Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~ - Volume 5 - Chapter 3

Chapter Three: King of the Hot Spring

There are some pitfalls you can’t avoid no matter how hard you try. My luck leaned on the bad side, so I was often getting wrapped up in trouble. That said, going to a hot spring and being abducted by some weirdo was definitely among my worst strokes of luck. For a simpleton like me, most misfortunes I encountered weren’t something I could do anything about, no matter how much I wanted to.

A Level 8 hunter had been captured and taken underground. This was another one of the Thousand Tricks’s ingenious ploys, Operation “All of Humanity Is Your Friend: If You Can’t Escape Them, Befriend Them.”

The Relic Tino had given me, Mirage Form, was a black bracelet capable of creating mirages. Thanks to the time I had spent playing around with it, I had become all right at producing images.

Somewhat desperately, I activated the bracelet and projected mirages to slightly obscure my skin and hair. This would only change my outward appearance, not my scent or powers, but my only hope was to try and fool them.

The Cave People stopped in front of my cell. They made threatening noises as they looked at me—but then they began to blink. One of the boulder-like Cave People (some of them were so big I wasn’t sure if the people in front of me were all the same species) made a doubtful noise.

“Ryu?!”

I wondered what they said. I opened and closed my eyes a few times. Then the Cave Person who had abducted me and had the patterns on their forehead appeared from between the larger folk.

“Ryun-ryuu-ryu,” they said to the Cave People multiple times their size.

Yep. I don’t recognize this language.

The small Cave Person pointed their tentacle-hair at me and continued to speak, almost like they were making excuses for themselves.

“Ryuu-ryuu,” they said.

“Ryuuu,” said another Cave Person as they raised their arms up and down. I got the impression they were having a disagreement.

Even with my mirages, I didn’t think I looked that much like a Cave Person. But maybe, just maybe, they were a culture that valued what was on the inside, not the outside?

I’m one of you. I’m a friend. Holding tight to these thoughts, I spoke up.

“Ryu-ryunga-ryuu.”

They looked taken aback. Now, I hardly need to say it, but I didn’t speak the language of the Cave People. But nothing ventured, nothing gained, is how the saying goes. I was confident my sentiments got across to them.

“Ryuu-ryuu-ryuu-un,” I continued.

“Ryuu?” the patterned Cave Person asked with a tilt of their head.

I wasn’t sure, but it seemed like even the intonation of their language was different from ours. I didn’t have any idea how they communicated with such a small number of sounds. I didn’t even have any idea what I was saying. But we were conversing and that was better than nothing.

Sitri, hurry up and get here...

I nodded my head and tried to convey my thoughts, yeah, uh-huh.

“Ryun-ryun-ryuu-ryu-ryu!” I said.

Looks like I got through to them.

The Cave People were abuzz as they let me out of my cell. I seemed to get yelled at a lot, even when I tried to be as genuine as possible. Maybe just saying whatever sounds nice was a better way of negotiating. But what did that say about me?

As we walked through their town, the small Cave Person (probably a girl) would ryuu-ryuu at me frequently, the bulky Cave Person (probably a boy) would ryuu-ryuu at me in a deep voice, and I would do my best to respond.

Outside the cell, it was far more spacious than I had expected. I didn’t think anyone would have ever imagined that such a big cavern existed down there. It was so big you could fit the entirety of Suls beneath it. It was also hot. Caves were generally thought of as being cool, but that clearly wasn’t the case here.

We walked down a narrow path furnished with handrails. I could peer downward and see a bright river of magma flowing beneath us. The cave people were more advanced than I had anticipated. I could see steaming aqueducts and a number of stone houses, from which a number of Cave People were curiously glancing at me.

The cave ceiling was incredibly high up. I didn’t know how far underground I was, but I could tell I wouldn’t escape without help. I could see Cave People climbing the cave walls with their tentacle-hair, but I wasn’t dexterous enough to do something like that.

Wow. The world really is full of mysterious things. But where am I being taken? I was hoping they’d show me the way out...

Surrounded by large Cave People, I found myself descending further underground. We came to a stop before a circular area ringed by magma. I was trying to remember what the place reminded me of, and then it hit me—it was like a fighting ring! I couldn’t help but come to a halt before the ominous scenery.

“Ryuu-ryu-ryuu?” I asked.

“Ryuu-ryuu!”

I had no clue what we were saying. A length of hair pushed me from behind, forcing me forward. Because of the magma, it was incredibly hot down there, like I had been thrown in a sauna. There was a single path and it led me to the center of the ring. The surrounding Cave People began to cheer.

“Ryuu-ryuu-ryu-ryuu!”

It seemed I was popular. Not sure what else I could do, I raised my hand in response.

“Ryu-ryunga-ryu-u!”

“Ryuu-ryuu-ryuw-ryu-ryuu!”

I’m gonna tell Sitri all about this if I make it back alive.

The crowd’s cheers became deafening. Swarms of Cave People had climbed onto the walls and were watching me intently.

Then, from the same path I had entered from, came a Cave Person. He was noticeably larger than the other male Cave People who had brought me here. His flesh didn’t look at all human. And, in all likelihood, he wasn’t human.

He stood opposite me, raised a lock (if that’s what you want to call it) of hair, and swung down a few inches from me. I couldn’t even react, by the time I realized I was being attacked, the hair had already left a crater in the ground. The ground shook and my legs wobbled. The spectators’ cheering became thunderous. The male Cave Person let out a boastful roar.

And then something occurred to me.

Wait. Am I supposed to be fighting this guy?

“Ryu, ryu-ryu. Ryu-u...”

“Ryuuuuu!!!”

My request for an end to the fighting was answered with a bellowing roar. My opponent’s hair extended outward and simultaneously came at me from multiple angles. There was, of course, no way I could dodge that. A Safety Ring activated and blocked the powerful strike. The attacks stuck in a short enough window that I got away with only using one of my rings.

The Cave People looked at me incredulously when they realized I had blocked the attack without even moving. I didn’t waste any time and activated the pendant Aspiration Manifest. A spell name floated into my head. I could release the spell without incanting the words, but I did so out of habit.

“Ryu-ryuu-ryu-ryu, ryu-ryuu-ryu!”

(Frigid Breath.)

I felt a cold wind pass over me. Aspiration Manifest was a tricky Relic. Stocking it required roughly one hundred times a spell’s normal mana cost and stocking resulted in a degree of lost efficacy.

Blasted by cold wind, the towering Cave Person let out a small cry.

“Ryu?!”

Then he stopped. His wide-open eyes, his extended hair, all still as though frozen in time. The spectating Cave People all fell silent for a brief moment before once again erupting into cheers.

I was more surprised than anyone by what had just happened. The Cave People must have been weak to the cold if such a big individual was toppled by a small breeze. Among monsters, there were some species weak to certain elements. It made sense that a race that settled next to flowing magma would have such a vulnerability. I, on the other hand, was ready to pass out from the heat.

I reached out and touched the frozen body of the Cave Person. The moment I came in contact with his icy surface, his eyes twitched and he made a deep, slow groan.

“Huh?!”

It’s not dead? Well, why would it be?

I hated myself for being so dumb. There was no way a spell reluctantly stocked by Kris would compare with the ones Lucia was always preparing for me.

The Cave Person’s tentacles began to writhe again and came at me from a low angle. I was defenseless save for my Safety Rings, but I didn’t have any more spells prepared by Kris. The Cave Person seemed angry. There was a rumble as he raised not his hair, but his arms. Claws long and sharp as blades jutted from his hands.

But then there was a sharp cry from outside the ring.

“Ryu-ryu-ryuuuuu!”

The giant stopped immediately, his arms still in the air. The source of the voice was the small Cave Person. She was standing just beyond the path that led into the ring.

“Ryu-u-ryu-u! Ryu-ryu-ryu-ryu-ryu!”

“Ryu-u?”

“Ryuun!”

I didn’t have the faintest idea what they were saying. But the girl Cave Person was pointing at me and shouting and in response the large Cave Person decided not to rip me to shreds and instead lowered their arms. They said a few brief “ryu-ryus” to me then turned around and left the arena.

Hm. I see. I still don’t understand it all, but it looks like I’ve been judged the victor. I’ll have to buy Kris a souvenir.

I stood around, wobbling from the intense heat, when something unbelievable happened. Five Cave People entered the ring and quickly surrounded me. Each one of them was just as big if not bigger than the one I had just fought. Whatever purpose this served was beyond me.

Huh? Round two?

One of these guys was already too much for me, but now I was completely outnumbered. I thought I might barf. I glanced at the girl Cave Person who had protested for me, but she looked at me with a vague expression and nodded. Left with no other options, I heaved a sigh and began to plead for mercy.

“Ryu, Ryu-ryu...ryu-u...ryu!”

The Cave People roared at me and began to charge.

“Ryu-uuuuuu!”

They seemed angry.

My attempt had failed. I didn’t even know what I was saying, so I had no way of knowing where I went wrong.

Five towering Cave People came at me. They swung with all their might at a shrimp like me. Not a shred of warrior’s honor among them. They weren’t even approaching me head-on, they were all attacking in tandem. I was helpless either way, but no amount of Safety Rings could protect me if I was getting hit from all angles.

I had nothing to lose, so I activated Sitri’s souvenir, the mysterious Aspiration Manifest. A spell name completely new to me entered my head.

“Ryuu-ryun-ryu-ryu-ryu.”

(Silent Demise.)

The spell was released. Contrary to its ostentatious name, it had no obvious effects. I didn’t feel any cold air like with Kris’s spell, yet the Cave People surrounding me all stopped dead still, their eyes opened wide.

What happened?

I was more confused than anyone.

“Ryu-ryu?!”

The bodies of the Cave People began to swell. The spectators shrieked with surprise. The fit, boulder-like bodies of my attackers began to expand. They were already plenty sturdy, but now their muscles had grown even larger and they were tall as houses. At the start, they were about the size of Gark, but the changes from the spell brought them to just under Ansem’s height. No, “change” wasn’t the right word. They were evolving.

The spectators were astounded, but the most dumbfounded person there was me. Bloodshot, golden eyes, five full sets of them, looked down on me.

Huh? Don’t tell me, the spell in that Relic was an enhancement spell? How often does that even happen?

Things couldn’t get any worse. I didn’t stand a chance from the start, but now I really didn’t stand a chance.

What the hell am I supposed to do here?! It’s hopeless!

“Ryu-u,” I accidentally said.

I was getting woozy from the excessive heat. It was too hot, I stumbled and clutched my head. It looked like the end of the line. I was going to die in that arena. I wished I could have met Luka, Lucia, and Ansem one more time. If I was just going to die anyway then I should have married Sitri. I should have played with Liz.

This was why I wanted to retire!

Except, I wasn’t even in a dangerous region, so this could have happened even if I had retired.

I was out of options, there was nothing I could do. I began to avert my eyes and ears from reality, but then I heard a trembling voice.

“Ryu-uuuuuu!”

Since the Cave People looked fairly human, I couldn’t fathom why they talked so differently than we did. I kept my eyes pressed shut and waited for the end, but no attacks came my way. I slowly opened my eyes and only just managed to keep myself from yelling.

What?

For some reason, the enhanced Cave People were all lying before me. They hadn’t been incapacitated. Instead, they had their heads lowered like they were bowing to me, their hair resting limply on the ground.

I didn’t understand what was happening, but the crowd gave their loudest cheers yet. The flowing magma shook violently. I was surrounded by a ring of magma and received a thunderous ovation of ryu-ryus. I was probably the only person in the whole world to ever have an experience like this. Unfortunately, I was about to collapse due to the heat. A Safety Ring didn’t protect against high temperatures. That required an altogether different Relic.

“Ryu...” I answered and fell to my knees.

In an instant, I found myself being supported by tentacles. They came from the source of all this, the Cave Person who had grabbed me and brought me down here. I opened my eyes and saw her ryu-ryuing at me. Losing consciousness, I ryu-ryued in response. I was kinda getting used to it. I could just respond to everything with ryu-ryu.

When they heard my response, the Cave People threw up their arms and shouted.

“Ryuuuuuuuuun!”

The next thing I knew, I was atop the back of an enhanced Cave Person and looking down at the townscape of Suls.

From atop one of the taller buildings, I could see smoke rising up from the usually mellow town. I could tell something bad was happening, but I had no idea what.

All I had said was “ryu-u-ryu-u.” I’ll admit I had been having a bit of fun with it, but that was all. Yet I somehow found a crown-like thing had been placed on my head and I was being carried about like a sacred object.

A shocking number of Cave People had come up with us from the caves. Looking at the route we had taken to the surface, it seemed the hole dug by the construction workers had crossed paths with the byway of an underground civilization. Talk about bad luck.

The Cave People’s tentacle-like hair and claws seemed well suited for digging and climbing up vertical surfaces. The byway was a narrow one so not everyone could come out at once, but even as we stood atop the building, more and more of them crawled out of the hole.

I wondered if maybe the Cave People were actually monsters. Maybe this was really bad? But I didn’t know what to do about it.

Nearby, my abductor from earlier was now kneeling and looking up at me. I wasn’t all that confident, but if my eyes were right, then she was showing her respect. I couldn’t really be certain, but it looked like she was waiting for me to say something.

What was I supposed to say? I figured something like “Thanks for bringing me back up here, now go back underground,” or maybe “Don’t hurt any humans.”

I took a deep breath and filled my mind with one sentiment: go back underground.

“Ryu-ryuu-ryu-ryu-ryu-ryu-ryu,” I said.

The (probably) female Cave Person conveyed my words to the Cave People below us.

“Ryu-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru!”

When they heard what she said, they all simultaneously raised their hair upwards, let out shrill cries, and dashed off in every direction.

***

Panic reigned within the inn. When the guards realized something was afoot they briefly tried to still keep an eye on Tino and the other hunters. However, they quickly lost the luxury of looking out for anyone but themselves.

It was the sheer number of them. The bizarre creatures were numerous enough to trample over the mass of well-trained fighters that was Bandit Squad Barrel. In a funny twist of fate, the brigands who relied on numbers to overwhelm Suls were now being crushed by an even larger force.

Naturally, Tino and company weren’t going to be spared.

“This is where Thieves shine! Got that, T?!”

Lizzy pulled out a bit of wire she had kept hidden on her and undid Tino’s handcuffs almost like magic. She handed the wire off to Tino and then sent the approaching creatures flying back with an expert kick.

“T, get everyone’s handcuffs! You’ve got five minutes or you’re fighting with cuffs on.”

“Huh?! O-Okay, Lizzy!”

It seemed Lizzy could be her usual self even in situations like this. Something about that was oddly relieving to Tino. She frantically undid Siddy’s handcuffs.

It would have been a fine stroke of luck if the intruders were only targeting members of Barrel, but that wasn’t the case. The intruders were focused on the bandits due to their sheer numbers, but they would be coming for the hunters and town guards. If Tino didn’t hurry, someone might be killed.

As she desperately fiddled with the wire, Tino listened to Lizzy and Siddy. Both of them sounded perfectly calm.

“It’s been a minute since we’ve been in a situation like this. What do we do?”

“Mmm, well, I suppose rescuing the hostages should be our top priority. If these creatures are attacking the entire town, then the guards are probably in a state of panic.”

Hm? They’re thinking about the hostages at a time like this?!

The Stifled Shadow wasn’t someone constrained by the morals of society. Even some with a strong sense of justice would struggle to make hostages their number one priority under circumstances like this. Yet Lizzy seemed perfectly satisfied with Siddy’s proposal.

Distracted, Tino’s hand slipped and the handcuffs unlocked with a loud click. Siddy shook her hands and turned a stern gaze towards the rampaging, ryu-ryuing assailants.

“It seems their words match up with those used by most Troglodytes. Well, actually, it’s not words but sounds that they use to communicate—”

“Huh?! Siddy, you can understand what they’re saying?!”

“I can’t speak their tongue, but I can listen and understand the gist of what they’re saying.”

She could listen. That alone was plenty impressive. Concentrating, Tino could make out different sounds and intonations, but she still briefly struggled to believe that Siddy could parse their language.

“What are they saying?” Tino asked.

“Um, ‘The king has made his decree. Show your might and we shall prove victorious for our king and princess. Fear not the elder devils. Now is our chance to achieve our long-held ambitions and rule the surface.’”

Those chirps made such a long sentence?! Not to mention the contents themselves. Tino couldn’t keep up.

Lizzy grinned as she dodged an incoming tentacle and swept a Troglodyte’s leg. With the gray fiend on the ground, she crushed their skull beneath her foot.

“Hmph. Their king can’t be that strong,” she said. “I’m curious about those devils, but for now we just need to take down their king and princess, right?”

Whereas Tino was quite bewildered, Lizzy took a very simple approach.

I see. If that’s the case, then we can still win this. We’ve got the strength for it.

However, Siddy shook her head with dismay.

“Mmm, considering Troglodyte culture, if we were to kill their king and princess, then we might just inspire them to fight to their last breath. They believe their king to be absolute.”

Tino managed to finish undoing everybody’s handcuffs and all the while received a lesson in the value of lockpicking skills. Fortunately, none of the captive hunters or town guards had been injured. This was because the Smart sisters had drawn the attention of the majority of the Troglodytes.

“It would appear the warriors are worth more points to them,” Siddy said, using her sister as a shield.

“Huh? So they all think like Luke? I can respect that,” Lizzy replied.

With their handcuffs removed, the hunters of Scorching Whirlwind and Falling Fog all returned to the front lines. The town guards had also been unshackled, but they seemed unaccustomed to unexpected circumstances and didn’t seem like they would be much help.

The better half of the bandits had already fled from the inn. Using her Relic, Siddy shot a potion into the Crashing Lightning as he convulsed on the ground. His agonized expression softened just a bit.

“Thanks for doing that,” Eigh said.

“Oh, not at all,” Sitri replied. “Mutual cooperation makes the world go around. Let’s focus on the future.”

“R-Right. I don’t really know what’s going on, but it’s clearly nothing good.”

The hunters were outnumbered, but each individual was stronger than a single Troglodyte. Tino and the Smart sisters couldn’t use magic, but Falling Fog had a Magus. Siddy thought the situation over for a few seconds and made her judgment call.

“Let’s split up. We’ll eliminate the source. May I ask that you and your company search for the hostages?” she proposed.

“What?!”

“The Troglodytes appear to be prioritizing the warriors. With their lack of mana material, noncombatants should be a low priority for them. This means there’s a high chance the hostages are still alive.”

It was at that moment that Arnold propped himself up with his elbows. His complexion still wasn’t very good, but even that much meant that Siddy must have given him an extraordinary potion. He steadied his ragged breathing and glared at her.

“The source. Take care of it. Our group’s bigger. We’ll get hostages,” he said.

It appeared he could move. He stood up and drove a fist straight into a Troglodyte who was diving at him. The creature collided with a few of their comrades and formed a crater in a wall. He had chased after her master and fought her personally, but Tino was glad to have him on her side.

Arnold swiped a sword from a collapsed bandit and raised it in the air.

“Follow me, we’re clearing a path!” he roared. “This is our chance to show what the warriors of Nebulanubes are capable of!”

He dashed forward. Even though he was recovering from the poison and deprived of his usual weapon, the Crashing Lightning was a hunter of immense might. With an armament he wasn’t even used to, he cut down swathes of Troglodytes.

“I’d recommend against using poisons. Their bodies are different from ours and a poison might do the opposite of its intended effect!” Siddy said.

With her and the Drink and Killiam tag team, they took next to no injuries as they fought their way out of the inn. Outside, things were just as bad as they had been inside. Burly Troglodytes clamored through the streets, the ground was covered with bandits and the Troglodytes they had presumably taken down with them. The creatures let out a resounding victory cry.

“Ryu-uuu!”

A plethora of golden eyes greedy for prey all turned towards Tino and the other hunters. Tino wished she had that mask her master had given her. She took a few deep breaths and tore a slit in the side of her robe so it wouldn’t hinder her kicks. This was a battlefield and they were up against monsters. Even if she had help, a momentary mistake could still cost her her life.

Arnold was looking at the Troglodytes like he had once looked at Krai.

“Get to the top of that roof. We’ll look for the hostages,” he said in a strained voice.

Scorching Whirlwind and the town guards steeled themselves. Eigh seemed his usual flippant self, but his smile made it clear he was ready for what might come.

“We can’t run when there are so many of these guys. We’ll have to fight. Good thing all we have to do is hold out until you defeat the source of our problems,” he said.

***

It was the worst day of his life. Marcos, the head of Suls, was a man who had for a long time overseen the development of the peaceful hot spring town. Astonished and confused, he stared at the square.

The mind-boggling changes were far too much for him to process. Marcos had been able to lead Suls for so long because the town had a history of tranquility. The hot spring dragon appearing in a high-class inn after ten years of going unseen was already pushing him to his limits.

Next thing he knew, he had been captured by bandits and dragged off to the town square. With many tourists scared off by rumors of Bandit Squad Barrel, most people in town were familiar faces. It was only then that he finally learned that bandits had taken over Suls.

The townsfolk hadn’t been treated roughly or even restrained, but that was likely because the bandits didn’t think it was worth the effort. Not one person in the town square had even the slightest experience in combat. And who could blame them for their complacency? All it took was a threatening glare for Marcos to lose the will to resist.

The townsfolk had one option: the instant golems they’d received the other day from the Alchemist of the famed Grieving Souls. They had been lent out for free for the time being and putting the core in water was all that was necessary to form a mighty golem. But Marcos hadn’t used them.

He felt resisting was just going to invite his demise, so he was better off just waiting for help to arrive. But more than that, he was flat-out afraid of the bandits. They hadn’t tried to disarm the townsfolk and that was something he could exploit. But he didn’t. The bandits were skillful fighters and he wasn’t sure the golems would be enough to resist them. These were the sort of excuses he gave, but he wasn’t fooling himself.

And so as he sat in fear with the other townsfolk, the situation once again saw an abrupt development. The guards keeping an eye on the townsfolk disappeared. This included the man who had told them they’d be killed if they resisted and the woman who looked down on them for not resisting. They had been attacked by a sudden swarm of monsters and fled when they realized they were at a disadvantage.

All that remained in the square were the townsfolk and the gray monsters surrounding them. Marcos had never seen these creatures before. They were powerful, intelligent, and had scared off a well-coordinated bandit squad. This wasn’t a situation that could be salvaged by a simple mayor like Marcos.

The monsters had swarmed the bandits, but left the townsfolk alone for some reason. However, their mineral-like eyes were bereft of mercy and they stood around the townsfolk as they chattered in their odd language. It was clear they didn’t plan to let the hostages go free.

The hostages grew pale, and some of them were trembling. It was no surprise that they had lost the will to flee after seeing the monsters work together to assail the bandits. Some of the townsfolk had collapsed from the shock of it.

Marcos tried to distract himself by wondering which was worse: bandits or monsters? But suddenly, one of the monsters began to walk forward. Marcos felt his mind go blank from fear and tension, but it walked right past him.

When the monster stopped, it wasn’t in front of Marcos, but rather a local merchant. The man was blessed with a good physique and often bragged that he was the strongest man in Suls. Of course, he wasn’t used to rough-and-tumble situations and paled in comparison to treasure hunters.

The monster’s tentacles extended forward and wrapped around the anxious merchant’s torso. Though he was nearly two meters tall, the man was easily lifted off the ground. He screamed and thrashed about, but he had no effect on the large, inhuman monster.

“Ryuu-ryuu.”

Marcos didn’t know what the monster was saying, but their intent was clear enough. Their voice was calm, no longer containing the violence they had when they attacked the bandits. They almost sounded bored, like a human might.

The merchant was lifted high into the air. What was the monster going to do? The moment Marcos figured it out, his hand instinctively reached into his pocket for the golem cores.

He let out a loud cry as he scattered all ten of them. He panicked and threw them aimlessly, but one of the cores rolled across the ground and fell into a drainage ditch. Just like that Alchemist had said in her pitch, the change took effect after only a few seconds. The core sucked up the hot water and there appeared a translucent figure.

The surrounding monsters, even the one about to slam the merchant into ground, all looked straight at the golem.

“Ryuu?!”

The three billion gild golem began to move of its own accord. The first thing it did was knock the other cores into the ditch. Marcos watched with shock as golems sprung up like trees right before his eyes.

The merchant being held aloft was tossed aside like a piece of garbage. The monsters chattered with excitement, just like they had when fighting the bandits. The monsters attacked the golems, and the golems retaliated without fear. Perhaps because they were formed from hot spring water, the golems remained steadfast even when being struck by tentacles.

Ooh. If we get out of this alive, I think I’ll buy as many hot spring golem cores as I can, Marcos thought as he watched a fierce battle between monster and golem unfold right before him.

***

Jumping from rooftop to rooftop, they made their way across Suls. Tino’s footing was uncertain, but she had been trained by Lizzy on the rooftops of the imperial capital. Compared to the capital, which had buildings of wildly varying heights, Suls was quite easy to traverse.

The Troglodytes were sticking to the ground. Some of them caught sight of Tino and the Smart sisters, but none of them climbed atop any buildings. As a race of underground people, they probably weren’t accustomed to high places. Even if they were to attempt pursuit, Tino and her allies could outrun them.

“Still, I can’t help but wonder where they came from,” Siddy wondered aloud as she looked down at the town. Even though she was an Alchemist, she seemed perfectly fine running across the rooftops.

“Good question,” Liz responded. “Troglodytes normally live underground, so...”

These were probably the Sapiens mentioned in the local legends. Looking at them again, Tino was amazed at how many there were. They might have even outnumbered the entire population of Suls. How could such a large army have remained unknown for so long?

Such a number of Troglodytes would make for a grueling battle, even if Barrel hadn’t already been wreaking havoc. If anything, it was a good thing the bandits were present because they diverted some of the creatures’ attention.

No, don’t get ahead of yourself, Tino told herself as she banished the thought from her head. Her master and Bandit Squad Barrel had never met before and he would never let bandits into a town. No matter how ingenious someone might be, it was impossible to have total control over the actions of bandits. Her master was god, but not a malevolent one. Probably.

Their objective was to search for the origin point of the countless Troglodytes and it didn’t take long for them to find it. At the construction site they had passed earlier, they could see a constant flow of the creatures climbing out of the hole in the ground.

“Aah, that hole must be connected to their home,” Siddy said with raised eyebrows. “But I’ve never seen anything like this happen.”

“Hmm, so do we fill it in?” Lizzy asked.

Siddy blinked and looked around at the nonstop flow of invaders.

“If we do that, they’ll simply undo our work,” she said. “Troglodytes are very good at digging. It seems their settlement must be a fairly large one. They don’t usually form packs quite this big.”

Then Tino noticed something: after emerging from the hole, every Troglodyte would first turn in a specific direction and make a sound. The two sisters seemed to notice it as well and turned their heads in the same direction.

Two sets of pink eyes grew wide at the same time.

The Troglodytes were looking at a tall building in the center of the town, where an exceptionally large Troglodyte appeared to be kneeling atop the building. Specifically, the creatures were looking at a thin shadow atop the brute. Tino was at a loss for words.

“I hear that among Troglodyte culture, reverence is paid to small, slender individuals,” Siddy said in an attempt at explaining.

“B-But, Siddy, Master isn’t a Troglodyte.”

Tino would never mistake someone else for her beloved master. Honestly, she didn’t see how you could possibly mistake the man atop the Troglodyte throne for anyone else. His skin color and face were a tad different from usual but that hardly constituted a disguise. He was even still in a yukata.

“Ryuu-ryuu-ryuu!” the Troglodytes sang in unison. There was something dreamlike about it all.

Siddy, helpful as ever, offered a translation.

“‘O King, your loyal servants await your guidance,’” she said with apparent confusion. Even she couldn’t have anticipated this.

“That Krai Baby. When did he go and become a king?” Liz remarked.

Krai then raised his right hand and responded to the Troglodytes in a melodic voice.

“Ryuu-ryuu-ryuu-ryu-ryu,” he said.

The recently arrived Troglodytes all cried out with excitement and scattered like a bunch of beasts. Siddy stood frozen with fear.

“Wh-What did he say?” Tino asked hesitantly.

Siddy could only grasp the gist of what the creatures were saying, but it seemed Krai was fluent in their tongue. Tino wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or bewildered. She didn’t know what her master had said, but she didn’t think he was just ryu-ryuing haphazardly. He wasn’t that sort of person.

Siddy blinked a few times and furrowed her brow.

“‘Kill them all. With all possible haste, bring before me the blood of mighty warriors. The surface is to be ours,’” she said.

“Master would never say such a thing!”

Those were undeniably the words of a villain. Besides, if Siddy’s translation was right, it was her master’s fault that Suls had descended into chaos.

“Oh? Maybe he’s still mad about the pillow fight?” Lizzy suggested.

“Setting aside our pillow fight, perhaps he’s trying to efficiently eliminate both the Troglodytes and Barrel? However, this is a bit more violent than usual,” Siddy said.

Master, maybe you shouldn’t be trying to do that?!

It sure was incredible that Siddy could describe this as a bit more violent than usual. The whole town was being wrecked.

“If that hole is connected to the Troglodytes’ home, then it was only a matter of time before they showed up,” Siddy surmised while tilting her head. “If they had chosen to make their appearance when we weren’t around then Suls would no doubt have been destroyed.”

Tino struggled to believe her ears.

“Shouldn’t he have said something?!”

Her master had often embroiled clan members and other hunters in his Thousand Trials, but he had never gotten civilians involved on such a large scale. Even if he just wanted to divert the attention of Barrel, the best hunter in Zebrudia surely had other options available to him. And yet he seemed to be instigating the chaos (provided Siddy’s translation was correct).

“One problem remains, however,” Siddy said. “With the Troglodytes so riled up, just how does Krai intend to keep them under control once this is all over?”

Tino was taken aback. “Won’t he just order them?” she asked.

“Even if he did, it’s not easy to undo so much momentum,” Siddy said, looking truly perplexed.

Deep down, Tino was horrified by the idea that this scheme was unreadable to someone who was both Krai’s childhood friend and once regarded as one of the greatest Alchemists.

She briefly worried that perhaps this was his way of saying he was leaving matters in their hands. That was too much for Tino. It was possible this was a Trial made with the Smart sisters in mind, but it was a threat to her life.

“C’mon, if we’ve got time to spitball like this, we may as well just ask him directly. Hey, Krai Baby!” Liz said while waving her hand in wide arcs.

Krai’s gaze settled on Tino and the Smart sisters, and he began to smile. But then the small Troglodyte at his side leaped towards them. She flew through the air and landed on their rooftop with the deft movements of a Thief.

It seemed male and female Troglodytes varied in size. Tino had seen ones of all shapes and sizes in the streets of Suls, but the one before her had something different—a circlet-like pattern drawn on her forehead.

“That pattern, it means she’s their princess.”

Siddy, you sure know a lot, Tino thought as she looked at the Troglodyte with bewilderment.

“Ryu-ryu-ryuu-ryun,” the princess said with a sharp glare.

Siddy translated.

“She’s saying, ‘Wretched surface dwellers, what business do you have with our glorious new king?’”

***

That one had the bearing of a king. Their meeting was a fateful one.

For the rulers of the underground, those known to humans as Troglodytes, the world above was to be their final conquest. It was a land they yearned for, but could never reach.

The Troglodytes had claws optimized for digging through dirt, but they struggled to break through layers of rock and had further difficulties digging upwards. Thus, the surface world was a land of fable for the denizens of the kingdom beneath Suls.

But their dreams became reality once someone noticed that one of their tunnels connected to another tunnel—one that no one could recall digging. The tunnel was long and went straight upwards. The Troglodytes immediately set to work to determine where it led and found that it connected to a land unknown. The legendary surface world. They also learned that it led to a settlement of the surface dwellers.

Troglodyte society was ruled by an absolute monarchy centered around a single princess. The princess’s authority was absolute and she was responsible for her people. She would choose an exceptional individual to be the king and that person would lead the Troglodytes.

Because she hadn’t yet chosen a king, the task of exploring the hole fell to the princess, Ryuulan. And it was there that she met him, the one who would become king of the Sulsian Empire. At first, she had thought he was a surface dweller. She captured him because she thought observing one of their kind would aid in the invasion.

But her assumption was quickly overturned.

She thought his hair and skin were just like how the surface dwellers were described in legends. But after bringing him underground, she looked closer at him and saw he had an appearance similar to the Troglodytes. His sleek outline was no issue. Among Troglodyte males, a slender figure implied tight muscles.

Ryuulan knew that this man was more suited than anyone to be their king.

“I shall be your king and guide you henceforth. Bow down, I care naught for weaklings,” he declared after taking only a glance at her and her guards.

Naturally, Ryuulan’s cohorts were indignant. But it was the right of every single Troglodyte to show their qualifications to be king. This was customary even among other Troglodyte kingdoms.

So began the battle for him to prove his worthiness and he made it abundantly clear he was fit to be king. First, he used a power unlike anything Ryuulan had ever seen to overpower, but not kill, a warrior. Not only that, he said that they were too weak to even be considered an opponent and then suggested that they send five at once. And when they sent five brave warriors at the man, he dared to enhance them.

That was sufficient. That power and magnanimity were enough for Ryuulan and everyone in the kingdom to recognize him as king. The princess offered him her hand in marriage, but he had other ideas.

“Now is the time for which we shall strike at the surface world. You need not fear those malevolent gods. Kill them all,” he said as if it were nothing.

Tales of the malevolent gods had long been told throughout the kingdom. They were the ones who prevented their invasion of the surface world. Ryuulan’s ancestors had once aimed for the surface and briefly bathed in the sun’s light, only to be forced underground by those demons.

For a long time, those demons had destroyed any hope of invading the surface. But the new king showed no fear towards them and spoke confidently about a foe once feared by each and every Troglodyte. They harbored uncertainties, but Ryuulan and her people still jumped at the chance to follow him. That’s how they regarded their king. If it was for his sake, there was no need to fear even death itself.

***

There sure was some crazy stuff going on. I knew the underground kingdom was expansive, but what I visited must have been only a small part of it. The number of Cave People rising to the surface far exceeded my expectations. And no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t get them to turn around and go home.

I had been vaguely aware of it from the start, but it seemed I really wasn’t getting through to those guys. Of course I couldn’t, I was a total bystander. I was spacing out and got captured, then I spaced out and got thrown atop the back of a Cave Person. Watching them run around the town, they didn’t exactly come across as friendly visitors. But there wasn’t anything I could do about that.

I looked down on the townscape and tried to look for a way to resolve the current crisis, but then I noticed some of my companions looking at me from another rooftop.

Have they come to rescue me? No, I guess not.

I was just desperate for help in any form. Someone as smart as Sitri would probably know a way out of this. I was about to wave at them, but the Cave Person next to me said a few ryu-ryus and jumped through the air. She did a nice pirouette and landed a few dozen meters away, just in front of Liz and the others.

I couldn’t just leave them be, so, begrudgingly, I decided to get off the rooftop. Just as I crouched down, I stopped myself.

What do I do? It’s too high for me to get down. Somebody, help me.

While I was at this impasse, my abductor was waving her arms and yelling at my friends. It seemed she held a special place among the Cave People (it was here that I remembered that only she had those markings on her head) because there were Cave People gathering at the bases of the buildings she and my friends stood atop.

The situation looked like it could escalate at any moment. That Cave Person had abducted me, but she had also protected me on multiple occasions, so I felt a bit of attachment to her. My goal was peace. Looking at the civilization established by the Cave People, I figured they must be almost as smart as human beings. I saw no reason we couldn’t resolve this with words.

I gave up on climbing off the rooftop and instead just shouted. Stop the fighting!

“Ryuu-ryu-ryuu!”

The Cave Person with the markings heard my voice and turned towards me. But before she could say anything, Sitri beat her to the punch.

“Krai, whose side are you on?!” she cried.

“Ryuu?”

I was on her side. What other side could I be on?

“I understand we were squabbling, but that was just a bit of fun! How could you be so quick to replace us with Troglodytes?! You dunce!”

“Ryu-u...”

After saying nothing but “ryu-ryu” for a while, I had gotten in the habit of responding to everything that way.

Dunce. Haven’t heard that word in a while.

“Are you satisfied with that Troglodyte princess?! Will just any girl do? Then aren’t I enough? You womanizer! Fiend! Debt-holder!”

I don’t see how my debt is relevant.

Not only was Sitri out of sorts, but even Liz seemed taken aback. Besides, I didn’t think just any girl would do, I had no idea these Cave People were called “Troglodytes,” and while I suspected she was female, I had no idea this one was a princess.

“So you’re their king?! You wanted to become a king?! You just want to form a country?! You moron!”

King?! I never thought anything like that and I certainly didn’t recall ever becoming one.

The Troglodyte, who was apparently a princess, jumped up and returned to my side. She smiled and hugged me while ryu-ryuing. I really didn’t understand the situation. As always, I had no idea what she was saying. I thought it went without saying that I didn’t see the Troglodyte as a member of the opposite sex, but I guess Siddy saw things differently. She was multilingual, so perhaps she understood the Troglodyte language? But I sure didn’t!

As I tried to figure out a way to clear up any misunderstandings, the princess let out a bizarre cry.

“Ryaa?!”

I was pushed aside and stumbled before falling on my bottom. She was looking down at me with a look of complete shock. I began to look around as I tried to figure out what caused her sudden reaction and then I finally noticed it—my skin was returning to its original color.

“Ryu-ryu-ryu?! Ryu?!” she said.

Aah, the Relic ran out of mana.

Mirage Form was capable of maintaining mirages on its own, but how long that lasted depended on the sort of image being shown. I had fiddled with it for a bit and figured out how long different mirages could go before draining the charge, but that had all completely slipped my mind. I tried rubbing the black bracelet, but my mana wasn’t enough to effectively charge a Relic.

But even though I had been disguising myself with mirages, all I had really done was adjust my hair and skin a tad. I hadn’t changed that much.

“Ryuu,” I said furtively to the princess.

“Ryu, Ryu-u-u-u!”

Nope. Guess not.

With tears streaming down her cheeks, the princess sent me flying backwards with a wave of her hair. I stumbled back helplessly and came to a halt at Sitri’s feet.

“I’m back,” I said.

“Welcome back!” she replied.

Boy, that sure was something.

Even though she had been berating me not too long ago, Sitri’s attitude had turned around and she grabbed my hand and helped me up. This made me realize something quite obvious: humans really were the best company.

“Krai Baby, what were you even doing?” Liz asked with exasperation.

“Couldn’t you tell?”

“Nope.”

Funny you should say that. Neither could I.

“It seems magic and Relics are foreign to Troglodyte culture,” Sitri said.

It then occurred to me that I hadn’t seen them use magic. I hadn’t thought much of it because their very existence seemed like magic to me.

“Ryu-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru-ru!” the princess screamed with trembling shoulders.

All the nearby Troglodytes stood still. The town went quiet and they all looked up at their princess. It was an eerie sight, almost like, well, the calm before the storm.

“She’s saying, ‘The king is dead. Kill them, the warriors, the civilians, bring destruction to them all. Let not a single treacherous surface dweller remain ignorant of our might!’”

“They won’t run even though their king is dead?!” Tino cried.

“Well, considering the circumstances...” Sitri said while glancing in my direction.

Was it strange that what scared me the most wasn’t the current situation or the angry gazes, but the fact that Sitri had been so calm while giving her translation?

The Troglodytes began to roar. They had been calmly marching throughout the town, but now their voices were filled with emotion, a palpable anger. The princess raised an arm and pointed at me. Legions of gold eyes were all directed straight at me.

“Were you looking to fight a bunch of Troglodytes?” Liz asked me. “Is that why you decided to piss them off?”

She was looking at me with wide eyes, but I had never wanted to fight anything. I couldn’t understand why this was happening when all I had wanted was to go on a vacation. But the real victims here were the townsfolk of Suls and for some reason, they were nowhere to be seen.

“No easy way of dealing with such a high number of them. And poison won’t work on them either. Hmm, if only Lucia were here.”

Sitri looked utterly perplexed. Tino stood at the ready, looking noticeably tense. The number of Troglodytes was overwhelming. Among Grieving Souls, wide-area attacks were the domain of Lucia. Liz was powerful, but she attacked with punches and kicks; she wasn’t suited to taking large groups.

I made up my mind. I stepped forward so I was standing a few feet away from everyone else and smiled. I had long ago given up on thinking up a plan. After all, I had never once thought of a sound solution to one of our crises. I had only stepped forward because there was no point in hanging back.

Tino gulped. The Troglodytes were all focused on me; their ire hadn’t dissipated in the slightest. I hadn’t meant to trick them, but I didn’t think they’d forgive me no matter how much I apologized.

Sitri called me. “Krai.”

“It’s fine,” I said.

It wasn’t really fine. I had Safety Rings, but those weren’t going to make much of a difference. I wondered if there wasn’t some way to resolve this with minimal bloodshed.

One after another, the Troglodytes began to leap up and dive at me. Likewise, the princess deftly leaped into the air, heading straight towards me.

I opened my mouth and yelled at the top of my lungs.

“Ryuu-ryuu-ryuu-ryu-ryu!”

And then, as though on cue, the world began to fall apart.

***

The machinations of the Thousand Tricks were beyond any one’s comprehension. In spite of her fairly long association with him, Tino was no exception to this rule. She had absolutely no idea what had led them to reach their current circumstances. But the Smart sisters both seemed just as confused, so maybe her incomprehension was only natural.

Her master stood before them protectively. The fearsome Troglodytes were jumping at him from all angles. He didn’t make a single move, he took no action.

The rooftop he stood on, the incoming Troglodytes, they were all blown away in an instant. Tino just barely managed to withstand the burning wind that blew over her. Her hair and robe were all thrown into disarray.

She frantically tried to evaluate the situation. The surrounding section of the town had been destroyed. The only thing unaffected was her master, standing amid it all. His expression was calm and unconcerned.

Then the world was shaken by a mighty roar.

“RAAAWR!”

A large shadow fell over the ground as a massive figure blocked out the sun. Lizzy’s eyes opened wide. The troglodytes and the princess, who was just missed by the blast, all looked up. Tino felt her cheek twitch.

Red eyes brimming with anger looked down at them. Obstructing the sun’s rays and dominating the skies was a single winged beast, the strongest mythical best in the world—a dragon.

Dwarfing even the rampaging Troglodytes, the dragon up was larger and exerted a far greater presence than the dragon Tino had defeated. Steam billowed out from its slightly opened jaws.

Siddy blinked. “Aah, that’s a mature one. A mature hot spring dragon.”

“It’s huuuge. It might compare to some of the biggest dragons we’ve bagged,” Lizzy said.

“Huh? Huuuh? A hot spring dragon?! A mature one?”

Tino couldn’t believe her ears. Everything about this dragon was different from the one she had brawled with in the hot spring. Even from a distance, she could tell its dark blue skin was rugged and only somewhat similar to that round, ornery dragon from earlier. Not to mention the matter of size and that this dragon was flying through the sky. She knew some mythical beasts changed during the transition into adulthood, but this seemed like a bit much.

The Troglodytes cried out in wavering voices. Even their princess was frozen in place.

“Ryu, ryuu-ryuu-ryuu!”

Tino couldn’t understand what they were saying, but it was clear they were scared. The next moment, the center of the crowd was pummeled by an immense force.

“Dragon’s Breath,” as it was known, was the strongest attack among dragons of all varieties. Destructive energy was formed in the body and expelled from the mouth. Potential force varied depending on the variety of dragon, but all were immensely powerful. There were even legends of entire countries being brought to ruin by a single breath.

The temperature climbed rapidly. Tino recognized the cause. It was steam. It was strange, but perhaps only natural that the breath of a hot spring dragon wouldn’t be fire or ice, but steam. The dragon she dueled had spewed hot water from its mouth, but the dragon up there was an adult.

The Troglodytes looked up at the dragon and broke into a chorus.

“Ryun-ryu-ryuu!”

“It appears that dragon is one of those malevolent gods they were referring to earlier,” Siddy observed.

No matter how large their numbers, Troglodytes couldn’t hope to take down such a powerful sovereign of the skies. The dragon seemed quite upset and it cast a vicious glare across the ground, which caused the Troglodyte princess to dash for cover and hide in Krai’s shadow of all places.

After inhaling deeply, another volley of breath was released. It was aimed straight at Krai. The steam dug into the ground and reduced what remained of the houses to rubble. Tino held back a scream.

Krai didn’t flinch in the face of an attack from one of the world’s strongest creatures. Even after being hit by a potentially lethal attack, he showed no reaction. The hot spring dragon’s sharp eyes bulged when it realized a tiny human being had shrugged off its attack. Krai slowly blinked and looked around.

“Ryu-Ryu-Ryu-Ryu-Ryu-Ryu-Ryu-Ryu?” he said to the Troglodyte hiding behind him.

What could he be saying? Tino didn’t have a clue, but it clearly startled the princess. The Troglodyte blinked rapidly and glanced at Tino’s master, then the dragon, then the other Troglodytes, and finally at Krai once again. She seemed to be ryu-ryuing defensively, but then she frantically began to scream when she saw the dragon readying its breath again.

“Ryun-ryu-ryu, ryuuu!”

Her melodic voice echoed about and the Troglodytes reacted intensely to it. They were pulled from their stupor and fled like scattering spiderlings. They were all headed in the same direction, towards the hole they had come out of.

In a scene reminiscent of a rolling wave, the horde of Troglodytes returned home. They took even their dead comrades with them, leaving not a body behind. Perhaps they planned to memorialize their fallen.

Finally, only the princess remained. With tears in her eyes, she walked up and wrapped her arms around Tino’s dumbfounded master.

“Ryu!” she said, most likely as a farewell, and then went back down the hole from which she came.

Siddy clapped her hands together as though it all made sense now.

“I see. Use the Troglodytes to chase out Barrel, then force the Troglodytes to give up on their conquest by showing them the might of their archenemy. Excellent use of manipulation!”

But this was no time to be so relaxed. They were left with a destroyed town and—

“RAWR!”

A hot spring dragon dissatisfied with its shortage of prey. Now that the Troglodytes were gone, its eyes were settled squarely on Tino and her companions.

H-Hold on, what are we supposed to do about this?!

The dragon had done an excellent job of clearing out the Troglodytes, but no one in their group could fight back against an enemy that could attack from high in the sky. Siddy of course couldn’t do anything to it and the same went for Lizzy too. Humans were creatures that fought with their feet on the ground. Their only hope was Krai.

For the first time, Tino’s master looked upwards at the dragon in the sky. He watched it closely for a brief period, then clapped his hands as though reaching a decision.

The dragon roared again. Glimmering energy gathered in its mouth. The dragon might have routed the Troglodytes, but it would decimate Suls as well if they didn’t do something.

Something. There has to be something we can do, Tino thought as the dragon’s mouth glowed brighter. It seemed this time the winged beast planned to go all out. Tino had absorbed a degree of mana material, but she was no god. She lacked the defense to endure such a powerful attack, even if she had the power of the mask.

Witnessing for the first time the terrifying sight of Dragon’s Breath head-on, Tino’s breathing stopped, her body trembled. Just as the energy was about to be released, a round figure darted out in front of Krai.

“Raaawr.”

It was the hot spring dragon Tino had fought. The one they would have eaten if her master hadn’t shown mercy to it at the last minute. The last time she had spotted it, it was being chased around by members of Barrel. Apparently, it had managed to survive.

With its doe eyes, it looked upwards. The dragon in the sky let out a groan and the energy in its mouth dissipated.

“Raaawr!”

“Their cry. It doesn’t change. Even after reaching adulthood,” Tino mumbled.

Though she wasn’t proud of it, this empty-headed remark was the only thing that came to mind. Through tension and nervousness, she had been sweating constantly and now her robe stuck to her body.

Everyone watched as the sky-blue dragon let out a weak roar. The dragon in the sky made a wide turn and headed back to the mountains. The round dragon looked at Krai, made a small noise, and walked off on its hind legs.

A silence fell over them all.

Tino couldn’t move. Her body ached after her nerves had put her on high alert. She couldn’t believe it. Not too long ago their situation had seemed helpless. It had all developed too quickly and her mind was struggling to catch up. She tried taking a few deep breaths, but her pounding heart wouldn’t calm down.

Lizzy hopped off the roof and ran to Krai. Tino and Siddy followed after.

“Well, that was a blast. You were incredible!” Liz said. She sounded deeply impressed, but Tino found it hard to be so casual.

Just the Troglodyte invasion or the dragon attack alone could have been enough to destroy the town. Yet her master had resolved both crises alone and done it in only ten minutes. Not to mention he did it without using a single sword or spell. He had manipulated two enemies of humanity and then drove them both off. It was as though he had pulled the strings of fate itself. Just what did he see through those beautiful black eyes?

But, Master, if you could, I wish you had caused a little less destruction in the process.

“Ah. Aaah. That really surprised me,” Krai said with feigned ignorance.

“Wonderful work, Krai. It was just what our vacation needed,” Siddy said, with a clap of her hands. It seemed her mood had made a full recovery. Tino had always thought the Smart sisters were incredible for being unshakable, but maybe that was simply necessary for the lives they led.

At last, her heart had calmed itself and she was able to take a moment to look around. The once elegant streets of Suls were now an absolute mess. It was bad enough that bandits had occupied parts of the town, but then Troglodytes had clamored about, and finally, a dragon showed up. A number of buildings had been destroyed and a number of holes dotted the stone-paved streets. It would take some time to rebuild.

It was then that something important occurred to Tino.

“Barrel! I forgot all about them. Master, what about Barrel?”

“Hm? Barrel? What’s that?” Krai asked with a peculiar expression.

Tino didn’t know what to say.

Barrel meant Barrel. The fearsome bandit squad that Lord Gladis had hired a Level 8 hunter to deal with despite his fine knights and distaste for hunters. Perhaps they weren’t as dangerous as Troglodytes and dragons, but they were fearsome in their own right.

She was also concerned about Arnold and the others. Arnold had been treated for the poison and he had a number of allies, including Drink and Killiam, but she still imagined protecting the hostages would have been difficult. And yet Krai seemed completely unconcerned.

And then it hit her.

“Have you perhaps already taken steps to deal with it?” she asked.

“Huh? Yeah, uh-huh.”

Tino’s master wasn’t like Lizzy, he wouldn’t give up on someone because they were weak. She had been through all sorts of ordeals because of his Thousand Trials, but she had no doubts about him on that front. Probably.

“What?! You’ve already made your move? But I wanted to wallop those scumbags myself!” Liz said, sounding genuinely resentful.

When had he made his move? And what sort of move was it? Tino couldn’t even begin to imagine. She anxiously awaited her master’s answer, but he simply yawned.

“I’m kinda tired,” he said. “I didn’t think it would be that hot underground.”

Tino didn’t have the faintest idea what he had been up to, but apparently his only thoughts on this tumult were regarding the temperature. Siddy, who had been lambasting Krai not too long ago, clapped her hands and grinned.

“Good work, Krai,” she said. “Oh, I’ve got an idea! You can leave the rest to me, so why not bathe in a hot spring? I’m certain you’ll be able to have a place all to yourself!”