Chapter 11: Charlotte and 【The Scarlet Bell】〇

Well then, while resisting Trishel’s sinister hands, we finally made it to their clan house.
Riven didn’t protect me at all. This guy…

"Let me show you to the room, follow me."

"A splendid building."

"Thanks. I worked myself to the bone to get it, it’s my pride and joy."

…Those two are pretty chummy.
Maybe it’s something only the strong can understand in each other.
Even while I was running around trying to get away from Trishel, they kept chatting nonstop.

The moment we stepped inside the clan house, people who noticed us rushed over.
In an instant, we were surrounded.

"You’re back, leader!"

"What do you mean Trishel’s actually motivated!? She hardly ever leaves her room, let alone gets serious!?"

"Hey, hey, there’s something I wanted to consult about…"

"Hey there, hello everyone."

In contrast to the crowd’s energy, Reynard was calm. Trishel was even yawning.
Maybe this really is just an ordinary day for them. Me? I got so overwhelmed I ended up hiding behind Riven.
I’ve even gotten used to her clicking her tongue at me. As long as she doesn’t actually lay hands on me, it’s not so bad.

"Listen to me――"

"――Yeah, yeah, I hear you."

"I wanted to ask about――"

"Ah, that’s――"

…They really look up to him. Watching these exchanges brings back memories.
Back when we were with 【The Scarlet Sword】, it felt just like this.
Everyone gathered around Reynard. Sure, there was some romance here and there, but overall it was warm and cheerful. We had some truly fun times.

…Man, I miss that.

"Hey, it’s fine to listen to the underlings’ worries, but let’s talk business. Don’t ignore us."

"Ah, sorry. So that’s that, everyone—let us through, okay?"

Just one word from him, and the crowd parted.
That overwhelming charisma. The quality of a true leader who can gather people together.
Should I be happy he’s grown into someone so dependable, or…?
It almost feels like someone I was once close to has gone far ahead of me, and it’s a little lonely.

From up above, I heard a soft little “hoh” of admiration.

"Well then, shall we?"

Led by Reynard, we were shown into one of the clan house’s rooms.
Maybe they often hold meetings like this. It was just as fancy as the League’s reception room.
I couldn’t help but wonder how much those vases in the corner cost. They looked expensive.

"About ten gold coins each, give or take."

A whisper in my ear. Apparently, they really were pricey.

"Please, have a seat over there. …Trishel, you sit on this side."

"Eeh, but I wanna sit next to Charlotte-chan."

"You’ll just scare her, won’t you? Besides, you’re a clan member too. Right?"

There was an intense pressure hidden behind his smile.
Reynard’s really gotten strong.
Back then, he used to get underestimated by the party a lot, but now he knows when to tighten the reins.
…Though since Trishel keeps messing with me, maybe he’s still being taken lightly.

"…Fine. I get it, so stop that, it’s scary."

Trishel reluctantly obeyed.
Thank goodness. The last thing I want is her touching me during a serious discussion.
…And don’t look at me like you’re disappointed!

Riven and I sat on the long sofa opposite Reynard and the others, and the talk began.

"So then, let’s hear it all."

Why are you acting so high and mighty? You’re the one asking for information here.

"First, let’s talk about the dungeon we’re going to dive into this time. Trishel, listen carefully too."

"Okaay."

What a halfhearted response. And she’s blatantly staring at me again… don’t wave just because our eyes met! Focus on the conversation!

"This time we’re heading into a dungeon where grotesque masses of flesh writhe. Commonly known as the 'Meat Sack'."

"Eeh!? That place? I hate it, it always makes my gear filthy."

"Complaining won’t change anything. I’ve already confirmed it with Mr. Peat, so there’s no mistake."

The Meat Sack. I’ve never gone in myself, but I’ve heard the stories.
The monsters there are all grotesque, meaty-looking things, so despite the good rewards, the dungeon isn’t very popular.
Apparently, though, the meat from those monsters tastes surprisingly good and sells for quite a bit.

Our place doesn’t handle it, so I’ve never actually tasted it. But I’ve heard some high-end restaurants—the kind adventurers never use—serve it. Adventurers themselves almost never eat it. They say once you’ve seen what the monsters look like, you can’t help but picture it when you eat, and your appetite just dies. That’s all secondhand info, though.
Still, it’s considered a luxury ingredient. And the dungeon’s difficulty is definitely nothing to scoff at.

"Many of the monsters’ body fluids carry paralytic poison, so the most important thing is to watch out for splatter."

"What about the enemies’ strength?"

"For someone of your skill, it won’t be much trouble. But the dungeon uses a lot of trickery, so it’s vital to keep your eyes sharp and watch your surroundings."

Paralysis poison. That’s the real problem.
Sure, with antidote potions it sounds like no big deal. But once your body’s numb, it becomes hard to drink them yourself.
Your movements also slow down, so once you’re paralyzed it’s harder to dodge the next hit, which paralyzes you more, leaving you stuck in a vicious cycle.

I remember the League issuing a notice before: no one was to enter alone.

"What kind of trickery, specifically? Where should we be on guard?"

"First off, the dungeon corridors look like the insides of some giant creature. Monsters camouflage themselves into the walls and floors."

"…Ambushes, huh. That’s troublesome."

"And if you get hit, you’re slowed by paralysis poison. You get the picture?"

Riven nodded firmly.
No matter how strong you are, if you can’t move, you’re no different from an ordinary person.
Good—at least he understands the danger.

"Charlotte, you’ve got a magic bag, right? How many antidote potions can you carry?"

"Hmm, depends on how we handle the expedition. If it takes several days, we’ll need monster-repellent potions too. Since I’m a non-combatant, it makes the most sense for me to carry them…"

It sounded like an excuse, but realistically the formation would be Reynard and Riven up front, with Trishel and me in the rear. Out of all of us, the only one who can’t fight directly is me. Which means I’ll have more free hands.
It’s only natural I’d be the one handling the miscellaneous supplies. Better to pack them with me.

That’s the usefulness of a magic bag—being able to store all sorts of tools. I’ll make full use of it.

"This is just my guess, but I don’t think the cause lies deep in the dungeon."

"What’s your reasoning?"

"Just a simple prediction: irregularities usually occur close to where they originate. I doubt the cause is far from the areas where they’ve been observed."

That wasn’t all. Reynard straightened his posture before continuing.

"As a starting point, all the irregularities have been observed in the shallow floors."

"Couldn’t that just be because fewer people reach the deeper floors, so the shallow ones are where they’re noticed?"

"Possible, but only slightly. If that’s the case, then it wouldn’t be irregularities but rather the dungeon itself transforming."

"And in that case, what becomes of our job?"

"Then our task would be to confirm whether the dungeon environment itself is changing. That would mean going quite deep."

So the possibility of diving into the deeper levels can’t be ruled out.
But Reynard himself still believes the cause is in the shallows.

When diving into a dungeon, it’s only natural to set a clear objective.
The gear needed to push into the depths is completely different from what’s needed for combing through the upper floors.
And this job might require both.

"…So we’ll be splitting the expedition across several days?"

First, a thorough search of the shallow floors where the cause is most likely.
If nothing’s found, then we’ll move to the deeper levels.
Not crammed into a single day, but split across multiple, adjusting our equipment accordingly to reduce the gap.

"That’s what it looks like. So, I’ll be counting on you for a while."

Reynard held out his hand for a shake.
Trishel reached toward me at the same time, but got smacked down from the side. Good—keep her in check like that.

Since Reynard offered to me first, I took his hand.
It was big, hard, and calloused.
After a firm handshake, Reynard extended his hand to Riven.

"…I’ll take this as a chance to learn a few things."

The hand was accepted without issue.

After that, we discussed the finer details—who would carry what, how much gear, and so on.
By the time we wrapped up, the sky was already dark. Reynard and Riven walked me back to the Stray Cat Inn.