Volume 5 Chapter 12 Goddess Holy Church Seven Heaven Apostles 'ugly' Balthazar ③ - Felice
While Elk and Soara were walking and eating cookies, Bob and the others, who got separated from Elk, were holding their heads in frustration.
"This is bad... Even if it's our own responsibility, it would feel terrible if someone died in the dungeon."
"Teacher!! Let's search for them!!"
"Yeah. I want to say that, but... wandering around aimlessly won't help us find them. This 'Nest of Insect Poison' is a maze. I've been in it a few times, so I know the way to the exit, but if they went too far ahead, we won't be able to find them."
"Damn it..."
Elwood gritted his teeth.
Janet, who was saved by Elk, was also worried about Elk along with Soara. Of course, she didn't say it out loud.
Kaya stood with her arms crossed, saying nothing.
"...There's no point in waiting. Teacher, let's move on."
"..."
"──Don't say that to your teammates!!"
Elwood crossed his arms, frustration bubbling beneath the surface at Kaya's words.
"Teammates? That's true, but they could become enemies eventually. In this world, it's normal for adventurers to stab each other in the back over treasure in the dungeon. You wouldn't understand that, being a sheltered brat."
"What...!!"
"I'll tell you. When adventurers team up to explore a dungeon, they wear something called a 'Covenant Ring.' If you betray your teammates, you'll suffer from the deadly poison that comes from the ring."
"You..."
"──Stop it!! Seriously, cut it out!!"
Bob interrupted between Elwood and Kaya, scratching his head as he spoke.
"Sure, the Covenant ring is meant to keep us from betraying each other. But now, hardly anyone wears it. If an adventurer goes into a dungeon with friends and only one comes out alive, that person is usually suspected. We high-ranking adventurers don't trust those kinds of people."
""...""
"Right now, we're searching for Elk and the others. For now, we'll search for 2 hours. If we don't find them, we'll head outside the dungeon and report to the academy. We'll ask the investigation team for help."
"That sounds good. Let's go."
"...Tch."
Kaya starts walking, and Elwood follows behind. Bob sighs and gives a light pat on Janet's shoulder, who hasn't said anything.
"Come on, let's go."
"Y-yes. But... do you think we'll find them?"
"...Well, it's tough."
"..."
"If you get lost in a maze-type dungeon, it's really hard to be found. It would take a miracle. And── I don't want to say this, but you'll find out eventually, so I'll tell you. The academy is unlikely to send an investigation team. Every year, a few students go missing during dungeon practice."
"That's..."
"...I don't want to say give up, but be prepared."
"..."
Janet starts walking slowly, and Bob sighs again.
* * *
After that, Bob and the others walked for an hour. They defeated monsters while searching for Elk and the others. But they had no results at all. Elwood clicks his tongue for what feels like the hundredth time.
"Damn... we can't find them at all."
"It can't be helped. In a maze-type dungeon, it's rare to run into other adventurer teams."
"...Hey."
Then, Kaya stops. She covers her face, looking uncomfortable as she says,
"Don't you smell something bad...?"
"Eh? ...Ugh, this is definitely."
Elwood also covers his face.
Janet delicately presses a handkerchief to her face, while Bob sticks out his tongue and waves his hands around, saying, "Gueh!" This is where their different upbringings show.
The source of this rotten smell is ahead.
"Is something rotting? Ugh, that's gross... Wait, this is strange."
Bob frowns after saying it himself.
The 3 of them tilt their heads. But this is where their experience shows.
"Rotting? That's ridiculous... Monsters in dungeons disappear when they die, leaving only magic stones. They can't rot."
"Then, humans?"
Kaya says it casually.
Janet's face turns pale.
"Maybe. But... there shouldn't be any insect monsters around here that have poison strong enough to rot humans. Those kinds usually nest further in."
"So, this smell is..."
"...Everyone, stay alert."
Bob pulls out his axe, and Elwood, Kaya, and Janet also get into a fighting stance.
Slowly, they approach the source of the smell... and enter a large, semicircular space.
What they see there is an incredibly horrifying sight.
"Ahh, ha ha ha ha!! Mmm~~~... what a nice smell!"
A pile of rotting, mushy 'humans' was stacked up.
Their skin had an impossible color, covered in spots, and humans were rolling around, blowing green bubbles from their mouths.
Sitting on top of the pile was a girl who looked like a moth.
The moth-like creature, Felice, was there.
"Ehehe. New prey has arrived~~~!!"
"Everyone, get ready for battle!! This is───... bad news!!"
Bob shouts.
Then, an arrow flies.
"Hm?"
Felice catches the arrow between 2 fingers.
Then, she glares at Janet.
"Who are you? Who are you? Were you trying to hurt me?"
"U-uh..."
Janet shot an arrow.
She wouldn't be scared anymore. It was a strike of determination.
But the moment she was glared at by Felice, that determination started to crumble.
Felice's scales began to scatter throughout the room───....
"Haahhhhh!!"
Kaya spun her naginata, blowing away the scales.
The rotation was on a scale that was normally impossible. It was like the power of a tornado.
Elwood said.
"Skill───..."
"Shiragaki Naginata Technique, 'Spiral Wind'!!"
"Huh? Ughh!?"
A small tornado attacked Felice.
Felice was blown away and crashed into the wall.
Bob whistled, "Oh."
"Body enhancement skill, huh? Not bad."
"Thanks."
'Body Enhancement: Drive'
A skill that temporarily triples physical strength. The enhancement time increases with level.
Currently, Kaya's skill level is 66. 34 more until Skill Evolution.
The maximum enhancement time is 7 minutes. Kaya said to Bob.
"What should we do?"
"...Of course, we run!!"
"Huh... W-we're not going to defeat her?"
"We can't do it alone. Just a hunch!!"
Bob carried Janet and turned back the way they came.
Elwood clicked his tongue in a hurry, and Kaya followed behind.
Then, Felice, who was embedded in the wall, crawled out.
"...I'm angry~♪."
Veins bulged all over her face, and her wings on her back grew larger.
She floated up lightly, grinning with a twisted smile.
"I'm going to kill a lot, a whole lot. I'm done playing. That brat... I'm going to melt her and eat her from the head."
Felice, her face twisted in anger, turned to where Kaya and the others had run away.
"What the heck is this... sludge?"
"Ugh, I think I'm gonna throw up from those cookies."
"Hey, hey, hey, are you okay?!"
From the exit on the opposite side of Kaya, a relaxed voice was heard.
Felice turned her face towards it with a "grin!!"
There stood Elk, wearing a black coat, and Soara, dressed in baggy pajamas.
"Hehehe... first, it's your turn!!"
"Oh, a butterfly, Elk."
"No, that's a moth. Are there bugs like that too... this insect dungeon is really deep."
"I don't like it here..."
"Die!! Bwah!?"
Suddenly!! Felice fell down.
The moment Elk pointed his right hand at Felice, a terrifying pressure weighed down on her.
"G-g-g-gah..."
"Let's go back. I can't handle this sludge space..."
"Y-yeah, Elk. There was a fork in the path over there, right?"
"Yeah. Let's go... here we go."
Push!! Crack, crack, snap!!
The pressure increased, and Felice's body shattered and crushed.
The life that had just begun a few hours ago was fading away.
"Ugh..."
With a splat!! Felice was crushed to death.
What remained was a beautiful, large pink magic stone.
Elk used Telekinesis to pull the magic stone closer, washed it clean with water for mental energy, and handed it to Soara.
"Here, it's for you."
"Is it okay?"
"Yeah. I have one already."
"Wow, thank you. Elk, you're so kind, I really like you."
"O-oh..."
As a slightly sweet atmosphere formed, the two easily brushed Felice aside.
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