47
Chapter 47
The Baby Doll waved its hands in the air.
As it did, the space distorted, and a Portal was created.
"Woooong?!"
Tosuni jumped in surprise and raised both of her arms.
Ailee stared at the Portal in disbelief before shifting her gaze to the Baby Doll and asking.
"Is this a Portal...? Baby, did you make this with your skill?"
"...!"
Nod, nod.
At Ailee's question, the Baby Doll bobbed its head up and down.
It didn't seem like it was created by accident.
Rather than subconsciously using a skill, it appeared to have generated the Portal by its own will.
So it was aware that it had a skill like that.
Is the Baby Doll also a Helper skill holder?
Or did it instinctively realize it had such an ability?
Hmm, I don't know.
Well, I suppose I'll find out later.
Once we can communicate with each other to some extent.
"To think you could make a Portal, our baby is super amazing!"
"Woong!"
"...!"
The Baby Doll put on a triumphant expression.
What a cute little thing.
More importantly, what is that Portal used for?
At first, I thought it had created a Dungeon.
However, I couldn't be certain.
It could be a Portal meant for something other than a Dungeon.
"But baby. What is this Portal for?"
Ailee asked.
She must have had the same question as me.
"A Dungeon? Spatial teleportation? Or is it for storing items?"
Judging by what she was saying,
as I expected, Portals had various uses.
Of course, just because it's a Portal doesn't mean it has to be a Dungeon.
"...!"
The Baby Doll started to move.
Waddle, waddle, it reached its arms forward and approached the Portal.
"Baby? Are you going in there? Are you sure it's okay to go in?"
"...!"
"That means it's okay, right?"
"...!"
Nod, nod.
Nodding vigorously, the Baby Doll reached out toward the Portal.
Just as the little one was about to enter the Portal.
"W-wait a minute."
"...!?"
Ailee lifted the Baby Doll's body.
Then, she gently set it down behind her.
"Just in case, mommy will go in first."
After Ailee said that,
she cautiously reached her arm toward the Portal.
However, the Portal did not allow her approach.
Bzzzt-!
Ailee's hand was repelled the moment it touched the Portal.
Flustered, Ailee reached out once more.
But the result was the same.
Bzzzt-!
Once again, her hand was denied entry.
"What is this? Was I denied entry? Baby, is this by any chance a Portal only you can use? Or did you temporarily block other living beings from using it?"
"...!"
Shake, shake.
The Baby Doll shook its head back and forth.
It seemed it wasn't a Portal meant for its use alone.
"Is that so? Then why can't I go in?"
"...!"
While Ailee was expressing her doubts.
The Baby Doll quickly walked over and approached the Portal.
Waddle, waddle, waddle, waddle. Zip.
In a flash, the little one disappeared beyond the Portal.
"Baby?!"
Discovering the scene belatedly, a flustered Ailee reached out to the Portal once more.
This time, she wasn't repelled.
Her hand was smoothly sucked into the Portal.
"Huh? It seems I can go in now? So the baby had to go in first for other living beings to enter...."
Saying that,
Ailee boldly stepped into the Portal, worried about the Baby Doll.
Tosuni and I scurried after her.
The moment we passed through the Portal.
A new space unfolded before our eyes.
A ceiling and a floor.
And a small space blocked by a black substance on all sides.
This was the very place connected to the Baby Doll's Portal.
The size was about enough to tightly fit roughly thirty Humans with a build similar to Ailee's lying down.
There were no structures inside.
Only the single Portal we had crossed through was located here.
Thanks to the Portal, it wasn't that dark.
What kind of space was this?
Was it used as something like a warehouse?
"Woooong, wooong!"
Tosuni, who had been looking around the space, spoke up.
Ailee immediately provided Interpretation for Tosuni's words.
"Baby Tosuni says this is a Dungeon. And not a pre-existing one, but rather one that seems to have just been born. It looks like the Portal our baby made was the Dungeon Creation skill."
This is a Dungeon?
Just looking at the size, I thought it wasn't a Dungeon.
So there are incredibly narrow Dungeons like this, too....
Anyway.
That means the Baby Doll's Portal skill really was the Dungeon Creation skill, right?
This kid was born with a silver skill-spoon.
To think it possessed the skill I had wanted to get!
I stared at the Baby Doll with an envious gaze.
Suddenly, its eyes met mine.
"...!"
What an arrogant little thing.
It was putting on that triumphant expression again.
It was somehow annoying.
So, when Ailee wasn't looking, I secretly gave it a light bonk on the head.
Bonk.
Of course, I hit it very softly.
Since it shouldn't get hurt.
"...?"
The Baby Doll's triumphant expression changed to a bewildered one.
Now that's a face I like a bit more.
***
"Woong, woooong."
"Baby Tosuni says our baby shouldn't leave the Dungeon. She says the Dungeon faces Annihilation if the Dungeon Master leaves."
The Dungeon Master.
In other words, the one who possesses ownership of the Dungeon.
If such a being leaves its post, the Dungeon faces Annihilation.
If ownership belongs to multiple people, the Dungeon could probably be maintained as long as at least one owner remains.
Last time, one of the Luna Rabbits left their Dungeon, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with the Dungeon. The reason they didn't all leave together back then must have been because the Dungeon would face Annihilation if they did.
"Wooooong, wooong."
"But she says it doesn't matter if it leaves as long as it can create more Dungeons. Since the Dungeon hasn't grown at all right now, it wouldn't be a waste to abandon it."
Tosuni spoke,
and Ailee provided Interpretation as usual.
That Tosuni, she sure knows a lot about Dungeons as expected from someone who came from one.
Tosun's Mom must have educated her well.
Anyway.
The Baby Doll couldn't leave the Dungeon.
Judging by its troubled expression, recreating the Dungeon seemed impossible.
"...!"
"It looks like you can't recreate the Dungeon... Baby, what will you do? If you feel suffocated being trapped in here, you can abandon the Dungeon and leave."
Shake, shake.
The Baby Doll vigorously shook its head side to side.
It seemed to hate the idea of abandoning the Dungeon.
Well, it would be a waste.
Ailee respected the Baby Doll's choice.
She said she would follow the little one's decision.
It wasn't like it could never leave the Dungeon for the rest of its life.
Later on, things like ownership transfer or ownership distribution were possible, apparently.
Just like that, this Dungeon was decided upon as our new home.
I had no objections either. It was small for a Dungeon, but it was large enough for us to live in.
This much is cozy and nice.
After that.
We decided to bring in the luggage that was outside.
Ailee stayed behind since she had to be with the Baby Doll, leaving just me and Tosuni to do it.
***
The Dungeon's entrance.
The location where the Portal was generated was near the crushed Boxwood.
Thanks to that, it seemed like it would be easy to move the luggage.
Because we had placed all the luggage next to the Boxwood.
Leaving Tosun's Mom's Flag as it was,
Tosuni and I lifted the jar from both sides and carried it into the Dungeon.
For reference, the jar still contained a lot of blood.
After that, we moved the other luggage one by one.
We also packed and moved Ailee's clothes, and safely placed the Mana Stones inside the Dungeon.
The last thing to move were the Special Large Heterogeneous Meatballs.
They were the dishes left over from our meal earlier.
Even though we had eaten enough, there was still a large amount left.
Tosuni held an armful of Special Large Heterogeneous Meatballs.
Our Tosuni is really overflowing with motivation.
It would be fine to move them slowly, a little at a time....
Since it wasn't something we had to move in a hurry.
"Woooong."
Hmm.
I wonder if she didn't grab a bit too much.
She looks like she's going to drop one or two like that.
The moment I was having those worries.
Plop.
"Woong?"
I knew that would happen.
As expected, one Special Large Heterogeneous Meatball fell to the ground.
The Special Large Heterogeneous Meatball that escaped Tosuni's arms started rolling away.
"Woooong!"
Tosuni chased after the rolling Special Large Heterogeneous Meatball.
[Devoted Rabbit Doll lv.14]
┗Pw.42
┗Rnk.Superior
Her information had changed.
The text saying Luck Breath was being applied had disappeared.
And both of them at that.
I was lucky enough to catch the exact moment the Luck occurred.
But what kind of Luck had happened?
I focused and observed Tosuni carefully.
Tosuni dropped the Special Large Heterogeneous Meatball and chased after the rolling Special Large Heterogeneous Meatball.
Then she pulled the Blood Whip from her back and succeeded in snatching the Special Large Heterogeneous Meatball in one go.
You should have just used the Blood Whip to move the Special Large Heterogeneous Meatballs from the start....
Anyway.
This was everything that had happened so far.
There was nothing special about it at all.
What kind of Luck occurred, exactly?
Is it such a Small Luck that it isn't noticeable?
Or is it a Luck that I can't see?
Like getting a skill or something?
Don't tell me, snatching the rolling Special Large Heterogeneous Meatball in one go without missing is the Luck.
I sincerely hoped that wasn't it.
To think that two whole Luck Buffs were consumed for that.
"Wooooong!!!"
Tosuni didn't stop.
She kept running forward.
Although she snatched the first meatball she dropped, another meatball she was holding fell and was rolling forward.
She snatched that one up shortly after as well.
But another meatball in her arms fell and rolled away again.
"Wooooooong!!!"
She snatches a meatball.
Right after that, a meatball in her arms falls and rolls, she snatches it again, another falls and rolls...
This process is repeating endlessly.
Tosuni kept running forward, chasing after the meatballs.
Her figure was gradually getting further away from my line of sight.
Ugh, you frustrating girl!
I'm telling you to just tie them all up with the Blood Whip!
I curled my body up, activated the Rolling skill, and chased after her.
***
Tosuni, who eventually tied all the meatballs with the Blood Whip.
Now, there were no meatballs in her arms.
"Woong."
Sigh.
This isn't even a comedy.
We've come too far while doing useless things.
Let's go back now, Tosuni.
I pulled her arm.
However, Tosuni didn't budge.
What are you doing? I looked at her face.
Tosuni had an expression as if she was focusing on something.
"...Woong?"
Sniff, sniff.
Tosuni's nostrils flared.
Sniff, sniff, sniff, sniff!
It seemed like she smelled something.
"Woooong?!!"
As if very surprised.
Tosuni, her eyes widened, quickly turned her head.
Before long, she threw away all the meatballs tied with the Blood Whip and began to frantically hop away in one direction.
What the, why is she suddenly acting like that?
Did she smell some incredibly delicious blood or something?
Without knowing the reason, I chased after Tosuni once again.
Not long after, Tosuni stopped in her tracks.
And she looked around wildly.
"Woooong!!!"
Tosuni pointed somewhere.
From the direction her fingertips pointed, a faint, small groan could be heard.
We ran towards that place again.
The further we moved.
The clearer the groans sounded.
Soon, a large monster was caught in our sight.
The monster we found was a Flame Bear.
The Flame Bear was injured, with one of its front paws cut off.
Dripping blood, it was collapsed on the ground, letting out painful groans.
And,
"Kkuooo...."
That Flame Bear was Jjokkomi.