episode_0016

A dungeon like usual.

The heart of a dungeon like usual!

But today, something is different.

The place we are walking is a dense forest path.

Trees standing densely and a large river flowing coolly beside us.

Is this really a dungeon?

Feels like I came for a forest bath?

“Didn’t you say the target was a dragon? Don’t dragons usually live in places like caves or volcanoes?”

I tilted my head while walking the forest path.

For a typical dragon, isn’t fire, lava, and volcanoes the standard?

Am I too stuck in a stereotype?

“The dragon we’re going hunting for this time is special.”

Lilien looked at me, skillfully pushing through the bushes.

Giving a hand to me, who was clumsy on the bushy path, was a bonus.

“That’s right! Yuan, even you wouldn’t think it’s a dragon if you saw it?”

“Ah, it is indeed a cave. It’s just that it’s not in a typical location.”

So what is that dragon, today’s target?

“Tarasque… I’ve really only heard the name.”

“They say it’s a dragon born between a Leviathan and a donkey. Aren’t you curious about the taste?”

Lilien licking her lips and her eyes sparkling.

A little… no, it’s quite scary.

Honestly, I can’t get a feel for what it might look like.

“A Leviathan is a sea monster, and a donkey is a land beast, right? How between the two…?”

At my words, Alice immediately rushed in front of me.

Bright, sparkling eyes. Why are you so excited again?

“It’s love that transcends species! Isn’t it true pure love? Yuan, we should transcend species too!”

“Yes, I agree too.”

Even Arte added calmly with an innocent expression.

“Even a sea dragon and a donkey left descendants, so would it be impossible for an Automata?”

Hey, why is the conversation suddenly going like this! This stream of consciousness is crazy!

“Could you both stop saying scary things!?”

Then this time, Lilien subtly approached.

Tap, tap.

Playfully tapping my cheek, and with a slight smile on her lips—

“Heh heh, they say the end of tuning is purity, Yuan. So after going around and around, how about me, who is the same human…?”

Whispering the words by my ear, she wore a smile that was a little playful yet somehow sincere.

Ticklish and soft breath.

My heart pounded louder than usual.

“Ah, no… why are you all like this, really…”

Lilien chuckled lightly looking at my face, then raised her hand and carefully stroked my head.

“Your troubled face is cute too~ Now, Yuan. Tarasque has a form surrounded by a hard shell. Would you like to imagine what kind of dish we’ll make?”

“Hmm… shell… a shell…”

If it’s meat surrounded by a hard shell—

Direct grilling?

Yeah, because that’s the most standard way.

Or there’s the option of completely smashing the shell and eating it.

I drew a mental image, mimicking lighting a bonfire with one hand.

There’s also the method of boiling it into a stew, like Yongbongtang…

I shook my head back and forth.

That would take quite a bit of work.

Because restorative ingredients like duck, abalone, and soft-shelled turtle are needed too.

This is likely dismissed.

In that case, this must be the most suitable cooking method for the current situation.

Yes, whole grilled Tarasque has been elected with overwhelming support!

“Okay, let’s try grilling it whole.”

Just as I was organizing the cooking plan like that, Lilien pointed ahead with her hand.

“Yuan, we’ve arrived. Look.”

What unfolded at the end of her gaze was a large lake with clear water gently rippling.

It was beautiful in itself, but there was one striking scene.

“Towards the center… there’s a whirlpool?”

An alien current was rotating in a circle in the middle of the lake.

Resembling… the visual of a sea black hole.

Arte, who was looking at that current, immediately replied.

“Yes, that place is the destination. Tarasque resides in the cave within that whirlpool.”

“Wait… a cave in the middle of the lake? That means we have to go into the water, doesn’t it?”

Just imagining diving into cold water gives me goosebumps.

But why do the expressions of those three look strangely joyful?

“Alright, then as announced beforehand, shall we decide with rock-paper-scissors?”

Lilien extended her hand with a bright smile.

“Yes~ No cheating, okay? No magic either!”

“In the first place, aren’t you the only one who uses magic, Alice.”

As Arte cut her off calmly, Alice shrugged her shoulders.

“Heh heh, but it’s a rule to say it anyway~”

And—

“Ready to go? Rock! Paper! Scissors!”

The rock-paper-scissors that suddenly began.

Not knowing what was happening, I watched in bewilderment, but…

“Yay! It’s my victory, isn’t it? Well then, excuse me, Yuan?”

“Huh? Wait, why am I like a prize—Whoa!?”

Before I could even finish speaking,

*Thump.*

I was held like that by Lilien.

Lilien naturally lifted me effortlessly with her two arms.

Last time Arte held me, is it Lilien’s turn this time?

“Swimming is bothersome, you know~ Ah, thanks for the waterproofing magic, Alice!”

Alice smiling brightly from behind.

The blue light of the waterproofing magic permeated us.

“So~”

Lilien paused for a moment to catch her breath, then instantly kicked off the ground and sprang up like a spring!

“Waaaaaaaaah!!”

The sky is high! Why did the ground get so far away?!

It’s common sense for humans to stay attached to the ground! It’s terrifying!

The sky got closer before my eyes.

After completing the leap, Lilien headed towards the center of the giant whirlpool.

Even hearing my scream, she laughed in a joyful tone, as if even my appearance like that was lovely.

“It’s a shame I can’t stroke you because both my hands are full!”

“At least turn on a turn signal before jumping!! Would it hurt to tell me in advance!?”

“Life is a surprise, you know~ Heh heh.”

The moment we soared high into the sky.

Alice unfolded a magic circle spread out like wings, floating in the air and following us.

Arte also calmly unfolded the thrusters under her feet, leaving a subtle glow and naturally joining us.

The girls floating freely in the air for a moment with me at the center.

Soon, the three of them together plunged into the giant whirlpool—

Splash!

We dived with a refreshing sound.

The inside of the underwater cave we entered had a structure caved in like a giant crater.

Faint light filtered in from the ceiling, and deep water pools and rocks rising around were scattered in places within the cave.

Ore mixed with crystals was embedded in various parts of the rocks, reflecting that light and subtly illuminating the cave.

“Hoo… landing complete~ Yuan, are you alright?”

“Yeah. Finally, land… Why am I so happy to see this?”

I caught my breath while my legs trembled.

Right. Humans really belong standing on the ground!

“But I don’t see Tarasque? Has it already been subjugated?”

I muttered while looking around.

No matter how deep the heart, it’s a bit strange for it to be this quiet.

“It probably went out hunting. If it had been subjugated, that wouldn’t be left intact.”

Arte calmly pointed to the opposite side.

The place she pointed to with her hand was a space spread out, more softly arranged than other areas.

Well-arranged straw was piled between the grassy areas,

And at its center—

“…It’s eggs? They’re huge.”

Eggs that were gigantic beyond imagination.

There were two eggs as tall as me placed in the nest?

When I carefully touched it with my palm, it was surprisingly warm, and I could even feel the subtle stirring movement inside.

“How lucky~ They say what’s known to be rarer than Tarasque are its eggs? Yuan, cook these too~”

Lilien seriously swallowing her saliva. She was about to light a fire right under the eggs.

“Already hungry? Why are you drooling so much.”

“Lilien is always a hungry knight, you see~ Anyway…”

Alice looked at the nest, crossing her arms.

“They’re preserved very carefully, aren’t they? Is Tarasque strongly maternal?”

“Yes. Tarasque is a species that pours affection to the extent of sharing its own nutrients with its young. Because of that, they say it becomes extremely ferocious if its nest is invaded.”

“Wait a minute, Arte. Wait a minute, Arte. We are those invaders.”

“Oh? So we are?”

Arte bringing her finger to her mouth with a blank expression.

The way she leisurely tilted her head was cute, but—

Kuoooooo!!

A gigantic monstrous roar echoing in my ears.

I felt a vibration like something was falling from the center of the whirlpool.

*Thump!!*

A giant alligator-shaped monster fell onto the crater floor as if it was slammed down from the sky.

“Is that an appetizer? Yuan! Yuan! If food falls from the sky!”

Lilien was already licking her lips and had drawn her greatsword.

“Argh, Lilien, calm down a bit! It’s obviously something Tarasque coughed up!”

And at that moment.

A giant shadow slowly descended from below the whirlpool.

A gigantic, scale-covered physique descending, following the alligator-shaped monster.

As Lilien said, the dragon carrying a giant shell on its back was glaring at us.

Even its breath, let out with a slow lowering of the head and a hiss—like a sigh—was like a blade carrying killing intent.

Tarasque.

A species that is strongly maternal but absolutely does not forgive those who touch its nest.

That gaze was clearly not seeing us as prey or game—

It was looking at us as enemies who had invaded the nest.

But why is its gaze….

“Seems like it’s directed at me?”

“That’s because you, Yuan, are closest to the eggs?”

“Now you’re being obsessed over by Tarasque too, Yuan!”

“I don’t want to be obsessed over by some turtle like that!?”

I shouted out in fright, but Arte’s words that followed were even more shocking.

“Biologically, it is a female, in its own way. On top of that, it has a married woman attribute.”

“You’ve got an error, Arte!?”

Kuuuuuaaaaaah!!

Tarasque let out a roar like thunder and began to approach, truly looking ready to attack.

*Swoosh.*

Lilien slowly walking out in front of me.

That face, which was always playful and cunning, was as serious and firm as it had ever been.

It was to the extent that, for the first time, Lilien looked like a dignified knight.

Lilien slowly turned back to look at me and smiled brightly.

“Don’t worry. Because there are already three beings who are obsessed with you, Yuan.”

“So I have no intention of giving way to this turtle as well.”

She slowly drew the greatsword from her back and slowly pointed it towards Tarasque.

“Now, kill or be killed. Isn’t that how the law of the jungle works?”

[Eyecatch!]

Request Name:

Subjugation of the troublesome Tarasque today too!

Request Details:

This is a request to defeat Tarasque, who has been bothersomely appearing lately from the whirlpool in the middle of the powerful current!

This fellow is~

A hybrid monster born from the romance(?) between the sea monster Leviathan and a donkey!

A large mouth like an alligator and sharp teeth!

Scales like a hard shell!

Moreover, six legs and a tail that twists like a snake!

Toxin in its breath, and even breathes fire?!

Compared to its cute appearance like this, it’s quite a dangerous child.

Recently, there have been consecutive reports of village people who went by boat to the market almost being subjected to a “mukbang” by Tarasque in the river!

They say a certain adventurer tried to clear the nest, but its maternal love was so strong that it would glare fiercely and attack even just by getting close to the eggs.

Its attack power is excellent, but because it has a shell that even deflects weapons, it’s not easily caught through normal means.

Valiant adventurers!

Please make sure to give Tarasque a good scolding~

Reward:

Guild basic subjugation fee

Special bonus prepared by the Nelluk Merchant Guild Alliance!

(※After catching it, could you let us have a taste too? Ufufufu~)

Author:

Guild Receptionist Rune Sister♥

We always cheer for your safe return~!