"Hey, Labyris. How long do you plan on sitting there? Not that I mind, but... if I get too used to this, I'll feel lonely when you eventually stop doing it as if it's the most natural thing in the world."
I looked down at Labyris, who was still perched on my lap.
"If Yuki doesn't reject me, I'll sit here forever," she replied instantly, without a hint of hesitation.
"...Do as you like. I'll do the same."
"Mm. You can even push me down if you want."
She said this while I was contentedly stroking her head.
Man, if she told me the next day, "You didn't actually take that seriously, did you?" I'd be devastated. This is exactly why modern Japanese youth are terrified of romance—it's a rite of passage almost everyone goes through.
There are way too many people who pull that kind of stunt just for a laugh. I almost ended up traumatized by it back in my student days.
"...Give me the details on that woman. I'll kill her."
"Don't worry about it."
"...It's a huge problem. If some woman is the reason Yuki is like this, I'll torture her until she regrets ever being born."
"Calm down. You can't just go around attacking everyone. Think of me as being 'just right' as I am."
I held the increasingly homicidal Labyris close to calm her down. This is dangerous—I thought she was the cool-headed type, but she's got some serious yandere streaks.
While we were "brainstorming" traps (definitely not flirting), I received a report from the Slime and small animal scouts. Humans had been spotted entering the alert zone.
"This is bad. The targets are... one woman and about ten men. Bandits?"
"What's wrong?"
"There are humans near the dungeon. We can't interfere carelessly."
"...Why not?"
"Right now, this dungeon is supposed to be maintaining peace through Elju's power. If we make contact from our side, it might look like the dungeon is going berserk. Even if I sent Mobu, Milly, or Ratz to intercept, Seraria—who supposedly inherited Elju's will and power—isn't here. People might think we've hijacked the place."
"...What if Mobu and Ratz disguised themselves as travelers and helped?"
"If the woman is clearly being attacked by bandits, that's fine. But if the pursuers are assassins or soldiers from somewhere..."
"...It becomes the perfect excuse to find fault with this dungeon."
"Exactly. They could claim they were attacked by monsters, or that the people running the place interfered with official business."
Well, I'll judge once I see the footage. According to the scouts, the forest has helped maintain a decent distance between the two groups. I'll check both parties in the meantime.
"I'll decide after seeing the visuals."
"Visuals?"
"Oh, right, you wouldn't know. Try saying 'Call'."
"...? Call?"
As Labyris whispered the word, a blue window appeared in front of her.
"What is this?"
"See the names on the right? There's a 'All' button above them. Press it."
When she pressed it, the faces of the thirteen people she had met appeared simultaneously across thirteen windows.
『W-W-What is this!? Wait, Labyris-chan? And Onii-san?』
As always, Ratz has excellent reactions—in both good and bad ways.
"Can everyone else see our faces? If you can, give me a response."
Confirmations trickled in from everyone.
"This ability allows for easy communication with members under 'Designated Protection.' Anyway, everyone meet in the banquet hall where we had breakfast. There are humans near the dungeon. I want to discuss how to handle it."
Leaving the sleeping Aslin and Filia be for now, I headed to the banquet hall with Labyris on my shoulders.
"Everyone's fast."
"Well, Onii-san, your room is the furthest away, so it's only natural."
Ratz replied.
Milly and Elju were there too. Elju didn't seem to be acting out; she looked relatively composed.
"Sorry to keep you. Take a seat anywhere. I'll explain the situation."
I walked up to the small stage in the banquet hall and pressed a button beneath a light switch. Suddenly, a large, thin flat-screen TV lowered from the ceiling, displaying a map of the dungeon floors and the surrounding area.
"...O-Onii-san. I understand that's a map of the area, but... your lack of common sense is reaching absurd levels."
"Let's save that talk for after we solve the problem."
I explained the situation to the group.
"I see. So we can't just help her carelessly," Ratz noted.
"Ten men... We could go, but unless we pull off a perfect ambush, it'll be hard to round them all up," Mobu suggested.
"Even so, if the woman escapes into the dungeon, we'll be forced to intercept the pursuers anyway," Eris added.
I'm glad I brought everyone in; having these discussions actually yields perspectives I might miss.
"...Yuki, do you have footage of the woman? We can't act without knowing who we're dealing with," Kurse pointed out.
True enough. And right on cue...
The scouts have both parties in sight. Putting it on screen now."
The images appeared before everyone. Several people gasped.
"Rurua-sama!?"
"Isn't that the little miss!?"
Just as Elju and Mobu identified her, the woman on screen was indeed the former Saint of Rithea, Rurua.
"And the pursuers are..."
"...They certainly don't look like bandits."
Raiya and Kurse noted.
The twelve pursuers were towering men in polished armor. One appeared to be a woman in mail, but her face was hidden by a full helmet.
"...Does anyone know who the pursuers are?"
"Yeah, I recognize them. Those are the guys who came to pick up Rurua-jouchan. Though there are three missing from the original group," Mobu answered.
...Well, that explains it.
"I guess Rurua became a nuisance to them in one way or another."
"...Rurua-sama."
"Likely."
Those who knew Rurua nodded in grim agreement.
"Um, excuse me, Onii-san. We're feeling a bit left behind here. Am I right in assuming she's the 'former' Saint of Rithea?"
Ratz asked, looking at me.
"Sorry, Ratz is right. According to Mobu, the pursuers are Rithean knights."
"...What does that mean? Wasn't their goal... the Saint sitting right over there?" Milly glared at Elju.
"No, targeting Elju's life was just a means to an end—to stabilize the country."
"Ah, I see. That makes sense." Eris said, clapping her hands.
"Alright, Eris, tell me your conclusion in a bit. But first: Slime 01, make contact with Rurua. I'll speak to her directly and guide her to the dungeon. Slimes 02 through 10, exit the dungeon and support 01. Once 01 leads her inside, wait outside and confirm the enemies enter. Also, check for any reinforcements."
At my command, eight blue dots—the slimes—moved out of the dungeon.
『A slime!? At a time like this!?』
Rurua's face filled the screen.
"Calm down. I am Yuki, the Dungeon Master. Follow that slime—it'll guide you here."
『Dungeon Master!? But I'm being chased! This will cause trouble for you!』
"Don't worry, I know. Just move as quietly and quickly as possible while listening to me. The enemy isn't that far behind, so stay sharp."
『...How unreasonable. Understood. It doesn't seem like I have much choice.』
The slime began leading Rurua, keeping her in view.
Bounce, bounce.
Because the slime was at a low angle, things were... very visible. Rurua was wearing a beautiful white robe, which usually obscured her figure. However, looking up from below, it was easy to tell: her chest was definitely not flat. Since the slime was looking up, her expression was only visible occasionally.
...In other words, they were huge.
Boing, jiggle.
Oh, they bounced. Did she trip?
Are those bigger than Labyris'? They might be the biggest in the whole group. Watermelons. Yes, those are definitely watermelons!!
"...What exactly are you looking at, Yuki?" Labyris whispered into my ear from my shoulders.
"Ahem. Okay, Rurua has started moving. Eris, explain the situation. Meanwhile, I'll set up the new traps Labyris and I designed. We'll try to neutralize, capture, or kill the knights."
"Yes, if I may..."
Witness my flawless evasion technique!!
"...I'll be informing Ratz. You'd better prepare yourself for tonight. And the bath."
With that, Labyris ran over to Ratz and whispered something in her ear. Ratz smiled brightly at me.
...Was it my imagination, or was there a chill in the air?
* * *
Side: Rurua
Honestly, I thought it was all over.
I never imagined the hardliners who orchestrated this conflict would come for me as well... Out of the fifteen who came, twelve apparently belonged to that faction. I feel so sorry for the three who died trying to protect me.
『If I may, the reason Rithea tried to eliminate Elju was to stabilize the country. They thought killing her would bring peace, but the influence of the former Saintess, Rurua, was simply too strong. While some accepted her stepping down, others were surely plotting to use her to their advantage. For those people, the fact that Rurua's power is greater than the current Saint's is a huge problem. That's why they used the "Demon King's attack" as a cover to try and eliminate her as well.』
The elven woman on the screen continued to talk.
She's likely right. To those plotters, my mere existence is an obstacle. I have no intention of doing anything, and I even believe Arshtelle-sama has the potential to be a worthy successor. She's just... incomplete right now.
"Yes... I think you're right. Ah—!"
I tripped over a root I didn't see. Stumbling slightly, I pushed forward, following the slime.
"Where is she!? Rurua must die here so that Arshtelle-sama can become the true Saintess!!"
They really aren't that far away!?
"I'll finish her off in the same place her little 'Fake Saintess' friend ran to! She should be grateful!!"
The shouting voices were getting closer.
How tasteless—this is a place Seraria declared off-limits, so no one should be near it. They're just saying whatever suits them. It's just a convenient place for them to dispose of me.
"Is it much further?"
『About 57 steps to the entrance. Hang in there.』
"What do you mean, 57 steps? How could you possibly know my exact position?"
The Dungeon Master and his weirdly specific jokes. To know something like that, you'd have to be looking down at me from the heavens...
"...No way."
Right in front of me, the entrance to a dungeon opened up.
[There is no one in the dungeon. Please go away. If you have business, leave a letter in the post box next door. Paper is preferred, but carving into a nearby tree is also OK.]
With a sign designed to mock people.
『Oi, hurry up and get in—you'll be spotted!』
"There she is!! Fire!!"
I was a second too slow to snap out of my daze.
"Agh!?"
Thud, thud. Arrows pierced my back with ease...
...I can still move. I have to get deeper inside...
My consciousness began to haze, but I forced my legs to move, stepping into the unknown depths of the dungeon.
