Chapter 5

Agartha was the first to react.

"...As expected, you're a lunatic! You're calmly doing things we couldn't even think of! It's thrilling! I'm in awe!"

"What."

I had tried to set a serious mood, but this damn woman was just labelling me as a lunatic.

...Well, I did admit to it earlier. But still!

Thinking the Hunter would be different, I shifted my gaze to him, only to find him thoughtfully stroking his chin with his finger.

Yes, this is why I believed in you!

As I watched the Hunter expectantly, waiting for his response, he nodded.

"Hmm, indeed a lunatic."

"Oh, come on!"

You’re the one guy I was counting on! How could you backstab me like this so suddenly?!

Seeing my despairing expression, the Hunter got up with a slight smirk.

"Well, if it's nonsense, we can just listen and ignore it."

Then he turned his gaze back to me. Not understanding what he meant, I met his eyes with a questioning look. The Hunter pointed at me with his chin.

"You said you had a way?"

"Ah... oh!"

Ah, as expected of Lord Hunter! What disrespect have I shown to the rising coin that is you!

I found myself speaking excitedly without realizing it.

"There's probably something around here that can defeat that Outer God."

"How do you know that?"

"It's... a hunch, I guess?"

"A lunatic's hunch, huh. And then?"

Oh, really. They keep bringing up that lunatic meme. I wonder if it means they don't trust me that much.

"Ah, right. Remember how I said I could read the writing on the wall earlier? I got this hunch from reading that! Look at my brilliant mind, haha."

"...You believed me when I said lunatics don't go mad from reading? I was just teasing you."

Agartha suddenly chimed in from the side.

You damn bitch! Keep quiet! Don't you know we'll all die if you run your mouth wrong here?!

Agartha noticed my glare, seemed slightly startled, then averted her eyes and started whistling.

I was considering giving her a flick on the forehead out of anger when the Hunter made a thoughtful "Hmm" sound.

"...Unexpectedly useful."

"Eh?! You believe this?"

Agartha raised her voice in surprise. She's not even trying to hide it anymore.

"I may have an easygoing personality, but this is a matter of life and death! Shouldn't we think about this more carefully?"

"Would you rather just stay here and starve to death together?"

"Well... not that, hehe."

Agartha deflated at the Hunter's words, losing her momentum.

That's right, how cute you are when you obediently listen.

I hope she stays like this from now on.

"So, where is this 'something'?"

I gave an awkward smile at that question. Seeing the Hunter frown, I let out a nervous laugh.

"...We'll have to look for it now."

Was it just my imagination, or did I feel a momentary killing intent from the Hunter?

As we looked around, we found a few items that seemed to have been left behind by the guards when they disappeared. Among them, the lantern was the most appreciated.

It didn't matter to me since everything looked bright, but since it was dark for these two, well. 

With improved visibility, Agartha finally started to show her true abilities. Is this what they mean by a thief being a thief? She instantly found something that even I, with my passive brightness buff from the Super Chicken Mod, couldn't detect.

"There's something here!"

What she found was, according to Agartha, a fake wall.

"This is an invisible wall made with illusion magic, but it's not civilian magic, it's imperial magic, so it's not easy to dispel."

See? I was right. I knew there would be something, didn't I? This is my gaming experience at work!

The Hunter stared blankly at the Thief for a moment, then closed his eyes and sighed.

"...Are we playing shell games now?"

I scratched the back of my head, embarrassed by his words that seemed to lament his situation.

"But we found it, right?"

Ignoring the Hunter's feelings, Agartha chattered excitedly.

"I've been exceptionally good at finding these things since I was little! There's a technique I use to find them, passed down through generations of thieves. But not all thieves can use it, only the most skilled ones can acquire this technique..."

"Alright, please shut up now."

When the Hunter spoke with disgust, the Thief looked dejected for a moment, but then seemed to think, 'Why should I?' and raised her head again.

"Don't you know how important this is? Oh, right. And the method to unlock this wall is crucial, only a highly educated thief can even attempt..."

"I bet that smart mouth of yours would float even if you fell into water."

"No! I! Found! The! Wall! Can't you at least listen to this much? Can't you empathize?"

...Listening to their conversation, I realized. This empathy-seeking type exists everywhere, regardless of time or world.

...I was starting to regret not letting her leave when the Hunter told her to get lost.

The Hunter seemed to not want to deal with her anymore, turning his back on Agartha and looking only at me.

"So, what do we do now?"

"Well, I think what I mentioned should be in there..."

I was carefully choosing my words since I wasn't sure of anything either, when suddenly I heard a snort.

"Oh, so that's how it is? You're really being petty."

Then Agartha approached the invisible wall and placed her hand on it. There seemed to be some repulsion, with sparks flying, but Agartha scoffed and, holding a needle in her other hand, skillfully tore through it as if ripping fabric.

The invisible wall shimmered like a rainbow for a moment, then disappeared, revealing the space beyond.

Agartha seemed intoxicated with her accomplishment, but wanting to show that she was still upset, she maintained a sulky expression as she turned around.

"I'm going in first, follow me or do whatever you want!"

And with that, Agartha was about to recklessly enter. At that moment, the usually indifferent Hunter moved swiftly, grabbing Agartha by the scruff of her neck just before she entered.

"Eek!"

Agartha screamed in surprise, but the Hunter, completely unfazed, brought the Thief's face close to his with a fierce expression.

"You acted like you knew everything, but are you so desperate to die?"

"...What suddenly..."

"For all your boasting about fake walls and obsolete imperial magic, you don't seem to actually know anything."

The Hunter roughly let go of the Thief and looked down at her with contempt.

"Didn't you know that this place is packed full of 'Lesser Outer Gods'?"

"...Lesser Outer Gods?"

Hearing this term for the first time, I tilted my head as the Hunter shook his head and explained.

"They're like fragments that failed to become Outer Gods. Do you think you can handle them?"

"Hic."

Unlike me, Agartha seemed to understand what this meant, as she was so startled she started hiccupping. Her face turned pale as she hiccupped, which I found funny and couldn't help but snicker.

"Y-you laughed?!"

"Yes."

"And you're so brazen about it!"

Well, I don't really know what's what anyway.

Besides, seeing Agartha, who had been teasing me until now, so scared actually feels kind of good? I thought that if I got the chance to deal some damage, I should do it regularly for my happiness index.

Maybe she sensed my thoughts. Agartha took out her needle with a fierce look, so I turned away.

The Hunter sighed at our antics before focusing on the situation again.

"So what do you plan to do now? Surely you're not suggesting we go in there and commit suicide?"

I scratched the back of my head absentmindedly as I listened to the Hunter's words.

"Are they really that scary?"

Lesser Outer Gods (小外神), with the character for "small" in their name, seemed like they would be weaker than Outer Gods.

The Hunter sighed at my words, then approached the area where the wall had been and held up the lantern. As the room beyond the wall lit up, what I saw was...

"Oh."

"...Eek!"

My reaction and Agartha's were quite different.

The Hunter pointed inside.

"If there was only one of those, I might have risked going in. Look, do you think you can handle all of those packed in there? When many of them gather, their weak power amplifies, and they scramble the minds of those who approach, driving them insane."

As she listened to the Hunter's explanation, Agartha seemed to realize it more and slowly started moving away from the passage.

But even after hearing the Hunter's words, I could only tilt my head in confusion.

Because to my eyes, all I could see were fairy-like creatures that looked like they belonged in a fairy tale, clinging to the walls and resting.

"They're cute, aren't they?"

"What?"

The Hunter's voice clearly showed his surprise at my words. But what can I do if this is my impression?

Just then, one of the Lesser Outer Gods stretched and detached from the wall, making eye contact with me.

"Human?"

It didn't seem like it was addressing me directly, more like it was curious about seeing a human.

Hmm.

"What, never seen a human before?"

When I responded, the Lesser Outer God looked around and then pointed at itself, as if to say, 'Are you talking to me?'

I nodded, and the Lesser Outer God's expression gradually changed into a bright smile.

Then it started waking up the other Lesser Outer Gods sleeping around it by poking them.

"...Mmm, what is it?"

"There's a human who can understand our language!"

"Is that true?!"

Starting with that Lesser Outer God, the fairies that had been densely packed on the wall began flying around inside with bright smiles.

"What have you done! Why have the Lesser Outer Gods suddenly started going wild...!"

The Hunter spoke to me in shock, but I couldn't respond because a Lesser Outer God interrupted him.

"Human, can you really understand us?"

"Yeah."

"Oh my! How fascinating!"

"Everyone! This isn't the time for this."

The Lesser Outer God that seemed to be the leader calmed down the excited group, then fluttered its butterfly wings and approached the entrance of the passage.

I could tell from its somewhat firm resolve that it wasn't particularly friendly towards humans.

"I never thought I'd be saying this to a human, but there's something I want to ask."

"What is it?"

"I'll explain if you come into this room."

Huh. Isn't this usually the part where you die?

But I had an inexplicable sense of confidence, you could say?

Remembering how I was fine after reading the text earlier, I felt like I might not be affected by that mental interference or whatever it was. Those Lesser Outer Gods didn't even look scary. If anything, weren't they cute?

"...I don't know what's going on, but this plan is scrapped. Those already dangerous beings are now running wild..."

If we stopped here, the Hunter would use me and the thief as disposable pawns, so I decided to choose the option with a higher survival rate. Before the Hunter could react, I stepped towards the passage and entered the room, saying:

"This is no big deal."

"You crazy...!"

I thought I heard the Hunter cursing from outside, but why should I care?

As I was thinking that, all the Lesser Outer Gods that had been densely packed suddenly took to the air and I saw them rushing towards me.

"Uh, uhhh?!"

I was swarmed by the numerous Lesser Outer Gods, and I… started being sexually harassed by the Lesser Outer Gods as they clung to my face, stretching my mouth, or pressing on my stomach.

"Wow, it's our first time seeing a human who stays sane when we touch them!"

"We can even talk to him! So this is what a living human body is like!"

"Come on, everyone, calm down I said!"

...I think I could say it wasn't exactly a pleasant experience.