The anomaly in Dungeon X. The connection to the war that occurred one hundred twenty years ago. When I finished explaining the possibility of this being a sign of the resurrection of the Demon Lord, Laruway-chan had a complicated expression.
That’s understandable.
It’s natural for her to have such an expression. After all, Laruway-chan doesn’t really have any particular stance towards the Demon Lord. She just so happens to be a member of the demon race.
And so, I left the basement to give Laruway-chan some breathing room. I went upstairs to the kitchen and poured some juice into a glass. Just ordinary fruit juice.
I returned to the basement with two glasses in hand.
Laruway-chan was sitting on the hard floor, looking settled. It seemed like something was peeking out from under her gothic-style skirt, but I didn’t pay it any mind.
I sat opposite Laruway-chan and offered her a glass. Then I spoke.
“Sorry. I should have brought down chairs or something.” (Saburo)
“Hmm? It’s fine. We can’t afford to arouse suspicion, right? This is just an unused storage room, after all. Isn’t that right?” (Laruway)
“Yeah. That’s the impression I was going for.” (Saburo)
“That’s fine then. I don’t want to cause trouble for Saburo.” (Laruway)
Laruway-chan held the glass with both hands and sipped the juice little by little. It was childish, but it suited Laruway-chan. And it was cute.
I also drank the juice, following Laruway-chan’s lead. …It was quite sour. Yet, it had a definite sweetness to it. The aftertaste was refreshing, and I liked it. That’s why I always made sure to have some in stock.
After drinking about half of it, Laruway-chan continued.
“I understand the situation. So, what about Saburo? What’s you’re position?” (Laruway)
“Unfortunately, I got assigned into the investigation team.” (Saburo)
“…I see. Heading towards Dungeon X then? Are you bringing your companions?” (Laruway)
“My party is absent. Instead, I am going with two other promising parties. To be honest, I don’t think my abilities are needed. From what I’ve observed, they seem quite capable. Their leaders are also heroes.” (Saburo)
“Hmm. Then why not take a break and play with me? What do you say, Saburo? I’ll teach you the fun of games. Hehe.” (Laruway)
“I already know about that, so it’s fine. …But if I could escape, I would. I’m not in a position to escape.” (Saburo)
“Ah. Come to think of it, Saburo was also a hero… Nevertheless, if it’s related to the resurrection of the Demon Lord, things will undoubtedly get dangerous.” (Laruway)
“Yeah, you’re right.” (Saburo)
“Ah, well. It can’t be helped. I’ll lend you a hand.” (Laruway)
Alright! I’ve been waiting for those words! I clapped my hands with a smile.
*Pan!*
The sound made Laruway-chan briefly widen her eyes in surprise.
But soon after, she narrowed her eyes, like an adult looking at a child.
“You’re still as easy to read as ever, Saburo.” (Laruway)
“Well, you know. Being straightforward is my strong suit.” (Saburo)
“By the way, how do you want to proceed? What’s the plan?” (Laruway)
“Hmm… I don’t know. For now, you can just move as you like.” (Saburo)
“As I like, huh? I like the sound of that.” (Laruway)
“By the way, are you sure about this?” (Saburo)
“Hm? Sure about what?” (Laruway)
“If this really is related to the resurrection of the Demon Lord, wouldn’t Laruway-chan’s actions be like going against her own kind?” (Saburo)
This fact is obvious without even needing to ask. What she’s doing would undoubtedly be an act of defiance to her own kind.
Is Laruway-chan really okay with that? Is she really fine?
I concentrated and observed Laruway-chan closely.
I observe that expression. I observe the gestures. I observe the movements of the eyes. I observe the faint movements of the body. There’s something to understand by observing this closely. Even if someone says “I’m okay” with words, there are times when they’re not really okay. And I have the keen eyes to see through their true feelings. So, I wonder how Laruway-chan will answer my question.
Laruway-chan smiled.
“This is one of the reasons why I was on the verge of death in that cave… But don’t worry, Saburo. I can’t go into detail because it would cause trouble, but the truth is, I don’t have any friends among the demon race to begin with.” (Laruway)
Her smile seemed fleeting.
I close my eyes for just two seconds.
…Yeah. There’s no mistake. There was no lie in Laruway-chan’s words. It was the truth. I understood that well. And I open my eyes.
“I see.” (Saburo)
“…Is that all? No words of comfort or encouragement?” (Laruway)
“Comfort? Heh. I don’t think you want that, Laruway-chan.” (Saburo)
“Well, yeah. I don’t like anything forced.” (Laruway)
“I know, I know. Because we’re friends. Above all, because we’re comrades.” (Saburo)
We gaze at each other and share a small laugh. We understand each other. We connect with each other. That’s all conveyed in our current conversation and laughter.
Then Laruway-chan finishes the juice in her glass. I followed suit and emptied my glass.
Laruway-chan licks her lips with her tongue and then continues.
“Well then, I should start preparing too. It’s about time for me to take my leave.” (Laruway)
“Yeah. Sorry for dragging you into something weird.” (Saburo)
“What? It’s too late for that. Saburo, you always get me involved in weird things. I’m used to it. Besides, it’s not a bad feeling to be relied upon by a friend.” (Laruway)
“Thank you. Well, once things settle down, let’s play some games. I’m also interested in that FPS.” (Saburo)
“Hmm. I won’t go easy on you, you know? Can you really keep up?” (Laruway)
“Unfortunately, games are my forte. Always have been. I don’t know why exactly, but maybe I just have a good sense for it. Master Kisaragi said it’s because my eyes are sharp, but I don’t really understand the logic behind it. Why would having good eyesight directly correlate with gaming skills?” (Saburo)
Laruway-chan stood up and returned to the red magic circle. I stood up as if seeing her off.
As she was leaving, she left some final words.
“Saburo. If this really is a precursor to the resurrection of the Demon Lord, then there must be another entity involved.” (Laruway)
“Another entity? Like who?” (Saburo)
“Those who are moving to resurrect the Demon Lord are ferocious. Be careful, Saburo.” (Laruway)
“…Well, I’ll just have to be careful.” (Saburo)
“They’re also known as Devils. If you ever encounter them—as a mere human, you’ll never be able to win. So, for the sake of your life, run.” (Laruway)
TL Notes:
Thanks for reading!
Oh man, I hope we don’t across any Devils or anything during the investigation.
In that last line, Laruway called them demons but used a different word. I just translated it as Devil otherwise it would get confusing.
Footnote:
- None