by Fujino Omori
My eyes follow its massive trunk up and up until…
I happen to catch a glimpse of the ceiling.
“…Ah, aren’t those?”
“Yes, all crystals.”
Aiz was nice enough to answer my unfinished question.
Just as she said, the entire ceiling of this level is covered in a sheet of crystals.
They go from corner to corner and all the way around, like a field of blooming flowers looking down from above. They are divided into two colors: The big ones in the center are white and remind me of the sun; the ones surrounding them are blue like the sky.
There is no blue sky in the Dungeon.
All the crystals above us make it look like there is.
“The light from the crystals disappears after a while…That’s when night comes.”
My eyes peel back in surprise.
According to Aiz, the amount of light changes the same way all the time. Right now it’s the “afternoon.” Apparently it’s not matched up with the real sky, though…
It’s almost like the Dungeon prepared this by looking outside, I think to myself as I look at the blue crystals.
“…”
The safe point, level eighteen.
A world full of nature and crystals far below the surface.
It has another name: Under Resort.
Plains and a lake, complete with a blue sky. I stand next to Aiz and take it all in.
Back at the campsite in the middle of the forest, there’s a tent a bit bigger than the others.
A flag bearing Loki Familia’s emblem hangs inside.
And now I’m standing in front of some of the most famous adventurers in Orario.
“Aiz told me about your situation…but I didn’t think you had already been carried into our camp.”
The person speaking to me has blond hair, very similar to Aiz’s golden locks. His eyes are a deep blue, the same color as a lake. Right now, he’s doing his best to force a smile.
Just standing in front of this grimacing prum boy is making every hair on my body stand on end.
No, it’s not just him. There are two incredibly strong demi-humans behind each of his shoulders. I steal a few glances in their direction, but I avoid eye contact at all costs.
“Oh-ho, this that adventurer you were talking about, Reveria?”
“Indeed, Galess. This is Bell Cranell.”
A dwarf built like a stone fortress and a very refined elf. I can feel their gazes; just by listening to their conversation I know they’re appraising me, judging me. It’s making me even more nervous.
The prum Finn Deimne is Loki Familia’s highest-ranking adventurer and field general. The strong, wise dwarf elder is Galess Landrock. And Orario’s most powerful magic user is the elfess Reveria Riyos Ahrve.
The three of them are all top class and are practically the face of Orario’s adventurers.
“Th-th-thank you for everything you have done. I-I-I can’t thank you enough…!”
I just became an upper-class adventurer myself. But looking at these three—and Aiz as well—there’s no doubt they are in a league of their own, far above me.
I’m doing my best to express my gratitude, body low and head down. But for whatever reason I get the feeling that my pathetic stuttering and weakness are only annoying them. Even Aiz, standing right next to me, is looking at me funny.
The skin on my body is red enough to rival the salamander wool covering it.
“Don’t be so tense, take it easy. We’re all adventurers, aren’t we? It’s at times like these that we have to help each other out,” says Finn Deimne as he stretches his shoulders. “And considering that you’re a friend of Aiz’s, we can’t exactly turn you away. She’d hold a grudge worse than you can imagine. If we didn’t do everything in our power to help, none of us would be able to sleep at night.”
There’s a tinge of humor in his voice. I’m so nervous that I almost miss it. A smile grows on my lips before I know it. Every fiber of my being is telling me to keep my distance from them, but the air feels lighter somehow.
Aiz flashes him a look. I think it meant something like “don’t say anything weird.” All the tension in the room suddenly leaves. The atmosphere in here is almost comical.
Mr. Finn smiles at me like a boy his age actually would. All my nerves have settled down.
“I believe I understand exactly what happened, but could I hear it in your own words? I’ll tell you about our situation, too. Think of it as an exchange of information.”
“Ah, sure.”
This boy has very good people skills. I feel very comfortable telling him everything. It must come from experience. I nod and start talking.
From the thirteenth through the eighteenth, I spare no detail in my explanation.
“Ga-ha-ha! All the way ta the eighteenth on yer first day! Finn, Reveria, ya were right! This youngster’s quite interesting!”
“Galess, this is not a private conversation. Please hold your tongue.”
The elf Reveria shoots a one-eyed glare as a warning to the laughing dwarf, Galess.
Actually, I told them that coming down to the eighteenth floor was Lilly’s idea…but the dwarf warrior didn’t pay attention. Instead, he kept praising me, saying things like, “Got some shifty feet, there, laddie! Escapin’ from the floor boss like that!” I can’t help but smile back at him.
“As for us, we’re taking a rest here. Usually we pass right through the eighteenth floor and straight up to the surface when returning from an expedition…but this time we encountered some monsters with particularly potent venom.”
Mr. Finn goes on to say that a good deal of Loki Familia’s adventurers, excluding the higher-level ones like Aiz, are infected. Many of them can’t move on their own.
Since they were returning from an expedition…meaning that their stock of healing items was very low, they had no way to heal everyone. It was impossible for them to keep moving as a group.
“We sent Bete, the fastest member of our Familia, up to the surface to gather some antidotes. With any luck he’ll be back tomorrow, but in any case we’re stuck here until he arrives.”
Apparently he set off to collect the healing items just before we arrived on the eighteenth floor.
We must’ve just missed him because we used the holes instead of taking the regular path.
“We’re very low on supplies, especially food. We’ll give you all we can spare, but please understand it’s not much.”
“N-no, we’ll be extremely grateful for anything at all!”
Considering the fact they’ve already given us a tent to use even though so many of their members are suffering from venom, they’ve already treated us extremely well. We have no right to complain.
“It’s just for a short while, so we will treat you as guests for the time being. As long as you don’t try to stir up trouble, you can use that tent for as long as we’re here. I’ll let everyone know myself.”
“…Really, I’m so grateful for everything…Thank you very much.”
I thank him, filling my words with as much gratitude as possible.
“You owe us one,” Mr. Finn says with a light smile. I say a few more thank-yous as Aiz and I leave the tent.
“Are you sure, Finn?”
Reveria asked Finn a question after Bell left the tent.
Her emerald-green hair swished around her shoulders as she looked down toward the short general.
“It is true that Aiz has taken a liking to him…Plus, there is a member of Hephaistos Familia in Bell’s party.”
“You are certain of this?”
“Yes. One of the smiths told me.”
High Smiths belonging to Hephaistos Familia had joined this expedition alongside Loki Familia. One of the smiths had informed Finn that he recognized Welf when the young man was carried into the camp.
“Goddess Hephaistos doesn’t consider any of her followers to be more important than another, yes? I’d hate to get on her bad side just b
ecause we refused to help one of them.”
“Logical,” nodded Reveria with a satisfied look on her face.
Finn swiveled his eyes up to meet her gaze.
“The icing on the cake is that you are interested in Bell Cranell as well, aren’t you, Reveria? Aiz has taken an interest in him, so how could you not?”
“…I will not deny that.”
“Ga-ha-ha! Look at you, Reveria! Bein’ all motherly!”
“No teasing, Galess,” she replied, looking somewhat annoyed.
The large dwarf’s hearty laughter continued all the same.
“It’s good for her to show interest and initiative…Personally, I think this is an opportunity for her. But what about your perspective as the leader of our Familia? It’s highly likely that the reason that Aiz left home early before this expedition was to meet with Bell Cranell.”
Finn, like Reveria, had noticed strange changes in her behavior before the expedition, such as asking how to issue commands to adventurers. They could see the effect that Bell’s early-morning training sessions had on the girl.
“Hmm, I think that it would be good for Aiz to change as well…But for now, let’s keep Loki in the dark about this.”
“Oi, Finn! Ya should challenge Bell Cranell ta a wrestlin’ match! It’s a style of fightin’ Loki was talkin’ about. And this geezer would very much like to know how strong he is.”
“Hmm…no.”
Finn explained that as the leaders of the group, there was no room for carelessness. They could unknowingly put the white rabbit of a boy who was following Aiz around camp in danger.
“In any case, there shouldn’t be any problems. Bell Cranell doesn’t seem like the kind of human who would go looking for a fight. We’ll keep an eye on him for the time being,” said Finn, casting his eyes back toward the exit of the tent.
I follow Aiz back to the main camp after meeting with Mr. Finn and the others.
If I had to guess, I’d say there’s more than ten white tents set up in the forest. I’m sure there are people suffering from poison inside each of them. Healthy adventurers stand guard outside each tent.
The light filtering down through the branches and leaves from the canopy above is soft. Leaves rustle in the trees above us, but we’re not the only ones out and about right now.
“Aiz, good afternoon.”
“Good afternoon…”
Members of Loki Familia greet Aiz as they walk past.
That’s right, she’s one of their leaders…
Forgetting something that important sends a twinge to my body. I belong to a different Familia, and yet here I am walking with her like this. No wonder I’ve been getting all these strange looks.
As proof, “welcoming” is the last word I would use to describe their attitude toward me. Men and women either look at me like I’m some kind of criminal or stare at me with very serious eyes.
An elf who just walked by, probably a magic user, didn’t stop glaring at me until she passed. I’m scared…!
I’d be overpowered in an instant if I tangled with any of them. They’re higher level than me, for sure. And I’m sure they aren’t exactly happy I’m walking around their campsite like this.
“Level eighteen…”
“Huh?”
Aiz suddenly speaks with her back to me.
I look up and see that she’s looking over her shoulder at me, her face in profile.
“You’ve…already made it to level eighteen…”
“Eh, umm…Just like I told Mr. Finn, you see, one thing led to another and we just kind of ended up here…We weren’t planning on it, though, and we a-almost died!”
I trip over my words as I try to respond and scratch my bandaged cheek.
Aiz spins on her heel to face me, as if she isn’t satisfied with such a weak answer.
“Did slaying that Minotaur make you Level Two?”
She’s not blinking at all. Her golden stare is rather intimidating, so I nod.
She stays like that for a moment before twisting her body like she’s trying to get a look at my back.
Then: shuffle, shuffle. She moves to my side. I do my best to shrink away, and break out in a cold sweat.
…Is she trying to look at my Status?
I don’t know why I’m getting that impression but once again, shuffle, shuffle. She moves once more. So do I. Shuffle, shuffle, step, step, shuffle, shuffle, step, step. What is going on?
Other members of her Familia are watching us. The white-haired boy glistening with sweat and the airheaded Aiz—it must look like we’re doing some kind of footwork practice…Out of nowhere:
“Wow—it’s really Argonaut!”
A very energetic voice reaches my ears.
Sure, I wasn’t expecting anyone to speak up, but it was what she called me that makes my heart skip a beat.
I quickly spin around to face the owner of the voice and see two girls with wheat-colored skin coming up to me.
“Tiona, Tione…”
“You’ve been busy, Aiz. I hear you’ve already talked to Finn?”
“I heard you’d been carried in, but you’re awake, too! You’re one lucky guy, Argonaut!”
Aiz called these two Tiona and Tione…twins, maybe? One has shorter black hair just long enough to cover her ears; the other’s is the same color and extends halfway down her back. Their clothes are different, but their faces are almost identical. Their height, too.
Based on how much tan skin is showing, it’d be a safe bet to say they’re Amazons. The long-haired one talks to Aiz first, while the one with short hair comes right up to me…However.
She’s called me “Argonaut” twice. That’s the same name as my Skill. Blood is tearing through my veins.
She knows?! My mind is racing. I open and close my mouth, trying to speak, but nothing comes out. On my third or fourth attempt, words finally emerge.
“A-Argonaut? How do you mean…?”
“Ahh, don’t mind her. It’s just a name this blockhead came up with to call you.”
“All of us saw you fight that Minotaur! And watching you reminded me of this fairy tale I used to love when I was a kid. So, yeah, you were incredible!”
Somehow, my battle with the Minotaur on the ninth floor reminded her of the legend of Argonaut. I take a deep breath and feel the relief wash over me. It wasn’t my Skill, but this girl’s free-spirited personality that led her to dub me Argonaut. An adventurer’s Status, basic abilities, Magic, and Skills are his lifeline. They’re best kept protected.
We start to introduce ourselves.
The girl who calls me Argonaut is Tiona Hyrute and the long-haired girl is Tione Hyrute…Wait a minute. The Amazonian Hyrute sisters? Aren’t they famous top-class adventurers just like Aiz?
Sure, I’d never seen them face-to-face or knew their first names, but it took me way too long to figure it out.
“The fact that you’re here means you’ve reached Level Two, am I right? I know you can take down a Minotaur on your own, but you’re something else, kiddo.”
“Ah! He’s blushing! So cute!”
“…”
Their teasing makes me smile, but to be honest, I can’t focus on what they’re saying.
My eyes keep drifting toward the wide expanses of healthy, wheat-colored skin.
Tiona only has one strip of fabric wrapped around her chest. Her pareu-style skirt goes down to her knees, but her stomach is completely exposed. Meanwhile, Tione’s attire looks like little more than underwear—bra and panties…That is to say, there’s no safe place to put my eyes. It’s either watch her large breasts sway as she moves or follow her long, slender waist down…
This pressure is a new kind of overwhelming.
Surrounded by beautiful girls who are more than likely a few years older than me…I feel like I could pass out at any moment.
((((Don’t get cocky!))))
“—”
I didn’t exactly hear that so much as I felt it.
It came
from all the men around the camp with their eyes on us—cold, glaring eyes.
The color drains from my face in an instant.
“I—I’m going to go check on my friends?!”
I think I hear someone say, “Ah, there he goes,” while I make my escape.
I nearly fall several times as I dash like a madman to put some distance between the girls and me.
The forest is getting darker.
The “sunlight” coming down through the many leaves above my head is getting dimmer…The light from the crystals is fading.
“Afternoon” in the Dungeon is over. “Night” is about to begin.
It really is getting dark…
I take a look outside the tent.
There is no red twilight between the two; the “sky” goes from blue to black. While it does feel a little strange that the natural progression outside it doesn’t exist down here, it’s still amazing to me that night can fall in the Dungeon.
I leave the tent entrance and go back inside.
Lilly and Welf are still sleeping. Even though there is nothing to do, I feel like I’m taking care of them as I look at their peaceful faces.
The campsite gets livelier as time passes. I space out for a little bit, but they’re probably making dinner right now.
“Hnnn…”
Welf’s body moves. At the same time, the blanket over Lilly starts shifting little by little.
Another wave of relief flows through my body.
“…Where are we?”
“Mr. Bell…?”
Both of them slowly blink their eyes as they look around. Knowing that both of them are alive takes the last bit of weight off my shoulders, and I can finally breathe easy.
I talk to them, my voice loose and calm.
“Lilly, Welf, are you two okay? Do you know who I am?”
“…Lilly doesn’t think there will be a day when she doesn’t recognize Mr. Bell’s face.”
“Ah…Li’l E’s just as sassy as ever, I hear. Nothin’ wrong with me. Heya, Bell.”
A smile works its way across Lilly’s lips as Welf responds like his usual self.
I grin from ear to ear and wait for both of them to wake up completely.
