episode_0126

To the Underground Facility

“Hehehehehe…. Please continue, Zeke-nim….” “…..Aren’t you bored?” “No~!”

Ever since we left Dorga, Aria had been pestering me to keep patting her head. Perhaps it was because I had hugged Aria earlier, but she seemed to be acting even more spoiled than before… I had hugged her because she worked so hard, but I wondered if I did it for nothing… But then again, thanks to Aria finding the records for me without destroying everything, we were able to complete the records about Dorga perfectly… Anyway…

“Huuuh… I’m worried about Tiavel. I wonder if it was alright to leave her alone in a place like that…” “She was determined to stay there, so don’t worry about it~ So for now, please pat my head more~”

…It was precisely because of you that I couldn’t bring Tiavel along, you know? When Tiavel resolved to stay there earlier, I should have paid attention to Aria’s mood. Just as Aria had been reluctant about Karina’s companionship before, if Tiavel were to join us on this journey, who knows what might happen… My heart really skipped a beat when she secretly tried to poison Karina back then, so if Tiavel, who doesn’t even have a particular destination, were to be by Aria’s side… Perhaps it was fortunate that we left Tiavel in Dorga instead…

“Sigh… Well… I still have a lingering uneasy feeling, but there’s nothing I can do about it. Where… where have we arrived?” “Alright… I’ll check, Zeke-nim.”

As if finally satisfied, Aria slipped out of my arms and took out a map from her pocket to determine our current location. Huuuh… It was so uncomfortable walking while patting her head, I almost died… I couldn’t complain because I was conscious of her gaze… Huuuh…

“Hmm… A forest should appear soon, Zeke-nim. It doesn’t seem to be too far.” “Really? Shall we keep going then?” “Yes!….!!”

Realizing that we were not far from the forest where the underground facility was marked, I took Aria’s hand and started walking again. As I took her hand, Aria’s cheeks began to blush, and she swallowed hard before speaking to me.

“Zeke-nim, no matter what comes out of the underground facility….” “You’re saying you’ll protect me, right? You don’t have to keep emphasizing it, Aria. I always trust you.” “Hehehe… Thank you, Zeke-nim.”

Still, at the fact that Aria’s feelings for me hadn’t changed, I felt… a strange sensation. I couldn’t tell exactly what kind of feeling it was, but I could guess that it wasn’t a bad one. And so, holding Aria’s hand, I entered the forest. Then, I remembered something and said to Aria.

“Now that I think about it… Tiavel might have become that way because of the Saintess too, right?” “Yes. The diary said that Tiavel started to rampage after the Saintess met her.” “…Yuria also said she suspected the Saintesses… If we encounter a Saintess, we might have to interrogate them to find out what they’re plotting…. Ah.” “Hehehe… That’s my specialty….!!”

The moment I thought we needed to know the Saintesses’ objective and was about to say we might have to interrogate them, I remembered Aria torturing Melian before, and my face stiffened. And Aria, seeing me like that, seemed to grasp what I was thinking, as she began to smile slyly, her face shadowed… As expected, Aria’s scary nature doesn’t seem to change…

“Don’t do that… First, we should keep in mind that we might encounter Saintesses who seem to be plotting something… Also, it seems Dio V Runner-nim will be waiting for us for a long time… What should we do…” “Don’t worry~ If Runner-nim complains… I’ll discipline him with this hand~… How dare he complain about Zeke-nim not arriving, knowing that Zeke-nim is an explorer… That is unacceptable…!!” “He doesn’t seem like such a petty person, though…”

When Aria made a chilling threat that she would crush Dio V Runner with her own hands if he complained, I straightened my face and replied that Dio V Runner didn’t seem like such a petty person. Sigh… But still, making him wait bothers me a little… Could he have gone to the underground facility already?

“Hmm… By the way, Zeke-nim. Didn’t you say the underground facility was vast?” “Huh? Uh… everyone certainly said that.” “Then that means there are many places to enter, so how would we know where Dio V Runner-nim is?”

…Oh, right. Now that I think about it, she’s right…? Hearing Aria’s words, I couldn’t help but be aghast. We didn’t say we’d meet at a specific point, but simply near the underground facility… Both sides don’t know where the other is right now!!

“Ugh… Should I circle the area to look for Runner-nim…? No… if he’s thinking the same thing, then it’ll be the same in the end!! What should I do…?!” “Well… if he flies over here, it doesn’t matter, but… Hehehe… I still think it’s best if it’s just Zeke-nim and me…!” “…Wait… Were you intentionally not complaining about resting in Dorga for that purpose?” “…Hehehehehe….” “Hey!!!”

Realizing that Aria had spent time in Dorga on purpose so that Dio V Runner would head to the underground facility first, I immediately yelled at her. At that, Aria giggled with a delighted expression, as if her plan had succeeded, and said.

“Hehehehe… It was a bit annoying, but I didn’t know Tiavel’s attack would be this helpful. The reason for our delay has become clear, hasn’t it…!! If Runner-nim hears this, he won’t be able to say anything…” “No, I told you he doesn’t seem like such a petty person…? And for you to have calculated all of that… Truly amazing, amazing…” “Hehehe… This is my heart and love for Zeke-nim…!! I will never let go…” “You haven’t let go even now, so what are you talking about… Anyway, this is a mess… If it comes to this, do we really have to go separately…?”

Regardless of Aria’s schemes, the fact remained that we didn’t know where Dio V Runner was, so I was at a loss, unsure what to do. But Aria, regardless of the situation, was incredibly excited about finally being able to go to the underground facility alone with me… Are you that happy, Aria…? Sigh… I’m at a loss because our guide is gone, but she doesn’t care about such things…

“Let’s just go for now. Dio V Runner-nim might be where we’re headed.” “Understood, Zeke-nim!~… Hehehe… I wish Dio V Runner-nim wasn’t there… I wish he wasn’t there… I wish he wasn’t there… I wish he wasn’t there… I wish he wasn’t there…”

When I said we should head to the pit where the underground facility was located, Aria replied that she understood and began earnestly praying that Dio V Runner wouldn’t be there. You want to go to the underground facility alone with me that badly…? No, with no guide, we’d wander there… Ah… I see…

“Ehehehe… I wish he wasn’t there…!” ‘ …So that was your goal…’

The moment I started worrying about wandering around the underground facility without Dio V Runner, I finally figured out Aria’s scheme. If I were to wander there alone with her, that would be the fate Aria so desperately wanted: to be together forever, just the two of us… She’s even starting to use her cunning now… But I had absolutely no intention or desire for that. Therefore, contrary to Aria’s wishes, I earnestly hoped Dio V Runner would be near the pit. However…

“…Damn it.” “Waaah~! It seems my prayers were answered, Zeke-nim!”

We arrived in front of an incredibly massive pit, so huge its bottom was out of sight, but not a single human shadow was visible around it. In other words, Dio V Runner wasn’t here… This meant that, as Aria wished, I would ultimately have to enter this dizzying pit alone with her, without a guide…

“Hehehehe… Now, Zeke-nim and I will go into the pit alone and then… Oh, don’t worry! No matter what happens inside… I will definitely protect you. So you can rely on me as much as you want….” “N-nooo!!” “….?”

The moment Aria, telling me to leave everything to her, was about to rush into the pit, a scream suddenly echoed from a tree, and someone fell from it. At that, Aria and I turned around in bewilderment, and there….!!

“Di… Dio V Runner!!” “Ugh… My head… I was so startled by your voices that I fell from the tree…?” “Aaaah!! Thank you, Dio V Runner!! For appearing like this!!” “Huh…?”

Realizing that the person who fell from the tree was Dio V Runner, I vigorously shook his hand, welcoming him. However, on the contrary, when Dio V Runner appeared, Aria’s face stiffened, and she glared at him resentfully, while Dio V Runner, seeing my and Aria’s reactions, was confused about what was going on.

“…What in the world is going on, Zeke…? And why is Aria glaring at me like this?” “Tch… Why didn’t you just die when you fell from the tree…? Your body is unnecessarily tough…” “….? Wha… What?”

Dio V Runner, who still couldn’t comprehend the situation, became even more dumbfounded upon hearing Aria’s curse-like complaint. But for me, it was a truly joyful encounter to see him again… Thank goodness… If he hadn’t been here, Aria might have forced me into that pit without a guide…

“…Huuuh… I had predicted where you would arrive and came here. However, it seems my calculation was wrong regarding the timing, as you arrived here only after a day had passed…” “Tch… You should have been wrong about the location too, how did you predict it so accurately?” “…Why does Aria have so many complaints about me, Zeke? She clearly allowed us to travel together under certain conditions before… What exactly happened while I was away?”

As Aria continued to complain about him, Dio V Runner became greatly flustered and asked me why Aria was acting like this. Well… Aria certainly did allow him to accompany us before… But still, more than anything, Aria prioritizes being alone with me…

“Several things happened… Anyway, we were late because we stopped somewhere to rest. If we had just gone straight, we would have arrived here as Dio V Runner-nim expected… I apologize.” “No, it’s my fault for not calculating that you, as an explorer, might stop somewhere. So don’t apologize. Rather… do you see that pit?”

Dio V Runner, knowing that I, as an explorer, might suddenly get distracted by something, instead said it was his fault for not calculating that, and pointed his finger at the pit, at which Aria and I turned our heads towards it.

“Huuuh… It’s certainly a deep pit… Is there really a secret facility inside there?” “That can be proven just by looking around here, Zeke. If you look below you, you’ll immediately notice something strange.” “….? Below me…. Huh?”

Following Dio V Runner’s words, I lowered my head and looked down, realizing that this place was indeed somehow alien to its surroundings. This was because the ground near the pit was not dirt, but strange iron. Then Dio V Runner touched the iron platform with his hand and explained.

“Beings from other worlds said that materials like this are usually used to make the walls or ceilings of research facilities. I’ve seen it with my own eyes too.” “A research facility, you say… So, is there really an otherworldly facility inside here?” “Well… I made a rough prediction because the surrounding terrain has changed to this material, but… We’ll only know the details once we go inside… But everyone is definitely ready, right?”

Dio V Runner, who had said we would have to confirm it once we went inside, stood up and asked us if we were ready. At that, Aria and I nodded, and Dio V Runner, seeing that we were ready, turned his head towards the pit and said.

“However… the problem now is how to get you two inside… I have thrusters, so I can enter safely, but… you two…” “Oh, don’t worry about that! We can do it like this! One… Two!” “….?” “Huh….?”

As Dio V Runner pondered how to get us inside, Aria suddenly lifted me with a flourish and powerfully leaped towards the pit. At Aria’s sudden action, Dio V Runner was dumbfounded, and I felt my stomach drop!

“Aaaaaaaaaah!! Wa… Wait!!!” “Wh… Whoa?!” “Don’t worry, Zeke-niiiiim!! I’ll bring you down safely!!” “Aaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

I, still held by Aria, began to fall into the deep pit. At that, Dio V Runner hastily activated his thrusters and urgently flew into the pit, while Aria, without a change in expression, simply smiled and spoke to me.

“Don’t worry!! No matter how deep this pit is, I’ll bring Zeke-nim down safely!!” “Aria!! It’s a dark space below!! If there are thorns or something down there, you’ll just…” “I told you there’s no need to worry, didn’t I? Dio V Runner-nim doesn’t need to bother himself!”

As we continued to fall, the surroundings grew distinctly darker, and relying only on the light emanating from Aria’s staff and the fire spewing from the thrusters on Dio V Runner’s shoes, I earnestly prayed for my life.

‘Ughhhhhh… Why is it so deep…? I thought it would be as deep as a cave, but this goes beyond that level!!’

“I see the ground, Aria! Prepare for landing!!” “I see it too!! Zeke-nim! It’s going to be a bit bumpy, so please bear with it!!” “Wha… What?!”

Helplessly held in Aria’s two hands, I could only tremble in terror. And at that moment…!!

!!!

With a thud, a powerful impact occurred, strong enough to lift my body for a moment, just as Aria said. Then, as the impact subsided, Aria released me, and Dio V Runner landed beside us, his face serious, and he looked at Aria and said.

“Was there really a need to break through the ceiling to get inside?” “Hehehe… Anyway, we made it inside safely, so isn’t that good enough?” “Ceiling? Uh…”

When Dio V Runner, with a serious expression, said we had broken through the ceiling to enter, I looked up with the light from Aria’s staff and saw that the ceiling was indeed punctured. That’s when I understood what he meant by Aria breaking through the ceiling to enter. Huuuh… Anyway, it’s a relief that we arrived safely, but… speaking of which…

“I… I can’t see anything ahead…”

My relief at safely entering the underground facility was short-lived, as I realized how incredibly dark the interior was and sighed deeply. But then something flashed through my mind, and I immediately pulled out a glowstone from my pocket, illuminating the path ahead. With that and the light from Aria’s staff, the interior finally began to become visible, and as it did, I…

“…W-wow… What is all this…?”

I was greatly astonished upon seeing the underground facility, which indeed looked alien to this world.