Neither
"So, you're saying you're going to the dungeon."
"Yes, Mother. Soon Kael will be entering the Academy, won't he? That's why I think this experience is all the more necessary."
"That reason is too thin. Explain in more detail why my son must enter such a dangerous dungeon. Cerdi."
In the suffocating silence of the head's office, Aurelia's blue eyes flashed coldly as she interrogated. Cerdi gulped.
She had known this would happen. From the moment she had brought up the subject of going to the dungeon with Kael, she knew exactly how Aurelia would look at her. That she was trying to push her most precious and beloved son into a dungeon teeming with dangerous, unknown entities...
That's definitely what she'd be thinking. No matter that Cerdi was also her daughter, in Aurelia's mind, the weight between a son and a daughter was clearly different.
"The Academy has many practical training sessions. Among them are classes where you actually enter dungeons and take them on in teams."
"Yes, I know." Aurelia had also graduated early from the Academy as valedictorian. Even though it was a story from decades ago, she had been through the Academy herself, and it was unlikely the basic framework had changed in all that time.
"So? What's your point?"
"When students are first sent into a dungeon at the Academy, they often get lost or panic much more easily than expected. Everyone knows Kael is brilliant, but practice and real combat are different, aren't they."
"I don't know."
"..."
...Right. Aurelia was on an entirely different level. She was the one who would cut down monsters with a single stroke, and even the mighty Four Heavenly Kings would end up bleeding before she somehow managed to win. Expecting normal standards from her was wrong from the start.
"With all due respect, Head of the Family. Not every human being can succeed in an attack and finish a subjugation in one blow like you can."
"Is that so..."
Durahan, who had been silently listening from the side, bowed his head and spoke. More precisely, he turned the angle of his detached face slightly downward to show his head.
"Yes. You're right, practical experience is important... I understand that point." Aurelia slowly crossed her arms.
"But that doesn't mean I can approve of taking Kael into a dungeon without careful thought."
"Yes. The dungeon is dangerous. That's why we plan to bring a guardian."
"...I have a mountain of work piled up that I need to handle. Where is there a force strong enough to take my place?"
She had documents about the various hardliners that had been popping up in the Empire lately, the problem of anomalies that were becoming a political issue, and all the paperwork and external management of the Ellion family. She had been so busy handling all of that that she hadn't even been able to give Kael enough affection recently. If she were to take her precious, beloved, fragile, and delicate Kael into a dungeon, she would have to personally follow him, no matter what.
"I'll accompany him with Sister Gloria. That shouldn't be a problem, right?"
At that, Aurelia's gaze sank coldly.
"A dungeon is an inherently unpredictable space. I cannot tolerate taking my son to such a—"
"For one week, Elania and I will take over your work, Mother. Even if we're not successors, we've received handover and successor training, haven't we?"
...Of course, she hadn't gotten Elania's permission. So what? If the family head says jump, you jump. Especially if that family head is Aurelia. It might even be harder not to.
More than anything...
'If I get a week off...'
It meant she could spend a whole week holding Kael in her arms without any distracting thoughts, coddling him, sleeping together, sharing affection, and spending time with him without any interference. It meant being able to monopolize Kael for an entire week and hear his soft, adorable, and beautiful voice saying "I love you," "I like you," and "I'm going to marry Mommy" right by her ear...
So... if she just said one word here, "Handle it yourself"... she could have Kael for a week...
But she is the head. She must protect the Ellion family, she must maintain her position... and also...
"——"
"—so I got permission! This big sister did! Ahem!"
"Whoa!"
"She... she actually did it..."
Cerdi had suddenly mentioned a dungeon when she came into the room. But... there's no way Mom would allow that. I know very well how dangerous dungeons are. In the game, they were described as openly dangerous spaces with no respawn, and monsters even got buffs inside, making them much stronger. Can I really go into a place like that with this tiny body, even with a guardian around? I thought Mom wouldn't allow it in the first place.
"After negotiations, our little brother Kael will have not one, but two guardians!" Cerdi beamed, scooping me up into her arms. She slid her hands under my armpits and lifted me, then naturally supported my bottom with her hand as I leaned against her. I wrapped my arms around her neck and nestled comfortably into her embrace. I rubbed my cheek against hers, smiling and acting spoiled.
I knew Cerdi was good at persuading, but I didn't think she could convince even Mom.
"Wow! You're amazing, sis! Am I really going to the dungeon?! Who's protecting me? You? Or Skeleton? Head Butler Durahan? The dark elf?"
"Including me~ And Sister Gloria is coming too!"
"Gasp, wow!" I nodded at the speed of light.
Actually... I loved dungeon content in the game the most. I spent most of my playtime in dungeons. The chest-tightening pressure as your health slowly drained, and the sense of achievement from slogging through and earning rewards! And since dungeons are dungeons, they also fuel growth, so if you just grind them hard enough, you can raise your stats a ton.
What I liked best was exploration. Exploring unknown spaces, the dangers that pop up, the thrill of slowly lighting up a dark interface map and the mind-tingling pleasure that comes with it. I could explain endlessly—I just loved dungeons as a concept.
The tension of not knowing what danger might spring out. The fact that if you get a game over, you have to start the dungeon from the beginning. The interest that builds up as you solve puzzles. And the boss monster that appears at the end. Unlike normal, insignificant regular monsters, they are powerful elite individuals each with different patterns and weaknesses. Everything was great.
'...But that's only when I'm a player and not worried about my life.'
If I were to actually enter a dungeon... a dark space where you can't see an inch ahead. Traps and anomalies that could come from anywhere. Life-or-death puzzles done under that pressure. A place where even your body might not be recovered if you die.
...Thinking about it like this in reality, I can somewhat understand why dungeons are objects of fear for the Empire and its people.
"Huh? Our little brother~ Are you getting scared thinking about the dungeon all of a dungeon all of a sudden? You've been singing about dungeons nonstop. Well, I guess it's about time for a kid your age to be scared."
"...Isn't it just normal people, not just Kael, who would be scared?"
"Hey, quiet down. I was trying to calm Kael down with a louder voice."
"Oh, I see. OK."
Hands stroked my head alternately from both sides.
"...I'm fine... I'm really big now... I'm not... scared at all..."
"...You're not very convincing when you say that with tears in your eyes, little brother. Aww~ It's okay, it's okay. Your big sisters will take care of all the mean monsters and anomalies, so don't worry. You trust your sisters, right?"
"Uhuh... Cerdi is really strong..."
"You bet. I'm not just strong—"
"Cerdi..." I buried my face in Cerdi's chest and mumbled.
"Is really pretty... really nice... really kind... I like her so, so much... so I can trust her..."
"Bet— cough, cough... hack... ahem... Ah, hahaha! R-right...? I-I am the number one wife material, huh! Ahaha..."
Cerdi's face turned bright red. It looked like white steam was rising from the top of her head. She fake-coughed a few times, then forced a laugh as if trying to act casual, and finally gently smoothed down my hair.
Then she subtly lowered her head and whispered quietly in my ear.
"S-so... little brother. Between Elania and me, who do you like more...?"
"What kind of nonsense are you saying to a child right now!!"
"Oh my, why? Are you chicken? If you're chicken, why don't you just die."
"Hu, hu, hu! How dare you talk back like that?! Fine! Go ahead and ask Kael!"
"Sure~ Just don't cry when you get hurt by Kael's answer~"
At that moment, both Cerdi and Elania turned to look at me at the same time. I opened my mouth slightly, then pressed my face deep into Cerdi's chest and continued thinking.
I know very well how to resolve this situation. You just have to give an answer so unexpected that it can't be refuted, essentially a "guard-break." In other words, it's an unblockable move!
"I..."
"Yeah, yeah."
"Of course~"
"...I like Mom the best~"
"Of course I—"
"Uh... th-then... the second—"
"Next, I like Skeleton the second best!"
"..."
"...I guess I shouldn't have asked..."
"Hehehe~" I giggled and snuggled deeper into Cerdi's embrace.
'I'm so excited about the dungeon... and scared too...' With that thought, I rubbed my face against Cerdi's cheek.
So we entered the dungeon, and...
- Clank...
- Clatter...
- Squeak...
"...What's up with these guys...?"
"Sis? Do you know what these skeletons are doing?"
"Th-that... I don't really know either...?"
In the depths of the dungeon. Countless undead made of bones were scattered everywhere. And all of them... were bowing their heads to me in respect. What the hell is this.
