Chapter 64
Chapter 64
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Dust on Your Face
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"Hey, what's that on your face here?"
The damage Enoch had taken while fighting that nameless demon was considerable.
Even though completing Pathos had greatly reduced the burden of neural deification, that didn't mean it was nothing. Moreover, all the wounds he'd sustained had been converted into mental damage, and his overworked divine eyes throbbed as if they were about to shatter.
So it was only natural that Undine smacked him on the back when he tried to look for the next opponent.
[You're gonna get yourself killed for real, you idiot!]
"Hmm."
Even Enoch had to nod in agreement; it did seem that way. For now, he'd put that on hold. Not knowing what to do next, he looked at Lione.
"First, let's find a way out of the dungeon."
"Oh, right. Now that you mention it, this is a dungeon."
They'd discovered it while investigating the cause of the recent surge in monsters, hadn't they? He'd forgotten for a moment.
"Hmm."
After pondering for a bit, Enoch opened his left eye. Rings rotated, illuminating the world. Lines appeared clearly. It wasn't particularly burdensome.
'Well, I guess that's to be expected.'
It had been hard to see the demon's lines because he had the intent to conceal them. But the dungeon's lines were different. Though so subtle even Lione could barely detect them, they lacked any intent to hide.
"Let's head that way."
*
After walking for about thirty minutes, the group arrived at their destination.
[So this is what it looks like.]
The vast desert suddenly cut off at some point. The darkness stretching beyond it felt utterly alien to anyone who saw it.
"Shall we go?"
Lione took the lead. Enoch followed her without hesitation as she stepped forward.
Whoosh—
With a strange sensation, the scenery shifted.
"Is this... a cave?"
Just as Lione said, it was a cave. But the place they'd moved to was a massive hemispherical cavern, and in its center sat something like an altar.
"It seems like we've been inside this the whole time."
"A glass orb?"
"Yeah. Look closely. Don't you see the scenery we were just in?"
A dungeon within a dungeon? How intriguing. He tapped the glass orb, but it felt just like ordinary glass.
"There were more like this, but they're all shattered."
"Lione."
"Yeah?"
"Let's leave this one intact."
Enoch carefully withdrew his hand from the glass orb.
"We could train here whenever we have time."
This was a stroke of fortune; what else could it be? If they kept it and came back regularly to cultivate, insane growth would be possible.
But what was the problem?
Crack—
A fracture appeared on the glass orb, and it shattered just like the others nearby.
"Ah...!"
"Oh dear, what a shame."
Contrary to her words, Lione seemed oddly pleased.
"...You didn't break it, did you, Lione?"
"No, I didn't! I wouldn't do that!"
Well, no helping it. Enoch sighed and looked around.
"Then let's explore a bit."
They'd followed the lines visible to his divine eyes into this dungeon, but he wasn't sure if they were connected to the recent monster surge. He hadn't seen lines leading from monsters, after all.
Still, they needed to find the exit regardless.
Enoch moved toward a passage branching off from the vast cavern. He sensed a few presences in the distance. Using them as a guide, he advanced, and faint sounds began to reach him.
- ...Ugh. ...Please.
Enoch exchanged a glance with Lione and picked up his pace slightly. The presences? They hadn't diminished. Unless a demigod suddenly appeared, there was no real danger.
What they encountered was a single man.
"Ugh...."
A human man covered in blood, on the verge of death. Why was a human here?
"P-Please... kill me...."
The question was brief. Enoch hurried over and raised his foot.
"E-Enoch...! Stop......!!"
Just as he was about to stomp down and crush the man's head, Enoch turned.
"Why?"
"You can't just kill him suddenly!"
"But he asked to be killed."
"That's basically code for 'save me'!"
It meant he was suffering so much he wanted death, but really, he'd be even more grateful if spared.
Lione rushed over and gathered a glow of light in her hand. As it touched the man, his complexion eased.
"Ugh...."
The pain must have subsided somewhat, as he fell asleep right there.
"Wake up."
"Hah...!"
He jolted awake when kicked.
"Who are you, and why are you here? You must know this is elf territory."
As Enoch tapped the ground with his sole, the man's gaze fixed there. He'd realized his head could be crushed under that foot at any moment. He spoke urgently.
"I-I didn't know!"
"Oh. Goodbye then."
He seemed to be an elf hunter. Just as Enoch was about to smash his head, the man instinctively shouted.
"I-It's true...! I was in Tetika!"
"Tetika?"
"Y-Yes!"
Tetika was a kingdom name. It bordered Labelion Kingdom, and the beastkin tribes were nearby, so Enoch remembered it.
"But why are you here?"
"I don't know either! We just... my clanmates and I entered the dungeon...."
Enoch turned to Lione. She nodded. Elves could vaguely discern truth, so if she said it was true, it was. And she wasn't just any elf—she was a high elf.
"Interesting."
Enoch nodded once and resumed walking.
"Lione, let's go."
"W-Wait...! Take me with you...!"
"Need to?"
He didn't want to add baggage to a trip that was just him and Lione.
He was about to leave the man, but Lione gently stroked Enoch's head.
"Take him along, Enoch."
"...Okay."
"Good boy. Should big sis give you a reward?"
"Reward?"
She stared blankly at him, then—pinch—her hands grabbed his cheeks. Then—smack—her lips lightly touched his forehead, leaving only warmth as they pulled away.
"Oh...?"
"Hehe, how was it?"
How was it? Was she asking for his thoughts?
He gave a thumbs-up, and Lione smiled proudly.
'Something's off with her mood today.'
He hoped it stayed that way. Ideally, the kiss would last longer next time.
With slightly flushed cheeks, Enoch patted his chest.
"Eri."
[...Ugh. What?]
"Uh... nothing. Rest well."
He'd meant to ask her to watch the guy, but her tone was pretty sharp. She'd overexerted herself fighting the demon. Messing with her now might trigger puberty early.
Thud—Enoch grabbed the man's nape and dragged him along.
"Let's go."
*
The man followed the mysterious group with trembling legs. If he got dragged like this, the breath he'd barely clung to might snap again.
"Haa...."
The boy's piercing gaze, coupled with a sigh as his pace slowed, made the man feel like he'd collapse any second, but he desperately wanted to live.
"I'll tell you everything I know!"
He had to prove his usefulness...! To do that, sticking to the elf rather than the boy would be smarter. That kid was too prickly.
"We entered the dungeon a week ago...."
"Hey, don't get too close to Lione."
"Y-Yes sir!"
He scurried three steps back before continuing.
"There were six of us clanmates, including me. It seemed dangerous since it was a new dungeon, but hey, good luck could mean striking it rich."
But they didn't seem to be listening.
"Enoch, what's that on your face here?"
"Yeah? Was there something to ask? Dirt?"
"No? You got some handsome."
"Handsome? I didn't eat any seaweed."
The elf pinched the kid's cheek lightly.
"You're handsome."
He couldn't stand it anymore. His limbs shook, but sheer will to live kept him going. Laughing here would really screw him.
"You're pretty too, Lione."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Obviously."
"Actually, Enoch is super cute!"
Heh heh. The man wisely shut his mouth. They didn't seem interested in info or anything.
[Hey, human. Aren't you exhausted?]
"N-No, I'm fine!"
[Nah, I am. Don't those two make you sick? I don't get why they're like that.]
"H-Ha ha. Y-Yeah."
The spirit's eyes gleamed as she flitted away.
[Hey! He says he can't stand looking at you guys!]
"Eek...!? N-No, that's not...!"
Maybe he should've just died earlier? The man began to seriously regret it.
*
The worthless human was annoying, but Enoch was in a good mood. A really good mood.
"Hehe."
Lione let out an oddly forced laugh, awkwardly brushing her hair back. She raised her arms in an unnatural stretch, then hesitantly tugged her stiff lips into a smile.
"Ha. Mm. Al. Ways. A. Bit. Ti. Red."
He had no idea what she was doing, but it was just nice. Because Lione was trying something. Had there been a change of heart?
Humming softly under his breath, he advanced through the cave until they encountered the source of the presence he'd sensed earlier.
Grrr....
It was a black-furred dog. But rejecting the ordinary, it walked on two legs with bold audacity and clutched a long spear in its stubby paws—a foolish sight suggesting revolutionary potential.
Why use a spear when it had natural claws? The leather armor made even less sense.
"Eek...! Th-They're out...! Those things got my clanmates...!"
The human man freaked out and backed away. It didn't look that strong. As Enoch stared, Lione let out a small "Eh?"
"A hell dog? Why is one of those here?"