I hope you enjoy this.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
Girlfriend: Suella Henderberg
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
“We’ve arrived, brother! This is our destination!”
“It’s a relief that we arrived safely.”
“Hahaha! There’s no way I’d make a mistake piloting this, brother.”
“Good work. Well, speaking of which, this is…”
“Wow! It’s big!”
“Hmm, it’s a magnificent dungeon.”
The aerial escape ended without incident, and we had reached our destination.
The giant dragonfly landed at the deepest part of a canyon in the northwestern part of the continent.
Amelia and I, perhaps due to our physical abilities, jumped off without using a ladder and looked at the entrance to the vast, magnificent great cavern spread out before us.
It was indeed huge.
The entrance to the giant cave, which made one wonder if a passenger plane could easily fit inside, made one question how it wasn’t collapsing.
Mike says it’s magnificent, but conversely, it probably means it’s that much more dangerous.
The fact that the dragonfly has been chattering its mandibles, intimidating the approaching magic beasts around the entrance, is proof of that.
Moreover, not a single one of the intimidated magic beasts was any ordinary threat.
As I watched the scene, I inwardly grumbled that I was smoking more than usual today.
“So? What do we do from here? You’re not going to tell me we can just walk in, are you?”
“Hahaha! Brother, that would be completely reckless.”
First, I’ll put an end to my biggest worry.
If my question had been answered affirmatively, I had planned to deck this cheerful insectoid, but it seems I won’t have to go to any unnecessary trouble.
“Don’t worry, brother. My partner has been informing me of our arrival, so someone will be here to meet us soon, brother.”
“It wasn’t intimidation, then?”
“Hahaha! This guy’s intimidation is nothing to scoff at! Want to see? Brother?”
“I’ll pass. I don’t have a hobby of getting unnecessarily tired.”
“That’s a shame, brother.”
Who in their right mind would want to see a serious intimidation display?
It also has a deterrent effect, so please keep chattering your mandibles.
The intimidation from this giant dragonfly, which looks menacing, would surely be quite powerful.
I’m already tired.
Someone will be here soon, and there’s no way I’m going to waste energy here.
“Amelia, I know it’s curious, but don’t go too far in. Even if it’s fine for you, your classmates floating around you will be a nuisance.”
“Ah, ehehehe.”
“Don’t worry, Jiro-. If it comes to it, I’ll use Amī as a shield to protect them. So you don’t need to worry about Amī and can go inside, okay?”
“That’s my magic, isn’t it?! Then Mike will be in danger too!!”
“I don’t mind?”
“I do!!”
“Your companions are quite lively, aren’t they, brother? Don’t you think so, brother?”
“Unfortunately, my parental instincts kick in before that.”
Amelia, as if the cave was something novel, was trying to get closer to see it.
When I tried to stop her, Mike, who was possessing her, teased her.
Well, I suppose it’s better than her being dejected. I watched them.
The insectoid man speaks to me as I observe their behavior.
I honestly express my feelings, but does this guy really have to put “brother” at the end of his sentences?
My nickname has been fixed as “brother” since he came to pick me up.
He seems to make distinctions, calling Amelia “young lady,” but what’s the connection to “brother”?
Unfortunately, I don’t have any insectoid relatives.
“Hey, why do you call me brother?”
“It’s simple, brother!”
If you don’t know, ask.
When I did, this insectoid man gave me a thumbs-up and replied in a serious voice.
“Because you’re a manly brother!!”
“You’re skipping ahead. I don’t understand.”
“Shocked!? Why can’t you understand my passionate feelings, brother!?”
“It’s unreasonable to expect me to understand that.”
I smoked and looked at the insectoid man standing beside me.
The insectoid man, clutching his head and saying “No!?”, was so over-the-top that I felt like I was watching a comedy show.
In any case, I don’t know why this man calls me brother.
I don’t particularly want to know.
What might be important to him is just a way for me to kill time.
As long as he doesn’t call me a weird name, I have no intention of correcting him.
The question that suddenly came to mind didn’t last long, and as I tried to focus on my cigarette again, the ground suddenly bulged.
“Hm?”
It’s become a habit recently, but I reach for the Ore Tree whenever something changes.
I sense a premonition and become alert.
I wonder if it’s a magic beast, but
“It looks like someone’s here to pick us up, brother.”
The insectoid man also sensed it and looked at the ground, dispelling my anxiety.
As if on cue, it grew with tremendous force.
“…Is it an enemy?”
“What, what!?”
“Oh, how nostalgic.”
“No, ‘that’ is our ride, brother.”
“To me, it just looks like a carnivorous plant.”
That anxiety resurfaced immediately, but as each of us reacted, the thing that suddenly appeared was a plant with writhing vines and a giant bucket-like object at the tip of a thick stem.
Its appearance resembled a pitcher plant from Earth.
However, its color was ominous, and its movements were too agile to be that of a plant.
At that point, it was probably a different species from Earth’s pitcher plants.
It’s questionable whether it can even be categorized as a plant.
Look, there are fangs at the opening of the bucket, and it just shrieked “kishaa.”
I don’t have to fight it because it’s not attacking, but I can’t let go of the handle of the Ore Tree.
“It’s a plant that travels through dimensions, its name is Dungeon Elevator, brother. If you ride in its container part, you can go directly to the lowest floor, it’s that excellent, bro.”
“You want me to be eaten?”
The insectoid man pointed to the spot where carnivorous plants catch insects.
If I went in there, I’d surely be dissolved and turned into nutrients.
I question his sanity with my eyes.
“Don’t worry, don’t worry! As long as you don’t fight it, it’ll even make your skin smooth and deliver you!! Brother!”
“So if I fight it, it’s bad. Can you guarantee my safety?”
“Don’t worry, just get eaten and relax, brother.”
“……”
He just told me to get eaten.
As if it were none of his business.
“…Honestly.”
I scratch my head as if pondering what to do.
I can’t make an immediate decision.
I’ve experienced various fantasies, but this is truly uncharted territory.
If I just say “it’s okay” and get inside and get digested, it won’t be a funny story.
“Hmm, it’s alright. What he’s saying isn’t a lie.”
“Is that so, Mike?”
“It doesn’t differ from my memory. It should deliver us safely.”
Is he trying to allay my fears?
Mike, possessing Amelia, shares his knowledge.
I heard the story of how we met Amelia during our flight.
Amelia told me there was no lie in it.
So what he just said should also not be a lie.
Besides, it’s a means of transportation provided by the company, so there should be no problem… I want to believe that.
“…Alright. But if I get eaten, I’ll haunt you.”
“Oh! I’ll be waiting, brother!”
“Don’t wait for me, idiot.”
“Ouch!?”
There’s no point in just standing here.
I can’t just charge into the dungeon either.
I lightly tap the insectoid man’s head and ignore his yelp of pain. Standing before the Dungeon Elevator, I cautiously peer inside the container as it’s slowly lowered before me, its lid opening with a snap.
I thought perhaps my worries were in vain, and looked back.
“It looks okay. Let’s get in.”
“OK!”
I call out to Amelia and let them in.
After confirming that the floating students had also entered, I bid farewell to the insectoid man.
“Thanks for your help.”
“See you again, brother!”
With that, I entered.
It’s dimly lit inside, but it’s reasonably spacious.
I expected it to be much more crowded, but while it feels confined, I can tolerate it for a short while.
With a “kapo,” the lid above is closed with a lighter-than-expected sound, and we finally set off.
“I forgot to tell you! It’s going to shake a little, so be careful, brother! And!”
Then, as if to add an unnecessary remark, the insectoid man’s shout could be heard from outside.
I can sense the shaking from the plant’s movement, and it’s natural since we’re going underground.
“It’s going to be quite slimy, so bear with it, brother!”
“Huh?”
The last unsettling remark I heard.
Before I had time to react to that word, a sticky substance like slime filled the container with an intensity that submerged my unprepared self.
Strangely, the slime didn’t impede my breathing, and I speculated it might be made of magic or something.
But
“You tricked me!!”
“It’s disgusting!!”
I was shaken with an overwhelming disgust that exceeded my tolerance for endurance, and I didn’t expect to be shaken so violently as we descended.
As this worst-ever roller coaster ride through the dungeon ended after what felt like a few minutes, we were expelled as if dumping water from a bucket onto the ground.
“How are you feeling?”
“…The worst, Memoria.”
“I figured. I’m glad you’re safe.”
“I question if you can declare me safe after making me go through that experience at the very last moment.”
As I lay sprawled out, trying to shake off the nausea, someone peered down at me.
I immediately knew who it was.
I answered Memoria’s question with a wry smile as she held her purple-tinged silver hair aside with one hand and leaned in.
“Still, this slime is terrible.”
“In my country, it’s a high-quality cosmetic.”
“Seriously? This slime?”
“Yes, the slime quickly disappears into magic, but that magic is effective for moisturizing and damaged skin. As a side note,” Dungeon Elevators” are such a rare species that the military and economic departments quarrel over them!”
The mobility to travel through dungeons, or the economic benefit that opens the wallets of wealthy women.
The Demon Lord’s Army sure does have some interesting disputes.
I admit it’s convenient and economically viable, but the combination of that ride and the sickening slime is unacceptable.
For now, trying to forget the nausea, I look at my palm to check the beauty effects Memoria mentioned.
The slime remaining on my palm had already vanished like it was volatilizing.
And my palm, after the slime disappeared, was as lustrous as if it had been soaked in a high-quality lotion.
Come to think of it, that insectoid man,
“Don’t worry, don’t worry! As long as you don’t fight it, it’ll even make your skin smooth and deliver you!! Brother!”
He said something like that, but was this what he meant?
While my skin became inexplicably clean, as a man, I had no way of measuring its value.
All I could do was offer a wry smile.
Perhaps Amelia, being a woman, would understand, and I looked in a strangely quiet direction.
“…”
“Well, Memoria.”
I decided to pretend I didn’t see Amelia, who was usually energetic, cheerful, and bright, now furiously and desperately applying slime to her face with an almost terrifying intensity.
“What about the students?”
“Over there.”
“…We should treat them a bit more properly, shouldn’t we?”
“The path was narrow, so we had no choice but to do so. Plus, it would be troublesome if they caused a commotion.”
“That’s true.”
Putting aside what could be called escapism, I asked about the results of my efforts as a decoy. Memoria pointed to something.
Looking there, I saw golems diligently loading what looked like black cocoons into containers.
I realized those cocoons were the students, and the containers belonged to our company.
This, coupled with Memoria’s mention of possible “commotion,” made me realize that kidnapping them was a means to an end, and it was easy to imagine them reacting violently.
In that case, I had to admit that this measure was unavoidable.
There was no need to add to the trouble.
I made excuses for the near-criminal sight, stood up, and sat cross-legged, watching them.
“Are preparations to return complete?”
The return passage hidden in this dungeon is more like an escape route.
It’s too narrow and small for military operations.
This is why they deploy Dungeon Elevators like this, using them only for spy operations.
“The Gate will be ready soon, but will you be returning immediately?”
“Yes, please. I’m quite tired.”
“…What will you do when you return?”
“If it’s work, it’s filing reports. For personal matters…”
Hearing that we could return without interference, I let out a sigh of relief.
My spirits were further lifted by the thought of finally returning home after my business trip.
What do I want to do?
Months have passed since I crossed from the world of civilization into the world of fantasy.
Listening to my desires, Suella’s face, whom I haven’t seen and haven’t been able to contact, naturally came to mind.
A cold sweat ran down my back at the thought of the current situation, where I’d most likely be rejected outright.
“With Suella, it should be fine. After all, for a Dark Elf, several months are no different from two or three days.”
“Did it show on my face?”
“Just a hunch. So, do you want to see her?”
“Yes, I do.”
“More than me?”
“……”
“Just kidding. I’ll be satisfied with having monopolized you for longer than scheduled.”
“Is that so.”
A woman’s intuition is sharp.
And cunning.
When you’re two-timing, it’s hard to answer at times like these.
You can say both are important, but they want to know who is number one.
Still, perhaps it’s the weakness of being in love that makes me find them all so endearing.
“It seems preparations are complete.”
“Yeah, let’s go… wait, are we riding too?”
“It’s more efficient that way.”
“I see. Come on, Amelia, let’s hurry back.”
“Just a little more, just a little more!?”
“Amī, I understand how you feel, but perhaps you should read the room a bit?”
After the students were packed into the containers, it was our turn to get in.
I grabbed Amelia, who was still reaching for the slime, by the collar and dragged her.
The other students had been packed into the containers by the golems.
I tossed the resisting Amelia into the container and followed.
“Is everyone on board?”
“Yes.”
Memoria closed the door after confirming everyone was on board.
“Then, we will transfer.”
She then touched something like a console next to the entrance.
The dense magic, it was the sign of transfer I felt when I first came to Isal.
This marks the end of my business trip.
Amelia, with her powerful magic, looked around curiously.
“Transfer.”
As Memoria spoke, I felt the sensation of an old elevator starting up with a “gakon” and then experienced a feeling of levitation.
“Uh, um, can we go home with this?”
“Yes, though it’ll be a little longer before we get home due to health checks and other things, but the next time that door opens, it’ll be Japan.”
Before I could even ponder what to do during the journey, Amelia spoke to me.
Her demeanor had completely changed from her earlier pursuit of cosmetic slime; she was now a restless girl, anxiously waiting for the door to open.
It seemed like this would be a good way to pass the time. I watched Memoria, standing silently before the console, and answered Amelia, who, like a child, kept asking if it was soon, “Not yet.”
How many times did she repeat that question?
“We’ve arrived.”
Finally, after a landing sensation with a “gakon,” Memoria quietly announced our arrival.
For a moment, before I could react, Memoria opened the door with a “gii” and exited.
A few seconds later, Amelia hurriedly followed her out.
And then, I was the last one to exit.
“Jiro-san!”
However, before I could even take my first step, I embraced a voice I hadn’t heard in a long time.
“…Welcome back, Suella.”
“Yes! Welcome home!”
The naturally spoken words of return.
With that one sentence and Suella’s welcome, my business trip came to an end.
Jiro Tanaka, 28 years old, has a girlfriend.
Girlfriend: Suella Henderberg
Memoria Tris
Occupation: Dungeon Tester (Full-time Employee)
Magic Aptitude: 8 (General Class)
Position: Warrior
Today’s word:
“Welcome home” is a wonderful thing to say.
That’s all for this installment.
It might feel like the end, but I’ll be adding a few chapters for post-processing, so this arc is not quite over yet.
I hope you enjoy that as well.
I look forward to your continued support of this work.
