Chapter 111 – 16th Floor. Just Let Me Live

“I didn’t expect that.”

“Really? You look like you were totally expecting it.”

There’s no point pretending not to be miffed—I can see right through the old man’s inner thoughts, mistaking sulking for vigor, having passed his youth overflowing with male hormones and now reaching an age where he can’t get it up, pumping out estrogen.

In the end, this old guy is just an ordinary middle-aged man who’d watch trashy dramas and gossip if he lived in modern times.

Honestly, it’s not particularly pleasant watching a grown man sulk, but it’s not that I don’t want to give him anything—there are unavoidable reasons.

First of all, there are too many melee fighters in the party.

‘Starting with the awesome-spec Blue Tongue… there’s even Kali, who’s literally a hero.’

Blue Tongue seems to have taken well to the elemental buff, as her base stats are higher than Kali, who’s treated as a level 25 sub-boss.

Kali might have better skills, but as a former tribal warrior, Blue Tongue isn’t someone who can be defeated in a joke fight, so the difference probably isn’t overwhelming.

‘I’m a hybrid too, but close combat is a big component.’

In D.D, my build would be a cheap one where I’d scratch my belly in the back while saying “do it” to my summons, and they’d handle everything—but that’s not how it works here, so I need to consistently raise my main body’s specs to a sub-melee level.

But considering Severa in her Asribe set for a traditional firepower build and Alraune who will wear status effect build artifacts from later floors, there aren’t items left for a magical build either.

The only ones who don’t need equipment are Slime, whose body is ethereal so equipment would be a hindrance, and Arachne, who can’t wear any equipment.

‘Wait, isn’t this more of a problem of having too many party members rather than too many melee fighters?’

In a single-player game, an 8-person party naturally means a shortage of items.

Having realized this truth, I couldn’t help falling into serious contemplation.

“Anyway, it’s not my fault!”

“Who said it was?”

Let’s just say good things are good. Honestly, Albert isn’t the type to rely on equipment and thrust himself into danger.

Besides, the equipment he received from the dwarves will actually be much more helpful than artifacts that don’t suit him.

So he might feel a bit disappointed not receiving anything, but it shouldn’t be a serious problem.

“This Notorious Wilton Bry… whatever with the strange name says he needs to find the one who imprisoned him here, human.”

As I finished my perfect analysis of why Albert wasn’t given artifacts, Blue Tongue, who seemed to have finished her conversation with Notorious, flicked her blue tongue with a subtle expression.

When she had a lizard face, it was difficult to read her expressions, but now they seemed quite rich compared to before.

Though only in comparison to before—her stiff and awkward expressions still suggested unfamiliarity.

“The person who imprisoned this rat… the director, I guess?”

This kind of quest doesn’t originally exist.

But using the process of elimination, thinking about who’s related to Notorious and can converse with him, that’s the only possibility I can think of.

‘Well, strictly speaking, there is one more candidate…’

But it doesn’t seem likely that guy would come up to the 16th floor and put a rat in a glass box.

Pass.

“The Corridor of Infinite Knowledge… this library, or rather, since it’s not just books, it would be more accurate to call it a museum. Anyway, there’s a manager who oversees this museum.”

“Hoo… that’s something I’ve never heard before in my life. There aren’t even many records of this place. Do you know this person?”

“If you’re asking if I know them… it’s more like I know them one-sidedly. No, that’s not right. They’re probably watching us right now, so they must know us too.”

A voyeur.

It might feel similar to checking CCTV to manage the vast Corridor of Infinite Knowledge, but that doesn’t mean they respect privacy in this museum, so let’s just say that.

“So what are we supposed to do with the director?”

I need to meet Levy, the director, to receive the quest.

Notorious and I have the same goal.

While this rat doesn’t seem capable of causing much harm, if something were to happen to it, progression in this area would become quite difficult, so I needed to confirm this.

“He says he wants to negotiate to be sent back to his 67? Whatever.”

“Wasn’t it imprisoned because it was needed? Like as a specimen. Will they let it go?”

Squeak, squeak-squeak!

Notorious squeaked something as if answering on my palm.

“Hmm. He says if they let him return to his group of whatever squirrels, he’ll give gold, which would be needed to operate such a huge facility.”

Gold, huh.

Personally, that shiny rock is quite tempting, but I didn’t think the doll director would be satisfied with Notorious’s negotiation.

After all, they probably don’t need money to operate the Corridor of Infinite Knowledge since they manage it with their own doll kind, and the museum itself is overflowing with artifacts far more precious than gold.

“Is that all it plans to do?”

Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak-squeak!

“If the director doesn’t comply with his demands, he says he’s prepared to fight to the death, human.”

“The director isn’t human, but…”

Since the director isn’t likely to lose to Notorious, who has no attack skills apart from biting fingers, I probably don’t need to worry about it.

“Alright. Shall we camp here tonight?”

“Here?”

Both Albert and Blue Tongue looked at me with puzzled expressions.

Snow-white walls, floor, and ceiling stretching endlessly, and bright light from an unknown source illuminating that infinite space.

With normal thinking, one wouldn’t consider sleeping in such a place.

‘Blue Tongue used to dig a hole and call it home.’

Besides, sleeping in such a bright place doesn’t seem conducive to proper rest.

But what kind of animal is a human?

Aren’t we animals of thought and creative tool use?

“There’s a saying: ‘Sleep comfortably even for a day.’”

“Never heard of it.”

“Never heard it.”

“…”

Unfortunately, I didn’t bother explaining to these two lost in the swamp of ignorance.

I’m a man of action!

“Now, go! Alraune! Arachne! Create a shelter that’s sturdy, blocks light, and is safe even if attacked!”

Following my command, the two began looking around and constructing something with the giant flower’s tendrils and spider webs.

Watching their backs, I smiled contentedly.

What? They’re mine, so isn’t it basically me doing it?

“Oh… you’ve built it quite large in such a short time.”

After about two hours of my front-line command in construction, a temporary campsite with a futuristic design was completed, impressive for something hastily assembled.

Using collapsed bookshelves and books as the frame, we created a massive wall by adhering them with spider silk and securing them with tendrils, and in the center, we made a cocoon of spider silk similar to a large hammock.

Covering the top with bookshelves to block the light, creating a ceiling…

Though crude, it was a fortress-like campsite!

“Tired… Master…”

“Kee…”

Though I used the trick of repeating summon/reverse-summon to extend available time and save Fuel levels, doing things like moving bookshelves and setting up myself, both Alraune and Arachne were exhausted.

Understandably, as Alraune had supported the heavy walls and ceiling until they were properly assembled, and Arachne had spun web to her limit.

“Good. You both did well.”

Since entering the corridor, they hadn’t had much combat, so they’d probably been resting comfortably, but they’d worked hard regardless.

Let me pat them both vigorously as a sign of praise.

“Hmm. But is it necessary to consume so many resources just for one night’s stay? Considering we need to keep moving, I think a simpler structure would have sufficed.”

“That’s true, but…”

Indeed, this might seem wasteful given our need to keep moving to different locations, but…

Unlike other areas, this place has no hiding spots whatsoever, so even in the game, you couldn’t sleep without clearing the surroundings and surrounding yourself with items or nearby bookshelves.

This can be considered a slightly luxurious version of that activity.

“It can’t be helped. Otherwise, you’d like to rub against monsters all day without sleeping?”

“Ugh…”

Albert, a strong elder from an old country, seemed to think it was somewhat extravagant, but appeared to accept it.

With a comfortable bed right in front of you, what could you do if you didn’t accept it?

“Can we go in now?”

“Yeah, it’s quite sturdy, so it won’t collapse even with some vigorous movement.”

Considering that spider silk has five times the tensile strength of steel of the same mass, it could probably hold five elephants on top.

Plus, it’s reinforced with tendrils.

As I admired my own technical prowess, Blue Tongue slowly approached my side.

“Is that so? Even with vigorous movement…”

Squeeze—

“Urk!”

The weight of the heavy tail wrapping around my waist and my buttocks caught in a grip strong enough to hurt, despite my now fairly durable body.

“I’ll look forward to it, human.”

“…”

Slurp Blue Tongue flicking her blue tongue as if there was delicious food in front of her.

Her vertical-pupil eyes curved gently.

Somehow, a sense of crisis that penetrated my flesh made goosebumps rise all over my body.

Swoosh-

A subtle current flowing between Blue Tongue and me.

As if reading it, Alraune’s tendrils, which I had been patting vigorously, slithered up my body and crept between my clothes.

Similarly, Arachne sent a heated gaze and emitted a chilling energy.

“Help me.”