Nightmares arrive without any warning, out of the blue.
Just like a storm.
After finishing my report and parting ways with Giiza, I returned to the hideout.
For once, nobody was around, so I took a bath and then headed to my room on the second floor.
Once inside, I took off my scarf, slipped out of my jacket, and hung it on a hanger.
I set my belt, knife holder, and pouch on the desk.
Once I was in something more comfortable, I realized I was pretty tired, so I flopped onto the bed.
"Whew… I managed to achieve my goal, at least…"
Now I just had to figure out the lineup for the Forbidden Land expedition.
Torquetam, Mineha… and Ambrosius, I guess.
And of course I couldn't leave out the second-generation dungeon master herself. Non-combatant, though.
I was mulling things over when the door flew open with a bang.
Not even a knock. Who—
"Ura's here!"
"Huh."
Huh?
What!?
Wh-wh-wh-what?! Why?! Why is Narcissus here!?
Without thinking, I jumped up from the bed and headed toward her.
"Ura's here. Wof!"
Twin-tails of purple hair and deep purple eyes.
A neatly proportioned face that clearly still carried a youthful look.
She looked like a beautiful girl, but age-wise, she was a beautiful woman.
24 years old. Aka: a 24-year-old kid.
"Wh-wh-wh-what!? Why!?"
Dangerous! I almost blurted out for her not to come barging in like that.
She wore the usual smug grin, looking self-important as always.
No no, it's the "feeling like I just showed up" kind of showing up that's a problem. A problem! A real problem!
"Heeey, so this is Wof's room, huh. Pretty plain."
"...Why are you here?"
"Wof-kun!"
The one who followed her in was Nekia!? And for her, everything was oversized—gothic lolita dress with a princess cut?
"Could it be, Megadia!?"
"Long time no see."
Megadia smiled with a hint of shyness.
A first-class delver from the same Edda as Narcissus.
And as it turned out, she was descended from the Heiarn line—a Heiarn body that was a dead ringer aside from the height.
A woman nearly 190 centimeters tall, wearing a gothic lolita outfit with a princess cut, straight out of a past life's memory.
Absolutely loaded with elemental affinity, but in her hands she held a bottle of wine.
Still the same as ever, I see. A drinking champion who'd out-drink even Agaro.
If anything, she might've gotten worse.
— "Wof. This bed is so deep!"
What was she even talking about? Narcissus had just unceremoniously dived onto my bed.
Hey, could you maybe stop flopping around on someone else's bed?
Not that saying anything would help. I gave up early on.
— "So, what brings the two of you to Heizen?"
Especially Narcissus. Especially, especially Narcissus.
Megadia sighed. I showed them to my room for the time being.
She sat down in a chair and told me everything that had happened.
— "The dungeon's will... is missing...?"
— "That's right."
"...Narcissus. Is that true?"
— "It's true. The absolute nerve. Here I've been coming whenever I'm called, never once complaining, trying to do my job properly, and they just go and disappear on me."
Narcissus had made herself completely at home on my bed.
She'd taken off her jacket and was lying face-down, bending her legs and flailing them around.
A child. What a child.
"..."
Come to think of it, could this be why it had fled? Because it couldn't stand Narcissus?
When I'd spoken through Narcissus before, the dungeon's will really did seem bothered by the whole thing.
Talking on their own and agreeing on their own — the dungeon was way too powerful.
The truth was probably something like this. Something happened and it summoned Narcissus.
But it remembered that instantly, felt disgusted, and the will fled in a panic.
That's why Narcissus was left behind alone in the Great Temple.
I had a feeling that deduction was correct.
But saying that wouldn't bring the will back, so I kept my mouth shut.
"So how's the dungeon creation going?"
"Well, about that. Actually —"
I explained.
Accepting the test commission. The worm showing up.
Solving it, and gaining access to the Forbidden Land.
I left out the black spider woman and gave them the abbreviated version.
"The Forbidden Land. Sounds interesting. Ura's in."
I knew she'd say that.
Refusing was pointless, so it was settled.
"Then count me in too."
Megadia raised her hand as well.
Nice. Honestly, I was happy about it. They were both Rank I and had the skills to back it up.
Come to think of it, Narcissus was Rank I too. I kept almost forgetting that.
"Na!"
Then Dagaa woke up. He shifted from his knife form into a small animal.
He looked at Megadia, then at Narcissus.
"Na?"
Tilting his little head, he dove straight into Narcissus.
Narcissus let out a weird noise and collapsed. That felt a little bit refreshing, honestly.
Megadia seemed to be going through the same thing. Must be tough for her.
"Come to think of it, I saw Torquetam at the ZenZela household. Bid is apparently joining formally."
"That's right. I heard about that too. The ZenZela household?"
"Yes, apparently she's been hired as a bodyguard."
Come to think of it, Giza did mention something about hiring a bodyguard.
So that's who they were.
"Wof. There's one very important thing you're missing."
Narcissus said in a serious tone while playing with Dagaa on someone else's bed.
"What's that?"
"The name of the party heading to the Forbidden Land."
"…We'll figure that out once everyone's gathered."
"I knew it! The Instant Wolves!"
She held Dagaa up with both hands and said it with a smug grin.
"…Well, yeah. Sure, that works."
Somehow, I'd had a feeling it would turn out like this.
I thought Megadia would be exasperated too, but—
"...Th-That 'Impromptu Wolf Pack' of his...!"
She was savoring her delight with a completely straight face. And drinking wine.
Huh? Her reaction's not what I expected.
"Well, now the most important thing is decided."
"W-Wait, no, it's not decided at all—huh!?"
Narcisse was suddenly stripping off her clothes on my bed.
No way. What are you doing!?
"Lady Narcisse. What are you—?"
"What do you mean? I got sleepy, so I'm going to sleep."
Are you a baby? No, that's not it.
"Wh-Why are you undressing?"
"You should know this already. I can't sleep unless I'm nude."
This is the first I'm hearing of that.
"W-Wait, hold on—when we went into the dungeon, when we camped in the ruined castle, you stripped then too?"
"Of course. I can't sleep unless I'm nude."
She looked at me like *I* was the one saying something absurd.
Actually, I'd really appreciate it if you could stop undressing while we're still talking.
"Um, uh, wha—!?"
Before I knew it, her upper body was completely bare. I— she's... surprisingly well-endowed.
"Lord Narsesis, Wof is right here, you know!"
Even Megadia couldn't help but let out a pointed remark. That's right, that's right.
But Narsesis just looked at her blankly.
"So what if Wof is here?"
"Huh?"
"I mean... I'm a guy, you know."
"You're a boy."
"Well... yes, but—"
"Look, I get that. I do have a sense of shame, you know. If someone like Agaro were here, I'd beat him to a pulp."
Poor Agaro.
"Th-then why are you stripping in front of meeeee!?"
Don't just casually take off your underwear! Ugh, I give up.
"Lord Narsesis! Wof is a boy too, you know!"
That's right, that's right. I'm a guy too!
Please, say more, Megadia.
"Yes, exactly. I said he's a 'boy' because he's underage, but I do know he's male."
"Then please stop undressing right in front of me!"
I finally barked. Wait—the panties. They're more childish-looking than I expected.
No, no, no—why am I staring so hard!?!
"But if it's Wof, it's fine."
"Huh? Ow ow ow ow ow!?!"
She finally just took everything off without a second thought. Wow, what a nice rear.
Despite how she looks, her figure's... actually pretty good.
Her face is beautiful too, and if she kept quiet she'd be a perfectly cute, classic beauty — what a waste.
She sits on my bed completely naked, casually undoing the ribbons in her twin tails.
Her purple hair shimmered as it floated gently downward.
Somehow, the simple act of letting her hair down while stark naked felt oddly mystical.
For just an instant, it reminded me of a goddess.
"Narcissus..."
Ms. Megadia hung her head, utterly exasperated.
Her figure sitting in the chair somehow looked as if she'd burned completely white.
"I'm going to sleep. Goodnight."
"Naa?"
She hugged Dagaa, who was dozing off, lay down, pulled the covers over herself, and closed her eyes.
While we stood there dumbfounded, we could hear her quiet breathing.
"She really did fall asleep."
"She did..."
"Sorry."
"Haha, this isn't Ms. Megadia's fault."
He gave a wry smile.
Rather, you've done well.
"Haah, I can't keep going without a drink."
Megadia chugged her wine straight from the bottle with gusto. What a sight.
Reaching into his pouch to pull out some dried meat as a reward for her, he suddenly stopped.
Words floated unbidden into his mind.
Looking at Narshesis-san sleeping peacefully, he murmured without thinking:
"Sturm..."
It truly was a storm.
He thought about how now was probably the calm before the storm, but caught himself.
He didn't even want to think about it.