14. Is It Wrong to Pursue XX in a Dungeon
A B-rank dungeon, though it hasn't been named yet, is expected to be given a name related to insects.
Though there were many worries, this expedition proceeded more smoothly than expected. From a personal preference standpoint, I never want to set foot in this damp and creepy insect dungeon again, but...
Looking solely at the results, there were no major crises.
When swarms of insects rushed in, Argol reliably stepped forward as the vanguard, stomping and swinging, and if any bugs tried to attack Elize behind him, Ibel's fireballs flew in. Even if those missed, Noah's magic instantly incinerated the insects.
It might have been dangerous if we had gone deeper,
but since this mission was just a preliminary investigation around the entrance, it seems we were able to finish at this level. If I had to point out a crisis in such a situation...
'Clearly... you said nothing happened.'
Elize was truly shocked. Who would have thought that Noah-nim would fall into a tentacle trap? She had heard many stories about them. In extreme cases, there were tales of rescuing a woman from a trap only to find her belly swollen like a mountain.
Noah's clothes had all melted away. The sticky, viscous mucus that made one imagine what had happened below, and even the glossy buttocks.
It wasn't particularly new since she had bathed with him a few times at the church, but Noah's buttocks were as large as High Priest Irene's.
What in the world happened to that body down in the hole...
Such impious thoughts were brief,
as Elize shouted at the men(?) to all close their eyes. Then she took off her own robe and covered Noah's lower body. It was more Elize who made a fuss than Noah.
After that incident, it was time to finish the expedition, exit the dungeon, and prepare to return to Bellua.
Elize's gaze had been fixed on one spot for a while. Because Noah's condition hadn't looked very good since earlier.
'Those two, aren't they sticking too close together no matter how you look at it?'
The person clinging tightly to Noah's side was none other than Ibel.
Even if he is your disciple. Even if he's pretty, a man is still a man. Shouldn't you maintain some distance yourself...?
She thought that, but couldn't bring herself to call them out.
The image of the competent, reliable, and sincere Ibel in Elize's mind... had long since been shattered.
He's a lecherous person. Someone who enjoys dirty things. Someone who tempts his master with this and that(?) means to do bad things. Like dragging his master out to a secluded spot at night to kiss, or taking advantage of when he seems unwell to boldly touch his waist, shoulders, even around his buttocks...
Those wicked hands!!!
I can't just stand by and watch!
"I'll carry all the luggage on the horse, Master. You should just ride the horse back. You don't seem well, so walking from here to Bellua would be too much."
"...I've never really ridden a horse before, so I'm not sure. I'm more likely to fall and get hurt."
"Hmm, well, we won't be leaving right away anyway, so I'll teach you a bit in the meantime. Riding a horse isn't that hard, Master."
In the end, Elize could only silently watch the two practice horse riding. Because it was physical contact with a legitimate purpose. Elize didn't know how to ride a horse either...
And Argol was just quietly leaning against a tree, sharpening his axe by himself.
So Elize organized the records of this expedition on parchment, only stealing glances at the two like a peeping tom.
'Wicked hands... look at those wicked hands!'
Isabella's hands boldly touched Noah's waist without hesitation, and for some reason, every time those touches landed, Noah's face would blush as if he didn't dislike it.
And then she got on behind him and grabbed Noah's waist with both hands!
...At that, Noah's ears turned red.
To anyone watching(?), it was the pitiful sight of a master being swayed by his male disciple. To think that elf mage Noah, who seemed to have no connection to love, would show such a feminine side...
All sorts of fantasies were forming in Elize's mind.
The contents of the obscene books she had accidentally discovered under her nun academy classmate's bed years ago.
Stories of forbidden love between master and disciple, of course, and even tales of a priestess who had devoted her love to God completely falling for a mercenary and giving both body and soul.
(Of course, they weren't as explicitly described as that novel Noah had once given to Marian.)
For Elize, a virgin who had never been in love, there was probably no material more stimulating to the imagination than this.
Kissing... that surely wasn't their first time. Since when had they been in that kind of relationship? Had they only kissed? Or perhaps they'd even progressed further...?
"Ibel. Isn't this pretty good enough?"
"Yes! You did well! Let's see if you can do it without me holding you one more time!"
Elize rubbed her bright red face with her palms and muttered softly.
"...Oh God."
No matter how she thought about it, it seemed less like a master-disciple relationship and more like a sticky lovers' relationship. How could she guide these two who had gone down the wrong path back to the right one...
She made that meaningless resolution once again.
===
We returned to Bellua.
The city we returned to after walking for a full day... had become a much more crowded and noisy city than before we left. Everywhere you looked, unfamiliar mercenary groups were noisily buying things, drinking alcohol, and passing by with the clanging of metal.
Despite the onahole business or whatever,
the dungeon appearance really had a more effective impact on city revitalization. Of course, since some of them seemed to have heard rumors about the onaholes...
There were those who secretly visited the Butt Wall brothel away from their comrades, but unfortunately, since the original model was absent, most had to just buy onaholes and return.
And now.
As soon as Noah and his party arrived in Bellua, they headed to Mr. Bred's restaurant.
"Wow... I think this is the first time I've seen the city this noisy."
"Elize, that dungeon we went to together was the last one, so it can't be helped. That mission was also about cleaning up the last stragglers."
Amid mercenaries sitting everywhere shouting "Pour it! Drink it!", we barely managed to secure seats. This might all be thanks to the regular customer effect we've built up over time.
A table for four plus a spacious table for Argol.
Meanwhile, Noah and Isabella sat side by side as if by agreement. Across from them, Elize sat with an unnecessarily uncomfortable expression.
"...Master. Wouldn't it be better to have the after-party later and just go rest today? Even though you rode a horse, it must have been a strain on your body...."
Elize widened her eyes and looked at Isabella.
A caring remark pretending to be worried...!
There might be some dark ulterior motive hidden behind that. But Elize also agreed with what Isabella said.
"I just want to drink some alcohol for the first time in a while and sleep comfortably. If we go back, the kids will be there, and I can't drink comfortably there."
"Th-that issue, if I explain the situation to Priestess Irene..."
"Enough. Let's just order."
Noah's will was firm.
Anyway, the discussion was about having the after-party now. We already had seats at the restaurant, and it was too late to back out.
Soon after, Mr. Bred's daughter, Marie, began setting food on the table one by one.
Crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside whole roasted pork log.
Spicy fried squid legs imported from regions further south than Bellua.
Thick potato stew filled with mashed potatoes and bacon pieces.
And beer filled to the brim in wooden mugs.
Perhaps because we'd been filling our stomachs with hastily thrown together stew ingredients or just jerky for the past few days. Even Argol, who had been quiet all day, began shoveling food into his mouth without hesitation as soon as the dishes were on the table.
Drinking beer like it was water when his throat got clogged.
About an hour passed like that.
Druuung- Keeeerk-!
Argol had taken over an entire table and fallen asleep snoring, and Elize had also become so drunk that everything was spinning hazily.
Then, Noah was the first to get up from his seat. Pulling up Isabella who was sitting next to him.
"Cough... Hmm. Let's stop here for today. I'll stop by the Adventurer's Guild for a moment... *hic*. Just to process the request, then to the church... *hic*. Elize. I'll take the parchment and handle it."
"...Eh? R-right now?"
"M-Master... Ugh..."
Before she could gather her wits, Noah's hand slipped into Elize's sleeve and took out the parchment. Without giving her a chance to say anything... Elize was left alone.
Noah and Isabella had already paid and were heading out of the restaurant.
"Keeeerk-!"
Argol snoring like a dying man.
Elize got up from her seat without paying him any mind. With stumbling steps, she followed the two.
Being heavily drunk, she didn't follow them with any particular thought. She just figured if they were going back to the church, they could go together.
Elize was so drunk that she didn't really notice the two were still clinging to each other as they walked.
"...Huh?"
Then suddenly, Elize realized.
This isn't the road to the Adventurer's Guild.
Sure enough, Noah and Isabella entered an inn.
"I guess they were tired after all..."
In that case, she had no choice but to return to the church alone.
The moment she turned around with that thought, Elize's eyes widened.
Gulp.
Her hazy, swaying vision cleared up and she turned her head. Then, carefully checking her surroundings, she entered the inn. Fortunately, the timing was perfect as the two were going upstairs.
"...A single room, please. On the second floor."
"You're in luck, miss. There was just one room left."
Elize tiptoed up to the second floor after getting the key.
The room she got was right next to Noah and Isabella's room.