Chapter 644: Guwon, the Pure-Hearted Man
Chapter 644: Guwon, the Pure-Hearted Man
Of course, that didn't mean our dungeon expedition was over.
Even though we were heading back to a town, it was just the town on the 4th floor, not all the way back to the surface.
Our goal was to beat the trio to the punch and apologize before they could surface and spread rumors.
If we went all the way up, we'd have to camp out at the Guild all day, waiting for a trio that might show up at any time. It was much more convenient to wait in the 4th-floor town.
It was unlikely the trio would use a return scroll from the 3rd or 5th floors, and since the 4th-floor town was small, it would be easier to spot them when they came back.
So, we decided to wait for the trio's return while hunting in the area around the 4th-floor town.
I had planned to just wait patiently in the town, but Diana shot that idea down.
Diana said it was a waste of time to wait endlessly when we had no idea when they'd be back. Besides, after a long expedition, they'd be exhausted. They wouldn't head straight for the surface; they'd likely rest in this town for at least a day, so we wouldn't miss them.
Thanks to Diana's sound reasoning, we fell into a routine of hunting around the town during the day and returning to spend the night at an inn.
In fact, being able to sleep in a proper inn bed had its advantages. In some ways, it was even better than our original plan of slowly hunting our way toward the 4th floor's Layer Boss.
Of course, with so many adventurers near the town, the monster population was thin, which meant our job leveling efficiency was bound to drop.
“There’s nothing better than sleeping under a warm blanket!”
Matilda, in particular, had become the most lively since we started "commuting" from the inn.
I was tempted to joke, "Isn't my embrace even better?" but I held back. When her "pink mode" activates too strongly, I'm the one who ends up in an embarrassing situation.
If it were just the two of us, I could handle her "pink mode" no matter how intense it got, but having to deal with it in front of everyone else is embarrassing, even for me.
Damn it. To think she could counter my lewd jokes like that. I need to break that damn curse of hers, and soon.
Then again, if Matilda's "pink mode" disappeared, I feel like I'd miss it in its own way.
Of course, just because I'd miss her "pink mode" doesn't mean I can just leave the curse be.
Anyway, a few days had already passed like that, with us hunting leisurely around the town.
After waking up and finishing breakfast, I habitually spoke to the innkeeper before leaving, just as I did every day. Not that I was expecting much.
“Ma'am, have those three shown up today?”
Morning and night. This conversation had been repeated twice a day for several days now, so the innkeeper knew exactly who "those three" were just from my question.
She worked in a place like this, after all. She couldn't possibly be unaware of the rumors about the Saint circulating among the adventurers. The woman just looked at me with a warm smile.
“Hohot. Eager as ever this morning, I see. Yes. They just arrived a moment ago.”
“Hah. As I thought. Well then… wait, what? They’re here?”
I had been about to turn away out of habit, but I quickly realized her answer was different from usual and spun back around.
“To think those three young ladies were the ones the Saint was so concerned about. I guess the rumors were false after all, hmm?”
But the innkeeper paid no mind to my reaction and chattily continued with what she wanted to say.
And her words were filled with incredibly bothersome implications.
So she did know about the rumors. What's with this overflowing trust? Is my stock really that high among the general public?
And another thing. Saying the rumors must be false after seeing the trio's faces makes it sound like they're ugly.
Don't say that. They've been through a lot as it is.
Besides, they're actually quite pretty, you know?
Of course, since you live here, ma'am, your eyes might have adjusted to the beauty standards of 4th-floor adventurers.
No, even considering the average adventurer here, they're still pretty decent, aren't they?
Sure, they pale in comparison to my girls, but my girls are a special case.
And most importantly, I think you're under a huge misunderstanding. I wasn't desperately looking for them for that reason, you know?
I want to object. I desperately want to object to this woman's words.
But that would just be playing right into her hands.
I suppressed the urge bubbling up in my chest and decided to stick to the point.
“So. Where are they now?”
“Mmm… Normally, I’m not supposed to give out guest information so freely…”
In response to my question, the woman twisted her body coyly and gave me a strange look.
Seriously, this lady! Aaargh! If I still had my old temper, I'd just…!
Guwon, you've really mellowed out! You've become a real person!
“C-Come on, ma'am. Don't be like that.”
“Hohot. Well, since it’s the Saint and not just anyone, I’ll make a spe.cial. exception and tell you.”
Don't wink at me!
Damn it! Sara! Diana! Leia! Silvia! Matilda! Anyone, please, I need to cleanse my eyes… Why is everyone already outside?!
Guuuh… My eyes…
“The three of them took room 301 together. They haven't been here long, so right about now, they're probably…”
“Stop! My business here is done. I have no further need of you!”
Before the innkeeper could finish, I shot up and bolted from the inn.
Of course, I had to talk to my girls first before going to the trio.
“Hey, everyone! They're here!”
“Oh, really? Then go on. Or would you like us to come with you?”
“That's right. If you think it'll be difficult alone, Guwon, we can also…”
“No. I'll go alone.”
My girls seemed worried about sending me alone and made the offer, but I refused flatly.
“Oh. Is that so?”
Leia tilted her head, as if she didn't understand why I'd refused, but I had my reasons.
It makes sense, right? I'm about to go explain that it was a mistake to say you all weren't that great.
If I bring you all with me, it could look like I'm just trying to rub it in.
And more importantly, to clear up the misunderstanding, I'll have to mention the incident that happened at the Arachne Clan House.
For that reason alone, I can't bring my girls with me.
“Yeah. I'll go by myself. Depending on how it goes, clearing up this misunderstanding could take a while, so you guys should…”
“Hmm. In that case, we shall go hunting.”
“Huh? Without me?”
“Mm. Even without you, there will be no issue as long as Lady Silvia and Lady Matilda are on the front line. I shall be responsible for the safety of the rear guard. Above all, it is unlikely we will encounter any monsters near the town that could pose a threat to us.”
I mean, logically, that makes perfect sense, but…
What is this... uneasy feeling?
“No, but… the misunderstanding might get cleared up faster than I think…”
“Then we shall return once at noon.”
“It could be dangerous…”
“If we judge it to be dangerous, we need only return immediately. We are capable of making such a judgment… Or do you simply dislike the idea of us going out on our own? I merely thought this would be the more efficient course of action.”
“No, but… I'm about to barge into a room where other women are staying, and you're all so calm about it… I'm not going to cheat on you! I mean, I won't, but still!”
I threw out a desperate line because of that strange, uneasy feeling, but a desperate line is just that.
Sara's gaze sharpened, and I immediately backed down.
“If you cheat, you'd better watch yourself.”
“I know, I know. If you want, you can have Leia sniff me later.”
“Yes! I’ll do that, then.”
I'd said it without much thought, just to dispel their suspicions, but for some reason, Leia nodded enthusiastically.
H-Huh? Don't tell me even my angel suspects me…
“…A-Angel?”
“It’s just… I’d be happy to smell you anytime, Guwon.”
I was about to be slightly hurt, but my angel's follow-up words healed that wound in an instant.
No, the healing was so effective it made me feel even more alive than before.
I'm sorry. My faith in you was lacking, my angel. You're the best. I love you.
“Leia! That’s not fair!”
Sara, too, looked flustered, as if she never expected Leia to make a move like that.
Heh. You lack faith in the angel.
“Anyway, I'm heading out.”
And so, it was decided that while I went to clear up the misunderstanding, my girls would go for a light hunt nearby. I headed alone to the room where the trio was staying.
“Open up!”
“…What is it? So noisy… It’s you.”
Thankfully, the innkeeper had given me the right room number. When I knocked, Kanna appeared, half-naked with only a towel wrapped around her.
Damn it. Were they in the middle of washing up?!
“Uh, um. Long time no see.”
“Huh? We saw you a few days ago.”
“No, that's not what I mean.”
“Hah. Whatever. If you have something to say, come in.”
Honestly, given Kanna's personality, I expected her to pounce on me the moment she saw me, especially after I ran off after saying what I did. But for some reason, she just invited me in with a languid expression.
It seemed that even a wild horse like Kanna was too exhausted to have the energy to be angry on the day she returned from a multi-day dungeon expedition.
“So. What is it?”
Without bothering to get dressed, Kanna plopped down on the bed, legs spread casually, and asked what I wanted.
“Where are the other two?”
“Huh? Serena! Amy!”
“Yeah? What is it, Kan—Ah…”
“You’re…”
Kanna leaned back slightly and called their names toward the back of the room. At her call, the other two immediately emerged from the bathroom.
And unlike Kanna, who at least had a towel on, these two were completely naked.
“Looks like the Saint has something to say to us. So, what is it?”
“Well, I do have something to say. But how about you put some clothes on first?”
“What? Does the Saint get turned on by seeing the dirt from under a toenail? Here! Look!”
So she was just too tired to attack me earlier. Her attitude was incredibly thorny, clearly showing she was still holding a grudge over what I'd said.
No, I mean, stop spreading your towel open on purpose. Have you no shame?
Then again, living in a clan house like that, I guess a sense of shame is bound to disappear.
Ah, whatever. I'll just apologize like this.
“That's what I came to apologize for. I'm sorry.”
“Hah. You think you can say all that and then finish it with a single 'sorry'…”
“Kanna. Be quiet for a moment.”
I immediately bowed my head to the three of them and apologized.
Of course, that didn't seem to calm Kanna's anger, but thankfully, the more level-headed Serena stopped her. …While naked.
Hey. You're supposed to be the calm one, right? Or am I the weird one for reacting like this?
You there, the priestess. Say something. Why are you not wearing anything either?
Damn it. Now that I think about it, she was that degenerate priestess who tried to tempt me into a foursome the first time we met. She doesn't look the part at all.
“The fact that you waited for our return to apologize immediately… does that mean you had circumstances that forced you to say what you did back then?”
Thankfully, despite her attire, she did seem to be level-headed, and it looked like Serena was willing to hear me out calmly.
…Still naked, though.
“Well, about that. It's a bit much to call it a misunderstanding… You might have thought you weren't caught, but despite how I may look, I saw right through your little scheme.”
“W-What?!”
When I said that, Kanna shot up from the bed as if she couldn't believe it.
“You mean you knew everything and still—!”
“Yeah. Because I knew everything, I panicked even more and said those things without thinking…”
As I said it, I started to feel a little wronged myself.
I mean, of course it was my fault for saying those things to them.
But if you trace it back, they were the ones who wronged me first.
Trying to string me along like that!
In a way, wasn't I just acting in self-defense?
“Hey, you guys went too far, too. Trying to seduce someone like that to rope them into your clan… anyone would…”
“You said that even though you knew how Instructor Alicia felt?!”
…Huh? Hey, wait a minute. What did you just say?