Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Vol. 8

by Fujino Omori

  The lingering warmth of his hand felt like a glove around hers. But the moment she saw Bell get embarrassed, a nervous laugh escaped from her lips.

  “Shall we go?”

  “Um, yes.”

  A quick confirmation and they were off again.

  It took everything the girl had to hide her nerves. A smile slowly appeared on her face as Eina once again looked at the boy next to her, protecting her. Her bodyguard.

  When they left the Guild, the lack of space between them had made her nervous. Now it was reassuring to have him so close.

  “Hey, Eina. You’ve been walking on air these past few days. What’s up with that?”

  “…What?”

  Morning, two days later.

  They were in the middle of work, but Misha’s words gave Eina pause.

  “You’re grinning nonstop with a sparkle in your eye. It’s like you’re giggling to yourself or something.”

  “I-I am?”

  “Very much so.”

  Every window at the reception counter came equipped with a mirror for receptionists to use. Eina took it out and had a look.

  Indeed, her cheeks were dusted with pink beneath the rims of her glasses. Suddenly embarrassed, she kept her eyes on her reflection and fixed her bangs.

  “Someone was stalking you just the other day. Did that work itself out?”

  “Well, I wouldn’t say it’s exactly solved, but…”

  “Okay, so what’s the deal, then? Something good happen?”

  No words would come out of Eina’s mouth.

  She didn’t have an answer ready for Misha’s question.

  There was only one answer that made sense—the reason that she was in such a good mood was that she was looking forward to the time she spent with Bell.

  Eina searched for the right words, but Misha cut off her train of thought with a sudden cry. “Ah! It’s that dwarf from before. What was his name…Dodomel?”

  “Really?”

  Overlooking her friend’s obvious mistake, Eina followed her line of sight. Sure enough, Dormul was standing at the other end of the lobby.

  Mouth closed, staring in her direction, he quickly turned away the moment he realized she was watching him.

  Usually he’d make up an excuse to talk to her…However, this time he went directly to the exit as Eina watched him with confusion.

  “He left. Wait a minute, there was an elf here doing exactly the same thing not too long ago.”

  “Was it…Luvis?”

  “Yep. He kept glancing at you.”

  Luvis always engaged Eina in conversation whenever he visited the Guild, just like Dormul. It shouldn’t be all that strange for them not to say hello once or twice, but the thought of it puzzled Eina as she tilted her head.

  Her friend had already restarted their previous conversation, but the half-elf kept watching the place where the dwarf had exited the building.

  “The party was completely surrounded by Minotaurs before we knew it, so we had to book it out of there…”

  “Hee-hee…Now that was dangerous.”

  That evening. Bell joined Eina for her walk home, just as he’d done the past couple of days.

  It was already late at night. Returning from the Dungeon took longer than Bell had expected, and he told her everything that happened. Eina smiled and listened, interjecting her opinion every now and then.

  The ominous shadow hadn’t shown itself since Bell started accompanying her. Bell had said that he felt flashes of its gaze, and most likely whoever it was was biding their time.

  This arrangement can’t go on forever…I’ve got to find a solution.

  It was her fault that Bell had been caught up in this, and she hated it. Reassuring herself that it was only temporary, Eina’s mind was elsewhere as she talked with Bell.

  …What is Bell to me?

  All of a sudden, she realized that the thought of their time together coming to an end made her feel a little lonely. Remembering her conversation with Misha that morning, Eina decided to ask herself some questions.

  To Eina…Bell was like a little brother. That was the best way to describe it.

  Nothing more, nothing less. With that mind-set, there shouldn’t be any space for thoughts of him as a man to enter her head.

  But then again, she was attracted to men just like Bell.

  —Eina blushed furiously and looked at the ground as soon as that thought came through loud and clear.

  Idiot! She scolded herself over and over for wanting this time to keep repeating.

  Bell was right next to her, trying desperately to figure out what was wrong with the bright-red half-elf.

  “M-Miss Eina, we’re here.”

  “…! Oh, thank you, Bell.”

  They had arrived at the gate in front of the Guild’s share house in no time at all.

  Still flustered, Eina looked up and said a quick thank-you. Only then did she notice the fatigue on the boy’s face.

  Of course, it made perfect sense. He had just finished an extremely difficult outing in the Dungeon and had come to take her home immediately after. He’d been doing that for days on end.

  “Well, Miss Eina, I’m going home.” Delivering her safely, Bell turned away from Eina.

  She felt so bad for putting him through all this that the words formed on her lips before she knew what was happening.

  “…Bell? Would you like to come up?”

  “Huh?”

  She realized what she had done after the words were already hanging in the air. But she couldn’t ignore how tired the boy looked and decided to keep going. “Well, you work so hard every day and still come to my aid…The least I can do is make you a cup of tea.”

  The nerves were back. She struggled to keep her voice from trembling. Her pointed ears were burning up.

  Eina’s kind offer caught Bell off guard for a moment. But soon his face relaxed, and he smiled over at her before refusing.

  “Thank you very much, Miss Eina. But my familia’s waiting for me, so…Good night,” he said, and turned his back once again.

  “…Haaa.”

  A disappointed sigh escaped under her breath.

  But a smile grew on her lips soon after as she watched him go.

  She stayed put until he was out of sight before going in.

  The following day was the fourth in a row that Bell had served as Eina’s bodyguard.

  It was also the day that everything changed.

  “B-Bell, what’s wrong? You’re sweating an awful lot…”

  “The watcher…wants to kill…”

  The two of them had met up behind the Guild Headquarters like usual in the late evening hours. It happened when they were halfway home.

  Bell kept his head on a swivel, incessantly checking their surroundings.

  “A-are you certain?”

  “Yes…although the murderous intent seems to be aimed at me rather than at us.”

  Bell made no attempt to make a molehill out of a mountain. The expression on his face revealed just how strong the pressure was bearing down on him.

  Understanding the severity of the situation, Eina took a quick look around herself before leaning in close to Bell’s ear.

  “Bell, turn in to that back alley.”

  “Huh?”

  “We’ll lure whoever it is away from other people. There’s no doubt they’ll follow.”

  Anyone who was emanating that powerful an aura probably wasn’t thinking straight.

  Considering the circumstances, their pursuer would follow them anywhere, especially if there were fewer people.

  At the same time, the chances of a fight breaking out as soon as they encountered the stalker went up immensely.

  Bell understood all this without Eina having to say a word. He knew the danger, but he made up his mind in the blink of an eye and gave an affirmative nod. The time had come for Bell to fulfill his role as her bodyguard.

  The two left the busy street and entered the dark alley. After tra
veling a good ways in, they found an ideal place to lie in wait, well hidden by the shadows.

  They heard hurried, powerful footsteps a few heartbeats later. Eina clung to Bell as the echoes thudded in her ears. She did her best to be as quiet as possible, breathing only when necessary.

  Then it came—a black shadow passed over their hiding spot. It continued even farther down the alleyway toward a dead end. Bell jumped out from the shadows the moment their pursuer came to a stop.

  “Eh?!—Dormul?!”

  Eina stepped into the dim light behind Bell and gasped the moment she saw the man glaring at her bodyguard.

  The dwarf wore a hooded robe that was just barely large enough for him. However, he must not have heard Eina’s voice because his seething glare was locked solely on Bell, his entire face burning red.

  “The hell ye think ye’re doin’, bringin’ Eina ta a place like this, eh—?”

  Dormul howled as he unhooked a war hammer from its sheath on his back.

  He grasped it with both hands, lifted it high above his head, and charged before Bell could say a word.

  “B-Bell! Dormul! Stop th—!”

  The deafening impact of Dormul’s hammer drowned out the last part of Eina’s desperate scream.

  Stone shards flew high into the air; a tremendous shock wave shot through the street. Bell knew at that moment he couldn’t hold anything back against this opponent and quickly drew two knives.

  Spinning out of the way, he moved to counterattack.

  “White ’air, red eyes, human…I know ye, ye’re the Little Rookie!”

  “!”

  “But ye don’ stand a chance against me!”

  Dormul easily blocked Bell’s attack with his war hammer like it was child’s play. He grinned as he swung the massive weapon.

  Bell had no choice but to fall back. The dwarf’s muscular arms guided the hammer’s momentum into a series of powerful swings, turning the back alley into a stormfront as he began his offensive.

  This isn’t good, thought Eina.

  Bell and Dormul were both second-tier adventurers. However, Bell had only just recently leveled up, whereas Dormul had reached Level 3 nearly three years ago. In terms of strength and skill, the dwarf was a true veteran. Therefore, he possessed a distinct advantage.

  Eina feared the worst, instantly regretting her decision to put Bell in danger. But those fears were soon proven pointless.

  “!!”

  “WAHH!”

  Bell was trapped in the dead end with nowhere to escape. Dormul raised his hammer to deliver the finishing blow, but a jet-black knife intercepted its path. Carving a violet arc through the air, it forced the war hammer to the side and into the ground.

  A stunned Dormul watched with wide eyes as Bell picked up speed.

  He…he’s fast!

  Eina was equally surprised.

  The boy was too fast for her to see. Jumping off the walls and through the air like a rabbit, Bell found his way into the dwarf’s blind spots—and attacked from behind and from the sides. Just when Eina thought Dormul had a window to counterattack after blocking one of Bell’s strikes, the boy was already gone. Her eyes spun, trying to keep up with his movements.

  Eina’s surprise came from the fact that Bell truly looked like a second-tier adventurer.

  Even compared to the experienced Dormul, the crispness of his actions was in no way inferior. He wasn’t relying on his Status’s blunt power; instead, his form was conjuring images of a former teacher from the top-class adventurers.

  Even when cornered at a complete stop, he moved his body extremely well and executed techniques that put him on equal footing with his opponent. This was close-quarters combat at its finest.

  Eina couldn’t help but be reminded of his exploits in the War Game. The white rabbit versus the enemy commander, the higher-level Hyacinthus—the underdog turning the tables against an overwhelming favorite with skills and techniques as sharp as a sword.

  Seeing it with her own eyes, Eina could tell that the teacher who had drilled combat techniques into him was extraordinary.

  “Stop…stop hoppin’ around, DAMN IT!”

  Dormul was losing his ability to keep up with Bell with each passing moment. Every swing hit nothing but empty air, and the boy was taking advantage of even more openings for counterattacks.

  The white rabbit’s hit-and-run tactics. Dormul’s frustrated howls as he swayed to and fro.

  Bell’s Agility—his speed was on a different level.

  Dwarves were known for their strength and power, but those were a horrible match for Bell.

  “DAMN YE! Try dodgin’ this, ye rodent!”

  Dormul’s frustration had hit its boiling point. He reached behind his shoulder and pulled out yet another giant hammer.

  —A magic sword?!

  Eina knew immediately that the glowing yellow energy enveloping the weapon wasn’t just for show.

  Magic swords came in all different shapes, but each had the ability to summon incredible magic power in the blink of an eye. Should one of these powerful weapons unleash its energy in this confined space, it would hit its target without fail. Dormul knew what he was doing.

  Eina forgot to breathe. She had to stop this, but before she could try…

  A wide-eyed Bell charged Dormul head-on.

  Bell!

  Judging by his angle of attack, Eina saw right away that he was drawing the attack away from her so she didn’t get caught in the blast.

  Dormul’s lips pulled back into a grin as he watched his target come right at him. He brought the magical weapon down straight into the boy’s path.

  All Bell could see as he zipped across the stone pavement was the dwarf putting every muscle in his body into the swing.

  “EAT THIIIS!!”

  “—Hah!”

  Bell brought the crimson knife in his left hand up to meet the hammer.

  Leaving a trail of scarlet light in its wake, the knife blade went beneath the crackling hammerhead and sliced clean through the handle.

  “”

  The heavy part of the hammer-shaped magic weapon spun high into the air.

  The rest of the weapon, the severed hilt in Dormul’s hand, failed to connect with its target. The ace in the hole had failed.

  Bell passed right by the dwarf and jumped in front of the shocked half-elf with blinding speed. He took a defensive stance with her at his back, protecting Eina like a bodyguard should.

  Dormul froze in place, absolutely dumbfounded that his magic-sword attack had failed.

  Recovering quickly, he picked up his war hammer once again and turned to face Bell, ready for more.

  “This ain’t over!”

  However.

  The rest of the beheaded hammer came tumbling down out of the sky right above him with a loud whoosh!

  Eina and Bell watched in shock as the flat part of the hammer connected with Dormul’s head.

  “GWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

  A thick lightning bolt struck the moment his scream echoed through the alley.

  The yellow energy pulsing within the magic-sword hammer had been released in a mighty flash, bringing a pillar of electrical energy down on top of the dwarf.

  Bell and Eina were blown off their feet. Colliding in midair, they fell to the ground in a heap.

  “B-Bell! Are you hurt?”

  “I-I’m all right…I’m more worried about him, to be honest.”

  Eina had landed on her back, Bell facedown on top of her. Propping herself up on her elbows, she could see that the boy’s back was singed. Bell, on the other hand, pointed to the origin of the blast with a shaky hand.

  A feeling of relief flooded through her veins as the two got to their feet. Then they went to check on Dormul.

  “Ehh…”

  Each of the walls that made up the dead end had taken considerable damage. The dwarf lay in the middle of piles of charred stone rubble, burned from head to toe.

  Next to his smoldering bo
dy was the large hammerhead. Energy spent, it cracked and fell to pieces.

  “I-is he alive…?”

  “Yes…He’s breathing.”

  Arriving at his side, the two checked for vital signs. Seeing that he was okay, the boy finally let his shoulders relax.

  Eina, however, wore a cloudier expression.

  She couldn’t believe it. Dormul was her stalker? That couldn’t be true.

  She had encountered all kinds of adventurers in her years working as a receptionist at the Guild. She was pretty confident in her ability to see a person’s true character. How could an awkward dwarf with a kind and gentle soul do something like this…?

  Eina glanced away, a somber look in her eyes.

  “…”

  Bell stood next to her, looking around the dead end and at the walls surrounding them.

  His inquisitive gaze fell on Dormul and then up into the night. He was unable to shake a funny feeling.

  Bell helped move the unconscious Dormul to Guild Headquarters before the end of the night.

  The dwarf would be given a chance to explain himself once he regained consciousness, but the blow from the magic sword had been so powerful that he hadn’t come back to himself just yet.

  Eina was still reeling from shock. She couldn’t even focus on work.

  “Eina, you feeling okay?”

  “Yes, I’m fine. Sorry.”

  There was a lump in her heart all day. Time passed by, and night fell once again.

  Eina forced a smile at Misha and her concerned coworkers before she left Guild Headquarters.

  Of course, Bell wasn’t waiting for her. The stalker incident had been resolved, so there was no reason to ask him to accompany her anymore.

  The night sky overhead, Eina made her way down familiar streets on her way home.

  “—Wha?”

  There was no warning.

  Eina just happened to glance over her shoulder, only to catch a glimpse of a figure she couldn’t miss. Someone in a black hooded robe. It was the same garb her pursuer had been wearing on the first night.

  All the blood drained from her face.

  “!”

  It can’t be! She silently screamed and took off at a run. Another look over her shoulder confirmed the hooded figure was following her.