Chapter 11 – Twins and Dungeons (7)
Twin sisters and two men who have just finished a battle in the first floor area of the depths, which consists of cold walls, floors, and ceilings made of iron plates and cogs.
Merim’s party was taking a break while securing a safe area, and Finn, who was slightly injured, took out a potion.
ㅡgulp gulp…
“Whoa… ! The potion Mr. Roden sells is effective as well, but it doesn’t have the astringent taste peculiar to potions, so it’s much easier to drink.”
As Finn, with a more relaxed face, gave an evaluation of the potion, the twin sisters nodded side by side, adding one word at a time.
“That’s right~ All the potions I’ve been drinking so far have been like swallowing crushed grass.”
“How can I say, it feels like drinking cool water, right?”
On the other hand, Altaf, who was crouching in a remote place and looking down at the monster he had just defeated, was tapping the remains of the monster with his dagger.
“At first, I was dubious, but it was true that these guys’ weak points were their backs.”
“In my case, I practiced dying by hitting the opponent’s head or stomach with magic, but this time I’m aiming for the back, so it’s rather difficult, isn’t it?”
The monsters scattered on the floor are automatic dolls made of clockwork that imitate the appearance of humans.
“It was strangely human-like and had a strange voice, so it was very frightening… ．The monsters on the ground were also in human form, so it didn’t feel very good. Do all monsters in other dimensions feel like this?”
“I agree with the opinion that it’s creepy. Well, even so, the iron sticks attached to the backs of these monsters are selling at a high price, so the motivation to hunt naturally rises.”
Continuing the conversation, the party naturally finished their rest and began to collect the loot. It is a fairly large spring attached to the back of the automaton.
“To think that, on average, 6 or 70 coppers per one of these… According to rumors, this piece of iron is mixed with rare metal, so it is sold at such a high price.”
“Rare metal?!”
When the word rare metal, which comprehensively refers to rare metals such as orichalcum, mithril, and adamantium, which are difficult to see in a normal way, popped out of Altaf’s mouth, the rest of the party widened their eyes.
“Is that real?”
“I don’t even know if it’s true or not. I’ve only heard rumors that it’s true. After hearing more closely, there are some guys who are collecting as much as possible without selling it right away.”
“Hmm… For now, it would be good to collect as much as you can.”
By the time you’ve recovered most of the loot… The clockwork of the automaton that Marill had approached, with only the torso remaining, suddenly started.
〈 Kkigigigg-! Aircraft damage! Aircraft damage! I’m going to go to the middle of the day! Intruder detection! Arm blade open!! 〉
The automaton, which moved its body around and made a voice that sounded like scratching iron, took out a blue blade from its wrist and jumped at Maril with only the strength of its upper body!
“Kyaaaaa!!”
Caang-! Reflexively swinging her buckler to slash the automaton that was about to attack her, Marill slammed the buckler’s shield blade down several times, completely crushing her automaton.
“Maril! Are you okay?! Where are you hurt?”
Merim immediately ran to her sister and quickly took out her potion.
“Uh, yes. I’m just a little surprised. You can put the potion back.”
“These monsters can move even if half of their bodies are blown off… ．From now on, everyone should be careful.
—-By the way… !!!
The mainspring of the automaton that hit Marill stopped completely, and at the same time, a large crack appeared in front of the feet of the party. This is the entrance to the second floor of the inner world.
“Look, it looks like you filled in the numbers with the guy Marill squashed a while ago.”
The twin sisters and Altaf looked at Finn, the head of the party, and Finn, who had been thinking for a while with his arms crossed, raised a serious voice.
“It seems that it has been a little over 10 hours since we entered the dungeon. How about sleeping here and moving before entering the second floor?”
There was no objection. Although it was a little premature, it was decided that it would be advantageous in many ways to move after resting in a safe area as it is now.
The twin sisters and the two men, who began to take out their camping equipment, decided to set up an order of vigil.
* * *
“Roxia, let’s just eat outside today too.”
At the same time, Roden and Loxia, who had finished their day by operating the automatic blender as usual, were cleaning up.
“I’ve been eating out more often lately. Master.”
‘Actually, cooking with the master is a little more enjoyable, but… You shouldn’t dare say something like me.’
“Since work ends a little late more often, we eat out a little less often. Shall we go to a restaurant we haven’t been to today?”
“Yes, I like it.”
After changing clothes in their respective rooms, the two of them walk out side by side in the direction of downtown with the shop door locked.
“Master. What are Merim and Marill doing right now?”
As we walked slowly through the dark city, Roxia, who had been following close to Roden, brought up a story about her twins.
“Assuming you set off for the dungeon in the morning, I think you should be preparing for camping soon. Unless you’re an idiot, you should have prepared and set off in advance so that you can rest at least once in the middle of exploring.”
Based on his experience as an adventurer, Roden’s guess was almost correct. In fact, Merim’s party is setting up a vigil right now.
“… Will you both return safely?”
“Listen, I heard that the other two colleagues are in the same grade as them.
‘Especially, a friend named Finn, the party leader, said that he was a man who had accumulated a lot of trust and experience as an adventurer to the extent that he would soon rise to the silver rank… ‘
Roden, who turned her head towards her Loxia, mentioned her book that Marill had lent her.
“Moreover, I must come back at least to get that old book back. By the way, even at work today, he seemed busy reading the book whenever he had time… You seem to be having a lot of fun with that too.”
“Ahaha… ，Actually, I read it like crazy last night and went to sleep a little late. By the way, the last scene I read was the part where the hero was going to face the king of beastmen in the final match.”
‘It must have happened when I was in an arena with the 狼帝… ．I wonder if that uncle is doing well right now.’
In the scene where the girl next to her was reading, Roden recalled her old relationship and opened the door to the restaurant she arrived with.
At the tables in the restaurant, which is neither large nor small, the passengers who have settled down first seem busy passing alcohol and snacks down their throats while chatting among themselves.
“Here you go.”
The two of them sat in a suitable seat and ordered a meat-based dish and alcohol from a busy-looking waiter.
“You waited a long time. Enjoy your meal.”
Not long after, the waitress returned to the two people talking and slowly put the food on the table one by one.
The food spread out on the table and the smells from the tables around it mix wildly, stimulating the sense of smell.
The smoked meat on the white plate was sizzling as if begging him to eat it as quickly as possible, and the beer glass filled to the brim with overflowing bubbles was expected to be swallowed.
As they had already talked enough, the two of them took up the tableware without saying anything and started cutting the meat in front of them into bite-size pieces.
Unlike the first time he met her, Roden felt strange when he saw Roxia, who was able to use a fork and knife skillfully.
“Now I can use cutlery tactfully, and I can still clearly see her picking it up with her hand and stuffing it into her cheek like a squirrel.”
Recalling the day she first met her master, Roxia let out a crawling voice with her face flushed like a carrot.
“Main… ,Master… ．Please don’t talk about that time anymore…”
“I couldn’t bear to promise to quit because the reaction was so interesting.”
“Oooooh…”
Roden, who has a slightly immature side, often makes fun of the girl in this way whenever she has dinner with Loxia, one of the joys of her life.
After watching Roxia puffing out her cheeks, Roden picked up a glass of beer full of her foam and enjoyed the coolness down her throat.
“Puha!”
‘This kind of beer is more hearty than expensive alcohol.’
Roden, who wiped her mouth with pleasure, felt Roxia’s envious gaze as he sipped her juice in the seat opposite her.
“Among the food that I eat together, the only alcohol my master won’t let me eat is… Is it that delicious?”
“It’s more of a taste that makes you feel good rather than delicious. Do you want to drink it too?”
“… Yes.”
Seeing Roxia nodding her head, Roden smiled at her and put the beer mug she was holding in her hand…
“Unfortunately not yet.”
While pretending to hand it over, she swallowed the contents inside.
This child is still young. Of course, Roxia is old enough to have her coming-of-age ceremony in this world where her standards of adulthood have been advanced a lot, but… In terms of the world he originally lived in, he only looked like a fresh student in a school uniform.
“Keuhehe, it seems to me that it is too early for you to drink.”
“Then, since when is it okay to drink side by side with Master?”
“Hmm…”
How much would be appropriate… ? Roden put down her beer glass and measured her estimate as she looked at the girl in front of her.
After gently scratching her chin for a while, Roden raised two fingers in front of Roxia’s eyes: his middle and index fingers.
“About two years should be enough. No more, no less. Two years from now. I’ll make you drink from then on.”
“Something feels long.”
“Even if it feels like a long time right now, looking at it in hindsight, about two years is an instant. Let’s go home now.”
“Yes!”
After finishing the calculations, the two stood up and started going home.
