CH 187

187 – Moving On, In Various Ways

Stepping out from the bathtub, Milla taps on the Terminal in the living room. Other than being connected to the Net, it is equipped with various convenient functions.

A couple could be seen on the screen.

『Man, at first I was, like “Dude, why are you running?” but I started liking him a lot more when he started fighting. I mean, he beat Aerial, man. That’s crazy. I just couldn’t help but think that, man. Like, dude’s seriously strong.』

『That whole running away thing was also a part of his strategy, right? I mean, summoning uses a stupid amount of Magical Energy, and since he kept calling nothing but strong Monsters like those, it’s totally normal for him to be too tired to fight. Being able to summon in the first place is already amazing. He managed to solve the Sky Garden, his horn’s output is insane, and he even beat Hervor with an ally. What the heck was that thing he did at the end where he filled the whole space with Black Magic? It was amazing how he combined with Bennu, but his ability as a magic-user is just insane. Who the heck is he?』

Milla stared at the screen intently.

「The boyfriend’s vocabulary is rather unfortunate, but the comments from the girlfriend are excellent, so I’m concerned. But I shall assume that she is a rather heavy fanatic. …Yes, I’ll excuse her for now and leave it at that.」

clickity-clack goes the keyboard as Milla types, and then she moves the mouse.

Lately, she’s been devoting any spare time she can find to this task.

She would record every street interview in the news, transfer it into the terminal and edit them.

『If the enemy simply had superior Magical Energy, there is no way those members would have lost. What should be focused on is how he used it and conducted himself.』『The people who predicted that he used up all his Magical Energy in the Fenix fight seemed to have been off the mark… Could one even store that much Magical Energy if they had hundreds of years?』『Every time he called out a Monster, I was excited remembering the last time they were on TV.』『Depending on how you look at it, it’s almost as if the Monsters are disposable or on a suicide mission but, you can tell from how they moved or the lines they said that they did it all willingly for Lemegeton’s sake, which means it was all a strategy that could only have succeeded with mutual trust. It was very entertaining.』etc, etc…

「Fu…fufu…to think that there would be so many who noticed Lemegeton’s brilliance…fufufu.」

Milla let out stifled laughter, different from how she normally presents herself.

I saw the street interviews on TV as well, and it seemed like they found a lot of favorable comments.

But of course, there are harsh opinions among them as well, and you can see all sorts of positive and negative opinions when you scour the Net. The comments section in each of the party’s videos has both comments that praise their brave efforts and those that call them sloppy.

However, overall, I get the impression that a lot of people enjoyed it.

In addition, there has been an increase in interviews with Demi-Humans this time around.

『Being a Black Sorcerer myself, I was very happy that Lemegeton used Black Magic aggressively, perhaps because he, himself, specializes in it. While he is amazing, there were also a bunch of Goblins, right? Black Magic is strong when stacked up like that. That can’t really be done on the Adventurer side, so Black Sorcerers are seen rather negatively… I suppose this is why the Ellie party’s participation isn’t a mystery. Both Lemegeton and Ellie understand the usefulness of Black Magic.』

『Nameless Monsters tend to get kicked aside and never given a second glance, but I felt that the Monsters that survived in the Demon King Castle proved the worth of each and every Monster that was defeated and that…that moved me.』

『It was worth watching the Raid Battle just to see the current Demon King…so strong…so small…gasp A-anyway, the Chief of Staff can even summon the Demon King…?』

And so on. Seeing the bright expressions of the Demi-Humans who saw the Defense made me well up with emotions.

『Suck my blood, Carmilla~』

「Tsk…who’d want your blood. I sucked Hervor’s blood out of necessity, so I had decided to bend my conviction.」

I think it’s about time I said something.

「Uhm…Milla? The bath is ready.」

「…??!!」

Milla was shocked out of her trance and looked at me.

「I-I just gop oup…!」

Looks like she bit her tongue.

「I-I just got out.」

By the way, I take a bath first. It’s kinda embarrassing for someone to go in before me. She…suggested going in together before, so ever since then, I decided that I’d go in first.

「I-I see… Um, then…well… I’ll…be taking a bath.」

「Y-yes.」

Milla smiled gracefully while her face was red, and she slowly stood up.

「Oh, that’s right. Is it alright if I use the Terminal as well?」

「Oh, of course. This is your apartment, after all. What do you plan to use it for, if I may ask?」

「Just thought I’d check my mail.」

I’ve been keeping in touch with the people I’m indebted to in the Raid Battle recently.

The Silver Hero Nicola, who was the Silver Sands Strong Arm Berith.

The Hunter Lily, who was the Archer of the Deep Woods Stolas.

The Flame Hero Fenix, who was the Immortal Demon Bennu.

In addition, each member of the Elementary Level – Beginner’s Dungeon, the Undefeated Hero Ellie and so on.

「…If it isn’t too much trouble, may I join you?」

「Huh? No…not at all, but all these messages are written for me, though.」

「You’re right. In that case, I shall gaze at the expression on your face as you read them.」

「…I wonder what you can conclude from that.」

「Ufufu.」

「W-well…sure. If you’re fine with that.」

I looked over my mail. Milla pulled up a chair and was observing my expression.

After a brief check, my expression twists.

「Urgh…」

「Lem? Whatever is the matter?」

「Oh, it’s nothing. Just a mail from my mom.」

「Your mother? The person who gave birth to Lem…in other words…God…?」

「She’s just a regular person.」

「…By your expression just now…do you not have a good relationship with her?」

「I wonder about that. Well, I turned out to be a Black Sorcerer, and there were a lot of things.」

「…I…see.」

「Oh, it’s not like we don’t talk at all or something. It’s just not a happy story.」

「If it’s about you, Lem, I wish to know every detail.」

All I can do is nod at such a straight and honest reply.

「A-alright. Well, where should I start?」

The relationship between me and my parents is not perilous. First off, let me set the scene.

Everything was perfectly fine till my Job was identified. My parents were excited to see what the future of their son could be, and I was happy believing that I would be a Hero.

Then…I turned out to be a Black Sorcerer.

My parents were in despair. Well, the treatment of Black Sorcerers is already that bad.

But it’s even worse being a Black Sorcerer in the countryside. Because you can’t contribute to living in the countryside.

It can be used for hunting, but even then, it’s difficult unless you’re a good caster.

However, my parents did not throw their son out the door. They tried desperately to find me work.

However, their son did not give up on becoming a hero. On the contrary, I started talking about going to the School. Actually, I was training under my master, but things were complicated, so I had to tell them a lie.

I persuaded them by telling them how Fenix promised to definitely form a party with me, and then finally gave me permission.

Since becoming an Adventurer, I have not contacted them much. I haven’t even returned home once.

Occasionally I’d get a message, but I just write a brief reply back.

「-and that’s how it is. They contacted me when I left the party, but thanks to you, Milla, I was able to reply to them, saying that I had found a new place to work and am doing fine. So there’s no issue.」

「…I see. Uhm, so what does the letter pertain to this time?」

「Ah, continuing to blur where exactly I work, she’s saying『We got in touch with Fen and we will be visiting.』…Oh, Fen is what she calls Fenix…whatever.」

It appears that Fenix apologized to my parents when I left the party.

It isn’t his fault, but he probably recalls that he managed to persuade my parents by telling them that we would form a party together.

Looks like my parents don’t blame him either. Actually, I think he keeps in touch with my parents more than I do.

「Your parents are coming here?」

「Nah, I’ll probably end up going to them… She wrote about something interesting.」

「Something interesting…you say?」

「…Yeah, my mom is saying that an Original Dungeon has sprung up near the village.」

「Wha-」

Milla’s surprise is understandable.

A Dungeon is a Magical Energy space created with the Magical Energy gathered by the Dungeon Core.

Dungeon Cores were created by a race that is considered to be extinct, so reproduction is impossible.

You could say that all Dungeons that function completely by a Dungeon Core are man-made Dungeons.

The first-ever things to be called Dungeons were natural occurrences. Things like castles, or underground labyrinths that popped up overnight.

As a Spirit with a will of its own approaches a natural reservoir of Magical Energy, A Dungeon can be made with or without an idea.

This doesn’t have a stable Magical Energy absorption system like a Dungeon Core, and it could disappear in the blink of an eye.

However, the amazing thing about Original Dungeons is that whatever is produced inside it can be taken out of the Dungeon without it disappearing.

Magical Energy produced by the Dungeon Core cannot be used once taken out of the Dungeon.

On the other hand, Original Dungeons are created by the will of a Spirit using natural Magical Energy, so such a restriction does not exist.

Furthermore, there have been instances where the Spirit would use this Magical Energy to grant the wish of whoever traverses the Dungeon and reaches it.

「It seems that the country is already making moves, so even if I went, I wouldn’t be able to do anything but…they’re still my parents.」

「Y-you’re right. I’m sure that you would be worried, and I’m sure you would feel relieved if you go there.」

It’s not like I can do anything, but it’s important to just see how they are.

「The tenth stratum is still being repaired, so I’ll be departing tomorrow. I need to get in touch with her Highness, but maybe you could tell her for me? Ah, I have to tell Cashew too. I’ll give her a visit before I leave…」

I replied telling my mom that I’ll be there soon, then I got up to start getting ready.

「Uh-uhm, Lem…!」

As if mustering all her courage, Milla calls out.

「What is it?」

I stop in my tracks and look at her. Milla’s face was bright red.

「I-if it’s quite alright, I would like to go with you…!」

「Huh?」

「I-I would like to greet your parents.」

「Huh?」

Isn’t that…

「Is…is that a no?」

I have absolutely no defense Techniques against a line like that.

「It’s…not a no.」

I agreed to it before I knew it.

Milla’s face immediately brightened up.

「I-in that case, I shall start preparing immediately.」

Just as she started to move, there was a sound from the entrance. A knock on the door.

「…Who could it be at this hour?」

「I’ll get it.」

I head towards the front door.

「Is Sir Lem in?」

I know that voice… If I’m not mistaken, it’s Fellow’s.

Her Highness’s father.

Opening the door, I see his red hair and the same horns as both her Highness and my master. It really is him.

「Long time no see…except not really. Good evening, Fellow.」

「Ahaha, indeed, good evening. There is much I wish to discuss, but there is something I wish to talk about urgently.」

With those words, his mysteriously vast personal connections and negotiating skills, and the mail from my mom…

I tried saying the first thing that came to my mind.

「Is it about the Original Dungeon?」

His eyes opened wide in mild surprise.

「Oho, word travels fast.」

「…It’s in my hometown.」

「This I know. I wish to urgently discuss this matter with you.」

「….Please, come in.」