Chapter 15
「Come to think of it, have Lilia and the others met 《Jet Black》?」
「No........I guess he has gone quite a bit further ahead?」
「――or he is already dead. I didn't see any trace of him. In any case, the fact that he has come this far alone means that he may have already conquered it. I can't have a proper conversation with that guy, and I don't think we can trade.」
With Lucille joining the usual members, they all headed for the deepest part of the dungeon.
They were not sure, but they had a feeling that the end was near.
They had completely lost sight of the other adventurers, but they didn't care at this point.
They would still be in a place where they could turn around and go back to the entrance.
Mars has nothing against them, he came in of his own volition and responsibility, and he doesn't want to protect them by turning back.
「Let's go a little slower from here. Be very careful of the traps.」
「Okay! I can't even use magic here, so I'll do my best in my own useless way!」
「S-servility!」(卑屈 )
「Well......I'm really useless ......, I can't use magic, I can't even cook a piece of meat, and...I have a big butt ......It takes so much to make me think I'm being called into a trap. ......」
Heh heh heh, she wiggles her head in a sneer, and Hazuki walks behind, smaller than usual.
Although she had played a more active role than anyone else in the previous Norn Tomb and was even given the nickname 《Witch of Disaster》, her appearance was that of a bullied child.
「You don't have to worry about it. Just being here is helpful.」
「Lilia-san ......!」
"I don't know what you're talking about," said Lilia, her voice sounding the same as in ordinary times.
「Hazuki-nyan is so funny-nyaa. Nemu can't help grinning-nya.」
「It's kind of like ...... individuality is popping out in a different direction. What's on the outside doesn't match what's on the inside.」
「Up until now, she's been just as fragile and beautiful as she looks, you know?」
「She must be a pervert woman who doesn't wear them.」
「That's harsh!」
Lucille looked at Hazuki's teasing as usual with a curious expression on her face.
If anything, it was a look of longing on her face.
「――I wish I could have a conversation like that too.」
「There is a distance between each of them. The kind of thing you don't like if you do it out of the blue.」
「Right ......I wonder if I should say something embarrassing and have them tease me like that?」
「Are you admiring Hazuki-chan!?」
「Because Hazuki looks like she's having fun」
Lucille looked refreshed as if possessed.
Whether it was because she had intercourse for the first time and was physically a little different, or whether it was because of the first relationship she had made with a face other than the princess, or whether it was something else entirely, Mars couldn't gauge.
――I guess there are times when a fight is necessary.
「I would love to have a conversation like you and Lilia. Like we understand each other even though we don't say it out loud.」
「We've known each other a long time, you know? Besides, well, ...... that's the kind of relationship we have.」
「I also envy your relationship with Nemu. It's like a child and a parent. ...... You're so close.」
「Nemu seems like the type who gets all over you when she's comfortable. I think Lucille-chan is about to get close too. She and Hazuki-chan fought lightly at first, but now it's just the way it is.」
Nemu clung to Hazuki's neck from behind, who was acting sneaky and forced her to give her a piggyback ride.
「Even though she's so light, the bulge sticking to my back is big ......! ――I'll be servility! (?)」
「It just smells like a hindrance-nya! It goes wild on its own when Nemu's running-nya!?」
Nemu's chest, which is stickily attached to Hazuki's back, has a strong presence even if it is crushed by Hazuki's back.
Hazuki gave Nemu a resentful glare when Nemu insisted that her chest smelled like a hindrance,
「Kuuuuh ...... that's one of the top lines I'd like to say at least once! I want to say 『Even if it's big, it's just a hindrance, you know? There aren't many cute clothes with this breast! It's nice to have a lot of choices for a breast that small!』」
「Per――Hazuki. Have you ever been told such a thing?」
Hazuki's imitation was incredibly specific, and her tone was incredibly irritated.
There is definitely a model. Everyone thought so.
「I have a lot of them, you know!? Even for a girl I don't get along with very well, she's telling me things that I didn't even ask her!」
「I feel a little sorry for you ......」
「When Lilia says that, it sounds sarcastic!? That waist! You're showing exactly what you want to show, but you've got the body shape to pull off such a revealing outfit ......!」
「I was born this way, and ...... Elves are usually like this. Because they are hunters race.」
「I wish I had been born as an elf......!」
Seeing Hazuki's frustrated face, Mars feels she's fine the way she is.
It's not that she's fat, and her waist and legs are quite attractive to a man.
I guess it's a girlish problem ......, Mars thought, and decided to compliment her more daily.
It's Mars' role to reinforce self-affirmation.
「You got the Thardonix magic steel, but that's not enough, is it?」
「Yes. ...... I don't think it's possible to maintain the barrier at least. If only the core had been taken out cleanly, that would have been enough. Even if you have a lot of small pieces, you end up with the problem that each piece has a short lifespan. In other words, it doesn't solve the problem. We might be able to do something about it temporarily, but ......」
Only Lucille has an overview of the barrier device. If that Lucille says it's not enough, they should take it as fact.
It is more uncertain and a little more troubling than the dungeon attack.
「Because I crushed it. ...... I thought it would be relatively easy if we just had to kill a lot of golems at a level like yesterday, but I guess it's not that easy.」
「Easy. ...... We all managed to take down the golem that was right where we fell, you know? The golem yesterday was stronger than that. There's no way it's easy...... I'm overwhelmed!」
「On the other hand, I can only defeat monsters. I just took advantage of the opportunity and destroyed the core. I can't bring out healing ingredients like everyone else. ...... As for me, I'm more jealous of that.」
「I think there's healing ...... that you can do, you know? ――It was my first time but it was amazing. It feels strange to accept another person into your body. It makes my head feel all fluffy, so I can see why everyone gets so crazy. I'd love to do it again ...... it's a little embarrassing!」
Remembering last night, Lucille covers her mouth with her hands and blushes.
Caught in the act, Mars is also embarrassed and his face becomes flushed.
Even Mars, who has taken multiple virgins in the past, feels nervous and responsible each time.
And this time it's the princess ― Lilia too ― so it's all the more important.
He is already worried that it will be a big problem later on.
「Even after we conquer this place, I want to go on another adventure with you. I've never been to the ocean either.」
「Probably none of us have. It was my first time seeing a snowy landscape. I've only seen forests and deserts before. ――I also want to go swimming in the ocean.」
Mars won't mention adventures together.
Lucille will be queen.
She has made her own decision, and it is in the best interest of Mars and the others, so he won't interfere.
It's easy to put a damper on her resolve, and he can always do that.
Mars asks her if she wants to come with him. Lucille's mental picture will easily change if he asks her to come with him.
「Bathing in the sea? Isn't the ocean full of monsters?」
「I don't know much about it either, but there are fishermen who catch the fish we usually eat, so I'm sure it'll be fine. It's a dangerous place regardless of the monsters, so we'll just have to play in the shallow water, and I'd like to go fishing.」
――I wonder if there is a culture of sea bathing in this world?
I'm concerned about the presence of monsters, but there are sharks and such in the modern sea, and I don't think the essential danger level is the same.
I'm also looking forward to bathing suits. I'm used to seeing underwear, but it feels a little different.
――Lilia will probably come in for sexiness, while Hazuki-chan and Nemu-chan will probably focus on cuteness.
I can go for a surprise and focus on Lilia's cuteness. Or I can buy one for each of them. Let's do that.
「It's almost time for the adventure to end,......, and it makes me feel sad.」
Lucille, with a lonely look on her face, looked straight ahead and narrowed her stride.
Whether consciously or unconsciously, the group slowed down.
They were beginning to think that their time as adventurers would be short and that their lives would be longer afterward.
After a while of going at that slow speed, Nemu's ears perked up and she began to shout.
「Something's coming from behind-nya!」
「Is it a golem?」
Every once in a while, a monster attacks from behind.
The monsters that Mars and the others encounter as they advance forward are often passive ones that attack because they have no choice, but those that attack from behind, in other words, by themselves, are almost always belligerent and powerful.
With Lilia and Hazuki in the rear guard behind him, Mars draws his sword.
The sound of thudding footsteps conveyed the enormity of the owner of the sound.
「――Aniki!」
「Oh, it's you! Don't scare me!」
Approaching them is a huge, muscled man. He is Onyx Lordlight.
His reddish-bronze skin is sticky with sweat, and his beard and other body hairs are wet with moisture.
The ax that Mars had snapped off had been replaced by a new one. He had brought a spare.
「Where are the others?」
「Most of them have gone home! I'm your henchman, so I can't leave!」
Onyx slumped down on his back, making a huge noise and gasping for air.
――How did this guy make it all the way down here by himself? If he's been running all this time without any 『Body Strengthening』, he's stronger than me in his bare state.
And he's empty-handed except for his ax,......, and he doesn't have any food or water.
It was no use, and Mars took his water and food from the treasury and handed them over.
In no time at all, they were in Onyx's belly.
「――Onyx Lordlight. Are you under any orders from my father? That's why you came all the way here, even alone. Am I wrong?」
To Onyx, Lucille took a firm stance as she had when she met Mars.
Onyx, who was told to do so, looks dumb, not having come to grips with the situation.
「...... What do you mean? The king only told me to go and attack, and to protect the princess.」
「Isn't he telling you to kill the other adventurers at the end? To put it bluntly, we think you're an assassin.」
「No? But, well, ...... I would fight the remaining strongmen without being told what to do. So there will be cases where I'll kill them as a result.」
「Did my father come up with such sloppy plan.......?」
Mars finally understood why he didn't have a very bad impression of Onyx.
――This guy doesn't really have any bad intentions.
Or rather, he has no idea what he's doing.
「In a way, the sloppier the plan, the more correct it is, isn't it? Plans that are not played out in the dungeon usually don't work. The more meticulous the planning, the more inflexible it is, and the less likely you are to achieve the desired result」
Lilia enters the conversation, holding up her index finger.
Mars agrees.
If you make a series of detailed plans and then decide on a major goal, you will end up with something so fragile that the slightest discrepancy will cause everything to fall apart.
「Dungeon conquest is neither war nor politics. We just need to achieve the big strategic goal of conquering it. There is no need to think about the rest. So in the end, it is efficient to think only of tactical victories on the spot, such as eliminating monsters, spotting traps, etc. ――Haphazardness is the best battle strategy, fundamentally.」
「Exactly. First of all, it's not always possible to attack as planned. So it's best to be haphazard to some extent. Eventually.」
「But isn't that not a plan at all?」
「I think the plan is to leave it to Onyx. If Onyx is simply instructed to attack, Onyx will think and act in his own way. If Onyx decides he can't do it alone, he'll work with the others to find a way, won't he?」
Hmmm, Lucille looks unconvinced.
She doesn't seem to understand the "let things happen" plan.
It is only to say that the dwarves thought as Mars did, that it was a foolish thing to do to weaken the strong by putting them in a definite plan.
The strong should be used up as they are strong. They should not narrow the scope by giving strange roles to those who are not up to standard.
「A person with the ability can take control of the place even without a plan in this kind of environment. I am ashamed to say it, but the only ones who have a presence in this dungeon right now are us, Onyx, and 《Jet-Black》. ――It's just a strong group. Onyx is here now. So, as it stands, the king's plan is working.」
Except for 《Jet Black》 and Mars and the others who may be ahead, Onyx is closest to the capture, as the king wants him to be.
It works, even if it is about.
「I've seen people who enter a dungeon with a detailed plan, and it doesn't go very well. ...... Their friends die, they run out of food, one thing goes wrong, and then it all goes wrong...... wait. I've seen it too」
「Yeah. I think that's what happened to Kruse and the others in the Norn Tomb. Their friends died, they became enemies, and then everything fell apart. Simple force is the simplest and most effective way.」
「Aniki is right! Don't think about it, use your strength! If you can't beat your opponent with your mouth, break their jaw!」
Onyx, sitting on his haunches, folded his arms like logs and nodded deeply.
――It's a little embarrassing that I came to the same conclusion as Onyx.
Unlike Mars, who came to that conclusion based on thought and practical experience, Onyx's conclusion was based on abandonment of thought. Therefore, the nuance is different. It was a little disconcerting to be lumped together.
「Onyx. I will conquer this place and become queen. ――I won't let you be king.」
Lucille pointed her war hammer at Onyx's face and glared at him.
With no one left to challenge her, Lucille's chances of becoming king would increase.
Lucille could even get promote Onyx by making him her direct subordinate, for example.
So Lucille must have seriously thought about showing her power to Onyx.
They didn't have a meeting, but Mars understood that much of her intention.
「Don't think you can stop me just because you are a princess!? I will be the king as a hero both in name and reality!」
The explosion from Onyx turned into a sonic bullet that rushed through the dungeon.
Onyx, who stood up, was still a giant, overflowing with a savage atmosphere that thought violence could solve everything.
However, as soon as he shifted his gaze to Mars, his violent demeanor suddenly faded and he showed an attitude that did not match his giant frame.
「――That was a word I want to say.....but after fighting Aniki, I realized how small I was! The world is a big place! There are many strong people out there that I haven't seen yet! That's why I've decided to go on a journey when I leave here. I don't want to be king anymore」
He scratches his head, his mouth agape in a sulky manner.
It's a cute expression that doesn't suit his overly burly face at all.
「So, Aniki, let's journey toget――」
「No, I can't. I'm of the mindset that no man should be in my party.」
「Don't talk like that! I'm, you see, I'm good at carrying stuff! I could be that cat girl's henchman!」
Nemu looked slightly interested, but the smell of sweat in the air made her cover her nose and move away from Onyx.
Hazuki, not to mention Lilia, is not a fan of all loud and aggressive people.
None of them would allow Onyx to join the party.
「Her luggage is in the treasury and ...... in a word, it's hot. In other words, you're too loud. Lower your tone of voice a little more.」
Mars was fed up with Onyx's sweaty smell.
What is so sad is that he has to be pestered by a man, a man who seems to be at least twice as thick as he is.
Mars definitely doesn't want to be his companion when he thinks his skinship is done like Nemu.
Mars imagined Onyx asking him to give him a piggyback ride, and a chill ran down his spine.
「If you adore me as your Aniki, you can help Lucille-chan become a queen. As for the reward, well, ......how about 【Forbidden Magic Book】? It's sure to make you even stronger than you are now.」
「Magic, huh...... magic, right...... I can't help but feel that it is extraneous. I can't use magic to begin with.」
「I've got magic in my bag of tricks, you know? I can't beat you in your bare state. By the way, you can use the magic in the 【Forbidden Magic Book】 even if you can't use magic.」
「Then I'll take it!」
「Instant decision!? Then when you get out of here, I'll ask you to help Lucille-chan. I'll give you your reward in advance..」
Mars takes out a book from the treasury and hands it to Onyx.
It's a book that Mars had no intention of using.
「The magic contained in the book is magic that attracts matter.」
「――It's a little plain, isn't it?」
「Well, well, well. The way you fight, you can pull the axe to you. And it's just an extension of your physical abilities, so it suits you, right? The rest is......You can get condiments and stuff from far away.」
「Don't make me laugh!? No, but it's pretty useful ......?」
「It's all about creativity. Anything.」
――I thought it was very subtle and didn't use it.
I thought about manipulating Lilia's arrows, but my bow is a must-hit. I was told it won't come back, so I have no use for it.
「H-hey, can I get something from you too ......?」
Lucille comes to Mars with a twinkle in her eye.
――I'd like to keep as much as I can because I can use it for negotiating, but ...... I don't mind at least one book.
「How about this then? It's fire magic.」
「You don't mind if I have that!?」
「Yup. After all, Hazuki-chan won't allow me to use it among our friends.」
「It would make my characteristics will fade even more, won't they!?」
「So she says」
At first, Mars, who had no other means of attack than physical, wanted to read it, but he was strongly opposed by Hazuki.
Lilia and Nemu were also reluctant to take away Hazuki's strong points, so if things continue as they were, there would be a surplus for the rest of her life.
If that is the case, Mars doesn't mind giving it to Lucille.
Many leading adventurers have some kind of special skill, and as far as this kind of offensive magic is concerned, the demand for it is likely to be low.
It is too expensive to use as a bargaining card for adventurers who don't even have it. Cash or treasure will suffice.
「You guys still carrying the 【Forbidden Magic Book】?」
「Yep. We've all read some of them, but there are still more. I think it's okay to read the offensive magic, but leave the rare unique magic like 【Treasure House of Dreams】 for now..」
「T-then, Lilia and the others are still hiding their abilities!?」
「Yes. Me too, it's not just bows」
Hm-hmm. Lilia replies proudly.
Both Hazuki and Nemu are hiding their abilities. They have been told by Mars not to show the bottom of their abilities, and it is also what they want.
――Because it is cooler to hide one's ability.
Mars was just trying not to show off and was not hiding it to look good, but Lilia and Hazuki thought it looked really cool, so they decided to hide it as well.
「You see, Nemu can do a lot of things, too-nyaa~? She has three Magic Books-nya!」
Nemu was proud to open her four fingers despite having three. She must have opened her hand with just a little momentum.
「I can use three too! One of them is the magic power enhancer I used on the trap golem!」
「W-Wow, ...... you guys really are heroes!」
Lucille and the others were so excited.
Even boys and girls who are buoyant in peacetimes are only as good as their abilities.
Even if they are embarrassed to be called heroes, the achievements they have made make them carry the sign of heroes.
「Depending on the monsters at the bottom of the dungeon, I'll give out something that looks valuable to everyone. If you die, there's no point.」
「That's right. But I'm going to ask you to give priority to Master first, okay?」
「It depends on the situation. In this case, I'm thinking Hazuki-chan. She can spread out the force.」
「I'm useless because my magic doesn't work. ......」
Hazuki, who had been so excited, suddenly became very sad.
She is very emotionally unstable. She has always been a person of strong emotional ups and downs, but her pride seems to have been hurt considerably by the fact that her magic didn't work.
No wonder. It's like a legacy she inherited from her parents.
――There is no magic book that can do physical attacks,......, and so far, nothing can be done about it.
「I told you, no one thinks you're useless. Even Mars wouldn't say that.」
「Right, right. Just by being there, everyone can brighten up. In a dungeon that tends to be dark, Hazuki-chan is super important.」
Lilia consoles her, and Mars agrees.
A mood-maker is very useful just by being there.
「Let's move on, then. I have no proof, but I have a feeling the end is near.」
「I've been thinking for a while that the air is strangely clear in the depths of the dungeon. I feel like the stagnation of the wind is disappearing.」
「It's a unique atmosphere, isn't it? I wonder what the strongest guy here is like.」
「――I'm nervous as always.」
What awaits them at the deepest level?
No matter how well you are progressing until the end of the game, if you stumble at the very end, everything will go down the drain.
After all, what is required to conquer a dungeon is the ability to defeat the apex predator who is camped out in the deepest part of the dungeon.
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