episode_0004

“Is it okay? I don’t know why, but if something happens…”

Elisias stood up and put a small hand on my shoulder in a worried voice.

After coming to my senses when I felt her body temperature over my shoulder, I raised my head.

“Okay, I just made up my mind.”

“What do you mean?”

In response to Elisias’ question, I smiled playfully and held the hand on his shoulder tightly.

“No matter what happens to you, I will make sure you have a happy ending.”

“Happy ending…?”

After I promised myself that I would definitely end this story with a happy ending, I heard her voice saying that she did not know the question.

“It means that I will make you happy no matter what happens.”

When I let go of the hand I was holding while speaking slyly, Elisias quickly withdrew my hand and took a step away from me.

“Wha, what are those words that sound like a proposal!”

“I know it’s an honor, but it’s not easy to get a proposal from someone like me, right?”

He spoke smugly, half jokingly and half sincerely, and turned his head to see Elisias’ reaction.

Contrary to my thoughts, Elisias was looking at me with cold, bug-like eyes.

Looking at that beautiful face and those contemptuous eyes almost opened my eyes to a new world, but I wasn’t happy with that reaction, so I groped my neck to ease the situation.

“Hmm…Anyway, you’re going to explore the dungeon no matter what, right?”

“Yes.”

I was slightly discouraged by the short, concise, cold voice, but I paid it no mind and took a deep breath.

“There are conditions for providing information.”

As he spoke while sticking out his index finger, Elisias rummaged through the bag of money on his waist.

“I don’t need money. Have you ever thought that if you carry a bag of money so openly, you might get robbed?”

As I spoke while looking at that shabby money bag, Elisias shifted his gaze to his own money bag.

“Oh, you mean this? Don’t worry, it’s a sack that recognizes my mana and opens, so what…?”

I chuckled as I looked at Elisias who had stopped rummaging through the money bag on his belt.

“Hehehe…Elysias! I want you to join me!”

Behind Elisias, who opened his eyes and looked at me, I felt my ears heating up as I heard a confession-like comment.

“Uhm…? Why?…There’s no need to go on an expedition…maybe you’ll be helpful in battle? I don’t think it will be of much help, but…”

When I look at Elisias’ expression of not understanding as he beats me up with facts and asks me why I need him, I am at a loss for words.

“No, of course? I don’t think I’m good at fighting! When exploring and attacking unknown places, solid information is important, right?”

Elisias seemed to be deeply troubled by my words, looking at the wooden floor of the room and turning her head back and forth.

“Hmm… That certainly makes sense.”

“That’s right! There was a saying like this where I lived.”

“Where you lived…? Aren’t you from here?”

“Let’s skip that! If you get tired, you’ll be on fire!”

“JP…Aya!…W-What…?”

Contrary to his cold appearance, I couldn’t help but smile at his cute and strange side at times.

“Why are you smiling so much…”

I shook my head as I looked at Elisias, who was glaring at me with a sullen expression.

“No, anyway, it means that if you know your enemy and yourself, you won’t be in danger even if you fight a hundred times! In other words, if I know all the information about the enemies, I can easily conquer the dungeon! So take me!”

“Ho…that’s a great word…but…”

He nods his head as if interested, then looks at me again.

“I still don’t know why I have to be with you”

“Tsk!”

I changed the topic in the hope that it would be easy to overlook, but it was sharp in some strange ways. I wondered if she was the pure and blameless Elisias.

“My, even if I said I would write it down like this orally! Can you memorize everything or just do it? Wouldn’t it be possible if you weren’t a genius like me?”

I was so embarrassed that I stuttered, but she seemed to accept my answer with a serious expression.

“That’s also the truth…I’m sure I can’t remember and memorize all of that…but…”

I was nervous about what he was asking, so I swallowed dry saliva and Elysias slowly opened his mouth.

“How do you know about dungeons in such detail? As you said, the dungeon is dangerous and there is no information dealer…”

I couldn’t turn my gaze to Elisias, who was looking at me with suspicion.

“Looking at what you know about me, which is not known to the outside world, it seems certain that you are a competent information dealer… but perhaps you…”

If Elisias becomes more wary of me and leaves this place, all my resolutions and plans will fall apart.

As he was thinking of an excuse for an unexpected situation, Elisias’ eyes began to sparkle.

“A seeker you only heard about in fairy tales?”

investigator? Could it be that the explorer known in this world as a fairy tale is now being mistaken for me? Isn’t it just a fairy tale?

“That’s right! Therefore, there is also information about me that is not known to the outside world! He knew all the information about the dungeon! The story my mother told me every evening is true!”

Elysias was excited, pulled her arms to her chest, stretched out her body, and nodded with a look on her face as if she were a great magician.

I felt like I was completely mistaken, but just as I couldn’t break the innocence of a child who believes in Santa, I couldn’t betray the pure faith of Elisias, who seemed to be alone in his childhood.

“He, he, he… Yes! That’s all I heard! Three, explorers who set out on a journey to explore and spread the knowledge and truth of the world! That’s it!”

Elisias, who was looking at me as if he was looking at a unicorn in a fantasy, exclaimed “Ohhh!” and clenched his fist.

Seeing that my suspicions and vigilance were somehow alleviated by a ridiculous excuse, I think she is indeed the Galton Elisias I know.

“Los, loss…lose, I’m a fan!”

The person she was referring to by saying she was a fan and respecting him was a person called [Investigator], but when she lied using him, she felt a sense of guilt.

[Investigator] In this world, this [Investigator] is like a legendary character from a fairy tale.

Well, in a different world, he would be a person who seems like a wise man who knows everything.

I thought carefully about the person called the seeker.

After the dungeon appeared, a man threw himself into the dungeon to save the humans suffering from monsters.

Based on the experience and knowledge learned from previous adventures, the explorer helped people in need and provided knowledge.

It is said that human desires are always endless. They covet endless knowledge, and weak-hearted seekers end up telling humans everything they know.

Greedy humans are busy using that knowledge to only benefit themselves and abandon their consideration for others, turning them into monsters instead of humans.

The explorer was disappointed by this and disappeared, and only then did humans regret their arrogance and selfishness, but the world was filled with evil.

If you are too greedy, you will get angry. I knew it was a fairy tale with moral content, but Elisias was a fan of this story…

“Um, uh… If you don’t mind, at least shake my hand…”

I realized that the situation had gotten worse when I saw Elisias, with a very flushed face, as if he had met some sort of idol, blowing hot air and holding out his white hand.

“Uh, huh…? Uh…yeah…”

Sweat flowed from my head like a flood, and my back was so wet that I felt uncomfortable, so I was worried that my hands that I held together might not be sweaty.

X was done….really X was done…

These were the only words that could express those complex emotions.

The lie that started out lightly has now grown and become irreversible. I overlooked the scary saying that lies beget lies.

No, I had no intention of lying in the first place.

“More than that, your character has changed a little?”

The cold expression that had been wary and suspicious suddenly changed into a child-like face that seemed to be waiting for the first snow.

“I don’t know what the character is! Me, at least! When I saw the story my mother told, I thought it was really cool! They readily helped others, but due to their greed…”

“Hmm! No…it’s all a matter of justice…why don’t you just let this go now?”

“Another difficult word… The reason you look young is because there is a way to stay young! I understand!”

It seemed like he had no intention of letting go of the hand he was holding, so I tried to force my hand away, but Elisias instead tightened my grip.

Perhaps it was obvious that she looked a little in pain, but she hurriedly let go of my hand.

“Hmm! hmm! So what do you want to do?”

In response to my question while clearing her throat, Elisias looked a little more relaxed than before and pondered in silence.

“Of course, I would be very grateful if you could help me, but… Why are you trying to help me?”

It feels strange when the way you treat and speak suddenly changes and the title changes from you to explorer.

“That is…”

I continued speaking to Elisias, who was looking up at me with an expression that said he really didn’t understand, with the feeling that I was going to lie to the end about why this had happened.

“You said you were a fan of me earlier, right?”

“Yes… right?”

I smiled slightly when I saw Elisias answering hesitantly.

“It’s because I’m your fan too, Elisias.”

“Hey, are you my fan?”

It wasn’t a mistake, so I nodded, looking at her round eyes.

“Yes, that’s right, I like your story, Elisias, and no one else. That’s why I want to help.”

Elisias was looking at me quietly with an expression that made it difficult to understand what he was saying. This wasn’t a lie.

I actually liked her story and fell in love with her growth and her smile at the happy ending at the end.

“How did you feel when you heard the seeker’s last story?”

“I was sad… I gave my knowledge for good and a greater cause, but in the end I ended up alone… See…”

In response to the question, Elisias spoke quietly in a weak and lonely voice, but then stopped talking as if he had come to some kind of realization.

“Yes, me too. I know better than anyone else what you are trying. That’s why I want to make that wish come true. Kind of like Santa Claus.”

“Santa Claus…?”

Since there was a costume called a Santa suit in the game, I thought there was also a Santa Claus, but I guess that’s not the case.

“Well, I think of it as a grandfather who gives gifts to good children. Oh, and there’s one thing you need to be careful about too.”

“Well, what is it?”

As I took a deep breath and closed my eyes, I heard Elisias’ nervous, trembling voice.

“There’s something strange about his attitude, so treat him the same way he treated me in the beginning!”

In fact, I wasn’t familiar with that child at all.

It felt like I had suddenly lost my character, and if they continued to treat me like this, something would get out of control.

“But…”

“You know that I disappeared for a reason?”

As I continued speaking, Elisias nodded her head a few times as if she understood my intention.

Obviously, from her point of view, I am an explorer who has hidden his footsteps, so I won’t make it obvious if I say this.

“Well, then I…you? How should I call you?”

Seeing Elisias rolling his eyes here and there, I lost my thoughts a little.

Elisias asked, but unfortunately I don’t know anything about this person.

I was a bit worried that if I suddenly told him my real name, it would only cause confusion as it would not be a suitable name in this world.

“Harry, call me Harry.”

A brilliant idea. It’s the name of the main character in a book I read recently. He also wears glasses and dresses like a wizard.

“Harry…I understand…No, I understand…”

Our conversation ended with Elisias trying to correct his tone.

Maybe it was because so much time had passed, but I felt a little tired and ended up yawning.

“Oh, I’m sleepy… ”

“It was quite late… Now that I think about it, there was only one bed…”

The drowsiness that had suddenly come upon me due to the fact that I had forgotten began to disappear.

I thought it would be better for me to sleep at another inn, but I don’t know what dangers I might face if I wander the streets late at night without any lights.

This is especially true here in Kazas Alham, where all kinds of evil and crime lurk.

“I can’t let you go at a time like this…um…I have no choice, Harry, we’ll have to go to bed together today.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he carefully removed his armor and boldly began to take off his clothes.

Seeing her unexpected actions, I lowered my head and closed my eyes.

“Well, what are you doing, dude! Men and women of all ages are always together!!”

“I don’t know what those difficult words mean, but it can’t be helped… There is only one bed and not enough places to sleep. Isn’t it?”

“That’s true, but still…”

I thought it might be a nuisance to Elisias that I was embarrassed, but I couldn’t come to my senses because of the sound of clothes falling down.

“Now, Harry, please change your clothes and come up on this bed.”

Isn’t that something to be ashamed of? Or maybe you don’t even think of me as a man! Or rather, if you come out confidently on the other side, I can come out confidently too!

I took a deep breath, raised my head stiffly, and looked at her with my eyes wide open.

The cotton area was larger than I expected, so I lost interest in the dress-like lingerie that covered all the important areas.

“What is it? What does it look like as if the country has been lost?”

“My world just fell apart.”

I felt helpless as I watched Elisias get into the blanket with a stern look on his face.

“Rather than that, are you really okay?”

“What? My mother and father often slept together. It won’t be that much of a problem”

“Wouldn’t this be different from that!?”

Although he spoke angrily, Elisias didn’t respond any more, as if he was no longer bothered.

I wonder if he believes he can feel safe or if he thinks he doesn’t make me feel like a man. I was a little hurt by that behavior.

There is no point in thinking about it more complicatedly.

He took off all his troubles, along with the cumbersome robe, sighed, and carefully laid down on the bed where she was lying.

We turned our backs to each other and said nothing.

Don’t think about anything, just close your eyes and fall asleep. What’s next to me is just a dakimakura. It’s just a doll. I am making a self-suggestion like this.

How much time has passed, no matter how much self-suggestion I make, the sound of my pounding heart does not subside.

When I tried to turn my head with anxious thoughts, wondering if she could hear this heartbeat and what would happen if she could hear it.

“Harry, are you sleeping?”

Hearing the sudden voice, I quickly turned my gaze back to the front.

“Oh, no? Why?”

“Thank goodness…Something feels weird in my chest and I can’t sleep.”

Are you feeling weird with your breasts? Does Elisias realize that this situation is strange? I wish it were that way.

“How is it strange?”

“My heart is beating faster than usual, it feels like it’s going to burst at any moment…”

Ugh, it’s amazing how I talk about my feelings so casually.

“Don’t worry, I’m the same.”

“What? Then isn’t it serious? We’re both under some sort of curse!”

Elisias quickly got up from her seat and looked at me. I was afraid that she would see my hot cheeks and ears, so I quickly brought the blanket and buried my face.

“Now, if you can’t sleep, should I sing you a lullaby?”

I was so embarrassed that I ended up saying something as absurd as I thought it would be.

After a little silence, I heard a laughing sound behind me, like “foot!”, and I carefully turned my head to where the sound came from.

“Puhahaha!!! A lullaby! At this age, you’ve already graduated?”

When I see her smiling brightly, a strange feeling fills my heart.

One side of my chest was aching and something was floating around. This feeling was similar to the feeling I had when I first saw Happy Ending.

“Okay, that’s okay…I’m okay with worrying.”

I turned my back on her and closed my eyes to ignore her, who was laughing loudly for a while, and not long after, I heard someone approaching from behind.

When I turned my head towards that famous person, I ended up making eye contact with Elisias.

“Okay… it’s not a lullaby, but… Harry, I’d like you to tell me a story about the places you were traveling to as a seeker.”

As I looked at Elisias, who spoke softly with half-open eyes, my heart began to pound.

“Uh…huh? Uh, wait…”

As I barely suppressed the sound of my heart pounding like a drum and thought of various things to say to her, a bright idea occurred to me.

Traveling, I thought it would be good to tell her about my world from the best of my knowledge. So I started telling her stories from the world I was in.

The flickering candlelight that illuminated us suddenly burned out and disappeared, leaving behind only smoke.

Elisias’ voice, which had been amazed at everything, became quiet, and the rough breathing soon changed into the refreshing sound of a baby’s breathing.

Only then did I turn over and look at her sleeping form.

The moonlight that fell on her face through the gap in the window resembled a primrose flower waiting for the moon.

When I see my eyebrows trembling and my small shoulders shaking slightly every time I breathe, my hidden dark feelings continue to grow.

I looked at that figure and then carefully got up.