Chapter 139
Chapter 139
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 139
Chapter Title: Dungeon Conquest (1)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Day 1 of the adventure.
Just passing through the gate took us half a day.
“Oh, could those people be…”
“There’s an elf and a fox beastkin. In that case…”
“It must be the Hero’s party!”
“How can they be so cool? You can just tell he’s the Hero.”
“Hmm, but isn’t the gender ratio a bit strange?”
A wave of people swarmed us every time we stopped in a city.
I couldn’t ignore them, so I had to show some resolve.
- “Citizens, rest assured. This place is safe. We will step up and deal with the Demon King’s army, blah blah blah…”
Was it because I used a meme? The people’s reaction was fantastic.
Some expressed concern over the fragile-looking girls, but my presence overshadowed all of that.
“Look at those broad shoulders. He looks like he could take down an ogre.”
“They say he’s the heir to the Crodain family. He’s sure to accomplish something.”
Thus, the dignity of yours truly applied to everyone.
It was a bothersome process, but something I had to endure as the Hero. If you can’t avoid it, you might as well enjoy it.
To be honest, it wasn’t such a bad feeling. My fame rose just from smiling and waving my hand.
[Fame +500]
[Fame –100]
[Fame +1000]
Huh? Who are the bastards behind the -100?
It seems there were a few malicious types green with envy.
Well, it didn’t matter anyway. No matter what they did, they couldn’t go against the tide.
A continuous upward trend.
The public wants to see the Hero’s party perform great deeds. That anticipation was converted directly into fame.
We bought supplies for our journey in the city closest to our destination.
The princess was about to step forward as if to haggle, but I gently stopped her.
“There’s no need for that.”
“Huh? Why?”
“Just watch what I do.”
“――??”
When I bought the items at an absurd price, her eyes widened.
[A 40% discount is being applied due to the effect of Fame.]
Almost half price.
At this point, there was no need to do anything. Haggling now would make me a thief.
“H-How?!”
The girl couldn’t hide her bewilderment.
She even seemed a little resentful, perhaps because her role had been taken from her.
Huh? No need to look so serious. You get the same benefit since you’re also a Hero.
A frantic shopping spree soon began. I bought everything, even things that seemed useless.
Who am I? The heir to a great family. It’s only natural for someone of my status to spend money like water.
How expensive could travel supplies be? I bought the highest quality of everything.
I couldn’t make these girls suffer in the prime of their lives just to save a little money, could I? Besides, we’d be facing real combat often from now on.
To prepare for that, it was best to maintain our condition as much as possible.
“I like fluffy things!”
“Can we really just pick anything? In that case…”
The party members followed my lead, shouting “Buy this! Put this in!” It felt good to show off my ability, but I was starting to worry about my inventory space.
“Ugh, I don’t even know anymore!”
An endless banquet of extravagance. In the end, even the princess got swept up in the atmosphere.
Right, you have to let loose when it’s time to let loose. I’ll have to give them a break and some shopping time after every dungeon we clear.
The subcontractors… the B-team weren’t my problem, but I planned to give the A-team at headquarters the best treatment.
After a hectic day, night fell before we knew it. We spent the night in the city and set off early the next morning.
“This one should be good.”
The princess showed her keen eye and bought a carriage suitable for travel.
Since most of our luggage was in the inventory, we could have chosen to ride horses directly, but for those not skilled in riding, it drains a lot of stamina.
The travel speed would be much faster, but we’d have to endure the discomfort.
If I made them suffer from the start, there would surely be at least one person whining and complaining.
“What’s with that look? It’s as if you’re screaming, ‘You’re the problem!’ It’s just my imagination, right?”
“…Yeah, it’s nothing.”
The elf girl turned her head, as if finding it bland. Despite having lived for about a hundred years, her mental age was the lowest.
By elven standards, would she be about sixteen or seventeen? She was a handful in many ways, but she was pretty, so I’d let it slide.
Anyway, traveling by carriage was safer this time. If my predictions were correct, a system that made combat unavoidable would be in effect.
A-rank monsters would likely appear in numbers. If we encountered them while riding at full speed, the horses might get spooked, and we’d risk falling off.
Another reason. If we hurried too much, we might get lost.
There were no road signs, which posed a problem. I knew the general location, but it seemed things would only become clear once we got close.
“I’ll drive the carriage.”
The princess said, wanting to take the reins.
Yeah, not a chance. Get inside and sit tight!
It wasn’t because she was a woman. That wasn’t entirely untrue, but she was of noble birth.
Making a royal act as a coachman was a bit much, wasn’t it?
I wasn’t shameless enough to make my favorite character do manual labor. Of course, if a battle broke out, I planned to push her forward and cheer from behind.
I like women who can fight well.
It wasn’t about pushing hard work onto her, but simply about wanting to witness my favorite character in action.
Anyway, I had to look after the princess’s condition to preserve her combat strength.
The girl, surprisingly, wasn’t stubborn. Instead, she said something unexpected.
“Hmm, this makes me nervous…”
“――??”
Ah! You’re not doubting my driving skills, are you?
I was clumsy last time because it was my first time, but I’m fine now!
“No, it’s not that. If you’re not inside with us… well, I guess I’ll just have to watch for now.”
She sat down next to me with an awkward smile.
The whole time I was driving, she slowly spouted nonsense, like how the weather was sunny or how only good things would happen from now on.
What was this…
It was like a girl I’d been seeing for a week was playing innocent and coy.
It seemed she was trying all sorts of things to get closer to me… but for the one on the receiving end, it was incredibly awkward!
The girl, oblivious to my feelings, tried desperately to get my attention.
Her attempts were so clumsy that they paradoxically had the effect of drawing my gaze.
“You know, before I became a Hero, I looked into a lot of things about heroes.”
Did she do some kind of prep work?
It was a good thing she became a Hero. If she hadn’t, she would have been devastated, wouldn’t she?
I’m not sure, but it might have been comparable to the despair of a high school senior who bombed their college entrance exams.
“There’s also this rumor. That the previous Hero prepared some kind of arrangement for the next one…”
“That’s true.”
“Huh? How can you be so sure?”
“…”
Ah, I answered without thinking!
The atmosphere was so cozy that it just slipped out…
“I heard it from a reliable source. So it must be true.”
“Oh, I see.”
I managed to think on my feet. Fortunately, she seemed to accept it without making a big deal out of it.
Anyway, such an event really does exist. A scenario where the previous Hero, who was defeated by the Demon King, helps his successor.
He passes on his enlightenment and readily hands over the items he’s collected. It’s as if he’s betting everything on the current Hero.
From my perspective, it was obviously a good thing, but an unexpected situation arises. Just as they’re about to part ways after a meaningful time together, one of the Demon King’s Four Heavenly Kings conveniently shows up… a tired cliché.
- “Ah! You…!”
- “Heh heh, so you were hiding here.”
- “How did you know about this place…”
- “It took some effort to find you. But this works out well. I’ll take care of you all at once!”
After that, it immediately transitions to the combat phase.
The former Hero is in a much weaker state compared to his prime.
He was once strong enough to challenge the Demon King, but he lost his left arm after a fierce battle.
Just as he is being helplessly beaten by the Four Heavenly King’s attacks, the Hero’s party joins in, balancing the scales.
The battle is designed so that they barely win, but even after subduing the Heavenly King, a frustrating situation unfolds.
The former Hero dies no matter what.
He becomes a companion on the road to the afterlife due to the Heavenly King’s dirty trick. In the original story, it was a forced event, so I had no choice but to watch.
- “Kugh, I let my guard down at the end…”
- “Senior! Are you okay?”
- “It’s too late for me. I ask of you…”
- “Yes. I will carry on your will and defeat the Demon King.”
- “Yes, that’s enough. Now I can die with no regrets…”
- “Seniooooor―――!”
It might be a little different, but that’s the general gist.
The former Hero, striking a pose even as he’s dying. The protagonist’s party, grieving for him.
In other words, we were forced to act in a melodrama. I have to watch that again? So tedious! I’ll have to try and stop it this time.
The mandatory nature of the event has probably disappeared with the reality patch. If I prepare thoroughly, I should be able to save him.
He’s just a one-off extra, but I felt so sorry for him I couldn’t just let it happen.
I’m not saying he’s pitiful for dying in vain. It’s that he dies embarrassingly, defeated in front of his juniors, right?
No, wait a minute…
Would saving him be more troublesome? He might hang himself out of shame.
Hmm, should I just follow the original story’s development?
I could picture the girls’ reactions upon seeing me inherit the former Hero’s will.
- “Ahh, Jace is cooler than ever!”
It seemed my reputation would rise even more, but I’ve already secured enough favorability, so it was fine to skip it.
I calmly organized my thoughts. If I could save him, I would. If not, then not. There was no need to get overly invested in a disposable extra.
About two hours after I started chatting with the princess, Aruru poked her head out from inside.
“You had your fun, right? Time to switch.”
“Oh, has it been that long already…”
“…”
I understood immediately, without even having to think.
It seems they’ve agreed to take turns sitting next to me. Well, whatever… my little cutie is always welcome!
The princess stood up with a sullen expression. The fox beastkin quickly took her empty seat.
As always, she clung to me with a bright smile. Her gently swaying tail caught my eye.
A question suddenly popped into my head. By what principle does a tail even move?
Doesn’t she get tired from wagging it nonstop like that? It seemed to move according to its owner’s mood, but sometimes it felt like a completely separate living creature.
My curiosity soared. When I have some free time, I’ll have to delve into the mysteries of the tail.
Well, come to think of it, the main body was even more mysterious.
An impossibly cute appearance. An appetite that defied the laws of physics. A girl who was innocent like a child but sometimes showed the slyness of a fox.
My little cutie.
You’re full of energy. You must have slept soundly the whole ride, huh?
“Huh? I wasn’t sleeping.”
“Oh? How come?”
“It’s because of you.”
“――??”
What, what did I do?
I feigned indignation, but she just shook her head as if I were hopeless. Then she pressed closer and whispered in the lowest voice possible.
“You might not know, but the air inside is very heavy.”
“Don’t tell me…”
“The current silence is the calm before the storm.”
“…”
“It’s an unavoidable flow. Since you’re the only man, it’s natural for their attention to be focused on you.”
The girls, waiting for a chance to do something.
Ceria, determined not to miss that something.
From the sound of it, silent shots were being fired all over the place. According to Aruru, the signs of a catfight were showing…
What should I do? If things were already getting shaky, we were doomed.
Hmm, maybe I was too complacent? I was looking forward to a heart-pounding grand adventure, but at this rate, that seemed impossible.
If I stepped in, it would be like pouring oil on a blazing fire.
But leaving everything to Ceria made me uncomfortable for various reasons.
My little cutie.
I have no one else but you this time, either. Won’t you save your master from this predicament?
As you know, we’re in the same boat. You can only be happy if things go well for me!
“Uh-huh, just trust me!”
Her answer was certainly spirited.
Of course, that meant I could expect results that exceeded my expectations.
I prayed earnestly in my heart. *Please let a bright and hopeful tomorrow come…*
* * *
A few days later.
The party’s atmosphere had grown worse. It was like walking on thin ice.
We were only managing to hold on because Aruru was desperately wagging her tail.
“…”
An unexpected external event became desperately needed. Some kind of change had to happen to alter this course.
A monster attack or something would probably change things. I had hoped for a leisurely journey, but this was no time to be picky.
Just then, the system window announced some happy news.
[Random Encounter Activated]
[Effective until you leave the area]
Just as I thought, it was following the system from the original story.
For reference, a random encounter meant that enemies would appear every time we moved.
D-pad ←↑→↓ on infinite repeat.
It was just like running around trying to catch PoXmon.
“Ah, monsters have appeared!”
That’s it. I could relax for a while.
Now that an enemy to defeat had appeared, we would surely unite.
The A-rank monsters were rampaging wildly, but to my eyes, they were nothing more than experience point vending machines.
Thanks. You saved me!
Of course, separate from that, I’m going to rip out all your experience and junk items. I’ll go easy on you, so hold still