Chapter 73
Chapter 73
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 73
Chapter Title: Rescuing the Twins
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Monsters hunted humans not just to kill them outright or toy with them half-alive, but also to use them as materials for their own strengthening.
That was why there was a chance the vice-captain's kids hadn't been outright killed.
Especially in a dungeon that had spawned recently—they'd need strengthening materials, so he'd hoped...
[Kids. Two. Lower level.]
Sure enough.
The subjugated Lux informed him of the kids' location. To form cocoons, they needed living things as materials, so they captured people or animals and locked them below.
Catching the boss first and then searching for the kids would take too long, so he asked Prim to find a path down and break through the lower level ahead of time.
He made excuses about the lower level being a Lux storage with good items, asking her to go ahead and retrieve them.
While Prim headed below and rescued the kids on her own, Dun stirred up chaos above with the guild members to draw the monsters' attention.
Prim advanced by smashing through the cocoons one by one until she spotted two kids bound in Lux silk.
They looked about four or five years old. They resembled the vice-captain, confirming they were likely his cherished twin siblings.
Around the kids lay the corpses of adults and animals.
Everyone but them had been killed, so it seemed the captured kids were being kept alive to see if they'd grow more.
"S-Spare us!!!"
"Waaah!"
Spotting Prim, the kids screamed and wailed desperately. Their eyes shone with strong hope—they could live, they could go home.
As the kids cried out, Luxes flapped their wings and swarmed in. Prim dispatched them all with a simple spell.
{Dun: Boss down. Let's go.}
{Primavera: Got it. No items like you said. Taking the kids out first.}
{Dun: Could be gone. But what's this about kids? Lux captives?}
{Primavera: Be honest, Dun. You knew and sent me, right?}
{Dun: No.}
That curt reply seemed awfully suspicious, so Prim frowned.
{Dun: Anyway, people captured—get them out quick. I'll prep potions, so check wounds and tell me. Say it's safe now and calm them.}
For Dun, who tended to explain things vaguely, this was remarkably detailed guidance. Prim checked the kids' conditions as requested.
{Prim: Both lightly poisoned. Girl's leg broken, boy's wrist sprained.}
Confirming the kids were infected with Lux venom, Prim swiftly cast 'Poison Purge'. Having been poisoned many times, she knew various antidote spells. Luckily, the kids' poison was treatable on the spot.
"Waaah! Hwaaaang...."
"It's okay, it's okay. You're safe now. Let's go home."
"Huggi! S-Sob, gotta take Huggi friends too! They sleeping!"
The girl, who didn't know death, pointed at the corpses and cried out.
Hearing her insist on taking the bodies, Prim's expression hardened.
"That's not sleeping. That's dead."
"Wh-What? What's that? I dunno! Waaah, take them!! They gave us kazza! Waaah!"
"...We'll get them later. Out first."
Prim carried the little girl on her back and held the boy's hand as they headed out of the dungeon.
Outside waited the 'Badass' Guild members dividing loot—and Dun.
"Oh, where'd Prim Princess go? Rescuing dungeon kids?"
"Sorry for ditching midway. Had to break through the bottom—found kids, had to save 'em."
They'd nearly died, but ended up saved thanks to Dun, and shared Prim's exp from soloing monsters below. No real complaints.
"Dun, while your friend rescued kids below, you chilled up top goofing off? Sigh, what a jerk. Learn from your friend."
One guild member teased Dun with a snicker.
Prim shot back seriously.
"Dun told me the kids' spot in the lower level. He called me here too. I should learn from him."
She wanted to say Dun basically saved them, but he kept playing dumb.
"Huh, really? Knew kids were down there and sent the princess? Then why not go rescue with her—stayed with us?"
The guild members eyed Dun curiously.
He'd seemed like a cheeky, immature kid—but maybe surprisingly mature...?
"Didn't know about kids. Just sent Prim to break lower—fewer Lux ambushes. You bought攻略 help, right?"
Dun's reply was utterly bland.
"Wow, exploits players and princess alike—what a user."
"But that dungeon tip and help were OP. Boss down in under five. Our merchant Dun's a genius X."
"Huh? But princess was gone before we bought tips?"
Every word sparked ten retorts—Dun's irritation built. He waved them off: buy everything and scram.
When they lingered, he started countdowns, tanking favor.
Once the players were gone, Dun eyed the twins Prim brought. Filthy, tear-and-snot-smeared, clinging tight to her.
Dun awkwardly looked away. Just the two kids surviving in the dungeon—it strongly recalled being trapped in a gate with his friends' corpses.
Good call not going with Prim.
"Get off her back—show me your leg."
Dun beckoned the girl on Prim's back.
Scared by his brusque tone, she shook her head fast, hugging Prim's neck.
He nearly snapped curt again, but forced a soft smile.
"Come here. Quick fix."
Charmed by his cute looks despite herself, the girl hesitated—then offered her broken leg.
Luckily, not shattered protruding—just badly cracked.
He splinted it expertly with a broken branch, then slathered recovery gel.
"Drink this. Bone knits in ten."
NPCs, unlike players, bled from breaks and wounds—no instant potion heals. Needed tedious treatment.
While she sipped the sparkly potion, Dun checked the boy's wrist. Mild sprain—he handed over a recovery potion.
"What's your names."
"......"
"L-Laura. That's Lauro."
The red-haired, dark-skinned girl introduced herself as Laura; the boy as Lauro.
"Know the way home?"
"......"
"Nope. Sniff, where's, sniff, this? Sniff..."
Laura stifled hiccups to continue.
Still reeling from escaping the dungeon, Lauro sat zoned out, staring blankly.
Dun lifted limp-legged Lauro onto the sales cart and pulled the handle.
"No clue on destination—what now."
Overhearing Dun's mutter, Prim replied proudly.
"Worry not, Dun. These are Third Army Vice-Captain's kids—I memorize followers' homes."
"Oh, really? Where."
"Red-roofed house in Minel Village, I recall."
"Aren't they all red-roofed?"
Dun questioned oddly; Prim, with Laura piggybacked, blinked slowly.
"Honestly, that's enough."
* * *
Minel Village and the Lux reed fields were farther than expected.
Dun considered summoning Lycullin or a mount monster—but after monsters, the kids wouldn't want more. He walked, sipping strength-weakener potion.
Grrrrumble.
Midway, Lauro's stomach growled fiercely from the cart. Twins shared organ layouts? Soon Laura's joined.
"Sis... m' tummy hurts..."
"Oh no. Got no food now."
Trapped in the gate three days, tension gone—now hunger hit hard.
Dun halted the cart, gathered thick branches, scattered them on the ground.
Drizzled monster essence over, dug out a match from the cart—lit a fire.
"Dun? Whatcha doing."
"Break time. I'm winded."
"Oh right—you got trash stamina."
Kids and Prim huddled by Dun's campfire. Limbs warming, sudden grief hit. Quiet Laura and Lauro wailed anew.
"Hwaaaang!"
"Hweeeeng!"
Dun plugged his ears, 'World Jumped' to Daboseok World quick. Returned cradling purple crystal-orb fruits and dozens of rainbow-scaled fish.
He handed each twin a crystal fruit.
"Eat—quiet down. Be good, I'll grill fish."
"Dun? Vanished where?"
"Daboseok."
"What's th—mmph."
Dun stuffed a fruit in prying Prim's mouth.
One bite—super sweet. Grape, pomegranate, hint citrus. Weird medley fruit.
Sweet soothing their bellies, twins chewed—tears still plopping.
"Eat this too."
Dun skewered well-grilled fish on sticks.
Suddenly recalled a kid at the Association choking on special-meal fishbone—himself nearby, Heimlich-ing desperately.
"Prim, debone fish too."
"...Got it."
Prim watched Dun debone and plate fish for the twins intently.
Pitied the kids? Uncharacteristically delicate, kind. Nearly fainted seeing him smile at scared Laura.
Not just that—suspicious.
Pinpointed Lux reed fields exactly. Knew Third Army Vice-Captain's kids there—told her location.
Too perfectly timed for coincidence.
Dun, at end of Prim's persistent gaze, blankly plated fish fillets on a wide rock for the kids.
Their endless tears splashed onto fish and fruit.
"Crying so much—no need salt. Not bland?"
Twins shook heads through sobs—no.
"Eat this. Nuts in it—makes you healthy."
Dun tossed Rihowel's nut cookies their way. Laura ripped packaging, shoved in mouth.
"Those auntie uncle with us—suddenly slept, won't wake. Super, hic, super weird."
"...Scary."
Dun tilted head at sudden sleepy-adult talk. Deboning fish, Prim whispered explanation.
"Lux killed everyone but tiny twins—dead adults around. Kids think just sleeping."
Hearing from Prim, Dun's brow twitched faintly.
Silently deboning, he eyed the twins.
"Those people? Not sleeping. Dead."
"Wh-What... that?"
Dun, who'd died once, frowned briefly. Explain as someone who'd died? Opposite world proved souls lived—'dead' fuzzy.
How to explain death—ah, fly buzzing nearby.
"See. Fly there—alive, moving?"
Splat!
Dun smashed it dead.
"Now dead."
"Hwaaaaaang!"
"Hweeeeeeng!"
Shocked by pitiful squished fly-corpse in Dun's hand, twins wailed loudly.
"Harsh method, Dun. Twins'll be traumatized."
Flustered Prim whispered.
Dun pondered deeper.
Suddenly recalled childhood: one Choco Pie for believing this fact.
"Death means your body's rental in this world ends—you go to another."
"Where?"
"Dunno. But awesome. Best place for each. That fly? Food waste paradise. Don't hold those people too hard."
"Really? Then lemme go now!"
Laura wanted to die for better place—Dun chewed fish chunk.
He'd thought same once—wanted to die.
"But death might mean just vanishing."
"Eh... huh?"
"Like sleep—you dream good, bad, or black nothing? Death probably same. Maybe. Dunno really."
Uncapping water bottle, Dun sipped—poured rest over, washing fly guts from hand.
Silence fell.
Awkward, Dun rephrased.
"Anyway—adults went good place, no worry. You die? Poof gone or trash place. So live hard till natural end."
Prim, listening seriously, tilted head.
"Weird... somehow."
Kids lost in Dun's words, complex faces—burst crying again.
"H-Hey. Why cry again."
Similar to his kid trauma, he'd racked brain for helpful advice—made messier.
Dun pressed hands over wailing mouths, pulled off to force laughs—backfired.
How silence these noisy brats.
Racking brain—recalled Rihowel hugging, patting his anxieties. Hugged twins till cries stopped.
Prim, eating fish, stared piercingly at flustered Dun.
Somehow funny—yet oddly pitiful.