Chapter 442: Another Discovery
Chapter 442: Another Discovery
Thankfully, I managed to catch Silvia and get her dressed before anyone saw her.
That girl… she’s physically stronger than me, so I almost lost her.
If she hadn’t tripped when her legs gave out, it would have been a really close call.
I glanced over in Silvia’s direction.
“Eeeek…!”
As expected, Silvia, who had been staring at me, jumped in surprise and immediately hid behind a suit of armor standing against the wall.
She was like this at dinner, and she’s still at it.
Seeming even more bashful than usual, Silvia had not only tried to sit at the farthest corner of the table during dinner but had even attempted to hide underneath it to eat.
I had to have Vanessa somehow force her into a chair.
And now, even after the meal, as we party members gathered for tea, she was still acting that way.
Well, for Silvia’s sake, it’s probably best if I don’t look at her for the rest of the day.
“Alright, Diana. There’s something I want to ask you.”
It would be one thing if it were morning or lunch, but until now, it was common for everyone to return to their own rooms right after dinner.
An unspoken rule, you could say. It was a way of being considerate to the person whose turn it was to sleep with me that night.
But today, there was a reason we were all gathered for tea.
“Ah, um? W-What is it? L-Let me be clear, I didn’t say anything strange!”
Diana, who had been tense ever since I’d called everyone together, immediately overreacted.
Hey. There’s a saying about a guilty conscience needing no accuser, but aren’t you taking it a bit too far?
Well, considering what I overheard earlier, I guess that reaction makes sense.
Don’t worry. I’m a man who is endlessly warm to his women. You’re forgiven.
It seems Leia wasn’t persuaded in the end, either.
Besides, thanks to your conversation, I came up with a new idea.
When I looked at Leia beside me, she noticed my gaze and gave me a gentle smile. Haa. She really is an angel.
Ah, what’s the new idea? What else could it be? The development of sexual preferences.
Come to think of it, all I’ve ever done is stimulate my girls’ natural inclinations.
But after eavesdropping on the three of them this afternoon, I had an epiphany.
That’s it! Even for a girl like Leia who doesn’t have any particular kinks, I just have to develop them for her!
No, it’s not like I have a thing for special kinks or anything. Absolutely not.
It’s purely for the sake of a varied sex life. Yes.
Well, even if I were to really develop some kind of preference for Leia, the priority is for her to be able to control her Gumiho state first.
“Feeling guilty?”
“I-I told you I’m not, did I not?!”
“Haa… Our Diana, secretly bad-mouthing her dear husband behind his back… I’m so sad.”
“B-Bad-mouthing! It was an expression of affection! Affection! It’s all because this one loves you so much…!”
“You were just worried I might like Leia more, weren’t you?”
“Th-That is… W-Well… um…”
“Don’t worry. I told you, didn’t I? I like you a lot too, Diana.”
“Uuuuuh……”
At my words, Diana’s face turned bright red and she shrank back.
“Diana. Your answer?”
“Th-This one likes you too…”
When I pressed her one more time, Diana finally answered honestly.
Seeing that, a thought came to my mind.
Diana, in its own way, this is a kind of humiliation play.
Well, I’d probably get smacked if I said that out loud, so I’ll keep it to myself.
No, wait. This is Diana. Maybe getting hit with her pitter-patter attacks wouldn’t be so bad…
“Ahem! Guwon. Was that your question?”
Sara, perhaps displeased by the sudden lovey-dovey atmosphere between Diana and me during our tea time, threw a sharp question my way.
“Ah, right. Of course not.”
“It wasn’t?!”
Whoa, you scared me. Don’t suddenly shout like that.
She was even clutching her head with both hands.
“Why? Are you that upset about telling me you like me?”
“That’s not it! That’s not it at all!”
Diana glared at me with an expression that screamed injustice.
Diana, glaring at me with such a cute face isn’t scary at all.
If anything, it has the opposite effect.
“Then it’s fine. What I really wanted to ask was why you told me not to report the Magic Stones.”
“Ugh… Was that all? Is that not obvious?”
“Obvious?”
“If our assumptions are correct, it means the key to descending further into the dungeon rests entirely with you, does it not?”
“Well, yeah.”
“Don’t you think the Goddess had a reason for creating the dungeon that way?”
“Huh?”
“I mean, there must be a clear reason why it was designed so that no one can go below the 6th Layer without you. As for what that reason is, even this one cannot begin to imagine.”
I see. So that’s it. She might be right.
Assuming the Goddess created that dungeon, let’s consider her intentions.
The dungeon first obstructs people with its environment, and then it places powerful monsters everywhere to repel intruders.
And it gets stronger the deeper you go, as if to say, ‘Do not come any further down.’
It’s certainly possible she doesn’t want people to get close.
Well, I’m probably the exception, since the Goddess herself ordered me to go down.
“But we’ve already revealed everything. The fact that genitals act as secret passages, and that sub-layers exist within the dungeon. Besides, we gave the Arachne Clan the penises from the 5th Layer. I think it’s only a matter of time before they discover Layer 5.5.”
“That is true. We cannot take back what has already been announced. However, we have not yet revealed the information that the sub-layers are all interconnected. As long as we keep that a secret, it will be fine. Then, even if the Arachne Clan discovers Layer 5.5, there will be no problem. Furthermore, we can assume that the sub-layers are mostly populated by female monsters, can we not? They will never even think of obtaining a penis there. They will find the path leading to the 6th Layer, which is a fake exit, and that will be the end of it.”
“I see. So you’re saying it’s fine to reveal the existence of the kobold cave, then?”
“Mm. Well, now that the ant nest’s existence is known, I imagine the sub-layers will be discovered one by one, sooner or later.”
“Got it. Then next time we report our Magic Stones, we’ll only reveal the kobold cave.”
“Mm.”
“Does that mean our future dungeon explorations will focus on finding the connected paths between sub-layers, rather than going to the 4th Layer?”
Once my conversation with Diana concluded, Matilda asked in a somewhat cheerful tone.
It seemed she had quite enjoyed our last expedition.
The upper layers have a weaker concentration of the foreign mana, but I bet she also liked the environment itself, where she didn’t have to be on high alert since the monsters were weak.
“Well, at least until Layer 3.5. From there, it would be better to level up on the 4th Layer before heading to Layer 4.5.”
“I see!”
Matilda nodded her head several times, a satisfied smile on her face as if that was more than enough for her.
“You should probably pray that the passage from the ant nest to Layer 3.5 isn’t found too quickly.”
“Even I wouldn’t think something so selfish. It would be rude to all of you who are exploring so diligently. Do I really seem that selfish to you?”
“Well, honestly, judging by that prickly personality of yours right now.”
“Wh-What did you say?!”
“Anyway, I don’t think it’s particularly selfish. In fact, I’m starting to think it might be better if it’s found later. You were fine this time, but anything past the 3rd Layer is still a bit tough for you, isn’t it?”
“A-Are you worrying about me?”
“Of course I am. And well, it helps us if you get more used to the dungeon.”
“You…”
Hey. Did you just forget what I said about your personality? Why are your eyes turning pink?
Every time I see this, I really can’t tell if her tendency to fall in love so easily is her actual personality or because of the curse.
Seeing such a dramatic change makes me think it’s definitely the curse, but according to Leia, other people don’t react this strongly.
My curiosity about that might just make me focus more on breaking her curse from now on.
…Though that will have to wait until tomorrow.
“By the way. It seems preparations for the video are complete. Did you hear?”
“What? The Pope was persuaded?!”
Matilda, who had been gazing at me with love-struck eyes, cried out in shock at Diana’s words.
“This one does not know the details. But if contact was made, what else could it mean?”
“I can’t believe the Pope…”
Judging by her reaction, Matilda must have thought it was a long shot, too.
I was surprised myself. I don’t know if Felicia is just that resourceful, or if the Pope is an incredibly progressive type. I have this stereotype that people in his position are usually conservative.
Well, come to think of it, he was the one who acknowledged me, some nobody who rolled in from god-knows-where, as the Goddess’s messenger.
Even though I summoned the Goddess and spoke with her, it’s not like he saw it with his own eyes.
I guess the possibility of him being narrow-minded was low from the start.
“But the princess doesn’t want to reveal that she’s the one in the video, right? How is she going to hide it? She negotiated that with the Pope, but the moment we go to the royal palace, rumors will spread like wildfire. Can we really just go there openly and film the video?”
“Yes. That won’t be a problem. You can just go.”
“Huh? Really? Silvia, you seem to know something?”
“Hieeek!”
As I turned my head toward the source of the voice, Silvia once again hid behind the suit of armor.
The armor was rattling, so she must be trembling.
Seriously, Silvia. How far apart do you think we are right now?
She still hasn’t gotten over it. So much for the plan to build her tolerance by giving her more embarrassing experiences. It’s a failure.
No, with her, it feels like the more we do special training, the lower her tolerance gets.
But if I leave her alone, her tolerance drops anyway.
What am I supposed to do?
Not that I’m going to give up.
“Well, anyway, if Silvia says so, it must be true. Alright. Shall we go tomorrow?”
“Hmph. Fine. Better to get the beating over with, I suppose.”
At my muttering, Sara folded her arms with a displeased look and grumbled.
So they have that proverb here, too.
No, more importantly.
“Sara. Don’t tell me you’re coming along?”
“Of course I am! Were you planning to go alone?! I’ll never leave you alone with that woman!”
It seems Sara still doesn’t like Felicia.
That’s a separate issue from her having accepted my regular relations with Felicia.
“So you’ll be there for our regular sessions from now on, too?”
“Obviously!”
“…Don’t tell me you’re just indulging your own sexual preferences…”
“Y-You idiot! I told you that’s not it!”
“Oh? Sara. You mean besides your butt, you also…?”
“Th-That’s not it! Diana, you were a victim too, so you know! And it’s not my butt, to begin with!”
“Ah, um. This one was indeed a victim. I know all too well.”
Diana had chimed in with a flicker of interest, but at Sara’s rebuttal, she immediately nodded in agreement.
Hey. You two say that, but it looks to me like you don’t trust each other. Is it just me?
I swear, ever since they first met, I can’t tell if these two are friends or enemies.
“A-Anyway! Is that all you had to talk about?”
“Huh? Ah, yeah.”
“Then let’s go! It’s my turn today! Everyone, have a good night!”
With that, Sara tried to hastily drag me out of the room.
Hey, isn’t this counterproductive? Anyone can see you’re just running away.
“Whoa! Hey, don’t pull. Good night, everyone. Well, the best night will be had by us… Keok! Wh-What’s wrong with saying we’re going to have a good night…?”
“You were thinking something perverted when you said it!”
“Of course I was! What else would I be thinking?!”
“And you have the nerve to ask what’s wrong?! You pervert!”
Sara slapped me repeatedly with her palm as she dragged me out of the room.
“Fufu. Sometimes, Miss Sara and Mr. Guwon are so close it makes me jealous.”
No, my dear angel.
I’m a guy who agrees with almost everything you say, but to call this—me getting hit like this—being close…
Her palm slaps actually hurt, you know? I’m not exaggerating. It really hurts.
Ouch! That stings! Dammit. Just you wait until we get to your room, Sara.