MagicalExplorer
Reborn as a Side Character in a Fantasy Dating Sim
I made sure everyone was safe, and a short while later, Ludie and Yukine returned to where we all were. Ludie and Yukine were startled by Katorina’s state and asked her something briefly, but they didn’t delve any further. I had explained that, first things first, we needed to get out of the dungeon, but…
There were still problems. Yuika and Ivy hadn’t come back yet. As a result, Iori began to worry about Yuika’s safety. Considering we’d managed to defeat that demon, the two girls were probably just fine, but it was still concerning.
Then Esmeralda said she would go look for them. She probably figured that sending Iori out alone would be dangerous in case anything else cropped up.
Now we had to deal with the next problem.
Andrealphus, a nuisance to the very end, activated a specific trap at the same moment of his death.
The trap sealed up the entryway with crystals. We had to do something about it, or we wouldn’t be able to return home.
The “something” was the usual. Yes, the “reward.” More like a punishment.
Simply put, we had to go into an erotic dungeon, or we would be trapped here forever.
We needed to press a specific magic stone switch that allowed us to escape. Once we did, the crystals blocking the entryway would return to normal, and we would be able to keep on moving, plus regain the ability to use escape items.
Pressing the switch on the magic stone, however, was a trap itself, locking anyone nearby into a magic circle that went straight for the erotic dungeon.
In other words, we had to activate the pervy dungeon. But maybe I could avoid the dungeon altogether if I fled from the switch as soon as I pressed it, or I used my stole to press it first.
Still, I decided not to push my luck. I would be all the more miserable if something did go wrong and the damage spread even further.
I glanced at Katorina and the Saint. They seemed to be searching for some means to get out, and it looked like the Saint wasn’t probing Katorina too deeply about her demon form.
I saw this as my chance to talk to Ludie and the others.
“Ludie, Yukine, Nanami. I have something to tell you.”
“What’s going on? Why are you whispering to us?”
“So there’s a pretty intense dungeon here. Intense in a lotta ways.”
Everyone immediately knew what I meant. It also appeared to bring something to mind for them.
Ludie closed her eyes and cast her face up to the heavens, as if enduring intense pain. Then she began to giggle, as if she had given up. Tee-hee, hee-hee-hee-hee…
“Hee-hee-hee-hee, of course there is.”
“But you don’t need to worry. This time, I think I can go in by myself.”
Ludia and Yukine both looked surprised to hear this.
I had learned a lesson from the recent event with Ivy, who had activated the dungeon by hopping down differently colored tiles and striking a cool pose. I had thought, Pfft, there was no way anyone would ever do something stupid like that.
However, Ivy had smashed this expectation to pieces. This impressed on me the understanding that I would never know what to expect.
While we hadn’t gathered yet, Ivy was here this time, too. On top of that, we needed to summon a teleportation circle to the pervy dungeon in order get out of here.
Anyone—not just Ivy—could make a mistake and accidentally send themselves to the erotic dungeon. It had been like that when Gabby was in trouble. I had no idea what sort of twist of fate might happen.
That meant I had to turn the tables after making sure to update everyone on the situation.
“This time, I’ll go in on my own!”
Not as a group but by myself. Things would be only half as embarrassing if I was on my own. And given the characteristics of the dungeon this time around, I could probably pass right on through a bunch of it if I was by myself, right? Right.
Now, obviously, I would have loved to have everyone come to the erotic dungeon with me if possible. I wanted to see Ludie, Katorina, Nanami, the Saint, Esmeralda, Yukine, Yuika, and Ivy all dressed in sexy outfits, acting cocky and arrogant.
And when I thought about how no one was going to see me, I felt an inexplicable forlornness, as if a hole had opened up in my heart.
Still, when I thought about how everyone else would feel, I realized it really was best for me to go alone after all. That would lead to the least amount of harm.
“I—I will go—”
“Hold on, Ludie. I appreciate the thought, truly. I’m overjoyed. But I’m pretty sure me going alone this time will keep the damage to a minimum. You know what I’m trying to say, right?”
When I mentioned this, Ludie averted her eyes.
She understood.
She knew if clearing a pervy dungeon was unavoidable, then me going in alone would bring everyone greater peace of mind.
The shame of being seen by everyone really was that profound. The others might end up with wounded pride, but considering my pride was already as limp as a piece of paper, and I had gotten used to it all by now, it wouldn’t be an issue.
“You’d stop me even if I tried to go with you, right?” Yukine said.
“Of course I would. I, er, would never want to see you looking like that, no siree.”
A massive lie. The truth was, I wanted to see Yukine looking lewd and sexy; I wanted to see it so, so much. I wanted to see her acting like an impish little brat. I mean, sure! I loved kind and gentle older women, loved calm and collected big sister types, too. But I also really loved the sexy ones! I wanted a badass but kind older woman to dress up in a sexy outfit. A lewd older woman’s voluptuous bust would bring moisture to my parched heart!
“Takioto, you’ve made your determination clear!”
Yukine lowered her eyes.
“Yukine?!”
“Ludie, Takioto’s resolve is hard as steel.”
“She’s right, Miss Ludie. We should respect my Master’s intentions.”
“Not you too, Nanami. B-but—”
“C’mon, Ludie. This isn’t my final farewell or anything, okay? My body will make it through one hundred percent unscathed, and it’ll only be a few hours of endurance at most.”
Indeed, a few hours of perseverance. While I still had some trauma from past experiences, I needed to overcome it.
Ludie went to say something, but the words didn’t come out. Then she hugged me, clinging to me as if she didn’t want to let go.
“I-I’m sorry, I wanted to protect you, Kousuke. I even joined the Morals Committee to do so, but in the end, I…I haven’t done anything…!”
“Sure you have. Heck, it was thanks to you that I managed to help Katorina. Seriously, thanks.”
I gently peeled Ludie’s hands off me.
“Takioto,” Yukine addressed me. “I’m really proud of you. I couldn’t be happier to have an underclassman like you.”
“And I’m just as happy to have an upperclassman mentor like you,” I responded.
At this, I turned around. Then I began to walk off.
“Master.”
I turned my face to look at Nanami. Her expression was sadder than normal.
“May fortune favor you.”
Grinning, I turned my head back around. Then I strolled off to the climactic battle awaiting me, casually raising my hand in the air.
Y’know, this always popped up in movies and stuff:
The scene where the protagonist or a close friend heads out to their doom with an infinitesimally small chance of survival.
In moments like those, they’re always smiling, right? I sorta understood where that feeling came from.
I mean, who would want to see their companions looking sad? Or be crying as you leave?
So I was going to head off wearing a smile.
I turned back to Yukine and the others and headed toward the magic stone that activated the erotic dungeon. This magic stone, shaped like the wings of a demon, was the one. I immediately touched it.
When I did, a magic circle suddenly formed underneath my feet in a blinding flash of light.
A spatial magic circle. At the same time, I saw the path for us to leave begin opening up.
The particles from the magic circle floating around me were so very beautiful. Before long, they enveloped me, and I began to teleport, as if being dissected.
Wow, I really am about to head in there, I thought to myself as I watched this unfold.
Into the Bratty Bitch Dungeon.
…Hm? Huh?
Was that a pair of women running toward me?
“Dammit, Kousuke!”
“I swear, this idiot’s always trouble!”
U-uh, Katorina and the Saint were running over to me, a frenzied look in their eyes.
I wasn’t seeing things, was I? No matter how many times I blinked and rubbed my eyes, trying to flee from reality, I could not see anything but Katorina and the Saint running at me. Nanami was following them at a clip behind.
Not only that, but Yukine and Ludie were in a serious panic. Wait, did this mean what I thought it meant?
Were the two of them trying to save me?!
“W-wait, it’s dangerous! Stay back!”
“There’s no way we’d stay behind after you told us that!”
“I’m the one who’ll be responsible if anything happens to you, idiot!”
The two women shouted as they jumped inside the magic circle.
“You gotta be kidding meeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!”