Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? On the Side: Sword Oratoria, Vol. 8

by Fujino Omori, Kiyotaka Haimura

  “…You should…really dry yourself off…” she started. If there was nothing she could do about the wounds, she could at least dry him, but before she could approach him with a towel, the door opened with a rattle.

  “I apologize for the delay.”

  It was Amid.

  Her normally immaculate uniform was now covered in blood, and deep bags sagged beneath her eyes as sweat ran down her skin.

  Aiz could tell immediately.

  She was dangerously close to a Mind Down.

  “Amid, have you…been using your magic…all this time?” Aiz asked anxiously.

  “Mine is the only magic currently capable of lifting the curse…I sincerely apologize for making you wait, Mister Bete,” Amid replied, voice calm and face showing no signs of strain.

  Amid had been working nonstop, attending to the endless stream of Amazons who had been brought to the hospital after the attacks. Her pride as a healer, however, didn’t allow her even a moment to herself, and she immediately took to tending Bete’s wounds. Holding her right hand over the multitude of scratches on Bete’s back, as well as the deep gash in his shoulder, she began her spell, the white glow of magic enveloping his skin.

  “…The Amazons…How are they doing?”

  “We’ve saved who we can. But there were still some who were simply brought in too late. We did everything we could…” Amid explained. Though she’d done her best to save them all, some had simply been too far gone. The attacks had likely started the night before, and by the time the victims had been found and brought to the hospital, even Orario’s highest-level healer, Dea Saint, could no longer save them.

  Though her delicate, doll-like features betrayed nothing, by the looks of her tightly clenched fist, knuckles white from the strain, her head must have been a whirlwind of self-reproach and regret.

  “Did the…body of a kid get brought here?”

  “…Those who did not make it were taken to the First Graveyard,” she explained, not quite answering Bete’s question. There would be no room for extra bodies, after all, in the hospital.

  Bete’s expression didn’t change. Instead, his amber eyes simply stared down at the hardened face of the girl on one knee in front of him. Water dripped from his damp gray hair.

  Aiz was the only one to look away.

  “The assailants have been identified as Sekhmet Familia, the shadow of the mainland,” Amid continued, trying to change the subject to something more neutral. As beads of sweat formed on her temples from the fatigue, she kept her thin lips moving. “Considering the targets were former members of Ishtar Familia, I would gather this is the work of a god with a deep resentment toward Ishtar…A goddess, perhaps, plagued with jealousy, who hired the assassins to take out the last of her familia. At least, that is what the Guild has surmised.”

  “…”

  “The assassins, too, in line with the laws of their familia, refuse to say a word as to who hired them, even going so far as to kill themselves…The Guild has apparently given up on trying to extract details out of their ringleader,” she continued, almost businesslike in her tone.

  It made sense that the Guild would leap into action after what had happened. They must have used Status Thieves on the assassins’ bodies in an attempt to extract the name of their god, resulting in nothing but a myriad of unanswered questions.

  While the Berbera had been able to kill many of their attackers (they were adventurers of Orario, after all), the cursed weapons of the assassins had finished the deed for them in many cases. What’s more, the assassins didn’t fear death, throwing themselves at the Berbera in near-suicidal attacks in order to wound (and curse) their victims. The combination of these two factors was what had led to a frighteningly high victim count. When the assassins found themselves at a draw with their target, they’d simply killed themselves. And it was no different with the assassins Loki Familia apprehended in their rush to help, either.

  Aiz watched as Amid tended to each of Bete’s wounds. The werewolf himself was uncomfortably quiet until she’d completed her task.

  “I’ve finished with my ministrations…However, your wounds will still need a while to fully heal after being afflicted by such a strong curse. Please take some time to fully rest and recover,” Amid asserted as she rose to her feet and made to leave Bete’s side.

  Only, the moment she tried to move, she appeared to grow faint, and Aiz rushed to help her before she could collapse.

  “Amid…!”

  “I…apologize…I appear to have…used a bit too much…Mind…”

  Aiz bit down on her lip as she held the other girl close. Amid’s breath was ragged. Aiz needed to get her somewhere she could rest, but as she made to leave, she suddenly stopped. Could she leave Bete alone at a time like this?

  “Get her outta here, would ya? She’s an eyesore,” said the wolf from behind her, arrogant as always.

  That much was the same, but still, that static expression of emptiness on his face worried her.

  She stood there, not entirely sure what to do, before finally opening the door with Amid still in her arms. “Stay here…okay? I’ll be…right back.”

  And then, with one look behind her, the golden-haired, golden-eyed swordswoman walked out the door.

  Silence returned to the room.

  The only sound was the rain, now vexingly loud against his ears.

  Having sat as still as a statue for so long, Bete finally slowly rose to his feet.

  “…”

  His amber eyes turned toward the window and the view of a rain-swept Orario beyond.

  The fang on his face twisted, and his reflection in the window glared back at him like his own worst enemy. And so his arm rose to punch it wide open, smashing glass and reflection both.

  “I apologize for getting you mixed up in this, Antianeira.”

  Finn was standing in front of the group of injured Amazons on the first floor of the soaring Babel Tower at the center of the city. Even now, in the middle of the night, the entryway to the Dungeon was bustling with activity. All those affected by the “Amazon hunt” had gathered among the crowd.

  Most were former Ishtar Familia members, now having suffered two attacks in only a matter of weeks, but there were also noncombatant courtesans, as well. Joining them were members of Loki Familia, hired as bodyguards by the Guild, along with a few from Ganesha Familia. All those in danger of being targeted had been ordered here together, with only those in critical condition still in Dian Cecht Familia’s hospital—a swiftly made administrative decision to keep from losing any more Berbera, given how the upper-class adventurers were so important to the city’s influence.

  In front of the Amazons and courtesans, their features taut with anxiety, stood Aisha. She was facing Finn, Tione, Tiona, and the rest of Loki Familia, her long black hair flowing down her back.

  “It appears that our investigative actions were what prompted the ringleaders of this attack to take action. While I can say I never imagined they would go to such lengths…that is no excuse for what happened. Please accept my sincerest apologies.”

  “There’s no reason to apologize, Braver. This wasn’t your fault. Even a child could tell you as much. No, the only ones at fault here are those bastards who did this,” Aisha responded, refusing the spear-equipped prum’s apology. As clear as the enmity on the bereaved Amazon’s face was, the fury wasn’t directed at the despondent crew in front of her. “Besides, it would have happened sooner or later, yes? Even if you and your people hadn’t gone snooping around.”

  “…”

  “Goddammit! Will that goddess never leave us alone? Even after she flies the coop, she still haunts us.” Aisha sighed, taking Finn’s prolonged silence as an affirmative. She already knew about the key that Loki Familia had been asking her girls about, and she’d surmised most of what had happened in Meren, from the violas to the “secret organization”—namely, the Evils—that Ishtar had been dealing with. The gorgeous Amazon didn’t even need to pry into Fin
n’s and the others’ dealings to be utterly and entirely fed up with the apparent root of all evil her former goddess had left behind. Turning her long, narrow eyes toward the sky, she scowled at the heavens where Ishtar now resided.

  “You weren’t able to protect us. To save us. But we don’t blame you for this. It is a shame that we, as warriors, will have to bear…Tell that Vanargand of yours as much, too.”

  “Bete? Why bring him up now?”

  “…You didn’t hear?”

  At this, Aisha was silent for a moment before finally explaining. She told him everything, about Bete and about Lena.

  Finn’s green eyes widened in surprise, as did Tiona’s and Tione’s and everyone else’s standing behind them. All of them were shocked at this unexpected news.

  “The look on that werewolf’s face…No, it’s nothing. Anyway, you can keep your concerns to yourself. We’re grateful for those of us you’ve saved, but your help won’t be necessary any longer.”

  And with that, Aisha walked away. The rest of the Amazons, too, seemed to shake off their anxiety, turning their focus instead toward the rallying voice of their leader.

  Finn remained silent, lost in thought.

  “The Amazon killed in front of Bete…You don’t think it’s that same girl Lefiya told us about earlier, do you? The one on a date with him?”

  “…Can’t imagine it’d be anyone else. Maybe he was looking for info on the key, too? Only they got attacked along the way…”

  Tiona and Tione mused to themselves, prompting the rest of the familia to start wondering out loud, as well. At the front of the group, Finn gave his thumb a lick.

  He stood there in silence.

  Before finally raising his head.

  “We’ll use Bete as bait.”

  “?!”

  The sudden announcement was enough for Tione and the others to question their ears.

  “The Bete Loga I know isn’t one to stand by quietly after an event like this. No, my gut says he’s already out there raising hell.”

  “…!”

  “In fact, he’s probably on his way to the Evils as we speak…to Valletta and her crew, thirsty for revenge. And not quietly, I may add. We’ll use him as a diversion. While the enemy has their sights set on Bete, we’ll cut off their escape route.”

  Their path back to Knossos, in other words. Without it, they would be trapped and isolated aboveground, the prum explained.

  “And then, we’ll take that opportunity to relieve them of their key.”

  The series of announcements was met with shock after shock from the rest of his familia.

  Tiona, Tione, Raul, Anakity—everyone. Without a moment’s indecision, they were just going to use Bete’s emotions to their own advantage and gain the upper hand; seeing their captain, Braver, discuss it so coolly was enough to make the younger familia members gulp uneasily.

  “We’ll station someone to keep watch on Daedalus Street. I’ll set up camp outside the entrance to Knossos in the Old Sewerway. We’ll also keep a few people here, as well, just in case they decide to use the second entrance to the Dungeon to return to their hideout. Raul, tell Gareth that I’m putting him in charge of Babel—”

  “F-Finn?!”

  “Sh-shouldn’t we stop and think about this for a moment, Captain?!”

  A rather flustered Tiona and Tione cut off his orders.

  He turned his green eyes toward the two twins, who were now leaning forward anxiously.

  “No? And here I thought both of you detested Bete, hmm? So much so that you wouldn’t even look him in the eye?”

  “That’s…well…This is just too awful, if you ask me!”

  “Isn’t the whole point of a familia to look after your friends? Like back in Meren, when you and everyone else came running to our aid…! Th-that stupid werewolf, too!!”

  The two insisted, even as Finn retained his mask of emotionless leader-hood.

  And it was true—not even the two Amazons understood exactly why they were so against Finn’s plan, considering the hatred they’d been harboring for the wolf only a short while earlier. It was the same for the rest of the familia behind them, too, all eyes practically glued to Finn.

  “You don’t agree? How about I change up the wording, then?” Finn mused, turning his gaze from Tiona to Tione and then to the rest of the familia behind them. “We’re going to stake everything we have on Bete.”

  “!!”

  A second ripple of shock ran through the group.

  Tiona and the others stared at him wide-eyed and stunned as Finn doffed his mask of authority, anguish and heartache clear in his wry smile. After scanning the group once more, he let his eyes fall toward the open door to the tower and the rain-drenched shadow beyond.

  “Because nothing we say can stop him any longer.”

  “Finn, that imbecile…He’s really done it this time,” Riveria murmured, her sullen voice melting into the pouring rain. She’d just been delivered Finn’s orders.

  She was in Dian Cecht Familia’s hospital. Lefiya was gulping for breath after relaying the command to the elves who’d been left in charge of guarding the few remaining Amazons yet to be healed.

  Though Alicia and the others looked at the younger elf in disbelief, Lefiya reaffirmed her words with a nod of her head, streaked with rain thanks to her mad dash from Babel.

  “I…I agree it’s…unprecedented. Even for Mister Bete, this cruel plan is simply not like the captain at all…”

  “No, it’s because he understands Bete…and has faith in him. That’s why he can issue such an order.”

  “Huh?”

  “Then I shall play the part of the villain,” Riveria cut in with a sigh, as if about to launch into a soliloquy.

  Still confused, Lefiya looked toward the high elf for an answer, but then—

  “Riveria!”

  —Aiz appeared from the back hallway.

  “Bete is gone…He left on his own…!”

  “Is that so…? I suppose this was expected. Everything is going according to Finn’s plan.”

  There would be no stopping it now.

  Ignoring Lefiya and the other flustered elves behind her, she closed her eyes for a moment. And when she opened them again, she rushed quickly toward Aiz.

  “Follow him, Aiz. Don’t let him out of your sight. You’ll be the only one he has now…”

  “I…Okay. Understood.”

  Riveria didn’t even bother filling Aiz in on the rest of Finn’s plan. With a single nod, Aiz was off, dashing past Lefiya and the other elves and toward the hospital door beyond. Just before she disappeared, Riveria called to her one last time.

  “Aiz. When you see Bete as he is now, do you think he’s like how you…?”

  “…?”

  “…No, it’s nothing. Go on.” Riveria shook her head, almost as though apologizing for stopping her. Aiz looked back, her head tilted to the side in confusion, but did as she was told and put the hospital behind her.

  Riveria narrowed her eyes as she watched Aiz disappear into the night.

  The rain descended like a never-ending deluge of spears.

  And through that rain, Bete made his way down the city streets.

  He was alone, and the city practically deserted, though by no fault of the rain—rather, the attacks that had taken place earlier that day. In fact, to see the streets so desolate was nigh unprecedented in a city like Orario. With the sound of the rain masking everything and everyone in sight, too, Bete might as well have been the last person left on earth for all he knew.

  His wounds were deep. He’d lost too much blood. He needed food, items.

  But even despite the brilliant, fiery-red emotion coursing through his body, Bete’s mind was surprisingly calm. He was the prime example of someone built for combat, both as an adventurer and as someone raised in a tribe of warriors.

  They would come for him again. Valletta and her crew. He was sure of it.

  If he let his hackles down, blatantly walked arou
nd like this by himself, he’d be an easy target. There was no way they wouldn’t attack him—it was a chance to take down Loki Familia’s mad dog. Which was why he wouldn’t call for help. No, he couldn’t call for help. Bete would never allow himself to stoop that low.

  The dim light of the magic-stone lanterns casting his shadow on the stone below, he walked, completely lost in thought—until a shadow flickered behind him.

  He came to a stop, realizing quickly who was following him and wrinkling his face in annoyance.

  “Bete.”

  She appeared from the darkness, vermilion hair soaked and her body dripping with water.

  Bete’s thoughts first wandered to the goddess’s footwear. What had happened to what she’d said before, huh? About not wanting to get her shoes wet?

  But as the faint light of the magic-stone lanterns brought her into view, Loki didn’t seem too concerned about them now, bag slung over her right shoulder and ill-dressed for the rain, same as Bete.

  “…What the hell are you doing?”

  “Oh, you know, was just thinkin’ I might be able to see you, so I took a little stroll outside the house, and whaddaya know? There you are! Bingo!”

  “You really shouldn’t go outside alone, you know…Did you even hear what happened today?”

  “You worried about me?! D’awww, yer sweet, Bete!” Loki cooed, her buoyant, bubbly voice in sharp contrast to Bete’s low growl.

  She approached the werewolf, leaving a few steps between them so that goddess and follower stood face-to-face.

  “Bete. Here.”

  “…”

  “Potions and mruit. Eat ’em if you need,” she said as she tossed the bag in his direction. He caught it in one hand only to see that, indeed, a few vials of medicine and some pieces of the dungeon fruit were peeking out from the top.

  It was almost as though she’d seen through everything. Bete felt his irritation rising at the goddess’s too-perfect sense of timing.

  “You’re not gonna try ’n’ stop me?”

  “And what would happen if I did, huh? You’d end up blamin’ yerself for the rest of your goddamn life, yeah? That’s what I figured, at least.”