Chapter 11. The Child I've Watched Since She Was a Girl (1)
Chapter 11. The Child I've Watched Since She Was a Girl (1)
How long had it been since the two of them fell into that trap?
Berdia, who had been waiting near the exit, stared down the empty corridor and let her impatience show.
'...They're taking far too long.'
The dungeon had been built for training, so its difficulty wasn't especially high—but the two of them had only just become adventurers, hadn't they?
In Dave's case, the way he'd instantly spotted the trap Serika triggered suggested he had a good eye, but there was a vast difference between recognizing a problem and dealing with it on the spot.
More importantly, Serika had no such eye at all, which meant she could easily blunder straight into an embarrassing situation.
'The dungeon is designed to halt all functions the moment anyone is in serious danger. The fact that it hasn't stopped must mean they're safe for now, but...'
Could they have taken a different path?
No, that wasn't likely either.
Given the dungeon's structure, pitfall-type traps invariably led to a single-exit passage, and there were life-sign detection functions running throughout.
If a secondary trap had put them in danger, every type of trap would have stopped immediately, and the golems prepared for combat would have safely escorted the endangered person to the entrance.
The very absence of such a signal meant there was no real problem with the two of them.
Yet Berdia still couldn't shake her worry.
'If, by any chance, Serika did something discourteous to Dave...'
What if, in Berdia's absence, Serika had caused trouble for Dave and he'd been delayed because he had to clean up the mess?
"...Ah, this isn't good."
At that, Berdia caught herself looking at the situation from an uncharacteristic angle and let out a dry chuckle.
"I'm supposed to be supporting that girl, and here I am worrying about the man she just met."
Normally, she ought to worry that the man she'd only just encountered might harbor lecherous intentions.
The fact that she wasn't probably meant the first impression he'd left had been a good one.
He had shown an understanding of Serika, and he'd also displayed a willingness to build a good relationship with her despite their short acquaintance.
'I suppose I don't need to keep my guard up against that man just yet. His combat strength is nothing more than what was listed in the documents Serika brought back, and he carries no special equipment beyond that...'
One in a million chances were always possible, but she had stood at the vanguard of humanity as a follower of the War God, waging countless bloody battles against the Demon King's army.
Sizing up an opponent's capabilities was second nature to her. If she felt nothing from him, it meant he was harmless to that same degree.
Not merely in the physical sense, but magically and morally as well... Yes, she had sensed no mana of note nor any wicked presence from him whatsoever.
'I'll maintain minimum caution, but for now I should help them form a good relationship.'
Serika needed experience, but more than that, since Berdia had to take responsibility for the party, she needed to seize the initiative going forward.
So, as a gesture of respect for Serika's choice, she resolved to try and close the distance with the man Serika had personally brought back.
"Berdia! Are you there!?"
Just as she clenched her fist with that thought, she finally felt a presence approaching from the far end of the passage.
Dave.
The man with striking blond hair and bronze skin.
But the expression of abject terror he'd worn when they first met had now been replaced by dismay.
"Dave, I'm glad you're safe... Serika?"
The reason was clear immediately.
Slumped limply across his back was Serika, being carried piggyback.
'Dangerous—'
The momentary wariness that made her want to surge forward lasted only an instant. Berdia's gaze quickly swept the surroundings.
'No. The dungeon's functions are still operating normally.'
That meant Serika's life was not in danger, at the very least. Maintaining her composure, Berdia asked Dave carefully.
"What happened?"
"Ah, well... She tried to force her way through a trap and got hit hard in the head."
"...I see."
It was such a Serika-like accident that Berdia had nothing more to add.
For a moment, she wondered if Dave, acting as the scout, had made some mistake, but Dave himself was in pristine condition.
Most likely, Serika had watched Dave disarm a trap, then rushed in to show off her own prowess and got struck before she saw the trap.
'I understand she got excited about having a companion for the first time... Still, I'll have to have a word with her later.'
Of course, that would be difficult now, with her consciousness half-gone.
"The original purpose was to verify Serika's skills, but if she's in this condition, we can't continue. I'll take Serika back to the lodgings. Hand her over."
"Huh? Ah, yes..."
Flustered by Berdia's firm decision, Dave nonetheless turned his back to her.
As soon as Serika was within Berdia's grasp, she was hoisted up and landed squarely on Berdia's shoulder.
"Wh-whoa...?"
Oh dear, he looked quite startled.
During training, she routinely lifted and lowered this much weight every single day.
"Is that really enough to surprise you? It's a sight you'll be seeing often from now on."
"Huh? Often...?"
"Exactly what I said. Is there a problem...? Ah."
She was about to turn the question back on the confused Dave.
Then it hit her why she had said that, and Berdia painted a bitter smile on her lips.
'Right. This time was also meant to assess Dave's skills...'
That had definitely been the plan, yet at some point she'd forgotten that objective and started thinking with Dave's inclusion as a given.
But now, wasn't that a fine outcome? Simply making it this far proved his competence as a scout, and more than anything, he had brought Serika here safely.
"Dave, you must be tired from carrying Serika here, so rest for today. I'll look forward to your future contributions."
After expressing that trust with a casual air, Berdia hoisted Serika more securely and headed straight for the exit.
She wanted to spend more time getting to know him, but waiting for Serika's condition to improve was the priority right now.
"Nn, nnn..."
Whether she knew of Berdia's concern or not, Serika let out a moan from her position on her back.
But the expression Berdia wore as she glanced back at that Serika was one of boundless affection.
Normally, she had no choice but to teach Serika strictly for the sake of her growth, but there was no need to maintain that attitude when the girl couldn't see her.
'Come to think of it, it's been quite a while since I've held her like this.'
Had the last time been nearly ten years ago?
Back then she was a child small enough to fit in her arms. It was a moment that made her feel how swiftly time flew.
***
Yes, time was truly flying by.
About a week had passed since Dave joined them and they started frequenting the artificial dungeon.
Serika's combat, which had been clumsy in many ways at the start, had now become quite proficient.
Now she could break through a pincer of over ten goblin-simulating golems without a scratch. Watching Dave handle trap disposal directly also made it clear he was more outstanding than anticipated.
Not just trap disposal—his life-related skills like carrying baggage, cooking inside the dungeon, and mending clothes were all top-notch.
'Having someone to handle the miscellaneous chores outside of combat will make the journey easier. Maybe from his past experience running errands in dungeons, he's also adept at finding safe spots during battle.'
If he gained a bit more skill and experience, maybe they could even bring him along to a proper dungeon. That was the thought that crossed her mind.
But she couldn't make that decision alone. Berdia had designated Serika as the party leader, but the rest of the party members still tended not to trust Serika's judgment.
'It's been a week since Serika brought Dave back. But the other two still show no signs of joining up.'
Historically, the hero's party was premised on three companions following along by default.
A priestess like herself, a Grand Archmage dispatched from the Magic Tower generation after generation, and a representative of the non-human races who held antipathy toward the Demon King.
Among them, the Grand Archmage was someone who had displayed outstanding skill at a young age, young enough to have the label "youngest in history" attached, but since she was close in age to Serika, she had a considerable lack of social graces.
She was surely ignoring the contract between the Royal Castle and the Magic Tower, focusing solely on her own research.
'The elf side is bound by strict discipline, and exchanges with the Great Forest aren't easy... If I go looking, I should check the Magic Tower first.'
After roughly gauging Serika's condition, she'd set out at once.
Having reached that conclusion, Berdia headed to Serika's room to deliver the news.
It would also serve as an opportunity to offer advice to the girl, who would be exhausted from another day spent conquering the dungeon.
"Serika. Are you in...?"
But only for a moment.
As she stood before the door to the lodgings, Berdia noticed that the door to Serika's room was half-open.
Had she carelessly left it open again? Normally she'd dismiss it, but what stopped her from opening it immediately and entering was the strange sound drifting through the gap.
"Hn, nh, haah..."
Serika's voice.
"Ah, aahn. Hic, ah, ahhk...♥"
But it was an intensely thick moan.
One she had never heard before...
'Seri... ka?'
Something was happening.
What in the world?
-Gulp.
Swallowing hard, Berdia quietly began to wedge open the half-ajar door.
-Squelch, squelch.
The sound of wet flesh chafing against fingers.
"Go, go, now, almo—... Guh!"
A moan followed, thick breath spread through the air, and a clear liquid began to trickle down onto the bedspread.
Berdia could do nothing but watch the scene with her hand clamped over her mouth.
The girl she had always considered clumsy and young—.
"Hnnghiiit~~♥"
The moment that girl bucked her hips coarsely and sprayed fluids down onto the bed below.