Chapter 9: A Fresh Start

Right after returning from the dungeon, I was supposed to be lying on the sofa.

And yet, for some reason, I found myself waking up in bed as the afternoon sun streamed in. What kind of phenomenon is this?

Maybe I overdid it playing around in the dungeon. My whole body’s sore with muscle pain. I guess my first real adventure took more out of me than I expected.

…That said, Master’s been unusually kind, even looking somewhat apologetic. He hasn’t tried anything weird, and he’s even been spoiling me with fancy snacks loaded with sugar and spices.

Well, it’s not like I’m complaining about him being kind, so I’ve decided not to think too hard about it.

"Haaah… Getting so sore I can’t walk just from a little dungeon fun… I’m kind of pathetic, aren’t I? I really need to build some stamina."

"Senpai…"

This time, I’ve really learned my lesson—if you want to do anything, stamina is key. That was my declaration of resolve, but this is the reaction I get?

Why is Lulu looking at me with such pity in her eyes?

---

I recovered quickly. After a bit of rest, I was back to exploring the dungeon, and a fair amount of time has passed since then.

Even while I was recovering, Master barely laid a hand on me. He was strangely kind, which honestly gave me the creeps. Not that kindness is a bad thing, but I can’t help wondering what brought on the sudden change of heart.

Speaking of creepy… for a while after my first dungeon dive, I would start trembling every time I saw a horse in town. No idea why.

I don’t remember having any traumatic memories involving horses, so maybe I had some weird nightmare when I was exhausted?

I’ve mostly gotten over it now, so it’s fine—but not knowing the cause of a change in yourself… that’s scary, isn’t it?

After getting through that strange spell, I’ve gained a fair bit of experience. I’ve gotten used to dungeon exploration and combat, and I’m not holding the party back nearly as much anymore.

The time it takes to clear the Peteshe Dungeon has been cut to about half of what it used to be. Now, we’ve moved on to another dungeon—the Underground Bell Tower Dungeon located near Peteshe.

The Underground Bell Tower Dungeon is about twice the size of the Peteshe Dungeon. It’s considered the kind of place a novice would tackle once they’ve gotten the hang of dungeon crawling. Master already cleared it solo ages ago, so this is just training for Lulu and me.

As a guy, adventurous stuff like this gets my blood pumping. Can’t be helped, right? It’s a fantasy world with dungeons, after all.

"There are a lot of enemies here that use magic. Backliners, stay sharp."

"Understood."

We were fully prepared. At the entrance, Master gave us the briefing—and now, it’s go time!

…Or so I thought, all pumped up and ready, but as usual, it turned into another Master domination speedrun.

Before I knew it, we’d already reached the 20th floor out of 50. Without a single break.

So far, the enemies haven’t been all that different from the ones in Peteshe. Maybe a few goblins that could cast basic magic.

"Hm?"

Lulu twitched her ears and looked down the hallway.

I strained my ears too, curious what she’d picked up—and sure enough, I heard voices. It’s not rare to run into other parties in the dungeon, but since there’s always a risk of them being bandits or something, we have to stay alert.

"Shuuya-sama, I hear voices. Sounds like… one male, two females."

I’ve got decent ears, but when it comes to scouting, Lulu’s way ahead of me. I’m mainly there to help Master conserve mana—lighting torches, unlocking treasure chests, that kind of thing. I attack sometimes too, but yeah.

"Got it. Stay alert. Sora, don’t stray from Lulu."

"Yessir!"

I gave a sharp nod and moved behind Lulu. If I cling too close, I’d get in her way, so I stayed just within arm’s reach and the two of us followed Master’s lead.

We advanced a bit farther down the hallway, and soon, I saw a familiar figure—a chestnut-haired boy with his back to us. I was sure I’d seen him somewhere before.

The boy turned around, probably noticing us, and gave off a wary vibe. Near him stood a flashy red-haired woman wearing a high-slit robe and holding a staff, and a quiet-looking girl with golden hair and a curvy figure that guys would no doubt find appealing.

They seemed to be his party members.

"Hello there."

"…Hello."

In the dungeon, greetings are essential.

Master spoke cheerfully to avoid spooking them, but the boy gave Sora and Lulu a tense glance and frowned a little. Since neither of us were wearing our hoods, maybe that’s what drew his attention.

In general, long ears are associated with goblin or dwarf hybrids.

And among those, half-goblins don’t have the best reputation. They’re known to be stupid, crude, and violent.

For the record, the reason I got mistaken for a half-goblin and sold off was probably because I started out talking rough and acting like a delinquent. Looking back, I think it turned out to be a lucky move.

"Who are they?"

"Ah, right—my slaves."

Master answered casually, and Lulu and I bowed in sync to match his introduction. From the looks of it, the other party seems like a typical group—no visible collars or anything.

…Wait a second. Now that I get a closer look, I remember. That’s the boy who once sold off his childhood friend!

It’s been over a month since then, hasn’t it? I wonder what happened to his childhood friend?

"...Making a girl your slave? I can’t approve of that."

The boy—Cain-kun, was it?—had the nerve to say that, and I couldn’t help but freeze up for a moment.

Coming from someone who enslaved and sold his own childhood friend, those words are rich. Before he lectures anyone, I want to ask him when he plans to go pick her up.

"…Ouch. Right where it hurts. Well, it was by mutual agreement, and I plan to protect them properly."

Master gave a wry chuckle, clearly trying to keep the peace—but I could tell he was a bit irritated. I just hope he doesn’t end up taking out his frustration on us later. If we end up back in that secret underground room again, I—wait…

Hold on. Have I ever been taken to an underground room?

…Huh? Just thinking about it is making my whole body tremble.

"S-Senpai?"

"I-It's nothing, really… It’s just… when I think about… u-underground rooms I—blblblbl—"

"Ahhh, no, senpai, don’t think about it! Stop!"

Lulu hugged me tightly to her chest and gently stroked my head, but I couldn’t stop shaking.

Ababababababa.

---

Huh!?

W-What just happened to me? My memory’s hazy. We were in the dungeon… we met Cain-kun… he said something outrageous… and then…?

"Shuuya-sama, senpai’s come back to her senses~"

"Oh, you okay, Sora?"

"Uh… yes…?"

I realized I was swaying a bit—Lulu was carrying me on her back as we walked. Huh… I really can’t remember. My memory lapses are getting worse lately. I hope it’s not some weird illness…

"Shuuya-sama, you definitely went too far. Even I was completely freaked out by that one."

"Yeah, yeah, I admit I went overboard…"

Why is Master getting scolded by Lulu? What even happened after the dungeon? I really want to know… but at the same time, I really don’t want to know. What am I supposed to do with this feeling?

"Oh, right—what about that guy…?"

No use fretting. Time to switch gears. Cain-kun was nowhere in sight—guess we must’ve split up already. I wanted to ask about his childhood friend, though.

"He got all confrontational. Then when you collapsed, he used it as an excuse to run off… sigh."

Master let out an exaggerated sigh—seems he’s not too fond of Cain. Not that I can blame him. I don’t like the guy either.

"For now, just hang in there a little longer, senpai. We’re almost at the portal that leads straight to the exit."

Looks like we’d cut the exploration short and were heading out. Well, if one party member is down, it can’t be helped… Still, I feel pathetic.

We used the dedicated escape elevator that appears on every multiple-of-five floor to return to the dungeon entrance, then headed into the attached guild outpost—standard for most dungeons.

While Master went to exchange the collected loot for money, Lulu and I stayed behind in the resting area.

It’s sort of like an open café, or maybe a food court? A wide, open space with rows of tables and chairs. Adventurers gathered around, chatting and relaxing.

Some parties clinked their mugs together with joyous laughter, while others sat in silence, comforting weeping comrades in what looked like a wake. There were even crass men surrounded by armed women in collars. Truly a mixed crowd.

Dungeons are where drama happens. Best not to start pointless fights, so I tried not to make eye contact with anyone. I sipped the juice Master had ordered for me and munched on some snacks.

There’s no law restricting alcohol by age here, but that doesn’t mean you should go getting drunk for no reason.

I had some chips—thinly sliced root vegetables fried until crisp—and a grilled platter of ham and bacon. Apparently, Master came up with all of these and spread the recipes around. He’s seriously living his best life in this other world. Just once, I’d like to be the one doing the “cheating.”

"Huh? You guys…?"

At the sound of a familiar voice I hadn’t heard in a while, my body tensed up on reflex. I turned to look behind me—and there she was.

Clarice, the red-haired mage.

She’s the last person I wanted to run into without mentally preparing myself.

“C-Clarice-san?”

Oops. My voice cracked a little there.

“Hello there, little loser.”

Lulu-san, Lulu-san, why do you have to provoke her in that sing-song tone, like you're about to slap a musical note at the end of your sentence?

Do you have a death wish? You can go get yourself roasted like a cat if you want, but please don’t drag me into it. I happen to be sitting right between you and Clarice-san, you know?

Wait a minute… Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to make it look like an accident and take me out with her?

“Hmph. Still as rude as ever, you mangy cat and half-incubus. I’ll have to tell Shuuya-kun to train you properly.”

Just when I was thinking things might explode at any second, Clarice-san surprised me by staying calm. Did something good happen to her? She actually looks like she’s in a really good mood.

And please don’t lump me in with them. I’ve done nothing, and yet my reputation keeps plummeting. Also, I’m not an incubus!

“Hmm? That didn’t get to you?”

Lulu, if it had gotten to her, we’d be nothing but crispy ashes by now.

“I’ve already found a new love. I have no interest in some man from my past.”

Looking all smug, she picked up a crispy slice of bacon from the plate beside me and popped it into her mouth.

So she’s already moved on, huh?

With your nerve—snacking on someone else’s slave’s food like it’s the most natural thing in the world—you’ll probably survive just fine anywhere. So please, go be happy. Preferably far, far away from us.

“A new romance, huh?”

Lulu, don’t lean in like you’re gossip-hungry! We should be getting her to leave, not giving her a mic. She’s scary. Like, genuinely scary. You never know where her switch is—she gives me the chills.

“Interested?”

“Of course!”

Some things never change. No matter the world or status, girls will be girls… I guess I’ll put up with this.

“So, you see… After that, I got a bit reckless and started taking on all kinds of dangerous jobs. And on one of those jobs, someone in the team really scolded me. Told me, ‘You need to take better care of yourself.’ I was so moved. Like—ah, someone actually sees me. Someone cares about me.”

With eyes shining, Clarice-san spoke like a girl in love. Honestly, she sounded way more grounded than I expected. Maybe getting her heart broken once helped her calm down. Perhaps I was wrong to be so dismissive.

“And then I felt it—destiny! I had to know more about him. So I asked around the guild, got info from his friends about where he might be.”

“Wow, that’s pretty bold!”

Quite the shift for a tsundere. But maybe being proactive like that really is the path to happiness.

“Eventually, I spotted him while he was out shopping, followed him, and figured out where he was staying. He seemed to be planning a long stay, so I rented the room next to his and started learning all about what he liked.”

Okay… Okay?

“He’s got this rugged, manly face, but he has a real sweet tooth. I saw him buying honey cookies at the market, all shy about it—it was adorable. But he doesn’t seem to like sweet potato cookies. I left some handmade ones by his pillow, but he didn’t eat them.”

O-oh no. The vibe just took a nosedive. Lulu, stop darting your eyes around—this is your mess. Fix it.

“But I wanted to make him happy, so I bought all sorts of sweets and left them at his door every day. I even added little notes. Like, ‘I’m always watching you.’ And you know what? He was so happy! He started looking around for me whenever he was outside! I thought it was my big chance… but I got too embarrassed to approach him. I’m so hopeless. My past failure kept flashing through my mind, and I just couldn’t bring myself to go through with it.”

“R-Right… Totally…”

Lulu and I locked eyes, both of us nearly in tears.

“(Senpai this is bad—this is way beyond what I expected!)”

“(I told you this was a bad idea, idiot! What do we even do now!?)”

Whether she noticed our horror or not, Clarice-san, now fully revved up, went on to passionately recount her efforts in the name of love.

“And I kept watching over him like that… until recently, when he started acting strange. I got worried and asked him about it at the guild. That’s when he told me someone had been stalking him nonstop—never showing themselves, just always lurking. So I said I’d protect him! That was what sparked it all—”

This ghost story went on until Master finally came back. I’ve never been more thankful to see him in my life...

---

◇◆ADVENTURE RESULT◆◇
【EXP】
MAX Combo: 1
BATTLE TOTAL: 4

◆【Sora Lv.11】 +2
◆【Lulu Lv.4】 +2
◇―
◇―

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Sora Lv.11 [118] → Lv.12 [120] Level Up!!
Lulu Lv.4 [43] → [45]

【RECORD】
[MAX COMBO] >> 21
[MAX HIT] >> 21

【PARTY】
[Shuuya] [Lv.32] HP 440/440 MP 720/720 [Normal]
[Sora] [Lv.12] HP 20/30 MP 110/110 [Trauma Lv.1]
[Lulu] [Lv.4] HP 352/352 MP 24/24 [Normal]

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【Comment】
"S-Scary."
"Scary..."