Episode 9: The Girl’s Feelings (Shifa’s Perspective)
If the Stampede breaks out, the inside of the Guild will be dangerous.
The Guildmaster said he was going to the Lord’s mansion with Father, who is the feudal lord, and left.
My sister is probably there too.
But I can’t go yet.
After all, Michelle-san is still asleep in the clinic attached to the Guild.
If someone had already taken her to safety, there wouldn’t be a problem.
Thinking that, I peeked in, and Michelle-san was there.
I suppressed a groan and pulled back the blanket covering Michelle-san.
Then, I reached around and tried to lift her.
I’m small, but Michelle-san is a tall woman.
As an adventurer who explores dungeons as a knight, she has a lot of muscle.
In other words, and it’s rude to say, she’s heavy…
What should I do?
I came here determined to help, but I might only be able to staggeringly lift her. Can I even walk?
But I can’t give up.
When I was feeling down, Michelle-san was kind to me.
She traveled with Lux-san for a long time, but she’s a quiet person.
Still, she was gentle and often patted my head.
When Lux-san saved me from a monster attack, it was Michelle-san who healed my injuries.
When I was grieving over my hair, which had been cut short in that attack, she comforted me, saying it would grow back and that I was cute even with short hair.
She’s older than me, even older than Lux-san, a kind older sister figure.
Much more so than my actual sister.
That’s why I won’t give up.
And so, I steeled myself and, supporting her with my shoulder, managed to sit Michelle’s body up.
I’m sorry, Michelle.
You’re heavy…
I took a few steps.
But that was as far as I could go.
It’s frustrating.
Michelle ended up collapsing on top of me as I slumped down.
But then, I suddenly noticed something.
A faint white light was glowing around my chest.
That light detached from my chest and slowly moved.
Towards Michelle.
When the light touched Michelle, the room was suddenly enveloped in a burst of white light.
It was so dazzling I had to close my eyes.
And then… a gentle hand was suddenly placed on my head.
“Shifa…? What happened? Were you trying to carry me?”
When I opened my eyes, Michelle, who had been asleep for half a year, had her eyes open.
“Michelle… you’re awake?”
I hugged her.
I seem to be hugging people a lot lately, but I was so happy that Michelle had woken up.
“Is this the Guild’s clinic? I’m incredibly hungry… and wasn’t I supposed to be in the dungeon?”
Michelle was confused.
So I told her what I knew.
“You were hit by a dungeon trap. Lux-san fell into a pit, and I heard you were hit by a barrage of spears and magic.”
“That’s right. That Jekyll… for a Thief, he sure fell for a trap…”
“Stop! Please, Michelle. I want you to tell everyone that story. Please!”
However, Michelle’s reaction was what I had hoped for, a different story from those awful people, a story about saving someone I loved.
We’re in the middle of a Stampede right now.
But there’s still time.
“What’s wrong? Where’s Lux?”
“There’s a Stampede happening right now. They’ve defeated the monsters on the upper floors and everyone’s gone into the dungeon to intercept the monsters from the middle floors. Lux left town a little while ago…”
“What? Understood. I’ll go support them first. We can talk after.”
“Wait, Michelle. Haven’t you eaten anything?”
“I’m fine. Look, Lux’s homemade emergency rations in my Item Box. These were for when we got lost in the dungeon, but… munch munch. Perfect. Easy to digest too. Well then, I’m off. What, if it’s just middle-floor monsters, I can handle them. After that, the lower-floor monsters will be tough, but there should still be time. Shifa, you go to the Lord’s mansion.”
“Okay. Michelle… be careful.”
“Yeah, no problem.”
Saying that, Michelle patted my head just like she used to.
Then she changed into the equipment she took out of her Item Box and left.
But, I’m sorry, Michelle.
I’m not going to the Lord’s mansion.
There are things I can do too.
□ Dungeon Upper Floors
The adventurers who had deployed to the upper floors with determination were gradually being pushed back by the overwhelming number of monsters.
The attackers were a pack of Dark Wolves, Bone Knights and Skeletons, a flock of Firebirds, and High Orcs and Orcs.
Each monster type was led by a superior individual or pack leader, and they assaulted the adventurers.
“Damn, there are too many of them!”
“This is bad. Are even the middle-floor monsters this strong?”
“There are a lot of monsters in packs. We still have healing potions. Everyone, hang in there!”
“All Heal. We can still go!”
Jekyll was taking command, and Claire was continuously casting area-of-effect healing.
The adventurers were also fighting back, divided into a vanguard unit to stop the monsters’ advance and engage in close combat, a support unit, and a unit performing ranged attacks with magic.
However, faced with the fierce monster attacks, the vanguard unit was on the verge of collapsing.
If they broke, the adventurers would be annihilated.
After all, the monsters were charging forward, heedless of injury or even death.
Adventurers with magician or support-type jobs couldn’t stop them.
For now, they were managing thanks to the healing, primarily from Claire, but…
“Hey! It’s an Orc King!”
“An Elder Wolf too… Impossible. That’s usually the class that leads a Stampede!?”
“Why are they coming out together!?”