episode_0090

In the blurry vision, the form of a familiar person is seen.

A blond male with a sturdy physique, wearing a red sword at his waist.

And a beautiful black-haired woman with a large build and green eyes, not inferior to the man next to her, despite wearing a benevolent dress.

Looking at the two smiling at me, emotions I had never felt before surged in my heart.

Sadness, longing, and joy.

Before I could fully grasp that feeling, my body moved first.

That I had to reach them somehow.

‘Meiru’

Seeing me run towards them, the two called out my name.

For some reason, even though I couldn’t hear their voices, I could understand what they were saying.

And just as much, my feet moved more quickly and became anxious.

It was a reason like instinct, which even my current self could not understand.

But blocked by an invisible wall, I could absolutely not reach the two of them.

Why? Exactly? Why?

Tears flowed naturally from despair and a sense of emptiness.

Seeing me like this, the two men and women wore sad yet pitying expressions towards me.

Unable to bear it any longer, tears burst out, and they turned around and left me.

No.

Don’t leave me behind.

We just met again after all this time.

I was so lonely.

What was visible at the tips of my outstretched hands was the sight of the two figures who were getting farther away, becoming dots, and disappearing.

..Mom..Dad..

. . .

“…Hah!”

My eyes opened, and the dim ceiling came into view, along with the humid and damp underground air entering my lungs.

Since when had I lost consciousness..?

Anyway, it felt like I had a significant dream, but I can’t quite remember what it was about…

Right… Come to think of it… I definitely fell from a waterfall and injured my leg…

As I lowered my gaze with that thought, there was my leg, on which emergency first aid had been completed.

The gruesome wound, which was so bad that the bone seemed to pierce the skin, and the endlessly flowing blood were gone, and I could see a bandage and a splint made of wooden planks or similar material.

It still felt a bit limp, and running might be a bit difficult, but I was able to walk on my own.

“Huh..? Who exactly…?”

Looking closely, I could see a small campfire next to me, along with traces of a water container and a bowl used as tableware.

Someone had dissolved and boiled the emergency rations I was given in water to make them easy to swallow.

Judging by the situation, it seems someone found me unconscious with an injury, not only treated me but also nursed me.

And then, suddenly, a presence was felt from a certain direction.

It might be the person who helped me, but this is inside a dungeon, so it wouldn’t be strange if a monster suddenly popped out.

Along with tension, I felt a tingling sensation in my injured leg.

“Who..! Uh.. wait… you…?”

The same hair color as mine, and eyes of uncommon black.

The person who appeared with a torch in the darkness was none other than Ropel Toifel.

But it wasn’t the appearance of him I usually knew.

Perhaps he had gone through some hardship, as his face was full of fatigue, and there were large and small wounds and bandages wrapped around various parts of his body.

The attire he was given at the academy was also in a terrible state and seemed unable to function properly.

“Huh? Meiru? You’re awake!”

Saying so, he threw down the torch he was holding and ran towards me.

And he… hugged me!?

“Hgh..!?”

“Thank goodness… I was worried that you wouldn’t wake up…”

His thick, trained arms wrapped around my waist, and my upper body was enveloped.

His steep yet sweet breath tickled my ear next to my face.

Perhaps because of what had happened, his armor was all torn, and I could feel his skin and body heat directly beneath his thin cloth attire.

Since I had been lying on the cold, wet ground while unconscious, that warmth was even more welcoming and special.

Though that was also partly because the source of the warmth was Ropel.

Even though I knew this wasn’t the situation to harbor such feelings, my heart pounded and my face turned red.

“Ro… Ropel..!?”

“Thank goodness… really… really…”

Perhaps his words about being worried about me weren’t a lie, as he didn’t release the embrace.

Perhaps considering that I was injured, he didn’t hug too strongly.

…Honestly, he could have hugged me a bit tighter, it’s a shame…

No, no! What am I thinking?

“J-Just a moment… Ropel… um… now…”

“What’s wrong? Is there somewhere you’re uncomfortable? Huh? Don’t tell me you can’t feel your leg or something?”

“Ah… no, it’s not that… it’s just… a bit… too close…”

“Close…? Ah… ah…!”

Did he realize what he was doing just now?

He flustered and pulled away from me.

“Sorry! I hugged you when your injury isn’t completely healed yet. I was too inconsiderate. Let me see for a moment, just in case the injury has opened up. Or… Ah! Right, my state is a mess right now… I’ve sweated a lot and I’m dirty, but I acted so carelessly. I’m really sorry.”

No, that wasn’t what I was pointing out…?

I always think this, but Ropel’s perception of male-female relationships is a bit strange.

“That’s alright. Thanks to you, I can walk around on my own now. Look.”

I showed him by walking on my own two feet, as if to prove it.

Seeing this, he let out a sigh as if his tension had eased.

“But Ropel, could you tell me what happened while I was unconscious?”

“Of course, no problem.”

He took a sip from the water container he had boiled and explained what had happened during that time.

Firstly, how he came here, and that the magical connection with the academy, which had been cut off, still hadn’t recovered.

That a considerable amount of time had passed since the students were isolated in the dungeon, and that he hadn’t met any other students yet.

“Actually, there’s something important I discovered today.”

“Something important?”

“I couldn’t just sit around and wait for rescue, and I also thought other students might be around, so I kept wandering around this area. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find anyone else, but instead, I think I discovered something more special. If you don’t have much trouble moving now, would you like to go with me?”

. . .

“Hey Ropel… you said you were wandering around alone before I woke up, right? Without anyone else?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I tried to find people, but maybe I came too deep into the dungeon, as I didn’t see a single person. Is something wrong?”

Following Ropel, I couldn’t help but be greatly surprised.

Not only were there quite a few dismantled traps, but also a considerable number of corpses, presumed to be of monsters, were scattered around.

According to his words, he solved all of this with only his own strength…?

Whether he knew this or not, the man in front of me was walking towards the destination as if it were nothing.

During that time, he didn’t forget to support my body, perhaps in case I was uncomfortable.

The place we reached at the end of following him was where a giant gate existed.

It looked as if it stored something important, and its shape even resembled a large safe.

Unlike other areas with a feeling like a dark cave, only this place was adorned with bright and magnificent decorations.

“It might be dangerous, but I have a feeling that there are quite good items inside.

Unfortunately, I still don’t know how to open the door.”

The existence of such a space in a dungeon means one thing.

That there are valuable items inside, meaning treasure.

Especially items created by the ancients, which current magic and technology absolutely cannot replicate, artifacts.

. . .

“Pant… pant… Mark, let’s go together.”

“Again? You haven’t moved that much.”

“Unlike you, I’m not from the Knight Faculty.

Don’t underestimate the seriously average stamina level of the Magic Faculty!”

“Good grief… But the situation is serious.

Communication and teleportation magic are down, and the structure has changed, so we can’t go back the way we came. We have no choice.”

“T.h.e.n why are you trying to go deeper into the dungeon, instead of finding a slightly safer place to hide?

We only seem to be halfway through, don’t you remember the monsters we’ve found so far? It’s a relief we managed to pass by quietly hidden, but if we had faced them head-on, we wouldn’t have even kept our bones!”

“Haa… Lilith, I’m currently acting for everyone, for the greater good.”

“…What do you mean by that?”

“I’m guessing that the current situation is probably because the dungeon’s rank has risen for some reason.

That’s why its property of blocking external magic has strengthened, cutting off various academy magic.

Therefore, to keep other students safe, we need to make the dungeon lose its power.

To do that…”

“…You’re going to conquer the dungeon? Are you crazy?”

“This is also a conclusion drawn from experience. Don’t you remember the entrance ceremony?

I personally defeated the black magician who was described as overwhelmingly strong, impossible for everyone to face.

And I realized. That no matter how strong someone is, as long as the surprise attack lands properly, somehow it will work out.”

Lilith looked at Mark with displeased eyes.

She knew his arrogance had risen considerably since the entrance ceremony, but she didn’t know it would be this much.

It was truly stifling how to even begin explaining.

“That was all because you were lucky back then.

Do you think the same miracle can happen this time?”

“Luck is also a skill. Whatever it is, as long as the result comes out, that’s all that matters.”

“Haa… What am I really going to do with you…”

As the two were walking, Mark stepped on a strangely protruding part of the floor, and soon his form disappeared.

“…Mark!?”

Lilith, startled, moved to where he had been and soon discovered a small hole had formed.

“Mark! Are you there? Are you okay?”

“Ouch… I… I’m okay! It looks like a trap, but it doesn’t seem particularly dangerous!”

“Wait! I’ll come down there too…”

“No, you wait there. Since the ground lowered as I fell, I was okay, but if you just fall, it’s a height where you could easily get hurt.”

“Th-Then what do we do? We can’t call someone else right now!”

“Hmm… okay! Let’s do that.

Actually, seeing that there are no thorns or monsters, this might be a shortcut to the center of the dungeon.

I’ll keep going alone, so Lilith, you stay hidden in a safe place for now.”

“What? What nonsense is that!”

“It’s okay. I don’t know exactly, but my ‘gut feeling’ is telling me to do this!

So wait in a place that’s not dangerous!”

“What… Mark! Wait a minute! Mark! Hey!”

Lilith’s worried shouts, echoing in the darkness, ultimately received no reply.

“Haa… What are you really trying to do?

You’ve been acting strange lately anyway, and you won’t even listen to me, your childhood friend.

Still, you handled things well on your own at the entrance ceremony, so maybe it will work out somehow this time too…?

Really, I can’t live, I can’t live because of you.”

Eventually, she also gave up and, as he said, decided to find a safe place and quietly wait for rescue.