t get drowsy from overeating.”
“That’s helpful! During watch duty, I tend to get hungry from the tension.”
“I know… after it’s over, I’m starving and can’t sleep…”
While watching Mr. Ed and Ms. Aria high-five each other in my peripheral vision, I take out the remaining bacon from the fridge. I bought it but couldn’t use it much because of its strong and unique aroma… But I think that strong smokiness might complement the menu I’m planning in my head.
“Hmm… Let’s see, some vegetables and… maybe canned beans and tomatoes!”
From the food storage, I select onions, carrots, a leafy vegetable similar to celery, a root vegetable like lotus root, and something between a bell pepper and paprika. Now all I need to do is wash, cut, and chop them!
It’s basically a bean minestrone-style soup. It should be gentle on the stomach with all the vegetables, and with meat and beans, it should be filling enough. Perfect for a night snack, I think.
After the prep work, I cook the chopped bacon in the pot without adding oil. The fat melts almost immediately, making it seem like the meat is being fried in its own fat. The sizzling fat gives off a very fragrant smell.
…Come to think of it, I think the butcher said something when I bought this bacon…
“What was it again… this bacon meat… it’s from a special pig, right?”
“Yes. It’s from pigs fed only with nuts and berries that fall in the mountains after autumn. The meat flavor becomes more concentrated, and the fat becomes very sweet, I’ve heard.”
“Ah, I see! Maybe that’s why they made the aroma stronger, to match the rich meat flavor and sweet fat?”
Listening to Mr. Xenon’s explanation with excitement written all over his face, I remember the Spanish brand pork, Iberico. If I recall correctly, those pigs were fed acorns… Even in different worlds, the paths to delicious food seem to converge.
Now understanding the slightly overpowering smokiness, I notice quite a bit of fat has accumulated in the pot. I dump the minced vegetables into this golden sea of fat and stir-fry them. The aromatic fat coats the vegetables as they wilt before my eyes… filling the car with an even more fragrant and mouthwatering aroma.
“…What an incredibly appetizing smell…”
“It’s refreshing yet mixed with rich fat… really hits the stomach directly.”
Ms. Aria, holding Gomamiso, peeks at what I’m doing while twitching her nose.
This combination, called the Holy Trinity, seems to transcend worlds just like the Iberico pork I was thinking about earlier. It certainly smells wonderful, so I understand how she feels.
“Now I’ll pour in the canned tomatoes and add some consommé, then let it simmer a bit!”
I’ll just push to the back of my mind the fact that the emptied can returns to its unopened state immediately.
As the quiet sound of simmering soup fills the air, everyone starts deciding the watch order and preparing their beds. I may not be able to help with keeping watch, but I hope I can at least provide some support.
I take a small taste before adding the beans, and the balance of acidity and sweetness has turned out perfect. I adjust the flavor with a bit more salt and pepper, then add a dash of soy sauce as a secret ingredient. I like how it seems to tighten up the flavor a bit.
Just as I think I’m finished, a cleaning spell is cast on the cutting board and knife I used. As I’m wondering about this, Mr. Ville, who seems to have finished his preparations, peers into the pot.
“That was quick… is it ready already?”
“Just need to add the canned beans and let it come to a boil once more!”
Everyone really does have a high interest in food-related matters. Yup. Since I’m the same way, I totally understand!
If I add the canned beans too soon, they’ll break down too much and make the soup too thick, so I’m planning to toss them in once the veggies are nice and soft.
“…That reminds me—are we good on supplies? We haven’t picked up any drop items at all, have we?”
“Ah… about that…”
Mr. Ville furrows his brow as he looks at me stirring the pot to prevent burning and the increasingly depleted food storage area.
Right now, we’re prioritizing getting to the next floor as quickly as possible, so even when ingredients drop, we haven’t been picking them up…
Well, I still have some Forest Boar meat left and some frozen fish. In the worst case, even if the fridge and freezer become empty, there is still rice and flour…
“It’s absolutely no problem! I can feed everyone’s stomachs at least until we clear this dungeon.”
“I see… Once again, we’re being saved by your skill, Rin. Thank you, truly.”
Mr. Ville smiles with what looks like a mix of embarrassment and shyness.
Oh! I thought I’d gotten used to it, but seeing his full smile directly after so long is still effective! That face… how can someone look that good…?! Yup… Handsome men are still scary!
To distract myself from the nearly fatal damage I’ve taken, I place my fingers on the lid of the bean can. With a loud "pop!" the lid opens, accompanied by a slight sting from the metal ring digging into my finger. A heavy smell of heated starch, not as sweet as corn, wafts past my nose. Yes… definitely the classic canned bean smell.
I pour the dark red beans into the quietly bubbling pot. As soon as I place the empty can on the counter, it reverts to an unopened can right before my eyes.
…This is really convenient…
“Alright. Once this comes to another boil, it’ll be ready. Please enjoy it during your watch shifts!”
After making some final adjustments to the taste, I turn around to find everyone, who seems to have completed all preparations, letting out excited cries.
…Yup… I have a feeling there won’t be any soup left by tomorrow. While watching everyone high-fiving each other with that premonition in mind, I feel paw pads against my shin. Gomamiso is putting its paw on my leg as if asking to be picked up.
‘Are you done? If you’re done, hurry up and sleep with me!’
“Yes-yes. The dungeon exploration will continue tomorrow, so we need our energy.”
I gently bury my nose against the forehead of the purring kitten as it rubs against me. The smell of sunshine makes me yawn involuntarily.
◆◇◆
“Ughhhh… I can’t see where I’m stepping…”
Well, yup. What I’m desperately doing right now is… stumbling through this dimly lit corridor!
After that, we progressed smoothly with our exploration, but once we passed the fifteenth floor, the dungeon’s appearance changed again! The enemy placement decreased, but pitfalls and traps that shoot projectiles started appearing! We can’t use our strategy of defeating enemies and then speeding through in the Camping Car anymore…
In the first place, unlike the previous hall-type dungeon, this one’s more like a maze, so the passages are narrow and I couldn’t use the car anyway!
“Are you okay, Rin?! Don’t stray from behind us!”
“This way! Just follow us and you’ll be fine!”
Thanks to Mr. Ville leading the way and pulling me along, I’m managing to walk forward, even if I look like a scaredy-cat!
“Huff… hah… hah… Having poor visibility is… quite challenging…!”
“I’d like to tell you not to push yourself… but…”
“N-no… I’m fine… really! I know you’re… being considerate, so… thank you…”
Up ahead, the passage opened into what seems like a small plaza, and I sink to the floor with a thud. Mr. Ed’s magical flames spun gently around us, providing more than enough light to keep things calm for now. But when you’re fighting monsters, avoiding traps, and finding opportunities to advance… it gets pretty tough.
“There might be something up ahead again… are you okay, Rin?”
“I’ll manage… somehow. I have Gomamiso with me…!”
Yup. At this point, Gomamiso is doing a great job.
Being a feline monster, it has good night vision, so it goes several steps ahead of me and warns me about traps so I don’t step on them! Even though Survival helps me detect traps, I might miss them in confusing situations. I’m truly grateful for Gomamiso’s guidance.
“…Still, it really feels like we’ve made it pretty far down…”
“Right. I bet we’re getting close to the bottom floor.”
…As I catch my breath, I overhear the conversation between Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ed.
I see… we’re already at that level. It’s the final push now!
According to the information that Mr. Noah shared only with me, "you can warp from the room on the bottom floor straight to the boss," so I should encourage everyone to take frequent breaks on the next floor.
My breathing has finally settled, and the oxygen deprivation is subsiding.
A straight, narrow corridor extends ahead. It gets so dark midway through that it seems swallowed by darkness, making it impossible to tell how long it is or what lies ahead. Moreover, the corridor floor has various animal and plant illustrations carved as reliefs—something we haven’t seen before.
“This looks fishy…”
“Mm. I think… some of those are step-activated traps… hidden among the patterns.”
Next to me as I frown at the obviously suspicious floor, Ms. Aria stands with her delicate eyebrows furrowed. Even using Survival doesn’t help—there are so many traps I don’t even know where to start explaining! Glancing sideways at Ms. Aria, she also seems to be struggling with how to communicate about these traps to everyone.
“In that case… I don’t know if that’ll expose them, but it might be worth a try?”
Standing beside us is Mr. Ville, who is tossing a fist-sized stone up and down like a juggling ball from who knows where. Before we can say anything, he tosses it into the corridor.
The stone traces a gentle arc and lands on a stone tile depicting a snake-like creature… In the next moment, the tile retracts into the floor, and numerous spears with sharp tips shoot out from the side wall with a sound that cuts through the air.
The spears, having pierced nothing but space, clatter to the ground, and their impact triggers traps in a chain reaction.
Spears flying out, pitfalls opening up… If we had rushed in without caution, we would have been in serious trouble, right?!
“Hmm… is that all of them?”
“Amazing…! Ville, you’re good at brute-forcing through these kinds of things.”
“Well, I don’t know if it’s brute force… but as long as we can get through, right?”
Ms. Aria claps her hands and cheers happily, while Mr. Ville has a complicated expression. Mr. Xenon stifles a laugh as he sees Mr. Ed looking a bit grumpy.
Gomamiso jumps onto my shoulder and laughs "Nyaha" while swinging its long, thick tail.
‘Mufuu. This me is here too! So it’s totally safe!’
“Is that your safety announcement?! …But well, that’s true. Miso, you are my trump card and like my trusted blade. I’m counting on you to keep me safe!”
When I playfully poke Gomamiso’s forehead as it peers at me with one eye closed, its wings flutter happily. I gently stroke its head as it rubs against my cheek.
…Ah… somehow… I’m starting to feel like there’s nothing to worry about.
Yup. With this team and with our spirits and energy at their peak, we can handle whatever comes next.
“Well then, shall we go?”
“Wait! I’ll go ahead…!”
“I have a feeling there are all sorts of things ahead, so please be careful…!”
I quickly call out to Ms. Aria and Mr. Ville as they step into the corridor.
I cannot exactly say, “A boss is waiting after this floor”… but I just cannot stay silent.
They don’t look back, probably focused on what’s ahead, but I can see they both nodded firmly. Occasionally, they check by throwing nearby fallen spears and other objects to different places, and I watch their backs gradually disappear into the darkness.
Even though I believe they’ll be fine, I still feel anxious… As I’m staring after them with my heart pounding, something warmly touches my hand. Wondering what it is, I look down to find Mr. Xenon smiling kindly as he casually takes my hand.
“Well then, shall we go too?”
“Be careful not to trip, Rin.”
Surprised by the sudden gesture, I forget to pull my hand away or even react, and Mr. Xenon simply continues to lead me forward. Mr. Ed positions himself like a rear guard behind me. I understand they’re helping me because I can’t see well in the dark and have zero combat ability, but this level of assistance makes me feel both grateful and embarrassed…!
But since both Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon are doing this out of kindness, I shouldn’t be feeling embarrassed, though… I still am! This is so embarrassing!!!
Still, I have no choice but to rely on them… So I cling to Mr. Xenon’s hand while Mr. Ed encourages me from behind as we slowly, very slowly, make our way through the dark passage.
What awaits me… awaits us at the end is a large, partially collapsed door that must have once been quite magnificent and elaborately decorated.
Though it’s covered in moss and crumbling in places, with parts of the relief damaged, the remaining unweathered lines of the relief are incredibly intricate. It must have taken considerable effort to make…
Though, there’s also the possibility that it was originally made to look old.
“Wow… this door really stands out…!”
“Mm… there must be something beyond this, right?”
Mr. Ville tries to push on the door in front of Ms. Aria and me who can’t help but exclaim, but no matter how much force he applies, it doesn’t budge at all.
…Ah… could this be…!?
“I see. This must be a door that can only be opened by someone from another world… right?”
“Rin, can you try?”
“Yes! No problem. Leave it to me!”
I could feel the seriousness in Mr. Ville’s voice as he spoke while still holding the door.
Even though I’ve heard about this from Mr. Noah, seeing it in person like this makes me extremely nervous! If I feel this way, Mr. Ville, who doesn’t know the full story, must be even more anxious…!
I take Mr. Ville’s place in front of the door and exert force to open what appears to be an extremely heavy door. But it didn’t require as much effort as I expected. With a dull creaking sound, the door starts to open.
Through the narrow opening, a pale blue light filters in along with a musty, moldy… indescribable smell. It’s the smell of stale air that hasn’t been ventilated for ages.
Gomamiso, perched on my shoulder, gives a tiny sneeze. With a disgusted expression, it wipes its face with its front paws.
Ah, right… cats are known for their sensitive noses. This smell must be especially harsh for it…
Ms. Aria, peering through the open door, grimaces dramatically.
“…Ugh… quite a ‘lovely’ welcome…!”
“Ewww… I hate this smell…!”
It’s not every day you get to see a handsome guy and a beautiful woman with wrinkled noses, but… If Ms. Aria and Mr. Ville are making faces like that, the smell up front must be seriously intense…
Well, even we who are standing a bit farther back are gagging from it, so I guess it’s only natural.
“…The smell is bad, but… there don’t seem to be any monsters… here.”
Ms. Aria turns back to us, still sniffling and not fully recovered, but apparently, she’s confirmed it’s safe as she beckons us forward.
“Alright. Then let’s go…!”
After confirming that we’re following behind, Mr. Ville opens the door fully.
“Wow… it’s huge…”
“This has quite a different atmosphere…”
Inside, the ceiling is high with several chandelier-like lights hanging down. I apologize for my limited imagination, but it feels like an extremely spacious ruined church. Though without stained glass or crosses, it also gives the impression of an ancient temple.
At the far end of this vast space, there is what looks like a half-collapsed altar.
…But that’s it.
Really, that’s all there is!
“…Just this…? No traps or anything…”
“No enemy presence here either… According to the legend, there was supposed to be a dragon guarding the orb…”
I can tell that Ms. Aria and Mr. Ville have slightly lowered their guard while still surveying the surroundings. They’re still ready to move at a moment’s notice, but their bodies seem a little less tense.
The same goes for Mr. Xenon, who’s still holding my hand, and Mr. Ed, who’s covering our rear.
Of course, I too am on high alert, watching in all directions.
But there’s no reaction from Survival… nothing at all.
“The decay seems unnaturally clean, with very little dirt…”
As Mr. Ville has pointed out, despite being so dilapidated, no dust or mud is soiling the place. The upper floors had a fair amount of dirt, but this place looks as if it’s been regularly cleaned. Of course, there are stones falling apart and walls collapsing here and there, but the debris that should be there is nowhere to be found…
It feels extremely artificial… like a poorly made artificial ruin.
“Yes. Still, there don’t seem to be any traps or gimmicks… just that altar over there, perhaps?”
“Looks like we’ve got no choice but to take a closer look…”
At the suggestion of our party’s brain, Mr. Xenon, I cautiously approach the altar. Though really, there is just a crumbling stone altar and a sooty stone pedestal next to it… Wait.
Sooty?
“Why are there burn marks on this?”
“Well, in ancient temples, it was customary to burn sacrifices as offerings to the gods.”
“Ah… I see… so they burned some kind of animal here!”
Mr. Xenon is really amazing…! How does he pull out knowledge like that so easily? Maybe he doesn’t just have a memory drawer but a whole memory palace.
I look up at him with amazement and respect, and he returns a smooth smile. Ah! That’s really bad for my heart! A handsome man’s smile should come with a warning!
“Still, Rin… you may have just made a sharp observation.”
“Oh… did you find something?”
“Yes, look. It’s in quite ancient language, but it says ‘offer a sacrifice’…”
Just as I am about to clutch my chest from shock, Mr. Xenon casually points to the altar.
On the side of the thick slab of the weathered altar, there are rows of swirling markings, like wedge-shaped letters or symbols.
This… yup, I definitely can’t read this…!
I could read this world’s writing, but perhaps ancient text like this isn’t supported?
…By the way… what kind of things are used as sacrifices in this world?
“When you say sacrifice… what kind are you talking about?”
“Typically sheep or cattle, I suppose. By the way, Rin. Do you happen to have any in the fridge?”
“Not really… Though I still have some boar left…”
After easily providing the textbook answer, Mr. Xenon turned the question back on me, and I quietly shook my head. The fridge really doesn’t contain anything that feels suitable as a sacrifice.
…Well, boar might be acceptable in this world, but still… pig-type animals just don’t really fit the image of a proper sacrifice to me.
Actually, the only information I have from Mr. Noah about the final boss here is: “Go to the dungeon boss’s room at the bottom level and defeat it" and "Once you defeat the dungeon boss, the path will open.”
If there’s no dragon in this hall, does that mean solving this puzzle will lead us to the dragon? A sacrifice, huh… hmm…
As I rack my brain, Mr. Xenon continues examining the area around the altar.
“Apart from that inscription, there’s absolutely nothing here… What exactly does ‘sacrifice’ refer to in this context?”
“I think it probably means offering a certain amount of flesh to activate the mechanism. Perhaps we need to offer meat dropped from those endlessly spawning monsters?”
“Hmm… that’s not impossible, but…”
As we puzzle over the mysterious ancient text, the ground suddenly begins to shake. A series of low vibrations reverberates deep in my guts. Looking around, I notice the center of the room emitting a pale blue light. The light gradually separates into lines and characters, eventually transforming into a massive magic circle.
“This is…”
‘Fwoooooooooshhhhh!’
“Get back, Rin!”
Gomamiso and Xenon stand protectively in front of me as I freeze in place.
Ah! …Right, into the Camping Car!
Seeing those wings spread wide in warning and that honey-gold hair from behind, I finally come to my senses and activate my skill.
I rush into the Camping Car that appears with a heavy thud, or at least I’m about to rush… Because no matter how long we wait, the magic circle remains completely silent and motionless. In the painful silence, I poke my head out from behind the cabin door I have opened. Everyone is still on edge, and my eyes meet Mr. Xenon’s briefly.
“Um… I thought a boss was about to be summoned… but there’s no response…?”
“Perhaps we need to go to it ourselves…”
…Ah… is this… could this be another gimmick?
Maybe if we jump into this magic circle, we’ll find the boss, and when we defeat it, the dropped items or its meat will count as the "sacrifice." So there are two gimmicks.
“…I guess we have no choice but to dive in? But how about we take a break first?”
We’ve hit a dead end with exploring this place. If there’s anything else, it has to be this suspiciously obvious magic circle that suddenly appeared, right?
When I suggested that to Mr. Ville, who was still standing with arms crossed and staying cautious, he kept his stern expression—but gave a small nod.
“…You’re right… Since we don’t know what’s waiting for us, we should be fully prepared.”
Still, it seems no one feels like getting inside the vehicle. I mean, nothing’s happened so far, but you never know.
I hand Mr. Ville, who is about to sit on the ground, a picnic sheet and a mini table, then generously serve drinks and the baked treats I had prepared in advance.
Whew, I’m glad I baked these in my spare time!
“Anyway, you need sugar for strategy planning and quick reflexes!”
“Yay! I love your spice cookies, Rin!”
“Not too sweet, not too spicy… a perfect balance. I like these too.”
Ms. Aria and Mr. Xenon smile as they immediately take the well-baked cookies from the sealed container placed on the mini table.
“The spice cookies are great, but I thought the ones with halberries were delicious too.”
“Huh, what’s that?! We’ve never had those!”
Between sips of barley tea, Mr. Ville and Mr. Ed also picked up some cookies. Mr. Ville narrowed his eyes nostalgically, while Mr. Ed exclaimed indignantly as he secured his cookies.
Hmm. Those were the first cookies I made since coming to this world, but it seems Mr. Ville liked them. It feels nice when someone remembers a treat you made.
At this rate, once things settle down, I have a feeling Mr. Ed and the others who missed out will be asking me for all sorts of treats.
‘This me wants to eat moooore fancy meat!’
“Fancy meat… Yes. If it drops, let’s all enjoy it together.”
Gomamiso purrs on my lap as I sit on the Camping Car’s step. While scratching its chin, I knead its belly. The feeling of my fingers sinking into its long, soft fur and flesh is irresistible…!
It’s like the calm before the storm or a moment of fleeting peace…
Knowing that some event is definitely about to occur makes this relaxed scene feel even more precious… While I’m lost in these thoughts, the cookies in the container quickly disappear into everyone’s stomachs.
“Alright… now that we’ve eaten, it’s about time…!”
As Mr. Ville stands up after licking his lips, everyone else follows suit.
…The break seems to be over.
The strawberry-colored eyes that were fixed on the magic circle briefly glance at me.
“Rin… even if I asked what you wanted to do, you’d say ‘I’m coming with you,’ wouldn’t you?”
“Yes! We’ve come this far. Please don’t tell me to ‘stay here,’ let me accompany you!”
After cramming the used picnic sheet and table back into the Camping Car, I’m ready to go, even if it’s a bit forceful! The gaze directed at me as I finish preparing and close the door softens slightly. Mr. Ville understands me well! I meet his gaze and grin back, and as if he had expected this, Mr. Ville gives a gentle smile.
“Well then. I wonder what awaits us ahead… it’s a strange feeling, terrifying yet somehow exciting.”
“Totally! That moment right before heading into an unknown place—it always makes my heart race.”
Mr. Xenon and Mr. Ed also smile quietly. There’s no sign of panic or nervousness… and certainly no unnecessary tension.
Even Ms. Aria, brushing cookie crumbs off her clothes, gives off an air of calm, like still waters. But I can feel it—beneath that calm exterior, a quiet fighting spirit is burning like fire deep within her.
We approach the edge of the mysterious magic circle and form a line, holding hands to avoid getting separated in case something happens. Gomamiso snuggles into my hood and clings tightly to my head.
When the strawberry-colored eyes that have been tightly closed open again, they seem to have taken on a new depth.
“Alright. Let’s go…!”
At that quiet signal, we all step into the pale blue light together.
When I open my eyes next, I find myself in what looks like a vast cavern with exposed rock walls. As soon as I realized this, I tried to summon the Camping Car and rush inside with Gomamiso…
“…I was thinking of doing that, but there’s no time for that!”
‘Just get behind this great me!’
“Y-Yes!”
What brings me back to reality from my brief moment of escapism is Gomamiso’s voice as it whips its thick, long tail. With its fur standing on end and limbs stretched out, it has grown almost as tall as me, just like I’ve seen before.
The moment we arrived—or perhaps even before we got here—the boss who was apparently already waiting for us fires a breath attack. Well, thanks to the protective barrier that Mr. Xenon had prepared in advance, there was hardly any damage! And since Gomamiso protected me reflexively, I’m completely unharmed!
“Huh… wait, why is Gomamiso so big?”
‘Now’s not the time for that! This me has been eating lots, so me is packed full of strength and magical power to do things like this!’
…unable to feel a sense of reality, my careless question slipped out, and Gomamiso answered while keeping its eyes fixed on the boss.
Ahhhh… I see? So always wanting to eat isn’t just because of being in a growth period, but also serves as a power charge for emergencies like this? What, really? Then I need to give Miso more food from now on!
‘Come on! No spacing out now! Get it together!’
With a little slap on my thigh from its tail, the last remaining switch for escaping reality finally flipped.
Hiding behind Gomamiso who is protecting me, I stare at the roaring creature before my eyes.
A snake-like long body covered in what looks like hard scales, and powerful forelegs gripping the ground. Its large gaping mouth is lined with rows of sharp fangs.
[Drauwurm (Extremely Delicious)
A type of earth dragon with steel-like scales. Its movement speed is slow, but it breathes poison and paralysis. Extremely temperamental, with a strong tendency to protect its accumulated treasures.
The meat itself has a rich flavor and is extremely delicious. Though it’s red meat, it has appropriate tenderness, and its true value can be tasted when made into steak or roast dragon.
The forelegs are extremely tough due to the developed muscles supporting its enormous body, but when simmered slowly, they transform into a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
The tail portion is suitable for soup, offering a rich, concentrated flavor.]
Aaaaaah!
I mean, it looks exactly like your stereotypical fantasy dragon… but it’s super delicious too?!
“Ehhh… This thing is apparently extremely delicious, but, um, how do we defeat it?”
“I thought it was just a worm-like creature—who knew it’d be tasty too!”
“Mm! Then, let’s take it down!”
Mr. Ville readies his great sword. Ms. Aria releases her hardened threads. Both are laughing loudly and joyfully.
“If Rin says it’s ‘delicious,’ we can’t help but look forward to it, right? I should avoid roasting it whole though.”
“Hehehe… Dragon species are said to be useful materials down to the last part, but they’re also suitable for food!”
Mr. Ed with his combative smile, and Mr. Xenon calmly set up barriers without breaking a sweat. Both readied their staffs with voices that couldn’t hide their expectations.
‘Me toooo! This me also love yummy stuff!’
“Yup. That’s probably the ‘fancy meat’ you mentioned before, so do your best out there, Gomamiso!”
I lightly pat Gomamiso’s back as it licks its lips.
Alright. We can totally do this.
I was a bit scared after hearing about everyone’s fate from Mr. Noah but at this rate… we’ll be fine with our current abilities! Not a single person is missing, and we’re challenging it in perfect condition!
In fact, just as Mr. Xenon’s support magic surrounds us to protect against poison and paralysis, Ms. Aria’s threads begin to entangle the dragon’s body. Mr. Ville takes charge of cutting down the rock chunks that the thrashing tail desperately hurled at us. Gomamiso swats away the occasional small stones that slip through the gaps.
Just as Mr. Ville slices through a huge rock right in front of us, I spot another massive boulder flying straight toward his unguarded back.
“—Mr. Ville!”
‘Ahh! Nooo!’
Almost simultaneously with my involuntary shout, Gomamiso’s body springs like a coil with a sharp cry. In the blink of an eye, the cat’s tail reaches Mr. Ville and deflects the rock that is about to hit him.
“I owe you one, Gomamiso. That was close!”
‘Mufu! This royal me is an excellent hunter!’
Mr. Ville’s expression softens as he traces the rock that fell against the wall with his gaze. Gomamiso, puffing out its chest proudly with satisfaction, seems delighted as its head is petted.
Mr. Ville strokes Gomamiso’s fluffy head and cheeks with gentle hands.
“Alrighty! Here we go!”
With a bright voice, Mr. Ed raises his short staff overhead. With a slight crackling sound, the space closes off, and a snowstorm begins to rage only in the area where the Drauwurm is. At first, the massive creature thrashes and roars, but it gradually grows still… so maybe it’s biologically close to reptiles?
After the snowstorm subsid, what remains is the huge body of the earth dragon, twitching weakly.
Its proud breath was blocked by Mr. Xenon’s defensive wall, its long body that could probably be used like a whip for attacks was neutralized by Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed, and even its projectile rock attacks were struck down by Mr. Ville and Gomamiso…
…Um… I’m starting to feel a little sorry for it…!
Just as I begin to pity the Drauwurm a bit, Mr. Ville turns his gaze back to the dragon sprawled on the ground.
“I bear no grudge, but we can’t proceed without defeating you.”
With a gravelly sound, Mr. Ville takes a step toward the dragon. But something felt… wrong?
Feeling a chill run down my spine, I take a closer look at the Drauwurm. Its fiery red eyes are looking at Mr. Ville resentfully… so it’s still alive. And those eyes… those eyes like boiling magma distilled from hatred give me such a bad feeling! Even though Mr. Ville must be on guard… what is it… I have such a bad premonition!
“Um, Mr. Vil—”
‘SHAAAAA!’
Interrupting my half-finished words, the dragon’s eyes, gleaming eerily bright, open wide. Before I can think, multiple large fireballs of a murky color are spat out from its widely opened mouth. With a whoosh… the sound of air being scraped and the shockwave of the impact comes at us, making me instinctively shield my face with my arms.
If it’s like this for me at a distance, what about Mr. Ville who’s right in front…!? My chest is filled with despair and anxiety… but…
“…I see. A last desperate attempt, huh… But this level won’t…”
From beyond the distorted, blurry world, a voice of pure calm resonated. Through my hazy vision, I can see Mr. Ville readying his sword. His thin lips pulled up into a fearless smile.
The especially large fireball heading for Mr. Ville was cut down with a single stroke. The split fireball fell to the left and right, spreading across the ground with a foul smell. As it sizzled and smoked, burning the earth black… the Drauwurm’s frustrated, curseful growl vibrated my eardrums.
“Well… I’m sorry for thwarting your hidden move. Now rest in peace.”
The dragon’s head, unable to retaliate until the very end, is severed by Mr. Ville’s sword, lowered with an apology.
Fortunately—or perhaps due to Mr. Ed’s magic having chilled it to the core—there was no literal bloodbath. But as usual, a black mist rises up from the massive body with a whoosh.
“Ugh, cough! Ugh… because of its large body, the amount is…!”
“Are you alright, Rin?”
Wait, is this the first time so much mist has come out at once?
Feeling as if the membranes in my throat were tingling, I couldn’t help but cough, and Mr. Xenon rubbed my back. His concerned voice and gentle touch seemed to soothe my irritated airways! In the end, his hand didn’t leave until I calmed down. I’m so sorry for causing you worry…
After retching for a while and coughing as much as I needed to… I finally start to calm down…
“Whew… looks like… we have a lot left again!”
“The head, the heart… and as usual, plenty of meat parts too…”
Behind where the Drauwurm had stood, a moss-covered steep staircase extends upward. I think if we go up these stairs, we’ll reach the upper floor… probably back to the floor with the altar from earlier. I alternately look at the remaining drop items and the seemingly narrow staircase, remembering the altar.
“Um, I think we’re supposed to use the Drauwurm’s meat and such as ‘sacrifices’!”
"Eh… we have to offer… all of it?”
‘No! This me wants to eat meat!’
At my words, Ms. Aria raised a distressed voice and covered her mouth. Behind her, Gomamiso, who had somehow returned to its original form, came jumping toward my arms.
Ah… I did say the meat was extremely delicious earlier…
I pat Ms. Aria’s shoulder to comfort her and scoop up the head-butting Gomamiso. Then I take a good look at the leftover meat. The densely packed meat has almost no marbling. However, the meat itself is a deep red, rich with what looks like an intense flavor. The thin layer of fat covering it is pure white, creating a visually striking contrast.
Hmm. Looking at it again, there’s quite a mountain of meat here.
“There’s a decent amount, so I don’t think we need to sacrifice all of it…”
I believe we should definitely use the heart as an offering. I feel like I’ve read something in mythology about "gaining wisdom" or "understanding animal speech" after eating a dragon’s heart… It’s better to quickly leave such formidable powers in the hands of the gods!
While I’m at it, the head and claws should probably go to the sacrifice pile too. I certainly don’t have the courage to make a stewed dragon head dish… The claws could make various materials, but to secure more meat, I want to add them to the sacrifice pile to gain more weight and volume…
“If we still need more for the required sacrifice amount, we can add the tail, front legs… the lower priority meat.”
“Yeah… honestly, I kinda want to try eating some of it too.”
Before I realized it, everyone had gathered around me while I was muttering to myself. We all surrounded the meat, saying things like "that part looks delicious" or "I definitely want to try this part"… Everyone is excitedly deciding meat priorities.
The most popular part is, naturally, the loin. It would be great for steaks, and thinly sliced pieces cooked with various vegetables will make excellent sukiyaki! I definitely want to try that part too.
We also decided to keep the front leg portion, which was said to be great for stewing. That’s basically like a beef tendon or shank, right? I bet it would make a delicious dragon stew. I’m pretty sure I still had some roux left, so maybe I could even make dragon curry.
Unfortunately, the tail portion, which was supposedly good for soup, would be prioritized for sacrifice if necessary. I would have liked to try a white dragon soup, simmered slowly like oxtail soup… but well, can’t be helped.
Completing the dungeon takes priority, after all.
“But how do we transport this much meat…”
“Leave it to me! We can put it in the Camping Car, and then I just need to move it!”
As Mr. Ville was pondering in front of the mountain of dragon meat, I summoned the Camping Car with a thud.
This is where I come in! After all, I was originally hired as a porter! I give a thumbs up while puffing out my chest, and Mr. Ville, understanding my intention, grins back.
“I’ll just make some preparations!”
“Preparations? If there’s heavy lifting involved, I’ll help.”
“No, I’m just laying down a sheet so the floor doesn’t get dirty.”
As I hopped into the cabin, I responded to the voice behind me while waving the sheet we had used during our earlier break. Even if it gets dirty, cleaning magic would take care of it, but better safe than sorry!
After laying down the picnic sheet on the floor, we started loading the dragon meat into the vehicle in a bucket brigade fashion. Finally, the men manage to load the largest piece, the head, into the Camping Car with the three of them working together.
“Wow… seeing it loaded in the car really shows how impressive it is!”
“Yeah. I didn’t notice when it was outside, but it was quite large…”
It’s probably taking up about half the floor space… It’s so big. Is this like when something doesn’t seem that big in the store, but when you bring it home you think "Wait, isn’t this huge?”
After loading all the meat from the ground into the Camping Car, Mr. Ville’s eyes turn toward the moss-covered stairs. The room is already dim, and the upper part of the staircase is swallowed by darkness, making it impossible to see where it leads.
“Alright then, let’s head back to that altar.”
“I hope there’s been some change now.”
Mr. Ville patted me on the back and took the lead up the stairs. Mr. Xenon followed quietly with his staff.
“Rin, come on too, okay?”
“Yeah! Just thinking about what might happen next… doesn’t it get you a little excited?”
Before I know it, Ms. Aria and Mr. Ed have positioned themselves on either side of me. Not only that, but they are holding both my hands like I am some captured alien! And Gomamiso has already taken refuge on my shoulder! Jeez! If I’d been carrying Miso, I might have been able to avoid this situation!
“Wait… we definitely can’t go up those stairs side by side!”
“Mm. It’ll be fine—we’ll just go single file!”
I tried making one last suggestion, but Ms. Aria smiled brightly and led the way, keeping our hands linked as we formed a line going up the stairs!
…Well. This formation is probably for my safety, but… ugh… it’s so embarrassing! Still, I understand they’re concerned about me, so I don’t intend to complain.
With mixed feelings, I reach the top of the stairs, and sure enough, we are back in the ruined temple-like place. Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon are already gathered in front of the crumbling altar.
The difference is that the altar itself is now faintly glowing.
“Rin. Could it be…?”
“Yes. I’m betting it’s telling us to ‘Offer the Drauwurm’!”
After defeating that earth dragon and seeing this change, it would be quite a stretch to say there’s "no connection"!
We all nod to each other and place the largest piece, the dragon’s head, on the altar first.
Immediately, the altar’s glow intensifies.
“Whoa! Does this mean we need to keep adding meat until the light reaches maximum brightness?”
“It seems worth trying… Alright. Let’s start with the sacrificial meat.”
When we place the inedible parts like claws and scales on the altar, as expected, the light grows stronger.
But nothing else happens.
Hmm… maybe it’s still not enough…
“Ah! That reminds me, the heart was also for sacrifice!”
I completely forgot about it since we loaded it first, and it got mixed with the other meat! The dragon’s heart I pulled out from the bottom is a volleyball-sized lump revealing a vivid red color. Seeing it, Mr. Ed and Mr. Xenon’s faces tense up a bit.
“So the earth dragon’s heart is an offering too, huh? It’s top-tier material, but eating it would be too much of a gamble.”
“It might bring luck, but the misfortune it could unleash might far outweigh that… It’s way too dangerous to try casually.”
“Ahhh… We have similar legends in my world too. Looks like it’s treated the same way everywhere.”
…Well, in this case, it’s probably that this world was created based on our world. They probably incorporated elements from various mythologies… Come to think of it, the first dungeon also had elements reminiscent of "The Song of Everlasting Regret" and the Four Guardian Beasts. Now I understand that the production staff collected "suitable" elements to create it…
An indescribable emotion suddenly swept through my chest. Even if they say this is a game world… everyone is alive! Everyone is earnestly living their lives to the fullest! I can’t think of this world as artificial!
“Are you alright, Rin? This is for the sacrifice too, right?”
“…ah… Mr. Ville…”
A calm voice came from above, and suddenly the weight disappeared from my hands. Looking up, Mr. Ville is standing there, holding the considerably heavy heart in one hand. His face shows a mixture of concern and confusion.
“I don’t quite understand what you’re thinking, but don’t overthink it too much, okay?”
“Ah, um… thank you!”
Mr. Ville is really something in moments like this! How does he always say exactly what I need to hear at just the right time… I guess that’s why he makes such a good party leader.
Feeling somewhat lighter at heart, I let out a small sigh. There’s no point in worrying about things I can’t change. We’ve been through a lot, but with everyone together, we’ll manage somehow!
Mr. Ville smiles with relief seeing me somewhat cheered up. I smile back and look at the altar. The moment Mr. Ville places the dragon’s heart on the stone already loaded with meat, a pale blue flash seared my eyes.
“Whoa, waaah! What!? What was that!?”
“Could this mean ‘that’s enough’!?”
‘Nyaa! So bright!’
I instinctively cover my eyes, but after being hit with that intense light, my vision isn’t coming back right away. I can hear Mr. Ville’s surprised voice and Gomamiso’s screams, but I cannot make out their expressions!
…Still, after blinking several times, I finally felt my vision returning… Though the backs of my eyes are still flickering a bit!
Glancing around, everyone else is either covering their eyes or repeatedly blinking. It seems the flash caught everyone by surprise.
“…Hm? Ah… Mr. Ville, look at that!”
“Yeah… what… is this…?”
On the altar where the light has subsided, a softball-sized jewel is rolling around. It is a gem that emits radiance as if the earlier light has been compressed and solidified.
Cautiously… Mr. Ville pokes the jewel with his fingertip, making a small clicking sound… but no sparks are flying or electrical currents… no such traps.
…I see. So this is the "Orb" that Mr. Noah mentioned…
I mean, yes, it does have a bit of a mystical feel to it… but still…
To be honest, even if they say "This will halve the Demon Lord’s power"… it doesn’t look like it possesses such power…
“…Is this the reward for this dungeon?”
“Probably… but even so, what is this…?”
Mr. Ville and Mr. Xenon both tilted their heads as they examined the orb carefully from various angles.
…Yup. That makes sense. If I hadn’t heard Mr. Noah’s explanation, I’d be completely confused too.
So…
I think the quickest solution is to ask someone who knows!
“Um… should we head back to the castle for now? I’m sure your brother would know more about this, Mr. Ville…!”
Fortunately, the Camping Car is still clean, and once we get back to the surface, we can depart immediately. I don’t know how much time has passed on the surface, but I think if we hurry back, we could at least get close to the royal capital.
“…I suppose… that’s our only option.”
Mr. Ville frowned slightly at my suggestion… but eventually sighed and raised both hands. Almost like he was saying "I surrender.”
Hmm… even though they’ve met face to face, there’s still some lingering tension. Well, such rifts aren’t easily resolved, I guess.
“I get how you feel, but as Rin says, that’s the quickest solution!”
“Mm! Just steel yourself, okay?”
“You’ve been acutely aware that we can’t handle this with the information we have, right?”
Wow… everyone is attacking with logical arguments…!
Even though they’re certainly making impactful points, Mr. Ville just turns away like he’s sulking. Does he have some kind of super-alloy mental strength?
“…It’s not like I said we weren’t going, alright…?”
“Then it’s settled. We should head back to the surface before you change your mind.”
Mr. Xenon cut through Mr. Ville’s awkward head-scratching words. Everyone nods repeatedly in agreement with Mr. Xenon’s statement.
Gomamiso, who has jumped down from my shoulder, is patting Mr. Ville’s leg as if to comfort him.
The Translator’s notes
Rin’s classes were “Foreigner” with furigana (a little text on top of some words) “Étranger (stranger, outsider, foreigner from French)” and Traveler with furigana Tripper. But in this chapter her first class changed to “Otherworlder”, but furigana remained the same “Étranger”.
Also, I think in the web version, Rin couldn't read the local text. But this chapter clearly says that she can understand this world’s writing. Maybe it's the difference between the web version and the LN version, or maybe I just forgot something.
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