Chapter 378: Another Hero
Chapter 378: Another Hero
Even after hearing Rachel’s words, I couldn’t feel relieved at all.
And for good reason. The only thing the guild card could confirm was whether someone was alive or not.
If it were a fight between adventurers, I might be able to see the extent of the damage, but otherwise, it only confirmed their life or death.
There was still a very real possibility that something had happened to Diana.
Besides, the 4th floor? I was sure Diana had said she was only going to investigate the giant magic stones on the 1st and 2nd floors.
Don't tell me she got overzealous, went all the way to the 4th floor, and ran into trouble, did she?
Hearing what Rachel said only amplified my anxiety, and I decided to hurry to the teleport magic circle.
“Let’s go, Vanessa! Ah, wait. Rachel!”
“Ye-Yes?!”
As I turned to leave, I suddenly spun back and called her name, startling her. She flinched as she answered.
“You seemed to be heading home, but I ended up making more work for you. Thank you so much.”
“Hehe. It’s nothing. But… you’re right. If you’re really that grateful, you can buy me a meal sometime.”
“Okay. I will.”
“Oh, my. Really?”
“Yes. I’ll find a chance and make sure to treat you. Well then, I’ll be going.”
With that, I took Vanessa and rushed toward the teleport magic circle.
When I arrived, however, I ran into another obstacle.
“What do you mean I can’t! My clan member is in there right now…!”
“I-I understand your situation, sir, but rules are rules. You cannot travel to a region that isn’t registered on your adventurer card.”
Right. The problem was that I had never been to the town on the 4th floor.
“B-But my clan member might be in danger right now!”
I was aware that I was just making a scene, but I couldn’t help it.
Something might have happened to my Diana! Is making a scene really the problem right now?
If it means I can go save Diana, I’ll make a scene as much as they want.
“Still, you can’t. If someone unregistered goes and ends up in danger as well…”
“Dammit! I can’t get through to you. Who’s in charge here?! Get me your manager!”
In the end, I had no choice but to pull out the ultimate move of a difficult customer: asking for the manager.
“A-A manager? That’s…”
“…Please wait here, Master Guwon. I will go alone to assess the situation.”
Seeing that I was stuck, unable to use the teleport, Vanessa must have decided she couldn’t wait any longer. She stepped forward as she spoke.
“Huh, what? You can go to the 4th floor?”
“Yes.”
“How can a girl who’s cooped up in the mansion every day…”
“During my probationary period, I did some training… I will be back shortly.”
What kind of butler beats up monsters for training?
And she can even go to the 4th floor of the dungeon. Just how over-spec’d is she?
“D-Dammit. I guess there’s no choice. Alright, Vanessa. If it’s just you…”
Just as I was about to make my decision, the teleport magic circle glowed, and a relatively short person emerged from within.
Their face was hidden by a deeply pulled-down robe and wizard’s hat, but there was no way I could mistake that figure.
“Diana!”
“Hm? What is it? Why are you here! And Vanessa, you as well. Could it be that you two were… behind this one’s back…”
“Is that really what you have to say right now?!”
“Wh-What is it? Why are you so angry?”
When I snapped with genuine anger, Diana seemed to read the mood and looked at my face with a slightly cowed expression.
“You said you’d be back by your turn!”
“Mm. It was a close call, but I made it back just in…”
“It’s past midnight!”
“Agh! It seems I was a little late.”
I placed a hand firmly on Diana’s head. She avoided my gaze slightly as she spoke.
“A little?”
“A-A little… a lot?”
Diana looked up at me with a frightened expression, but I withstood her charm offensive with an iron will.
Acting cute like that won’t work this time!
“In the first place, you said you were only going to check the 1st and 2nd floors! Why did you go to the 4th floor?!”
“H-How did you know about that?”
“Answer me!”
“W-Well… since this one was urging everyone to hurry, they were all filled with motivation. We finished looking around the 1st and 2nd floors with quite a bit of time to spare, so the topic of visiting the 4th floor came up… Waaaaah! I-I’m sorry. I’m sorry, so stop iiiit…”
Without needing to hear any more, I tightened my grip on the small head and shook it violently from side to side.
As her head wobbled helplessly in my hand, Diana flailed her arms in resistance.
“You there! What do you think you’re doing to Lady Diana!”
Seeing us, the ladies from the Mage Association, who had teleported in at some point, immediately tried to intervene.
“This is a private matter between us, so please don’t interfere!”
“We cannot allow that! Even if it’s you, to do that to Lady Diana…”
“Diana!”
“U-Ugh… D-Don’t interfere.”
I’m sure a part of her wanted to ask for help.
But even as the world spun around her, Diana followed my wishes and said what I wanted.
“But Lady Diana…”
“Ugh! Don’t interfere! This is a private matter!”
“Urk… Yes. Understood.”
Finding her admirable for that, I decided to stop shaking her head for now.
“Diana. Is there something you want to say to me—no, to us?”
“S-Sorry for being late. I made you worry.”
“And you knew that, yet you were still late?! You should have at least contacted us!”
“I-I already said I was sorry.”
“I’m going to make this clear right now. Diana. Who do you like more, me or magic?!”
“Urk…! Must I choose only one? Can’t I just like both…”
“What?”
“Y-You! I like you!”
As I placed my hand on her head again, Diana answered in a hurry.
It felt a bit unsatisfying, as if I’d forced her to say it, but I suppose I could let it go for now.
After all, she’s a girl who has lived for ages without dying precisely because of magic. I should be satisfied that she chose me at all.
“Then from now on, don’t get so lost in your magic that you make me worry!”
“I understand. I’m truly sorry.”
Diana said, stroking my head.
“But to think you would panic so much. Hehe. Were you that worried about this one?”
“H-Hey… I’m not done being angry, you know? Just you wait until we get home.”
Diana’s sudden switch to her grandmother… I mean, her elder sister mode, made me a little embarrassed, and I spat out the words before turning my back.
Dammit. Thinking about it now, I made way too much of a fuss over nothing.
In the first place, with those ladies from the Mage Association with her, there was no way Diana could have gotten hurt.
I apologized to the guild member managing the teleport circle for the disturbance and immediately left the area.
“So. Did you find all the giant magic stones in the end?”
“Mm. No problem. As expected, there was one in each of the layer bosses’ lairs. And they all emitted a perfectly identical mana wavelength. It seems I really must consider the possibility that they are fragments of the Demon God, just as you said.”
“About that.”
“Hm?”
“No. I’ll tell you when we get back.”
This wasn’t the place for that conversation.
For now, I took Diana and headed for the mansion.
“Guwon! Thank goodness. It looks like Diana is safe, too.”
“U-Uhm. You were all awake? My apologies. This one is fine. I was just delayed because I took a little detour. I’ve caused quite a commotion. It’s late, so everyone should go and rest.”
Diana seemed quite sorry that everyone had stayed up so late because of her, and she spoke with a downcast expression.
“No, Diana. There’s something we need to talk about now.”
“Hm? Come to think of it, this one also seemed to have something to say on the way here. Is it about the same thing?”
“Ah, about that. Let’s rest for now and talk tomorrow. Like Diana said, it’s late. And it’s not so urgent that we have to talk about it right this second. Most importantly, not sleeping at night is bad for your skin. I can’t let you damage your beautiful skin.”
It seemed Sara wanted to talk with Diana right away, but I decided to postpone it.
It’s not like something would happen to Sara immediately.
Considering what the Goddess said, anything related to the Demon God wouldn’t happen until after we’d cleared at least the 6th floor.
“You idiot. That’s not what’s important right now…”
“What could be more important than that? If you’re going to live with me forever, you have to take great care of your beauty, you know? Otherwise, the gap between you and the ever-more-handsome me will widen, and people will say we don’t look good together. You wouldn’t want that, right? So. Let’s get a good night’s sleep today and talk properly tomorrow. It’s not that urgent anyway. Let’s not rush things. Everything will be fine.”
“…Alright.”
When I said that with a smile, Sara finally seemed to understand my intentions.
She looked at me with an affectionate gaze and slowly nodded her head.
“Good. That’s a good idea. Besides, I have to give this one her punishment starting now.”
“W-Wait! You! I-It sounds like an important topic! Perhaps it would be better to discuss it right now…!”
“Diana, you have no right to speak tonight.”
“U-Uuugh…”
“You pervert! So that was your reason?!”
No. It’s probably for the reason you originally thought.
But well, at times like these, a true gentleman is one who can keep the mood from getting heavy, even if it means sacrificing his own image.
“Pervert? What are you talking about? I wonder what our dear Sara was thinking, hearing just the word ‘punishment,’ that made the word ‘pervert’ pop out of her mouth so quickly? Hmm?”
“Y-You jerk! I don’t know, you idiot!”
Sara snapped, then turned around as if angry and began stomping toward her room.
Looking at her retreating back and the other girls, I opened my mouth.
“So, everyone. Let’s talk tomorrow. Get a good night’s sleep. Let’s shake off this heavy mood and talk with smiles on our faces. You have to be positive to come up with good ideas.”
As I said that, the sound of Sara’s footsteps became a little lighter than before.
Sara, you’ve become such an easy woman to read.
“Yes, Guwon. Let’s all talk tomorrow for sure.”
The angel, who had been silent the whole time, gave a single nod as if she understood my true intentions and returned to her room.
Only after watching Silvia and Matilda return to their rooms did I grab the scruff of Diana’s clothes and drag her into my room.
“Am I a cat! Don’t grab me by the scruff of my neck!”
Even as she said that, Diana didn’t struggle much, clearly aware that she had done something wrong.
And so, having easily brought Diana to my room, I quietly looked down at her.
Alright, what should I do now?
I’d said I would punish her, but honestly, I hadn’t thought about what kind of punishment to give.
“R-Really? Are you seriously going to punish this one?”
My thoughtful expression must have seemed quite frightening to Diana. She couldn’t meet my eyes as she asked in a weak voice.
I told you, acting cute won’t work.
Of course, I’m not actually angry, but you know as well as I do that I wouldn’t miss an opportunity like this, right?
“I’m dead serious. Or what? Do you think you did nothing wrong, Diana? After making me worry so much?”
“T-That’s not it, but…”
“Then you should accept your punishment gracefully.”
“Uuuu…”
“Hmm. Then, first, get undressed.”
“You man! So it’s that kind of punishment after all!”
“If you want a different punishment, I could punish you in another way, without holding you all night.”
As I said that with a glint in my eyes, Diana’s expression turned slightly fearful.
It was a look that suited her appearance well, but it was surprisingly rare to see.
True to her title as the Supreme Archmage, she usually carried herself with an air of composure and was rarely frightened.
“N-No. Just punish me that way.”