episode_0008

Same old dungeon!

Same old members!

…Not really.

There’s one special guest on today’s dungeon exploration.

Who is it, you ask?

It’s none other than~

The beautiful Valkyrie whose long brown hair flows, Wilmarina!

The dungeon we’ll be raiding today is a vampire’s old castle.

Furthermore, rumor has it that it’s a castle where not just a simple vampire, but a ‘True Ancestor’ is lurking.

So, before entering this dungeon, I asked her.

“Would you perhaps like to go to the dungeon with me today?”

“Oh my, is this a date proposal from Yuan?”

Wilmarina-san, who smiled playfully and whispered to me while pushing back her long hair.

“Are you trying to pick up a Valkyrie~? Me, fall from grace~?”

“No, that’s not it.”

I quickly waved my hands. How did a suggestion to go to a dungeon become a date?!

“I’m asking for help from you, a Valkyrie, because the destination is a vampire’s old castle!”

“Hehe, I’m just kidding~”

She tilted her body slightly and stared intently into my face.

And, with her fingertips, she gently lifted my chin.

“Still, since Yuan specially asked~ I should help, shouldn’t I?”

Her eyes sparkled playfully yet somehow seductively.

Getting a bit closer to me was a bonus.

“What is it? What’s this….”

“Yuan, if you look at me like that…”

Hoo~ Her whisper echoing in my ears.

“I might actually mistake it for a date?”

Anyway…! Like this, today’s exploration began with a different feeling than usual.

In fact, a battle was currently unfolding in real-time before my eyes.

“Yes, yes! Sending them to the side of the Lord!”

Wilmarina kicked and sent a light lance flying.

Boom!!!

With that one blow, the Lich that was in the vampire castle instantly evaporated.

It’s certainly a counter because she’s a holy being. I didn’t expect her to one-shot it like that.

“Surely the Adventurer’s Guild recommends running away if you meet a Lich~”

“Is that so? Can’t you just feed them bullets until they’re ‘purified’?”

“That’s not purification, that’s torture, Arute~”

At that moment, Lilien, who was in front, chuckled softly and slung her sword back over her shoulder.

“Certainly, it’s convenient to have someone who can use holy power in the party. Not to mention against undead.”

“Ughhh…”

Conversely, Alice beside me groaned faintly and scurried towards me.

“It’s a counter to me, the Demon Lord~! It feels like I’m being purified by holy power in real-time!”

Then she grabbed my arm and whined, shaking it.

“Yuan~ Save me~”

“So, leaning on me like that since earlier, do you think that solves anything, Your Demon Lordship?”

“No~ I just feel like I’ll be less purified if I’m with Yuan~ And I like having physical contact with Yuan-hee.”

The Demon Lord nonchalantly clung tightly to my arm!

“Oh my?”

Wilmarina looked at me, tilting her head slightly as if interested.

“You like having physical contact with Yuan, huh… Would it be alright for me too?”

“…Huh?”

At that moment, Arute, who was standing in front of me, quietly approached and firmly grasped my hand.

“…Ah?”

“Yuan, may I do it too?”

“Do what?”

“You already know what I mean. Since Alice is doing it, I was wondering if I also have the right.”

Maintaining her expressionless face, she gently, but firmly, held my hand.

And—

“Then, me too. Yuaaaaan~”

With a sly smile, Lilien wrapped around my opposite arm.

“Hehe~ Yuan, how does it feel to have a knight, a demon lord, and an automata clinging to you all at once?”

“No, why are we suddenly filming a harem situation?!”

I shouted in genuine bewilderment, but Alice just chuckled, hugging my arm even tighter, seemingly happy.

“Yuan, you’re popular~? Even vampires would be jealous? Actually, their ratio of being forever alone exceeds 88%.”

“Yes, yes! Add one more here~”

Wilmarina also laughed playfully and wrapped her arms gently around me from behind, as if hugging.

“Huh? Huh? Yuan? How is it? Your impression of being surrounded by four people?”

The Valkyrie-san rested her chin slightly on my shoulder, exhaling warm breath near my ear.

“If you’re going to do this, do it in the room! What kind of nonsense is this in a dungeon!”

My face turned bright red as I thrashed wildly.

Of course, I couldn’t budge.

Honestly, it doesn’t feel bad. It’s just embarrassing.

And this is a dangerous area!

No, does it make sense to do this in the heart of the dungeon?!

“Hehe, Yuan isn’t running away like he used to?”

“Still, doing this so openly…”

I was about to say something, but that sweet moment was brief.

Thud!!

Suddenly, a huge force descended from above my head.

A shadow fell, and naturally, we looked up.

“Well met, heroes!”

“???”

A silhouette that appeared from somewhere spread its arms wide and declared in a magnificent voice.

“To have vanquished my old comrade, the Lich, is remarkable! Specially, I, the True Ancestor, welcome you and—”

“Be quiet, bat head.”

Wilmarina stroked my head and lightly raised one hand with an annoyed expression.

“This was a good timing, wasn’t it? Appearing without reading the room, is that a thing?”

Turn Undead.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah—?!”

A sacred radiance exploded before my eyes.

The brilliant light instantly pushed back the darkness of the old castle, completely engulfing the True Ancestor who had made a grand entrance from above.

As expected. This is indeed the Valkyrie who escaped safely after defying God.

“I didn’t think she’d roast a True Ancestor vampire like that.”

I glanced at Wilmarina.

She was still stroking my head with a nonchalant face.

She didn’t seem to have the slightest interest in the True Ancestor who had vanished without a trace before her eyes.

And then.

Plop!

“……?”

From the crevice in the wall where the True Ancestor had been just moments ago, a large object rolled out.

Bright red.

Bouncy surface.

Yes, it was a tomato we know well. But ‘Made in True Ancestor’.

“Is that today’s ingredient? Alice, you were right. Vampires eat tomatoes too…”

“Alright, shall we start cooking?”

Holding the tomato that Lilien and Wilmarina had carefully peeled and sliced, I quietly examined it from various angles.

“Hmm. It’s quite fresh?”

A part of me felt slightly uneasy since it came from the True Ancestor’s castle, but it looked like excellent ingredients on the surface.

“Okay, let’s make spaghetti. I even brought meatballs in a can just in time. Before that~”

I rummaged through my bag and took out a newly bought item.

“Ta-da~!”

Lilien, Alice, Arute, and Wilmarina looked at me with curiosity.

“Yuan, did you make an impulse buy again? I already have the frying pan I bought last time~”

“Hehe, it’s a new cooking tool I bought from Alraune’s flower garden!”

I proudly held it up.

“It’s a magic-powered mixer! How could I resist this!”

A magic-powered mixer that came out conveniently for portability.

It was small enough to fit in one hand, but a new product that boasted powerful rotation speed.

Its disadvantage was its terrible fuel efficiency, though.

But that’s not a problem for our party. Why?

“Because we have our Demon Lord-sama whose mana tank is full!”

I subtly glanced at Alice next to me.

“Alice, could I ask you a favor?”

Then, Alice’s face lit up with excitement, and her eyes sparkled.

“Hehe! Of course! Do I just need to put in magic power?”

“Yeah. In return, I’ll give you the first glass.”

Teasing her chin slightly to entice her was a bonus.

“Hehe! That tickles, Yuan!”

Alice laughed, her ears turning red, then placed a hand on the mixer and poured magic power into it.

Wheeeeeeing!!

With powerful rotation, the tomato inside the mixer was instantly pulverized.

To that, I added a little sugar and salt, and some yogurt I got from the tavern yesterday.

Finally, blend it one more time—

“Ta-da! Tomato juice completed!”

I carefully poured the finished red liquid into cups.

“Here you go, ladies? Please have some as an appetizer?”

“Hehe, Yuan’s cooking is always something to look forward to~”

“It’s smoother than expected. The yogurt was a stroke of genius.”

“Juice made from the True Ancestor’s tomato… I’m a Valkyrie, but I can’t resist this sense of betrayal ♡”

“It’s delicious! Give me another glass! Offer tribute to this Demon Lord!”

My, you certainly have a good appetite~

“Yes, yes~ Just wait a bit. The spaghetti will be ready soon.”

Saying that, I took out the luxury frying pan Lilien bought me and placed it over the campfire.

A sparkling, gleaming, state-of-the-art cooking tool purchased from the flower garden.

The moment I held it, it was so stable it felt like I’d become a professional chef.

“Alright, let’s really do this with this.”

First, I threw finely chopped garlic into the frying pan.

Sizzle—

Garlic shining golden as it met the olive oil.

The moment its aroma spread, Lilien subtly licked her lips as if in admiration.

“Haa… I really love this moment~”

“Don’t look so happy about the smell of garlic, Sir Knight.”

Chuckling, I threw in a handful of the finely sliced True Ancestor tomato.

Crackling—!!

As the tomato met the hot frying pan, it instantly released moisture and began to turn into a red sauce.

To this, I added a bit of salt, pepper, and a little sugar.

“Perfect. Wouldn’t even the dead True Ancestor open their coffin door again?”

I picked up a wooden spoon and slowly stirred the frying pan, simmering the sauce.

Soon, the sweet and sour aroma of tomatoes began to envelop the campfire area.

“Ohhh… It smells good…!”

Alice was waiting beside me with eyes full of anticipation.

She was practically looking from my shoulder like a puppy.

“Yes, yes~ Yuan, hurry, hurry!”

“Just a moment, Your Demon Lordship. The main course is still left.”

I smiled, looking at the sauce filling the frying pan.

Okay, now it’s time to boil the spaghetti noodles.

I took out the pasta noodles I had prepared beforehand from my bag.

“Alright, ladies. Just hold on a little longer. Yeah, thanks, Wilmarina~ Just keep holding Lilien like that with Arute.”

It seems Lilien is starting to find it hard to bear. I need to make it quickly.

After adjusting the heat to low, I put the pre-boiled spaghetti noodles into the frying pan where the tomato sauce was boiling.

Sizzzzzle—!!

The sauce and noodles met, beginning to form a lustrous, optimal combination.

Immediately, I took out the meatballs from the can and carefully arranged them one by one on top of the sauce.

“Ta-da. It’s spaghetti with meatballs and True Ancestor tomato~”

Finally, I sprinkled a little parsley flakes to complete the plating.

With confidence, I distributed the spaghetti plates one by one to the female members, who were like starved beasts.

“Alright, eat up, everyone~ Agh, don’t jump on it!”

[Eyecatch!]

Today’s Menu: Dishes using the True Ancestor Tomato

1. Eternal Blood Pack Tomato Juice

A special juice made from the mysterious tomatoes harvested directly from the True Ancestor’s castle!

A perfect harmony of sweet and sour flavor with the smoothness of yogurt, and a refreshing sweetness that fills your mouth!

A legendary drink that vampires supposedly enjoyed drinking instead of blood!

If you are a holy Valkyrie, the sense of betrayal is a bonus~

“I’m already close to eternal life anyway?”

—A Valkyrie who likes you, a mortal, too much

2. True Ancestor Meatball and Tomato Spaghetti

A perfect combination of tomatoes cultivated by an ancient True Ancestor and juicy meatballs!

The fresh tomato sauce wraps the spaghetti noodles, a rich umami flavor exploding in your mouth!

The moment you take a bite, it promises an immortal taste!

“It’s delicious. My logic circuits are asking Yuan to make Carbonara and Aglio e Olio too.”

—A tin can who ended up breaking into your room with ingredients on the weekend