Promise (3)

Dungeon 6th floor.

A monster with bizarrely long, spindly limbs swung its arm.

Seeing this, Raize let out a startled gasp and recoiled in shock. That entity which instilled fear in the darkness didn't become any less terrifying just because there was light now.

He slashed through the arm flying towards him on an impossible, jagged trajectory that defied the notion of a living creature.

Fortunately, aside from its grotesque appearance and attacks that were extremely difficult to predict due to their unnatural trajectories, it wasn't a ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠particularly hard monster to deal with.

'It was a real headache when I couldn't see ahead.'

Attacks flying in from five meters away in the unseen darkness, on trajectories that defied common sense.

Attacks that were sharper than a blade and blunter than a blunt weapon, capable of cleanly bisecting a person with ease.

Now that the dungeon's darkness was gone? It was just a strangely shaped monster. Even those bizarre trajectory attacks could be cut down if you could see them.

"......Why on earth are all monsters shaped like that?"

"Well, because they evolved to ambush humans in the darkness. It's the same reason deep-sea fish are ugly."

"Deep-sea fish? What's that?"

"You don't know about fish that live deep in the ocean?"

"The ocean...? Have you seen it?"

Hearing that, I was reminded that this was the other world. A medieval fantasy where most people lived their entire lives without ever stepping a foot outside the territory they were born in, let alone going on an ocean voyage.

"Yeah."

"How? Even for nobles, seeing the ocean is difficult here since we're in the heart of the continent."

"My hometown was near the sea."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"I'd like to see it someday. Can you take me?"

Raize showed considerable interest in my hometown. Sadly, however, my hometown was a place I could never reach again.

"Sorry. It's a place I can't go to anymore."
"Oh? Well, nothing to be done then."

Yet it wasn't completely impossible. The dungeon. Having confirmed that this underground cavern, possessing unknown powers, could even distort space.

After clearing the dungeon, maybe I could return to Earth. That's what I thought.

Today was the last weekday of the week. That is, Friday.

The temporary party I had formed with Raize was for one week, and of course, weekends weren't included in that.

"Wherever you go next, just remember what you did with me. Then you'll be able to pull your own weight without any problems."

"......Can't I just keep going with you?"

"What's this? We agreed from the start it was only for a week. And besides, I'm not meant to be fooling around on floors 5 and 6 like this."

At those words, Raize firmly pressed her lips together. Indeed, Dojin was a level 2 adventurer, while she was a level 1, a complete novice who had just started entering dungeons.

Even if she insisted on staying with Dojin out of stubbornness, it was clear she would only end up holding him back.

"What if... I become level 2, and become a high-rank adventurer just like you. Will you accept me then?"
"Yeah, when that time comes, I'll accept you. I'm sure you can do it."

Dojin stroked Raize's head as she said that. Being a guidepost for a child was an adult's duty.

Of course, she still didn't like that Dojin treated her like a kid, but at the same time... since acting like this childish way got her more benefits, she still hadn't revealed the truth.

"Take care."
"......See you next time."
"Someday."

Dojin, having parted ways with Raize, headed straight for the mansion. At the mansion, he changed his clothes and headed for the promised meeting place with Ilone.

Arriving at the meeting place, while watching the sun set, someone tapped him on the shoulder.

Poke poke, a finger dug into his cheek. The other party let out a light laugh as if amused by her own prank.

Ilone leaned her upper body forward, pushing her chest out as if tempting Dojin.

"Did you wait long?"
"No, I just got here..."

Ilone, seen for the first time in a week, had dressed up quite beautifully, as if for a proper date.

Her brown hair, which had been a bit dry and unkempt from lack of care, now shone with luster and had a slight wave.

The tight-fitting mini dress clung to her body, revealing her chest, toned stomach, sturdy thighs, and calves.

"H-how is it?"

As if it was her first time dressing up like this, she twisted her hair with a slightly flushed face.

Dojin gave her a thumbs-up and told her she looked the best. Honestly, she looked sexy enough that he wanted to take her right then and there, clothes and all.

"Yeah? Hehe, is that so."

Hearing that, she seemed to get excited, drooling slightly, so Dojin quickly calmed her down and extended his hand.

"May I escort you? Noona?"
"......Please take care of me."

At that attitude, reminiscent of a knight treating a princess, Ilone felt her heart flutter. For her, who had only ever been called a tomboy, this was the first time since she was three years old that she was being treated like this as a woman.

Even then, considering that was just half-hearted bows from family members, there had never been a man who sincerely treated her like this.

'There were men who were interested in my body.'

A body trained to extremes, with no equal within the Guard Force to challenge it. There were often those who coveted her physique, which was almost artistic.

A perfectly toned body without an ounce of fat must look incredibly tempting to males.

But Dojin didn't look at her with those eyes. Rather, it was Ilone who looked at him that way.

'I wonder if we can do it today too.'

For that sole purpose, she had gotten her hair done at a salon she never visited, had makeup applied, and prepared her clothes and even her underwear as items to seduce a man.

Even though he loved her enough in her everyday clothes, a woman naturally wants to look more beautiful for her man.

Strolling through the city with Dojin's escort, Ilone felt the chilly wind seep under her skirt, and when people's gazes turned towards her smooth legs, a sense of shame welled up on its own.

But at the same time, attracting others' attention contributed to restoring her self-esteem as a woman. As her self-esteem rose, her confidence climbed as well.

She glanced at Dojin. Dojin was sneakily shifting his eyes to steal glances at her legs or chest, trying not to be caught.

He didn't need to steal glances like that, since this body and heart were already his.

It felt rather cute. Is he trying to show off his younger side now? Even without that, I'm already hopelessly smitten.

"Dojin-ah."
"Yeah?"
"Why are you so cute. My little one."

Ilone said while pinching Dojin's cheek like that. Pinching hard enough to sting a little, quickly turning Dojin's cheek red...

Dojin enjoyed this moment with her. Because that was both manners and courtesy towards a woman.

"The atmosphere... is really nice here."

"That's because it's expensive."

"......How much? If it's a burden, I can..."

"Probably about two months of Ilone's salary."

"I, I could break into my savings somehow..."

As Ilone trembled while thinking of the savings in her account, I calmly sliced the meat and answered.

"I'll pay."

"B-but... as the older one, I can't have the younger one pay for..."

"You can make up for it with service."

I didn't specify what kind of service, but she nodded with a flushed face.

True to a restaurant where a single meal cost a Guard Captain's monthly salary, dishes rarely seen in a fantasy world were served one after another.

The most surprising was the fish. Perhaps to hide the fishy smell, it was seasoned with various things, but the unique savory taste of fish, eaten for the first time in a long time after daily meat meals, lingered on the tongue. It made me crave white rice.

"Is this fish?"

"Haven't you had it before?"

"No. How do you eat it?"

"I'll clean it for you."

I took her fish, removed the bones, and gave it back. It was a fish quite difficult to clean with just a fork and spoon, but well, it's not like I haven't eaten fish for a day or two.

Watching me so naturally clean the fish bones, Ilone let out an exclamation.

"You've eaten a lot of fish?"
"Yeah."
"I see..."

Then, she suddenly went quiet. I wondered why and pondered for a moment before remembering that fish, here inland, was a precious item that only nobles could afford.

'Did she think I was a noble?'

Well, fish was something you could only see in such high-end restaurants, so it wasn't hard to guess the past of someone who said they used to eat it often.

They'd think I was a noble, or at least similarly wealthy.

"Just... my hometown was near the sea."

"......Oh?"

"Yeah. You could get to the sea in an hour or two."

"You lived near the sea?"

At that, Ilone relaxed her expression and gave a faint smile. I sighed in relief internally and continued the meal.

After that, we drank a glass or two of alcohol, and the mood grew ripe. Today seemed like ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠it would be a perfect date.

After paying, I walked the night streets with her, slightly drunk. It was the time when most people had returned home or to inns, and a few guards were patrolling.

We quickly left to find an inn, so as not to get caught in a night inspection.

─Kyaaaaaah!

Just then, a scream was heard from far away. Ilone and I immediately locked eyes.

"......Did you hear that?"

"Yeah. A scream."

"It came from over there."

Was this professional spirit? Ilone took a hair tie from her pocket and started tightly tying up her loose hair.

Not wanting to ruin the date, I asked her.

"Won't the guards handle it themselves?"

"No. There are no patrols around here at this time."

"How do you... Ah."

She was the captain of the Guard Force responsible for this city's security. She'd have the patrol routes of her guards memorized thoroughly.

"What about our date?"

At that, Ilone looked at me and grinned.

"Sorry. Let's go out next time."

Riiip, tearing the skirt of her dress for easier running, she immediately dashed towards where the scream came from.

I watched her back.

"Cool. Noona."

And immediately started running after her.

Low-rank adventurers, who risk their lives daily for pennies, often encounter a powerful temptation. Drugs.

If monsters from the dungeon are processed using special methods, their bodies and blood transform into excellent drugs.

Thanks to this, spreading drugs in this city was very easy. It was also the very reason the underground organization Blackjack could grow.

The simplicity of acquiring their main revenue source: drugs. Expansion of power through economies of scale. Although they were eventually wiped out entirely by Deokgu's ability due to those very economies of scale...

Anyway, with the organization that mass-produced drug addicts gone, all that remained in the city were the many drug addicts themselves.

And while they were suffering from withdrawal symptoms, the dungeon underwent a drastic change, causing their income to plummet sharply.

Thanks to even the 3rd-floor monsters drying up, they couldn't even obtain the raw materials for drugs anymore.

Consequently, drug prices began to skyrocket. They became so expensive that drug addicts couldn't buy them even by selling their own organs...

For people who desire something they can't reach no matter how hard they try, there are two paths.

Give up on obtaining it, or give up their humanity.

They easily gave up their humanity.

"Be quiet."
"Mmpphh─!"

A low-rank adventurer who had kidnapped a prostitute held a dagger to her throat. Though they were looked down upon as low-rank adventurers, it was a profession that crossed life-and-death lines daily.

If they set their mind to killing a woman, they could easily slit her throat. Feeling the killing intent, the woman nodded quietly with tears in her eyes.

The adventurer glanced down at the woman's body. It was enticing enough to want to have, but his goal wasn't to covet her body.

If that were the case, he would have saved up money for a few days and gone to the red-light district to buy one openly. The moment he committed a crime like this, he had to be prepared for death.

'If you bring a woman... he said he'd pay ten gold for her.'

He didn't know the reason. But if there was demand, there was supply. Besides, ten gold ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠was equivalent to three days' worth of drugs, so what they used the woman for wasn't his concern.

"Quietly, follow me. If you stop, I'll kill you. If you try to scream..."
"Stop."

Scrunch, at some point, the man felt his hand go cold. Looking at his wrist, nerves dulled and ruined by drugs finally began sending signals.

"Kyaaaaaah!"

Sssss, smoke rose from his wrist, cooking it on the spot. His severed wrist was completely cooked, not a single drop of blood coming out, and Dojin threw the tree branch far away.

Ilone, who had followed, frowned slightly at the sight of the severed wrist, but upon seeing the trembling victim, immediately subdued the criminal.

"You damn piece of trash."

While she subdued the criminal, Dojin reassured the victim. The trembling woman saw Dojin and, clinging to him, began to cry.

"Are you alright?"

"Y-yes..."

"May I ask what happened?"

"I, I was on my way home when suddenly..."

After hearing the circumstances, Ilone immediately headed to the Guard Force with the woman, the criminal, and the severed wrist.

The Guard Force was startled as if hit with a wooden club in the middle of the night, welcoming Ilone in a fluster.

"Captain? What's with that outfit..."

"Lock him up first."

"What? Suddenly?"

"I'm going to write a report, so prepare for interrogation."

The guard was slightly surprised seeing Ilone in a feminine appearance he had never seen before, but upon hearing her words, immediately prepared for interrogation.

The statement that ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠came from the interrogated criminal's mouth was something quite hard to believe.

"......What? Low-rank adventurers forming a criminal organization? They said if you bring people, they'll exchange them for money or drugs?"