by Fujino Omori
So with all that in mind, he apparently announced, “Once you meet your quota, I’ll have a look at your status.”
“So Lilly, you couldn’t update your status without making a certain amount of money?”
“Not quite, Mr. Bell. Lilly didn’t want to stand out.”
“Stand out?”
“Meeting the quota regularly means that that person has skills. Lilly can’t fight, and everyone knew that. So if they saw Lilly making her quota, they would get suspicious.”
“Ah…” The sound escapes me before I can stop it. That’s what she was getting at.
So in that case, Lilly…
“Actually, Lilly made enough to pay the quota every time, but Lilly never turned it in. If Lilly carried money, that would give her away. Not being able to update Lilly’s status was a sacrifice Lilly made to hide what she was doing.”
Even going to those member meetings was just to keep up appearances.
She says that she updated her status a few time after she learned her magic, but not even once over the past six months.
Not updating your status out of concern for what others in your Familia will think… ? That Familia is broken.
I’d known that she was alone over there, but hearing this lets me know just how alone.
With such a meager status, she must have been able to survive day after day in the Dungeon only because she’d grown up in such a cruel environment.
She’s made it this long because of her intelligence and strategies. The confidence to go into the Dungeon armed with only those, knowing your status would never improve, had to be the result of that strange upbringing.
I feel my face tighten into a frown.
“Do you despise her after all?”
“Eh?”
“The Lilly who fooled everyone and anyone. Lilly’s a monster in disguise…”
Almost as if she can foresee where the conversation is going, Lilly changes the subject.
Her golden eyes don’t even glance at me. She just keeps looking straight ahead.
Her voice is so soft. I can’t say anything back.
“Lilly hates adventurers. With the exception of Mr. Bell, Lilly still carries a grudge…an intense loathing of them.”
“……”
“No matter what Mr. Bell thinks of it, Lilly has no intension of apologizing for anything she’s done…and has no remorse, either.”
That’s a lie.
Something inside me knows that she isn’t telling the truth, but alas, I can’t say it.
I can see the stern expression on her face as she voices her harsh emotions. Without much of a pause, she starts right back up again.
“Would Mr. Bell despise this Lilly after all?” she asks one more time, not breaking stride.
Her voice is normal now. Her eyes look like they’re facing forward…but something’s…does she notice?
The wolf ears on top of her head won’t sit still. They’re twitching, almost out of fear.
Blinking rapidly, I let words build up in my mind before releasing them.
I know it’s not the time for a smile, but it just kind of comes out of me as I speak.
“…It’s hard for me to despise people who can’t be honest with themselves, I think.”
“Eh?”
Her feet stop, and her head whips to face me.
“It’s okay, Lilly. I like who you are, so I can’t despise you, let alone hate you.”
It’s just how I feel.
To help her wipe away any concerns or misgivings she might have, I give her the honest truth.
I didn’t know Lilly’s gaze could be this strong! It feels like she’s looking clear through me as her face turns red. The wolf ears that were folded down and shaking suddenly perk up.
I’m startled. Lilly’s tail is going crazy under her skirt.
I may look calm on the outside, but inside, I’m absolutely bewildered. Lilly’s eyes are still on me, her cheeks a rosy pink as she shrinks away.
“Asking Mr. Bell what he means would be…a stupid question, wouldn’t it?”
“Huh?” Before I can ask for a clarification on that, she’s already started walking again.
Just looking at her from behind, I’d say that she’s in an even better mood than before.
Did I cheer her up? Before I know it I fall behind and rush to catch up.
“Mr. Bell’s voice rings clear in Lilly’s heart.”
Her voice is always soft.
I try to ask her a few more times, but she won’t tell me a thing. Vaguely sulking behind her, I run through our conversation silently in my head.
“Hyaaaaa!”
“Giiii!”
Little demon monsters—imps—fly at me, shrieking at the top of their lungs.
Their bodies are black from top to tail. A small horn sticks out of their oversized heads, their bodies small by comparison, giving them an unbalanced look. But they’re capable of pulling off quick, sharp movements that I would have never thought possible just by looking at them.
Their tails whip around, following their bodies’ twists and turns, the little hooks on the ends flicking back and forth.
“!”
Coming at me side by side, they look like they’re hopping up and down in midair. I arm myself with the Divine Knife and the baselard as I face them down.
I sidestep toward the right-hand imp.
Now they can’t attack me at the same time, and the one in front of me is in the other one’s way.
This is as good as one-on-one. Brandishing all sorts of claws and teeth, the first imp comes up to my face with its right arm held high.
“Giii!”
“Much. Too. Slow!”
—This is nothing compared to the speed of her kicks!
It’s planning to take a swipe at my face with its claws, so I swing the Divine Knife up to meet them.
The instant my eyes see the flashing purple arc of the blade, not only does the imp lose its claws, but the severed fingers of its right hand go flying.
“Ge, Gii?!”
Amid the imp’s sharp screams of pain and surprise, I keep my momentum going by sending my body into a full spin.
I’ve seen so many flashes of blond hair that the form has been pounded into my mind. It’s about time I tried doing her move myself.
Spinning over my right leg, I slam a powerful spinning jump kick into the monster in front of me in one swift motion.
“Higya?!”
“?!”
My left foot hits the light monster square in the chest and violently sends it flying backward.
And straight into the other imp just behind it. That imp manages to make an aerial recovery after its fingerless friend smashes into it, but I’m already going into my next attack.
Tucking my right arm behind my back, I thrust the baselard straight forward!
“Gigi?!”
My strike impales both of them.
Both bodies convulse in their death throes.
Silver liquid and guts drip out of their wounds, and their bodies’ spasms make the hilt of my blade shake.
“Mr. Bell! Behind you!”
—I know!
Lilly doesn’t have to warn me. I can feel the presence of another monster coming at me.
Widen your vision. Don’t leave any openings.
I let go of the baselard as I spin to greet the newcomer, readying my knife in the processes.
Going on the offensive, I jump at the new imp, slashing with both blades once.
“Gee—!”
“Whoa…Nice one, Mr. Bell.”
Legs. Body. Head.
I jump through the monster; all three parts of its body hit the ground as I land a meder beyond.
I’m already scanning the area, looking for more. There are still many black shadows in the fog. Their numbers haven’t gone down much.
Lilly picks up the baselard for me, and I jump straight at the shadows in the mist.
We’re on the tenth floor.
Choosing a particularly spacious dead-end room as our base, Lilly and I are working this floor of the Dungeon today.
This is my opportunity to use what Aiz has taught me over the past two days in battle against real monsters.
After getting through that life-or-death situation, it’s my duty to use what I learned from her and try harder.
“HYAAAAAAA!!”
Lilly and I are currently fighting against a swarm of imps. These little monsters are far more common than orcs down here.
They use sheer numbers as a weapon—I feel like I’m getting nowhere against them, no matter how many I take down.
Imps are clever. They might look like goblins, but there is one big difference between the two: these little bastards are smart. They know how to use a strategy.
They never attack a target one at a time; they swarm in packs. As a group, they are a serious threat. Unlike other groups of monsters I’ve fought before, these things have a plan. It’s actually kind of impressive.
And on a floor where a big white cloud gives them constant cover, it’s said that a pack of imps is more feared than even the gigantic orcs that wander around.
“Gii!”
“Hnh!”
I definitely agree. They’re so fast that if I block an attack with my protector, they’re already retreating back into the fog by the time I launch a counterattack. It’s enough to make my mouth twitch in frustration.
Then they use the fog to sneak up on me from any and all directions. That’s how I know imps are clever. They spread out and work as a team.
If I move somewhere that they can’t surround me, they start clicking their tongues and shrieking at me from behind the cloud. There are eight of them, for now. More and more are coming.
A battle party of adventurers wouldn’t have much trouble, but as a solo adventurer, these guys are tough to take on.
“Hyahii!”
“Hiii…”
“……”
The moment I set my feet, they spread out like a net around me.
I can see their shoulders shaking as they all laugh at me from beyond the fog.
The ring of imps is drawing closer and closer. Landing on the ground, they make their way through the grass, licking their lips like mad wolves on the hunt. I can hear everything.
If I had faced this last week, I probably would have panicked.
I might have accepted the fact I’d take a hit or two and tried to force my way out of their net.
However—
“Mr. Bell being looked at like food makes Lilly a little…annoyed!”
I’m not alone now.
Her voice comes from outside the imp ring.
An arrow suddenly slices the air from behind their backs.
“Gyya?!”
“—?!”
Lilly’s arrow hit one of the imps in the back of the head. The sneak attack sends a wave of surprise through the remaining monsters.
Monsters aren’t the only ones who can use the fog as cover. Lilly had hidden herself temporarily and gone undetected by the imps.
They’re clever, but there is a limit to their intelligence. On the other hand, Lilly and I already had a plan for this, as well as experience in working together. We’re the stronger party.
So this is what teamwork feels like. It feels good.
My turn!
Now’s my chance. They’re still trying to find where the arrow came from.
I slice an imp that was gawking at the golden arrow that split its comrade’s head in half.
But I don’t stop there. The monsters are all on the ground—easy targets for a flurry of kicks in all the confusion. Now is not the time for mercy.
“SHYAA!”
“—! Lilly!”
I catch a glimpse of them just as I finish off the imp that took her arrow.
Two of the remaining imps break away from the group and make straight for Lilly.
I may have been yelling out to her, but she doesn’t flinch. A smirk on her lips, she calmly reaches inside a fold of fabric in her top and pulls out a small pouch.
“Thanks for your hard work.”
Flick! Lilly flips open the pouch and releases a small cloud of powder. The imps fly right into it and immediately start hacking and coughing.
Koff! Koff! The sudden purple dust cloud permeates through their bodies, the imps coughing so hard that they fall out of the air.
Purple Moth Scales. A drop item.
Lilly just used a poison grenade made from these scales.
It’s fast-acting, unlike the purple moth’s scales by themselves, and is strong enough to poison smaller monsters on contact.
—Clever girl! Looks like she wasn’t lying about being able to handle monsters!
Lilly taking a quick step back is my cue to spring into action.
I make eye contact and give her a little nod, to let her know I’ll take it from here.
I can’t help but smile a little.
“All right!”
I take a deep breath and hold it as I jump into the cloud of purple dust. Then, slash.
Using both of the shorter blades, one in each hand, I slay both imps without taking a breath.
The only ones left now are…
“…Mr. Bell, something a little bigger is here!”
“!”
A small tremor shakes the room. I know what it is immediately.
An orc. I’ve had dealings with this type of pig-headed monster before. Standing close to three meders tall, the beast is coming toward us bare-handed.
Of course there are still a few imps around, but they look like minions waiting for the boss’s command as I get a better feel for the surroundings.
There’s a bad bat above me. It’s a black bat–type monster with sharp claws and a really distracting scream. It’s enough to make me feel dizzy in combat.
The remaining imps on the ground take to the air, their tails between their legs, and join their allies behind the fog.
“So many…”
“Yes, it’s very rare that this many types of monsters gather like this. What should Lilly do? Lead the orc away?”
Lilly set her backpack down on the grass and loaded an arrow into her crossbow as she made her suggestion.
I squint my eyes as I think it through.
With the fog in the way, I can’t tell exactly how many of each monster there is. Except for the orc, anyway. I don’t feel comfortable telling Lilly to leave my side when I don’t know what we’re up against…
I return both of my knives to their sheaths, and shake my right wrist.
“Mr. Bell?”
“Heh-heh. I might be relying on this a bit too much…”
I smile and nod to let her know what’s coming. I think she gets the message because she quickly scrambles out of the way.
Now I have a clear shot.
With the various cries and shrieks of the monsters ringing in my ears, I raise my right arm and take aim.
“FIREBOLT!”
Bolts of scarlet flame carve their way through the sea of fog, wiping out everything in their path.
“Can I ask you something, Lilly? Do you think I’m depending on my Magic too much?”
Holding a sandwich in my hand, I ask Lilly for her opinion.
After clearing out most of the monsters, we decided to take a rest. So we’ve come back to the first room on the tenth level. The stairs connecting to the ninth are behind me.
This is the only room on the lower tenth that doesn’t have any fog. Since the chances of a sneak attack are much higher everywhere else, I think it’s safe to say that this is the least dangerous room on this level.
I’m eating the usual lunch from Syr as I wait for Lilly’s answer.
Now that I think about it, Syr’s handmade s
andwiches are always a little strange. The more I chew, the more new and exciting varieties of bitterness come to the surface.
She tried something new again today, but it tastes like a swamp…It’s rude of me to think that, so I better keep chewing to make up for it. But honestly, I’m on the verge of tears.
My lunches are getting scarier and scarier every day.
“Hmmm…Lilly doesn’t think it’s a problem…Mr. Bell’s Magic is very easy to use, too…”
Lilly tilts her head from side to side, as if sloshing the ideas around in her head, while holding a modest-sized piece of bread in her hands.
Her lips wrap around the bread whenever she takes a bite; it’s very cute. Taking her last bite, she wipes her mouth with a napkin before continuing.
“Because it’s easy to use, it might be easy to get in a habit of casting it. But rather than depending on it, Lilly thinks it’s become one of Mr. Bell’s basic maneuvers.”
“Well, when you put it like that…”
It lined up pretty well, actually.
Firebolt is Swift-Strike Magic.
Each Magic has a spell you have to chant to activate it…so basically, there’s nothing you have to save up.
For me, Magic is like a punch or a kick that I don’t use as often. Maybe it’s just another technique for me to use in combat.
“Lilly thinks about it like this. Mr. Bell’s Magic is very effective, but its role is much more limited than other Magic.”
“Um…and that would be… ?”
“As a finishing move.”
The moment she said that, I immediately think of the picture of a certain hero on page one of a Tales of Adventure book.
A young elfish warrior summoning a blizzard to face down a fearsome beast.
“Magic is the ace up the sleeve. You could even call it a last resort, because if it’s powerful enough, Magic can take down an enemy at a level higher than the caster. Mr. Bell’s Magic is very easy to use, but it might be limited to a role as the killing blow.”
Sure, I can use it like nobody’s business, but that doesn’t mean it’s all that powerful.
Blow for blow, it’s nothing like the kind of Magic Lilly’s talking about.
I make a timid face as I listen to the rest of Lilly’s explanation.
“Since the Magics with long trigger spells are more powerful, they have the ability to bring the caster back from the edge of defeat. They’re a way to perform miracles.”