Chapter 91: Blessing and Return
Thud, thud…
Dragging the cocoon containing the culprit, I returned to the 14th floor, where Otama-chan was waiting in front of the stairs.
Otama-chan smiled brightly and said, “Ko-chan, you won, right?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“Was it tough?”
“Nah… catching the Oniyanma was tougher.”
“Aha… as expected of you, Ko-chan.”
Then, smack! We high-fived.
Next, the Explorers who had been taken hostage gathered around me.
“Ah, Ko-chan-sama!!”
“Thank you so much for saving us!!”
“We were watching on the stream!! You’re so strong…!”
“You were so cool!!”
“It was scary, but I’m so happy I got to meet Ko-chan-sama today! Thank you so much!!”
“Ah, likewise…”
I’d been showered with praise in the comments, but hearing it to my face like this is embarrassing.
I really don’t think I’ve gotten used to being famous.
I probably won’t ever get used to it.
“Ko-chan-san, thank you very much. I’m the one whose leg was stabbed by Iyada-san… If you hadn’t been here, I might have died. I can’t thank you enough!!”
“No, it was nothing much…”
It seems all the Explorers have recovered safely. Probably thanks to Shi-chan.
Ah, speaking of which… “Iyada is…?”
Looking around, I saw Iyada lying face up in the center of the room.
He must have hit his face when he fell; there were many injuries I didn’t recognize.
The wound from the spear seemed to have closed, but he wasn’t moving a muscle.
Could it be, he’s…?
Then, Shi-chan approached. “Natsume-kun, good work with the battle. Iyada-san is alive. Natsume-kun, you resolved the incident without a single casualty.”
“I see…” I felt a little relieved.
“Natsume-kun, you’re undoubtedly a first-rate Explorer. I’m sure all of Japan thinks so. About Iyada-san, if I use my Recovery Magic on him, he might regain consciousness… What do you want to do?”
“No…” Iyada is someone from my past.
A lot happened with him when I was in Tokyo, but I’m not interested anymore.
Now I have all my childhood friends.
There’s nothing for me to talk to Iyada about now.
“…It’s fine like this. I feel it’s better for both of us that way.”
“If you say so, Natsume-kun…”
I looked at the fallen Iyada once more.
I don’t know how he got involved in this incident, but he probably won’t ever cross paths with my life again.
Goodbye, Iyada. My past, which I never want to return to.
“—More importantly, what should we do with this culprit? The 【Thread】 is made of mana, so I think it’ll dissolve and disappear once we’re above ground…”
“It’s fine. At the entrance to the 1st floor, a special team from the Dungeon Management Bureau and the prefectural police will take him into custody. They should be ready by now.”
《【Official: Dungeon Management Bureau】We are ready. We have also prepared restraints to counter Mystic Eyes.》
《Counting on you.》
《Make sure there are no mistakes.》
《I want to be restrained by Shi-chan.》
《↑ Reported.》
“Natsume-kun, by the way, the Rope of Subservience is…?”
“Ah, here…” I showed Shi-chan the rope I’d recovered from the culprit.
“What should we do with this too?” It’s an item that can be easily misused. It’d be a pain if another villain got their hands on it.
“I’ve received orders from the Minister to destroy it, so we could burn it now, but…”
Then, Hermit-sama suddenly appeared. “In that case, I shall take it. I will incinerate it with 【Light Magic】.”
“Ah, thank you.”
“Something like this must not be misused.” I handed the rope to Hermit-sama.
“Keke…” Hmm? Something felt slightly off just now…
“…With this, if I make Ko-chin fill out the Adoption Paperwork, I’ll be a dependent too…”
“—Bug Sumo: Stag Beetle, 《Flame Attack》” FWOOSH!!
“Aah, the rope!! The rope…!!”
“Good grief…” The Rope of Subservience burned away without a trace. With that, the case is closed.
《Turned to ash.》
《Can’t be used anymore.》
《Now there’s no worry of a second criminal appearing.》
《I wonder if Hermit-sama wanted to use it for research?》
《Well, the country prohibits its possession, so…》
《It might have been usable to restrain the culprit, but with Ko-chan around, it’s probably fine.》
“Well then, shall we head back? I still have the 《Wormhole》 lent to Otama-chan, right?”
“That’s right. I want to feed him on the way back too!”
“On the way back too?”
“Ehehe, Karl-chan is cute… Besides, I promised during the debriefing after the Ota Dungeon incident.”
“Come to think of it, I did say I’d let you feed him next time, didn’t I?” Though I’d completely forgotten.
“Okay, Karl-chan. It’s mealtime~”
“Kyuuii!”
A gate connected to a different dimension opened, and a colorful Imomushi crawled out from inside.
《So cute!》
《Haven’t seen him in a while.》
《Today’s hidden MVP.》
《A Mister Donut box from the other dimension.》
《He’s eating a Pon de Ring!》
《He’s trying so hard, it’s cute.》
《He sure eats a lot.》
《Now it’s a strawberry Pon de Ring.》
《He eats so fast.》
《I’m starting to want to go to Mister Donut.》
《Next is a brown sugar Pon de Ring.》
《So lucky~》
《I want to binge on Mister Donut too.》
《Ah, he’s finished eating.》
“Kyuui!”
Munch munch munch…
《A hole in space.》
《It’s always interesting to watch.》
《Is that the 1st floor visible ahead?》
“Ko-chan, it’s connected.”
“Alright. Then, everyone, this way. You can warp to the dungeon entrance.”
At that, the Explorers suddenly started buzzing with excitement.
“Eh, we get to return via Spatial Transfer too!?”
“To think we get to use that coveted skill!”
“Kyaaah, it’s like a dream! It was scary, but I’m glad I was taken hostage!!”
“This will be a memory for a lifetime!!”
“I’m gonna brag to my juniors at my part-time job!!”
《Seriously jealous.》
《I wanted to use Spatial Transfer too…》
《A precious experience.》
《I’d pay 500,000 yen to experience it.》
《If I could feed the Imomushi too, I’d pay a million.》
“Haha…” If they’re this happy about it, then I’m glad.
“Well then, let’s go home. Right, Iyada is…”
“It’s alright, leave it to us, the hostage team!”
“The reformed Iyada is our comrade now! This is nothing!! Right, Iyada!!” Smack!!
“He’s sleeping soundly, just stay a good boy like that!!” Smack!!
“I-Is that so…”
Two male Explorers picked up Iyada and carried him.
Still, they seem awfully friendly with him.
Maybe they’re in that psychological state I saw on TV before, where a sense of solidarity forms between bank robbers and hostages, “Stockholm something-or-other”…
Oh well, it doesn’t concern me anymore anyway.
“Let’s go home, to our respective places.”
We passed through the Wormhole and transferred to the 1st floor of the dungeon.
☆★☆
After helping to restrain this incident’s culprit, Jadou, on the 1st floor, we stepped outside the Yokohama Dungeon. Flash, flash, flash, flash! The intense light of camera flashes enveloped us.
When the light subsided, a rather well-built middle-aged man in a suit stood before us.
“Everyone from Team Secret Base, thank you very much for today! I apologize for giving you such a difficult request, but I believed you would undoubtedly accomplish it!”
“You are…” I remember seeing him on TV. If I recall… “The Dungeon Management Minister…”
“Yes, I am Matsue, the Dungeon Management Minister. First, on behalf of the country, I would like to express my gratitude.”
The moment the Minister bowed his head, the flashes went off again, pasha pasha.
“No, it wasn’t that big of a deal…”
“You are first-rate… no, super first-rate Explorers. Therefore, I have prepared this for you. Please accept it.”
“This is…?” The Minister handed me a small paulownia wood box.
I undid the clasp and opened the lid. Inside was a pin badge shaped like the letter ‘S’ and a paulownia flower.