When they returned to the campfire, everyone was sitting or leaning however they pleased.
Riv and Bidd were cleaning their weapons in relaxed positions.
Axe and Hoss were playing the card game "House of Cards."
A staple card game.
Like adding poker and mahjong from my past-life memories and dividing by four?
Incidentally, Axe looked like he was losing.
Come to think of it, Axe. He didn't seem to be talking with the women at all.
Hoss was acting strange too. Rel was the same as always, though.
Rel was standing near the entrance, gazing outside.
Everything was as usual, but somehow everyone seemed distant.
Maybe it was because there were so many women.
Oh, right — Thunder Fang wasn't used to interacting with the opposite sex, so they were bad at it.
Since Mineha interacted normally with them, I'd completely forgotten.
Let me recall. The women were: Lupinus, Pakira, Riv, Bidd, Mineha.
And Megadia, who was probably around somewhere. Six people.
And the men — well, first, me. Axe. Rel. Hoss.
Alexander technically counted too. Five people.
A difference of one.
Then, at Lupinus's call, everyone gathered around the campfire except Rel.
Rel was standing guard.
"Now then, let's talk. First — Axe."
"O-oh... starting with us? Well, alright. We were originally —"
Axe explained.
Hoss talked too, and since Rel was absent, I chimed in with supplementary details.
"So that's how it is, huh?"
"...I see. A land catfish."
"Yeah, so what about it?"
Lupinus's way of speaking irritated me a little.
"If you ask 'what about it'..."
"Hmm. Indeed it was."
What was going on? Something felt off.
Was it because she was a monster? Sure, she was a monster, but even monsters could become delvers.
That it was possible was strange enough, but... something. The atmosphere had turned odd.
"...Mm. Earthquake... related to this place..."
"Next up is us, then."
Pakira began explaining the events leading up to this point.
The dungeon anomaly subjugation team had been progressing smoothly through the floors.
The investigation squad had already identified the anomalous floors, so the journey there hadn't been too harsh.
Most importantly, there were two Class II delvers.
Agaro, of the Doom Sword. Megadia, of the Black Devourer. They were overwhelming.
So Pakira and the others had expected the anomaly subjugation to end quickly.
And at last, the anomaly subjugation team came face to face with the dungeon's anomaly.
On that floor was a half-destroyed colosseum.
A desolate arena with no spectators.
At its center were the giant land catfish and The Fool.
The Fool — yes, the Crown.
He sat with his legs crossed on a gaudy, over-the-top throne.
When the Crown saw Pakira and the others, he laughed so hard it was almost idiotic.
That was when Megadia lost it, apparently.
Eager to take him down, she charged forward — and the giant land catfish roared.
Then, with a snap of his fingers, the Crown spawned enormous mimics at all four corners of the arena.
Enormous mimics. Three mimic boxes.
Panic Box. Strange Box. Monster Box.
That black box wasn't there.
"Pakira and Megadia each took on the mimic boxes. Agaro went for the Crown. They each challenged their opponent."
"Ugh, don't remind me. That was insane. Seriously! It was brutal!"
"Though really — ugh, those things are awful. That Strange Box!"
"N-nasty?"
Axe reacted to Lupinus's words.
Bidd laughed distastefully.
"Well... yeah. The enemy of women."
"It was certainly repulsive."
"What kind of mimic was it?"
I couldn't help but ask. Riv answered.
"Mm... lots of tentacles... the kind that come out..."
"Ah, right, that kind..."
I understood instantly. A mimic box that spewed tentacles of every variety.
Yeah, the women would hate that.
"Mm... and then... Crouton got stabbed in the stomach by tentacles... almost died..."
"We healed him with the good stuff, didn't we?"
That had to be that little vial. So they'd used an elixir on him.
Crouton — right, he was a member of Zan Brave. One of the people who'd stayed behind.
Bidd furrowed her brow skeptically.
"Hey, was that really a high potion?"
"Mm... it was, yes..."
"Now that you mention it, you're right."
"I told you at the time, didn't I? That even as high potions, it was a special one. What's the matter with you lot? Any further inquiry comes at an information fee. Oh, and Bidd — I'm charging you Crouton's treatment costs."
Pakira said, exasperated.
"Whatever. Anyway, let's get back to the story."
"Mm... back to it..."
"I only brought it up because it seemed relevant when mentioned. It's unrelated."
They dropped the topic without hesitation.
I couldn't help but smile bitterly.
"Good grief. Anyway, after managing to defeat the mimic boxes, only the Crown and the giant land catfish remained. While they were fighting, the giant land catfish caused an earthquake. When they came to, they were on a different floor. The same phenomenon that happened to Wof and the others."
"That giant land catfish had the Relic [Earthquake] and the Relic [Teleportation]."
"What a nuisance."
The giant land catfish.
In my past-life memories, it was said that large catfish could cause earthquakes.
I never expected that to hold true in another world too.
Well, a land catfish was different from a giant salamander, wasn't it?
A giant salamander... was that the mafia don from that super-famous sci-fi?
"When they returned, The Fool had multiplied. The giant land catfish was riddled with holes courtesy of Megadia, and right after that, another earthquake hit. When they came to, they were here."
"That giant land catfish triggered the Relic [Earthquake] when it was defeated."
"A real death throe."
"Bidd. That's not language a young lady should be using."
"Sorry... So, I was near the giant land catfish. The leader, Crouton, and Romomo. And Agaro wasn't teleported."
"Wait. Why not?"
"Think about it for a second. If he'd been teleported, the giant land catfish's corpse wouldn't be here."
Ah, right. That made sense.
"Oh, right. Of course. So four of them stayed behind on the other side. Given who they are, there's nothing to worry about."
That was a relief. Still, it didn't mean they were safe.
From my past-life memories, I recalled the lyrics "Going is fine, but coming back is scary."
That was from Tōryanse, wasn't it?
"Now, the hishimochi skewers are done. Everyone, dig in."
Hoss distributed the hishimochi skewers.
They were made by mixing hishi fruit with bread-beans, kneading the dough into balls, and grilling them.
These had been in the temple district's storage.
The hishimochi had a simple, plain flavor. It would probably go well with sweet soy sauce or salt.
"Now then, I'd like to discuss what we do from here."
"Mm... Riv here... about the Crown... his... Relic is... called [Banish]... apparently... it creates a transparent sphere... and if it hits... that part gets... erased... yeah. A Relic..."
Riv's information made everyone murmur nervously.
"So that's what those invisible juggled objects really are?"
"If you can't see them and get hit, you're done for... nasty Relic."
"Quite the gut-chilling thing."
"Mm... but Riv's Tyugute blocked it..."
"So there is a countermeasure."
"Riv. Where did you get that information?"
"Mm... that was... the boy..."
Everyone's eyes turned to me. The murmuring grew louder.
"U-um, well, you see..."
"You mean Wof, right?"
"Oh, you..."
"Mm..."
"What's going on here? Child, how do you know this?"
"W-well, the thing is, my Relic has something called [Danger Discernment], and with that I could see the enemy Crown's Relic."
I was riding the wave of Riv's misunderstanding.
"[Danger Discernment]... now that you mention it, Riv did say something about that."
"What kind of Relic is that?"
"Mm... it detects enemies... a Relic..."
"Convenient!"
"Hmm. If that's the case, then it makes sense he could identify something invisible."
"Y-yes."
"I see. But knowing the enemy Relic's name was [Banish] — how do you account for that, child?"
"That's because..."
"— Wof is the witch's apprentice."
Axe spoke up. This caused even more of a stir.
"The witch's apprentice, you say?"
That witch.
"Mm... that witch... various things... it all makes sense now."
That witch? Various things?
"My, my. That witch's... hmm..."
That witch. Why was Pakira making such an unpleasant face?
"Wof! You mean *that* witch!?"
That witch. Yes. That witch.
"Y-yes. That witch..."
What was with this chorus of "that witch" reactions? Ugh, that witch.
Lupinus took a deep breath.
"Very well. We've obtained valuable enemy intelligence. Child, I thank you."
"N-no, I just..."
I'd been swept along and lied without thinking.
"Does anyone else have something they'd like to do?"
"Search for them, obviously."
"What about the giant mimics?"
"Mm... that too... is a factor."
"Right."
"Hey, um... Megadia — is she really in the deepest part?"
Axe asked quietly.
"What do you mean?"
"Like the other four, she might've stayed behind on the other side."
"That's not possible. At the time, Megadia was delivering a spinning back kick to one of The Fool's bodies."
"I see. Wait — spinning back kick?"
In a gothic lolita outfit?
"And I'm a bit concerned that Alexander hasn't come back either."
"Yeah, we need to go look for him."
"Alexander. He went for our sake and hasn't returned."
He still hadn't come back, but he was surely fine.
After all, he was a former Class I delver.
"That's a land catfish... right?"
Bidd said hesitantly, while Lupinus spoke without restraint.
"Excuse me, but can that monster called Alexander be trusted?"
"Hey. That's really rude. Even if he's a monster, he's a former Class I delver."
Axe was furious. He and Lupinus glared at each other.
Uh oh, this was bad. Lupinus said, arms still crossed:
"What's wrong with that? It's a perfectly natural question."
"Because he's a land catfish, you think he's one of your kind?"
That was something everyone had probably thought, even if just a little, comparing the giant land catfish to the regular one.
I'd thought it too. But this was trouble.
Axe and Lupinus. They were probably like water and oil.
And if they kept clashing, the hard-won unity would crumble.
Now was not the time for this.
Then Hoss struck the butt of his halberd against the ground.
*Thunk.* A heavy sound. Everyone turned.
"Axe. Lupinus wasn't going that far. Everyone, settle down."
"...Fine."
"...Yeah. Sorry."
Lupinus and Axe separated.
"I only meant that they look similar... so I had my doubts."
"Mm... Lupinus. Trust him."
At Riv's words, Lupinus sighed and looked at me.
W-why me?
"Child. What do you think?"
"Me? Um, what about?"
"You've met him too, haven't you? Child."
"I don't for a single moment think Alexander is an enemy."
"And why is that?"
Why? Simply because Alexander had a debt to me.
I'd leave that part out.
"I understand that the concern exists. They differ in size, but they're the same species. Even if it's coincidental, having suspicions is only natural."
"Yes, that's right."
"Wof..."
"However, I think it would be strange to let that lead to suspicious behavior or reactions based on just that alone."
"...That's..."
"Besides, without Alexander, we can't escape from here."
"Child, what do you mean?"
"Have you forgotten? He's the only one who has and can set up a return teleportation circle."
"Oh, that's right."
"That too, yeah. Based on what Axe said, there's a high chance we're trapped in here."
"Escape... I hadn't thought about that."
"Mm... important... Riv forgot too..."
"So it would seem."
"So that's the situation. I understand the concern, but now is not the time. Having suspicions is perfectly fine, but this isn't the place to settle them. If you have complaints, please take them up with him in person, privately — will that do, Lupinus?"
"...Child... you're quite something."
Lupinus said, looking frustrated.
I didn't want to think about it. I really didn't, but — Lupinus.
It felt like she was trying to push her suspicions toward outright condemnation.
She seemed to think that if she gained enough support, any action could be justified.
There was no way that worked. It couldn't be justified.
At the very least, this whole situation irritated me too.
If she was going to say things like that, what about me, who possessed the same Relic as the Crown?
I couldn't bring myself to say that, of course. But this was rough.
Actually, I'd been thinking about publicly revealing that I too possessed the Relic [Banish].
In a situation like this, I should be putting all available information on the table.
But the way things were going, I might end up treated as a monster too.
Even so — had they really forgotten about escaping? Seriously?
I felt a twinge of unease.
After all, there had been the giant land catfish's death-throe earthquake.
How that affected this dungeon was unclear.
According to Alexander's theory, if the dungeon was trying to return to normal, there should be an exit.
But verifying that would have to wait.
"One more question — was the land catfish even a dungeon monster?"
Before that, was a land catfish even a monster? I was pretty sure some were just regular animals.
"It doesn't matter. If it poses a danger, subjugating it is our job."
Everyone nodded at Lupinus's words. Fair enough.
After that, they decided to search for Megadia while simultaneously dealing with the mimics.
There was some disagreement, but they ultimately decided to prioritize finding Alexander.
"Wh-what is this... why are there so many people?"
A sudden voice drew everyone's eyes.
Mineha came flying over, looking flustered.
When she noticed everyone staring, she flinched and shrank back timidly.
Then, spotting me, she flew straight over and perched on my shoulder.
Her face was bright red as she glared at me, demanding an explanation.
I couldn't help but laugh.
With this team, maybe we could actually pull this off.
"Sorry to interrupt the excitement, but we have a guest."
Rel announced, guiding in...
"Finally made it. I'm tuckered out."
"What a day it was."
A ravishing beauty in tattered gothic lolita clothing, with a hime-cut hairstyle and purple eyes.
She was taller than Axe.
And unmistakably a giant salamander, pipe clenched between her teeth.
"Alexander!?"
"A land catfish!"
"Megadia!"
"That's Alexander, right!?"
"My goodness."
"What a miracle."
"Mm... glad, I'm glad."
The one person and one monster they'd been about to go search for.