To the Next City

We were able to safely get out of Trance Labyrinth. Well, I guess saying that we got out safely would be a bit much.

At any rate, we were alive. That was good enough.

"So this is what you feel like after conquering a dungeon…"

Having conquered her first dungeon, Tamaki looked around as though she were deeply moved.

I could understand a bit of how she felt.

After being shut into enclosed areas, smelling blood, and battling for your life for so long, the outside world was a spectacular sight to behold.

The blue sky was beautiful. Even the air tasted delicious.

Everything felt more alive.

"Thank you, and good work, Daichi. You too, Leadred, Yui."

"I seriously thought I was going to die this time. Well, I've already died once."

"I should be the one saying that… Well, we managed to do it, thanks to all of us."

Couldn't she have said her thanks a bit more obediently?

Well, that's probably just how she showed her gratitude. She probably wouldn't have even said that if it were just a while back.

"More importantly, Tamaki. There's definitely got to be others like you who went to dungeons in groups yeah? Tell me where they went."

"I can tell you who at least? Samajima, Nanamin, and Kijima made up one group. Mikiyama, Suzuki, and Tokuhara made up another. Then there was our group. However, I don't know which dungeon Samejima went to."

"Huh? Why not?"

"They just headed out right away and didn't say anything. We had our hands full with our own stuff, so we didn't exactly have the time to worry about them."

"Tch. Useless."

"Yeah yeah, sorry, my bad."

Sticking out her tongue, Tamaki looked like she didn't feel bad about it at all. Let's make sure she feels some pain in this next dungeon.

That'll be admirable for someone who's trying to be a shield, yep.

"Daichi. Did the soldier you enslaved at the royal palace not know about the other groups?"

"It was something of a secret matter. No one was told anything outside of the group they were assigned to."

"What should we do then? Go to the nearest one again?"

Leadred stretched, enjoying the feel of the sun on her body.

Her proposal seemed to be our only option.

Whether it's the one Samejima went to or not will be up to fate.

But I will definitely kill him. I will find him, and I will end his life with my own hands.

"… Yeah. But let's go to the nearest town first. We can't go back to Wrystonia anymore."

"Eh, but I left all my stuff from our world there, what about those?"

"Abandon them there. You're my slave for life now. You don't need those things, we're not going back to our world."

"So cruel! Shuri, Katsuragi is cruel!"

"Yui, what Daichi says is absolute, okay?"

"You're both devils!?"

Tamaki wouldn't lose to anyone at being noisy, but just then it felt like she was just happy.

She was alive and she was smiling with her cherished comrades.

I came to understand my own inexperience through this dungeon.

I have to get stronger in this next dungeon so that I won't fall into a crisis like that again.

Reaffirming my determination, I clenched my fist in front of my chest.

Upon doing so, I felt a softness gently wrap around my hand.

"Let's go, Daichi!"

Saying that, Shuri pulled on my hands.

Already ready to head out, Leadred spread out the map and Tamaki looked at it saying this and that.

They showed it differently, but they were eager in their own ways.

Seeing something I never thought I'd see before all this, a smile crept onto my face.

"Yeah. We're setting out for the blacksmithing city, Russell!"

Noticing the smile on my face, Shuri tightened her grip on my hand as we took our first steps to a new city.