Chapter 481: A Step Forward
Chapter 481: A Step Forward
“The members of the Saviors clan came to the Guild to request your rescue, Guwon. The Guild dispatched a team immediately. I was worried, so I came down myself to look for you, and I’ve only just found you.”
I’d already guessed that much.
That she had come down here to rescue me, I mean.
Even though things had been a bit awkward between us lately, the root cause was her feelings for me.
No, even if that wasn’t it, she’s the type to take special care of the adventurers she’s responsible for.
On the 3rd Floor, she’d even put herself in danger to rescue that Beastkin party.
But when I asked what was going on, that wasn't the explanation I was looking for.
Well, after hearing her speak, I realized there was something else I needed to ask first.
“That reminds me, what about my party?! Are they safe?! You said they notified the Guild, so they must have made it back, but is everyone okay? No one’s hurt?”
Right. That should have been the very first thing I asked when I saw her.
I know I was shocked to wake up in the middle of having sex with her, but to think I didn’t even ask if my party was safe…
My mind must have been worn down from being stranded for so long.
Then again, I was also in shock from losing Paulson… that lump of lung, right before I fell asleep.
“Yes. Physically, they’re all fine. But it’s been over two weeks since you were left alone in the dungeon. We knew you were alive through your Guild Card, but they were still very anxious. It seems they’ve been combing the 4th Floor with the leaders from the Mage Association until they were completely exhausted. I happened to run into them in the village just this afternoon, and they looked incredibly haggard, as if they weren't even eating properly. They were insisting on continuing the search, and the people from the Mage Association were having to practically force them to rest.”
Seeing my anxious questions, Rachel answered in detail, though with a slightly bitter expression.
Don't make that face. When I get back, I'll make things clear between us.
But I see. So I really did make them worry that much.
Then again, I would have done the same if our roles were reversed.
Still, it was a huge relief that they all made it back up safely without any trouble.
So, all I have to do now is hurry back and show them my face, and it'll be a happy ending.
“…Wait a minute. Rachel. Did you just say you saw them this afternoon?”
“Yes. From your reaction, it seems you came all this way without knowing. We’re near the village on the 4th Floor, Guwon.”
“What?!”
What a coincidence!
I’d given up on finding the village long ago and was just trying to make my way to the 3rd Floor exit. I can’t believe I ended up so close to it.
And if I hadn’t run into Rachel, I would have walked right past it without even knowing it was there.
You could call it a miracle born from a series of coincidences.
“I see. So that’s why you came this far by yourself.”
“Even if that weren’t the case, I was searching alone from the start. I had a tough time on the 3rd Floor because of my poor matchup against the Ice Golems, but the monsters here are a very good match for my spirit magic.”
That’s true. She isn’t low-level, and now that I think about it, she took out that Lizardman on the 3rd Floor in one shot.
I heard the reason she got so badly injured during that old rescue quest was because she, a non-tank, was trying to protect the unconscious Beastkin party all by herself.
Anyway, it’s a good thing the village is close.
From what she said, there’s a high chance my party is resting there too.
I hurriedly tried to sit up, only to realize that we were still joined together.
“…Speaking of which. Rachel.”
“Yes?”
“I don’t think I got a clear answer to my earlier question. Why exactly were we having sex?”
“Ah! U-uhm! T-this is, well! It’s not what you think!”
With a flustered look, she quickly lifted her hips to pull away from me, waving her hands frantically as she spoke.
“No, I’m not accusing you. It’s fine. I actually enjoyed it. I’m just curious about the reason.”
“W-well! You were collapsed in a place like this, I thought something terrible had happened to you! This is how you recover, isn’t it?! So I…! I should be the one getting thanked, if anything!”
“Ah… yes. Thank you.”
I see. So that’s what happened.
Though I don’t think I was injured anywhere.
The plant monster I fought right before falling asleep took a long time to kill, but it didn’t do much damage to me. And it’s hard to believe I was attacked in my sleep.
I might have passed out from exhaustion, but I’m sure I would have woken up if I’d been attacked.
But well, it wasn’t like I couldn’t understand Rachel’s actions.
She found someone who’d been stranded in the dungeon for nearly twenty days, collapsed on the ground.
She must have thought of performing emergency first aid before even checking where or how badly I was hurt.
“…D-don’t tell me… it wasn’t necessary?”
Seeming to grasp the situation from my reaction, she asked, her face turning bright red.
Just like before, she’s ridiculously good at reading people.
Is this one of her skills as a guide?
“No… I wouldn’t say it was completely unnecessary… My fatigue is gone, and I feel mentally stable now…”
“Hah… Just say it was unnecessary, please…”
Perhaps my attempt to cover for her was even more embarrassing, as Rachel covered her face with both hands, lowered her head, and muttered.
I really do think it was helpful, though.
I mean, before I fell asleep, I was blowing air into a monster’s lung and talking to it.
But seeing her this embarrassed, it seemed it would be better for her mental health if I dropped the subject.
“Anyway, it was clever of you to remember that this is how I recover.”
I said, changing the subject slightly as I put my pants and armor back on.
For the record, while my armor and pants had been removed, Rachel hadn’t taken off her clothes.
She was wearing that revealing outfit I’d seen once before, so it seems she just pushed her underwear aside for the insertion.
Right. That incredibly elven-looking outfit, the one that looks like it’s woven from leaves.
I already thought it was a sexy outfit, but now, whenever I see it, I’ll probably only think of her riding me.
“Of course… how could I not remember? …I’ve experienced it once before, after all. And in such a…”
She muttered, still unable to meet my eyes.
It seemed this topic was just as embarrassing for her.
Well, that makes sense. It’d be stranger if she didn’t remember after an experience like that.
“And…”
“Hm? Is there something else?”
“Actually, the members of the Saviors told the entire search party about it. They asked that if anyone found you and you seemed to be in critical condition, to please restore you in this manner.”
My party went that far…
“Rachel. I’m sorry to ask, but could you guide me to the village right away?”
“Don’t be sorry. Let’s go now. We should arrive in about two hours. Follow me.”
I felt a little guilty for neglecting to properly define our relationship after having confessed to Rachel, but right now, my top priority had to be showing my party that I was safe.
I followed Rachel’s stunning back as we headed for the village on the 4th Floor.
Just as she’d said, her spirit magic seemed to have a great matchup against the monsters on this floor.
After all, she commands the spirits of water and wind.
And I, having grown immensely while traveling alone, was also capable of dealing with any non-plant-type monster in an instant. No, even a plant-type monster would be easy to handle if I just had a dagger appropriate for my current level.
Anyway, we pressed on, barely hindered by monsters, and arrived at the 4th Floor village in less than the two hours Rachel had mentioned.
The villages on each floor had their own unique characteristics, with magic suited to the floor’s environment active in addition to the teleportation circles.
The village on the 2nd Floor had a spell cast on it that slightly lowered the surrounding temperature, while the village on the 3rd Floor had a spell that raised the temperature, creating a scene where the village alone was free of snow.
And the village on the 4th Floor was covered by a giant air bubble.
When I heard it was an underwater village, I wondered if everyone lived underwater wearing masks, but it seems they solved the problem with what looked like an incredibly expensive spell.
Thanks to that, though, the village was even smaller than the one on the 3rd Floor.
“So this is the village on the 4th Floor…”
I never thought I’d get here like this.
To say I’m deeply moved… doesn’t feel quite right. How should I put it? It was a strange feeling.
“Your companions are probably staying in that building over there. It’s the only inn on this floor. I heard they haven’t gone back up once since you went missing, so I’m sure of it.”
“Yes! Thank you!”
Rachel pointed to the largest of the few buildings in the village.
Hearing her words, I didn’t even look back and ran straight into the building.
“Innkeeper! I’m looking for…”
“G-G-G-Gu…”
As soon as I entered, I was about to call for the innkeeper to find out which room my party was staying in, but there was no need.
Because Silvia was pacing back and forth anxiously on the first floor of the inn, which also served as a dining hall.
Hearing my voice, Silvia whipped her head in my direction so forcefully I worried her neck might snap. The moment she confirmed it was my face, she froze as if time had stopped.
Then she started making strange noises, like a cooing pigeon.
“Guwooooon-niiim! Waaaaah! Gu-eon, hic… Guwon-niiim!”
Then she charged at me as if tackling me, wrapped her arms around me in a tight embrace, and began to wail.
Her voice was loud, completely oblivious to anyone watching.
It was a fierce hug, so tight I could feel my ribs creaking.
Seeing her crying her eyes out while hugging me so tightly, without holding back any of her strength, I could feel just how much she had been worried about me.
“There, there. Your Guwon-nim is here.”
I hugged Silvia back and gently patted her on the back.
At that, Silvia started crying even louder, rubbing her cheek against my chest.
To be honest, seeing Silvia’s face after so long, I felt a lump form in my throat too.
But her reaction was so intense that it actually calmed me down a little.
Silvia, I’m wearing armor. Doesn’t it hurt to rub your cheek against it like that?
I’d calmed down enough for such a thought to cross my mind.
Well, I guess it’s a good thing I didn’t make a scene by crying pathetically in front of everyone.
“Sob… Guwon-nim… Did you… hic… make it back here all by yourself?”
After crying for a while longer, Silvia finally lifted her head and looked at me, her voice still thick with tears as she asked her question.
“No. Rachel was the one who…”
I turned around as I spoke, but Rachel was nowhere to be seen.
Did she not follow me in? Was she being considerate, letting me enjoy my reunion with my party?
She didn’t have to go that far. I wouldn’t have even made it here without her.
“I’ll explain the details when everyone’s together. The others are here too, right?”
I decided to thank Rachel properly later and focused on meeting the rest of my party first.