Failed Failed Failed -2
Failed Failed Failed -2
The party was cruising along, fortunately.
The place the party was currently breaking through was the Orc Forest.
They were passing through places where unpleasant Orcs were staying here and there.
'My head hurts a bit, but this much is fine.'
Edel, who had used quite a bit of white magic, sighed.
She was saying they should take a break, but since Quixote was heading far away, it was hard to stop.
"Another trap. Do you know how many times we've been in danger?"
"Supporting that is our job, right? Anyway, we all gathered here seeing the potential."
"Potential, huh. Yeah, something like that."
Edel caught her breath listening to her companions.
"Everyone, let's go a little further. He's going too much on his own."
"Looks like he's excited again. Truly worth researching."
"Tsk, let's hurry."
Everyone in the party moves forward.
Toward Quixote, who was rushing far ahead.
That was when.
"Agh!"
A scream burst from Quixote's mouth.
"No!"
Edel, who had dashed out quickly, first checked his wound.
Fortunately, an arrow was just stuck in his shoulder.
"Tsk."
The child fused with a demon stood to the side and changed their body.
"Interesting. Looks like you don't like pain either."
The expressionless mage held their staff and aimed in one direction.
"My apologies, my friends!"
"If you know that, get up quickly. They're coming."
"They're coming?"
Along with the stupid voice, the bushes rustled.
Soon, dozens of Orcs appeared there.
"Quite a lot came."
"Not just one group, another one is coming from the side too."
"Damn it! What do we do? Should we retreat?"
Being attacked like this from both sides meant they could die.
With the leader injured, temporary leader Edel had to make a decision.
Retreat here? Or—
'No, absolutely not. Running away!'
If she failed the mission again, something big would happen.
Someone in this party, maybe even herself, might end up in the hands of a loan shark as collateral.
There is no option to run away.
Then, it's just fighting back.
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
"Are you serious?"
"I'll handle it somehow!"
Once things turned out this way, all that remained was a bloody battle.
The typical formation: recovered Quixote and the demon in front, the mage supporting from the back.
But perhaps due to Quixote's injury, a proper battle wasn't happening.
"Ugh! Hey Edel! You said you'd handle it somehow!"
"Is it finally time to use that forbidden magic?"
"What is that!"
"I self-destruct and make this dungeon cease to exist."
"We'll all die, you crazy bitch!"
"Don't be scared and fight! Destiny is waiting for us!"
The moment the companions were about to despair, radiance burst from Eris's body.
It wasn't the healing light they usually saw.
"I'll do it."
Edel Weiss, who was once considered a candidate for a saint in the Holy Kingdom.
The power she learned just before she left.
"Sanctuary Deployment."
"As expected, quite something. Our cleric."
The mage muttered in admiration.
In her eyes, Edel looked like a goddess descended to earth.
As the golden wave spread throughout the dungeon, things happened.
"This is!"
The poison arrow stuck in Quixote's shoulder melted away.
It even dispelled the anxiety lingering between the party members and boosted their fighting spirit.
"Let's go again, everyone! It's not over yet!"
If Danilu had seen this scene, he would have sighed, saying the plan was delayed.
The party all overcoming a crisis once again.
If it went on like this, they would easily break through any decent dungeon.
But there was something neither Danilu nor Edel expected.
"Exert yourself a little more, my friend! Things are working out very smoothly!"
"Ugh..."
Eris pressed her temples and staggered.
Every time the party members got hurt, she reflexively used the light of healing.
The protection of the sanctuary, regardless of her will, sucked in mana—no, life force—to manifest a miracle.
With a headache that felt like her head was splitting, her vision blurred.
The companions in front of her overlapped into two, three.
'No, I can't collapse here.'
Edel gritted her teeth and endured.
But her face had already started to turn pale.
While everyone's gaze was on Kael, Edel was sinking alone.
"Stop now—"
"Haha, don't underestimate me!"
A spirited shout echoed through the entire cave.
Strengthened several times more than usual by the protection of the sanctuary, he dashed into the deep, like a fish that found water.
'Ah.'
The caution of checking surroundings or confirming the state of the following companions no longer existed in his head.
Only the desire to show off, to cut down the monster in front and go deeper, was dominating him.
Watching that, Edel gritted her teeth.
It was a sight she would usually admire, saying it was amazing, so why does her head hurt so much now?
"Quixote, wait... ugh!"
Every step she took, the world spun.
They had safely defeated the Orcs, and it wasn't like there was zero income, so let's move forward slowly.
She had meant to say that.
"Haha! Next!"
Increasing wounds and used mana.
With the exhaustion filling her body, Edel eventually collapsed to the floor.
Thud, a dull sound. But it wasn't heard by Quixote, who was slaughtering monsters.
"You idiot! Stop and come back!"
"We should retreat."
"Tsk. Take what you can quickly. We have to leave."
The condition was to bring the jewel out from the end of this dungeon.
'No.'
Even though she tried to force her body up, a sensation of being dragged down.
In that sensation, Edel's consciousness began to be dragged to the other side.
+++++
After Edel left, I grasped my situation.
"Whew."
"P-please stop. Save me!"
"Hey, you should have paid the money on time."
Danilu is a loan shark.
The kind that runs into the field directly if necessary. Meaning, I'm both the boss and the field staff.
"This adventure was unlucky."
"Isn't it your conscience that's missing?"
"Please give me one more chance!"
"I've given as much as I can, what more do you want? I'm the one who should be asking for things."
And that much.
"Then I have no choice either!"
"Ha, trying to stab me?"
"Yes, you brought this on yourself. It's your fault!"
I also happen to have quite a bit of personal martial prowess.
"Need to sort out the hierarchy."
With a shout of "Ughhh!!", the debtor rushes in.
Judging by the dagger, it seems he was of the rogue class.
"I'll take this instead of money."
"Argh!"
"I've received what I needed, so I'll wait for next time."
"W-wait. Hey!"
"It's too good a weapon for you to hold. I'll sell it and make some money."
It was no match for Danilu.
"This isn't a joke."
A kick following dodging the sharp stab of the dagger.
Judging by the strange sensation for a moment, it seems there was even mana enhancement on his legs.
"Worth researching a bit more."
As soon as the Edel party guys return, no, wait.
As soon as they fail, I should pull out the talented ones one by one.
Let's grow a bit while dungeon crawling together.
"I received some gifts instead of money."
Returning home and opening the mansion door, a butler welcomed me.
"As expected of the Master! For guys who don't pay money on time and run away, a stinging taste is the direct answer!"
Hearing that, it's called the Chief of this mansion.
'A beastman.'
Looking at his head, ears presumed to be a wolf's were twitching.
'Come to think of it, he had some connection with Quixote too?'
I should probably keep a close eye on him, but for a while, let's focus on the party's business.
Having decided that, I took off my coat and asked a question.
"Come to think of it, was there no word from Edel's side?"
"Ah, I apologize. Come to think of it, they were already here."
"What? Already?"
"Isn't it obvious. They failed."
"Is that so."
To blow even the last chance.
As expected, one shouldn't invest in trash stocks.
"What are those guys doing?"
"They are waiting for you upstairs. Shall I kick them out?"
"No. The money-makers walked in on their own, why would I do that."
I signaled to Chief.
Chief, who understood the signal, brought out a golf club from somewhere.
As expected, when it comes to villains' bats, isn't it a golf club?
Thump-thump-
I walked upstairs, deliberately making loud footsteps.
There, I saw Edel waiting for me with a haggard look.
"Yo, I heard the rumor that you failed."
"Sorry—"
"I don't really like the word sorry. Actually, I don't like words themselves that much."
The party members each wearing subtle expressions.
Especially mocking Quixote, who was strangely confident, I went inside.
"Come in."
"Um, then I'll gratefully sit—"
"Wait."
"Hm?"
"Where do you dare to sit on a chair. I'm telling you to sit on the floor."
The party members start to panic.
It seems Edel didn't tell them about our deal.
That kind-hearted person probably did it for reasons like 'I didn't want to burden my teammates!'.
'This time it backfired.'
"Wait, why are you doing this!"
"Let's sit down and have a proper conversation."
Sitting on the chair, I look at them.
"I lent you money, and I intend to get it back right now."
"Get it back? You just gave it until now!"
"They say if favors continue, they think it's a right. So this is what that meant."
Bang!
The golf club slammed onto the floor.
With plenty of mana loaded, I pointed at them one by one.
The flower-field-brained knight.
The cleric who made the wrong choice.
The demon half-breed with a foul personality.
The mage whose thoughts I don't know.
"Now, if you just do me one simple favor, I'll lend you more money and give you a grace period to pay it back."
To them who couldn't say anything, I clearly stated my demand.
"Who will stay and be my collateral?"