93. The Grounded Ship and the Missing Children
We climbed back into the boat.
"Um, I've gotta say, I'm getting cold feet here. Want me to row?"
"Nah, it's fine. Rowing a boat's a guy's romance."
I spouted some nonsense I didn't even understand myself, putting on a brave front. Myra must've thought I was being stubborn, because she looked troubled.
"Looks like we don't have to bring the boat back to the other side. We can just return it to this boat landing. We can take the ferry back."
Her words brought a deep sigh of relief from the bottom of my heart, but as I started rowing, my hands froze.
"Where's the grounded ship?"
I scanned the surroundings, but the ship we'd seen from the shore was gone.
"...Like a mirage or something?"
We were only about twenty meters from shore at most. Could a mirage really appear that close?
"No helping it. Let's head toward where we saw it and check it out."
Curiosity won out over caution. I started rowing again.
A crowd had gathered on the shore. They didn't look like illusions.
Some of them were pointing at us and saying something. They could see us too, it seemed.
Suddenly, a gust of wind whipped through.
The instant I blinked, the grounded ship appeared right in front of my eyes.
"Whoa!"
We collided with the ship. It rocked us hard, but we weren't going fast, so no capsizing or damage.
After confirming Myra was okay, I inspected the ship for a way aboard. There was a huge hole in the hull—big enough to slip through without climbing to the deck.
"Mash, look at the shore."
"Hm?"
I turned my gaze to the shore.
The scenery hadn't changed. But the crowd that had been there moments ago was gone.
"They must've gotten tired of the commotion and gone home."
I muttered some half-assed excuse, but I knew we were in a dangerous spot.
I hurriedly turned the bow toward the boat landing and started rowing back.
But it was like slamming into a wall. I could see the landing, but we couldn't go any farther.
"We're trapped. This is already inside a dungeon."
Myra said.
"A dungeon like this?"
"First time for me too, but it feels like we've been sealed in some other-dimensional space. Definitely a dungeon."
"...Got it. Let's circle the outside and look for an exit."
"Let's find the kids first."
Myra drew her weapon, preparing for battle.
"And then what? Charge the area guarder's room with them?"
"Muu..."
She frowned at my sarcasm.
"Kidding. You decide, Myra."
Just as she started to say something, the water surface near the boat seemed to bulge slightly.
"Myra, something's in the water. Stay sharp!"
The moment I warned her, an alligator burst from the surface and lunged at Myra.
She jumped up on instinct and smashed its snout with her mace. It splashed back into the water. The impact rocked the boat, and I barely caught her as she nearly fell.
Peering into the water, I saw alligators swimming under the boat. They were over twice my height, and there were several of them.
One surfaced aiming for my face. I ducked just in time as its jaws snapped past. The boat rocked again.
"Alligators in this river?"
Rowing so casually in a place this dangerous...
"Probably monsters. We're at a disadvantage here. Bad footing, and they can pick us off. Let's move into the ship."
We couldn't fight them properly on the unstable boat. Falling in would make us easy prey with no way to match their mobility.
I desperately rowed toward the hole in the hull. Myra held her mace ready, but I wasn't sure if it was deterring the underwater foes.
Just before we reached it, an alligator attacked from behind. Myra swung her mace again.
It didn't give up and clambered onto the boat.
The boat rocked violently.
"No good—it's gonna flip! Jump to the ship!"
Myra made it aboard, and I tried to follow. But the boat lurched, throwing off my balance. The alligator bared its teeth from behind.
"Mash! Your hand!"
I grabbed Myra's outstretched hand. She pulled with all her might, and I barely made it onto the ship.
Looking back, the boat had capsized, and the alligator riding it glared at us, fangs bared.
We watched the alligators for a while, but they eventually vanished underwater. No sign of them boarding the ship.
"...This ain't glitched or something? Dungeons usually start with weak enemies, right? Who could beat those things?"
It had been terrifying. I took deep breaths to stop shaking. Could the kids or the adults who came to help have been attacked by them? I hated imagining it.
"It's a newborn dungeon. Probably unstable in spots. Search for the exit?"
Myra asked calmly. I shook my head. First, we'd need to right the capsized boat, and dodging alligators underwater sounded impossible.
"I'd rather fight the area guarder than tangle with those in the water. Let's explore the ship. Might run into the kids or their parents."
"Mash, my judgment was wrong. We should've called the knights or the guild first."
"Nah, I was too harsh. Can't blame you for pushing back. I'm sorry. Besides, I'm your hero."
I pulled my knife from storage.
"What a disastrous date this turned into."
I grinned jokingly and looked around. The floor slanted, barrels scattered everywhere. It looked like a warehouse. Dim, but not pitch black. No need for lights like in other dungeons. There was a door—seemed we could move around inside.
I took the lead, walking ahead of her.
"I'll be the front line. You use the bow. I'm not some trembling girl in the back."
Myra said tensely. She looked like she felt responsible.
"Shut up. Leave it to me. Stay quiet and tremble behind me."
I shot her a grin. Myra's hand reached out and grabbed my back.
"Understood. Then use your strength to stop my trembling."
Myra smiled too, her tone a bit theatrical.
I turned, pulled her close. She wasn't trembling, of course.
She gazed at me for a moment, then closed her eyes.
I pressed my lips to hers.
"Let's check beyond the door and explore the ship."
Myra nodded.
I cautiously opened the door and peeked into the next room. No monster presence. A carriage sat in the center—no horses, just the body. There was a door ahead and stairs up.
We approached the carriage. Unlike the ones we rode with the caravan, this was small but luxuriously painted.
"Why's a carriage in the cargo hold...? For nobles?"
It had steps and a side door for easy entry. Myra approached to peek inside but stopped.
"...Something's inside."
She readied her mace.
"Ones around us too."
Four green slimes oozed out from gaps in the floorboards.
Slimes we could handle. As I raised my knife, their bodies started glowing.
"They're gonna cast magic!"
Myra shouted.
Ice arrows formed in front of the slimes and shot at me.
I barely dodged, but the others began glowing too.
Myra dashed in and smashed one with her mace. It vanished.
I went for the nearest, but its spell fired first.
"Tch."
One of the three ice arrows slashed my arm.
Gritting through the pain, I slashed one down. Myra took out another in the meantime.
The last melted into a floor gap and fled.
"Slimes casting magic...?"
I grumbled. Myra started healing my arm.
"One in the carriage too?"
Myra nodded. If Cecily were here, she could've blasted it with a fireball. I prepped an earth magic stone ball for deterrence.
"W-Wait!"
A voice from inside. The carriage door opened, and kids tumbled out.
Two boys in commoner clothes, and a girl in finer garb. All around seven or eight.
Myra rushed to them.
"Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah."
One boy nodded, and Myra patted his head.
The other started crying and hugged Myra. She rubbed his back, and the first boy joined in.
"..."
I wished I were a kid too. As I watched, the girl met my eyes.
"I'm Ensha. Those two are Kirimu and Yuris."
Ensha pointed at the boys clinging to Myra. The crying one was Yuris, apparently.
"I'm Mash. That big sis is Myra."
"Mash, I'm hungry."
"Haven't eaten anything?"
The girl nodded.
"We were exploring, and monsters appeared. Couldn't get home."
So they'd hidden in the carriage.
"No alligators when you came?"
She shook her head.
"Monsters popped up while exploring. Tried to escape outside, but the ship was gone, and alligators were swimming."
I pulled snacks from storage and used water magic to fill cups, handing them over. These were ones I'd bought at the stall to share with Myra—gingerbread, baked dough mixed with honey, ginger, cinnamon, and spices.
Ensha munched away as the boys stared.
"Want some?"
They nodded. I gave the rest to the boys.
"Before you eat, one thing you gotta remember. That big sis is mine."
The boys looked at me blankly, mouths full.
"What now?"
Myra asked.
"Let's check the deck. Might be a lifeboat. These kids hiding here haven't seen their parents. They might've entered from elsewhere."
"Is Daddy here too?"
Ensha asked.
"Yeah, probably meet 'em soon."
I nodded. We needed a dungeon exit, likely outside. Best bet was beating the area guarder. But with kids in tow?
"Before heading up, check the room ahead?"
"Yeah."
Myra was the thorough type.
I led, kids behind, Myra guarding the rear. Ensha gripped my shirt hem tight.
"I should tell everyone too," Myra said. "That big bro is mine."
Thank you for reading.
Thank you to everyone who hit like, bookmarked, or rated.
It motivates me. I'll keep going.
Thanks for typo reports. They really help.