Chapter 26
“Ah, no, no…… Noooooooooo——!!”
The third basement floor of the dungeon. A man's scream echoed through it.
That scream held countless emotions.
Despair and rage, resentment and regret, and self-loathing.
“Dieeeee……!! You piece of shit! Aaaaaagh!!”
Bang! Bang! Bang!
He pounded the floor. Again and again.
Without even realizing blood was flowing from his hands.
But his head hurt as if it would split far worse than his hands.
Mental anguish.
It was enough to make Se-on fall prey to his inner demons.
What…… what the hell makes me a Hero……!
When I can't even save my own companion!
This time, he slammed his head into the floor.
As if trying to smash the head that had made such a foolish decision.
Yet even then, Yubel's image kept appearing in his mind.
“……”
Se-on had shouted at Yubel to run, then blindly sprinted straight ahead.
He hadn't even looked back.
Because.
“Skill window……”
Just as Se-on was running and about to glance behind him, the red skill window had warned him.
[Keep running straight ahead without looking back.]
An order from the skill window unlike anything he'd ever seen before.
Se-on felt something eerie about it.
As if an invisible ghost were whispering in his ear.
At the same time, several thoughts flashed through his mind.
Don't look back?
Would something bad happen the moment I turned around?
Should I just keep running straight ahead like this?
Se-on had received help from the skill window in many ways.
So he hoped it was trying to help him again this time, too.
But that hope soon turned to unease.
They should've been running together, yet he could hear only one set of footsteps.
The dragon's presence was growing fainter.
In the end, Se-on ignored the skill window.
But it was already too late.
Because Yubel had been captured by the dragon.
“Guh, kuhahahaha!”
When Se-on first witnessed it, he blamed the skill window.
He'd thought that if it hadn't given him that stupid warning, he could've saved Yubel.
But.
No.
It was all wrong.
“You.”
You were scared, too.
You were so scared you didn't even want to look back.
That's why you did what the skill window told you.
In the end, this had been Se-on's choice.
A Hero who couldn't overcome his fear.
Could you really call someone like that a Hero?
“……”
His reflection appeared in a pool of blood that had formed before he knew it.
He looked wretched, cowardly, and utterly pathetic.
“Yubel…… I'm sorry……”
No matter how many times he slammed his head, he couldn't forget.
Realizing he was already too late, Yubel had sacrificed herself and blocked the dragon's attack on that fucking idiot to the very end.
This had happened before, too.
When he first faced death in Edelia.
That's right.
Yubel had always saved my life.
But what am I?
I was always the one putting Yubel in danger.
And in the end, Yubel had been captured by the dragon.
Her life or death was unknown.
Saying Yubel was alive was far too hopeful and optimistic.
“Hahaha……”
I'm trash.
Trash who sullies the Hero she admires.
“Why, why won't I die……”
The Hero's body recovered quickly.
Se-on's recovery, after growing stronger by hunting monsters, was already beyond human.
Normally, he'd thought this recovery was a blessing, but now he could only resent it.
“……”
Se-on looked at the pool of blood.
His reflection there spoke to him.
You fucking idiot.
You don't even know how to die?
It's right there.
That thing you always wear at your waist like a decoration.
“Right…… This will kill me. The most disgusting piece of trash in this world.”
Shing——
A longsword slid out of the scabbard at Se-on's waist.
The longsword's surface was grimy, as if stained with blood time and again.
Clink.
He positioned himself, pointing the blade at his own neck.
It'd probably be hard to cut my own throat by myself.
But it doesn't matter.
If I keep trying, it'll end eventually.
“Huuuh……”
Once he'd made up his mind, the longsword rang softly.
As if to say it was ready.
Se-on then closed his eyes.
It was time to end everything.
At this moment, he wasn't afraid.
After all, he'd been summoned just before he was about to kill himself in his original world.
So all he felt was guilt toward Yubel.
‘I'm sorry, Yubel.’
He tightened his grip on the sword.
-Whoooosh!!
He swung it.
………
……
…
..
.
‘Hey!! Get a grip!’
He paused.
The longsword he'd swung toward his neck stopped.
Something had stopped Se-on's hand.
“That voice just now…… Yubel?”
That's right.
But it hadn't come through his ears.
It was a faint voice from within his heart, deep inside.
The voice he'd heard when he first faced death in the past.
The voice from the memory of the day Yubel first saved him.
“Ah……”
Clang——
Se-on let go of his weapon.
Then he covered his face with trembling hands.
“W-What…… what was I about to do?”
He'd tried to give up on life.
He'd been about to let out the nausea boiling inside him.
Without caring whether he dirtied himself, completely irresponsibly.
Se-on thought.
Had Yubel saved me so many times because she wanted me to do this?
Did she want to see me give up on everything like this?
“No.”
Giving up.
Yubel would never do that.
Had she ever given in, even once?
The Yubel Se-on had seen so far was strong. She might waver briefly, but she never gave up or collapsed.
And yet, after seeing that side of her by his side, he was about to make this choice.
“What was I doing……”
As the leader of the Hero's party, he must have looked utterly pathetic.
Right.
A Hero mustn't make that choice.
A courageous person.
That's what a Hero is.
Se-on no longer doubted that he was a Hero.
Because he'd remembered now.
What had Yubel always called me?
“Hero……”
From beginning to end, she'd called him a Hero.
As if she had never doubted that he was a Hero.
She'd expected someone as pathetic as him to embody a true Hero.
Twitch.
Se-on felt something welling up inside his heart.
“Then…… shouldn't I live up to that expectation?”
He clenched his trembling hand tightly.
I am a Hero.
A Hero who kills the Demon King and saves the world.
The Hero she admires would never give up, no matter what happened.
“Yubel. You're still struggling, aren't you?”
Being captured by a dragon wasn't enough to kill her.
She always turned things around in the face of danger.
She must be holding on until I come save her.
Because she's a miraculous person who never gives in, no matter the situation.
“All right, I'll take it on. I won't be afraid anymore. Yubel, I'll become a true Hero and prove it to you.”
Prove it.
How strong a man I am.
And.
“And I'll protect them, no matter what. This world, now in danger because of the Demon King. The countless people who believe in me. And the most precious connection I found in this world, the one who saved me……”
You.
[The potential for 'Indomitable' has manifested.]
***
Fucking Hero bastard.
How dare he set a trap like that?
If I see him later, he's dead.
Yubel thought the Hero had set the trap to get her out of the way because she was interfering with his efforts to raise Riella's lewdness.
Judging by the fact he'd come up with such a plan, the Hero must see his party members as disposable tools.
In the Hero's eyes, I must've been lacking as a mage.
‘Sigh, I won't die for now, at least.’
As long as she held onto Eva, the dragon's greatest weakness, it wouldn't kill her right away, at least.
Now I needed to come up with an escape plan……
“Kyao! Kyao!”
“Eva! Don't fall!”
Yubel was now on the dungeon's fifth basement floor.
It was the bottommost level of the dungeon, where Behemoth's nest was.
The nest looked just like a grand mansion.
Behemoth had used magic to shrink her body to fit inside her cramped nest, then carried Yubel inside.
“Krr……”
Behemoth examined Yubel's face up close.
Yubel clutched Eva tightly, her legs trembling like those of a newborn fawn.
No, why are you doing this to me?!
What have you been doing to me this whole time?!
Behemoth had been talking to Yubel for quite a while.
This whole disaster had happened because she naturally assumed Yubel was one of her own kind.
Unless Behemoth polymorphed into a human, the two would probably never be able to communicate.
“Um, excuse me, Dragon? Lord Dragon? It's a bit cramped in here, so could I maybe go now? Haha……”
Yubel naturally tried to escape.
If she stayed here any longer, she felt like she'd really pass out.
“Krr?”
Behemoth reacted to the word cramped.
Snap!
Shushushuk——!
“Huh?”
When Behemoth snapped her fingers, her body began to shrink.
This was the dragonkin's signature ability: polymorphing.
Pop.
“Oh my, was it that cramped? You should've said so sooner.”
Yubel's eyes shook violently.
Gasp, no, what is this beautiful woman?!
Shiny black hair braided over one shoulder.
Skin as white as jade, and big, clear blue eyes.
And large breasts that stirred men's desires, paired with a perfectly fitting mature, sensual outfit.
Ugh, I can't take it……
Oh, right, I don't have one anymore.
How lonely.
“Hey, sweetheart?”
“Y-Yes!”
“Hehe, you suddenly spaced out, so I thought you were feeling sick. Come over here. Let's eat first.”
Eat food prepared by such a beautiful woman?
A man who turned this down wouldn't be a man.
Having completely forgotten that the beautiful woman was a dragon, she devoured everything she brought out in a ravenous hurry.
She didn't know what the food was, whether it tasted good, or if she'd made a mess.
Her mind was entirely fixed on the beautiful woman who'd prepared the meal.
“Hehe, you have a good appetite. It's nice to see you eating well when you're young.”
“Mmm! Of course! Eating well is one of my specialties!”
Nod, nod.
She vigorously nodded in agreement.
Of course, she kept chewing the food the whole time.
“Hehe, what an interesting child. What's your name, by the way?”
“I-I'm Yubel! And what might your name be, beautiful lady……?”
“Me? Hmm…… Just call me Behemoth.”
Tremble, tremble.
Behemoth?
The moment she heard the name, she got goosebumps.
Now that she thought about it, this woman was a dragon.
What was I doing, not even thinking of escaping?
“Ahaha…… I should probably get going now——”
“Wait.”
She froze.
“Huh? Why……?”
“How did you meet my child?”
Child?
Oh, she means Eva!
If I give her back, can I leave now?
“H-Here, I'll give her back to you!”
“Kyao?”
“Um…… what do you mean by that……?”
Behemoth's heart began to pound.
She'd only wanted to ask how Yubel had met her child, but her daughter-in-law had suddenly handed the child over.
Was this what people called a ‘return’?”
“Absolutely not……!”
“What?”
“I'm sorry, sweetheart, but you can't take even one step out of here.”
Cold sweat ran down Yubel's back.
Ah, it's over.
Did she find out I hit Eva?
She bit me first, though……
“I-I'm sorry……”
Yubel fell to her knees and begged Behemoth's forgiveness.
Behemoth was at a loss at the sight.
“Sigh…… So why are you trying to take her back?”
“Huh?”
“You were just going to return her and leave, weren't you? Do you know that's absolutely forbidden among our kind?”
Behemoth's eyes turned fierce.
Yubel began to sweat profusely as she racked her brain.
Is there some custom among dragonkin that you can't just eat and leave?
Damn it, then what do I do…… Ah!
A flash of inspiration.
Yubel came up with a good idea.
So the problem is that I ate and am leaving.
Then I just need to go back without eating, right?
I should throw it all up right now.
“Urk! Uugh! Hrk, blegh!”
Yubel turned her head away and secretly put her fingers in her mouth.
Behemoth tilted her head at the sight.
“S-Sweetheart? Why are you doing that right now……? No, d-don't tell me……!”
Behemoth felt tears about to spill from her eyes.
‘My daughter-in-law's already having morning sickness!’
Morning sickness.
That was what Behemoth thought of as soon as she saw Yubel retching.
To think they'd already gone that far.
Kids these days really move fast.
“Sweetheart, I'll bring you something to eat right away!”
“Blegh! Huh? What does that……”
Behemoth had experienced morning sickness herself, so she knew very well that eating frequently could ease it.
But Yubel, unaware of her intentions, was terrified by the situation.
Is she trying to keep feeding me until I throw up?
So this is my fate—to become a walking puke factory here……
As Yubel despaired.
Eva began licking Yubel's cheek.
“……”
You fucking Hero, you planned this from the start.
Everything, even arranging for me to meet Eva!