Ihoujin, Dungeon ni Moguru - Chapter 257: Lemuria's Heir III

「Here」

I took out my backup purse.

「Aahh?」

Yukikaze, who was furious, became even angrier.

We had changed locations and were at the back door of the store.

If I tried to negotiate with this girl in the store, there was a chance that Arianne would discover us. I didn’t want Tyutyu or Shigure to hear the details of the request either.

My head hurt, but not enough to kill me, so I ignored it.

「Don’t get me wrong. This is the money I got from Arianne」

It’s not all of it, but I’ve been saving it by pinching pennies with my living and alcohol expenses. I had been tempted to multiply it through gambling, but I’m well aware of how bad my luck is.

By the way, my attempts at imitating rats had earned so little that it was a mere drop in the bucket.

「30 gold coins……that’s not much. She gave you more than this, isn’t that right?」

Yukikaze had a solid grasp of things.

It’s none of your business. Sure, if you include the cost of my medical treatments, she has given me more than that, but I’ll pay her back in due course, when I get a chance. I do have the desire to pay her back.

「So, are you trying to bribe me with this money?」

「Give it to Arianne when the time comes. She’ll never accept it from me」

「That’s true, she’s that kind of person. You say “when the time comes”, but when exactly is that?」

「Well, when I’m gone or something」

「Are you going somewhere?」

「One of these days, very far away. I won’t cause your party member any trouble」

Depending on how things go, it might even be tomorrow.

「………………Hmmm」

She peered at me with suspicion.

Nevertheless, she accepted the money.

「What’s your request about?」

Oh, she agreed to it rather easily.

「Don’t get carried away. I don’t trust you. I’m only going to hear you out because Tyutyu asked me to. Make no mistake about it」

「Yeah, yeah」

She’s not cute at all. There’s not one shred of affability in her.

And yet, strangely enough, I don’t dislike her. Is she the type of woman I’m into? That’s absurd.

「You’re tight-lipped, I assume?」

「Of course, that’s the basics of doing business」

That’s true.

「I want to save a princess imprisoned inside the dungeon」

I can’t tell her about Arianne’s troubles. The same goes for the negotiation with the【Beastkin Alliance】. That’s why I’m cutting straight to the chase.

「Huh?」

「She’s called Lanseal and as I understand it, she’s Lemuria’s heir」

「No, she’s someone I know though」

「You’re acquainted with her, huh?」

That’s a great help.

Because I have no idea what she looks like.

「What are you going to do with her after rescuing her?」

「A certain force will take her under their protection. I can’t tell you any more than that」

「………………」

Yukikaze stared straight at me.

She’s trying to read my inner thoughts from my reactions.

She seems to be very experienced in negotiations. She’s not her party’s leader for nothing, it seems. That said, she shouldn’t be able to read my innermost thoughts. I have nothing in me to be read.

「You’re not thinking of anything at all, are you?」

She’s hit the nail on the head.

「A spur-of-the-moment person who does things on the fly. Ari is a terrible judge of men, huh?」

I have no words to refute her with.

「I’d like to say no, but it’d be troublesome if you bring this request to someone else and things go wrong. Fine. I’ll accept your request」

「How marvelous」

「Ah?」

「No, I couldn’t help it」

It had slipped out unconsciously.

I’m just really impressed by how clever and perceptive she is. She’s a good woman, a worthy adventurer.

「That’s an interesting story」

Suddenly, a voice came from above, followed by a person alighting on the ground.

『Huh?』

Yukikaze’s voice and mine rang out in harmony.

It was an elf wearing loose-fitting clothes and a sword. It was the crazy elf who had attacked me the previous day.

「I thought I might get to eavesdrop on a lover’s tiff, but I didn’t expect that it would be about my old friend’s daughter. Count me in」

「Hang on, Melm. You really have terrible hobbies, you know that?」

「I have a good face though」

He turned to Yukikaze with a wide, arrogant smile.

「Aaah, whatever. Old guys who are the furthest thing from a gentleman are out of the question for me」

He doesn’t seem to suit Yukikaze’s preferences.

I’m very relieved. I don’t know why I feel relieved, but I’m very relieved.

「The women who dislike me initially all say similar things about me, that I’m frivolous, not very popular, and not trustworthy, but those things quickly turn into what attracts them to me」

「And when exactly does that happen? The seasons have changed since I first met you though」

「Then tomorrow, no, maybe even today, let’s go to a nice inn and get a room――――――」

I grabbed the elf by the face.

「What the hell are you doing?」

「You’re pissing me off, so I made it so that I at least don’t have to look at your face」

「Get your filthy hand off me」

「Just get to the point」

If I have to look him in the face and listen to him any longer, I feel like I’m going to slash at him.

「Hmpt」

He swatted my hand away roughly.

「Lanseal is “under the protection” of the Adventurers’ Guild. In secret, inside the dungeon」

「What’s with that? I had no idea though」

「I don’t know if there’s something nefarious or embarrassing that needs to be kept secret, or if being secretive is exactly what she herself wants. I was thinking of ascertaining that if the opportunity arose. If you’re going, Yukikaze, then I’ll go with you」

「You’re not going to go if it’s just me?」

「Of course not, you fool. Why the hell do I have to explore the dungeon alone with a guy?」

「I feel the exact same way」

「I see, that’s so creepy of you」

I can’t. I just can’t. I can’t stand this guy on a genetic level.

With a fed-up look on her face, Yukikaze turned to the shitty elf.

「Melm, I have a question for you though」

「I’ll answer anything. If I’m paid the appropriate compensation」

Stop it with that infuriating smile.

「What will you do after you’ve ascertained that?」

「If the Adventurers’ Guild is keeping Lanseal imprisoned against her will, I’ll cut down everyone who gets in her way. If Lanseal is there of her own volition, I’ll get in the way of this man here. By the way, Yukikaze, I’ll treat you as the victim of this idiot, so don’t worry」

「You know, I’m just a hired hand, so I have no say in making that decision though?」

Yukikaze gave me a sideways glance.

What should I do? Will this elf be of any use, I wonder? In the sense that he’s someone I can betray without hesitation in a pinch, he’s useful, I suppose.

「Hmpt, there’s nothing to worry about」

The elf continued in a super arrogant manner.

「I, an accomplished adventurer and the king of Heures Forest, is offering to help. Even the smallest of small fry should be deeply grateful. There’s no point in being considerate towards another man, but you can just chalk it up to “we share a common interest”. The thought of taking advantage of you in any way is unthinkable to me」

I really~ want to turn him down.

「Yukikaze」

「What, why are you being so familiar with me?」

But all I did was call her by her name…… In her own way, this one also has an attitude problem.

「You’ve known this elf for a long time, I assume? Is he of any use?」

「His skills are as good as they come. Just his skills though」

「My face is―――――」

「Yukikaze will be the one who makes all the decisions during the request. If you agree to this condition, I’ll hire you」

The elf’s boasting about his face got canceled[1].

This elf will definitely not heed anything I say. Seeing as he likes to act cool in front of women, he may obey Yukikaze. It does depend on her skill as a leader though.

「………Fair enough. A good man always respects a woman’s opinion」

Despite his words, he seemed reluctant to agree.

「Are you fine with it as well, Yukikaze?」

「If Melm doesn’t listen to me, I’ll kick him to the curb at my discretion」

「At that time, I’ll help you」

「Alright, it’s decided then」

And then, the elf, with a smug expression……

「Lanseal is on the 40th floor. The name of that floor is Urovalus, the City of Ghosts. You fledglings, make sure you get a good look at the skills of an experienced and strong adventurer」

……immediately began acting like he was in charge.

………………I’m filled with unease.

[1] In fighting games, there are certain frames in attack animations where you can “cancel” into another move. I get the feeling that’s what the author is referencing here, so I’ve left it as-is instead of saying that his boasting got cut off.

Well well well, a reason to go into the dungeon. I mean, Souya’s fate is intrinsically linked with the dungeon, so that’s going to happen sooner or later. And it’s a place we’re familiar with. Wait, I seem to remember saying something about that place recently…something about a horn…

Kekeke, stay tuned!