Chapter 15
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 15: Someone’s Gaze
Splashing rust water. The blue rain stopped only after pouring down for a long time.
Tuk tuk—.
I fold and organize the opened umbrella. Fortunately, sleeves without a single stain splashed.
“Ahem.”
“......”
Inside my bosom, the silver-haired girl was still embraced. Red pupils. It stares blankly at one side. The spot where the Master of the 70th floor stood until just before. Now it was a guy who became the /Master.
“Princess.”
“......Oh my god.”
Corpse exactly cut in half. Between the lost body parts, rotten intestines pour out in a rush. I didn't know until just now, but it was a truly grotesquely dead appearance. Carmilla mumbles only a few words blankly.
“Blocked it? Dragon Breath...?”
Does she not understand the scene in front of her eyes?
“Viktor...”
“Yes, Princess.”
“H-How did it happen? Just now, the Breath with a bare body, and without a single scratch...”
“Yes, I blocked it with a bare body. Without a single scratch.”
“Furthermore, just by f-flicking a finger once...”
“I killed it.”
“......”
Answer returned nonchalantly. Carmilla lost her mind as if her head couldn't keep up with the situation. Red pupils tremble.
“H-How...?”
She must be confused. As she doesn't know the existence of bugs, it must have looked even more bizarre in Carmilla’s eyes. Just by me flicking a finger lightly once, half of the dragon’s body vanished. Blocking the Dragon Breath without suffering a single scratch is a bonus. The Princess couldn't continue her words.
“......”
Silence settled for a while. The girl stayed embraced in my bosom for a while, then soon muttered with a trembling voice.
“Viktor.”
“......”
“Anew, that you are this lady’s confidant... I-I thought it was a relief...”
“Fufu, of course. Princess’s capable confidant, Viktor. Forever.”
“Uung... Just how far, how strong are you. It cannot even be gauged with this lady’s level.”
“I wonder if it’s too much overestimation though. Thank you for the compliment.”
No. I told you I’m weak.
‘Well... it’s not something to say after tearing and killing even a dragon.’
I had no choice but to let the misunderstanding deepen this time too. Did her surprised heart calm down quite a bit? The girl looked around hesitantly. As if unable to believe it died, snooping around the dragon corpse.
“So cleanly like this...”
Lump of meat. That high-pressure spirit scattered, only rotten stench remained around. Even though it was cut in half, a size easily exceeding dozens of meters. I realize anew that it was a huge guy.
“......This lady thought we would die helplessly.”
“Didn't I tell you. It would be fine.”
“I am sorry. This lady’s trust was shallow. The barrier deployed with full power tore like a sheet of paper, and hidden weapons forged with Blood Manipulation didn't make a single scratch. I thought it wasn't an opponent we could possibly oppose. However, to burst such an existence with a single hand gesture...”
“It is thanks to the Princess lending a hand.”
“Hmm? It seems this lady couldn't give any help though...”
“Didn't you buy time. Thanks to that, the operation could succeed.”
It was sincerity without 1% of flattery. If not for Carmilla’s barrier, I would have become a lump of meat long ago. Clipping Bug or whatever, I would have been torn without a gap to prepare separately.
“As expected of the Princess. To succeed in defense several times against a dragon.”
Considering the fact that it is still the very early stage of the original work, it was overwhelming stats. Normally, far from defense, one would have fainted the moment eyes met. It was a plan proceeded believing in Carmilla from the start. It means there is not a bit of need for her to be intimidated. I tap the girl’s head as I do when she is in bat form.
“You really did well. Thanks to you, I was safe too.”
“U-Uuugh... Do not stroke, h-head carelessly...”
“Please think of it as a sign of gratitude and respect.”
“R-Rude! Pride as a pureblood is disturbed.”
“Ah... I apologize. Then shall I not do it from now on?”
I say it as if disappointed on purpose. As I leak a slightly sulky voice, Carmilla glances at this side hesitantly.
“N-No...”
Sweet Princess. While you will fall for it if I act like this. The girl grabs my hand, and puts it back on top of her own head.
“Princess?”
“I will specially permit it... Since it’s V-Viktor, specially...”
“Is that so. Fufu.”
Stroke, stroke—. Silver hair gently loosening following fingertips. A smile was built on that faint texture.
“R-Rude servant...”
“I apologize.”
Somehow the girl’s cheeks with rising heat. Even while pouting her lips, she didn't actually dodge the hand. The intimidated atmosphere also revived.
“I will look around for a moment. It seems another door has appeared over there.”
“It is probably the passage heading to the 71st floor. Please do not approach too deep.”
“Understood.”
While Carmilla moved away for a moment. I turned on the status window, and checked the messages piled up fully.
‘So many.’
Even looking roughly, there were over ten. All messages notifying quest completion. Since I cleared a big one, side ones must have poured out in a rush too.
‘Let’s check only the important ones first.’
Pop up the screen.
Ting—!
If picking the most important, indeed these three. The reward that was the original goal was included. Clicking the screen, something appears above the hand.
Tuuk—.
“Oh.”
Light. Thin plate with quite a heavy appearance. However, unlike how it looked, it was light. Weight was hardly felt as if holding a feather.
Ting—!
“Niiice.”
Exactly as seen in the original work. Dragon. No matter how much it was downgraded to undead, original dignity is not easily erased. Scale of the species counted as the strongest, also counted as the rarest among numerous creatures. Even in the original work, it is a rare item with few routes to obtain.
‘Not just simply looking at the grade.’
Grade is A-. Probably because of <Contaminated>, <Unrefined> attributes. But if valuing its worth, an item above S-class equipment. Especially boasts an amazing breathing with my mask.
‘Contaminated, Unrefined... just have to erase the two attributes.’
While quietly fiddling with the scale, Carmilla who returned to the side before I knew it asks.
“Is that a weapon? The one Viktor said he was looking for?”
“Yes, correct. I entered the 70th floor to obtain this.”
“Hmm... No matter how I look, it doesn't look like a weapon though.”
“Then how does it appear to you?”
“In this lady’s eyes, it looks like a scale. Mixed with somewhat gross, turbid energy...”
“Same in my eyes too. Although it will change after processing.”
“Processing?”
Carmilla tilts her head.
“You mean processing a Dragon’s Scale?”
“Because it is unreasonable to call it a weapon as is.”
“Going through a refining process. Scale was a material not a weapon.”
“If summarized easily, yes.”
“However it is doubtful. If it is a Dragon’s Scale, it wouldn't be an ordinary item. Wouldn't it be hard to refine rashly? Have to prepare skills, items necessary for refining too. Those would also be formidably difficult to obtain...”
“If it’s that part, there is no need to worry.”
Since prepared already. I open the quests cleared additionally.
Ting—!
.
.
Notifications piled up in heaps. Still early story, also stats fixed at E-rank state. Because I cleared the 70th floor without a single scratch with such a body. Besides the main quest, numerous sub-quests were completed together.
‘I can solve everything with rewards here.’
Preparations to purify and refine the scale. Things provided as rewards for above quests.
Ting—!
Rewards stored into inventory. With just these, scale refining ends with one touch. If I mix these and the scale together, it will be reborn as a complete weapon afterwards.
‘Though it will take some time until completion...’
In the current situation, there is no weapon fitting me perfectly as much as this. Like other rewards, I stored the large scale into the robe as well. Original goals all achieved. If this much, it was a neat harvest.
“Shall we return slowly?”
“Welcome sound among what I heard. Whether because I consumed blood excessively, it was just getting hard to even stand...”
“Good work. Let’s replenish blood when we return to the dormitory.”
Scenery of the 70th floor became a mess. Leaving that behind, when trying to exit the underground.
“......Hmm?”
“Viktor? Why do you stop suddenly?”
“No. Felt like something like a gaze was felt...”
“Gaze?”
“Yes.”
“Isn't it just a feeling? Clearly confirmed there was no one.”
“I guess so.”
Awkwardly affirm. Since being in a gloomy place, it seems nerves leaked unnecessarily. I took my eyes off the empty air I looked up for a moment, and moved my steps.
Meanwhile.
Girls’ Dormitory.
“Hik, hiiiiik...!”
Tearful blue pupils. Black hair draped over the bed. A girl was trembling her shoulders violently. Appearance covering herself with a blanket up to the top of her head as if terrified.
“E-Eyes met...! H-How? Never happened like this even once...”
Breaking breath. Incomprehensible sound.
“N-Noticed me...! I’ll die, be murdered, s-silenced...”
Alice dropping tears tuk tuk.
“Sniff, w-what do I do...”
The girl’s trembling didn't stop for a long time.