Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru

Chapter 170: The Desire For Revenge Burns As Fiery As Hell Inside The Chest IV

『What is that girl?』

「Huh?」

The string doll stood up on my shoulder and conveyed the words of the voyeur great magician-sama.

「She's one of my younger party members. She's something like a little sister to me」

I answered honestly. Since he would steal the truth from my thoughts anyways, it would be pointless to hide anything.

『I'm not interested in your relations with women. I'm talking about her blood』

「Her blood?」

Now that he mentioned it, I remember Master saying something about it in his bar.

I had forgotten about it, but I believe he said………

『She's a divine medium』

「That explains it」

I went back up the stairs, retrieving the mace along the way.

My body feels strangely good. The fatigue and tiredness I had felt earlier seem to have vanished like a mirage.

Does it maybe have something to do with Bel?

『She’s indeed the reason for it』

「Is that so?」

I didn't know that Bel had that kind of power.

『That girl has quite the lineage. She's a close relative of a god whose name eludes me. She may be a child of infidelity, an illegitimate child, or a child forced to flee after some ruse. Whatever the case, she's not the kind of person who should be an adventurer.

As you’ve experienced firsthand, just by being near her, the disarrayed magic elements in your body got sorted out. No, so long as she desires something, miracles will occur with ease. Her wishes will keep coming true out of the blue. What's strange is the fact you've not been enthralled despite having such a person close by. Are you really that faithful to your wife?』

「Faithful………………」

I’m indeed faithful to her, but………

『Oh, I see. You got married under elven law, huh? I've seen the aftermath of polygamous relationships many times in the past. Make sure you put down in writing how your estate will be distributed. You're an adventurer who has made it this far, so you must have some wealth. If you don't………………it'll get messy』

「Okay, I'll be sure to do that」

His words were incredibly convincing for some reason, so I took them to heart.

So………Rana gets 50%, Ea and Maria get 20% each, and Lanseal gets 10%? Well, that feels kinda cruel to her, so how about Rana gets 40%, and the other three get 20% each………what about Makina and Yukikaze? I wonder what they'll do after I die.

『Aye-eye, huh? What curious beings……… Hmm, I can't read any more………』

「Of course」

It seems that the things I really don't want others to know can't be spied on.

I can't let this great magician-sama have access to any modern knowledge. Who knows what kind of technological singularity that will lead to?

『The idea of singularities is a rather interesting concept. I suppose it's not unlike the compendium of magic techniques』

「Let’s put that aside」

That's enough useless chatter.

I no longer find it difficult to carry the mace as well. I wonder if that's also thanks to Bel.

I took a deep breath and warned myself again.

No matter what happens, I won't lose my cool.

No matter what I see.

No matter what I'm faced with.

No matter what, I won't lose my grip on myself.

Now to go look for Rana.

I've wiped out all the enemies on the ground floor. I had seen several of them come down from the second floor earlier. Searching all the rooms in the castle is quite a daunting task. But there's no other way but to search each room one by one.

『I've lent you one of my senses, remember? Use it』

「Come again?」

Again, I've no idea what this great magician-sama is talking about.

『Remember when you lost sight in your left eye? I lent you my power of farseeing then』

「I didn't hear anything about that」

『I did tell you. By thought』

「No no no. I didn't receive it」

I mean, what kind of sick punishment is it to have a heart-to-heart connection with an old man?

『Didn't you use it earlier? I thought for sure that it had gotten through to you』

「Earlier………oh, that」

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I closed my eyes and visualized my surroundings in my mind.

『The area that you sense can be expanded to any extent depending on your own perceptive capabilities. But don't look too far away, or you will be enthralled. What humans see is always the depths of darkness. In the abyss lurks a terrifying thing that sweetly beckons』

「Shut up for a second」

I'm the type of person who learns things by doing rather than by listening to explanations. I also play games without reading the game manual.

In the darkness of my own mind, I focused my perception outward and let my senses expand.

A few indistinct presences appeared in my head.

One in a room on the second floor. No, there's also one "unsteady presence" that feels like it's about to flicker out, so there's two.

Two in the audience room with the throne on the third floor. And one near its entrance.

Underground………………hmm? What's this? There are countless lights.

『Stop』

I was almost pulled in, but Garving wrested me back by yanking out a strand of my hair.

「What was that?」

I had forgotten about it. If this place is similar to Lemuria, then of course there's something underneath the ground. I had sensed an abnormal number of presences deep underground. They had been of tightly-packed creatures. Were there thousands? No, it's probably in the hundreds of thousands.

「Don't tell me, are those all Horns?」

『Yes, they are. But saving your party members takes priority now, am I wrong?』

「You’re right, but………」

You're obviously hiding something.

『Mm-hmm, I'm hiding something. But it's also true that this is not the time for it』

「That’s true」

I'll put it on hold.

Time to switch gears and forget all about it for now.

First, I'll go to the second floor. The fact that I didn't sense any other presences means that I've probably killed almost all of the Horns in this castle. I'll just do the same to the ones underground.

That's probably impossible though.

「Garving, how many have I killed?」

This isn't something I should be asking right now. But it'll serve to distract me.

『66 of them. The only ones who have personally defeated this many Horns are just you and Lemuria』

「That baldy?」

He gives me a strong image of a black-hearted, perverted, balding father, but I guess he was also a strong adventurer.

『What do you mean by “baldy”? He was a fearless young man with luxurious hair………but I suppose the passage of time can be quite cruel』

「It's all smooth now」

『Wagreas was also getting smooth by the end. He's all smooth now that he's a skeleton though』

I was able to distract myself by having a frivolous conversation with the great magician-sama.

Being as quiet as I could, I stood in front of the room with the presences.

There were two presences, one of which had almost disappeared completely.

Stay calm. Stay calm.

No matter what I see, I must remain calm.

I raised the mace, smashed a hole in the wall, then burst into the room.

I let go of the mace and drew my katana.

One of them is definitely an enemy. I'll kill it in a single――――――

「I'm glad to see that you're okay, dear」

It was already over.

「You look like you're okay as well」

Rana was there.

Her wrists were shackled and she was completely naked like Bel and Nanassy. Blood had splattered onto her white skin, but it only made her look more luscious.

On the bed was a Horns who had tried to have his way with her.

I couldn't look directly at his lower body because, as a man, it was painfully hard to see, even if he was an enemy. He wasn't dead yet, but his neck had been spun around so many times and with such force that the skin and bones of his neck were completely twisted together.

「I'm not about to let any man but you beat me in bed. Besides, the very first thing Gladvain-sama taught me was a technique for this kind of situation.

Martial arts schools are often male-dominated communities, so there are many who develop lustful feelings for the women who eat and sleep with them, and it's not uncommon for them to try something shameful. In such situations, it's customary for the female warrior to make "an example" out of the man to make sure that no one tries anything like that ever again」

「I see」

I finished off the Horns that she had dealt with firmly.

「What do you think?! I pulled through on my own this time!」

「Yup」

I had pictured myself rescuing Rana in style and, no, I'm really glad she's okay. I do feel a little disappointed that she's pulled through on her own, but that's a little inappropriate.

Rana continued excitedly.

「I was beaten in the earlier fight with the adventurers, but this time, I made it through on my own. What do you think?! I think I deserve some praise for this!」

Dropping my katana, I wrapped Rana up in a hug.

I knelt and buried my face in her chest, the softness making me forget that we were in enemy territory.

「Oh, what's wrong?」

「I'm so glad you're okay」

I had been trying my best to not think about the various worst-case scenarios that kept popping up in my mind.

When things turned out to be nowhere close to any of them, it left me so relieved that I lost all strength.

「Dear, I'm happy that you're concerned about me. But there are still things to be done, aren't there? What about everyone else? What’s the current status of the adventure?」

「Right」

We're in the middle of a bloodbath. This isn't the time to be cuddling with a woman. To get the whole party home, I'll need to fight with everything I've got.

I picked up my katana and cut off Rana's shackles.

Rana tore down a curtain and wrapped it around herself before picking up the dead Horns' spear.

「Bel-sama is in the basement, along with the Horns called Nanigassy(Something-or-another-ssy) and the beastkin」

「Yeah, I know. I had gone to the basement first. I’ve freed Bel and gotten Nanassy to escort her out. Rana, I'm sorry, but I need you to leave the castle as well」

「Okay, I'll go outside and meet up with Bel-sama. After all, you're stronger without me by your side, aren't you?」

「That’s not……」

I'm glad she's complying obediently.

That’s all well and good, but………

「The first time you rescued me, the time Irvin-sama died, the subsequent battle with the beast, the time you rescued me from Lola, the time you were sent to the left continent alone, it was really close that time with Lord White-Scale, but other than that one time, you've always dealt with the dangerous tasks like the one involving Neomia all by yourself」

「That’s………」

It’s because I knew I have a home to go back to.

Because I was determined to return, I was able to keep on fighting.

「And now, you've defeated an entire castle of Horns all by yourself. I'm not going to make any poor guesses as to how you did it. If you feel like telling me, tell me, and I'll listen to whatever you have to say. But the important thing to remember is that I trust you. And that I'm waiting for you. No matter what, al.......right? Err......is that clear?」

She was saying something nice, but she reworded the last part to be polite speech instead.

Well, in a way, this is just like her.

「Rana, one day, for sure. When everything is settled, I'll tell you all of it. I promise」

I stuck out my pinky finger and held it out to her.

「………………」

After staring at it for a while, Rana closed her mouth around my little finger. She twirled her tongue around it, showing me the depths of her technique that I hadn't experienced before.

I pulled my finger out of her mouth with a schloop.

「Is there some sort of meaning to this?」

「I'll tell you when we get back」

Oh, right.

They don't have the concept of pinky promises on this side………

I made my way to the corridor through the hole in the wall, then closed my eyes and let my senses expand.

There are no enemies on the ground floor.

Outside the castle, near its gates, I sensed Nanassy and Bel tending to Arcane.

「Rana, Bel and the others are right outside the castle. If you run, you can still catch them. After meeting up with them, find a safe place to hide. I'll come and get you after everything is settled」

「I'll be waiting」

Rana and I hugged once more. Then, we parted ways quickly.

I hefted the mace back onto my shoulder.

After watching her go, I went upstairs.

As I made my way through this castle with its endless similarities, the feeling that I was in the dungeon grew.

The three presences hadn't budged. Two side by side and one further away from them. No signs of any fighting.

I pictured the layout of the castle in my head and superimposed the locations of the presences on it.

The two are near where the throne should be, and the one further away is outside the room. The king and queen, and then their bodyguard?

『So that's your spouse. It's quite rare to see an elf with big breasts』

I'm going to ignore the great magician-sama's attempt at frivolous conversation.

『A long time ago, I proposed a theory that the size of a woman's breasts is proportional to her magic power』

Oh, I can see that.

All the female magicians I've met so far have had nice figures. Bel………well, I have high hopes for the future though.

Ah, dammit.

『But it was roundly condemned by Roomen's kin. "If you spread a theory like that, only the girls with big breasts will get customers!" they protested. And so, it was erased from the pages of history. It truly was a tragic theory』

「I really need you to shut up for a second」

I'll ask you for details later.

If possible, please summarize it in writing.

『The best way to alleviate stress in a tense situation is to make silly jokes. Well, personally, the part of you that's tense is gueye』

I crushed the string doll in my hand and stuffed it into my pocket.

I moved closer to the presences. Once I had rounded the next corner of the corridor, one of them would come into view.

I made my footsteps quiet, measured, but increasing in speed. I got ready to close the distance and pulverize it in one swift motion.

I stooped low, like a gliding swallow.

I rounded the corner, and when I set my eyes on the enemy……

「Shuna?!」

……what I found was not an enemy at all.

Forgetting to stay quiet, I raced over to him. Shuna was seated on the ground with his back against the wall. His longsword was lying on the ground nearby.

I checked him over, but he didn't seem to have any wounds. He had simply been knocked out. His regeneration point hadn't decreased much either.

What's going on? The ones inside………………could it be?

For a moment, I was completely lost.

I returned the longsword to its owner's hand and then smashed open the door to the throne room with the mace.

It's a place I've been to several times to have an audience with the king.

That time I showed off the beast's head.

That time I had to deal with that asshole Barfuru's stupid scheme.

I feel as if there were other instances, but those two left such a strong impression that I forgot the rest.

The throne was empty.

But there was a female Horns sitting on one of its armrests. It was the Horns with two long horns. Standing beside her was………

「Otou-san, what are you doing?」

「You took your time」

………the father of adventurers.

「Answer me right now. What are you doing? Are you the one who did that to Shuna? Step away from that woman」

「Don't ask so many questions at once. Well, all I can answer is that this one's name is “Verxina”」

「No, it's not. That's a Horns. That's not Lanseal's mother. That's not the woman you lost. It's a monster. It's the enemy that hurt Evetta-san!」

My voice trembled with an anger I had never felt before.

「Isn't Evetta also a Horns?!」

「I don't care!」

Anger was replied with anger

「Medimu, you've been bewitched. As your leader, I'm ordering you. Step away from that monster right now」

「Souya, what do you intend to do to Verxina?」

「I'll pulverize her with this. No, maybe I'll cut her in two with this one」

With my right hand, I brandished the mace.

With my left hand, I drew my katana.

「I guess there's no use asking you to back off. That's the kind of guy you are」

The two of them looked into each other's eyes like siblings, like family, like companions.

Otou-san drew his katana.

He took a step forward.

Then, a second step forward.

Behind him, the Horns chuckled soundlessly, looking as if she was deeply amused.

I directed my killing intent at Otou-san and got one twice as intense from him.

「Are you sure about this, Father of Adventurers? You won't live up to that name by losing yourself and getting killed by your party leader, you know?!」

「I've never once taken pride in that name」

I see.

It can't be helped then.

I don't have any other choice. Before he cuts down any other adventurer, I'll kill him. That's the only thing I can do.

「I knew it would come to this」

The mace suddenly refused to budge in the slightest.

That was because its rightful owner had grabbed it.

「Evetta-san?!」

There stood my person-in-charge.

She looked pale. But her wounds had regenerated and she was standing firmly on her own two feet.

「Souya, I apologize for the slight delay, but let's resume the adventure」

Ahh, Rana is no longer the standard damsel in distress…yeah, it’s a bit sad.

Still, this is such a fun chapter to read, isn’t it? It has everything from comedy, dread, subverted expectations, to betrayal. Were you expecting the name “Verxina” to show up here? Well, there have been plenty of hints. I even put Evetta-san’s illustration in an earlier afterward to remind you guys of her two long horns and silver hair… Besides, Souya also said the Horns resembles Lanseal.

Well, it’s going to be exciting next time, so stay tuned!