We Just Beat It Down and That's the End of It, Right? (10)

“How long are you going to keep looking so glum, Menou-san? If you hate the idea of going that much, you could've stayed behind.”

“What are you talking about? If I don't protect Alice-sama, then who will?”

At Menou's words, Tina silently pointed at Takako. Menou followed the direction of her finger with her eyes, then continued walking briskly without a word.

A week had passed since Menou reluctantly brought up the possibility that they could all go to the next stage. The group had made their way to the Holy Forest, a small woodland stretching along the coast directly south of the royal capital. Its monsters were weak, and the trees stood sparsely rather than densely; aside from its somewhat refreshing atmosphere, it had no particularly notable features.

“Speaking of which, why are you so against it? Is there some reason?”

“Well... there is a reason. A few, actually.”

Menou's concern stemmed from the Dark Dragon. At least, three years ago, the Dark Dragon had been a being who strictly upheld the rules of this world. Even though Kagami was clearly strong enough, it had hesitated to let him proceed to the next stage on the grounds that it was against the rules.

Menou still remembered the Dark Dragon saying that only humans could go to the next stage. Even if the Dark Dragon changed its mind and agreed to take them to the next stage, there was a very real possibility that it would make an exception only for those who weren't demons.

If that happened, Alice and Menou would have to return to the demon settlement and be separated again. Menou herself wouldn't mind, but Alice would surely feel lonely. That was why Menou had wanted to avoid making this proposal if at all possible.

“But... if the world is reset, we'll all disappear. I want Kagami-dono to return safely, too. Then of course it makes sense for all of us to go together... assuming we can persuade the Dark Dragon.”

“Ho ho ho! Leave it to me. Persuasion is where I excel most. I shall see you all safely off to this so-called next stage!”

Unlike Menou, who was still anxious, David spoke with an air of confidence, his expression full of hope.

“Huh? David-san, you're not coming with us?”

Tina tilted her head, puzzled by David's almost detached manner.

“Unlike all of you, my level hasn't gone up at all; it's still 77. I'd only be a hindrance if I went... Besides, Kagami-sama entrusted me with the casino. I'll wait for your return where I'm meant to be of use.”

At those words, Takako's eyes widened in shock, while Menou looked a little relieved.

“Will you be all right here by yourself?”

“Yes. Parna-sama, please stay by Alice-sama's side. I'm counting on you to look after Alice-sama and Kururu-sama.”

As if that went without saying, Parna gave a derisive laugh and continued striding deeper into the Holy Forest. Kururu, Tina, and Alice also looked a little lonely for a moment, but soon cheered up, saying, “Well, all we have to do is come back, right?” They followed Parna with renewed enthusiasm.

“We've arrived... This is it.”

After walking a little way into the Holy Forest, Menou suddenly glanced around. Seemingly satisfied she'd found the spot, she stopped.

“...There's nothing here, though. How did Master get from here to the dungeon where that Dark Dragon is? I was captured back then, so I don't know.”

“We dug straight down from here. The dungeon is beneath us.”

“I see... So that's why Menou told us to bring a shovel. That's just what I'd expect from Master—you figured it out. If it's right below us, getting there should be easy.”

Then Rex took the shovel tied to his backpack and said, “I can handle this on my own,” before setting to work digging into the ground. About two hours later, his hands came to an abrupt halt.

“The soil is regenerating...?”

“If we're going to reach the Dark Dragon, we need to deal with that first. This soil could only be dug through because Kagami-dono used a Skill he had access to: Limit Break. I wonder if we'll be able to dig through it on our own...”

Hearing that, Rex let a bead of sweat roll down his forehead and said, “If that's the case, you should've told us before we started digging!”