Ch.13Request, Dungeon Exploration (3)

What is the purpose of my life? There isn’t really one. I’m just prolonging my existence day by day because I don’t want to die.

But rather than living such a meaningless and worthless life, I’d be much happier committing suicide.

“So please let me go already!”

“Think about it some more! There’s still so much to enjoy in life! Especially the pleasures of being a woman…”

“I’d rather die than do something like that!”

I want to shake off Agath right now and shoot myself in the head, but I’m too weak to break free from her.

“I’m really sorry about just now! I won’t do it again… honestly, I probably will, but anyway, I’ll try to control myself!”

“I don’t care anymore! Do whatever you want with my corpse!”

I’ve been voyeuristically watched by Agath for several minutes. And I was only in my underwear. I think that’s sufficient reason for suicide.

As we continued struggling, Rebecca returned.

For reference, my current state is being restrained by Agath with my top removed. Thanks to this, I have one more reason to kill myself.

“Are you finished… oh, you’re still at it. I’ll come back later.”

“Ms. Rebecca! Please pull Agath off me right now!”

“Rebecca! Help me stop her from killing herself!”

Why does everyone interfere when I’m trying to be happy? I really don’t understand.

While I was desperately trying to commit suicide, Rebecca spoke with a puzzled expression.

“What’s the point of trying to kill yourself when you can’t die anyway?”

“…So I don’t even have the freedom to escape this wretched world?”

“That’s right. Once fate has decided, there’s nothing you can do.”

“Then I’ll defy fate! By dying right now!”

“Calm down! Just calm down!”

I’m determined to shake off Agath and commit suicide. That’s my only wish.

***

It took about an hour before I regained my senses.

“I’m calm now. Please let me go so I can put on some clothes.”

“Have you finally come to your senses?”

“Just… please let me get dressed…”

Finally free from Agath’s restraint, I could move freely again. I immediately put on my top.

Then I expressed all the frustration I’d been building up toward Agath.

“So why on earth did you do that?”

“I’m sorry…”

“Is saying sorry enough? Do you think one apology erases everything you’ve done?”

“I sincerely apologize…”

“Sure, I feel like I’m going insane, but I guess saying ‘sorry’ makes everything disappear.”

“I was wrong. Please forgive me…”

When I have the upper hand like this, I need to push firmly to ensure this situation never happens again.

But while I wanted to draw a clear line, I couldn’t bring myself to do it completely because of everything I’ve received from her.

In truth, there have been several situations where I would have died without Agath, so I owe her my life multiple times.

“Sigh… just try to be more moderate from now on.”

With Agath’s personality, it’s probably impossible for her to stop completely. So I should start by asking her to gradually reduce it.

“That’s impossible.”

But Agath refused with a firm voice. I’ve already failed at the first step of getting her to gradually cut back.

“Why not?”

“Asking me to do that is like telling me not to live.”

“Is making sexual jokes really your life’s purpose?”

“Yes. That’s the driving force that keeps me alive.”

Agath’s eyes were more serious than ever.

There is one fortunate thing though. At least with Rebecca beside us, Agath won’t go overboard.

…But would Rebecca actually help me if I asked for help? Knowing Rebecca, she’d probably just say it’s fate and leave me be.

If Leo were here instead, I wouldn’t have to worry about this.

“By the way, where did Leo go?”

“I don’t know either. When I came down, I was alone. So I wandered around by myself, and suddenly a hole appeared in the wall, so I went in. That’s how I got here.”

“…I must be much stronger than I thought.”

“Don’t tell me you made that hole, Lite?”

“It wasn’t intentional, but yes, I did make it. So, do you know the layout of this dungeon?”

“No.”

“…What are we going to do now?”

“Well, I’m sure we’ll figure something out.”

Rebecca has joined us, but we still have no food and no knowledge of the dungeon’s layout.

Our only hope now is Leo.

***

Six hours into dungeon exploration. No progress. No food left. No way out.

“Are we really going to die here?”

“It’s okay. We’re not destined to die here.”

“But how can we survive without food or knowing the way out?”

“I don’t know. But I’m certain we’re not fated to die here.”

“So I guess if we just sit here, someone will suddenly appear, give us food, and show us the way out?”

If fate really exists, it should show us a way out right now. Right?

While I continued grumbling, suddenly an arm shot out from the ground.

“Eek!”

When something suddenly pops out, anyone would be startled. So screaming was only natural.

“Your scream has completely changed to that of a female.”

“No… it’s just… my vocal cords changed so naturally my scream also…”

“You’re cute when you make excuses like a timid girl.”

“…Let’s just deal with that thing.”

It’s still buried in the ground. So if we strike as soon as the head emerges, we can easily subdue it.

So Agath stood ready with her mace, and finally the head popped out.

“Aaargh!”

The mace struck the head directly. But there was one big problem. What emerged wasn’t a zombie—it was Leo.

“…Are you okay?”

“No. My head feels like it’s splitting. Or maybe it already has?”

Despite taking a direct hit to the head from the mace, Leo climbed out of the ground seemingly unharmed.

“But why did you suddenly pop out from there?”

“There are various circumstances. Let me get treatment first, then I’ll explain.”

After receiving treatment from Rebecca, Leo sat down nearby.

“First of all, this dungeon seems much more dangerous than the mission brief suggested. There might even be A-rank monsters or higher.”

Last time, I barely managed to defeat a B-rank villain. What would happen if I encountered an A-rank opponent?

I should stop meddling and just hide quietly behind my teammates. That would be much more helpful.

Then Agath asked in a serious voice. So she can be serious sometimes.

“Tell me more details.”

“When I almost reached the central part of the dungeon where the artifact is, suddenly a huge hole opened in the wall. I got caught in the aftermath and was buried underground.”

Could it be the hole I made? Probably not. I made that hole over 3 hours ago, and he would have suffocated if trapped underground that long.

But since there’s a possibility, I should at least ask.

“How did you manage to escape?”

“I created oxygen with magic to supply myself, and dug my way up with my bare hands. It was incredibly difficult.”

“…How long did it take you to escape from underground?”

“Well, about 3 hours I guess.”

It must have been the hole I made. No, it was definitely the hole I made.

Agath seemed to realize this too, as she completely dropped her serious demeanor.

Anyway, it seems Leo was buried underground for 3 hours because of the hole I unintentionally created.

…I’m screwed.

“Anyway, the fact that such a monster exists outside the center means there must be even stronger monsters at the center. So we need to be careful.”

I immediately prostrated myself before Leo and begged for forgiveness.

“I’m sorry! That was my doing!”

“…What?”

“It wasn’t intentional at all! I was just testing something and made a mistake!”

I was prepared to be torn in half, but fortunately, Leo didn’t get angry. Instead, he smiled and comforted me.

“It’s okay. Everyone makes mistakes.”

“…Are you really okay with it?”

—Crackle!

Electricity began flowing through Leo’s hand. And I could see veins bulging slightly on his face.

“No.”

“…Please make it quick.”

***

I was electrocuted until crispy on the outside and moist on the inside. Still, it was less painful than being stabbed with a knife, which is some consolation.

Anyway, looking at me collapsed on the floor, Leo spoke with a disgruntled tone.

“So what exactly did you do to create such a huge hole in the cave?”

“I turned my lifespan into a bullet and fired it, but it was much stronger than I expected.”

“…You sacrificed your lifespan?”

“Yes, about a day’s worth.”

Leo looked at me like I was mentally ill.

“You really aren’t right in the head, are you?”

“But I only sacrificed one day so far.”

“That’s a small mercy, I guess. Anyway, never sacrifice your lifespan again.”

“Why not?”

“Sacrificing your lifespan doesn’t mean using up future time—it means damaging your body right now.”

Isn’t that the same thing? In the end, not being able to live for a day and dying a day earlier seem the same to me.

“Listen carefully. Say you have a tool that can be used for 10 years. You use it for 9 years and then break it. That’s what you think lifespan is, right?”

“Yes.”

“Now imagine you severely damage that tool, and it can only be used for 9 years as a result. Plus, the damaged tool can’t perform its original function properly anymore. That’s how lifespan actually works.”

“…Could you explain it a bit more simply?”

“You won’t just die a year earlier—you’ll suffer for a year before dying. Understand?”

“…Yes.”

Now I understand why bullets made from lifespan are so powerful. And I’ve resolved never to sacrifice my lifespan again.

“But how do we get out of here?”

If Leo doesn’t know either, we’ll starve to death here.

“I’m not leaving until we retrieve the artifact.”

“Why not?”

“Look, the mission is to retrieve the artifact. If we leave now, we’ll have to come back tomorrow. That’s annoying, so let’s just finish it in one go.”

“What about food and sleeping arrangements?”

“We’ll eat monster carcasses for food, and sleep on the ground.”

“This mission is harder than I thought…”

“It was supposed to be an easy mission. Should have taken about 5 hours to complete, but it got harder thanks to some idiot who collapsed part of the dungeon.”

“…I’m sorry.”

I didn’t know it would turn out like this. But it’s partly Agath’s fault too for encouraging me to test my abilities.

“But how do we retrieve the artifact?”

“Artifacts naturally attract mana. So over time, the artifact’s power grows stronger, which is called the mana concentration phenomenon…”

“Stop explaining and just give the answer. And make it simple and concise.”

The conversation was about to go off on a tangent again, but Agath prevented it.

“Alright, basically if we follow the flow of mana, we can reach where the artifact is.”

“But how do we sense the flow of mana?”

“Don’t tell me none of you can sense mana flow?”

A brief silence fell. It seems no one except Leo can sense the flow of mana.

“Those idiots at the Education Department, this is why magic should be mandatory education.”

Leo grumbled as he moved forward.

“I’ll just take the lead. Oh, and this time, absolutely do not collapse the dungeon. Got it?”

“…Yes.”

At least now that Leo is here, I feel much more at ease. Surely nothing else will go wrong here?

…Why do I have such an ominous feeling?