Chapter 263: The Dungeon's Deepening Secret
Chapter 263: The Dungeon's Deepening Secret
Fortunately, I was able to remember that the day I ran into Alicia was the same day I first met Leia at the guild, so the misunderstanding was easily cleared up.
I had met Leia around noon, which meant I couldn’t have been at the Arachne Clan House for very long.
Besides, if I had given in to temptation back then, I wouldn’t be here like this right now.
“Honestly! How could you not trust me! I’m disappointed in all of you!”
After clearing everything up, I pretended to be angry. In response, my girls all wore apologetic expressions and clung to me.
Seeing them on the verge of tears as they held onto me, I couldn’t help but feel my anger melt away instantly.
How could I stay mad when the girls I love are acting like this? If I let my guard down, my expression would break into a goofy grin.
But to enjoy the situation a little longer, I deliberately tensed my facial muscles and maintained my angry look.
“My apologies. You must forgive me. Yes. I shall pat your head.”
No, wait. You enjoy patting my head more than I do.
Well, I guess I enjoy it too.
“I’m really sorry. What can I do to make you forgive me? I’ll do anything Guwon asks.”
“Anything I ask?! W-Well, since tonight is Sara’s turn… Ahem. It’s not like I’m angry because I want something.”
That was close. My mask almost slipped.
No, wait. Even if my mask slips now, would it be more beneficial to use this chance to make all sorts of demands of Sara?
“I’m sorry, Guwon. I was also…”
“N-No. You have nothing to be sorry for. Yes. I am the one who should be sorry.”
“G-Guwon? Are you that angry?”
Leia looked up at me with a slightly shocked expression when I used formal speech.
No. This formal speech just… for some reason. Yes. It just slipped out for some reason.
My angel is truly at her best when she’s this gentle.
To think I was once curious about what this angel would look like when she was angry.
Let’s never again harbor such an absurd curiosity. Ever.
But that aside, for no one to step in while I was getting ganged up on by the three of them… Isn’t that a bit much?
Silvia, well, I can let her slide. She probably didn’t express it because of her position, but thinking about it, she was likely jealous too.
But the ladies from the Mage Association… No, maybe I should just be grateful they didn’t join the attack, shouting, ‘How dare you betray Lady Diana!’
No matter how close I’d gotten with them lately, my bond with them was still trivial compared to their bond with Diana.
I’m really lucky to be alive.
After all the misunderstandings were resolved, we returned to the mansion.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who had missed the sunlight after spending several days in the ant nest.
Without anyone suggesting it, we all found ourselves gathered in the garden, sunbathing together.
First, Leia leaned against a large tree in the garden. Then, blushing slightly, she looked at me and patted her thigh.
That gesture means what I think it means, right?
Without hesitation, I lay down, resting my head on Leia’s lap.
I think this every time I lie down like this, but her thighs are impressively firm.
We were already under a tree, but Leia’s enormous breasts created an even more perfect canopy over my face.
This was a view only Leia could create.
A view only an angel could create. Does that mean this is what heaven looks like?
As I was savoring my slice of heaven, Sara and Diana snuggled up against me on either side.
“There you go, getting lost in Leia again. You can’t forget about me, you know?”
Was it because she’d been a little harsh with me just a moment ago due to the misunderstanding? Sara suppressed her jealousy and spoke in an uncharacteristically cute tone.
She then placed her thigh over one of my legs, crossing them and pressing her body tightly against mine.
“D-Don’t you forget about me, either!”
Seeing Sara, Diana seemed to decide she couldn’t lose and hugged me tightly.
However, perhaps aware that she lacked the same volume as Sara or Leia, her posture was strangely unconfident.
It almost looked like she was trying to avoid pressing her chest against me.
It’s okay. You have your own unique charms.
I put that feeling into my arms and hugged Diana back tightly.
Only then did Diana flash a brilliant smile and start nuzzling her cheek against my chest.
“Hmph. Hmph. You really are something. Are you that fond of me?”
The moment you’re nice to her, her confidence skyrockets and she gets cocky like this.
Then again, she’s always been the type to be overflowing with self-confidence.
When she acts like this, it’s human nature to want to tease her and make her sullen again.
Well, she’s cute, so I guess it’s fine. I’ll save the teasing for later. Yes. For tonight.
“Silvia. You come over here, too. Don’t just stand there.”
Surrounded by my three girls, I turned my head slightly and spoke.
In the direction I looked, Silvia was watching us from afar with an envious expression.
With half her body hidden behind a tree, she looked exactly like a stalker.
“M-Me?! B-But where…”
Where? Why are you looking my body up and down while asking that?
Ah, don’t tell me…
“Hey. When did I tell you to come cling to me? I just meant you should come closer instead of lurking over there.”
“Ah, y-yes! I see.”
Just as I thought.
It seems Silvia was thinking about our “special training” again.
No matter how much of a cute, pet-like vibe you have, I have no intention of hugging and cuddling you while I’m already tangled up with my girls, you hear me?
Finally understanding my true meaning, Silvia approached and sat down with a look of slight relief, but also one of disappointment.
She’s the one who flails around trying to escape whenever I actually hug her. Look at her, getting disappointed when I say I won’t.
Anyway, this is good. This is perfect.
Sunbathing while surrounded by four beauties. A privilege reserved only for one who has truly built a harem.
In this very moment, I am the man closest to being the Harem King.
It feels like I’ve achieved the dream I had when I first came to this world.
Have I really become the Harem King?
No. I can’t be satisfied with just this. A true Harem King would follow this up with a group bath…
“Since we’re all gathered, there’s something I’d like to discuss once more.”
Just as I was setting a new goal, Diana, who had been wearing a blissful expression beside me, suddenly spoke up.
“Hm? What is it?”
“It’s about the Magic Stone we were researching.”
After that preamble, Diana began to explain.
To summarize, her story went like this.
First, that Magic Stone was something like the core that constitutes the dungeon.
Furthermore, if Diana’s prediction was correct, similar cores likely existed in various places throughout the dungeon. Not only that, but there was a high probability that these cores were connected, forming some kind of massive magical formula.
However, the formula was far too advanced for them to comprehend. The Magic Stone we found only allowed them to observe a tiny fraction of it, and the amount of mana it contained was so absurdly vast that deciphering the formula was impossible for now.
Most of this was stuff I’d already heard in the ant nest, but I suppose she wanted to properly explain it again with everyone present.
“So, you’re saying you want to explore the dungeon and find more Magic Stones like that one, Diana?”
“Indeed. And that’s not all. I find it impossible to believe that the person who created such a thing is simply dead. A being who could wield such immense mana and create such an incredible formula… This is truly nothing more than a baseless prediction, but I can’t help but think that the creator might still be alive, deep within the dungeon. If so, I wish to meet them.”
It seemed Diana had found her reason to explore the dungeon.
If that’s what Diana wanted, then I would gladly explore it with her.
Besides, that wasn’t the only reason.
It wasn’t just Diana; I, too, had found a new motivation to explore the dungeon.
It was because of what Diana had said earlier—that something like this would be impossible unless you were a god.
Despite saying so herself, Diana didn’t seem to be entertaining the hypothesis that a god created the dungeon, but I was different.
I had a strong feeling that the dungeon really was created by a god.
The fact that the mechanics of this dungeon were the same as the Great Earth games I used to enjoy fueled my suspicion.
If a god truly did create the dungeon, then I needed to investigate.
It couldn’t be a coincidence that I was transported to this dungeon city through a game about conquering a dungeon.
The Goddess must have sent me to this world to conquer the dungeon.
But there’s a chance the Goddess herself created this dungeon.
It doesn’t add up, does it? Why would she do something like that?
I didn’t want to doubt the Goddess who created this wonderful world, but the circumstances forced me to be suspicious.
Many of the novels I’d read back in my original world had similar plots, which further guided my thoughts in that direction.
A cruel god who toys with people for their own amusement, or one who puts people through trials like this to test them, only to impose another duty on those who pass.
Well, compared to the gods in those novels, the Goddess here wasn’t forcing me to do anything, but it wouldn’t hurt to be cautious.
If the worst-case scenario were to happen, the outcome could change 180 degrees depending on how much information I had.
I want to live a long and happy life in this world with the girls I love.
But what if the reason the Goddess sent me to explore the dungeon was to see if I was worthy, and the moment I conquered it, I was dragged into something like a war between gods?
If I had information, I could deliberately delay conquering the dungeon and buy myself time.
Therefore, I need to explore the dungeon and find out for what purpose it was created.
Fortunately, I have the world’s greatest mage, Diana, by my side.
If we find more objects like that Magic Stone and decipher more of that formula, or whatever it is, we might find an answer.
In truth, this was the biggest reason I accepted Alicia’s request.
Whether for my sake or for Diana’s, we would have to venture into the dungeon from now on.
And for that, observing skilled adventurers in battle would be a great help for our future endeavors.
When I said I wanted to see the deep floors with my own eyes, I didn’t just mean I wanted to see the scenery or the monsters.
I will watch how adventurers fight in the deep floors with my own two eyes and make their methods completely my own.
Of course, we have Diana, who is experienced in adventuring, to help us, but it was bound to be different from seeing and experiencing it firsthand.
Nothing beats direct experience.
If that weren’t the case, I never would have accepted such a request.
It meant I would have to be away from my girls, even if only for a few days.
Ugh. Just thinking about being separated from them makes my chest feel tight.
Lying here with all of them clinging to me makes it feel even worse.
Should I just quit the request?
Yeah, I know. I’m just saying.
Figuring out the purpose of the dungeon is essential for me to continue living like this with my girls for a long, long time.
I just have to think of this short separation as a necessary step toward that goal.
“Diana. Let’s make sure we uncover the secret of that Magic Stone.”
“Mm. Of course.”
Diana patted my head as if she was proud of me for taking on her cause as my own.
Well, it is my cause too.
But all of this is just my speculation.
Perhaps the Goddess threw me into this world for no reason at all, or for some trivial reason that isn’t as grand as I’m imagining.
I don’t want to worry them for nothing, so I’ll keep quiet for now.
More importantly…
“Kyaa!”
“Agh! What are you doing all of a sudden!”
Before I leave to carry out the Arachne Clan’s request, I need to get my fill of the girls as much as possible.
I buried my head deeper into Leia’s lap and pulled Sara and Diana into a tight embrace with both hands.