Is it wrong to try to meet someone in a dungeon?

Page 89

...It seems like someone is watching me?

I myself cannot give a clear answer regarding the gaze that may exist somewhere.

Although I felt no hostility or malice at all, a vague unease somehow weighed heavily on my shoulders.

We arrived at the dungeon very early this morning in order to officially break through to the 10th floor. We didn't see many other adventurers.

On the way here, I only brushed past an unusually strong orc adventurer.

There shouldn't be anyone following us, but... I'm starting to think that this isn't just my imagination.

"Lily, let's change our gear here, okay?"

"Ah, okay, okay."

Perhaps because I seemed unusually nervous, Lily hurriedly handed me the protective gear and the double-edged dagger that she was carrying on her back.

I equipped myself with light gear (light armor) packed in my backpack, making thorough preparations.

I thought the familiar feel of the equipment wrapped around me would ease my mind... but I still frowned.

My heart was making a low growl, giving me a bad feeling.

"Don't you think it's a little strange...?"

"strangeness?"

"There are too few monsters."

I brought up something that had been on my mind since earlier. "Now that you mention it..." Lily also turned around to look at the passageway they had just walked through.

Since arriving at the 9th floor, the dungeon has been unusually quiet. We are currently facing the 10th floor, which can be considered a deep floor, yet we haven't encountered a single monster so far.

At most, we just happened to spot some goblins running around.

(What is this...? It feels so uncomfortable.)

The feeling of disharmony kept accumulating, causing my stomach to start to feel acidic.

It's like being forced to dig up things you don't want to remember.

Correct.

It was the same back then; the dungeon was deathly silent...

Thinking about this, I shook my head.

"Lord Bel?"

"...Let's go. To the 10th floor."

I covered my mouth and forced myself to say it.

A wave of weakness washed over me, making it impossible for me to say, "Let's get out of here quickly."

I felt urged on by a part of myself, eager to move forward.

The cave had two entrances, and I took a step toward the 10th floor—it happened in the blink of an eye.

—Come on, let me see?

what.

Suddenly, a seductive voice, seemingly familiar, entered my mind, causing me to open my eyes wide.

The next moment.

"—Bua—Oh."

My feet are frozen.

"..."

"What...what is that voice?"

Lily seemed to say something, but I didn't hear it.

What did I hear?

There was a sound coming from over there.

A sound fragment, strikingly similar to the shout etched in my mind, burned through every nerve in my body.

"..."

Like an unoiled toy, I turned my head back with a rusty motion.

The sound was coming from the very road we had been traveling. Deep within that road, there was something.

By the time I realized it, my breathing was erratic. My fingertips were trembling and weak.

Instead of the throat, the mind screams "Impossible!" The thoughts cry out like a child, saying this is impossible.

Lily swallowed hard, staring intently, while I was desperately praying for something.

Then,

"...buohoo."

It actually appeared.

“—Huh?”

"..."

My premonition came true. It actually came true.

No, to be honest, I could never forget that guy's voice.

I don't know how many times I've dreamt of it. I don't know how many times I've overlapped that figure with other monsters.

I've lost count of how many times I've been afraid of that guy.

"Ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh ooh..."

Minotaur.

"How could a Minotaur appear on the 9th floor...?"

That's what I was going to ask.

Ah, but I know.

Knowing this helpless and unreasonable situation.

I know this indescribable feeling of despair.

I've experienced that thrill before.

same.

Just like back then.

"Bua bu ...

The bull roared.

Like a tidal wave, what surged forth was an intimidating and overwhelming force that could not be taken lightly. A massive mass of sound that easily crushed the morale of the opposing side.

The terrifying tsunami nearly caused Lily and me to fall backward.

Then, the man revealed his blood-stained silver sword and stepped onto the ground.

"Quick, run! Lord Bell! Lily and you can't handle it right now! Get out of here... Bell, sir?"

Unable to move my gaze.

His feet were also unable to move.

Staring intently at me by that red and black devil, I lost the ability to move.

Perhaps it's closer to giving up.

When I was a child, my grandfather would often make scarecrows for me to play with, modeled after heroes... Now I am just like those scarecrows.

"Lord Bell? Lord Bell!"

It's so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary, so scary.

very scary.

That monster terrified me.

Tears welled in my eyes. My lungs felt like they were about to burst. My teeth chattered.

I no longer know what kind of face I have.

Whenever the two hooves of a cow trample over the flowers and grass on the ground, it feels as if it is itself that is being trampled.

The symbol of fear that had been building up inside me suddenly swelled up all at once.

"Ooh o ...

The Minotaur transformed into a bullet.

It rushed across the center of the cave at a terrifying speed, lunging toward the distance between us.

I can't even pull out my weapon. I'm completely helpless.

It’s over.

In the blink of an eye, he was close to the giant bull in front of him, raised his greatsword over his shoulder, and slashed down diagonally.

"--ah!"

"what?"

As my vision shifted, a tiny scream pierced my ears.

Before I even thought about whether I was still alive, I first felt the warmth of Lily lying on my stomach.

And there was a large amount of blood flowing from her head.

"Lily, Lily...?"

I was thrown to the ground. Lily must have knocked me off balance with her body.

Because of her selfless act of flying between the enemy and my own forces, I was able to withstand the Minotaur's attack, and Lily took the injury in my place.

Did the greatsword graz her? Or did the Minotaur smash the solid rock face directly into Lily's head?

The ground was struck with all its might and shattered completely. A large chunk of hard soil, along with the flowers and grass, was torn up.

Lily contorted her face and let out a soft moan.

Suddenly, my whole body felt burning hot.

"!"

I forced my trembling muscles to muster the strength to stand up.

How terrifying. So terrifying. Really terrifying.

The roaring Minotaur before me still terrified me.

But what I feared even more was the death of this child!

"Ooh o ...

I'm sorry! I apologized in my heart as I forcefully threw Lily's body aside.

I didn't pay attention to what happened to my petite body. The Minotaur turned its massive body towards me, and I confronted it head-on.