106
Chapter 106
I laid something like a Dragon's Orb.
The Little Yellow Dragon said so, then added more details.
"Last night, round Gold came out of my body... After listening to the story today and thinking about it, I thought maybe it was a Dragon's Orb, so I'm telling you. It looked just like an orb."
"Gom gom gom?"
A Golden Orb came out of your body?
Where is that orb now?
When I asked that, the Little Yellow Dragon scratched its head with its long whiskers.
"Yong yong. I just thought it was Golden Poop and threw it away. Even though the shape was different than usual, my Excrement is originally hard and golden, so I didn't think it was strange."
"Gom...."
"B-but don't worry! I threw that orb away in the Restroom right in front of the Dungeon! If we go out right now, we can get it back!"
A Restroom in front of the Dungeon?
Ah, it must be talking about the Underground Tunnel the Fox dug before.
I heard she was using that place as a Restroom lately.
For now, I decided to go outside the Dungeon.
Since I had to check if it was really a Dragon's Orb.
The orb should still be in the Underground Tunnel.
There's no way someone passing by overnight would have dug through a dirty Underground Tunnel and taken it, right?
If we can't find it, it's a shame, but there's nothing we can do.
"Gom gom."
"Yong yong!"
I motioned for the Little Yellow Dragon to follow me, then quickly slipped out of the Dungeon.
Not far from the Dungeon.
The Underground Tunnel the Fox dug was right there.
We hurried over and stopped in front of the Underground Tunnel.
And at that moment.
"Freeze right there!"
A ringing voice echoed from behind.
Turning my head, I saw the Fox standing with her arms crossed.
When did she follow us out?
"Why are you trying to do something fun just by yourselves!"
"Yong yong?"
"Include me too! Don't leave me out!"
The Fox ran over, waving her arms.
She stopped next to us, then tilted her head while looking back and forth between us and the Underground Tunnel.
"Eh? Isn't this a Restroom? What kind of game were you going to play in front of the Restroom? A peeing game?"
"We weren't going to play a game. We came because there's something to find."
"What are you looking for in a Restroom!"
"There's just something."
The Little Yellow Dragon looked away from the Fox.
Then it started sticking its head into the Underground Tunnel.
"Papa. I'll go in, look for it, and come out. Papa, you stay here and wait."
Wiggle wiggle- Pop!
The Little Yellow Dragon went into the Underground Tunnel.
There was no problem going in at all.
Perhaps the Fox had done some extra work, as the entrance to the Underground Tunnel was quite expanded compared to before.
For reference, it had also become much deeper.
When a little bit of time had passed like that.
"I found it! This is it! This is exactly the orb I laid last night!"
The Little Yellow Dragon popped out of the Underground Tunnel.
Fortunately, its body didn't get dirty.
It's because this Underground Tunnel is strictly for peeing.
When a large object came out of the pee-only Restroom, the Fox flew into a rage.
"Why is that coming out of the Restroom! Didn't I tell you to only pee here!"
"I'm sorry."
The Little Yellow Dragon laughed, hehe, and apologized before handing me the Golden Orb it had retrieved from the Underground Tunnel.
I accepted the orb without hesitation.
Because nothing that comes out of our baby's body is dirty.
"Papa, what do you think?"
"Gooom......."
With the Golden Orb resting on my hand.
I groaned and carefully examined it with concentration.
Naturally, the Helper didn't pop up any information.
Hmm.
Hng....
Mmmm..., I think this is just ordinary Golden Poop, though?
I can't feel any Mana from the orb at all.
I've never seen a Dragon's Orb before, but if it were an orb containing special power, I'd definitely be able to feel some degree of Mana energy.
"Gom gom gom, gom gom."
"Yoooong... You're right... Hearing you say that, it seems like ordinary poop, not a Dragon's Orb... Unlike yesterday, I don't feel any Mana now......."
I can understand why it was confused.
The hard golden Excrement that the Little Yellow Dragon poops out faintly gives off Mana.
Mana still lingers on it because it hasn't been out of its body for long.
And as time passes, the Mana naturally dissipates completely into the air, and no energy can be felt anymore.
Just like this golden Excrement right now.
Anyway.
Since normal Excrement emits Mana, and a Dragon's Orb would probably emit Mana too, it was obvious the Little Yellow Dragon was confused whether this was just Excrement or a Dragon's Orb. Because it still doesn't know what kind of Mana energy a Dragon's Orb gives off. Whether it's a powerful energy, or just ordinary energy.
"I'm embarrassed... To make such a misunderstanding, I'm sorry...."
"Gom gom."
It's okay.
Things like that can happen.
The Little Yellow Dragon was feeling down with a face full of disappointment.
I patted its body with a warm touch to comfort it.
And I put this Golden Poop back into the Restroom.
Whoosh- By throwing it.
"Eeeh! I told you not to throw it away there!"
The Fox dove into the Underground Tunnel and brought back the discarded Golden Poop.
Was there a need to bring it out....
Anyway, it was a happening caused by the Little Yellow Dragon's misunderstanding.
***
Time flowed and flowed.
Before I knew it, about a week had passed.
Bum-ba-ba-ba-ba- Bum-ba-ba-ba-!
Along with a loud and peculiar sound, the Frog visited our Dungeon without fail today.
This sound wasn't a warning alarm for an Intruder, but a welcome chime exclusively for guests.
Guest welcome chimes can be set separately, you see.
I had registered the Frog, who drops by the Dungeon often, a while back.
"Hello there, ribbit!"
As usual, a Gift Box was held in the Frog's hands.
It wasn't a gift meant to bestow a favor upon us.
Because now we know their ulterior motives.
But if they abruptly stopped giving gifts, it would be almost impossible to build a deep bond later, so the Lake side didn't stop their gift offensive.
"Gom gom."
As if it was completely natural.
I casually accepted the Gift Box.
Now that I knew their goal, I felt even less burdened about receiving gifts.
And it was fine to accept them with such a shameless attitude.
Because I was just taking what I rightfully deserved.
I wasn't getting these gifts for free, after all.
Because someday, our side would also hand over the rare treasure known as the Dragon's Orb.
Probably.
"Then I'll be going now... Ah, wait a minute."
"Gom?"
"By the way, have you still not decided when you'll come visit our Lake, ribbit?"
"Gom gom, gom gom gom."
I'm planning on it.
If you rush me, I won't go, you know?
"I-I wasn't rushing you. If it sounded like that, I apologize, ribbit."
"Gom."
The Frog quickly apologized.
Somehow, it felt like our roles had reversed, with me holding all the power.
No, wait, am I actually the one in charge?
"...Then I'll be going now. See you again tomorrow, ribbit."
"Gom gom."
"...!"
The Princess Doll and I waved our hands at the departing Frog.
Goodbye, you generous Frog.
Ah, for reference.
Since that day, the Red Panda hadn't come to play at our Dungeon even once.
No, I should say he couldn't come.
I heard the Frog reported what happened that day to the Master of the Lake, and because of that, the Red Panda got scolded severely.
I even heard he was banned from going out for a while.
He was a surprisingly cute guy once you got used to him, so I wanted to see him often; it was a bit of a shame.
***
2nd Generation Fake Doll.
I could roughly gauge the level of the Butler Fake Dolls.
It was thanks to the fact that, unlike the Old Man, the werewolf, and the Transport Captain who also served as Hunting Captain and Chief Jailer, the difference in level between us wasn't that large.
Their power was estimated to be roughly around 150 to 200.
It wasn't certain; it was an arbitrary power rating assigned as a result of measuring them through sparring with us or other Fake Dolls.
In addition, the Butler Fake Dolls could summon weapons.
They were weapons in a similar form to the Soul Weapon that had been used as a summoning material.
It didn't seem like summoning a weapon increased their power.
However, they were still stronger than when they were bare-handed.
It didn't seem to be due to a difference in raw power, but rather because they had high weapon proficiency and could utilize a wider variety of abilities when holding a weapon.
Furthermore, as a result of checking.
Unlike the Old Man Fake Doll, they didn't become weaker outside the Dungeon.
I guessed it was probably because the Soul Weapon added as an extra material was combined with their bodies.
Therefore, in the event that we went out.
We decided to entrust the role of Bodyguard to the Butler Fake Dolls.
And today was the very day the Butler Fake Dolls would carry out their long-awaited first Bodyguard mission.
Today is the day we're going out.
To be exact, it's the day Tosuni and I are going on a date just the two of us.
The Butler Fake Dolls are with us too, but since they aren't treated as living creatures, it's right to say it's a date just the two of us, yeah.
For reference, this isn't a date I planned.
It was a date that Tosuni suggested first.
She suggested it while holding a very sharp Carrot in her hand, so I had no choice but to accept it out of fear of getting stabbed by that Carrot if I refused.
"Woong, woong!"
"Gom gom."
At Tosuni's urging, I told the other Dungeon members we'd hurry up and come back from our date, then joined hands with Tosuni and slipped out of the Dungeon.
The Little Yellow Dragon tactfully stopped the Fox from trying to follow us.
It caught the Fox's attention and held her back, saying there was a game it wanted to play.
"Woong?"
Tosuni tilted her head as she looked behind us.
Her gaze was fixed on the three Butler Fake Dolls following behind us.
I didn't entrust the Bodyguard role to all five of them.
I decided to leave two in the Dungeon and only bring three along, you see.
Only Tosuni and I were going out, so three should be plenty.
"Woong, woooong."
"Gom gom gom."
"Woooong...."
"Gom gom."
"Woong."
"Gom."
Weren't we going on a date just the two of us.
Why are they coming with us.
Let's not take them.
I somehow managed to successfully persuade Tosuni, who was making a displeased expression while saying these things.
By telling her not to mind them since Fake Dolls aren't living things.
While telling her to just think of them as moving rocks.
"Woooong."
Tosuni reluctantly gave a small nod.
To change the subject, I threw a question at her.
"Gom gom, gom gom gom? Gom gom gom gom gom."
More importantly, where are we going today?
You said you were deciding the date course.
It was a question containing this meaning.
At that question, the corners of Tosuni's mouth curled up.
It seemed her mood had improved again at the thought of going to play there.
"Woohoohoong."
Tosuni looked around.
Then she pressed her face closely against the side of my face and whispered.
Whisper, whisper.
You'll know if you follow me.
It's a secret place I'm only telling you, that I haven't even told my mother about.
You can look forward to it!
After whispering that to me.
Tosuni began to take the lead while flapping her wings.
Thump, thump.
I followed Tosuni with gentlemanly steps, tapping the ground with my Cane.