Published at 25th of March 2019 11:40 pm

Chapter 12 - Abnormal Situation

Dawn of the next morning.

I wake up at 6 o’clock, all due to the habit from childhood.

When I was in the western-style house, I woke up early in the morning and after doing the morning training, I had my breakfast.

I can go outside the city for morning practice, but I’m not confident whether I will be able to return back……

It’s alright, from now on the morning practice will be when I have time.

My living environment has changed, so I can’t keep the daily life routine as same.

I should adapt myself here.

And I’m going to Guild with Elk today to sell the raw materials. I will at that time leave the city and if I didn’t come back, then I’m sorry.

But there is not much change in my free time, so I decide to do some normal warm-up.

While remembering the lyrics of that song that played on the radio in the morning at 6 o’clock.

……No good. I forgot it!

It’s natural. The last time I head it was when i was working at a part-time job in the neighbourhood association during my second year of junior high……it’s already 20 years.

☆☆☆

I somehow kill 1 hour and at 7 am which is also the breakfast time, I head into the dining hall and an unexpected situation was waiting for me.

“Eh, Elk left already?”

“Yea, early in the morning. Ah, she said me to hand over a letter to you.”

When I enter the dining hall, Tanya-chan came running to me and informed about the situation.

I take the letter. Er, so what is written here……what?

“ ‘You see, today I promised some of my adventurer friends to go to a dungeon. They came early in morning and now it’s too late to reject them.’ and as such is written in letter and after writing the letter she also said that ‘it feels awkward to wake up the sleeping Minato-san.’”

“Yeah, I see. Thank you Tanya-chan for explaining it to me in simple language.”

But, now I don’t even need to read the letter.

Still let’s read it,

Looks like she had plans to go to a dungeon with those ‘adventurer friends’ before noon.

But one of those friends said something like ‘I found a great information. So let’s go to the dungeon right now’, and in a hurry she left with them.

That’s why, she wants me to do the selling of raw materials today or postpone it till tomorrow.

Just how early did she wake up.

And Tanya-chan too who heard that message and also took the letter.

“Fufufu, though I look like this, I’m pretty strong in morning. And it’s natural to go to market for buying ingredients at 4 o’clock. That is one of the secrets for the good quality of the food in this inn.”

I see, so for getting the fresh and good quality ingredients, she does a lot of work. She is young but she is really dependable.

I though she only had the character of girl full of spirit, but now my opinion about her improved.

While being impressed, I eat the breakfast compiled of Bread and Soup and Bacon and eggs.

It’s not much but it’s good.

“Well that aside. Minato-san? Did you have any fun last night?”

“Wh, hey, a girl shouldn’t say something like that.”

Tanya-chan asks such a thing with a grin on her face.

No, I didn’t had any fun.

So this is her true character after all.

Unfortunate for you, I didn’t get out of room after I went in.

“Hmm~, People like Minato-san are rare nowadays who are serious and mostly uninterested in things.”

“Is that so? I think it’s normal”

“It’s not like that. Generally the male adventurers are violent and egoistic. Sometimes, they even do sexual harassment while I’m working. Well, now I’m used to it.”

Now that I think about it, there are many people like them as adventurers even in Web Novels I have read.

In fact, it might be natural for them to do what they want to in the night as they spend their whole day in dungeons fighting the demons. Though, I have doubts whether the sexual harassment is also needed.

“In worst cases, there are also people who say ‘I’ll pay you, give me some nighttime service’. Geez, If they want to have fun with women, it’s good if they go to the red-light district. Ah, would Minato-san want me to give you pleasure at night?”

“Haha, no-no, you’re charming and beautiful, but that is just too much.”

I do uphold my morals. And her outward appearance also is a major factor.

She is good-looking and is in her growth period……but spreading my son in front of a girl who looks like middle school student is a little……

Anyhow, so this place has a ‘Red-light district’ here……

I did had hunch that it might be here.

“……(*grin*)”

“…………What!”

“Um, Minato-san, have you been told that you’re too easy to read.”

“……Well many people I’ve met have told me.”

Including the previous life.

I got scared seeing Tanya-chan’s face which looked like a child who just got an interesting toy. But if I pay heed to it and start explaining it, it won’t be like putting oil in fire but it will be like putting gasoline in fire and so I won’t pay any heed to it.

“Fufufu, well Minato-san is also a man? Ah, but Minato-san is sometimes too much obedient, that’s why don’t get involved with nasty people when you go there? recently there also rumours about kidnapping.”

“Hmm…, Is that so? What sort of rumour is it?”

“This is just what I’ve heard? They pretend to faint in the street and act like as if the person who saved them had met them due to a coincidence. Then they lead their saviour to the trap where the other kidnappers are waiting. They then take all the valuables and in the end also sell off the person. Really Scary~”

……Hmm, now this truly is scary.

I eat the breakfast while talking with her and slowly the dining hall starts to get crowded. Looks like other adventurers woke up.

And then Tanya-chan returns to work. Talking time finished.

Well then, shall I sell the raw materials by myself. It isn’t much amount that I can’t carry.

However, isn’t Elk trusting me just too much. I met her yesterday only. Did she never thought that I will run off with the money I will get from the selling of raw materials.

……Well not like I will do it.

Well then, I will sell the raw materials after I finish eating.

☆☆☆

(POV Changes to Elk)

When I woke up in the morning, all of a sudden an acquaintance adventurer came and invited me saying ‘I found a great information. So let’s go to the dungeon right now’’.

And so, I left early in the morning without eating any breakfast.

I don’t know about the credibility of the information but it is about some sort of ‘Treasure’.

The ones who find the ‘treasure room’ and ‘treasure’ first, it belongs to them. Time is essential. It’s no wonder everyone is in a hurry for finding them.

Even I at this moment am feeling restless.

In truth, I wanted to invite Minato too after seeing his battle prowess yesterday, but it somehow felt awkward to wake him up at 5 o’clock in morning. And I didn’t even have a promise to go with him.

I was worried whether I should go with them for searching the treasure room or go with Minato.

It’s uncertain whether there is a treasure room, but if the information is right, then I get a jackpot. Even if we all split it equally, I will still be able to get quite an amount of money.

If I go with Minato, I’ll be able to certainly get considerable amount of demons raw materials. I won’t be able to gain that much amount of war spoils even if I go with other adventurers. But that profit can never catch up with the profit I’ll gain if I find a treasure room.

And in the end, I chose the former option.

It’s also because of the reason that I couldn’t ask him yesterday to come with me to the labyrinth today. If I had asked him, then maybe my choice would’ve been different.

Anyhow, I entrusted the letter to Tanya and decided to leave alone.

She made a simple bentou and handed it to me, frankly it saved me. If she always showed the good part of her then it will save me a lot.

And right now, I’m in front of the entrance to ‘Labyrinth of Naga’

The people coming with me are acquaintances which I can trust.

Well, they have bad behaviour, anyhow, they aren’t like the pervert from yesterday.

Well we don’t have that much good friendship, so it’s not like they will put their lives at risk for protecting me.

By the way, my rank as an adventurer is E.

Other members are also E except for one who is rank D.

It depends on a person’s ability, but generally Rank E means promotion from being a beginner and rank C means that, that person is a good adventurer. At the same time, it is said that rank C is the limit for a person with no talents.

It isn’t just based on strength as there are many strong people within the same rank so the rank promotion is based on taking the researching skills and knowledge into consideration.

In truth, I have mostly the abilities and knowledge not related to fight, though I learnt it from mom. In terms of fighting I’m quite low.

……Just what might be the level of fighting ability of Minato.

He has just registered at Guild, so his rank is still ‘F’. From what I saw yesterday, he is quite, no, really powerful.

After all, there isn’t any person who will fight against demons bare-handed. Even if there are, it is limited to those races with a lot of physical power like dwarf.

That’s why when yesterday he said ‘I will fight empty-handed’, I thought it was impossible……but a little later he really did defeat the demons bare-handed. Seeing that I was considerably shocked.

I did think he is strong from the time he defeated the bandits, but it was outside my expectations that he is that much strong.

Though Minato is not like a flower’s stem but just from where that power comes from inside that slender body.

While I am thinking like that,

“Now that I think about it, Elk you’re recently desperate to raise money?”

The swordsman (Rank D. He is 23 years old and the oldest.) I am accompanying, asks me.

“……Not really, just some circumstances.”

“Hmm, Well, I’m sorry but we can’t help with you with your circumstances.”

“I am not even expecting that you will ever help.”

“You’re cold. Well if you want money that much, shall I help you?”

And so the girl who is a thief (It’s not like she does stealing or so. It’s just that she is skilled in exploring dungeons and search treasure) asks me.

She earns money as an adventurer and as a prostitute. With just that much, she is the most rich person within our group.

In reality only she is using weapons and equipments better than mine and the other three. Doing those works does give a lot of money.

In truth, even I have been invited to work as a prostitute. She said she would introduce me to the brothel she is working at. Though I always reject her offer.

But this time,

“……I will think about it.”

“Eh? Elk, you really? Do you have a fever?”

“What, you surprised that I didn’t reject the offer this time?”

“When you really want to become a prostitute, do tell me? I will contribute in the sales.”

“What, weren’t you going to help me?”

“This and that are different! Just like how a man is different below from above!”

Other guys who heard our talk start talking.

Do they want to embrace me that much? Someone as plain like me?

“You even accepting the offer, you’re that desperate? By any chance, you got stuck in a debt cycle?”

“Impossible, that won’t happen! It’s Elk after all”

“Yeah, that can’t be to her who doesn’t spend even a little and always manages her budget more sincerely than other people.”

“……Well she must have a lot going on. A lot. Though it all might be personal.”

Their words. Stab my heart.

Right now I’m standing at the point where if I let the feelings take control over me, I would get depressed really easily.

And as a result, I can’t say anything to them……Even yesterday, I got involved with something that I can’t tell other people.

In the end, it only ended up as a plan failure……I can’t believe that I even went that low just to get money. Really disgusting.

A little later, after experiencing that guy’s innocent kindness, I now think that doing something like that wasn’t needed.

And I thought.

That I won’t do something like that ever again.

Anyhow, there is no time to talk about useless things.

I need to, find that treasure room or what, and along the way collect the raw materials of demons and earn a lot!

……So that I don’t have to something like that ever again.

(POV changes to Minato)

I go to the guild and submit my guild card along with the raw materials I hunted yesterday.

Such as fangs and fur of Wolf, skin of Lizard and meat of Rabbit.

Seems like the materials were in a good state, so I got 2 silver coins and 40 copper coins in return. This is quite high?

Well, this job is accompanied with danger and adventurer do this work on a daily basis. If I take the lodging expenses in consideration, this much is reasonable.

The person at the desk was Riin-san whom I met yesterday. I was praised by her, because I’m a rookie who just registered yesterday and yet I brought quite an amount of raw materials.

I still told her ‘I did all this along with Elk’. I don’t want to monopolize all the glory for completing this feat, in the first place. We both were supposed to come here together for selling the materials.

Well then, now that my business here is done,

Shall I also go to the ‘Labyrinth’ after doing some shopping? Yesterday I returned to the inn pretty fast, but I’ve heard that in this city there are many shops that are selling items which help with the investigation work.

Ah, before that,

“Riin-san is it true that I can buy the map for the ‘Labyrinth’ here?”

Elk was saying it yesterday that in the guild, the map for neighboring dungeons or danger areas are being sold.

Most adventurers that are not familiar with dungeon buy the map and move according to it.

I will need it for when I enter the ‘Labyrinth’ and so I decided to buy it.

I want to become familiar with it.

It’s painful that mom never told me how to read a map.

After all, inside that forest, thanks to the ‘Coffin’ that mom brought with her, the demons around the house were particularly strong. And so, if I ventured too far from home, I just needed to go to the place with stronger demons to find my way back home.

If that didn’t work, then the I followed the food’s smell that while riding the winds. And somehow, in the end I was always able to return home.

“Yes, it can be bought? Just, it isn’t sold here but the opposite reception window.”

“Understood. Ah, do you also sell the map of city? I came here just yesterday and so I’m scared that what if I get lost……”

“Yes we sell it too. It is updated on periodic intervals. Caution is required because there won’t any information of any shop that is made or closed recently.”

I see,

Well it will be good enough if I know the location of ‘Bermuda’ on it.

I went the reception window as instructed by Riin-san and bought the 2 maps.

Well then, now I’ll do some shopping and head towards the ‘Labyrinth’. I also need to learn, how to read a map by myself.

Well for the part of going to the labyrinth, I don’t think I’ll get lost after all I just need to walk straight on the stone paved highway stretching from the main gate of the city.

☆☆☆

(POV changes to Elk)

……It’s strange.

That was my impression after roaming inside the labyrinth for 1 hour.

“Sheet! Once again. huh!”

SFX: Zasshu (Slash)

One comrade steps forward and slays the goblin that attacked us.

While swinging the blade, he takes down 1 more goblin.

The ones covering him up are me and the thief girl. We intercept the other goblins or demons……wolf etc that are attacking from rear.

And supporting us is the magician friend who excels in long-distance attacks. Along with his help we finish all the demons that attack at us.

……We have repeated the same pattern for 1 hour and some minutes.

“Don’t you think……there are more demons?”

“You think that too?”

From the time we entered and till we reached here, for some reason we encountered just too many monsters.

We are cautiously investigating small rooms and passages with dead ends frequently. When the investigation ends or sometimes didn’t end, the demons have attacked us many times.

And somehow, it seems like they are attacking us in anger and are releasing just too much bloodlust. Furthermore, they are attacking in larger numbers than usual. It’s kind of ghastly?

And from the time we came down to the underground floor 2 from floor 1, it seems like they have gotten even more in numbers.

I have entered this dungeon a lot of times and have experienced many things, but this is a first for me too.

Usually these guys have either good mood or bad mood but today they are all and only angry.

……What is it? Somehow, I’m having a really bad premonition.

“Hey, shouldn’t we go back already……?”

And suddenly the swordsman friend shakes off the blood sticking on the sword and speaks as if saying ‘What the hell you’re saying.’

“Huh? We have just entered, we haven’t found any trace of treasure or anything yet. You got cold feet?”

“Thats right. Doesn’t this happen sometimes if you’re an adventurer? You don’t need to worry just because some demons are angry.”

“No, but……”

“I’m also curious about it. It’s not on the level of a little angry but they’re considerably angry.” (Elk)

“Whoa! even Elk you saying that. Aren’t you the one who needs the money the most?”

“No, well, that is true, but……”

I certainly said so, but I am feeling a really nasty chill down my spine.

This type of thing is a first for me, truly.

I’m still a not-so-strong newbie and so I have made many plans for securing my safety. Thanks to that, I can somehow intuitively sense any danger.

“Don’t worry about it. I have ventured here a lot more than you guys, this sort of thing happens sometimes? If you get the timing of them attacking, then there is no problem at all”

“True. And if it gets bad then just run. This is only the second floor. No matter what appears here, we four can easily defeat them.”

……It’ll be good if that’s the case.

My bad premonitions are mostly right.

This bad feeling just doesn’t go off, even with you puffing your chest.

…I think it’ll be better if I prepare to run at anytime whenever anything bad occurs.

While I was worrying about that,

The footsteps of something heading towards us reach our ears from the dark area in front of us.

We 4 by reflex speak ‘Again, huh’ as if bored with it and set up their weapons while waiting for the something……most probably a monster to come in front of us.

For some reason there are many footsteps, it’s still the second floor so there won’t be any strong monsters here. At most there only goblins or lizards.

We are 4 people and one is a magician. If we coordinate properly, we will be able to fight.

……Even so,

It strange that I’m feeling lonely just because that guy is not with me today.

While I am thinking that, the thing that appeared in front of our eyes was……

“……Eh!?“

A monster we never expected to meet.

It is a monkey like monster with humanoid form and has ochre colored body hair growing all over it.

They have bigger bodies than that of goblin and have sharp claws and teeth. They are the……

Wha-, M-Mad Monkeys!?“

“Just why are these guys on this floor!?”

*KiiKii*Their high-pitched voice resounds with ear-splitting loudness.

Having our expectations overturned in a split second the party falls into panic.

That’s natural. These ‘Mad Monkeys’ don’t appear on early floors ever.

They are the monsters that appear now and then on 4th and 5th floor. Why are they on the second floor then!? And in a crowd, no less!?

Their rank as per guild is D. The difficulty is worlds apart from goblins.

We guys are in a party, that’s why it would’ve been fine with 1 or 2 of them. But no matter how you look at it, they are coming here in a really large damned crowd!

We can’t win by fighting them. At this rate, we will be bitten to death.

We 4 four after confirming this fact, start running at full speed.

☆☆☆

I ran and ran and after turning at some corners, I was finally able to shake off the monkeys.

I got separated from others while running. Right now, I can’t do anything other than believing that they are fine.

But more than that……

There is a more serious problem here.

“Ha……Ha……Just why are these guys here……?”

The Mad Monkey’s who should appear on the 4th floor and above are on the second floor. It’s an abnormal situation.

I start walking towards the exit of ‘Labyrinth’ because I don’t want to stay in this labyrinth for long. I remember the way back after all.

……But, in one of the corridor that I have to cross to reach the exit, those guys are camping there.

And from the voices I can hear, there seem to be more of them than the crowd from before.

Fortunately, I am still not found by them. And so I am hiding in the shadows and waiting for them to leave. Though, I highly doubt the possibility of that happening.

Having a crowd of rank D Mad Monkeys is as same as seeing a nightmare.

But, no matter what I say the situation won’t overturn. I can’t do anything but wait for them to go somewhere.

The moment I was thinking that,

The voices of Mad Monkeys changed from ‘KiiKii’ to ‘GiiGii’ as if threatening something. It seems like it’s gotten a lot annoying from before.

I thought for a second that I have been discovered, but looks like it’s something different.

The owner of the voices, monkeys, started running towards some other place while raising their voices.

Looks like they have found a new prey.

It seemed like they are going to kill that demon -maybe an adventurer- and were emitting bloodlust.

But even if that prey is ‘Someone’ rather than ‘Something’ I can’t do anything to help them.

Fighting that many Mad Monkeys is only reckless unless one is really confident in their fighting ability.

Even if I go out it won’t be of any help. It’s like pouring a handful of water in a large fire. I can do anything after all, I’m doubtful that I will win against even one of them.

The only thing I can do, is to pray that, that pitiful prey ‘Someone’ or ‘Something’ will be able to win or run -If possible, the prey should run away from my place- against/from them.

The moment I try to bear with the regret and powerless of can’t be able to do anything, while gritting my teeth.

SFX: Dokan!! (Boooom!!! Bdooom!! BTooom!!)

“!?”

Suddenly one Mad Monkey came flying from the other side of the corridor.

I instinctively take defensive stance, but then realize that this place is still not discovered by them.

I carefully and timidly peek from the corner of the corridor to see the situation.

At that time, I realized some misunderstandings along with astonishment.

Misunderstanding #1: That Mad Monkey ‘Came flying’ but at the same time it didn’t ‘Came flying’. To be precise, it ‘It was punched and blown till here.

Misunderstanding #2: That Mad Monkey has already parted from this world, so I won’t be attacked.

While I realize the two things,

Suddenly it becomes more noisier than before on the other side of the corridor.

There is only……strange noisiness.

It doesn’t feel like a fight between demons.

There is sound of sparks.

There is sound of flame as if something is burning.

And there are also sounds of something breaking and sound of wind blowing.

Somehow, it feels like the voices of Mad Monkeys is changing from angry voice to scream……?

Just as I thought, that what if an adventurer that uses magic is fighting the Mad Monkeys.

The voices of Mad Monkeys decrease and suddenly stop.

Along with the sounds of spark and wind.

And immediately after,

“Elk, it’s over. So you can come out now~?”

“-!?‘

I heard that voice. I step forward in amazement.

I see the figure of that kindhearted person……standing in that place while calmly brushing off the dust stuck on his clothes.

And then,

Near his feet, there are more than 20 Mad Monkeys,

But they are all now dead corpses that won’t release that annoying voice ever again.

Seeing my astonished face with eyes open wide, Minato returns a smile with his innocent child-like looking face.

☆☆☆

(POV changes to Minato)

Phew, That surprised me.

I entered the ‘Labyrinth of Naga’ thinking that if by chance I can meet Elk.

And all of a sudden monkey-like monsters came attacking me.

Furthermore, they were for some reason fighting with good coordination. It seemed like they have a lot experience in group fights.

They were stronger than the goblins from yesterday, but yeah, they were great things to warm-up.

Worried about Elk with these demons roaming here, I started searching for her and suddenly my nose caught a familiar smell.

It was the smell of……the bacon I ate in my breakfast in the dining hall.

At that moment, I remember Tanya-chan telling me that she made a bentou for Elk.

And I realize that she must have made it with just some left-overs.

Smell of spices was also reaching my nose. I tried to follow the smell thinking ‘what if’ and Bingo!

I found Elk quite fast.

Ah, I also did the killing of those monkey-like demons.

Are they all violent and used to fighting in groups. They came attacking me as soon as they discovered me, but I killed them all.

After that, I succeed in meeting up with Elk who was hiding in the shadows of corner of the corridor.

Looks like nothing happened to her Yeah, it’s good that she is fine.

……As for returning route, i’ll leave it to Elk. Tsk, I really forgot it.

I bought the map, it won’t be good if I don’t use it…… Ah, but, this time I entered here through the entrance, so if I trace my smell……

Anyhow, while I was thinking that, the frozen Elk thaws.

She told me that these monkey-like demons are called ‘Mad Monkeys’ and about their levels and parts which can be teared off.

Their raw materials will sell for more than the ones from yesterday. Yes, I made profit!

And along with that, I was told a worrisome thing.

These Mad Monkeys are the monsters that only appear on floors below here.

It’s an abnormal situation that these are appearing on early floors.

Hmm, so this is what it was?

Is something going to occur in this ‘Labyrinth of Naga’……

Ah, jeez……It’s my first dungeon after leaving home and I’m already involved in some crap situation.

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