Chapter 125
Chapter 125
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 125
Chapter Title: Side Story: Cat Village
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After the family meeting ended, Balak's group returned to the first floor.
But what had the others been up to in the meantime?
Rewind time a bit, to just before Balak and his brothers headed to the meeting.
Ophelia and Kairel, who had left first, followed Pepira to the sixth floor for some fun.
They arrived on the sixth floor via teleportation, landing in a lush forest. Kairel, enveloped by the fresh embrace of nature, let out a gasp of admiration.
"Wow... It's been a year since I last saw a forest like this. It really hits home... And this place really is a dungeon, huh? My mana stirs even under sunlight—"
"Kairel sis, watch your step."
"Huh...? Whoa?!"
Thud!
Crash!
"Ow ow ow..."
"Kairel, if you get distracted like that in a forest like this, you'll keep tripping, nya."
"Sorry, sorry."
Kairel had tripped over a root. As she got back up, she looked around.
Even a quick glance upward revealed fruits hanging abundantly, and the sounds of birds and beasts suggested plenty of flora and fauna thriving here.
"Ophelia, I get why Pepira didn't realize this was a dungeon."
"If they'd been told outright that this was a dungeon, they would've denied it flat out. But after seeing Father's dungeon, it kinda makes sense."
"The boss's dungeon is practically in the realm of creation..."
Both shared the same sentiment about the dungeon's forest-like scenery.
Then, a strange feeling washed over them.
"Why was I stuck alone in that dark, damp cave...?"
"...Your situation was better off, sis."
"Ophelia?"
"Think back to where your original body was."
"Oh..."
That's right! Kairel suddenly remembered the state Ophelia had been in before marriage.
A crumbling old mansion that screamed haunted house, with Ophelia sitting there all by her lonesome!
Spending a year alone in a place like that would drive anyone insane, no matter what creature showed up.
As they both snapped back to reality, Pepira, who had been leading the way, called out to them.
"Kairel, Ophelia. You two okay, nya?"
"Yeah, sorry."
"Just some bad memories resurfaced."
"What kind of memories...?"
"Pepira, it's like this."
Pepira had made her way down from the sixth floor—all this lush forest—to the fourth floor on her own.
Before long, Kairel explained that the massive ruined building was where Ophelia had been.
"Hyieeek?! Ophelia, you were in a dump like that for a whole year?!"
"If she'd stayed there any longer, who knows what would've happened, but now..."
"My original body is very satisfied with her current life."
As the three chatted while walking, their voices began echoing through the forest.
Kairel and Ophelia spotted a shadow moving atop the trees.
Pepira, walking with them, didn't notice and just kept going.
But the shadow kept tailing them.
Just as Pepira announced they were almost at her village...
"Halt, nya!!!"
"Huh?"
A Nyaotribe child's voice rang out from the forest, and the three looked around.
The shout carried a warning.
"This is Dream Claw Tribe territory, nya! Turn back now, nya!"
The constant "nya" tacked onto the end made it anything but threatening.
Seeing Pepira's face, they seemed delighted rather than alarmed, so it was clear the voice's owner was close to her—and pretty weak.
In the end, Kairel, the cat lover, struck!
Swoosh!
"Gotcha!"
"Nyaahhh?!"
She snatched a black cat that had been hiding in the trees in an instant.
*************
The black cat caught in Kairel's hands thrashed wildly, demanding to be let go.
But its short limbs flailing around were just too adorable, turning Kairel into a doting mom with a beaming smile.
Pepira knew this black cat well, too.
"Nero!! Long time no see, nya!"
"P-Pepira!! Why are outsiders here?!"
The black Nyaotribe's name was Nero.
Like Pepira, he was a Dream Claw Tribe warrior.
"Kairel, Ophelia! This guy's my friend Nero, nya."
"Why are you calling me your friend, nya! Unlike you, I've got the title of guard captain, nya!"
"Pfft, we've hung out since we were kids, and you always say that, nya."
"Sh-Shut up, nya!"
""Heh heh...""
Watching the two cats bicker, Kairel and Ophelia felt something stir and slowly approached Nero.
Stretchhhh!
Pat pat.
"Eeeeek, nyaahhh!!!"
"So... squishy..."
"And soft."
They squished him flat.
Pepira stepped in to rescue her friend, and Nero finally escaped their grasp.
"Wh-What humiliation is this...?"
"You'll get used to it, nya. More importantly, Nero, why are you out here alone?"
"Hmph! While you were gone, Pepira, a huge incident hit the forest, nya."
"An incident?"
"Nero, can you tell us?"
Nero, figuring he'd get squished again if he held out, let out a big sigh and spoke.
"A while back, trolls and a banshee showed up in the forest, nya."
"T-Trolls! Is that for real?! Any damage to the village...?"
"Nope, nya. This weird forest keeps you from getting hungry in the first place, so the trolls don't seem interested in attacking us, nya."
"That's a relief."
"Whew, that scared me..."
Kairel's group had feared the gluttonous trolls would cause trouble in the forest.
But unexpectedly, the troll was just hammering away at some cave entrance.
"A troll hammering?"
"Probably a blacksmith troll, nya. Wanted to talk to it, but too risky... So we're focusing on dealing with the banshee that's actually causing harm first, nya."
"The banshee's causing harm?! What happened...?"
"Super evil jerk, nya! Shows up every night scaring the villagers, nya."
"Wha—seriously? That's it?"
"For a higher undead to move and the only damage is scares... How trivial."
"Trivial?! You done talking, nya?! Other villages even had folks fainting, nya!"
Banshees were a type of female undead—ethereal spirits immune to physical attacks.
Yet they could wield physical force, making them dangerous.
Hearing that such a being was just pranking the Nyaotribe for fun put question marks over Kairel and Ophelia's heads.
Either way, with guard captain Nero nearby, they really were close to the Dream Claw Tribe village.
Soon, Pepira explained to Nero why she'd brought the two—and revealed the source of that massive power surge from before.
"Pshh~ Don't mess around, nya. No way something like that exists, nya."
"Nero's got the same reaction as Pepira."
"Can't be helped. I thought the same when I first saw Father."
Nero didn't buy the story of Balak's punch shaking dimensions.
But he saw Kairel and Ophelia as the key to solving the banshee issue.
He led the three to the village entrance.
There, amid small wooden houses, Pepira shouted loudly.
"I'm back, nya!!"
"P-Pepira!!!"
"You're safe!!!"
Waaahhh!!!
News of Pepira's safe return—she who'd left alone to investigate—drew every Nyaotribe in the village out to greet her.
Seeing the furballs rejoicing melted Kairel's heart.
"Sniff... So glad she's okay..."
"Kairel sis, you tear up so easily."
"But the Nyaotribe are just too cute..."
Pepira, basking in the welcome, introduced her friends.
They hesitated briefly at vampire and doll, but thanked them for looking after Pepira and welcomed them warmly.
They all entered the village together.
**********
Most Nyaotribe buildings were quite small, so Ophelia and Kairel found it awkward to enter.
But the chief's house was larger, so they were hosted there.
Pepira recounted events so far to the chief, with the two as witnesses.
"Goodness... Such things..."
"Honestly, Ophelia and I moved because of that shockwave and met the boss."
"Pepira doesn't lie, so I believe it."
"Hm? Chief, your speech is different."
"Hohoho... Age does that, and dealing with other races requires it."
"As part of Bestria, your unique speech probably got pointed out a lot."
"Indeed. But is this place really a dungeon?"
"Well..."
After that, they shared stories and were free to roam the Dream Claw Tribe village.
While touring with Pepira, Kairel spotted young Nyaotribe and lost it.
Pat pat!
"Your hands are huge, nya!"
"Feels good, nya..."
"Hee hee hee..."
"Sis, you're drooling."
As happy times passed, night fell.
The Nyaotribe spent time with families indoors.
Pepira introduced her parents.
"Hohoho, so Pepira's finally a warrior, nya."
"Dear, it's so moving, nya. Our kid's past was..."
"Em-Embarrassing, nya! Stop, nya!"
"""Hahaha!!"""
Kairel and Ophelia rested in the largest space in Pepira's house: the storeroom.
"Sorry it's not better, nya..."
"It's fine~ Or... wanna sleep together like in the cave?"
"Ooo! Yes, nya!"
"Then we'll rest as three."
As night deepened and their bond grew...
Rustle!
"Ophelia?"
"Sis, stay here with Pepira for a bit."
"Where you going, nya?"
Ophelia, mid-chat while lying down, suddenly got up and headed outside.
The remaining two wondered what was up.
Then, faint mist began forming in the storeroom.
"This is..."
"K-Kairel! It's the banshee Nero mentioned—it's in our village, nya!"
Realizing the anomaly, Kairel scooped up Pepira and dashed outside.
The mist wasn't just in the storeroom—it blanketed the whole village.
Confirming the banshee had come, Kairel readied for battle and scanned around.
[ Kyaaaaahhh!!! ]
"This scream?!"
"From that way, nya!!"
A piercing shriek echoed from somewhere, and they raced toward it.
Arriving at the source, Kairel and Pepira saw—
Pow!!
Thud! Thud!! Thud!
[ I-I'm sorry!! Spare meeee!!! ]
"Hold still. Struggle and it'll hurt more on your way to the afterlife."
[ Why does the afterlife hurt?! Gahk?! ]
Ophelia was exorcising the banshee—with fists.
************
Just before Ophelia's Magical Punch★ sent the banshee packing, it desperately hid behind Kairel.
Splat!
"Huh?"
[ H-Help! ]
The banshee's hefty fat blob attack shook Kairel's focus, stalling things.
Ophelia stared at Kairel.
"Kairel sis, you're so honest."
"Ahem..."
[ Hueeeeng!! ]
"What a mess, nya..."
The commotion exposed the banshee who'd been pranking the Nyaotribe.
Unlike its sinister vibe, it had white hair, a white dress...
Splat!
"Oh."
"Don't hide behind sis—come forward. Time's wasting."
[ Eeeek! ]
It was a pitifully young lady-like banshee.
Anyway, this banshee's name was Lily.
Once a noble lady—
"No one cares about your past."
[ So mean!! ]
After Ophelia cut off Lily's long sob story, they asked why she was here.
[ Th-Then... New beings appeared in the forest, so... ]
"Oh... You came because of us?"
"Evil spirit through and through. Time to pass on to heaven."
[ N-No! ]
"Easy, Ophelia—lower the fist and hear her out. We've got questions, right?"
"Like why no one wakes from this racket, and how this spirit arrived around the same time as the troll?"
Frightened by Ophelia's fist, Lily spilled everything.
"The mist in the village makes sleepers fall into deep slumber?"
[ Yeah... ]
"And the hammering troll arrived after meeting this spirit."
Lily had originally been in a graveyard-like place.
But after a massive surge, she met Yon the troll from somewhere.
Hearing of a portal to elsewhere, they traveled together.
They settled here via a hidden portal they found.
"But if you're with that Yon troll, why roam alone?"
[ That guy's no fun... Always so stuffy. Won't even talk while blacksmithing as a hobby. ]
"So you split off. And scaring the Nyaotribe was for...?"
[ F-For fun... Didn't really hurt anyone. ]
"Such a petty reason, nya."
Realizing she'd just been dopamine-chasing by scaring them, the three eyed Lily oddly.
Kairel pondered how to handle this banshee.
Forcing her to pass on? Ophelia'd pulverize her like dust in a storm.
Let her go? Why trust a repeat nuisance?
For now, they'd keep her and meet the troll.
The next day.
"Evil spirit, stay put."
[ Eeeek! ]
"I-Is this the banshee?"
"Haha... Caught her quick..."
Lily, hand-in-hand with Ophelia, cowered visibly.
Morning weakened her, making her form fainter.
The Nyaotribe, realizing she'd been the prankster and why, glared.
But with Kairel's group taking responsibility, all relaxed.
Daylight now—time for the troll.
They headed to the cave entrance where hammering echoed through the forest.
At the forest's edge cave, they met the troll.
"Hmm? Who might you be? And... Lily?"
[ Heh heh heh... Long time, Uncle Yon. ]
Kairel's group was stunned by the troll's unexpectedly intellectual demeanor.
Still, Kairel thought she'd have plenty to tell the family later.