Chapter 82: Treasure Hunting with Everyone ②
“I couldn’t figure out how to catch it, but I found out its name. It’s called Psyche, the Soul Butterfly.”
“Psyche? Could that be from Greek mythology…?”
“Shi-chan, you know about it?”
“Yeah. Psyche is the name of a goddess with butterfly wings. But…”
Shi-chan thought for a moment.
“…Sorry. I don’t know how to catch it as a butterfly.”
“Got it, thanks. For now, I’ll try to catch it normally.”
I returned the glasses to Shi-chan.
Come to think of it, there are insects named after gods, like Hercules and Atlas.
It’s probably something like that.
“Ko-chan, aren’t you going to catch it?”
“Going now!”
The blue, glowing butterfly was still perched on the tree trunk.
“—Monster Capture Net Lv. 2.”
I summoned the bug-catching net from my subspace.
Since it leveled up the other day, the net’s color had changed from purple to green.
While using the stick insect’s skill, 【Presence Concealment】, I approached the blue, glowing butterfly, trying to make as little noise as possible.
And then.
“Hyaah!!”
Swish!
It was perfectly timed for a capture.
However.
“H-Hey, Ko-chin! Where are you!? The butterfly warped over here!”
“Manamin, Ko-chan is right here! Though his presence is faint…”
“Amazing… Without the glasses, I can’t even recognize him when I’m looking right at him… Natsume-kun, you’ve gotten stronger again…”
“Sorry, everyone. I’ll stay like this for a bit.”
I walked over towards Manamin.
This butterfly, Psyche, much like the emerald green butterfly I caught before, can probably use the evasion skill 《Butterfly Dance》.
It really feels like a superior version.
The fantastical butterfly was perched on a tree near Manamin.
“Sei!”
Shun!
“Wah, Natsume-kun! It’s over here now!”
“Ko-chan, can you even catch this thing?”
“Should be fine. I think it’ll take two more tries! Hyaah!”
Shun!
“Ko-chin, it came towards me!”
“Ah, this… its movements are the same as the evasion skill Natsume-kun uses…”
“Ko-chan! Fourth try!”
“Leave it to me! Sei!”
Swish!
And then.
—Bowan!!
“Did I catch it…!”
“This is exciting, Ko-chan!”
“Yeah.”
I lifted the bug-catching net.
And then.
“…Huh?”
A small wooden box was left there.
It was too dark to see clearly, but no magic stone had appeared.
“—《Firefly’s Light》.”
I used the skill to illuminate the surroundings.
Indeed, it seemed no magic stone had appeared.
Moreover, even though I’d caught a new insect, the encyclopedia didn’t appear.
Had the capture not registered?
“Ko-chan, what’s that box? It looks like a small treasure chest.”
“Is it something valuable? I hope there’s at least a diamond ring in there…!”
“Honestly, Manamin…”
It probably doesn’t contain an ordinary item like a diamond ring.
The contents must be related to the secret of why it didn’t turn into a magic stone.
Well, opening it is the only option, right?
I placed my fingers on the box’s clasp to undo it.
At that moment.
“D-Don’t—!!”
“Wah!”
Shi-chan’s loud voice echoed.
“Eh, eh? What’s wrong, Shi-chan?”
“That scared me…”
Shi-chan approached me and peered at the small box through her glasses.
Then, she murmured.
“Just as I thought…”
“Shi-chan, do you know something about it?”
“Yeah. It’s something I wouldn’t know without using 【Appraisal】, but…”
Shi-chan pushed her glasses up.
“You see, this box seems to be called ‘Psyche’s Box’. If you put Psyche, night, and box together, you might understand, but…”
There’s no way I’d understand.
“Eh, eh? What do you mean?”
Otama-chan asked for me.
Then, Shi-chan said.
“You see, in Greek mythology, Psyche is ordered by another goddess to descend to the Underworld and bring back a small box.”
“Hmm, hmm…”
“It was said that the small box contained the source of beauty. Before Psyche handed the box to the goddess, she thought she’d like to become a little beautiful herself, so she opened the forbidden box. And then…”
“And then…?”
Shi-chan paused for a beat, then said.
“—Inside was the Sleep of Death.”
“That’s terrifying!”
I’m glad I didn’t carelessly open it.
“K-Ko-chan, that thing…”
“Y-Yeah…”
Shi-chan continued.
“I don’t know if its effect in this dungeon is ‘Instant Death’ or ‘Sleep,’ but I think it’s better not to open it. In the myth, Psyche, who fell asleep, is saved by her husband, Eros, but…”
“Eros?”
Manamin interjected at a completely clueless moment.
“Eros…”
She’s hopeless.
Shi-chan’s face turned so red it was visible even in the dim light.
“N-No! It’s not that kind of meaning, it’s the name of a god! Um, well, I’ll use the Roman name, Cupid! Venus’s child, Cupid!!”
“Oh, so that’s what it was… So it’s not like… while she was sleeping, huh.”
“A-Ahem! I’ll continue!”
“Manamin is hopeless, isn’t she…”
I couldn’t agree more.
I brought the conversation back on track.
“So, Shi-chan, what do you think we should do with this box? It’s true that I haven’t officially caught Psyche yet.”
“…To get straight to the point, I think that small box should be offered to a god.”
“To a god? Does that mean a trip to Greece…?”
I’ve heard that the Athens dungeon has a temple-like floor, but…
“Eeeh! I’ve never been abroad!”
“Let’s have Ko-chin cover the travel expenses…”
The two of them suddenly got excited.
But Shi-chan shook her head.
“…No. That might be the case eventually, but how about trying somewhere nearby first…?”
“Nearby…? Ah.”
I see.
“That shrine over there, huh.”
“Yeah.”
“Ehhh…!?”
Manamin let out a disgruntled voice, but I ignored it.
“Let’s try it.”
I moved in front of the shrine.
And then.
“Ah, Ko-chan! The box!!”
“This might be it.”
Psyche’s Box glowed blue, just like that butterfly.
There was a spot in front of the shrine glowing with the same color.
I should probably place it there.
“Aah, my trip to Greece…”
Ignoring Manamin’s lament, I held the small box with both hands.
And then.
“O Divine One, this is the Casket of Beauty. Please accept it.”
I placed the small box on the spot of blue light.
And then…
“Huh, what…?”
The surroundings were forcibly turned to daytime—
Bowan!
Encyclopedia No. 145/251
Name: Psyche, the Soul Butterfly
Rarity: ★★★★★
Capture Skill: Butterfly of Resurrection
Capture EXP: 4000
Drop Item: Magic Stone (Extra Large)
Description: A butterfly whose name means “butterfly/soul/heart” in a foreign tongue. It is said to bring back the souls of the dead from the Underworld and fully restore their bodies according to the shape of their soul. Can be captured by offering Psyche’s Box to a ‘Sacred Precinct’ within the dungeon. Note: Opening the box will result in 30 days of sleep.
“Ooh!”
It’s my first 5-star since Imomushi.
Just like with 《Wormhole》, the encyclopedia also had a page for the skill description.
I immediately checked it.
『Butterfly of Resurrection: Fully restores the target’s HP and cures all status ailments. A resurrection effect is added only if the user has a friendly relationship with the target and understands their state of heart.』
Before I knew it, the three of them were also peering into the encyclopedia.
“Ko-chan, this is… amazing, isn’t it?”
“Resurrection of the dead, huh… There are probably only two or three people in the world who can use that…”
“Combined with 《Wormhole》’s Spatial Transfer, he might be the world’s number one Explorer as a supporter…”
“Hmm…”
《Wormhole》 alone caused such a commotion.
It might be better to keep 《Butterfly of Resurrection》 a secret.
I thought about such things as I picked up the Jade Spirit Magic Stone that had appeared in front of the shrine.
==============
[Supplement: Other Appraisal Results]
○ Flower of Mental Concentration
A flower that was placed in Shi-chan’s room. Placing it on a desk can extend one’s perceived time while sitting at the desk. Convenient for speed reading. Can extend time by a maximum of 3 hours. Can only be used within the dungeon, and requires recharging with mana for reuse.
○ Dream Closet
A closet that was in Manamin’s room. At a very low probability, outfits desired by the owner will appear.
○ Dungeon Shovel
A shovel that was in Ko-chan’s room. Allows digging of dungeon ground that normally cannot be dug. However, it cannot be used to dig a hole to the next floor.
○ Imagineer Family
A set of dolls and a Home that was in Otama-chan’s room. By assigning roles and playing house, one can simulate in their mind with considerable accuracy how real people would react.
○Runrun Sneakers
Sneakers that were in Otama-chan’s room. They have an effect that increases the user’s speed the more joyful their mood becomes.